Clary and Jace One Shots!
by suffocatingonsadness
Summary: These are a collective bunch of one shots about Clary and Jace that I've thought about and needed to write! I hope you enjoy them!
1. Author

**Authors Note:**

 **So, I decided that I was going to put together a bunch of one shots about Clary and Jace that I thought about throughout either the day or whenever I think of something that I have to make into a story. If you want me to write any one shots that you want to read about just shot me a message or leave a review. I'll try to do as much as I can. I hope you enjoy these series of one shots. I don't know how many I'm going to be writing. As of now I have at least 4 written. But who knows how many more ideas I have up in my head!**

 **Also, the characters belong to Cassandra Clare. The only think I own is the plot of the story, and minor characters that I added. So I hope you enjoy these short little stories! :)**


	2. Chapter 1 - Failure

**First One Shot:**

 **Failure**

 **Jace POV:**

For the past five years life has been really hard. I am a single father to the two sweetest girls in the world, but we're financially struggling. When I was 19, I got my girlfriend pregnant, and it was the scariest thing in the world. I had to put off college, and my parents kicked me out. Unfortunately, Samantha died during childbirth and I've been on my own ever since. We live in a run down apartment that only has one bedroom. I sleep on a couch, and with no degree I'm stuck at a dead end job at the bookstore around the corner. I try my hardest to provide for my girls, which is why I also go to school online so that one-day I'll be able to get a better job. It was a normal Monday morning and I was organizing the newest display case for the new book that was being sold when there was a ding from the door. I was already in a foul mood, the girls were late for school again this morning and I don't have a car so I had to practically run to work today, so when she walked in the door I was in no mood.

"Um, excuse me. I'm looking for Luke." She said and I didn't even bother turning around.

"He's out. Won't be back for a couple hours." I said not even trying to hide the annoyance in my voice.

"Well, could you tell him that Clary stopped by, and that I really need to talk to him." I turned around to see the most beautiful red head that I've ever laid eyes on.

"Yea, I'll tell him." Despite how pretty she was, I was still annoyed and I think she could tell.

"You know, I don't know why you're so pissed at me, I did nothing to you."

"I'm not pissed at you, I'm just having a bad day."

"Well, you're customer service needs some work. Not everyone will be as understanding as me." I didn't even bother answering her, I just turned around and continued with my work. A couple seconds later I heard the door ding again and I knew she was gone.

The rest of the day went by super slowly, and the next thing I knew it was time to pick the girls up from school. When I got there, I saw them both running up to me, with their bouncing blonde curls and bright green eyes.

"Daddy! Guess what?" Paige said as she ran into my legs.

"What Paige?"

"Emmy and I have a book report due right before Christmas break! Can we start looking for books at your work?" She beams, I knew they were both little bookworms, and when they smiled up at me like that I just couldn't deny them.

"Absolutely. How about for the next couple Saturdays you both come to work with me, and you can search through all the book shelves in search of the best book!"

"Yay!" They both yell in unison. I grab their hands and we make our way home. I loved my girls, and I would do absolutely anything for them, but I wish that I could give them world, but with no degree, and being a single parent to twins, is really hard. I want them to never feel like they are being deprived of everything 5 year olds should have, but I can't give them everything.

 **Time Jump- One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I've been back in the states for a month now, and I was getting everything situated after my fathers death. I wasn't close to my dad, he wasn't really around much when I was growing up, and I only really heard from him on birthdays or holidays. I've been living in London for the past couple years and I absolutely loved it, but until everything is squared away, I'll be here.

My fathers death really messed up my mom. She was deemed mentally unfit to live on her own, and Luke, who's practically my uncle, signed her into a mental institute to help her deal with her long list of issues. I was going to Luke today to talk about my mom, I just needed an update on her, I feel like I can't go visit her without causing an episode, she hasn't seen me in years and I don't want to wreck her progress. When I get to the bookstore I am really hoping the blondie isn't there. He was extremely rude, and I didn't have time to deal with that today.

When I walked in there wasn't any sign of anyone, but I could hear giggles coming from one of the aisles. When I walked back there was two beautiful little girls sitting on the floor looking at books. I couldn't help but smile and make my way over to them.

"Hey pretty girls, what do you have there?" I say and they both look up at me and smile.

"I have Green Eggs and Ham!" The one said.

"And I have The Giving Tree! We have a book report due before Christmas, so we needed to get our books!"

"I see. I'm a fan of both of those books. Good choices." I smile at them and they both smile back.

"I'm Paige, and this is my twin sister Emmy, her real name is Emily but I call her Emmy, and so does daddy."

"It's very nice to meet you both, I'm Clary." I sat down and talked to them for a couple more minutes until blondie shows up and I roll my eyes until both of the girls get up and run to him.

"Daddy!" They both say and I'm shocked.

"Hey girls, did you find your books?"

"Yea, Clary helped us pick good ones. She's really nice!" I smile at him and he smiles back. Seeing him with his daughters is definitely eye opening, he isn't a rude bastard anymore, but a sweet and caring, and loving father.

"I bet. Thank you for helping them." He says and I get up and walk over to them.

"It's no problem." I smile. "Look, we got off on the wrong foot."

"Yea, I'm sorry about that. I was having a really bad day, and I took it out on you, I shouldn't have."

"How about we start over. I'm Clary." I stick out my hand and he laughs and takes it.

"I'm Jace, and you've clearly met my daughters."

"I have. They are very precious. How old are they?"

"They are five. They'll be six in April."

"How about I pay for their books. I really do feel awful about how we met, and I'd love to make it up to you."

"You really don't have to do that." He said but than he smiled. "But how about I take you out for coffee sometime this week?"

"I'd like that, but I'm still going to pay for the books. Luke is practically my uncle so he really won't mind."

"Alright, you have yourself a deal." He smiled and I came to the conclusion that I really liked his smile. We parted ways and I got into my car and headed home. I was actually kind of excited to be going to coffee with him, after my last relationship I haven't really gotten out that much and there was something about the arrogant yet sweet father of two back there that I really liked.

When the week started I was actually really excited to meet Jace for coffee. We decided that we would meet on Wednesday during his break. He said he didn't have a lot of time off, and that's all he could do otherwise his daughters would have to join. I didn't mind, I was just excited to get to know him a little better. I walked into the coffee shop and he was sitting at a table already and when I made my way over to him he gave me a hug and I felt something I haven't felt in a long time. We sat and talked for maybe 25 minutes before he got a call from his daughters school.

"Hello?" He answered. "Are you kidding me? Which one?" He seemed to be getting more frantic. "Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can." He hung up the phone. "Apparently Emmy started throwing up during school and wouldn't stop and they had to take her to the hospital. I have to go see her." He got up and than something went off in his head. "Shit, Paige is still at school."

"I can go get her if you want."

"Really?"

"Yea, you need to go see how Emmy is doing, and going to get Paige and than getting to the hospital will just take too much time. Plus, Emmy probably really wants her daddy."

"Thank you so much. I'll call the school and tell them that you're going to go get her." He gave me the biggest hug ever before rushing out the door. I made my way back to my car and started driving to their school. When I got there I went straight to the office.

"Excuse me, I'm here to pick up Paige Herondale, her sister was taken to the hospital, and her father needed me to pick her up." I said and the lady looked up at me.

"You're Clary Fray?" I nodded. "Alright, Paige is in the room upstairs, first door on your right." I thanked her and proceeded upstairs and when I got there Paige was out in the hallway crying while the teacher tried to calm her down. I made my way over to them and crouched down next to her.

"Paige." I said and she looked up at me. "Hey sweetie, your daddy sent me to pick you up. We're going to go visit Emmy." She was still sobbing so I stood up and took her in my arms and said goodbye to the teacher and made my way back to my car. Not even 10 minutes later we were at the hospital. We had to wait in the waiting area for Jace to come back out, since she was still being treated by doctors. Paige curled up on my lap and rested her head on my chest. Another hour passed before I saw Jace walk out of a room. He was clearly distraught but once he saw Paige and I his mood seemed to lighten a bit. He made his way over to me and Paige instantly flew off my lap and into Jace's arms. I couldn't help but smile, it was the sweetest thing.

"Is Emmy going to be okay daddy?"

"She will be. They want to keep her here over night though for observations."

"Do you have to stay with her?" Paige asked.

"I'm going too. I just need to find a place for you to stay tonight."

"I'll take her." I said maybe a little too fast, and Jace's head snapped up to look at me.

"Really?"

"Of course. I live alone, and I'd love the company." I looked down at Paige and she was smiling from ear to ear.

"I'd really appreciate that Clary. Thank you so much."

"Of course."

"Can I see Emmy now daddy?"

"Of course you can sweetheart." Jace picks her up and leads her into the room. I'm left out in the waiting room. I sit there for a couple minutes until I realize that it's almost dinnertime, and I make my way outside and ordered a pizza. Thirty minutes later I walk back into the hospital, and knock on the door. I walk in to see Paige and Emmy sleeping in the bed together and Jace sitting on the chair.

"I thought you'd be a little hungry, so I brought dinner." I said and Jace smiles. He walked over to me and again hugs me, but I don't mind. I like the closeness.

"Thank you. You didn't have too."

"I know, but I wanted too. You've had a rough day, and the least I could do is feed you guys."

"You're doing a lot more than just feeding us, we appreciate this Clary. We've been struggling a lot lately, so this means a lot." I couldn't help but see the struggle in his eyes while he talks. He wakes Paige and Emmy up and everyone digs into dinner. When 7 rolls around visiting hours are over, and Paige gives Jace a hug and he kisses her and tells her that he loves her. Paige than goes over to Emmy to say goodbye, and I walk over to Jace.

"This is my address. When you're ready to pick Paige up, just show up. Don't worry about her staying too long or anything like that. Take your time with Emmy." I hand him a piece of paper and than look at Paige. "Are you all ready sweetie?"

"Yea, will I see you soon daddy?" She looks back at Jace.

"I'll be picking you up sometimes tomorrow baby. I promise. I just need to make sure Emmy is alright first."

"Otay. I love you."

"I love you too baby girl." I reach my hand out and Paige grabs it. We make our way to my car and to my house. When we walk in Paige looks dumbfounded.

"Wow. You live here alone?"

"Yea, it was my dads house, but he passed away a couple months ago. So I'm here to make sure everything is okay."

"Do you miss him?"

"I was never really close with my dad. I didn't really see him or hear from him often. So I don't really think I can miss someone who I never really knew."

"I would miss my daddy so much if he wasn't around. I love him so much." She says and my heart swells from cuteness.

"You're daddy does seem pretty cool."

"He's the coolest." I laugh and show her to her room. I give her a bath, give her some of my pajamas from when I was a kid and we curl up on the couch to watch a movie. Halfway through the movie I notice that she's asleep. I pick her up and tuck her into bed. I'm not to far behind her, and when I close my eyes images of a golden boy flood my dreams.

The next day went by relatively slow. Jace told me that Paige didn't have to go to school so we hung out all day. We played with toys, and read books and watched movies, it was a really fun day but it brought back a flood of painful memories and visions of the family that I could have had.

When dinnertime rolled around I was making Paige and I pasta. The doorbell rang and when I went to answer it, Jace and Emmy were standing there and I couldn't help but smile. I welcomed them in and Paige comes running to her father.

"I was just making dinner, would you like to stay?"

"Sounds good. How was Paige?"

"Absolutely delightful. She is such a sweet girl."

"I'm glad she wasn't any trouble for you. She doesn't like being away from Emmy for long periods of time."

"I completely understand." I finished making dinner and served it, and it was surprisingly easy to have dinner with Jace and his girls, they really were the cutest little things ever, and I don't think I've laughed that hard in awhile.

"Daddy!" Paige said. "Can we stay for one more night please! I want Emmy to see where I stayed last night." Jace looked at me and I gave him a little nod.

"Sure. You guys can stay for one more night." They both screamed and ran and hugged Jace's legs. Paige than dragged Emmy to the room she stayed in last night while Jace and I cleaned up dinner.

"So, I know it isn't any of my business but what happened to their mother?"

"She died during child birth. She had a lot of complications during it and in the end they couldn't save her."

"That's horrible. How did you two meet?"

"High school. We met during senior year and it just clicked. I loved her so much, and when she got pregnant I was so happy. I couldn't believe I was going to be a dad. I was so ready to have a family with her. I was devastated when she died. But I couldn't really show it, I had two girls to watch over by myself."

"What about your parents?"

"They kicked me out when they found out I got someone pregnant."

"That sucks."

"Yea, but I have Paige and Emmy, and they're my world. I don't know what I'd do without them." I nodded. "So, what about you? Have a boyfriend, fiancé, husband, or a girlfriend perhaps?" He smirked at me and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Uh, no. I was engaged at one point, a couple years ago, but we just we didn't work out. We didn't agree on our future, and he left me at the alter. It was super embarrassing."

"That is the most cowardly thing anyone can do."

"I know. I was crushed. I didn't know what happened. I went back to our apartment and found a note. He told me that he couldn't marry me because I wouldn't be his trophy wife. I wanted to work, and have kids and he just wanted me to look pretty. I was too stubborn for him. I wouldn't bend to his every will."

"Why were you together than?"

"He was a different person when we met in college. He was nice, and funny, and smart, and I fell in love with him. After we graduated his job started to become all he cared about and it changed him. I stuck around because I was so convinced that the man I fell in love with could some how come back, but I was wrong."

"That really sucks."

"Yea, but I've moved on. He ended up marrying some girl like a year after he left me. Total trophy wife. She only married him for the money, and I clearly have plenty of money of my own, so I wasn't in it for that. I truly thought he loved me."

"What did you do after that?"

"Threw myself into work. I sold our apartment and got one in the city of London, and started selling my artwork. And I've done really well. I'm really proud of myself, and honestly him leaving was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me. He was holding me back, and now I can do whatever the hell I want without worrying about pissing anyone off."

"That's always a good way to look at things." I smiled at him and he smiled back. We ended up talking for a couple more hours. After we put the girls to bed we sat on the couch and talked about so much. When he finally looked at the clock it was past midnight. "Shit, I should get going."

"You can stay here for the night."

"Thank you." I nodded and went and grabbed him a blanket and a pillow and brought it out to the living room. We said goodnight and I went to my room and went to bed, again with dreams flooded by the golden man in my living room.

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up at like 4 in the morning to the sound of someone throwing up. I immediately think it's Emmy so I rush to the sound only to find Clary curled up on the bathroom floor. I walk over to her and brush her hair out of her face, and see how pale she is. I pick her up bridal style and make my way back to her room. I place her in her bed, get a mini trashcan and place it next to her bed and tuck her in. I notice that there is a mini couch in her room so I make myself comfortable on that in case she needs me again.

I fall asleep instantly but all too soon I feel someone shaking my shoulder. When I open my eyes I see Clary looking back at me with a smile on her face. I rub my eyes for a minute to try and wake myself up.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. That's just a symptom of my migraines. I got a really bad one last night. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it."

"It was no problem."

"Come on, let's go make those girls breakfast." I nodded and got up and Clary and I made our way to the kitchen. About 45 minutes later the girls ran into the kitchen and attached themselves to my legs. I picked them both up and placed them on the counter.

"How was your night girls?"

"It was great! We didn't have to share a bed! It was so cool!" Paige said and I immediately tensed. Clary didn't know the extent of our struggle and I wanted to keep it that way.

"That's so cool. Come on, Clary and I made breakfast." They cheered and I got them off the counter and they made their way over to the table. Breakfast was just like dinner was yesterday, easy and comfortable. Everything with Clary seemed to be. "Alright girls, say goodbye to Clary, we have to head home."

"Do we have to eat soup again for dinner daddy?"

"I'll try and get us a good dinner tonight girls. But I can't promise it'll be as amazing as Clary's pancakes." The girls went to get their things and I turned to face Clary. "Thank you again for this. It means a lot."

"No problem." She smiled and I couldn't help but love her smile. Even though it has only been a couple days, I really care for her and I was excited to see where things went.

 **Time Jump-Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was 1 am and I was still up working on a painting. I couldn't get it right no matter how many times I tried to paint it. It was getting beyond frustrating. I was just about to break the paintbrush in my hand when the doorbell rang. I was insanely confused because who shows up at someone's doorstep at 1 am, but when I got up to answer it I was shocked. Jace stood there with Emmy in his arms and Paige at his side looking incredibly broken, and cold. I ushered them inside.

"Can I get you anything? Hot chocolate? Coffee? Blankets?"

"Hot chocolate would be great for the girls. And I'd love coffee." I nodded and went to the kitchen to make their drinks. The girls were sitting at the table drinking their hot chocolate and Jace and I were drinking coffee. When they were done they were literally falling asleep at the table. Jace and I laughed and we each picked one up and tucked them in to bed. When we got back to the kitchen, Jace looked absolutely defeated. I walked over and wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a hug. He immediately wrapped his arms around my waist, after a few minutes we broke apart but he was still quiet. I took his hand and walked him to my room. We sat on my bed for a few more minutes before he spoke.

"I'm a terrible father." He said and I was shocked.

"No you aren't."

"I am though. We lost our apartment. I've been struggling with rent and they showed up tonight and gave us an hour before we had to leave. What kind of father lets that happen to his family?"

"Jace, you aren't a terrible father. Those girls are angels and they adore you." He was silent for a minute before he continued.

"I didn't know anywhere else to go that would take us in."

"You can stay here as long as you want." I smiled and Jace automatically pulled me into a hug. This hug was different though, this hug was intimate, and sweet, and extremely long. When he finally pulled back our eyes locked for a while until his eyes flickered down to my lips. I immediately bit my lower lip and before I knew it his lips were on mine. I don't even know how to begin to describe this kiss except for electric. After a couple minutes we broke apart and smiled at each other.

"I can try and pay you rent, and I'll start looking for places to stay tomorrow." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Just keep kissing me like that, and I'll be satisfied with your payment." I smiled and he smiled before his lips were back on mine.

When I woke up the next morning there were a pair of strong arms around me. When I looked back and saw Jace I couldn't help but smile. Last night actually happened, and I was so happy. I got out of bed and went to make breakfast, 15 minutes later Jace joined me, and that 25 minutes later the girls were awake. We ate breakfast rather quickly until Jace freaked.

"Shit, you guys are going to be late for school."

"There is an extra car in the garage you can use." I said while cleaning up.

"Really?"

"Yea, I trust you." I smiled and Jace came over to me and gave me a quick peck on the lips, which caused his girls to giggle.

"Thank you for everything Clary." Jace ushered the girls into their temporary room and changed them and than rushed out the door, and all I could think was how I could really get used to this.

 **Time Jump-Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and the girls had been staying with me for the past three months and it was actually really wonderful. It was late and Jace and I were sleeping when I heard the door to my room open. I looked up and saw Emmy standing there.

"Are you okay sweetie?" I asked and she shook her head. I motioned for her to come over and I picked her up and put her on the bed.

"Hey baby girl, what are you doing awake?" Jace asked in his really sexy sleepy voice.

"I had a bad dream daddy."

"It's okay sweetheart, it was just a dream."

"But it was scary." She had and curled into Jace's side.

"Would it help if your daddy and I held you?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yes mommy." I was momentarily stunned, I never expected her to say that.

"Emmy, Clary isn't your mother." Jace said and I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed that I wasn't.

"But she acts like a mommy."

"Yes, but as of right now Clary isn't your mommy. Maybe one day you'll get one, but for right now all you have is me."

"I wish I had a mommy." Emmy said and it just broke my heart.

"Maybe one day I'll be the babe." I said and her eyes lit up, and so did Jace's.

"Really?" She asked all excited.

"Yea." I smiled at Jace. "I'd be honored. Now, why don't you go to sleep, it's late." I kissed her forehead and than Jace did the same thing. She was asleep in no time, and I couldn't help but smile at Jace.

"I love you." He blurted out and I couldn't help but smile and laugh.

"I love you too." I said back and it felt so right that I couldn't even begin to describe the happiness running through my body.

 **Time Jump-Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The past two years have been absolutely amazing. Clary and I got married six months ago, and she was currently in the process of adopting Paige and Emmy. After we got married they didn't even hesitate to call her mommy. It was like she was sent to be the mother of my girls and I couldn't pick a better person for the job. She's so caring, and loving, and special. When we moved into her house she let the girls decorate their room however they wanted, and she just completely welcomed us with open arms and I don't think that I could have made it where we are today without her.

"Come on girls! You're going to be late for school!" Clary yells and I couldn't help but laugh. She had really taken over the roll of the mother really quickly, and Paige and Emmy were so polite to her and really listened.

"Coming mom!" Emmy yelled and made her way into the kitchen. Honestly, every single time one of them called Clary mom it made my heart flutter. Their relationship was truly amazing, and such an easy thing to build. Clary loved my girls like they were her own, and sometimes that's really hard to find. Emmy walked into the kitchen and gave Clary and quick kiss, followed by Paige. When they had their jackets on and their backpacks in hand I gave Clary my quick kiss.

"I'll be back later babe."

"Alright, I love you all." She called.

"We love you too!" We all said in unison and it just made everything even more perfect.

 **Time Jump-One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was due in a month and I just still couldn't get over the fact that I was having a baby. I had always wanted a family, and when it didn't work out the first time, I thought it never would. I never thought I'd find that kind of love again, but I was so wrong. I never even knew what it felt like to be in love until I met Jace. I had fallen in love with is drive, and his incredible relationship with his girls, and with his charm, and his personality. Everything just made me love him even more, and I was so thrilled that I got to bring a child into this world that was a piece of each of us. I was sitting at home reading some magazine when I heard the door open. I heard the three sets of footsteps but after a minute I realized there were four, when I turned around I couldn't believe my eyes. Before I could say anything, Jace spoke.

"This man says he knows you Clare." I nod. And Jace understands. "Hey girls, why don't you go to your room and start your homework, we have to talk out here privately."

"Okay dad." Emmy says and her and Paige leave us alone.

"So, who is this?" Jace asked.

"This is the man who left me at the alter." I said and Jace instantly stiffened. "What are you doing here? How the hell did you even find me?"

"I searched for you for years, but I didn't realize that your last name wasn't really Fray, once I figured it out, I just really needed to see you." He said and I got up off the couch and his eyes immediately narrowed onto my belly. "Oh, I see you….wow." He said but I didn't understand why he was so flustered. We broke up almost 6 years ago.

"What do you want?" I said a little annoyed now as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I wanted to apologize. I was a complete asshole to you all those years ago. I was being selfish, and I completely forgot about what we had and was focused way too much on myself."

"It's been almost 6 years, why now?"

"I told you. It took me awhile to find you, but it also took me two years of being married to that awful woman to realize that I threw away an amazing woman. I was an idiot, and I thought that maybe I still had a chance." His eyes went back to my belly. "I clearly see it's too late."

"It was too late the day you left me at the alter. I was devastated. I wanted to marry you, and have a family with you. I wanted us to have a future together, but you threw it all away. Even if I wasn't married now, I still wouldn't have given you a chance. You broke my heart Sebastian. I wouldn't have been able to forgive you." I look at him, and I start to rub my belly and I instantly start relaxing. "Look, I forgive you now Sebastian. I do. I'm so over it now, I have an amazing husband, and two beautiful daughters, and one on the way, and I'm so happy. And I have to thank you for that because if you didn't leave me we might be married right now, and looking back at our relationship now, we weren't right for each other. We wouldn't have worked, and I think you know that deep down inside. So I appreciate your apology and I accept it. But I really don't want to hear from you again. Go back to London, and find a good girl, who loves you, and doesn't want your money. You deserve to be happy. You really do."

"I appreciate that Clary, and I'm so sorry I messed everything up. I truly never meant to hurt you the way I did. I wish you the best of luck with everything, and I'm glad you found what you were always looking for."

"Thank you. Jace, can you show him out. I need to sit down." He laughed and kissed me on the cheek before escorting Sebastian out. While he was gone Emmy and Paige made their way over to me.

"Who was that mom?" Paige asks.

"I used to date that guy. We were actually going to get married."

"What happened?" Emmy asked.

"He left me at the alter."

"Wow." They both said in unison, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yea, it sucked, but if he didn't do that I wouldn't have you or daddy in my life or I wouldn't be having your little brother, and I couldn't even imagine life without you girls or your dad. It hurt back than, but I couldn't be happier where I am now."

"And we couldn't be happier that you came into our lives either." Jace said from behind us, and I couldn't help but smile. He made his way over to us and sat down next to me while Paige curled into his side and Emmy curled into mine. "I love you girls. You're the three best things that have ever happened to me."

"We love you too daddy." Emmy and Paige said at the same time.

"I love you too." I said and Jace leaned in and gave me a kiss. We broke apart when Emmy and Paige started to fake gag and we couldn't help but laugh. This was what I planned my future to look like, and I'm so glad everything turned out the way it did.

 **Time Jump-One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was currently sitting in the hospital screaming my lips off while giving birth to my son and it was the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I couldn't believe the amount of energy it took to push a baby out, but I was not having fun. And it didn't help that Jace was freaking out. He was having flashbacks of when the twins were born and he couldn't get it out of his head that he might lose me as well. The doctor had reassured him a bunch of times that I was perfectly healthy but he didn't seem to believe it.

After another hour of pushing my son was finally in the world and crying his eyes out. But I couldn't blame him because I was crying as well. They brought him over and I couldn't help but stare at this beautiful baby boy and that Jace and I had created. Jace kissed me on the head and that said he was going to get the girls. 5 minutes later Emmy and Paige were in the room looking at their baby brother.

"What's his name?"

"Ryan Joseph Herondale." I said and I looked at Jace and couldn't help but feel so happy, and content.

"He's so cute." Paige said.

"He's so tiny." Emmy said.

"Yes he is, but he's perfect." Jace said and I looked around the room and I couldn't believe that this was my life and that I had an amazing husband and two amazing daughters. Everything just seemed so perfect, and I couldn't be more excited for the future. I knew that it would be bright with this family.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I just want to let you all know this now. In any of my stories Jace will most likely always have girls first if he has children. In my mind I always picture him having a little girl that just has him wrapped around his little finger! He will have a son every now and than but it will most likely always be a girl! :)**


	3. Chapter 2 - Superstar

**Second One Shot:**

 **Superstar**

 **Clary POV:**

I had just gotten a phone call from Izzy saying that her boss put her in charge of setting up the area for Jace Herondale's band signing and Q&A. She was of course super excited along with the rest of the female population because she couldn't wait to meet him. Me on the other hand, I liked a few of his bands songs, but I wasn't a super fan or anything. I didn't have posters of him hanging on my wall, or religiously listen to his music. He had an angelic voice, but I would never go crazy, unlike Izzy who practically melts every time a song of his comes on.

I had gotten the table and chairs all set up for the band and the table was all ready and so was the roped off section for where the fans waited to get something signed. After about another hour and a half everything was set up to perfection, and I was silently waiting on the sidelines waiting for everything to end. When the band walked in to see where they were going to be stationed I noticed that Jace Herondale, the lead singer in the band looked absolutely miserable. After a few minutes they were back into a secure part of the mall so that the fans wouldn't mob them.

When the floor was finally filled with a bunch of screaming girls, and moms that were gushing at the seams, I knew that today would be a long day. After a long 10 minutes of waiting, the band finally came out and sat on stage. It took another 5 minutes for everyone to get situated and than the Q&A started.

 **Jace POV:**

I wasn't looking forward to this signing and Q&A at all today. I had a really bad weekend, and honestly all I wanted to do was sleep. I didn't want to be around all the screaming fans, and all the declarations of love, it just really didn't do anything for me today.

They had everything set up for us, we were shown the stage where we were going to be than held until the signing started. After a while we were led out to the stage and took our seats. We were each handed a microphone and than the person in charge started talking.

"Alright, who has the first question for the group?" A bunch of hands went up and he picked on this kid in the back.

"This is for the drummer, how do you juggle the band and your family?" It was a decent question, but when our drummer started to speak, the mic wasn't working.

"Um, can we have someone up here to fix the mic?" The man asked and out of the corner of my eye I saw the most beautiful redhead I've ever seen walk onto the stage and pick up the mic. It was pretty obvious that I was staring, I mean, she was more beautiful than anyone I've ever seen and I just couldn't help myself.

When she was done fixing the microphone, she looked up and our eyes locked. She smiled and winked at me before she made her way off stage.

The Q&A went on for about an hour before we even started the signing. I was so glad when it finally ended. I told my body guard that I wanted to stick around for a while because I wanted to talk to the red head that worked the signing. I stood in a corner and watched her clean up the space. I didn't know what it was, but something inside of me turned when she winked at me. It was like something inside of me woke up, and I was determined to see where it went.

 **Clary POV:**

After the signing was over, Izzy and I were instructed to clean up. I mean, it was annoying that nobody else was helping but I didn't mind. I just couldn't get my mind off of Jace, and the way he was staring at me when I was fixing the microphone. I decided to be a little bold and winked at him and I felt good about it. It felt right to flirt with him, and even though I'd probably never see him again, at least I did something. I was in the middle of folding chairs when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned and screamed before a hand flew over my mouth.

"I'm so sorry." He said as he removed his hand from my mouth. "I didn't mean to scare you." Once I collected myself I realized who it was.

"It's okay, I just really wasn't expecting anyone, especially you." I said and he smiled at me.

"I understand, but after your little wink, I just had to come find you. I'm Jace." He smirked at me, and my insides did a little flip. My mind couldn't wrap around the fact that Jace Herondale was standing here talking to me. But I decided to play it cool. I didn't want to come off as one of his crazy fans.

"I'm Clary. And you found me. What's up?" I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me tonight?" I think my mouth practically dropped to the ground. I mean, he is Jace Herondale, and I'm just Clary Fray, a nobody to everyone and this rockstar is asking me on a date. I quickly compose myself and think about my options. I either don't go and possibly regret my decision because come on, how many times do good looking men like Jace ask you out. Or I could go and get to know the guy a little better and have a good time.

"I would love to." I finally say and I can see something light up in his eyes.

"Great, give me your address, I'll pick you up at 7." I quickly write down my address and hand it over to his. He smiles, tells me he can't wait for tonight and leaves. Still a little shell shocked, I am broken out of my bubble of happiness when Izzy practically tackles me to the ground.

"Oh my god! What was that all about?" Izzy all but yells in my ear.

"He asked me out tonight."

"You're shitting me."

"No I am not. And I said yes." I smiled and she started jumping up and down.

"Well, come on! We have to get you ready!" She grabs my hands and pulls me outside and into the car and we drive back to our apartment.

When 6:45 rolls around Izzy had been working on me for about 3 hours and to say that I was nervous would be and understatement. I mean, it's Jace Herondale, and I was going out on a date with him. I haven't really dated anyone since high school, and for my first date in years to be him was a little nerve wracking. The doorbell rang and in walks Jace. I didn't know where we were going but Izzy insisted that I wear a black dress, and I was glad I did because he looked smoking hot in the suit he was wearing.

"You look beautiful Clary. Are you ready to go?" He asks and I just simply nod. I really didn't have any words forming in my brain that would sound coherent, he reached out his hand and I took it and he lead me to the car. When we pulled up to the restaurant there were paparazzi all over the place. I looked over at Jace, and he didn't look too pleased.

"I can't believe they found out where we were going. I don't want to drag you through that, especially on a first date." He said and I could see the disappointment in his eyes. I took another look and I realized that this was Luke's restaurant. I smiled and looked back at Jace.

"I have an idea." I said and he looked at me with a confused expression. "Pull around the back of this restaurant, there should be an ally, and pull into that. I have to make a call." He nodded and I pulled out my phone and called Luke.

"Hey Clare-bear, how are you doing?" Luke said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm good Luke, listen, there are a shit ton of paparazzi outside your restaurant."

"I know, apparently Jace Herondale is in town and he's coming here for dinner."

"I know. I'm his date."

"Really?"

"Yea, and he doesn't want to drag me through that, but I was wondering if you'd be the best uncle any girl could have and give me my usual for both Jace and I." I smiled and I heard him laugh.

"Anything for you Clare-bear. Give me 10 minutes."

"Thank you! Love you!"

"Love you too." I hung up the phone and looked at Jace, who looked utterly confused.

"My uncle owns the restaurant. He said give him 10 minutes." I smiled and I could see the light come back. We made light conversation until the back door opened and Luke walked out and handed me a basket. "Thank you so much for doing this Luke."

"Of course Clare. Have a great time, and I packed a little surprise in there for you." He leaned in a hugged me. "The steak is medium, just like you look it." I laughed at he pulled away and disappeared inside. I looked back at Jace.

"I figured you would be a steak guy. I hope medium is all right." I smiled at he looked amazed.

"Perfect." Was the only word he said.

"All right, I have the perfect place for our little spontaneous picnic." He nodded and I led him to the park. When we got there, I got out of the car, grabbed the basket, grabbed his hand and led him to the place. When the picnic was all set up we sat down. It felt so natural and we started talking.

"I'm sorry dinner was kinda a bust tonight Clary." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"It wasn't a bust at all. As much as I love being wined and dined every now and then, this is absolutely perfect." The little surprise Luke at packed for me was my favorite brownie, and by the time the date was over, Jace and I were laughing until our stomach's hurt. I couldn't get over how natural this felt.

When we got back to my apartment, we both kind of linger at the door for a little, not really wanting the date to end, and I couldn't help but feel sad because I knew that this honestly could end right here right now and I'd never see him again. After a couple minutes, Jace decides to speak.

"I had an amazing time tonight Clary. I was wondering if you'd like to do this again." He asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I would love to do this again." I said and before I knew it his lips were on mine. And it was the most perfect kiss I've ever had. It felt right, and it felt natural, and I never wanted it to end. But unfortunately it did, and after a couple minutes we were looking into each others eyes and smiling.

"I'll see you soon Clary." We said our goodbye's and I went inside where Izzy was waiting to hear every detail.

"How was it?" She asked barely containing her excitement.

"Perfect. It was the best date I've ever been on. And he wants to go out again." I said and now I couldn't contain my excitement.

"Seriously!?"

"Yea, he said he will text me the next time he has a day off. He has a couple concerts this week so he won't have much time."

"Wow." Izzy says. "I bet all those kids who called you an art freak, who wouldn't go anywhere in life in high school never imagined you'd be going on dates with Jace Herondale." I laughed and thought back to those days, and how Izzy and Simon were really my only friends in school. It felt good to finally prove them wrong.

 **Time Jump-A Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I have been together for a year now, and I honestly never even thought that this was ever a possibility for me. I mean, I was a nobody, and he was named sexy man alive, and he is famous and rich, and just has everything going for him, and we're complete opposites, but we fit really well together, and we're completely in love. It's the most amazing feeling in the world.

Tonight Jace had a concert in New York so Izzy and I were going to go. It sucks that he has been away most of the year we've been together, but he always makes it a priority to come see me when he has the time off and I was really thankful for that. Izzy and I were backstage and Jace was onstage and singing his heart out, and I absolutely loved watching him perform. He stopped singing for a couple minutes and started to talk.

"Hello New York, how are you doing tonight?" He said and the whole place erupted. "I have a special someone here with me tonight and I was wondering if she could join me on stage." He said and the place erupted again, and my face was beat red and Izzy had to push me on stage. I walked over to him and he gave me a sweaty hug.

"What am I doing up here?" He laughed and than turned to his audience.

"This is my girlfriend, and I just wanted everyone to know how much I love her." He said and than he turned towards me. He dropped the mic and than dropped to one knee. "I love you Clare, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" He said and even though the whole crowed couldn't hear they knew what was happening.

"Oh my god! Yes!" I shouted and I jumped into his arms. He placed the ring on my finger and than gave me a kiss. I was in shock, but I was so freaking happy. I gave him one more kiss before I got off stage and greeted by Izzy who was jumping up and down and crying. Everything seemed so surreal but I couldn't wait to start our lives together.

 **Time Jump- Eight Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I had been married for eight months, we eloped two days after I proposed, we didn't want anything big and we didn't want to wait. She was currently 5 months pregnant: the day she told me, I think I almost passed out. I was so excited to be a father, and just seeing Clary pregnant always made me really happy. To see her carrying my child was something I don't think I'd ever get used too.

"Clary, why don't you want to go?" I asked as she sat on the couch. It was her high school reunion this weekend and she had no interest in going.

"Because I was the freak in high school. Izzy and Simon were my only friends, and I was picked on every single day. Why would I want to go back to that?"

"Because you can go in there and show those bitches how far you've come and what those bastards were missing out on. This is your chance to shove it all back in their faces." I could see her thinking it over as she rubbed her belly.

"Alright, but you'll be there with me right?"

"I have something that afternoon, but I can meet you there." She takes a deep breath.

"Okay. I'll go." I smiled and gave her the biggest kiss.

"You'll have Izzy and Simon there with you, you can do this." I reassured her and she rested her head on my chest. I was going to make sure that all those people in high school knew just how great and beautiful Clary was.

 **Time Jump- High School Reunion**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was the night of my high school reunion and I was nervous. Although Jace was going to meet me there, I was still not happy about going to see my high school bullies. Izzy made me dress in a tight dress that showed off my baby bump, and I was secretly really happy about it, I loved being pregnant, and I wanted to show those girls that someone wanted me, and that I did find love.

We showed up to the reunion and I immediately saw Kealie and Aline and I internally groaned as I watched them walk over to me. They had their fakest smile on and I put my on.

"Well well well, if it isn't freaky Clary. And now there is a freaky child on the way. Who did you have to pay to get you pregnant?" She laughed and her little posse behind her laughed along.

"I don't care how much you insult me, but please don't bring my child into this. She hasn't done anything to you."

"Oh so it's a girl? Is she gonna be just as big of a freak as you are Clary?" I was about to let her have it when a familiar voice stepped in.

"My wife is right, leave our child out of it." I turned around and saw Jace and I couldn't help but smile. I turned back around and saw the looks on their faces. It was priceless, and Jace was right, it was fun to see them like this.

"W-w-wife?" Aline stuttered and I couldn't help but laugh.

"That's right, wife. And if you insult my daughter again, it won't be pretty." Jace said in a calm voice that was almost scary.

"But how did….you're a…he's a…" Kealie was pointing between us and couldn't form an entire sentence and it was pretty amusing to see her so rocked that she couldn't speak.

"Kealie, Aline, posse." I started as I put my arm around Jace's waist. "Meet my husband, Jace Herondale." Jace pulled me closer and I couldn't help but giggle. "Jace, meet the girls who made fun of me throughout high school." They all gawked at him completely dumbfounded.

"But how does a freak like Clary end up with someone like Jace? I mean look at him, and look at" she turned her eyes towards me and looked me up and down before speaking again "her."

"Clary is the most beautiful woman that I've ever met, inside and out, and the fact that you can't see that just shows me how shallow you really are." Jace said as his grip tightened around my waist and his hand rested on my belly.

"But I'm more your type." Kealie whined and I just rolled my eyes.

"You clearly know nothing about me if you think a bottle blonde with fake tits is my type." Jace said and I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore. At that Kealie and Aline stormed away. Soon Izzy and Simon came over to join us, and it was good to see them together again, but in a different way this time. Them actually being a couple was great.

"That was the best thing I've ever seen. They were shocked." Izzy said and we all laughed.

"I know, you were right Jace, seeing their faces made the night worth it." He leaned down and kissed me and we weren't bothered by them the rest of the night. Everything was perfect.

 **Time Jump-Twelve Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

After Chelsea was born, Jace and I talked about how we were going to raise our family, and Jace wants to be an active part of her life, and I decided that we were going to tour as a family. I quit my job and Chelsea and I were on the road with Jace.

It was weird at first, especially with a newborn, but she was eight months old now, and she loved being on tour. She got a lot of attention from the band, and from fans. She loved all the attention. We were at one of his shows out here in California, and Chelsea and I were on the side watching Jace perform, and she absolutely loved it. She would bounce around to his music and laugh. It was amazing. Her and Jace had the cutest connection, and every time I saw them interact it just melted my heart.

"Alright San Diego! Now it's time for the special part of the show." Jace said and he looked to me. I couldn't help but smile as Chelsea started laughing. "Would you mind joining me Clary and Chelsea?" The crowed started cheering and Chelsea and I started making our way on stage. We walked over to Jace and he grabbed Chelsea and swung her around and she laughed. Every show, Jace brought us up on stage and sang to us while we danced around. Chelsea absolutely loved it, and it was one tradition that I looked forward to every single show.

 **Jace POV:**

After the show tonight I couldn't wait to get back to the hotel room and see Clary and Chelsea. Chelsea always ended up falling asleep before the show was over and Clary always took her back to the hotel to sleep. As much as I wanted to see her right after the show was over I knew that Chelsea needed to sleep.

I walked in to see Clary and Chelsea both passed out in bed. I stood there for a moment just looking at my two girls and I couldn't help but smile. The way Clary looked, so peaceful while sleeping and the way Chelsea was curled up on her chest with her red hair matching Clary's, it was just such a great thing to come home too after a long day. They were the two best things that have ever happened to me. I walked over and lifted Chelsea off of Clary and she didn't even stir. I watched as Clary repositioned herself on the bed, and I just stood there holding Chelsea for a while.

I was so glad when Clary agreed to come on tour with me. I don't think I would have been able to handle not seeing her or my baby after shows. I would miss them too much and I would miss out on Chelsea's life, and I refused to do that. I started walking around the hotel room while bouncing Chelsea and when I walked into the bathroom I stopped dead in my tracks. Sitting on the bathroom sink were 4 pregnancy tests, all reading positive. I couldn't even believe it. I looked back at Clary and I couldn't believe that she was carrying another one of my babies. I place Chelsea in the playpen and join Clary in bed. She immediately curls into my side and places her head on my chest. I look down at her, than over to the playpen and I couldn't even believe that this was my life.

The next day I woke up and Clary wasn't in bed with me. I rubbed my eyes and saw Chelsea standing up in the playpen smiling at me. I made my way over to her and picked her up and she started giggling.

"Hey baby girl. Where is mamma?" I asked her and she just giggled again, I heard a door open and Clary walked out of the bathroom in a towel. "Well hello Mrs. Herondale." I smirked and she laughed while her face turned a light shade of red.

"Hey. How are my two favorite people?" She asked as she made her way over to Chelsea and I.

"I think I should be asking you that question. How are you two doing?" I placed my hand on her stomach and I could tell she was a little nervous. "You both are okay right?"

"We're good." She said but I could still hear the hesitation in her voice.

"What's wrong Clare?"

"You're happy about this?"

"Clary, I'm more than happy about this. I'm so excited to be having another kid. When did you find out?"

"A month ago. I kept trying to tell you but it never seemed to be the right time, and I kept forgetting, and you have been super busy with the tour. I remembered that I had the tests in my bag so I figured I'd just leave them out so you'd find then." She looked down at her feet. "Are you mad I waited so long?"

"No babe. I'm glad I found out, I wish you would have told me sooner, but I'm pumped to have another child. Did you think I'd be mad?"

"We never talked about having more kids, and Chelsea isn't even a year old yet, I didn't know if we were rushing things."

"There is no such thing as rushing things when you're in love." I kissed her and before I knew it Chelsea was giggling again. Clary and I broke apart and laughed along with her. "Why don't you get changed, and I'll get Chelsea changed and we can have a family day."

"I think that sounds amazing." She said as she kissed Chelsea's cheek and than kissed me and made her way over to the closet to get changed. I made my way over to Chelsea's suitcase and picked out a little green dress with her matching shoes and matching bow. Never in a million years would I have ever thought I'd know how to dress a little girl but after seeing Chelsea for the first time, everything just came naturally to me. Matching her outfits, feeding her, washing her, and playing with her. Everything was just second nature and I loved ever minute of it.

"Are you ready Jace?" I heard Clary call.

"Give me a minute, I just finished dressing Chelsea." I said and Clary walked over to us.

"Oh. My favorite green dress." She said and picked up Chelsea. "Daddy dressed you good baby." Chelsea giggled and Clary kissed her chubby cheek.

"Give me 3 minutes and now I'll be ready." I changed my jeans and put on a new white tee and went back out to Clary. She was holding Chelsea's hands and she was trying to walk, she was failing but it was cute to see her try. "You ready?"

"Yea. Let's go." I walked over and picked up Chelsea. I grabbed Clary's hand and lead her out of the hotel. First we went out to lunch, and it was nice until a bunch of screaming girls tried to mob me. We made it out of there, but I could see Clary was not looking forward to that happening for the rest of the day. So I took this opportunity to call the aquarium and ask if they would rent the place out for me for a couple hours, and they had no problem doing it. When we got there and Clary saw that nobody was there she was super pumped.

We got to the shark exhibit and Clary was holding Chelsea against the glass looking at all the sharks and fish that were swimming in tank and as I stood back and watched her, I couldn't even believe that we were bringing another child into this world, but there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he or she would bring us even more joy than Chelsea already does. My life couldn't be any better, and I have that stupid signing that I didn't even want to be at to thank for my wife, my daughter and my unborn child.


	4. Chapter 3 - Marines

**Third One Shot:**

 **Marines**

 **Jace POV:**

I had just gotten back from my yearlong deployment and I couldn't wait to reunite with everyone, but especially Clary. Ever since we met, I have been madly in love with her, but we got so close that I never wanted to ruin our friendship, I guess you could say I put myself in the friendzone. It was easier than being rejected. I was walking around New York taking in all the scenery that I have missed in my year away. I was mindlessly walking when I realized that I was in front on my favorite little café. I looked inside and saw a familiar redhead, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face, that was until I saw her sitting with some guy, and she was holding a baby, who shared her same vibrant and beautiful red hair. Clary was laughing while the baby was sticking random objects in her mouth. I couldn't take the sight of Clary being with someone else, and having a child, I had missed so much.

I always thought that maybe when I came back that I would have the courage to ask her out, to finally make my move, but after seeing her in that café, I'm clearly way too late to make my move. I slowly walk away and continue my mindless walk throughout New York City trying to get the image of Clary with another man out of my head. I couldn't believe I was so naïve into thinking that Clary would still be single when I came back, it was only a matter of time before someone noticed how beautiful, and sweet, and funny, and smart Clary was, and I blew my chance with her. And now I don't know how to get over her.

 **Time Jump-Three Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It had taken me three days to go and visit my family. They all knew I was back but I needed to get myself together after I saw Clary, it had really devastated me to see her with someone else. I walked up to the front door of my parents house and took a deep breath before knocking, but what I saw when I opened the door shocked me. Izzy was holding a sleeping baby, but not any sleeping baby, the same baby that I saw Clary with the other day. There was no denying that she was Clary's child. My mouth fell opened and Izzy looked at me than back at the baby before turning around and walking into the living room where she placed the sleeping baby in the playpen and made her way back to Jace before throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him.

"I'm so glad you're here Jace. We've missed you." Izzy said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I missed you all to Izzy. How have you been?"

"Great. A couple months ago Simon proposed!" She held up her left hand and there was a ring on it.

"That's wonderful Iz, I'm so happy for you." I gave her one more hug before we made our way kitchen where I caught up with the rest of the family. After about an hour of talking, laughing and catching up the door opens and none other than Clary walks in to the kitchen and stops dead in her tracks.

"Jace…." She says and I couldn't help but hold in my breath.

"Clary."

"When did you get back?"

"A few days ago." She makes her way over to me and throws her arms around my neck, the same way Izzy did. I tensed at first but soon melted into her warm embrace.

"I'm glad you made it home safety." She whispers in my ear. She pulls away and looks at my family and they all nod, at what I'm not sure but someone was definitely strange. "Can we talk for a little Jace? I would really like to catch up." I nodded and she motioned me to follow her, and when I did I realized she led me into the living room right where her daughter was sleeping. "How have you been Jace?"

"I've been well. You?"

"I've been great. Things were a little tough when I was pregnant with Lucy," I gasped involuntarily at the name, I always loved that name, and Clary just smiled "but she's doing great."

"I guess a congratulations are in order. When was she born?"

"March 15th." I simply nodded not knowing what to say. There was an awkward silence before I spoke again.

"So, why was Izzy babysitting?"

"I had to go into work last minute, and she's been a little sick lately."

"Why didn't the father watch her?"

"He doesn't know about her." I was shocked, I didn't peg Clary as the type of person that would keep that from the father of her child.

"Why would you keep something like that from him?"

"We kinda got together when we were both drunk, and I didn't know how he felt about kids, or if he even wanted any especially with me. I didn't want to trap him, or force him into parenthood."

"I think he deserves to know Red." The use of my old nickname for her makes her cheeks flare red, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of her rosy red cheeks.

"To be honest, I'm really scared of his reaction."

"Why?"

"Like I said, I don't know how he feels about kids. What if he hates me for getting pregnant? What if he doesn't want to be apart of her life? What if he resents her for being born? I can't put Lucy through that." I look at the sleeping girl and can't help but smile.

"I think any man would be lucky to have a child with you. You're amazing. And if that little girl grows up to be anything like you, I know she'll be amazing too. If the father wants nothing to do with her, the hell with him. She's very lucky to have you as her mother." I say and I can see the happiness in Clary's eyes. Just as she was about to speak Lucy started crying. Clary got up and picked her up out of the playpen and calmed her down. Clary had her facing her while she was calming her down. After a couple minutes she looked back at me.

"You really think that Jace?"

"I do Clary. He deserves to know about his daughter, and Lucy deserves to have a father." I say, but I can't help but feel a little saddened at the thought of Clary telling the father and him opening his arms up to them and them becoming a family. Just as I was thinking all of this Clary turned Lucy around and I gasped. Lucy looked right at me and her eyes were golden, just like mine. I was looking between Clary and Lucy for about 5 minutes before a coherent thought came to my mind.

"Clary…." I started but I couldn't seem to get past that.

"I know what you must be thinking. We were only together once, but we were both drunk and we didn't use protection. And you weren't allowed any contact when you were deployed and I had no way of telling you. After awhile I started contemplating if telling you was the right move. I didn't know if you wanted a child, let alone one with me. I didn't want you to feel responsible while you were half way around the world." She took a deep breath. "Honestly Jace, I don't expect much, but you were right, the father did deserve to know."

"Clary…" I said again because apparently nothing else was coming out of my mouth. I took one look at Lucy and my brain turned to mush. She was smiling and giggling at me, my little girl. "Can I hold her?" I ask and Clary beams at me and nods. When Lucy is in my arms she immediately cuddles in to my chest.

"Normally Lucy hates strangers, but she must know you're her dad. It took her awhile to get used to my cousin."

"It all makes sense now." I mutter, but she catches it.

"What makes sense?"

"I saw you the day I got back in Java Jones. I was walking around taking in the New York scenery and I ended up there and I saw you with some guy. I thought he was your boyfriend, and she was his." Clary let out a little giggle and shook her head.

"Nope, he's my cousin. He's the only one in my family who didn't cut me off after I got pregnant."

"Jocelyn kicked you out?"

"Yea. I told her I was pregnant, and she got so pissed, and I refused to tell her who the father was, I knew she didn't like you, so I knew if I told her it would just add more fuel to the fire." I nod and look back down at Lucy.

"She's beautiful." I say and she lets out a little sneeze and I couldn't help it but I just melted. I couldn't believe that I was looking at the life that Clary and I created.

"Yea, she is pretty cute." Clary says and I laugh.

"Well, she is my daughter, I expect nothing less."

"There is the cocky Jace Herondale I know." I smirk at her and after a few more minutes of admiring Lucy I look back at Clary.

"I want to be involved Clary. I don't want to be a weekend parent, I want to be around 24/7."

"Jace, that can't be arranged. Custody is going to get dicey, and she needs a stable home." Clary says and she looks so conflicted.

"I know, and that's what I want Clary. I want a home. I want a home with my daughter and the woman that I've been in love with since I was 14."

"You what?" She looked stunned.

"I'm in love with you Clarissa Fray, and I have been since the day we meet."

"Why didn't you tell me? Or do something about it?"

"I was scared. I knew we were young, but I knew I was in love with you. But I didn't want to mess up our friendship. So I just kept my feelings to myself. I didn't know how you felt, and I didn't know how you viewed me. I mean, was I just your best friend, or was I more of a brother to you. I was never sure, so I just decided that instead of facing rejection, I would just not do anything about it."

"Well, I can tell you right now I never once viewed you as a brother, other wise all my dreams about you would have been extremely disturbing." She laughed and I looked at her with confusion. "I've been in love with you for so long Jace."

"You what?" I said repeating the same thing she said to me.

"I know, hard to believe that art freak Clary Fray was in love with hot shot Jace Herondale, but I could dream right? And that's what I did. I never though I'd stand a chance, so I just kept it to my dreams. Cause at least there I stood a chance."

"You always stood a chance Clare."

"I didn't know that. You were the biggest flirt, and every girl was in love with you, and I was just your best friend. I'd rather have that title than not have you in my life at all."

"We're a bunch of fools you know that right? At least our drunk selves knew what we wanted a took advantage of the opportunity." Clary laughed and I joined in and although Lucy had no idea what was going on, she was giggling along with us. I look back down at Lucy and smile. "I can't believe we made her."

"I know, for the first month it was weird having her around."

"What's her full name?"

"Lucy Alexandra Herondale." At soon as she said Herondale I almost dropped Lucy.

"Why did you give her my last name?"

"Because you're her father Jace, and I wanted her to have a piece of you with her always."

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here Clary."

"Jace, you were deployed. It's not like you left for some crazy reason, you were serving out country." Her voice cracked a little and she took a moment to collect herself. "I'm so glad you made it home to meet her."

"I never want to leave her." I said and Clary had the biggest smile on her face and I could see the gears turning in her head.

"How long are you here for?"

"Hopefully a year, but at least 8 months."

"Perfect." Clary said from ear to ear.

"Why?"

"Let's get married." She said and my jaw hit the floor.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, making sure I heard her correctly.

"Let's get married." She repeats herself.

"I'm pretty sure that my job. You can't propose Clary, we're doing this all wrong!" I say with fake hurt in my voice, and she laughs.

"Jace, we already have a kid, we're already doing this wrong." I couldn't help but laugh at her comment.

"On a more serious note, I'd love to get married….but Izzy isn't going to be too pleased with a short notice wedding." I say and I can see her contemplating. After a minute she smiles.

"IZZY!" Clary yells and Lucy begins to cry so I readjust her and stand up and start to walk around to sooth her back to sleep. Izzy runs in to the room and takes a quick scan to see what's going on.

"What? What's wrong? Is Jace being a dick because of Luce?"

"Hey!" I whisper yelled. "Don't say those thing in front of my daughter." I never thought I'd have an over protective side but man nothing will ever happen to my little girl.

"Iz, I need to do something for me." Clary says as she makes her way over to me.

"Sure Clare, what's up?" Izzy asks and Clary just looks at me and smiles.

"You just can't get mad." She says and Izzy nods. "I need you to plan our wedding in one month." Izzy's jaw dropped the floor and her eyes popped out of her head.

"What?!" She yells.

"Jesus Iz, you are going to wake Lucy up." I say as Lucy is resting on my chest.

"You're getting married? Since when?" She asks trying to figure out everything that happened.

"Since Clary proposed 10 minutes ago." I say and Clary just laughs.

"What the hell happened?" Izzy asks.

"We've both realized that we've been completely idiotic. We've been in love with each other for so long, and I don't want to wait anymore. I don't want Jace to miss out on anymore of Lucy's life, and I don't want to have to live without him anymore. You know how miserable I was when he deployed." Clary said and I couldn't believe it.

"You were miserable?" I asked, my voice full of concern and sincerity.

"Oh you have no idea." Izzy said before I could speak. "It was so much worse when she was six months pregnant. She came over one day, saw a picture of you and cried for a good hour."

"What did you expect? I was pregnant with Jace's child and he was risking his life. He could have died and I wasn't coping well with that. Even though he didn't know about Lucy, I wanted him to be able to meet her one day. If he didn't come back, I would have been devastated."

"I know Clare, trust me. How many times did I visit you in the middle of the night because you woke up from one of your nightmares?" Izzy said and I couldn't believe that Clary went through all of that. After another minutes of silence Izzy spoke again. "So a wedding?"

"Yes. In one month." Clary says and Iz nods excitedly. Just in that moment Lucy starts to cry and Clary clearly knows the reason as she plucks Lucy out on my arms, plops down on the couch and wipes out her boob and starts feeding Lucy.

"Holy shi…" I start but I don't finish my sentence, and Clary just looks up at me and smiles.

"Sorry, I guess I just got used to everyone around here being okay with this." I smile at her and laugh.

"Oh, I'm okay with this, I just wasn't expecting it, that's all." I smirk and Clary starts laughing. I took a seat next to Clary and put my arm around her shoulder. Izzy was still talking wedding details but I don't think Clary was paying attention, and neither was I. I was basking in the presence of my soon to be wife and my beautiful daughter.

 **Time Jump- Lucy's First Birthday**

 **Clary POV:**

It was Lucy's first birthday and thankfully Jace's unit wasn't due for another mission for longer than he originally thought and I was over the moon happy. I didn't want my husband to leave and possibly not come home. I wanted him to stay forever, and raise Lucy with me and whoever else we bring into this world. We were having a family party today for Lucy, and Izzy planned the whole thing. Some people there I didn't know who they were but the were family and I was excited for everyone to meet Lucy and celebrate her life. The doorbell rang and Izzy wasn't anywhere so I walked to the front door with Lucy and opened it not expecting who was on the other side.

"Mom? Luke? What are you doing here?" I said as I adjusted Lucy on my hip.

"Isabelle invited us. Is this my granddaughter?"

"This is _my_ daughter, Lucy." I said, not even trying to hide the annoyance in my voice.

"Lucy Fray, it's cute." Luke said and I let out a dry laugh.

"Lucy Herondale." I corrected and my mom started to say something but Jace came up behind me and Lucy got super excited.

"Dada!" She said and Jace and I looked at each other and could help but smile, she just said her first word.

"That's my girl!" Jace said as he picked her up and kissed her chubby cheek. When he was done, he looked at who was at the door.

"Mrs. Fray, Luke. It's nice to see you again." He said being his polite self.

"Jonathan." My mother spat at him with as much venom in her voice, just like in high school. She hated Jace because of his reputation. "So you're the one who got my daughter pregnant."

"Yes, and I promise you I would have been here for her if I knew. I deployed two weeks after we…had sex." He says and I felt awkward but he wanted her to know that he didn't intentionally leave me and my daughter behind.

"She didn't tell you?"

"I wasn't allowed any contact while I was deployed. When I came home I met her, and than Clary explained everything, and I honestly couldn't be happier." He said as he readjusted Lucy and his wedding band was in full view and Jocelyn didn't miss a beat and her eyes narrowed in on his hand.

"You're married?!" She practically yelled.

"Yes, we got married eight months ago." I say with a proud voice and I smile up at Jace and he smiles back.

"Wow." Jocelyn says. "I guess you weren't a deadbeat dad after all. I just assumed when Clary wouldn't tell me that he flaked on her."

"I didn't tell you mom because you hate Jace. You always have. Why would I tell you I'm pregnant with his kid when I knew it was just going to cause more problems." I say and I knew I was getting angry. Jocelyn nodded but didn't say anything back.

"Maryse and Robert are in the kitchen, I know they'd love to catch up with you guys." Jace says and Jocelyn and Luke nod as they make their way inside. When the disappear around the corner he turns back to me. "Clare-baby, just forget about them right now and enjoy today. It's Lucy's first birthday and we have another one on the way." My hand went straight to my stomach. I was only a month along and we were waiting until today to tell everyone. "We have so much to celebrate today, and I refuse to let your mother ruin it." He says and I smile at me.

"I love you Jace Herondale." I lean up and kiss him quickly on the lips.

"I love you too Clary Herondale." He kisses my temple and than looks over at Lucy. "And I love you Lucy Herondale." He kisses her chubby little cheek and she just giggles.

"Dada!" She screams causing both Jace and I to laugh. He grabs my hand and I make our way back into the living room where everyone was gathered. Lucy had just learned how to walk the other day, and now she loved it. Jace set her down on the ground and she ran over to Alec. He picked her up and she squeezed his cheeks causing everyone to laugh.

"Alright everyone." Jace say and everyone look at him. "I have something to say." He grabs my hand and I lean into his side. "First, I want to thank you all for coming to celebrate my daughters life. It means a lot that you all came today, but also we wanted to make an announcement. We're pregnant." Jace says and everyone starts congratulating us and hugging me. I was super happy that everyone was excited for us. It was completely different than the first time I told them I was pregnant, and I was glad that this went so well, I could feel the stress leave my body as I talked to everyone in the room. By the time everyone was gone Lucy was asleep in her playpen and the only people still there were Jocelyn and Luke. I think they wanted to talk since I was avoiding them like the plague all night. I walk into the kitchen and there they were. They both looked up at me, and I make my way over to the table.

"Clary." Jocelyn starts but she just hangs her head.

"What mom?" I say but you could hear the little amount of frustration that I still held towards her.

"I I'm so sorry." She said and it kind of took me aback. "I acted so irrationally when you told me you were pregnant, and I was so pissed at the world. You were only 18, and you were alone and you wouldn't tell me anything and I got so fed up with you keeping secrets."

"If you were so mad that I was alone, kicking me to the curb wasn't the best idea. Cause than I was really alone. At lease Maryse was there for me. I told her, and she gave me a hug and told me everything was going to be okay. That was your job mom, and you completely failed."

"I know I did Clary, but you were so closed off. You wouldn't let me in."

"Mom, you hate Jace, you have hated him since the day we met. Of course I wasn't going to tell you we had sex, I got pregnant, and I was going to have his child. I think you would have tried to hunt him down and kill him yourself."

"I didn't want you to get your heartbroken by him Clary."

"I didn't. We weren't together when I got pregnant. We were both drunk and we were stupid and forgot to use protection. It was one night, and we made a mistake but I was in love with him anyway, and even if he didn't take the news as well as he did, I was happy that he was the father of my child." I look at my mother and I could see she was shocked. "I love Jace mom. More than I love anyone else in the world, except Lucy. He makes me happy, and he protects me, he takes care or me, and he's good to me. Isn't that all a mother ever wants for their daughter?"

"Yes, it is. And I'm sorry I was too blind to see that." I reach over the table and grab her hand.

"I would love for Lucy to know her grandparent. I really would, but I'm gonna need some time to be able to forgive you."

"I really appreciate the second chance Clary." I gave her hand a light squeeze, and just than Jace walked into the kitchen with a sleeping Lucy.

"I think it's time for us to go Clare." Jace says and I nod.

"Goodbye mom. Luke." I say as I make my way over to Jace and Lucy. When we get in the car we make our way home and I couldn't help but be happy with my life. I had Jace and Lucy and now I was expecting a new child with the most amazing husband in the world. Despite everything that happened in the past, I knew that everything was going to be okay because I had my family, and we were happy. Things could only get better from here.


	5. Chapter 4 - Hockey

**Fourth One Shot:**

 **Hockey**

 **Clary POV:**

There are two minutes left in the third quarter and we're down by one. I was pissed because I got ejected from the game for fighting this girl, but she totally deserved it. I was sitting in the locker room listening to the announcers and I was literally pacing because I was so nervous. The final buzzer went off and we lost. I slammed my fist into the wall, I was a competitive person, and I was even more competitive because being on the girls hockey team we never got any respect, especially from the boys hockey team. They were the golden sport of the school. They made it to playoffs every year, and for the past 3 years they have been undefeated. My brother Jonathan was on the team, but he graduated last year and got a scholarship to Boston College. He was the one who taught me how to play in the first place. I loved the sport, and I was excited to be playing, especially because they had just formed a women's league this past year, and I was determined to make it.

The rest of the team walked into the locker room looking equally as pissed. Our coach sat us down and gave us the talk and after about 30 minutes of yelling he let us go. I grabbed my stuff and made it out to the rink where my brother was waiting. He was waiting with the men's hockey team laughing and catching up. When I walked over towards him he stopped talking and smiled at me.

"Hey Clare. How are you?"

"How do you think I am? I got ejected for fighting and we lost. I'm pissed Jon."

"Well, maybe if you knew how to control that temper of yours you wouldn't have been ejected." I looked to the side to see where the voice was coming from and of course it was Jace Herondale. The captain of the men's team and the most arrogant person I've ever had the misfortune of meeting.

"Piss off Herondale. That girl deserved my skate to her throat, she's lucky all I did was break her nose."

"All she did was check you."

"You didn't hear her shit talking the whole game." I said and my brother laughed.

"Come on Clare, let's go home."

"I can't go home. Can we got to the spot Jon, I just I really can't face dad right now, and I need to cool off." My father played in the NHL for about 6 years so hockey is basically a staple in our house, and he wasn't going to be too pleased about my performance tonight, especially considering I saw him leave when I got ejected.

"Of course. Come on, I'll even let you drive my truck."

"Ah Jon, you are seriously the best." I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before looking back to the men's hockey team. "Later boys." Jon put his arm around my shoulders and we walked out of the rink.

When we got to our spot I put my stuff down and admired the view. Living in New York, there weren't many places where you could enjoy the peace and quiet, but Jon and I found a spot on the roof of an abandon house on a huge hill that looked over New York City. It was relaxing to go there and not have to worry about letting everyone down. We sat there for a little while until I looked at Jon and he gave me a sad smile.

"I'm gonna miss you Clare."

"I'm gonna miss you too, but I know you're going to kick ass up at Boston College."

"I really hope so."

"Come on Jon, you're an amazing athlete, and Boston is lucky to have you."

"I'm good Clare, but I wasn't the best on the team. Not by a long shot. If I'm being perfectly honest, I had Jace help me a lot last season just to be scouted by colleges."

"Really?" I said because I just couldn't believe that Jon needed that much help.

"Yea, that kid is a natural. He's the captain for a reason. He may be a cocky bastard but he's good. He's half the reason I'm going to Boston." Jon was silent for a minute. "I bet he could teach you a thing or two, maybe he could improve your skills and help you make it into the professional league." I scoffed but Jon was being so serious. "I'm not joking, you got talent kid, but you do need to learn how to control your temper, and your defense could use a little work."

"Jon!"

"Clary, I want you to be the best hockey player you can be. You're good, trust me, you got some skill, but adding more and improving the skills you have can only make you better."

"But I literally hate Jace."

"He isn't that bad once you get to know him."

"Easy for you to say, he doesn't pick on you."

"Just think about it okay? I'm not saying you have to like the kid, but having him help you could really help your game."

"I'll think about it Jon." I said but I still was skeptical with having Jace help me. Jon nudged my shoulder and stood up.

"Let's get home. Dad is probably asleep by now, and you have practice at 6 am tomorrow which means you'll wake up at 4 to be at the rink by 5 to get an extra hour in for god knows what reason." Jon said and I couldn't help but laugh. We made it home at by now it was 10 o'clock and I was exhausted. I passed out on my bed and before I knew it I was out like a light.

 **Time Jump-Clary's Next Game**

 **Jace POV:**

As part of how school's whole school spirit policy the men's hockey team had to attend the women's hockey games and the women's hockey team had to attend our games. I didn't mind, I loved watching hockey, and they weren't half bad but they could use some work. I was sitting in the bleachers next to Alec watching them play.

"They would be so much better if they just worked on their defense. I mean, they have great offense, but their defense is struggling." I say to Alec as the other team scored their second goal.

"I know, and it sucks that they put Clary back there when she is clearly better on offense but she's the only one willing to get physical when need be."

"I know. She just needs to work on her defense a little, and she'd be great." The other team is racing down the ice and they pass every person until it was just Clary and the goalie and I'm on the edge of my seat hoping that they don't score again otherwise they would be tied. The girl is close when Clary comes up and is ready to check her when suddenly the girls stick hits Clary in the throat and Clary goes down hard. She slams her head on the ice and stops moving. The whole rink is silent when the medics make their way out onto the ice to check her out. They remove her helmet and start to cut her jersey off. Everything is dead quiet until the medic starts shouting.

"Someone call an ambulance! We need to get her to the hospital stat." He yells and soon her father is running onto the ice only to be stopped by her coach.

"I have a right to be here!" He screams at the coach.

"This isn't going to help her Valentine. She needs to be seen by professionals." The ambulance get there within a couple minutes and a stretcher is brought out onto the ice, and when they get her onto the stretcher she finally stirs awake, but only for a second until there is more shouting.

"Clary? I need you to stay with me. Okay? Can you open your eyes? Come on Clary don't fall asleep. Let's get her to the hospital quickly." The medic shouts as they start rolling Clary off the ice. After they were gone the rink was still silent. The girl who hit Clary was ejected from the rink and the other coach looked mortified that his player would do that. After a few minutes the coaches started talking and they decided to just let the game end where it was, giving us the win, but I couldn't help but be worried about Clary. Alec and I got up and left, and when we were out of the rink I finally took a breath.

"Shit. That was ridiculous." Alec said and I looked at him.

"I can't believe that happened."

"I know, that girl just went after Clary for no reason. I hope she's alright." I just nod in agreement and we make our way home. I couldn't shake the feeling of hoping Clary was okay, I knew I didn't hate her, but I didn't necessarily like her either but something about her getting injured tonight really didn't sit well with me.

 **Time Jump- A Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was released from the hospital last night and was allowed to go back to school. Although they wanted me to wait a week before I got back into playing hockey. Turns out I just had a concussion, and they wanted to make sure I was completely healed before going back out and getting hit. I was so pissed that that girl hit me in the throat, that the only thing I wanted to do was go to the rink. It was 5 am, the normal time I would be at the rink. I put my skates on and take one step on the ice and everything just melts away. After about 25 minutes I notice a figure standing over near where the penalty box is, I make my way over to see Jace standing there.

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I continue to make my way over to him.

"I remembered Jon saying something about how you come here at 5 am sometimes to practice. I figured you'd be here on your first day cleared to be back on the ice."

"Yea, well I can't play, I might as well skate." I say as I look down at my skates.

"How are you feeling?"

"Really Jace? Small talk? What do you want?" I ask, in no mood for his games today. I just wanted to skate in peace.

"I honestly came here to see how you were doing. You took a wicked hit, and a pretty nasty fall. I know how hard it is to get back on the ice after something like that happens." I look at him with a shocked expression, he seemed genuine and I go back to he conversation Jon and I had about him not being that bad once you get to know him.

"I'm alright. I've had the worst headache since last night though, and it woke me up this morning and I couldn't go back to bed, so I figured being here was the next best place."

"You're a natural out there." He says and I can't help but smile, maybe Jon was right. "But your defense could use a little work." He adds and quickly I feel my face turn red with anger but I quickly calm myself down as I notice it hurts my head, but he's also not the first person to tell me that.

"I've heard that before." I mutter under my breath.

"You're a great player Clary, and it sucks that your coach is putting you back there."

"I've been trying to tell him that. I'm so much better on offense but our defense sucks. No matter how much we practice, they just really don't get it."

"Yea, they just seem to let the other team pass them a lot."

"Yea, and I have to pick up the slack, and I hate it. I know my defense isn't the best but being his last resort really sucks." I look back up at him and he just nods. After a moment of silence I decide to let go of my stubbornness and take Jon's advice. "You know, Jon told me you really helped him last year with scouting."

"He's a great player, but he just needed to work on some areas. He asked, and who am I not to pass on my never ending knowledge of hockey."

"Are you always a cocky bastard?" I ask as I roll my eyes.

"I prefer the term confident, not cocky." He smirks at me, and it reminds me of why I don't like him. He thinks he's God's gift to the world. "Why do you bring it up?"

"Jon mentioned to me that my defense needs a little work, and I can't ask him, and he told me your pretty great at improving skills."

"Are you actually asking for my help Clary?"

"I think it's pretty obvious that's what I'm doing." I say with annoyance in my voice.

"I don't think I like your tone." He says and I can feel my anger rising.

"Jace."

"Clary."

"God, you're so frustrating. I told Jon I didn't want to ask you. I knew you'd find some way to be an asshole." I say and I skate away until he calls for me.

"Clary! Wait, I was just kidding. Come back here." Reluctantly I turn around and skate back over to him.

"What?" I say as I look into his eyes.

"I would be happy to help you. When can you actually start practicing again?"

"I'm allowed to skate, but they want me to stay away from physical contact for at least another week. I can practice just as long as I'm not being slammed around."

"Okay, we'll meet here, 5 am, for the rest of the week. And on Saturday, meet me at my house at 7 am."

"Why your house?" I ask because I'm honestly confused as to why I'd go to his house to practice hockey.

"It's all part of the process, don't worry. I think you'll enjoy it." He smiles at me, a genuine smile and I can't help but notice how different it is than his smirk, it's a nice change of pace.

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, 5 am."

"See you later Clary." He says and he exits the rink leaving me alone. I skate around for another 10 minutes before the team starts showing up. I may not be able to practice but as the assistant captain I have to attend. It was boring sitting on the sidelines but I wanted to get back out there as soon as I could, and that meant listening to the doctors orders.

 **Time Jump-Saturday**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I had been meeting every morning for the past week, and I hate to admit that Jon is right, because Jace really wasn't that bad of a guy. He was actually really funny, smart, and extremely talented. I couldn't help but feel slightly nervous when getting ready to meet Jace at his house today. He told me that I could dress normal, but I had to bring my skates. I loaded up my car and headed over to his house. When I got there I knocked on the door and Jace answered.

"Hey." He said and I really hated myself for actually liking this kid now.

"Hey. So, what's on the agenda for today?"

"Well first, we're going to eat breakfast because we will be gone for awhile." He says as he welcome me into the house. He leads me to the kitchen where there is a little bit of everything. "I didn't know what you liked, so I made a little bit of everything."

"You made all this?"

"Yea. I am quite the chef." He smirked at me as he handed me a fresh cup of coffee.

"I learn something new about you everyday." I smile and take a seat at the table.

"So, what will it be? Eggs or pancakes?"

"Pancakes. I absolutely hate eggs."

"Good to know." He says as he hands me a plate with some pancakes and he takes a seat with me and we have a nice breakfast. After everything is cleaned up he picks up his skates and I grab mine and he leads me outside.

"What are we doing today?"

"Today we're going to have fun."

"How is that going to help me?"

"When was the last time you skated or played hockey for fun Clary?" I stood there to think about it and when I couldn't remember I sighed. "Exactly. Hockey is supposed to be fun. It's a game, and when you lose sight of the fact that its' just a game you start to play worse. Trust me, it happens to almost every player on the team."

"And how do you prevent it?"

"Every week we have a practice that isn't about drills, or plays or anything that relates to the hockey we play on a competitive level. We just goof around and have fun playing the hockey that we would on a frozen lake in the park. Sometimes you have to strip it down to build it back up." I nod and we make our way outside and after about a 15 minute walk we reach a frozen lake. I walk over to it and look at it and realize that I never really played hockey not on a competitive level. It was always how my dad played.

"I've never actually played hockey for fun." I say and Jace looks at me.

"Really?"

"Really. My dad being in the NHL, he always took the game very seriously. We play to win, and my dad drilled that into our heads. It was never about fun, it was about winning."

"That's the problem, hockey is a game. People lose sight of that because you can make a living off of it now."

"I love the sport, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't want to be playing any other sport, but it's always been competitive for me."

"That's why I brought you here. My dad taught me out to skate out here. He would bring me here every single day while it was frozen. He'd teach my how to skate how to play. I enjoy it, it's fun for me, which is why I think I'm so good. Don't get me wrong, I'm a competitive person, I love to win, but I play because my father taught me how to love the game in the simplicity of it." He took a deep breath like he was about to say something important "when he died I didn't think I'd ever play again. I just couldn't get back on the ice because it felt wrong without him. But I came here one day, I put my skates on and I just skated. I didn't pick up a stick or anything. I just went for a nice skate, and I realized that I enjoyed it so much more because I simply loved the game my father taught me. I would hear stories from Jon about your dad. I couldn't even believe Jon was still playing, he sounded miserable. Which is why I started having practices that weren't about the game but about the fun. And it worked. I mean, we're undefeated and the reigning camps."

"I always wondered what changed in Jon. I remember being at one of your games and I could just see a difference in him. I didn't know that was you."

"What can I say Clary, I've a very persuasive person." I couldn't help but laugh as we finished tying out skates. I stepped out on the ice and almost fell. It wasn't like stepping on an ice rink, it was much different, before I lost my balance Jace grabbed my hand and I steadied myself, but to my surprise Jace didn't let go.

We skated for about 2 hours before we both laid flat on the ice catching our breath and laughing. We had been goofing off all afternoon and it felt great to just be here in this moment with Jace. I don't know when it started but I realized that I may have a tiny crush on him. He was just such a different person than the one I knew before. When his walls were down he was actually a very sweet guy, and he made me laugh. It was natural, and comforting.

When we made it back to his house it was around 4 o'clock and I knew that I had to be home for dinner. When we reached my car we both lingered for a little bit not saying anything but we both clearly didn't want the day to be over. After another couple minutes he spoke.

"So, practice, 5 am, next week. I know you're allowed to start practicing with the team, but I think we should still practice by ourselves."

"I completely agree. I'll see you Monday, 5 am." I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"See you Monday." He said and I got in my car and left. I took a deep breath not realizing how nervous I actually was in Jace's presence and I can only imagine it getting worse from here.

 **Time Jump- Jace's Next Game**

 **Clary POV:**

It has been a couple weeks since Jace and I have been working on my defense and I have to say, I have been getting better. My coach was still hesitant to letting me play; only playing me for a couple minutes a game. It was annoying but at least I was getting on the ice. I was currently sitting in the bleachers at Jace's hockey game watching him fly across the ice like an angel on a mission. I was brought out of my thoughts when I heard his fan club of screaming girls cheering for him. They came to every single game just to stare at Jace, and I never cared before but not it bothered me. I mean, I know I have no right to be jealous, he isn't mine, but I can't help it. I like Jace, a lot, and knowing that all those girls were throwing themselves at him, and knowing that he has most likely hooked up with all of them really got under my skin.

Jace was playing horribly. He wasn't focused and he normally scores at least one goal by now, and he was barely getting off the bench. He was shit today, and I didn't know why. He seemed fine earlier while we were practicing, but as soon as he stepped out onto the ice something was different. There wasn't much time left in the game and they were tied. Jace was skating down the ice with the puck leaving everyone in the dust behind him when a stick came out and tripped him. Jace went flying into the boards but thankfully Alec was there to continue the run and he shot the puck and it went in. The buzzer sounds and we won but I looked over at Jace and he ripped his helmet off and rushed off the ice and into the locker room.

I grabbed my stuff and waited by the exit, I waited for Jace to come out to talk, his fan club girls were standing outside as well waiting for him to come out so they can tell him how amazing he was, and try to come into contact. When he finally appeared he was in a foul mood, I could just sense it off of him. He passed all the screaming girls without so much as a look behind him and than flew by me. The girls started following him and telling him how amazing he played and how great he was, and how strong of a player he was. Jace stopped and turned around to say something but he was just frustrated, I could tell. I decided to speak up so that all the girls would stop complimenting him, cause I could tell I was bothering him.

"I personally think he played like absolute shit tonight." I said and they all turned to face me.

"What would you know about hockey anyway?" The one girl, Aline said. I don't even know why she was fawning over Jace, she was clearly a lesbian, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

"I am on the women's hockey team you know." Aline was about to come back with a snarky remark but Kealie beat her too it.

"What a bunch of dikes that team is." She said and I could see Aline tense, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She doesn't deserve to be secretly tormented by Kealie's remarks. "What are you doing here anyway? Jace doesn't even like you."

"And you think he likes you?" I hissed back.

"He liked me enough to take me to his…." She was about to say something that I didn't want to hear, so I put my hand over her mouth.

"I could careless about you and Jace's sex life, but I suggest you walk away now, can't you tell he really doesn't want to talk to you right now?" She shoved my hand away from her mouth and I took a step back.

"Jacey.." She started and I rolled my eyes.

"Leave me alone Kealie. I'm not in the mood."

"Give me a call when you are in the mood." She said in her most seductive voice. She gave me a death glare and than her and her posse walked away. Jace let out a low growl before turning around and walking away from me.

"Jace! Wait up, what's wrong?"

"Were you paying attention to the game at all?" He said in a harsh tone.

"Yea, and you were horrible. What was wrong? You were fine this morning."

"Bad day."

"Come on Jace, you played like it was your first game, you're way better than that."

"Leave it alone Clary."

"No. What's bothering you?"

"I don't want to talk about it Clary."

"Come on Jace."

"I said leave it alone Clarissa, I don't want to talk about it." He nearly yelled and I was taken aback by his tone. I could see how tense his body was. He was facing away from me, but he wasn't moving. I slowly walked over to him a put my hand on his arm. His body stiffened but relaxed a moment later. After another minute he spoke. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it."

"I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's honestly okay Jace." I say and than I know exactly what he needs. "I want to take you somewhere. You have any plans tonight?"

"None. I'm all yours." He says in his normal sweet tone and I smile. I grab his hand and lead him towards my car. I start the car and start driving to the spot. When we get out I can see the confusion on his face. "What are we doing here?"

"You'll see." I grab his hand and lead him to the abandon building. When we get there I take my place on the bench that sits on the hillside and Jace sits next to me. "Jon and I found this place a couple years ago. My father screamed at me because I didn't play as well as he would have liked. I didn't know what else to do so I ran, and Jon followed and we ended up here. It's the only peaceful place I've been able to find in New York." Jace simply nodded but kept his gaze out on the city life that passed before us. We sat there for a while before Jace spoke.

"It's the anniversary of my parents death today. That's why I was playing like shit." Without a thought I reached out and grabbed his hands and laced our fingers together. "I thought if I just ignored it today, that I would be fine for the game, but clearly I was wrong."

"If you don't mind me asking, how did they die?"

"My father was murdered in a bank robbery. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"And your mother?"

"After she heard about my fathers death, she killed herself."

"Jace." My brain can't seem to comprehend the story and I scoot closer to Jace until I can't physically get any closer. I place my free hand on his back and start tracing circles in between his shoulder blades. "What happened to you?"

"I was sent to the Lightwoods. Maryse is my godmother, and if anything happened to my parents, she became my guardian." I was about to respond when there is a cold wind that comes and makes me shiver and before I know it Jace puts his arm around my shoulder and puts his hand under my knees so that my legs drape over his and pulls me closer. I let out a small shriek not expecting him to do this but I like the closeness. I look up and see that our faces are extremely close, and I can smell the sweat on his skin but I can always smell the peppermint on his lips. My eyes flicker up to his golden eyes and I stopped breathing. We were staring into each others eyes for awhile before his lips were on mine. To say I was shocked would be an understatement, and he pulled away when he realized that I wasn't responding. "I'm sorry. I just….I thought that….it was stupid…I thought you were…" He was clearly really confused and I couldn't help but laugh at his loss for words. He got up from the bench and started to walk away when I got up and followed him.

"Jace." I said and I grabbed his arm and turned him around before putting my hand on the back of his neck and lowering his lips to mine. His hands went around my waist and we stood there kissing for who knows how long before we pulled away and looked into each others eyes. "You surprised me. Trust me, I wanted you to kiss me as much as you wanted to kiss me." My arms were still around his neck as his hands rested on my hips. "Come on, it's getting late, and we have practice at 5 am tomorrow." I said and Jace smirked at me. He grabbed my hand and we made our way back to my car, and I couldn't get rid of the smile on my face for the rest of the night.

 **Time Jump-Clary's Final Playoff Game**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary's team had made it to the finals and I was siting on the edge of my seat. They were currently tied 3-3 and there was 4 minutes left in the third quarter. Clary had got the puck and she was flying down the ice and she took the shot and the horn went off. We were now winning 4-3, and we just had to keep up the defense for about 3 and a half minutes and they were be champions.

Coach had switched Clary from offense to defense, and I would finally see how our months of practice went. There was only 45 seconds left on the clock and we were still winning. We were currently defending an empty net and I honestly couldn't tell you how nervous that was making me feel. The others team top scorer was making her way down the ice with the puck and headed straight for the net. Clary was hot on her heels, she shot the puck and Clary flung herself down on the ground to stop the puck. She slid and right before the puck was about to cross the line it hit off of her stick and strayed away from the net. The girl than ran into Clary and flew over her and hit the boards. The buzzer went off and we had won. Clary got up threw her helmet and her stick on the ground and skated over to her team. I had made my way off the bleachers and ran over to the bench to meet her. She skated over to me with the biggest smile on her face.

"Jace! We won! We really won!" She yelled and I couldn't help but laugh at how excited she was.

"I saw. You scared me there Clare." I said as I brought my lips to hers.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't think of anything else to do than just go for it." I laughed and I could see the happiness and the excitement in her eyes.

"I love you." I said and suddenly her happiness turned into surprise but than that was changed into even more happiness.

"I love you too." She said back and I felt like I was on cloud nine. "Come on, lets go celebrate." She said and I was more than happy to oblige.

 **Time Jump-Five Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had been in the women's professional league for almost a year and a half now, and Jace was in the NHL. If someone told me that my life would be this way when I was going into my senior year of high school, I would have told you to quit dicking around, but I couldn't picture my life any other way now.

Jace and I were together for 3 years before he proposed and we got married a year ago. It was everything that I ever wanted, but I never thought it would happen with Jace. At the wedding Jon pulled me on the dance floor and bragged about how right he was for the entire dance. I couldn't help but laugh, because if I didn't take his advise I'm not sure Jace and I would be where we are today, and I was extremely happy where we were.

I was currently sitting in the bathroom holding a pregnancy test. I had a minute left before it was ready and I was so nervous. I knew that I wanted a family, but I also knew that if I was pregnant, it would be the end of my professional hockey career. My phone finally went off and I took a look at the pregnancy test. Positive. I take in a deep breath as I make my way out to the living room where Jace was sitting with a couple of his teammates.

"Hey Clare." Jace says as he looks at me and he can immediately tell something is off. "Are you okay?"

"Yea. I'm good." I say in a less convincing voice and he can totally tell that I'm full of shit right now.

"Clary, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong per say."

"Than why do you look so nervous?"

"Maybe because I'm pregnant?" I say it as a question and his eyes almost pop out of his head.

"You're serious?"

"Very." I say and I almost run away from him because he doesn't look the least bit thrilled until a giant smile appears on his face and he picks me up and swings me around.

"This is amazing Clary."

"You think so?"

"Absolutely. I love you."

"I love you too." I say and he pulls me into a kiss. When we finally break apart I can't help the smile that is on my face. I had gotten everything I ever wanted in life. I went to college on a hockey scholarship, I made it into the women's professional league, I married the love of my life and now I was having his kid. I couldn't help but be happy knowing that I have achieved everything I wanted, and now I was about to embark on another journey in life, and I was excited to be sharing it with Jace.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, this one shot was requested by smalls920, and I hope I lived up to your expectations! I don't know much about hockey so if some of the details are off I apologize! If anyone else has anymore suggestions remember you can always send me a message or leave a review! Thank you for everyone who has reviewed already! I appreciate all of your kind words! :)**


	6. Chapter 5 - Kissing Booth

**Fifth One Shot:**

 **Kissing Booth**

 **Clary POV:**

"But Izzy, I don't want to be anywhere near the kissing booth." I say as my friend tries to rope me into the job.

"You don't have to kiss anyone Clare. Nobody is in line. I'm starving, and I've been sitting there for 3 hours kissing guys. I need a break." She pleads and I hate that I can't deny her.

"Fine, but if I have to kiss anyone I'm blaming you." She squeals and gives me a quick hug before running off to get food.

I sigh and take out my sketchbook and start drawing. I hated these stupid carnivals that our school and our brother school put on. Since I go to an all girl high school we have to put on these different events so our brother school and us can bond. I personally thought it was a waste of time, I mean I couldn't careless about our brother school, and I didn't really care to get to know any of the males that attended. I only knew one male who attended that school, and that was Izzy's brother Alec. He was nice, but I had only met him once.

While drawing, I can't help but think about how I got into this situation. You see, I'm not popular. I'm actually quite the opposite. I'm shy, and keep to myself. I met Izzy sophomore year in English class and despite how vastly different we are, we got along really well and we've been best friends ever since. You see, Izzy was the captain of the cheerleading team, she was the president of our class, and she was also extremely smart. She was constantly trying to get me out to do things with her, especially school functions, and me being the idiot I am, promised her that senior year I would go to everything she wanted me too. I don't know what I was high on when I promised that, but here I am, at a carnival, dreading that promise I made a year ago. All I could do was sit here, sketch and hope that Izzy would be back before any guys came up hoping for a kiss.

 **Jace POV:**

"Alec, why are we here again? I mean not that I'm complaining about all the females' attention I'm getting, but a carnival seems pretty childish to be at." I said to my best friend Alec, who dragged me here promising that he'd buy me lunch, and who am I to deny free food.

"Izzy is working one of the stands here, and she asked if I would come and see her. It isn't that bad either Jace, we'll only be here for like half an hour and there are like 8 guys here from the football team, go mingle and I'll find you after I talk to Iz." I sigh but agree.

I start making my way around the carnival looking for any familiar faces, causally winking at the girls who are totally checking me out, until out of the corner of my eye I see a bright shade of red. I look up and see a beautiful, and petite redhead sitting at the kissing booth drawing. I stop dead in my tracks and stare. I was never one to find girls beautiful. Hot yes, sexy yes, but I've never called a girl beautiful but that seemed to be the only word that I could use to describe her.

It shocked me that there were no guys in line, but I was thankful for that. I didn't want to see her kissing any other guys. I wanted to kiss her, and I wanted to be the only one to kiss her. It was in that moment that I realized that I was completely infatuated with her. My heart was racing, and I was getting hot and I noticed that my hands were shaking. I've never felt like this before, I've never had feelings for anyone before. But with her it was different, and I didn't even know her name. I took a quick look at my surroundings and saw a ticket booth about 10 feet away. I made my way over to it, and when I got to the front there was a girl inside. She was staring, so I decided to use I to my advantage, I put on my signature smirk and did what I do best: flirt.

"What can I do for you?" She said and I could tell she was nervous; she couldn't be more than 15 years old.

"I would like to buy all the tickets to the kissing booth." I said and she looked surprised. She nodded and gave me all the tickets. I saw a couple of my buddies sitting at a table close to me and made my way over to them. "What's up guys?"

"Nothing much, just hanging out, bonding with our sister school." The one guy, Sebastian says, and I know exactly what he means by bonding. "What about you?"

"Alec dragged me here. His sister asked him to come." They nodded. "Look, I need a favor from you guys."

"What's up man?"

"See the redhead at the kissing booth?"

"Yea, I wouldn't mind getting to know her." One guy says and I let out a low growl.

"Well, I bought every ticket to the kissing booth, I don't want them selling anymore, at least until I convince her to go out with me."

"Don't worry dude, we'll make sure no more tickets are sold until you tell us other wise."

"Thanks." I say and make my way over to the kissing booth. Each step I take a notice myself getting more and more nervous. I'm Jace Herondale for goodness sake, I don't get nervous, but I can't help it. I want her to like me. When I finally get to the kissing booth she is in her own little world. I make my way up to the stage and sit in the chair right across from her. She still doesn't look up. I laugh to myself before clearing my throat. Her head snaps up and I'm met with the most mesmerizing pair of green eyes I've ever seen. "Hey."

"The girl who in charge of this booth isn't back yet." She says and it makes sense why no one was in line.

"Good, cause I came here for you." I smirked and she looked shocked.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I wanted to get to know you."

"Really?"

"It's it that hard to believe that I wanted to kiss a pretty girl?"

"You must be looking for another girl than, cause you aren't looking at one."

"Bullshit." I said and she looked surprised. "I'm Jace."

"Clary." She said and smiled and I couldn't help but like her even more. She looked back down at her drawing. I looked over and I saw all my buddies watching me.

"I know you aren't the one who is working the booth, but I bought every ticket, can you make an exception for me?" I ask and her head slowly looks up and our eyes meet again.

"You bought every ticket?"

"I told you. I wanted to get to know you." I said, and I can't even remember the last time I was so genuine but I wasn't going to be by normal cocky self with her. I wanted to her actually like me, and I knew that being the cocky asshole I normally am to girls wasn't going to make her like me.

"I guess." She said and I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face. She put her sketchbook down and when she looks back up at me I immediately put my lips on hers. The kiss can only be described as perfect. It felt like we were two souls reconnecting. It felt right, and I never wanted to stop. The cliché as it sounds, there were definitely fireworks on my end, but from the way she was kissing me I could tell she felt something too. Unfortunately for me, the kiss ended way to soon when we were interrupted.

"What the hell!" I heard from behind us and Clary tore herself away from me. "Clary, what the hell!" When I looked at her I instantly recognized her, it was Izzy, Alec's sister.

"I…uh….I." She was stuttering so I decided to step in.

"I bought a ticket Iz, and she was here." Izzy was still in a little shocked. After another moment Clary spoke.

"I have to go. I'll see you at school on Monday Iz." She grabbed her bag and ran off the stage, and I couldn't help but wish I would have ran after her.

"You have three seconds to explain why you were making out with my best friend Jace Herondale."

"I saw her sketching, and I had to kiss her. I can't explain it. But I needed to be close to her, to know her." I said and Izzy's jaw nearly dropped. "What?"

"Sounds like Jace is in love." Izzy said and she had a smile the size of her face on. I took a moment to think about it. I thought about the way I felt when I first saw her, and the way I felt when we were kissing, and the way I felt when she left. And I realized, Izzy was right.

"You're right." I said and I could tell that confused Izzy even more.

"Excuse me, did I hear you right? Did Jace just admit that he was in love? Jace doesn't fall in love."

"I know, but everything was different with her. The minute I saw her, something in me flipped."

"So? What are you going to do about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, how are you going to go about getting her to be your girlfriend?"

"I haven't even thought that far in advance." I admit as I look down at the ground. "Can you tell me a little bit about her?"

"Well she's really shy, she's the president of the art club at school, and she's really good at it. She's smart, and she's probably the nicest person I've ever met. She wants to go to an art school after we graduate, but I don't know where. Her home life isn't that great, but she never lets it get in the way. As much as I try to stop it, there is a group of girls at school whose soul mission is to make her life miserable. I have no idea why though. I think that's enough to work with for right now. I'll let her fill you in on everything else."

"How do you think I should go about it?" I ask Izzy, I've never needed any advice about girls but I didn't want to mess this up.

"Well, Clary promised me last year that I could take her to any school function that I wanted too this year. So, how about I drag her to the first football game and you can take over from there."

"Okay, sounds good." Izzy nodded and when I looked back there was a long line of guys waiting to kiss Izzy, I shuddered and Alec and I made our way out of the carnival. I couldn't wait to see Clary again, and I just hope that she feels at least something for me.

 **Clary POV:**

After I got home from the carnival I couldn't help but think about that kiss I had with Jace. It was perfect, and it made me dizzy, and it made me feel worthy and I never wanted it to end. I had no idea if I was every going to see him again, but a girl can dream can't she? When I got home my mother wasn't there but my stepfather, Luke, was and I internally groaned. He wasn't abusive per say, but he didn't care about me at all. My parents divorced almost 8 years ago, and 4 years ago my mom remarried and I knew he didn't like me.

The rest of the weekend went by slowly and I couldn't be happier to be going back to school. I may be somewhat of a loner, and there may be the pack of popular girls after me but I got to spend the whole day with Izzy, and I loved spending time with her. I walked into homeroom and Izzy was sitting in her normal seat touching up her make-up. When she saw me she immediately perked up and smiled.

"Hey Iz."

"Hey. How was the rest of your weekend after lip locking with Jace?" She asked and my cheeks instantly flared up. I knew she noticed because she started laughing. "Oh my god, you were totally into it weren't you?"

"He's a good kisser." Was all I had to say on the comment.

"That's exciting! I've been trying to get you a boyfriend for years!" She said and I just laughed.

"Come on Iz, I'll probably never see him again."

"You never know. Come to the football game Friday night!"

"Izzy." I groaned and I heard her laugh.

"You promised me Clare! Come watch me cheer!"

"Okay, I'll go, but I won't be happy about it." Izzy mumbled something to herself that sounded a lot like 'oh yes you will' but I simply just let it go.

Friday came faster than I thought it would and here I was sitting in the bleachers watching a football game and watching Izzy cheer. I took my sketchbook out and started sketching moments from the game. I had no idea what was going on, but number 8 seemed to be playing the game of his life.

We scored a touchdown and everyone cheered. Our players made their way off the field and I watched 8 the whole time. I was waiting for him to take his helmet off to see if I knew him. He made it to the sidelines and he took his helmet off and I gasped. It was Jace, and I saw Izzy out of the corner of my eye smiling like a lunatic. He finished drinking his water and when he looked up our eyes locked. He smiled and laughed, probably at m facial expressions. I had no idea he went to the brother school, let alone be on the football team, and I couldn't believe this was happening.

After the football game I was waiting in the parking lot for Izzy. I was standing by my car when I heard he laughing, and when I looked over she was walking towards me with her brother and Jace. I mentally prepared myself for the interactions as they got close.

"Hey Clare."

"Hey."

"You remember Jace right?" She said and I could just hear the sarcasm in her voice.

"Vaguely." I said and Jace laughed.

"How quickly you dismiss our love." He says in a fake wounded voice and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh Alec, we have to be home. I promised mom we'd be home right after the game. I'm sorry Jace, but we can't take you home. I bet Clary wouldn't mind though. Right Clare? Great. See you at school on Monday!" She said as she grabbed Alec's arm and rushed away from us. Jace and I watched her and Alec walk away and I just shook my head.

"Well, she couldn't be any more obvious." I said and Jace just laughed.

"You don't have to take me home. I could just call my dad, or catch one of the guys and see if they could take me home."

"I don't mind. Anything that keeps me out later is worth it."

"Don't like being home?" He asks as we both got into the car.

"My mom is out of town for an art convention and I'm stuck at home with my stepfather."

"I take it you two don't get along? Make a right at the light." He says and I nod.

"They got married 4 years ago, and he's never liked me. I might as well be home alone when my mom leaves. The only time he really talks to me is when he's insulting me."

"That sucks. At the next stop sign, make a left."

"Yea, but it's not like I can do anything about it."

"Couldn't you go live with your dad?"

"No. He doesn't have a permanent home. He travels around the world consulting for businesses."

"That's unfortunate. Turn right at the next street and I live in the yellow house in the cul de sac."

"I barely leave my room when I'm home. I just sit on my bed and draw or read or do my homework. I live a very exciting life, if you couldn't tell." He laughs and I can't help but love the sound of it. When I pull into his driveway, he sighs.

"What's wrong?"

"My dad's home."

"And that's a bad thing?" I ask as I put the car in park.

"Not necessarily bad, but my parents haven't gotten along in a couple years, and they have been fighting lately. Mostly about money, or me." I look at him and than I look at the time, it's only about 9:30, and an idea pops in my head.

"You have a curfew?"

"On school nights I'm suppose to be home before midnight. Why?" I put the car in reverse and whip out of his driveway and start making my way to my favorite spot. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." I smile at him and he smiles back. After about a 25 minute car ride I pull into the driveway of my fathers old abandoned house. He hasn't lived here in about 6 years, but he never sold it for some reason, and I liked to come here and be alone.

"Where are we?"

"This is my fathers old house. After my parents divorced he lived here for a couple years before he started traveling. For some reason he never sold it, but he never kept up with it either. This land belonged to his parents. I guess it was too sentimental to sell. I like to come here when things at home get too much to handle." We got out of the car and I started walking to the pond that was in the backyard. I could hear Jace behind me, but I didn't stop. I made my way out to the gazebo and leaned against the railing and looked out at the water. A moment later I felt Jace next to me. "I like to imagine what I would have been like to grow up here. What it would have been like to come out here and play with my dad, or sit in this gazebo with my mom and watch her draw or going swimming in this lake with my brother during the summer. Sometimes I wonder why I do it, all it does is bring back a lot of painful memories of what my life was like when I was a kid, but I can't help but do it every time I'm here."

"Why was your childhood bad? If you don't mind me asking."

"When I was about 3 we were all in a really bad car accident. I woke up in the hospital a week later. My mom had a couple broken bones, my dad had a broken leg and a cracked skull, but my brother, who was 9 at the time was in a coma, and he never woke up."

"Damn." He said as he reached over and rested his hand on top of mine.

"My family really drifted apart. And when I was 10 my parents finally decided to get a divorce. They couldn't cope with the loss of my brother even though he was still alive. About 6 months ago they finally pulled the plug. It's one of the reasons my mom has been out of town so much lately. She threw herself into work to avoid grieving."

"That must have been really hard."

"It was really hard. I barely remember my brother. But I knew it torn my parents apart."

"Yea, apparently before I was born my parents had another kid. She died in a freak accident when she was 2. My parents had me in hopes to get over her. I don't think it worked. My parents were always miserable." I simply nodded and we stood there in silence for a while. I checked my phone and realized that it was almost 11.

"We should probably head back. I don't know if Luke noticed I've been gone, but I should probably get home."

"Thank you. For bringing me here, and talking to me. It actually really helped." I smiled and gave his hand a little squeeze. "I'd like to take you out Clary."

"Really?"

"Yes. How about tomorrow night? 7 o'clock." He said and I looked at his golden eyes.

"I'd really love that." I said and I could just see the happiness in his eyes. "Come on, let's get you home." We walked back to my car hand in hand and it just felt so right and naturally. Like we've been doing it our whole lives. When I got him home he sat in my car for a minute before speaking.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Do you need me to pick you up?"

"No. My car was in the shop today, but I should be getting it back tomorrow afternoon. I'll pick you up." I look at him and than take my phone out and hand it to him.

"Give me your number, and I'll text you my address." He put his number in my phone and handed it back to me. I was about to say something when his lips were on mine. This kiss was even better than the first one we shared. This one was slow and full of passion, and dare I say it love. He broke away far too soon for my liking and he looked into my eyes and smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow Clary." Before I could say another word he got out of my car and went inside. I sat there for moment processing what just happened before I started my drive home.

I walked up to my room in a little daze. I lay on my bed before I realized that I had a date with Jace tomorrow and I had idea what to wear. I pull out my phone and dial Izzy's number. After a few rings she answers.

"What's up Clare?"

"I have a date with Jace tomorrow night and I don't know what to wear." I say and I hear her scream on the other end of the phone.

"I'll be over at 2 o'clock tomorrow to help you get ready! This is so exciting! Get plenty of sleepy tonight Clare! See you tomorrow!" Before I could say anything else she hung up. I got ready for bed and fell asleep to the thoughts of Jace and honestly I couldn't get the smile off my face.

 **Jace POV:**

Today seemed like the longest day of my life. Knowing that I was going out with Clary tonight was so nerve racking that I couldn't sit still for more than a few hours. Izzy had texted me off of Alec's phone asking me what my plans were so she could dress Clary appropriately for our date. So I knew that whatever Clary was wearing, Izzy would probably make her look sexy as hell but also stunning.

When it finally reached 6 o'clock I was thrilled, I took a shower and got dressed. Tonight was going to be extremely fancy. I didn't know how Clary would react but my parents were invited to a very elite party tonight and they sprung it on me this morning and I had to be in attendance. When I asked if I could bring a date they were thrilled, so even though I wasn't able to take Clary out in the way I wanted to take her out, I was still going to be spending the night with her. When I pulled up to Clary's house I knocked on the door and Izzy answered.

"You clean up nice Jace. Why is it so fancy tonight?"

"I wasn't planning on it to be, but my parents told me this morning that there was a business party for one of my fathers biggest clients and we all had to attend. I didn't want to cancel on Clary so I asked if I could bring a date, and my parents were thrilled."

"That sounds fun though."

"It will be a lot more bearable with Clary there." Just as I said her name she came down the stairs. She was wearing a beautiful floor length green dress that made her eyes even greener. Her hair was curled to perfection and her make up was just as perfect. "Wow. You look absolutely beautiful Clary."

"I've never worn a dress this fancy. Where are we going?"

"My parents told me this morning that we were attending my fathers biggest clients party. Like, the most elite party you'll ever attend. It's huge, and I really didn't want to cancel with you, so I asked if I could bring a date and my parents were thrilled. I promise I will make it up to you. I will take you on a real date, but I really wanted to see you tonight." I said and I hope she wasn't mad.

"Sounds like it could be fun!" She said with the biggest smile on her face and I couldn't tell you how relieved I was. "Oh, and you pull off a black suit very well."

"You think?" I said and she walked over to me and even in heels had to stand on her tiptoes until he mouth was at my ear.

"It's very sexy." She whispered in my ear and I think I could have died right there and been satisfied with my life. She backed away and I couldn't help but love the look on her face. I grabbed her hand, we said our goodbyes to Izzy and got into my car.

When we got to the house, or should I say mansion, I parked my car and helped Clary out. We walked in and her arm was holding onto my arm and she was looking around at the extravagant house. When we got inside I immediately started looking for my parents. I directed Clary over to them, and when they saw us my eyes immediately lit up.

"Jace, you didn't tell me your date was so beautiful." My mom said and I looked over at Clary and she blushed.

"Mom, dad, this is Clary. Clary, these are my parents."

"It's really nice to meet you both." Clary said and my mother brought her into a hug. We stood there and talked for a couple moments before my parents excused themselves to go talk to some clients.

"Would you like to dance?" I asked Clary as she looked at the other people dancing in the middle of the room. She looked back at me and looked nervous.

"I can't really dance." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Lucky for you, I can." I said as I took her hand and led her out to the floor. Clary wasn't lying, she really couldn't dance, but I found it endearing. I took her under my wing and took charge and lead her around the dance floor. When the song was over we made our way out onto the balcony to get a bit of fresh air. "I'm going to get us some drinks." She nodded and I made my way back inside. When I got our drinks I was making my way back to Clary when I heard her talking. I peaked around the corner and saw some guy talking to her.

"Why don't we get out of here, and I can show you a good time?" He asked and I almost broke the glasses in my hands in anger.

"I'm sorry, but I'm here with someone." Clary said and I could hear the guy laugh.

"Ditch him, and we can have a little fun."

"No thanks." She said in a slightly frustrated tone.

"Come on babe." He said in a low voice.

"I really don't want to go anywhere with you. My boyfriend will be back any minute now. You should leave while you have the chance." When she called me her boyfriend a serge of happiness ran through my body and I couldn't help but be happy. I decided it was time to make my presence known.

"Clare?" I said and she looked at me and so did the guy. I recognized him immediately. It was William, he was the son of one of the big shots my father worked with. I never liked him. I walked over and gave her the drink and snaked my arm around her waist.

"Ah, Jace. It's so good to see you again. It's been way too long."

"Not long enough Will."

"You have a beautiful girlfriend." He said and he looked Clary up and down. "I never thought you were the type to settle down, at least, that's what your reputation insinuated."

"What can I say, I took one look at Clary, and it was love at first sight." I felt her tense but I gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head and she relaxed. "I knew it was only a matter of time before someone snatched her away, so I had to make my move, and it was the best decision I've ever made." I looked down at Clary and she had a big smile on her face and her eyes looks glossy. "Now if you'll excuse us Will, I'm gonna go show Clary around." Will nodded and I lead Clary down the hallway, when we were outside in the garden Clary turned and faced me.

"Did you mean all of that?"

"Yes. From the moment I laid eyes on you at that carnival I knew there was something different about you. Why do you think I bought all of the tickets to the kissing booth? If I wanted a simple kiss I would have just gone for a random girl, but I wanted it to be with you." She was speechless, and she looked completely shocked. "You don't have to say anything back Clary, but I would love for you to be my girlfriend. I know we haven't known each other long, but I know I want you to be mine." I said and after a moment of silence she smiled.

"I would love to be your girlfriend." She says and I couldn't help but smile as I pulled her into a kiss. "I couldn't stop thinking about our kiss that day you know. But I thought I'd never see you again."

"Really?"

"I didn't know anything about you except your name. For all I know, you were in town visiting your grandparents and you were on the next flight back to London."

"London?"

"You have a British accent, where else could you be from?" I laughed and so did she.

"Well, I've never been to London, I only have the accent because of my parents. They are from England."

"Good to know." She said and I couldn't help but pull her into a hug. The rest of the night went by rather slowly but it was so much better to have Clary by my side and to actually be able to hold her hand or rub her back without worrying if I was crossing a line with her. Everything seemed to be falling into place, and I couldn't wait to see what the future held for us.

 **Time Jump- Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I had been together for three years now and to say it was the best three years of my life would be an understatement. He was the most amazing person that I've ever known and he was all mine. After high school, I got back into contact with my father and he apologized for leaving me, but he had to go rediscover himself after everything that happened with Jonathan, and I just couldn't find it in me to be upset, I have no idea how hard that must have been on him. When he found out that I was going to NYU, he decided to give me his old abandoned house. When he told me that I screamed and threw myself at him. I was so excited to be able to fulfill my life long dream of living in that house. It took a couple months for it to be cleaned and fixed up, but by the time school started I was completely moved in. Jace had moved in with me as well, along with Izzy and her brother Alec. We were all going to NYU and it wasn't that far, only a 10-15 minute commute and I couldn't picture living any where else.

It was a normal Tuesday and I was on my way home from class. When I pulled into the driveway something was off. There weren't any cars there. Izzy didn't have class son Tuesday, and Alec only had one class and it was at night, so I was super confused. When I walked in, it was unnaturally quiet, but it smelled amazing. I made my way into the kitchen where the table was all set and Jace was standing there.

"What's all this?"

"Today is out three year anniversary, and I wanted to do something for you." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile. We sat down and ate dinner, and laughed and talked like we normally do. But towards the end of dinner I noticed that Jace looked on edge.

"Is something wrong Jace?"

"No. Why would you say that?"

"You look nervous." He got up from his chair and went into the other room but returned a moment later. He walked over to me and got down on one knee and I gasped.

"Clarissa, I have loved you since the day that I saw you. And I have loved you more and more everyday. You mean absolutely everything to me, and I can't picture my life without you. I know we're young, but there isn't anyone else in the world that I want to spend the rest of my life with. Would you Clarissa, do the honor of marrying me?" Tears were now running down my face and my hands were over my mouth as I took in everything he just said. I looked down and he was holding a box with the most beautiful ring inside. I look back up into Jace's eyes, and I don't trust my voice so I just nod. Jace gets the biggest smile on his face before he slips the ring on my finger and picks me up and pulls me into a kiss. "I love you Clary."

"I love you too Jace, and I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together." I said and we stood there for a while lost in our own little world. I couldn't believe that I was going to marry my best friend and the love of my life. And to think that all of this wouldn't be possible if Izzy hadn't left me at that kissing booth all those years ago.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by oesteffel, and I really hope that you enjoy where I took your story idea! I tried to keep it close to what you suggested but I obviously put my own twist on it, and I hope you all enjoy it! Remember, if you want me to write something that you'd be interested in reading just send me a message, or review and I promise to get back to you as fast as I can! I'm sorry it took me so long to finish this story, I worked on it all day, and I really hope you all enjoy it, especially oesteffel! Thank you all for reading, and I promise to have the nest one shot up soon! :)**


	7. Chapter 6 - Arranged Marriage

**Sixth One Shot:**

 **Arranged** **Marriage**

 **Clary POV:**

Sometimes I wish that my life were normal. I wish my father wasn't the CEO of a major company, and I wish that I didn't live in a house the size of a castle and I wish that I was treated like every other 24 year old, instead of like a princess, but who said life was fair? I knew life could be unfair, but it wasn't until my father completely shattered my world that I figured out just how unfair life really was.

 **Flashback:**

 _"Clarissa!" My dad shouted up the stairs._

 _"Yes father?"_

 _"I need you to come down here. We need to speak." I groaned but got up and made my way downstairs. When I got into the living room, the Herondale's were sitting there, and I knew this probably wasn't going to end well. "Clarissa dear, you remember the Herondale's?"_

 _"Yes. It's a pleasure to see you all again." I said, and I take my seat next to their son, Jace. He looked just as confused as I was, as to why we were there._

 _"I know you two are probably wondering why we asked you here today." Jace and I both nod. "Well, as you know we both own two of the biggest companies in the world, but we want more. We want to merge our companies."_

 _"And that has something to do with us because?" Jace says._

 _"Mind your manners Jonathan." His father hissed._

 _"Anyway, we have been talking about this for a couple years and we feel like you two are old enough to know. In order for our companies to merge, we have to become a family." My eyes immediately widen. I take a look at Jace and I don't think it actually hit him yet. "You two will be married at the end of the year." My father says and it finally hit him, and he doesn't look happy._

 _"You're out of your god damn mind if you think I'm gonna to marry her." Jace yells and I couldn't help but scoff._

 _"Oh please, you'd be lucky to marry me. At least you know you won't get an STD from me, who knows how many diseases you carry." I said and he glared at me._

 _"Father, you can't expect me to marry her. I'm only 27. I didn't expect to get married until I was at least 35, if not ever." Jace says and it makes sense, he's the ultimate playboy. Always sleeping around, and getting into trouble, it's not wonder they arranged a marriage for him. Me on the other hand, I just haven't found someone who actually cared about me, and not my money._

 _"You will marry her Jonathan, and that's all I have to say. Now, you two better get ready, you move into your house tonight." His father said and I couldn't help but sigh and make my way up to my room and pack my life away._

 **End of Flashback**

Which brings me to where I am now, siting in the living room in our penthouse, searching through the channels while Jace is nowhere to be found. He dropped off his stuff, mumble something along the lines of 'I'm going out, don't wait up' and he was gone. Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't thrilled about the whole arranged marriage idea either, but Jace was acting like such a baby about it. I've known the guy for a couple years now, and he acts like he deserves the world. I mean, he's a hard worker, he put in his hours, and he dedicated his time to achieving his dream, but one thing doesn't go his way, and he acts out.

It's almost 2 am, and I finally decide to go to bed. Jace told me not to wait up, but I felt weird going to bed while he was out. But I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. When I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom I heard the door open. I walked back out to the living room to see three men, and they were holding Jace up.

"Who the hell are you?" The one asked and it took me by surprise.

"I'm his fiancé. What happened to him?" I ask, and as much as it was weird to say, calling myself his fiancé wasn't that hard. Don't get me wrong, I would have loved to actually fall in love and get married to a man who wanted me, but that dream was out the window now.

"He called me from a club, he was completely trashed. I guess I know the reason now." He said as he looked at me. I shook my head, and realized that I wouldn't be sleeping in the bed tonight.

"The bedroom is the third door on the left." I said as I pointed down the hallway. The two men lugged Jace down the hallway and disappeared into the room. I searched the hall cabinet for an extra blanket, found one and made my way over to the couch. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was asleep and dreaming about how different and challenging this year would be.

 **Time Jump-Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The past three months have been tense. Jace was working his ass off on his latest project, so we rarely saw each other but when we did, we didn't talk. We both were still resentful about the marriage, and he seemed to not want to talk about it, or try and find at least a happy medium for us to coexist in this house without having to walk on eggshells around each other.

Jace had told me this morning that he was going to be working late tonight. I was glad when he told me that he would be working late, it was something that he started doing when I made dinner for us one night, and he didn't come home until after midnight. Despite how pissed he still was, he felt bad about not giving me a heads up, and now he lets me know.

Since he wasn't going to be home until later, I decided just to have some left overs and binge watch some TV that I had missed during the week. It was around 9:30 when I heard the door open. At first I was confused, because I figured Jace wouldn't be home until after midnight, but sometimes he did come home earlier than that. I turned by attention back to the TV, but something didn't feel right. When I turned around, my heart instantly sank.

"Look what we have here Pangborn. What's a pretty little thing like you doing home all alone?" He said and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I didn't say anything as his partner made his way over to me.

"Grab her Blackwell, tie her up and gag her, than take whatever you can find." The one said and immediately I was being pulled off the couch in a death grip by the one man. He pulled me over a chair that was now sitting in the hallway and he strapped me too it.

"Take whatever you want, I'm not going to stop you." I said on the verge of crying before he slapped me across the face.

"Gag her Blackwell. And than search the place." The other one said and he gagged me and slapped me one more time, before he left me there.

After about an hour of them searching through the penthouse they both reappeared in front of me. I was hoping that after they robbed us, they would just leave, but apparently they had other ideas.

"Where's your boyfriend baby? I can't imagine leaving a pretty little thing like you here all alone. Something might happen." The taller one, Pangborn I think, said as he twirled a strand of my hair in his hand. He leaned down and started to place kisses along my neck. I started crying, but I didn't make much noise because of the gag. His friend did another quick search of the place while Pangborn kept placing kisses on my body. I felt completely and totally disgusting, and I was so glad when the other one came back.

"Come on, we have been here for too long already. He could come back at any moment." Blackwell said and Pangborn nodded in agreement and stopped touching me and I silently thanked the Angel. They walked away but before they left Pangborn turned around, hit me so hard that the chair tipped back and I fell and hit my head on the ground, I could hear them laughing when they were leaving. I was in and out of consciousness, just praying that Jace would come home soon.

 **Jace POV:**

It had been another long day at the office, but I wasn't complaining. I liked being at worked for an entire day so that when I got home I could pass out and not have to talk to Clary. It's not that I hated her, but I still didn't want to marry her. I never even thought about marriage until I was being forced into one. I just wanted to live my life as a bachelor forever. It was fun. No strings attached and I didn't have to answer to anyone. I finally got to our building and got in the elevator. It felt like the longest ride of my life, I just wanted to shower and go to sleep. The elevator finally stopped and when I stepped out into the hallway something felt wrong. I looked down the hall and noticed that the door to the house was slightly opened. Clary wasn't the type to keep the door opened when she was home, if anything she was completely paranoid that someone would break in and checked it at least 6 times before she even went to bed.

I walked slowly over to the door and opened in even slower. When I took a look inside the penthouse, it was trashed. There was glass on the floor from where a vase was smashed, followed by the flowers that Clary picked up one day were scattered on the floor, and a painting that Clary did a couple months ago was slashed. I went farther into the living room and gasped. Clary was strapped to a chair, gagged and laying on the floor. I made my way over to her, and there was blood dripping out of her nose, down her cheek and on to the floor.

"Clary?" I said as I took the gag out of her mouth and she moaned. "Clary, are you alright? Can you hear me?" I asked as I began to untie her.

"Jace?" She said in a weak voice.

"Yea, I'm here. Come on, I'm going to take you to the bathroom." I said as I scooped her up in my arms, and I couldn't help but think how perfectly she fit in my arms. When I got us to the bathroom I sat her down on the counter and turned on the water. I grabbed a washcloth and wet it and started to clean the blood off her. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"I was sitting on the couch watching TV and I heard the door open. I didn't realize it wasn't locked but I didn't think anything of it, I just thought it was you. When I heard two sets of footsteps I turned around and there were these two huge guys smiling at me. The one grabbed me, strapped me to the chair, hit me and than gagged me. They searched the whole house for an hour before they made their way back to me." She stopped herself so that she could collect her thoughts, she looked like she was about to cry but no tears were shed. "The one came over to me and started to play with my hair, and started kissing my neck while the other one took one last look through the house. After a couple minutes of him kissing me his partner came back at said that it was time to leave and before they left the one hit me so hard that I fell and slammed my head on the ground."

"How long were you tied up before I got home?" I asked and I couldn't help but feel so angry and the men who did this to Clary.

"I don't know, all I know is that it was 9:30 when they first stepped into the house."

"Clary, do you know what time it is?" She shook her head. "It's after midnight." She looked at me with her big green eyes, that were now extremely glossy and she broke down. I pulled her into my arms and she buried her head into my chest and just let everything out. After a couple minutes she started to calm down and she pulled back. I took a good look into those beautiful green eyes, and I couldn't help but want to look into them all the time. I wiped the tears off of her cheeks and she gave me a sad smile. "I think you should get some sleep Clare."

"Will you stay with me? I can't be alone right now." She asked in almost a whisper, and I couldn't help but feel happy that she asked me to stay.

"Of course. Why don't you go get ready, give me 5 minutes to shower, and I'll be right in." She nodded and hopped off the counter and made her way into the bedroom.

True to my word, I took a 5 minute shower and I made my way into the bedroom to see Clary curled up on the bed. I changed into some ball shorts and got in bed where she immediately curled into my side. After a couple minutes I could feel her breathing even out and I couldn't help but feel something when it came to Clary. Something changed when I saw her so helpless lying on the floor. And when she was telling me about that man kissing her I wanted to go find him and kill him. I had spent all this time resenting the fact that my father was forcing me to get married, that I didn't even get to know the woman that I was going to marry, and after tonight, I don't think I'll make that mistake again.

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up the next day feeling extremely safe and comfortable. When I opened my eyes I saw Jace still sleeping, and his arms were wrapped protectively around me. I couldn't help but smile at how sweet he was being to me last night. It definitely showed a different side of him, a side that I like a lot more than the arrogant and miserable side I've been seeing the past couple months.

I slithered out of his arms and went to the bathroom to see the damage done. Nothing too bad, just a black eye and a swollen lip. Considering what could have happened, I got off easy. I fixed my hair and washed my face and made my way into the living room. When I got there I took a look at the damage that was done and I sighed. I started cleaning up the place because I didn't want to be reminded of what happened. After about 10 minutes I heard footsteps. I turned around to see Jace, and what I saw, I liked. He was standing there, shirtless, with shorts that were riding his hips extremely low.

"What are you doing?" He asked in a groggy voice, which was extremely sexy.

"I thought I'd clean, I didn't want to be reminded, and I just I don't know. I just didn't want to look at it." I said sounding completely unsure of myself. He walked over to me and put his hands on either side of my face.

"Don't worry about it. I have everything taken care of." He says as he plants a kiss on my forehead.

"What do you mean?"

"I asked my sister to come over and take you out for the day. Than I have a service coming in to clean the place up, and to change the locks and add a security system." He says as he leads me over to the couch. We sit down and he puts his arm around me, and I can't help but lean into him. "I am never allowing what happened last night to happen again."

"It wasn't your fault Jace."

"It was. I didn't have to work late last night, I chose too because, well because I still resented my dad for this whole thing. And it was easier to work all the time, get home really late, and pass out and not have to talk to you because it just made me so upset." He said and I couldn't help but feel a lot of pain when he spoke. "But I realized last night that it has nothing to do with you. I resent my father for this, but you aren't to blame, and instead of avoiding you I think we should get to know each other, since we will be married by the end of the year. Seeing you last night, made me so angry. If I wasn't so hell bent on staying at the office so late, I would have been home and I could have protected you."

"I understand Jace. Trust me, I resent my father for the same exact reasons you do, but what happened wasn't your fault."

"I still feel responsible. But after today, it won't happen again. I promise you." He says and he plants another kiss on my head. I leaned into his side and he pulled me closer. Maybe things would finally be different and we could start living as at least friends, and who knows, maybe something could come out of this, but for right now I was just glad to be in the arms of someone who was going to do everything in his power to protect me, and I couldn't ask for anything more.

 **Time Jump-Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Since the whole incident happened back in March I decided that I would no longer work past 7 at night. I always made it a priority to make it home for dinner, and I didn't realize how nice it was to have someone to come home to at the end of the day. We were getting along really well, and I hate to admit it, but I think this whole arranged marriage was the best thing that my father ever did for me. Clary was an amazing girl, and I was surprised that she wasn't already married. She was funny, and witty, and sarcastic, and beautiful, and smart. She was the whole package and it felt great to know that I was going to marry her.

Clary's birthday had just passed and I was going to be taking her out to a club tonight. Isabelle, her boyfriend Simon, Alec and his boyfriend Magnus were all going to meet us there, and we were just going to have a great time. She deserved it after everything she went through, and she's been doing so well with selling her artwork that she deserved a night like tonight. I had walked out of the bathroom and saw her standing in front of the mirror. She was wearing a tight red dress, that stopped mid thigh, with black 5 inch heels, and her hair was curled to perfection. I sucked in a breath and she heard me and turned around.

"How do I look?" She asked with a hesitant look while biting on her lower lip, that was driving me insane.

"Amazing. I'm going to have to fight off every male in the club." She lets out a little laugh and a blush creeps across her cheeks.

"I highly doubt that, but thank you." She said as she walked out of the room. It took me a little to collect myself before I got dressed. I slipped on my tight black jeans, white tee shirt and my leather jacket before walking out in the living room.

"Ready?"

"Yup." She said and we walked out of the penthouse. When we got to the club, I was right, all of the guys we walked by were practically undressing her with their eyes, and I couldn't help but get jealous. I snaked my arm around her waist to show everyone that she was mine. We met up with everyone and let the night begin.

 **Time Jump-A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We've been here for a couple hours and although I wasn't that drunk, Clary was a different story. She was having the time of her life and just knocking back drinks like it was nobody's business. We were dancing close all night and kissing and I couldn't get enough of her. When midnight rolled around we decided that we needed to get home. Clary and I grabbed a cab and got back to out place. When we walked inside she immediately ditched the heels.

"I've been waiting to take them off all night. My feet are killing me." She said as she stumbled a little.

"I could tell. Did you have fun?" I asked as I dropped my leather jacket on the back of the couch.

"I had a lot of fun, but I think I know how I can have even more fun." She said as she snaked her arms around my necks and brought my lips down to hers. As much as I wanted to keep going, we were both drunk and needed to sleep.

"Clary, you're drunk and you should probably get some sleep."

"I'm not that drunk." I raised one eyebrow and she laughed. "I was drunk earlier but I'm sobering up now, and trust me I want to do this." She said as she started kissing my neck. I had absolutely no will power and picked her up and her legs wrapped around my waist and I lead us to the bedroom. Nothing in the world felt as good as Clary felt kissing me, and rubbing up against me, and I never wanted it to end. Right now, everything was perfect.

 **Time Jump- A Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

A week had gone by since Jace and I slept together and our interactions have been awkward. I didn't know if he felt uncomfortable that we had sex, I mean he seemed into it when it was happening but he's been distant lately, and I didn't like it, so at dinner I decided to bring it up. We were sitting at the table in silence and I just couldn't take it anymore.

"Jace, it's been a week since we slept together, and I really can't take the distance anymore." I said and I think I shocked him because he dropped his fork.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh come on, you've totally been avoiding me."

"Clary."

"No Jace, if you regret it, please just let me know."

"You think I regret it?" I shrug. "Clary, I don't regret it at all, I thought maybe you would."

"I'm pretty sure I initiated it Jace, I wouldn't have done that if I thought I was going to regret it." I said as I laughed.

"I didn't know if that was you, or drunk you initiated anything."

"I told you, I may have been drunk before, but I wasn't drunk when we got home. I knew what was happening. I remember everything. I remember feeling every kiss you placed on every inch of my body, and I remember the feeling of you inside me, and I remember how amazing it felt. I never wanted it to end."

"Are you serious?" He said with a shocked expression on his face, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm serious. Jace, I like you. I like you a lot. I like cooking dinner for you, and sitting on the couch cuddled up watching TV, and I like falling asleep next to you. Honestly Jace, I think I might be in love with you." I said and now I was standing up and pacing. "And this distance is killing me." I finally look at him and he looks shocked. "God, and now you don't feel the same way, and I'm a complete idiot." I start rambling and before I know it his lips on mine. I'm shocked but soon melt into the kiss, after a couple minutes he pulls apart.

"Clary, I've been in love with you for months." My jaw drops and his hands are still on the side of the face. "I just didn't know how to tell you, because I didn't know if you felt the same way."

"When did you know?" I ask because I just can't believe he feels the same way.

"The night that I came home and found you on the floor. After I cleaned you up, and I came out and joined you in bed and you curled up into me and laid your head on my chest. You fit perfectly, and I never wanted to let you go. I spent months avoiding you because I resented being told what to do by my father, but the minute I held you in my arms I realized that this arranged marriage might have been the best thing my father ever did for me." I didn't know what to say to that, I was speechless, I got on my tippy toes and pressed my lips against his. After a few more minutes we broke apart.

"I love you Jace." I said and he had the biggest smile on his face and it made me so happy to know that I was the one who gave him that smile.

"I love you too Clary." He said back and I threw my arms around his neck and he picked me up and spun me around and right in this moment I couldn't be happier.

 **Time Jump-Wedding Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in the room looking at myself in the mirror and I couldn't believe that Jace and I were finally getting married today. It was a cold day, but what do you expect when you get married in December, but I couldn't be more excited to be marrying him. After we both confessed our love for each other everything just fell into place. When we went out we would hold hands, and he would hold me close when he felt like other guys were staring at me, and when we would dance he wasn't afraid to get a little handsy, and it was perfect. I loved every minute of our life together, and he made me laugh every single day.

Although nobody knew this was an arranged marriage, I knew it pleased our fathers that we had actually gotten along and actually fell in love. We both sat them down and told them about everything and I could see the relief in my fathers eyes when we told him, Jace's father on the other hand, he was unreadable. He didn't seem to care if we loved each other or if we wanted to kill each other. I was pulled out of my memories by Isabelle.

"Are you ready Clary? The ceremony starts in 15 minutes!" She said as she made her way over to me.

"I am more than ready. I can't wait to marry him."

"I'm so glad you two met. I thought he was doomed when it came to women." I laughed. In the last couple months I had gotten very close to Izzy, and I considered her one of my best friends.

"I don't know what I'd do without him honestly." I say and I can just tell how happy she was for us, and to see the happiness, and to have all the positive support really made me happy. "Alright, lets go. I need to marry him soon or I think I might burst!" She laughs and we make our way down to the room.

Everything was set up perfectly. Izzy decided that she wanted to plan our wedding, and she did an amazing job. When the doors opened and I got my first look at Jace and I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. He looked amazing and he wore a smile that just was the light in my life. I got up to him, and gave my bouquet to Izzy and Jace took my hands in his.

"Are you ready?" He asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm more than ready." I said and Jace just smiled. He squeezed my hands and we both listened to the pastor and took the plunge into married life more ready than ever to experience all of life's hardships and triumphs as husband and wife.

 **Time Jump- Ten Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"MOMMY!" I heard my daughter yell as she burst into our room and jumped on the bed. "Mommy, it's time to get up! It's Christmas mommy!"

"I'm up. I'm up." I look at the clock. "Anna, it's 6 in the morning, Christmas doesn't start until at least 9." I said and I could hear Jace laugh beside me.

"Daddy, make mommy wake up. It's Christmas time." She said and she made her way over to Jace. She knew exactly how to get Jace to do whatever he wanted.

"Why don't you go put on your Christmas pajamas, and wait for us by the tree." He said and she nodded and hoped off the bed and ran out of the room. I groaned and rolled over as much as I could while being 7 months pregnant. "How are you feeling babe?" He asked as he rubbed my belly.

"I'm okay. She kept me up all night, so I was not prepared for this wake up call." I said and at that moment she decided to kick the shit out of my stomach. "Ow." I said and Jace smiled.

"I'm sorry babe, why don't you take your time, while I start breakfast and get Anna distracted from Christmas."

"I think that makes you the husband of the year." I said and he just laughed.

"Just of the year?" He said.

"You're right, you've been the husband of the decade." He leaned down and kissed me before he went downstairs. I watched as he went, and I couldn't help but relive the last 10 years of our lives and I couldn't be more happy with how everything worked out. I hated the idea of an arranged marriage at first, but looking back on it now, it was the best thing my father ever did for me, and I couldn't help but smile at everything Jace and I have done together.

I got out of bed, and I made my way downstairs. I walked into the kitchen, and I saw Jace and Anna dancing around listening to Christmas music. It melted my heart to see him bonding with Anna the way he did. He was so nervous when she was born, he thought he was going to mess her up, or that he was going to be a horrible father. But Jace and Anna had the cutest relationship, and I couldn't wait to bring out second little girl into this world. Jace turned around and saw me standing in the door way and danced his way over to me.

"Mommy, dance with us!" Anna said and I couldn't help but laugh and join in. Jace twirled us both around the kitchen, and when he pulled me closer to him I couldn't help but pull him into a kiss. My life was perfect, and it was all because of an arranged marriage that I never wanted in the first place, but turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to me.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by a guest, and whoever you are, I hope you see this and are satisfied with what I have created! I tried to get this done by tonight so that you all had something to read before you went to bed or when you woke up in the middle! Don't forget that you can leave a review or send me a message if you want me to write a story! I have to say some of you have been given me really good ideas and I'm really stoked to write them! Hopefully you all like this new story! Let me know what you think! :)**


	8. Chapter 7 - Message Board

**Seventh One Shot:**

 **Message Board**

 **Clary POV:**

 **November 2006- Clary, Izzy, Simon = 13 Alec, Magnus, Jon = 14**

"Alright everyone! Time for truth or dare!" Izzy yelled and we all got around in a circle. "I'll go first!" She looked around at the group. "Alec, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to kiss your crush." She said and I knew Alec was going to remove a piece of clothing, he would never admit he was crushing hard core on Magnus. When he took his shirt off he looked less than pleased with Izzy.

"Izzy, truth or dare?"

"Dare." She said back confidently, she was never one to turn down a dare.

"I dare you to play 7 minutes in heaven with Simon." He said and Simon turned beat red. Izzy grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the closet. 7 minutes later they both walked out and Simon looked like he was on cloud nine and Izzy was flushed. The game went on for about an hour until we called for the last round. It was Izzy's turn again and he eyes landed on me.

"Clary, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to find a random username online and start a conversation with them." She said and I laughed. I grabbed my laptop and went on some online chat room and found a person with the username jch0124. It seemed easy enough so I started typing.

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Hey! My name is Clary, and I found your username and decided that I needed new people to talk too! If you don't want to talk that's fine! But I thought I'd give it a shot! Hope you have a nice night!~

I sent it and closed my laptop and looked at Izzy and she was shocked that I followed through. We all decided that it was time to go to bed, and for some reason I was really excited to see if the person on the other end of that email was going to answer me. I wasn't the one who was so out going, but I had no idea who I was talking too and it was kind of exciting. They knew nothing about me, and I could just be myself. When I woke up I had a message. I rubbed my eyes and I couldn't believe it. The person on the other end actually answered back!

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Hey Clary! My name is Jace, and I'm always down for getting to know new people. I'd love to talk! I did have a pretty good night, how about yourself?~

I couldn't believe it and I squealed and ran to where Izzy was sleeping. When I got there she was still sleeping and I had to shake her to wake her up.

"What is it Clary?"

"The person I messaged last night answered me back, and he told me he'd love to get to know me!" Her eyes popped opened and she was now wide-awake.

"Are you serious?"

"Yea!" I said and I showed her the message. We both squealed a little before we calmed down. I was super excited to get to know him, and maybe he lived close and we could meet up one day. I went back to my room and decided to answer him.

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~I had a pretty great night. I hung out with my friends and my brother.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~That sounds nice. I wish I had siblings. It gets pretty lonely being an only child.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~It's alright. He gets on my nerves, but what else do you expect an older brother to do? How about we play 20 questions to get to know each other better?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Sounds good. I'll go first. Where do you live?~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~I live in New York. Where do you live?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~That's too bad. I live in California. I guess this means we'll never meet each other, and if we do, that'll be a miracle. How old are you?~

I couldn't help but feel sad about the fact that he lives across the country, but I guess it was too good to be true to find a random stranger on the internet and them just magically live in New York.

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Miracles can happen. Don't be so sure we'll never meet! I'm 13. How old are you?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I'll hold you too that miracle. I'm 13 as well. That's kinda cool that we're the same age. At least I know you aren't some child predator! Do you play any sports?~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~I'm a cheerleader. I never really got into any other sports. I was either too scared to get hit in the face, or I wasn't physically able to run for long periods of time. I found cheerleading when I was about 8 and I've been doing it ever since. Do you play any sports?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I play a couple, but my favorite is football. I'm hoping that I can go to college on a scholarship for it. I actually have practice soon. I don't want to cut this short, but we'll talk later ya?~

 **To: jch0128**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Of course. You know where to find me. Have a good practice!~

I shut my laptop and lay on my bed. He seemed like such a nice guy, and I couldn't wait to get to know him. I really hope I didn't just stumble onto someone who is like 45 and pretending to be a 13 year old, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. All I know is that I made a new friend and I was happy about it.

 **Time Jump- Freshman Year**

 **August 2009 – Clary, Simon, Izzy, Jace = 15**

 **Clary POV:**

Three years later and I'm coming home from tryouts with the biggest smile on my face because I made my high schools varsity cheerleading team with Izzy. I couldn't wait to get home and message Jace! Yes we were still talking. He has become one of my best friends, and even though I didn't know what he looked like or anything I had developed a little crush on him over the past two years. He was just so sweet, and he always made me laugh, and if I was having a really horrible day he was always the one who could make me smile.

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~JACE! GUESS WHAT? I MADE THE TEAM! You are now the friend of the varsity cheerleading team as one of the first freshman to ever make it on varsity!~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I'm so proud of you Clare. I knew you could do it! Did Izzy make it as well? I told you all that freaking out was pointless. I knew you could do it.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Izzy did make it! Which makes it so much better. I don't know what I would have done without her on the team. There is one other freshman on varsity with us and according to the coach and the rest of the team they've never allowed freshman on varsity before because they weren't that good, so it feels extra good that I made it! How did football tryouts go? Did you make it?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Of course I made it Clare. Do you know who you're talking too! It was a lot of work, and the coach kicked my ass the whole week but it paid off. I'm excited, the coach said I might even get some playing time, which is unheard of for freshman on my high school team.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~See I would compliment you, but I don't want to inflate your ego any more than it is. But I'm proud of you! Can you believe we're going to be freshman? I feel like we just started talking yesterday. And now we're starting high school.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I know what you mean. It seems like this strange girl randomly messaged me last night telling me she needed friends, and here we are. Still talking.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Ha. Ha. Ha. You're very funny, and I do believe I said I was always up to making NEW friends, not needing A friend. Don't get it twisted Jace, I have friends, but it's always nice to have more!~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I'm just kidding Clare, I'm glad you messaged me. This has been a good two years of friendship! Also, happy birthday! I hope you have an amazing rest of the day! I have to go, I have practice tonight! We'll talk soon, I'm slammed all weekend with football, if I don't get the chance to say this before Monday, have a great first day! I know you'll do great!~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Thanks Jace! Good luck at practice, and if we don't end up talking good luck on your first day of school as well! Kick ass!~

 **Time Jump-Junior Year**

 **February 2012 – Clary, Simon, Izzy, Jace = 17**

 **Clary POV:**

Today just couldn't get any worse. My parents just told me that they were getting a divorce and I lost it. I locked myself in my room and cried. I thought my parents were going to be together forever, and now they were splitting up and I just I couldn't handle it. I ended up crying myself to sleep, I woke up at 3:15 am and I realized that I hadn't talked to anyone all day. I checked my phone and Izzy had texted me about 36 times, I had 5 missed calls from Jon, and I had a message from Jace. I decided that I'd talk to Jace first, maybe he could calm me down.

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Hey Clare, we haven't talked since yesterday and I'm getting worried. Let me know if something is wrong, or just let me know if you're really busy. I hope everything is alright.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Hey Jace, I'm sorry I didn't respond. I have had a really shitty two days. I got some really bad news and I just kinda shut down.~

I put my computer at the foot of my bed and laid down not expecting a response but my computer dinged and I saw that Jace responded.

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Okay, I promise I'm not a stalker, but I fell asleep on my computer and your message woke me up. Do you want to talk about it? I'm all ears. Well, technically I'm all eyes, but you know what I mean.~

I read the message and couldn't help but laugh. He always knew how to make me smile. I wish I could just meet him. I hate to say it, but I am completely in love with him, and I don't even know what he looks like. We decided that we wanted it to be a surprise in case we do end up meeting one day, but he was just always there for me, lifting me up, and encouraging me, and supporting me, and I fell, and I fell hard.

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~My parents are getting a divorce.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Aw Clare, I'm so sorry. That really sucks, but you can get through this. You have your friends to lean on, you have Jon who is probably experiencing the same emotions you are, and you always have me. You know you always have me. Can I tell you something?~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Of course. You know you can always tell me anything.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I think I'm in love with you.~

When I read his message, I think I had a mini stroke. Did he really just tell me that? Did he really mean it? Was he just playing games or was he actually in love with me

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Clary? Are you there?~

Oh shit. I never answered.

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Yea, I'm here. I'm sorry, I just I wasn't expecting you to tell me that. I mean, wow. Can I tell you something?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Absolutely.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~I think I'm in love with you too.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~That might be the greatest thing I've ever read. I can't tell you how long I've wanted to tell you that.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~What took you so long?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~A lot of reasons. The first being that we've never met. I thought you'd think I was weird if I told you that I loved you and we hadn't even met. The second being that I didn't want to ruin our friendship. And third, I was scared of what you might say or do. I mean, you could have completely rejected me, or stopped talking to me. And I don't know if I would have been able to handle that.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~I've been wondering if I was the only one falling in love in this friendship. I mean, how can you talk to someone as much as we do and not get those feelings, but I just didn't want to freak you out for the same reasons you have. But I can't believe you feel the same way. Now all we have to do is meet.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~We'll meet one day. I don't know when but we'll meet. But I have a question for you.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~What's up?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~What do we do now that we confessed our feelings? I mean, what are we now.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Well, we can do two things. 1. We can go about the way we have been for the past couple years. We can continue this friendship the way it started, and wait to take things farther when we finally meet or 2. We can start a long distance relationship.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I don't think I can go back to just being friends, but I feel like we should meet before we start something. I mean, I have such strong feelings for each other but we've never met and I feel like we need to.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~What do you suggest we do than?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~This might sound completely crazy, but how about we agree to not date anybody else. We can be in a weird version of a relationship. We don't date others, but we aren't dating each other. Does that make sense? Cause I don't think I would be able to handle the idea of you dating other guys until the day we met, because who knows when that day will be.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~I mean, that won't be a problem for me, I don't exactly have guys lining up to date me, but are you sure you'll be able to survive? I mean, you're used to jumping from girl to girl, are you sure you can just give that up?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I can't even remember the last time I hooked up with a girl. It felt wrong when I felt the way I did about you. I know it sounds weird, and different, but I think we could make it work.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~I think we can make it work too. You have yourself a deal, and I can't wait until the day that I meet you Jace. It's late, or early I don't really know but I need to get some more sleep. I'll talk to you at some point today, but I'm not sure when. Thank you for being there for me tonight Jace. It means a lot to me.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Anything for you Clare. Don't forget, if you need me I'm always here. Sweet dreams. I love you.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~I think it'll take me awhile to get used to you saying that, but I absolutely love reading it. I love you too.~

 **Time Jump- Senior Year**

 **November 2012- Clary, Izzy, Simon, Jace = 18**

 **Clary POV:**

The end of football season was ending and our team was kicking ass! We actually made it to this elite tournament East Coast vs. West Coast and the cheerleaders got to go and I was super excited to go! It was a weekend of football games, and getting to bond with my team. Plus it was being hosted in Oregon, and I've never been and I was super excited to travel. When I got the new I immediately wanted to tell Jace.

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~JACE! Guess what?!~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~What?!~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~My high school football team was invited to the East Coast vs. West Coast Tournament this year, and we get to travel with the team and I'm so excited!~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Wait, the football tournament that's taking place in Oregon in two weeks?~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Yes! Wait, you've heard of it?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~My high school won it last year, and we get to go back to try and defend our title. Do you know what this means Clary?~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~We will be in the same state, at the same tournament, at the same time, after 5 years, we can finally meet.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~We finally get to meet. I can't believe this. I can't believe that this is happening. Do you know when your team plays and who you're playing?~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~We play Friday night at 6, and we're playing Hunnington High School from Dallas Texas. When do you play?~

 **To artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~We play Friday at 3, and we play St. Jude Catholic from Salt Lake City, Utah. I can't believe we never talked about this, what school do you attend?~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Wow. We really haven't talked about that. I go to Idris High School. What about you?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I go to Shadowhunters High School. What's your mascot? I feel like we need to get the basics in order before we meet. Haha.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~We're the Vampires. Such a stupid mascot, and I have no idea who thought it was a good idea, but oh well. And our colors are red and black. What about you?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~That's very interesting, but at least it's different. We're the werewolves. Just as random and weird as yours and our colors are brown and white. I can't believe this Clary, we are finally going to be able to meet. Do you know when you get in?~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Well, we don't have to be there as soon as the football team, so we get in at 4 I think. Are you going to meet me at my game?~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Of course. My whole team if going to your game. Our coach wants us to see what we're up against. I'll meet you at half time.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~I can't wait. Just talk to any girl on the cheerleading team to find me. I don't want to give you any details about what I look like. I want you to be surprised.~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~I can't wait. I have to go. Coach is doubling our practices until the tournament. I can't wait to see you Clary. I love you.~

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~Good luck, and I can't wait to meet you either. I love you too.~

 **Time Jump-Two Weeks Later-The Tournament.**

 **Clary:**

When we got to the hotel I couldn't sit still. I was finally going to be able to meet Jace tonight and I was nervous and excited and scared and just completely shocked that this was actually happening. I hadn't told Izzy any of the details because than she would freak out and make me even more nervous. She finally decided she'd have enough of my weird moods.

"Come on Clary, spit it out, what has you freaking out?" She said and I realized that I couldn't keep it from her anymore.

"You remember in 7th grade when you dared me to message a random stranger?" She nodded. "Well, I never told you this but we never stopped talking."

"You're shitting me right? You guys kept in contact all these years?"

"Yes, and there's more." I said and my cheeks instantly flared red.

"Oh my god. You like him." She said and I still avoided eye contact. "No, you love you. Oh my god, Clarissa Fray is in love! This is amazing! That's why you're all weird?"

"There's more." She gives me the look for me to continue. "He's here. His high school football team is in this tournament too."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She shouts and I can't help but laugh. "Which school?"

"Shadowhunters High School."

"You got yourself a California boy! Oh my god, I can't believe you kept in contact and you're in love, and you're going to meet him! Well, let's make you look drop dead gorgeous!" She said as she started on my hair. I didn't even care how painful the process was, I just wanted to look my absolute best when I met him for the first time.

 **Time Jump- Half Time of the Football Game**

 **Clary:**

The first half of the game went by really fast, well fast for a football game, but we were winning 35-14. I told the girls that they had to be back at the 5 minute mark and they all scattered, and Izzy and I stayed and talked at the fence. Izzy was in the middle of a sentence when she stopped talking and her eyes started popping out of her head.

"Izzy?" I said and she just closed her mouth.

"Oh my god." She said. "That might be the more gorgeous man I have ever seen in my life." I turned around and followed her gaze, and she wasn't lying, I thought I was staring at a god amongst men. He was pure gold. From his golden skin, to his golden hair, to his even gold eyes. He was mesmerizing. He was walking with a couple other guys, who were quite attractive but he clearly blew all of them out of the water in the looks department. His group walked past us but they didn't make it far when Kealie and Aline stopped them. Izzy and I looked at each other and smiled, and started to eavesdrop.

"Hello boys, what brings you out here tonight?" Kealie said and I couldn't help but gag. She was always trying way too hard.

"We came to check out the talent. If we're going to play one of your teams, might as well see what we're up against." The blonde one said and even his voice was beautiful. This man had no flaws, it was amazing that someone so perfect existed.

"Where do you boys go to school?"

"Shadowhunters High School." The blonde said and I couldn't help but think about how that's where Jace went, and I got super excited.

"Nice. What are your positions?" She asked as she moved closer.

"I'm the quarterback." The blonde said. "Julian is a defensive line man, Sebastian here is our running back, and Mark here is the wide receiver."

"That's very sexy, being the quarterback that is." Kealie says and Izzy and I couldn't help but laugh and gag. Thankfully they didn't hear us. But he looked like he wasn't giving her the time of day, he looked like he was searching for something or someone. "What are you looking for handsome?"

"I'm looking for someone actually. Maybe you two could help find her." He said and I could just see the hurt flash in Kealie's eyes.

"Why do you need some girl when you can have me?" She said in her seductive voice and I couldn't help but notice that he wasn't into it at all and I laughed. He looked back at them and then down at their uniforms, I still couldn't believe that I had to be on the same team as them, its girls like that, that gives cheerleaders a bad reputation.

"Actually, you two could be extremely helpful, I'm looking for a girl named Clary, I think she goes to your school." He said and I think my jaw hit the ground, and Izzy sucked in a deep breath. It couldn't be him.

"CLARY?!" They both yelled and their eyes darted to mine. He followed their glare and our eyes locked and I swear everything in the world just melted away. He smiled and started to walk over when Izzy spoke.

"That's the guy I dared you to talk to in the 7th grade?" She said and I was still in shock.

"Apparently." I said and our eyes never broke contact, and now he was right in front of me. I was vaguely aware of his friends still standing there, and Kealie and Aline fuming and Izzy standing next to me but my main focus was on Jace.

"You're even more beautiful than I imagined." Were the first words out of his mouth and I just couldn't believe it.

"I can't believe it's you." I said and he let out a laugh.

"I can't believe it's you. I've dreamt about meeting you for years." He said as he took a fly away curl and tucked it behind my ear. "I'm Jace." He says and I can't help but laugh.

"Clary." I say and he smiled and before I know it his hand is behind my neck and he is lowing his lips to mine. The only way I could possibly describe the kiss was electrifying. I could hear Izzy squealing beside me, and I could hear his friends whistling behind him, but I just completely lost myself in the kiss to the point where I got weak in the knees and Jace had to hold me up. When we pulled apart our eyes locked again and we both smiled. I looked at the scoreboard and realized that there was only 5 minutes left. I groaned and looked back at Jace.

"I have to go."

"Can I take you out after the game?" He asked and I couldn't help but laugh and smile.

"I'd love that."

"I'll meet you at the entrance." He said and he gave me one last kiss. I nodded and he made his way back to his friends where he was greeted with praise and pats on the back. I watched him walk away until I was broken out of my thoughts by Izzy.

"Oh my god I can't believe that just happened." She said.

"You can't believe that just happened? I can't believe that just happened!" I said and she looked shocked.

"You mean to tell me, you didn't know that sex god was the guy you've been talking to for 5 years Clary?!"

"No, we always said we weren't going to know what each other looked like until we met in person."

"Oh girl, you lucked out. He is gorgeous." She said and I couldn't help the blush that took over my cheeks.

"I know. I can't believe that's him." I said and than the buzzer went off the teams came back out onto the field. The rest of the game went by so slowly but I think that was because I just wanted to be with Jace. We ended up winning 49-21, and our team was pumped. After our coach had her after game chat I gathered all my things and started walking towards the entrance with Izzy. We were laughing and talking and when we got to the entrance there Jace was, standing around talking to a couple of teammates when he noticed I was there he smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back. Izzy and I made our way over to them, and the butterflies in my stomach just got bigger with every step closer to him I got. When I walked over to him he pulled me into a hug and pressed his lips to mine, and I knew right then and there that nothing would ever compare to that feeling.

"Hey." I said and he smiled.

"Hey." He replied. "Do you have a curfew?"

"Coach says we aren't allowed to leave the hotel but what's the fun in that? Izzy is going to cover for me. I just have to change, and I'll be ready to leave. Give me 7 minutes." He nods and I make my way into the bathroom. I practically jump out of my uniform and replace it with my tightest black skinny jeans, a white long sleeve shirt and my leather jacket, followed with my favorite maroon beanie and my black combat boots. I fix my make up so that I doesn't look like I just cheered at a game and when I was satisfied I walked back out and when I looked up all of Jace's teammates mouths were hanging open but he just smirked, a sexy smirk, and looked me up and down. When I walked over to them I couldn't help but laugh.

"Might wanna close you mouths boys, you'll catch flies." I said and they all straightened up, and Jace laughed.

He put his arm around my shoulder and led me to his car. I gave my stuff to Izzy, she hugged me, whispered a good luck to me before getting into a car with one of our teammates to head back to the hotel. When we got into the car, everything just seemed so natural, like we had been around each other for years.

"So, where are we going?"

"I figured we start this whole dating thing off the cliché way. There is a 24 hour coffee shop I found the other night, and knowing that you basically run on caffeine I thought it would be the perfect place to start." I couldn't help but smile. Even though we haven't dated, he still knew everything about me and it was amazing.

The date had been absolutely amazing. I don't even remember the last time that I laughed that hard. Everything with him was just so easy and so natural and I never wanted it to end. Knowing that we were going to have to go back to our lives on opposite ends of the country on Sunday was killing me inside.

"So, do you know where you're going to college yet?" I asked, wondering if that would bring us closer together.

"I have a couple schools in mind, but my dream school is Pace University." He said and I nearly spit out of coffee. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just didn't know you wanted to go there."

"I didn't want to play D1 football, I love the sport, but I want to give myself time to study and have a college life. What about you?"

"Funny you should ask, I actually got my early acceptance letter to Pace University the other week." His eyes widened.

"Are you serious?"

"I'm dead serious."

"This is amazing. We could go to the same college."

"I mean, I'm already going, its up to you now."

"Oh, I'll go. The football coach and I have been in contact. Are you going to cheer there?"

"Yup." I said and his eyes got even wider. "What?"

"You can cheer for me." He said and I couldn't even fathom how amazing that sounded. "This is crazy. I can't believe this is happening. I don't want this weekend to end."

"I know. I don't know how I'm going to survive the rest of senior year without having you with me."

"I'll still be with you, just not in person."

"I guess if I can survive 5 years of not being with you, a couple more months won't be that bad." I said and we finished our coffee and he took me back to my hotel. He walked me up to my room and we lingered.

"I had an amazing time with you tonight Clary. I wish this weekend didn't have to end."

"I know. What time do you guys play tomorrow?"

"We have a game at 6. What about you?"

"We play at 4. I'll stop by with Izzy after our game is over." He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.

"I'd love that. Can I come back here with you after my game?"

"Won't you want to hang out with your team?"

"I finally got to meet you after five years, I've spent the last 10 years with most of those guys. Trust me, I want to be with you more."

"I would actually really love that. We can just chill and have a movie night." I said and he pulled me into a hug. I inhaled his scent trying to commit it to memory.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said as he kissed me again. "I love you." He said and my whole body shivered and he laughed.

"I love you too." He kissed me one last time before he started walking away until he turned around.

"Clary." He said and I turned around. "One more thing." He said and smiled. "Would you do the honor of being my girlfriend?" He asked and the biggest smile appeared on my face.

"Absolutely." I responded and he winked at me, and walked away, and I walked into my room. I couldn't believe how everything turned out. Things were perfect, and I couldn't be happier.

My team and Jace's team made it to the final game, and it was the most intense game I've ever watched. In the end Jace's team won 21-14, but my team played their hearts out, and I couldn't be more proud.

Saying goodbye to Jace was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I cried, and Izzy had to hold me for a good hour before I calmed all the way down. I didn't want to go back to New York and finish out senior year, I just wanted to spend all my time with Jace and it sucked that I couldn't.

 **Time Jump-Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~GUESS WHAT BABE!~

I got a message from Jace in the middle of school and I knew it must be important for him to be messaging me at this time so I decided to look.

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~WHAT?!~

 **To: artgirl0828**

 **From: jch0124**

~Just got my acceptance letter from Pace University. Looks like we'll be spending the next four years together baby!~

I couldn't contain my excitement and I let out a little squeal in class, and everyone looked at me. I ducked my head in embarrassment but I couldn't be happier. Izzy looked at me and I told her I would tell her later.

 **To: jch0124**

 **From: artgirl0828**

~OMG! Jace that is so amazing! I am so proud of you babe! I love you! But I have to go, I squealed in class and got a lot of strange looks and I think the teacher knows I'm not paying attention! Have a great day! I love you!~

I didn't bother waiting for his reply, I would read it after school. I turned my attention back to the teacher, but lets face it, I wasn't paying attention at all, I was thinking about the future and how amazing it was going to be going to school with Jace. The rest of the day I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, and I couldn't wait for college.

 **Time Jump-Senior Year in College**

 **Jace POV:**

We had a game today, and to say I was nervous would be an understatement. I wasn't just playing a football game today, I was going to be proposing to Clary at half time, and I was freaking out. I mean, we've known each other for almost 10 years, and we've been dating for almost 5, and I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, but it was still nerve wracking.

When the first half way over I made my way over to the bench, but none of the guys left, they all knew what was going on. The announcer started talking about whatever half time stuff he normally talks about, and after about five minutes he started to talk about Clary.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a very special announcement to make today. Our quarterback, Jace Herondale has a very special someone that he would like to take this opportunity to recognize." I took a look over at the cheerleaders and Clary was frozen. Izzy had come here with her, and was cheering with her and I told her all about my plan. Izzy grabbed her hands and lead her over to the field. "Clarissa Fray is a senior and an art major here, and she is also the captain of the cheerleading squad." By the time he was finished talking, Clary was in front of me, and her eyes were glossy and I could tell she was shocked. "Take it away Jace." The announcer said and I couldn't help but laugh. I took Clary's hands in mine and started my speech.

"Clarissa, you are by far the most amazing girl I've ever met. When you first messaged me in 7th grade, I thought it was odd, but you seemed like a cool person so I decided that I'd give it a shot, and it was the best decision that I've ever made. I love you more than anything in this world and I want to be able to experience everything this life holds with you." I dropped down to one knee and pulled out the box, and her hands flew over her mouth, and I could hear the cheers from the crowd. "Would you Clarissa Fray, do the honor of marrying me?"

"Oh my god! Yes!" She screamed and ran towards me. I scooped her up and gave her the biggest hug and she wrapped her legs around my waist. When she pulled away she crushed her lips against mine and the whole football team started whistling. When I put her down I slide the ring on her finger and gave her one more kiss. After a couple minutes the team made their way into the locker room, and I gave Clary one more kiss before following them, and I couldn't help but smile at the thought of marrying Clary.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace went into the locker room I made my way over to the cheerleaders where I was bombarded with congratulations and hugs, and I just couldn't stop smiling. I wasn't expecting that at all, but it was the most amazing moment besides the first time I met him. I don't know where I would be without him, and now I would never have to find out what life without him was like and I couldn't be happier.

The rest of the game went by quickly and of course, we won. I waited outside the locker room for Jace and when he came out, he picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist again as he kept walking. After a little he put me down but we were still holding hands. When we got into the car and back to our apartment we both collapsed on the sofa.

"I can't believe that happened." I said and Jace just laughed.

"I was so nervous."

"Why? You should have known I would have said yes."

"I know but asking is scary. I mean, I've known I was going to marry you for years, but it didn't make asking any less terrifying." He laughed and I snuggled into his side. "You know, you never did tell me why you messaged me that night."

"You really wanna know?" I ask and he nods. "We were playing truth or dare, and Izzy dared me to pick a random username and message them."

"All of that because of a dare?"

"Yea, but look where it lead."

"I know. I couldn't picture my life without you."

"It was the best dare I've ever been given." I said and I look up to him. "I love you Jace and I'm so glad for that dare.

"I love you too Clary." He kissed my temple and we sat on the couch cuddled up for who knows how long, and I couldn't help but wonder what my life would be like without that stupid dare, but it lead me to the love of my life and for that I would forever be grateful for.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was suggested by staticisintheair, and I just want to thank you for suggesting this topic because it might have been my favorite story to write so far! I'm sorry if it took me a little longer to write. I wanted to get it right, and an idea hit me today and this was the result. I hope I've lived up to your expectations! I promise that I'm trying my hardest to get back to everyone who suggested a story! Let me know what ya'll think and give me more suggestions if you have any! I hope you all enjoy this new story! Thank you again staticisintheair, I truly loved writing this piece! :)**


	9. Chapter 8 - Unknown Father

**Eighth One Shot:**

 **Unknown Father**

 **Clary POV:**

It was a normal Saturday and I was in the kitchen making something for Hadley to eat. Hadley was my 2 year old daughter, but she would be three in a couple months. She was the light of my life, and even though Jace and I weren't together anymore, I couldn't help but smile when she started to look like him. One day he'll meet her, but after the way we ended, I really didn't want her to be around him just yet.

"Mommy." I heard from behind me, and I turned around and Hadley was standing there.

"What is it baby?" I asked as I put the food down.

"I'm tired." She said and I looked at her more closely.

"You just woke up an hour ago baby." I walked closer to her and she looked ghostly pale. "Do you feel alright baby?"

"No." She said and she started to wobble. I got to her just in time and she fell over. I immediately picked her up, and rushed her to the hospital. When we got there they took her and started to run some tests on her.

After an hour of sitting, and pacing in the waiting room finally someone came out to talk to me.

"What's wrong with my daughter?" I asked, and I was trying so hard to hold the tears in.

"Your daughter has a condition called hemolytic anemia. We'll need to monitor her for a while to see if her symptoms stay at bay or if they get worse." I couldn't handle it anymore and I just let the tears fall. When I walked into her room she was asleep. I took her small hand in mine and placed my head on the bed. I couldn't believe that this happened but I would do anything to try and help her through this.

 **Time Jump- Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Hadley had collapsed again and I had to rush her to the hospital. When I got there they rushed her into surgery and I shrunk into the chair and let the tears flow. It had been an okay two years. She had her scares but over all everything was still relatively okay, but this time felt different, this time felt worse.

I don't know how long I was sitting there. Time seemed to stop once they rushed her behind those doors that I wasn't allowed to enter. I sat in that chair crying until I saw a nurse run up to me.

"Are you Clary Fray?" I nod. "Your daughter needs a blood transfusion, but she had a rare blood type, is there any way that you are a match or her father is a match?" I internally groaned and realized that Jace was going to find out, and I was going to have to talk to him.

"Her father might be a match. I'll talk to him immediately and get back to you." I said. She nodded and rushed back through the doors. I sat back down on the chair and pulled my phone out and dialed Izzy's number. I knew she would talk to me before Jace did.

"Hello?"

"Izzy." I said and my voice cracked.

"Clary? Is that you?"

"Yea, Izzy, I really need your help." I said and I knew she could hear the strain in my voice.

"What's wrong Clary?"

"Can we meet somewhere?"

"Java Jones. 5 minutes." I agreed and hung up the phone and made my way to Java Jones, when I got there Izzy was already sitting down. I walked over to her and took a seat. "Clary, are you alright?"

"Izzy, I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"The night Jace and I got into that huge fight. Well, the reason I was there in the first place was because I had to tell him something. But he completely blew up at me, and I didn't want to tell him after that."

"Tell him what?"

"I was pregnant."

"No way."

"Yea, and I was so excited to tell him, but when I told him we needed to talk he thought I was going to break up with him, so he broke up with me, called be a few unpleasant names, and it turned into a full on fight and I stormed out of there without telling him."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"She's sick Izzy. Really sick, and she needs a blood transfusion. Her blood type is rare and I'm not a match and I need to see if Jace is a match."

"How old is she?"

"She'll be 5 in a month."

"What's she look like?"

"She looks exactly like Jace. She has beautiful blonde hair, golden green eyes, and she has his personality. She is the sweetest little girl."

"How long has she been sick?"

"She was diagnosed when she was 2. They were monitoring it for a while but last night she collapsed and I had to rush her to the ER and they told me she needed the transfusion. I'm desperate Iz. I need him, but I figured you'd listen to me before he would."

"Oh Clare, I'm so sorry. I'll talk to him. I'll trick him into coming. Meet me in Central Park in two hours." I nod and we go our separate ways, and I dread seeing Jace again, but I also can't help but be nervous.

 **Time Jump- Two Hours Later**

 **Izzy POV:**

"Izzy, I have plans. I don't want to be here." Jace said and I rolled my eyes.

"What are your plans? Sleeping with a shit ton of sluts because you threw the only girl you ever loved out on her ass 5 years ago?"

"Don't start with that Izzy. You don't know what happened."

"Yes I do, and you're about to find out how wrong you were that night." I said and he was about to respond when we got to Clary. She stood up and turned to face us, and I tightened my grip on Jace so he didn't run.

"What the hell is this Izzy?"

"You two need to talk."

"We did talk. Five years ago when we broke up."

"No." Clary finally said. "You yelled, called me names, and than broke up with me."

"You were going to break up with me. You were being so shady for weeks, and I just knew that you were sneaking around with Sebastian."

"I wasn't cheating on you. I was completely in love with you." Clary nearly shouts and shocks Jace. "Look, I wouldn't have asked Izzy to have you meet me here if I wasn't desperate."

"Desperate for what?" He asked.

"The night we broke up, I was coming to tell you something."

"Well, say it now."

"I was pregnant." Clary says and Jace gasps.

"Why wouldn't you stop me from yelling?"

"You never gave me the chance. You called me a slut, and a whore. You asked me how long I was hooking up behind your back with Sebastian, who by the way, I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole."

"We have a kid?"

"Yes, we have a daughter, and she's sick."

"What do you mean sick? Like a cold or….."

"She has hemolytic anemia. She was diagnosed when she was 2, and I had to rush her to the hospital last night. She needs a blood transfusion but she has a rare blood type. I'm not a match. I need to know if you are. Please Jace, she could die without it." I looked between Jace and Clary and it might have been the saddest sight I've ever seen.

"I….I….oh my god. Where is she?"

"She's at the hospital."

"Let's go." Jace said and Clary nodded. They both started walking away and Clary turned around and mouthed 'thank you' and I smiled and nodded and watch them leave. I hope everything works out, because I can't even imagine how devastated both of them would be if she didn't pull through.

 **Clary POV:**

When we got to the hospital I walked over to the nurses station to see what could be done with Jace and getting his blood tested.

"Excuse me, I'm Clary Fray and my daughter Hadley was brought in last night."

"What can I do for you dear?" The sweet old nurse asked.

"This is her father, and I was hoping he could be tested to see if his blood type matches Hadley's."

"Shouldn't you already know?"

"No, he's never met her."

"Oh. Why not?" She asked, and I know she was just curious but it really was a very personal question.

"We didn't agree on things, and we ended it before she was born." I said trying to give away as little details as possible.

"Very well. If you'll follow me sir, I'll set you up." Jace nodded than looked at me.

"I'll be in her room. It's 208, and if you want to come and meet her when you're done just stop on by." He nodded than followed the nurse down the hallways. I turned around and walked towards Hadley's room. When I got there she was laying in the bed, she scooted over and I took my place beside her. "How are you feeling baby?"

"Tired. What's wrong with me?"

"You need a blood transfusion. Do you know what that is?" I ask and she shakes her head. "You need new blood, but your blood type is rare so it's hard to find someone who can share their blood with you."

"Why can't you do it mommy?"

"We don't share blood baby."

"What about my dad? Will he finally help me?"

"He's here getting tested now."

"Can I meet him?"

"I told him what room you're in, and it's up to him if he wants to stop by after he's done getting his blood taken." She nods and picks up a book.

"Can you read this to me mommy?" She hands me A Tail of Two Cities.

"Of course baby."

 **Jace POV:**

I went to get my blood tested and while the women was getting everything ready she started talking.

"You have a beautiful little girl."

"What's she look like?"

"You've really never met her?" I shake my head. "Why not?"

"I made a stupid assumption years ago, and broke up with Clary. I really hurt her, and she never told me." She simply nods.

"She has beautiful blonde curls, the most unique golden green eyes, and she's just the sweetest little girl. The nurses around here love her. She's always giggling, and cracking jokes. Always has a witty comeback."

"Sounds like Clary raised her well."

"She's been so strong the last couple years. I've only seen her cry twice. The day she was diagnosed and last night."

"I'm such an idiot."

"Maybe so, but it's never too late to fix past mistakes." She says and I nod. "Alright sweetie, all done. I'll put a rush on it, and the results should be here within the hour." I thank her and get up and make my way to Hadley's room. When I get to the room I can hear Clary reading A Tail of Two Cities, my favorite book. I knock on the door and they both look up to me.

"How'd it go?"

"The nurse said she was going to rush it. Should have the results within the hour." I say and look past her at my daughter. "Mind if I sit?" She shakes her head and I sit the chair next to the bed.

"Are you my dad?" Hadley asks and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I am. What's your name?"

"I'm Hadley! Hadley Herondale." She says with a smile and my eyes snap to Clary.

"I know what you're thinking. Why didn't I give her Fray? Well, I wanted her to know who you were. I was waiting until she was older to explain." I nod and everything gets quiet for a minute until Clary speaks.

"I'm going to go get coffee from the cafeteria. Do you want anything?"

"Coffee would be great."

"Two creams, three sugars still?" She asks and I nod. "What about you baby?"

"Ice cream!" She shouts and Clary and I both laugh.

"How about jello baby?"

"Okay, but can I have the red jello? I'm sick of the green."

"I'll try my best baby." She gives Hadley a kiss and than smiles at me before she leaves.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm tired, but I've been tired for as long as I can remember. It's a symptom of my disease. I mean, I love sleep as much as the next kid, but I'm tired of it!" She says as she laughs at her own play on words. God she's cute. "What took you so long to meet me?"

"I made a big mistake before you were born. Your mommy and I got into a big fight, and I said some bad things to her."

"Did you want me?"

"I didn't know about you until this afternoon."

"What about now?"

"Of course I want you. I want to know everything about you."

"Will you stay?"

"If your mother allows me to stay, I would love too."

"She will."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I catch her remembering you, and looking at pictures of you. She misses you. She never told me, but sometimes she would be sad, and I knew it was because she missed you." She said and I just nodded. God, I'm an idiot. "Plus, who could say no to this face?" She smiled and I laughed. Totally my daughter.

 **Clary POV:**

I got the coffee and the jello and I was making my way back to the room and I heard Jace and Hadley talking. I heard her telling Jace about me missing him, and although she's not wrong, I didn't realize that she caught onto it. I walk in the room and they stop talking. I hand Jace his coffee, and took my seat on the bed while handing Hadley her jello.

"Mommy?" Hadley says.

"Yes baby?"

"When I get out of here, can we spend more time with daddy?" She says and I look at Jace and I could just see the overwhelming joy in his eyes when she called him that.

"That's up to him baby." I said and she looked at him.

"Do you want to spend more time with us daddy?"

"I would love to Hadley, if that's okay with your mom." He looked at me and I just I couldn't say no.

"Of course it is. I told you Jace, I always wanted you to be apart of her life." He was about to say something else when the doctor walked in.

"Hey Clary, and I'm assuming you're the father?"

"Yes."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Dr. Carstairs, and I've been taking care of your daughter since she was diagnosed. Mind if I speak to the two of you in the hallway." We nod.

"We'll be right back baby." I kissed her head and walked out into the hallway.

"Well I have amazing news. Turns out you were a match for Hadley."

"Are you serious?" I say because I couldn't even believe it.

"Very." He said and I was just so excited that I threw my arms around Jace and he picked me up and hugged me back. Even hugging him I could feel the chemistry we had all those years ago. When we broke apart I looked back at the doctor.

"What's the next step?"

"We set him up and start taking blood."

"When?"

"Whenever he has the time."

"I'm free now." Jace says immediately and I can't help but smile.

"Well, if you'll follow me."

"Can I say goodbye to Hadley first?"

"Of course." He said and we went back into the room where Hadley was looking through a children's book.

"Hey baby, daddy has to go away for an hour or so."

"Are you coming back?" She asks and I can see the fear in her eyes.

"Of course I am. I'm just going to get some of my blood taken so I can help you."

"Cool!" She says and we both laugh. Jace walks over and sits down on the bed and grabs her little hands.

"I promise, I'm not disappearing again. I'll be here for you."

"I know I just met you, but is it okay if I love you?" Hadley asks and my heart nearly broke. She sounded so unsure if she was allowed to love her father and it hurt.

"Absolutely. You know why?" She shakes her head. "Because I already love you." Jace said and there went my heart.

"I love you daddy." She said and gave him a big hug.

"I love you too baby girl." He gets up and we walk to the door.

"Can we talk later?" He asks me.

"Yea." He pulls me in and plants a kiss on the forehead and I couldn't even begin to describe how much I've missed it. He walks out and I take a deep breath and walk back over to Hadley.  
 **Time Jump- An Hour Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I finished getting my blood drawn and I felt slightly lightheaded. They told me to wait at least an hour before going anywhere. I walked back to Hadley's and when I walked in Hadley was asleep and Clary was stroking her hair. I walked over and sat back down in the chair.

"How'd it go?"

"It was good. I'm slightly lightheaded but I was expecting that."

"Thank you for doing this Jace."

"Of course. She's my daughter too."

"I know, and I'm sorry I never told you."

"No Clary, I'm sorry. I was a complete jerk to you that night. I never gave you a chance. I was pissed because you were hiding something from me, and instead of letting you explain I exploded. If I'd have known, God Clary, I wouldn't have let you walk out that door."

"I want you to be involved in her life. I'm gonna need you Jace. And so is she."

"I'm not leaving again. And I'm not letting you leave either."

"I never left."

"What do you mean?"

"I live in the city Jace. I never left."

"How come we never crossed paths again?"

"I avoided all the places you liked to go. All the places we went. If I saw you in public I walked the other way. I tried my best to stay away from you because you really hurt me that night."

"I know, and if I could take it back I would. I never stopped loving you and caring about you Clary."

"Neither did I, but for right now, I think we should just focus on Hadley. She has to be your priority. This is going to be hard."

"I will be there for whatever you need. How long will she be in here?"

"Until she gets the blood transfusion, than she can come home. I'm guess with in the next day or two."

"Can I stay?"

"Don't you have work?"

"I'm the CEO. I can take as much time as I want off."

"Are you really?"

"Yea. After we broke up, I threw myself into work. I needed a distraction."

"I'm surprised you didn't just throw yourself into the party scene."

"I did that too. I was so angry I thought that reverting back to my high school days would make me feel better."

"Did it?"

"Not at all. It made me feel worse. Every time I was with a girl I just pretended it was you." I simply nodded. "What about you? How have you been?"

"It's been tough. I'm not gonna sugar coat it. My mom and Luke help out when they can but they have lives too. I can't expect them to drop what they're doing to help me."

"Did you date after we broke up?" He asks and I just laugh.

"Nobody wanted to date me Jace. I was pregnant, and my focus was on me, and her."

"I just wanted to make sure. Not that I have a right to pry into your life."

Hadley started to stir awake and when I looked down at her I couldn't help but smile.

"Mommy, is daddy still here?"

"I'm still here baby girl." Jace said as he sat at the bottom of the bed for Hadley to see.

"You stayed."

"I told you I would. I'm not leaving you ever again."

"Does that mean you're going to stay with me and mommy?" She asked and Jace looked at me.

"I don't know about that baby. Your daddy has a life apart from us."

"Do you not want to stay with us?" Hadley asks and I just I don't know what to tell her.

"Of course I want to stay with you. But your mommy and I have some things we need to work through."

"What kind of things?"

"Adult things baby. But I can promise that you'll be seeing your daddy as much as you want from now on."

"You mean it?"

"Absolutely." I give her a kiss and she smiles at Jace. I knew she always needed Jace, and seeing them together now, I couldn't possibly keep them apart.

 **Time Jump- Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Hadley got the blood transfusion, spent a day in the hospital and now were on our way home.

"Mommy, where is daddy?"

"He had to work today baby. But he promised to come over for dinner."

"Why can't he stay with us mommy?"

"We haven't seen each other in years, and when we broke up it wasn't on good terms. It's going to take us some time to get used to being around each other again."

"Do you think we'll ever be a family?"

"I don't know baby."

"I wish we could be a family."

"I know you do baby. I'm not saying that isn't a possibility in the future, but for right now, you are our priority."

"Does he make you happy?" She asked and I was taken aback.

"Uh. Yes, he does."

"So why would you put that off?"

"When did you get so wise?" I ask and she laughs.

"I've always been wise." She says and I smile. We get home and Hadley makes her way over to the couch and she turns on the TV. I start getting dinner ready, and before I knew it, there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it!" Hadley says and I hear the door open. "DADDY!" I hear her scream.

"Hey princess. Where is your mom?" Jace asks.

"She's in the kitchen." Hadley says and I turn around and Jace is standing there, looking hotter than ever in a suit with a bunch of flowers in his hands.

"What's all this?" I ask as he makes his way over to me.

"I am going to spend the rest of my life making up for how awful I was to you 5 years ago, and this is how I plan on starting. I don't care if we aren't together yet, but I will lavish you flowers ever single time I come over."

"Jace." I start to say but he cuts me off.

"I mean it Clary. I love you. I have loved you since I was 17 years old, and I was an asshole to you. I threw away the best thing that ever happened to me, and because of my short temper I missed out on five years of our daughters life. I want us to be a family. I always wanted that with you, and now that I have half of that, I won't stop until it actually happens." I'm speechless. I honestly don't know what to say. I mean, of course I loved Jace. I've loved him since I was 16, and I never stopped. And having Hadley with him just made me love him so much more.

"Jace, I never stopped loving you either. How could I when I was reminded of you every single day when I looked at Hadley? I just, you really hurt me." I tried not to let the tears spill out of eyes but it was harder than I thought. I tried to block that night out of my memory because of how bad it hurt.

"I know I did Clary, and I regret every single thing I said that night." He took a step closer and took my hands in his. "I want to be here for you Clary. I want to be here for Hadley, and I just I can't do that from my house. I can't be there for you guys 24/7 like I want to be."

"Jace." I started again but he cut me off again.

"Listen to me Clare, we don't have to be in a relationship, right now anyway, because that is my goal, but I want you and Hadley to come live with me. I have enough space. You can have your own room, and Hadley can have her own room. It's closer to the hospital in case anything happens, and it's near my office so I could get home if you needed me." I stood there thinking over all of the things he just said. He was really going to make it up to me, and he wanted Hadley and I to be with him in case anything went wrong, and when the man of your dreams cares that much for your child, it just makes everything seem worth it. I take a deep breath and look into his eyes.

"I can see your points, and I agree with them." He picks me up and spins me around. When he puts me down I step back and look into his eyes. "But Jace, I'm not easy, it's going to take your best efforts." I said and he smirked.

"I got you once, and I promise you, I will do everything in my power to get you again." I couldn't help but laugh.

"Hadley! Can you come here for a minute." I say and she walks into the kitchen.

"Yes mommy?" She asks and Jace picks her up.

"How would you like to move in with daddy?" I ask and her eyes light up.

"Are you coming too?"

"Yes I am baby." Her face lights up even more and she puts an arm around my neck and pulls me into a hug. I crash into Jace and his arm goes around my waist, and I couldn't believe that we were all together, and although Jace and I still had a few things to work out, this felt right.

 **Time Jump- Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The last six months have been absolutely amazing. Hadley was doing amazing, and Jace wasn't kidding when he said he was pulling out all the stops to try and win me back. He would take me out to these expensive places for dinner. He would bring me flowers every Friday, and he never worked on weekends so we could have family days. We would go to the zoo, or the aquarium, or the park. He truly was making up for what he did, and what he missed, and I just I couldn't be happier. Jace wanted to have a father daughter day so I was meeting up with Izzy. I wanted her advice on what to do about Jace. I really wanted to be with him, but I was scared. I walked into Java Jones and Izzy was waiting for me.

"Hey Iz."

"Hey Clare, what's up?"

"I asked you here because I need your help." She nodded and I took a deep breath. "These last six months have been amazing. Jace has really stepped up with Hadley, and he's been nothing but wonderful to me, but I don't know if I should give him a second chance."

"Why not?"

"I'm scared he's going to hurt me again."

"I can promise you Clare, he wouldn't do that."

"That's what I thought the first time."

"As much of a jackass Jace was 5 years ago, he's changed. I've never seen him so happy. He smiles more, he's nicer, he doesn't take things so seriously. Trust me, the guy he was 5 years ago, hell the guy he was 2 years ago is gone. He's fully committed to you and Hadley, and that's something you should never doubt." I nod. "Do you love him Clary?"

"Of course I do."

"Than just take a chance. Be with him, take a risk, and it might end up being the most amazing thing you ever do."

"How do you know that?"

"Remember when we were juniors in high school, and I had the biggest crush on Simon, and he was the complete opposite of the guys I normally got with. Do you remember what you told me?" I shake my head. "You told me to try it out, and I took your advice, and we're still together Clary. He's the best thing that ever happened to me, and if it weren't for a leap of faith, I wouldn't be this happy, or in love."

"I just really want this to work. It's always been Jace for me. I always knew I wanted to be with him forever, but when we broke up, I was heartbroken."

"I know you were Clare. He was too. He was broken. I thought he'd never get his head out of his ass. How is it living together?"

"Amazing. He's always home by dinnertime. He plays with Hadley, I've even seen him participating in a tea party, he reads to her before bedtime, and he always tucks her in. No matter what."

"And how is it for you?"

"Just as amazing. He brings me flowers every Friday. He gives me a kiss every morning before he leaves, and every night before he goes to sleep. He doesn't let a day go by without telling me he loves me. He couldn't be any more perfect."

"Listen to what you just said, you're happy Clary. Incredibly happy. Hadley is doing amazing, and she's finally got a family. Just jump in headfirst. Marry my brother, have more kids, live your life together, because you two belong together."

"You're right Izzy. Why am I putting off the inevitable? I knew I was going to marry him when we were in high school."

"That a girl. Now go home and get your man." I laugh and we stand up and hug and I make my way home with a new found confidence. I don't know what I was so scared of, but talking it out with Izzy, I can't believe I waited this long for something I've wanted for years. When I walked into the house I could hear giggles. When I round the corner I'm shocked by what I see. Jace is dressed in one of his work suits, Hadley is wearing her favorite red dress, and there is a candle lit dinner.

"What's going on here?" I ask as I make my way over to them. Jace pulls out my chair and I take a seat. Hadley has the biggest smile her face, and Jace looks nervous. "Seriously, did something happen today that I should know about?" Jace shakes his head, stands up and than drops to one knee and my hands fly over my mouth.

"Clarissa Fray, I have been in love with you since I was 17 years old, and I knew back than that you were the one I was going to spend forever with. The night we broke up was the worst night of my life. After a year of not seeing you around, I thought I had lost you forever. I was an idiot, and I let you go, and I'm never making that mistake again. I know you said it was going to take a lot, but I'm taking this risk Clary because I want you to be in my bed every single night, falling asleep next to me, and I want to be able to brag to all of my employees about my amazing wife, and I want our daughter to finally have the family she's been dreaming about. I love you more than I ever thought was possible. I promise to keep making it up to you, I am nowhere near done apologizing, but I want you forever Clary. Will you marry me?" I look at Jace and than I look at Hadley who is bursting at the seams, and I just can't believe this is happening. I look down at the ring and back up to Jace.

"Jace." I say and reach down and place my hand on his cheek. "It would be an honor to marry you." I said and the biggest smile appeared on his face. He took the ring out of the box, slide it on my finger and picked me up and slammed his lips to mine. I could hear Hadley cheering in the background. When we broke apart I looked into his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too Clary. So much." He kissed me one more time before Hadley ran into our legs. Jace picked her up and we pulled her into our family hug. Everything I had been scared about was completely out the window, because I knew this was going to work, and I couldn't be more excited.

 **Time Jump-Three Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The past three months Clary has been in serious wedding mode. There were wedding magazines all over the house, she had been to almost 12 different bridal stores looking for a dress, and Izzy had been over almost every single night getting all the details in order. I don't know how she's doing it, I spend 5 minutes with Izzy talking about the wedding, and I get a headache. It was a Tuesday and I was in a meeting with some client and when I got out I went straight to my office to talk to Alec.

"Hey man, you wanted to see me?" Alec said and I waved him in.

"Yea, but this has nothing to do with work. I was wondering if you'd like to be my best man?"

"I would love too man. Means a lot."

"I couldn't picture anyone better." I clapped him on the back, and I was about to say something else when I saw a flash of red. I looked out my window and saw Clary and Hadley walking towards me. I walk out into the office floor shocked. "What are you doing here?" I ask as I pull her into a kiss.

"I need you opinion on some wedding details and Hadley and I were already out and decided to stop by." I couldn't help but smile. I kneel down and give Hadley a kiss.

"What's up?"

"Color scheme."

"Oh god. I thought you and Izzy had all of that covered?"

"Nope. I wanted me and you to pick the colors out."

"Honestly Clare, I'm good with whatever you want."

"It's your wedding too."

"All I care about is that I'm marrying you. Nothing else matters to me."

"What about me?" Hadley said and I couldn't help but laugh. I picked her up and gave her another kiss.

"As long as you and mommy are there, that's all I care about." She giggled and gave me another kiss. I was now fully aware that the whole office was watching our whole conversation. I took a quick glance to my right, and everyone was shocked. I never discuss my private life with anyone at work, except Alec, but that's because he's my brother. They all had no idea I was getting married or that I had a daughter, and it was kinda funny to see them all so shocked. "Okay, what colors would you like?"

"You're going to laugh when I tell you."

"No I won't."

"Okay, I was thinking of black and gold." I couldn't help but smirk.

"And why those colors?"

"You look insanely hot in black, and you are literally golden. Plus, if I remember correctly from high school, they were your favorite two colors, for those exact two reasons." She laughs and I vividly remember telling her that before we even started dating.

"I think black and gold is a perfect choice." She laughs again, and I couldn't help but smile at how happy she looked.

"Alright baby, we should go and let daddy get back to work." Hadley pouted. "Oh no, not the pouty face, you know he can't resist that look Hadley." Clary said and she was right, I couldn't resist it.

"I wanna stay with daddy, I missed him today." Hadley says and I can hear some of my female employees awe.

"He'll be home for dinner baby." Clary said and Hadley looked at me.

"You promise?" She asked.

"Have I ever let you down before baby?" I asked her and she shook her head. "Exactly. I'll be home for dinner. I promise." She smiled and gave me a big kiss before I put her back down. I gave Clary one more kiss before she grabbed Hadley's hand.

"We'll see you at home." She said. "I love you."

"I love you too." I said and gave her one more kiss.

"I love you too daddy." Hadley said.

"And I love you." She giggled and Clary and her started walking away before Hadley turned back around.

"Don't forget about our tea party later daddy!" She shouted throughout my whole office and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world Hadley." She giggled and waved, and I waved back before they got into the elevator and left. I looked around the office and everyone was staring. "Get back to work people!" I said and they all laughed and went back to their work. I walked back into my office and sat down and couldn't get the smile off my face. My life was perfect, and I had Clary and Hadley to thank for that. As much as it sucks that Hadley is sick, without that sickness I would have never known about her, and I don't know what I would have done without her. Clary and her are my world, and I couldn't wait to become a family.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This was a one shot that I thought of! I hope you all enjoy it! I promise that I'm going to be getting back to you guys about some of your suggestions! I'm trying so hard to come up with a story line that i actually want to write, and some of them are hard to get completely right! But I haven't given up on any of your ideas! Any-way, I hope you enjoy this story! :)**


	10. Chapter 9 - Lifeguard

**Ninth One Shot:**

 **Lifeguard**

 **Jace POV:**

It was the summer before my senior year at Hofstra University and I was back at my summer job as a lifeguard. I loved my job, I got to sit in a chair in a bathing suit, looking at girls all day, and rarely did a kid need to be saved. It was a pretty easy gig, and it was something to do. It was like every other day and I was sitting in my chair spinning my whistle in my hand. It was almost noon and nothing too exciting has happened, but it ended all too quickly when I heard a kid scream. I looked down and there was a boy flailing his arms. I jumped off my chair and dove into the water and grabbed the kid. I put him on the side of the pool and when I looked up I saw a beautiful redhead standing next to the child.

"Oh my god, thank you so much." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"No problem, its my job." I smile back and I got back in my chair, but I couldn't help but listen to her scolding him.

"Anderson, why in the world weren't you wearing your floaties? You know you can't swim alone yet." She said.

"Mitchell told me I was a baby for not being able to swim. I wanted to show him that I wasn't a baby."

"Look how well that turned out. You almost drowned. Can you even imagine me having that conversation with your mother?" She said. I guess she was their babysitter. "And you Mitchell, you know better than too taunt Anderson. Mitchell, your in time out, and Anderson, you are not allowed in the pool unless you're wearing your floaties."

"But what if you're with me?" The little boy asked.

"No floaties, no pool, understand?" He simply nodded.

"How long am I in time out?" The older boy said.

"How old are you?"

"7."

"You are in time out for 7 minutes. Go over and sit on the chair." She sent him away and gave the younger boy his floaties.

"Will you come in with me?"

"I'll come in when Emma wakes up okay?" He nods, puts his floaties on and jumps in the pool. A half an hour later I was relieved of my duties by another lifeguard and when I got down I couldn't help but walk over to the redhead. When I blocked her sun, she looked up at me and smiled. "Hey, you're the lifeguard, I can't thank you enough for saving Anderson."

"It's no problem. I'm Jace."

"Clary." She said and the little girl she was holding giggled. "And this little cutie is Emma."

"She's very cute. Is she your cousin or niece or something?" I ask.

"No. She's one of the three kids I nanny."

"You look a little young to be a nanny." She laughed and it was a beautiful sound.

"I'm just the summer nanny."

"How long have you been doing that?"

"Since I was 16. I met them back home, and they were desperate for someone to watch Mitchell, who is the oldest, and my dad worked with their dad, he told them about me and they hired me right away. I guess they liked me enough to keep me around."

"Back home? Are you not from here?"

"No. I spent most of my life in Arizona. Parents divorced when I was young, my brother stayed here in New York with my mom, and I moved to Arizona with my dad. At the end of last summer this family moved to New York, and when I decided to go to college here they were thrilled. I moved in with my mom and continued to be their nanny."

"Are you just starting college?"

"Yea, I'll be attending Juilliard."

"Wow. That's impressive. What are you going for?"

"Piano."

"Are you really that good?"

"Let's just say, when I was 6 I could play Chopin Etude Op10 No.1, and not many kids can do that."

"I don't know what that means, but I'm still impressed." I laughed and so did she. I heard a whistle and I knew that it was my time to take over on the stand. "I have to get back to work. Maybe I'll see you around more this summer."

"I'll be here a lot, so it's a strong possibility." She smiled and I smiled before making my way back to the stand. There was something about her that just made me smile, and I was excited that she would be spending a lot of her time at the pool.

 **Clary POV:**

After a long and exhausting day at the pool, I finally dropped the kids off and was heading home. I loved spending time with them, but man they could be a handful. When I got home, I opened the door, tossed the keys on the table and followed the smell of food and when I walked into the living room I was floored. Jace, the lifeguard was sitting in my living room.

"Clare. How was your day at the pool?" Jon said and Jace's head snapped up and our eyes locked.

"It was good. Besides Anderson almost drowning because Mitchell called him a baby. Oh and on the ride home Emma projectile vomited in my car."

"How old is she again?" Jon asked but my eyes were still focused on Jace. He looked shocked.

"8 months, She's a cutie, but man can that girl throw up." Jon laughed and I felt like I had to say something to Jace to break the trance he was in.

"Oh Clare, this is my best friend Jace. Jace this is my little sister Clary."

"We've met." I said and Jon looks confused.

"When?" Jace looked at Jon, and finally he was back.

"I am a lifeguard at the pool your sister was at today."

"Jace actually saved Anderson."

"Why did he need saving? Weren't you watching him?" Jon said in a very rude tone.

"Have you ever tried to keep an eye on a 7 year old, and a 4 year old, plus getting all their stuff together and trying to get the sunscreen out, all while holding a sleeping baby Jon?" He just shook his head. "Didn't think so. Mitchell was taunting Anderson, and Anderson thought he could prove himself and jumped into the water without his floaties. The kid can't swim."

"One day, you are going to be a super mom with all this training." Jon said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Thank you Jon. Now, I'm gonna shower before dinner is ready. It was nice seeing you again Jace." He nodded and I made my way up to my room. When I got in the shower I couldn't stop thinking about Jace. I can't believe him and my brother were friends, I mean what are the odds? But I didn't mind in the slightest. He was very pleasing to look at. At least I would get the opportunity to get to know him better, and I was looking forward to that.

 **Time Jump- Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

These last two years have been amazing. Juilliard was the most amazing school I've ever been too, and I was getting better and better on the piano, and I even got closer to Jace and Jon. They obviously graduated but they were still around a lot and I was glad that I had them. I was still the summer nanny for the kids, and I was super excited for it because this past week their parents were taking a second honeymoon so I was staying with the kids for 12 days. I got to live with them, and I knew that it was going to be a blast. They were coming back tomorrow and to say I was gonna be sad to leave the kids I knew that they wanted their parents back. It was a Wednesday night and I had just out the kids to bed when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Is this Clarissa Morgenstern?" The man on the other end says.

"Yes. Who am I speaking too?"

"My name is Rob, and you are listed as the next of kin for Macey and Jerrod Whitehall. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"At 7:45 pm the plane had an engine failure and went down in the pacific. There were no survivors. I would like to go over their wills with you?"

"Uh, can this wait until tomorrow?" I said as I tried to hold back tears.

"Sure. I'll be in touch." He hung up the phone and I lost it.

The next morning I had to tell the kids and it did not go well. Emma was way to young to know what was going on but Anderson and Mitchell completely lost it. They both ran to their rooms and stayed there for the rest of the day. I had called Rob back and asked him if we could meet at their house. When I put Emma down for her nap I talked to Rob. Apparently they had no relatives and they left everything to me. They gave me the house, their cars, all their money, and their only wish was that the kids weren't separated, which is why I was to get full custody of them. I was in complete shock. I mean, I'm only 21. I have no idea what I takes to be a mom, but I knew that I wasn't going to let these kids get separated and spend time in the system, and if me dropping out of school to take care of them is what I have to do, than so be it. I signed all the paperwork and I was now the guardian of Mitchell, Anderson, and Emma Whitehall, and I was scared shitless.

 **Time Jump – Thanksgiving**

 **Clary POV:**

It was thanksgiving and I invited everyone over to my house so that Mitchell, Anderson and Emma could still have a family thanksgiving. To my surprise Jon showed up with Jace. They both work at the same company, and apparently his family wasn't doing thanksgiving this year and Jon told him what I was doing and he wanted to come, and I'm certainly not complaining. We were all sitting in the living room talking while dinner was still cooking. Emma was sitting on my lap when there was a bang.

"Anderson, stop going in my room without my permission!" I heard Mitchell yell and I groaned.

"Maybe I wouldn't sneak in your room if you just let me in!" Anderson yelled.

"Boys!" I yell. "Get down here!" I heard the footsteps and they were now in front of us all. "What's going on?"

"I found Anderson in my room again." Mitchell said.

"Why were you in his room?" I asked Anderson.

"I wanted to read on of his books." He simply said.

"Why wouldn't you just ask?"

"Cause he always says no."

"You have to respect your brothers room Anderson." He rolled his eyes. "Anderson Whitehall do not roll your eyes at me."

"You aren't my mother." He screamed and ran to his room and slammed his door. Mitchell walked away soon after and I was trying my hardest not to cry. I looked around the room and everyone was silent. I handed Emma over to my mom.

"I need some air." I said and I went out onto the balcony. A few moments later I heard the door open. Soon Jace was next to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked and I wiped the tears off my cheeks.

"I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I can't be a mom. I don't know the first thing about it."

"That's not true. You're doing a great job." He reached his hand over to mine and gave it a light squeeze.

"I'm 21 years old. I now have three kids, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm gonna screw those kids up."

"No you aren't Clary."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I can see it." I just look at him. "Emma has the biggest smile on her face all the time, Mitchell is a straight A student, and Anderson, okay Anderson is having a rough time but he lost both of his parents, what do you expect? He'll come to terms with it when he's ready. You kept them together Clary. One day, he is going to realize what you sacrificed for them. I mean, you gave up Juilliard Clare."

"Yea, and now I'm a college drop out with three kids. I mean, how am I going to survive?"

"Didn't they give you everything?"

"Yea, but I need a job eventually."

"What can you do?"

"Not much. Being a prodigy on the piano isn't really a career catcher."

"Can you work a computer?"

"Yes."

"I'm in need of a new assistant. It's yours if you want it."

"Why would you do that for me?"

"I've been friends with Jon since high school. He's practically a brother to me. He would tell me a stories about you and you honestly sounded too good to be true. After meeting you that day at the pool and seeing you completely sacrifice your future for those three kids, that takes a lot of guts, and I want to help you out."

"And you're serious?"

"Absolutely. You can start after the holiday."

"I don't know what to say."

"Just be in my office by 8 am, that Monday morning."

"What am I going to do with Emma? She's only two."

"My sister is a stay at home mom, I'm sure if I asked her she would be more than willing to watch Emma while you work."

"I thank you so much Jace." I said as I gave him a hug.

"Don't mention it Clary." He whispered into my ear and I shivered.

"I'm gonna go talk to Anderson." I say as we break apart, he nods and we make our way back into the house. Forgetting that the doors are glass, everyone witnessed our conversation, they couldn't hear it but they saw. Jace took his seat, Jon asked what that was all about and Jace just shook his head as I made my way to Anderson's room. I knocked and wait a second before I entered. I saw Anderson crying on his bed.

"Anderson, are you okay?" I ask.

"I miss them Clary."

"I know you do buddy." I walked over and lay next to him in bed.

"It's not fair."

"No it isn't Anderson, and I can't even imagine what you're going through, but I'm trying my best."

"I know you are." He said and I wiped his tears away, and there was a knock on the door. Mitchell walked in.

"What's up Mitchell?"

"I'm sorry I yelled at Anderson." He said and I smiled and motioned for him to join us. "Do you forgive me Anderson?"

"Yea." He said but you could still tell he was upset.

"Look boys, I know it's been a hard couple months, and I know you both are still incredibly sad, but yelling and getting into fights isn't going to help. We can all get through this, but we're going to need each other okay?" They both nod. "Alright, let's go have some dinner." They both nod and we head downstairs. Dinner was now ready and we all took our place at the table. Before I knew it Mitchell started to talk.

"I'd like to say something." We all nod. "In our family, we would always go around the table and say what we're thankful for, and I want to keep that going." We all nod, encouraging him to continue. "This thanksgiving, I'm thankful for Clary." I suck in a breath and my eyes start to water. "Without Clary we wouldn't be here right now. I over heard you talking to the lawyer, and I know you gave up Juilliard to take care of us, and I know that we would all be separated without you. I know this hasn't been easy for you, but we all love you, and I'm thankful for everything you've done for us." I stood up and walked over to Mitchell and gave him a hug, Anderson came over, and soon Emma was hugging my legs.

"I love you guys. And I would do it all over again in a heartbeat."

I can hear the rest of my family trying to keep it together and when I look up my eyes lock with Jace.  
We take out seats and finish dinner. The family stuck around for a while hanging out with the kids and I made everyone coffee. Before I knew it Emma was asleep in my arms. It was 10 and I decided it was time for bed. When I walked downstairs everyone was gone, but Jace was in he kitchen cleaning up.

"You don't have to do this." I say as I make my way over to help him with the dishes.

"I know, but I didn't want to leave." He says with a smile and I'm kind of shocked.

"Why not?"

"Would it freak you out if I said I wanted to spend more time with you?" I couldn't help but smile.

"No. It wouldn't freak me out." We cleaned the kitchen than went into the living room to talk. We were having a great time until I heard Emma crying through the monitor. I excused myself and went upstairs. After I calmed Emma down I went back into the living room to see Anderson talking to Jace.

"Anderson, what are you doing awake?"

"I had a bad dream, and I checked your room and you weren't there, and when I came down here I found Jace."

"Are you okay?"

"I am now. Thanks for talking Jace."

"Any time little man." Anderson gave him a hug and than gave me a hug and a kiss before he went back upstairs.

"What did you two talk about?"

"I told him I knew what he was going through."

"Really?" I ask as I take a seat down on the couch.

"Yea. My parents died when I was around his age. I ended up being put in the system before I was adopted, and I told him how lucky he was to have you."

"I'm sorry you went through that."

"It was a long time ago. I've come to terms with it." I nodded. "I should probably get going, but I'll talk to my sister tomorrow to see what she says about Emma."

"Here's my number." I said as I handed him a piece of paper. "If she agrees, let me know, give her my number and tell her to text me."

"Will do." Jace said as I walked him to the door. He leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. "Goodnight Clary."

"Goodnight Jace." He walked out and I shut the door behind me and took a breath. Being around him just made my insides flip. I don't know what it is, but I liked the feeling.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Working for Jace has been a dream come true. He was the best boss I could have ever asked for. He was so understanding, and if I didn't understand something he took the time to explain.

He was always hinting at the fact that he just wanted to spend time with me. Which was evident by the way he looked at me, or the way he touched me, and I liked it. He made me feel like a 21 year old.

He was always telling me what a wonderful job I was doing with the kids. He would help out from time to time. I really liked him, but I knew he was probably just having fun. He could have anyone, and it was weird that he liked me. I mean, I come with a lot.

It was a normal Tuesday at work and everything was very slow. So slow in fact, I was playing solitaire on my computer when my phone rang.

"Jace Herondale's office, how may I help you?" I gave the routine greeting.

"Hi, I'm looking for Clarissa Morgenstern."

"Speaking. How may I help you?"

"I'm calling because Mitchell Whitehall got into a fight at school today, we need you to come collect him."

"I'll be right there." I hang up the phone and sigh. I walk to Jace's office and knock on the door.

"Come in." He called.

"Jace, I need a favor."

"What's up Clary?"

"Mitchell got into a fight at school, and I need to go get him immediately."

"Would you like some company?" He asks and I'm taken aback.

"It's in the middle of a work day Jace."

"I know, I can take a half day."

"Why do you want to come?"

"Because over the past six months I've really bonded with those kids. I think I can get to the bottom of why Mitchell was fighting." I think about it and realize he's right. Mitchell won't talk to me.

"Okay. Let's go." I said and he grabbed his jacket and we headed out to my car. When we pulled up to the school and went straight to the office. When we got there I could see Mitchell sitting in the chair, with a not so happy teacher next to him.

"I'm Clarissa Morgenstern." I say and the teacher looks at me. "What happened?"

"Mitchell decided that it would be okay to punch another student in the face during lunch. When asked why he did it, he growled at me and hasn't talked since." The teacher looked at me and than at Jace. "Now, I don't want to pry into your lives, but you two should really teach your son manners." This teacher had some nerve talking about Mitchell like this, and Mitchell just looked so defeated.

"Excuse me, but who do you think you are?" I said to the teacher and before he could answer I continued. "Not that it's really any of your business but I'm not Mitchell's mom, I'm his guardian and this boy right here has had a really tough year. He has had to over come something no 9 year old boy should ever have to deal with. As for his manners, Mitchell is one of the sweetest boys you'll ever meet. So he got in a fight. He probably had a damn good reason to do so, and he really doesn't have to explain himself to a someone as ignorant as you who jumps to conclusions the way you do. Now, what's his punishment so that I can remove him from your toxic presence?"

"He's suspended for the rest of the week." The teacher growls.

"Good. I don't want him around you for a while anyway. Come on Mitchell, we're going to get your brother and than going out for some ice cream." I said and Mitchell just nodded and walked over towards Jace. "Jace, can you take Mitchell out to the car while I go and get Anderson." He nodded and left with Mitchell, and I turned my attention back to the teacher. "Look, he lost both of his parents in July. He's been through a lot, and I really don't think you have the right to be so harsh to him when you don't know what the fight was about." I turned and walked towards Anderson's classroom and collected all of his things and made our way out to the car. When we got inside I turned around and looked at Mitchell. "Do I get to know what happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Mitchell says, and I nod.

The rest of the day was really nice. Mitchell was actually smiling and laughing, and so was Anderson. On our way home we picked up Emma and finally after an eventful day we were home. When we walked inside Mitchell went straight to his room. I sighed and looked at Jace.

"I'm gonna try and get something out of him." He says and I nod and Jace makes his way upstairs. Hopefully he gets more out of Mitchell than I did.

 **Jace POV:**

I walk up to Mitchell's room and knock on the door, I hear a faint 'come in' and when I open the door I see Mitchell sitting on the floor against his bed. He doesn't even look up at me. I make my way over to him and sit next to him.

"Did Clary send you up here to get me to talk?" He says and I just laugh.

"No. I came up here willingly." I say and he finally looks at me. "But I do want to know what happened today at school."

"Why do you care?"

"Cause I care about you guys."

"No, you care about Clary, not us." He says and I can't help but feel saddened by his words.

"That's not true Mitchell. I care about all of you." He just shrugs and stays silent. "Look, I have a good idea about what you're going through. I lost my parents when I was young too. I get the angry stage. I get the urge to hit something or someone when you need a release. But trust me, it doesn't make anything better."

"Does it ever go away?" He asks.

"Yea. It goes away, but letting it consume you while it's around isn't the way to go about things. Why did you hit that kid? Was it something he said? Or was it a simple an opportunity that you took advantage of?"

"He said something." Mitchell said and took a deep breath. "He called me an orphan. He told me that Clary was going to get sick of all of us and go back to her old life and we would be abandoned."

"You know Clary would never do that Mitchell."

"Why wouldn't she? She gave up everything for us. She could easily give us to the state and go back to her life."

"You guys are her life. She loves you."

"I just know that she will never get to experience a lot of things because of us. She won't graduate college, she won't get to go on vacations, I mean, she can't even date because who wants to date someone in charge of three kids? We've trapped her."

"I can tell you right now, the right person will come along and accept Clary, and you three with open arms, and I know Clary doesn't regret her decisions. It was tough for her, but she chose what she did because she loves you guys. Don't ever doubt that." He nodded and we sat in silence for a little before he spoke again.

"Do you love Clary?" He asked and I wasn't prepared for the question.

"What?"

"Do you love Clary?"

"I like Clary. A lot. And who knows, maybe I could love her one day, but that comes later."

"So why aren't you dating her?" He asks, and I can't help but realizes that it's a very good question.

"I don't know how she feels about me." I answer honestly.

"She likes you."

"How do you know?"

"She's always happier when you're around. She smiles more, and laughs." He says and I can't help but feel happy that Clary is that way when it comes to me.

"Why don't we go back downstairs, let Clary know what happened, you don't need to go into detail, but she is worried about you."

"Okay." He says and we both walk downstairs where Clary is playing with Emma while Anderson is doing his homework. I look around and realize that for the past couple years I really had grown to care about Clary, and these kids. Maybe I was that person that I told Mitchell about, but there is one thing I have to do before I do anything, talk to Jon.

 **Time Jump- A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

After I left Clary's, I called Jon and asked me to meet me at Central Park. I feel like I can't make any moves until I talk to Jon about it. I mean, his best friend is practically in love with his little sister, I can't imagine him taking that well. After waiting for a couple minutes Jon finally shows up.

"Hey man, what did you want to meet up for?" Jon asks and I take a deep breath.

"Clary."

"What about Clary? Is she okay?" He asks and I can't help but laugh.

"She's good. Great actually. I wanted to talk to you about her."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted you to hear it from me. I think I'm in love with her." I say and the shocked expression on his face is priceless.

"You're what?" He asks, but not in a mad way, just in a confused way.

"I think I'm in love with her. Since I hired her I just make up any excuse to go talk to her, and be near her. I'm literally always thinking about her, and when we're not together I just feel miserable."

"Wow. Who knew Jace knew what love was." Jon said and we laughed. "So why did you need to tell me this?"

"We've been friends for 10 years, and she's your little sister, I thought you deserved to know how I felt."

"I appreciate that man, but I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. She has three kids now. They all depend on her, and if you start a relationship with her, you can't just up and leave one day because those kids are going to start to depend on you as well."

"I know, and I really care about those kids too. I wouldn't do anything to hurt Clary or them."

"Well, if you were looking for my blessing or my permission to date my sister, you have it, but I'm her brother first, your best friend second. You hurt her, I hurt you." I laughed and smiled.

"I completely understand. Now for the hard part. Telling Clary." Jon laughs and I know he means well but I'm actually freaking out about this.

"You have nothing to worry about man, she likes you."

"Does everyone know that except me?" Jon laughs and just nods. We part ways and I make my way back to Clary's. I needed to let her know now while I still had the courage. I walk up and knock on the door and Anderson opens it. "Hey little man."

"Hey Jace! I thought you just left."

"I did, but I need to speak with Clary, is she busy?"

"She's in the kitchen getting dinner ready." He says and I nod and walk into the kitchen. I see her moving between the stove and the microwave and I can't help but laugh. She hears me and turns around and a smile appears on her face.

"Jace! What are you doing back here?" She asks.

"I need to tell you something." She nods, and continues with dinner. "I'm taking a risk here Clary, because I can't keep it to myself anymore. I like you. Like a lot. I may even be in love with you, and I can't keep pushing my feelings aside anymore because I want to be near you, and with you all the time, and just being your friend is killing me." I say and she is shocked. For a moment I feel like I have completely screwed up and I look down at the floor and when I look back Clary is walking towards me and before I can even process what's happening she's kissing me.

The only way I can describe this kiss is absolutely amazing. I've been dreaming about doing it ever since I met her that day at the pool, and after I found out who she was, I thought it would never be possible. But here we are, kissing and I can't even imagine kissing anyone else. I want to be kissing her for the rest of my life. When we finally broke apart Clary giggled.

"You don't know how long I have wanted to do that." She said and I was shocked.

"Really?"

"Yes. But I just figured that you'd never go for a college drop out who was in charge of three kids."

"Trust me, there is no body else in the world that I'd rather be with than you." I said and I could see the tears well up in her eyes. I don't know how long we stood there but Mitchell broke us out of our trance.

"Told ya." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright kids, wash your hands, dinner will be ready in 5 minutes." Clary said and they all ran towards the bathroom. Clary turned back towards me. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Do I have to leave afterwards?" I ask.

"You don't ever have to leave if you don't want too." She said and I pulled her into a kiss.

"Than I'd love to stay for dinner." Once the kids got back everyone took their place at the table. I sat down and my eyes immediately fell on Clary. This was right, and this was happening and I couldn't be happier.

 **Time Jump- Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day that Jace and I were getting married and I was super excited. I have been waiting for this day since he told me that he loved me, and now that it's finally here I am super pumped. Mitchell, Anderson, and Emma all loved Jace, and they all got along so well with him. And Jace had really stepped into the father figure for both Mitchell and Anderson. They were finally getting that part of their life back, and I couldn't be happier. Jace played sports with them, played video games with them, he did everything a father would do. It warmed my heart to see how well they had adjusted to Jace being in their life.

Emma immediately bonded with Jace. She would cuddle up on his lap when we watched movies, she always wanted him to read to her before bed, and when she would have a bad dream and came into our room, she would always snuggle closer to Jace. It was amazing. When I first got custody of these kids, I had no idea how I was going to do it. I was only 21 and I had no idea how to be a parent, but seeing us all together now, and being a family, everything worked out. We were finally in a happy place and I couldn't wait to start the rest of our lives together.

The ceremony went by quickly and by the time the vows came, I was an emotional wreck. But I got through mine without crying and I felt extremely proud of myself. But there was a part of the ceremony that I had no idea what was going on and that's the part that hit me the hardest.

"Ladies and gentlemen, before I introduce you to the new Mr. and Mrs. Herondale there is something special that was requested of me by Mitchell Whitehall." Mitchell got up and grabbed Emma's hand and Anderson followed in suit. "Mitchel as asked me to not only bring Clary and Jace together as husband and wife but to also bring them together as a family." The priest gestured to Mitchell.

"For the past 4 years Clary has been the most amazing mother figure that I could ever picture. She's always been there for us, and she's always stood up for us, and she's always loved us. And Jace has been the same way. He once told me that the right person would show up and love Clary and completely accept us with opened arms, and I secretly hoped he would be that person. So today, as I watch Clary and Jace get married I would also like to ask them adventure into another scary life long decision." He said and he looked at us. "Adoption." My hand flew over my mouth and I could tell that Jace was shocked. "We don't want to be the Whitehalls who live with the Herondales, we want to be the Herondales with you, that is if you'll accept." I looked at Jace and he just smiled and I knew this was a no brainer.

"I would love nothing more than to adopt you three." Jace said and Emma jumped up into his arms. I pulled Mitchell and Anderson in to a hug and Jace wrapped his arms around me.

"Ladies and gentleman, I would like to introduce you to the Herondale's." The priest said and everyone clapped. I looked around at all the friends and family that were there to celebrate this amazing day, and when I looked back at Jace I knew that this was going to be one huge adventure, but I knew that there wasn't anyone else that I would rather take it with. It was going to be hard, but it was going to be one hell of a ride.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This story kind of became it's own but I was originally working off of the idea from Castiel1979 about JAce being a lifeguard, and although the story started out with him in that job, when I was writing it kind of went it's own direction! I hope you enjoy it anyway, and I'm sorry if it's not really in the direction you wanted! Let me know how you all feel about it! Don't forget to message me or leave a review if you want me to publish a one shot about a certain topic!**


	11. Chapter 10 - Spin the Bottle : 7 Minutes

**Tenth One Shot:**

 **Spin the Bottle/7 Minutes in Heaven**

 **Clary POV:**

"Come on Clary, it won't kill you to go to one of these parties." Simon said and I rolled my eyes.

"I think you're wrong. I think it would kill me. I'm not friends with any of those people, and you're going to be trying to get Izzy to notice you all night. I'll be alone." I said.

"I wouldn't leave you alone. I just want Izzy to see that I exist."

"Promise me you won't leave me?" I say and I could see his smile widen.

"I promise." He said and I just groaned. He got up and hugged me. "You're the best Fray."

"Oh. I know I am." I said and he finally let me go. I wasn't excited about going to this party, but if it makes Simon happy, it can't be too bad.

 **Time Jump- Night of Party**

 **Clary POV:**

It was the night of the party and Simon was freaking out. He has been crushing on Izzy since freshman year, and I don't think he really knows what to do about it. This party is a way to get close to her, but once he gets close I have no idea what he'll do if he gets the nerve to talk to her.

When we get there everything is normal. Kids are dancing, drinking, making out, and laughing. It didn't seem so bad. I don't know why I was so against this in the first place. Simon and I were standing near the stairs when I realized that I had to pee.

"I'm going to go find the bathroom, I'll be back." I say and Simon nods. I walk through the house, and realize that I have no idea where I'm going. I find a door and open it and when I walk into it, I realize that I am no in the bathroom, but I'm in the basement. I'm about to leave when I feel someone grab my shoulder and move me over to one side. I am surrounded by other people, and I have no idea what's going on.

"Alright people, these are the rules of the game for you first timers." A boy says. "This is a combination of spin the bottle, or flashlight in our case, and 7 minutes in Heaven. We will spin the flashlight, and whoever it lands on will be guided to the closet, and than 7 minutes in Heaven will start. Everything happens in the dark so you have no idea who you're with. Boys are on the left, girls are on the right. Sounds good? Cool. Let's get started." He says and sets a flashlight down in the center of the circle.

It has been maybe 30 minutes since the game started and the flashlight lands on me. I instantly get nervous and swallow hard. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I get up. I'm led to a closet. A moment later the door opens and someone else enters. It's quiet for a moment, but doesn't last long because my nervous talking decided to take over.

"I would say it's good to see you, but it doesn't seem like the right thing to say." I blurt out and I hear him laugh, and it is a beautiful laugh. Not a second later his lips or are on mine. The only way I could describe the feeling would be intoxicating. Every cell in my body reacted and my arms immediately wrapped around his neck while his hands rested on my hips. The 7 minutes seemed to go by way to fast, and there was a knock on the door. We broke apart and I was brought out of the closet. I had no idea what just happened, although I'm pretty sure I just fell in love, but I didn't want to chance ruining that kiss so I left the basement.

When I got back upstairs I was looking around for Simon. He wasn't anywhere near where I left him but it had been almost 40 minutes. After looking around for 10 minutes I finally found him in the backyard talking to Izzy, and I couldn't believe my eyes. He had actually done it, that dork was actually talking to his dream girl. I felt bad interrupting but I wanted to let Simon know I was leaving. I walked up to him and Simon looked way too happy.

"Hey Si, I'm going to head home."

"Are you sure Clare? I've barely seen you tonight."

"Yea, I'm sure. I'll explain it all another time. I just wanted to let you know." I said and he smiled.

"Alright Fray, I'll see you at school on Monday." He said and I waved goodbye and made my way back to my car. When I got home I lay on my bed and thought back to that kiss, and I was determined to find out who I kissed.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It has been two months since that party and I still wasn't any closer to finding out who I kissed. It was actually starting to drive me nuts. All I had were some minor details that could honestly match a multitude of guys at this school. I talked to Simon about it, but he was so clueless to helping that it didn't really help. When I got to lunch and started walking to Simon and I's table I almost stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Izzy sitting with him. I knew they had been getting closer, but this was the last thing I expected. When I sat down Simon had the biggest smile on his face.

"Hey Clary, you know Izzy right?"

"Kinda. It's good to see you." I say and she smiles.

"You too! How are you?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Very good." She says and smiles at Simon. I had to give the nerd credit, he did good.

"So, any progress?" Simon asks and I just shake my head.

"Progress in what?" Izzy asks.

"A couple months ago, Clary and I went to Magnus's party, the one we met at and she accidently got caught in one of his spin the bottle/7 minutes in heaven game and she still doesn't know who she kissed and it's driving her crazy."

"Oh my god. I hated that part of the game. That's why I stopped playing. How many guys did you end up kissing?"  
"Only one, it was the most amazing kiss I've ever experienced so I stopped playing."  
"Do you have any other physical traits besides looks that you remember?"  
"I know he was tall, like probably a foot taller than me. His hair was kinda long, but not too long, and he smelled like like the perfect mix of mint and man. I don't even know d that's a scent but that's what he smelled like" Izzy simple smiled.

"I hope you find him one day." I nod and than lunch is over.

 **Izzy POV:**

Once lunched ended I rushed out of the caf go find Jace. After having that conversation with Clary, I knew that she must be talking about Jace. I mean, Jace had been obsessing over this girl he kissed at that party and he had some details that reminded me of Clary. When I found him I dragged him into an empty classroom.

"Are you any closer to finding that girl?" I asked and he looked confused, but than understood.

"No. And it's driving me crazy."

"Tell me the details you remember?"

"She was short. Very short, and her hair was long. It smelled like strawberries. And she was funny. She had a feisty side to her too. I could just tell." Honestly it had to be Clary.

"Why do you want to know Iz?" He asked.

"Cause I think I know who it was."

"Really?!" He said with so much excitement in his voice.

"Yes, and I have a great idea."

"What?"

"I'm gonna throw a party and I'm gonna rig the game and put you two back in the closet. If you feel the same chemistry you did all those months ago, knock twice and I'll flip the light on."

"That would be perfect Iz. Thank you!"

 **Time Jump- Party**

 **Clary POV:**  
Simon and Izzy had been getting closer over the months and when Izzy decided to throw a party Simon dragged me too it. I really didn't want to be there but her I was. Izzy walked into the room grabbed my arm and dragged me to the basement.

"Izzy what's going on?"

"Spin the bottle/7 minutes in heaven! Maybe you'll find your mystery boy!" I groaned but I knew I wasn't getting out of this. On the first spin, the stupid flashlight landed on me and Izzy squealed. I was pushed into the closet, and a second later someone else was pushed in.

Before I could say anything his lips were on mine and I felt that same chemistry that I felt all those months again. After a couple minutes he pulled back and we were both out of breath.

"It's you." He said and I let out a laugh.

"You remember that night too?"

"I've been driving myself crazy trying to figure out who you were."

"So have I, but I didn't even know where to start."

"Why don't we start now?" He said and he knocked on the door twice, and a second later the lights flickered on. "Clary?"

"I have to say, I didn't think it was going to be you." I said as I looked up at Jace.

"Why not?"

"I didn't peg you for the type to stay hooked one one girl for long."

"Trust me, once we kissed, I was hooked."

"But I'm nothing special."

"I beg to differ. I didn't even know who you were, and you got me to completely stop hooking up, flirting, and looking at girls."

"Well, I guess it's appropriate to say it's nice to see you now." I said and he laughed. The door opened and Izzy was standing there with the biggest smile on her face. "You totally rigged this."

"I had too. You both were looking for each other and I put two and two together when you both started describing each other and I figured why not put you two in here and see if you still feel the same thing, and you clearly did, so you're welcome." She said as he walked away. Jace and I laughed as we made our way out of the closet and up the stairs.

We decided that we didn't want to stay so we took a walk to this little park down the road. When we got there we sat on the swings.

"Were you really looking for me?" I ask and he lets out a laugh.

"Yea. I tried to after we got out of the closet, but you left really fast."

"I didn't want to be there in the first place. Simon dragged me, and somehow I got involved in that game, and after I got out of the closet I stopped playing. I didn't want to ruin that kiss, so I left."

We sat in a comfortable silence for a while until he spoke again.

"So what do we do now?" He asked and I let out a little laugh.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked.

"Well I know what I don't want to do."

"Oh yea? What's that?"

"I don't want to stop kissing you."

"Is that so?" He nodded. And I couldn't help but blush. Thank god it was dark out. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you've never been in a relationship before."

"No, I haven't. I haven't even spent a week with the same girl." I couldn't help but feel a little turned off by this.

"So what makes me any different from those girls?"

"The way I feel when we kiss. I've never felt anything like that before. I've never had any type of chemistry with any other girl, and when I look at you, my mind isn't immediately drawn to sex. I want to get to know you. I want to know all your strange quarks, and what makes you laugh, what makes you cry. Don't get me wrong, all the physical reactions are there, but there is more wen it comes to you. More than I've ever felt before."

"Wow." I say and he laughs.

"Also, when I look at you, the first word that comes to my mind isn't hot, or sexy, or easy."

"Than what is it?"

"Beautiful. And I've never called a girl that before."

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, I haven't had a lot of boyfriends, but I can guarantee you'll be better than them."

"How many?"

"Three."

"What happened?" He asked and I couldn't help but flinch at the thought of my last one.

"Well my first one was in like 7th grade, and he asked me out on a dare. I was the prude of my class, and his friends bet him that he couldn't get past second base with me. That ended with me slapping him in the face and a humiliating rumor he started about me. The second was when I was a freshman. It wasn't bad, just dumb. He liked me until he got what he wanted. Not sex, my cousins number and than we broke up. And my third, well, let's just say he wasn't very gentle."

"He hurt you?"

"He got violent when he was angry."

"Do I know him?" I hesitate which isn't a good sign. "Who?"

"Sebastian."

"Verlac? Really? When?"

"Summer leading into sophomore year. He was my brothers friend. He was also over my house and flirting with me. I thought he was cute, and he seemed to like me. I was stupid to think he'd ever actually like me."

"Why is that?"

"He was in college and I was 15. That type of thing never works out."

"How bad did it get?"

"Not too bad. I had a couple bloody lips, and some black eyes."

"How long were you together?"

"We broke up before senior year started."

"You dated that asshole for two years?"

"I told you I was stupid."

"Why did you two break up?"

"He got some girl at his college pregnant. Said he wanted to do the right thing and be with his family. I pray for that poor girl and their kid."

"Well, I promise I'm not in this because of a dare, or your cousins number, and I certainly promise I will never lay a hand on you."

"I appreciate that. It took me awhile to bounce back from that. One of the reasons I didn't want to go to Magnus's party that night. I was still really paranoid and slightly freaked out."

"But look where it lead you." He motioned to his body and I couldn't help but laugh. "So what do you say Clary Fray, would you do me the honor of being my first official girlfriend?"

"I think that sounds absolutely amazing." I say and I stand up to join him and he pulls me into a kiss. It was everything it was before and even more. When we broke apart I couldn't help but smile.

"Do you need to be home by a certain time?" He asks and I keep a straight face but internally I can't help but feel sad. I don't have anyone to go home too.

"Nope." I say as I keep the smile on my face.

"Do you think we should go back to the party than?"

"Probably. I'm the one who gave Simon a ride. I would be the worlds worst best friend if I ditched him." He laughed and nodded as he taking my hand and leading me back to his house. When we got inside the party was over and Izzy and Simon were cleaning up. Jace offered to take over Simon's job so that we could leave. Simon had to be home by midnight, and I wasn't one to go against his mothers rule. When we got in the car Simon spoke.

"Did you tell him?"

"No."

"Why not Clare?"

"It didn't come up."

"You know he's going to find out eventually."

"I know." And that's where I left the conversation. Simon was the only one who knew and I planned on keeping it that way until absolutely necessary.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary and Simon left Izzy wouldn't stop staring at me. After about 10 minutes I started to get uncomfortable so I spoke.

"Why are you staring at me Iz?"

"What happened?!" She nearly yells.

"We talked, and now we're together."

"This is so exciting!" She started jumping up and down. After about 5 minutes she started calming down. "Have you told her yet?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It didn't come up."

"You know, she'll find out eventually, might as well tell her before that happens."

"I know." I knew that I should tell Clary, but I didn't want to bum her out with my sad life story. So for now, unless it's brought up, I wasn't going to mention it.

 **Time Jump- 4 Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I had been together since the party and it has been the best four months of my life. Although he still didn't know the most horrific thing in my life, I knew that it was going to come up eventually and I really didn't want it too.

There was a school field trip coming up and we needed a permission slip signed by our parents. I sighed and singed the paper myself but apparently I wasn't discrete enough because Jace noticed.

"Clary, you can't just sign that yourself. At least forge a parents name."

"That would be so unnecessary."

"Why?"

"I'll explain it to you one day."

"Clary."

"Please Jace. I don't want to get into it right now." He nodded and let the subject go which I was thankful for.

 **Time jump - 2 Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I had been dating for six months now, and although I was new to the whole relationship thing, I still hadn't met her family and I thought that was a little odd. She met my family a week after we started dating and they loved Clary. Maybe she was worried they wouldn't like me or wouldn't approve of me but I could at least take a chance and see for myself.

Clary and I were hanging out today, and I decided that I was going to ask her.

"Clary?"

"Yea?"

"How come you haven't introduced me to your family yet?" I could feel her tense.

"Jace." She started but I cut her off.

"No, we've been together for six months Clare, and you haven't even so much as mention them. Are you ashamed of me? Are you afraid they won't approve? Cause I think these last six months have been amazing yet you still haven't introduced me to them."

"You really want to meet them?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Let's go." She said as she grabbed my hand and we got into her car. After a 15 minute drive we pulled into a cemetery, and my blood instantly ran cold. I knew this cemetery, because my parents were buried here too. She finally pulled up next to a tree and parked the car. She got out without saying a word to me and started walking. I followed and she stopped at a grave that read 'Jocelyn and Valentine Morgenstern.'

"Clary." I said but she just shook her head.

"They were killed by a drunk driver when I was 11."

"What happened to you?"

"My brother, who was 16 at the time fought tooth and nail during court to get custody of me even though he was still a minor himself."

"Did he?"

"Kinda. He got custody as long as there was an adult in the house until he was 18."

"Who stayed with you?"

"My parents best friend, Luke. He would have taken us in but his job was way too demanding to take care of kids, but my brother was almost 17 when they died so Luke decided to take a year and a half off to help us."

"I'm so sorry. I wouldn't have complained if I knew."

"I know. Nobody knows. I changed my last name to Fray after they died so that people wouldn't pity me. I didn't want to be known as the girl who lost both her parents. It would have made everything harder."

"But didn't everyone notice when your name was just different one day?"

"I haven't always lived here. It wasn't until they died that we moved."

"From where?"

"Virginia. But both of my parents grew up here, and they wanted to be buried here, and after they died Jon used their life insurance money to buy us a house so we could always be close to them. The story made national headlines, so anywhere I went people knew my last name."

We stood there for a while before I took her hand and started leading her away from her parents grave.

"Where are we going?" She asked but I just kept leading her. When we finally got to my parents grave she was clearly confused.

"Much like you, I lost my parents as well." She gasped and then looked at the grave.

"But Maryse and Robert."

"Again, my story is similar to yours. They were my parents best friends and they agreed to take me in after they died."

"When?"

"I was 7."

"How?"

"Car accident. They were coming home and the car slipped on a sheet of black ice. Wrapped around a tree. They were both gone instantly."

"Where were you?"

"At a friends house." I could feel her squeeze my hand a little tighter. "Why haven't you introduced me to your brother than?"

"Once I turned 18 he never came home. I haven't spoken to him in almost 8 months. He could be half way around the world by now."

"So you're telling me, I drop you off at an empty house all the time?"

"Yup. Before the school year started I emancipated myself, which is why I could sign that permission slip. I'm my own family."

"If you ever need me Clare, just call. I'm only a phone call away."

"I'll definitely take you up on that. Sometimes it creeps me out to be there alone." I laugh and kiss her temple.

"Come on, let's go get some lunch." She nods and we head back to her car and make our way to our favorite diner. But this car ride doesn't feel tense. It feels relaxed. The air is finally clear between both of us. We have no secrets and it felt really good.

 **Time Jump-Six Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day that Jace and I were getting married, and I couldn't be happier with everything that happened.

After college he proposed and I couldn't say yes fast enough. The last six years have been amazing. He has been there during my nightmares, and my flash backs, and I've been there for his. He was there when Jonathan decided to come back, and he never left my side. I was pulled out of my memories when Izzy knocked on the door.

"Are you ready Clary?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"Absolutely." We walked to the entered E of the ceremony and as soon as I walked in my eyes fell on Jace's. He had the biggest smile on his face, and I can only assume mine matched his. When I got to the alter I already wanted to cry from happiness. But I knew I'd save them for when we recited our vows.  
"Now, the vows." The priest said.

"Clary, before I met you my life was a lot of going through the motions. I never thought I'd find someone who would make me feel alive the way you do. That night be shared our fist kiss in the dark closet, I was hooked. I wanted you, and I needed you, and after a couple months of not knowing who you were, I was lost. But thanks to Izzy I had another chance to find you, and look at where we are now. Everything we have together is everything I've ever wanted but didn't think I'd find. I love you Clarissa, and I can't wait to officially start our lives together." He wipes the start tears that fall and I couldn't believe everything he just said.

"Jace, the night we met, I was there by force and accident. I never wanted to go to that party, and I stumbled into that game when I was looking for the bathroom. I never knew that I would be here right now because of that night, and I honestly wouldn't go back and change a thing. Everything we've been through together has shown how strong we really are, and how much we truly truly love each other. I didn't have a great past when it came to guys. I was never the one anyone ever wanted. But with you, it's always been different. You've always been there for me, you've always wanted the absolute best for me, and no matter what you've loved me through everything and I can't thank you enough for all of your love and your kindness. I wouldn't want to start a life with any one else. From the moment we kissed, I knew you were it for me. I love you more than anything Jace."

"I know pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." The priest said and Jace wasted no time to kiss me. When we pulled apart he pulled me into a hug and whispered 'I love you' and I couldn't help myself. I whispered 'I'm pregnant' back and he stopped moving. He pulled back and looked at me, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Really?"

"Really." I said and he pulled me into another kiss. This was the beginning of the rest of our lives and I was completely ready to dive into it with Jace by my side.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by oesteffel, and I'm so sorry it took me so long to write this one! I've been having a slight case of writers block, but I was thinking about a one shot that I wanted to write, and than I remembered the ones you all requested, and I decided to combined the two ideas! I hope you enjoy this one shot, and I hope it lived up to your expectations! I'm also really trying to update my other stories, but like I said, I am having some writers block so just hang in there with me, and I promise that I'll try my hardest to get all my stories updated, and to write all of your requests! Remember, if you have a story idea just message me or leave a review! :)**


	12. Chapter 11 - BFF

**Eleventh One Shot:**

 **BFF**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I have been best friends since we were in second grade. I was the new kid, and she was the first one to befriend me. Ever since that day we have been inseparable. It wasn't until I was in 8th grade that I noticed my feelings for her began to change. One day I walked into our class and she took my breath away. She was absolutely beautiful, and I've been in love with her ever since. Clary on the other hand, is completely and totally clueless to my feelings; despite how many clues I leave.

I know what you're thinking, why haven't I done anything about it yet? Here we are, both 24 years old, we share an apartment, and we're still just as inseparable as we were in second grade but nothing has happened romantically between us. We've been so close for so long, I haven't wanted to ruin anything between us, I don't know what I'd do without her.

Clary and I have been through a lot together. Both of our parents went through divorces, and we were there for each other as an escape. She came to me when her brother OD'd on heroin, and I never left her side. I held her hand through the whole funeral and I was by her side for the 5 days she refused to leave her room. I was there when her first boyfriend broke her heart, man I wanted to kill him, but Clary needed me more. I was there when she broke her arm in 5th grade, and when she got black out drunk on her 21st birthday, and I slept in a hospital chair when she was hospitalized for the flu.

We were each others first kiss in the sixth grade, and I was her first time. She wanted to get her virginity out of the way, but she wasn't comfortable doing it with anyone else, and when she asked, how was I suppose to say no? We were in 11th grade, and she felt like she needed to lose it soon, so we did it. I don't know how it was on her end, but when we kissed, I felt like I was falling in love all over again. She was absolutely beautiful. Every single inch of her was the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen. I hold her hand all the time, when I pull her into a hug I always kiss the top of her head, and when we sit on the couch and watch TV we cuddle, and although she probably views it as the most platonic thing in the world, I bask in her body molding perfectly to mine.

I want more with her. I want so much more. I want to be able to kiss her whenever I want, and I want to be able to tell her I love her, just because I think she deserves to hear it. I want to fall asleep in the same bed every single night, not just in the same apartment. I wanted her, and I needed her, and that's why I'm taking her to dinner tonight and I was going to take a chance and let her know how I felt. It's been almost 15 years since I first realized that I was in love with her, and I think it's about time I put myself out there. I was nervous, but I knew that this was the only way.

"Jace!" I hear her call as the door opens. "I'm home!" I walk into the living room and see her hanging her coat up.

"Hey, we're going out to dinner. You need some time to get ready?"

"No, I'm good." She said and I took a look at her paint splattered clothes and just laughed. This was Clary, and I wouldn't want her any other way.

I took her to their favorite restaurant, and when we were leaving I brought her to the park. I turned towards her and Clary could tell I was nervous.

"What's wrong Jace?" She asks and I take a deep breath.

"I need to tell you something."

"Of course. You know you can tell me anything."

"Clary, I love you."

"I love you too Jace." She smiles and I just can't help but love and hate how clueless she is.

"No, I love you. I'm completely in love with you and I have been for almost 15 years." She looks shocked so I do the only thing I know, I kiss her. She is even more shocked and than she does something I don't expect, she kisses back. For a moment everything was perfect until she pushes me away.

"Jace, you're my best friend. This would ruin everything." She said and I could see that she was confused.

"It doesn't have too. Nothing has to be ruined." I say as I step closer to her.

"God damn it Jace Herondale. Why did you have to kiss me?"

"Because I can't hide my feelings anymore. It's literally suffocating me."

"Jace, we've been friends for 20 years. Why did you have to make it awkward?"

"I had to take a risk Clary. I had to do something. I just couldn't take it anymore."

"Ugh!" She yells and she storms away. I hang my head and walk back to our apartment. I go into my room and lay on the bed. I may have just ruined our friendship but at least I wasn't hiding my feelings anymore.

 **Clary POV:**

I was walking around New York completely and totally frustrated at Jace. I couldn't believe he would kiss me, but I liked it. A lot. I mean I knew he could kiss. We did sleep together just so that I could lose her virginity to someone I trusted, and now that I think about it, he was very willing to be the person I lost it too.

When I looked at my phone it had been about 2 hours since my fight with Jace. And I knew I was going to have to see him. We lived together so I made my way back to our apartment.

When I walked into the apartment it was very quiet. I went to my room and sat on my bed. I had to think. Jace has been my best friend forever. He was there for everything. I could count on him. So why was it so weird for him to be in love with me? It wasn't. It was actually completely understandable, so why did I freak out? Oh yea, because in high school I convinced myself he would never love me more than anything else but a friend and now he here was, admitting to being in love with me for over 15 years and I yell at him? God I'm an idiot. I'm so stupid. I do the only logical thing I can think of. I call Izzy.

"Hey Clare, what's up?"

"I need your advice." I say in a hesitant way.

"What's up?"

"Jace told me he was in love with me tonight."

"It's about damn time. I thought he'd never admit his feelings."

"Wait, you knew?" I said, not believing that she had already known.

"Of course I knew. Come on, it was so obvious to everyone. Except you of course. And he's my brother, so of course I knew. What's the big deal?"

"I kinda flipped when he told me."

"Why?"

"It freaked me out. You know that huge crush I had on him throughout middle school and part of high school. But than I told myself he could never feel the same way. God, I'm an idiot."

"Yea you are. Why don't you just go apologize."

"I guess I needed some advice first."

"Do you feel the same way?"

"I think I do. I always have. I never got over that crush, but like I said, I thought he'd never feel that way about me."

"So, go apologize, and than have great make up sex."

"Izzy!"

"What? It's not like you two haven't done it before. Look Clare, Simon just got home and I haven't seen him in almost a month, so at least one of us is getting lucky tonight. Good luck. Call me tomorrow to let me know how everything worked out."

"Bye Iz." I hung up.

I compose myself. And when I walk into the hallway I stop in front of his door and take a deep breath. When I knock there is no answer. So I open the door and he's asleep in his bed. He looked like a resting angel. I walk over and sit on his bed and start rubbing his back. After a couple minutes he stirs away.

"Clary?" He says in his extremely sexy voice, and I realize that I really am a complete idiot. Why the hell did I reject his declaration of love? I'm totally in love with this kid.

"Hey." I said and he still waking up. He finally sits up and I look at him and he's shirtless. "I'm so sorry."

"No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have just sprung that on you like that. Look, nothing has to happen. We can still be friends, because I need you in my life Clare. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Jace. You have nothing to apologize for. You did something that I was too scared to do in high school."

"What?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"I had the biggest crush on you in high school, but I convinced myself you'd never like me like that. So I got over it, and when you told me you loved me it freaked me out. I never in a million years thought I'd hear you say those words."

"So you love me?"

"I've loved you for as long as I can remember." He got the biggest smile on his face and I put my hand behind his head and pulled his lips to mine. I could feel him smiling against my lips. We kissed for a while until we broke apart.

"This isn't a dream right? I'm not going to wake up to you being mad at me?"

"This isn't a dream."

"I have literally wanted to tell you since I was 14."

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I tried to drop hints. But you were so oblivious. I would always kiss the top of your head, or hold you hand, or when we'd cuddle on the couch. I thought you'd eventually put all the clues together."

"You of all people should know I have never been good at connecting the dots!" He laughs and I can't help but laugh at how stupid I've been. I lean forward and kiss him again because now I know that it won't change anything. I can kiss him whenever I want.

Things got heated rather quickly and before I knew it we were undressing each other.

"You know, I haven't done this since you took my virginity in 11th grade."

"Really? What about your other boyfriends?"

"Never felt comfortable enough with them."

"It's a good thing I remember what you like, and what turns you on." He smirks as he places a kiss behind my left ear and I can't help but moan. He moves his hand down my back until it's resting on my lower back and I suck in a breath.

"I love you Clary."

"I love you too Jace." I barely get his name out before his lips were on mine. He flipped me on my back, and he hovered on top of me, he smirked before he placed a line of kisses down my stomach. His hands carefully running down my sides. I couldn't help but arch my back at the sensation.

"Are you sure about this Clary?" He asks as his head is right at my hip bones.

"Please Jace." I whimper and he smirks.

"Please what baby?" He said and I couldn't help but shiver at his seductive voice and use of the pet name.

"I need you. Now."

"As you wish." He said and before I could even process anything he was inside of me and I couldn't help the moan that escaped my lips. The feeling in my stomach, it was a feeling of pure ecstasy and I knew from this moment on, I was hooked.

When I woke up the next morning, Jace and I were both naked and his arms were around me and I was half on him and half not. I lifted my head up and rubbed my eyes just as Jace was about to wake up.

"Good morning." He said in his sexy voice.

"Good morning."

"I can't believe last night happened." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Me either. It was amazing."

"Which time?" He smirked and I couldn't help but blush.

"All of them." I said and he leaned down and planted a kiss on my temple. We lay there for a while until I hear my phone starts ringing. I groan as I reach over to the nightstand and grab my phone to see who it was, and it was my boss.

"Hello?" I sat as I sit up, but that doesn't stop Jace from drawling circles right above my ass that causes me to shiver.

"Hey Clary, I was wondering if you could come in today, Maia came down with the stomach bug and I'm short." I hang my head.

"Sure. I'll be in by 10."

"Thank you so much Clary." We said goodbye and I hung up and looked back at Jace.

"I'm needed at work."

"But today is supposed to be your day off." He said as he placed a kiss on my hip bone.

"I know, but Maia has the stomach bug and he's short." I said as I got out of bed, still completely naked but I felt no shame as I stood there in front of Jace, and by the smirk on his face I knew he was enjoying the view. "I'm not going in for another hour and a half, care for a shower?" I said as I winked and walked into the bathroom. I had just turned on the water when Jace pressed his body up against mine and kissed my neck.

"That was not nice Clarissa." He whispered in my ear and my whole body shivered. He turned me around and backed me up against the shower wall. The hot water was cascading around our bodies has he left a trail of kissed down my neck and on my collarbone and I knew that this is how Jace and I's relationship was supposed to be. Sure we were supposed to be best friends, but we were also supposed to be lovers, and I can't believe it took us so long to get here, but now that we're here I couldn't picture a better person to be in love with. Jace was it, and he always had been.

 **Time Jump- Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Jace!" I heard Clary shout. "I'm home!" I make my way into the living room to greet her and when I look at her, she still takes my breath away. "What are you staring at?" She asks and I immediately knew I was staring.

"You're just the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." She smiles and makes her way over to me and snakes her arms around my neck and places a kiss on my lips.

"You're very sweet. Come on, we have dinner plans with Simon and Izzy, and we'll be late if we start complimenting each other. Cause we all know where that leads." She smiles and makes her way into our room, and I just shake my head and laugh. 10 minutes later she was ready and we made our way over to the restaurant and greet Izzy and Simon.

Half an hour into dinner even I could tell Izzy and Simon were being weird and I glanced at Clary and she just shook her head and widened her eyes. She had no idea what was going on but I was going to find out.

"Alright you two, spit it out. You both look like you're about to piss yourselves." I said which caused Clary to laugh. They both looked at each other and back to us.

"I'm pregnant." Izzy said and I think my jaw dropped. After a moment Clary was up and hugging Izzy.

"Oh my god Iz, that's amazing! How far along are you?"

"Two months." She said and I looked at Clary and she seemed over the moon with Izzy's pregnancy, which got me thinking, we've never talked about our future. If we wanted to have a family, and I made a mental note to ask her tonight.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. The morning sickness is a bitch, but it should go away after the first trimester so I just have to suck it up for another month or so."

"Oh my god, I'm so excited! I get to be an aunt!" Clary said and she hugged Izzy and than Simon.

"I'm happy for you sis. That kid of yours is going to be spoiled beyond belief." I said and I could see the relief flash across Izzy's face. I got up and placed a kiss to her temple as I pulled her into a hug. "I love you Iz."

"I love you too Jace." She said back and when I looked at Clary she looked so touched by the little moment Izzy and I had. I don't express my feelings often, but today was a happy day for them, and I couldn't help myself. Dinner was finished soon after and we said our goodbyes and Clary and I went home. We were laying in bed and her head way lying on my chest and I was drawling circles on her back.

"Clare?"

"Mmmm." She replied.

"Do you want to have kids one day?" She lifted her head off my chest and looked into my eyes.

"One day. Why? Do you?"

"I do. I saw how excited you were when Izzy told us she was pregnant, and I couldn't help but think that we never really discussed it."

"Of course I want to have kids, especially with you."

"Do you care when we have them?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you want to wait until we're married, or in a couple years, or do you want a child now." I say and I can see her eyes soften at the mention of a child.

"I'd be happy whenever we decide to have a baby Jace."

"Can we try?" I ask and I think I shocked her.

"You want to try to have a baby?"

"Yea, I mean I've always known I've been in love with you and I knew that I wanted a family with you, and I love you more than anything. These past two years have been amazing, having a baby, with you, would just make everything even more amazing." I could see her thinking about everything I just threw at her.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay. Nothing would make me happier than to have a baby with you Jace. I love you, and I know you'd make an amazing father." I couldn't help but smile and pick her up and put her on top of me. She had that look in her eyes, the one she gets when she wants to have sex, and I just smirked and started placing kisses on her neck. I don't know it would be so soon, but apparently we were starting the baby making process tonight, not that I'm complaining.

 **Time Jump- Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had just gotten back from the drug store and picked up a couple pregnancy tests. I had been a week late for my period, and my period was like clock work, so I decided to just see what was up. Jace was in the kitchen making dinner so I snuck by him and went into the bathroom and peed on the sticks. Five minutes later and they started to change. I looked at all three of them and they were all positive.

"JACE!" I yelled. "Jace get in here!" I heard his footsteps and he barged into the bathroom.

"What's wrong?" He said as he looked flustered, but I couldn't help but smile. I handed him the sticks. "Are you serious?"

"Yea." I said and he picked me up. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh my god. We're going to have a baby. Holy shit. We're going to be parents."

"We're going to be parents." I say and he smashes our lips together and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I love you Clary."

"I love you too Jace." I say and Jace goes off onto a huge rant about everything we have to get for the baby and if it's a boy or a girl and I couldn't help but laugh at how cute he was like this. And I knew, this was going to be amazing.

 **Time Jump- Four Months Pregnant**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day Jace and I were going to find out the sex of the baby, or babies. The doctor wasn't sure if she could see two or not, and wanted to get a consult, and we were super excited. We originally wanted it to be a surprise but we were both getting anxious about clothes and toys, and the baby room, so we decided the bite the bullet and find out. I was nervous. We were sitting in the room waiting for the doctor to show up and I couldn't stop bouncing.

"Clary, calm down. Everything is going to be fine." Jace said and I couldn't help but feel nervous.

"I'm just nervous Jace. We're going to find out the sex of our baby or babies today."

"I know, and everything is okay. The last appointment our baby or babies were healthy. You can't be negative."

"But what if we are having twins, how are we going to do it?" I ask.

"Honestly, I have no idea. We're going to mess up, and things will be rocky for a little but we can do this Clare. You are going to be an amazing mother, and our kid or kids are going to be amazing." I took a deep breath and the doctor walked in.

"Hello Clary, and Jace. I hear you want to know the gender."

"We really wanted to keep it a surprise, but when you said something about twins, everything changed, and we can't wait anymore. We just want to know."

"Alright, well lay back and I'll put the gel on your stomach and we'll get a picture up." I laid back and lifted my shirt and she put the gel on. The picture came up and it was even more clear than the last time. After about five minutes she looked at us. "Well, I was right about the twin theory. Looks like you are in fact carrying twins. And by the looks of it, they are both boys, and identical." My jaw dropped and I looked at Jace and he was just as surprised. "I'll set you up with an appointment for the six month mark, and I'll see you two than." We nodded and she left the room.

"Twins." I said.

"Boys." Jace said.

"Identical." We both said in unison and we both laughed and Jace's lips were on mine.

"I love you." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." All my initial worries had disappeared, because Jace and I were going to be parents, and even though it was scary we were going to do the best we could. And I was so excited.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Clary POV:**

I was scheduled for my C-section today and I was so ready to get these boys out of me. I was freaking huge for my height, and giving a vaginal birth would be too dangerous for me and the babies. I was being prepped and to say I was nervous would be an understatement, but Jace was going to be by my side the whole way and I couldn't be more thankful.

"You ready?" Jace asked and I just smiled up at him.

"I am more than ready to meet our sons." I said and he kissed my forehead.

"Alright Clary, I'm going to start the procedure now." The doctor said and I just nodded. I was numb but there was still a strange sensation about being cut opened. After about 10 minutes cries filled the hospital room and I couldn't stop my own tears. "Baby A is in perfect condition." The doctor said and Jace kissed my forehead. A couple minutes later more cries filled the air and this time I noticed Jace shedding some tears. "Baby B is also in perfect condition. We will be transporting them up to the nursery while we stitch you back up. This could take about an hour, if you'd like to go check on your sons Jace, I'll let you know when she's done."

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Jace said and I just smiled.

"No. Go meet our kids. I'll be done before you know it." I said and he kissed me.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." He gave me one more kiss on the forehead before leaving the room.

 **Jace POV:**

I went up to the nursery and there were right next to each other, swaddled in blue, and a sign that said Baby Herondale A and Baby Herondale B above them. I cried. I couldn't believe they were Clary and I's. They were perfect. I don't even know how long I was standing there admiring them when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Jace?" I turned around and saw the doctor.

"Hey, how is she doing?"

"She's good. She should be back in her room in a couple minutes. Would you like your boys to be wheeled there as well?" I nod, and she tells the nurse where the two babies go, and I followed behind. When I got to the room Clary was sitting in bed and I went straight over to her and kissed her.

"Have you held them yet?" She asks.

"No. I just stood at the glass and stared at them." I said and she laughed. I went over and picked Baby A up and handed him to Clary, and I took Baby B in my arms. They were the most perfect babies I could ever imagine.

"What should we name them?"

"I think the one I have should be Jamison Alexander Herondale." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love it. What about this little guy?" I said as a looked at the one I was holding.

"I like Miles Simon Herondale." She said and I looked down at him, and it just fit.

"They are absolutely perfect. Just like their mom." I said and she blushed. This was perfect. Our family was complete, for now anyway.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The last three years have been amazing; Jamison and Miles were the spitting image of Jace. Blonde hair, golden eyes, and a personality that was out of this world. A year after they were born we finally got married. We had discussed having more kids, but at the time we were waiting until we were married to have any more, and Jamison and Miles kept us more than busy, so there was no rush into having more kids. It was only six am but that didn't stop the boys from waking up and jumping on our bed.

"Mommy!" Jamison yelled and started jumping up and down.

"What is it baby?" I said and Jace had grabbed Jamison and pulled him down so he wasn't jumping. Thank the lord Miles didn't have the same amount of energy this morning, he was simply sitting on the bed next to me.

"It's our birthday!" He said and I just laughed.

"I know it's your birthday baby." I said as I tickled his belly which caused him to giggle.

"What are we going to do today?"

"What do you want to do today?" I ask and he gets his thinking face ready.

"Well, do you and daddy have to work?"

"No baby, it's a Sunday. We don't work today."

"Can we go to the park, and than for ice cream?" He asked and I loved how simple his mind was. The park and ice cream were the perfect birthday for him, and I absolutely loved that about kids.

"Of course baby. Why don't you go get dressed, daddy will make us all a nice breakfast and than we'll head out?" He nodded and him and Miles left our room and I fell back onto my pillow.

"So daddy is making breakfast huh?" Jace said as he pulled me into his chest.

"Well, I would have volunteered, but I haven't been feeling good lately."

"Are you okay? Have you seen a doctor?" He asked and I couldn't help but smile at how protective he was of me.

"I'm fine, just a little morning sickness." I said and I could tell it still didn't click.

"How long as it bee….wait, did you say morning sickness?" He said and I just nodded. "You're pregnant?"

"Yea, I found out last week and I've been trying to find a way to tell you but I honestly couldn't wait anymore."

"We're going to have another baby?"

"We're going to have another baby." I said and he had the biggest smile on his face.

"Well, we have a lot to do before he or she arrives. Like we need a bigger house. That's our first move, and the boys will be starting school soon, so it has to be in a good school district, and oh god, if we have a girl we'll have to get her an entire new wardrobe." Jace was rambling and I found it quite adorable but I put my hands on his cheeks and smashed our lips together.

"Right now, you need to go make your boys breakfast. We can talk more about all of this when the news isn't so fresh." I said and he smiled. He kissed me again before he got out of bed.

"I love you Clary, and I love our life together, and our family."

"I love you too Jace." I said and he smiled and the door opened again revealing Jamison and Miles.

"Come on daddy!" They said and I couldn't help but smile at how amazing our kids were.

"Let's go get you boys some breakfast." He said and he picked them both up.

"Are you coming mommy?" Miles asked.

"Mommy will be out soon. Let's go start her breakfast." He said and they both nodded and they headed out of our room. Things couldn't be more perfect, and to think that if Jace didn't confess his feelings, and I didn't realize how idiotic I was this all wouldn't be possible. I couldn't thank Jace enough for being brave enough to admit his feelings because without him, our life wouldn't exist, our family wouldn't exist, and this is everything I've ever wanted, and I was so thankful Jace and I finally got our happy ending.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by butterflies-and-rainbows, and I'm so sorry that it took me a while to write this! I couldn't come up with a story line that i was happy with, and besides the BFF part, I was lost as to where to take it, but I hope you enjoy where I brought this story! I am trying my hardest to write all the requests that have been given to me! I hope you all enjoy this one shot! Also, I want you all to know that any story I write will always have Clary and Jace ending up together, in my mind, they are soul mates, and I will never break them up, well I will never break them up for good at least! Alright, well, leave a review or shoot me a message if you have an ideas! :)**


	13. Chapter 12 - Kiss Cam

**Twelfth One Shot:**

 **Kiss Cam**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight I was going out on a date with some guy my mom set me up with a couple weeks ago. We had been causally seeing each other but I was optimistic about maybe forming a relationship. He is big into basketball so I decided to buy him tickets to a game, and although I wasn't much of a fan, I was really hoping he'd enjoy my surprise for him. He came to my house, pecked me on the cheek and we were off.

"So, where are we going?" He asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"You'll see." I said and I started driving to the arena. When we pulled up to the arena he was floored.

"You're serious?"

"Yea. I got the tickets last week, and we are very close to the court."

"You are seriously the best!" He said as he pecked my lips, than he looked down at his outfit. "I'm not dressed for a game."

"Have no fear, I thought ahead." I said as I grabbed a bag out of the backseat of my car.

"I may never let you go now." He said and he changed and we made our way inside. We found our seats quickly and he seemed to be really pumped. I was glad I made him this happy. A couple minutes before the game started a very curvaceous blonde took a seat next to him, and of course I got a little self conscious but I didn't have anything to worry about. We weren't actually in a relationship, but I felt secure enough because that's where it was heading.

It was the third quarter of the game and the 'kiss cam' was going around. When the camera landed on a couple they kissed. I thought it was sweet, until it landed on us. The kiss cam had me, Sebastian, and the blonde next to us. And on the jumbo tron, you could see Sebastian look at me, than look at the blonde, and than he kissed her. I was furious. I mean, I brought him to the game, the least he could do is fucking kiss me on the stupid camera. The whole crowed let out a low sounded 'damn' and both teams looked back at me. Sebastian and the blonde were too busy making out to notice. I looked down and got an idea when I looked at my drink. I took the lid off and dumped the contents on top of both of them.

"What the hell?!" Sebastian screamed and everyone laughed.

"Oh I'm sorry? Did I ruin your make out session? I didn't realize you were on a date with both of us." I said and the whole crowed started to boo him. I felt satisfied, and I threw the empty cup at him and left. I could still hear the booing but I also heard some cheers for me. Some dude even gave me a high five.

I had no idea where I was going. I followed Sebastian to our seats. I was wondering around aimlessly when I bumped in a huge guy who looked like security.

"I'm sorry."

"I've been looking for you." He said and I couldn't help but wonder if I was in trouble for what I did to Sebastian.

"Why?"

"You've been requested by one of the players to wait in the locker room until the game is over."

"I'm not in trouble?"

"Hell no. If I were you, I would have clocked him right in the dick. A pretty girl like you should never be embarrassed like that."

"Thank you."

"Now, if you'll follow me." He said and I nodded and started following him. "My name is Bat, and I'm the security for the LA Lakers."

"I'm Clary."

"So, are you a fan?"

"Not really. I knew the guy I was with tonight was a fan, so I bought us the tickets."

"Damn. He's a complete idiot for letting you slip away." I just smiled and continued to follow him. When we got to the locker room, he told me to take a seat. The game would be over in a few minutes, and the person who requested me would be in momentarily. I sat on the couch and picked nervously at my nails. A couple minutes felt like an eternity but eventually I heard the door open, and the most beautiful man I'd ever seen walked in. I stood up, not knowing what to do. He walked over to me, and I had to look up in order to look into his eyes. He was huge.

"Hi, my names Jace, and I play for the LA Lakers." He said and he smiled and it was a beautiful smile.

"I'm Clary. What am I doing down here?"

"I saw what that asshole did to you during the game."

"Oh."

"Also, you caught my eye during warm ups. When I saw what he did to you, I couldn't help but want to make it up to you."

"Really?"

"Yea. Why don't we go out and catch a late night dinner? Get to know each other." I looked at him like he had five heads, but what's the harm. He seemed like a nice guy.

"Sure. I think I'd like that."

"Alright. Give me like 20 minutes. We have a brief team meeting and than I want to shower and we can go. I had to take a bus here with the team. Did the asshole give you a ride?"

"No. I actually drove us here." He smiled and it was infectious I couldn't help but smile back.

"Cool. Wait here, and I'll be back in 20 minutes."

Twenty minutes later Jace came back through the doors wearing normal clothes and appearing squeaky clean. He gestured to the door and we started walking to my car. We made some small talk on the walk but I saw a figure standing close to my car and I groaned.

"The guy I was here with tonight is standing by my car." I told Jace and he didn't seemed too bothered.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of him if he tries to do anything." Jace said and when we made it to my car, Sebastian looked pissed.

"Clary, what the hell was that in there?"

"That was me, dumping my drink on an asshole who kisses another girl while we're on a date. I thought that was obvious."

"Oh come on, we aren't in a relationship." He said and he looked at Jace. "And who the hell is this guy?"

"This is Jace. We're going out to dinner."

"The hell you are. You're coming home with me." He said as he reached for my wrist but Jace blocked it.

"Like you said Seb, we aren't in a relationship. If I want to go have dinner with Jace, I can. Why don't you go back to the blonde you were tonguing during the game."

"You gave me a ride here." He said as Jace made his way to the passenger side and I opened my door.

"And I'm sure the blonde would have no problem giving you a ride home. Goodnight Sebastian." I slammed my car door shut and let out a sigh of relief.

"Way to handle him Red." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile. I started my car and left Sebastian standing in the parking lot fuming but I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

We pulled up to a small diner and when we walked in everyone's eyes were instantly on us, at first I didn't understand but than I realized who I was with. I looked at him and he was clearly unaffected by the 30 eyes on us, but than again, he's probably used to this. We were lead to our table. We ordered the same thing surprisingly.

"Alright, how about a nice 5th grade game of 20 questions." he said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Sounds good. You first."

"Alright, where are you from?"

"Originally I'm from Brooklyn. But I attended college out here. I loved it so much I moved. What about you?"

"Manhattan. When I got into the NBA, I drifted from team to team but when I came to the Lakers it just fit. I've been with the team for about 5 years now. Are you a fan?"

"Not really. I wouldn't go as far as saying I hate the game, but I don't really understand it, so it's less interesting to me."

"Understandable. Once you learn the rules, it's easier to get into."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Not biologically. I have three adoptive siblings. What about you?"

"Nope. Only child. How did you get into basketball?" Just as I asked out food arrived and I couldn't help but dig in, I was starving.

"I played a lot with my dad when I was little. When I was 9 he died, and the only comfort I found was on the court. I threw myself into the game, and it really helped with the grieving process. Did you play any sports?"

"Yea. I played volleyball."

"Nice. Were you any good?"

"Well, I got a scholarship to UCLA, so I was alright." I said and he laughed.

"Wow. That's impressive." We continued to ask each other questions throughout dinner, and before we knew it, it was already past midnight.

"Alright, last question."

"Ask away."

"Would you like to do this again?" He said and a smile instantly appeared on my lips.

"I'd love too." I said and we started to make our way to my car. "Where shall I drop you off at?"

"Go towards Sunset Boulevard."

"You live in Bel-Air?" I said not hiding my surprise at all.

"Yea. Being in the NBA, has its perks. But I mostly live there for my siblings."

"They live with you?"

"Yea. I may have grown up in Manhattan, but after I was adopted I was placed with this really great family, but they were struggling financially. I think it's another reason I wanted to make it in the NBA so bad. I wanted to repay them. So after I finally settled with a team, I bought a house, and relocated them. My adoptive mother and father still live in New York with my younger brother, but I send them money every month to help them out."

"That's really sweet." I said as I pulled up to a gated community. He told me his code and the gates opened. When I pulled into his house I was in awe. I've never seen a house so beautiful.

"Would you like a tour?"

"Sure." I said and he grabbed my hand and lead me inside. I was speechless. This place was gorgeous, and bigger than my whole apartment building. I had a large trust fund from my father, but I hated using his money. It's his way of making up being absent from my life for 20 years. I chose to use my own hard earned money instead of his. He showed me around the whole house. You could clearly see that a female lived here, he told me his sister Izzy was a fashionista and decorated the place the moment she stepped inside. We were sitting in the living room talking when my phone rings. All I could think was who the hell would be awake at this hour.

"Hello?"

"Hey Clary, it's Melony."

"Hey Mel, what's up?"

"Our building has been tented. Someone's apartment was infested with roaches and the kicked us out."

"For how long?"

"A week."

"Well that's just perfect."

"I just thought I'd let you know. I didn't see you come out of the building so I wanted you to know so you aren't blind sided."

"Thanks Mel, have a goodnight." I hung up my phone and groaned.

"What's wrong?"

"My apartment building is being fumigated. I'm out for a week."

"Do you need a place to stay tonight?"

"That'd be great." I said and he led me to a spare room. "Do you have anything I could wear to bed?"

"I have an old tee shirt you could use."

"That'd be great. Thank you." He walked to his room but was back a minute later.

"It might be big on you."

"Might be? Jace, you're at least a foot taller than me, this will be a dress on me, but thank you. I appreciate it."

"Goodnight Clary."

"Goodnight Jace." I said and he returned to his room. I changed out of my clothes and into his and I couldn't help but be thankful that Sebastian was an asshole on our date, cause I was starting to like Jace a whole lot more. I inhaled the scent of his shirt and fell asleep surrounded by him and I don't think I've ever slept better.

When I woke up, I dragged myself out of bed and into the kitchen. I was vaguely aware of where I was but I didn't want to do anything until I had my coffee. I walked into the kitchen where I was greeted by three sets of eyes. I stopped dead in my tracks, looked down at what I was wearing, and immediately felt super embarrassed.

"Who are you?" The girl, who I'm assuming is Izzy, asked.

"My name is Clary."

"How did you get in here?"'

"Down Iz. I brought her here last night." Jace said and she snapped her head towards him.

"Why?" She didn't seem all that pleasant.

"We went out to dinner after my game, she brought me home, she got a phone call saying her apartment was being fumigated and she needed a place to stay. I have more than enough room. So I offered."

"Oh. Than, I'm Izzy, and that's my brother Alec. We're Jace's siblings."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm gonna go change, because I feel super awkward standing here like this." I said and they all laughed. I ran upstairs, put on my clothes from last night, and went back downstairs where there was a cup of coffee waiting for me. I looked at Jace and he just smirked at me.

"So, I was thinking. I have enough room here, and since you're out for a week, why don't you just stay here until your apartment is cleaned."

"Jace, I couldn't ask you to do that. I can find a hotel that I can stay at."

"That's going to cost a fortune. I'm offering a free stay."

"Trust me, I have a fortune. I could buy a hotel and not leave a dent, I don't want to put you out."

"You're rich?" Izzy said with a shocked expression.

"I wouldn't say rich. It's called a guilty father who missed out on 20 years of my life and thinks money is an apology." I said and my phone rang. "Speak of the devil." I said as my fathers named appeared on my phone. "Hello Valentine."

"Clarissa, is that anyway to speak to your father?"

"I wouldn't knew. When you find him, can you ask?"

"Clarissa Adele Morgenstern."

"Fray. My last name is Fray dad. What do you want?"

"I'm in LA on business and I'd love to catch some dinner."

"What are you playing at?" I said as I put my phone on speaker.

"Can't I have a nice dinner with my daughter?"

"It's always business for you Valentine. Doesn't matter if I'm your daughter or not. Why do you want to have dinner?"

"Your mother tells me you aren't married yet." He says and I just groan, Izzy, Alec, and Jace are all looking at me, wondering what the hell is going on.

"You say that like I'm a 50 year old woman with 18 cats."

"You're almost 30 Clarissa."

"Dad, I'm 25. I still have time to get married."

"I have a wonderful client whose son is a Harvard grad who is the top lawyer at his firm. I'd like you to meet." I was about to protest when Jace stepped in.

"Hey babe. You ready to go?" He said loud enough for my father to hear.

"Clarissa, who is that?" I looked at Jace and he just mouthed 'boyfriend' and I went with it.

"That's my boyfriend dad."

"Your mother never mentioned you had a boyfriend. Is it that not Sebastian she tried to set up a couple weeks ago?"

"No. It's someone else. Look, we have plans and I need to get ready."

"I expect to see you for dinner tomorrow night Clarissa, and bring the boyfriend. I want to meet him." He hung up before I could answer.

"What the hell?!" Izzy yelled at Jace before I could speak.

"What? She needed help."

"You just earned yourself a night with my father and me." I said and he laughed.

"It can't be that bad."

"That phone call, was him being nice."

"He seems cold." Izzy said.

"Well, he's a very rich and powerful man. That goes to your head. Well now I have to buy an outfit for dinner."

"Will it be fancy?"

"His favorite restaurant in LA is Nubo. Ever heard of it?"

"That's that fancy Japanese restaurant right?"

"Yea, plus my father is all about appearance. You don't look expensive, he doesn't give you the time of day."

"Better break out my Armani suit than." Jace says.

"You have one?"

"Yup. I only wear it for special occasions."

"Alright. I guess I'll see you when I get back." I said as I hopped off the bar stool.

"Can I come with you?" I heard Izzy say from behind me.

"Sure." She squealed and got her shoes on and grabbed my hand and ran out the door.

We had been shopping for nearly 4 hours, as I still hadn't found a dress that was expensive enough for my fathers taste. Finally, we were in Dolce and Gabbana and I think I found the perfect dress. It was a deep green that really complimented my eyes and hair. It had a cap sleeve and it fitted my body perfectly. It came down to about mid thigh, and the back was cut out. When I looked in the mirror I just knew it was the dress. When I walked out Izzy was floored.

"That is totally the dress you need to buy."

"It's amazing right?"

"It looks like it was made for you to wear. And Jace will go crazy." I was about to say something but she cut me off. "And I know what you're going to say, but he likes you. He doesn't really help out people he doesn't care about." I nodded and looked at myself in the mirror secretly hoping she was right. "Alright, shoes!" She said.

After about an hour of trying shoes on I had decided on a pair of nude, pointed toe louboutin shoes, with a 5 inch heel. Even in these heels I'd still be significantly shorter than Jace. I finished my outfit out with a Kate Spade bag, and some gold jewelry, with a Michael Kors watch. Over all, this might be the most expensive outfit I've ever owned, but to please my father, you had to go all out. And hopefully this was enough to get him off my back.  
When we got back Izzy and I were laughing and having a great time and when we walked into the living room Alec and Jace stopped what they were doing.

"You ladies have fun?" Alec asked and it was the first time I heard him speak.

"Yea. Clary got a sexy outfit, and she looks absolutely fabulous in it!"

"Well, at least I can use my fathers money for something. Do you guys want dinner? I'll cook."

"You can cook?" Alec asks and I'm slightly confused.

"Yea. Can you?"

"Izzy tries, but after she gave Alec food poisoning, we've banned her from the kitchen, and Im not home often, and Alec never learned. We survive mostly on take out."

"Well, prepare to have your minds blown. I make a really mean homemade hamburger." I say as I walk upstairs to put my things away before heading to the kitchen to cook.

 **Jace POV:**

"I don't know we're the hell you found her Jace, but don't let her go. She's amazing." Izzy said and I couldn't help but agree.

"Trust me, I didn't plan on it after I saw her at my game."

"How did you two meet anyway?" Alec asks.

"I first saw her during warm ups. She sat down next to her date, and her hair immediately caught my eye. We were in the middle of a tv timeout when the kiss cam was going around, and her date kissed the girl next to him instead of her."

"What a dick."

"Yea. She ended up spilling her drink on both of them. It was pretty great. I wanted to get to know her, so I sent Bat out to track her down. He brought her to the locker room, and I asked if she'd like to have dinner, and now we're here."

"You really like her don't you?" Izzy asks and I couldn't help but smile.

"She's the first girl who I've been attracted too, that I haven't wanted to only see for one night. I want to get to know her."

"Plus she isn't after your money." Alec said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"That is very true. She isn't stuck up, and she isn't a bitch. She's sweet, and beautiful." Izzy sucked in a breath. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"I've never heard you call a girl beautiful. I've know you since you were 9, and in these 17 years I've known you, you've never used that word to describe anyone but yourself."

"I can't help it. She is beautiful. It's one of the only ways I can describe her."

"This is so exciting! I've always wanted a sister!"

"Whoa there Iz. We've been on one date. And we just met last night. Way too soon to be discussing marriage, but I like her. I want to see where it goes." Izzy still looks completely over the moon happy, and I couldn't blame her, Clary made me feel the same way too.

 **Time Jump- Dinner With Valentine**

 **Clary POV:**

I was getting ready for dinner with my dad and I was actually super nervous. But it had nothing to do with seeing my dad. I was nervous because I was going to be around Jace, and we were going to have to act like a couple. I mean I know Izzy told me the other day he liked me, but he made me nervous. He was handsome, and successful, and intelligent, and that's pretty intimidating.

Izzy had come in and curled my hair to absolute perfection and I kept my make up light. Some eye liner, some nude eye shadow and nude lipstick. I took one last look in the mirror and realized that I felt like I was staring at another person. I took a deep breath before I made my way downstairs. When I got to the bottom I saw Jace in his entirely black suit and if I wasn't holding onto the railing I might have collapsed.

"You look absolutely beautiful Clary." He said and I couldn't help but blush.

"You look pretty amazing yourself." I said as I made my way over to him. "You ready to get this over with?" I said and he smiled.

"Let's go. And we're going to take my car." He said and I followed him into his garage. When I got there I shouldn't have been surprised that he owned a Porsche, but I was. It was a beautiful matte black, and I couldn't wait to ride in it.

"Alright, so I know this is going to be weird, considering my father thinks we're dating, but I promise, I'll buy you dinner for doing this for me." I said and he just smiled.

"I don't mind pretending to be your boyfriend, and you still owe me a date anyway." He said and I smiled. He reached over and held my hand, I guess he could tell I was nervous. We pulled up to the restaurant and walked in.

"Welcome to Nubo, do you have a reservation?" The hostess asked as she eyes up Jace.

"Yes, it should be under Morgenstern."

"Right this way." She said as she led us over to the table. Jace grabbed my hand as we made our way to my dad, and when he looked up he looked pleased, which was new.

"Clarissa." He said as he kissed my cheek.

"Father."

"Who is this?" He asked and before I could speak Jace did.

"Jonathan sir. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I always liked that name. If I had a son that's what I would have named him." We took a seat and I eyes Jace up and he gave me that 'I'll explain later' look so I let it go. "So Jonathan, what is it that you do for work?"

"I'm in the NBA sir."

"Really?"

"Yes. I play for the Lakers."

"How long have you been doing that?"

"For about 7 years now."

"So that would make you?"

"28."

"And how did you two meet?"

"We met at one of his games dad." I said trying to give Jace a break from the 20 questions.

"You like basketball Clarissa?"

"I thought I'd give it a try. I've been in LA for almost 6 years, and I've never been to a game. Turns out I showed up to the right one." I said as I smiled at Jace. He put his arm behind me, resting on the back of my chair as he rubbed a finger up and down my spin which caused me to shiver.

Dinner had been fairly nice actually. My father seemed to like Jace, which was a huge relief. Even though we weren't actually dating, this was enough to get him off my back, and potentially start a relationship with Jace. We had said goodbye to by father and got into Jace's car.

"So Jonathan, did you have a good time?"

"Yea. You're dad wasn't too bad. I was expecting much worse."

"Tonight was a rare night for him. I think he liked you."

"That's what I was going for."

"So, your real name is Jonathan?"

"Yea. Jace is just a nickname. I figured your father would like my real name more than my nickname considering he calls you Clarissa."

"Yea. I hate it. So how did Jace come from Jonathan?"

"My middle name is Christopher. When the Lightwoods adopted me Maryse started calling me Jace because of my initials JC, and it just stuck."

"I like Jace much better."

"It definitely suits me better, but I thought I be more professional with him, and clearly he liked it."

"That he did. Plus it's kinda a hot name." I said and he smirked.

"You know what's hot?" He said and I shook my head. "You in that dress. Seriously Red, you look sexy as hell tonight." He said and I couldn't help but blush.

"Thank you." I said and he just smirked at me. The rest of the car ride home was spent laughing, and joking all while he was holding my hand. Everything felt natural.

When we got back to his place he walked me to my room and we both lingered for a little. He looked at me, and his eyes flickered down to my lips, and before I could stop myself I pushed myself even further up on my toes and brought his head down and captured his lips with mine and I thought that I might die if I never kissed him again. It last for a couple minutes before we broke apart. I couldn't keep my smile off of my lips, and he looked pretty happy as well.

"I really like do that." He said, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I like it too." He leaned down and kissed my lips again.

"I'll see you in the morning Clary."

"Goodnight Jace." He kissed me on last time before he retreated back to his room. When I walked into the guest room, I leaned against the door and just remembered that kiss and how addicting it is.

"How was it?" I heard in the darkness and I screamed. When I flicked the lights on and Izzy was sitting on my bed.

"What the hell! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I yelled and she laughed.

"I wanted to know how the dinner was!"

"It was actually pretty great. I think my dad really likes Jace."

"And what happened outside your door? I heard the heels, but they just stopped."

"Well, he walked me to the door, and I just couldn't take it anymore so I kissed him."

"Oh my god! Was it good?"

"Probably the best kiss I've ever had in my life."

"So are you going to stick around for the week?"

"I think so. I have nowhere to go, and he is offering."

"This is so exciting! We are going to have so much fun!" She squealed and I couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. "Do you need something to sleep in?" She asked.

"No. I have Jace's tee shirt from last night."

"That's cute. Alright, I'll leave you alone. I'll see you in the morning!"

"Goodnight Izzy." She gave me a hug before slipping out of the door.

When I walked downstairs the next morning, and only Alec and Izzy were there.

"Good morning." I said as I yawned.

"Morning Clare."

"Where's Jace?" I asked and Izzy just smiled at me.

"He told me to give this to you this morning." Alec said and handed me a note.

 _'Hey Red, I'm sorry I wasn't there this morning but I have a game tonight, and I was wondering if you'd like to see me play? There is an extra ticket, court side. If you decide to come, can't wait to see you. Jace'_

I couldn't help but smile. I had to go into work today, but I realized that I didn't have any of my work clothes so I ask Izzy to borrow some clothes. It took some time, but I finally found a acceptable length dress that was a deep purple, and I put my hair up into a sock bun, and I wore my new shoes that I wore last night.

I practically ran out of the house because I had to be at work soon and I had no idea how long it would take me to get there from here.  
Work was boring. I loved what I did. I was an art consultant, and I really enjoyed being able to look at amazing artwork all day, but today was a slow day. I was in my office doing some paperwork when I realized that I was almost 7, and Jace's game was starting soon. I shot out of my seat and ran to my car. It didn't take me long to get to the stadium and when I went to hand my ticket to the man, Bat was standing on the other side with a smile on his face.

"Clary, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show." He said and he gestured for me to follow him.

"I lost track of the time. I had a really boring day at work, and started doing all the paperwork I've been avoiding and when I checked the time, it was so late."

"What do you do for work?" He asked as he was leading me onto the court.

"I'm an art consultant."

"That sounds interesting."

"It can be. I love art, so being around such masterpieces all day makes me really happy." He said as he showed me to my seat.

"I hope you enjoy the game Clary."

"Thank you Bat." He smiled and made his way back over to the bench. The minute Bat was back, Jace looked over at me and smiled. I smiled back, and the game started.

It was the fourth quarter, and the kiss cam was going around again, and of course, it landed on me and the man next to me. He looked at me and started licking his lips. I immediately got uncomfortable. He started to lean in closer as I leaned away, and before I knew it, I was being pulled away. When I looked up I saw Jace, who looked very angry. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine and the whole stadium erupted, and I realized that we were now on the kiss cam. When he finally broke away from me, he smiled and went back to his bench. I sat back down and the man next to me looked completely embarrassed and I couldn't help but laugh.

When the game was over Bat came over to me and asked if I'd like to wait in the locker room for him. I nodded and we started walking. When we got close I could hear all the chatter, Bat opened the door but nobody noticed me behind him, and I decided to stay there and listen to what they were saying.

"Dude, who was that girl you kisses tonight?"

"No, the real question is, where the hell have you been hiding her?"

"Does she have a sister?" The one said and I couldn't help but laugh. When Bat stepped aside I was met with a bunch of eyes. Jace turned around and just smiled before making his way over to me. He gave me a quick kiss on the lips before pulling away.  
"Thank you for coming tonight." He said and I couldn't help but giggle.

"I wouldn't miss an opportunity to watch you play." I said and he just smiled his amazing smile. I was about to continue when one of his teammates came over to us.

"Why don't you introduce us Jace." Before Jace could answer I snakes my arm around his sweaty waist.

"I'm Clary. His girlfriend." I said and I felt Jace tense for a moment before he pulled me closer. "I'll be out by my car. Meet me there. We're going out." I said and I kissed him quick before walked out the door.

I figured it would take at least 20 minutes, and I was right. 20 minutes later Jace was walking out of the arena and over to my car. He opened the passenger side door and got in. He leaned over the consul and pressed his lips to mine. When he pulled away, he had a huge smile on his face.

"My girlfriend?" He said and I couldn't help but blush and be embarrassed. After a moment, he spoke again. "I like the sound of that." And I snapped my head back to him.

"You're not mad I totally sprung that on you?" I said and he looked amused.

"Absolutely not. You don't know how many congratulations I got after you left. I few went a little too far, but even though we just met a couple days ago, but I like you, a lot. I want to see where this goes." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"You do?"

"Of course. I'd be honored to have you as my girlfriend."

"And I'd be honored to be your girlfriend." I said and pressed my lips back to his. After a quick little make out session we finally brisk apart and I started the car and went off to our destination. I couldn't help but smile with happiness. It was sudden, but it felt so right.

 **Time Jump - Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

These last two years with Jace have been absolutely amazing. I had moved into his place, and we might have been the most domestic couple you've ever seen. We ate dinner every night we could together, if he didn't have games on Friday, we had date night, and when he was gone for a couple days playing out of state, we talked every night.

He was currently in New York for a four game series, and I was surprising him at the game with his whole family to make an announcement. I had found out that I was pregnant, and I was going to surprise him at the game. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. After we got married, my dad was putting a lot of pressure on us to get married. Jace and I wanted to spend time together as a married couple first, and after a year and a half we both looked at each other and knew it was time.

I had invited his whole family, and my parents to the game, and at half time I was going to reveal to him, and all the people in the stadium that we were having a baby.

When everyone showed up, we went into the stadium, and found our seats. I didn't want to be too far away, but I also didn't want to be too close because I didn't want him to recognize us. When the first half was almost over I got up and made my way into the hallway, I had contacted Bat and let him know what was happening. He met me, and led me down to the court. And I froze when I finally heard the announcer speak.

"We have a very special announcement being made at today's halftime show, if both teams would stay on the court and listen, we would all greatly appreciate it." He said and everyone got quiet. "I don't know how many of you all knew this, but Jace Herondale was once a member of the New York Nets basketball team." He said and the stadium erupted. I guess they did remember. "Jace, if you would direct your attention to the jumbo tron." He said and I finally heard my message.

"On this day, two years ago, Jace proposed to me. I remember the day he asked me. He got me center court at dropped to one knee and asked me to spend forever with him, and it was the easiest yes I've ever had to say. Two years later, on a different court, there is a whole new question I would like to ask him." At that moment I made my way out onto the court, and he didn't notice because he was so focused on the video. I looked up and saw the picture of the sonogram. "Jace Herondale, are you ready to be a father?" The whole stadium erupted in cheers. Jace's jaw dropped and his teammates were clapping, and so was the other team, he still had close friends on that team, and the one even came out and congratulated him. Jace finally looked back and saw me standing there. He ran over to me and smashed his lips to mine, and picked up. When he finally put me down and pulled away he smiled.

"Are you serious?"

"So serious."

"How far along are you?"

"Almost two months. I've been planning this since I found out."

"What do you mean?" I looked to the left and our whole family was standing and waving. "You got them all here?"

"Yea. It was tricky, but everyone did their best to make it. I wanted them to witness this."

"I can't believe we're having a baby."

"I know." I said and he kissed me again. I looked back and both teams were making their way into the locker room. "Go to your team, we're going out after to celebrate."

"I love you Clarissa Herondale."

"As I love you Jonathan Herondale." He kissed me quick and than ran and joined his team. Bat had exported me back to my seat where I was greeted by hugs from his parents. This was as much news to them as it was to him.

"That was like the cutest way to announce it."

"I know. He was so surprised! I loved it!" I said and the rest of the game went by quickly. We were waiting outside the locker room when Jace rushed out. He stopped as soon as he saw us all standing there. He ran right up to me and picked me up again.

"I can't believe we're having a baby, and I can't believe you got our family here."

"I wanted them to witness your reaction in person, plus I didn't tell your parents, or mine. So it was a shock for them as well." I said and he put me back down. "Alright everyone, we're going out to celebrate." I said and everyone was so happy.

When we got to the restaurant everything was going really well. We were all laughing and joking around, and just enjoying spending time as a family, because it rarely happens. I thought, just for once, we could get through a family functions without disagreeing, but it wouldn't be a family function without Valentine ruining the mood.

"Jonathan, Clarissa." He said and Jace and I both looked at him. "Since you are now expecting, I would like to talk about him taking over my company one day." He said and I just sighed.

"We could be having a girl Valentine." I said and he scowled.

"Nonsense." Was all he said before continuing. "I will be putting him in the will, in case something happens to me before he is of age to take over the company. After all, a Morgenstern is the air to my fortune." I couldn't take it anymore, so I stood up and slammed my hand on the table.

"Enough. Why can't we make it through one family event without you bringing up your business? Why must you always bring work into the conversation? We are celebrating the life that Jace and I are bringing into this world, and you can't stop thinking about yourself. It's amazing how little you actually care about your only child." I said and everyone was staring at me with wide eyes. "And for the record, this is baby is a Herondale. This baby can do whatever he or she wants to do in life because it'll be his or her life. You can't dictate what his or her future will be like just to try and benefit yourself." I straightened up and looked at my mother than back at my father. "You weren't a father 27 years ago to me, you can't try and make that up by trying to be a better man and grandfather to my baby." I looked at Jace and he stood up and pulled me into his side. "This is our baby, and when it comes to making decisions about his or her life, its completely up to Jace and I, not you." I look at everyone at the table, and they still look stunned, and my father looks pissed. "I'm so sorry that the night ended on this note, but I'm exhausted, and I'd really like to head back to the hotel and sleep."

"Of course baby." My mom said as she got up and hugged me. She whispered an 'I'm sorry' into my ear and I just nodded. I hugged everyone goodbye except my father and Jace and I made our way out to the rental car. When we got inside I finally let the tears fall.

"I'm so sorry babe." Jace said and I just shook my head.

"Why does he care so much about our baby, when he didn't give a shit about me? Why was I never good enough, but somehow he thinks our baby is worthy of his time, and his minimal affection?" I said as I sobbed into Jace's shoulder.

"I don't know Red, but this baby," he said as his hand rested on my stomach "this baby will never have to know what it feels like to be abandoned, or what it feels like to lose a parent. We will love our baby more than anything in the world, and we will give him or her whatever they want because this baby, god this baby Clary is ours, and I will be damned if I let someone like your father think he has any say in his or her life." I look up at Jace and he wipes my tears away.

"I love you so much Jace."

"I love you more Clary, and I love our baby." He said and I couldn't help but smile and give him a kiss. He was right, this was a great day. He finally knew about the baby, and we were going to give our all to him or her because we knew how it felt to not be wanted or to lose the one person who loves you more than anything. Jace and I were going to be great parents, I just knew it.

 **Time Jump- Gender Reveal**

 **Clary POV:**

I had found out last week what I was having and I was determined to keep it from Jace so I could surprise him again. He was out of town playing in Miami, so it was the perfect time to set everything up. Tonight he had a game at home and I was planning on completely decorating the locker room while he was playing the first half, and when he walked in during half time he would be surprised. I had talked to Bat, who had talked to the coach and he was all for the idea.

I had enlisted Izzy's help, and all day I was nervous. I made it through work, but now that I was on my way to the stadium I couldn't help but start to get antsy. Izzy and I walked to the locker room, and when I walked in I didn't know where to start. I got the bags and gave them to Izzy, and when she pulled out the first decoration she screamed. She was super excited and even more excited to decorate. It took us a while to get everything perfect, but we heard the buzzer go off, and I just waited for Jace to enter the locker room. I saw the door open and when I saw Jace his jaw hit the floor. He was looking around the room at all the decorations and when his eyes finally landed on mine a smile broke out onto his face. It took him all of two seconds to run over to me and pick me up.

"I can't believe we're having a girl." He said into my ear and I couldn't help but agree.

"I know. When I found out I cried." I told him and he laughed.

"When did you find out?"

"When you were in Miami. I wanted to surprise you again, so I talked to Bat, who talked to you coach and now here we are." I said as I pointed to all the pink decorations.

"I can't believe it. My own little girl." He said as his hands rested on my baby bump. The whole team congratulated us, and I couldn't help but smile at how everything was turning out. This was going to be a really amazing life.

 **Time Jump- Fix Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

A lot has changed in the last five years. Jace had been traded to the Nets, and we moved to New York about a year ago. It was a big change. I hadn't lived in New York for a very long time, and being back in the city was definitely different. Alyssa was almost five and I was currently five months pregnant. It had been a world wind but I wouldn't have wanted to take the journey with anyone other than Jace.

When Jace and I had to move he gave his house in LA to Izzy and Alec and told them to fight it our on their own, but it turns out their was no need to fight for the house. Alec had told us that he was moving to Europe with his boyfriend Magnus, and that the house was all Izzy's. She was obviously thrilled, and about two years ago her boyfriend Simon moved in with her. She was loving life and I couldn't be happier for them.

Jace had a game tonight, and I haven't been to as much as I used to be at because Alyssa gets really cranky when she's tired, and being five months pregnant, I couldn't stay up that late anyway, but Alyssa had begged me all day to go to his game, and of course I gave in. We showed up at the arena, and made our way to our court side seats, but Alyssa spotted Jace and instantly got excited.

"Daddy!" She shouted which caused both teams to look over at where the sound was coming from. He looked over and smiled before he came over.

"I can only stay for a moment. What are you doing here?" He asked as he picked up Alyssa.

"I wanted to watch you play daddy!" She said and I gave her a big kiss, and looked at me.

"She begged me all day, and I realized it had been a while since we last came to a game, so why not."

"Are you sure you're okay though? You aren't too tired?" He asked as he rested his free hand on my stomach.

"I'll be fine. Alyssa and I actually took a nap together today, isn't that right baby?" I asked and she beamed at Jace.

"Yea! Mommy and I were both really tired so we cuddled up in your bed and slept!"

"That's great baby." He said to her and I couldn't' help but smile. "Alright, I have to go. I'll see you three after the game." He said and he gave Alyssa another kiss before putting her down. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine and the whole stadium erupted and Jace and I broke apart and looked at each other confused. We looked around and we took one look at the jumbo tron and realized that we were on the kiss cam. I blushed and leaned into Jace as Alyssa hugged Jace's leg. He laughed and I couldn't help but laugh either.

"I love you Jace."

"I love you too Clary."

"I love you daddy!" Alyssa said, and he looked down at his little girl.

"I love you too sweetheart." He gave us both one more kiss and went back to warm ups. I couldn't help but laugh at what just happened. I guess it's true what they say, life does come full circle after all.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I have been working on this one shot for a couple days, and I have to say I am very pleased with it! This idea was requested by marmaids, and I really hope that I took it to a place where you are pleased as well! This is the longest one shot I have ever written, but I just couldn't seem to stop writing it. Also a quick disclaimer, I don't own the restaurant or the clothing stores! Just put them in there to make it more realistic! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Don't forget that if you have a story idea send me a message or leave a review! :)**


	14. Chapter 13 - Disneyland

**Thirteenth One Shot**

 **Disneyland**

 **Jace POV:**  
I guess you could say that I have a pretty great job. I work at Disneyland and I absolutely love watching the kids light up when they meet their favorite character. I guess I have a soft spot though because my daughter would be the exact same. She's 4 and her favorite thing to do is dress up like every single Disney princess and pretend. It's the most adorable thing in the world.  
I float between different princesses/characters. Today it was between Belle, Jasmine, and Ariel. Personally Ariel is my favorite, not just because she is my daughters favorite but because she is also my wife. We meet here about 7 years ago, she was 19 and auditioned for the role of Ariel. I remember it like it was yesterday.

 **FLASHBACK:**  
I was sitting the waiting room to be assigned the princess I was looking after for the day when she walked in. She was absolutely breath taking. I'd never seen someone with such vibrant red hair and mesmerizing green eyes. She sat down across the room from me and I couldn't take my eyes off her.

"Jace!" My boss called and I stood up. "You will be assigned to be with our new Ariel. Show her the ropes, and make her feel like a part of the family." I nod and he looks directly at the redhead. "Clary, here's your security. Don't worry, he's one of our best." The redhead got up and walked over to me. My boss went back inside and we were left alone

"Hi, I'm Jace. Welcome to Disneyland."

"Thanks. I'm super excited to be here. I've wanted to be Ariel since I was a kid." She said and we made our way into the back where she would get ready. "What's it like to work here?"

"It's honestly the greatest job I've ever had. I started working here when I was in high school and I liked it so much I've never left."

"So you're a pro?" She smiled.

"Something like that. Being here for almost 8 years gives me an advantage."

"That's awesome. Do you normally work with the princesses?"

"Depends. I am rotating between three right now. But I work with any character really. They normally stick me with the newcomers. They trust me enough to help them adjust."

"Who are you rotating with now?"

"You, Cinderella, and Mulan."

"That sounds fun!"

"It would be a lot better if those two princesses weren't fighting over me." She laughed.

"How long has that been going on?"

"Well, Cinderella is played by this girl Kealie. She started about three years ago, and it started not long after that. And Mulan is played by Aline, and she has been here for five years, and it started after Kealie got here. Apparently she always thought we were in a relationship and she didn't appreciate the competition."

"You poor unfortunate soul." She said and I just laughed.

"You're really getting into character." She nodded and smiled.

"I used to come here every summer with my parents and I think most of the time was spent meeting Ariel. When I was 12 I told my parents that's what I wanted to be when I grew up, and they told me it wasn't a reasonable job. When I graduated college I realized that I really wanted to do it, so I went against my parents wishes and auditioned. When I got the call I was thrilled."

"You look young to already have been graduated from college."

"I graduated early. I graduated high school at 16, and only went to college for three years. I'll be 20 in a couple months."

"That's impressive. Here's your room. I'll be out in the room for when you're ready. I'll show you to the tunnel that takes you to the grotto, and than in about three hours your meet and greets start." She smiled and I made my way outside.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I knocked on the door and Clary answered it looking confused.

"What's wrong?"

"How am I supposed to walk in my tail?" She held up her tail and I just laughed.

"When you get to the grotto, before we open it up, we put the tail on and sit you down on the rock. I should have mentioned that. I'm sorry."

"It's totally okay. I was just really confused."

"Alright, let's go. That tail takes some practice getting into." I said and she followed me. We walked for about 10 minutes trough the tunnel before we got up to her grotto. When we walked in she was awe struck.

"I can't believe I'm finally here. I've waited so long for this moment."

"I'm glad all your dreams came true. Alright, let's get you positioned on the rock." She hopped up on the rock and I grabbed her tail. I started to put the tail on and when I finally got it up to her thighs she grabbed the tail and our hands touched and I swear I felt a bolt of electricity circulate in my veins and by the look on her face she felt it too. I finally got the tail on and by that time it was almost 2:45, and that's when her meet and greet started.

I stool over to the side and when I peaked out and saw the line, and looked back and saw Clary ready, I opened the curtain and all the little girls smiled and cheered with excitement. Clary was a natural. She was so patient with the kids, and she was so happy to be there just like them that it probably made their experience even better.

After the hour was up, I closed the curtain and when I turned around she had a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"So, how was your first meet and greet?"

"More amazing than I thought it would be!"

"I'm glad. We have another one in about two hours. You can go back and chill in the waiting room. I have to get ready for Cinderella. At 5:30, you will have to get ready for the dinner with the princesses so you'll be in Ariel's human form. I'll see you in a couple hours." I said and she nodded. I was dreading to go to Cinderella, but I didn't realize how great it was to watch over a princess that I actually found attractive.

 **Clary POV:**

When I got back to the waiting room I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn't help but smile. I was going to love this job, and I was going to love Jace being my security. He is super sweet, and so handsome. I tried not to get caught staring but when nobody was really around I caught myself looking at him. It was hard to look away.

When I had to be back at the grotto I walked through the entrance Jace was already waiting there.

"Ready to get back in that tail?" He said and I just nodded. I took my seat on the rock and he helped me into my tail. When he fingers grazed my skin I couldn't help but shiver. His touch made my insides flip and made me feel different than ever before. We finally got my tail on, he peaked around the curtain and looked back at me and I nodded. When he opened it and the little girls started to cheer I couldn't help but smile. It was amazing and I was so happy to be making their dreams come true.

Once it was done I got out of my tail and Jace and I walked back to the waiting room.

"So, I'll let you start getting ready. The princesses don't go it on the dinning floor until about 6:30 so that gives you an hour to get ready."

"Will you be at the dinner?" I said and I couldn't help but hope he said yes.

"Unfortunately my job ends with the meet and greets. There is security in the dining hall that'll be watching over you."

"Oh." I said sounding just as disappointing as I felt. "Do you happen to know which other princesses I'll be with?"

"I think Aurora, Belle, Jasmine and Snow White."

"Okay. Will I see you tomorrow?" I ask.

"Yes. I'll be with you for the first week, and than security starts getting mixed up. So I'll be sporadic, but you'll see me around." He said and he smiled his beautiful smile.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow than Jace. Thank you for making my first day a great one."

"Of course. Have a good time at the dinner, and a great rest of the night." He said and walked out of the room. I was going to miss having him after this week was over.

 **FLASHBACK OVER**

 **Jace POV:**

Thinking back to that day, I honestly couldn't have predicted our life the way it is now. I look back and see her taking a picture with a little girl and just seeing her eyes light up when Clary would talk about Flounder or Skuttles. It was priceless. I'll always remember our first date, even when she wasn't dressed up like Ariel, little girls still came up and asked if she was.

 **FLASHBACK:**

 **Jace POV:**

It had been a year since Clary started working at Disneyland and we were going on our first date tonight and I was so nervous. I thought asking was going to be nerve racking but apparently getting ready was even worse. We were going to my favorite little diner and even though I'd been her security all year being with her outside of Disneyland was scary.

I pulled up to her apartment and knocked on the door. She answers and she was wearing jean shorts, white converse, and a I heart NY shirt. She looked absolutely beautiful.

"You ready?"

"Absolutely." She said and she locked her door and we got in my car. "Where are we going?"

"My favorite diner in the whole state. The best part, it's opened 24/7."

"That's my kind of diner." She said and I jus smiled. When we showed up we took a seat in a booth, and targeted talking.

"So, where did you grow up?"

"New York. What about you?"

"Right here in Anaheim. Which part of New York did you live in?"

"Brooklyn."

"When did you move out here?"

"When I wanted to audition for Ariel. If I got the job, I would have to be here anyway, and if I didn't, I would always be able to find work here."

"What would you have done if you didn't get the job?"

"Something that involved art."

"So you're an artist?"

"Yea. I love to draw and paint."

"I'd love to see your work some day."

"Really?"

"Yea. I love all form of art."

"What's your favorite?"

"Music. I've been playing the piano since I was three."

"I love the sound of a piano. I wish I could play."

"I'll play for you sometime."

"I'd really love that."

The rest of dinner went by perfectly. We laughed, and joked, and it felt like we've known each other forever. When I got her back to her apartment we both lingered at her door for a moment.

"I had a great time tonight Clary."

"So did I."

"I'd love to do this again."

"Me too." She said and I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. I could feel her smile against my lips as she kissed me back. When we broke apart I couldn't get the smile off my face.

"Goodnight Clary. I'll see you tomorrow at work."

"Goodnight Jace." She said as she opened her door. When I got into my car I couldn't help but think about what our next date was going to me. I was excited about seeing where this would go.

 **FLASHBACK OVER**

 **Jace POV:**

The meet and greet was finally over and I took off Clary's tail and we made our way into the tunnel. I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her into my side.

The one downside was that we couldn't show our affection at work. Ariel is a character, and I'm not married to Ariel. I'm married to Clary, and it sucks that I can't kiss my wife out in the open. I remember the day we got married.

 **FLASHBACK:**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I had been dating for a year and a half now and six months ago I proposed and today was the day we were getting married.  
All the nerves that are floating around in my body instantly left when those doors opened and Clary walked out. She was absolutely breath taking, but I knew she would be. She always is to me. When she finally got to the alter I grabbed her hands and I couldn't help but smile.

"You ready?" I asked and she smiled.

"More than ready." She said and squeezed me hands. We both faced the priest and he started flaking.

"And now, the vows." He said and I looked at Clary.

"The first time I ever saw you Clary, I honestly had never seen anyone as beautiful as you. When our boss told us that I was your new security I was so happy. I finally got the courage to ask you out a year after we met and ever since that first date, I've been hooked. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else in the world. You mean everything to me, and I can't wait to see where our future takes us." She had tears streaming down her face and I wiped ten away as she composed herself enough to speak.

"When I walked into that waiting room that day, and found out you were the one who was welcoming me I was nervous. It was my first day and they put me with the most gorgeous person I've ever seen. After that first day, I was just waiting for you to ask me out. A whole year later you finally did and it was one of the best days of my life. You have been there for me through thick and thin and I love you more than absolutely anything. I couldn't picture my life without you and I can't wait to experience the rest of my life with you."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The priest said and I pulled Clary over to me and planted my lips on hers. When we pulled apart I couldn't help but smile at my wife.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce Mr. And Mrs. Jace Herondale!" He said and I couldn't help but smile and smile and love the sound of that.

 **FLASHBACK OVER**

 **Jace POV:**

I was pulled out of my memory when I heard Clary talk.

"When is my next meet and greet?" She asked as she leaned her head into my chest.

"3:30. But after that you're done. You aren't attending the princess dinner tonight."

"Good. I wanna go home and cuddle with Rose." She said and I couldn't help but smile. Rose was our four year old daughter and the spitting image of Clary. She was my little princess, and the day she told me she was pregnant, man that was the happiest day of my life.

 **FLASHBACK:**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I had been married for a year now and it was the most amazing year. We had bought our first house and Clary was still in the middle of decorating it. Whenever she wasn't working she was painting the house, or rearranging the living room. She just never stopped because everything wasn't exactly how she wanted it, yet I was the one with OCD.

Clary had been sick for the past week, so they got our back up Ariel to do the meet and greets. I was beginning to worry about her. She had never been this sick before, and she kept telling me she was fine but I couldn't help but worry. When I got home one day I could hear furniture moving upstairs. When I walked up there, she was in one of our guest bedroom, which confused me. When I opened the door I was shocked to see her moving around a crib.

"Clary." I said and she looked up at me, and smiled.

"Surprise?" She said as a question and I couldn't believe it.

"Are you serious?" I said and she nodded. "When did you find out?"

"Two weeks ago. I wanted to get the nursery ready before I told you but clearly that can't happen now."

"We're going to have a baby." I said and she nodded. "How far along are you?"

"The doctor said almost two months." I picked her up and swung her around and she began laughing.

"I can't believe we're going to be parents."

"I know. I'm so excited!" She said and I couldn't help but pull her into a hug and hold her there for a couple minutes. A family is everything I've ever wanted with Clary and I was going to get that, and I couldn't be happier.

 **FLASHBACK OVER:**

 **Jace POV:**

When we got back to our house, as soon as we opened the door Rose was running right into Clary. She picked her up and continued into the house. Izzy was sitting on the couch with her newborn, Bradley, and when she hears us she turned around and smiled.

"Hey guys. How was work?"

"It was alright. How was Rose?"

"A little princess. Like always. I was wondering, could you guys watch Bradley on Saturday night? Simon and I want to go out."

"Of course Iz. Jace is going to need practice handling two kids." Clary said and my head snapped towards her.

"You're pregnant?!" I nearly yelled.

"Surprise!" She said again and I couldn't help but laugh. I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her and Rose.

"I'm getting a sister?!" Rose said and we both laughed.

"Or a brother. We'll see when he or she is born." Clary said as she tickled Rose's belly, and she giggled.

"I think I want a sister."

"Why is that?"

"Because than we can both dress up like princesses! But I hope she doesn't have red hair like you and me mommy."

"Why not baby?"

"Because there is only enough room in this world for two Ariel's and that's you and me." She said and I couldn't help but laugh at her logic. "She can have blonde hair like daddy, and she can be Cinderella or Rora."

"Well, if we do have another little girl I want her to look like daddy too." Clary said and Rose giggled.

"Alright my two favorite princesses, lets go out to eat. We have something to celebrate." I said and Clary put Rose down and she started jumping up and down.

"Can I wear my new dress daddy?" She asked and I was a little confused.

"When did you get a new dress?"

"Aunt Izzy bought it for me. It's really pretty!" She said and she smiled at me, and I just couldn't say no.

"Of course baby. Go put it on, and we'll leave when you're ready." I bent down and gave her a kiss before she ran off to her room. Izzy had said her goodbyes and I went and joined Clary on the couch. "Can you believe this is our life?" I said and she laughed.

"No. It all seems so perfect." She said as she leaved further into my side. "But I wouldn't want to have this life with anyone else. I love you so much Jace."

"I love you too Clary." I leaned down and kissed her temple and Rose came running over to us and hopped onto my lap. "Hey baby." I said as she cuddled into my chest, and no matter how many times she did it, it made me so happy to hold my baby and my wife. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I didn't have Rose or Clary in my life, and I have Disneyland to thank for my amazing family. I don't think I could have asked for life.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by staticisintheair, and I really hope you enjoy where I took it! I'm so sorry it took me so long to write this one, but I had an amazing idea today and run ran with it! This is the first story I've written entirely in Jace's POV with only a portion in Clary's. I know it kinda doesn't really belong, since Jace is suppose to be remembering but I thought it was appropriate to show at least a little insight into how Clary felt! Also a disclaimer, I own nothing but the writing! All the princesses belong to disney! I hope you all enjoy it, and let me know what you think! If you want me to write a story just message me or leave a review! :)**


	15. Chapter 14 - Robbery

**Fourteenth One Shot**

 **Robbery**

 **Jace POV:**  
When I walk into the bank there is a long line. I sigh and make my way over and stand behind a tiny redhead. The line slowly inched closer and closer to the teller and before I know it the redhead is speaking.

"Name please?" The teller says.

"Clarissa Morgenstern." She replies and the teller starts typing. The next thing I hear is a bunch of men yelling at us to get down. Clarissa and I lean down and put our backs against the desk and the men start to circulate the bank.

They stop in front of us, but they are looking directly at her. He smiles and leans down and starts to rub the barrel of the gun around her face and she shutters.  
"What's your name baby?" He asks and she freezes. He slams the barrel of the gun against her temple. "I asked for you name bitch."

"Please." I start. "Please don't hurt her."

"Is this your boyfriend sweetheart?"

"Husband." I say and she looks at me, but plays along.

"So husband, what's your name?"

"Jonathan." I say, not trusting to give my nickname.

"Jonathan, what is your pretty little wife's name?"

"Clarissa." I say and I see her eyes widen for a moment before they go back to normal.

"I don't see any rings on your fingers." He says as he grabs her hand.

"We just got married. They needed to be resized, and we haven't picked them up from the jeweler." She says and I'm glad because I know nothing about rings.

"Give me your purse." He says and she hands it over. He starts searching through her bag until he finds her wallet. He grabs it, and looks inside and smiles. "I'll be taking this." He says before looking back for his boys. "You guys ready?" They nod. "It was nice meeting you sweetheart." He said as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. I couldn't help but feel angered by this action. Once they all left I looked towards her.

"Let me see your head." I said as she turned her body towards me and I checked out her temple. "It doesn't look too bad. Does your head hurt?"

"A little. Thank you for doing that."

"Of course." Just as I said that the police showed up. They looked around as saw her bleeding and came over to us.

"Ma'am are you okay?" The one officer said.

"Yea. Just the barrel of a gun to my temple." She smiled.

"There is an EMT outside, I'd like him to have a look at it." She nodded and the officer walked away to asses the rest of the scene. I helped her up and led her out to the ambulance. The good news was she didn't need stitches, just a cut on the side of her head. She thanked the EMT and she got up.

"Is there somewhere I can drop you off at?" I asked her.

"Sure. My apartment is just a couple blocks that way." She says as she points to the left.

"I don't think that's a good idea. They took your wallet. They have your address."

"Shit."

"Do you have any family here?"

"No. I live here alone." She says and I think about what I can't do. Than an idea hit me.

"Why don't you come back to my place? We'll tell the police that you're scared to go back to your place and maybe they can monitor it for a couple days, and see if they try and do anything."

"But we don't know each other."

"Well, how about I cook you some dinner, and we can change that." I say and she smiles at me.

"That sound pretty perfect." She says and she smiles at me, and it's absolutely beautiful. I lead her to my car and make my way to my place. When we pull up she looks a little confused. We get into the building and get into the elevator and hit PH. "You live in the penthouse?" She asks and I just nod. We finally get to the floor and I open the door and she looks around in awe.

"Is there any food you won't eat?"

"Eggs. Other than that, I'll eat pretty much anything."

"How does pasta sound?"

"Perfect." She smiles and I lead her to the living room.

"Get comfy, I'll start dinner." She nods and I make my way into the kitchen. 30 minutes later dinner is ready and we're sitting at the table eating. "So, all I know is your name is Clarissa."

"Clary." She interrupts. "The only person who ever called me Clarissa was my father when he beat me." She says and I'm taken aback, and her eyes widen as she realizes what she just said. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

"It's okay. We all have scars." I say as I lift up my sleeve and show her my scars.

"Self inflicted? Or not?"

"Definitely not."

"I'm so sorry Jonathan." She says.

"Jace. My mother was the only one who ever called me Jonathan." I told her and she nodded. "So Clary, what do you do for a living?"

"I'm an artist. A struggling one, but an artist nonetheless. What about you?"

"I'm an accountant for the Lightwood Law Firm."

"That sounds kinda boring." She says as she laughs.

"I like math. I've always been a numbers guy, and being an accountant fit with that."

"At least you love your job."

"Very true. My parents wanted me to be a doctor, but I can't stand the sight of blood." I confessed and she laughed. She was really cute when she laughed.  
"Me either. I can't even watch Grey's Anatomy without feeling sick to my stomach."

"When my parents found out they were pissed, but as you see, I'm doing okay for myself."

"Okay? This place could hold like 5 of my apartments inside."

"I don't live here alone. The firm I work for, I'm best friends with the families son and daughter, and I'm the legal guardian of my sister. They share this place with me."

"How old is she?"

"She's one. I didn't want her growing up in that house. I went to court and fought for custody when she was only 3 months old, and won."

"That was really sweet of you."

"She doesn't need to be exposed to that, and I'll be damned if anyone ever laid a hand on her." She nodded. "What about you?"

"A brother. He's a lot older than me. He's like a mini Valentine, my father. He's just as cold and unforgiving."

"What about your mother?"

"Died when I was 5."

"That's horrible."

"It was bad. My father didn't start getting violent until I was about 11. But he was never nice. I was him and my brothers little slave. They made me do everything for them. It was awful."

"That sounds terrible." She starts playing with her food. I was about to say something when the door opened.

"Jace!" I heard Izzy call. "We're back and Renee is hungry!" She walks into the kitchen and stops dead in her tracks. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had company." She puts Renee on the ground and she runs over to me and I pick her up.

"Izzy, this is Clary, Clary this is Izzy."

"It's nice to meet you." Clary said and Izzy smiled. I looked back at Renee and she was nothing but smiles. She looked around and her eyes landed on Clary and she wiggled out of my arms and made her way over to Clary. She looked up at her for a couple seconds before she reached her arms up. Clary laughed and picked her up and she made herself at home on her lap.

"I've never seen her warm up to somebody so fast." Izzy says. "What brings you here Clary?"

"Uh.." She starts and looks at me.

"Clary, could you do me a favor and go change Renee into some comfier clothes, I need to talk to Izzy. Her room is the fourth door on the left." She nods and stands up with Renee. When she's walking away, Renee lifts her head up and waves at me, and I wave back. Once she's gone I look at Izzy. "So I was at the bank today, and it was robbed. The one man was asking Clary her name and touching her face with the gun and I may have told him that we were married. He took her wallet which had her license, which had her address, and she didn't want to risk them trying to come back, so I offered her a place to stay."

"Wow. That's so scary Jace. Are you okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine. Clary on the other hand got the barrel of the gun smacked against her temple."

"Oh my god." Izzy said and I was about to say something when I heard Renee giggle. I looked over and Clary was carrying her back to the living room. I looked back at Izzy and just smiled, reassuring her that I was okay.

"Hey Clary, I was wondering, do you have to go into an office for your job?"

"No. Unfortunately there isn't a building for struggling artists to congregate and cry over their failures yet. Hopefully sometime in the near future there will be though." She says and Izzy bursts out laughing. Clary and I both look at her and she's clutching her stomach laughing. Finally she calms down and looks at us.

"That was hilarious." She says as she is still calming herself down.

"Would you mind watching Renee while you're here? I wouldn't normally ask but I've notice her coughing lately and I'd rather her stay here than take her to the daycare while I work."

"Of course." She smiles and Renee jumps back into her lap.

"Alright, it's dinner time for you Renee and than its bath time!" I say and she starts jumping around. I pick her up and give her some pasta and she eats all of it before I lead her to the bathroom. In the middle of her bath I notice that I forgot a towel. I look around and see that we're all out of towel.  
"Clary!" I call and a moment later she's in the bathroom. "I forgot a towel, would you mind getting me one from the laundry room?" She nods and heads across the hall to grab one and she's back a minute later. She hands me the towel and starts to leave when Renee grabs her hand wanting her to stay. Clary just smiles and nods sitting down beside me while I finish washing Renee.

Once bath time is over I grab Renee and start to put her in her favorite footie pajamas. She's running around the penthouse laughing and I couldn't help but smile knowing that I had saved her from a life of misery. She ran right into Clary's arms and hugged her super tight. It was honestly the most adorable thing I've ever seen. Renee was picky when it came to people, so the fact that she bonded so quickly with Clary told me that Clary was a good person.  
Clary sat down on the couch with Renee on her lap, I turned on the tv and watched her daily goodnight program, and halfway through I noticed that both Clary and Renee were both fast asleep. They looked so peaceful. Renee has her head resting on Clary's chest while Clary had her arms secured around her back and under her butt so that she didn't move an inch.

I tried to pick up Renee without disturbing Clary but that little girl didn't want to let her go. After a good 10 minute battle with the one year old, I finally got her to release Clary and take her to bed. After tucking her in I went back out into the living room and Clary was still sleeping. I scooped her up bridal style and led her to one of the guest rooms. I had asked Izzy for some PJ's earlier and they were laid out on the dresser. I figured I wouldn't wake her up if she was comfy but as soon as I put her down she started to stir awake.

"Jace?" She questioned and I just put a stray hair behind her ear.

"Yea. I'm right here."

"What time is it?" She asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"Almost 10. I had Izzy leave you some PJ's, they're on top of the dresser when you want to change."

"Thank you. I was wondering, after you get home from work can we go back to my place so I can grab some things? I really don't feel safe going there alone."

"Of course. I'll have Izzy take over Renee duties when she gets home."

"Thank you. For everything Jace." She leaned up and kissed my cheek before grabbing the clothes and disappearing into the bathroom. I say there for a moment trying to figure out the feeling k got when she kissed my cheek. After a minute or two I made my way back to my room with my mind flooded of images of Clary, and everything that happened today.

 **Clary POV:**

Today I was watching Renee and I had to say, she was an easy baby to watch. After breakfast we played with her toys for a little before she looked like she was getting pale so I put her back into her PJ's and we cuddled on the couch and watched movies, I looked down and saw Renee sleeping, and I tried to stay awake, but I felt my eyelids drooping and before I knew it I was in the endless dreamland that was filled with images of Jace and everything he's done for me.

 **Jace POV:**

When work was finally done I was on my way home. I was excited to go back and see Clary, and I never thought that was possible. Renee was the only girl I ever needed in my life, but when I started to get to know Clary, she started meaning a lot more to me than I initially thought.

I opened the door and heard the faint sound of the TV on. When I got into the living room I saw the cutest thing in the world. Renee and Clary were cuddled on the couch sleeping with the TV on in the background. I walked over and placed a kiss on Renee's forehead and realized that it was slightly hot. I placed a kiss on Clary's forehead before getting the thermometer and started to wake them up.

Clary stirred awake and looked up at a me and smiled.

"Hey."

"Hey. She feels a little warm. I'm gonna take her temperature and put her in her room." I say and she nods. After finally getting the thermometer into her mouth, it beeped and when I looked at it, it read 100. "Okay, she's sick. I'm gonna take her to her room and hopefully she can sleep until dinner." I pick Renee up and place her in her crib. I turn the baby monitor on and head back into the living room. When I got back out Izzy was there.

"Hey Jace, Clary says that I'm on Renee duty?"

"Yea. Clary wants to grab things from her place but doesn't feel safe enough so I'm going to go with her, and Renee has a fever, so if in about two hours if we aren't back, could you take it again. I gave her medicine but I want to monitor the temp."

"Of course." She says and grabs the baby monitor before disappearing into her own room. I look at Clary and smiled.

"You ready?" I ask and she nods.

When we get to her place, I'm a little upset that Clary had to live in this place. I felt for her safety, and I couldn't help but wish she didn't have to live here. When we got up to her floor she walked down to her door and realized it was broken. When she opened it, her whole place was trashed. I looked around and saw beautiful painting with holes in them, and ripped apart. I looked at Clary, and she looked completely broken.

When we walked into her room her clothes were scattered all across her room. When she bent down to grab some clothing she realized that there were holes in everything. She sunk down on her knees and started to cry. I bent down next to her and rubbed her back and brought her into my chest. A couple minutes later she calmed down.

"They ruined all my clothes, and all the paintings. I can't believe they did this to me." She said as she grabbed more of her torn up clothes.

"I'll buy you a whole new wardrobe Clary." She looked up at me.

"I can't let you do that Jace."

"I'm offering Clary. I have more than enough money. My parents might be horrible people but I have a rather large trust fund that I won't even touch, but you can have as much of their money as you want."

"Jace I could not use your parents money." She said as I lifted up my shirt and turned my back towards her and she gasped.

"My mother liked to use me as an ashtray, take all the money you want from her. I couldn't careless. You have nothing left here Clary, and I want to help you. Stay with me, buy a new wardrobe, and more art supplies. Those paintings were amazing Clary, and what those men did was a horrible thing. Don't let them win." I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled at her.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I have enough room for you, I have enough money to help you, and I don't think you can leave after Renee attached herself to you." She laughed and I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you. Thank you so much Jace." She flung her arms around my neck and I pulled her against me. We stayed like that for a moment and I couldn't help but feel sad when we parted. She walked over to her dresser and opened a secret compartment in her drawer.

"What's that?"

"The last thing I have of my mother. It's a necklace she always used to wear. Before I left home, I stole it from my father. I didn't put it on yesterday morning, and I couldn't help but think that if they did come back, they could possibly find it. I'm so glad they didn't." She clasped the necklace around her neck and sighed. "Can we go talk to my landlord and tell her I'm not coming back?" I nodded, and motioned for her to come on. She walked over to me and laced our hands together. I smiled and we made our way out of her apartment and down two floors to her landlord. She knocked and the door opened.

"Clary, what are you doing here?" An elderly lady asked.

"I came here to tell you I'm not coming back. My apartment was broken into and completely trashed and I don't feel safe anymore."

"Oh dear. I'm so sorry sweetie. I'll have the janitor in there immediately. Is there anything you want us to keep?"

"No. Just get rid of it all." She said and the old lately smiled. Clary turned in her last key and we walked away.  
When we got back to my house Clary collapsed on the couch and sighed. I felt so bad for her. She just lost everything, and she just looked so sad. I went to make dinner hoping that I was doing enough to help you out.

 **Clary POV:**

While I sat on the couch, and Jace was in the kitchen cooking dinner, I couldn't help but wonder why he was being so generous to me. I mean, we met yesterday. And he's already given me so much. I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard crying. I walked down the hall and into Renee's room and she was standing in her crib crying. I walked over and picked her up, grabbed her binkie and she laid her head on my shoulder and started to calm down. I rocked her back and forth and finally she was falling back asleep. She had her one hand death gripped on my shirt, so it was impossible to put her down. I laughed to myself until I heard a voice behind me.

"I think she loves you more than me." I turned around and saw Jace leaning against the door frame.

"Not possible. Your her brother, she's required to love you more." I say as I walk over towards him.

"Still, Izzy was right last night, I've never seen her warm up to someone so quickly. She's normally very skeptical of strangers."

"I'm flattered that she likes me so much."

"Does she feel any better?" He asked as I leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Slightly cooler than earlier."

"Good. I hate when she doesn't feel good. It breaks my heart." He says and my heart melts. He's a such an amazing guy, and I knew that I would be forever in his debt after this.

"What should I do? She won't let go." I said as I pointed to her little hand clutching my shirt.

"Bring her with you. I only put her in the crib because I thought she'd sleep better, but if she's more comfortable on you, I'm all for it." I nod, and we both start walking towards the living room. I take a seat on the couch and grab the remote and start flipping through channels until I land on a movie. I grab a blanket and put it over me and Renee, and get comfy as she sleeps.

25 minutes later Jace came back into the living room and joined me on the couch. He grabbed a side of the blanket and joined me under it. He placed his arm around my shoulders and I couldn't help but lean into him.

"Dinner will be ready in 45 minutes." He says and I nod and lean my head back on his shoulder.

As I lay there I can't help but start to fall asleep.

The next thing I know I'm waking up, and notice that I'm completely laying down while Renee is sprawled out on my chest. I rub my eyes and at that exact moment Renee wakes up. She looks at me and smiles and I can't help but smile back.

"Hey sweet pea, feeling better?" I ask and she just giggles. I notice that both of our clothes are soaked, which means her fever broke. Just as I was about to get up Jace came back into the room.

"Good. You're up. Dinner is ready."

"Okay. I'll be right there. Her fever broke and our clothes are all wet." I said as he looked at our clothes and just smiled.

"I'll get your plates ready. Just join me when you're ready. Also, can you wake Izzy up from her nap?" I nod and make my way to Izzy's room. I knock and after a moment I open the door. I walk over to Izzy and rub her back until she stirs.

"Hey Iz, dinner is ready." She moans and gets up and rubs her eyes.

"Thanks." She says and I nod and walk away. I go into Renee's room and put her in a pair of sweats and a shirt, and than change my shirt before walking back to the kitchen.

I give Jace Renee and he gives her a kiss on the cheek and than puts her in her high chair.

Dinner went by quickly and it was really funny to watch Renee eat. She was using her fingers, and she hit Jace in the face with her food, and Izzy and I couldn't stop laughing.

"Alright Renee, it's bath time!" Jace said and she started crying. "Come on Renee, you're all messy." He said as he picked her up. She immediately reached for me and I looked at Jace and he smiled. "You can give her a bath if you want. I need a shower myself." He said and I smiled as I grabbed Renee. I got her in the tub and washed her off. She was so cute, she loved the bubbles and splashing around. When she was done I wrapped her in a towel and started towards her room. I looked down at her for a split before bumping into something, or someone. When I looked up there was a wet Jace, and he was wearing nothing but a towel. My cheeks immediately reddened. Renee giggled as Jace kissed her cheek. "Thank you for giving her a bath."

"No problem. She's very entertaining."

"That she is." He said as he walked into the laundry room and I went into Renee's room. I put her in her adorable pink footie pajamas, and she still didn't want to let me go. I picked her back up and when we or into the living room there were two men that I've never seen before. I put Renee down and she ran into the arms of the one with jet black hair and bright blue eyes.

"Clary, this is Alec, Izzy's brother, and his boyfriend Magnus."

"Nice to meet you both." I say as they both look at me.

"Clary is staying with us for a little while."

"Why?" Alec said sounded less than thrilled.

"Long story short, we were both hostages in a bank robbery, they stole her wallet, she was scared to go home, she's staying here."

"Shouldn't she be fine by now though?"

"No. We went back to her apartment today, totally destroyed. Her paintings were ripped apart, her clothes were all cut, everything was trashed."

"Oh my god. Do you know what this means?!" Izzy yelled! "Shopping!"

"I already told her I'd pay for her new wardrobe, so go crazy Iz." Jace said and her smiled got wider.

"This is so exciting! We'll go tomorrow and we won't stop until you can't stand anymore!" She said and I just laughed.

"I just came back to get some things. Magnus and I are going out of town this weekend."

"Alright man. Have a good weekend." Jace says as he grabs Renee. He makes his way over to the couch where Renee cuddles up on his chest. Izzy starts planning the whole shopping day and I go over and join Jace on the couch. Somehow I feel like this whole robbery thing was the best thing that's happened to me.

 **Time jump- Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I have been staying with Jace for the past three months and it was amazing. I felt like I belonged there, and I felt like I finally had a family, and I haven't felt that way in years. The worst part about staying with Jace was that I was drowning in the sexual tension. I liked Jace, a lot. And we would flirt back and forth and we've almost kissed a couple time but we've been interrupted. It was killing me to not know exactly how he felt.

It was a Friday and I was watching Renee, it became a schedule for us. On Monday and Friday's I stayed home and watched her. I absolutely loved doing it. She was the sweetest and so easy to watch. When 4:45 rolled around Jace finally came home. As soon as the door opened Renee went running.

"Dada!" She shouted and I couldn't help but smile. The first time she called Jace dada we were all shocked. But Jace was her father, and he said when she was older he would explain, but for all intents and purposes, Jace was always going to be her father. He scooped down and picked her up.

"Hey cutie. Were you a good girl for Clary?" She giggled and nodded, and he looked at me and cracked a smile. "Let's go out to dinner. Alec is with Magnus, and Izzy has a date tonight." I nodded and put on my shoes and we headed out.

When we got to the restaurant Jace put Renee in the high hair and gave her some crayons. Five minutes later the waiter came over to take our order.  
"What can I get for you guys?" He said as he eyed me up. I looked over at Jace and he looked angry by the waiters wondering eyes.

"I'll have a water, and the little one will have apple juice." Jace said and the waiter wrote it down, and his eyes never left my chest. I mean, finding someone attractive is one thing, but flat out staring was another thing, and I didn't like it, so I decided to have some fun with it.

"Do you have any organic drinks?" I asked and the waiters eyes finally looked at my eyes and he looked confused.

"Excuse me?"

"Organic drinks. It's better for the baby." I said as my hand went to my stomach. He looked down and back at me and than over to Jace. Jace smirked and waved, and the waiter looked back at me. "No? I guess I'll just have water. Thank you." He muttered something and walked away and Jace and I couldn't help but laugh.

"That was great."

"He was creeping me out, I thought it was the best way to get him less interested." He laughed and I couldn't help but see the glimmer on how eye.  
The waiter left me alone for the rest of our dinner, which I was thankful for. Renee was an absolute angel until the very end. She started to have a meltdown and threw her cup on the ground. The hostess picked it up for us, and told us how cute Renee was and walked away. The waiter came back with our bill and looked less than pleased. I stood up to grab Renee and the waiter was watching the whole thing so I did the only thing I could think of.

"Hey, I'm gonna take Renee to the car, maybe it'll calm her down." I said as I picked her up. I leaned down and pecked him on the lips, which he looked surprised by but he accepted it. I walked outside and started rocking Renee and she started to calm down. I stood there rocking her for a couple minutes before Jace walked out. He walked directly over to be, put his hands on both of my cheeks and smashed out lips together. I was shocked but had to keep it together because I was carrying Renee. We stood there kissing until we heard Renee giggling. We broke apart and smiled.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." He says as he leans his forehead against mine.

"Me either. I thought we'd never get the opportunity." I said and he laughed.

"I want to take you out on a date. Without Renee." He said and the little girl giggled.

"I would love that." I said as Renee cuddled closer to me. "Come on, let's go home." He smiles and takes my hand and we make our way to his car. On our ride home I couldn't help but smile at how happy I was with my life.

 **Time Jump - Renee's Second Birthday**

 **Jace POV:**

Renee's second birthday was coming up and I didn't want to throw her a party, but she was really into turtles, so Alec, Magnus, Clary, Izzy, and her boyfriend Simon were going to make the penthouse look like a pond and dress her up like a turtle.

Clary was watching Renee today so I could get some last minute things, including her little turtle outfit. When I got into the store I went back to where the costumes were and found one that looked like it would fit her. When I got to the register, the girl working put on what I assume would be a sexy smile and started twirling her hair.

"Find everything okay sir?" She said as she rung me up.

"Yea. Just picking this up for my daughters birthday." I say, because no matter what, Renee is my daughter.

"How old will she be?" She smiles at me again and I just want to get out of there.

"Two."

"Aw. They are so cute at that age."

"Yea. She's a little energizer bunny. I don't know how my girlfriend handles her sometimes, I get tired after a couple hours running after her." I can see her facial expression change, but a fake smile soon crosses her face.

"Have a great day."

"You too." I smile at her and walk back out to my car. I make my way home and when I open the door there is no noise which is odd. I make my way into the living room but Renee and Clary are not there. I start walking through the house when I notice my bedroom door is closed, when I open it I see Clary and Renee cuddled up on my bed sleeping. I smile and make my way in my room, put the costume down, take off my shoes, and join them in bed. When I scoot closer to them I spoon Clary and I feel her wiggle her way back to get even closer. I give her a kiss on the back of her shoulder and place my hand on Renee's and close my eyes. These two were my family. I just knew it.

 **Izzy POV:**

When I got home today it was unnaturally quiet. Normally this house would be filled with Renee's giggles, or Clary's singing, or the smell of Jace's cooking, but today it was completely silent. I walked through the whole place and they weren't anywhere to be found. I finally decided to check Jace's room and when I opened the door I gasped and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. Jace, Clary and Renee were all cuddled in bed sleeping. I took out my phone and snapped a picture because this family moment was way too cute to pass up.

Clary and Jace had been together for almost a year now, and honestly I knew from the moment I saw Clary and Jace interact that they were going to end up together. The way he looked at her, man it was something I longed for. About six months ago we were all sitting at the dinner table having our weekly family dinners and Renee called Clary mama. Clearly it had happened before because Clary was the only one not shocked by it. From that moment on, I knew Jace and Clary were going to be it for each other.

I walked back out to the kitchen, looked around and decided to order pizza. 15 minutes later Jace walked out and I couldn't help but smile at him.

"Why are you so happy Iz?" He says and I just smile even wider.

"Because you, Clary and Renee are the cutest family in the world."

"She is great with Renee isn't she?" He says and he smiles.

"Great? That girl deserves a medal. Renee is a saint. She listens to everything, she says please and thank you, and when she doesn't get her way she simply accepts it and continues like nothing happened. I know a lot of two year olds that would throw a fit in her position."

"I mean, we don't really deny her a lot."

"No, but she knows that when you or Clary says no, you both mean no. And she doesn't try to bend your arm to get you to change your answer." He smiles and I know it's a genuine smile because when it comes to Clary and Renee, he was his absolute happiest. I was about to continue when I saw Clary and Renee walk in. Renee ran to Jace and he picked her up and kissed her cheek. Clary walked over and he pulled her into his side and gave a sweet peck on the lips. Their relationship was perfect, and I can only hope Simon and I reach that level of happiness one day. "Alright, there is pizza in the kitchen."

"Thanks for getting dinner Iz." Clary said. "I was suppose to start dinner but Renee didn't take her nap when she was supposed to today and she refused to go down unless we were in our bed and I was laying with her and I guess I was tired too. But when did you join us?" She looks up at Jace and he smiles.

"Maybe an hour and a half ago. I came in and looked everywhere for you guys and when I found you I couldn't pass up the opportunity." he said as she leaned into his side and than I realized how much was still left to do.

"I'll be in my room if you guys need anything. I have last minute decorations that need to be finished!" I said as I skipped to my room. Renee's birthday was going to be amazing, and I couldn't wait to celebrate it!

 **Time Jump - Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and Alec had gone out for the day so Izzy, Renee and I were having a girls day. I was currently with Renee in the living room while Izzy took a shower. There was a knock on the door, and when I went to answer it my blood ran cold.

"Clarissa." My father said.

"W-what are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"You stupid girl. You think I don't have people all over the country. I knew you'd show up eventually. I didn't expect it to take 6 years, but I've come to collect you."

"I'm not going with you." I said and he raised a gun to my forehead.

"You'll come with me." He said as he moved the gun in Renee's direction. "Or the little one gets hurt." I swallowed and nodded. He pressed the gun into the back of my head as I looked at Renee.

"I love you baby girl." I said and she started wailing. "I love you so much okay?"

"Mama." She was crying and Izzy came running out. When she saw what was happening she gasped. I looked at her and mouthed 'my father' and her eyes widened. My father grabbed my arm and started pulling me.

"I love you Renee, and your dada." Was the last thing I got out before my father put a cloth over my mouth and nose and I passed out.

 **Jace POV:**

When Alec and I got back to our place something was definitely off. When we walked inside there were police officers around Izzy and Renee. Renee was balling her eyes out, Izzy looked frazzled, and Clary was nowhere to be seen. Renee finally saw me and ran right into me and I picked her up and hugged her close.

"What's wrong Renee?" I asked and she started to calm down.

"Mama. Bad man." She said and I was confused. I looked at Izzy and she looked so sad.

"What happened Izzy?"

"Her father came by. When I came out he was holding a gun to her head and he dragged her out of here."

"Do we have any leads?" I asked the policeman.

"Not yet sir. But Valentine Morgenstern is a dangerous man. We know what he's capable of, but we don't know how far he'll go with his own daughter."

"Don't put anything past him. He used to beat her." I said and Izzy and Alec gasped.

"Do you know what methods he used?" The police officer asked.

"I know he used to chain her to a wall for several days before he would whip her. He would slap her, or punch her sometimes too. She always said he would threaten to brand her with his name but I don't think he ever actually did it." He nodded and wrote that down.

"Alright. We'll let you know if we find anything."

"Thank you." I say and the officers leave. Renee is still completely distraught. She hasn't had to spend a day without Clary in awhile, so this was new territory for her. After she calmed down she ended up falling asleep. I put her on the couch so that I could start dinner.

"So." I hear from behind me, and I look to see Izzy. "What did you need to do today?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile and toss the small box towards her. She catches it, opens it and screams. "Oh my god! This is so exciting!"

"It would be if she wasn't missing." I say and I see the light leave Izzy's eyes.

"They'll find her Jace. I know they will."

"You don't know that Iz. The things Valentine did to her, I'm surprised she survived for all those years ago. And she ran away from him. I can only imagine it being worse this time around." I said and she looked sad but looked back at me with a fire in her eyes.

"We know how strong Clary is. She'll survive. I know she will."

"And how do you know?"

"Because she has you and Renee. The last thing she said before she was dragged out of her was that she loved Renee, and you. She would never leave you guys."

I nodded and finished getting dinner ready and made my way out to wake Renee up. Getting her to eat was hard. She was so incredibly sad she didn't want to eat, and I couldn't blame her, I was barely eating myself. When I realized that she wasn't going to eat anymore, I picked her up and took her for her bath. She was so sad and I just couldn't help but feel so bad for her. The rest of the night was spent on the couch cuddled together. When it was bed time she didn't want to leave my side and I didn't want to sleep alone. I've grown so used to having Clary in my bed that sleeping without her was going to be weird. I just hope that they find her alive, because I don't know what I'd do without her.

 **Time Jump - One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was pulled out of my sleep by the phone ringing. I dragged myself out of bed wondering who would be calling in the middle of the night. It had been a month since Clary was taken and I haven't been sleeping well at all. I picked up the phone and answered.

"Hello?" I asked trying to wake up.

"Jace Herondale?"

"Yes?"

"We found her." He said and my heart stopped.

"Is she okay?"

"She's currently at Riverton Hospital. She was found in really bad shape."

"Am I allowed to see her?"

"Yes, but she might be a little skittish. So be careful."

"Thank you so much." I said and I hung up. I debated on whether to wake up Renee, but decided I'd bring her because Clary would want to see her.  
Not even 20 minutes later we were at the hospital. Renee was still half asleep, but honestly all I cared about right now was seeing Clary. I got to the nurses station and asked for Clary and they told me she was in room 118. When I got to the room I took a deep breath before entering and when I opened the door I let out a deep breath.

"Clary." I said and she looked over at me and smiled. I walked right over and pulled her into a hug. She winced but I knew she probably needed this hug as much as I did. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"I tried my hardest to stay alive for you guys." She said as she rubbed Renee's back.

"I love you so much Clary."

"I love you too." She says and even though it's not the perfect timing I've been waiting for so long to ask.

"Marry me Clary." I said and she sucked in a breath.

"Jace." She whispered but I cut her off.

"That's where I went the day you were taken. I was getting your ring. I was planning on asking you that night but everything happened. I love you Clary and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I would love to marry you." She said and I pulled her into a kiss. Renee finally woke up and when she rubbed her eyes, they immediately locked with Clary and she got the biggest smile on her face.

"Mama!" She yelled and launched herself at Clary. Clary immediately wrapped her arms around Renee and she started to cry.

"Hey sweet pea. I missed you so much." Clary said and she gave her a kiss. Renee started giggling, and I couldn't help but laugh along. We were finally all back together and it felt amazing.

"How long are you here?" I asked as Clary made room for me on the bed.

"They want to keep me over night, check me again in the morning, and if everything looks good I'll be discharged. I had a lot of surface bruises and cuts. I think they said nothing was internally damaged except maybe a few bruised ribs."

"Mind if we stay the night?" I asked and she laughed.

"I would love for you to stay the night." She said and I grabbed Renee so she wasn't crushing Clary's ribs. Clary slowly drifted off to sleep, and I could help but be so thankful that she was safe and we were all back together again.

 **Time Jump - Ten Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The past ten years have been absolutely amazing. Renee was now 12, and not too long after we were married did Clary give birth to our twins, Even and Mallory. They were the cutest, Mallory had my blonde hair, but Even was a redhead like Clary.

I decided today to tell Renee about our family. She was asking a lot of questions about our family tree because of a project in school and I thought she was old enough to hear. When Clary picked her up at school and they came home the nerves hit me. Clary looked at me and I nodded.

"Even, Mallory, can you two go to your room please. Your father and I need to talk with Renee." Clary said and they agreed and disappeared into their rooms. Renee looked worried as she sat across from me.

"What's going on dad?" She asked and I took a deep breath.

"You've had a lot of questions about our family tree recently, and I think you're old enough to know the truth." I said and she looked at me with a confused expression. "I'm not your father, I'm actually your brother."

"What?"

"When you were three months old when I fought our parents for custody of you."

"Why?"

"They weren't very nice." I said as I lifted up my shirt. She gasped and I could see tears fill her eyes. "I didn't want you to grow up the same way I did. I wanted a better life for you. I knew once mom had you that I was going to do everything in my power to get you out of that house and raise you."

"So, your my older brother, which makes mom my sister-in-law?" I nod and I can see her taking it all in. After a couple minutes of silence she speaks again. "You two will always be my mom and dad. I don't care who gave birth to me. You two were there for me, and loved me like I was yours."

"You are ours Renee. From the moment I met you, I knew you were my daughter." Clary said and I wrapped my arms around her.

"I love you both. Knowing who my real parents are isn't going to change that." She said and I stood up and hugged her.

"I love you cutie." I said and she laughed at the nickname I've called her since she was little.

"I love you too dad." She said as she pulled away. Clary was next to hug her.

"I love you sweet pea." Clary said as she started to cry.

"I love you too mom." She said and I grabbed both my girls and pulled them into a hug.

"What's going on?" I heard Mallory say and we turned around and they were both standing there.

"Mom and dad were just letting me know that I'm their favorite." She said and we all started laughing.

"Highly unlikely. I'm the only boy, so I'm clearly dads favorite." Evan said and I couldn't help but pull Clary into my side as we listened to our children argue about who was our favorite. I leaned down and kisses Clary on the temple.

"I love you." I said and she looked up at me and smiled.

"I love you too." She said as she pecked my cheek and cuddled into my side. The life we built together was perfect, and we knew that no matter what obstacles got in our way, we'd over come them, because that's what we always did.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I am so sorry it took me so long to update! This past week hasn't been a good week for me emotionally, so I took some time to just let myself grieve. Anyway, this one shot was requested by Sammywrites, and I have to say, this one was really fun to write! I enjoyed it a lot! Now, I go back to college in about a week and a half so my updates will be less frequent but I will try my best to write every single story suggestion! Let me know what you all think, and if you have an idea send me a message or leave a review! :)**


	16. Chapter 15 - Softball

**Fifteenth One Shot:**

 **Softball**

 **Jace POV:**  
I walk into the caf on the first day of senior year and immediately spot Izzy and Alec. I go over and take a seat at the table and greet them both.

"How is your baseball team going to be this year Jace?" Izzy asks.

"We'll be pretty badass. We only got one new player, so we all know how each other's plays. Which gives us a huge advantage. What about the softball team?"

"We're getting a new pitcher."

"Really?"

"Yea. Coach said he had been scouting the country for a good pitcher and he found one in Michigan. Apparently she's led her team to two state championships, was on an all star team that won three consecutive years, and she's been looked at from colleges all over the country since she was a sophomore."

"Holy shit. That's insane."

"I know. I can't wait to meet her. Maybe this year we'll win the championship. Aline totally blew it for us last year."

"Well, if this girl has a record like you say, I can't imagine you guys losing."

"I know. Coach says she'll be at practice this afternoon. So we'll see what she's made of. I just hope she isn't bitchy like Aline and Kealie. I can't handle another bitch on that team."

"Are you going to need a ride to your house today?" I ask, because her house is on my way home.

"Yea. Alec has to pick Max up." I nod and continue with lunch. After Izzy finished telling me about this girl, I couldn't help but be intrigued. I had no idea what she looked like, but her athleticism was kind of a turn on for me, hopefully she's nice to look at as well.

 **Clary POV:**

I was starting my new school this week, and I had my first practice today. I didn't want to leave my old school, but this school in New York was known for their sports teams, and my father thought I'd have a better chance at getting better college offers if I went. I had built up the softball program at my old school. Freshman year we were awful, but sophomore and junior year we won states, and my all star team was untouchable. But I had to leave Michigan because whatever m father wants, he gets.

I spent the majority of the day helping unload the moving truck but when I looked at the clock, it read 2:30, and coach told me practice started at 3:00. I gathered my softball gear, and grabbed my keys and made my way out to my car.

"Where are you going?" My father asks while I pass him in the yard.

"Softball practice. Coach wants me to meet the team."

"Wonderful. I expect a full report when you get home."

"Yea father."

"And we'll be having batting practice from 7-9:30 tonight, don't be late."

"Yes father." I said as I got into my car. My father can only be described as a control freak mixed with a dictator. He likes things done a certain way and when they aren't his way, he gets mad. I pull up to the school and grab all my gear plus my back ups. I looked around and saw the baseball fields. There was a team there, which looked like the baseball team practicing.

I started walking past the team when everyone looked over at me. I looked up and realized that I honestly had no idea where I was going. I walked over to the fence and there was a boy standing there. I tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around.

"Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me where the softball field is. I'm new here." I asked and he gave me a smile. He had black eyes, and black hair. He kinda creeped me out.

"Sure thing doll. See where the building ends?" He says as I look where he points and I nod. "The softball fields are back there."

"Thank you."

"My names Sebastian." I nod and start to walk away. "Hey, you didn't tell me your name!" He calls after me and I turn around and smile.

"I know." I said and I turned around and was met with a pair of golden eyes looking at me. I smiled and started to make my way to the field.

When I got there I could see the team standing in a circle. I made my way over and locked eyes with a tall girl, with jet black hair and brown eyes. She cleared her throat and the coach stopped talking and she pointed and he turned around.

"Ah! Welcome! Let me introduce you to the team." He says and the team get into a line. "This is Clarissa Morgenstern, and she is our new pitcher. Is there anything you'd like to share?"

"I prefer to be called Clary." I said and the team nodded.

"Do you guys have any questions for Clary?" The one girl raised her hand.

"Yes Aline?"

"You're taking my position." She said and the coach was about to cut her off but she kept going. "So, I have to know how good you are to see if you deserve my spot. How fast can you pitch?"

"How fast can you pitch?" I said back and she smiled.

"My highest recorded is 51 mph but my range is from 47-50. Can you beat that?" She says and I laugh.

"My highest recorded speed is 63. But I range from 56-60 most days." I say and her jaw drops.

"Sweet!" One girl yelled.

"Anybody else?" The coach said and every one just shook their heads. "Great. Today we will be doing conditioning. I want three miles, and than 50 push ups, and after that 25 suicides." He says and I can't help but think how easy this workout seems compared to what my father puts me through.

After practice was over, everyone is laying on the ground and hunched over panting. I'm standing and breathing a little heavier than normal but not by much.

"Alright girls, you get tomorrow off, but we're back at it again on Wednesday." He says and the team disperses. I stick around because I need to talk about the schedule.

"Hey coach, can we talk for a moment?" I say and he nods. "I would just like to know what the fall ball schedule will be like."

"Of course. We have practices three days a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's. Monday's are conditioning. Wednesday's are batting practice, and than Friday's are field work. So you'll be pitching with our pitching coach, although, I don't know how much work you'll need. When I talked to your dad he seemed to have a really good schedule of your pitching routine."

"Yea. He's been my pitching coach since I was 11. But I'd love to see what the pitching coach has to say. It's always nice to have a second opinion."

"Who was your pitching coach in Michigan?"

"My father. He threw a huge fit to the athletic director until they allowed him to coach me."

"I see. Would you like him to be your pitching coach here?"

"No. He trusts whoever is the pitching coach here. I think he said they went to school with him."

"Yes, Stephan and your father go way back." I nod and say my goodbyes and walk back to my car. When I get to the parking lot I see the girl with jet black hair and she waves me over to her, and there is the golden boy from the baseball field. Figures they'd be dating.

"Hi, my name is Izzy and I'm super excited that you're here!" She said and I just smiled she was really perky.

"It's nice to meet you Izzy. What position to do play?"

"Short stop."

"Nice. I always wanted to be short stop, but my father insisted I be a pitcher."

"Well look at you now. When coach told us your stats I was floored. You got talent girl."

"A lot of work went into that talent. I haven't had a break in 8 years."

"Damn girl. When do you actually start coming to school?"

"The school gave me until Wednesday. I'm helping my dad unpack and get the house ready."

"Where do you live?"

"I live in the house at the end of Sunset Ave."

"Jace! She's your neighbor!" She screams at the boy standing by his car. He simply nods and looks back at his phone. "Don't mind him, he's kind of an asshole to everyone."

"I can hear you." He said and she just rolled her eyes. I guess they aren't dating.

"That was the point."

"Come on Iz, I need to get home. And you'll see her at practice." He said and she smiled and said goodbye and I got into my car and made my way home. It was about 6, and I made dinner and for into a clean set of practice gear.

My father had a batting cage built in our backyard. When I got out there I saw him standing in the cage already. I put on my helmet, stepped into the cage and he started the pitching machine.

 **Jace POV:**

When I got home I heard the sound of a bat hitting a ball. When I got up into my room I opened my window and saw the girl outside with her dad having batting practice. She was a true athlete and I couldn't help but respect that about her. I took a nice long shower and when I got out she was still out there. I sat at my desk and did my homework while watching her practice. I haven't seen her miss a ball yet. She was impressive, and very attractive. When I finished my homework, I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost nine and she was still out there. I watched for a couple more minutes until she missed a ball. She dropped her bat and her dad readjusted the pitching machine and he let three rip right into her ribs. I couldn't believe it. He turned the machine off, walked passed her, said something to her and left. She was on the ground, clearly in pain for about 8 minutes before she got up and removed her helmet. She tilted her head back and her eyes met mine. She gave me a small smile before heading back inside. No wonder she was the best high school softball pitcher, her father was mid evil when it came to punishment. I laid on my bed thinking about the redhead next door, and wondering how long it'll take me to get to know her.

 **Time Jump - Softball Season**

 **Clary POV:**

School had been going well. Off season for softball was really intense but I enjoyed it. The girls on the team were nice, except for Aline and Kealie. They didn't seem to like me much. Izzy was pretty cool. We had become pretty close recently. I met her brother Alec, and my neighbor Jace. I learned that they had been best friends since they were babies so they were practically siblings.

Softball season started next week. We had our first game, and Izzy was freaking out. I guess I was used to the pressure, that it didn't really get to me anymore. My only concern was my father. Since the day he hit me in the ribs with the softballs he hasn't had the need to punish me and I was really hoping to keep that streak going. When I got to lunch Izzy was freaking out.

"What's wrong with Izzy?" I asked as I took my seat next to Jace.

"She's worried about the game."

"Why?"

"The team you guys play on Thursday is the team that beat them at states last year. It wasn't a great game."

"What happened?" I ask.

"Aline gave up three home runs, and one grand slam. It was brutal to watch."

"Damn." I said. "How come they didn't get a new pitcher?"

"She was our back up. Our other pitcher threw out her shoulder, and she needed surgery. Which is why coach went searching for a pitcher. He needed a good one." Izzy chimed in and I couldn't believe it.

"But you guys have such a solid athletic background. There had to be someone who was better than Aline."

"We had tryouts. Aline was our best shot."

"That blows."

"How many runs have you given up in your career?" Izzy asked.

"None." I said and Izzy was stunned.

"Really?"

"Well, I'm a starter, so when I get pulled out I normally don't have any runs scored."

"I have a good feeling about this game now." Izzy said and I couldn't help but laugh. I was actually excited about this game. It was my first game with this team, and during a game is when you really see the talent.

When Thursday rolled around, we got out of class during sixth period to get ready. Izzy was in charge of getting everyone game ready. I had my uniform on, and my hair was braided back into a pony tail. My makeup was subtle, and I had my visor on.

"You ready?" Izzy said from behind me.

"Of course. Are you?"

"I'm excited. Ever since last season I've been out for revenge on this team. I want to kick their ass." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, let's go kick some ass." I said and the team made our way out onto the field. When we got into the field I couldn't believe my eyes. Maia was on the other team. Her and I were rivals back in Michigan, and I had no idea she was going to be here. I shook my head and made my way over to our dug out. They called captains and Izzy and I, walked out onto the field and sure enough Maia walked out as well.

"Well look who we have here. Get bored of me kicking your ass in Michigan?"

"You kicking my ass? Please, you never won a game against me." I said and I knew Izzy was confused.

"You keep telling yourself that Clare."

"Shall we look at the statistics?" I said and I saw her jaw clench. "Out of the 12 games we played against each other, I've won all twelve. I struck you out every at bat, and I've hit four homeruns off of you. I think I have a better record." I said and the ref told us whatever he had too, and she stormed off.

"What was that all about?" Izzy asked.

"We were rivals back in Michigan. She hated me because she could never beat me. I had no idea she was moving too."

"I bet that school recruited her too. They lost three of their best players last season."

"Well, now we really have to kick some ass." I said and Izzy smiled and we grabbed our gloves and made our way out onto the field. I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. When I opened them, the batter was in the box, and it was now or never.

 **Jace POV:**

I couldn't take my eyes off Clary. Getting to know her from school or hanging out as neighbors she was really cool, and such a sweet girl. She never had a bad thing about anyone, she was always smiling, and she was just such a great athlete. She had been recruited to Texas A&M along with Izzy and I. We were all super excited to be going to college together. We planned on getting a house down there, and I couldn't help but feel really happy to know that I'd be close to Clary like that. There was something about that girl that really made me feel good, and i wanted to see where it went.

The game had started and Clary was killing it. Most of these girls had no idea what was going on. They just watched a ball go past them without a swing and struck them out every time. It was insane how good she was. I mean, I always thought our softball team was good, but she just took it to a whole other level.  
The game ended and the score was 6-0. Clary had hit a home run, and had three RBI's. Honestly, she was amazing. When they broke apart they all started getting their things I walked over and wrapped my arms around Iz.

"Well done." I said and she turned around and smiled.

"Don't look at me, Clary kicked some serious ass today." She said and Clary smiled.

"That she did. You're truly amazing Clare." I said and she smiled again before walking away. I watched her for a moment before turning back to Izzy and she had a bigger smile on her face. "What?"

"You totally like her." She said and I couldn't help but laugh. Sometimes I did that when I was nervous.

"What?"

"You like her, and don't try to deny it. I've known you since we were babies. I know you, and I've never seen you so attentive to a girl before."

"So what if I do?"

"Do something about it. You live next to her, so you have no excuse about being a bitch about it. Ask her out."

"Izzy." I started but she cut me off.

"No. Listen, you've gone through your man whore period when you were a freshman and when you got serious about baseball you poured everything into it. I haven't seen you act like this about a girl. I think you two would be great together. She's funny, and smart, and sarcastic, and athletic. It's literally everything you could dream about in a girl. She's fits with you. So do something about it." Izzy said and I couldn't help but agree with her. Clary was everything I've ever wanted in a girl all rolled into one. And if I wanted her to be mine, I had to act on it soon.

"Okay. I'll talk to her when I get home." I said and she squealed and gave me a hug. When I got into my car and started making my way home I started to feel the nerves. I could only hope Clary felt the same way about me.

 **Clary POV:**

I left the game as soon as I could because I just couldn't look at Jace any longer. Ever since I started to get to know Jace, I've had the biggest school girl crush on him. He was smart, and handsome, and athletic, sarcastic, but he was also really sweet, and kind, and generous. It wasn't fair that all those qualities were in one human, but Jace Herondale was one of the rare ones, and being in the same area as him always made my heart race, and for the past couple months it's been harder to hide it.

When I got home my father was waiting out in the batting cage for me. I sighed and made my way out back and he didn't look too pleased. I set my stuff down before walking over to him.

"I saw your game today Clarissa. And I'm not pleased." He said while he twirled one of my bats in his hands.

"What do I need to improve?" I said as he took a step closer and it took everything in me not to back away.

"You're pitching was sloppy, and you could have got at least three home runs today. 6 is a rather low score with how many opportunities you had to get runs." He said as he took another step towards me. The bat swung and hit me in the hip and it took everything in me not to scream out in pain. He dropped the bat and I opened my eyes.

"I didn't dedicate my life only to have you make me look like a failure." He spat at me and than walked into the house. Once I heard the door shut I let out a small cry. It was very painful to be hit in the hip with a softball bat, but he knew he wouldn't damage anything or that it wouldn't be seen so I was used to it, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell. When the pain subsided I turned around to go inside when I saw Jace standing here.

"What are you doing here?" I asked trying not to show any pain.

"I came to talk to you." He said, clearly looking shocked.

"What did you see?" I asked and his eyes focused on mine.

"Enough." He said and I just looked down at my feet. "Do you need help?" His question shocks me but before I know what I'm doing in smiling.

"Sure. I was just about to take an ice bath. Want to keep me company?" I asked and I could see the surprise in his eyes.

"Okay." He said and I motioned for him to follow me. I opened the door to my garage and he saw basically an athletic trainers room. It was equipped with all the things necessary for injuries. I turned on the bath and started stripping out of my uniform. I was down to my spandex and sports bra before lowering myself into the tub.

"I haven't had to take an ice bath in awhile."

"So why now?" He asked as he say on the edge of the tub.

"I've been working extra hard the past couple months, and it's taking toll on my body."

"You're already amazing. I can't imagine you need much improving." He said and I just laughed.

"Nothing is ever good enough for my father. If he watches a game and I get 1 home run instead of the four that he saw I could have, he will be disappointed in my performance. If I give up too many balls, he'll have me practice pitching until I am throwing 99% of strikes."

"He sounds awful." He whispered and I couldn't help but laugh which caused him to smile. I really liked his smile.

"It's honestly all I've ever know. I watched him do it with my brother, and than when I started softball competitively he started with me."

"You have a brother? I just thought it was you and your dad."

"My mom and brother are back in Michigan. Unlike me, he went to the best high school there, and he was recruited to the University of Michigan. He lives at home, my father thinks you get too distracted if you live in the dorms."

"Is that why you were so adamant about getting a house down in Texas?" I nod. "It's going to be tough with us all being so preoccupied with sports, money might be tough and we might be living off of spaghetti." He said and I laughed.

"My father bought the house." I said and he looked stunned.

"Seriously?"

"I told you, he's serious."

"What's he going to do when you leave?"

"Sell this house. Go back to Michigan, and check in on my brother, and than buy an apartment in Texas and him and my mom will switch out who looks over who."

"That sounds insane." He said and I laughed.

"I didn't say he was logical. I mean, you've seen my punishments." I said and his face falls. "It'll be nice though because he backs off during the off season, and not living in the same house will cut down on punishments. But he is good for one thing." I say.

"And what's that?"

"Our backyard will be sick. I've seen the construction plans. I'm pretty pumped."

"What's he doing?"

"Batting cage in the back, with a garage like this one. The basement is being turned into a weight room, and an equipment room with all new softball and baseball stuff. It looks intense."

"Why would he do that? I mean, I understand the softball, but why baseball?"

"Believe it or not, my father likes you."

"Really? I've had like four conversations with him."

"Yes, but him and your father are old friends, and he knows how great you are at baseball. He admires talent, and you have talent. This is his way of kind of claiming your ability in baseball as his doing. If you use his equipment, it's automatically him who helped you succeed."

"That's conceited."

"Very." I say and look down at the ice water.

"But who am I to give up a ton of free shit." He said and I smiled. "I mean, he can claim my talent all he wants, but I know how I got here, and it wasn't because of Valentine Morgenstern."

I started to get out of the tub and my muscles are super tight. Jace grabbed me under my arms and pulled me out and put me right in front of him. "I'd like to take you out Clary." He said and I was shocked.

"Really?" I said and he laughed.

"Yes really. I know it's softball season, and your father might not approve..." He trails off and I just smile.

"Come with me." I grab his hand and pull him into the house. My father is sitting at the table eating dinner and reading the paper. "Father." I said and he looked up and when he saw Jace I saw his lips almost form a smile.

"What is it Clarissa?"

"I was wondering if tomorrow night Jace and I could go and get some more practice in." He looked at me, and than at Jace.

"And what would you be working on?" He asked, and I had to think quickly.

"My field work. When players bunt I feel like I'm a little slow on my reaction."

"I was thinking about that as well. You were rather disappointing in that area. Why can't you just practice here?" He asked and I froze but thankfully Jace stepped in.

"I think it'll help Clary if we practice in different environments. It'll make her think quicker on her feet and when it comes to on the softball field it'll be like a walk in the park." He said and my father actually smiled.

"That sounds great. I'm upset I never thought of that. Very well. You have to be home by midnight. It's still in season Clarissa."

"Yes father." I said and start walking away. I grab Jace's hand and lead him out.

"So, tomorrow night, 6, I'll pick you up."

"What are we actually doing?"

"Well, I think we should actually do what we told your father, buuuuut first I'm going to take you out to dinner." He said and I couldn't help but smile. He leaned down and kissed my cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye." I said and I watched him walk into his house. I walked up to my room and realized that I had no idea what to wear. I immediately call Izzy.

"Hello?"

"Iz, I need your help."

"What's up?"

"I have a date with Jace tomorrow and I have no idea what to wear!"

"Ah! Finally! Okay, we'll talk tomorrow and I'll find out what he's doing!"

"Thank you thank you thank you Iz! You're a life savor!" She agreed and than we said our goodbyes and I laid on my bed. I was super excited to be going on this date, but I was also really nervous. Hopefully everything went well.

 **Jace POV:**

When I got home I made it to my room before my phone went off. I had a text from Izzy that told me to call her when I had the chance. I could only assume Clary talked to her and she was going to ask me what I was going to do with her. I took a quick shower before I call Izzy. When I get out, I change and dial her number where she picks up on the first ring.

"Hello?!" She practically screams and I have to hold my phone away from my ear.

"Jeez Iz, are you trying to blow my ear drum out?" I said and I heard her laugh.

"I'm sorry, I am just so excited for you and Clary to go out." She said and I laughed. "So what are you planning on doing?"

"Well, we told her father that we were practicing, so I thought we'd actually do that so her father didn't find out we were lying, but I want to take her to dinner." I said and she started mumbling to herself.

"Oh! I have the perfect idea! Take her on a picnic."

"But that would mean I have to cook all the food."

"So? You can't be worse than me."

"I can make grilled cheese. That's all." I said and she laughed.

"So? Clary isn't a spoiled girl who needs the fanciest or most extravagant thing. I think she'd love a picnic with grilled cheese."

"I just want to make it special." I said and it sounded weird coming out of my mouth because I'd never been willing to do something to make any girl feel special before.

"Trust me Jace, Clary feels special already." She said and I was confused.

"Why?"

"Because you asked her out."

"What do you mean?"

"God Jace, you're thick. She likes you. A lot." She said and I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

"She does?"

"Have you really never noticed?"

"No. How would I? She always leaves when I come around, and sometimes we can't even hold a conversation because she is so short with me."

"That's because she is shit at hiding her feelings. I called her out on it one day."

"What do you mean?"

"I told her that she was acting weird. And she tried to cover it up but I told her I realized how she was being short with you, and that she was always rushing off, and I wanted to know why." She said and my mind was trying to wrap my mind around it. "She told me she found it hard to be in your presence and not act on her feelings. So instead she decided not to put herself in those types of situations so she started being around you less."

"Really?"

"Yes. So she already feels special. You don't have to worry about that. Just don't hurt her. Cause I sweat to god Jace, she is one of my best friends, and I will kill you myself if that happens."

"Trust me, I don't plan on hurting her." I said.

"Good. Now, a picnic with grilled cheese sounds perfect to me, and I know Clary will love it."

"Thanks Iz."

"Of course. See you tomorrow." I said goodbye and she hung up. I lay back on my bed and couldn't help but smile at the fact that Clary likes me. I mean, it makes me feel so good that she feels the same why I do, and I couldn't wait for our date tomorrow night.

 **Time Jump – Date Night**

 **Clary POV:**

After school I came straight home to find something to wear for tonight. Izzy told me that I should just wear causal clothing, and that it might get chilly, so be prepared for that. I decided on a pair of skinny jeans, with a green sweater that made my eyes pop. I got my softball stuff ready, and by the time 5:45 rolled around there was a knock on the door. When I answered it, Jace was standing there in his normally black jeans, white tee and leather jacket.

"You ready?" He asked and I nodded. He grabbed my softball bag and he grabbed my hand and we made our way to his car. The drive wasn't long but I was confused when we pulled up to a park. I looked at him and he smiled at got out. I followed and when he opened the trunk I was shocked.

"A picnic?" I said and he nodded. I could see he was trying to see if I liked it or hated it. I couldn't help but laugh and smiled and than I saw a smile cross his face.

"I hope you like grilled cheese." He said and I smiled.

"I love grilled cheese." I said and he picked up the basket and grabbed my hand and we started walking. Once we got to the perfect spot he put the blanket down and we sat and he started to unload the basket.

"So, tell me a little about yourself Clary." He said as he handed me a grilled cheese.

"What would you like to know?"

"Let's start with the basics. What's your middle name?"

"Adele."

"Really?"

"Yea, I'm not really sure where it came from but I think from somewhere on my moms side of the family. What about yours?"

"Christopher. It's actually how I got my nickname Jace."

"Wait, Jace isn't your first name?"

"Nope. It's actually Jonathan." I start choking on my grilled cheese. "Are you okay?"

"Sorry, it's just, that's my brothers name."

"Lot's of people are named Jonathan."

"No, his name is Jonathan Christopher."

"That is so weird."

"Very weird."

"But as you know, I go by Jace. I like it a lot more."

"So do I. It suits you." I said as I took another bite of my grilled cheese. "What else would you like to know?"

"Do you actually enjoy softball? Or are your doing it to please your father?"

"What a loaded question." I said as I let out a dry laugh. "I was put in a bunch of different sports growing up to see what I was good at. Softball was the last one he tried and I wasn't half bad. My coach said I had raw talent, and that was the sign my dad was looking for. After that, he threw himself into learning everything about the sport. Which in turn, he threw me into the sport. And it was cool to be good at something. After a couple years, I was one of the most sought after softball players in Michigan. So, I would say it's a little of both. I do enjoy the sport, and I know it makes my dad happy, and I'd rather him be happy than angry." I said and he just nodded. "What about baseball? Do you love it or were you a little pressured?"

"I was put in a lot of sports when I was young just like you. And I was pretty good at everything I did, but baseball was the one I enjoyed doing the most. Over the years I got really good at it."

"You are pretty great."

"Not nearly as good as you. I mean, you are truly amazing Clary."

"Thank you. At least someone acknowledges the hard work I've put into the sport. I mean, I didn't get that good over night."

"I think you are absolutely amazing." I couldn't help but blush and he smiled.

The rest of the date was absolutely amazing. It was like we had known each other for our whole lives. It was so easy to talk to him, and he made me laugh. I didn't even realize how long we were sitting there until I looked at my phone and saw that it was 11:30.

"Oh shit. We've been here for hours, and my curfew is in 30 minutes." I said and he cursed.

"Do you think your dad will notice that we actually didn't do any work tonight?"

"I guess we'll see when I get home." I stood up and we cleaned up the picnic. He grabbed my hand as we walked back to the car. Once we got home I noticed that there weren't any lights on so hopefully I was out of the woods for night. I turned back around and Jace was leaning against his car, and damn did he look good. He walked over and grabbed me by the waist and pulled me into a kiss. It took me by surprise but I wasn't complaining. We stood there kissing for what seemed like forever until he broke away.

"I would love to do this again Clary." He said as he put a stray hair behind my ear.

"So would I." I said and he pulled me into another kiss. "Goodnight Jace."

"Goodnight Clary." He said and we parted ways. Thankfully my father wasn't awake and I practically skipped up to my room and I couldn't get the smile off my face. Tonight was perfect, and I couldn't wait to do it again.

 **Time Jump – State Championship Game**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was the day of Clary and Izzy's state championship game and I was nervous for them. This was the same match up that happened last year and even though they've beaten them before, I was still nervous. I was standing at the fence talking to Clary's father, who I have come to actually enjoy talking too in the last couple months, and watching the girls warm up.

"So, do you think we have a chance at winning?" He asked me and I nodded.

"Yea. Clary had been on fire the last couple games, and I can only assume this game will only fuel the fire even more. She's competitive, so she won't go down without a fight."

"True. She's a Morgenstern through and through." He said and the whistle blew and the girls made their way back to the bench. Our eyes locked and she smiled and made her way over to me. She got over to us and she gave me a quick peck on the lips.

"You nervous?" I asked and she shook her head.

"This isn't my first rodeo. I've some practice in championships before. All I have to do is my job and hope the team does theirs." She said and I wish I was as cool and collected like her on game days.

"Now Clarissa, you've played this team before so they know you're style. I want you to switch it up. Make it impossible for them to predict your next move, and I want you to bat lefty today." He said and she nodded.

"You're a switch hitter?"

"Yea. He wanted me to be comfortable on both sides in case something like this happened. Now they can't predict or plan in advance what to do with me." She said and I just couldn't believe it. She was pretty amazing. "Alright I have to go. Wish me luck." She said and I gave her one more kiss before she made her way out onto the field.

After the first four innings we were losing by one run, and for the first time this season, I actually thought they were going to lose. I was nervous, but watching Clary she was so calm, and she composed herself so well out on the mound. She was striking out girls left and right, and she was getting into a solid rhythm and she looked good.

We were in the final inning and we were still losing by one run, and we were up to bat. The first girl struck out, and the second girl was walked, and the third girl struck out as well. It was Clary's turn to bat and I was basically pissing my pants at this point. The pitcher threw the first pitch and it was a strike. The next two pitches were balls, followed by another strike. Clary stepped out of the batters box and took a deep breath. She didn't even bother looking over at us, knowing full well her father was probably pissed. She stepped back into the batters box and the pitcher started her pitch and it looked fantastic. Clary took a step and swung and the ball went so far out of the park. Clary just hit a walk off homerun with a runner on second, and I nearly lost my shit. As she ran around the bases the team gathered at home plate and when she came home they all started jumping up and down and cheering.

After they were all done celebrating they made their way back to the dug out and I jumped over the fence and picked her up and gave her the biggest hug.

"You scared me there Clare." I said as I put her down.

"I scared myself. She got so much better between our last meeting."

"But you did it yet again. You're truly amazing." I said as I gave her a kiss. "I love you." I said, not even caring who heard. I did, and I needed her to know how I felt.

"I love you too." She said as he wrapped her arms around my neck. I picked her up and hugged her again. I have Izzy a hug as well, and Clary's dad gave her permission to celebrate tonight, and as we walked away from the field I had my arm around Clary's shoulders and she was laughing and talking to Izzy, and I couldn't wait to spend the next four years with her, and hopefully the rest of our lives together, because if there is one thing in this world I am sure of, it's that I want to experience it all with Clary by my side.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So this one shot was requested a while ago by Tris Swan, and I didn't want to write it so close to the Hockey one shot that's early in this collection of one shots, but this person had the same exact idea as the person who suggested the Hockey one shot and I didn't want to write basically the same story with a different sport, so I took the idea and made it completely my own. I am so sorry if you don't like where I took your idea, but I just thought that it needed to be different than the Hockey one shot. Let me know how you all like it, and if you have an suggestions please feel free to shoot me a message or leave a review! :)**


	17. Chapter 16 - Deployment

**Sixteenth One Shot:**

 **Deployment**

 **Clary POV:**

"Maxwell! If you don't stop teasing your brother you won't be going to the game tonight!" I yell at my four year old. Max and Henry were my twin boys. They were the spitting image of Jace, and had his personality to match. It was hard watching them grow up without Jace. He had been deployed most of their life, and seeing how much they looked like him made me miss him even more.

"But mommy, I want to watch Uncle Alec play." He pouted.

"Well, next time you shouldn't tease Henry. We have to meet Aunt Izzy in an hour, I need to change your sisters, and I need you both to change as well."

"What do we wear?" Henry asked.

"Well, it's military appreciation night, so wear your army shirts." I said and they both nodded and ran to their room. I went into the girls room and woke them up from their nap. Two years ago I gave birth to another set of twins. This time, two precious little girls, Sailor and Paisley. They were the spitting image of me. Bright red hair, and big green eyes. They were born a couple months after Jace was deployed. He's never met them, but I pray to god every night that he comes home safely so he can.

"Hey babies." I said as Sailor and Paisley rubbed their eyes. They looked up at me and smiled. "Ready to see Aunt Izzy tonight?" They both giggled and I couldn't help but smile at my cute little babies. I got them both dressed in their army shirts. They both had Herondale on the back of them. I put them both on the ground and we walked into the living room.

"Mommy?" I heard Henry say.

"What little man?"

"Can we call daddy?" He asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"Of course." I say as I grab my phone and dial his number. I put it on speaker and after a few rings he picks up.

"Hello?" He says and before I can say anything Sailor speaks.

"Hi daddy!" She yells and I couldn't help but smile.

"Hi baby. What are you guys up to tonight?"

"Alec has a game tonight, so we're going with Aunt Izzy to watch. Plus it's also military appreciation night, and we have to appreciate our favorite solider, right babies?"

"Right!" They all said in unison.

"How's it going over there?" I asked.

"Slow. It's something happening every day."

"When are you coming home daddy?" Max asked.

"Hopefully soon little man." There was some talking in the background. "Hey baby, I have to go. We'll talk soon. I love you, and I love you kids too."

"We love you too daddy." They all said.

"I love you Jace." I said and we hung up. I had to try so hard to not let the tears fall. I looked down at our kids and smiled. "Alright kids, let's go meet Aunt Izzy!" I said and they cheered as we got into the car.

 **Jace POV:**

"Was I convincing enough?" Izzy said and I smiled.

"Yea. She believed me. I hate lying to her though."

"But it's for a good reason. She'll be thrilled to see you tonight." She said and I gave her a smile. "Alright, what's wrong?"

"I'm nervous."

"Why?"

"I'm meeting my daughters for the first time."

"Sailor and Paisley are basically baby Clary. They're perfect."

"But seeing them through a computer versus in person is totally diffident."

"Jace, they are your daughters. Don't be nervous."

"What if they don't know who I am?"

"You really think Clary wouldn't drill you into their minds? There are pictures of you all over your house. She has them say goodnight to a picture of you every night, and she talks about you all the time. They know you Jace. They love you, and when you finally hold them in your arms for the first time, it'll be amazing."  
"Your right. I'm just I've been away for so long. My boys are four years old, and my daughters are two. I feel like I've missed so much."

"You have." She says and I glare at her. "What? You knew this would happen when you enlisted, and you also knew when you married Clary that you would have to leave her and any potential babies that came into the picture. You chose this life Jace, and I know it sucks, but Clary is so incredibly proud of everything you've accomplished and everything you've sacrificed."

"She is?"

"Totally. She brags about you, and she always lets everyone know she is a proud military wife. So do your kids. They worship you."

"I guess I've just been gone for so long, I feel so out of touch."

"It's been a long two years. It's been hard, but you don't have to worry about it being awkward or strange."

"Thanks Iz. I needed that." She smiles and gives me a hug.

"Now, I have to go meet your wife and kids so they don't get suspicious."

"Thank you for setting this up for me Izzy."

"It was mostly Alec. He talked to his coach about the whole thing." She said as she walked out of the room. Now it was time to play the waiting game. It's been a long two years, but finally being in the same place as Clary and my kids was totally worth it.

 **Clary POV:**

We got to the stadium and I had Sailor and Paisley in my arms while Max and Henry walked in front of me. We saw Izzy and the boys went running.  
"Aunt Izzy!" They yelled and she engulfed them in a hug.

"How are my favorite nephews?"

"Aunt Izzy, we're your only nephews." Max said and we laughed.

"When did you get so smart?" She asked and he smirked.

"He takes after his father, right Max? You're just like daddy?" I said and he nodded. Izzy grabbed both of their hands and I put the girls down and grabbed their hands and we made our way to our seats. When Izzy led us to our seats I was shocked. "Izzy, why are we so close?"

"Alec hooked us up. He might have told the coach that you were a military wife raising two sets of twins while your husband was deployed and he wanted to do something for you."

"Wow. That was so kind of him."

"It also doesn't hurt that you're his sister-in-law, so that got some extra points as well." She said and I just laughed.

The kids were super excited to watch Alec play football. When he went pro, it was one of the most exciting days in the family. He had been working on it since he was a kid and it was all he ever dreamed about. We made it a point to make it to at least four games a season. Getting the kids to sit through an entire game was tough, so we didn't do it often, but when we did the kids loved it.

When half time rolled around we were winning. Something different was happening at this halftime though. Alec came over to where we were sitting and I was extremely confused.

"Alec, what's going on?" I asked and he smiled.

"I want you and the kids to come onto the field. We're honoring a military family, and that family is you." He said and my jaw dropped. Izzy started handing my kids over the fence and when they were all down there I got over the fence and Alec caught me and started leading us to the 50 yard line. On our way over a man handed him a microphone.

"Good evening everyone, I hope you all are enjoying the game tonight. Tonight is actually one of my favorite nights to celebrate. Military appreciation night hits close to home for me because my brother is in the military." He said and the fans went crazy. "He has been deployed for a little over two years now. This right here is his family. His wife Clary, his boys, Max and Henry, and his girls Sailor and Paisley. I wanted to take this opportunity to honor my brother and his family because over the past couple years I've seen how hard it's been on Clary to be a military wife. She's had to give birth to two sets of twins, raise them while he's away all while hoping and praying he makes a safe return. So, tonight as we honor all military families, and active and retired soldiers, I wanted to be the one to make this night even more special." He said as he smiled at me. "Please welcome home from Afghanistan, Major Jace Herondale." He said and my jaw dropped. The whole crowd went crazy and I turned around and there he was. The boys went running and jumped into his arms. Sailor and Paisley soon realized who he was and went running as well. I on the other hand was standing in shock. After he put the kids down he made his way over to me. He placed a stray curl behind me ear like he always did.

"Hey baby." He said and I completely broke down. He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist and cried into the crook of his neck. He held me there for a couple minutes before I pulled back and slammed our lips together. The crowd went wild again and when we broke apart I smiled.

"Hi." I said and he laughed. He put me down and I looked around at our kids who had the biggest smiles on their faces. Jace leaned down and picked up Paisley while I picked up Sailor. "Do you girls know who this is?" I asked and they nodded.

"It's daddy!" Sailor said and I couldn't help but smile.

"That's right it's your daddy." I said and Paisley leaned up and gave Jace a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm so happy to meet you two ladies. I love you so much, and I've missed you like crazy." Jace said.

"We missed you too daddy!" She said and leaned over and kissed him like Paisley did. He took Sailor out of my hands and gave them both a huge hug.

This made me cry even more. Watching Jace meet his daughters for the first time was so unbelievably emotional. When he put the girls down he turned around and hugged Alec and than I saw Izzy coming onto the field as well. She gave Jace a huge hug as well.

"Alright, let's get back in our seats and watch the rest of Alec's game." Izzy said and I picked up Sailor and Jace picked up Paisley and Izzy grabbed Max and Henry's hands and we made our way off the field. I grabbed Jace's hand and interlocked our fingers and he leaned down and kissed my temple. I've been dreaming about this day for over two years and now that it's actually happening I am on cloud 9.

 **Jace POV:**

When the game was over we got into the car and headed home. Sailor and Paisley were both asleep and Max and Henry were trying their best to stay awake. I couldn't blame them, it was a long and emotional day. When we got home Clary and I grabbed a girl and one of the boys hands and made our way inside.  
Once I took a step inside I stopped to look around my house. There were pictures of me everywhere, but there were also pictures of the kids everywhere. There was a cute picture of Sailor and Paisley on their first birthday, and one with Max and Henry holding them as newborns. I couldn't help but smile at all the memories that were captured on the walls. I followed Clary upstairs and we changed Sailor and Paisley and put them in bed. When we got to Max and Henry they were both passed out on their beds. We laughed and just left them like that.

Finally we got to our room. I stripped off my fatigues and laid on our bed for the first time in two years and I finally felt at home. Clary changed and than made her way over to the bed.

"So Mr. Herondale, now that you're home, what do you want to do?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"I want to get reacquainted with my wife's body." I said as I moved my hand up her thigh. "I want to revisit every single spot that makes you shiver, and every place that makes you moan. I want to hear you whimper my name." I looked up at her and smirked which causes her to blush, and I leaned down and gave her a kiss to the ear. "And I want to be reminded how you feel around me." I whispered in her ear. She shivered and slammed our lips together. We lay there kissing for a while and when I reach my hand under her shirt to take it off the door started to open. Clary and I both looked at the door and Sailor was standing there.

"What's wrong baby?" Clary said and Sailor came running. Clary picked her up and sat her on the bed. "Bad dream?" She shook her head. "Do you feel sick?" She shakes her head again. "What's wrong than baby?"

"I want to sleep with daddy." She said and I couldn't help but smile. She looked at me and I picked her up and hugged her.

"Of course you can sleep with me." I said and she got the biggest smile on her face. All three of us got comfy under the covers and I put my arm around both Clary and Sailor. Sailor's head was resting on my chest with most of her body while Clary had an arm around Sailor and than around me. I looked down at two of my perfect girls and kissed them both on the head. This was perfection, and I couldn't wait to start raising our family together.

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up the next morning and Jace and Sailor both weren't in bed. I rubbed my eyes and started to go wake up Paisley, and she wasn't in bed either, and when I went to see Max and Henry, they were gone too, I made my way downstairs and they were all in the kitchen making breakfast.

"Morning mommy!" Paisley said and I made my way over to her.

"Morning baby." I said as I kissed her cheek. "What's going on here?"

"Daddy wanted to make you breakfast, and we all wanted to help!" Max said.

"Why is that?" I asked as I looked at Jace.

"Because you're the best mommy in the world." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile.

"But it's your homecoming. I should be making you breakfast." I said and he walked over to me and kissed my forehead.

"You've done so much in my absence. You've raised four amazing kids, and you've kept me sane over there, and you've been so strong. You're the real hero here. You deserve to have breakfast made for you, and you deserve to sleep in, and you deserve a relaxing day. So, Izzy is coming over today and taking you out to do anything you want, and I'm going to spend the day with the kids."

"You're really the sweetest." I said as I gave him a kiss. Max and Henry got the table ready and Paisley and Sailor were helping Jace.

We sat down and ate breakfast as a family for the first time and it was absolutely amazing. It was full of laughter, and smiles and it was one of the most amazing meals I've ever eaten.

An hour later, after all the kids were dressed and ready to go, Izzy came over. I haven't spent a day without my kids, so today was definitely going to be weird.  
"Alright babies, you be good for daddy. I don't want to hear any bad reports okay?"

"Yes mommy." They all said in unison. I leaned down and gave them all a kiss before leaving.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary and Izzy left, I took the kids to the park. I wanted to do normal dad things with them, because I've missed out on so much.

After a couple hours at the park, we all went out to lunch. Having four kids was exhausting, I don't know how Clary did it by herself. We got to the restaurant and sat at the table.

"What does everyone want?" I ask and they all want chicken fingers. Easy enough. We got our food and I had to admit, Clary did any amazing job with them. They were all super polite, and they didn't act out, and they listened. Clary was seriously a saint and I couldn't believe these four perfect babies were mine.

"Daddy, do you have to leave again?" Max asked and I smiled.

"No little man. I'm not leaving again."

"You're staying?!" He nearly shouted, and I smiled.

"That's the plan. I never want to leave you four again."

"Good. I missed you a lot." Henry said.

"I missed you all too. But you guys got me through. Especially you Sailor and Paisley." They both smiled and giggled.

We finished lunch and made our way home. When we got back Paisley and Sailor wanted to watch a movie, and Max and Henry were ready for their nap. I put their favorite movie on, Cinderella, while I got the boys ready for their nap. After they were all situated I made my way back downstairs and joined Paisley and Sailor on the couch and they both cuddled into my side as we watched the movie. The movie was almost over when Clary and Izzy walked in.

"Hey. How was your day?" I asked.

"It was great. We got our nails done, and than went shopping. How were the kids?"

"Perfect. You raised them well babe."

"I can't take all the credit. Even though you weren't here, you helped me raise them."

"How?" I said confused.

"Max and Henry wanted to make you proud, they wanted to be good for you, and Paisley and Sailor well, they were really easy. They were pretty chill babies, and when they were upset or annoyed I'd show them a picture of you and they were instantly in a better mood."

"I'm glad I could help. I felt awful when you gave birth and I wasn't here."

"We both knew that was a possibility. Comes with the lifestyle." She said and I smiled. "Alright, let's get these two up to their beds for their nap, and we'll wake Max and Henry up." She said and I nodded. I grabbed Sailor and she got Paisley, and we tucked them into bed and than woke Max and Henry up.

When Henry and Max woke up they had a ton of energy, and were running all around the house. I watched them running around like complete loons and looked at Clary and she laughed.

"This is normal." She said and I nodded. "That's way I put Sailor and Paisley down after. It's easier to deal with Max and Henry when I don't have to worry about Sailor and Paisley."

"You have this all down to a science huh?" I said and she laughed.

"Juggling four kids takes some trial and error, but I eventually got the hang of it, but now I have two more hands that can help for the time being." She said and wrapped her arms around my waist. I smiled and pressed my lips to her temple.

"You have these two arms forever." I said and she backed away from me with a shocked expression.

"You're staying?" She asked and I nodded. She threw her arms around my neck and I scooped her up.

"I'm not leaving ever again." I said and I could feel her body start to shake from the tears. "Shhh, it's okay baby. I'm never leaving you again."

"I can't believe you're staying."

"I've been in the army for almost 13 years, I used to think it was all I'd ever need. But when we got married and started our family, I realized that I had something so much better here." I said as I pulled away and wiped her tears away. "I love you Clary, and I can't wait to start raising our family together."

"I love you too." She said and I couldn't help but smile. We were in our own little bubble until something made a loud crash from the other room. I grabbed Clary and helped her off the counter and we walked into the living room where Max and Henry were standing over a broken vase stunned. They heard us walk in and they looked at us and than back at each other.

"He did it!" They both yelled as they pointed at one another. I laughed but Clary was not so amused by their blame game going on.

"What have I told you two about lying?" She said and they both hung their heads.

"That it's bad." They said in unison. They looked crushed and I looked at Clary and she smiled and kept talking.

"What have I said before about breaking things?" She said and they looked up with some tears in their eyes.

"Everything is replaceable, except for us." Henry said and she smiled.

"Exactly. It's just a vase boys. But don't move." She said as she walked over and I followed. We both picked up a boy and moved them away from the glass. "Go wait in the kitchen while daddy and I clean this up." They nodded and ran into the kitchen. Clary bent down and started picking up the flowers that were scattered across the floor. "I really need to learn that a vase is never safe in this room."

"How many vases have been broken?" I asked and she looked up with an amused look on her face.

"This makes number 8." She said and I couldn't believe it. "They love to rough house, and this table isn't the sturdiest. And it's not like they can go anywhere else to play, this is the only room available. Especially with the girl sleeping, they can't be in their room." She said as she gathered the shattered glass, and it got me thinking. Since I'm retiring form the army we are going to move eventually, and she deserves to have her dream home.

"Let's move." I said and she stared at me.

"Good joke Jace."

"I'm not joking. I'm retired so we have to move off base eventually."

"We can't afford a home Jace." She said and she looked crushed, like she has been wanting this for a while but it's never been plausible.

"Yes we can."

"Babe, I admire your determination, but I'm a stay at home mom. Your income isn't enough to buy a house for six people."

"My income may not be enough, but you're forgetting about my inheritance." I said and her eyes widened.

"You said you never wanted to touch that."

"Maybe not before, but I want to give you and our family the world. I've been gone for so long, and I want to do this for you and them. Six of us in this house is insane babe. We need room, and the kids are going to grow up and want their own rooms. We can do whatever we want with this money Clare, it's enough to buy a house, any kind of house you want." I said and a smile broke out on her face.

"Can we have a pool?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"We can have whatever you want." I said and she dropped the flowers and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"How long until we are out of a house?" She asked as we continue to clean up the mess.

"Six months to a year, but we're allowed to leave earlier than that as well." I said and she stood up with the flowers and some glass.

"Well, we need to start looking. And it has to be in a good school district. I want them to have the best education out there. And I want them to be in a family neighborhood so they can have friends, and it has to be close to everyone. I don't want them to move away from our families." She started rambling and I couldn't help but laugh at how cute she was.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

House hunting has been amazing, and we were stuck between two houses. The one house had a nice pool, with enough rooms for everyone to have their own plus one that I could convert into an art studio. The other one had a big backyard where we could install a pool, and it also had enough rooms for everyone plus a nice sized basement that the boys could rough house in while the girls played tea party in without them having to worry about being in each others way. They were both extremely promising, but I just didn't know which one to get. They were both in amazing school districts, and they were both within a good distance that we could visit family often.

"What's wrong Clare? You have that look on your face." Jace says as he sits down next to me.

"I'm stuck between these two houses." I say as I hand him the two options. "I don't know which one is better."

"Well, is there a house that has something the other one doesn't?" He says and I sigh.

"They both have something the other one doesn't."

"And what is that?"

"The first one has a pool, and an extra room that I could convert into an art studio. The second one has an amazing basement that the kids could play in."

"Well, which one do you think would be a better investment?" He said and I thought about it, I would love to give the kids a room where they could go and be kids in without having to worry about anything.

"The basement. I want the kids to have a place where they can do what they want without having to worry about breaking anything." I said and he smiled.

"Than it's settled. We'll buy this house, and install a pool, and build a shed." He said and I looked at him confused.

"Why a shed?"

"So you can make that your studio." He said and my haw dropped. Where did I find this man, and how was I this lucky.

"How did I get so lucky?" I said and he wrapped his arms around me a pulled me onto his lap.

"Well, as I recall, I ran into you while you were walking out of a coffee shop and you spilled it on my shoes, and I'm pretty sure you called me an asshole." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I did, but you also bought me another coffee, and wrote your number on my cup." I said and he smirked.

"And it took you four days to call." He said and I smiled.

"I had to see if you were still interested after a couple days. I didn't want to get my hopes up that a super hot guy was hitting on me to find out a couple days later that he was just casually flirting."

"Trust me, I wouldn't have given a complete stranger my number just to causally flirt." He said and I gave him a sweet kiss. "I love you, and these last 7 years have been amazing, and I wouldn't trade that day for anything. Well, maybe a new pair of shoes, but I'll let you slide on that one." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. I opened my mouth to say something when Sailor came running in crying her eyes out. I stayed on Jace's lap, but picked her up and she curled into my chest while Jace rubbed her back.

"What's wrong sweetie?" I asked and she just sniffed. She didn't say anything, she just continued to cry. Jace sat there and rubbed her back which caused her to calm down a little, and soon enough Paisley came walking in looking pissed. "Paisley, do you know why Sailor is crying?"

"Max hit her in the face with a ball." She said and I looked down at Sailor and sure enough she had a pattern of a ball on her forehead. "So I kicked him in the shin." She said and although I didn't encourage violence but knowing that Paisley would stick up for Sailor made me happy.

"Paisley, you know violence is never the answer." I said and her face fell a little.

"But he hit her mommy, and he didn't even say sorry." She said and Jace motioned for her to join us on the couch.

"Sweetheart, I know you were just trying to stick up for Sailor but kicking Max was wrong. Can you please go grab Max and tell him we want to talk?" He says and she nods before jumping off the couch and running away. A couple minutes later Max walked in followed by Henry. Paisley went back to her spot next to Jace and crossed her arms and glared at Max.

"Want to tell me what happened?" I said and Max looked down.

"I hit Sailor in the head with a ball." He said and wouldn't make eye contact.

"I already knew that, I want to know why you didn't apologize after you hit her." I said and he continued to avoid my gaze. "Maxwell, I'm waiting for an answer."

"It was kinda funny." He said and I couldn't believe it. "but Henry laughed too. It wasn't just me."

"Maxwell, look at Sailor." I said and he looked at her. "Do you think it's funny now?" I said and he shook his head. "I want you to apologize."

"I'm sorry Sailor." He said.

"For?" I said.

"Hitting you with the ball."

"And?" Jace said.

"Laughing afterwards." He said and Sailor sat up and wiped her eyes.

"Do you accept your brothers apology Sailor?" I asked and she nodded. "Now Paisley, do you have something to say?"

"I should have kicked you harder." She said and Jace had to quiet his laugh.

"Paisley Herondale."

"I'm sorry for kicking you." She said and Jace kissed her on the head. Sailor was done crying, and I looked at Jace and he smiled and we decided to tell the kids now.

"Max, Henry, would you mind sitting down. We have some news to share with you." I said and they sat down on the other couch. "Well, as you know your father won't be leaving us every again." They all got the biggest smiles on their faces. "But we need to move. Because he is no longer in the army, we can't live here anymore. So we have been looking at houses for a while now, and we found one." I said and I was trying to see their reactions.

"Are we gonna have to leave?" Max asked and I shook my head.

"No. We aren't leaving. The house is still right in this area, and it's big enough that you all can have your own rooms!" I said and they all started cheering. Sailor was now completely over what Max had done to her, and Paisley and her ran upstairs to play in their rooms, and Max and Henry ran back outside to continue whatever game they were playing. I couldn't help but curl into Jace and he kissed my forehead and pulled me closer. I couldn't wait to start our new journey in our new home.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It had almost been two years since we moved into our new home and it was absolutely amazing. Turns our Sailor and Paisley didn't want to have their own rooms. They wanted to stay together, and I was totally okay with that. Seeing how much they loved being together was so sweet and heartwarming. When we moved into the house the kids were super excited to be getting a pool, and having a basement that could hold all their toys. Seeing their faces when we moved in was priceless, and I was super excited that they were so happy with the move.

My art shed was absolutely amazing. It was just the right size, and fit all of the supplies perfectly, plus it was right next to the pool, so when the kids wanted to swim, I could be in there painting and still somewhat be surrounded by them. Today I was in my shed and I was working on my newest painting, which was a surprise for Jace. I had found out two weeks ago that I was almost two months pregnant. So I was painting a portrait of our family with me being pregnant. I think it will be a cool surprise, and I was excited for him to see it.

"Hey baby." Jace said from the door of my shed, and I looked up and smiled. "Dinner is ready."

"Okay. I'll be right in." He nodded and shut the door. I looked at the finished product and smiled. I grabbed the canvas and headed inside. The kids were all sitting at the table already. I set the canvas down facing the wall and joined everyone at the table.

Dinner went by quickly and it was like every other dinner, full of laughter and love. Max and Henry were both in kindergarten and I swear they had 12 stories every single day. Sailor and Paisley were in preschool and absolutely loathed it. The only thing they liked about it was the crafts they got to make, and none of their classmates could remember who was who and it annoyed them to no end. When dinner was over everyone helped clean up, and I decided that I was ready to tell everyone the news.

"Alright, so I'm finished with my painting, and I am going to hand it in the living room, would you all like to come watch the unveiling?" I said and everyone nodded and ran to the living room. They were all sitting on the couch, Sailor was on Jace's lap and Paisley was bouncing up and down. I laughed and put the nail in the wall and hung the painting. Once it was straight and I was satisfied, I stepped away and the kids looked confused, but Jace's jaw was on the floor.

"Why are you fat mommy?" Paisley asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm not fat, I'm pregnant." I said and than it all sunk in for them. Max and Henry immediately said they wanted another brother, but Sailor and Paisley said they wanted a sister. I walked over to Jace and grabbed his hands and pulled him up to me.

"Are you serious?" He asked and I nodded. "How far along?"

"Almost two months. I found out two weeks ago, and started working on this right away."

"We're going to have another baby?"

"We're going to have another baby." I said and he picked me up and twirled me around. When he put me down he slammed our lips together. I don't know how long we were like that when we were broken apart by out kids. All four of them were standing in the entry way looking at us. "Is there something we can help you with?" I asked and they all started looking at one another before Henry spoke up.

"Where do babies come from?" He asked and Jace and I looked at each other and paled. I looked back at the kids and smiled, but I really didn't want to have this conversation with them.

"Well….."

 **Authors Note:**

 **This was a one shot that I thought about one day while I was torturing myself while watching surprise homecomings, and I just couldn't pass it up. I hope you all enjoy this, and just let me know what ya'll think and I promise that I'll try and update faster, but I have to get ready for school, so updates will be slowly, and with all my other stories it might take longer than normal, but I hope you all can be patient with me! Let me know if you have any other suggestions! Send me a message or leave a review! :)**


	18. Chapter 17 - Saving Grace

**Seventeenth One Shot:**

 **Saving Grace**

 **Clary POV:**

"You stupid bitch!" Sebastian yelled as he slapped me across the face. "You can't do anything right! I ask you to do one fucking thing. ONE THING!" He yelled as he punched me in the ribs. "God, you are so useless, do you know that? If it weren't for me you'd be homeless. The least you could do is shit around the house." He said as he stormed away. I wait until I hear our bedroom door slam before I get up. I walk into the bathroom and look at the damage done. I had a bloody lip, and when I lifted my shirt I could see a bruise form. After I cleaned myself up I went into our room and saw that he was passed out already. I got into bed and fell asleep hoping tomorrow would be better.

Sebastian didn't always use to be like this, but his job is very stressful. You see, he's a doctor, and he sees the worst of the worst every single day, and he changes lives. He has been on edge recently, a family is suing him for malpractice and it's really getting to him. See, we've been together for a while. We met in high school, and when I was 18 I got pregnant. We weren't married but after my parents disowned me I moved in with him, and we've been living together ever since. Cameron was born in October, and she was absolutely perfect. Or so we thought. When Cam turned 4 she was diagnosed with cancer. She's spent the majority of the last 2 years in the hospital and I know its really tearing apart Sebastian. I know it's not right for Sebastian to take his anger out on me, but he does love me, and I know that he doesn't mean it.

Today was a normal Tuesday and I was going to visit Cam in the hospital and bring Sebastian his lunch for the day. I figured I'd bring him a peace offering for last night. I can't believe I didn't clean up the house before he got home. I knew he wanted me to do it, and I forgot, so I'm hoping that he forgives me. I walk over to the nurses station and see my least favorite nurse. I've caught her flirting with Sebastian on multiple times, and Sebastian never stops her, he just lets it happen, but I knew Sebastian loves me, so I've let it go.

"Hello Kaelie, I am looking for Sebastian, do you know where he is?" I said and I could see that he disliked me as much as I disliked her.

"He's in the on call room down the hall. Number 3." She said and I smiled and started making my way down. I knocked on the door and a moment later it opened and Sebastian looking disheveled.

"What are you doing here?" She spat at me and I was taken aback.

"I came here to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean to make you mad. I brought you some lunch, and I was wondering if you had some time to visit Cam with me." I said and I could see his expression soften.

"Thank you. I expect dinner to be ready when I get home. As for Cam, I have surgery in an hour, so I can't today. Maybe another time." He said as he kissed my cheek. I watched him walk away and I heard a door shut. When I looked behind me there was nobody there. I shook it off, and made my way to the cancer center to check in with Cam. When I got there she was looking so much more healthy. She smiled as I walked in and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Hey baby, you look so much better today." I said and she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I feel better. This round of chemo doesn't have all the same side effects as the last round so it's easier to handle." She said and I couldn't' help but smile. She's been so strong through all of this and I was so proud of her. We talked for a while before she started eyeing up the clock.

"Got a hot date there babe?" I said and she blushed. Maybe I was right.

"I promised I'd meet Max in his room at 1:30, that's when his chemo ends." She said and I smiled. Max was an 8 year old boy with the same type of cancer as Cam. He has been here for almost a year, and in that time Cam and him had been helping each other through chemo days. Their friendship was really cute, but clearly someone has a crush.

"Someone has a crush!" I sang and she threw her pillow at me.

"Mom!" She said and giggled and I stopped laughing and pulled the covers back.

"Come on, I'll wheel you over, and give you some privacy." I said and she blushed again. I got her settled in her wheelchair and she grabbed her IV pole and we started making our way down to his room.

 **Jace POV:**

I was in town for a couple weeks helping the New York office with some minor company flaws and while I'm here I was going to spend ever spare minute I had visiting Max. When he was first diagnosed, the family nearly broke. Izzy shut herself off from the family for almost three months. Alec moved to Europe for a month to try and cope with the news, and Maryse and Robert stopped communicating accept for when it involved Max. It was tough to see such a young and bright kid lose all the light he had in him. It sucked that I didn't live around here, but I planned on spending as much time with Max while I'm here as I can. We were all in his room while he got his chemo and I kept seeing him eyeing up the clock.

"Max, if you keep checking the time chemo is going to go by a lot slower." I said and she sunk into his bed.

"That's not what he's waiting for." Izzy said with a smile and Max put his head in his hands.

"Oh really?" I said and Izzy nodded.

"Cam is coming today." She said and I was confused, I didn't know he would get embarrassed for his friend to visit.

"Cam? Is he your best friend?" I asked and everyone laughed.

"Cam isn't a boy Jace." Izzy said and than I understood. "Cam is a cute little girl who Max hangs out with after chemo. She's been here for about two years. She's six, and I'm pretty sure Max is in love." She said and Max groaned. We all laughed before there was a knock on the door. Everyone parted and in came a little girl being wheeled by the most beautiful redhead I've ever seen. She was small, and she had the most striking green eyes. I looked back at Max and he looked ten times happier than he did before and I couldn't help but smile.

"Hey Max, how are you feeling?" The woman asked and she shrugged.

"I'm alright." He said and she smiled.

"I'm glad to hear it. I am going to go try and track down your father before he goes into surgery, I'll be back in…." She said as she looked at her watch.

"She can stay as long as she wants Clary, we don't mind." Maryse said.

"Thank you. I'll be back later baby. It was great seeing you all again." She said and than her eyes met mine and I was mesmerized. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was a new face in the room." She said and smiled.

"Clary, this is my other son Jace, he's in town for a few weeks, and will probably be here the majority of the time. You might get to know him rather well." She said and I saw her blush.

"It's nice to meet you Jace. Alright Cameron, behave, and if you aren't feeling well please have someone wheel you back to your room."

"Bye mommy." She said and Clary blew a kiss at her before leaving the room. Spending a lot of time here might be really uplifting after all if I got to see her again. I looked at her daughter and she had the biggest smile on her face. I could see her shift uncomfortably in her wheelchair and went over and kneeled down next to her.

"Would you like to join Max on the bed? It might be a lot more comfortable than sitting in that chair." I said and she smiled and nodded. I put my arm under her legs and behind her back and lifted her up and placed her on the bed. She fit so perfectly in my arms and something inside of me flipped. Cam ended up being there for almost three hours when Clary decided she needed to get some rest. We said our goodbyes and they left and I was sad to see them go, but hopefully I got to see Clary more while I'm in town.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

These last two weeks have been a lot of fun, despite spending most of my time in a hospital. Because Max and Cam wanted to spend so much time together I was in his room a lot and Jace was there every single day and he was actually really easy to talk to and he was a good friend.

We were in Max's room and they were both in his bed watching a movie while Jace and I talked and when I looked over they were both fast asleep. I laughed and looked at Jace.

"I know it may be hospital food, but wanna grab some lunch in the caf?" I said and he nodded and we made our way down to the cafeteria and grabbed some lunch. We sat there for an hour laughing and talking until I was grabbed by the arm and yanked out of my chair.

"Cheating on me whore?" Sebastian said and I just shook my head. "I can't trust you to go anywhere without trying to fuck the first pair of legs you see. You worthless, lying piece of shit." He said as he threw me down on the ground. Nobody was around which is why he was being physical, but I just got up and brushed it off. I went to talk to him but Jace stopped me. Sebastian saw him grab my hand and it just made him more mad. "Oh really? You aren't cheating on me? You fucking slut."

"Don't you dare talk to her that way." Jace hissed and Sebastian laughed.

"I can talk to her anyway that I want. She's my girlfriend." He said and I just stood behind Jace, I wanted Sebastian to leave and cool down. I didn't want to start anything here. "I don't know when you got the idea that you could do whatever the fuck you wanted too, but you've become really disobedient Clarissa, and I don't like it." He said as she stormed away and once he was gone Jace's body relaxed and he turned back towards me.

"That's your boyfriend?" He said and I nodded. "You could do so much better than him Clary."

"He loves me."

"That isn't love. That's control."

"He loves me. We've been together since we were 17. He's the father of my baby, and he loves me." I said.

"Clary." He started but I cut him off.

"We've known each other for two weeks Jace, you don't get to have an opinion on my life. Soon you'll be back in whatever state you live in, and we won't see each other again, but Sebastian will be here, and we'll work through our problems, and hopefully my daughter makes it to her 7th birthday, and we'll be a happy family, and we'll get married, and everything will be perfect, just like I dreamed it would be." I rubbed my arm where Sebastian had grabbed. "I'm going to go get Cam, and take her back to her room. I know you're leaving in a couple days, and if we don't see each other, it was nice meeting you." I said and I stormed away. How dare he talk bad about Sebastian, and he was wrong. He does love me. Right? He loves me. Yea, he loves me.

When I got home that night I started fixing up the house the way I knew Sebastian would like it. I wanted to show him that I was sorry for what happened this afternoon, and that I did love him. He ended up coming home really late, and barely said two words to me. I knew he had a rough day, so I simply let him go. The next day things were back to normal. I would go visit Cam, sometimes Sebastian would come and visit, but other than that he was consumed in his work. We would work through our problems, I knew we would. We were meant to be together, I loved him with all my heart, and there isn't anyone in this world who I would rather be with.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It had been a month and I still couldn't seem to get Clary off my mind. She truly believed that her boyfriend loved her, and I just I couldn't help but want to show her what being loved was like. I didn't see her before I left, I guess she really did want to work on her relationship, but I just couldn't believe that he would ever treat her the way she deserved.

I had gotten a call yesterday that Max wasn't doing well, and I was finishing packing so that I could go up and see him again. I could only hope that when I go that I do see Clary again, I know it wasn't my place to comment on her life, but I just I wanted her to know that I was sorry that I upset her, and hopefully we could still be friends. I just hope her situation is better this time around.

 **Clary POV:**

For about a week Sebastian and I had been getting along really well. We were laughing, and interacting like we did when we first got together, but work started stressing him out again and he got upset with me. I can't even begin to describe what it must be like for him, but I know this will pass, just like it always does and we'll be better again. I hope. He had come home late tonight and I could smell the alcohol on his breath and the cheap perfume on his shirt. This was the third time he came home like this in the last two weeks, and I just couldn't hold my tears in this time. I thought he loved me, but I guess I was wrong. I had grabbed my little duffle and took some of my close and grabbed my keys when a hand wrapped around my wrist.

"Where do you think you're going bitch?" He slurred and his eyes were coal black.

"I'm going to stay somewhere else tonight." I said not wanting to make him mad.

"Am I not enough for you?" He said and before I could catch myself I said something I immediately regretted.

"No, but apparently I'm not enough for you." I said and his eyes widened before he threw me on the floor.

"What was that bitch?" He said as his foot landed against my ribs.

"Nothing." I said as he punched me in the face.

"After everything I've done for you, you're just going to walk out on me? You are nothing without me! Nothing!" He yelled and I couldn't stop the tears. This isn't how it was supposed to be. He was supposed to bring me flowers, and kiss me on the cheek, and take me on dates. He wasn't supposed to be this cruel. He kicked my ribs a few more times, and I started to whimper. He walked back into the kitchen and I started to stand up and I realized that I don't deserve this, and I was going to do everything in my power to make sure Cam would never have to know her father is a monster.

"I'm going to the hospital to spend the night with our daughter. Maybe in the morning you'll be a little nicer." I said and I saw his eyes narrow and I knew this wasn't going to be good. He ran over and put his hand around my neck and I couldn't breath.

"You can do whatever the hell you want with that bastard." He said as his hand started getting tighter. "I never wanted her anyway, and now she's even more a problem." He let go and a sunk to the ground gasping for air.

"She's your daughter." I managed to get out and he laughed.

"Not anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Once she got sick I gave up my paternal rights." He said and I was shocked.

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

"I was planning on it."

"When?" I asked now as I'm fuming. How could he just give up his daughter without my knowledge.

"When she died and you expected me to pay for her funeral." He spat and I was at a loss for words. He had completely given up on her, and was prepared to leave me in the dust the minute he could. I grabbed my stuff and headed towards the hospital. After tonight, there was nothing tying me to this place. I was going to look into a new hospital for Cam, and we were going to start our lives over.

When I got to the hospital it was nearly midnight, but when I walked into Cam's room she was still awake. She looked over at me and smiled and I made my way over to her and sat next to her bed and grabbed her hand. She gave me a weary smile and I leaned down and kissed her hand. She was all that mattered, and I was going to make sure she was going to have an amazing life, no matter how short it was.

 **Jace POV:**

When I got to the hospital it was late, but I wanted to see Max. I walked into his room and he was in and out. I knocked and his head snapped towards the door and he smiled.

"Hey buddy." I said as I sat down next to his bed.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

"I had some vacation days saved up and I decided I wanted to spend time with my favorite brother." I said and he smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better. I think I'm moving hospitals." He said and I looked at him puzzled.

"What makes you think that?"

"I overheard mom talking to the doctor. Apparently its way too expensive to keep me here." He said and I couldn't help but frown. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Sure thing little man. What's up?"

"I'm not supposed to leave my room, but could you take me to Cam's room? I told her about the possibility of me leaving today and she got really upset and stormed out of here. I want to make sure she's okay." He said and I just couldn't day no. I loaded him into a wheelchair and started to make my way to her room.

We were just outside her room when I heard talking. I kept Max at a distance so that he wouldn't hear but I couldn't help but lean in to hear who she was talking too. I took a quick peak and saw flaming red hair and I knew it was Clary, and being super nosy I stayed for a minute to hear their conversation.

"Are you okay mom?" Cam asked.

"Of course baby. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You have that look again. The one you have after you and dad fought." Cam said and I heard Clary sigh.

"Your father and I got into an argument tonight, yes." She said.

"Mom, why are you two still together? He's not very nice to you, and he's never loved me." Cam says and my heart broke for her. A 6 year old should not feel that way.

"Cam." She started but Cam cut her off.

"No mom, I know I've been in here for a while and I don't know what happens at home, but he doesn't love us. I see him hanging around one of the nurses here all the time, and when she comes and checks on me she smells like him. I want you to be happy mom, and he doesn't make you happy." Clary let out a dry laugh.

"When did you get so smart?"

"I must get it from my mom." Cam said and I could hear Clary smile. "You deserve someone nice, and smart, and funny, and someone who will play solitaire with you, or listen to you play the piano, or watch you draw." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"And who do you suppose has all those traits baby? I can't wish up an imaginary boyfriend, although that seems wonderful."

"What about Jace?" Cam said and I nearly choke on the air.

"What about Jace?"

"He's nice, and when he was in town you two seemed to get along." Cam said and now I was very intrigued.

"We did, he is a very nice man." Clary said and I smiled.

"So what's the problem?"

"The problem is sweetheart that he doesn't live here. We come from two different worlds baby. You know a little bit about my childhood, and I didn't grow up all that well. And Jace, he is from a really nice family who just really enjoy each other and love one another. We don't fit together." She said and I couldn't help but frown.

"Opposites attract." Cam said and Clary laughed.

"Opposites don't always attract baby." She said and I figured it was time for make my presence known. I knocked on the door and Clary's head whipped around and when she saw me her eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"

"I had enough vacation days, and I wanted to see Max, and because I just can't say no to the kid, he asked if I could bring him here to talk to Cam." I said and she nodded. I grabbed the wheelchair and wheeled Max in and lifted him up so him and Cam were on the bed. I noticed Clary rub her neck and I placed my hand on her ribs and she winced. I nodded towards the hallway and she followed. "Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine." She said and I raised an eyebrow and she sighed. "You were right." She said and I immediately knew. I reached out and grabbed her hand and she started to cry. "He never really loved me, and tonight proved it." She said and I pulled her into a hug. We stood there for a moment until she calmed down.

"I didn't want to be right Clary. I wish I wasn't. I wish he did love you, and I wish she didn't do whatever it is he did to you tonight. I'm so sorry." I said as I wiped her tears from her cheeks.

"I'm leaving."

"What?"

"I'm taking Cam and I'm putting her into a different hospital, and I'm never coming back here again." She said and I nodded.

"Where are you thinking about going?"

"I was thinking St. Jude's. I think it's the best option for Cam, and I will do anything to help her." She said and I smiled.

"I live right near St. Jude's, if you'd like a place to stay until you get back on your feet."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"God, I'm pathetic. I'll probably be stuck at some dead end job for the rest of my life because I didn't go to college." She said and I pulled her into another hug.

"I think you'll do just fine." I said and she nodded against my chest. "Let's go see how those kids are doing." I said and she smiled and nodded. When we went back into the room both Max and Cam were fast asleep in her bed. We laughed and sat down on the couch in her room and started talking. I noticed at one point Clary starting to fall asleep and she leaned her head on my shoulder and I couldn't stop the smile that appeared on my face. I leaned back and slowly drifted off hoping that this wouldn't be the end of Clary and I's…..whatever this was.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

After I talked to the hospital, I had immediately started packing everything in the house that was Cam's or mine. I waited until Sebastian had a shift so that I wouldn't have to deal with him, but I doubt he even notices me anymore. I saw him making out with some nurse the other day at the hospital. The sad part was, I just rolled my eyes and walked away. I can't even imagine how long he had been doing that to me, but I was so over him now. I hate him, and I wish I had never met the piece of shit.

Jace had been so amazing, and I honestly don't know what I'd do without him. He has been so helpful with getting his house ready for me, and apparently his sister will be staying with him as well because Max was going to St. Jude's as well. Cam was really happy that she would have him with her, she was so disappointed when she thought they would have to leave each other. Everything seemed to be working out for the best and I couldn't wait to start actually living my life. A life where I was truly happy, and I knew that finally seeing the true Sebastian was the best thing that ever happened to me.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

These last six months with Jace was absolutely amazing. Izzy and I had gotten really close and thankfully Max and Cam were both in remission. Apparently the new chemo they both were getting at St. Jude's was doing a really good job.

Since Jace had a rather big home, he told Izzy and I to go out and get some stuff for Cam and Max, since they didn't have to stay in the hospital they were both coming home soon, and I was super excited. I haven't had Cam home in almost three years and I was super excited. Izzy and I were walking through the stores when she said something that caught me off guard.

"What's going on between you and Jace?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Oh come on, I can practically cut the sexual tension with a knife when you two are in the same room."

"There is no sexual tension Izzy."

"Yes there is. You two both watch each others every move. When a man talks to you, Jace tenses, or when a woman talks to Jace you tense. Come on Clary, you can tell me."

"Maybe I have developed some feelings for him over the past couple months." I said and she squealed.

"I knew it! Oh this is exciting! Are you going to tell him?" She asked and sighed.

"I don't know." I said and she stopped what she was doing and turned towards me.

"What are you afraid of?"

"The fact that I left my abusive boyfriend of 8 years just six months ago, and I don't know if I'm ready to just jump into a new relationship."

"Don't you want to be happy?"

"God you sound like Cam."

"Cam is a smart girl. Come on, Jace is a great guy, and he really likes you. He would never do anything to hurt you or Cam. I've known the guy practically my whole life, I've never seen him so attracted to a woman before."

"I just don't know Iz, I have Cam to worry about."

"You think Jace is going to distract you from Cam?" She asked and I shrugged. "Oh please, he would do anything to help you and Cam. Why else would he offer his home you two? He wouldn't do that for people he didn't care about."

"Iz." I started but she cut me off.

"Clary, if Jace makes you happy, go for it. Just jump in and see where it goes. After the hell you went through with Sebastian, plus the added stress of Cam's cancer you deserve someone who will treat you like a freaking princess, and I guarantee you Jace will be that person."

"Okay."

"Okay? You're going to tell him?" I nod and she squeals again. "Alright, lets go home. We have everything we need, and we should start dinner." She said and I rolled my eyes. I was not letting Izzy anywhere near the kitchen.

 **Jace POV:**

It was almost 6 when I unlocked my door and I was greeted by the scent of an amazing meal that Clary was preparing. Having her here for the past six months was amazing. I loved coming home to her, and knowing she was always going to be there in the morning with my coffee and some breakfast, and when I got home there would be dinner waiting. I never thought I'd ever want that, I was content being alone. But now that I've experienced it, I wanted it. More than ever, but I wanted it with Clary. I walked in and Izzy was nowhere to be found so I greeted Clary in the kitchen.

"Hey." I said and she smiled at me.

"Hey. Dinner should be ready in 5 minutes."

"Cool. Where is Iz?"

"Apparently she had a date tonight, so it's just us." She said and I couldn't be happier. I put my things down and made my way into the dinning room. Soon Clary was bringing food out along with a bottle of wine. We at down and started eating and drinking, and I couldn't help but smile whenever I was around Clary. She was just the bright spot in a gloomy day, and I couldn't wait to tell her how I feel.

An hour later we had killed the bottle of wine and I could feel it and I could tell that Clary felt it too. She was giggling, and blushing and I couldn't help but notice how incredibly cute she was. She stood up and stumbled and I caught her and she locked her arms around my neck and smiled.

"You're a really great guy Jace. Did you know that?" She said and she didn't release me. "Why couldn't I have met someone like you in high school? Why did I fall in love with the asshole who liked to hit me."

"I don't know, but I would never lay a hand on you Clare."

"I know. You're too good to do that." She said and than bit her bottom lip and it drove me crazy. "But what if I asked you to lay your hands on me?" She asked and I was about to say something when she grabbed my one hand a placed it on her ass.

"Clary."

"Do you want me Jace?" She asked and I grawled.

"Yes." I said and she leaned up on her tippy toes and put her lips on my ear.

"Thank take me." She whispered and I didn't need to hear anything else. I grabbed her and she locked her legs around my waist and my lips were in hers while I led her to my room. I didn't care about anything else in that moment, but the feeling of Clary and I together, and nothing felt more perfect.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Clary?" I heard someone call from the door. "Are you almost ready? We have an appointment at 11, and if we don't leave now we'll be late! And I don't know about you, but I am in desperate need of the massage." Izzy said and I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. I rinsed out my mouth and made my over to the door and opened it. "You aren't even dressed. What's wrong Clary?"

"I think I'm pregnant." I said and her jaw dropped. "I haven't been feeling right for the past two weeks, and I've gained some weight."

"Whose is it?" She asks and I smack her.

"Who do you think Isabelle?"

"Jace?" She asks and I nod. "When did you two sleep together?"

"About two months ago. We were eating dinner, and we killed a bottle of wine and apparently I was feeling extra flirtatious and apparently very bold."

"Oh my god. How many tests did you take?"

"None. I just have a feeling."

"Well, lets get some tests and if they all end up being positive, we'll tell Jace and go to the doctors." She said and I nodded. We went to the drug store and picked up 5 tests just to be sure. When we got back to the house I took all five of them and waited the amount of time, and sure enough all five were positive and I took a deep breath, and the door opened. Izzy and I walked out to see Jace walk in with Cam and Max. They both had finally gotten their strength back and were allowed to come home, and I was thrilled. They both looked dead on their feet so Izzy showed them to their rooms and I looked at Jace and I could tell he knew something was up.

"What's wrong?" He asks and I take a deep breath.

"We need to talk." I say and his face instantly falls.

"Are we okay? Cause these past two months have been great, and if something is wrong just tell me and I'll do whatever I can to fix it." He said and I can't help but smile at how much he wants this to work, and I just hope after I tell him he still feels that way. I grab his hand and lead him over to the couch and we take a seat. I figure the best way to tell him is to just be blunt and hope he takes it well.

"I'm pregnant." I say and his jaw drops.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm pregnant." I say again.

"When did you find out?"

"Today. I haven't been feeling well, and after I threw up this morning and Izzy saw me so I told her that I thought I was and we got 5 tests and they were all positive."

"You're pregnant?" He said and I laughed, clearly he was still trying to process it.

"Yes."

"I'm going to be a father."

"Yes." I said and a huge smile broke out across his face and before I knew it I was being spun around.

"This is amazing. I can't believe we're going to have a baby." He said and I smiled.

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"We've been together for two months Jace. Normally that isn't a long enough time for a couple to decide that they want to have a child, and considering this child was conceived when we were not together and drunk, I didn't know how you would feel about that."

"I don't care how long we've been together Clare, I've been in love with you since you agreed to live with me, and I was gathering the courage to ask you and than that night happened, and it was amazing."

"You love me?" I asked and he placed a stray curl behind my ear.

"Yes."

"I love you too." I said and his lips were on mine. We broke apart when a throat cleared and Izzy was standing in the doorway. She smiled at us and we broke apart and laughed.

"So I'm guessing he took it well?" She asks and I nod. "Good, because I would have kicked his ass if he didn't."

"I know, I appreciate the back up Iz."

"What are best friends for?" She said as she gave me a hug. "Are you going to tell Cam?"

"I was going to wait until after she woke up. She's had a long day."

"She's awake. She said she wanted to talk to you before she took a nap, so it's the perfect opportunity." Izzy said and I nodded and Jace and I made our way into her room. I knocked and walked in to see Cam sitting on her bed smiling.

"Hey baby." I said as I kissed her on the forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better. Whatever that chemo did, really worked. I hope it doesn't come back."

"Me either. Izzy said you wanted to talk to me, what's up?"

"Are we going to stay here if I get better? Or are we going back?" She asks and I grab her hand.

"We are never going back baby." I said and she smiled and than looked at Jace.

"Are you my new daddy?" She asked and he smiled.

"I'll be whatever you want me to be sweetheart." He said and her smile got even bigger.

"Are we going to be a family now?"

"We actually wanted to talk to you about that." I said as I took a deep breath. "I'm going to have another baby."

"Really?"

"Yea."

"Cool. I always wanted a sibling."

"I'm glad you're happy about this."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I didn't know how you felt about Jace and I's relationship, and I didn't know how you felt about siblings. Plus everything that happened with your father, I just didn't know how you'd react."

"I'm glad you're having a baby, especially one with Jace, cause he's my new daddy, and he's nice, and he loves us. At least, I think he does."

"Of course I love you girls. I always will." He said and she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. She didn't want us to leave, she said she wanted to fall asleep with her new family and Jace and I smiled and cuddled up beside her. She laid her head on Jace's chest while she held my hand and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. That relationship with Sebastian was good for one thing, and that was Cam. I put my hand on my stomach and couldn't help but think about bringing another child into this world. For so long I thought I'd never get to have any more children, but having children with Jace was going to be a new adventure, one that I was extremely excited to take with him and Cam.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Alright Cam, you have been cancer free for almost five years, what do you want to do?" I asked.

"I can do anything right?" She asked and I nodded. "I want to go on a family vacation." She said and I smiled.

"Really?"

"Yea. I mean, sure I'm cancer free but there is more to celebrate than just that."

"Like what?"

"Well, you guys have been married for four years, Caleb is turning five in a month, and the adoption is finally finalized. I feel like our family is finally complete, and a family vacation is exactly what we need to celebrate that." She said and tears welled in my eyes.

"I think a family vacation sounds wonderful." Jace said as he carried Caleb in the room. He put him down and he came running towards me. Jace took a seat next to me and Cam came down and Jace grabbed her and pulled her into his lap and she laughed. "And specific place?"

"Well, I've always wanted to go skiing, but my bones were always too fragile, plus I spent a lot of time in a hospital. Can we go skiing?" She asked and I smiled.

"Of course baby. We can do whatever you want." I said and she pulled Jace, Caleb and I into a group hug and I looked over to Jace and I couldn't even believe that this was my life, but it was amazing to be sharing it with someone as amazing as Jace, and I was excited to see all of the amazing adventures we went on as a family.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I took your second idea first from one of the suggestions! For some reason it won't let me post your name, but I hope you know who you are! because and idea hit me and I just had to run with it. I hope it was everything you hoped for! I go back to school tomorrow, so updating with be way less often, but I promise I am not abandoning any of my stories, just bare with me and I promise they will all be completed eventually! Let me know what you all think, and if you have any other suggestions, send me a message, or leave a review! :)**


	19. Chapter 18 - Exchange

**Eighteenth One Shot:**

 **Exchange**

 **Clary POV:**

"Mom, if you don't stop hugging me I'm going to miss my flight." I said as my mom hugged me tighter.

"I'm sorry. I'm just going to miss you so much."

"You'll have another child. Jace gets in at 3, and than you'll have someone else to look after."

"I know sweetie, but he won't be the same as you. What does he look like again?" She asked and I laughed.

"Tall, blonde, English accent, and golden eyes. I told him to meet you by baggage claim, and I said you'd be the one with bright red hair. So he knows who he's looking for." I said and she smiled. "Alright, we're boarding. I'll see you in six months mom." I gave her a kiss and headed towards the terminal. When I got settled I took my seat and looked out the window. I was super excited to be staying in Whales for six months. I needed a change of scenery and what better way to get some than doing a foreign exchange program? I couldn't wait for all the adventure a new country had in store for me.

 **Jocelyn POV:**

"Man I'm going to miss her." I said as Luke put his arm around me.

"I know, so will I. But we get to experience what it's like having a boy in the house. Now you'll be out numbered." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. "Let's go get some lunch while we wait for his plane to land." He said and he grabbed my hand and led me to a place to eat. I was going to miss Clary so much but I was excited for her to experience a new country.

When three rolled around Luke and I were waiting by the baggage claim and we saw a tall boy with blonde hair and I can only assume that's who Clary was talking about. Our eyes locked and he started making his way over to us.

"Are you Clary's parents by any chance?" He said and I smiled.

"Yes we are! I'm Jocelyn and this is my husband Luke."

"I'm Jace. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said and I couldn't get over how polite he was.

"I can't wait to experience the next six months together!" I said and he smiled and we made our way to the car. We piled his luggage into the car and we were off. "So, what's Whales like Jace?"

"Beautiful. Lots of landscape, and full of rain."

"Clary will love that! She is going to get so much sketching in!"

"She's an artist?" Jace asks and I nod.

"She takes after me. Once she picked up a pencil drawing is all she wanted to do."

"That's cool. I can barely draw a stick figure." He said and Luke and I laughed.

"Do you have any siblings?" I ask and I see him nod.

"I have a twin sister. Her names Cecilia."

"Do you miss her?"

"Yea. We've never been apart so these six months will be weird, but she's super excited to have a stand in sister for the next six months."

"Well, Clary is an only child so it'll be a strange adjustment for you." I said and he nodded. The rest of the car ride was spent in silence but it was a comfortable one. I had a feeling the next six months were going to be fun.

 **Clary POV:**

When the plane landed I got off and headed to baggage claim. Jace had told me that his family would be waiting there for me. Once I had all my belongings I started searching for his family, and when I saw a girl with blonde hair and the same golden eyes as Jace, I knew I found them.

"Are you Jace's family?" I asked and they all smiled.

"Yes we are. I'm assuming you're Clary?" I nod and the girl jumps and hugs me.

"I'm Cecilia and I'm Jace's sister, well his twin, but I only admit that on certain days. I'm super excited to have a sister for the next six months! And I love your hair! Is it natural?"

"Yea. I've never dyed it."

"That's so cool! Oh these are my parents, Celine and Stephan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both." They smiled and nodded and we made our way to their car. Once we got every settle in we were on our way to their house.

"So Clary, what is Jace in for back at your house?" Celine asks.

"My mom will probably drag him to every museum in New York, and do all these touristy things with him and Luke will most likely take him to sporting events and his and my moms favorite restaurants. He's excited to have another male in the house."

"Are you an only child?" She asks and I nod. "That'll be strange for Jace. He's so used to having Cecilia around."

"He'll love a break from me." Cecilia said and I couldn't help but laugh. I was going to have a fun time on this trip. And I could wait until I got to experience Whales.

 **Time Jump - Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I'm halfway done my exchange and I was not ready to leave this amazing country. Cecilia was basically my sister now, and Celine and Stephan were so amazing. I felt like I really belonged in this family. I mean, Cecilia and I have gotten so close we call each other sis of sissy. Leaving them might be one of the hardest things I'll ever do, but I was going to make these last three months count.

 **Cecilia POV:**

I only have three months left until Clary leaves and I was not prepared. I love her like my sister and not being able to see her is going to suck major balls. I was taking a shower this morning when the greatest idea popped into my head. Once I got changed I immediately went to find my mom and tell her about my plan. I walked into her study and found her at her desk.

"Mom, I have a plan and I need you to help me execute it." I said and she laughed.

"What's up?"

"I don't want Clary to leave, so I was thinking, maybe at the end of this program we can all meet, our family and hers, and have like a huge double family vacation. Get to know her family, and vice versa."

"I think that sounds great. I'd love to meet the people Jace has been living with." She said and I jumped up and hugged her.

"This will be amazing. Can you call and set it up? But don't tell Jace or Clary."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"What are you plotting Cece?" She said and I tried to avoid eye contact.

"I may or may not want to set them up."

"Cecilia." She said and I finally looked at her.

"What? You can't tell me that Clary wouldn't be perfect for him. She's amazing. Smart, funny, sweet, witty, and sarcastic. It's like they were made for each other."

"Cec..." She started but I cut her off.

"I just want them to meet, and than they can decide what to do. Please mom." I said and her eyes softened.

"Alright. I'll call her parents and set it up." She said and I couldn't get the smile off my face. I ran out of her office and went to find Clary to go shopping, hoping that her and my brother would get along and she'd really be part of the family.

 **Time Jump - End of Program**

 **Jace POV:**

I was packing the rest of my things to get ready for the airport and make my way home. Living in New York was definitely different, and the complete opposite of Whales but I loved every minute of it.

When we got to the airport I was really confused because Jocelyn and Luke were coming with me. Apparently they told Clary they were taking a family trip through Europe, and they are meeting her at the airport. I couldn't wait to get home and see my parents again and Cecilia, it had been a long six months and having her back would be great.

When the plane landed we were walking through the airport and I found my family. Cecilia was talking to a very short redhead who I assume was Clary. We walked up behind them and Cecilia's eyes widened and she ran towards me. I scooped her up into a hug but I couldn't keep my eyes off of Clary, she was breath taking.

"I missed you so much." Cecilia said and I put her down.

"I missed you too." I said and she grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the redhead.

"Sissy, this is Jace. Jace this is Clary." She said and I looked at her with confusion.

"Sissy?" I asked and Cecilia put her arm around Clary.

"We got really close." She said and I smiled.

"It's very nice to meet you Jace." Clary stuck out her hand and I took it and a spark ran through me.

"Likewise." I said and she smiled. She looked past me and saw her parents and smiled.

"Mom, Luke, what are you doing here?" She said as she gave them both hugs.

"Surprise! Celine called me a while back and suggested we go on a double family vacation after the exchange so that we all could get to know each other. And guess where we're going!" She said and Clary clearly read her mind and screamed!

"Pas du tout! La France?" _(No way! France?)_ She said and I smiled. Her French was perfect, and very sexy.

"Yes! I know you've always wanted to go and we're already here, and according to Celine Jace is fluent in French, like you, so why not go and experience the country. And with you two we won't get lost." She looked back at me and smiled.

"Fluent hein?" _(Fluent huh?)_ She says and I smile.

"Oui, bien que je ne m'attendais pas à ce que vous soyez." _(Yes. Although I didn't expect you to be.)_

"Je suis tombé en amour avec la langue." _(I fell in love with the language.)_

"Moi aussi." _(Me too.)_ I said and everyone was staring.

"Alright you two, no conversations that we can't understand." Cecilia says and Clary and I laugh. "Alright, so we aren't leaving until tomorrow, so we'll be at our house tonight. But we had to bring two cars because one car wouldn't fit us all, plus our luggage, so Jace you can take your car with Clary and her parents and I'll go with mom and dad with all the luggage." Cecilia says and I nod. We make our way out to the parking lot and go our separate ways, and I couldn't tell you how much I was going to enjoy spending time with Clary.

 **Cecilia POV:**

We broke up and got in our respected cars and once I saw Jace pull away I screamed.

"I told you they would be perfect for you. I mean, did you see that chemistry?" I said to my parents.

"I saw it, and it's evident there is something there. I mean, what are the odds they both speak French fluently." My mom says and I smile.

"This is going to be an awesome vacation." I said and we got in the car and headed home. I was determined to get Clary and Jace together in this week. It was my mission.

 **Clary POV:**

Holy hell. I didn't know a simple hand shake could have so much spark. I mean, I felt it through my whole body. And his French accent was sexy as all hell, I could enjoy spending this week together.

 **Time Jump - Vacation**

 **Clary POV:**

We have been in France for 3 days and it was everything I've dreamed about and more. Everything was so beautiful and knowing the language came in handy, they were all so nice, and willing to help.

Today Jace and I were going to explore a small park in hopes of finding a nice scenic place for me to sketch. He had seen some of my drawings and he wanted to watch me get inspired and create so we decided to take the day and explore. Just the two of us. And I was slightly nervous.

Jace was absolutely amazing, but spending time with his family for six months, I expected nothing less. Actually he was pretty perfect. And everyone who saw him knew it. We were walking through the market place when we heard a group of girls giggling behind us.

"Pense qu'il est avec le Fuligule Ã tête rouge?" _(Think he's with the redhead?)_ The one asked, clearly thinking we couldn't understand them. I smiled, and Jace smirked because they had no idea we understood everything.

"J'en doute. Il aurait jusqu'à présent quelqu'un qui a félicité son apparence. Elle n'est pas jusqu'à ses norms." _(I doubt it. He would have to date someone who complimented his looks. She just isn't up to his standards.)_ The one said and my smile fades and I see Jace tense a little and I look away. They were right, he was perfect, and I wasn't.

"Vous avez raison. Pense qu'il allait faire avec moi?" _(You're right. Think he'd go with me?)_

"Totalement Aline, je veux dire que vous êtes comme un 12 sur 10. Ce serait un crime si vous deux n'étaient pas ensemble." _(Totally Aline, I mean you're like a 12 out of 10. It would be a crime if you two weren't together.)_ The one said and giggled. Suddenly I hear Jace whisper.

"Ready to put on a show." He said and I didn't understand at first until his arm was wrapped around my shoulder and he was pulling me into his side. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips, and my arms wrapped around his waist. We heard the one girl groan from behind us and we laughed.

"Ils sont peut-être seulement cousins." _(Maybe they're just cousins.)_ The one said and I felt Jace laugh. He pulled away and leaned down and gave me a peck on the lips. Man if I thought there was a spark from a hand shake this just blew that out of the water. And it was just a peck. I can't only imagine what kissing him actually felt like. He looked into my eyes and I knew he felt it too. Something was there, and we were going to talk about it when we were alone. I remembered the girls from behind us and I turned around and smiled.

"Pour l'enregistrement, nous ne sommes pas des cousins." _(For the record, we aren't cousins.)_ I say and their jaws practically hit the floor. I hear Jace laugh as he grabs my hand.

"Venez, nous avons un babe date d'accès." _(Come on babe, we have a date to get to.)_ He said and my insides flip. I blow a kiss to the girls and laugh.

"Au revoir!" _(Goodbye!)_ I said as Jace pulled me away. We found the park and nobody was there. We sat down on a bench and before I got my sketchbook out I looked at Jace. "That kiss was..."

"Amazing." He finished and I laughed.

"Yea."

"I'd like to try something else." He said and before I could ask his lips were back on mine but this kiss was totally different. His hands were tangled in my hair and my hands rested on his chiseled chest. Holy shit was this like a drug. I never wanted him to stop. When he finally pulled away his eyes locked on mine. "Now that, was a kiss." I couldn't stop the blush that filled my cheeks. "I don't think I'll be able to survive if I don't get to kiss you like that everyday."

"Seems pretty difficult with an ocean between us." I say and his face falls. Silence falls between us for a couple minutes before he speaks again.

"I never asked, how old are you?"

"I just turned 24. How old are you?"

"25. I'll be 26 soon though. I feel like we know nothing about each other." He said and I laughed.

"You're right. How about while I sketch we talk about anything." I said and he smiled. I took out my sketchbook and flipped to an empty page before I spoke. "So, why did you do this program?"

"I found it online. I always wanted to study abroad in college but never got around to it. When I found it I figured, why not? I get to spend time in another country getting to see the sights without having to worry about school. Seemed pretty perfect to me. What about you?"

"Got dumped by my boyfriend, didn't feel like crying my eyes out in my room so I applied. I'd never been out of the country before, seemed like it was calling my name."

"I can't believe anyone would break up with you. You seem too perfect to ever let go." He said and I looked up and saw he was speaking the absolute truth.

"I don't know about that. Our lives were headed in two opposite directions. He wasn't over his college party days, and I wanted to settle down, buy a house, get a dog. He didn't want any of that. One day I came home he left a note on the fridge that said 'Went out to party. Forever.' With the key to the apartment attached."

"Wow. What a dick." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I sold the place, and moved back into my parents until I came back from this to figure out my next step."

"And what's your next step?" He asked and I looked at him.

"Well, I do enjoy Europe." I said and I could see his eyes widen.

"Really?"

"Why not? I don't have anything tying me to New York besides my parents, and I think they would enjoy a reason to visit."

"What about your job?"

"I can create art anywhere. I might actually have a better chance here than anywhere else." I said as I looked down at my drawing. I realized that I was drawing Jace.

"Which part of Europe?"

"I hear Whales is a pretty nice place." I say and his eyes widen even more.

"What?"

"I mean, I already have friends in the area, so adjusting wouldn't be as hard."

"I think it would be perfect."

"And why is that?" I say as I smile at him.

"Because now I have a shot." He said and now it was time for my jaw to drop.

"What?"

"I know you feel the connection between us Clary. Those sparks don't just happen to anyone."

"You felt them too?"

"Yea, and I didn't know what to do with you leaving, but if you're staying, I have a shot. We have a shot." He said and I couldn't help the smile spread across my face. I leaned over and pressed my lips to his.

"You have a very good shot." I said and he pulled me into his lap. We stayed there for who knows how long kissing, laughing, and getting to know each other. I couldn't have pictured a more perfect moment than right here with him, and I was excited to see how it went.

 **Cecilia POV:**

"How do you think the dates going?" I ask and my mom and Jocelyn look over at me.

"It wasn't a date." My mom said and I rolled my eyes.

"Yea, and I'm not a girl." I said and Jocelyn laughed. "It was totally a date, or at least it was going to become a date. You know Jace, when he wants something, he gets it."

"He is very determined. When he was in New York he didn't let us leave the museum until he saw every individual piece and read its history. We were there form open to close but he did it." Jocelyn says and I can't help but laugh.

"He's always been a fan of art. He sucks at it, but he enjoys looking, and learning about it." I said and just than we hear the door opened and Clary and Jace walk in holding hands. "I knew it! Told you mom, I knew they would get together." I say and Clary blushes. I walk over and give her a huge hug. "I am a genius, now you'll really be my sissy." She smiles and hugs me back before turning her attention to Jocelyn.

"Mom, can I talk to you and Luke please?" She said and her mom nods before going to find Luke. "I'll be back soon. This shouldn't take long." She said and I nod and Jace leans down and places a kiss on her temple. I tried my best to hide my smile but I fail. Clary walks away and I look at Jace.

"What's that about?"

"She's thinking about moving here."

"Like to France?"

"No, like to Whales."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Cecilia Marie Herondale." I hear my mom say from the table.

"Sorry. But you're serious?"

"Yea. She says she has nothing holding her to New York, and she's ready for a change."

"Are you two together?" I ask and he averts his eyes. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Yes, alright. We're together." He said and I threw my arms around his neck.

"I'm too good. She's perfect for you, and I swear, if you two get married, I'm totally taking credit."

"Whatever you say Cec." He says as he puts his arm around my shoulders. I've never seen him so happy, and I couldn't believe my plan actually worked. This whole experience turned out better than expected and I couldn't wait to see where it went.

 **Time Jump - Wedding**

 **Jace POV:**

It has been three years since I first laid eyes on Clary, and today was the day that we were finally getting married. To say I was excited would be a huge understatement. I've been looking forward to this day for the past year, and now that it's finally here was so surreal.

It took her six months to actually get settled here but as soon as she did I practically spend every waking moment there until one day she was cooking dinner and flat out said: "So, when are you moving in?"

When I looked at her I could tell she was serious. I mean, I was here all the time, and we had been together for six months, it might have seemed fast but for us it just felt right. It had been like we've been in a relationship for six years rather than six months, and to this day, I have loved every single minute and memory we have shared together.

Our ceremony was short. We didn't want to waist time with unnecessary things when we could be married in 10 minutes and than party all night. She looked absolutely stunning when she walked down the aisle, and yes I shed a few tears.

When we walked into the reception hall I could hear my friends whistling and howling, I saw my mother and Jocelyn crying, and I saw Cecilia jumping up and down with the biggest smile on her face. We finally sat down at our table and we were eating dinner when someone tapped the mic and started speaking.

"Hello everyone, for those of you who don't know, my name is Cecilia Herondale, and Jace is my twin brother. I guess I'm obligated to admit that since it's his wedding day." She said and everyone laughed. "I want to give you all a little background on my relationship with my new sister. I met Clary almost four years ago when her and my brother both signed up for this exchange program. You spend six months in someone else's home, and normally that person goes home after it's over and you never hear from them again. Clary was different. The moment I met her, man I knew she was special. We clicked immediately. We had so much fun together, and I never wanted her to leave. Halfway through the program I went to my mom and told her to set up a huge double family vacation after the program was over." She said and I looked at Clary who was just as shocked as I was. "My mother of course saw through my false reason for it and knew I was up to something. My plan was to set Jace and Clary up. Being his twin, I know everything about Jace, and I knew Clary was his perfect someone. Reluctantly, my mom agreed, she thought I was being pushy, but I know my shit...I mean stuff." She said and everyone laughed. "After a couple days in France they got together and look where we are now. I couldn't be happier for my brother. He has a smart, talented, funny, beautiful, sarcastic, and super sweet girl that really completes him in every single way, and I couldn't be happier that she's apart of our family. And I really only have one thing to say to this happy couple." She said and she looked at me and winked. "I totally take the credit." She put the mic down and everyone laughed and clapped at her speech. She walked over to Clary and I and we both gave her huge hugs. I hate to admit it, but she deserves the credit, without her Clary and I wouldn't be here today, and she was the best thing to ever happen to me.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, this one shot was requested by someone names "Me" and I really hope this lived up to your expectations of your idea! I really enjoy this story and I'm very proud of it! I'm in the process of starting other one shots plus updating my stories so I hope you all can be patient with me. Let me know what you think! If you notice I did something different with the translating and I did that because I didn't feel like it was necessary to make you read it separately. I should have done this with my other story, but I like it better when the translations are with the text! Any way, let me know what you all think! :)**


	20. Chapter 19 - Secret Relationship

**Nineteenth One Shot:**

 **Secret Relationship**

 **Clary POV:**

I guess you could say our relationship started off like any other 'forbidden' one. He was my brothers best friend, and I was the little sister. But he was also cousins to one of my best friends, Izzy. He had moved here in the middle of my junior year. He was a senior, like my brother. They instantly clicked, they were into the same things, played the same sports, hit on the same girls.

At first I didn't think anything of it. He would be over my house and Jon would go and take a shower and we'd be left alone. At first we'd just talk. Get to know each other, our likes and dislikes. Where he was going to school next year, what he wanted to do in life. We had became good friends. Not as good as my brother and him but good enough.

The summer leading into my senior year of high school is when things got complicated. Jon, and I have a lake house, my parents bought it for us as a joint Christmas gift one year, and we love it. We decided to spend the whole summer up there. Jon of course invited Jace, and Alec. And I invited Izzy, Simon, and Magnus. It was going to be a blast. I just knew it.

In the middle of July we decided to have this huge party. Alec and Magnus bought the alcohol and we threw a banger. The other kids in other lake houses came and it was awesome. I had a little too much to drink and Jace found me by the docks. He thought I was trying to go swimming but I was just looking at the stars. They were really pretty and I loved looking at them. He stayed with me and one thing led to another and we ended up having sex on that dock. I woke up the next morning confused, but soon the events from the previous night came flooding back and I was mortified. I had sex with my brothers best friend. I looked next to me and Jace was still passed out. I went looking for my clothes and by the time I was dressed her woke up.

"Did we have sex last night?" He asked and I nodded. He sat up and looked around. I handed him his shirt and pants and he got dressed.

"Look, we can forget this happened. We won't tell Jon, and we won't ever talk about it again." I said and he smiled.

"Now, why would I want to do that?" He asked and I was confused.

"Because we drunkenly had sex and we don't even like each other." I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Who said I didn't like you?"

"I'm Jon's little sister, and you could have any girl you want."

"And what if that girl is you?"

"You can't mean that."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm Clary Morgenstern, Jon's little sister, and you're his best friend."

"So, the reason we can't do this is because of Jon?"

"Yes."

"That seems a little unfair."

"Look, I don't randomly have sex with people." I said and his eyes widen.

"Were you a virgin?" He asked and I nodded. "Clary, if I would have known." He started but I cut him off.

"Exactly. You wouldn't have done it if you knew."

"No, if I would have known I would have been gentler. I would have made it a little more special than on a dock." He said and I laughed.

"Why does it matter?"

"Because you deserve it. Look Clary, I like you. A lot. I have since the day I moved here, but I didn't do anything because of Jon. I didn't want him to think I was going to have sex with you and dump you. I would never do that to you Clary. Last night, I followed you out here because I wanted to spend some alone time with you. It got a little heated, but I don't regret it." He said and his eyes said it all.

"I don't regret it either." I said and he smiled. "But what are we going to do? Jon would kill us both."

"We don't tell him."

"You want me to lie?"

"No. If he doesn't ask, he doesn't need to know."

"Are you sure? You're willing to keep our relationship a secret for who knows how long?"

"I'm positive. You're worth it." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I walked over to him and placed a kiss on his lips.

Maybe a secret relationship wouldn't be so bad, and if Jace was willing to do it, than so was I. It might suck for some time, but we'd figure it out. At least I hope so.

Turns out keeping it a secret was a lot easier than I though. Jon and Jace went to separate colleges, and he never asked about my love life. Which was amazing by the way. I ended up going to the same college as Jace and it was nice that we didn't have to hide there.

After being together for 3 years I knew he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I didn't know how he felt, I mean, I knew he loved me, but I didn't know how he felt about settling down, or having a family. We never talked about it.

Which leads me to the present day. I had graduated college last year, and Jace and I were still together. We had no idea how long we'd have to keep it a secret but we wanted to tell everyone when we were ready, but time doesn't seem to be on our side. I just found out I was pregnant. Almost done my third trimester, and I had no idea how I was going to tell Jace. Jace and I ended up getting an apartment together during school. Everyone thought it was weird but when we said that we both didn't feel comfortable living other people, and that we've known each other for years everyone just nodded and that was the end of that.  
I was on my way back to our apartment shaking, not knowing how he was going to react. I walked in and smelled dinner and I couldn't help but smile. He was an amazing cook, and he loved cooking for me. I walked into the kitchen and there my gorgeous man stood, and I couldn't help but thinking how lucky I was.

"Hey." I said as I took a seat on the stool. He turned around and smiled.

"Hey baby." He said and I smiled again. "How was your day?"

"Informative." I said and he turned around.

"How so?"

"Well, I was asked to set up the new exhibit the gallery is holding, my boss said I am up for a promotion, I'm pregnant, I got to fire someone today, and they want to hang one of my paintings in the gallery." I said but I'm assuming he's stuck on the one fact.

"Excuse me? Could you repeat one of those for me?"

"I'm up for a promotion?" I said and he smirked.

"No, the other one."

"I'm pregnant." I said and at first there was nothing, but before I knew it he was spinning me around.

"We're going to be parents." He said and he looked absolutely thrilled.

"You're happy about this?"

"Happy? I'm thrilled Clare. We're having a baby. A baby. I can't tell you how happy I am." He said and my eyes filled with tears.

"Jace, we have to tell Jon now." I said and his face paled.

"Oh god."

"We knew this day was coming."

"Yea, but I thought we'd tell him when we were ready, not when we have too." He said and I nodded.

"We'll be okay. Once we explain everything, he'll be cool with it. I hope." I said and Jace leaned down and kissed me. "For right now can we please just enjoy the happiness of having a baby?" I said and he smiled.

"Absolutely Clare. I love you, and our baby."

"I love you too Jace." I said and he picked me up and hugged me again. Knowing that he was happy about this was everything to me. Telling my family was going to be hard, but with him by my side I knew we'd get through it.

 **Time Jump - One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We were finally meeting up with Jon to tell him the news and I was freaking out. Clary and I had been together for almost six years, but that didn't mean Jon wasn't going to be pissed. We couldn't hid it anymore, with Clary's small frame she was beginning to show, and even though it might be my favorite thing to see, the cat was going to be out of the bag soon enough.

Clary and I got to the restaurant and Jon texted Clary telling her he was going to be late, and that he was bringing his new girlfriend to meet us. Clary was bouncing in her seat, and I put my hand on her knee and she relaxed.

"All this stress isn't good for the baby." I said and she smiled.

"I know, but I'm nervous."

"I won't let anything happen Clare. I promise." I said and I kissed her temple. Ten minutes later Jon and a blonde girl walked in. They took a seat and I decided to break the ice. "So, who is this Jon?"

"This is Courtney, my girlfriend. Courtney, this is Jace and Clary, my little sister and my best friend."

"It's so nice to finally meet you two. Jon talks about you often." She says and I smile.

"How long have you been together?"

"Almost six months."

"That's great." I said and I looked over at Clary. She still looked nervous.

"So, what did you guys need to tell me?" Jon asked and I knew Clary wasn't going to want to tell him so it was up to me.

"Jon, I want you to know right now, you know you're my best friend, and I didn't do this to hurt you." I said and he looked confused. "Clary is pregnant with my child." I said he his face turned a deep shade of red.

"She's what?!" He screamed and Clary flinched.

"Pregnant." I said again and he looked even more furious than before.

"And you're the father?" I nod. "What happened? Could you not keep it in your pants long enough and Clary was the closest thing to you?" He said and now I was furious.

"Is that what you think? That I was too impatient to find some whore to fuck so I settled for your sister?" I asked.

"Yes. I know you Jace. You can't stay committed."

"When was the last time you saw me with a girl Jon?"

"Senior year, but who the hell knows what you did in college." He said.

"I was with nobody in college. No one but Clary." I said and his anger turned to confusion.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"How long as this been going on?" He asked. His question was directed at Clary. She looked up as she rubbed her small bump.

"Since the summer before my senior year in high school." She said and now he was really confused.

"Six years?!" He yelled again.

"Yea. We've been together for six years Jon." I said and now he was clearly confused.

"Why wouldn't you tell me?"

"Um, did you not notice your reaction a couple minutes ago."

"That's because I thought you got her pregnant on a one night stand." He said and we both say back down. "She's my baby sister man. I only want what's best for her."

"And I'm your best friend. We both didn't want to tell you when we knew you'd freak out."

"So you waited six years?"

"Jon." Clary said and I grabbed her hand and smiled. "We did agree to keep it a secret, but after a couple years and we didn't see each other as often it kinda just slipped our minds. We wanted to give our relationship a shot without any outside forces. You being the main one."

"So, I'm going to be an uncle?" He said and I smiled.

"Yea."

"How far along are you?" Courtney asked.

"Four months." Clary said and I couldn't help but smile.

"That's so exciting! How are you feeling?" Courtney asked and before Clary could speak Jon stepped in.

"Courtney here is a nurse."

"Nice. I feel good. Once the morning sickness stopped everything got a lot easier."

"Yea, I heard it can be a bitch." She said and we all laugh. "How are you doing Jace?"

"I'm good. Just trying to be there for Clary as much as I can. I wish I could take her symptoms, but there is only so much I can do you know?" I said and Clary gave me a kiss on my cheek.

"You're lucky to have him Clary. A lot of men aren't that involved."

"I know, I'm the luckiest." She said and finally we both looked back at Jon. "Please Jon, I'm going to need your support when we tell mom and dad."

"After hearing everything, I do support you both. I had no idea this was going on for so long. I'm sorry I flipped. You have my support. No matter what." He said and Clary for up and walked over to give him a hug. After they pulled apart he really looked at her. "You look so strange with a baby bump." He said and she rubbed her belly again.

"It's truly amazing. I honestly love having it. It's Jace's new favorite part about me. Once I started showing, he hasn't been able to stop rubbing it." She says as she sit back down next to me.

"What can I say? I want to be as close to our baby as possible." I said and she blushed. "It might be my new favorite but my old favorites aren't forgotten."

"Please don't talk dirty about my sister." Jon said and I laughed.

"What part do you think I'm talking about Jon?" I said and he groaned.

"I think you know Jace."

"For your information, my favorite part of her before the bump were her eyes." I said and Jon looked embarrassed.

The rest of lunch went by amazingly. After Jon got over his shock he was totally on board with our relationship and it honestly meant a lot to Clary and I. We wanted everyone to be happy for us, and we were hoping that this was going to work out in our favor.

 **Time Jump - One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary was five months pregnant and we were going to tell our families and all our friends today and Clary was nervous once again. Thankfully we had Jon and Courtney there with us so we had some support on our side this time.

I had gotten a ring for Clary a couple months ago and I picked it up the other day, and after the news was out I was going to propose, and I was nervous. Not just for asking, but also about how they would take the news, but I'm 24, and Clary is 23, so it's not like we're being irresponsible, we're just going out of order.  
Jon told us that he was going to tell them that Clary and I had some news we'd like to share with them before we entered the house. I didn't want Clary to walk in there and surprise them with her belly, because that wouldn't he healthy for her or the baby.

We were standing outside and we could hear everything Jon was saying. Once he was done, I grabbed Clary's hand and we walked inside. I saw everyone's face and they were full of curiosity. Once Clary walked into the house there was a harmonious gasp. We stood there for a moment, my arm around Clary's shoulder, Jon standing on her left side with his arms crossed in front of his chest. I could tell Clary was nervous, she was very tense. And we stood there waiting for someone to speak. After a moment of silence Jocelyn finally broke it.

"What the hell." Was all she said and everyone finally let out a breath. "When did this happen?" She asked.

"Clary and I have been together for six years." I said and all their eyes widened.

"Six years?" My mom asked and I nodded. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"We thought that it was better to just keep it on the low until we were both ready to let everyone know, especially Jon."

"You've been living together all this time?" Valentine asks and I nod. "I knew that excuse to live together was bullshit, but nobody else believed me."

"We're really sorry we didn't tell you guys." Clary said as she gripped my side a little tighter. "We just didn't know how you'd all feel and we wanted to see where the relationship was going, and after a while we just forgot that it was a secret. When I found out I was pregnant we knew we couldn't keep it a secret any longer. I'm sorry if anyone is upset that we kept this from you, but we just wanted everything to be up to us. After I found out I was pregnant we knew we'd have to tell everyone. I hope you all can forgive us." She said and Jocelyn got up and walked over to us and started playing with her hair.

"Sweetheart, we aren't mad at you. We're all just shocked. I'm going to be a grandma." She said as her hands made their way to her bump. "How far along are you?"

"Five months." Clary says and soon my mom is pulling me into a hug.

"I can't believe my baby is going to have a baby." She said and I smiled. She turned to Clary and pulled her into a hug as well. "I'm happy for you two. You'll make wonderful parents. I know you will."

"That means the world to us. We've been freaking out a lot lately." Clary said and my mom and Jocelyn smiled. The each grabbed one of her hands and led her over to the couch and all the women preceded to talk about baby things. The moms were sharing pregnancy stories and Izzy and Courtney were planning a baby shower.

Meanwhile the fathers, Jon, Simon and Alec were all huddled around me.

"So, when is she due exactly?" Jon asked.

"Christmas Day. Should be eventful. So I apologize in advance if Clary and I miss Christmas dinner Valentine." I said and he laughed.

"We will all be forgoing on Christmas dinner if my baby is giving birth." He said and we all smiled. "I have to say, I didn't see this coming."

"Neither did we. It happened so fast, but I wouldn't trade a single second of it. I love her." I said and he nodded. "Which brings me to another point. I want to ask your daughter to marry me, and I would love your blessing."

"Of course son. I'd be honored to have you as my son." Valentine said and a huge wait was lifted off my shoulders.

We ended up staying for dinner and dessert and we were all sitting in the living room talking when I decided it was time to ask her. I stood up and cleared my throat.

"I know today has been full of surprises, but I'd like to add one more." I said as I turned to Clary. I took out the box and got down on one knee and her one hand flew over her mouth while the other rested on her belly. "Clary, these last six years with you, have been the best years of my life. I've known for awhile that I wanted to spend forever with you, and I can't wait to bring our baby into this world and start our family. I love you more than anything. Will you marry me?" I asked and she had tears streaming down her face.

"Of course I'll marry you." She says and I slip the ring on and slam out lips together. After we break apart I wipe her tears away and look at our family and notice all the women crying. Now that everything was out in the open I felt like Clary and I would finally start to relax and get prepared to bring this baby into the world.

 **Time Jump - Birth**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I had been sitting around our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and we were simply enjoying each other's company. We new the baby would be arriving any day now, and this would be one of the last nights we had to ourselves.

We were sitting in front of the fireplace, Jace's hand rested on my belly along with mine while we listened to Christmas songs and ate Christmas cookies.

"Can you believe that we'll have our baby any day now?" I asked and I felt Jace's chest vibrate with laughter.

"It's still so surreal to me. I think once the baby is here it'll feel real."

"I agree, now since we are keeping the gender a surprise we should actually settle on two names."

"Okay, you pick the girl name, and I'll pick the boy." Jace says and I nod. "For the boy I think the name Luca would be perfect for him. Luca Alexander Herondale."

"I love it." I said as I kissed his cheek. "For a girl I was thinking Emmalin Isabelle Herondale."

"Perfect. Our child will be perfect." He said and I laughed. It all came to an end when I felt a sharp pain in my belly and when I looked down my pants were soaked.

"Jace, my water just broke." I said and he shot up and had his phone in hand. He called my parents, grabbed my bag, called his parents, helped me in the car and started driving.

We got to the hospital and Courtney was working and she settled me into a room immediately. Half an hour later all our family was here and they were all in my room. I was in a massive amount of pain, but Jace was truly incredible. He never left my side and he always knew the right thing to say. All I could hope was that our baby would get here quickly. I couldn't wait to meet him or her.

 **Time Jump - Five Hours Into Labor**

 **Clary POV:**

"This baby is never coming out is it?" I yelled as another contraction hit. I nearly broke Jace's hand and my family looked at me with sad eyes. I knew they wanted to help but there was absolutely nothing anyone could do. "Why didn't I take the dugs!?" I said and I could hear Jace laugh.

"You wanted an all natural birth babe." He said and I groaned.

"I'm an idiot. If we do this again Jace, I want the drugs!" I said and he placed a kiss on my forehead.

"Whatever you want Clare." I smiled and than a doctor came into the room.

"Let's see how close you are." She said and she checked. "I think you're about ready to push my dear."

"Oh thank god!" I said and she laughed. I looked over to my family and smiled. "I love you all but I want this moment to be between Jace and I. He'll come get you the moment the baby is born." I said and everyone nodded.

"Good luck baby." My mom said as she kissed my head.

Once everyone was out of the room, the doctor started prepping for my birth. I was scared shitless but I was also super excited to meet our baby.  
After about an hour of pushing our baby's cries filled the air and I couldn't help but cry myself. The nurses took our baby and cleaned them up and took the information. The doctor turned around and smiled.

"You two are the proud parents of a beautiful, and healthy baby boy." She said and I looked at Jace and I could see how happy he was. One of the nurses brought him over, swaddled in a blue blanket and he was absolutely perfect.

"Welcome to the world Luca." I said and I have him a kiss. Jace leaned down and gave him a kiss as well before giving me one.

"I'm going to go let the others know. I love you so much Clary, and I love Luca just as much."

"We love you too Jace." I said and he smiled. He walked out of the room and it gave me some alone time with Luca and I just couldn't get over how perfect he was. He was going to be a mini Jace and I couldn't wait to watch him grow.

Jace was back a couple minutes later followed by the rest of the family. My mom was the first one in and she came and gave me a kiss and looked down on her grand baby.

"What's his name?" She asked and I looked at Jace.

"Luca." Jace said and he looked directly at Alec. "Luca Alexander Herondale." I saw how much it meant to Alec and he came over and gave Jace a hug.  
"Means a lot man." He said and Jace smiled.

They stayed for a couple more hours. Everyone getting their fix of new born. Jace was sitting on the bed with me while we watched our family bond with our baby. We were a family, and I couldn't wait to take him home and start making memories.

 **Time Jump - Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Luca has been absolutely amazing. He looks just like me, and I'm pretty excited about it. There was just something about my son looking like me that really melted my heart. Clary was happy about that too. She kept saying that she hoped he looked like me, and once he started growing blonde hair, and his eyes were changing to gold Clary was thrilled.

Today we were all meeting for lunch. Clary and Izzy had taken Luca out shopping for some more clothes, that kid was growing fast and clothes were going like crazy. I got to the restaurant and the waitress came over and tried shoving her boobs in my face.

"What can I get for your handsome?" She asked and I just rolled my eyes.

"Can I get a pot of coffee for the table, three waters, and a small cup of apple sauce?" I asked and she looked confused but wrote it down and walked away. A few moments later Clary walked in with Luca followed by Izzy. She handed me Luca and sat next to me while Izzy sat on the other side. "I ordered us a pot of coffee, waters, and apple sauce for Luca." I said and Clary leaned up and kissed my cheek.

"You're the best. I've been in caffeine withdrawal all day." She said and I laughed. The waitress came back over with our things, she looked around and saw Luca in my lap smiled and stormed away. "What was that all about?"

"She tried hitting on me before you got here. I guess she doesn't take rejection well." I said and Clary and Izzy both laughed.

Lunch went by way to fast and I was sad that I had to go back to work and leave Clary and Luca. The best part of my day was spending time with them, and when I had to leave it always sucked. We walked out of the restaurant and lingered for a moment.

"Any thoughts on dinner?" Clary asked.

"Yea, when I get home I'll cook. You take tonight off." I said and she smiled.

"I don't mind cooking Jace." She said and I laughed.

"I know you don't, but you do everything while I'm at work. Tonight is your night off. I'll cook, clean, give Luca his bath, and put him to bed. I want you to relax tonight."

"You're way too good to me." She said and I leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"I just love you so much, and you deserve to have a break every now and than." I said and she smiled. I gave Luca a kiss before I handed him back to Clary.

"I'll see you at home. Love you Clare."

"I love you too." I leaned down and gave Luca one last kiss.

"And I love you too Luca." A smile spread across his face and I couldn't help but smile back.

I got in my car and headed back to work. I look back on my life and couldn't be happier at where I am. I have an amazing fiancé who I am more in love with every single day, and I have the most amazing son that stole my heart the minute he was born. We might have started out in an unconventional way, but where we are today is where I knew I always wanted to be, and I was thrilled to be experiencing life with Clary and Luca by my side.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by Miss-Ashwright and I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do! I tried to keep it mostly in the present but I clearly had to go back to the time that they got together because who doesn't like a little Clace fluff. Let me know how you all feel about it! I'm currently in the middle of writing another chapter of another story, and I'm in the middle of getting another one shot done! If you have any suggestions, remember you can always send me a message or leave a review! :)**


	21. Chapter 20 - Bullies

**Twentieth One Shot:**

 **Bullies**

 **Clary POV:**

"Mom, why do I have to be here?" I said as she handed me another box.

"Because your brother is leaving and we won't see him for awhile."

"But he'll be home in November."

"Come on Clary, help us out." Jon says and I roll my eyes. I walk into the room completely ignoring his roommate and put the box on his bed.

"This is not how I wanted to spend my birthday." I said and they all just smiled.

"We'll go out to dinner another night sweetie."

"Just forget it. It's not that big of a deal anyway."

"Clarissa." My mom starts but I cut her off.

"I'm fine. I'll go grab the last box." I said and I'm surprised with what happens next.

"I'll help." His roommate says and I finally look at him and he is completely gorgeous.

"Uh, thanks." I say and we both make our way outside. It's quiet for a little until he breaks the silence.

"I'm Jace by the way."

"Clary."

"I'm sorry you had to give up your birthday moving your brother in."

"My birthdays never really been a big thing for me anyway. I don't know why it's been bothering me lately." We get to the car and I grab the box and my sketchbook falls out and Jace picks it up.

"Is this his too?"

"No, that's my sketchbook." I said a little nervously. I didn't like to share my work. It always felt incomplete.

"You're an artist?"

"Kinda. I'm not that good." I said and he opened my book and I could feel my stomach tighten.

"Not good? These are amazing."

"Not really."

"Why don't you think so?"

"They are so incomplete. They could be so much better."

"I think you're extremely talented." He said as he put the book back into the car. I shut the door and we walked back to their room. I put the last box on the floor and said our final goodbyes before walking back to the car. I picked up my sketchbook and looked at one of the sketches and started adding an angel to it, maybe it was on the verge of being good.

 **Time Jump - Thanksgiving**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in my first period class waiting for the day to be over to start thanksgiving break. I was excited to get home and see Jon, and Jace was spending time with us because his parents were traveling and my parents thought it was absurd to spend the holiday alone. I was walking to my locker when someone stuck their foot out in front of me and tripped me making me spill all my books.

"Klutzy Clary is back. You poor little thing. Maybe if you were more attractive and less of a prude you'd have friends." Aline said and her posse laughed. I rolled my eyes and picked up my books and made it to my next class.

The rest of the day went on like this. When I got home nobody was there, so I went up to my room and blasted my music. I took an empty canvas and started painting.

 **Jon POV:**

Jace and I had gone out to grab something for dinner. Apparently Jace is an excellent cook and he wanted to make dinner tonight as a thank you to my parents. When we got home we could feel the house vibrating. I knew Clary was pissed, and channeling all her anger into her painting.

"What the hell is that?" Jace asked. "Not that I'm complaining, it's good music, but why is it so loud?"

"It's Clary. When she's pissed she blasts her music and let's all her anger out on a canvas."

"Does she always do that?"

"Ever since freshman year. One day she came home, stomped upstairs, turned on her music, and didn't stop for four hours. When she finally turned off the music I went to check on her. Probably the most disturbing piece of artwork I've ever seen."

"What was it?"

"It was a picture of a little girl. She was wearing a white gown that was covered in blood and standing on top a pile of decapitated heads."

"Holy shit."

"When she's this pissed her artwork is something that should be in a psych ward. It's terrifying."

"Why does she get so pissed?"

"That's the thing. We don't know. She won't tell us."

"How often does this happen?"

"A couple times a month. My mom hides all her work in a vault in the basement."

"Why?"

"Well, for one they are actually amazing paintings. They should be up in an art gallery somewhere. Clary has a natural talent for it. Two, she doesn't want anyone to see them just laying around our house. They'd give you nightmares."

"But what's she going to do with them?"

"One day when Clary makes it big she'll bring them out and give them back to Clary. And than its up to her to decide what she wants to do with them." Jace nods and finally the music stops. I sigh and look at Jace.

"I have to call my mom and tell her to pick up a few more canvases on her way home. Can you go check on her?" I ask and Jace nods and starts for the stairs. I pull out my phone and dial moms number.

"Hey Jon, what's up?"

"She's at it again." I say knowing she'll know what I mean.

"How many should I grab this time?"

"I'd pick up at most 5."

"Alright. I'll be home around six. Any thoughts on dinner?"

"Jace is making dinner."

"Why?"

"As a thank you."

"Tell him I say thank you for making it. I'll be home later."

"Bye mom."

"Bye." She says and we hang up. I start unpacking all the food and imagine what disturbing image Clary painted this time.

 **Jace POV:**

I walk up the stairs and make my way to the orange door that I'm assuming is Clary's. I knock and I hear a faint 'come in' and I open the door. Clary is standing in front of a the canvas so I can't see. I make my way over to her and what I see is disturbing.

"Wow." I say and she looks up at me. She has paint all over her face, which actually makes her look very cute.

"Too much?" She asks and I laugh.

"Uh, if you're going for the whole serial murder vibe, not really." I said and she laughs. "What is it?"

"Well, the theme is clearly murder. But not in the traditional sense."

"How is this not traditional? There are dead bodies everywhere."

"They weren't killed because of weapons. They were killed by words. They all have words carved into their bodies, and it eventually lead them to death." She said and I look closer. "See, the one girl was called a whore so many times that there was actually no more skin that could be cut so she ended up bleeding out. This one over here was called stupid, and the one in the far corner was called ugly. Eventually the words cut so deep it was too much."

"So who is the girl in the middle?"

"The angel of death coming to collect the wounded souls of those who were killed."

"And does she represent something?"

"She represents how people can find peace in the afterlife. See how pure she is? She takes those injured souls and repairs them. So they can live in peace again."

"That's pretty deep."

"I just paint whatever pops into my head. Mostly gory stuff since I'm normally in a bad mood when I do it."

"Are you okay?"

"I am now." She says but I don't totally believe her, but I let it go.

"Well, Jon asked me to check on you, and now that I know you're okay, I'll leave you alone." I said and she smiled. "I'm making dinner tonight, and I hope you like chicken."

"I love chicken." She says and I smiled.

"See you at dinner." She smiles and I walk out of her room and close the door. Something felt off about Clary today, and not just because of the painting. I was going to get to the bottom of it one way or another.

 **Time Jump - Christmas Break**

 **Clary POV:**

It was last period of the day and I couldn't wait to go home and not have to be back in this hell hole for two weeks. I was sitting at my desk sketching when suddenly it was snatched out from under me. I looked up and Aline took it.

"Give that back." I yelled as I stood up.

"Drawing your imaginary boyfriend Clary?" She asked as she stares at a picture of Jace. "I have to say, you do have high expectations. I mean, for someone so ugly, fat and stupid you'd think you'd be satisfied with your own brother showing you a little bit of love."

"That's private." I say as I try to snatch it away from her.

"It's rude to snatch Clarissa. Didn't your parents ever teach you any manners? It's not nice to try and steal from your superiors."

"You are not my superior." I hissed and her eyes narrowed in on me.

"What did you say you freak?" She yelled and I just looked at her. "That's what I thought. Face it Clary, nobody wants you. Nobody needs you. Nobody will ever love you. This world would be so much better without you." She spat as she tossed my sketchbook on the floor. Her posse laughed and the final bell rang and I grabbed my sketchbook and ran out of there faster than I could even explain.

 **Jace POV:**

Jon and I were sitting in his living room playing some video games. They had been really accommodating towards me with my parents traveling and all. I was grateful I didn't have to spend the holidays alone. Suddenly the front door bursts open and Clary stands there shivering and panting.

"You okay?" Jon asks and it seems to snap her back to reality.

"I'm fine." She says but she's not convincing.

"Clary." Jon starts but she cuts him off.

"I said I'm fine Jonathan." She says and she runs upstairs. Jon hangs his head, clearly waiting for the music to start but nothing happens. He looks up at me confused.

"Can you check on her? She clearly doesn't want to talk to me." He says and I nod and start making my way upstairs. When I get to her door I can hear sobbing. I open it and Clary is curled up on her bed sobbing into her pillow. I look around and notice that there is a canvas set up with one word written on it. 'Worthless.' I look back at Clary and knew something was wrong. I walk over, pick her up, place her on my lap and rub circles on her back until she calms down.

Twenty minutes later her breathing is finally regular again, and she isn't sobbing anymore. She lays her head on my shoulder for a couple minutes before I start to talk.

"What happened Clary?"

"I don't want to talk about it." She says but I don't really care. She is going to talk. I shift her on my lap so that now she is straddling me and our faces are towards each other.

"I'm not taking that as a valid response. Something is clearly bothering you. What is it?" I ask and she looks away. I place my hand under her chin and direct her face back to mine. "Why did you write worthless on that canvas?"

"Cause I'm worthless."

"No you aren't Clary."

"That's not what they say."

"Who are 'they'?"

"This group of girls at school. They have been making high school hell for me since freshman year."

"What have they been doing?"

"Normal stuff. Tripping me in the hallway. Bumping me in the caf so my lunch flies everywhere. Spreading rumors about me. Stealing my stuff. Getting me in trouble. Anything they think of, they do."

"Why haven't you told anyone?"

"Do you know who my brother is? He'd be out for blood."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Yes. Jon was only a year above me. He was friends with everyone in high school, he even dated one of the girls who bullies me. High school was his kingdom. I wasn't going to take that away from him."

"So you let them beat you up?"

"There wasn't much of beating up. Only like three bloody lips."

"Clary, you shouldn't have to take their shit."

"I can't stop them Jace. I have absolutely no friends in high school. I keep to myself, I try and draw as little attention as I possibly can, and try and make it one day without something happening."

"You shouldn't have to go through that."

"Bullies will be bullies. Didn't you have any at your high school?"

"No. We had a strict no bullying policy. And I was a advocate for anti-bullying. No one was getting away with it if it was up to me."

"You're too good to be true." She mutters.

"I just really can't stand bullies. Demeaning people for their own sick and twisted pleasure? Not okay with me." I said and she rested her hands on my chest and my insides almost melted. She leaned forward and put her forehead to mine. I put my hands down and they rested on her thighs. I won't lie and say this wasn't turning me on, because it was but I wasn't going to be the one to make the first move. She's in a sad place right now, and I'm not taking advantage of that. She pulls away and our eyes lock. She bites her lower lip which drives me crazy and her eyes flicker to my lips. I minute later she leaning in and our lips brush each other. My hand immediately goes behind her head and pulls her closer. We stay like that, kissing and touching for a couple minutes before we break apart. We sat there for a moment before she spoke.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Kissing you."

"Why would you be sorry about that?"

"Because I just assumed you wanted to kiss me too."

"And what if I did?"

"Did you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Believe it or not Clary, I find you incredibly beautiful." I said and her cheeks turned rosy red. "I think you're funny, smart, talented, sarcastic, and there isn't anything in this world that I want to do more than protect you. Be your shoulder to cry on, your confidant, your friend, maybe be something more."

"I don't believe you." She said and I put my hands right above her ass and scooted her closer to me.

"You Clary Morgenstern, are without a doubt the most amazing person I've ever had the privilege of knowing. I didn't kiss you because I was waiting for you to make the first move."

"Why?"

"Cause you're vulnerable right now, and I wasn't going to take advantage of that. I don't know if you couldn't tell, but I enjoyed that kiss very much."

"I could tell." She said as she smiled and I placed one of my hand behind her head and pulled her lips down to mine. We were lost in our own world we didn't hear the door open.

"MY POOR VIRGIN EYES!" Jon yells and we break apart. Clary nearly falls off the bed but I catch her a place her down next to me. "You couldn't just keep your tongue in your mouth Jace? Seriously? She's my sister, and Clary, you are innocent, how do you know how to kiss?" He said and we both couldn't help but laugh. "When I asked you to check on her Jace I didn't mean make out with her."

"You aren't mad?" Clary asks and Jon shakes his head.

"Naw. Jace is a good guy, and I will never get in the way of someone's happiness. It's weird, but I'll get over it." Jon says and Clary walks over and gives him a hug. "I came up her originally to tell you that mom won't be home for dinner and I was going to order a pizza. What do you want on it?"  
"Just plain." Clary says and he looks at me.

"Plain is fine with me." Jon nods and closes the door behind him. Clary makes her way back over to the bed and I pull her into my lap. "So, would you like to be my girlfriend Clary?" I say and her eyes light up.

"I'd love too."

 **Time Jump - Clary Graduation**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I had been together for 7 months and I've never been happier. Being away from each other for the majority of our relationship was tough, but she's going to the same school as me next year and we're pumped. Jon had invited me to her graduation and I would never miss an opportunity to see Clary.  
The ceremony was boring, but it was fairly short. We were all standing in the parking lot waiting for Clary to make her way over to us. There was a sea of cap and gowns walking around hugging their friends, and taking pictures. Jon and I were standing around talking when a girl walked up to me batting her eyelashes.

"I haven't seen your handsome face around here before. My names Aline, what's your?"

"I'm Jace." I said and smirked.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Jace. Did someone you know graduate today?"

"Yes. I don't make it a habit to crash graduation ceremonies." I say and she breaks out into an annoying laugh. Soon a blonde comes up and joins her.

"Who is the hottie Aline?" She asks and I try my hardest not to roll my eyes.

"His name is Jace and I called dibs." Aline said and I couldn't help but want to laugh in her face. I'm not property.

"Well Jace, it's nice to meet you. I'm Kaelie." She says and I smile. I notice a flash of red and when I look between the two girls I see Clary. She's doesn't look pleased. As she walks closer I see that she doesn't seem upset with me, but rather the girls who are in front of me. When she gets closer she mouths 'that's them' and I know immediately what she's talking about. The two girls who are in front of me clearly see my focus has shifted and turn to see what I'm staring at.

"Ugh, don't pay any attention to the bottom of the food chain. She's a nobody." Aline says and I can't believe Clary put up with this for four years.

"And your a somebody?" I ask and she smiles.

"I'm the only person who matters. Maybe one day, I can be the leading lady in your life. A queen perhaps." Now I didn't even care to hide it, I laughed. "What's so funny?" She asks clearly annoyed with my response.

"The fact that you assume you're my type." I said and she looks offended and the blonde laughs.

"I guess Asians aren't his type. I knew you were more into blondes. We have to stick together, right?" She winks and I shake my head.

"I can tell you aren't a real blonde. That color isn't real. And what's even funnier is you two automatically think I'm single."

"You have a girlfriend?"

"Yes. Who I'm here to see, who I love, and who I'm not breaking up with any time soon."

"Who is she?" The blonde one says. "Do I know her? I bet it's Maia, or maybe Helen, oh maybe it's Maureen."

"You just saw her. Turn around." I said and they turned around and saw Clary. She smiled and waved at them before they turned back towards me.

"You can't be serious? Klutzy Clary is your girlfriend?" Aline said and Clary made her way over to me. I pulled her close and kissed her quickly on the lips.

"Yes, now if you'll excuse me, we're going out to celebrate. It was lovely meeting you two ladies. I always wanted to meet the two girls who made my girlfriends high school career miserable." I said and I grab Clary's hand. I start pulling her away when she stops me and turns back to Aline and the blonde.

"I win bitches." She says and I honestly couldn't be more proud of her. We start walking hand in hand back over to her family. She gives them all hugs before we get in our cars and head to whatever restaurant we're going to. I got into my car and Clary got in the passenger seat. I pulled out of the parking lot and Clary immediately grabbed my hand. I smiled at her and gave her a quick squeeze. Everything was going to be alright, I was going to make sure of it.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by "Iszabellah-Smith" and I hope I have lived up to your expectations! I had a lot of fun writing this, and I'm sorry that I haven't been updating all that often, but I hope you all can bare with me while I balance writing and school work! Please let me know what you all think! If you have any more requests shoot me a message or leave a review! :)**


	22. Chapter 21 - Billionaire

**Twenty-First One Shot:**

 **Billionaire**

 **Clary POV:**  
I had just given my assistant the names of everyone I wanted to invite to my ball. I held one every year, it was a great way to network. Personally I hated the whole idea but my publicist told me years ago that it would do great things for my reputation, and as much as I hate to admit it, she was right. My only condition was that nobody knew it was my ball. In the art world I'm known as Clarissa Morgenstern, but whenever I go places I'm simply Clary Fray. Nobody knew what I looked like, nobody knew anything about my personal life. I even rented out a mansion to host the ball so nobody found out where I lived. When I was younger I was always treated differently because of my family status. My fathers family came from old money. Before I was even a thought in my parents mind I had a 30 million dollar trust fund. That was just the start of it all. Pretty soon I was the youngest billionaire in the world. My art was selling like hot cakes. I stopped using my professional name in public early on in my career, it was just easier.

Tonight I was going out to eat to discuss a potential buyer with my publicist. I wanted to stay in and watch a sappy romantic movie but according to Izzy, this client could be life changing. When I got there I had requested being seated in a private part of the restaurant so we wouldn't be overheard. Izzy got there 5 minutes later and we order and started talking.

"His name is Sebastian. He works on Wall Street. He's almost as rich as you so a budget isn't an issue. He wants it done in a month for him and his wife's anniversary."

"Does he have a theme?" I ask and Izzy takes out her notebook.

"He wants a pond, with a giant oak tree with a swing attached. A girl sitting on the swing while a man stands by the pond."

"Any certain colors?"

"He wants everything black and white with her wearing a red dress, with blonde hair, him wearing a red tie, with blonde hair."

"So he wants the people highlighted?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Tell him I'm in."

"Price?"

"5 million. A month is a rush. I'll be spending the majority of my time on it and pushing other requests aside to get t done."

"Deal. I'll call when we're done."

"Call now. I'm going to go get some fresh air." I said and she nodded and pulled out her phone while I walked out on the balcony. I got out there and there was a blonde man standing smoking a cigarette. I walked over to him, and stood next to him.

"Can I bum one?" I ask and he looks over.

"Sure." He says and he pulls out a pack and I take one. He hands me the lighter and I light it and I immediately start to relax. "You seem like you've had a rough night."

"Business dinner. Rather boring if you ask me."

"Sounds boring." He says and I take another puff.

"What about you?"

"I'm on break."

"You work here?"

"I'm the entertainment." He says and I look at him. "Piano."

"You're really good." I said and he shrugs.

"Eh. I'm alright."

"If you don't think you're good, why are you playing?"

"I need the money. It's my third job." He says and I'm shocked.

"What are your that two?"

"I'm a caddy at the golf course here, and weekends I'm the breakfast chef."

"Man of many talents."

"Trust me, if I had money I'd be doing what I really wanted to do."

"And what's that?"

"I'd love to be a musician. I was in a band in high school. We were pretty good, but I needed to get my head out of the clouds and focus on real work."

"College?"

"Completely out of the question."

"Why is that?"

"Couldn't afford it. My parents needed my help keeping the house so after graduation I stated working odd jobs."

"Is that why you work three jobs now?"

"Yea. My dad died a couple years ago, and it nearly broke my mom. I moved back in and have been taking care of her ever since."

"That's very sweet of you." I said and he put his cigarette out. He looked back at me and than back into the restaurant.

"My break is up. It was good talking to you..."

"Clary." I said and he smiled.

"I'm Jace." He said and than I put my cigarette out. "Maybe we could grab some coffee some day." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'd like that." I said as I grabbed a napkin from one of the outside tables and Jace handed me a pen. "Here's my number. Text me when you want to get together."

"I will. Have a goodnight Clary."

"You too." He said as he made his way back to the piano. I walked back to Izzy who was just hanging up the phone.

"Why do you look so...happy?" She said and I just laughed.

"I think I just got asked out on a date."

"No way?!" She said and I nodded. "By who?"

"The man playing the piano." I said and she looked around me to see.

"Girl, he is hot. How did you start talking?"

"I bummed a cigarette off him."

"I thought you were quitting Clary."

"I've been really stressed lately." I said and she just shook her head. I paid for our dinner and we left the restaurant. I couldn't get Jace out of my head. I haven't dated in a while, I've never been comfortable to let anyone know who I really was, but I felt like I could get that comfortable with Jace. I couldn't wait until we got together again.

 **Time Jump - Three Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace had texted me earlier today and asked if I'd like to grab some coffee and I was super exited. This painting was causing me a lot of stress, and I needed a break and a cigarette. I got into my car and made it to the cafe where Jace was already sitting outside at one of the tables. He looked completely different than he did the other night. He was in black jeans, a white tee, and a leather jacket and he looked incredibly sexy. I parked and got out of the car and made my way over to him. He put out his cigarette and stood up to greet me.

"Hey."

"Hey. I'm glad you could make it."

"I was in desperate need of a break when you texted me." I said and he pulled out my chair. "Would you mind getting me some coffee? I really need a smoke."

"Sure. How do you like it?"

"Black please." I say and he nods and goes for the coffee. By the time I get my cigarettes out and light it he's back. He puts my mug down in front of me than sit in his chair.

"So, how was your day?"

"Long. I haven't been to bed yet." I said and he laughed.

"Why did you pull an all nighter?"

"You know that business dinner I was at the other night?" He nods. "Well, I have this client who wants a painting for his wife for their anniversary, but he wants it in a month, and he was a very specific theme. It took me all night to get the background right."

"You're a painter?" He asks and I nod. "Are you any good?"

"Well..." I start, I don't want to scare him away when he finds out who I am.

"I mean, if you're having business dinners, and someone wants your work, you must be good right?"

"Promise you won't freak?" I ask and he looks at me with a confused expression, before he nods. "My name is Clarissa Morgenstern." I say and clearly he doesn't keep up with the wealthy.

"Okay?"

"I'm the youngest billionaire in the world." I said and his jaw dropped.

"You're not kidding?" I shake my head. He clearly looks flustered and he stands up and starts walking away.

"Hey! Where are you going?" I say as I chase after him.

"I'm leaving."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I'm having coffee with a billionaire. I just, it's not right."

"Why isn't it right?"

"Are you kidding me? You have a billion dollars."

"Actually I have close to three billion." I said and than realize it wasn't the right thing to say. "Not that that matters."

"Of course it matters. I'm nothing. I have nothing. We aren't from the same social class. Our worlds aren't meant to collide." He says as he continues to walk away.

"You didn't care before I told you who I was, why does my money change that?" I yell and he turns around.

"Our lives aren't compatible. You should be with someone who is equal to you. Not below you."

"I've dated men who are rich. Guess what? They all suck. They want me for who my father is, who my family is, how much money I have. I gave up dating awhile ago. I thought you were different. I thought that maybe, just maybe I found a guy who wouldn't be intimidated by my money, and actually liked me for me. I guess I was wrong." I said and started to walk away. I was stopped when I felt my arm being grabbed.

"Clary."

"What?"

"I didn't mean to make you upset. It's just, I guess it did freak me out a little. I mean, I can't even comprehend that much money. I've never had money. I barely got money for a school lunch because we couldn't afford it. You can't expect me to just hear that and not be completely floored." He said and I guess I understood what he meant. "Look, I'm sorry I freaked. I was really excited to see you today. I couldn't get you out of my head for the past three days."

"Neither could I." I said and I looked into his eyes. "I like you Jace. I like talking to you, and we were having a good time before you freaked. If my money is too much for you, please let me know, but if you can treat me like a normal person, and you want to get to know me, I need to know."

"I may not be able to over look the money, but I can treat you like a normal person. I'd love to get to know you." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I have this ball that I'm hosting this weekend. It's kinda a big deal. My publicist organizes it every year for networking purposes, I personally hate it, but I think I'd enjoy it a lot more if you were there. Would you like to be my date?"

"I don't have a suit." He said and I smiled.

"Would you be against me buying you one? You can say no, I could ask my publicist if I could borrow her brothers for you." I say and I can see him thinking about it.

"You can buy me one on one condition."

"What's that?"

"Would you be opposed to meeting my mother?" He says, and I wasn't expecting that.

"You want me to meet your mom? So soon?" I ask and he laughs.

"I'm gonna have to tell her where I'm going, and get someone to watch her, and she's going to ask questions."

"Is she ill?" I ask.

"Yea. She has lupus, and in the last couple years she's really gone down hill. I don't like leaving her alone."

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. She's an amazing woman, and she's lived a great life. It's just hard seeing her like this." He says and I can't help but throw my arms around him and gave him a hug.

"When do you want me to meet her?"

"I'm off tomorrow. Why don't you come over for lunch?"

"Sounds perfect. Text me your address?" I said and he nodded. We ended up taking a walk around the park talking about our lives, and sharing childhood stories. We walked back to my car and he opened my car door. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to my cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He said and I couldn't stop the butterflies in my stomach.

"See you tomorrow." I said. I got into my car and drove home happier than I have been in awhile. This was going to be good, I just knew it.

 **Time Jump - Tomorrow**

 **Clary POV:**

I was internally freaking out about meeting Jace's mom. I have never meet someone's parent before. I dated a guy for 6 months before without meeting his family, and I've known Jace for 4 days, and I was already meeting his mother. Talk about intimidating.

I decided to wear my dark skinny jeans and a green sweater, with my white converse. I gps'd Jace's address, got in my car and headed over to his house. I had never been in this part of town. A lot of the houses were abandoned and condemned and it was a little sketchy. I pulled up to the house and got out, and started towards the house. I knocked on the door and Jace opened it. He gestured for me to come in and when I walked into his house it was really homey. There were pictures of his family all around, there was a fire going in the fireplace, and a woman sitting in a big chair covered in blankets. I walked over and she smiled at me.

"You must be Clary. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Celine."

"It's wonderful to meet you." I said and I took a seat.

"I'll go get lunch ready." Jace said and I smile at him as he goes to the kitchen.

"So Clary, how old are you?"

"I'm 27."

"What do you do for a living?"

"I'm an artist."

"Oh really? Do you make a lot of money?"

"Uh, yes. I do. I make a significant amount."

"That's impressive. Many artists are struggling."

"I had access to the best education around, and I had a lot of connections. I was fortunate when it came to the art world."

"I bet. I wish I could have done that. Jace is an amazing musician. I feel bad he had to give it up for us."

"I would love to hear him play. I heard him on the piano at a restaurant and he was amazing."

"He's an even better singer."

"Really?"

"Yea. Always in plays, and talent shows. I am so proud of his talent."

"I'd love to hear him." I said and Jace came back out with a tray.

"Alright mom, I have the three pills you need to take, and their is no dairy in your meal, and I'll make you your tea when your finished." He said and gave her a kiss on the head. "I'll be right out with our food." He said as he left again.

"He's the sweetest son I could ever imagine."

"He's something else." I said with a smile.

"You really like him don't you?"

"I do. I've had a string of bad luck when it comes to men. He's the first decent guy I've met in awhile."

"He doesn't have the best past with women either."

"What happened?"

"He caught his fiancé sleeping with his best friend."

"Shit." I said and she laughed.

"That was five years ago, and although he seems to be over it, it still caused him a lot of pain. He went through a terrible depression. He thought he wasn't good enough, and he thought he'd never find someone. It was bad. But when my disease got worse he got up one day and never mentioned it again." I was about to open my mouth when I heard Jace call me. I smiled and got up and walked into the kitchen. I walked right up to him and pressed my lips to his, and he was surprised but kissed me back.

"What was that for?" He asked and I smiled.

"Your mom told me about your ex-fiancé." I said and he groaned. "She was an idiot for doing that to you. I bet she's still single and regretting every minute of her actions."

"I wish. They got married 3 years ago."

"You're better off without her." I said and he smiled.

"I know I am." He said as he pressed his lips to mine. I grabbed my lunch and went back out to his mother. We sat there and talked about Jace's childhood. I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard. He seemed like such a funny kid. His mom pulled out a photo album from his high school days. We got I a picture of him and a boy and I could feel Jace tense. I looked at Jace and his eyes softened.

"That was my best friend. His name is Sebastian." He said and I suck in a breath. "What?"

"His last name wouldn't be Verlac would it?" I ask as he looks shocked.

"How do you know him?" I lean over and whisper in his ear.

"That's the painting I'm currently working on. He's surprising his wife with it for their anniversary." I said and he tensed again. He got up and walked out of the room and I could hear the back door open. I closed the book and looked at his mom. "I'm going to go check on him." She nodded and I headed out back. I got out there and he was smoking a cigarette. I stood next to him and he offered me one. I gladly took one and lit it. "I'm sorry." I said and he looked at me.

"It's not your fault. It just sucks." He said and he took another puff of smoke.

"How long were you together?" I ask. I don't want to hit any nerves but I am curious.

"Three years. We were engaged for about 8 months when I found them screwing each other." He takes another puff from his cigarette.

"We're you in love with her?"

"I thought I was. I thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together, and start a family. I guess she wasn't as committed to me as I was to her, but apparently she's committed to him." He stomps out his cigarette and I take one last puff from mine and stomp it out too.

"Does it still hurt?" I ask and he turns towards me. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into him.

"It hurt for awhile. You have your future planned out, and in 5 seconds it's completely ruined. But I've moved on." He says and I go on my tippy toes and press my lips to his again.

"Well, if this continues I promise I'll never put you through that." I say and he smiles.

"I definitely want this to continue." He said and my stomach flipped. I gave him one last kiss before I grabbed his hand and led him back into the house. We sat down on the couch and after a moment his mom spoke.

"Are you alright?" She's ask and Jace smiles.

"I'm good mom. I promise." His mother smiles and reaches over and grabs my hand.

"You got yourself a good one." She says and I can't help but blush.

"That I do." He says and kisses my cheek. "So mom, the reason I invited Clary over today was because she invited me to Clarissa Morgensterns ball, and I'm going to go. I was going to ask Pam if she could spend the night with you."

"You know Clarissa Morgenstern?" My mom asks looking shocked.

"You know who that is mom?"

"Of course. Don't you?"

"I didn't until very recently." Jace said and she looked annoyed which made me laugh.

"She's the youngest billionaire in the world. She's an incredible painter, and those balls are the most elite and sought out evenings to attend. How on earth my dear did you get invited?" She asks and I can't lie to her.

"Can you keep a secret?" I ask and she nods. "I'm Clarissa Morgenstern." I say and her jaw drops.

"Are you serious?" She asks and I nod. "It's an honor to meet you." She says and I smile. "My god Jonathan, you couldn't have cleaned up this place before she came over?" She said and I laugh.

"It's not necessary. I love your home. It's very homey." I say and she smiles. "I hope you don't mind me stealing Jace away for that evening. I always find them kind of a bore, and I think he'll make the night more entertaining."

"Anything you want my dear." I look at my watch and realize that I should probably get back home and continue to work on my painting.

"It was lovely meeting you, but I have to go. I have a painting that the client wants in a month and it's taking awhile." I stand up and walk over to her. I lean down and give her a hug.

"You're welcome here any time Clary."

"Thank you. I'd love to come by again." I said. Jace leads me to the front door and walks me to my car. When we get there I lean against my car and face him. "I want to paint your mother a picture."

"Clary." He says but I stop him.

"I want you to pick out her favorite picture. It can be a family portrait, a flower, a landscape, honestly anything, give it to me and I'm going to paint it for her." I said and he smiles.

"That would mean the world to her." He said and I pressed my lips to his.

"Alright, the ball is on Saturday at 7, I'll be here at 6:30 to pick you up."

"I'll see you Saturday." He says and I smile before I get into my car and drive home. I was going to like getting to know Jace, and his mother, I already knew it.

 **Time Jump - Ball**

 **Clary POV:**

I dropped Jace's suit off the other day, and I was putting the finishing touches on my wardrobe. Finally when I thought I was perfect I got into the limo and gave him the directions to his house. I walked up to his door, knocked and when Jace opened it he took my breath away. He looked absolutely stunning.

"I knew the all black look would look great on you." I said and he pressed his lips to mine. I walked in to say hello to his mother.

"Clary dear, you look amazing."

"Thanks Celine. How are you?"

"I've been better, but you certainly brightened up my day." She said. I leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"You ready?" I asked Jace and he nodded. We walked out o the limo and made our way to the party. We walked in and I saw all of my past clients plus a couple new faces, who I can only assume were some of my new clients. I introduced Izzy to Jace and she gave me the silent 'get it' look and I rolled my eyes and walked away. A lot of my pieces were hanging up spring the mansion. Jace wanted to get a feel for my work so we were looking around, and I was explaining the meaning behind the pictures when out of the corner of my eye I saw a face I recognized, but not from any of my previous balls or client list, but from the photo album Jace's mom showed me. I grabbed Jace's arm and walked him to an empty hallways.

"What's going on?" He asks and I look into his eyes.

"Sebastian and his wife are here." I say and I feel him tense.

"Why?"

"Izzy likes to invite new clients to these things. Half of the people here are clients, and it's shown that if they come and see my work they are more likely to buy from me again. Since he is doing quite well for himself considering the price of his painting, I guess she thought he'd be a good person to invite."

"Great. I haven't seen them in five years."

"Well, we can do two things. One, we can sneak away and hide for the rest of the evening. Or two, go out there and show them that you're over what happened." I say and I see him thinking it over.

"Lets go with option two. I came to make your night more interesting. I'm not going to let them ruin it." He said and I pressed my lips to his. We walked out of the hallways and literally run into them. Clearly they are confused to see Jace because their eyes are as wide as they can be. I clear my throat and bring them back to reality.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there. But I wasn't really focused after what just happened back there." I said and I could Jace try and cover his laugh. He snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

"Jace." Sebastian said and I put on my surprise face.

"You two know each other?" I asked and Sebastian nodded.

"Old friends." He said and I felt Jace's hand tighten on my hip.

"What a coincidence that you ran into each other here. I'm Clary, his girlfriend, and you are?" I asked the girl.

"Kaelie, his wife." She said and I nodded.

"You two make a lovely couple. But if you'll excuse us, we're going to go find a spare room to screw around in." I said and she looked horrified. Before we can pull away Sebastian speaks.

"What are you doing here Jace?" He asks and I mentally prepare myself for a full blown outbreak.

"I'm here with Clary."

"But how did you get invited. This isn't really your scene."

"Clary is friends with Clarissa." He says.

"Clary is awfully close to Clarissa." Kaelie states and I want to roll my eyes so badly but I don't.

"My first name is actually Clarissa as well, but growing up that can be confusing. So I went by Clary, she went by Clarissa. Made things a whole like easier." They nod. "Now, we'll just be leaving. Nice meeting you both." They nod again and I drag Jace out onto the balcony. He takes a few deep breaths before he looks at me.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Making them uncomfortable so that I wasn't." I smile and nod.

"Did you see her face when I said we were going to go screw around?" I said and he laughed and nodded. "Priceless." I walked over to him, turn him around so that he's leaning on the railing and I press myself into him. "If I knew who he was before I met you, I wouldn't have agreed to do his painting. Although it's a lot of money, I wouldn't die without it. I'm sorry if this ruined your night. I had no idea he was invited. Izzy handles the guest list for the most part. I give my input but if something helps with my income, she will do just about anything to make it work."

"The way you handled it honestly made me so happy. It was nice to see them have the deer in the headlights look."

"Anything for you boyfriend." I said and he laughed.

"You know, that doesn't sound too bad. I could get used to it." He said and my eyes widened.

"We've known each other for a week Jace."

"So? The point of dating is to get to know the person. I like you Clary, and I want to get to know you." He said and I just couldn't help but agree.

"I like you too." I said and he pressed his lips to mine. We were lost in the moment when we heard a throat clear behind us. We broke apart to see Sebastian and his wife standing there. "May we help you?"

"We just wanted some fresh air." He said and I nodded. I grabbed Jace's hand and we walked back into the ballroom. He pulled me out onto the dance floor and we danced for the rest of the evening. Tonight was perfect, and I was excited to see where it went.

 **Time Jump - One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was 3 am and I was in the middle of one of my paintings. The poor man who had asked for this painting has been getting pushed back for months due to me wanted to do the painting for Celine, and I was trying extra hard to finish it for him. I felt awful, but clearly not awful enough to say I was change my actions. I had hit a wall when 4 am rolled around and was about to start getting ready for bed when my phone rang. I have no idea who would be up at this hour. I grabbed my phone and Jace's name popped up.

"Hello?" I said and his breathing was frantic. "Jace, what's wrong?"

"She was rushed to the hospital. I heard a loud thud and when I went to see what happened she was unconscious in the hallway. She didn't have a pulse." He said and I immediately grabbed my stuff and started to my car.

"What hospital?"

"St. Mary's." He said and I started my engine.

"I'll be right there Jace." I said and I hung up and made my way to the hospital. 10 minutes later I was running into the hospital. I saw Jace sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. I walk over and kneel in front of him. "Jace?" I said and he slowly lifts his head up.

"I can't lose her Clare." He said and I sat on his lap and pulled him into a hug. We sat there for who knows how long until his name was called.

"Jace Herondale?" We heard and we both shot out of our seat.

"Yes?"

"We were able to revive her, but she's in a coma." He said and I think it took everything in Jace not to fall over. "You can see her, but family only." He said as he looked at me.

"She's my wife." Jace said like it was the most natural thing in the world, and I'm not going to lie, I liked the sound of that.

"Very well. She's in room 235." He said and we thanked him and headed towards her room. We walked in and Jace immediately say in the chair next to her bed and grabbed her hand. I pulled a chair up next to him and started rubbing his back.

We stayed there all day. It was almost 6 pm when my phone started ringing. Jace had fallen asleep with his head on the bed. I exited the room and went outside to answer the call.

"Hello?" I said and I knew Izzy would be pissed.

"Clarissa Adele Morgenstern, where the hell are you?" She yelled and I knew I should have texted her but I was preoccupied.

"Jace's mother was rushed to the hospital this morning, and I've been here with him ever since."

"Is she okay?" She asked in a calmer voice.

"Well, she was dead, but they brought her back. She's in a coma. It's tearing Jace apart." I said and a tear fell from my eye.

"I'm sorry. When will you be back?"

"I'm not sure Iz. He needs me."

"You have clients Clary. You can't just abandon them."

"I'm not abandoning them. I'm take personal time to be here for the man I love through this hard time." I said and she sucked in a breath.

"You love him?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"I do. I really really do." I said and she squealed.

"Alright. Keep me in the loop. I'll let your clients know the date might be pushed back due to family emergency."

"You're the best Iz." I said and she laughed.

"I know. Love you Clare."

"Love you too." I said and I hung up. I made my way back into the room. Jace was still sleeping, so I walked over and started rubbing his back. A few minutes later he stirred awake.

"You stayed." He said and I smiled.

"Of course I stayed. I think we both need some food. We can go out or eat the food here." I said and he stood up.

"I think real food would be much better for us." He said and I nodded. He leaned down and kissed Celine on the forehead before we made our way out to my car. We pulled up to a little diner and took our seat. We ordered our food and sat in silence. I knew this was tough for him. It was written all over his face.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask as I extend my arm. He takes his hand in mine, and looks up.

"I can't afford the ambulance ride, let alone how long she'll be in the hospital." He says and I hate that he was stressing over money on top of his mother. He shouldn't have to worry about money. He should put all his focus on his mom.

"I'll pay." I said and his eyes snap up to me.

"What?"

"I'll pay. I'll take care of all of her medical expenses." I said and instead of joy, anger appears on his face.

"We aren't a charity case." He spats and I'm taken aback.

"I never said you were."

"We don't need your money. We've made it this far without it. We don't need your guilt." He says and I'm so confused.

"You think I'm doing this out of guilt? You think I started dating you because I thought I'd fulfill my Good Samaritan card? You think just because I have a lot of money I don't care how I spend it?" I said and he wouldn't look me in the eye. "Look at me Jace." I demanded and he finally locked eyes with me. "I offered because I love you." I said and his eyes got wide. "I love you so much and seeing you his hurt is killing me. You shouldn't have to worry about your mom plus money. You should be focusing only on your mom. I have plenty of money, and I want to spend it on you." I said and tears are now flowing down my cheeks. His eyes soften and he moves over to my side of the booth.

"I'm sorry." He says and I wipe my tears away. "I hate that I can't do anything for her. I never wanted anyone to treat us like a charity case. Sure, we aren't really financially stable, but we've gotten by. The fact that what she needs, I can't give her really sucks." He said and I look into his eyes. "You really love me?" He asks and I nod. A smile appears across his face. "I love you too. I have for so long." He says and I turn and put my legs across his lap.

"Why haven't you told me yet?"

"I guess part of me was scared you'd run away. If I uttered those words, you'd freak." He said and I put my hands on each side of his face and pulled his lips to mine. We pulled apart and smiled.

"Now, we need to decide what to do with your mom. Do you want her to stay in the hospital, or I could transform a room in my house into a hospital and hire a small hospital staff to be there 24/7." I said and his eyes widened.

"You'd do that?"

"Absolutely. I love you Jace. I'd do anything for you, and your mom."

"I love you too. I think I'd like if she was at your house. Hospitals have always creeped me and her out, and if she wakes up, at least she'll be in a comfortable environment." He said and I nod.

"Alright. I'll talk to her doctor, and set something up." I said and he pulled me into a hug.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." He said and I smiled. We paid for dinner and headed back to the hospital. I was going to do everything in my power to make sure Celine was comfortable.

 **Time Jump - Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

A week after my mom was admitted into the hospital Clary had set up a room in her house like a hospital. I had gone back to my house and grabbed everything I could to make the room feel like home, so that when she does wake up she is familiar. I had gotten Izzy's number out of Clary's phone one day and I texted her asking if she could meet me at a coffee shop. I was fidgeting in my seat waiting for her to show up hoping that the cigarette would calm me down. Five minutes later she finally got there and I was relieved.

"Hey, what did you want to meet about?" She asks as she took a seat.

"I want to ask Clary to marry me." I said and her eyes widened. "But I don't have enough money to buy a ring, so I was planning on using my moms ring, but I want to get it cleaned, which again, I don't have the money for." I said and she looked confused. "I want to sell my house. It's not doing any good just sitting there and it will help me financially if I can stop paying the taxes and the mortgage. Clary mentioned that your brother boyfriend was in real-estate. Do you think he could help me out?"

"Of course. I'll give him a call, and I'll let you know."

"Thanks Iz. It means a lot."

"You make Clary extremely happy. I've never seen her this happy, and it shows in her artwork. You're good for each other." She said and I nodded. We sat there and finished our coffee, and than parted ways. I went back to my house and grabbed a few more things that I thought my mom would like, and than made my way back to Clary's. I loved living with her, and even though we started living together because of my mom, but it felt right.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Izzy had finally got back to me and I was meeting with the real-estate agent and I was nervous that he would tell me that the house wouldn't sell, but I would honestly take anything for the house. A car pulled up and a man walked out and came up to me.

"My name is Magnus Bane. I'm assuming you're Jace?" I nod. "This is the house you want to sell?"

"Yea. My mom is in a coma, and I am currently living with my girlfriend, and I can't afford it anymore."

"It's not in the best neighborhood, but I know someone is looking for a better house than the other run down ones around here. You've kept it in wonderful shape."

"I tried my best." I said and he nodded. We took the next two hours going over prices, and valuing the property and after he left I felt really good about the chances of it selling. I was going to miss this house. I grew up here, and leaving it was going to be hard, but I was ready.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was in the middle of working on a painting, and suddenly Jace bursts through the door. I turn around and he has the biggest smile on his face. I loved him living with me. It was an amazing feeling waking up next to him every morning, and having him around.

"Hey, why do you look so happy?" I asked and he laughed as he kissed my forehead.

"I sold my house today." He said and I was shocked.

"I didn't even know you were looking to sell."

"I had ulterior motives, and honestly I didn't see the need to keep it since I moved in." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"What are your ulterior motives?" I asked and he kneeled in front of me. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a ring. My hands went over my mouth and he smiled up at me.

"I wish I could have gotten you your own ring, but you know how tight I am on money, and this ring is my moms. I love you Clary, and I never thought that I'd be in this position again. I thought there wasn't another girl out there for me, but than you walked into my life and changed that. I don't want to spend another day not being tied to you, and I want you to be my wife, the mother of my children, and my absolute everything. So, Clarissa Adel Morgenstern, will you do the honor of marrying me?"

"Jace." I said as I looked at the ring. It was absolutely beautiful, and it was perfect. "I would be honored." I said. He slipped the ring on my finger and pressed his lips to mine. "This ring is beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I love it, and I love you." I said as I pressed my lips to his. "Wait until Izzy hears about this, she'll have a field day planning our wedding." I said and he laughed. I decided to forget the painting I was working on for right now, Jace and I were going to go out and celebrate. I made a reservation at a very high end restaurant and started getting dressed. I decided on a short black dress, with a low cut back, red high heels with my matching red lipstick. I walked out and Jace was standing in his all black suit and he looked damn good. I had my driver take us to the restaurant so that we could drink a whole bottle of Champaign and not have to worry about who was driving home.

We were seated and we immediately popped open a bottle and started drinking. We were having an amazing evening, we were talking about when we wanted to get married, if we wanted to wait and see if his mom was going to wake up, or if we wanted to get married right away and have a huge ceremony after she woke up. We were just throwing out ideas when we heard a voice we both didn't want to hear again.

"Jace?" We both turned around and Kaelie was standing right there.

"Yes?" He said and she walked closer to us.

"How are you?" She asks and I can tell that Jace is getting annoyed.

"Really? Come on Kaelie, you were never one for small talk." He said and she shrugged.

"You guys seemed to be celebrating something, and I guess my curiosity got the best of me." She said and I looked at Jace and than back at her.

"We're getting married." I said and her eyes got wide.

"Really?"

"Yea, he asked me this afternoon, I said yes, here we are." I said.

"Congratulations." She said, a little unenthusiastically.

"Seriously Kaelie, what do you want? I would really like to get back to a wonderful evening with my fiancé."

"I just wanted to come over and see you honestly. You never gave me a chance to apologize for what happened all those years ago."

"Why would I? You cheated on me, with my best friend." He said and she looked absolutely defeated.

"I never meant to hurt you Jace. Sebastian and I both felt this incredible pull towards each other, and we thought that we owed it to ourselves to see if there was something there, and after we did, we just couldn't stop."

"So why not just break off the engagement? You could have told me."

"I didn't want to hurt you. I loved you."

"You hurt me more by screwing my best friend behind my back."

"I don't have a reason why I did what I did. I just thought I owed you my sincerest apologies. I'm happy for you, both of you." She said and she walked away. Jace and I sat there for a moment in silence before I broke it.

"I guess you finally got your closure." I said and he smiled.

"I guess so, but once we got together I was no longer mad. I have something so much better, with someone who I love more than anything." He said and I leaned over the table and gave him a kiss.

"More Champaign?" I said and he smirked as he nodded. We got another bottle and continued with our night like nothing happened. We weren't going to let her ruin our evening. We were celebrating our marriage and we were going to have a great time.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I had decided to get married at the courthouse and if his mother wakes up we were going to have a huge ceremony. I knew how important having his mother there was for him, and I wasn't going to make him go through a huge even like marriage without her. After all, we are married, but we're waiting to celebrate if Celine ever pulls through. Izzy was our witness, and we were married. Honestly, I just wanted to be married to him. I didn't care about the whole ceremony and color scheme, and dress. I just wanted to be his wife.

Things between Jace and I couldn't be more perfect. I had just had another business lunch with Izzy to discuss another potential client and honestly I was so exhausted. I was thinking about taking a break from painting for a while. I was drained and I think a break would be healthy for me. I haven't had one in forever, and its not like I was struggling for money. I had just walked into the door when I heard screaming. I immediately dropped my stuff and ran towards the commotion. Jace was on the ground being restrained by the hospital staff and screaming, and crying, something I've never seen from him. He was hysterical. I walked over and straddled his waist and grabbed his face so that he was looking at me. Once he saw me he started to calm down to the point where the hospital workers could release him. After a moment I spoke.

"What happened?" I ask and he looks at me.

"She died." He said and my breath caught. "I was sitting by her bed side and the heart monitor flat lined. They started CPR and brought in the paddles, and after 45 minutes they pronounced her dead." He said and I leaned down and rested my head on his shoulder. We stayed like that for a while until he was fully calm. We sat up, and he grabbed me and walked us to our room. We lay on the bed, completely silent. I knew this was hard for him. I didn't want to tell him that I was pregnant while he was so devastated but maybe it was exactly what he needed to hear. I propped myself up on my elbows and he looked towards me.

"Jace." I said.

"Yea baby?" He said and I couldn't help the smile.

"I'm pregnant." I said and he looked up with shock all over his face.

"You're pregnant?" He said and I nodded. "When did you find out?"

"A couple days ago."

"How far along are you?"

"The doctor said I should be nearing the end of the first trimester." I said and before I knew it his lips were on mine.

"We're going to have a baby." He said as he pulled away and I nodded.

"I didn't know if it was the right time to tell you after seeing you earlier, but I also thought that maybe it was exactly what you needed."

"It was exactly what I needed. I love you so much Clary."

"I love you too." I said and he pulled me into his side. I knew this was going to be hard for him, but I also knew that we were starting our family and that he was going to have something positive to help him through this hard time.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary was due any day now, and I was nervous as hell. One, we had no idea what we were having, so that was nerve-wracking all by itself, and two I had no idea how to be parent. I have no idea what I'm in store for, and that was freaking me out as well. Clary always reassured me that we would be okay, but that still didn't make the worry go away. I was sitting in the basement messing around on the piano when I got a text from Clary that said 'SOS. Baby coming.' And I sprinted upstairs. Izzy was with her, and we got her into the car and headed towards the hospital.

She was situated in her room, and now we played the waiting game. The doctor told us she would probably be in labor for several hours, and as much as that completely sucked it gave me a little more time to prepare myself for my child coming into the world. Clary was a champ. She was taking the pain in strides, and she wasn't complaining at all. She was talking to the baby, trying to convince him or her to come out. After about 6 hours the doctor told her it was time to push. She was so dilated by this point that it only took maybe 45 minutes of pushing before cries filled the room. I leaned down and kissed Clary. A moment later the nurse turned around and handed us a baby bundled in a pink blanket. She handed her to Clary and she started crying.

"Welcome to the world Shannon Celine Herondale." She said and I nearly cried at the sound of my mothers name. We had agreed that if it was a girl we'd name her after my mom, but now looking down at my baby, I couldn't help but be filled with all different kinds of emotions. Today was an amazing day, and I couldn't wait to experience parenthood with Clary.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Are you sure about this Clary? Once you do it, you can't take it back." Izzy asks and I know she's just double-checking but this is like the fourth time she's asked me.

"I'm positive. I am tired of signing all my pieces with Morgenstern, I want to sign my name. I want Clarissa Herondale on all of my artworks. I want the world to know that I'm married, and that I'm happy. I want to be able to host a gallery that's dedicated to my family. And if I keep my identity a secret, I can't do that. It's been almost 15 years, I'm tired of hiding." I said and she nodded.

"I'll start organizing the guest list with all your most loyal clients, and some new clients, and I'll send the invitations out right away."

"Thank you Izzy." I said and I went to go find Jace and Shannon. They were in the living room playing with blocks. I sat down beside them and Jace kissed my cheek.

"Another business meeting?" He asks and I shake my head.

"Nope. I've decided to come out to the world. I don't want to keep my identity a secret anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because I want to be able to sign my artwork with 'Clarissa Herondale', I want to dedicate an entire collection to my family, and I can't do that with my identity a secret."

"Are you sure? You're giving up your privacy."

"I'm positive. I'll need to double security, but I'm so tired of hiding my inspiration from the world." I said and he gave me another kiss.

"So, how are you going to out yourself?"

"I'm throwing a ball, and telling all my major clients." I said and Shannon started crawling towards me.

"Sounds good. Are me and the little princess invited?" He asked and I laughed.

"You two are my honored guests." I said and he scooted closer to me and pulled me into his side. This was the right move. I was tired of hiding, and I was proud of my family, and it's time the world know who my inspiration is, and how they motivate me every single day.

 **Time Jump – Ball**

 **Clary POV:**

All of the guests had gotten here some time ago, but I haven't made an appearance because I'm so nervous. Although nobody knows who I am yet, it's still very nerve wrecking. There was a knock on the door and Jace walked in with Shannon. I couldn't help but smile. They looked so good. Shannon was dressed in a cute red dress, and Jace was sporting an all black suit. He walked over and gave me a kiss.

"Are you ready?" He asks and I look at him and than at Shannon.

"Yes." I said and he grabbed my hand and we started walking towards the party. I had recognized a bunch of the people here. I had been painting for them for years. I also saw some new faces. Some that I have only painted one or two things for.

This ball was like all the other ones that I have hosted. There were samples of my painting hung all around. There was food and drinks, a band, and standing tables for guests to stand at and eat or converse. Shannon was on her best behavior tonight, which I was thankful for. She could be very rambunctious when she was bored, but she was distracted by all the people and the music. We were walking around showing Shannon the paintings when we heard a voice that we really didn't want too, but apparently we can never escape them.

"Jace." We heard and turned around to find Sebastian and Kaelie standing there.

"What a surprise." Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"A surprise this is. And I see you have an addition." Sebastian said and right on cue Shannon laughed.

"Yes, this is Shannon. She's 8 months old. She's my pride and joy." Jace and I couldn't help but smile. Sebastian was about to say something when Izzy started talking into the microphone. We smiled at them and walked towards the area where everyone was congregating.

"Good evening everyone. I can only imagine what you all are thinking. This ball was very unexpected but Clarissa has an announcement that she wants to make to all of her loyal clients. So, without further ado, may I present Miss. Clarissa Morgenstern." She said and everyone clapped. I gave Jace and Shannon a kiss and made my way up on stage.

"Hello everyone. I know I've met all of you at one point or another and I introduced myself as Clary Fray, but that wasn't true. My name is Clarissa Morgenstern, and I'm the host of these balls." I said and everyone was shocked. "I never wanted to host these things, Izzy always told me that it would mean the world to my clients, and show them that I care, and I do care, but I have never wanted to be in the spot light. So my identity was kept anonymous and I came to mingle without all the added pressure. I hope you can all forgive me." I said and everyone was clapping.

"But Miss. Morgenstern." Someone called from the back. "Why did you decide now to let us know who you are?"

"My life has changed a lot in the last couple years. I got married, I had a baby, and one day I hope to open up a gallery that dedicated to them. I want the world to know who my inspiration is, who motivates me every day to keep painting."

"Are they here?" A woman called out and I nodded.

"Yes. Come and join me." I said and Jace made his way up to the stage. "This is my husband Jace, and our daughter Shannon. These two are my life, and they are what keeps me going when I feel like I have no more left. I'll always keep painting, but instead of Clarissa Morgenstern being on your work, I will now sign everything as Clarissa Herondale." I said and everyone clapped. Jace and I made our way down to the rest of the people and some came up and asked me some questions but everyone else went back to what they were doing.

The rest of the night went by wonderfully. Jace and I danced, and mingled and by the time 10 rolled around, Shannon was already asleep and we decided to head home. When we got home we put Shannon done, and got into bed. We curled together and formed to each others bodies perfectly. Jace leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of my head.

"I love you Jace."

"I love you too Clary." He said and I rested my head on his chest, and thought back on how my life turned out. I was married to an amazing man, I had the best daughter in the world, and I was now no longer living in secret. Everything was going perfectly, and I couldn't imagine life without him.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by AnnaP2365, and I took your idea and changed a few things, but I generally kept it the same! I hope you like where I took your idea, and that you like it as much as I do! Let me know what you all think! Either shoot me a message or leave a review if you have an ideas! :)**


	23. Chapter 22 - Mistress

**Twenty Second One Shot:**

 **Mistress**

 **Jace POV:**

"Alright Aline, I don't know when I'll be home tonight." I said and she walked into the hallway.

"Don't worry, I'll be gone before you get back. I'm meeting Helen anyway. It's our one year anniversary." She says and I can just see how happy she is.

"How long do you think we should stay married? I mean, you're completely happy with Helen, and I'm going to be a eternal bachelor." I said and she laughed.

"Our parents told us that something drastic has to happen in order for us to be able to terminate our marriage." She said and I was thinking.

"Infidelity?" I smirked and she laughed.

"We've both been unfaithful since the day we said 'I do'. And let's be real, we never wanted this marriage. We were forced, but at least we both respect each other's wishes. It's not bad being married to you, but you're more like my brother." She said and I laughed.

"I know what you mean. We'll figure this out later. I'll see you tomorrow."

I walked out and headed to see whoever I was meeting tonight. I can't remember her name, but I think it started with a R, or maybe a T. Who knows.  
The date was horrible. Her laugh was annoying, she only talked about herself, and for the first time in my life, when the date was over I dropped her off and left. I headed down the street to a bar to get my mind off how horrible the date was. I take a seat at the bar with my head hanging trying to get the sound of her voice out of my head.

"What can I get for you?" I heard and when I looked up, there was the most beautiful redhead I've ever seen.

"Scotch on the rocks." I said and she laughed, a beautiful and sweet laugh.

"Rough night?" She says as she puts the glass on the table.

"A date from hell." I said and she laughed.

"Well, this ones on me than." She winked and walked to the other side of the bar to serve another customer. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her.

The rest of the night we were flirting, and talking. She was probably one of the coolest girl I've ever met. She was funny, and smart, and sweet, and beautiful. I couldn't get enough. I took out a piece of paper and wrote down my number and slide it across the bar. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Call me sometime." I said and she giggled and nodded.

"Have a good night Jace." I smiled and walked out of the bar feeling happier than I have in awhile.

 **Time Jump - Four Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I have been seeing each other for the past four months and I honestly have never been so happy to be in a relationship. Even Aline said I looked happier. I still haven't told her about Aline yet, but I'm scared that once she knows she'll freak out. I can't lose her.

We were going out tonight and I was actually really nervous. I was planning on telling her that I love her tonight. Crazy to think in four months I fell in love, but I did, and I couldn't picture life without her. I got into my car and headed to her place. When she opened the door she looked drop dead gorgeous. I looked her up and down which caused her to giggle, and start walking towards me. I gave her a quick kiss before we headed to my car.

Dinner was amazing. Honestly, Clary and I fit together so perfectly it was like we were meant for each other. We laughed at the same things, we liked the same music, the same TV shows. It was amazing that we had so much in common.

When dinner was over, I was walking her to her house when we both stopped and lingered for a little. I looked into her emerald green eyes and couldn't take it anymore.

"I love you Clary." I said and her eyes started to pool with tears and a smile broke across her face.

"I love you too." She said and she pressed her lips to mine. We said our goodbyes and I got into my car and headed home. When I got back Aline and Helen were watching TV in the living room. They both looked up at me and smiled.

"What's got you so happy?"

"I told her I loved her tonight." I said and they both screamed and jumped up and hugged me.

"Jace is finally in love." Helen said and I couldn't help but laugh. Helen knew about our situation, and at first she didn't know while she was going to be able to handle it, but she realized she was happier with Aline than not with her and she completely understands now.

"Have you told her?" Aline asks and I shake my head. "You can't put it off forever."

"I don't want her to leave."

"You don't know she'll leave." Helen said and I looked at her.

"You almost left." I said and she gave me a sad smile.

"I'm not going to lie, it's really weird to hear. The person you've been seeing is married. It's shocking, but after she explained everything, I understood. My parents tried to make me straight too. Hers went a little more extreme, but I understood nonetheless. You just have to hope she understands."

"I just, I can't imagine life without her, and I'm afraid she'll leave after she finds out."

"There is only one way to find out Jace." Aline says and I nod. I make my way to my bedroom and plop on the bed. I really don't want to lose Clary, but I can't keep this to myself anymore. She deserves to know, and I will tell her. Eventually.

 **Time Jump - Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was completely in love with Clary, and I've been putting off telling her about Aline but I just I feel sick to my stomach lying to her. I absolutely hate it, and I need to tell her soon.

Tonight we were going out to celebrate being together for six months. We were at a very dance and expensive restaurant, and after the night was over I was going to tell her.

We had an amazing time, just like we always do. We shared a bottle of wine, laughed, talked, and when we got back to my place things go heated really fast. Clothes were flying in every direction, and the next thing I know she's screaming out my name and I've never felt so satisfied in my life. We're laying together in my bed after, and she's drawing circles on my bare chest, and my hand is resting on her lower back, and I decide that it's now or never.

"Clary." I said and she hums in response. "There's something I haven't told you yet." I said and she propped herself up on her elbows. "I'm married." I said and her eyes widened.

"You're what?" She yelled as she jumped out of the bed.

"I'm married." I said again and now she frantically looking for her clothes.

"You're married? And you were just not going to tell me? That's sick. How could you do that to your wife?" She yells as she starts dressing.

"You don't understand. Let me explain." I say but she cuts me off.

"There is nothing to explain. I've been dating a married man. I've been sleeping with a married man. Oh my god, we had sex in your bed. I fell in love with a married man." She says and she grabs the rest of her stuff and heads for the door. "Lose my number Jace. I can't believe you would do that to your poor wife. You're a cheater, a liar, and I can't even begin to describe how much I hate you." She said and she slammed the door. I put my head in my hands and shook my head. Eventually I got dressed and went into the kitchen. Aline was there making some coffee.

"What's wrong?"

"I told her."

"And?"

"She freaked. She wouldn't let me explain. She called me a cheater, and a liar. She told me to lose her number. I really fucked up Aline." I said and she came over and gave me a hug.

"I'm so sorry Jace." She said and I nodded. The only woman I've ever loved thought so poorly of me, and I had no way of getting her back.

 **Time Jump - Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Come on sweetheart, we have to meet up with Aunt Izzy in 25 minutes." I said as my two year old daughter walked into the living room. Eleanor, or Elle for short, was born 9 months after Jace told me he was married. Figures I get knocked up by a married man. God I was so stupid to think a man like him was actually available.

"Coming momma." She said as she skips into the living room. She resembled Jace so much. She had his beautiful blonde hair, and his features with my green eyes. She was beautiful, and the light of my life. I don't know what I'd do without her. We got to the restaurant and Izzy was already waiting. She knew what happened, and about Elle's father, and she supported me when everyone else left. I couldn't thank her enough. We were walking out of the restaurant when we ran into a couple of women.

"I'm so sorry." I said as I helped her pick up her bag. When I stood up she looked at me, and her facial expression changed from confusion to recognition.

"It's okay, your name wouldn't happen to be Clary would it?" She asked and I was shocked. I looked at Izzy, and than down to Elle, and back to this strange women.

"Uh, have we met before?" I ask and she laughs.

"No. My name is Aline, and I'm pretty sure you were the one who was with Jace while we were married." She said and my eyes widened. How the hell do I run into the women who was married to my ex? Just my luck. I look at Iz, and back at Aline.

"Iz, can you take Elle over there for a moment?" I ask and Iz nods and takes Elle away from us. "I am so sorry about that. I had no idea he was married, and as soon as I found out I left him. I apologize and if I caused any problems within your marriage, I promise it wasn't my intention. I would never intentionally date a married man." I rambled and she just laughed.

"I really wish you would have let him explain." She said and now I was confused. She looked over to where Iz and Elle were. "Is she his?" She asks and I nod. "I can see the similarities. She's beautiful." She says and I can't help but smile.

"Why aren't you pissed at me?" I ask and she smiles at me.

"We were married, for about four years, but not willingly." She says and now I'm really confused. "I really wish you would have let him explain. I'm a lesbian." She said and my jaw dropped. "This is Helen, my wife."

"But you and Jace." I said and she put her hand up to stop me.

"Let me explain everything before you ask questions." She says and I nod. "My parent's didn't approve of my lifestyle. They thought if I got married, it would turn me straight. I tried to explain that that's not how it works, but they refused to believe me. Jace's parents wanted grandchildren. Badly. So our parents worked out a deal. We would get married, and fulfilled all of their wishes. It was horrible. Jace and I were more like roommates than a couple. Sure we were married, but from the day we said 'I do' we were both completely unfaithful to each other. We had a routine. Monday, Wednesday, Friday he got to bring whoever he wanted home, and I got Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and Sunday was off limits." She said and I was shocked. "We never wanted to be married, but our parents told us we were only allowed to get divorced for a drastic occasion." She said and I nodded. I was still very confused. "About a year and a half ago we faked a pregnancy. We told our parents that I was two months pregnant and everyone was thrilled. A month later I had a 'miscarriage' and it completely tore our marriage apart. We got divorced shortly after and I moved away from my parents, married Helen, and I've been happy ever since."

"So, you were never in love with Jace?" I ask and she laughed.

"No. He is like a brother to me. We are still great friends. We get together every once in a while to catch up but we've never been involved. The only semi romantic contact we've ever had was the kiss on our wedding day. He's a good kisser, but I still don't swing that way." She said and I looked at her wife.

"And you were okay with that arrangement?" I asked.

"It was strange at first. It took her awhile to tell me about Jace, but once she explained everything I understood. My mom tried to turn me straight as well. It was a weird situation, but I wasn't ruining a marriage, my girlfriend just happened to be married. I thought about leaving, but I realized that I was happier with Aline, than without her, and I could deal with her having a husband." She said and I nodded.

"Look, Jace was completely in love with you. I had never seen him so happy in my life. When you left he was completely broken. I know it was hard hearing that he was married. Trust me. But he never thought he would ever fall in love. He was in the marriage because his parents were getting tired of his bachelor lifestyle, but when he met you, everything clicked for him. He was smiling more, he was laughing more, he wasn't such an asshole to people. I know you were pissed at him for keeping it a secret, but he did it because he loved you, and he couldn't picture his life without you." She said and I was shocked. She dug in her purse and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to me. "This is his new address. If you want to talk to him, and let him know that you know the truth now, and that he has a daughter. I think you both deserve to get your happily ever after." She said. Her and her wife walked into the restaurant leaving me completely shocked . Soon Izzy joined me and tapped me on the shoulder.

"What was that about?" She asked and I looked at her.

"Apparently they were in an arranged marriage that neither of them wanted to be in. They both cared about marriage but just not with each other. They weren't allowed to get divorced unless something drastic happened so they faked a miscarriage and got divorced. That was her wife, Helen, and I completely threw away the most important relationship I've ever had because I didn't let him explain it to me." I said and Izzy gave me a hug.

"That's not your fault. You were in shock, it's completely understandable that you reacted that way." She said and I nodded.

"Can you take Elle for the rest of the day. She gave me his address, and I just I need to see him." I said and Izzy nodded. I leaned down and got to eye level with Elle. "Hey baby, I have to go talk to someone really quickly, can you stay with Aunt Izzy until I come back." I asked and she nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too." She said and I gave her a kiss.

I got into my car and started on my way to Jace's house. I was nervous the whole ride over there. I haven't seen him in two years, and even though I was pissed when I left, I never stopped loving him. How could I stop when I had his kid? I pulled up to an amazing house, with a wrap around porch, and a swing hanging from the tree. It was picture perfect. I cut the engine and walked up to the front door. I hesitated before I knocked. A moment later the door opened and there stood Jace, in all his gorgeous glory, and I couldn't stop my knees from buckling, but I caught myself.

"Clary." He said and I smiled.

"Hi Jace." I said and he motioned for me to come in. He led me to the kitchen.

"Would you like some coffee?" He asked and I nodded. He got me a cup and sat down across the table from me. "What are you doing here?" He asks as I look down at my mug.

"I ran into Aline today." I said and I heard him catch his breath. "I met her wife, Helen. They're a lovely couple." I said and I looked up at him. "I'm so sorry I never let you explain." I said and he reached over and grabbed my hand and my stomach flipped.

"I'm sorry I lied to you, I just I couldn't lose you, but I also couldn't keep lying to you. And it was a 50/50 shot at how you would react. I talked to Aline and Helen about it, and they told me to just tell you, and see how you reacted." He said and I felt awful. "I took a chance, and I can't blame you for reacting the way you did."

"But you tried to explain, you tried to stop me and I said awful things to you." I said and I couldn't stop the tear the left my eye. "I said I hated you. I called you horrible things."

"It's okay Clary. I was a liar, and a cheater. Aline and I had a routine. We knew the consequences of what we were doing if we ever found someone who we truly cared about. Everything was a shot in the dark. I never thought I'd fall in love, but than I met you and everything changed. I get if you don't trust me, and I get that it's been a long two years. So many things have changed, but I never stopped loving you. I don't think I ever can." He said and when I looked into his eyes I could see that he was being completely honest. "Look, I'd love to start over. Get to know each other again, go out on some dates, and maybe get back to where we were before." He said and it was all I ever wanted to hear. "That is, if that's what you want too." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I don't think we can start over exactly." I said and he looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"There is something I need to tell you. Something that will change your life forever." I said and he looked scared.

"Please don't tell me you're married." He said and I laughed.

"No, not married, not dating, not even looking honestly." I said and he smiled.

"So, what is it?" He asked and I took a deep breath.

"We have a daughter." I said and his jaw dropped.

"What?"

"The night you told me you were married, if you remember correctly we had a lot of sex." I said and he laughed. "Once was in the shower and it was unprotected. I didn't think anything of it until maybe two months later when I couldn't keep anything down. I went to the doctor and found out."

"What's her name?" He asked and I took out my phone and showed him a picture.

"Her name is Eleanor, but I call her Elle."

"That's an old name." He said and I nodded.

"It's a family name. Thought it was appropriate." I said and he nodded.

"She's beautiful. Can I meet her?" He asked and I nodded. I took my phone back and dialed Izzy's number.

"Hello?" She said.

"Hey Iz, I need a favor."

"What's up?"

"I'm going to text you an address, can you bring Elle to it?" I asked.

"You told him?"

"Yea, we talked about everything, and after hearing his side, and Aline's side today, there is no reason that he shouldn't get to meet his daughter."

"Alright, text me, and I'll be there as soon as I can." We said goodbye, I texted her the address, and Jace and I waited. Thirty minutes later there was a knock on the door. I looked at Jace and he looked nervous. I got up and went to the door and opened it.

"Mommy!" Elle called as she ran into my legs.

"Hi baby." I said as I gave her a kiss. I looked back up at Iz. "Thank you so much. I'll text you later to give you all the details."

"Of course. Good luck." She said as she made her way back to her car. I picked Elle up and walked into the kitchen. Jace was standing there looking incredibly nervous. I walked over and stood in front of him.

"Elle, I want you to meet someone." I said and she nodded. "This is your daddy." I said and she looked at me.

"Really?" She asked and I smiled.

"Really." I said and she looked between us before she jumped out of my arms and into his. He caught her and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Hi daddy." She said and my heart melted.

"Hi sweetheart." He said and she leaned back and gave him a huge kiss.

"Mommy, I'm hungry." She said and I laughed.

"Ask daddy for some food, we're in his house." I said and she smiled.

"Daddy, I'm hungry." She said which caused us both to laugh.

"What do you like to eat?" He asked and she started thinking about it.

"Mac and cheese!" She said and I shook my head. That girl was obsessed.

"Alright." He said as he put her down. "Grace!" He called and a woman entered the room. "Could you please take Elle and make her your famous mac and cheese?" He asked and she nodded. Elle ran right over to her and they disappeared behind the door.

"You have a chef?"

"Yea. I'm rich, and I never learned how to cook. You remember my last house, it was quite extravagant."

"I spent most of the time in the bedroom, so I wasn't focused on the rest of the house." I said and he laughed. "Listen, I am sorry it took so long to tell you about Elle, but as you can imagine, I wasn't really happy with you. But I want you to take a paternity test, and get you on her birth certificate, and hopefully we can be a family." I said and before I knew it I was being scooped up into a hug.

"You're serious?" He said and I nodded.

"I never got over you either Jace. Leaving was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I felt gross, and horrible because I thought I was ruining your marriage. I love you Jace, and I'd love to maybe not start off where we left off, but pretty close." I said and he pressed his lips to mine.

"I love you." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said and I kissed him again. We stood there like that for a couple minutes before someone ran into our legs. Elle was holding onto us and smiling while looking up. Jace leaned down and picked her up. Seeing them together was the most amazing sight in the world, and I couldn't wait to start being a family.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The past six months have been amazing. After Jace got the paternity test done, which of course proved that he was the father, he was put on her birth certificate and we legally changed Elle's last name from Fray to Herondale. I know it seems like it's fast, but she's his daughter, and I have no reservations when it comes to our future. Jace and I were meant to be, and I knew that the moment he told me that he loved me.

I was on my way home, which was now Jace's house, and when I opened the door there was an overwhelming serge of the most amazing smell I've ever smelled. I walked into the kitchen and saw the table set up beautifully. Jace was standing there in a suit, looking gorgeous as always, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

"What's going on?" I asked and he held out his hand.

"Well, I know we just got back together, but this would be our three year anniversary if we stayed together. This might be rushing it to some people, but there isn't anyone else in the world who I would rather be with." He said and he kneeled in front of me and my hands flew over my mouth. "Clarissa Fray, I love you, more than I ever thought possible, and I love our life together, our family, and I can't even being to describe how happy I am. So, will you do the honor of becoming my wife?" He said and I couldn't stop the tears.

"Yes!" I shout and he laughs. He slips the ring on my finger and pulls me close to him and slams our lips together. We stay like that for a moment before we hear a throat clear. We break apart to see Grace standing there holding our dinner. We laugh, and take our seats, and than I realize that Elle isn't there. "Where is Elle?"

"I asked Izzy to take her for the night. I wanted tonight to be all about us." He said and I couldn't help but smile. We ate dinner, and started talking about the wedding, and our life together and nothing seemed more perfect than this moment. I was excited to see where it went.

 **Time Jump – Seven Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The last seven years have been amazing. We got married a year after we got engaged, and it was absolutely perfect. My parents were surprised. They didn't know how I could move on so fast after Aline, but I just lied and told them that Clary and I had a brief affair when I was still married after the miscarriage, which resulted in her getting pregnant. They were disappointed in me for being unfaithful to Aline, but they knew that we were struggling after losing the baby, and once they met Elle, they couldn't have been more thrilled with our engagement. Clary didn't like lying to them, but she also understood that it needed to be done in order to protect Aline. Two years ago Clary gave birth to our second child, Trevor, and he was as cute as a button. He had my golden eyes and Clary's red hair. They were the two best kids I could ever have asked for. I never knew what it was like to be with someone who loved you unconditionally, who drove you to be your absolute best, and someone who fit into ever single crevasse of who you are, but that was Clary for me. We fit together perfectly, and we wanted to see each other thrive and succeed. She was the perfect wife, and the perfect mother, and the perfect person to carry my last name. I wouldn't want it to be anybody else. She was meant to be Clarissa Herondale, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by a couple different people. PhantomFanfics, and two guests wanted one where Clary is Jace's mistress. I didn't want to write two stories so similar, so I took both ideas and blended them together! I'm sorry if it doesn't live up to your expectations, but I have a lot of requests and I thought combining all three of those requests would be better for me! Please let me know what you think! If you have any other ideas, shoot me a message, or leave a review! :)**


	24. Chapter 23 - Maid

**Twenty Third One Shot:**

 **Maid**

 **Clary POV:**

"So it says here you graduated high school a year early, and were one of the top students in your year." The woman says, and I smile.

"Yes ma'am. Education is very important to me." I said.

"So why is an 18 year old with such incredibly grades interviewing to be a maid?"

"I'll spare you the sob story." I started and she held her hand up to stop me.

"I'd like to hear the sob story. You seem to have such a bright future ahead of you."

"My dad died 3 years ago, and my moms an alcoholic, and is hooked on drugs. I have a 4 year old brother who depends on me. I graduated early so I could take care of him. My last job closed. I need this job." I said. I knew I sounded desperate, but that's what I was.

"I like you. I think you'd be a good fit for Jace. Do you know anything about him?" She asks and I shake my head. "He's a 23 year old CEO, of Herondale Industries. His parents died when he was young and he bounced around from foster home to foster home. He struggled to get his way up to the top, and he's an extremely proud man. Sometimes his ego can get a bit large, but underneath the hard exterior, he's really a great guy. Your job with entail getting here at 5 am, getting his coffee and breakfast ready. Cleaning the house, every inch of it. Being here for any delivery, or person that drops by to give him something. You'll start dinner at 5:30, so it's ready by 6 for him. He'll eat in 10-15 minutes, you'll clean up and go home." She said and it seemed like a lot but the money was worth it.

"I can do that." I said and she smiled.

"Than, Clarissa Fray, you got the job." She said and I smiled so much.

"Thank you so much. When do I start?"

"Tomorrow. Since it's the middle of the week, you'll get in the habit of it the rest of the week and than be good."

"Do I work weekends?"

"No. Jace doesn't want help on weekends. He's a bachelor, so weekends he brings girls back. Trust me, you don't want to witness that." She said as she stood and I followed.

"Thank you so much." I said and we shook hands, gave me the address, and I went to the bus stop and waited for my bus home. I was excited to start this new job.

 **Jace POV:**

When I got home from work Camille was sitting in my living room waiting for me, and she scared the hell out of me.

"Jesus Camille, you couldn't have texted me?"

"I like to watch you scream like a girl." She said and I put my stuff down on the table and met her in the living room. "I found a maid."

"Really? Someone lives up to your high expectations?" I said and she laughed.

"She's great."

"Tell me a little bit about her."

"She's 18, she graduated high school early. She's extremely smart, and I really hard worker."

"She's 18?" I said. "Come on Camille, there has to be something wrong with her. If she's so smart, why would she go to college?"

"Her little brother depends on her to survive. She graduated early so she could provide for him. I think she will be good for you. At least give here a chance."

"Alright, I trust you. I'll give her a chance." I said and she smiled. She left shortly after that and I was left to my thoughts. Who knew what his new maid was going to be like, but I was intrigued.

 **Time Jump - Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I was woken up by the amazing smell of coffee and French toast. I groggily got out of bed and made my way into the kitchen. When my vision finally came into focus, I saw a petite redhead standing in my kitchen. I cleared my throat and she turned around and smiled.

"Good morning! I'm Clary, and I'm your new maid." She said and I guess if she was good enough for Camille she was good enough for me. "I hope you don't mind, I didn't know what you'd like so I made French toast but if you want something else I can totally make it." She said and I laughed.

"No need. I like French toast." I said as I took my seat. She put a plate of French toast in front of me and it looked amazing. She gave me a cup of coffee and the creamer and sugar.

"Do you mind if I have a cup? It was a really early morning for me." She asks and I smile.

"Of course. Help yourself." I said and she grabbed a cup and poured it and started drinking. "How do you drink it black?"

"I guess I got used to it. We didn't have enough money for milk or creamer, so it was black or nothing, and I can't survive without coffee." She said and I totally understood that. I finished my breakfast and my coffee and stood up.

"Thank you for breakfast. It was very good. I'll be in the shower." I said and walked away.

I turned on the water and blasted my music. I was in there for maybe 15 minutes when I heard the door open and than close again. I didn't think anything of it and continued my shower. When I stepped out I grabbed my towel, that was amazingly warm and wrapped it around myself. After I got dressed I walked back into the living room and saw Clary straightening up the living room. I guess she heard my footsteps because she greeted my by the door. She was starting at me and I tried to keep the sarcastic remark to myself but I just couldn't.

"I know I'm stunningly attractive but it's not polite to stare." I smirked but she gave me back a sassy smile herself and laughed.

"As much as I would love to give you a sarcastic remark back, you're my boss and that would be unprofessional. I was staring because your tie is crooked." She said and I looked down. Damn she was right. "Let me." She said and she stepped closer. She smelled like strawberries and coffee. When she stepped away a part of me missed her smell and the warmth that radiated off her body. "Much better. Do you have an special food you'd like for dinner?"

"For some reason I really want chicken." I said and she laughed.

"Chicken it is than. Have a good day!" She said as I opened the door and left. I liked Clary, and I was curious to see where this went.

 **Time Jump - Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Working for Jace had been great. We had a routine down, and it was very efficient. Some days he even let me go early so that I could rest. He was a great boss, and I can only imagine how his actual employees were treated. Today was one of those days where I was left off early. It was only 3:45 and I had just picked Devon up from his daycare. When I got there he ran into my legs and I couldn't help but smile. He was honestly everything to me. I don't know what I'd do without him.

"Clary?" He asked as I tucked him into bed.

"Yea bud?"

"Do you think mommy will ever get better?" She asked and I internally groaned.

"I don't think so buddy. She's very sick."

"Can't she just take some medicine?" She asked and I laughed. Children are so innocent.

"I wish. Mom has to want to get better, and she doesn't want that." I said as I kissed his forehead. "I love you Devon."

"I love you too Clary." He said as he yawned and closed his eyes. I went back to the kitchen and started cleaning up when the front door slammed opened. I went out to see who it was and it was a bunch of moms junkie friends. I rolled my eyes and went back to the kitchen trying to ignore them.

An hour later the whole house smelled like weed, and when I went to confront them about it, they were snorting cocaine off the table, and my mom was shooting up heroin. I ran back to the room Devon and I share, packed a bag for us, picked Devon up and left out the back door. Of course it would be pouring tonight. I ran to the bus stop and sat down with Devon on my lap, we were done living that life, I was going to make sure Devon never had to watch that horrible woman destroy herself the way I had to.

 **Jace POV:**

It was after midnight when I was woken up by my doorbell. I don't know who the hell would wake me up at this hour but they were going to get a piece of my mind when I opened that door. When I reached the door I was prepared to let it blow but when I opened it, a drenched and sad looking Clary was standing there holding a little boy. Every mean thing I was about to say suddenly left my head when I motioned for her to come in. She walked over to the couch and put the boy down and faced me.

"I'm so sorry to come here at this hour like this, but I had no where else to go." She said as she started crying.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Are you okay?" I said as I stepped closer to her.

"I didn't want him to see it. It would break him. He thinks she can get better." She said and I was about to ask what she was talking about when the boy moved and woke up.

"Clary?" He asked and she walked over to him.

"Hey bud. I'm sorry about that." She said and she brushed his hair away from his eyes.

"Where are we?"

"You know that job I've had for awhile?" She asks and he nods. "Where at that mans house. Mom was having one of her nights and we couldn't stay." She said and this little boy, who looked no more than 5, completely understood.

"I'm tired." He said and Clary nodded.

"I promise, we'll find somewhere else in the morning, but can we stay for the night?" She asked and I just couldn't say no.

"Of course. There are plenty of spare room." Clary picked up the boy, and started walking to one of the rooms. I went into my room and found some extra clothes for them. I went to the room she picked, knocked and than entered. "I grabbed you some dry clothes." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you." She said and I walked out and closed the door but lingered for a moment. For some reason I was just really curious. After a minute I heard Clary begin to speak.

"Hey bud, let me get you out of those wet clothes and into something dry." She said and I guess he agreed. A couple minutes later she was talking again. "I'm really sorry about tonight Devon."

"Was it bad?"

"It was really bad. Her friends were over and everything."

"Why doesn't she want to get better?"

"I told you Devon, she's sick. She has to want to get better. She's an addict. Addicts generally don't change."

"Can you tell me a story?"

"What story?"

"Can you tell me what you do here?"

"Of course. I get here really early in the morning, and I start breakfast."

"What do you make?"

"Depends on the day. Normally French toast, or pancakes, or eggs, sometimes I get fancy though and I make a little bit of everything. His favorite I've noticed is French toast." She said and I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face.

"How can you tell?"

"Well, it's the only meal he fully eats." She said and I thought about it, and she was right, I really did eat everything when she made French toast. "Than he takes a shower, and he averages about a 20 minute shower, so after 15 minutes I go in and place a towel on the sink ledge."

"Why doesn't he get one himself?" The boy asked and now I was a little curious.

"He does but I put it in the dryer for 15 minutes so that once he's done its extra warm for him."

"Just like you do for me!" He says and I just I couldn't help but feel differently towards Clary. This girl was 18 years old, and she was completely amazing. She was beautiful, and sweet, caring, and just about everything you look for in a women.

"Alright Devon, it's late, you should really get some sleep."

"Will you stay with me?"

"Of course bud."

"Clary." He said once more in a very sleepy voice.

"Yea Dev?"

"Happy birthday." He said and I heard her laugh. Tomorrow was going to be her day off. I wasn't allowing her to work on her birthday.

"Thank you." She said and than the light went off and I walked back to my room. I learned a lot about Clary tonight, and I loved what I learned.

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up when I heard my phone buzzing. I blindly started looking for it on the night stand but realized that I had left it in the living room. I got out of bed and ran into the living room, clearly not focusing on anything because I was barely dressed, but the house was extremely warm so I didn't care. I got to my phone right on time and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Is this Clarissa Fray?" The man on the other end of the line said.

"Yes, this is she."

"We regret to inform you that your mother Jocelyn Fray was found this morning, unconscious in her home. She was transported to the hospital when she was pronounced dead. I'm so sorry." He said and I think my legs gave out but before I hit the ground there were hands wrapped around my waist. I looked up to see Jace standing above me. "Clarissa? Are you still there?"

"Yea. I'm still here. Can you tell me how it happened?" I said and Jace's hands were still wrapped around my waist, and I couldn't help the familiar feeling that his hands brought.

"She OD'd on a combination of cocaine, and heroin." He said, and although I'm not surprised it doesn't stop the tears to form in my eyes. By this time Jace had moved me to the couch and we were siting there, and his hand was still wrapped around my waist. "We need you to come down to the hospital an identify the body."

"Okay, I'll be there within the next hour." I said and he said goodbye and I hung up. I put my phone down and rested my head in my hands. We sat there for a few moments and I couldn't tell Jace was curious but he was giving me time to collect my thoughts. When I finally looked at him in the eyes and opened my mouth someone else spoke.

"Clary?" I heard, and when I turned around Devon was standing there.

"Devon." I said and he was rubbing his eyes, clearly he was still tired. "Can you come here for a moment?" I asked and he made his way over to me. I picked him up and sat him on my lap and leaned back against the couch.

"Are you okay? You look upset."

"I just got a really bad call buddy." I said and he sat up and looked at me.

"Is it mommy?"

"Yea buddy."

"Is she okay?"

"No buddy. She isn't. She got carried away last night, and she was taken to the hospital, and she didn't make it." I said and he started crying. I pulled him close to me and rubbed his back, and before I could process what was happening, Jace pulled me close to him and I leaned my head on his shoulder until Devon calmed down. Devon ended up crying himself to sleep. I looked down at the sweet boy in my arms and than back to Jace. "I'm really sorry about this." I said and he started shaking his head.

"Don't worry about it. So you need to go to the hospital?" He asks and I nod. "I'm giving you the day off, and I'm also taking the day. I'll watch Devon while you're gone."

"You don't have to do that Jace."

"Nonsense. You have had a rough day, and I've built up enough time off that I can afford to take the day."

"You're really the best boss ever." I said as I stood up with Devon. "I'm going to go put him back to sleep." I said and Jace nodded. I stood up, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Jace." I said and he smiled. I walked back to the room where we slept last night and tucked Devon in, this wasn't the way I wanted to spend my birthday, but I wasn't going to let Devon know how much I was dreading what comes next.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary went to put Devon down I couldn't help but press my fingers to the spot on my cheek where she kissed. When her lips met my cheek it was like a serge of energy went through my whole body. I've never felt something like that before. I've been with my fair share of women and none of them have ever given me that type of reaction. A few moments later Clary walks back out of the room.

"Alright, he's asleep, but I wouldn't be surprised if he woke up soon. He normally doesn't sleep well or long after he cries himself to sleep." She said.

"It's happened before?"

"Often. He hasn't had the best up bringing. I've tried to shield him from that world as much as I can, but sometimes things slip, and I can't protect him from everything." She said and I just nod. "I don't plan on being gone longer than necessary, but with the bus schedule I might get stuck."

"You don't have a car?"

"No. I've been taking the bus here since I was hired."

"Do you know how to drive?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"My dad died a couple years ago, and my mom was either wasted, or higher than a kite, and I was so focused on Devon that I never took time to focus on myself."

"I can have someone take you to the hospital. It'll be a lot quicker." I said and I could see some light come back into her eyes.

"That would be great." She said and I walked over to the intercom system.

"Chad, I have a job for you. Get the car ready, and be out front in 3 minutes." I said and he said 'you got it' back and I went back to Clary. "Alright, Chad, my driver, should be out side waiting for you." I said and she walked over towards me, got on her tippy toes and pressed her lips to my cheek again.

"Thank you. For everything." She said. She grabbed her belongings, and headed for the door. I walked back into the living room and called Camille.

"Hello?"

"Hey Camille, I just wanted to call and tell you that I won't be in the office today."

"Jace, you have 4 meetings today, you can't just bail."

"Cancel them all. I have more important things to do today."

"Like what Jace? Work has always come first for you."

"Clary showed up at my place after midnight last night with her little brother, and she found out this morning that her mom died last night. She had to go to the hospital to identify the body, so I'm watching her little brother."

"Oh my god. That's horrible." She said and I sigh. "Is there something more going on Jace?"

"As a thank you she kissed my cheek." I said and Camille laughed.

"So? It was a way of showing her gratitude." She said and I shook my head.

"That's not the part that confusing me. When her lips met my cheek I felt something I've never felt anything like it before." I said and I heard Camille gasp. "What?"

"You have feelings for her don't you?" She asked and I took a moment to think about it and I realized that over the past 6 months she's been working for me, I've been a lot happier and a lot nicer than I normally am. Before I could speak Camille started talking again. "I can see it Jace. You're a lot nicer around the office, and you always come in with a smile on your face. For the past 6 years that I've known you, I have never known you to be so cheerful. I mean last week you actually laughed at that stupid joke Paul tells in the beginning of occur meetings. That never happens." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"She's just so different. She's funny, and caring, and sarcastic. She's an amazing cook, and she keeps my place in order just the way I like it, and she's always smiling and the way she is with her brother, man it just makes her so much more attractive to me." I said and I heard Camille laugh.

"Jace has been bitten by the love bug." She said and I couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I'll cancel your appointments, and your meetings, give Clary my condolences."

"I will. Thank you Camille." I hung up the phone and started looking for something to eat in the kitchen. It's been so long since I had to cook my own food that I kind of forgot where everything was. I was getting some eggs, when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around, and Devon was standing right there.

"Hey, I'm Jace." I said and he walked over to me.

"I'm Devon." He said and I walked over to him. "Where is Clary?"

"She's had to go to the hospital for some paperwork, I offered to stay here with you for her."

"You're her boss right?" He asks and I nod. "She likes you." He said and I couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. "She tells me you're the best boss ever, but considering her last boss was a meany, I can't blame her for liking you so much."

"How was her last boss mean?"

"I don't know exactly, all Clary told me was that he wouldn't leave her alone. He kept hairissing her." He said.

"You mean harassing?" I said and he nodded.

"Yea, I don't know what that means, but that's what she said." He said and I couldn't help the anger the filled me. "Can I have something to eat? I'm hungry." He said and I smiled.

"Of course. Now, I'm no Clary, but I can make a mean grilled cheese." I said and he laughed.

"Clary is the best."

"Yea she is." I said and I walked back over to the fridge. "So, grilled cheese, and some iced tea? Will that do?"

"Yea!" He said and he hoped off the stool. "Can I watch TV?"

"Of course. Living room is right over there." I pointed and he nodded and walked towards the living room. I started making the grilled cheese and by the time I was done I walked back into the living room and gave Devon his food. We sat there and ate our food while we watched TV. I had to admit, I never really thought about having kids, but Devon was a cool little guy, and I didn't mind having him around. I heard the front door open and when I looked over I saw Clary walking towards us. I smiled at her and Devon immediately perked up and ran towards her. She picked him up and walked towards me.

"I'm sorry that took so long. There was a lot of paperwork." She said and I smiled.

"It's no problem. I didn't mind spending time with him." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you. I was blind sided at the hospital. Social services showed up and made me sign a whole bunch of paperwork that had to do with Devon." She said and she put him down. "Dev, can you go watch some TV, I have to talk to Jace for a moment." He nodded and ran back towards the couch and Clary and I went into the kitchen,

"So, what happened?"

"Well, they had to make sure that I was stable enough to be his guardian." She said as she started to make coffee, before she stopped and looked at me. "I'm sorry, can I make some coffee?" She asked and I smiled.

"Of course."

"Anyway, they saw that I have a stable job, and I can in fact provide for him so I had to sign all of that paperwork. Now all I have to do is find a place to stay."

"What about your house?"

"It's in a really bad neighborhood, and I don't want Devon there. Plus, it smells like alcohol and weed, and no child should have to grow up in that environment." She said and I couldn't help but think about how she grew up in that environment. It broke my heart.

"Stay here." I blurted out and she was shocked.

"What?"

"Stay here. I have enough rooms, and with him being here too, you wouldn't have to put him in a daycare while you work. I mean, you don't have to if you don't want too, it was just a suggestion." Before I could even register what was happening, she threw her arms around my neck and I grabbed her by the waist and hugged her back. I didn't want to let her go, but when she pulled away I had no choice but to let her go.

"Thank you so much Jace. I can't even begin to tell you how much this means to me." She said and I couldn't help but smile. She grabbed her coffee and made her way into the living room to sit with Devon.

I follow soon after with my own cup of coffee and take a seat on the couch with them. I have no idea what we're watching, but Devon and Clary seem to be extremely entertained and I can't find it in me to want to stop watching. They would sing the theme song, and laugh at the stupid jokes, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. This moment felt right, and I couldn't really explain it, but I never wanted it to end.

The day progressed but like this. Devon didn't want to do anything but relax, and neither did Clary. I felt like they never had a day off like this, and I wasn't going to be the one to ruin their lazy day off. Instead, I embraced it. Devon had fallen asleep on the couch and Clary wasn't far behind him. She started with her head on the back of the couch and before I knew it she was leaning on me. She still smelled the same, like strawberries and coffee, and before I knew it I was drifting off the sleep soon after.

 **Clary POV:**

I didn't even realize that I had fallen asleep but when I woke up I was extremely warm. I propped myself up to see that I was cuddled into Jace's side, and half of me wanted to stay there forever, and the other half knew that it was completely unprofessional. I tried to get up without disturbing him but I failed because he stirred and woke up soon.

"Hey." He said in a groggy voice, which was extremely sexy.

"Hey. I'm sorry I fell asleep on you. I totally didn't mean too."

"I don't mind. Really, how are you feeling?" He asked, and I guess I didn't really want to think about it.

"I'm alright. Her death will affect Devon way more than it'll affect me." I said and he seemed confused.

"Why is that?"

"I shielded the bad part of her life from him, but I never had someone to do that for me. I was there when she would drink her sorrows away, or when she'd snort the cocaine off the table, or shoot the heroin. By the time I was 12, her junkie friends were hitting on me, and she even tried to pimp me out once or twice."

"Damn."

"I promised myself once she got pregnant that I would protect my little sibling from that part of her life. I did a good job too. He only really saw her when she was a little high or a little drunk. He still has this image of a perfect mother in his head, and I want to protect that."

"You're an amazing sister." He says and I can't help but smile.

"I try my best." I said and I looked at him and our faces are extremely close. I bit my lip, and his eyes flickered down to my lips. Before I knew it he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine and I've never felt my body react this strongly to anything in my life. We sat there kissing for a while before we broke apart. Everything in me wanted to keep kissing him, but I also couldn't get over the fact that he was my boss and it was super inappropriate. "I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because you're my boss Jace, and that was super inappropriate."

"It's only inappropriate if you allow it to be." He said with a smirk and my brain went numb before I got my focus back together.

"We can't do this Jace."

"Why not? You can't tell me you didn't feel anything when we kissed?" He said and I guess he felt something too.

"That's not the point. It doesn't matter if I felt anything, you're my boss, and this can't happen."

"Than you're fired." He said and my jaw dropped.

"What? Jace I need this job. This was the only way I was able to keep Devon, please Jace please, I really need it." I said and he smiled.

"I'm not kicking you out, you're just not my maid anymore. I like you Clary, and I know you felt something when we kissed. I want to see where it goes. That is if you want that as well." He said and I couldn't believe what he just said.

"Jace."

"Tell me right now Clary, did you feel anything when we kissed?"

"Yes." I said.

"So take a chance. Please." He said and I just couldn't say no.

"Okay." I said and before I knew it his lips were on mine again, and we didn't break apart until we heard Devon start to wake up. We turned around and Devon sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Hey buddy."

"Hi." He said as he climbed up on my lap.

"How was your nap?"

"Good." He said and I kissed his head.

"We're going to stay here for a little okay bud?" I said and he smiled and nodded. He curled up on my lap, and we sat there for a while just bonding together and for the first time in a long time it felt like we were finally going to be all right.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and Devon have been staying with me for the past six months and honestly having them around was amazing. Although I fired Clary from her maid duties, she still does everything she did before. She still makes breakfast, and coffee, cleans up the place, makes dinner. It was different this time though. It felt like we were a family, and I enjoyed coming home from work to see them, and to hear about their days, and what they did. Devon was a maniac, but he always brought a smile to Clary's face, and seeing her smile was an amazing thing.

It was a Saturday and there was a knock at the door. It was about 8 at night and I wasn't expecting anyone to just drop by. When I reached the door and opened it, my adoptive family was standing there. All five of them. I didn't even know they were in town, and of course I couldn't turn them away, so I motioned for them to come inside and before I even got one word in I heard Clary yelling.

"Devon! Get back here right now! You will not run around this house naked!" She yelled, and just like that Devon came running in the living room completely naked. I leaned down and scooped him up and Clary came running in. "Oh my god, I had no idea you had company." She said and I laughed. She walked over and I handed her Devon and she wrapped him in the towel she was holding.

"I didn't know I had company either. Clary, this is my adoptive family. Maryse, Robert, Izzy, Alec, and Max. Everyone, this is Clary, and her brother Devon." I said and everyone said their hellos.

"It was lovely meeting you all, but I have to give him a bath and get him to bed." Clary said as she started walking away, but we could still hear her talking. "And this is why we don't run around naked Devon." She said and we could hear him giggle. I turned around and looked at my family.

"What brings you all here?"

"We were visiting for a company meeting your father was attending and decided to make it a little reunion. If we knew you had guests, we would have called."

"It's not a problem. Come in." I said and we all gathered in the living room.

"So, who is this Clary?" Maryse asks.

"About a year ago Camille hired her to be my maid, and after six months she showed up here in the middle of the night because she had to get her brother out of her house. The next day she got a call, and her mother had died, and I offered her a place her stay."

"And how long have you been sleeping with her?" Robert asks and I'm a little annoyed her would just assume something like that.

"It's none of your business. We are together, but we haven't slept together yet."

"The play boy Jace hasn't slept with a girl yet? Seems pretty strange to me." Maryse said in her normal judgy tone, but before I can step in Izzy does.

"I think this is great. It's about time he found someone to settle down with."

"You guys act like I'm 35, and desperate for a girlfriend." I said and they laughed.

"She seems like a very sweet girl." Alec said.

"She's the best." I said and I smiled. "She's had a hard life, but she never let it get her down." I said and before I could say anything else Clary walked into the room. She walked over and took a seat next to me and I gave her a kiss on the temple while she cuddles herself against me.

"I'm so sorry about Devon, he was fine until I got him undressed, and than he went crazy." She said and everyone laughed.

"It's quite alright. We just came to maybe have a place to stay but if you don't have enough room, we can always get a hotel." Maryse said as she started to stand.

"Don't be ridiculous. There are plenty of rooms here for you all. You know you're always welcome here." I said and the smiled and nodded. "The third door on the left is where Devon sleeps, but every other room is available, except mine of course." I said and everyone got up, grabbed their bags and walked up the stairs. I sank back against the couch with Clary still cuddled into my side. "Well, that's my adoptive family."

"They seem nice. Camille told me you bounced from foster home to foster home."

"I did, until I was 15, and the Lightwoods found me. They thought I would get along with Izzy and Alec, and brought me into their home. We got along really well, and a year later they adopted me."

"That's great."

"Yea, it was amazing, but it still didn't completely fill that void that I had." I said and she wrapped her arms around my waist. "I still wanted to make my family proud, which is why I built the company, I thought it was the best way to honor them."

"You did an amazing job." She said and I looked at her and brought her up on my lap.

"I love you." I said and her eyes widened. I thought it was the wrong thing to say before I saw a smile break out on her face.

"I love you too." She said and I couldn't help but press my lips to hers. We stayed there for a while before we decided that it was time for bed. I scooped her up bridal style and carried her to our room. It was at this moment that I knew I had to do something for Camille. She brought Clary into my life, and I don't know what I'd do without her.

 **Time Jump – The Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up early, and got out of bed quietly and made my way downstairs. Nobody was awake yet, so I started breakfast. I had no idea what anyone liked so I just made everything. I had made two pots of coffee, and I had cut up some fruit, in case anyone wanted that instead of breakfast. After about an hour I started hearing footsteps on the stairs. When I looked up Jace's family was standing there looking at me.

"Good morning! I made breakfast." I said and they still looked tired, and a little stunned. "I didn't know what everyone liked so there is a little bit of everything. There is coffee over there, fruit in these bowls and I have French toast, eggs, and pancakes, but if you want a certain kind of egg or something in your pancakes just let me know." I said and everyone nodded and started getting food. A couple minutes later Jace came down with Devon and he placed him on one of the stools before walking over to me.

"Good morning." He said as he kissed my temple.

"Good morning. Your French toast is over there, and so are Devon's pancakes." I said and he walked over and grabbed them and gave the plate to Devon. Once everyone had their food they all took their seats and started eating. Breakfast went by wonderfully. I got to know a little more about Jace's family and they seemed like amazing people. Once everyone was done, I told Devon to go into the living room and occupy himself while Jace and I cleaned up. We were in the kitchen when Maryse walked in.

"Breakfast was wonderful dear." She said and I smiled and nodded. "We're going to head out Jace, but thank you for letting us spend the night last night. We really appreciate it."

"You're always welcome here." Jace said and she nodded and headed out to the rest of the family. Jace and I put the dishes on hold to say goodbye to them all. Once they were gone we settled back into out normal routine. Jace went to work while Devon and I occupied ourselves around the house. I loved living here, and the fact that he loved me made it even more amazing.

 **Jace POV:**

When I got into work today, I immediately went searching for Camille. For some reason she was nowhere I was looking so I decided to go to my office and wait for her to find me. I was in the middle of a bunch of paperwork when there was a knock on my door. I looked up and Camille was standing there.

"Just the girl I've been looking for." I said and she smiled.

"What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to thank you for hiring Clary that day. Without you I wouldn't have met her, and I don't know what I would do without her." I said and Camille smiled.

"I thought she'd be a good fit for you. I had no idea what it would turn into, but I knew she'd be good for you."

"I want to do something for you Camille."

"Like what?" She asks as she takes a seat.

"What do you really need?" I ask and she looks confused. "A raise, a vacation, paid time off? Anything you need, let me know."

"Jace, you don't need to do anything for me."

"Yes I do. Camille, I'm in love. I'm completely in love, and I wouldn't be if it wasn't for you. I want to do something for you, but I don't know what."

"Well, my husband and I have been talking about taking a vacation recently, but we can't afford to not be working."

"Done, you will get two weeks paid time off." I said and her eyes widened. "Tell me the dates, and you got them." I said and she got up and hugged me.

"You truly are the best boss ever." She said as she ran out of my office. I smiled to myself and went back to work. Life was good, and for the first time in my life, I was excited about the future.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later  
Clary POV:**

Devon was starting kindergarten this year and I honestly felt like an overwhelmed mom. I had gotten him dressed, and packed his lunch and his backpack, and just looking at him my eyes started to water.

"Clary, I'm not leaving forever." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I know, but you're so grown up. I'm just so proud of you." I said and I gave him a big hug. "Now, Jace is going to drop you off today, and I'm going to pick you up, and I want to hear all about your day okay?"

"Of course. I love you Clary."

"I love you too Devon." I said and Jace walked into the living room.

"Is the king ready to conquer kindergarten?" Jace said and Devon smiled and nodded. Their relationship was really the cutest, Jace was like a big brother to Devon, and I know that's what Devon needed in his life, and I'm glad he had Jace to fill that roll.

"Alright boys, if you don't leave now, you'll be late." I said as I ushered them to the door. "I love you both, have a great day!" I said and they smiled at me. Jace leaned down and gave me a quick kiss.

"I love you too." He said before him and Devon walked out the door. I looked at the closed door for a moment after they left and just couldn't believe how my life turned out. All because I applied to be a maid, who knew this is how that all played out. But I was thankful every day.

 **Time Jump – Four Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was planning on proposing to Clary tonight at dinner and I was freaking out. These last 7 years have been amazing, and I knew we both were ready for this step, but it was still scary to think about. I had picked up the ring earlier today, and I couldn't stop staring at the ring. It was perfect, and exactly what I knew Clary would love. I got home and Clary wasn't there, she was picking Devon up from school which gave me plenty of time to get everything ready. I set the table, and got dinner on the table, and by the time I was finished, Clary walked through the door with Devon. They walked through the house and saw the set up and Clary gasped. I reached out my hand and she took it and I guided her to the table. I leaned down and whispered in Devon's ear.

"Do you mind giving us some time alone bud?" He asked and Devon nodded and went to his room. I looked back at Clary, and smiled. "I know you weren't expecting this, but that was the point." I said and I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring. "Clarissa Fray, I love you more than I ever thought imaginable. I love the way you curl up into my side. I love the breakfasts you make, and the way you are with Devon, and I love the life we've built together. I had no idea what I was missing in my life until you walked into my life. You were the light when all I saw was darkness, you were the good when everything was bad, and you were the happiness when I felt like I was drowning in sadness. I don't want to spend another day without you, and I can't even begin to express the amount of love I feel for you. So, Clarissa Fray, will you do the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Oh my god! Yes!" She yelled and she jumped into my arms and I couldn't help but swing her around. I put her down, slide the ring on her finger and than pressed my lips against hers. We stayed like that for a while before we broke apart and when I looked into her eyes, I couldn't help but be excited that we were going to start our lives together. I couldn't wait to marry this girl, and do everything I can ever think of with Devon and Clary. Our life together was going to be amazing, I just knew it.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by Helle and I hope you liked what I did with your idea! I started this and didn't know where I was going to take it, but I'm happy with the outcome and I hope you are too! Let me know what you think! :)**


	25. Chapter 24 - CIA

**Twenty Fourth One Shot:**

 **CIA**

 **Jace POV:**

"You're telling me, that the top minds in the CIA, can't stop this hacker from getting into our databases?" I yelled at my technical analyst team. This hacker has been getting into our systems for months, and these idiots can't stop her.

"Sir." One of them spoke up, I still didn't know their names, but he was a geeky looking guy. "I don't know what kind of training she's had, but it's way more advanced than anything we learn in school and through the CIA program. This girl is good."

"So what do you suppose we do?" I asked and everyone looked down, clearly not able to give a sufficient answer.

"We track her down, and hire her." I heard from behind me, and when I turned around Hodge was standing there.

"Seriously sir? You want to hire a hacker?"

"If she's as good as they say, I want her to work for us." He says and I just nod. "Now, who can tell me what we know about her so far?" Hodge asks and the geeky guy stood up. "What's your name?"

"Simon sir."

"Alright Simon, what do we know about her?"

"We know she goes by the name Angel of Darkness. She's been pretty big in the hacking world for about 6 years. She started with really low level stuff, hacking phones, security cameras, car alarms, really petty stuff, until about three years ago, her whole game changed. Her stuff got dark. She started hacking her local police system, I guess she was looking for something. After a couple months she went higher. Started with the FBI, than Homeland and now she's working on us. She's looking for something, but we just don't know what it is."

"Can you track her?"

"Possibly. She bounces her signal from tower to tower, it might take some time but I could get you a general location."

"Do it Simon. And when you get the information tell Jace. I'm making it your mission to find her Agent Herondale."

"Yes sir." I said and he left the room. I turned around and looked at Simon. "You know where my office is. Let me know when you have something." I said and he nodded. I went back to my office and took a seat. Once I find this girl I'm going to nail her ass to the floor.

 **Time Jump - One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It has been a month and we still haven't had any luck finding this hacker. She was good, and the more she evaded us the more I wanted to know her. I was sitting in my office doing paperwork when there was a knock.

"Come in." I said and the door opened to show Simon.

"We found her sir. She's at the corner of 9th and Broadway." He said and I grabbed my things and ran to my car. When I got to the little cafe that was there I went in and surveyed the people. Many people were on their laptops. There was a boy in the corner, clearly not a threat. An older women who looked sketchy but not savvy enough to be that great. Which led me to the redhead in the corner. She was small, and very focused on what she was doing. I walked up, bought two cups of coffee and made my way over to her. I sat down across from her and she looked up at me with piercing green eyes.

"Can I help you?" She asked and I smiled.

"Can't I buy a pretty girl a cup of coffee?" I said and she laughed.

"Sorry pretty boy, but I know your type. You charm them until they are putty in your hands. I'm not falling for it." She said and I couldn't help but smile. She was feisty, I liked it. She grabbed the cup of coffee drank it and gagged at the flavor. "What did you buy?"

"A vanilla latte. Don't girls like that?"

"Maybe basic bitches. Yuck." She said and I couldn't help but enjoy the way here nose scrunched in disgust. "I like my coffee black."

"Is that why you call yourself the Angel of Darkness?" I said and her eyes widened.

"How..." She started but I cut her off. I held up my credentials.

"Agent Herondale. CIA. I'd like to speak with you." I said and she closed her laptop and looked at me.

"Buy me a new cup of coffee, and I'm all ears." She said and I smiled and nodded. I got up, got her a new cup, sat back down and she nodded.

"You've been on our radar for some time angel. My boss thinks he'd like to use your talents at the CIA."

"Don't you have your own set of hackers?"

"Yes, but none as good as you. You've completely confused our best analysts. My boss thinks you'd be a good addition."

"How do you know I'm one of the good guys?" She leaned in and whispered to me. Her voice was low and seductive, and damn did she turn me on.

"You've never done anything that suggests your going to cause a threat to national security. You're looking for something. Clearly something personal to you." I said and she tensed. "I'll give you access to our databases, if you come work for us."

"Why should I trust you?"

"I'm a lot of things angel, but a liar isn't one of them."

"You work for the CIA, your life is a lie."

"I'm no spy. I work for the CIA, but I'm not in the field." I said.

"Than what do you do?"

"I am in charge of the cyber division. I work with said hackers."

"You don't strike me as a hacker." She said and I laughed.

"Don't judge a book by its cover." I said and she nodded. "So, would you like to come to the office?" I said and she drank her coffee contemplating it.

"Sure. I'll go." She said and I nodded. I stood up and he packed her stuff and followed. We got into my car and made our way to my office. When we pulled up and looked confused. "This is your office?"

"This is the institute. It looks shabby, but inside is a whole new level of technology and secrets." I said and she nodded. We walked through the institute and into my office. She took a seat I called Hodge in an a couple minutes later he was there. "Hodge, this is angel." I said and her cheeks flushed red.

"Clary. My name is Clary sir." She said and she stood up.

"Nice to meet you Clary, I'm sure Jace has told you why we tracked you down."

"Yes sir."

"So, would you like to work here?" Hodge asked and I could see her thinking about it.

"Sure." She said and Hodge smiled.

"Wonderful, you start tomorrow. 9 am." Hodge said and left. I turned back around and smiled at Clary.

"I'll see you tomorrow angel." I said and she blushed again. She got up and left my office. The rest of the day was spent doing paperwork and getting everything ready for Clary to start. Working with her was going to be fun, and I was looking forward to it.

 **Time Jump - Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I started working for the CIA today and I was nervous as hell. Not to mention Jace, who is my boss is hotter than hell, and who likes flirting with me, is going to be there all day. I had no idea what to wear so I just decided on a pair of jeans, a hoodie and my converse. If they told me to change, I would but as for right now, this is what I'll wear.

I got in a cab and made my way to the institute. When I got there I walked up to the door and realized that I didn't have clearance to get in so I just started knocking. After about 5 minutes the door opened and a nerdy looking guy was staring at me.

"You must be Clary?" He said and I nodded. "Jace told me to come get you. Follow me." He said and I followed him into the institute. We went down a bunch of hallways until we got to a huge room with a bunch of computers, monitors, and a bunch of screens. It was like heaven in there, and I honestly couldn't wait to start working. "Jace's office is up there. He wants to talk before you start. I'm Simon by the way." He said and I nodded and started towards Jace's office. I knock.

"Come in." He said and I opened the door. He looked up and our eyes locked, and those golden orbs made my skin crawl. "I see you took the casual approach."  
"I didn't know what to wear, and I noticed yesterday that it was a little chilly in here. I can dress differently tomorrow."

"Don't worry about it, I dress nicely because I have too. My hackers don't have to be subjected to the same torture." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. "So I wanted to talk about your job here, what you'll be doing, and what I promised you." He said and I nodded and took a seat. "There is a problem we're having with Idris." He said and I was confused.

"Uh, what's Idris?"

"It's a man made country that we made a couple years ago. They are starting to rebel against the government and we need to tap into their systems and see what they are planning."

"Okay."

"And about what I promised you, it'll have to be after hours. I don't want the others snooping into your business but I'll be present."

"Okay."

"Alright, your little cube is next to Sherman." He said and I looked at the office.

"You mean Simon?" I said and he looked up.

"Sure. He's relatively new, I haven't gotten his name down yet." He said and I laughed. I got up and made my way out to my desk. I couldn't wait to have access to that information. I was going to find out the truth, if it kills me or not.

 **Time Jump - Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

It was nearing 1 am and Clary was still glued to her computer. I had no idea what she was looking for, but it was clearly very important. I wanted to give her as much time as she needed but we had work tomorrow, so it was time to cut her off. I packed up my stuff, and made my way over to her. She was so focused she didn't hear me coming. I looked over her shoulder and saw she was looking for someone by the last name Morgenstern but she wasn't getting very far. All I knew about that information was you needed top level access.

"Who is that?" I said and she nearly jumped 5 feet off the ground.

"Jesus Jace. Don't sneak up on people like that." She said and I couldn't help but laugh. "It doesn't matter who it is, what do you want?"

"It's 1 am, we have work tomorrow. You can pick this up tomorrow." I said and she frowned. She turned around and shut down her computer. "Wanna fill me in?" I said and she scoffed.

"That wasn't part of your promise. You said you have to be here with me, and you are. That's it." She said, and now it was my turn to laugh. I walked towards the door before turning around.

"I just thought you'd like my help. That's all."

"And why would I need your help?" She said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Because you need top level access to get into that case." I said and her face paled. "Which you don't have. I do." I said and she looked absolutely defeated. "Come on angel, I'll give you a ride." I said and she soon followed.

"Alright, you can help, but you don't get to ask questions. I'll tell you what I want." She said and I smiled.

"What ever you want angel." I said and we made it to my car. I have come to the conclusion I liked working with Clary, and I was looking forward to more late nights with her.

 **Time Jump - Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

So far I've only gotten the bare minimum of information on Valentine. Jace and I work every single night on securing all the information possible but there are some levels of the information that not even he has access too. It's very frustrating. It was almost midnight one night and I couldn't take it anymore and I screamed and slammed my hands on my desk.

"You alright angel?" Jace asked, and as much as I hated the nickname in the beginning, it made me feel oddly comfortable and safe.

"We've been working on this for four months and we aren't even close." I said and he wheeled his chair over to me.

"We'll get there. This case was clearly very confidential. The CIA wants this case to be gone, so they really secured it, but we can't give up that easily." He said and it made me feel better. "I know you said I couldn't ask questions, but why is this guy so important?" He asked and I bit my lip, which clearly did something to him. "I mean, this guy wasn't the nicest. Multiple counts of domestic violence, murder, treason, insider stock trading. Like, he's literally committed every felony known to mankind. Why are you so interested?" He asked and I knew I was going to have to tell him eventually.

"He's my father." I said and Jace sucked in a deep breath. "He disappeared almost 10 years ago, and I've been trying to find him ever since."

"Why? He's dangerous." Jace said as he wheeled closer to me and our knees were touching, and it made my skin ignite.

"I think he killed my mom."

"You think he'd do that?" Jace asked and I nodded.

"Those domestic violence incidents, they were because of me." I said and I lifted up my shirt to show him the scar. "My mom was getting ready to leave him, but the next week her car was found in a ditch, and the suspected foul play, but Valentine disappeared."

"How old were you?"

"14." I said and he grabbed my hands.

"What happened to you?"

"Went into the system. Bounced around from home to home until I ran away when I was 16. I lived on the streets for two years, getting odd hacking jobs. When I turned 18, I got a job found an apartment, and have been doing odd jobs ever since."

"Damn." He said and I looked into his golden eyes.

"What about you? You know my life story. What's yours?"

"Simple really. Rich parents. Boarding school. Yale education. Got a job here. I've been lucky in life. I can't complain. That's really all there is to me."  
"I don't believe it. Everyone has something they don't like about their life." I said and he looked down and started playing with my fingers, and it oddly felt really good, so I let him keep going.

"I guess I didn't have the perfect life that everyone thought. Dad cheated on my mom. My mom stayed regardless, they fought a lot, dinners were silent, they stayed in separate bedrooms. I volunteered to go to boarding school in high school because I didn't want to live there anymore."

"I think that sucks more than having no family at all." I said as he looked back up at me.

"It wasn't pleasant. I met my best friend at that boarding school. I would spend summers with him, and his family. I feel like I'm more apart of their family than I do in my own."

"At least you found good people. I never had the chance at that. Unless to count homeless Joe who let me sleep in his area from time to time family, I had no one." I said and he laughed at that. He looked at the computer and sighed.

"It's almost 2, we've been here for hours. Let's pick this back up tomorrow." He said and I nodded. "I'll give you a ride home angel." I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. I followed him out to his car and he drove me home. When we pulled up to my apartment I lingered for a moment. I turned to him and smiled.

"Thank you for listening. I've never had someone to open up to before. It felt nice to get that off my chest."

"If you ever need to vent, I'm all ears angel." He said and I smiled. I leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Goodnight Jace." I said and he smiled.

"Night angel." He said and I got out. I walked up to my apartment, opened the door and than closed it and leaned against it. I have no idea what possessed me to kiss his cheek but it felt right. I threw my bag on the ground and went to the fridge to get a snack. When I turned around there were three men standing there.

"Hello Clarissa, it's been awhile." The one said and he stepped into the light and my eyes widened.

"Valentine."

"Is that anyway to greet your father?" He said and I growled. "Jonathan, Sebastian, grab her." He said and I ran. I started throwing things all over my apartment to show there was a struggle. Someone grabbed my ankle and I slammed my head against the ground and my lip split. I was being pulled and I was reaching to anything to hold myself to my apartment. "Come Clarissa, we have a lot to discuss." He said and something went over my mouth and before I knew it darkness was taking me over.

 **Time Jump - Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting in the office waiting for Clary to come in. I don't know what was happening to me, but that simple kiss on the cheek was driving me crazy. Her lips were against my body, and I wanted them there again. I looked at my phone and noticed Clary was 15 minutes late. I knew she walked to work so maybe she had something hold her up, I'll give her some lenience. 15 more minutes later and Clary still wasn't here. I grabbed my keys and went to Hodge's office.

"Hey Hodge, Clary is late and I feel like something is wrong. Can I go check out her apartment?"

"She could have just slept late Jace."

"Clary doesn't sleep. And if she does its for like 2 hours at a time." I said and Hodge's eyes narrowed.

"Very well, be back before 10:30." He said and I nodded and headed to my car. I drove to Clary's apartment and when I walked up to her place her door was opened. I walked in and her place was trashed. Books, flowers, glass was all over the floor. I walked over to the kitchen and there was blood and scratch marks and in the ground. I immediately pulled my phone out and called Hodge.

"Hello?"

"Hodge, we have a problem." I said and he hung up and I assumed he was on his way over. 10 minutes later he was walking into her place.

"What the hell?" He said and I looked at him. I knew I was going to have to tell him what Clary and I had been doing at work.

"There is something you should know Hodge."

"What's that?"

"Clary and I had been..." I started and he cut me off.

"I don't care if you're hooking up with one of your hackers Jace. That's not my business, or my problem."

"No, that's not what I was going to say. Clary and I have been staying late at the office and looking up information about Valentine Morgenstern." I said and his eyes widened.

"Why would you drag that case up Jace?"

"He is Clary's father. That's why she was hacking all those government databases. She thinks he killed her mother and she wanted to find him."  
"Valentine is a ruthless man Jace. You don't want to cross him."

"I think he has Clary. Hodge, we have to look for her." I said, I was pleading and Hodge knew I didn't plead.

"Let's get back to the institute. We can have your whole unit looking into this." He said and I nodded. We left and got back to the institute and I gathered my men.

"Alright everyone, forget your latest projects for a little, one of ours has been abducted, and we're going to get her back." I said and everyone nodded. "I want you all looking into those who used to be loyal to a man by the name of Valentine Morgenstern. He had a group called The Circle back in the day. I want to know the names of everyone who was involved and whatever they've been up to in the last couple years." I said and everyone got to work. I was going to find Clary, no matter what.

 **Time Jump - Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was chained to this wall yet again, and I still had no idea how I was going to get out. I'm pretty sure I had several broken ribs, and a possible concussion, but if I don't get out I'll get it even worse. Just then I heard footsteps, when I looked up Sebastian was standing there.

"Hey baby, ready for your second round of punishment for the day?" He said in his seductive voice. He started unbuttoning his shirt and he walked towards me. He stripped my jeans off and I cringed. I tried to block out his hands on my body, I tried to go to my happy place. Jace. I imagined it was him with his hands on my and his lips trailing down my stomach. By the time it was over I felt completely and totally used. Just like I do every time he comes down here. He left and a few moments later Jonathan came down.

"Valentine wants you." He said and I take a deep breath. He unchains me and drags me into another room. Valentine is standing there with a whip in his hands looking more sadistic than before.

"Daughter." He said and he shortened the distance. I closed my eyes and felt the whip his my bare skin over and over again. After at least 25 whips I start to lose consciousness, and black out.

 **Time Jump - Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It's been a month since Clary was abducted and I was filled with pent up rage. Every time we came close to finding something it turned out to be dummy information. I was getting so frustrated. I had my head in my hands when I heard someone yell my name.

"JACE!" I heard and my head whipped up. "I found something. I am so sure this is real too." Simon said and I ran to his cube. "I've been tracking cell phones for the past week, and normally they change them but I think they got someone new who doesn't know the system. He's been at this address everyday from 3-6 am. I think he's the night guard for when everyone else goes home."

"You better hope this is right Simon." I said and he looked at me.

"I'm almost 100% sure this information is real." He said and I nodded. I looked at the clock. It was almost 5 in the morning. We had time. "Alright, send me the address, I'm going to go get here."

"I'll call the FBI, they will back you." He said and I nodded. "Jace." He said and I turned around. "Bring her back." He said and I nodded. I got into my car and drove to the address. When I got there it was a house in the middle of nowhere. I waited for my back up and 5 minutes later I had s.w.a.t and at least 7 other agents working the perimeter. I grabbed my gun, and organized s.w.a.t to start storming the house.

When we got inside there was no sign of activity. We checked every room but there was no sign of her. I was starting to lose hope. I started walking towards the door when I stepped on a part of the floor that didn't sound like the rest of the floor. I removed the rug and saw a trap door.

"Over here!" I yelled and soon s.w.a.t was around me. They took bolt cutters and snapped the lock right off. I opened the door, climbed down the latter and turned my flashlight on. There was a cage at the end of the tunnel. I walked towards it and when I got there I saw Clary laying on the ground chained to the wall. I immediately rushed over. The door was locked. "I need those bolt cutters!" I yelled and soon more people were down there with me. They cut off the lock and I rushed in. I went over to check for a pulse, and it was faint. "We need medical fast." I yelled and everyone went. I moved her hair out of her face. "You have to stay with me angel. You can't leave me." Before I knew it she was being helicoptered out of the house and I was standing on the ground watching her go. I got in my car and headed to the hospital they were taking her too. When I walked in I went straight to the nurses station. "Clary Fray. She was just brought in."

"Relationship?"

"Husband." I said and she nodded.

"Clary Fray was taken into surgery to stop the internal bleeding. I'll let you know when she is out." She said and I nodded. I took a seat in the waiting room, praying she was going to make it. I had my head in my hands when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Alec and Izzy standing there.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Hodge called, said you were distraught, and needed someone. We got on the first plane."

"You guys didn't need to do that."

"You're my best friend Jace, and Hodge sounded serious. What happened?"

"This girl I work with was abducted by her murderous father a month ago, we found her but I don't know if she'll make it."

"She must be pretty special." Izzy said and I nodded.

"She is. I've never been so captivated by anyone before. I didn't have the chance to tell her before she was taken."

"Think positively." Izzy said and I nodded. We say there for a few more hours before more people showed up.

"Jace." I heard and I looked up and Simon was standing there.

"What are you doing here Simon?"

"Hodge told us you found her, and he also asked me to bring you an extra pair of clothes. Said yours were bloody." He handed me the bag I keep in my office and I nodded. "Any news?"

"None. I've been sitting here for hours." I said and he nodded.

"Need anything? Coffee, energy drink, food?" He asked and I nodded.

"Coffee would be great."I said and he nodded.

"I'll come with you." Izzy said. "I hate hospitals and I've been here for too long." She said and Simon looked star struck. She nodded and they walked out. I put my head back in my hands.

"Mr. Fray." I nurse called and my head whipped up. "Clary just got out of surgery. It was touch and go for awhile, but she's stable, and in her room if you'd like to go see her. Room 118." She said and I nodded. She walked away and I looked back at Alec.

"Mr. Fray?" He said and I laughed.

"I told them we were married. I thought it was the best way to see her."

"I'll let Izzy know when she gets back. Go see her." Alec said and I nodded and started making my way to her room. When I walked in she was attached to all types of machines and it broke my heart. I walked over, moved a chair to the side of her bed and grabbed her hand.

"Please wake up angel." I said and I laid my head on her bed without letting go of her hand. Before I knew it sleep was consuming me and I let it take me over.

 **Time Jump - A Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I heard an annoying beeping as I opened my eyes. It was bright. Extremely bright. I blinked a couple times and I tried to move my body. I was in a lot of pain and everything hurt. I tried to move my hands but one of them was being restrained by something. When I looked down a saw a blonde head rested on the bed. I smiled, waking up and knowing Jace was there was all I wanted. I moved my other arm and weaved my fingers in his hair. He started to stir and when he lifted his head up she blinked a couple times before they widened.

"It is so good to see those beautiful eyes angel."

"You can't get rid of me that easy pretty boy." I said and he smiled. He leaned over me a planted a kiss on my forehead. "How long have I been out?"

"A week." He said and my eyes widened. "They did a bunch of tests on you Clary."

"Did they do a rape kit?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yea. They did." He sounded completely defeated and I hated that.

"I'm sorry." I said and he looked at me with a shocked expression.

"Why are you sorry?"

"This is all my fault. If I wasn't so invested he wouldn't have found me. Sebastian wouldn't have forced himself on me." I said and a tear slipped out of my eye.

"You're seriously blaming yourself for being raped?" He asked and I shrugged. He got up and joined me on the bed. "Nothing was your fault."

"I kept picturing you." I said in a low whisper.

"What?"

"When he was kissing me and touching me. I pretended it was you. He was trying to break me, but I figured if I pictured you doing those things to me, it would be more bearable."

"Was it?"

"Yes. It was." I said and he put his arm around me and I leaned into his side. We stayed like that for awhile before a nurse walked in. Jace excused himself to give us some privacy. Once the door was shut the nurse spoke.

"You have an amazing husband." She said and I was confused. "He hasn't left your side since you were brought in." She said and I nodded.

"I'm a lucky one." I said and she smiled. She took all my vitals and left. A moment later Jace walked back in with jello. He joined me back on the bed, like it was the most natural thing in the world. It took me forever to eat my jello but Jace stayed with me the whole time. Before I knew it sleep was consuming me but I was fighting it as hard as I could and I felt Jace laugh.

"Sleep angel." He said as he planted a kiss on the top of my head.

"Stay with me." I said and he pulled me closer.

"I'll never leave." He said and I smiled and closed my eyes. Feeling more safe than I have in my whole life.

 **Time Jump - Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary was being released today and I was filling out all the paperwork for her. Izzy was helping her get dressed and Alec was getting the car ready. Once everything was done, Clary got into the wheel chair and I wheeled her out to the car. I lifted her up and put her seat belt up. Izzy got in the front and I stayed in the back with Clary.

"Where too?" Alec asked.

"My place." I said and Clary's eyes widened. "Your place is still trashed, and I figured I could take better care of you if we were in the same place." I said and she smiled and put her head on my shoulder.

When we got to my house I picked Clary up and made our way inside. I walked upstairs and put her in the guest bedroom. Izzy had made it more girly, and I grabbed a few things from her place to make it feel more homey. Once I placed her on the bed, I was going to let her rest so I started to walk away when she grabbed my hand.

"Yes angel?" I said and she smiled and pulled me to her. I kneeled down so we were eye level. She bit her lip, which drove me crazy, before she put her hand behind my head and crashed our lips together. I had pictured kissing her for awhile now, but this completely destroyed anything I could imagine. This kiss was filled with passion, and urgency, and electricity. After a few minutes we pulled away and she had a smile on her face.

"Thank you. For everything." She said and I pressed my lips back to hers again.

"Anything for you angel." I said and I stood up and walked towards the door, but before I left I turned around. "Once you're 100%, I'm taking you out." I said and she giggled.

"I'll hold you too that pretty boy." I smiled and closed the door behind me. I couldn't get the smile off my face. I went into the kitchen and started making lunch. I was going to enjoy Clary living with me.

 **Time Jump - Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Jace!" I yelled brought the house. "We're going to be late for dinner with Izzy and Simon if we don't leave now!"

"I'm coming!" He yelled back and I laughed. Since that day he brought me home I haven't left. We've been together ever since and I loved every minute of it. I secretly called this dinner with them, but Jace thinks they have an announcement for us. I found out last week that I'm almost two months pregnant, and I was going to surprise them at dinner. Izzy and I had become the best of friends after she stayed to help Jace, and a year ago she moved back to the city for work, and her and Simon have been getting pretty close. They were different, but a great couple. I was pulled out of my thoughts when Jace snaked his arms around my waist. "Ready?"

"Yes." I said and we walked out and got into the car. We showed up to the restaurant and Izzy and Simon were waiting for us. We were seated shortly and ordered our food before Jace spoke.

"So, why did you want to have dinner guys?" He said and Izzy and Simon were clearly very confused.

"Clary organized this dinner." Izzy said and now Jace was confused. Everyone looked at me and I smiled.

"Okay, so I lied. Izzy and Simon didn't have something to tell us, but I have something to tell all of you." I said and they were all listening curiously. "I'm pregnant." I said and their eyes widened. Izzy was the first one to break out of the trance.

"Oh my god!" She squealed and I couldn't help but laugh. "How far along are you?"

"I'm almost two months." I said and by this time Jace broke out of the trance.

"I'm going to be a dad?" He said and I smiled.

"Yea you are." I said and he slammed his lips to mine. When we broke apart we were both smiling.

"I can't believe you're pregnant." He said and I laughed.

"I was shocked when the doctor told me. I haven't had any symptoms yet, but he said I could just be a late bloomer."

"This is so exciting! I can't wait to go baby shopping." Izzy said and I started laughing. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and when I looked at Jace he was placing a small box in front of me. I looked at him as my eyes filled with tears.

"I was going to use this opportunity to ask you to marry me." He said and my hands flew over my mouth. "I love you more than I ever thought possible Clary. There isn't anyone else in this world that I want to be with. I can't wait to start our family, and I can't wait to make you my wife either. So, angel, will you marry me?" He said and now the tears were flowing, damn hormones.

"Of course." I finally got out. He slipped my ring onto my finger and pressed his lips to mine again. When we broke apart I rested my forehead against his. "I love you Jace."

"I love you too Clare." He said and I knew this was going to be the start of an amazing life.

 **Time Jump - Five Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Savannah Grace Herondale! Get back here this instant!" I yelled at my five year old daughter. She walked back into the room with her hands behind her back. "Can you please tell me how your brother got tied to the couch?"

"He called me stupid." She said and I sighed. I leaned down and took her hands in mine.

"He's 3 baby. He doesn't know what that means." I said and she looked at me with her fathers golden eyes.

"But it wasn't nice."

"I know, so next time, tell me, and I'll deal with him okay?" I said and she nodded. "Can I have a kiss?" I asked and she smiled and gave me a kiss on the lips just as the door opened and Jace walked in.

"Daddy!" Savannah cheered and she ran into his arms.

"Hey princess." He said as he picked her up. He walked over to me and gave me a kiss. "Hey angel." He said and I couldn't help but smile. "Where's the little guy?" Jace asked and I forgot.

"Shit. He's still tied to the couch." I said and I ran over to untie him.

"Why was he tied to the couch?"

"Ask your little princess." I said and Savannah buried her head into his neck. "Are you okay baby?" He nodded and I gave him a kiss and he went back to playing with his blocks. I walked over to Jace and he was giving Savannah a million kisses and she was giggling.

"What's for dinner?" He asked as he put her down and she ran to play with her dolls.

"I was thinking about ordering something tonight. I don't feel like cooking, and you had a long day." I said as I snaked my arms around his waist and pulled him into me.

"Sounds good to me." He said as he gave me another kiss. We stood there kissing for a minute or two before someone yelled.

"Mommy! Cole called me stupid again." I sighed and was about to go handle it when Jace stopped me.

"You handled them all day. This is a job for dad. You go order us something." He said and I gave him a small kiss before he walked into the living room. I walked over to the phone thinking about how different my life was. I never imagined this is where I'd be, but I absolutely love it.

 **Time Jump - Fifteen Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

These last fifteen years have been absolutely amazing. Clary and I are still happier than can be, and our kids are doing amazing. Savannah is 20, and off at school, Cole is 18, and really looking forward to getting out of high school, and the twins are 14. They can't wait to start high school, as much as Cole tells them it's a complete and utter waste of time, they are still excited. It was thanksgiving and everyone was going to be home, and I had invited my parents, and the Lightwoods, and we were going to have a big family dinner for the very first time. It was hard to get everyone together, but Clary had asked everyone months ago and they all made time, and she was really excited. She was finally getting that family experience she lost, and I loved seeing her so happy. I walked into the house and it smelled like heaven. I put my stuff down and walked into the kitchen and saw Clary cooking. I walked over and grabbed her by the hips and put her on the counter.

"Well hello." She said as she placed her arms around my neck.

"I missed you." I said and I gave her a kiss.

"You had a half day Jace. It's barely even 2:45." She said and I laughed.

"Am I not allowed to miss my wife?" I said and she giggled.

"Of course you are. I missed you too." She said as she gave me a kiss. We stayed like that until we heard a scream. We broke apart and looked to see who it was and Hannah, and Megan were standing there looking horrified.

"Gross. Can't you do that behind closed doors?" Megan asked and we laughed.

"You don't have to watch." Clary said and they groaned.

"We came to tell you that grandma and grandpa just showed up." Hannah said and Clary hopped off the counter.

"Help them with their things. You know what bedrooms they will be staying in." Clary said and they nodded and walked away. A moment later my parents walked in.

"Lovely seeing you again Jace and Clary." My mom said as she came over and gave us both a kiss.

"It's lovely to see you again too Celine." Clary said. My mom had told her countless times that she was allowed to call her mom, but after I explained Clary's family past, my mom let it go. Clary didn't feel comfortable calling anyone mom or dad. "Hannah and Megan put your stuff in your rooms. It's the second door on the left upstairs, and Stephen's room is fourth door on the right." Clary said and they nodded. They left to go unpack, they might be here for a couple days but they know how to pack. Clary went back to cooking and I went and settled down into the living room and turned on the TV. An hour later the doorbell rang. I got up and opened the door and the Lightwoods were standing there.

"Welcome." I said as gave them all a hug. "Clary is in the kitchen Iz, and Hannah and Megan will show you where you're staying." I said and they all nodded. I walked back into the living room where Cole was now sitting. I sat down next to him and we were watching something on TV when we heard screaming. We turned around and Izzy and Clary were jumping up and down.

"Please keep it down!" I yelled back and they laughed.

"Sorry babe, just exciting news over here!" Clary said so I got up as walked into the kitchen.

"What's so exciting?"

"Alec has a boyfriend!" Izzy said and my jaw dropped.

"Really?" I asked and she nodded.

"Did he finally come out to your parents?"

"Yea. A couple months ago. They took some time to warm up to the idea, but they're cool with it now. I just met him last week! He's great!" Izzy said and I couldn't help but smile.

"When do I get to meet him?" I asked and Izzy laughed.

"Maybe in." She started as she looked at her watch. "Two hours. He invited him."

"Good. Other wise I'd use my CIA skills and track him down." I said and Clary laughed.

"Alright, out of my kitchen!" Clary said and Izzy and I both left. I went back into the living room where everyone was congregated. We sat there and waiting until Clary gave us the go ahead to eat.

By the time 5 rolled around we were all starving. Clary still hadn't emerged from the kitchen, and I wasn't going in there and risking her throwing a spatula at my head. After another 25 minutes we finally heard footsteps.

"Alright everyone, dinner is ready, and the table is set. Dig in." She said and everyone rushed into the kitchen. I stayed behind so I could talk to Clary. She started walking towards the kitchen I grabbed her hand and pulled her back to me. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I should warn you now, I heard Savannah explaining to Maryse and Robert about what she's studying at school, and I thought I heard her mention Valentine." I said and her eyes widened. "I'm not completely sure, but I didn't want you to be blind sided."

"Thanks Jace." She said and she got on her tippy toes and gave me a quick kiss. She pulled away and I put my arm around her shoulder and guided her into the dinning room. Everyone had already had their plates ready and waiting for Clary and I to get there. "Alright everyone, before you start I just want to say one thing. Thank you all for making time to come here for thanksgiving. It really means a lot to Jace and I, and even if this doesn't happen all the time, I'm glad we have tonight." Clary said and everyone smiled.

Dinner went by really well, of course my parents avoided each other but there were so much people there, that it didn't ruin the atmosphere. Clary had gotten desert ready and just when I thought we had gotten through dinner, my mother asked about Savannah's classes at school.

"Oh they are great grandma. I have this one class that focuses on the worst criminals in history, and some of these guys are so horrible I don't even understand how they had were even civilized. A lot of them had families, and children."

"Who has been the most interesting one so far?" My dad asked.

"Last week we learned about a man named Valentine Morgenstern." She said and I saw Clary tense. Nobody but me and Simon knew about him, and she wanted to keep it that way. "He had a wife and a daughter, and he had a completely secret life apart from them. I don't understand how his wife couldn't see who he was. I mean, you live with the man, and you have his child and you can't see how sick and twisted he was. I mean, he beat his daughter, who does that?" She said and Clary stood up and everyone looked at her.

"Clary dear, are you alright?" My mother asked and she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, she looked like she was about to cry. She looked at me and I nodded, and she left. Everyone was confused, and I took a deep breath and stood up.

"I'm not going to explain right now why Clary is so upset. She'll tell you when she's ready, but just give her some space right now and I promise when she's ready, she'll tell you." I said and everyone nodded and went back to eating and talking. "If you guys don't mind, I'm going to go see if she's alright." Everyone nodded again and I made my way up to our room. I opened the door and saw Clary sitting on the bed wiping her tears. I walk over and get on the bed with her and pull her into my lap and she let it out. I rubbed her back until she started to calm down. She picked her head up off my shoulder and looked at me.

"I'm sorry." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Why are you sorry?"

"For the way I acted."

"You have nothing to apologize for that. Savannah was saying some pretty harsh things, and it's understandable that you'd react that way. I thought we were safe, and I'm sorry it was brought up."

"I think it's time we tell them. But just them, I don't think I could tell your families yet." She said and I nodded. We stayed like that for a while until there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." I said and the door opened and revealed our kids. They looked at the situation and they were about to close the door. "Wait a minute!" I said and they stopped moving.

"We just thought you'd want to be left alone." Cole said and I smiled.

"Actually we wanted to talk to all of you. Please, join us." I said and they nodded. They came in and shut the door behind them and gathered on the bed. "Is everyone else in bed?"

"Yea. We all cleaned up and did the dishes and than we just decided to call it a night."

"Thank you for cleaning up." I said and they nodded. Clary sat up but didn't remove herself from my lap. "We tried to hide this from you kids, but since Hannah and Megan are 14, we think you're all old enough to hear this now." I said and they all nodded. I pulled Clary closer to me, and she took a deep breath.

"The reason I got to upset at dinner was because Valentine Morgenstern is my father." I said and all of their jaws dropped. "I never wanted you guys to have to know the truth of my childhood. It was hard, and painful, and I didn't want any of you to have to hear those details of what I went through."

"Mom." Savannah said but Clary held up her hand.

"Don't worry about it Savannah, you had no idea, and honestly I wasn't expecting him to be in the curriculum at your school." Clary said and Savannah scooted over to us and hugged Clary. I couldn't resist so I grabbed her and pulled her into my lap as well, thankfully she got Clary's height, and was able to fit on my lap as well.

"I'm sorry mom. I can't believe you went through that, and that you had to deal with him."

"He disappeared 14 years ago, and I only saw him for a month when I was 24. Other than that, I don't really consider him my father." Clary said and Savannah nodded. We sat there soaking up the moment when Cole spoke.

"We love you mom, and I want you to know that you and dad are the best parents in the world, and I couldn't picture being part of a better family." He said and Clary reached out her hand and he scooted closer to us as well. Clary wrapped her arm around him and brought him into a hug. I reached my arm out around Savannah and Hannah and Megan crawled towards us. We gave each other a big family hug and than all pulled apart.

"I'm really sorry mom." Savannah said and Clary smiled.

"It's really okay. Just a little shocking. I'm good though, I have your amazing dad, and you four amazing kids, and my family staying with us. That's all I need. I have laid to rest that part of my life." Clary said and the kids got up, gave Clary a kiss, said their goodnights, and left. Clary was still on my lap, and she looked up at me and smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too." I said and I gave her a kiss. Life was good, and Clary and I had an amazing life together, with amazing kids, and an amazing extended family. We were happy, and we were together, and that's all I've ever wanted, and I was happy to share my life with her.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by "No Name" and I had a lot of fun writing this story, and I love how it turned out. I hope you love it as much as I do, and I hope it lived up to your expectations! Let me know what you think, leave a review with a suggestion, or shoot me a message! :)**


	26. Chapter 25 - Accidentally In Love

**Twenty Fifth One Shot:**

 **Accidentally In Love**

 **Clary POV:**

I've been in love with Simon for almost a year, but ever since Maia showed up he barely even gives me the time of day anymore. I don't even know what to do anymore, short of flat out telling him, but I can't do that. I'm not confident enough to lay my heart out on the line.

I walked into school on Monday feeling completely defeated. I had seen Maia and Simon hanging out all weekend, and of course, I was invisible again. He locked eyes with me in the coffee shop, and didn't even smile or wave, or say hi. But, I guess I'll survive.

 **Jace POV:**

I'm sitting in the caf at a table in the corner staring at Izzy from across the room. I felt like a stalker, but I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She had beautiful black hair, and the sweetest laugh. The problem with her was, she wasn't a relationship kind of girl. She made out with a boy at a party, strung him along for a week or so, and than cut them loose. That's the way she works, and it sucked. I didn't just want a quick hook up, I wanted a relationship, but it wasn't in the cards for her. I was rolling around an apple when someone sat down. I looked up and Clary was sitting across from me.

"What's up?" I said and she gave me a small smile.

"You know, wallowing in my sadness." She said and I laughed. Clary and I had been friends for a couple years. We were paired together sophomore year on an English project and just enjoyed each other's company. She was one of the only girls who didn't completely lose it over me. She was sarcastic, and she she always had a witty come back to whatever I said. She was interesting to talk too. "What about you?"

"You know, wallowing in my sorrows as well." I said and she laughed. I gazed across the caf, and her eyes followed mine.

"Ah, still the same crush you've had for awhile huh?" She smiled and I nodded. "If it's any consolation, she's an idiot for not noticing."

"How's your crush going?" I said and she just shook her head. We had often vented to each other about the person we wanted to be with. It was easy to talk to someone who knew what it felt like.

"You ever feel like the most invisible person in the world?" She asked and I shrugged. "Well, that's how I feel when it comes to him."

"If it's any consolation, he's an idiot too." I said and she smiled. The lunch bell rang and we both got up and headed to class. I didn't have any classes with Izzy, so this would be the last time I saw her today.

The rest of the day dragged on and I was ready to get home when the last bell rang. I walked out into the parking lot and headed towards my car when I saw Clary sitting under a tree sketching. I walked over and stood in front of her but she was so lost in her sketch she didn't even notice. I cleared my throat and she looked up and smiled.

"What are you doing here?" She asked and I joined her on the ground.

"I was on my way to my car when I saw you."

"So?"

"You're always the first one gone after school Clare. Why are you still here?"

"My brother is home." She said and I nodded. Her brother and her have never had the best relationship. And when he comes home, it's never pretty.

"So you're hiding out under this tree?"

"Until they kick me off the grounds." She said and I laughed. I stood up and reached out my hand, and she looked confused.

"You look like you need some coffee, and I'm very good at distracting women." I said and she shook her head and took my hand. We walked to my car and headed to the coffee shop. We got a table and ordered our coffee.

We sat there for a couple hours, talking, laughing, joking, and insulting each other. We were basically the only two in the coffee shop, which didn't surprise me. I went to go grab some more coffee when the door rang and I looked up and saw Simon entering. I grabbed our coffee and headed back towards the table where Clary looked upset. Simon was alone which made Clary even more uneasy. He walked over to us, and I heard Clary suck in a breath.

"Hey Clary." He said and Clary smiled.

"Hey Simon, what's up?"

"My sister came back today and she asked me to pick her up some coffee."

"That's nice." Clary said and I could see he looked a little upset, but was trying to hide it.

"Simon!" The barista called and he looked back.

"It was nice talking to you Clary. See you around." He said and he got his coffee and left. I looked at Clary and she let out the air she was holding. Suddenly I had an idea.

"I have the perfect idea." I said and she looked at me but nodded. "You want Simon, and I want Izzy, why don't we try and make them jealous?"

"How would we do that?"

"We date." I said and her eyes widened.

"Excuse me?"

"We date. Simon was clearly upset to see you here with me, and maybe if Izzy sees us together she'll get upset too. Than if they decide to act on it, we break up and get with them." I said and I could tell she was thinking it over.

"I see where you're going with this, and I think it has the potential to work." She said and my smile widened. "But how are we going to pull it off? We don't like each other like that?"

"We act my sweet Clare." I said and she laughed.

"Okay. Let's do it." She said and I nodded. This might be a challenge, but if it worked, it would be worth it.

 **Time Jump - The Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Pretending to date Jace was going to be weird. I have never had a boyfriend before, and I knew Jace has had his fair share of relationships. I got to school and to my surprise Jace was waiting at the entrance of the building. When I started getting closer, he spotted me, smiled, and made his way over to me. He got to me, leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek, and grabbed my hand. I was a little shocked but quickly shook it off and grabbed his hand back and we walked into school.

We got a lot of stares, but soon everyone decided we weren't all that exciting and went back to whatever they were doing. Jace walked me to my locker, gave me a kiss on the forehead, and walked away. I don't know what was going on, but this was easier than I thought, and hopefully it worked.

 **Time Jump - After School**

 **Jace POV:**

I was standing by my car after school waiting to catch that flash of red. I had saw her speaking with the art teacher after school so I know she didn't leave yet. I was looking at something on my phone when a throat cleared. Thinking it was Clary I looked up but was shocked when Izzy was standing in front of me.

"Hey Jace." She said and I gave her a warm smile.

"What's up?" I said.

"I was wondering if I could borrow your history notes? I was late today and missed class." She said and I nodded. I reached into my bag and grabbed my notebook.

"Here you go." I said and just as she was about to speak Clary walked up and kissed me on the cheek. "Hey." I smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Hey. Sorry that took so long."

"It's not a problem." I said and we both looked back at Izzy. "Just give it back to me in bio tomorrow." I said and she gave me what I think was a sad smile before walking off. When she was in her car I looked at Clary and smiled. "Think it worked?"

"I think it got her thinking. Now come on Romeo, my mom told me I had to come home tonight." She said and I laughed and we got into my car. I dropped get off and started making my way home thinking about Izzy's reaction. This was a good plan, and hopefully it worked.

 **Time Jump - Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

These last two months have been weird. Jace and I were still 'pretending' to date but a part of me was starting to wish it was real. I had never ever thought of dating anyone but Simon, but the way Jace and I were together, sometimes it just made sense. We were always laughing, and joking, and I was so comfortable with his affection in public that it was almost second nature to kiss him when I left for class. It was weird, and confusing but there is no way in hell I'd ever tell him that.

 **Jace POV:**

To say these last two months have been weird would be an understatement. Everything with Clary just felt so natural. I noticed I was reaching for her hand automatically when we're together. Even when it's just us, I'm always holding her hand, or my hand is resting on her thigh, or our shoulders are touching. It's weird. She made me laugh, and when we parted way I automatically kissed her. It was like automatic for me. I didn't think about it. It just happened. I was confused but I sure as hell wasn't going to bring any of that put to her.

 **Time Jump - Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"So, we've been doing this for four months, should we see if it's worked?" I asked as Jace handed me my coffee.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, should be 'break up' and see if it's changed their minds. See if they approach us, or if they are interested." I say and I see a flash of sadness cross his face before he nods.

"Sure. And if nothing happens, I guess we have our answer." He says and I nod. He looked a little upset but I figured I just a imagined it. He drove me home and I leaned over to kiss him before I pulled back.

"Uh, see you tomorrow?" I said and he shook his head.

"We should probably not see each other tomorrow. Make it more believable that we aren't 'together' anymore." He said and I nodded.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around." I said and he nodded. I got out of his car, and walked into my house. I didn't pay attention to anyone, I just went straight to my room and closed my door. I could finally breath. Telling Jace that we should see if our experiment worked was a lot harder than I thought. I took a deep breath and started sketching.

 **Time Jump - Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I got to school and I was sad that Jace wasn't waiting for me. I walked to my locker, grabbed my books and when I turned I ran into someone. When I looked up I was greeted with those beautiful golden eyes. I opened my mouth to talk but immediately closed it. Jace bent down and grabbed the book I dropped and handed it back to me.

"Thanks." I said and I practically ran away from him. When I got to my class I took a deep breath. That was a lot harder than I thought it would be. A minute later Simon walked in and sat next to me.

"You okay?" He asked and I was about to nod when I decided to tell him.

"Actually, no. Jace and I kinda broke up yesterday. And I just a ran into him in the hallway." I said and he almost smiled but stopped immediately.

"That sucks. Why?"

"We just felt like we were stuck. I don't know. It was mutual, but doesn't make it any easier." I said and he nodded.

"Well, if you would like some cheering up, my friend Eric is doing this poetry slam tonight. I know you might have better things to do on a Friday night, but it could be fun." He said, and even though this was exactly what I wanted four months ago, I'm not so sure but I thought I'd give it a try.

"Sure. Sounds fun."

"Cool. Java Jones, 8 o'clock." He said and I nodded and the teacher started talking. This was what I wanted, but why didn't it feel as good as I thought it would?

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting at lunch and it was weird not spending time with Clary. She didn't even come to lunch today. Bumping into her in the hallway was awkward. I wanted to grab her hand and walk her to her class, but we had decided to see where we stood with Izzy and Simon. I was pulled out of my thoughts when Izzy took a seat at my table.

"Hey." She says.

"Hey. What's up?"

"Where is Clary?" She asks and I feel another wave of sadness that she isn't here.

"We broke up yesterday."

"Why?"

"It just felt like the right move I guess. It was mutual." She nodded and than smiled.

"My friend is throwing a party tonight, and maybe you'd like to come with me? You know, get your mind off Clary?" She asks as she bats her eyelashes.

"Sure. Sounds fun." I said and she takes it a piece of paper and starts writing.

"This is the address. Party starts at 9." She said and I nodded. She got up and walked away. I looked at the piece of paper and sighed. This is what I wanted. Izzy finally noticed me, but why wasn't I happier about it?

 **Time Jump - Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I got to Java Jones, and I looked through the window and saw Simon sitting on a couch. I made my way inside and over to him. He smiled as I took my seat.

"Hey, I'm glad you came." He said and I nodded. I was about to speak when someone else began and I turned and faced the stage, and the first reader got on and started speaking. He was talking about foot fungus, and I was resisting the urge to laugh at him, and when I turned to make a joke to Simon he seemed really into it, and I just couldn't burst his buddle.

When he was finally done everyone was clapping. I had no idea why though, his poem was annoying, and didn't have a purpose. I shook my head and turned towards Simon.

"I'm going to grab some coffee, you want anything?" I ask and he nods.

"Sure, just get me a regular coffee with cream and sugar." He said and I nodded. I walked over ordered our coffee and returned to my seat. He thanked me and than the next person got up and started speaking.

After 4 people I thought my head was going to explode. Clearly this was amateur hour, because none of these poems were worth listening too. The next guy got up and Simon leaned over to me.

"This is my friend Eric, he's pretty much a genius when it comes to poetry." Simon said and I nodded. All I could think about was finally we were going to hear something good. He got up and cleared his throat and started. I was very wrong with my assumption. His poem was about lint, and it's effects on your mind. I had no idea what he was talking about, and when I looked at Simon, he was completely enjoying it. If Jace were here we would have a good two months worth of jokes that came out of this night, but I heard he was going to a party with Izzy tonight, and I shouldn't be jealous, but I am.

Simon was a good guy. He was kind, and thoughtful, and respectful, but not at all how I envisioned. I thought he'd be the type of guy who would sweep me off my feet, someone who made me laugh at the dumbest things, and always brought a smile to my face. I was completely blocking out the awful poetry and realized that the kind of person I was thinking of was Jace. He had been a great friend over the past couple of years, and those four months we were pretending to date were amazing. He was funny, and kind, and sarcastic, and cocky, and sometime egotistical, but he was also so sweet, and charming. I sighed. I sat there listening to awful poetry thinking about the guy I'd rather be with, and how I threw it all away.

 **Jace POV:**

I pulled up to the house Izzy told me to meet her at and I could hear the music from outside. I walked inside and there was a hazy atmosphere, and people dancing, and kids drinking everywhere. I made my way through the house until I found Izzy. She spotted me and ran towards me and threw her arms around my neck. I always pictured what it would be like when our bodies were pressed against each other, and now that it was happening, I didn't feel the way I thought I was going too.

"Glad you made it. Want a drink?" She asks and I nod. She handed me a cup and I took a sip. I saw a flash of red and my head immediately checked to see if it was Clary, but it wasn't. Izzy grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the dance floor. She started grinding on me, and she wrapped my free arm around her waist and rested my hand on her upper thigh. I quickly finished my drink, hoping it would get my mind off Clary and in the moment with Izzy. This is what I wanted, right?

 **Time Jump – A Few Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had made up and excuse to leave Java Jones. I told Simon my mom wanted me home. He understood, and told me he'd see me at school Monday, and I nodded and walked out. I found myself at a pond in Central Park looking out on the water. I grabbed my sketchbook and started drawing it. There was only one person that I wanted to be with right now, but I knew it was never going to happen. He was probably making out with Izzy in a bedroom at that party, and enjoying it more than anything. I was just his cover, and for the first time I knew that I was never going to be the girl that Jace wanted. I was forever going to be his 'ex-girlfriend' to the rest of the school, and I can't even begin to describe how awful that felt.

 **Jace POV:**

I was working on my 7th beer, trying anything to get Clary off my mind. She was never going to reciprocate my feelings, and I guess I had to live with that. It sucked, but she wanted Simon, and I knew going into this that this was always how it was going to end. I was pulled out of my thoughts when Izzy grabbed my arm and led me into an empty bedroom. She locked the door and slammed her lips against mine.

Izzy was a great girl. She was spunky, and energetic, friendly, and very pretty, but she wasn't the one I wanted to be making out with right now. I always imagined being with her, and how I would feel when we were together, but being so close to Clary these last four months, was everything I didn't know I wanted. She was funny, and caring, and beautiful, and she made me feel so many different things. 'Dating' her for the past four months made me happy, and she made me laugh, and smile. She knew my favorite food, and my coffee order, and she just got me. I was pulled out of my thoughts when Izzy tried to take off my shirt. I immediately grabbed her hands and stopped her. She broke away from me and looked confused.

"I can't do this." I said and she nodded and stepped back.

"You're in love with her aren't you?" Izzy asked and I couldn't deny it anymore.

"I am. I really am." I said and she smiled.

"You guys made a great couple. I was always jealous when I'd see you around." She said.

"Why?"

"Because I've always wanted a guy who looked at me the way you look at Clary. You look at her like she's the only one in the world that matters. Like she's everything. No guy has ever looked at me like that."

"Someone is out there for you Izzy. Someone who will make you question everything you thought you wanted." I said and she smiled.

"Go get her. And don't let her go again." She said and I walked over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thanks for inviting me tonight. It put things in perspective." I said and she laughed. I made my way out to the car, I was almost sober and thought I'd be okay to drive. I had no idea where Clary would be. It was almost midnight, and her curfew was 2 am on weekends and I knew she wouldn't be home.

I drove around for an hour looking at all her normal spots but she wasn't anywhere. I parked my car and put my head on the steering wheel. I needed to find her, and tell her how I felt. I needed her to hear what I felt, and I needed to at least hear her out too. Suddenly a thought hits me. She told me a month ago there was a pond she liked to go to and draw. It was in Central Park, past the big oak tree. I immediately drove to Central Park and got out looking for this pond. After 30 minutes of searching I finally found the oak tree and when I walked closer I saw a figure sitting on a bench. I silently thank the angel that she was here. I walked over and sat down next to her and she nearly jumped.

"Jesus Jace, you know I'm jumpy." She said and I laughed.

"I know. What are you doing here at this hour?" I asked and she shrugged.

"I was out with Simon tonight, and I needed to get away." She said and I silently let out a sigh. "What about you? Weren't you invited to that party tonight?"

"How did you know?"

"I may not have many friends, but I have ears. It's all anyone talked about at school today, and word got out that Izzy invited you."

"Yea, I was there. But I needed to leave."

"Why?"

"Well, I was making out with Izzy, and I realized she wasn't the one I wanted to be kissing." I said and she looked at me with those beautiful green eyes. I scooted closer to her and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I don't know what happened, but I can't get you out of my head Clare."

"Really?"

"I thought I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be with Izzy, and that was it. But when we started getting closer, I realized that everything changed. Suddenly, you were the girl I was looking for in the crowded hallway, you were the girl who I wanted everyone to know was mine, you were the girl I wanted to be dancing with and kissing. It hit me tonight, I am in love with you Clary, and I can't stand the thought of you with someone else." I said and I could see the tears pooling in her eyes. I was expecting her to say something back but instead she put her hand behind my head and pulled my lips to hers. It took me all of one second to realize that she was kissing me and I grabbed her and put her on my lap and kissed her back. After a couple minutes she pulled away.

"I love you too." She said and my eyes widened. "Suggesting that we break up was the hardest thing in the world. It was in that moment that I realized I didn't want you to belong to anyone else. I wanted you all to myself. I wanted you to rest your hand on my thigh all the time, or rub circles on my back when I get anxious, or get out of school and meet you in the parking lot and kiss you like we had been doing for months. It seemed so right, and so natural." I pulled her into another kiss and I could feel her smile into it. After a couple more minutes we pulled apart again.

"I think our experiment failed." I said and she laughed. "So Clare, would you do the honor of being my girlfriend? For real?" I asked and she laughed again before nodding. I brought her lips to mine again, and this time I was smiling. "How was your date with Simon?" I asked when we pulled apart and with a hint of jealously in my voice.

"It was awful. I don't really think it was a date, he just asked me to go to his friends poetry reading, but all I could the whole time was imagine us making fun of everyone. I made up an excuse at like 10:15 to leave, and came here. I was dying in there." She said and I couldn't help but laugh. We sat there for a while before she checked her phone and sighed. "My curfew is in 20 minutes. I should get home." She said and we stood up.

"I'll give you a ride." I said and she grabbed her sketchbook and my hand and we made our way to my car. We got in and I drove her home. We sat there for a moment before she turned and spoke.

"I'll see you Monday?" She asked and I shook my head.

"I'm taking you out tomorrow. On our first official date." I said and she smiled and nodded. "I'll pick you up, 7 o'clock." I said and she leaned over and pressed a sweet kiss on my lips.

"Sounds perfect. See you tomorrow." She said and she opened the door.

"Clare." I said and she turned around and I smiled. "I love you." I said and she smiled even more.

"I love you too." She said and it made my heart skip a beat. "Now, I can smell the alcohol on you, get home safely."

"Of course."

"Text me when you get home?" She asked and I nodded. She got out and shut the door and turned back and smiled back at me before she waved and entered her house. I put the car and drive and made my way home. It wasn't the outcome I had imagined, but I couldn't picture a better person to be with than Clary, and I was excited to see where our relationship went.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested but a guest, so whoever you are, I hope you are pleased with where I took your idea. I actually really love how this story turned out. Let me know what you all think! Shot me a message or leave a review with your thoughts or suggestions! :)**


	27. Chapter 26 - Illness

**Twenty Sixth Story:**

 **Illness**

 **Clary POV:**

"Clare? Are you awake?" I hear Jon ask and I open my eyes.

"Yea." I manage to squeak out.

"You need to take your pills." He says as he as he hands me some water.

"They make me sick Jon." I say and he sits on the edge of my bed.

"I know they do Clare, but they will also help with your sickness. You need to take them." I nod and take the pills and lay back down. "I have a friend coming over today. We're both captains for the basketball team and we're going to go over plays. Are you okay with that?"

"Sure. I'll be confined to my bed anyway."

"I know, but he'll be walking by to get to my room. I mean, not that I don't love giving up the living room, but I know you don't like people seeing you like this." He says and I smile.

"It's okay. I'm dying, no need to try and make a good impression on anyone anyway."

"Clary."

"Jon, I've come to terms with it, you should too." I say and he pats my leg and stands.

"I'll be home around 3." He leans down and kissed my forehead. He walks out the door and I close my eyes and drift off into darkness.

 **Jon POV:**

I go throughout my day like I do every other day. Waiting for it to be over so I can go back and take care of Clary. I know she hates that I treat her like a patient but I'm not giving up on her. I don't care what she says, I won't let her go down without a fight. I get to the lunch table that I share with the new kids. I don't really know how we became friends, but somehow we did and they were pretty cool.

"Yo Jon, what time should I be at your house today?" Jace asks.

"Probably like 3:30, but I should warn you, my sisters sick so be prepared." I said and he nodded. I didn't want to tell him that she was sick sick. I don't want him to have a preconceived notion of who Clary was.

School ended and I made my way home. I walked in to the house and saw Clary sleeping. She was hooked up to a majority of machines. A heart monitor, blood pressure, her chemo machine, and she had a breathing machine with her in case it became too much. The home care nurse was just leaving when I got there. Clary was all unhooked from her round of chemo and I knew today was going to be a long day.

 **Jace POV:**

I got to Jon's house and started walking up the stairs. I knocked on the door and Jon opened it.

"Hey man." I said and he nodded.

"Hey. Mind if you keep quiet until we get to my room. My sister is sleeping." He said and I nod. He invites me in and I'm stunned. There is a hospital bed set up in their living room with a bunch of machines surrounding a tiny girl. She doesn't look old, but I didn't know if that was the disease or if she was just young. Jon leads me up to his room. I want to ask but I don't want to seem intrusive.

"Alright, we need to think of some new plays because these are starting to fail us miserably." Jon says and I laugh. We work on the plays for about two hours when I get thirsty.

"I'm going to go get a drink. You want anything?"

"Naw. I'm good." He says and I make my way to the kitchen. I open the fridge to get a drink when I hear her speak.

"Jon?" She calls out and I decide to go out an see what she needs. I walk out and she looks embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I thought you were my brother."

"It's okay. Do you need anything?" I ask and she smiles. She's really quite beautiful.

"I can't find the remote, and I'd rather not watch Telemundo." She says and I laugh. I look around and find it on the floor. I pick it up and hand it to her. "Thanks."

"Why was the TV on Telemundo in the first place?" I ask and she looks like she doesn't want to talk but does anyway.

"My home care nurse watches her soap operas while I get treatment. Normally she changes it back for me before she leaves but I guess she forgot." She says and I nod.

"Need anything else before I go?" I ask and she takes a moment to think about it.

"What time is it?"

"Almost 6. Why?"

"Can you get Jon for me?" She asks and I nod. I walk to the stairs and call for Jon. He comes down immediately and makes his way over to Clary. I stand in the doorway trying not to intrude on their conversation but I hear it anyway.

"What do you need Clare?"

"I think I want to try and eat something." She says.

"Really? You had chemo today, do you think that's the best decision?"

"I feel really hungry, and if I throw it all up, that's what I get, but I'd like to try." She says and he nods. He walks over to me and before he passes he stops.

"Do you mind staying with her while I make food?" I shake my head and he walks to the kitchen while I walk over and sit down in the chair next to her bed. I sit down and watch TV with her until she talks.

"You don't have to babysit me. I know Jon treats me like I'm 4 but I'm okay with being alone." She says and I smile.

"I'm not babysitting." I say and she laughs. "How about we get to know each other?" I say and she shrugs. "Well, my name is Jace. I just moved here with my adoptive family a couple months ago."

"I'm Clary." I nod and continue.

"I'm a senior. I have no idea what I want to do after high school. I'm 18. I play basketball and baseball."

"I'm a junior, or I would be if I could still attend school. I recently turned 17. I used to play soccer, which is how I found out I had cancer. I'm dying, but Jon refuses to believe it. I used to have red hair but now I'm bald." She said and I laugh. She looks at me before she cracks a smile. I liked making her smile. "You said you were adopted?" She asks and I nod.

"When I was 14. My father had been killed in the line of duty when I was young so it was just my mom and I for a while, but when I was 12 she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She fought a hard fight for two years before she died. The Lightwoods were close friends and decided to take me in."

"That was really kind of them. My parents kinda bailed after I got sick. They pay for my medical bills, but that's it. Jon takes care of me."

"You're lucky to have him. I know how hard it is to watch the one you love go through this." I say and she smiles.

"Clary?" I heard Jon call from the kitchen. "Do you want soup or spaghetti?" She looks at me and smiles.

"Can you tell him I want spaghetti?" She asks and I nod.

"She wants spaghetti Jon." I say.

"Thanks man." He says back and I look at Clary.

"Thank you."

"No problem. So what are you going to watch?"

"Ridiculousness." She says and I smile. "It's one of the rare things that still makes me laugh."

"I love that show! Although I can't stand Chanel's laugh. It drives me crazy!" She laughs.

"Me either. But the videos are hilarious so I suffer through it." She puts it on and we sit there and talk and laugh until Jon brings out her food. I look at the clock and figure I should be getting home.

"Hey man, I gotta get home. We'll work some more on those plays another time. It was great meeting you Clary, and maybe we could do this again?" I say as I gesture to the TV.

"I'd like that. You know where to find me." She says and Jon gets up and walks me to the door.

"What are you playing at Jace?" He asks and I'm shocked.

"What do you mean?"

"You just asked if you could come back to hang out with my sister."

"So?"

"So? She has cancer."

"I know. What's the problem?" I ask. I really don't get the big deal.

"She is sick."

"I know that. She seems like a cool girl. I just thought she'd like some company every now and then." I say and his face softens.

"I guess company wouldn't be too bad. I'm trying everything in my power to keep her fighting." He says and I know this is hard for him.

"Look, I know it's tough, but keeping her isolated isn't going to keep her spirits up. I'll only make her lonely. I'll see you at school man."

"See you." He says and I make it to my car. I enjoy being with Clary. She's funny, and beautiful. I wanted to get to know her.

 **Time Jump - A Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I have been going over to hang out with Jon and Clary a couple times a week since I met her, and her attitude has improved drastically. She still has her bad days, but Jon says that my visits have been making her a little more optimistic. We were siting at lunch and Jon sat down.

"Jace, I was wondering if Izzy and Alec wouldn't mind coming over to meet Clary. I think you were right about the isolating. Ever since you've been coming over she seems like more of a fighter." Jon said and I smiled.

"Sure." I turned around and cleared my throat and Izzy and Alec stopped their conversation and looked at me. "How would you guys like to meet Jon's little sister today?"

"You have a sister?" Izzy asks and Jon nods. "Sure. We can come over right after school right?"

"Absolutely. Just follow me home." Jon says and they nod.

The rest of the day goes by quickly and I'm excited to see Clary. She got chemo yesterday so today should be a better day. The final bell rang and we all went out to our cars and followed Jon home. We got there and all started walking to the door. We walked in and Clary was sitting in bed eating some applesauce.

"What up baldy? How ya feeling?" I greeted her and she laughed. Izzy and Alec looked mortified but Clary and I had that kind of friendship now.

"Been better. They changed my chemo, so yesterday was my first round with it. Man did it knock me on my ass." She said and I laughed. "Well, it would have if I could walk by myself." She said. Izzy and Alec were standing there looking awkward to I decided to introduce them.

"Clary, this is my brother and sister, Alec and Izzy. You and Izzy are the same age."

"It's nice to meet you guys. Don't be afraid to stare. I understand it can be very unfamiliar." She said. Izzy and Alec nodded. They took a seat on the couch, Jon took the chair and I sat on the bed with Clary. She's been having a hard time keeping her body temperature and I'm apparently like a human heater so when I come over I keep her warm.

The phone rings and Jon goes to the kitchen to answer it. 10 minutes later he's back and he looks stunned.

"What happened Jon?"

"That was the hospital. You remember how you got tested last week Clare?" He asks and she nods. "Apparently the chemo is working." He said and she looked stunned.

"So I might not die?" She asks and Jon shakes his head. "I could beat this?"

"You can beat this Clare." Jon said and he came over and gave her a kiss on the forehead and a hug. "I told you to keep fighting sis."

I gave Clary a hug and the atmosphere completely changed. Izzy and Clary got to talking and they actually got along really well. Alec stayed rather quiet but he's always like that so I didn't expect much. We sat there for another hour when the doorbell rang. Jon smiled and got up and opened the door and two guys walked in. Clary sucked in a sharp breath.

"Simon? Magnus? What are you doing here?" She asked and both guys smiled.

"Jon called us. He told us that you were finally ready for visitors." The geeky looking one said.

"We've missed you biscuit." The sparkly one said and Clary laughed.

"I missed you guys too. Oh, these are Jon's new friends. That's Izzy, and Alec and this one" she pointed to me and smiled "is Jace."

"Nice to meet you all. We can only stay for a bit. Simon agreed to meet Eric at Java Jones for his poetry slam, and I can't leave Chairman Meow home alone for long periods of time."

"Chairman Meow?" Alec said from behind and everyone looked. "That's a strange name."

"He's a strange cat. It suits him." Magnus said and I could sense the chemistry between them. "We just wanted to come by and say hi. It's been a while."

"That it has. Don't be strangers. I'm up for visitors these days." Clary says and they both smile. The both come over and give Clary a kiss on the forehead before heading out. They both left and the atmosphere was a positive one for the first time since I've meet Clary, and I was hoping that things only got better from here.

 **Time Jump - Three Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Jon and I had just finished basketball practice and we're heading back to his house for some dinner. Clary had been getting better since the new dosage of chemo and she looked healthier despite looking sick. I got out of my car and headed towards the house and when I opened the door Clary wasn't in her bed. I panicked, and I walked over and saw her laying on the ground next to her bed.

"Hey." She said with a smile on her face and the panic instantly faded. "What's up?"

"I feel like I should be asking that question. Why are you on the floor?"

"I was feeling ambitious. I thought I could walk on my own. I was wrong. Very wrong." She laughed and I couldn't help the smile. I walked over and picked her up as put her back in bed.

"How long were you down there?" I asked and she looked at the clock.

"Maybe an hour."

"Jesus Clare. You should have called me."

"Why?"

"I would have come to help."

"You had practice."

"You're more important than practice." I said and I didn't mean to say it, even though it's true. I looked up at Clary and smiled. "You need me Clare, I'll be here." She smiled. Our faces were inches from each other and I was about to take a leap of faith until the door opened and we broke apart. Jon walked in and told us he was making pizza for dinner and went into the kitchen. I looked back at Clary and she was blushing. I smiled and sat down on the bed next to her and tilted her chin up and I made her look into my eyes. I leaned down and presses my lips to her. The chemistry was insane, and I never wanted to stop. We pulled apart for a moment and I smiled at her and she smiled back.

"What was that for?" She asked and I smiled.

"That was me, kissing the girl I like." I said and she looked shocked.

"You like me?" She asked and I nod. "Why? You could have any girl you want, why choose the sick girl? You want the sympathy from others?"

"Not at all. I like you. You're fun to be around, and I like talking to you. It has nothing to do with you being sick. And I know you felt that chemistry when we kissed."

"But why me? I'm ugly, pale, too thin, and a bunch of other things."

"You are beautiful Clary. You have a beautiful smile, a beautiful laugh, a beautiful personality, and a beautiful drive that keeps you going. You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. No one can compare to you." I said and she's speechless. "One shot. Let me take you on one date, and after that after you can decide."

"Jace, I can't leave my bed, how are you going to take me on a date?"

"Who said we have to leave to go on a date? I have it all figured out. Just give me a shot." I said and I could see her thinking about it.

"Okay. I'll give you a shot, but you should know, I've never been on a date before, and I've never had a boyfriend."

"Well, I've never had a girlfriend before, so it looks like we're both exploring new territory." I said and she smiled. I climbed into bed with her to warm her up and we watched TV until dinner was ready. She looked at me and seemed like she wanted to say something. "What are you thinking about?" I asked and she smiled.

"I want to eat in the kitchen with you and Jon. I want to have a normal dinner."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea, but could you carry me? Walking clearly isn't my thing." She said and I laughed. I hoisted her up and walked into the kitchen and Jon looked shocked.

"What's this?"  
"This is Clary wanting to eat dinner like a normal person." I say and Jon smiles.

"Well, you go sit and Jace and I will get dinner ready." Jon said and I placed Clary at the table while I grabbed dinner with Jon. Before we went back to the table Jon stopped me. "Is there something going on with you and my sister?"

"Why would you think that?"

"The way you were holding her. It seemed pretty intimate."

"I'm not going to lie to you, I like her. And I asked her to give me a shot."

"Are you sure? I don't want her to get hurt. She's going through a lot."

"I asked for one date. That's all. If she doesn't want to continue after that, I won't push her. I like her. A lot. And I want to see how things go." I say and he nods.

"I trust you with her Jace. Don't hurt her." I nodded and we went back to the table as set dinner out. Clary didn't eat much but she looked happy to be enjoying her one out of her bed. When she was done I picked her back up and placed her back in her bed. We sat there watching TV and laughing until I noticed that she was asleep. I tucked her in and made the bed flat and turned off the TV. I kissed her forehead, said by to Jon and made my way home. I had to start planning this date because I wanted it to be perfect for Clary.

 **Time Jump – A Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I had everything set up for this date and I was nervous. I had asked Jon to make himself scarce for this evening. I knew Clary was too sick to be out of her house so I'm bringing the date to her. Izzy was going over to help Clary get ready, and I was running around getting food and preparing to surprise Clary. I'm not going to lie, I was nervous. I wanted Clary to like me back, and I wanted her to know that I had genuine feelings for her. I didn't want her thinking I wanted to pity vote or the good Samaritan award. We go along, and I loved her company. The fact that she's sick does nothing except make me want to give her the world. I got their house and knocked and Jon answered.

"Hey man."

"Hey. Is Clary in her room?"

"Yea. I took her up about two hours ago and Izzy took her hostage. I told Izzy that once she's done to let you know so you can go up and bring her down."

"Thanks man. I really appreciate this. I know you aren't thrilled but I'm glad you agreed."

"She's my little sister. I've been taking care of her for 2 years while she's been dealing with this. I've been trying to make her happy this whole time, and for some reason you make her happy. And if she's happy, I'm happy." He leaves and I start setting up the room. I changed the sheets on her bed to a ruby red, and projected a movie up on the wall. I draped curtain to hide all her machines. I got a small table ready next to each side of the bed and put a single red rose on hers. I got out the food, and since I know she's feeling better but food isn't her strong suit yet I decided to go with a light soup for her. I hung some Christmas lights above the bed to give the room a soft glow. When I was finished I was admiring my work when I heard footsteps. I turn around to see Izzy.

"Wow. This is beautiful." She said and I smiled.

"Thank you. I tried really hard."

"I see. This might be the most romantic thing I've ever seen. I wish any of my boyfriends would try this hard for me."

"This is serious to me. I want her to know that I'm serious. Did you put her in the outfit I gave you?"

"She looks cute as a button. She was really confused when I pulled out the pajamas, and I told her she would just have to wait and see. I'm guessing you chose red for a reason?"

"It looks the best with her green eyes." I said and Izzy walked over to me and gave me a hug.

"Have a great night Jace. She's waiting for you up there." Izzy walked out of the house and I made my way upstairs. I walked into her room and she was sitting on her bed.

"Hey." I said and she smiled.

"Hey, so what's the plan for tonight?" She asked and I walked over and cooped her up.

"You'll have to wait and see." I said and she laughed and I made our way downstairs. When we entered the living room she gasped.

"This is beautiful." She said and I placed her on the bed. "You did all of this for me?"

"I told you I cared about you. I wanted you to know that I was serious about liking you. I know you've never been on a date, and what I really wanted you to do for you is clearly out of the question, but this was the best way I could show you I was serious."

"This is absolutely perfect." She said. "And now I understand the pajamas. I was really confused when Izzy took them out."

"There was no need to get you dressed up to sit in bed." I said and she laughed. I put on the movie and we sat there and ate dinner and then cuddled on the bed while the movie played. It was 11 at night and Clary had fallen asleep. I wanted to get up but I was just as tired as she was and I closed my eyes for a split second and I was out.

 **Jon POV:**

It had been hours since Jace went to my house to have a date with Clary, and he was suppose to text me when he was done but I never got a text. I had nothing else to do so I decided to make my way back to our house and see what was happening. I got there and Jace's car was still in the driveway, and I was confused. I walked in the house and saw Clary and Jace asleep on her bed while a movie was projected on the screen. I decided to let them sleep while I cleaned up. I noticed that Clary had eaten everything Jace brought for her and I was really proud of her. When I was finished cleaning up I went back out to the living room and Jace was waking up. I walked over and stood at the foot of the bed until he was completely awake.

"What time is it?" He asked and I laughed.

"Almost midnight."

"Shit. I'm sorry man. I didn't realize how tired I was."

"Don't worry about it. How did it go?"

"I think it went great. She ate everything, which I wasn't expecting. We watched two movies before she fell asleep."

"The living room looks different."

"I wanted it to look as much like a movie theater than a hospital room as I could."

"I appreciate you doing this for her man."

"I told you I cared about her Jon. I wouldn't lie about that." I nodded and he slowly got off the bed and gave Clary a quick kiss on the forehead. "I really need to get home. If she wakes up before you go to sleep please tell her that I had a good time and I'll talk to her soon."

"Of course. Have a good night man." I said and he nodded before leaving. I turned off the TV and hooked the heart monitor up to her finger and she stirred awake. "Good morning sleeping beauty."

"What time is it?" She asked in a groggy voice.

"A little after midnight."

"Where is Jace?"

"He left about 15 minutes ago. He told me to tell you he had a great time and he'll talk to you soon." I said and she smiled. "Did you have a great time?"

"I did. He was totally accommodating to me. I mean, he brought me pajamas to wear, he hid all my machines, got me food that I could actually eat, and we watched my favorite movies. It was perfect."

"I'm glad he's treating you right. I'd totally kick his ass if he wasn't."

"He's a sweet guy Jon, maybe not to you, but he is to me." She said and I leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Get some sleep Clare. I'll see you in the morning." She smiled and laid back down and I made my way upstairs. I was happy that Jace was treating her like a normal girl, and if he makes her this happy, I can't complain.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I have been on cloud nine since my date with Clary. We had been talking for the rest of the weekend and I had told her that I was going to be visiting her after school today. I don't know what it was but she made me feel something I've never felt before. She made me feel genuinely happy. I smiled more around her and I was just in a better mood all the time. I had been in my own bubble the first half of school, but when I got to lunch everything went south. I got to our table but Jon was missing.

"Have you guys seen Jon today?" I asked.

"I haven't seen him since after third period. He was running out of the building." Izzy said and I knew something had happened. I ran out and got in my car and made a beeline for her house. I was speeding and running stop signs and red lights but I just didn't care. I need to see her. When I got to her house there was an ambulance and Jon was standing on the porch looking frantic. Next thing I know is they are wheeling Clary out in a stretcher and there is so much screaming. I make my way up to the porch to talk to Jon.

"What's going on?" I ask and Jon looks at me with blood shot eyes.

"Her home care nurse texted me saying her heart rate was extremely low, and a minute later she flat lined. I got her as fast as I could and when I walked into the house they were trying to resuscitate her. They used the defibrillator Jace. She didn't have a heart beat."

"Is she okay?"

"They got her heart started but it's faint. Jace I can't lose her. She's everything to me. I don't know what I'd do without her." He said and I looked back to see the ambulance pulling out of the driveway.

"Come on, I'll drive you to the hospital." I said and Jon nodded and we got into my car and made our way to the hospital.

We waited in the waiting room for over and hour before someone came to let us know what was going on. The chemo she's been getting weakened her heart and there was nothing anyone could have done to prevent it from happening. They are switching her chemo so that it won't happen again, but for now she is sedated heavily with a tube down her throat and she most likely won't wake up for at least a week. I felt my whole body start to crumble. This shouldn't be happening to Clary. She was too good for this. She didn't deserve it. And there was a part of me that was worried she wouldn't make it through.

 **Time Jump – A Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I had been in this room for a week. I haven't left. My mom wrote a letter to the school explaining why I wasn't going to be there. I couldn't do anything but sit in that room and hold her hand. For the first two days I cried, and I never cry but I just couldn't handle seeing Clary looking so lifeless. I was pulled out of my thoughts by a knock on the door. When I turned around my family was standing in the doorway.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked as they filed in.

"After we heard I talked to Jon." Izzy said. I got up to let everyone have a seat. I sat on the foot of Clary's bed, never breaking contact. "He told us to wait a few days before visiting. He wanted some time with her, and than he told us to give you some time with her, and I called him again today and he said we were more than welcomed to come down and visit." I nod. "How is she?"

"Her heart rate is back to normal, but she's not getting enough oxygen which is why she has the tube down her throat. She's still heavily sedated. The doctors are optimistic but it still sucks." I say and they all nod.

"You really care about her don't you?" Robert said and I looked at Clary.

"Yea. She means more to me than anyone ever has. Seeing her like this is killing me." I said and the room went silent. Jon showed up half an hour later and everyone started to have their own conversations. I just sat on the bed rubbing Clary's leg. I needed her to at least know she wasn't alone. After about 2 hours one of her monitors started going crazy and Clary's eyes shot opened. Nurses rushed into the room and started removing the tube and checking everything out. After about 10 minutes they all started to leave the room. I looked back at Clary and saw that she was still awake. I walked over to the side of the bed and grabbed her hand it took her several minutes to gather her thoughts but after a minute she smiled at me.

"Hey." She said and I couldn't help but lean down and give her a quick peck on the lips.

"How are you feeling?" I asked as I sat down on the bed.

"Cold." She said and I laughed. She scooted over and got under the blankets with her and she was freezing. She curled into my side and sighed contently. "How long have I been out?"

"A week." I said and she groaned. "You scared us Clare."

"I'm sorry. I felt fine that morning. It wasn't until my homecare nurse noticed the decrease in my heart that it was nearly too late. It happened so fast." She said and I pulled her closer.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." I said and she looked up at me.

"You know, you might have to live without me one day Jace."

"Clary." I started but she cut me off.

"Jace, I have cancer." She said and I flinched. "Sure, the chemo is doing something but it might stop working. Hell, it stopped my heart. I could die any day. I don't want you to have false hope like Jon. It'll destroy you."

"I'm not giving up on you Clary. I believe you can beat this. I believe that you will come out stronger after this. I want you to believe you can conquer anything. Cancer sucks. It really does. But I'm not giving up. I don't think the cancer is going to win. I think you are going to beat this. And I'll be here every step of the way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"It gets messy. Chemo days suck. I look like a shell of a human. It gets bad. Even Jon doesn't look at me for days until I resemble the Clary he knew."

"I don't care. I'll be there cleaning up the puke and holding you to keep you warm."

"You have school."

"Whatever day you have chemo, I'll take off. I'll have Maryse tell the school I won't be there due to family emergencies. I don't care what I have to do, I'll be there for you Clary."

"Why would you do that?"

"Honestly, I think I may be in love with you." I say and she sucks in a breath. "When we aren't together I'm constantly thinking about being with you, when we have to leave each other I get sad, and every time something bad happens I have this need to protect you. I've never felt that towards someone before. It scares me, but I am willing to do anything I need to to be there for you." We sit there in silence for a moment before she speaks.

"I think I might be in love with you too." She says and I can't help the smile that spreads across my face. "I feel this strong connection between us, and I never want to be apart. The fact that I could die is scary as hell because I know it would mean leaving you. I had accepted it before, but every since we met I'm becoming less and less content with leaving this earth. Leaving you behind." I hear her sniffle and when I look down she is crying.

"Hey, you're a fighter. I know you can do this. I'll be here no matter what. I promise, you won't be doing this alone." She nodded and rested her head on my chest. I pull her closer and soon she falls asleep. I can't help but think that she could potentially lose this battle, and I don't know how I'll be able to cope if that day ever happens.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

About 2 months ago I had received the best news in the whole world. I had been put in remission and was now undergoing radiation to kill whatever else was in my body. My hair was starting to grow back, and I felt like I looked like a girl who let her brother take a pair of scissors to my head but Jace told me every single day how beautiful I was, and despite how I felt about myself, I couldn't help but believe him.

I was still confined to my bed, but I didn't need any of the machines, and I was actually allowed in my own bed instead of a hospital bed. I haven't sleep in a normal bed in years, and the first night in my own bed was like heaven. I had just closed my eyes when my door flew opened, and when I looked up there stood Jace.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and he smiled and walked towards me.

"I was expecting you to be in the bed downstairs, but when I walked in, everything was gone." He took his seat on the bed and I smiled.

"The doctor told me I didn't need it anymore. Since I've been in remission he said I could sleep in my own bed." I said and Jace nodded and scooted me over and took his place next to me. He wrapped his arm around me, and I laid my head on his chest. "You didn't answer my question. Why are you here?" I asked and I could feel him laugh.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"What?" I asked and he picked me up and put me on his lap and I rested my hands on his shoulders.

"Prom is in a couple weeks, and I was wondering, would you like to go with me?" He asked and my eyes widened.

"Prom?" I ask and he nods. "Like dresses, and heels, and other kids?" I ask and he laughs.

"You can say no. I won't be offended. We can have a night in."

"Wait, you wouldn't go if I said no?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"You're the only one I want to go with, and if you don't want to, than neither do I." He said and I leaned down and kissed him.

"I'd love too." I said and he got the biggest smile on his face.

"I'll let Izzy know. Every since I told her I was going to ask you she's been talking none stop about dresses, and hair, and make up." He said and my hands instantly flew to my hair.

"I'm going to look like a boy." I said and he grabbed my hands and pulled them away from my head.

"You'll be the most beautiful girl there." He said and he kissed the palm of my hand.

"Not standing next to Izzy." I mumbled and he laughed.

"Izzy is a beautiful girl, but she doesn't hold a candle to you." He said and I looked at him about to protest when he cut me off. "You honestly don't know how amazing you are Clary. You are absolutely stunning. You have the most infectious laugh, and you brighten the darkest room with you smile. Everything about you is beautiful."

"I love you." I said and his eyes widened. I knew we had talked about it before but we had never actually said it. He pulled me close and pressed his lips to mine.

"I love you too." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I cuddled into his side as he pulled the covers over us. Despite my insecurities, I was excited to go to prom with Jace, and I wouldn't let anything ruin that.

 **Time Jump – Prom**

 **Clary POV:**

Izzy had gotten here a couple hours ago, and she had been relentless. My hair had grown to the middle of my neck and it wasn't long enough for Izzy to do anything, so she bought extensions, and curled away at it. We had found my dress only last week, according to Izzy, no dress was good enough until she pulled a gold dress off the rack and wouldn't let me walk out of the store without it.

"Alright, you are now ready to look." Izzy said and I took a deep breath and turned around. I was floored. My hair was curled to perfection, my make up was a smoky eye with a bright red lip. The gold dress reached the floor, and I was wearing 4 inch heels. It took me a couple days to learn how to walk in them, but I felt confident in them.

"Iz." I said and I turned around. "You are a miracle worker." I said and she laughed and gave me a hug.

"No, I just doll up what I already have." She said and I smiled. "Now let's go, our dates are here." I nodded and we walked downstairs. Three guys were standing there, and I knew Jace and Jon, but Simon was standing with them and I looked at Izzy and she blushed, like actually blushed and kept walking. All three of them turned around when they heard the heels, and Jace had the biggest smile on his face. I smiled and looked down as I made my way over to him.

"You look stunning." He said and he gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"You look very handsome." I said and he grabbed my hand and led me to the car. We all got in and Jon drove us to prom. When we got there we got out of the car and I suddenly felt out of place.

"Are you okay Clare?"

"I haven't been in a school in almost 3 years, and I haven't been around this many people in a while, and according to Izzy, you're pretty much the eye candy around here." I said and I turned to him. "I don't want to cause any problems."

"Listen to me Clary, I don't care what happens, I won't let those girls in that gym do anything to you. I'll protect you from anything. You know that." He said and I nodded. He kissed my forehead and we headed towards the gym.

Everything was set up beautifully, and not going to lie, I was in a bit of a shock. I hadn't been in a school in a while and seeing it transformed into this was really cool. Izzy, Simon, Alec, Magnus, and Jon were all standing around a table. Jace and I walked over and Jon pulled me into a hug. We were all standing around talking when a slow song started. Izzy grabbed Simon and pulled him onto the floor, Alec, and Magnus followed, Jon went and found some girl and Jace grabbed my hand and led me to the floor.

"I don't know how to dance." I said and Jace laughed.

"Luckily for you, I can." He said and he pulled me close to him. We danced until the song was almost over and we were about to walk away someone tapped on his shoulder. We broke apart and there was this girl standing there twirling her hair around her fingers.

"Hey Jacey. Want to dance?" She said and I couldn't help but feel self conscious.

"No thank you. I'm here with someone." He said and he pulled me closer.

"Right, the cancer patient. Getting your charity in now. You can just put her in a chair and join me." She said and I rolled my eyes.

"She isn't a charity case. She's my girlfriend and I would appreciate if you apologized." He said and his gripped tightened on my hip.

"Come on Jacey, you don't do relationships. And you can have a lot more fun with me than you can with the cancer patient." She said and I knew Jace was about to speak I stepped in.

"First, I am insulted at the fact that you think I'm not fun. We have a lot of fun, right Jace?" I smiled and he laughed and nodded. "Second, I don't have cancer at this moment. So your description of me is inaccurate. Third, you should back off my boyfriend soon or I'll shove my heel up you spray tanned ass." I said and she scoffed and walked away. I turned around and looked at Jace and he was smiling and I was about to say something when his lips were on mine.

"I'm proud of you Clare."

"I could tell how mad she was making you, and she doesn't have the right to judge me without knowing me, and she doesn't have the right to judge our relationship. It's ours, and we have ever right to do with it as we please." I say and he smiles.

"You're right. But that doesn't mean we can't steal her idea." He said and he got a smirk on his face. "Follow me." He grabbed my hand and he led me down a hallway. We passed a lot of doors until we reached one door, he opened it and led me in. I looked around and realized that we were in a music room. I turned around and Jace locked the door and had a mischievous smirk on his face.

"What are we doing here?"

"I thought I could serenade you into fooling around." He said and my jaw dropped before I started laughing. He led me over to the bench, he opened the piano cover, and started playing. I sat down next to him and listened to him playing. He was absolutely amazing. When he finished I was stunned. I looked up at him and smiled.

"You're amazing." I said and he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. "And I think you won a little fooling around after that performance." I said and he smirked and kissed me again.

"I love you." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said and he was kissing me again. I was happy, and I never wanted this feeling to end. Everything was perfect right now, and I couldn't have asked for anything more.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I have been trying to come up with ideas regarding all the stories that you have suggested, but I've hit a mental block. I've had this one in the works for a couple weeks, and finally decided to finish it! I hope you all like it, and I promise I'll do one of your suggestions soon! Also, please don't be impatient with your ideas! I write the ones that I have a really solid story line for. If I don't have a solid idea I wait until I do because I want to do everyone's story justice! Let me know what you think! :)**


	28. Chapter 27 - Surrogate

**Twenty Seventh One Shot:**

 **Surrogate**

 **Clary POV:**

"How are you doing sweetheart?" Alec asked as I emerged from my room. They had asked me to be their surrogate almost a year ago, and Magnus and Alec have been there for me so much in the past 4 years, that it was an honor to be asked.

"I'm good, and so is the little one." I rubbed my belly and I saw Magnus smile.

"Can't you give us a hint as to what we're having?" Magnus said and I laughed.

"You both wanted to be surprised. And I'm not spoiling it because you're both impatient." I said and they groaned. "You two already know what the baby will look like. Why does it matter if it's a boy or a girl?"

"So I can start decorating the nursery!" I heard from the other room and Izzy walked in with a stranger behind her.

"I can't tell you because than when you start the nursery, they will peek, and than it will be ruined. The baby shower is in a month. You'll survive." I said and everyone groaned, except the stranger. He laughed a little.

"Oh sorry. Clary, this is my other brother Jace." Izzy said and I nodded. "Jace this is Clary, the surrogate to Alec and Magnus's baby, and my best friend!" Izzy said.

"Nice to meet you Clary." Jace said and his voice sounded like honey.

"You too." I said and I winced. I walked over to Alec and Magnus, grabbed both their hands and rested them on my belly. They loved feeling the little one move, and I made sure they felt it whenever they were in the same room.

"So, what are the odds that this baby has red hair?" Jace asked and I laughed.

"Absolutely zero." I said and he looked confused. "They didn't use my egg." I said and we all took our seats in the living room.

"Why is that?"

"There was something weird about giving Magnus and Alec my child." I said and everyone nodded. "I was all for being an incubator for the little one, but I wasn't all for my eggs being used, so they went and found an egg donor that they thought would be perfect. Since Magnus is so obsessed with Alec's blue eyes, they had to find a woman who had blue eyes, and since they were using Alec's sperm, the possibility of the baby having blue eyes is greater."

"Why didn't you want to use Magnus's sperm?" Jace asked and I looked at Magnus and he was too focused on my belly so I thought I'd answer.

"Magnus has a list of health problems in his family, and he didn't want that to be passed down to the baby. Alec has a great record of health, and they really want a healthy baby."

"Makes sense." Jace said and a timer went off. Alec and Magnus got up and went into the kitchen, and Izzy's phone rang so she excused herself, so that left Jace and I. "So, how long have you known Alec and Magnus?"

"Almost 4 years."

"Makes sense why we've never met." He said and I nodded. "So, what do you do for a living?" He asked and I wanted to lie, but I guess I could tell him as little of the truth as possible.

"I work for the NYPD." I said and his eyes widened. "I know I don't look like a cop. I get that all the time."

"I just really wasn't expecting it. What do you do for them?"

"I'm a homicide detective, and sometimes they ask me to be the sketch artist." I said and he nodded. "Obviously not at the moment. I took the 9 months off so I could grow this little girl." I said and than I froze. "Shit. Don't tell them." I said and he laughed.

"I won't tell a soul." He said and I nodded.

"What about you?"

"I took over the family business."

"I didn't know the Lightwoods had a family business."

"No, my original family business."

"Oh? You're not really related?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"I was adopted when I was 15. In order to become the new CEO of my fathers company I had to graduate from college with a business degree, and have at least 3 years under my belt. It was all laid out in his will. So, when I was 26, I packed up my belongings, moved to England and took over."

"That takes some guts. Moving to a new place."

"It was challenging. But worth it." He said and I nodded. "England has given me a lot."

"Do you have a family back home?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"No. I was married for a brief period of time, but no kids."

"If it's not too personal, what happened to your wife?" I ask and he looks down at his hands.

"Apparently I'm a workaholic, and she needed a little extra on the side." He said and I couldn't believe it.

"What a bitch." I said and he laughed. "Not to be rude or anything, but how could she possibly cheat on you? Was the man like Chris Hemsworth or something?" I said and he smirked. God he was gorgeous, but a relationship, or even a fling wasn't in the cards at the moment.

"I appreciate the subtle compliment, but no. He was actually my VP. Apparently he was willing to put work a side for her." He said and my eyes widened. "I want to do my father proud, and this company was everything to him, and if I'm not running it properly I feel like I'm failing him." He said and I completely understood.

"I understand. If it makes you feel any better, she's an idiot. I've known you for all of 2 hours, and I can tell you're a great guy." I said and he smiled. I real smile. He was about to speak when Alec and Magnus walked back into the room.

"Dinner is ready." Alec said and Jace and I nodded before they went back into the kitchen. I looked at Jace and smiled.

"Do you mind helping me up?" I asked and he laughed and I reached my hands out and he grabbed them and hoisted me up. We were as close as we could be with my belly in the middle. I was staring into his golden eyes, and it seemed like he leaned in before we heard a door slam opened, and we broke apart.

"Clare, that was Simon, he said he needs you at the precinct tomorrow morning for a case." Izzy said and I nodded and she walked into the kitchen. I looked back at Jace and took a deep breath.

"I don't know what that was, but it can't happen again." I said and he looked a little hurt. "Thanks for helping me up." I said and I hurried into the kitchen. He looked stunned, and my head was spinning. I've never felt that way around a person, but now isn't the time. I need to stay focused.

 **Jace POV:**

Dinner was good, I had missed everyone. I make it a point to come home every couple years to visit, but it's been getting harder and harder to come back with the company. Clary gave me the cold shoulder the rest of dinner, and once it was over she went straight to her room saying she was tired and needed to lie down. What happened in the living room was weird, I had never felt that kind of pull towards someone before. I don't even know what I was thinking when I leaned in. We just met, I have no business trying to kiss her. For all I know she has a boyfriend, although I can't imagine a guy being okay with his girlfriend giving birth to someone else's child. When dinner was over, and Izzy and I left. I was staying with her for a little, before I went to visit Maryse and Robert. I was planning on staying for a month, and I didn't want to put anyone out longer than necessary. When I got back to Izzy's, I went to her guest bedroom, plopped down on the bed and started thinking about Clary. There was something about her, I didn't know what, but I wanted to find out.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I have been here for a month, and I was currently at Maryse and Robert's house. They had always enjoyed my visits, and I always enjoyed coming home. England may have been my home for the past 8 years, but this was always going to be my real home. It was almost noon and I was going to the cemetery. It had been so long since I had visited Max, and since today was the anniversary, I felt like I needed to go see him. I walked up to the headstone and looked at it. It still didn't seem real, even after all these years. I wish I could get that day out of my head, but I still have nightmares, and I still can't help but feel guilty. I was pulled out of my memories when I felt a hand snake around my waist. When I looked to my right Izzy was standing there.

"I didn't expect you to be here." She said.

"I haven't been back in years, and I would have regretted not coming if I didn't." I said and she gripped my waist tighter.

"It wasn't your fault Jace."

"Yes it was Iz."

"You were hit by a drunk driver. You did everything you could to try and protect him."

"I still could have done more."

"Jace, it's been 15 years. You can't keep carrying this guilt around with you."

"I think about him every single day."

"So do I, but he wouldn't want you to dwell on that day. He would want you to remember when you would play football with him, or read to him, or watch movies with him." She put her hand under my chin and pulled my face to face her. "Remember the good memories Jace, don't remember that horrible day. We almost lost you that day too, and I for one, am glad one of you is still with us." She leaned up and kissed me on the cheek. "I'm meeting Simon for lunch soon, don't stay out here all day." She gave me a hug which I returned and than headed back to her car.

I stood there staring at the headstone for who knows how long. I wanted to say something but I couldn't find the right words to express just how sorry I was, or how guilty I felt. Everything I though just seemed wrong, and he didn't deserve my jumbled thoughts. I was pulled out of my head when my phone rang. I pulled it out and looked at it, and it was an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Jace." I heard someone say and she sounded like she was in a lot of pain.

"Um, who is this?" I asked and I heard a scream.

"It's Clary. Something is wrong." She said and she cried out in pain and I started towards my car. "I was sitting on the couch when I felt a sharp pain. Jace, I need to go to the hospital. I called everyone else but nobody picked up."

"I'm on my way. I'll be there in 10 minutes." I said and hung up. I didn't care how many laws I was breaking, I needed to get to Clary. When I got to their building, I ran up the stairs and when I walked into the apartment Clary was on the floor. She was crying and holding her stomach, and I helped her up and got her in the car. I sped to the hospital and walked us in in a panic. "We need help. Please, something is wrong." I said and a couple nurses were on us in a minute. Clary grabbed my hand and looked scared shitless.

"Don't leave me." She said and I nodded.

"Never."

"How far along is she?" The one nurse asked me.

"8 months." I said and she nodded. They wheeled us into a room and the one nurse stopped me.

"Only family."

"I'm her husband." I said. Clary looked scared that they weren't going to let me in, and I figured lying wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. The nurse nodded and I went right back to Clary's side. I turned to another nurse. "I think you should call Alec Lightwood-Bane and Magnus Lightwood-Bane immediately."

"What do they have to do with this?"

"She's their surrogate. This baby is theirs." I said and she nodded and left the room. I turned my attention back to Clary and she was crying, and sweating and she looked absolutely terrified.

After the doctor examined Clary they said they needed to induce her immediately. It was best for the baby and her, and Clary nodded but I knew she wanted Alec and Magnus there with her, but unfortunately I was all she had, and I wasn't going to let her go through this alone. Clary may have been giving me the cold shoulder over the past month, but nobody should have to go through this alone, and I still felt that incredibly strong connection to her.

"Alright Clary, I'm going to break your water, and it's going to hurt, but the sooner we start the process, the sooner the pain will end." The doctor said and Clary nodded. I squeezed her hand and leaned done and whispered in her ear.

"You can do this Clary, and I'm going to be here the whole entire time." I felt her nod, and I kissed her temple.

After they broke her water the contractions started and Clary let out blood-curtailing scream that echoed through the whole hospital. She was in so much pain, and I knew she was worried about the baby, but man seeing her like this really sucked. Nobody informed me if Alec and Magnus had been notified but I guess I'd worry about that after Clary was comfortable. An hour later the doctor came back in to examine her.

"You're ready to push Clary. When I count to three, I want you to push as hard as you can." Clary nodded and she grabbed my hand and I put my other arm around her shoulders. "One, two, three." The doctor said and Clary started pushing. I can honestly say I never thought I'd be in this position, especially with a girl who didn't particularly like me, and with my brothers baby, but here I am, and I was prepared.

"Come on Clare, you're almost there." I said and she pushed even harder.

"One more giant push Clary, I can see the head." Clary screamed at the top of her lungs, while probably breaking my hand, and pushing as hard as she could possibly push. A minute later cries filled the room and Clary leaned back and started crying. I pulled her into my chest and she grabbed my shirt and cried.

"I am so incredibly proud of you Clary." I said and she smiled and I gave her a kiss on the top of her head. The nurse came back over with a big bundle and handed her to Clary. She had Alec's jet black hair and crystal blue eyes. She was beautiful. I gave Clary one more kiss. "I'm going to see if Alec and Magnus made it." I said and she nodded. I was about to leave when she spoke.

"Jace." She said and I turned around. "Thank you for being here. I don't think I could have done that alone."

"Of course Clare." I said and I walked out of the room. I went into the waiting room and saw Alec sitting down with his head in his hands, and Magnus was pacing. I cleared my throat and they both looked up and ran over to me.

"How are they? Are they okay? Is Clary okay? What happened? They wouldn't let us back. Something about her husband being there with her." Alec said.

"One question at a time." I said and I put a hand on each of their shoulders. "Clary is fine, your baby is fine, I'm not exactly sure what happened. I was too panicked to ask. I told them I was the husband because Clary looked absolutely terrified and they wouldn't let me back if I wasn't family. I told them to call you two immediately. I didn't know they wouldn't let you back there." I said and they nodded.

"Can we see them?" Magnus asked and I nodded.

"Follow me." I said and I started walking towards Clary's room. I opened the door and saw Clary sitting there with the baby. Seeing her with that child just made the connection I felt with her so much more powerful. I wanted to know why she was freezing me out, but now wasn't the time for my problems. Alec and Magnus rushed over to her and gave her a hug.

"You scared us biscuit." Magnus said and she laughed.

"I'm so sorry. I tried to call you both first, but neither of you picked up. I tired Izzy, than Simon, and finally I found Jace's number and thankfully he got me here." She said as she smiled at me. "I'd like you to meet your daughter." Clary said and she handed her over to Alec.

"She's perfect. She looks just like you Alec." Magnus said and Alec started crying. I was proud of my brother, he always wanted a family, and I'm glad he finally got that.

"What are we going to name her?" Alec asked.

"Madeline Clarissa Lightwood-Bane." Magnus said and Alec smiled.

"It's perfect."

"You guys don't have to name her after me. I was honored to carry her for 8 months, the fact that you choose me to do it is enough."

"You just went through the scariest thing ever Clare, and you went through all that pain for us, for our daughter. We had always planned on naming her after you. This just solidified it."

"Well, I did do it naturally." Clary said and everyone laughed.

"Yea, I think my hand can attest to that." I said and Alec and Magnus looked at my direction.

"Thank you so much Jace. I don't know what would have happened if you didn't step in." Alec said and I walked over to him and wrapped my arm around his shoulder and took Madeline's hand in mine.

"Anything for your family man. I'm just glad I could help." I said and he nodded. "I have to go though, I was suppose to have a business meeting about" I looked at my watch. "2 hours ago, and now I have to go tell them why I ditched it."

"Thank you Jace." Clary said and I smiled.

"It was no problem. Congratulations guys, and I'm glad you're okay Clary." I said and I walked out of the room and headed to my car. That was probably the most intense thing I've ever been through, but I'd do it all again for Clary.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left, I couldn't help but feel sad that he wasn't there anymore. I knew freezing him out was the right move. I needed to stay focused on this case. I couldn't risk bringing him into this mess. He has his whole life ahead of him, and I wasn't going to risk that. If this turned out to be a successful mission, I would explain everything to him and hopefully he would be understanding, and maybe we could try, but for right now, the cold shoulder was all he was going to get.

I looked over at Alec and Magnus and they looked absolutely amazing holding that little girl. It's going to be weird not being pregnant, but they had been waiting for her arrival for so long that I knew I would get over it eventually. I was about to say something when the doctor walked in.

"These must be the proud new fathers." She said as she looked over at Alec and Magnus and they nodded. "Where is your husband dear?"

"Oh, he had work. Some international business meeting he missed so he had to go settle it. I told him to go, I know how important his work is." I said like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You're very lucky. Most men wouldn't be okay with their wife carrying another man's child." She said and I smiled.

"Alec is actually his brother." I said and Alec waved. "So, he was very understanding. I wouldn't have met him if it wasn't for Alec, so he kinda owed him." I said and she laughed.

"Alright sweetie, everything looks good, so you should be discharged tomorrow morning." She said and she turned to Alec and Magnus. "Congratulations on the baby." She said and she left the room. Alec and Magnus were immediately at my side.

"So, how long have you and Jace been married?" Magnus said and I laughed.

"I couldn't give it away." I said and they laughed.

"If it's any conciliation, I think you two would be good for each other." Alec said and Magnus nodded along.

"Nope. I need to focus on work. I can't let this case slip away because you two want to play matchmaker."

"You never do anything for yourself Clary. I mean, you just gave us a baby, the least you could do is give my brother a chance." Alec said and I looked down at my hands.

"I can't get him involved in this Alec." I said and I looked up at them. "You know after I get the all clear I'm going back to work, I'll be undercover for a couple months, doing god knows what. I can't have someone here. If I don't come back, I don't want to leave someone behind."

"That's why you've been giving him the cold shoulder?" Alec said and I nodded. "You should at least tell him."

"You know I can't do that Alec. He'll never be okay with it." I said and Alec gave me a sad expression. "Who would be okay with their girlfriend going undercover as a prostitute to bust the biggest human trafficking ring on the east coast?" They both didn't say anything and I nodded. "Exactly. Let him find a nice girl, with a normal job, who can cook him dinner every night, and give him a family."

"He doesn't want that. He wants you."

"No he doesn't."

"Oh biscuit. He hasn't been able to shut up about you since you met. He's leaving in a week." Magnus said and I looked at them. "Who knows when he'll come back."

"Doesn't he come back every couple years?"

"This is the first time he's come home in 6 years. He can be sporadic." Alec said and I nodded.

"Maybe it's for the best." I said and Alec was about to protest but I but him off. "I just can't be in a relationship right now guys. No matter how great of a guy Jace is, it just wouldn't work. Maybe in a couple years, when I get out of the undercover scene, but right now I need to stay focused."

"Alright biscuit." Magnus said. "We'll let you rest. We love you Clare."

"I love you guys too." I said and they each gave me a kiss on the head. They sat in a two chairs with Madeline and I closed my eyes and started rifting off to sleep with Jace on my mind.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

My undercover assignment had been really tough. Living like a prostitute was horrible. I missed my bed, I missed my friends, I missed Jace. After he left I couldn't help but feel a void missing in my life. He didn't call, he didn't write, it was like he didn't exist. I hated it. He tried so hard to get me to like him, and it was working, but I had to shut him down. I couldn't string him along. I just couldn't leave him to worry about me. The only person that I had contact with was Alec, and that's because he's my advisor. I give him all the info I've collected, and than we part ways. We talk maybe once every two weeks, and it sucked.

I was standing on one of my normal corners, it was half past midnight when a black cat pulled up. The person inside rolled the window down and called me over. I did my slutty walk, and bent down in the window of his car. I recognized him immediately. It was Sebastian, the guy I've been hoping would come around eventually.

"What do you charge these days Little Red?" He said and it took everything in my not to roll my eyes at the stupid nickname he gave me.

"Whatever you want handsome." I flirted back and he got an evil smirk on his face. I heard the door unlock and I opened it and got in. When I closed the door, it immediately locked. Shit, I'm in trouble was the last thing I thought before a cloth was put over my nose and mouth, and than blackness took me over.

 **Time Jump - Three Days Later**

 **Alec POV:**

I was freaking out. Clary and I were supposed to meet up two days ago to exchange info but she never showed, which is highly unusual for Clary. I was pacing in my office, and I decided i needed to call Magnus and Simon in. Once they were both there I took a deep breath.

"Clary is missing." I said and their jaws dropped.

"What do you mean missing?"

"I mean, we were supposed to meet two days ago to trade info and she never showed. Clary doesn't miss anything. Something is wrong. I know it."

"So, what do we do?" Magnus said.

"Call in back up." I said and they nodded. I pulled my phone out and dialed Izzy.

"Hey Alec, what's up?"

"How fast can you get to the precinct?"

"Uh, like 10 minutes. Why?"

"I need you."

"I'm with someone right now, can't it wait?"

"Who could you possibly be with? Simon is here with me?" She was about to say something but I didn't have time. "Iz, I really need you."

"Okay. I'll be there soon." I hung up and looked at Magnus and Simon.

"She'll be here soon." I said and they nodded. Thankfully 10 minutes later Izzy walked in, followed by Jace. "What are you doing in the states?"

"I had a conference over the weekend and I needed a place to stay."

"You could have stayed with us."

"I didn't want to run into Clary." He said and I felt awful. Maybe it was a good thing he was here.

"Why are we here Alec?" Izzy said impatiently.

"What I'm about to tell you is supposed to be confidential, but I'm desperate." I said and they looked confused. "Clary has been on an undercover assignment for the past four months."

"Doing what?" Izzy asked.

"She's been undercover as a prostitute in the hopes of getting the attention of Sebastian Verlac." I said and I saw Jace tense. "Years ago we got wind of a human trafficking ring based out of the east coast. We tried undercover before but no one was able to infiltrate." I said and I pulled out a picture. "Sebastian had a thing for redheads. A couple months later Clary transferred to the station and I knew she was our chance. I made her wear a brown wig wherever she went so that Sebastian didn't recognize her. We were building the case for years, and than it went cold. We figured at some point they'd get sloppy and we would get a trail." I said and I pulled out another picture. "Sebastian was frequently seen getting prostitutes from 4 different corners. Some would come back, others disappeared." I looked around at the group and they looked worried. "This all picked back up while Clary was pregnant with Madeline. So after she was cleared to go back to work she was going straight undercover. She worked those 4 corners for months, and ever time we'd meet she wasn't any closer." I took a deep breath. "We were supposed to meet two days ago and she never showed. I went to her last corner, and one of the girls said they saw her get into a black car three nights ago, and she never came back. Her tracker has been turned off, she has no cellphone, and I have no idea where the hell she was taken." I looked back around the group. "I know you two aren't cops, and I know you aren't either Magnus, but I need help."

"What are we supposed to do?" Izzy asked.

"She can't be filed as a missing persons because technically she doesn't exist, so as much as I'd love to get about 15 uniforms in on this, I can't take them away from their work. I just need help. Magnus, you run the bar that a lot of our undercovers go too, maybe you could ask around, and get information. Simon, I need you to keep an eye out for missing prostitutes in the area. They've been going missing for years. Someone has to of noticed. Izzy, maybe you could go around as say she was a close friend and you're worried. See if the other prostitutes know anything else." I said and I turned to Jace. "You have a lot of connections here in New York, maybe one of them has met Sebastian, or knows him. I need a little lead."

"No problem man." He said and I know he's worried. I walked over to him and whispered. "This is why Clary was giving you the cold shoulder. She knew something like this could happen."

"She didn't want to leave anything behind if something happened." He said and I nodded. "Well, we're getting her back, and than I'm not letting her go." He said and I smiled. Everyone got to work and I tried anything to get her last location. She had to be in New York, she had to be.

 **Time Jump - One Month Later**

 **Alec POV:**

It had been a month and still no sign of Clary. It was driving us all crazy not knowing where she was. Every lead ended up at a dead end and I was so close to pulling my hair out. It was around 2 am, and everyone but Magnus was still at the station. He went back to watch Madeline, but we all couldn't stop until we were literally falling asleep on the table.

We were going over any possible new evidence when my phone started to ring. Whoever calls at 2 am is absolutely crazy, and when I looked at my phone it was an unknown number. I motioned for everyone to be silent and I put my phone on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Alec?" I heard Clary whisper and I let out a breath.

"Clary, where the hell are you?"

"Right now I'm in a cage. I've been stuck in here for a month."

"Do you know where 'here' is?" I ask and I start tracking the call.

"Not a clue. I stole this phone off one of the guards. I had to wait until they switched to call. They have the most fucked up schedules." I was about to say something when I heard talking.

"Well well well, if it isn't my favorite redhead." The man said, and I assumed it was Sebastian.

"What do I owe this pleasure Sebastian?" I heard Clary say in a seductive voice and I saw Jace tense.

"It's been a while since I've seen you." He said as he moved closer. "I missed you." We heard him give her a kiss, and we heard her giggle and I could tell Jace was about to lose it. "Also, the boss wants to see you. I've talked so much about you, he wants to see the girl who caught my attention."

"I'm finally meeting the parents?" Clary said in a flirty tone and we heard him laugh.

"Something like that babe." We heard chains rattling and low talking until we heard a huge door slam. "Valentine, I've brought her." We hear and a sharp intake of breath from Clary.

"Well well well, you do look like Jocelyn." We heard this Valentine say. The machine binged, stating we had her location.

"Shit." We heard Clary and I ended the call.

"Why did you do that?" Jace practically yells.

"She's in trouble and we'll be more use getting there than listening to her conversation." I say as I grab my keys. "Let's go get her back."

 **Clary POV:**

I looked at the man in front of me, and I knew immediately who it was. Valentine. Aka, my father. I have seen pictures but my mom never really talked about him. He walked up to me and smiled.

"Welcome daughter."

"I don't think we're on that level quite yet Valentine." I said and he smirked.

"You're feisty, no wonder Sebastian likes you. He has a thing for, wild girls." He said and my skin crawled. "Search her." Valentine said and two men walked over and started searching me.

"The least you could do is buy me dinner first." I said and Valentine laughed, the two men, not so much. They found the cell phone, grabbed it and smashed it. Hopefully Alec traced our call before that, cause I'm in deep shit if he didn't find me.

"So sweet daughter of mine, are you prepared to enter in the family business?"

"You mean the business of illegally transporting women across boarders and state lines to potentially sell them into slavery?" I said and he looked surprised.

"You know what we do here?"

"I've been stuck in a cage down there for a month. I talk to the other women. Women who have been getting moved around for years."

"They get food and water."

"Twice a week. Despite what men think, women aren't dogs."

"I beg to differ. You must tame a bitch before you release her." Sebastian said and I rolled my eyes.

"This empire will be yours one day, you might want to get used to it." He said and I took a step for step towards him and the two men who searched me stepped closer to me. I looked at them and they both had weapons. The one had a knife, the other a gun. I looked back at Valentine and smiled.

"You know, I applaud your work these past two decades. You've clearly put in a lot of work with this human trafficking ring you got going on. More work than you put into your family for that matter." I said and I stepped closer and the two guards followed, which is exactly what I wanted. "But I'm afraid that I don't want to do this daddy." I said and I snatched the knife and stabbed the one guard in the heart, I grabbed the other guard, stabbed him and got his gun. I turned it back to Sebastian and Valentine. Thank god for the academy training. I may have looked fragile but I was always underestimated.

"You're being defiant." Valentine yelled and I laughed.

"No, I'm doing my job." I said and I shot Sebastian in his stomach. He fell to the ground and proceeded to bleed.

"You narc." He hissed and I smiled.

"Any last words daddy?" I said and he lunged at me. I shot and it hit him in the stomach and he fell on top of me. I pushed him off of me and looked at them. Sebastian was unconscious but breathing, and Valentine was trying to talk.

"You're just like your mother. You never appreciated what I did for our family."

"You aren't my father. You may have given me some genetics, but you aren't my father." I said and I started walking back in the direction. When I opened the door I saw a door at the end of the hallway that had light coming out of the bottom. I ran towards it and opened it. The sunlight hurt my eyes, but when I finally opened them I saw all the cop cars pulling up. Alec jumped out of the one and I walked over to him, and gave him a hug.

"Are you okay Clary?" He said as he took in my appearance.

"You should see the other guys." I said and I laughed. The chief came up to us.

"Status?"

"Downstairs there are cages of women. The youngest looks about 15, and the oldest is maybe 45. Valentine Morgenstern is the ring leader. I shot him, along with his right hand man Sebastian. They might be alive, I'm not sure. I killed two guards as well. They are at the end of the hall." I said and he went back to talk to the rest of the unit. I finally noticed three other people standing behind Alec. Simon, Izzy, and...Jace. I walked up and hugged Simon, and than Izzy practically attacked me.

"Oh my god Clary!" She said. "I am so glad you're okay! Don't ever scare me like that again!" She said and I laughed.

"I'll try my hardest." I said and he looked at me.

"You look like a hooker." She said and I smiled.

"Prostitute Izzy. Hookers get paid more. Although, from what I learned on the streets, I would make a great escort. Some men will pay top dollar to create their redhead fantasy." I said and she gagged.

"Gross."

"Maybe, but it pays well." I said and I hugged her again. Jace was standing away from the group, and I looked at them and I nodded over to Jace and they stepped away to give us a minute. "Hey."

"Hey." He said back and he looked relieved. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"When did you come back?" I asked.

"A month ago. That's when I found out. You could have told me." He said and I shook my head.

"You would have been okay being in a relationship with me, knowing full well that I was going undercover as a prostitute? Letting men touch me? Smack my ass? Get a little handsy? Let them kiss me?" I was going to continue but he cut me off.

"Alright, I don't need anymore images." He said and I nodded.

"Exactly. I needed to go into this with absolutely nothing." I said and he nodded. "I hated giving you the cold shoulder, but I needed to focus. I needed to get inside of this thing, and I couldn't afford to get distracted."

"So, I would have been a distraction?" He asked and I laughed.

"Please, I know you own a mirror." I said and he now laughed. "If we got involved I would have been so focused on you, and our new relationship, and when you left I would have missed you more than I already did, and my head wouldn't have been in on this case and I spent years gathering information and I needed it to be successful."

"I understand. I do, but it just sucked. You weren't giving me a chance and I had no idea why. I thought you didn't like that I was married before, or that I was Alec's brother, or that I lived in a different country. I was trying so hard to figure out what I did that made me so uninteresting to you." He said and I laughed.

"Well, first off, I don't care if you were married before. I look at that as a win. Alec was actually trying to get me to tell you everything, he thought we'd make a good couple, and living in a different country is challenging but not impossible." I said and I moved closer to him. "I mean you liked me while I was pregnant with your brothers child, I think that trumps any reason you had." I said and he laughed. He leaned in but I backed away and he looked upset. "I would love to kiss you, but I haven't brushed my teeth, or had a shower in over a month. I feel like I need a 3 hour shower to feel human again." I said and he laughed. "Plus, I'm starving."

"When was the last time you ate?"

"Four days ago. They only feed you twice a week." I said and his eyes widened.

"How about I take you home, you shower, brush your teeth, do whatever you need to do to feel human again, and than I'll take you out to eat." He said and I smiled.

"I would love that." I said and he nodded. We turned back to the group and they were all staring and smiling from ear to ear. We explained what was going on and we got into the car and headed back to the precinct, where Jace and I got into his car and made our way to my place. We walked in and I went right to the bathroom. I told Jace to make himself at home, and I'd be out in 10 minutes.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary went to the bathroom I sat down in her living room. The place was a mess, and it took everything in me not to clean it for her. I saw a book sitting on the coffee table and I picked it up and it was filled with sketches. I remember her telling me she was sometimes the sketch artist for the NYPD, and I could see why, she was amazing. I was flipping through the book and before I knew it the bathroom door was opening. I looked back and Clary looked like she was back to her normal self. I smiled and she made her way over to me.

"You know, I never know how much I took toothpaste for granted, but now that I know what it feels like to not brush my teeth for a month, I will never underappreciate it ever again." She said and I laughed. I grabbed her hand and pulled down onto my lap. I smiled and put my hand behind her head and pulled her lips to mine. This kiss was everything I imagined it would be. It was perfect, just like her, and in this moment there wasn't anything else I wanted to be doing. Eventually we pulled apart and she had the biggest smile on her face, and she started getting up, and I pouted, and she laughed.

"We can do whatever you want after we eat. I'm so hungry." She said and I smiled and nodded. I grabbed my keys off the table, grabbed her hand and we walked to my car. On our way to the restaurant, I couldn't help but steal glances at Clary, she was absolutely beautiful, and I was finally getting that chance that I wanted. I couldn't wait to see where this headed.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

A couple months ago I had moved to England and moved in with Jace. We had spent the majority of our relationship skyping, and talking on the phone and we both hated it. On occasion when he had a business meeting, or a conference in the states, he would spend every free minute with me, but it still wasn't enough. I missed him, and hearing his voice versus falling asleep next to him were two totally different things, and I wasn't satisfied with being apart.

One night I was home alone, watching the news and I realized that there was crime in England too, it wasn't just New York that had it, and England was the only place where Jace's company was located, and it was really a no brainer. I called Jace the next day and told him that I was willing to move to England, if that's what he wanted and he jumped at the opportunity. I started packing immediately and shipped all my stuff over to his place. Saying goodbye to Alec, Magnus, Simon and Izzy, and little baby Madeline was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but they all knew that I wasn't happy there anymore. They all promised to come and visit, and even though I never asked Jace, I knew he would always welcome them.

Which brings us to present day. I'm still unpacking things, and getting everything organized. Jace liked things a certain way, and his OCD could be out of control at times, but I loved him for it. The last of the stuff was supposed to be here today, and I was just sitting around waiting for the door to ring. I was excited. We were getting a new bed, and I was so happy. Jace had a tough time parting ways with his, but it wasn't big enough for both of us, and I promised that we would break in the new bed when it arrived and he was all for that. Finally the door knocked and I ran to it. The bed was there with a bunch of men, I directed them to the bedroom, and within an hour they had it set up and they were taking the old bed out. I was so excited, and than I realized that we didn't have an color scheme for the bedroom, and I wanted it ready for when Jace came home so I figured I'd stop by his office and ask.

I walked up to his building and it was huge. This company was absolutely incredible, and I was so proud of what Jace had accomplished. His father would be proud, I know he would, and even though Jace things everything still needs to be done perfectly, I think he needs to give himself a little more credit. I walked up to the receptionists desk and waited for her to get off the phone.

"I'm sorry about that, what can I do for you?" She asked with a smile.

"I was wondering if you could tell me where Jace Herondale's office is." I ask and she looks at a booklet.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but.."

"I'm sorry miss, no appointment, no meeting. He's a very busy man." She said and I could see the slight admiration for Jace in her eyes, she was probably attracted to him, which I couldn't blame her for, he was hot, and everyone knew it.

"He told me I never needed an appointment." I said and she looked confused. "My name is Clarissa Fray, he told me I was always welcome." I said and her eyes widened as she looked for something else.

"I'm sorry Miss. Fray. His office is down the hall on the left." She said and I thanked her and started walking towards his office. I could see through the window that he was working hard; I was about to knock when someone stopped me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." She said and I looked confused.

"Why not?"

"He's a bit of a workaholic, he doesn't like to be bothered." She said and I was still looking at her with confusion. "I've never seen you around before. Are you new here?"

"No. I don't work here. I work with the British police."

"But you don't sound British."

"I'm from America." I said and she nodded. "How do you know he doesn't like being bothered?" I ask wondering who she was exactly.

"I used to be married to him." She said and my eyes widened. "He never allowed me to visit him at work. And he always came home late, and he always brought work home." She said and I was still surprised.

"Do you work here?" I ask and she smiled.

"No, I'm here visiting my husband." She said and I nodded. The bitch married the side piece. What a dick move. I thought as I knocked on the door she opened her mouth to protest, when Jace opened the door.

"Hey." He said as he kissed me. "What are you doing here?" He asked before his eyes landed on the other girls. "Kaelie."

"Jace." She said but she still didn't move. I turned my attention back to Jace and smiled.

"The bed came!" I said and he laughed. "And I realized that we have no colors picked out for the bedroom, and I wanted your opinion." I said and he leaned against the doorframe.

"What color do you think the bedroom should be?" He asked and I smiled even wider.

"I was thinking we could paint it grey, and than the bedding could be maybe a light blue or something." I said and he nodded.

"Sounds perfect." He says, and this woman is still standing there. "You go get everything, and I'll be home in about two hours, I'll cook, and we can break in the bed like you promised." He said and I giggled and nodded. "I have to get back to work, but I'll see you at home. Love you."

"Love you too." He gave me one more kiss before he shut the door. I turned around and Kaelie was still standing there. "Yes?"

"How did you do that?" She asked sounding completely amazed.

"Do what?"

"Completely grab his attention. He was never that attentive to me. He barely even noticed we were married for three years." She huffed. "He was always so focused on work."

"Oh, he is still focused on work. Some nights he comes home and locks himself in his study until odd hours of the night."

"How do you do it?" She asks and I smile.

"I'm in love with him. I understand this company means everything to him. I get the late hours. He has to deal with my weird hours. We just make sure we make time for each other. It's hard, but it's worth it." I said and she nodded. "It was nice meeting you, but I have some errands to run." She said bye and I made my way to the store to pick up pain and bedding. It took longer than anticipated but when I got home Jace was in the kitchen cooking. I walked over to him and snaked my arms around his waist and he turned around and smiled. "I love you." I said and he smiled.

"I love you too." He leaned now and kissed. "Now let's eat, cause I don't plan on leaving that bedroom for the rest of the weekend." He said and I couldn't help but giggle and nod along. I had never realized how amazing it felt to come home to someone every night, but doing that with Jace was something I never wanted to end, and I was extremely happy where our life was taking us, and that we finally ended up here.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by CityOfClace01, and I hope you enjoy it! I tried to figure out where to take this story for a couple days, but the other night I finally had an idea, and I ran with it! I hope it's everything you hoped for, I really enjoyed writing this piece! Also, I am a fan of your stories as well! "I'll Be There For You" is one of my favs! (Sorry other readers, but I had to let CityOFClace01 know :) Let me know what you think and leave a review! The next one I'm going to start on is a teacher/student story because there has been multiple** **requests on that, and after that I'm going to start working on the Prank War one! I think I have a good idea for that one, but I'm not sure! :)**


	29. Chapter 28 - Teacher

**Twenty Eighth One Shot:**

 **Teacher**

 **Clary POV:**

My mom, my little brother Danny, and I have just moved into our new house and I still didn't know how to feel about this whole situation. My dad died a year ago, and my mom couldn't afford the house anymore. Turns out living in Oregon is a lot cheaper than living in New York. I was outside getting the last box when I heard a voice.

"Hello?" I heard and I got out of the moving van and saw the most gorgeous guy I've ever seen. "I'm Jace, I'm your neighbor." He said and I'm a little stunned for a moment taking in his beauty until I compose myself and smile.

"I'm Clary. Nice to meet you." He opens his mouth to speak but a little boy runs up and grabs him around the waist.

"Jace!" The little boy says out of breath. "You promised you'd take me to the comic book store!"

"I know, I was just coming over to say hi to our new neighbors." Jace says and the boy looks up at me and smiles.

"I'm Max." He says and I smile.

"I'm Clary."

"You're pretty." He says and I can't help but blush.

"Thank you." I said. "How old are you Max?"

"I'm 9!"

"I have a brother who is 9, I think you'd be great friends." I said and he got really excited.

"Where is he?" I smile and look at the house.

"Danny! Get out here!" I yell and I hear a load groan.

"What do you want Clary?" He yells from the window.

"Would it kill you to just listen to me for once?" I say and I hear him laugh.

"I did that once. I was in the hospital for a week." He said and Max laughed. And so did I.

"Nothing major." I tried to reassure them. "He wanted to wrestle, I didn't realize he couldn't take on his sister." Suddenly a figure appeared on our porch.

"You body slammed me off the couch." He said and I laughed.

"You never specified the rules." I said and he rolled his eyes. "And I told you it would hurt."

"Whatever. What do you want?"

"To introduce you to our neighbors. This is Max and Jace. Max is your age." I say and he joins me on the lawn. "Where do you go to school Max?"

"Alicante Elementary School."

"That's where Danny will be going." I said and I pulled him into a hug. "And, I have a bunch of comics in one of these boxes if you'd like to take the ones you've never read before." I said and his face lit up.

"Really?"

"Yea. I've had them for years, I don't read them anymore. You are more than welcome to take what you want." I said and he ran over and gave me a hug. I gladly reciprocated and looked at Danny. "Why can't you ever hug me like this Danny?"

"Because you're the devil." He said and my jaw dropped as I let out a laugh, and I could hear Jace trying to hide his laugh. "Mom wants that last box in the house. It has her brushes in them."

"Alright." I said and I let Max go. "Go show Max my room, and the box of comics you little mutant." I said and he rolled his eyes and Max followed him into the house. I turned around and Jace had a smile on his face. "He doesn't like a lot of people."

"I can see. Is he okay?"

"My dad died last year, and they were really close. It really tore him apart." I said and he nodded.

"I understand. Our parents died too, I take care of Max all by myself now."

"That must be hard."

"It is, but we do okay on our own." He says and I grab the box but I have a hard time picking it up. "You need some help?"

"That would be great." I say and he grabs the box and laughs.

"What's in this box?" He asks as he exits the truck.

"My moms art supplies. That the fourth box of them."

"She's an artist?" I nod and I lead him into the house. "Where do you want this?"

"Hold on." I say and he nods. "Mom! Where do you want this last box?" I shout.

"Bring it in here!" I hear her say from the other room. I motion for Jace to follow, and we walk into the back area and my mom looks frazzled. She turns around when I clear my throat and her eyes widen. "Who is this?"

"This is our neighbor, Jace. Jace this is my mom, Jocelyn."

"Nice to meet you." Jace says from behind the box.

"You can just set that down there sweetie." She says and he places the box on the ground. "Thank you."

"No problem." He smiles and I nearly melt.

"Alright mom, the truck is unloaded." I say and she smiles.

"Wonderful. I'm going to start dinner soon, if I could find the pots and pans." She starts looking in boxes.

"Don't worry about it mom, we can just order food."

"I know the best restaurant in the area. You should definitely check it out." Jace said and I smile.

"Sure, mind showing me where it is?"

"Sure, I'll take you there, and grab Max and I some dinner as well." He says and we begin to leave when I turn around.

"Mom, Danny is upstairs in my room with Max."

"Who is Max?"

"Jace's little brother. Him and Danny are the same age."

"Wonderful. He already has a friend." She smiles.

"Let's see how long he keeps him." I mutter and Jace laughs. I grab my keys and open the garage and lead Jace to my car. It wasn't anything special, just a Jeep, but my dad and I fixed it up, so it meant a lot to me. Jace directed me to the restaurant and we got our food and went back to my house. Max ran out with a bunch of comics and I laughed. We parted ways and I delivered the food to my mom and brother. Maybe living here wouldn't be so bad.

 **Time Jump – End Of Summer**

 **Clary POV:**

This past summer was unbelievably amazing. Jace and I had gotten really close. He would take me out, and we never really defined anything but I felt like it was going to get there soon. He was perfect, and I couldn't wait to see where things went.

It was my first day at my new school, and there was nothing like being a new senior. It absolutely sucked. I had just gotten my schedule, and I have been trying to open my locker for about 8 minutes when the bell rang. I groaned, my locker finally opened, and I grabbed my books and now had to look for my classroom. I was late, and I was hoping that I could try and be invisible today, but clearly that wasn't happening. I opened the door to my history classroom, and all eyes were on me. The teacher was facing the board and when he turned around his eyes and mine widened. Jace. Why the hell wouldn't he tell me he was a _teacher._ I mean, he's only 21. God this is embarrassing.

"Sorry I'm late." I said and he still looked shocked. "I'm Clarissa Fray, I'm new." I said giving him more time to comprehend it.

"Welcome." He finally said. "There is a seat next to Isabelle. Meet me after class." He said and I nodded. I made my way back to the empty desk.

"Hi, I'm Isabelle, but I prefer Izzy."

"I'm Clary." I said and she nodded. I tried so hard to focus on what we were learning, but I couldn't get over the fact that I had made out with my history teacher over the summer. I was doodling in my notebook when the bell rang. The other kids practically ran out of the classroom. I slowly packed my bags and soon it was just Jace and I left in the room. He went over to the door and shut it and turned around.

"What the hell." He said and I took a deep breath. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming here?"

"We never talked about it. You certainly didn't mention that at 21 you were a teacher." I nearly yelled. "God, this is fucked up." I said and I put my head in my hands. After a moment I looked back up at him. "We went out on dates, we…we had sex." I said and he winced. "Do you know how fucking weird this is?"

"For you or for me? Because I'm pretty sure it's against the law to eat your student out." He said and I groaned.

"What are we going to do?" I said and I looked back at him.

"We're going to pretend everything over the summer didn't happen." He said and my jaw dropped.

"Really?" I said and I stood up. "We're just supposed to forget the fact that we made out? Have seen each other naked? Have taken showers together?" I said and I could see this was turning him on. "Cause I for one, have sketches that prove that we have more than a student teacher relationship."

"Clary." He said and he sat behind his desk. "Whatever happened over the summer can't be brought back up. I'm your teacher."

"Fine." I said and I grabbed my books. "It's all forgotten. I need a pass." I said and I looked at my schedule. "I'm late for my art class." I said and he nodded and he wrote out a note. I walked over to his desk and leaned down and grabbed it. "Have a wonderful day Mr. Herondale." I said and I could hear a low growl escape his lips. I smiled and than walked out of his class. I turned the corner and bumped into someone.

"I'm so sorry." He said and I bent down to grab my books.

"It's not a problem." I said and I looked up.

"I'm Sebastian." He said and he helped me up.

"Clary." I said and he smiled.

"You're new right?" I nod. "I thought so, I would have noticed a beautiful girl before." He smiled at me, and although he was quite the charmer, there wasn't anyone that I wanted more than Jace. "I'll walk you, so you don't get lost."

"How kind of you." I said and he laughed. He was about to say something when a throat cleared behind us. I looked back and saw Jace standing there, and he didn't look happy.

"Get to class." He said in a deadly calm voice.

"No problem Mr. Herondale." Sebastian said and he grabbed my books. "If you'll follow me Clary." He said and I smiled and turned back around and started walking towards class. If Jace wanted things to be forgotten, than I was going to forget them, and if he couldn't control his anger, that's on him.

School ended and I got into my car and made my way to Danny's elementary school to pick him up. When I pulled up Danny and Max were both standing there. Danny got into the car followed by Max.

"Hey Max." I said and he smiled.

"Hey Clary, Jace got stuck at work." He said and I internally groaned. "He told me to ask you for a ride."

"Of course." I said and I started making my way home. When I pulled into our driveway Jace's car wasn't there, and Max hopped out unlocked his front door, wave and than disappeared. Danny and I made our way into the house to find my mom nowhere. Danny disappeared into his room, and I went into mine. I threw my book bag on the ground and laid on my bed. Today was weird, and having to see Jace every day was going to be terrible. I don't know how I'm going to do it.

 **Time Jump – Five Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Things have been extremely weird at school. Jace and I have avoided each other since the first day. He doesn't look at me, he doesn't call on me in class, he doesn't speak to me when we see each other at our houses. Occasionally I pick Max up, but Jace always tells Max to ask me, he never asks me himself. It was as if we didn't know each other at all, and I know that's what he wants, but it really sucks on my end.

I had to stay after and finish a painting for my art class. I had told my mom that I couldn't pick Danny up, so that I could stay and finish. When I finally looked at the clock I realized that it was 4:30, and I should probably head home. I got to my car when I was stopped by Sebastian.

"Clary." He smiled and I turned around.

"Hey Sebastian, why are you still here?" I asked. Not that I really cared. He had been asking me out for a couple months, but I guess he didn't really get the hint. I really didn't want to go out with him.

"Soccer practice. I saw you walking to your car and decided to say hello." He leaned a hand against my car. This didn't seem to be ending well.

 **Jace POV:**

I had another late day today. I had just given a test, and I stayed to grade them. It was easier than going home and constantly having Max interrupt me. I was making my way to my car when I saw that Clary was walking to her car as well. I felt like a stalker but I stopped walking and went behind a pillar to watch when I saw Sebastian approaching. I would see them around school and I hated it. I hated that I couldn't be with Clary, I hated that we were avoiding each other, I hated that amongst everything, we had lost our friendship. We had a great time when we were together. We laughed, and joked, and made fun of each other. She was beautiful, and sweet, and sarcastic, and everything I thought I'd never find all in one girl, yet here came Clary, and she ended up being my student. They were talking when Sebastian leaned in. My fists clenched, and I started towards them. I didn't know what I was doing, I was just moving. It got worse when he kissed her. I started walking faster, and when I got to them, I pulled him off of her and punched him. He went down, and he was unconscious. I was pissed, and when I looked back at Clary she looked horrified.

"What the hell?" She said and I couldn't speak. I just turned around and went to my car. I heard her calling my name but I didn't stop. I just got in my car and headed home. I just made a huge mistake, but in the moment I didn't care. That was going to come back and bite me in the ass.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace ran away I stood there shocked. He had just knocked Sebastian out. I didn't even want to see if he was okay. I got in my car and started on my way home. When I pulled into the garage, I saw Jace's car in his. I walked over there and pounded on the door. Max opened it and I smiled.

"Hey Max, is Jace here?" I ask and he looks to the right. Clearly Jace is motioning to him.

"Uhh."

"You don't have to lie." I said and he looked down. "I heard you guys have some really tough math homework tonight." He nodded. "Danny is at my house working on it, maybe you can go over and figure it out together." I said and he smiled, grabbed his stuff and ran over to my house. I walked into Jace's house and saw him in the living room. I slammed the door and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Yes?" He said and I scoffed.

"You punch a student, and all I get is 'hey'?" I said and he started walking into the kitchen, and I followed. "What the hell was that Jace?"

"I don't know alright? I saw you two talking and when I saw you kissing I lost it." He said and he grabbed two bottles of water and handed me one. "I hate this situation Clary. It really sucks."

"You think I like it?" I said and he glared at me.

"You obviously don't care if you're kissing guys in the parking lot after school." He spat and I let out a dry laugh.

"Not that it's any of your business anyway, but I didn't kiss him. He kissed me. He corned me against my car when I was trying to leave." I said and his eyes softened. "Trust me, I didn't want him to kiss me."

"I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't, because you avoid me Jace. You don't make eye contact with me, you leave later or earlier so we won't run into each other, and sometimes you refuse to answer a question I have in class."

"I do not."

"Yes you do." I said and he sighed.

"I hate this." He said and I took a seat. "I hate that when I see you all I want to do is kiss you, or that all I could think about this past summer was everything we were going to do together. I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend." He said and I let out a breath. "I really like you Clary, and pretending like I don't is killing me."

"I don't like it either, but you're my history teacher Jace, and I don't want you to lose your job because of me." I said and he looked me in the eyes.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this." He said and I was confused. "Seeing you in my class, and seeing you sitting at your window sketching, and watching you interact with others the way I want to be able to interact with you is torture. I can't do it."

"What do we do than? I see no solutions to our problem." I said and I sat down next to him. "I like you Jace. I loved hanging out with you all summer, and getting to know you, and everything else we did. You made me feel special, but I won't let you get fired for me." I said and he looked at me. I sighed and stood up and made my way to the door. "I'll see you in class tomorrow Jace." I could see him about to protest but I opened the door and walked out. There was only so much heartbreak I could take, and looking at him, and being alone with him was pushing me over the edge.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Ever since Clary and I had that discussion, I realized that there was only one thing that I could do. I needed to switch schools. I couldn't keep going to school, having her in class, and seeing her at home playing with Max, and just accept that we could never be together. I had been applying to different schools around the area and so far no luck. I was upset.

When I got home from school today I checked my mail like I do every day and there was a letter from the private school I had applied too almost a month ago in there. I immediately dropped the other mail on the table and ripped it opened.

 _Dear Jonathan Herondale,_

 _After close examination of your resume and the subjects that you would be able to teach, we are pleased to inform you that there is a position opened for you. If you are still looking for a job, please let us know immediately._

 _Thank you,_

 _Jia Penhollow._

I couldn't believe it. I finally had an out and I was so excited to take it. I ran towards the phone and called the school as fast as I could.

"Hello?"

"Hello, my name is Jonathan Herondale, and I was wondering if I could speak to the principal?"

"One moment please." She said and the line went silent before someone started speaking.

"Jia Penhollow, who am I speaking with?"

"My name is Jonathan Herondale, and I just got the letter regarding the job." I said and I could hear her smile.

"Yes. Our 12th grade history teacher had some medical problems and can't finish out the year, and we were wondering if you'd be interested in taking over his position."

"Absolutely. I would love the job."

"Great. You can start next week." She said and I couldn't stop smiling.

"Thank you so much." We said out goodbyes and I practically jumped up and down like a teenage girl. I don't know what I was eve doing but the sound of the door opening snapped me back to reality and Max ran inside. "Did Clary drop you off?"

"Yea." He simply said and went to his room. I ran outside and saw Clary and Danny walking into the house.

"Clary." I said and she turned around. I motioned for her to follow me. She sighed and told Danny she'd be right back. We walked back to the forest where we meet many times over the summer.

"What do you want Jace?" She said, I knew this was killing her as much as it was killing me. I didn't even answer, I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into a kiss. She was stunned for a moment but soon starts kissing me back. I had missed this so much and I could tell she did too. The kiss was needy, and aggressive, but filled with so much passion, and urgency. We needed this, and I didn't realize how much until this moment. After a few moments we pulled apart and she was breathless. "What did we just do?"

"We kissed."

"But we can't Jace. It's wrong, and against the law." She said as she stepped away form me.

"That's why I wanted to see you. It's not against the law anymore."

"What are you talking about?" She said. She was clearly confused.

"I got another job."

"Huh?"

"After our talk a couple months ago I realized that I want to find out what life with you is like, and I can't do that teaching at your school." I said and she looked confused. "I started applying to any school in this area and I heard back from one of them today. They offered me a position and I'm taking it." Her eyes widened and I stepped closer to her and grabbed her hands. "I have never felt the way I feel about anyone the way I feel about you. You understand me, and you make me laugh, and smile, and you make me feel alive. I can't let that go to waste because I am your teacher. So I'm switching schools, and if you still think it's wrong, than I won't pressure you into anything, but just remember, you graduate in less than five months, and you can bet your ass that once you are no longer in high school, I will try my hardest to get you again." I said and I could tell she was processing it all.

"You did that for me?" She asks and I let out a laugh.

"I did it for us." I said and I tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Losing my parents taught me a lot, and one thing I learned was that life is so short, and there isn't time to wait and wonder what could have been. We need to take things into our own hands. And that's what I'm doing. I'm switching schools so I can be with the girl that I want. And if you want me Clary, I'm yours."

"I don't know what to say Jace." She said and my heart nearly broke. Maybe she was past it, and didn't want me anymore. "I just I can't believe it. Thank you." She said as she threw her arms around my neck.

"I have a week left at your school, and than I'm done." I said as she pulled back. "Next weekend, I want to take you out." I said and she smiled.

"Okay." She said and I couldn't help but pull her back into another hug. Things might be weird for a little, but I couldn't wait to see where things went with Clary. Switching schools might have been a hassle but I'd do anything for her, and now we were finally going to be able to see what our future held without any restrictions or reservations.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by a number of people, and I hope that it lived up to all of your expectations. I am currently in the middle of two other one shots, and they should be finished relatively soon! The consensus is out, I will only be doing Jace and Clary one shots! Thank you for all of your input! I really appreciate it :) Let me know what you think!**


	30. Chapter 29 - Prank Wars

**Twenty Ninth One Shot:**

 **Prank Wars**

 **Clary POV:**

It had been three years since I've come to the lake house. My parents were unnecessarily rich. And as much as they liked to flaunt it, I didn't. After high school I got a scholarship to Stanford for lacrosse, and I never really came back here. But since I graduated, my mom really wanted to throw me a party, which is why I'm here. The Lightwoods, and Herondales were my neighbors, and I haven't seen any of them since I left. Izzy and I were as close as sisters but when I went to college and she went to Europe to peruse fashion, we didn't keep in touch.

Jon, Jace, and Alec were like the three musketeers. Always getting in trouble together, always hanging out, playing the same sports, and they even dated a set of triplets once. It was weird. Leaving was a hard decision, but I didn't want to be in this life anymore. I wanted to be my own person. Not just another Morgenstern.

I pulled up to the house and stared at it. I never really thought I would be back here again, but here I am staring at this mansion, and I had no idea what I was in for. I grabbed my bags and headed inside. When I unlocked the door I was greeted with the same sight I had been greeted with hundreds of time. Jon, Jace and Alec were on the couch playing video games. They all looked up and got the biggest smiles on their faces. They paused the game and stood.

"Welcome home Clare." Jon said as he pulled me into a hug. I may not always admit it, but I missed him, and I was glad to be back with him.

"Thanks Jon." I said as he let go.

"I knew you couldn't stay away Red." Jace say and I playfully slapped him in the chest before hugging him. It always felt right being in his arms, but there was so much family history in our relationship that nothing could possibly happen, and I had accepted that years ago. When I pulled away I locked eyes with Alec. He was like my second brother. I was the first person he came out too, and we've been so close ever since.

"It's so good to see you Clare." Alec said as he pulled me into a hug. I relaxed into his arms and took a deep breath. It felt really good to be home, and as much as I was dreading it, this made it worth it.

"It's great to see you three again, but I'm going to go unpack." I said and they all nodded. I grabbed my things and went up to my room. And laid down. This might be a strange couple weeks, but I was excited to catch up with everyone.

 **Jace POV:**

Seeing Clary again brought up a lot of old memories. I haven't seen her in years, and being in the same room with her was making me remember why I had fallen in love with her all those years ago. Once she left and went upstairs Jon wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"Are you ever going to tell her?" Jon said and I scoffed.

"Tell her what?" I said and he laughed.

"Dude, you've been in love with my sister since high school. When are you going to admit it, and do something about it?" He said and I took my seat back on the couch.

"I don't know man. She might not feel the same."

"I know my sister Jace. She likes you, a lot." Jon said and I shrugged. We went back to playing our game while I thought about what Jon said. I guess the only way to figure it out would be to tell her and see how she feels.

 **Time Jump - A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We were all outside by the water enjoying Clary's graduation. We were hanging out, drinking, and catching up on old times. I was about to pull Clary aside when her father started talking.

"Can I have everyone's attention!" Valentine said and everyone got quiet. "As you know our sweet Clarissa graduated with magna cum laude, and we couldn't be more proud." He said and I looked over at Clary and she blushed. She never flaunted anything about herself, so having all this attention was weird to her. "She already has a job lined up with one of the best firms in the state of California. We couldn't be prouder of everything you've accomplished Clare-bear and I can't wait to see what you accomplish in your career." He finished and he walked over and hugged Clary. "Alright everyone, enjoy the rest of the night, and have fun!" Valentine said and everyone went back to enjoying the party.

I went over and joined Jon, Clary, Alec and Izzy by the dock and when I walked over I pulled Clary into a hug. When I pulled away she smiled me. I was about to ask her to step away from the group when she screamed in pain. She nearly fell, when I caught her.

"Are you okay?" I asked and she nodded as she winced in pain. "What happened?"

"I feel like I've just been hit with a BB." She said and I looked where she was hit and there was a welt.

"How?" I ask and she shook her head. It didn't make any sense until we heard someone start laughing.

"Well, if it isn't miss perfect back again." Someone said and when he came out of the shadows I was out for blood.

"What are you doing here Sebastian?" Jon growled.

"I'm insulted we weren't invited to the party. After all, it isn't every day that our princess graduates from law school." He said and it took everything in my not to jump him, but I was still holding Clary.

"There was a reason for that." Alec spat back at him. Sebastian and Clary had a little fling back in high school, and he ended up cheating on her, and she wasn't happy about it.

"Aw, you wound me." Sebastian said in a fake hurt voice, and I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, we thought we'd come and congratulate the little lawyer." He said as he made his way over to us.

"Who is 'we'?" I ask and three people walked out. Aline, Kaelie, and Mark. They had houses on the other side of the lake, and we have never gotten along.

"It's been awhile Clare." Aline said as she winked at me.

"Not long enough." Clary said and I laughed. "Why did you shoot me with a BB gun? That shit hurts." She said and I laughed more.

"We were welcoming you back." Sebastian said. "As I remember, you seem to enjoy it rough." He said and I almost lost it. Clary held me back while Izzy grabbed Jon and Alec. Sebastian laughed and so did his little posse. "We'll just be going. It was wonderful to see you all again. Especially you Clare." He said and they walked away. It took a couple minutes after they were gone for me to calm down.

"Sorry you all had to hear that." Clary said.

"I hate that guy." Jon said and Alec agreed. "Did you really have sex with him Clary?"

"It was senior year in high school. We went to a party, had a little too much to drink. It was stupid, I know." She said and Jon looked pissed. "He cheated on me the next week, so I guess that's karma."

"That's not karma. That's him being a dick." I said and she laughed. Surprisingly Clary wasn't upset. She actually looked fine, and I was surprised. She was just hit in a BB gun, had her sex life with Sebastian aired to all of us, and she actually had a smile on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine. It's been like 7 years. I did a lot more stupid shit in college." She said and the majority of me was curious, but the rational part of me let it go.

"Jon, Alec and I can go over there and beat the shit out of him." I said and she laughed.

"Naw. I have a better idea." She said with her signature evil little smirk.

"What do you have up your sleeve Red?" I said and she laughed.

"A good old fashion prank war." She said and Alec and Izzy high fived, while Jon rubbed his hands together and I threw my arm around Clary. This was going to be a good ass war.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was in the middle of the night and Izzy and I were making out way over to the other side of the lake. We had bough a lot of tanning oil and were planning on covering every inch of Sebastian's boat. I know this seems pretty childish, but they shouldn't have started it. When we were done, we made our way back to the house and couldn't stop laughing the whole way. It would be interesting to watch what happened tomorrow. All I knew was that Izzy and I wanted a front row seat.

When everyone woke up we decided that we all wanted to go out on the boat. Drinking, tanning, dancing, it was going to be great. We had just loaded everything we needed when we heard a scream. We looked over and Aline and Kaelie were slipping all over the boat. Izzy and I couldn't contain our laughter. We high fived and they all looked over at us.

"Looks like you're stuck in a pretty slippery situation!" I yelled back and they looked pissed.

"You ruined my boat you bitch!" Sebastian yelled and I just shook my head.

"Nothing a little water and soap can't fix Seb!" I called back and Jon started driving our boat away. "Have a great day!" We drove away and could hear faint yelling but were too far gone to realize what they were saying.

"That was so worth waking up at 4 this morning." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Yea it was. I've always wanted to watch Kaelie and Aline slam their pretty faces into the ground." I said and everyone laughed. This was going to get intense, but Izzy and I had some great ideas and so did Jon, Jace, and Alec. This war was official on, and it could get messy.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Sebastian and his clan haven't gotten back at us yet, but it's only a matter of time. I woke up early to make breakfast for everyone. We all stayed at the Morgenstern's house last night, and were planning our next attack. Clary was the first one awake and I was happy that I got a little alone time with her. Jon was right, I needed to tell her, but with this whole prank war going on, it just doesn't seem to be the right time.

"What's on our agenda today?" Clary asks as she yawns and I laugh.

"Well, it's suppose to be ridiculously hot today, so I was thinking we break out our jet skies." I said and she smiles.

"Sounds fun!" She said as she took a bite of the pancakes I made her. "I'm going to go check the weather to see how hot it is." She said and she got off the stool and went out the back door. A few seconds later I heard a scream. I ran out to where she was and she was covered head to toe in blue paint. I looked up and saw them all standing on our dock laughing their asses off. By this time everyone was awake, and standing on the Morgenstern porch. Sebastian and posse walked up to us laughing.

"Blue looks good on you sweetheart." He said and I almost lunged at him but Clary stopped me.

"This is going to take forever to wash out you jackass." She said through gritted teeth.

"Like how it took hours to wash my boat off?" Sebastian said and I rolled my eyes. "Have a nice shower. Wish I could join, but I have better things to do than rub my hands all over your body again." He said as he walked away and I heard Jon growl. Once they were gone we all focused our attention on Clary.

"Come on, I'll hose you off." I said and she gave me a smile.

"Thanks." She said and we made our way over to the hose. "He is so getting his ass handed to him in the next one." She mumbled but I caught it and laughed. I loved her fiery personality, and I was excited to see what the next prank was.

 **Time Jump – Five Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since the paint incident, we have been racking our brains trying to figure out what to do to them. Nothing was coming to mind, and it was so frustrating. We wanted to get back at them so badly, but nothing seemed to be good enough to do. We were all sitting around outside when Magnus showed up. Alec clearly looked surprised but happy nonetheless.

"Magnus, what are you doing here?" Alec asked as he greeted him with a kiss.

"After you told me about this prank war you were involved in, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to contribute." He said as he handed him a bag.

"You bought us a slingshot?" Alec asks and I laugh.

"It can launch up to 200 feet. And that looks long enough for that side of the lake. It can launch anything. Eggs, water balloons, filled with water or paint, you decide." Magnus said and Alec pulled him into a hug.

"Did I tell you how much I love you?" Alec said and we all smiled. They had the best relationship, and I hope to find one like that.

"Every day my dear Alexander." Magnus said and kissed Alec on the cheek. We started making plans, and when it started getting dark everything was set up. The sling shot was on our dock and aimed right at Sebastian's house. They were throwing a party, that naturally we weren't invited too. We had eggs, water balloons, paint balloons, and some were filled with those fire crackers that you throw at the ground and pop.

We launched the first egg and heard a scream. We couldn't help but burst out into a fit of laughter as we fired the next item. It was great. We could see the people running away screaming. After we were done we grabbed all the evidence and hid it in the Herondale's garage. They weren't here this summer, and my parents and the Lightwood's would definitely not approve of this war. I would say we were definitely in the lead when it comes to this war, and I just can't wait to see what they do next.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

We spent the night at the Lightwood's last night. We had our normal family game night that didn't end until 3 in the morning and we all decided to crash there. I was in and out of sleep all morning, and was just about to fall back asleep when I heard a scream, but not just any scream, it was my father. I stood up and ran out of the house to see my father laying on the ground, and Sebastian standing a few feet away looking horrified.

"I am so sorry Mr. Morgenstern." Sebastian said and by this time everyone was outside. Jace and Jon went over to help my dad up, and he did not look pleased.

"What the hell was that for?" He yelled at Sebastian.

"We were just getting your kids back. They launched water balloons, and paint balloons at our party last night."

"Clarissa, Jonathan." He said and we made our way over to him. "Is this true?"

"Yes, but only because on the night of Clary's party he hit her with a BB gun." Jon said and my dad just got even madder.

"Why the hell would you do that to my daughter?" He yelled and Sebastian seemed to shrink back. "How many people are involved in this situation?" My father asked and Jon sighed.

"Me, Clary, Jace, Alec, and Izzy, against Sebastian, Aline, Kaelie, and Mark." Jon answered and my father looked stone cold.

"I want everyone in this house right now." He said and we all followed. He set up the room where there were five chairs on one side, and four chairs on the other. We took our seats and my father handed each of us something. "These pills force you to tell the truth, and you are going to take them, and we are going to get to the bottom of this."

"You can't make us do that." Mark yelled and my father glared at him.

"I can, because you decided that you were going to put a wire on the outside of my door and trip me down the stairs. Now, eat." He said and we all took the pill. "Now, we'll start with Sebastian, why would you shoot my daughter with a BB gun?" He asked and I could tell he was trying to resist but it looked painful.

"Because, in high school, Clary and I had a thing going on. I really liked her. We got drunk at a party and had sex." He said and I was really regretting this. My father didn't need to know about this. "I don't remember much, but I do remember when she said someone else's name in the middle of it." He said and my face flamed red.

"Who's name did she say?" My father asked and it just made it worse.

"Jace." He said and I hung my head. God damn it, now it was out. "I was pissed. Nothing hurts worse than the girl you like thinking of another guy while you're having sex." He said and I refused to look at anyone.

"Alright, Aline, why are you in this war?" He asked and I was glad Sebastian was over with.

"It was supposed to be me going to Stanford. I was supposed to be the lawyer. Not Clary. I was the smartest in our year, I was supposed to make it big not you." She said and I rolled my eyes.

"Kaelie?" My father asked and she glared at me.

"Jace is mine you whore." She said and my eyes widened. "He is mine, and he always will be. You have no right to him."

"I'm not property." Jace interjected and she huffed and sat back in her seat.

"Alright, Mark, what's your part?"

"Blackthorn's and Lightwood's have always been at odds, I thought this was a great way to get back at them for some of the things they did to my family." He said.

"Wow. You're all very pathetic." He said and turned to us. "Now, what are your excuses?"

"We were honestly just getting back at them for hitting me with a BB gun. That shit hurt dad." I said and he nodded.

"Jace? Why did you get involved?" He said and for the first time and he looked like he didn't want to answer truthfully.

"Because.." He started and hung his head. "Because I've been in love with Clary since high school, and when Sebastian hit her with the BB gun I felt like I needed to protect her." He said and my jaw dropped. He was not looking at me but I grabbed his chin and forced him to look at me.

"You love me?" I ask and he simply nodded. "I love you too." I said and his eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Really. I just thought there was way too much family history between us for anything to happen." I said and he smiled. He leaned down and kissed me and I was completely lost in it until my father pulled me back.

"You two can get back to that later. I'm not done with you yet." He said and he nodded and sat back. "Now, I'm guessing you three had the same reason? You wanted to protect Clary?" He asked and they nodded. "Alright, I won't tell your parents about this, but I swear if I land on my ass one more time because of you four, I will not be pleased." He said and they nodded and got up and left. "You five can leave." He said and everyone got up and left except Jace and I. We sat there for a moment until I broke the silence.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" I ask and he looks at me and smiles.

"I felt like you'd never feel the same way, and if you didn't I didn't want to ruin our friendship. Everyone kept telling me I should just tell you, but I couldn't risk losing you or making things awkward between us."

"Wait, everyone knew?"

"Yea, your brother figured it out first, and he told the rest of the group." He said and I was shocked. It was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "So, you love me too?"

"I do." I said and he pulled me into his lap and pressed his lips to mine. We stayed like that for a while before we were forced apart due to lack of oxygen. We looked into each other's eyes and smiled. This is how it was supposed to be, and now that everything was out in the open, we could explore this new relationship. I was excited to see where things with Jace would go, but I knew that it was going to be one hell of an adventure.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by Author Autumn, and I know it took a while, but I finally came up with a full plot and I actually really love where it went, and I hope you do too! I am currently working on another one shot, and I hope to have that finished** **really soon! Please let me know how you like this one, and if you have any suggestions, leave a review! :)**


	31. Chapter 30 - Model

**Thirtieth One Shot:**

 **Model**

 **Jace POV:**

"That was so much fun!" Izzy said as we packed up our stuff from back stage.

"It was a lot different than I expected." I said as Alec came up behind us.

"Great job you two." He said and we both smiled. We kept talking for a bit, until we heard two little voices.

"You did great mom!" We heard and we all turned to see Clary, she was one of the veteran models, normally she modeled for the shorter women. The girl hugged her followed by the little boy.

"Thank you sweetie." She said and she bent down to the little boy.

"Surprised she has kids?" We heard from behind and we all turned to see a very sparkly man. "My name is Magnus Bane, I'm Clary's agent." He said and we all nodded.

"She looks so young, and her body is amazing." Izzy said and I looked back at Clary to admire her.

"Don't judge a book by its cover." Magnus said. He was about to say something else when a deep voice cut him off.

"Yes, mommy did very well showing the world her... lack of figure." This man said and I was shocked.

"Kids, Uncle Simon should be outside, why don't you go to him and we'll go get something to eat!" She said and gave them both a kiss. They ran over and stopped in front of us.

"Hi Uncle Magnus." The girl said. She was the spitting image of Clary.

"Hey kids. Uncle Simon is in the car. I'll get your mom out there as soon as I can!" Magnus said and they nodded and went out the door. I was about say something when we heard screaming.

"You are such an asshole!" We heard and we turned back to Clary and her and this man were fighting. "What the hell are you even doing here?"

"I came to drop the kids off. I only get them one weekend a month. I'm going to drag it out as long as I can since you are such a bitch you can't give me joint custody."

"You want joint custody?" She said, he nodded, and she laughed. "That's rich coming from a piss poor man who calls himself a father." She spat and I smiled a little.

"You can't keep them from me."

"I'm not. You get them one weekend a month."

"I get them on a Friday night and have to give them back on Sunday night. It's barely any time."

"Maybe you should have thought of that before you fucking cheated on me you bastard." She yelled and he laughed.

"I needed a good lay and obviously you weren't giving it to me."

"Oh I'm so sorry. I was busy raising our kids, getting my GED, and working. But god forbid you get off your god damn lazy ass and help me out. No, nobody could tell the great Sebastian what to do." She said as she packed the rest of her things. "You are a pathetic excuse for a father and a man, and you'll have your weekend with the kids next month."

"I can't do the weekend we agreed. I got a new job and I'll be away that weekend."

"Flaking already? Gee, I guess father of the year is out of the question now." She said with so much sarcasm and it was great to see her sticking up for herself and her kids. She looks really shy, but evidently not.

"It's a trucking job. I'm on the road a lot."

"Well, maybe I'll just file for full custody than. With no visitation."

"You can't do that!" He yelled as she walked away.

"Take it up with my lawyer jackass." He huffed and she walked over to us and her eyes widened. "I didn't realize we had an audience."

"Girl, you are a badass." Izzy said and we all laughed.

"Thanks. My kids and I are going out for something to eat, you guys wanna join?"

"We don't want to intrude." Alec said and she laughed.

"Nonsense. Magnus, and Simon will be there too. It's a little tradition we do after a show. Think of it as my way to welcome you."

"Alright, but only because I'm starving!" Izzy said and Clary smiled.

"Cool. Follow me." Clary said and we walked out to a limo. Clearly she did quite well for herself. We got in and there was a guy playing with her two kids. "Kids, Simon, meet Izzy and Jace. They are the two newbies, and their manager Alec. They will be joining us. Guys these are my kids, Penny and Corey. And the big guy is my best friend Simon." Every said hello and Corey jumped on top of Clary.

"Mommy, can we get pizza!" He asked and Clary laughed.

"Of course baby." Clary said and Magnus told the driver and not even 10 minutes later we pulled up to a restaurant. We took our seats and before we ever ordered there was a pizza placed on the table. "We come here a lot." She said and we all nodded.

"Mommy!" Corey called and we looked over. "Paul said he can teach Penny and I how to make a pizza! Can we try?" He asks with pleading eyes.

"Of course, but don't get too messy!" She said and they ran into the kitchen.

"So, Clary. How long have you been modeling?" Izzy asks.

"About 8 years. I was approached when I was 19."

"Wait, your only 26?" Alec interjects.

"Yea. Teen mom." She says and we nod. "I had Penny was I was 16, and when I turned 19, Sebastian and I got married. I had Corey when I was 20, and at 22 we were divorced."

"Damn." We all said in unison.

"Yea. It wasn't a pleasant marriage. He cheated. We fought. My kids didn't need to go through that. So I filed for divorce, and six months later we were no longer married. It was a great day." She said and we laughed.

"How did you do it with two kids?" Izzy asks.

"I had a trust fund from my parents that I got when I was 18. So I was set. After we divorced I moved in with Simon for a couple months so I could hunt for a house. And we've been on our own ever since. Not the most ideal situation, but I love my kids, and I wouldn't trade them for the world." And just like on cue, Corey came out of the kitchen covered in pizza sauce. "Corey Fray. What did I say?"

"Oops." Was all he said and Clary laughed.

"I guess I'll just have to throw you in the pool when we get home." He giggled and ran towards her and transferred the pizza sauce to her.

"Corey! Get off! You're getting me all saucy! Penelope! Help!" Clary yelled through the laughter and Penny walked out covered in flower and threw herself at Clary as well. We all sat there laughing while Clary got a flower and sauce bath.

When we were finished eating we all piled back into the limo.

"Where should be drop you three off?" Clary asked.

"We're staying at the Hilton." Izzy said.

"You don't have a place to live?"

"We just got in."

"I have plenty of rooms. You guys can stay with me until you find one."

"You don't even know is. For all you know we could be a team of serial killers." Alec said and Clary laughed.

"I doubt it. Plus, if you're being shady I'll have Bat take care of you." She said and we were confused until Magnus spoke up.

"Head of her security." He said and we nodded. We pulled up to a gated house and Clary rolled down the window.

"It's Clarissa Luke, plus the kids, Magnus, Simon, and three new people." She said in to the speaker.

"Alright kiddo. Come on through. They will have to be searched." He said.

"I know the protocol." She said and the gate opened. When we parked we all got out, and her house was absolutely magnificent. The kids immediately ran off in different directions, and Magnus and Simon followed one of them while Clary led us to the security office. When we got there everyone was wearing suits, and had a gun strapped to their hips. Talk about intimidating. "My parents are pretty important, and my safety is top priority." She said and we nodded.

"Names?" The one guy said.

"Isabelle Lightwood."

"Alexander Lightwood."

"Jonathan Herondale." I said and Clary gave me a confused expression.

"We need to get your fingerprints." The guy said and we all nodded in agreement. He took all out fingerprints and waited for the results to come back. "Well, none of you are criminals, but you Jonathan got into quite a bit of trouble in high school."

"That's on there?" I said and I looked at the monitor.

"Nothing gets past the secret service." He said and my eyes widened.

"Secret service?" I questioned and Clary laughed.

"Did I not mention my father was the president?"

"No. I thought your last name was Fray?" Izzy said.

"I changed it. I was getting a lot of threatening messages, and stalkers, and people were breaking into my house, so I changed it." We all nodded and they continued with protocol. We had nothing on us that was considered a weapon, unless you count the point on Izzy's heel threatening, which the one guy did, we were given the all clear and went into the house. "I'm sorry about that. I should have mentioned the whole search."

"It's okay, just caught us all off guard." Alec said and she smiled and nodded.

"Okay. There are a lot of bedrooms. Mine is at the very end of the hallway. Penny's door is green, and Corey's door is orange, and Magnus and Simon have rooms here for when they stay that have an M and an S on them just to claim them, but every other room is fair game. Choose what you like. Each of them come with a private bathroom. Fully stocked. Towels are in the closet, and a wide variety of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are under the sink. Feel free to roam around. I have to get the kids in bed." She said as she went upstairs. We stood there for a minute taking it all in until Izzy broke the silence.

"Holy fucking shit. This place is amazing." She said and we laughed.

"This is a lot to process." Alec said and I nodded.

"Well, you have fun processing it. I'm going to go explore!" Izzy said as she ran off. Alec and I headed upstairs. We picked our rooms and I didn't know what to do so I started walking around. I found a room that only had a piano in it, and decided to play for a while.

 **Clary POV:**

I walked upstairs and knocked on Corey's door. I heard a faint come in and when I walked in he was still covered in pizza sauce.

"Alright baby, in the tub." I said and I ushered him into the bathroom and turned the tub on. I was just going to give him a birdbath for right now, and tomorrow I'd give him a real one. Once we were done getting the sauce off him we made our way back into his room. "Pick out your pajamas, and I'll read you a story." He nodded. He picked out his fire truck pj's and ran back over to me. I got him dressed and we snuggled on his bed while I read Goodnight Moon to him. Halfway through the book I realized that he was asleep, so I tucked him in, gave him a kiss and turned out his light. I went over to Penny's room and she was already showered and changed. I walked over and gave her a kiss and said goodnight when I heard it.

"Is someone playing the piano mom?" Penny asked and I was surprised. That thing never got played.

"I guess so."

"Whoever it is, they are really good. I wish I could play like that." She said and I gave her another kiss.

"We'll get you those lessons." I said and she nodded and closed her eyes. I shut off the light and went back downstairs to find out who was playing. When I walked into the kitchen I saw Izzy looking for a snack. "Hungry?" I said and she seemed startled.

"Yea. I was just looking for a snack. But there are so many options, I don't know what to pick."

"I know. I like to have a variety depending on my mood." I said and she laughed. "Who is playing the piano?"

"Jace."

"He's really good."

"He better be. He would spend hours practicing in high school. He'd wake up early to play before school. Once he came home he'd play until crazy hours in the night."

"Why?"

"Kinda a sad story. You should probably ask him about it." She said and I nodded. She finally settled on some ice cream and I handed her a spoon. "Thanks for letting us stay here. It was really nice of you."

"Of course. Have a good night Izzy." She smiled and ran up the stairs and I made my way to the music room, if I can even call it that. I opened the door and saw Jace sitting at the piano and his fingers were moving across the keys beautifully. I stood there for who knows how long before he finished. "Wow." I said and his head snapped towards me.

"Sorry. I found it and couldn't help myself." He said and I smiled and made my way over to him.

"Don't worry about it. You're really good." I said and he smiled. "Izzy said you practiced a lot in high school."

"Yea. It was the only thing that took me out of the world, and made everything make sense."

"Tough past?"

"You could say that."

"I thought Izzy and Alec were your siblings, but you don't have the same last name, and you don't look anything like them." I said and he nodded.

"I was adopted when I was 10. I never knew my mother. She killed herself after I was born, and my father was killed in the line of duty, and the Lightwoods fostered me, and decided to adopt me."

"Wow. That really sucks." I said and he laughed a little.

"Yea. The piano was the last thing I had that connected me to my father. I poured everything into it. When I was sad, or angry, or happy, whatever the emotion I felt I played and it seemed to capture the feelings perfectly."

"And the trouble in high school?" I asked hesitantly.

"Fights. Lots of them."

"Were they justified?" I ask and he nods.

"Most of them were for Alec and Izzy." He said and he looked at me. "Alec came out in 11th grade, and for some reason the kids thought that gave them the right to bully him. I didn't take any of their shit. If I heard someone so much say Alec's name in a sentence wrong I was on it. And there were a couple guys who liked to harass Izzy. They were always just calling her pet names, and they knew she didn't like it, or getting uncomfortably close, and smacking her ass while she walked down the hallways."

"Good for you. I'd be pissed if those things were happening to me."

"The school thought I was being defiant. They said that Alec and Izzy could handle their own problems, but the thing is they are too nice to do anything about it. They don't like conflict."

"And you do?"

"No, but when it comes to the people I love, I'd burn the world down for them."

"You're a great brother." I said and he shrugged. We were quiet for a little until he spoke again.

"Do you play?" He asked and I laughed.

"God no. The only thing I can play is chopsticks, and even that sucks." I said and he laughed.

"So why do you have a piano?"

"Penny really wanted to play a couple years ago, and I bought it for her, but the lessons never started."

"I could teach her." He said and my eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Yea. I can play, and I won't charge a thing."

"That would be great. I've been trying to schedule her for lessons, but our schedules are so chaotic that it never works."

"Just let me know, and I can help."

"Thanks Jace. And you and your siblings are welcome to stay as long as you like." I said and he smiled. "It's always nice to not be the only adult."

"But Magnus and Simon?"

"They only stay occasionally. They'll stay tonight, but they have their own houses." He nodded and I figured it was time for bed. I had a long day. "I'm going to head to bed, it's getting late."

"Yea, same." He said and we stood up and walked into the living room and stopped dead in our tracks. "Well, looks like Alec won't want to leave any time soon." He whispered in my ear as Alec and Magnus were making out on the couch. I laughed and they flew apart. They looked incredibly embarrassed.

"Don't stop on our account. Just don't let the kids catch you." I said and Jace and I made our way to the stairs. "Oh, and Alec you and your siblings are allowed to stay as long as you want." I said and Jace and I laughed again and made our way upstairs. Jace had apparently chosen the room closest to mine, so we were making our way to the end of the hall when I heard something from Simon's room. Jace and I stopped and looked at each other. "You don't think?"

"There is only one way to find out." He smirked and I smiled and kicked the door opened and saw Simon and Izzy making out on his bed. Simon flew off the bed and Izzy looked like a deer in the headlights.

"You two have only known each other a couple hours." I said and Simon stood up.

"So?"

"Man, everyone is getting some tonight." I said and they opened they eyes and stared between us. "No, I meant Alec and Magnus are currently making out on the couch downstairs." I said and Izzy got the biggest smile on her face. "Alright, we'll leave you alone, and be safe." I closed the door while they looked shocked. Jace and I laughed as we made our way down the hallway.

"Tonight has been eventful." He said and I laughed.

"That it has been. It was nice talking to you tonight Jace."

"You two. Maybe next time I can get your childhood story." He said and I smiled.

"Maybe." I walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight." I said and I opened my door and when it was shut I took a deep breath. Tonight was a good night, and I liked those three a lot.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Since Clary offered us her home for as long as we need it, we've been very picky when it comes to houses. We haven't found one that we like, and that we can afford. It's been a hassle but thankfully Clary was so nice to let us stay because we would have been even more broke than we are now if we had to stay in a hotel. I was walking to find Penny for our lessons because she never showed up, and when I heard sobbing coming from her room, I immediately went to check on her. I knocked on the door and I hear a faint come in and when I opened the door, I saw her curled up on her bed. I walked over and started rubbing her back until she calmed down.

"What's wrong Penny?" I asked and she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"It's so stupid." She said and I smiled.

"It's not stupid if it upsets you." I wiped a stray tear from her cheek and she smiled.

"I had this stupid crush on this guy in my class." She said and I felt like I was in over my heard. I mean, what did I know about a 10 year old girl, and crushes. But I listened nonetheless. "I thought he liked me too." She sniffled. "I told my best friend Jessica about it, and today I saw them kissing."

"Kissing? What are you in 5th grade? Who is kissing in 5th grade?" I said and she laughed.

"I thought she was my best friend."

"So you aren't mad about your crush kissing someone else?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"No. I'm mad my best friend, who I told about my crush, went behind my back and did that to me." She said and I could tell she was going to be fiercely independent, just like Clary. "There will always be more guys in the world, but a best friend is supposed to be that support, and shoulder to cry on. At least that's what mom says. That's what Uncle Simon is for her, and I thought I had that with Jessica, I guess I was wrong."

"That's the good thing about being young." I said and she looked at me. "There will be other best friends. I had a best friend when I was younger too that I no longer speak too."

"Really? What happened?"

"When I was your age I lost my dad, and I didn't have a mom so I had to go into the foster care system. I ended up being placed with Alec and Izzy's family, and it turned out really well, but my best friend from before, his name was Mark, and I thought he was like my brother, but when everything happened, he stopped talking to me, and didn't even come to my fathers funeral. I was devastated, but once I met Alec he became my best friend, and he still is to this day." I said and she looked better now. "There will always be someone out there who can be your best friend." I said and she smiled and wrapped he arms around my neck. I hugged her back and the door opened. I looked over to see Clary and Sebastian standing there.

"What the hell is this?" Sebastian said and Clary smacked him.

"I don't know the rules in your house, but there is no cursing in mine." She said and Penny smiled back at me.

"Thanks for the talk Jace." She said and I smiled.

"No problem kiddo." I said and she smiled and hopped off her bed and grabbed her bag and walked out. Sebastian gave me a death stare but followed Penny out. Clary was still standing in the doorframe.

"What was that all about?"

"She's having best friend issues. I heard her crying, so I came in to see what was going on. We were supposed to practice but she never showed."

"Is she all right?"

"I think so." I smiled and so did she.

"Thank you."

"It's no problem." I said and I got up and walked over to meet her in the doorframe. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't attracted to Clary. She was beautiful, and funny, and so confident in herself. It was hard not to be attracted to her. We were standing there in silence for a moment before she got up on her tip toes and pressed her lips to mine. Heat radiated through my body as I pulled her closer to me. I have been wanting to kiss her for months. We had come close, but we always got interrupted. Kissing her felt right. It felt natural. We kept kissing until we heard someone call he for.

"Mom!" We heard and we broke apart and she blushed. "Corey left his teddy bear up there! Can you bring it down?"

"Be right there sweetheart." She called back. "I better go, and give him his teddy bear."

"Yea." I said and she walked over to his room. She turned back and smiled at me.

"But, I'd like to continue this later." She said and I smiled.

"Absolutely." I said and she went into Corey's room and grabbed the teddy bear and went down the stairs. I leaned against the doorframe, and thought about that kiss. After a few moments I went downstairs. Clary was saying goodbye to Penny and Corey and I was getting the death stare from Sebastian. Finally Clary was done and they left. Clary made her way over to me and she could see the look on my face.

"What's wrong?" She asks.

"Sebastian doesn't like me does he?" I said and she laughed.

"No, but he's still delusional because he thinks he can get me back." She said and she wrapped her arms around my torso. "We may have two kids together, but the love boat set sail a long time ago."

"Nothing worse than a territorial father." I said and she nodded.

"It can be annoying, but he is there dad, and as much as I'd love to cut contact, it isn't fair."

"I understand." I said and she nodded.

"So, late night coffee date?" She asks and I smile.

"I'd love that."

"Great. Let me just grab my coat." She went to the closet and grabbed her coat and we both headed towards the door. "Bat, we're going out, but we should be back soon."

"Would you like protection?" Bat asked and she nodded.

"But no suits. Casual only." She said and he nodded. "I'd love to be alone, but after what happened before, I don't trust being alone in public."

"Will you tell me about it?" I ask and she looks upset.

"Sure." She says and we make our way outside and into one of the cars.

We got to the coffee shop and I couldn't tell how many of them were actual customers or who was the protective detail, which was nice. I ordered our coffee and we took a seat.

"So Clary Fray, tell me about your life?" I ask and she laughs.

"Well, I grew up in Delaware, and when I was 22 by father was elected. He's been in office ever since. It was a scandal for the governors daughter to be pregnant at 16, so I lived on my own. My parents helped, but I stayed out of the spotlight. My fathers dream was to be president, and I wasn't going to ruin that because I got pregnant. I started modeling at 19, and that's been my life ever since."

"So, what happened that you need a detail whenever you go out?" I ask and I could tell it was a sore subject.

"I was 23, and I was at the store getting something for dinner. I was mobbed by people who didn't agree with my fathers political views. It was so bad. I was trampled. I had a fractured wrist, a few bruised ribs, a black eye and a split lip. Ever since then I don't trust being out by myself. It's even worse when my kids are with me."

"That's terrible."

"I don't even try and be brave and venture into the world anymore."

"I don't blame you one bit." I said and she laughed. We spent a couple hours talking at this coffee shop, and by the time we were leaving I felt like I really knew Clary. We finally got back into the car and made our way back to her house. When we walked in Simon and Izzy were cuddled on the couch with Alec and Magnus watching a movie. They heard the door and all their eyes snapped towards us.

"You guys are just in time, we just started the movie!" Izzy said and Clary and I looked at each other and joined them. We sat on the couch and Clary immediately cuddled into my side. Everything with her just felt so natural. Like we had known each other forever, and that for some reason we were always supposed to be in this position.

When the movie was over, I looked down and noticed that Clary was asleep. I smiled and picked her up and started towards her room. I had never been in her room, she seemed like a private person, and if she wanted me to see it, she'll let me know, but I had no choice. I opened the door and what I saw was amazing. The walls were filled with sketches, and paintings that had a little CF scribbled in the corner. She truly had a gift. I placed her on her bed and started taking her shoes off when she starts waking up.

"Hey." I said and she sits up.

"Hey. Did I fall asleep?"

"Yea. I didn't want to wake you so I brought you up." I finished taking her shoes off and take a seat on her bed. "Is there anything else you need?" She looks around and takes a deep breath.

"A cuddle buddy?" She looks at me and my eyes widen.

"Are you sure?" I ask and she laughs.

"Very. Go get ready and meet me back in here." She said and I nodded. I went to my room and grabbed some shorts and a tee shirt and headed back to Clary's room. She was already back in bed, and I walk over and get in bed with her. I try to keep a distance because I have no idea what I'm doing. "You comfy over there in Timbuktu?" She asks and I laugh. "The point of a cuddle buddy is to be close."

"I'm sorry." I said as I scooted closer.

"I didn't peg you as the type to get nervous around women." She said and I laughed.

"I haven't before." I said and she grabbed my hand and pulled me closer.

"Just relax Jace."

"It's hard."

"Why?"

"Cause I like you, and I've never felt this way before."

"You've never liked someone?"

"Not to the capacity that I like you. I was a player in high school, and in college I just kinda stopped. Nobody caught my eye, but with you, it's just so different."

"Do I intimidate you?"

"Honestly, yes you do." I said and she sat up and tangled out legs together. "You're the presidents daughter, you're a model, and you are the most independent woman I've ever met. You are a fantastic mom, and a great friend, and so beautiful." I said and she blushed. "It's a lot to take in."

"Just try and think of me as a normal girl."

"I can't, because you are so much more than that." I said and she leaned up and pressed her lips to mine. We sat there kissing for a while until we broke apart. By this time she is straddling me and my hands are resting on her thighs.

"Look, obviously it's going to be a little strange because you're currently living here, and we are in the same profession, and I have two kids and a crazy ex-husband, but even though I am only 26, I know what I want in life. I know what I need, and what my kids need. If I didn't think this was going to work, I wouldn't try." She said and I realized that she was right. There was something between us, and I could feel it just as much as she could, and it would be unfair to try and deny it.

"I agree." I said and she smiles.

"I like you Jace. A lot. I have never felt like this before. Even with Sebastian. Yes, I had two kids with him, but I've never felt what I feel about you." She explained and I nod along in agreement.

"I like you too." I said and he pressed her lips to mine again. After we were finished kissing she cuddled into my side, and I pulled her close. This did feel right, and I don't know why I was freaking out about it.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

These last four months have been amazing. Jace and I have been together ever since that night and I was loving every minute of it. Tonight we had a show, and I was running around the house like a mad woman. Simon was watching the kids tonight and meeting us later at the show, so I was getting everything ready for them, I know they don't really need it but I can't turn off being a mom.

"Alright Simon, dinner is in the fridge, and the show starts at 8. The tickets will be at the entrance just tell them you're with me."

"This isn't my first rodeo Clare. I've done this before." Simon said as I grabbed my coat.

"Oh, and if Corey doesn't eat his broccoli, he doesn't get pizza after the show."

"Clary." Simon said and all the sudden I felt strong arms behind me.

"Say goodbye to your mother guys, we're leaving." Jace said and Simon thanked him.

"Bye mamma! Kick butt!" Penny said and I smiled while Jace dragged me out of the house.

"We were supposed to leave 15 minutes ago." Jace mumbled into my ear and I giggled. Yes, he was making me feel like a teenager all over again.

"I can't help it. I can't turn off the mom in me." I said and he kissed my lips.

"Come on mom, we're going to be late." He said as we got into the car and headed to the venue. When we got there we were whisked away to our make up stations and didn't see each other for an hour. When we were finally done, we met back near the runway. Man did he look good when he was all done up, granite he looked good all the time, and this just made me want to take him in the back corner and have my way with him.

The show started and I felt like I was on cloud 9. I always got that feeling when I'm on the runway. It was the one place that made me feel like I was doing something right. Seeing my kids in the audience certainly made everything even more perfect. Once it was over Jace and I made our way out to see the kids, and I was nothing but smiles. They came up and Penny hugged me and Jace picked up Corey. They had bonded really well, and it made me really happy.

"You were great mom." Penny said and I smiled. "So were you Jace."

"Thanks Penny. It took a lot to make that happen." Jace said and she laughed. We kept talking until we heard a lone slow clap start. We looked up and Sebastian was walking towards us. Jace put Corey down and Penny sank behind me.

"Penny, Corey, can you please go outside and find Uncle Magnus and Uncle Simon. I need to speak with your father." They nodded and ran towards the exit, Jace stayed by my side while Sebastian got closer.

"Well, if it isn't the happy family. What a sight." Sebastian said and I could hear Jace growl. I knew he didn't like Sebastian but this felt like a territory fight.

"What do you want Sebastian?"

"I wanted to come and see my kids, since you never let me, and here I am. Seeing some asshole holding my son." Jace started to move towards him but I stopped him. They didn't need to fight.

"What happens when you aren't around doesn't concern you. They are my kids too. They came out of my vagina, and I went through 15 hours of labor with Penny, 12 hours of labor with Corey, and where the fuck were you? Oh, that's right, drunk and passed out in a ditch." I yelled and Jace grabbed my arm so I wouldn't lunge at him. "I thought when I got pregnant with Penny that you would turn your life around and be a good father. But all you did was hang out with you friends, get high, and drunk, and I stayed with you because I wanted our daughter to have a family. You promised when we got married that you changed, and than when Corey was born you were with some whore. You weren't there for both of our kids birth, and you have the audacity to show up here and get pissed at a man who has been nothing but amazing to your two kids? What kind of sick and twisted bastard are you?"

"I stayed with you out of guilt. I didn't want a kid. I didn't want to be a parent ever, and than you got pregnant. And what was I supposed to do? Leave you and look like the biggest asshole in the world?"

"You're doing a pretty great job at it now aren't you?" I yelled back.

"I don't need this." Sebastian yelled and started walking away. I went after him and grabbed his arm when he back handed me. In a second Jace was in front of me looking pissed.

"You need to leave, before you can't walk out of here without assistance." Jace seethed. Sebastian grunted and than stormed off. Jace turned back towards me and looked pissed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I said but Jace knows me too well to know that.

"Clary."

"I'm pissed. Why does he think he has the right to tell me how to live my life? I gave him so many chances to get back on the wagon, and to better his life. I tried to make him an active father. Once a month visits was generous. He's lucky I didn't give him supervised visits for one hour every other month. And he has no right to get pissed at whoever I chose to bring into my children's life. You've been more than a father than he has, and yet he gets to smack me around because he's being a bitch?" I say and I finish and before I knew it, his lips were on mine. We stayed there for who knows how long before we broke apart.

"I love you." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too."

"Forget about Sebastian. Go to court, fix the visitation, do whatever you need to do, and I'll be right here to help you along the way." He said and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"What did I do to deserve you?" I say and I feel him laugh. I stayed like that for a little while I took in the amazing man that was in my arms.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

A couple months after Sebastian and I's fight he was arrested for sexually assaulting a woman and getting 7 years in jail. Serves him right, thinking he could get away with his asshole behavior and not get punished. Penny and Corey were pretty upset with Sebastian when they learned what he did to me, and how he was arrested. Penny refuses to accept his phone calls, and Corey refers to him as his ex-daddy. Jace and I were still together and loving every minute of it. He ended up never moving out. It was perfect. Izzy stayed for a while before moving in with Simon, and the same went for Alec. Everyone just found their person and from then on it was history.

I was on my way home from Penny's school, it was parent teacher conferences and I was beat. Her teacher didn't want to stop talking about Penny. She always answered questions, was kind to other kids, helped when she was needed, and never once gave an attitude to her teachers. I couldn't be more proud of her, and I was excited to go home and give her a hug.

I walked into the house and it smelled absolutely amazing. I walked into the kitchen and Jace was cooking. I walked over and snaked my arms around his waist and I felt him laugh.

"Hey babe." He said as he turned around and pulled me into a kiss.

"Hey, where are the kids?"

"They will be down for dinner."

"Is something happening?"

"Yes, but you'll have to wait." He said and he kissed my temple, and went back to cooking.

"Alright, I'll set the table." He smiled and I went to the dining room and set the table. About 45 minutes later dinner was ready and I was excited to see what was going on. Everyone entered the dining room, and sat down. "What's going on?" Jace got up and got down on one knee and my hands flew over my mouth.

"I love you Clary, and I can't picture my life without you, or Penny, or Corey. This past year and a half has been absolutely amazing, and I don't want to ever let you three go." He said and he pulled out a ring. "Will you marry me?"

"Oh my god! Yes!" I said and threw my arms around his neck. He picked me and swung me around and when he put me down, Penny and Corey ran over to us. "You two knew about this?"

"He asked for our permission." Penny said and my eyes started to tear. "We were more than happy to say yes. He's the perfect dad, even if he isn't really ours."

"Penny." I said feeling sorry for her but she shrugged.

"It's okay mom. Dad was a jerk, and he doesn't deserve you, and he doesn't have the right to call us his kids anymore, right Corey?"

"Right. He's bad, and we don't like him anymore." Corey said and I let out a little laugh. "Plus, we like Jace more."

"Yea we do, and we want to ask you permission for something." Penny said and Jace and I stood there with a bunch of curiosity. "Since our father is now in jail, and he won't be apart of our lives for awhile, we were wondering if when you two get married, if Corey and I could take your last name Jace."

"You want to be Herondale's?" Jace asked with wide eyes.

"If you'll allow us." Penny said and Jace kneeled down and grabbed Penny and Corey's hands.

"It would be an honor for you two to be Herondale's." He said and Penny and Corey both ran into his arms. It was amazing how great he was with them, and to know that he loved them like their own was something that I never thought was possible. I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt a hand on my wrist and I was pulled into the family hug. I knew this was going to be an amazing life, and knowing Jace was going to be my husband and the new father of my kids was really going to be the best adventure we could possibly embark on.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was thought of by me, I was sitting trying to figure out how to continue the two one shots I have been working on, and this one popped into my head and I had to write it. I hope you all enjoy this one shot, and I promise that I'm trying to get the others request that you all have given me but I'm just trying to make them perfect! Let me know what you think, and leave a review! :)**


	32. Chapter 31 - Deaf

**(Little note before the story, when it's underlined it's being written, and when it's italicized it's being signed because as you can tell by the title of the story, this is about being deaf. Enjoy!)**

 **Thirty First One Shot:**

 **Deaf**

 **Clary POV:**

I was walking home from my school like I do every day ignoring everyone around me. It wasn't so hard, being deaf gives you the ability to block out the entire world. It's both a blessing and a curse. I'll never be normal. I was always looked at as the deaf girl in school until my parents decided to send me to a private deaf school. Add on top a school uniform to my deafness, frizzy red hair, and abnormally short body and I'm just about the coolest girl you'll ever met.

I looked up to cross the street and there were no cars coming. I stepped out into the road and began crossing. I was in the middle of sending a text when I felt a body hit me and than I was on the ground. I had no idea what happened, and when I looked up there was an angel above me. I took a deep breath and looked around. There was an angry lady yelling from her car window and I realize now that I was almost run over by a car. I was reading the woman's lips and she was not too pleased. I pulled out my sketchbook and started writing.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see a car when I started walking." I wrote out and showed it to her, and her anger seemed to subside but she huffed and drove away. I turned my attention back to the angel who was standing beside me. I focused on his lips.

"Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish?" I read his lips and I started writing again.

"I can't hear jackass. I didn't purposely walk in front of that car." I showed it to him and he shut up.

"You're deaf?" I read his lips again and I nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Thank you, for knocking me out of the way." I wrote and I showed it to him.

"It was no problem." I read his lips and he smiled. "Do you live close?"

"A couple more blocks. I was just going to get some coffee." I showed it to him, and he smiled.

"I'm on my way to get coffee too, want to join?" I read his lips and I was shocked, but what harm could it do?

"Sure." I wrote and we started walking. I haven't really had a lot of conversations with hearing people, and I felt like I creep when I was talking to them because I had to focus so hard on their lips, and it felt oddly intimate. I tried to stay in the deaf community as much as possible but sometimes I have to venture out and mingle with the hearing.

We walked into the coffee shop, and ordered our drinks and took a seat. I kept my sketchbook out because I assumed he was going to talk to me. After a few moments of silence I saw a hand wave in front of my face. I looked up and he was smiling. He took my pen and began writing.

"I didn't catch your name." He wrote, and I smiled. Normally when people can't communicate with me they stop talking all together, and it was nice that he was trying.

"My name is Clary. You?" I write back.

"I'm Jace." He wrote and I smiled "What school do you go too?"

"Idris School for the Hearing Impaired." I wrote back almost ashamed that I went there. People always made fun of the kids that went there. I may not be able to hear but I am pretty damn good at reading lips and the things kids say are pretty nasty.

"I've heard of that school. Is it all deaf people?" He wrote out and I was pretty shocked at his question.

"Uh, no. People who are going deaf can attend, or those who can hear but know that by a certain age they will no longer have their hearing can go there. It helps acclimate them to the deaf community. My friend Maia, she lost hearing in her left ear when she was 10, and by the time she turns 25 she will have lost it in her right ear. She attends so she can be as accustomed to the deaf world as possible for when she becomes fully deaf." I write and I watch him read, and he seems very interested.

"When did you lose your hearing?" He writes.

"I started losing it when I was 3. I was in preschool and I kept getting in trouble because I wasn't listening to the teacher, but I couldn't hear her. My parents took me to the doctor and basically they gave my hearing 4 more years, and I would be completely deaf. I tried to stay in school but the kids were ruthless. I came home one say and my shirt was stained red. Some girl poured her fruit punch on me, and that was the last straw for my mom. She enrolled me in Idris, and I've been there ever since." I wrote and I handed it to him. After a few moments he started writing back.

"Kids can be so cruel. I'm sorry you went through that." He wrote and I smiled and shrugged at him.

"Where do you go to school?" I wrote and handed it back to him.

"Alicante High School. Just a few blocks away from your school." He writes and I nod.

"I would be there if I wasn't deaf. Do you like it?"

"It's alright. It's probably a lot different from your school but it's an average high school." He writes and I nod. "Do you play any sports?"

"Being deaf doesn't really leave much ability for sports." I write and he looks embarrassed that he asked but I just laugh. "I'm an artist, or I hope to be one day."

"That's cool. I can't even draw a stick figure." He writes back and I laugh but I try to hide it. I hate my laugh and it sounds even worse because I don't remember what sounds sound like. "You have a great laugh." He writes and I blush.

"What about you? You play any sports?" I ask back trying to get the focus of me and my flaming red cheeks.

"Football in the fall, basketball in the winter, and baseball in the spring."

"A man of many talents." I write and he smirks. "You plan on doing anything with those sports in the future?"

"I would love to go to college on a baseball scholarship." He writes and I nod. "What grade are you in?"

"I'm a senior. You?"

"I'm a senior too. Do you have any idea where you want to go to college?"

"I would love to go to NYU. They have a great art program, and it's close to home. I'm a city girl, I don't think I could live anywhere else. What about you?"

"NYU is one of my top choices too. I feel the same way when it comes to the city. I've lived in one my whole life, it would be weird to not go to school in one." He writes and I nod. I look at my phone and realize that I was supposed to be home an hour ago.

"It was great talking, and hanging out with you but I was supposed to be home an hour ago. My parents are probably freaking out. Thank you for knocking me out of the way again." I write and hand it back to him to get one last response. When he hands it back there is a phone number.

"Text me sometime. I really liked getting to know you, and maybe we could do this again." It read and I was shocked. "Maybe next time you could give me a sign language lesson." I looked up at him and he smiled. I didn't know what to write so I just smiled and nodded back. I walked out of the coffee shop and headed home. I don't know what happened today, but I liked it.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I have been hanging out after school for the past couple months and I had really enjoyed getting to know her. She was funny, and smart, and witty, and beautiful, and so different than the bimbos I spend all day at school with. Being with her was real, and easy, and natural. I liked it, and I hoped she did too. It was a Saturday and Clary and I decided to go to a bookstore today. She had been really wanting to go for a while now, and we both finally had the time. I grabbed my jacket and was about to leave when Izzy blocked my way.

"Where are you going Jace?" She asked and I rolled my eyes.

"Out." I said and I tried to move around her but she moved first.

"Out where?"

"What is this? An interrogation?" I ask and her eyes soften.

"You've been disappearing for months Jace. Mom and dad are worried. Are you in trouble? Are you in a gang? What are you doing?"

"Izzy, I promise you I'm not in trouble, I'm not involved in anything illegal, I'm not doing drugs, stealing, or sealing my body. I'm just meeting up with someone." I said and her eyes widened.

"Would this someone be a girl?" She asked and I didn't answer fast enough so she shrieked. "Oh my god, you have a girlfriend!"

"She isn't my girlfriend. She's just a friend."

"But you want her to be your girlfriend."

"I'm not having this conversation Iz. I'm going to be late." I said and she stepped aside. I got to my car, and drive to Clary's house. When I pulled up she was waiting outside. She got into the passenger seat and smiled.

 _"What took you so long?"_ She signed and I smiled.

 _"My sister cornered me before I could leave. She was worried that me 'sneaking off' meant that I was in some sort of trouble."_ I signed back. She nodded and I drove away. Clary had been teaching me how to sign for the past couple months and surprisingly I was really good at it, and it made communicating a lot easier, although I had no problem writing everything down, I could tell signing was more natural to her.

We got to the bookstore and started looking around. Books were an escape for both of us, and any chance we had to get a new book we took. I was searching through the one section when I heard a laugh that I never wanted to hear again.

"Jacey, what brings you here?" I heard Kaelie asks and I groaned. I turned around and she was leaning on the bookshelf.

"I'm getting a book Kaelie, what does it look like? More importantly, what are you doing here? You can barely read your own name." I said and she just laughed thinking it was funny.

"I'm here with my cousin. He claims picking up girls at a book store gets you the good ones." She said and I rolled my eyes. Sebastian was never the kind of guy who would willingly walk into a bookstore. She started talking to me but I tried to block her out as much as possible.

 **Clary POV:**

I was looking through the one bookshelf when I dropped a book. I went to pick it up when a hand beat me too it. I looked up expecting it to be Jace, but I was met with black eyes. I glanced down at his lips and picked up a couple words, but they didn't make sense. I tried to move when he cornered me. I focused more on his lips now and caught the words 'baby' 'hot' and 'sexy'. He leaned down and I could feel his lips moving against my neck, but I couldn't tell what he was saying. I tried to move but he pinned me against the bookshelf and when I looked around nobody was around. The only thing I could do was yell, but I would sound like a dying cow. His hands started moving up my body and I was getting really uncomfortable and decided it was either continue to get felt up by him or sound like death, and right now sounding like death seemed like a better option.

"JACE!" I yelled and I couldn't hear myself but according to this guys expression he looked really confused at what I just said. The next thing I know Jace is on top of Sebastian and I just sink down onto the floor. A couple minutes later my chin is being lifted and I'm met with golden eyes.

 _"Are you okay?"_ He signed and than his hands were immediately back on my face. I simply nodded. He helped me up and we walked back to his car. We sat there for a moment before I turned towards him.

 _"Did you know that guy?"_ I signed and he nodded.

 _"He goes to my school. He's pretty famous for taking advantage of girls."_ He signed and I took a deep breath. _"I'm sorry."_

 _"It's not your fault."_ I signed back and grabbed his hand.

 _"Want to go back to my place? We can eat brownies, and watch movies for the rest of the day?"_ He signed and I couldn't help but laugh and nod. He drove us back to his house. When we walked in nobody was there. _"My room is the second one on the right, I'll be right up with snacks."_ He said and I nodded and walked up, when I got into his room it was the cleanest room I've ever seen. I took a seat on his bed and realized how uncomfortable I am in these clothes, and decide I'll go ask if I can borrow a tee shirt. I walk to the top of the stairs I see Jace standing there talking to a couple of people. I didn't know how long he would be, so I decided to knock on the wall. Once I did, all eyes were on me.

 _"I was wondering if I could borrow a shirt. I'm really uncomfortable, and I just keep associating this shirt with him."_ I signed and I could see him laugh a little while the other look confused.

 _"Top drawer. Pick one."_ He signed back and I smiled and went back to his room. I took one of his shirts, and changed and got into his bed, and waited for him.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left I looked back at my family and they all looked extremely confused. I didn't say anything, just wait for them to process it. After a few moments, Izzy started to talk.

"What was that?" Izzy said and I just smiled.

"That was Clary. The girl I went to go see today." I said and her eyes got wide.

"What is she doing here?"

"We were at the bookstore, and Sebastian cornered her and started kissing her." I said and Izzy looked disgusted.

"And she can't hear?" Alec said and I nodded. "How did you meet her?"

"Uh, she almost got run over by a car and I knocked her out of the way." I said and everyone looked confused. "We went out to coffee, and have been getting to know each other."

"So, she's completely deaf?" Maryse asks and I nod.

"Yea, she goes to Idris School for the Hearing Impaired." I said and they all nodded. "She had a pretty traumatizing experience today, and I promised her brownies and movies. I'll see you guys later." I said and I walked up and went to my room. I walked in and saw Clary sitting in my bed, wearing my tee shirt, and her clothes piled on the floor. I smiled and went over, put a random movie in and joined her in bed. She scooted closer to me and I put my arm around her and she fit perfectly into my side. I was going to enjoy the rest of today.

 **Time Jump – Graduation**

 **Clary POV:**

I was graduating today and I honestly didn't even know where the time went. It felt like just yesterday was the beginning of my senior year and now I'm here, sitting in a cap and gown, watching my classmates graduating while my family and Jace sit in the audience watching. It felt like a dream come true.

Jace and I were both going to NYU in the fall, and I was excited to experience it with him. We had been together since that day at the bookstore, and honestly nothing in the world made me happier. We fit really well together, my family liked him, and his family liked me, and everything just worked out really well. I was standing up when my name was signed and I went a got my diploma and went back to my seat. I just wanted the ceremony to be over so I could go see my family. After a long and boring ceremony I finally got out of the auditorium and made my way to where my family was. Jace was the first one to greet me. He pulled me into a sweet kiss, and when he pulled away he mouth 'I'm so proud of you' and I smiled. I looked at my family and they were bursting at the seams.

 _"We are so incredibly proud of you Clary."_ My mom signed and I gave her a hug. I hugged my dad and my brother and we headed home. When I opened the door I was greeted by Jace's whole family and I couldn't help but smile. I turned around and looked at him.

 _"You did all this for me?"_ I signed and he looked a little shy.

 _"They wanted to come to the graduation, but you only had four tickets, and they would have been lost, so I asked your parents if they could come over after and set up the house for you."_ He signed back and I walked over and kissed him on the cheek.

 _"You're the best."_ I signed and he smiled and I went and greeted his whole family. Life was going to be good, I just knew it.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I had been attending NYU for two years now, and it was amazing. I was studying business and I'm on the baseball team, and Clary is studying art just like she always dreamed. She was an amazing artist, and I knew she would make a name for herself. We were meeting by the fountain like we always do but Clary wasn't there. I gave her a few minutes in case she got caught up in class. After about 10 minutes she still was no where to be found so I decided to go to her last class to see what was taking so long. When I turned the corner I was greeted with a horrible sight. Clary was being cornered by two girls, and her books were scattered all over the ground. I was furious, I went over to them and cleared my throat and they turned around.

"Hello Handsome, we're almost finished than we're all yours." She winked and I let out a dry laugh.

"I'm afraid I'm not here for you two." I said and they looked shocked.

"Don't tell me you're here for the mute freak." The one said and I got pissed.

"She isn't mute, she's deaf you idiot. It's completely different." I seethed and I looked at Clary and gave her an encouraging smile. _"These two have no brain."_ I signed and she let out a little laugh.

"You know her?" The one said in the most judgmental voice and I smiled.

"Know her?" I said in a shocked voice. "I would hope so. We've been dating for three years." I said and her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. I walked past them and picked up Clary's things and turned back to them and pulled Clary tight into my side. "If I see you messing with her again, I won't be as pleasant." I said and I started walking away. We finally got to a bench and Clary took a deep breath. _"Are you okay?"_

 _"Yea."_

" _How long has that been going on?"_ I signed and she sighed.

 _"They've been leaving me notes telling me that I should drop out and open my own circus act and be a mime."_ She signed as she let out a defeated sigh. _"I haven't gotten one in a couple weeks. I thought they were finished."_

 _"I think they're done now, and if they aren't, please let me know. I love you too much to let you go through that."_ When I was finished her eyes were wide.

 _"You love me?"_ She signed and I smiled. I totally forgot that we hadn't told each other yet. I mean, I've felt it for a while but we've just never said it to each other.

 _"Of course I love you."_ I signed and he slammed her lips to mine. We sat there kissing for a while before she broke apart.

 _"I love you too."_ She signed and I could help but scoop her up into a hug. She was it for me, and I knew that I couldn't live without her.

 **Time Jump – Four Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I had recently moved into our own place, and we were loving every minute of it. Jace was in the middle of getting everything settled with his fathers will, and everything, and I was still getting all of our stuff settled into the house. I was in the middle of putting all our books away when I felt hands grip my waist and I screamed, at least I think I did. I turned around and Jace was standing there.

 _"I'm sorry. I should have warned you."_ He signed and I took a minute to catch my breath, but smiled at him.

 _"No worries, we haven't set up the light that reacts when the door open. Someone is coming in tomorrow to do that."_ I signed back and he nodded.

 _"So, how is everything going?"_ He signed as we made our way over to the couch.

 _"Great. I only have three more boxes and than we are officially moved in. How did everything go with the lawyers?"_

 _"Everything went great. I get everything once I graduate, and the acting CEO will show me the ropes, and in a couple months you'll be looking at the new CEO of the business."_

 _"Have I ever signed to you how proud I am of you?"_ I signed and I saw him laugh.

 _"Every day since we started dating."_ He signed and I learned forward and kissed him. I took a deep breath, it was now or never.

 **Jace POV:**

Clary looked like she was thinking really hard about something, and I knew she was debating in her head. She gets this look on her face, which is completely adorable, and when she opened her eyes she smiled and me and took my hands.

"I am so proud of you." She spoke and my eyes widened. She never spoke a single word except for my name that day in the bookstore, and I knew it was because she hated her voice. But I absolutely loved it. It was small, and timid, like her, but always filled with the purest intentions, and I'm not going to lie, I got a little teary eyes.

"Thank you." I said back, knowing she could read my lips, but the look in her eyes, told me she wasn't done.

"I love you Jace." She said and I slammed my lips to hers. I don't care that Clary can't hear, honestly that means nothing to me, she is still just as amazing as she would be if she had her hearing, but the fact that she was speaking, to show me that she truly meant it meant the world to me. When I pulled back I could see she was happy.

"I love you too." I said and she smiled. Something told me that she wasn't quite done yet though. She didn't look like she was going to speak again, but she always wasn't getting ready to sign since we were still holding hands. Slowly she started moving my hands to her stomach and my eyes widened. I pulled them back and smiled. _"You're serious?"_

 _"I found out two days ago, and I have been trying to figure out a way to tell you, but we have been so busy getting settled, and you have been meeting with the lawyers so much that we have barely had time to sleep."_

 _"We're going to have a baby?"_

 _"We're going to have a baby."_ She signed back and I just couldn't believe it. I picked her up and swung her around in a hug and couldn't believe that she was carrying my kid. Clary and I were young, but we were going to be okay, and our baby was going to be the most loved baby in the world. Nothing was ever going to top this moment, and who knows how our future was going to play out, but as long as I had Clary, everything was going to work out.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by "Never Trust A Duck Herondale"(I totally would put it the way it actually is with the periods and everything, but than it doesn't show up, I learned this from a pervious author who wanted a story, and I really wanted to give you credit!) and I hope that I have lived up to your expectations! I had a lot of fun writing this one shot and I hope you all like it just as much! Let me know what you think, and leave a review! :)**


	33. Chapter 32 - Younger

**Thirty Second One Shot:**

 **Younger**

 **Jace POV:**

"We're going to be late if you don't hurry up Izzy." I yelled down the hall and I hear the heels clicking.

"I don't even know why I'm helping you two get in. You're not old enough." Izzy says and I laugh.

"Please, Alec and I don't look 17 in the slightest." I said and she rolled her eyes. We got to the club and make it in no problem. Izzy is gone the minute we get in there, and Alec and I make it over to the bar. Not long after Alec was being dragged to the dance floor, which left me all alone. The bartender come up and smiled, and I smiled back.

"What can I get for you?" She said and she looked about 12.

"Just a coke. I'm the DD tonight." I said and she smiled and handed me a coke.

"Does your party get rowdy?" She asks and I laugh.

"Very much so. I'll probably be carrying my sister out of here by the end of the night." I said and she laughed, a beautiful laugh.

"Let me know what else you need, I'll take care of you tonight." She smiled and winked as she walked towards the other end of the bar, and I intended to take her up on that offer.

We spent the rest of the night flirting, and getting to know each other. She was funny, and sarcastic. I almost forgot I was here with Izzy and Alec, considering I haven't seen them since we got in here. She looked at the clock and than back at me.

"My shift is over." She said and I smiled.

"Does that mean I get you all to myself for the rest of the night?" I ask as I smirk at her.

"If that's what you want." She said back and I grabbed her hand and brought her close to me. I immediately started to kiss her and it was something I never felt before. We stood there in the club for a while kissing before she broke apart and started dragging me down a hallway. She opened a door and pushed me in. So this was how she wanted to play it. I had no problem with it. We were going to have a good time tonight, that's for sure.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I sat in the bathroom waiting for the results to come back and I was freaking out. How the fuck could I let this happen? Izzy tells me to go out and have some fun, and I take an insanely hot guy into the back room, have sex with him, and now I'm pregnant. God I'm an idiot. I don't even have his number, I mean I haven't even seen him since that night. Ugh. The timer finally goes off and the third test came back positive as well. Damn it. I grab my things and head straight to Izzy's apartment. She's the only one I need right now. I get there five minutes later and knock on the door. When she opens it she looks confused.

"Clary? What's wrong?" She asks and she pulls me into a hug.

"You know how you told me to go out and have some fun to get over Sebastian?" I said and she nods. "Well I did. I had sex with this insanely hot guy two months ago, and I just found out I'm pregnant."

"Oh my god Clare."

"I haven't even talked or seen him since that night. I mean, we had sex in the back room. I didn't want this to happen." I said and I start sobbing.

"Do you know anything about him?"

"Just his name."

"And?"

"It's Jace. But I don't have a last name." I look up at her and she looks shocked. "What's wrong?"

"Give me a moment." She said and she disappeared into the other room. A couple minutes later she comes out with a guy bent over while she tugs on his ear.

"Does this jackass look familiar?" Izzy says as she lets go of his ear.

"Jeez Izzy, if you wanted to man handle me, all you had to do was ask." Jace says with a smug look on his face. "Oh hey Red. Back for more?" My eyes widen and I do the only thing I can think of I slap him and run away. I get in my car and headed home.

 **Jace POV:**

After she slapped me and ran away I was utterly confused. I mean, I hadn't seen her in two months. I knew Izzy had a friend that she always hung out with, but how was I supposed to know it was the same girl from that club.

"Why the hell do you have to be such an asshole?" Izzy said and I turned around.

"I wasn't being an asshole, and how the hell do you know her?"

"We went to NYU together." She said and my eyes widened.

"How old is she?"

"22." Izzy said and my eyes widened.

"Uh oh." I said and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Want to tell me why my 17 year old brother, got my 22 year old friend pregnant?" She said and my jaw dropped. "That's right jackass, that's why she was here. She came to me sobbing because she is scared out of her god damn mind, and you couldn't be a serious man for three seconds and listen to her." Izzy said and I felt horrible. "I should have made it clear who my friend was at the club. I had no idea you'd be wooing her all night just to sleep with her, and I should have warned her about you, but yet here we are. You're going to be a father."

"Are you sure it's mine?" I ask and Izzy looked super pissed now.

"Clary isn't a slut. What she did with you is completely not her, and I'm surprised it even happened. She's a great person, who got out of a really bad relationship six months ago, and I told her to go out and have some fun. I guess you were the fun. But now she has another life to worry about, and you being an asshole isn't going to make her like you, or make her happy that you are the father of her child."

"Do you know where she went?"

"Probably home."

"Do you have her address?" I ask and Izzy pulls out her phone and a minute later mine goes off.

"Go and apologize and than figure out what the hell you're going to do about this." I nod and get into my car and start towards the address. I can't believe this is happening, but I can't back out now. When I pulled up to her house I took a deep breath and walked towards the door. I knocked and a minute later it opened and there stood Clary looking completely shattered.

"What are you doing here?" She said with a shaky voice.

"I was an asshole to you, I shouldn't have said what I did, and I totally deserved that slap in the face." I said and she smiled a little. "May I come in?" I ask and she nods. We walk over to her couch and take a seat.

"You want some water or coffee?"

"Coffee would be great." I say and she gets up and walks in to another room. I notice there are a lot of pictures in the room, and I get up and start to look at them. There are a bunch of family pictures, and some with friends, a couple with Izzy, and some with this guy.

"I didn't know what you liked in it, so I just left it black." I heard and I turned around.

"Black is fine. Thanks." I made my way back over to her and we sat in silence. "Izzy told me how old you are."

"So?"

"We have a problem."

"Why? It's not like you're a minor." She said and I smiled. "Oh my god, you're a minor. Shit." She said and she buried her head in her hands. "How did you get into the club than?"

"I don't look 17." I said and she sighed.

"This is a disaster. First I get pregnant, and than I find out you're my good friends brother, and now I find out you're a minor. This day couldn't possibly get worse." She said and than her eyes widen and her hand flies over her mouth and she runs out of the room. I heard her throwing up so I walked into the kitchen and see her hunched over the sink. I walked over pull her hair out of her face, and rub her back until she's done. "Thanks."

"Does that happen often?"

"Yea. I haven't been able to keep anything down lately." She said and I nod. We make our way back into the living room and sit. She grabs a blanket and tucks herself under it and her hand rests on her belly.

"What are we going to do?" I ask and she shrugs.

"I don't expect anything from you, I hope you know that." She said and I couldn't believe it. "I never expected to see you again, and it's really crazy that you're Izzy's brother."

"It's a small world." I said and she laughs.

"Indeed it is. Clearly you're still in high school, and explaining this to your family will be extremely hard, that is if you are going too." She paused and took a deep breath. "Just know I expect nothing okay?"

"You may expect nothing, but this is my kid too. We may not like this situation, but if you need me I'll be here." I said and she looked surprised. "Well, not right here, I don't live around here."

"What do you mean?"

"I come up and visit Izzy some times, and things at our house have been pretty tense, so our other brother and I have been spending almost every weekend here."

"How far away do you live?"

"45 minutes." I said and she leaned her head back on the couch. "I'm sorry, but if you need me, just call me."

"Can I have your number than?" She asks and I laugh.

"Of course. Can I have your phone?" She hands it over and I type in my number and text myself. I hand it back to her and she smiles. We sit there are talk for maybe an hour before I get a text from Alec saying we need to head home. "I'm sorry, but Alec and I have to drive home. It is a school night." I try to joke but she just groans.

"This couldn't be more horrible." She says and I nod.

"I'm sorry about this Clary. I didn't mean for this to happen, but I'm serious about being here."

"I know, and that means a lot to me." I get off the couch and she walks me to the door.

"I don't really know the protocol for saying goodbye to you. I mean, we aren't friends, but we certainly are something." I said and she laughs. She leans up and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodbye Jace." She says and I smile.

"I should be back up next weekend. Maybe we could do lunch." I said and she smiled.

"I'd like that." She said and I nodded and headed to my car. When I got back to Izzy's Alec had our stuff and hoped into the car.

"Izzy told me what happened." He said and I nodded. "You fucked up man."

"I know, but I can't do anything about it now. I'm going to have a kid." I said and he patted me on the shoulder. We drove home in silence and I thought about what was about to happen in the next 7 months. I was going to have a kid by the time my high school career was over, and I don't quite know how to process that.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Pregnant**

 **Clary POV:**

Being six months pregnant was a bitch. I was so big, and I was so tired, and sore, and irritable, but surprisingly Jace had been so kind. He texts me every day to see how we're doing and I schedule the appointments mostly on weekends but if I can't get one on a weekend he misses school so he can be there for me. Today was one of those days, I tried to schedule it on a Friday after school, but the only available time was Wednesday at 11 am, and when I told Jace he told me he'd be here no matter what.

I'm currently sitting in the waiting room waiting to be called and Jace wasn't here yet. My leg was bouncing like crazy, because he didn't text me and I was scared he wasn't going to make it. We were finding out the gender today, and I wanted him there for me.

"Clarissa Fray?" I heard my name and I pushed myself out of the chair and headed towards the room when I heard my name again.

"Clary." I turned around and saw Jace standing there. "I'm here. I'm so sorry. Huge accident and traffic was a nightmare." He made his way over to me. He gave me a kiss on the top of my head like he always does when he sees me. We weren't together. I told him I didn't want to trap him, and he kept telling me I wasn't but I refused to have an actual relationship until he was 18, which was only in a month or so, but I was sticking to my rules.

"It's okay, you're here now." I said and we made our way back to the room. I laid on the table and lifted my shirt while the nurse applied the gel.

"Alright Clary, and Jace, it looks like you are going to be the proud parents of a little baby oh."

"What oh?" I said feeling nervous.

"Well, it looks like you're having twins. The second baby has been hiding behind the other one this whole time."

"Two?" Jace said and the nurse nodded.

"Yes, and looks like one is a boy and the other is a girl." She said and I couldn't believe it. "I'll get these pictures printed, and give you two some time to process." She left the room and Jace and I were quiet.

"Two babies." I said and Jace nodded.

"Yup." Was all he said. The nurse came back in handed me the pictures and I made another appointment and we left. I got into my car and Jace followed me back to my apartment. We sat in the living room in silence for a while before he broke it. "I graduate in May."

"I know."

"I was thinking, that maybe I can move in with Izzy so I can be closer to the babies." He said and I looked at him. "If you want me that close."

"Of course I want you close. Two babies is a lot more work than one." I said and he nodded. "What about college?"

"I'm going to go to NYU and I'll be commuting." I nod and we're quiet again.

"How are we going to afford two babies? I'm bartender, and you're going to be in college." I say knowing full well that this is going to be a huge nightmare.

"I actually know about the money situation." He said and I looked at him. "Clearly I'm not really Izzy and Alec's brother. I mean I am, but not by blood. I was adopted when I was 10, and my father left me absolutely everything. His company, his money, his whole life is mine when I graduate college. Maryse and Robert and in charge of it, and they might be disappointed in me for getting you pregnant, but they also are proud that I'm doing the right thing. Its enough to get whatever the babies need."

"Jace." I say but he cuts me off.

"I want them to have the best life possible. I want them to be able to have whatever toy they want, and play whatever sport they want no matter how expensive. I never imagined having kids, but we're having two, and I want to give them everything."

"That." I start but I get chocked up. "That means everything to me. Considering how my parents took the news, they won't be helping me any time soon." I said and he nodded.

"I know you're scared Clary, god I'm terrified. But I think that we can do this. I think we can raise these kids. Together."

"You know my rules." I said and he nodded.

"I know, but after my birthday, do you think I have a shot?" He asked and I smiled.

"I do, I would love to give these two a family. It's not that I don't like you Jace, it's just your 17, and I'm 4 years older than you." I said and he nodded. "I just want you to be a legal adult before we start a relationship."

"I understand, but knowing that I have a chance means a lot to me." I leaned over and pressed my lips to his. We haven't kissed since the night we slept together, and I felt that chemistry again, but I pulled away before it could get to heated. I looked at him and smiled and he smiled back. We spent the rest of the day looking for baby things, and realizing we need double the stuff for the nursery, and started shopping online for it. When 3 rolled around Jace said he should probably head home, and I nodded. He gave me a kiss on the head before walking out. I knew that this was going to be tough, but knowing that Jace was going to be here to help me meant the world to me.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Jace POV:**

I heard my phone buzzing at an ungodly hour of the morning. I ignored it at first but it just kept buzzing. I dragged myself out of bed and went over to the phone and answered.

"Hello?" I said as I was trying to wake up.

"Babies." I heard and than came a loud scream. And I was immediately woken up. "Coming." Followed by another scream. "Hurry." I was running around my room like a mad man.

"Clary?" I asked and all I heard was a scream.

"It's Izzy. She called me first knowing you still live at home and aren't moving in with me for another week. Her water broke about 45 minutes ago and we're on our way to the hospital. She's freaking out, and I know you are too. Wake Alec up and get him to drive you here."

"Alright. Take care of them Iz."

"I'll do my best. Damn it Clary, I need that hand." I heard and I hung up and ran into Alec's room.

"Alec wake up."

"What the hell man. It's, 3:15 in the morning."

"Clary is in labor and I need to get there, but Izzy doesn't want me driving, considering I'm a nervous wreck, and she told me to wake you up." Alec was out of bed in a minute and we left a note for Maryse and Robert and got in the car and started driving. 45 painstakingly slow minutes later we were finally at the hospital and I ran to the nurses station. "Clary Fray?"

"Relationship?"

"I'm the father." Was all I could say because everything was so messed up in my head.

"Room 234." She said and I ran to the room. I could hear the screams from down the hall and when I walked in Clary was crying and Izzy looked scared and I walked over and Clary looked like she relaxed a little.

"Thank god. I'm going to find Alec. It's your turn." She said and walked out of the room. I walked up next to her and grabbed her hand a kissed her forehead.

"I'm here baby, I'm right here."

"I thought you weren't going to make it." She said and I smiled.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world." I said and she gave me a smile before she let out an ear-piercing scream. After 15 long minutes a doctor walked in.

"Alright Clary, lets see how far you are." She said and Clary nodded and she lifted up the sheet to check. "Looks like you're ready to push baby girl." She said and Clary and I looked at each other and I smiled. "On the count of three. One….two….three." Clary started screaming her lips off and pushing as hard as she could. "Come on Clary, one more big push, baby A is crowning." The doctor said and Clary death gripped my hand and started pushing as hard as she could. A minute later the room was filled with crying. "Looks like Baby A is a boy." She said and I leaned down and kissed Clary.

"You did it babe, you did it. Only one more to go." I said trying to encourage her and she nodded along.

"Alright Clary, lets get Baby B out here." The doctor said and Clary nodded before she was instructed to push. This went on for a couple more minutes before more cries were filling the room. "Baby B is a beautiful little girl." She said and Clary laid back and started crying. I pulled her into my chest and hugged her and gave her so many kisses. She was so brave, and so strong, and now we have two little babies.

The nurses cleaned off the babies, and took their weight and height before bringing them back over to us. One was wrapped in blue, and the other was wrapped in pink and I knew that I was going to be the best father I could be to these two.

"Who want's which baby?" The nurse asked and I smiled.

"I'll take my son, Clary can have our daughter." I said and they nodded before handing us the babies.

"Congratulations you two." The nurses and doctor said before they left the room. I looked down at my son, and than over to Clary and my daughter and I couldn't believe that these two were ours. We created them, and they were ours forever.

"Can you believe we made them?" Clary asks and I smile and join her in the hospital bed.

"No, its crazy to think that they are ours." I said and she smiled up at me.

"I don't want you to move in with Izzy." She said and my head snapped towards her. "I want you to live with me, and our kids."

"Are you sure?"

"You turned 18 two months ago, and you graduated high school, and as far as I know, you're parents aren't that pissed at you for getting me pregnant. I want you to be there to witness every first. The first time they roll over, or sit up, or smile, or get a tooth, or walk. I want you to experience it. I don't want you to be with them all day, and than leave at night because we did this whole thing backwards."

"I would love to live with you." I said and I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. "Now, names. We never did agree on two. All we have are their middle names and that was difficult considering they are both sitting in the waiting room." I said and she laughed.

"I was thinking for the girl that we could name her Cambrie Isabelle Herondale."

"You want them to have my last name?"

"Of course." She said and I couldn't help but lean down and kiss her again. "I love it, and I was thinking that maybe we could name him Jacob Alexander Herondale."

"It's perfect." She says and we hear a knock on the door. We look over and Izzy and Alec walk in followed by Maryse and Robert.

"Maryse, Robert, what are you doing here?"

"Alec called after you got here. We know you left a note, but we wanted to be here for you. For both of you." Maryse said and I heard Clary catch her breath.

"That means a lot to us." I said and they nodded and walked closer to us.

"So, what are my grandbabies names?" Maryse asks and I smile.

"I am holding Jacob Alexander Herondale." I said and Alec smiled.

"Means a lot man." Alec said and I nodded.

"And Clary had Cambrie Isabelle Herondale." I said and Izzy starts crying.

"You're the best." Izzy says as she walks over to Clary.

"Would you like to hold him?" I offer to Maryse and she smiles and takes Jacob from me. I put my arm around Clary and she leaned into me while still holding Cambrie, and I just couldn't get over how perfect she was. Things might be hard, but they would be okay.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Cambrie and Jacob were turning a year old tomorrow and I just don't know where the time went. It seems like yesterday I was freaking out about being pregnant, but looking back, I don't know what I'd do with my two babies. They were the light of my life, and living with Jace was surprisingly easy. Considering he liked everything clean and neat, he was always cleaning up after Cam and Jake, and it was the cutest thing. He made sure they had everything they could possibly need or want, and he did the same thing for me. He was truly perfect, a perfect father, and a perfect boyfriend, and I couldn't ask for anyone better. Cam and Jake were in the living room playing when Jace called.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe, I should be home soon, but someone is coming over."

"Oh, who?"

"Just a guy from my fathers company who is going to go over a few things that I need to know."

"Okay, drive safe. Love you." I said.

"Love you too." He said and we hung up. 10 minutes later the door opened and I went to greet Jace and when I turned the corner my blood ran cold.

"What are you doing here?" I spat and Jace looked confused.

"I live here?" He said as he picked up Cam.

"Not you. That thing." I said and Jace looked appalled.

"Clary, be nice."

"No."

"Clarissa." He started but Sebastian chimed in.

"I think introductions should be made." He said and I laughed.

"I already know you Sebastian." I said and now Jace looked confused.

"How do you know each other?"

"Meet my ex-boyfriend, the one who liked to knock me around a little." I said and Jace went tense.

"Clarissa darling, I simply punished you for disobeying me." He said and he got closer to Jake and I immediately went over and grabbed him. I looked at Jace and he didn't look pleased. I went over and grabbed Cam out of his hands.

"I'll be in the nursery. Come get us when he's gone." I said and Jace nodded and kissed my temple, kissed the kids, and than I left. When I got into their room I set them down and gave them their favorite toy. I sat down and played with them for about an hour before there was a knock on the door. A second later Jace walked in and sat down on the floor with me.

"I'm so sorry. I should have told you his name." He said and I smiled.

"It's not your fault. I had no idea that he worked for your dads company. But if you have to meet with him regularly, can it be somewhere else? I don't want him around the kids."

"Absolutely." He said and he pressed his lips to mine. "How about I take my three favorite people out to dinner? An early celebration, and an apology." He said and I smiled.

"Sounds great. Can you dress Jake, and I'll dress Cam?" He nodded and picked up Jake. I grabbed Cam and we dressed them and than headed to a restaurant. The whole way to the restaurant Jace never let go of my hand. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face, but I didn't want to stop it. I was happy. My family was together, and we were doing fantastic. I couldn't picture a better life. It can only go up from here.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, a guest requested that I do one where Jace is significantly younger than Clary, and I tried for a couple days to come up with a good plot for that, but nothing came to me, and than I thought about this story. Jace is still younger, but not as significantly as the guest probably wanted. I apologize** **if this wasn't exactly how you imagined it, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, and if you agree let me know! Remember, if you have a request leave a review! :)**


	34. Chapter 33 - Heaven Sent

**Thirty Third One Shot:**

 **Heaven Sent**

 **Jace POV:**

"Alright boys, we have some things to discuss." Izzy says as we all sit around the living room.

"We don't have anything scheduled for months, why are we having this meeting?" I ask and she rolls her eyes.

"Something came up." She said as she handed us a file. "The boys name is Tyler Fray, he's 8 years old and his Make A Wish is to meet the band." Izzy said and I looked through the file. "He lives here so traveling isn't an issue. He was only 3 when you guys formed, but according to his mother he listens to your music during chemo, and he has to listen to "The Great Divide" every night before bed. I've been talking to Make A Wish for about two weeks, and next week is his off week for chemo, so that would be the best time to go visit him. So what do you all think?"

"I think we should make a boys dream come true." I said and the band agrees.

"Great. I'll call them back, and let them know." Izzy said as she exited the room. I continued to look through the file to get to know the boy. Seemed like a sad story, and I hope meeting us makes him happy.

 **Clary POV:**

"Hey Ty, there are some people here to talk to you." I said as Tyler opened his eyes. He sat up a little before three people entered the room.

"Hello Tyler, we're from Make A Wish, and we just got off the phone with the manager of Heaven Sent, and they are excited to make your wish come true." They said I could see some joy come back into his eyes. "They will be here next week. Tuesday, 2 o'clock." They said.

"Thank you so much." I said and they nodded and left. "Did you hear that baby? You get your wish!" I said and I walked over to his bed and sat down and gave him a kiss.

"I have to look my best for them." He said and I laughed.

"Well, since you had chemo today, you should be good to go by Tuesday." I said and he looked so excited. I loved seeing him like this, and I wish it would last.

 **Time Jump - Next Week**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was the day we were meeting the little boy and I was actually pretty excited. Being famous was fun, but doing stuff like this, making kids dreams come true was one of the most rewarding things in the world.

We showed up to the hospital and were greeted by three people at the entrance.

"Welcome Heaven Sent. Thank you for coming today. I know it means a lot to Tyler." The one woman said and we nodded. "Follow me." She said and we all followed. Walking trough those halls was really depressing. There were so many kids and I knew that it was for a horrible reason. We stopped at a room and they turned to face us.

"We were hoping that since his last round of chemo was a week ago he'd be feeling extra good today, but he's been extra tired lately." The man said and we nodded. They motioned towards the door and Izzy took charge. She knocked and we heard a faint come in and Izzy opened the door. We walked in and saw a beautiful redhead sitting next to the bed.

"Hi, I'm Izzy, and I'm the manager of Heaven Sent."

"I'm Clary, and this is my son Tyler. I can't thank you enough for coming down to meet him." Clary said and I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

"Let me introduce you to the rest of the band. Our drummer is Sebastian, lead guitarist is Alec, bass is Simon and the singer is Jace." Izzy said and we all smiled at her.

"Let me just wake him up. He was so excited he barely slept last night." Clary said as she walked over to her son. "Ty, you gotta wake up baby. The band is here." She said and his eyes fluttered opened.

"Mommy?"

"Yea baby, I'm here." She said as she handed him a cut of water. He took a couple sips before sitting up. He looked around the room and when his eyes land on us they widened.

"You actually came." He said and I made my way over to the bed and sat down.

"Of course we did buddy. I'm Jace, and this is the band." I said and gestured towards the guys.

"And Izzy, don't forget Izzy." He said and Izzy laughed.

"I am forgotten far too often aren't I?" Izzy said and Tyler laughed.

"I think you're the glue of the band!" He said and Izzy made her way over to him.

"You're my new favorite person, you know that?" Izzy said and he giggled again.

"I gave mommy a quiz before you got here. She isn't a fan, but because of me she knows all your songs." He says and I look at her and she is blushing.

"It's kinda hard to not know their music when we listen to it all the time babe." Clary said and smiled at her son.

"Did you change her mind?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"She doesn't have a good taste in music."

"Hey!" Clary said as she tickled his sides. "I resent that."

"You do though mommy. Who listens to country music anymore?" Tyler said and we all laughed.

"I was born and raised in Texas babe, it's in my blood to listen to country music." She said and I laughed.

"So, is he allowed out of here today?" Izzy asked Clary.

"He should be allowed out for a couple hours. It will completely drain him, but he's excited."

"Great. Why don't we go to a park and eat lunch?" Izzy suggested and Clary smiled.

"That would be great." Clary said and we got everything ready.

We got the park and Izzy set out a blanket and Clary settled Tyler on it. We ate lunch and got to know more about what Tyler likes, and his favorite songs. Clary and I got up to throw away the trash but when we were walking back was lingered.

"So, can I ask you a personal question?" I ask and she stops.

"Sure."

"Where is his father?" I ask and she sighs.

"Bailed when he got sick."

"When did he get sick?"

"When he was five."

"And he's 8 now?" She nods. "I'm really sorry."

"Thanks. It's tough. I basically live at the hospital."

"That must be really horrible."

"I just want to be close to him." She says and I nod. We make our way back to the blanket and I pull out my guitar and hand it to Tyler.

"Want to learn?" I ask and he nods. We spent an hour playing the guitar and it was a lot of fun. I could tell that Clary was happy that Tyler was having just a good time. It was nice to be able to make someone's dreams come true. We all got back to the hospital and for some reason I just didn't want to see Tyler once, and not follow up. The band walked out of the room, and Tyler was asleep so I took the opportunity to talk to Clary. "Hey, I was wondering if I could come back with the band and visit Tyler again?"

"Really?"

"Yea. We all had a really good time, and I'd love to keep teaching him how to play."

"I think he would love that." She said and I smiled.

"Here's my number. We're going on tour next month, and one show is in New York, so if he's having a good day, maybe he could come."

"I'll let you know. Thank you. I know this will mean a lot to Tyler."

"Tell Tyler that we'll be in touch, and we hope he kicks cancers ass." I said and she laughed. "Or phrase it differently." I said and she laughed again.

"Thanks again. Good luck on your tour." I smiled and nodded. I made my way outside where the band was waiting.

"What took you so long?"

"I wanted to ask Clary if it was okay if we visited Tyler again."

"Cool. I liked hanging out with him." Simon said and we all agreed.

"I think Jace did it so he could see Clary again." Izzy smirked and I laughed. "Told you."

"I enjoyed hanging out with Tyler and teaching him how to play. And I also like hanging out with Clary."

"There is always two sides to everything you do." Alec said and I shook my head. We got into the van and headed back to the house and I was excited to see Tyler and Clary again.

 **Time Jump - One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Tyler has been going down hill lately. The band has been around a lot and I know it lifted his spirits but the cancer was getting worse and I just I couldn't handle it. I was falling asleep when the doctor came in and asked me to step out into the hallway.

"Please be good news doc." I said and he gave me a sad smile.

"I'm afraid he only has a couple more months Clary." He said and my heart sank.

"No." I said and I started crying. "He's only 9."

"I'm sorry Clary. He isn't responding to treatment and his organs are shutting down."

"There has to be another way."

"We've exhausted all of the treatment options Clary. I'm sorry. My advice is to take him home, spend his last couple months enjoying your time together." He said and I lost it. I sunk down on the floor in the hallways crying. I was losing my baby.

 **Time Jump - One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Have you heard from Clary recently?" Izzy asked and I shook my head.

"We talked last month but she's not answering any of my texts or my calls."

"Have you tried visiting the hospital?"

"I didn't want to intrude." I said and Izzy laughed.

"The worst she can say is come back later." Izzy said and I nodded.

"I guess you're right." I said and I got up. "I'll see you later."

I drove to the hospital and walked right to Tyler's room, but when I opened the door nobody was in there. I was confused so I walked up to the nurses station.

"Excuse me, where is Tyler Fray?"

"He was released a month ago." The nurse said and I practically ran out of the hospital. But I had no idea where she lived. I pulled out my phone and called her but she didn't pick up. I went through our conversations and she said something about living in an apparently in Brooklyn right across my Central Park so that's where I headed.

When I got to a apartment building I took a chance and went in to the front desk. There was a woman who worked there and I decided the best way to get information was to flirt. I walked up and her eyes widened.

"Hello, I was wondering if you could tell me if a Clary Fray lives here?"

"She lives on the third floor." She stuttered.

"What apartment?"

"5." She said and I winked and walked away. I went up the stairs not wanting to wait for the elevator. I got to her door and knocked. A minute later it opened.

"What are you doing here?" She asks and I noticed her eyes were puffy.

"You haven't been answering my calls or texts. I went to the hospital and they said Tyler was released. How's he doing?" I ask and she starts crying. "No."

"He has about three more months." She cried and I pulled her into a hug. I don't know how long we stood there but at one point she almost fell so I picked her up and walked her over to her couch. Soon I realize she's asleep. I gently get up and lay her down and put a blanket over her. I realize that it's almost 6, so I decided I was going to make her dinner. I walk into the kitchen and check her pantry and fridge, and found some chicken and noodles and some broccoli, and made that. An hour later it was ready. I walked out into the living room and crouched down and pressed a kiss against Clary's forehead and her eyes started to flutter.

"You stayed?" She asked.

"Yea, and I made dinner."

"Are you an angel?" She laughed and I stood up.

"To some." I smirked and she got up and we went into the kitchen. We ate dinner and had some small talk. I cleaned up and found Clary sitting in the living room. I walked over and sat next to her. "How are you?"

"Completely broken." She answers and I see the tears falling. I pulled her into my side and she starts crying again.

"Is that why you've been avoiding my calls?" She nods.

"I didn't know how to tell you, and I didn't want to accept it."

"Is he allowed outside?" She nods. "Good." I stood up and she looked confused. "I have to go, but I'll call you in a couple days. Pick up." I said and she laughed. I kissed her forehead and than left. I raced home and found the band in the living room.

"Where the hell have you been?" Alec yelled and Izzy sat him back down.

"Did you talk to Clary?"

"Yea. I have bad news." I said and I stood in front of the band. "The doctors gave Tyler a couple more months." I said and Izzy started crying and the band looked shocked. "I want to put on a concert. Right in Central Park, dedicated to him. He can come on stage and play with us, and everything will be dedicated to Tyler."

"I think that's great." Alec said. He walked over to me. "How's Clary?"

"Broken. She cried herself to sleep earlier, and she was crying when I left."

"I can't even imagine." Alec said and I nodded.

"I want to plan this as fast as possible." I said and I turned towards Izzy. "How fast can this be planned?"

"I will have everything organized in one week."

"Perfect." I said and we all started planning. This was going to be the best concert we've ever done, and I was super excited, but the hurt wasn't gone. I was complete devastated for Clary, and I hope this helps.

 **Time Jump - One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I got to Clary's apartment and knocked and she answered. I walked in kissed her forehead and saw Tyler sitting on the couch. I waked over to him and sat on the coffee table.

"What up my man? You ready for today?"

"What are we doing?" He asks excitedly.

"It's a surprise." I said and he smiled. I picked him up and I grabbed Clary's hand and we walked out of her building. She started towards the parking lot when I pulled her away from it.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." I said. We crossed the street, and once we got farther into the park I heard Clary gasp.

"What is this?"

"This is Tyler Frays own personal concert. It's completely dedicated to him." I said and Clary started crying.

"Really?" I heard Tyler said and I smiled.

"Yea buddy. And we were hoping you came up and played a song with us?"

"Really?" I nod and he got so happy. We walked backstage and I placed Tyler in a wheelchair, and Izzy gave him a tour. I took Clary to the back room that Tyler could use in case he got tired, or hungry, or anything. When I turned around to talk to her she was crying.

"What's wrong?" I ask as I wipe the tears.

"I can't believe you did all this for Tyler." She said and I pulled her into a hug.

"I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through, but I wanted to do this because we love Tyler. The band has gotten so close to him, and this is hurting us too." I said and I felt her nod. She pulled back and I decided to take a chance. I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers and after a second she started kissing me back. This felt so nice, and right. There was so much passion, and need. When we pulled apart I couldn't help but smile. "Let's go put on the best show in the world." I said and she smiled and nodded.

The show went so well. Tyler was amazing and the crowd loved him. He played a couple songs and sang with me. I kept seeing Clary off to the side and she looked so happy. I loved making her happy, and I loved seeing Tyler live his dream. We played three more songs after Tyler got off stage and when I went to the back room, he was fast asleep on the couch. Clary was sleeping in the chair. I walked over and pressed my lips to hers and she woke up.

"Hi." She said and I smiled.

"Hey. Did he have a good time?"

"He only stopped talking because he fell asleep." She said and we laughed. I picked him up and put my free arm around Clary and we started walking out when we ran into the rest of the band. "Hey guys. I want to thank you for doing this for Tyler. It meant everything to him."

"Of course, but it was all Jace's idea. He came up with it, pitched the idea, and we agreed." Alec said.

"Still, it mean the world to him. You guys are his idols and." She got choked up and I pulled her closer to me. "And I only have so much time left with him, and the fact that you guys took this time to make his last couple months this memorable means everything to me." Izzy came over and gave Clary a hug.

"We were more than happy to do this Clary." Izzy said. "You have all our thoughts and prays."

"Thank you." She choked out.

"I'm going to take these two back to their place. I'll see you guys later." I said and they all nodded and I walked Clary and Tyler back to her apartment. I put Tyler in his room and when I shut the door Clary was standing there. I walked over and she slammed her lips into mine. I wasn't complaining, but it was unexpected. We stumbled back into her room and landed on her bed. "Are you sure?" I ask and she smiled.

"Absolutely." She said and I didn't need anymore. I kissed her like I was going to never see her again, and we were going on tour this weekend and I wasn't going to see her, so this was our last night together for awhile and I planned to make it memorable.

 **Time Jump - Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was 6 am and my phone was buzzing like crazy. We were all stuffed into a tiny hotel room in the middle of nowhere Tennessee, and I tried to ignore it. But it kept going off.

"Answer your god damn phone Jace." I heard Sebastian yell. I grunted and grabbed my phone.

"What?" I yelled into the phone.

"Jace?" I heard crying and I looked at the caller and it was Clary.

"Clary? What's wrong?"

"Jace, he's gone." She cried and my eyes started to water.

"What happened?" I ask and now everyone was waking up.

"He wanted me to sleep with him last night, and I woke up and he was ice cold. I called 911, and he was already gone. They said he died four hours ago. I was sleeping with my dead son. He wanted to sleep with me because he knew he was going to die." She started sobbing and I started packing my things.

"I'll be right there." I said and I hung up.

"Jace, what's going on?" Izzy asked clearly worried.

"Tyler died last night." I said and Izzy almost fell but Simon caught her. The band started packing everything up. "We'll cancel the rest of the tour when we get back, but I need to be there for Clary." I said and everyone agreed. We got into our bus and headed home. I finally caught my breath and finally let the emotions hit me.

 **Clary POV:**

After I hung up with Jace I got back in bed with my son. I couldn't leave him. The hospital had been notified and when the funeral home came I refused to leaved. I wasn't letting go. I needed Tyler. He was my baby, my world, and I felt like I had just lost who I was. I was slowly dying and I just needed my baby back.

 **Jace POV:**

Fifteen hours later and the bus finally pulled up to Clary's building. The whole band wanted to be there for Clary, and I certainly wasn't going to tell them no. We made it up to her building and opened the door to see some strange men.

"Who are you? Where is Clary?" I asked.

"She won't let us take her son." The one man said and I started towards Tyler's room. I knew the bad was following me but I didn't care. I needed to see Clary. When I opened the door I saw Clary holding Tyler and crying. I walked over and kneeled down beside her.

"Clary, you need to let him go." I said.

"No. he's my baby. I can't." She cried and I knew this was going to be tough, and she might hate me but I had too. I scooped her up and she started fighting me. "I can't leave him. I can't leave my baby." She cried out and I started leaving the room. "Please come back. Don't leave me Tyler. Please." She was yelled and it took everything I my not to cry. I took her across the hall and into her room. She was crying hysterically and I sat down, placed her on my lap and held her while she cried. Fifteen minutes later she was out. I laid her down, draped the covers over her and kissed her on the forehead. I walked out of her room and into the living room. Tyler was in a body bag and I had to take a deep breath. The band was sitting in the living room. I went over and joined them on the couch.

"How is she?" Izzy asked.

"Asleep." Was all I could say.

"You're in love with her. Aren't you?" Izzy asks and I just nod. "We can leave you two alone for a couple days if you want."

"I think it'll be good for her to see you all." I said and they nodded. "Order whatever, I'll pay for it."

"Don't be ridiculous. Go in there and comfort her, we'll let you know when food gets here." I gave Izzy a quick kiss on the cheek and went back into Clary's room. I slid in behind her and pulled her close. I didn't care what else happened, I was going to be here for her no matter what.

 **Time Jump - Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up and felt arms wrapped around my torso. When I sat up I saw that Jace was laying in bed with me. I was really confused until the events came flooding back. Tyler was gone, and he was never coming back. I looked at the clock and noticed it was almost 4 am. I slipped out of bed and went into the living room to see the whole band sleeping on the couches and the floor. I was really confused. I started making a pot of coffee when I heard footsteps. I turned around and saw Jace standing at the counter.

"You're here." I said and he smiled.

"I had to be with you." He said and I started crying again. He opened his arms and I went running to him.

"He's gone." I said into his shirt and he rubbed my back.

"I know. We're all here for you." He whispered in my ear and I nodded. When I pulled away I saw the whole band standing behind him.

"We're so sorry about Tyler." Izzy said and I walked over and gave her a hug.

"Thank you for being here guys. It means a lot." I said and they all nodded. I made a enough coffee for everyone. We all took a seat in the living room and it was incredibly quiet. Everything was very overwhelming and I started panicking.

"Clary? What's happening?" I heard Jace say.

"I can't stay here." I said and they all looked confused. "This was Tyler and I's home. I can't stay here without him." I said and Jace grabbed my hand and pulled me onto his lap.

"You can stay with us." He said and I looked around and they all smiled.

"I don't want to put you out." I said and they all let out a low laugh.

"Our house is big enough for you. Only if you want though." Jace said and I pressed my lips to him.

"Thank you." Was all I could say.

"Pack whatever you need, and we'll leave when you're ready." He said and I nodded. I finished my coffee, went into my room and packed my clothes. I walked out, took a deep breath, went into Tyler's room, grabbed his favorite stuffed animal and went back into the living room.

"Can we please leave? I can't be here anymore." I said and Jace smiled, grabbed my bag, put his free arm around my shoulders and we walked out of my apartment. I don't think I could ever step foot back into this house. It would never be the same.

 **Time Jump - One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was the day of Tyler's funeral and it wasn't going to be big. Clary's parents and brother were coming, the band was, my parents wanted to come, and I had called Tyler's father, but who knows if he was going to show. I just kept getting his voicemail.

We arrived at the cemetery, and Clary didn't let go of my hand the whole time. She was completely broken, and I was surprised she even got out of bed this morning. The pastor finished and asked if anyone wanted to say a few words. I took a deep breath and cleared my throat.

"I met Tyler almost two years ago. His wish was to meet my band, Heaven Sent. We showed up at the hospital and we all really fell in love with this little boy. When the time came to leave, I didn't want too, and I asked Clary if we could keep in touch. She said yes and that's how Heaven Sent and Tyler became friends." I said and I pulled Clary into my side. "Tyler was a rare child. He was always smiling, despite how he was feeling. He was funny, and kind, and compassionate. Rare traits to find in an 8 year old boy, but I can only imagine that he learned it all from Clary." I said and I smiled down at her. "I had gotten especially close to Tyler because I was meeting with him twice as often to give him guitar lessons, and he was a natural. He could've been great." I felt Clary stiffen. "Tyler will be missed immensely by Clary, the band, his grandparents, and me. He didn't deserve the pain he endured, or the short life he was given, but Tyler made sure every day counted, and I know that he will forever live on in our hearts, our minds, and Heaven Sent's music. We'll play for him, and cherish the time we had with him." I finished and Clary was full on sobbing. I pulled her into a hug and the service was over. We all made our way back to my house to mourn and eat. Clary wanted to be alone so she went to our bedroom and locked the door. I respected her feelings, and took a seat with everyone else in the living room.

"What you said today was very moving." Clary's mom said. "It means a lot that you have been here for her. Living so far away is really hard."

"I'd do anything for her." I said and she got up and gave me a hug.

"Just promise to take care of my baby. Don't be a jackass like Tyler's father."

"I would never do anything to hurt her. I love her." I said and she nodded.

A couple hours later everyone was getting ready to leave. Clary was still locked up in our room, and her parents weren't leaving until tomorrow so they were going to say their goodbyes then. After I cleaned up I went to my room and knocked on the door. I tried the knob and it was unlocked so I made my way inside. Clary was in one of my shirts, clinging to Tyler's stuffed animal, and crying. I walked over and got into bed, and pulled her close.

"I love you Clary, and we're going to get through this." I said and she sat up.

"You love me?" She asked through sobs. I wiped her tears away and smiled.

"I love you so much." I said and for the first time in a week, I got a real smile.

"I love you too. I don't know what I'd do without you." She said and I pulled her onto my lap.

"I'll always be here for you." I said and she pressed her lips to mine. We laid together like the for the rest of the night. I was making sure to never let Clary go, and to help her through whatever she needed.

 **Time Jump - One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It's been a year since Tyler's passing and it still hurt every single day. Jace had been absolutely amazing this past year. I lived with the band, and they had really shown me so much love, and patience, and I couldn't even imagine going through this without them. They were my rock, and because of them I wake up every day, and live.

I was visiting the cemetery today with Jace and I was nervous. I had never actually gone to his grave. We always made it to the cemetery, but I never got any closer. I couldn't, but it being the year anniversary, I needed too, and having Jace with me was making everything a lot more bearable.

When we got to his grave, Jace set down a blanket, while I placed the flowers on top of the headstone. I took a seat next to Jace and cuddled into his side. We sat there in silence for a while before I broke it.

"I miss him." I said and Jace kissed the top of my head.

"I miss him too." He said and I cuddled even closer. Having him by my side was absolutely everything to me, and I know it took some time, but I knew everything would be okay.

We were sitting in silence enjoying each other's company and visiting Tyler when we heard leaves crunching behind us. When I turned around I couldn't believe who it was. I stood up and Jace followed.

"What are you doing here?" I almost yelled.

"I came to visit my son."

"Really? Where the hell were you for the four years he was going through treatment? Or when he died? Why the hell weren't you at his funeral?" I asked getting angrier and angrier.

"I couldn't come." He said and I laughed.

"Couldn't? Or didn't want to?"

"Listen Clary." He started but I cut him off.

"No, you listen Evan. You abandoned your son and your girlfriend in a time of need. You left us to deal with this. You know how many times I had to explain to Tyler that you weren't coming back? That you didn't want him anymore? That you didn't care? He asked for you for an entire year before he stopped. Do you know how much that hurt me Evan?"

"I couldn't see him like that."

"And you think I could? I saw him at his absolute worst, and so did Jace. Jace, who only knew my son for two years was there more than you were. He helped me through the hardest thing I've ever had to go through. That was supposed to be you. We were a family." I yelled. Jace packed up the blanket and I shook my head. "I can't stop you from visiting, but I'm disappointed in you Evan. You didn't deserve that little boy." I said and Jace and I walked away. We got in the car and I finally took a deep breath.

"Are you okay?"

"I will be. I needed to let that all out." I said and he leaned over and pressed his lips to mine.

"I love you."

"I love you too." I said and he started the car. He grabbed my hand and didn't let it go the whole ride.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Tonight was the night that I was going to propose to Clary and I was a nervous wreck. I knew she was going to say yes, but it was still scary to ask. I had never really had any serious relationship before Clary. Being famous, you always find the ones who want you for all the wrong reasons, but Clary was different, and I was completely in love with her.

I gave instructions to Izzy on what to dress Clary in and where to meet me. I was currently sitting at our table trying anything and everything to calm myself down. I wanted to marry her so bad, and I knew that once I asked, and once she accepted, all my nerves would go away and we could focus on celebrating. I heard the clicking of heels, and when Clary appeared in front of me i was speechless. She looked absolutely stunning. I stood up and she walked over to me. I couldn't help myself, I pulled her into a deep kiss before even saying anything.

"Hi." She said once we broke apart and I smiled.

"Hi." I said back. I pulled out her chair and she took a seat. We ordered our food, and had an amazing dinner. Clary was always able to make me smile and laugh. No matter how nervous I was, when I was around Clary, I felt nothing but peace, and happiness. When dessert rolled around, it was my time. I reached across the table and took one of her hands in mine.

"Why do you look so nervous Jace?" She said with a smiled and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Because I am." I said and she looked confused. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone in the world. You mean absolutely everything to me. We've been through hell together, and we came out a little broken, but together, and I know that we can make it through anything and everything, as long as we're together." I said and her eyes started to water. I took out the velvet box and set it in front of her. "I don't want to spend another day without you by my side as my wife." I said and she started crying. "Will you marry me?"

She didn't say anything at first. She opened the box and took one look at the ring and her eyes widened. She looked at the ring and at me for a couple minutes before a smiled spread across her face.

"Hell yes I'll marry you." She said and I stood up, and pulled her up to me. I slid the ring on her finger and picked her up into a hug. When I put her down and I tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "When?"

"We just got engaged." I said as I laughed.

"I don't want to drag it out." She said and I couldn't agree more.

"We can get the band together, call your parents, have them here by Monday and get married at the courthouse." I said and she was smiling and nodding.

"That sounds perfect." She said as she pressed her lips to mine. Dessert came out and we took our seats again, but Clary couldn't stop looking at her ring, and I couldn't get the smile off my face. I was going to enjoy being married to Clary.

 **Time Jump – 11 Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was about a week away from my due date, and I was so excited to be bringing another child into this world. Of course part of me was incredibly sad, knowing that Tyler would never meet his sibling, but the other part of me, was incredibly happy to be able to have this child with Jace, and I couldn't wait to raise him or her with Jace.

I was sitting on the couch alone today waiting for the band to get back from rehearsal. They have been working on a new album and it's been taking up so much time, but I was incredibly proud of them. I had ordered a pizza, and was waiting for it to be delivered when I felt a sharp pain. Fuck. And of course the doorbell rings at the same moment. I waddle over to the door and there is my pizza.

"Delivery for Clary Herondale?" He says and I nod.

"I will give you 200 dollars if you drive me to the hospital." I said and he looked confused. "I'm in labor."

"Oh god." He said and I laughed.

"Please, my husband will give you free tickets to his next concert, or whatever you want. Backstage passes, meet and greet, whatever please just get me to the hospital." I said as another pain ripped through me. He nodded, and I grabbed my bag, my phone, and my coat and headed out the door. When I was in the car, I immediately dialed Jace.

"Hey babe, it's not really a good time." He said and I didn't want to worry him, but another contraction hit and I let out a scream. "Clary, what's wrong?"

"How far away are we?" I asked the delivery boy.

"We should be there in 5-10 minutes." He said panicked.

"Who is that?" I heard Jace say rather aggressively.

"I'm in labor." I said. "I ordered a pizza, and right when it got to the house my water broke, and the delivery boy is currently driving me to the hospital."

"We'll be right there." I heard Jace say.

"Hurry." I said and I hung up. "Step on it!" I yelled and he started driving faster, I felt bad but I need to be at the hospital ASAP.

 **Jace POV:**

"What was that Jace?" Izzy asked as I grabbed my things.

"Clary is in labor, and currently rushing to the hospital."

"How?"

"Pizza delivery boy." I said and they all looked confused. "I don't really know myself, but I need to get there." I said and everyone nodded and we headed towards the hospital. We got there and I ran to the nurses station. "Clarissa Herondale?"

"She is currently in delivery." The nurse said.

"I'm her husband." I said and she looked up.

"Go down this hallway and it should be room 4." She said and I nodded and ran down the hallway. I heard a scream and ran straight towards room 4. When I walked in Clary was griping the bed. I ran over and gave her a kiss on the temple.

"Oh thank god." She said and I smiled. "I thought you were going to miss it."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world." I said and just at that moment she let another scream out. About an hour later cries filled the room and I couldn't believe it.

"You two are the proud parents of a beautiful little girl." The doctor said and I let a tear fall. I was so incredibly happy that she was here, and she was healthy and that Clary was healthy. The nurse handed Clary the little bundle of pink and looking down on my daughter I was filled with so much emotion.

"Welcome to the world Maeve Herondale." Clary said and I leaned down and kissed both my girls. Nothing would ever compare to this moment. I was so completely in love, and I knew that nothing would ever happen to these two.

 **Time Jump – Eight Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We were currently in Houston for one of our shows, and Clary and Maeve were here with me. It was great to be able to look over to the side and see them standing there dancing, and having a good time. It was truly incredible.

It was the part of the show that I was going to slow it down. I grabbed a stool and sat down. I adjusted the microphone and looked over to Clary and I could see she was a little confused and I smiled and winked at her and started.

"I wanted to do something different tonight. My life has changed a lot in the last couple years. I got married to the most amazing girl in the world, and eight months ago, we welcomed the most beautiful little girl anyone could ask for into the world, and I couldn't be more blessed." I said and the crowd went crazy. "But right now, I want to pay tribute to a very special little boy." I looked over and I saw Clary's jaw drop. "I met my wife when her son asked to meet Heaven Sent as his Make A Wish, and unfortunately, he passes away some time ago, but he is always on my mind, and I know he is always looking down on me, my wife, and his little sister, and tonight, this show is for him." I said and I looked over at Clary and she was crying. I motioned for her to join me and she made her way on stage. The crowd when crazy and I pulled Clary and Maeve into my arms. "I love you guys." I whispered and she looked up.

"We love you too." Clary said and I gave her a kiss. I took my seat and pulled up a seat for Clary. I started playing "The Great Divide" especially for Tyler and sitting there, with Clary and Maeve, and singing for Tyler was everything I could have ever dreamed it would be. Life was amazing, and I planned on making sure Clary and Maeve knew that Tyler would always be watching over us, and smiling knowing that we kept living, and we kept living for him.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This story was requested by a guest, and I hope you love what I did with your idea, because I absolutely love this story. I wrote it so quickly, because inspiration just hit me, and I love the end product. Just a little Disclaimer, "The Great Divide" is a song by Breaking Benjamin, and if you've never heard of it, go listen. I absolutely love the song! Let me know what you think! :)**


	35. Chapter 34 - Shy

**Thirty Fourth One Shot:**

 **Shy**

 **Clary POV:**

I've always been the shy girl. No matter where I was. My old school I was the shy freak, and when I transferred to this school, I was the shy freak again. I guess I have nobody to blame but myself. I didn't care for socialization. I just wanted to learn, and graduate. After all, after high school I was just going to be plucked from my fabulous life of invisibility and thrust into my fathers world.

Valentine Morgenstern can be described as multiple things, but kind isn't one of them. At least to the outside world. We had a different relationship than more father and daughters but we made it work. He was a cold, and calculated businessman who always always always put business first. I've been working for him since I was 15, and once I graduate I'll be thrown into his work so I can one day take over the company. This was never my idea. I wanted to go to college and be an artist, like my mother, but when my brother was arrested for attempted murder (against me) it threw a fork in my fathers plan. Now, I am the heir to Morgenstern Industries, and I wasn't happy about it.

Thankfully no body knew who I really was. My mother never wanted me to have to face the ridicule of other kids so my last name is Fray, so nobody could put two and two together. It gave me my own identity, and maybe that was invisibility, but I'd rather be invisible, than have a lot of fake friends who only want me in their life because I'll be a millionaire one day.

It was a normal Tuesday, and I had my free period. It wasn't really free though, my father had 'convinced' the school to allow me to take college level classes along with my high school classes so that I would be ahead of the game. I'm pretty sure he paid them off, but here I was taking Business 252, in my free time. By the time I graduate high school I'll be at the level of a junior in college, and I'll be graduating a couple months after that. I liked school, it gave me something to focus on, and made it easier to get through the day. I was constantly busy, and knowing that once I graduate high school, I'll be six months away from also graduating college. It was weird, but I'd be a full time employee for my father, and that's what he wanted. I was in an empty classroom, when the door was slammed opened and in stumbled Jace and Kaelie sucking each other's faces. I rolled my eyes and watched as he slammed her against the door. Her shirt was almost over her head when I realized I had enough. I cleared my throat and they broke apart.

"Didn't realize this classroom was occupied." Kaelie said and I sighed and started gathering my books.

"For future reference, I have this classroom Tuesday through Thursday at this time. So plan accordingly." I said and I heard Jace laugh.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?" He says and I laugh.

"I was, but it was interrupted by two incredibly horny teenagers who couldn't wait an hour to go home and have sex in a bed." I said and I saw Jace smirk and Kaelie looked pissed. I may be shy but there was something about Kaelie that really got under my skin, and I refused to shrink in fear in front of her.

"Shut it freak. Just because I am getting some from him and you aren't doesn't give you the right to judge me."

"I hate to break it to you babe, but you're not the only one getting some from him. Last week he stumbled into a janitors closet with a brunette." I said and Jace's eyes widened and Kaelie turned red with anger.

"You're cheating on me?" She yelled and I smiled.

"We aren't in a relationship Kaelie." Jace said and I put on my coat.

"It was lovely seeing you two again, but I see you two clearly have some issues you need to discuss, so I'll see you around." I said as I walked out. The final bell rang and I grabbed my books and headed for my car. When I got to the parking lot Kaelie was still lecturing Jace. It was amusing to see. I mean, he couldn't expect his playboy ways to stay hidden forever. I got to my car and his eyes locked on mine. I smiled, got into my car and drove to my fathers office. I walked in, went straight to the bathroom, changed into my normal pencil skirt, purple blouse, and black heels and headed towards my office. There was a stack of files on my desk and I sighed. I took a seat, and started sifting through them. Today, was going to be a long day.

 **Jace POV:**

I couldn't believe Ginger would rat me out like that. I mean, who does she think she is judging my lifestyle? Kaelie wouldn't leave me alone until I literally got into my car and drove away. She had transferred to my school sophomore year, and she doesn't have any friends. She doesn't play any sports. She doesn't talk in front of large crowds. I mean, I've seen her talk to like maybe 4 people max at a time. She just doesn't socialize. I mean, that's what high school is. How can she be such a loner? When I got home my mother and father were sitting in the living room for me.

"What's going on?" I ask and my father motions me to take a seat.

"Jace, you're failing two of your business classes." My dad says and I sigh. I thought I got the letter before they did. "We made a deal with the principal, but you have to follow through, otherwise, you won't graduate."

"What's the deal?"

"Valentine Morgenstern, you will intern at his office until the end of the year, and if him and his right hand decide you've completed the necessary requirements, you pass both your classes." My father says and I sigh. It could be worse I guess.

"Okay. When do I start?"

"Tomorrow. Right after school." My mom says and I nod. I get up and make it to my room and lay on my bed. I guess my extra curricular activities are going to be put on hold now.

 **Time Jump - Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in my office when I heard a knock on the door, and it opens. I look up to see my father, and he has his business face on.

"Clarissa, the intern is here. He's in the conference room. I have to make a quick stop to HR, but I should be there shortly. Would you mind giving him his contract, and providing him with the detailed summary of his job?"

"Of course father." I said. He closes my door and I grab the new employee file. My father goes through interns like crazy, so I keep a bunch of extra already put together files just in case. I fix my outfit and head towards the conference room. I see the back of a mans head, and I take a deep breath, and walk in. "Hello, my name is Clarissa, welcome to Morgenstern Industries." I say as I turn around and am greeted by Jace. "What the hell."

"What are you doing here?" He asks and I wave him off. I put the file down in front of him.

"This is the details of your job here. You will be the intern for Valentine's team. That includes, Valentine himself, Luke, Alaric, Maryse, and me." I said and his eyes shoot up to mine.

"You?" He says but I ignore him.

"There is a contract in there. Read through it carefully, and sign at the bottom." I said and he nods. "Failure to do any part of your job is followed by immediate termination. You have any problems with the contract or questions, my office is down the hall and to the right. My assistant Helen is the one with the blue desk, you get lost, find her and she'll direct you." I said and I stood. "Valentine should be in momentarily." I make a beeline for the door before he can even say a word. I make it back to my office and finally take a deep breath. I tried so hard to keep my school life and my home life separate, but here they are colliding, and it had to be with Jace Herondale?

 **Jace POV:**

Clary left the room and I was stunned. What the hell was she doing here? She has an office? And an assistant? And I have to work for her? None of this made any sense. She was so commanding, and in a position of power. Don't get me wrong, it was extremely hot, but it still didn't answer any of my questions. A minute later the door opened again and in walked a tall man.

"Jonathan, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"I prefer to be called Jace sir." I said and he took a seat.

"I don't waste time with nicknames." He said and I nodded. "I'm assuming Clarissa told you what's in the file?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. I'm doing this because your father and I are old friends. Don't screw this up. I put aside a lot of good candidates for you and I expect you to be on time, efficient, and not to give me any attitude. My daughter goes to your school, and I know you can be quite troublesome. Don't make me regret giving you this opportunity." He said and all I could do was nod. "I need you to go to Clarissa's office and ask her for the files regarding Blackthorn and Company and bring them to my office."

"Of course." I said and I got up and started making my way to Clarissa's office. I found it pretty easily and I knocked on the door. I heard a faint come in and when I walked in Clary's eyes met mine.

"Yes?"

"Valentine wants the files on Blackthorn and Company." I said and she nods. She reaches into her desk and pulls out four thick files.

"Tell him that my personal opinion is that Blackthorn is well on his way to bankruptcy, and it's time to let them go." I grab the folders and nod. I make my way to the door before I turn around.

"Clary." I said and she looked up. "Where is Valentines office?"

"Make a left, and go straight. You can't miss the giant V on the door."

"Thanks." She nods and I walk out. This experience was going to be one hell of a ride, but it gave me more of an insight to Clary, and I was finally going to be able to crack her open.

 **Time Jump - Weekend**

 **Jace POV:**

I've been working for Valentine for a couple days and I was exhausted. Business was nothing like what they taught you in business classes. There were so many rules that were unwritten and sometimes it was extremely hard to keep up. Clary and Valentine were an unstoppable team. I had only been there for a couple days and I had seen them let go four companies and take on six more. They were a powerhouse, and I understood why this business was thriving. Valentine really seemed to value Clary's opinion. She was the one making most of the shots, and I was completely impressed. She was a completely different person than she was at school. It was like night and day, and I think I preferred her in the night most of all. We had been caught working well into the night some nights, and even though I hate to admit it, Clary was actually really fun to hang out with. She had a great sense of humor, and she always matched my sarcastic remark with an equally if not better sarcastic remark. Seeing her at school, and than seeing her later at the office was mind blowing, and I was determined to find out more about her, and her secret double life.

I showed up at my buddy Sebastian's party and was ready to get wasted and fuck some random chick. I was stressed, and between work and school, I was in need of a good fuck. I immediately got a beer, grabbed a girl and started dancing. Eight beers in and I was finally starting to feel something. The girl grinding on me was hot as hell, and I figured she would be good in bed. I downed the beer in my hand and than pressed my lips to her ear.

"Wanna go somewhere more private?" I whispered and I felt her nod. I grabbed her hand and made my way to the guest room. I didn't bother looking at her, or knowing her name. Once we were in the room, I slammed my lips against hers. Before I knew it, our clothes were gone and we were in bed. I needed tonight, and after we were done I felt all of the stress leave my body.

I woke up the next day with a massive headache. The girl was gone, and I was back in my room. I had no idea how I got here but I wasn't complaining. I checked my phone and realized it was almost 3 in the afternoon. I guess after my little stress release I went back to party but I just can't remember. I walked downstairs and saw my parents sitting in the kitchen looking pissed.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"What's wrong? Are you kidding me? We got a call at 4 this morning from a guy named Sebastian saying you were drunk out of your mind at his house and needed to be picked up. What the hell were you thinking Jonathan?" My mom scolded me.

"I swear, I don't remember drinking that much." I said and I guess it was the wrong thing to say cause she just got even more pissed.

"You are going to screw up your life Jace. Not only are you not old enough to drink, but you insisted on driving home last night. Do you know how terrible that would have been if your friend hadn't called? Not to mention the half naked girl you had on your lap when we showed up. Honestly, you are going to get someone pregnant that way. Do you not care about your future whatsoever?" My mother spat and I hung my head. I knew I fucked up this time, and I didn't even have a good excuse.

"I'm sorry." Was all I could say.

"Honestly Jace, what has gotten into you? You have never, and I mean never, done anything like that before."

"I guess I've just been stressed. Working for Valentine is insane. You know how late I've had to stay there sometimes, and finally having a day off got to me, and I went all out. I promise, it won't happen again."

"Damn right it won't." My mother said and I nodded. I got up, kissed her on the cheek and left the room. I wasn't going to screw up again. I knew that for sure.

 **Time Jump - Christmas Time**

 **Clary POV:**

"Clarissa, meet me in my office in 5 minutes." My father said and I nodded. I had no idea what this was about but I got up and made my way to his office. When I got in there I took a seat and waited for him to speak. "I want to invite Jonathan and his parent to the annual winter ball. I think Stephan and Celine would appreciate a visit from you. I've talked about you often, but they never had the opportunity to meet you."

"Of course." I said and he handed me the envelope. "I'll go over after I finish my paperwork." He nods and I head back to my office. I prayed to god that Jace wasn't there.

I finished my work a little later than expected and by this time Jace had already left, so I knew that he was going to be home when I visited. I took a deep breath, got in my car and headed towards his house.

 **Jace POV:**

We had just finished having dinner when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." I called and made my way to the door. When I opened it up, I was shocked at who was there. "What are you doing here Clary? Miss me already?" I smirked but she didn't look amused.

"I'm actually here to see your parents." She said and I motioned for her to come in.

"Mom, dad. You have a visitor." I said and they made their way into the foyer.

"Hi, my name is Clarissa, and I'm Valentines daughter." Clary said and my jaw dropped. "My father wanted to personally invite you to his companies annual winter ball." She said as she handed them the invitation.

"My my dear, you look just like Jocelyn." My mother said and I saw Clary flinch at the mention of her. "We're so sorry for your loss. She was a dear friend."

"Thank you. Uh, the invitation is for you three but if Jace wants to bring a plus one, just scribble it down, and let me know." She said and they nodded. "I should be going."

"I'll walk you out." I said and I got strange looks from my parents but I ignored them, and led Clary to the door. I opened my mouth to say something but she cut me off.

"I'd appreciate if you kept this information to yourself." She said and I nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow." And with that she left. I shut the door and when I turned around my parents were there.

"You like her don't you." My mom said and I shook my head. "Don't lie to me Jonathan, I can read you like a book. My son would never walk a girl to the door." She said and I hung my head. "That girl has had a hard life, don't mess with her heart."

"She's the daughter of a millionaire, how hard can her life be?" I said.

"Don't judge a book by its cover. Get to know her." My father said and they both left, my mom turned around before following my father.

"So I'm guessing you won't be bringing a plus one?" She said and I smiled. She nodded and left the room. I went up to my room and sat at my desk and took everything in.

 **Time Jump - Ball**

 **Clary POV:**

I was absolutely dreading this ball. The only good thing was that I got to see Alec, Izzy and Simon. Although they are a couple years older, I always hung out with them during company events and I haven't seen them in awhile. I got to the hotel where it was being held and when I walked in and put my things on the table I noticed we were seated with the Herondales. Just my luck.

An hour later everyone started showing up and taking there seats. When Jace walked in my breath literally got caught in my throat. He looked gorgeous, and my heart started racing. Getting to know him outside of school was different, and I actually liked who he was when he wasn't surrounded by sluts and his idiot friends. His mom greeted me with a hug and I smiled at his father. We all took our seats when my father got up and stayed talking.

"Welcome everybody. I would like to thank you for being able to attend tonight. As you all know, these balls were my wife's idea." He said and I took a deep breath. "And although she is no longer with us, the tradition will always continue. Tonight is a special night for me because I would like to introduce you all to my successor." He looked down at me and smiled. I stood up and made my way up to him. "Clarissa has been getting to know the business for about 4 years now, and I can honestly say that she has really gotten the hang of the way things run. She's a phenomenal business woman, and I know that leaving the company in her hands is the best decision. Of course I won't be leaving until I can't physically walk anymore, but it's always great knowing I have such a great successor waiting in the wings." He said and everyone clapped. "Would you like to share a few words Clarissa?" He said and I nodded.

"It's an honor to be so highly thought of when it comes to my father. Knowing he trusts his most precious creation in my hands is truly and honor. I know many of you are worried because I am only 18, but I promise, I will do everything in my power to make sure Morgenstern Industries remains the company it is today." I finished and everyone clapped. "I hope you all enjoy the rest of your evening." I said and I made my way back to the table.

Dinner was absolutely delicious, and it was great to hear some stories about my father and mother. I have heard my father mention Stephan a few times, but I didn't know how close they were until this dinner.

After our tables were cleared the music picked up and people made their way out onto the dance floor. I remembered these things from before my mom passed, and I remember dancing with her. It brought back a flood of memories that made me happy but incredibly sad that I no longer got to share this experience with her.

 **Jace POV:**

I couldn't take my eyes off Clary all night. She was absolutely stunning, and I just wanted to take her in my arms and never let her go. When the dancing started I figured it was my one chance to get close to her but when I finally got the courage to ask a boy came up and tapped her on the shoulder and asked her to dance. She looked so excited and immediately got up. I watched them dancing for a couple minutes before a girl asked to cut in. The boy proceeded to twirl Clary into the arms of another guy. She looked absolutely carefree and I wish I could be the one making her laugh. After a couple minutes of dancing with this boy, another boy tapped on her shoulder and asked to cut in. She gave them both a kiss on the cheek and made it back over to the table. She had the biggest smile on her face, ad I just couldn't get past the fact that I wasn't the one who gave it to her. I stood up and walked over to her and cleared my throat.

"Would you like to dance?" I asked as I reached out my hand. She smiled, nodded, and took my hand. I led her out to the dance floor and we started dancing. We didn't talk, we swayed with the music, but it wasn't uncomfortable, it was familiar. Something about it felt so natural, and when the music ended and we broke apart, Clary looked at me and than immediately walked away. I had no idea what happened but I followed her out onto the balcony. She was leaning on the railing, and I could see the goose bumps on her arms. I took my jacket off and draped it over her shoulders.

"Thanks." She said and her voice was strained.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Clary?"

"What? What do you want me to say Jace?"

"Anything. Tell me what's going on in your head. Why you ran away after our dance. Honestly, I'll take whatever you give me right now." I pleaded and she looked up at me.

"I don't know what to say Jace. Other than the fact that being that close, and being held in your arms felt incredibly comfortable and familiar and it scared me." She said and I was glad I wasn't the only one who felt it.

"It felt comfortable and familiar to me too." I said as I leaned against the railing next to her. I saw her shiver and without a thought I pulled her close and she sank into my embrace. "You're going to freeze out here."

"I just needed some air." She said and I nodded.

"Come on, lets go back inside. How about we try that dance again, and we can talk?"

"Okay." She said and I led her back inside. We got back on the dance floor and I pulled her close and we started dancing. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I'll be completely blunt, who were those guys you were dancing with earlier?" I asked and she laughed.

"They are kids of Maryse's plus their significant others. Simon, the one with the glasses is Izzy's fiancé. They just got engaged. And Alec, he is the oldest Lightwood, and the sparkly guy is his husband. I've known them since I was a kid. We always hang out during these functions." She says and I nod and a smile breaks out across her face. "Were you jealous?"

"No." I answer too quickly and she laughs.

"You so were." She says and I just shake my head.

"How does it feel being the up and coming CEO for your fathers company?" I asked changing the subject.

"It's intimidating, but he's been preparing me for this for years. I'm ready whenever he's ready to step down."

"That's a lot of pressure."

"It was in the beginning. This was supposed to be my brother, but circumstances didn't allow for that, and I'm the only other child."

"You have a brother?" I ask and she nods. "Is he here?" She shakes her head. "Well, where is he?"

"Jail." She says and I sigh.

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. Can we not talk about this." She asks and I nod. "So, what about you? How do you like working for my father?"

"It's a lot different than I thought. It's nothing like what they try and teach you in school."

"I know. Everything I've learned is because of practical application, not what I read in a book."

"It has helped me though."

"How so?"

"I didn't know what I wanted to do after high school, but I think I'd really like to go into the business world. I like the challenges it's presents."

"That's great. Where do you want to go to college?"

"NYU. It's local. I can commute which takes a lot of the money burden off my parents." I say and she nods. "What about you?"

"Oh, I graduate in a year."

"No, I mean for college."

"I know. I graduate college next year."

"How?"

"I've been taking classes all throughout high school. This time next year I'll be a college graduate." She said and my jaw dropped.

"You're a nerd." I said and her eyes hardened. "I didn't mean anything bad about it, I meant to say you're smart. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. School was always the one thing I excelled at, and having so much work gave me something to focus on." She said and I nodded.

"Why are you so closed off at school?" I ask and she laughs.

"Just because I haven't stuck my tongue down every guys throat, doesn't make me closed off. It just doesn't make me a whore."

"You think I'm a whore?" I ask.

"I do. I've seen you messing around with almost every girl at that school. And I've only been there for two years."

"But I have other friends."

"Yes. The dumb jocks you hang out with." She says and I can't object. They are pretty stupid. "All your friends are exactly the same. They thrive on the attention they get from girls, while they try and prey on the innocent girls for the thrill of a challenge." She says and I raise and eyebrow.

"Speaking from experience?" I hesitantly ask and she sighs.

"You're friend Sebastian can be extremely persistent, and he doesn't like the word no." She said and I gripped her a little too tightly. "Ow."

"Sorry. I had no idea." I said and she shook it off.

"He got the hint after I kneed him in the balls and he was out of football for a week with bruised balls."

"That was you?" I asked through laughter, and she nods. "He said a girl sucked him off so hard they were bruised."

"Yea well, how many people would admit to getting kneed by me?" She said and I laughed.

"I am sorry for him though. I know he can be a real asshole."

"So why do you hang out with him?"

"We've been friends since elementary school. It's just what I'm used too." I said and she nodded. "Look, I know I am not the poster boy for good behavior, but at least you know who I really am."

"Do I now?" She asks and I nod.

"I've been more real with you since working at your fathers business than I ever have been with anyone in my life."

"Why don't you be the real you at school?" She asks and I shrug. "Ah, you want to be popular, and the nice and sweet Jace won't get all the bitches and respect as the playboy asshole you pretend to be?"

"I guess."

"It's a shame really, I like this you so much better." She said and than the music ended. Everyone took their seats and I wanted to keep talking but Valentine was making his way up to the podium. I tuned him out and kept my focus on Clary. She was so different, and I couldn't help but want to get to know her, and be near her, but I didn't know how to make her believe that I wasn't that guy anymore.

 **Time Jump – Three Weeks Before Prom**

 **Jace POV:**

Prom was at the end of this month, and I was determined to ask Clary. Kaelie kept talking about how much fun we were going to have, but hasn't gotten the hint that I wasn't going to ask her. Most of the time I tuned her out when she talked to me. Clary and I don't really talk in school, mostly because she is in all advanced classes, and I'm not, but I'd see her around and she'd avoid eye contact, and it hurt. I wanted her to know that I was serious in the way that I like her, and that I wasn't going to be that asshole anymore. I haven't even hooked up with a girl since that winter ball her father hosted. It felt wrong just looking at a girl when I liked Clary. It was a new experience, and it scared me but I wanted to see where it went.

 **Clary POV:**

I was taking my books out of my locker for my next class when I was bumped from behind causing all of my books and papers to spill all over the floor.

"Oops, I didn't see you there." Kaelie said and I rolled my eyes. Her posse was laughing behind her and she had the fakest smile.

"I know I'm short, but my hair is basically a fire signal." I said and her smile left her face and was replaced with a scowl. "What do you want anyway?"

"Jace is mine." She spats and now I'm confused.

"Okay?"

"Don't play dumb. I know he's into you. He watches you all the time, and I know he constantly looks for you, but he's mine. So back off freak." She says and she turns and walks around the corner. I shake my head and start gathering my things. I had no idea what she was talking about. Jace didn't like me, I mean we don't interact in school so nobody even knew we were even semi friends.

When I got to the office later I went straight to my office and there was a note on the desk.

 _Need more paper in conference room A, I would ask someone else but I was already passing your office. Hope that's alright._

 _V._

I sighed and went to the nearest closet but when I opened the door I was dragged in by someone and I was really confused. When I turned on the light Jace was standing in front of me.

"I should have known my dad wouldn't leave that note." I said and he smiled. "What do you want? And why couldn't you just come to my office and talk to me?" I said but he didn't say a word. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine, and I was shocked but man was he a good kisser. I gave into him and started kissing him back. His hands were on my waist gripping me like I was going to leave, and I tangled my hands into his hair. After what seemed like forever we broke apart. I looked into his golden eyes and they seemed to be sparkling. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I know what Kaelie did to you today." He said and I took a deep breath. "I'm not hers. Despite what she thinks, I never was, and never will be."

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask and he takes my hands in his.

"Because ever since that ball I have been entirely yours." He says and I suck in a breath.

"But…" I start but I can't get any more words out.

"I know it's probably hard for you to believe me, but it's the truth. I haven't kissed anyone, hooked up, with anyone, hell I haven't even flirted with anyone since I realized that I wanted to be with you." He said and everything he was saying was catching me by surprise. "I didn't know how else to tell you than to be completely and 100% honest with you. I knew you'd most likely believe me more if I told you here, than if I talked to you about it in school." He steps closer to me and I can smell the peppermint on his breath. "I want you to be my date to the prom Clary, and I want you to be my girlfriend. I want to be able to hold your hand, and kiss you whenever I want because after that kiss I don't think I can look at you without wanting to kiss you." I think about it for a minute before I finally decide.

"You can't be this guy just around here though. You have to be this guy at school too. I'm not dealing with asshole Jace for half the day and than you suddenly flip a switch because you aren't around your friends anymore."

"I promise. I will not treat you like shit, and I will never disrespect you, or let anyone else treat you like shit or disrespect you either."

"Okay."

"To which part?"

"All of it." I said and he wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up in a hug. "Kaelie is going to be pissed. I got a warning with my little push today."

"What did she say to you?"

"She told me to back off." I said and he sighed.

"Tell me if she does that again, and I'll set her straight." He said and I smiled and nodded.

"I have to get back to work, and I'm pretty sure my father has a meeting today and that you have to attend, and you know how my father feels about being punctual." I said and he gave me a quick kiss before leaving the storage closet. That might take me a while to get used to, but I wasn't complaining.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was completely different because of what happened yesterday with Jace. Although we didn't see each other most of the day, he asked me to meet him in the caf, and I'm not going to lie, I was nervous. I believed Jace, and I don't know what I'd do if he lied to me as some sick joke or prank. I walked into the caf and I saw Jace standing talking to some guy and I made my way over to him when I tripped over something and fell to the ground. I looked up and saw Kaelie laughing.

"Oops." She said and everyone laughed. "Didn't see you there freak." She said and I was about to get up when I was lifted off the ground by Jace.

"You okay?" He asked and I nodded.

"What the hell Jace?" Kaelie said and Jace stood in front of me. "Why are you helping the freak? You're mine."

"Give it up Kaelie, I'm not yours. I never have been. I never wanted to be, and I'd appreciate if you'd leave Clary alone."

"Since when did you get all buddy buddy with the freak?" She spat and I saw Jace's fist clench. I grabbed it and he immediately relaxed.

"Apologize." Jace said through gritted teeth.

"No. Not until you tell me what the hell is going on." She yelled and we had the whole caf's attention. Jace was glaring at her, and I figured he wasn't going to tell her so I started walking away when Jace grabbed my hand and pulled me into a kiss. I heard gasps from all around but in that moment all I cared about was that Jace was telling me the truth the other day, and I knew that he meant every single word he said. When we broke apart he put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side.

"Apologize to my girlfriend, or you'll be sorry." Jace said in a menacing voice, that almost scared me.

"Ugh." She screamed and stormed away. The whole cafeteria was silent for a moment after she left.

"Let's get out of here." Jace whispered and I nodded and we left the caf in complete confusion. When we finally got into the hallway I was able to breath. I leaned against the lockers and Jace put his hands on either side of me. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yea. Not the first time I've had to deal with her." I said and I smiled. He leaned down and pecked my lips and I let out a relieved breath.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."

"But it kinda is. She wouldn't be treating you like this if it wasn't for me." He said and I shrugged.

"You can't help who stalks you." I said and he laughed.

"How about we ditch the rest of the day?" He said and I thought about it for a moment. I had two back to back free periods, so I didn't mind missing out on them.

"Sure." I said and he grabbed my hand and we made our way out to the parking lot and got into my car. "Where too?"

"How about coffee?" He said and I nodded and started making our way to a coffee shop. When we got in and ordered our drinks we sat down. "I'd like to know a little more about you Clary."

"What do you want to know?"

"Your mom." He said and I flinched. She was sore subject. "What happened to her?"

"Car accident when I was 13. She was on life support for four days before she died."

"I'm so sorry."

"It was hard. But despite how cold my father can seem, he really helped me through it." I said and he nodded.

"And your brother?" He asked and I figured it'd be best to just tell him the truth now.

"Jail."

"How long has he been there?"

"4 years."

"Why?"

"He really lost it when mom died. Started hanging out with the wrong people, getting into trouble, getting arrested. My dad tried everything he could to get him out of whatever trouble he ended up in until one day it was just too much."

"What's he in for?"

"Attempted murder, attempted rape, and assault with a deadly weapon."

"Holy shit. Who pissed him off that badly?"

"Me." I said and his eyes widened.

"Those were all against you?" He asked and I nodded. "Why?"

"I reminded him of our mother. He came home one night higher than a kite, and grabbed a hammer from the garage. Hit me over the head with it. I knocked right out. I woke up to him on top of me. I didn't have a shirt on, and my pants were halfway down. When I realized what was happening. I put up one hell of a fight. He didn't like it. He smashed a vase on the ground, picked up a shard of glass and started to slit my throat." I said and I showed him the faint line. "The crash woke my dad up and he came down just in time to throw him off of me, and call the police. He was sentenced to 25 to life without the possibility of parole."

"That's insane."

"Yea. After a year a therapy, my father started me in the family business, and I've been focusing on that ever since." He reached over and grabbed one of my hands.

"I'm so sorry Clary."

"That's why I guess I close myself off. It's why my we moved. Everyone at my last school knew what happened to him, they didn't know it was against me, but it was hard to go back to school."

"I can imagine." He said and I smiled.

"It's all in the past now though. It might not seem it because he likes to be professional at work, but my dad and I are really close, and we have each other and that's all we need."

"You have me now." He said and I smiled. I leaned over the table and gave him a kiss.

"That's right." I said and we spent the rest of the time talking about random things, until we had to go to work. Talking about these things with Jace was easy and I knew he wasn't judging me, and he listened, and I couldn't thank him enough for that simple gesture.

 **Time Jump – One Week Before Graduation**

 **Jace POV:**

Prom was absolutely amazing, and Clary and I had an amazing time. We were the talk of the school, but I didn't care because I was happy, and I was falling in love with Clary. I was graduating and probably not going to see any of these people ever again, so I didn't care what they talked about.

Today was the day that I got my progress report on how I did at Morgenstern Industries that lets me know if I'll be graduating or not and I was a nervous wreck. The principal was there, Valentine was there, Clary was there, my parents were there. I had no idea how well Valentine thought I did, but if I didn't graduate I was going to be pissed. I had finally found happiness, and got my head out of my ass, and not graduating would really suck. We were all sitting around the conference table when Valentine and Clary walked in.

"Thank you all for attending. I know you are anxiously waiting to hear my thoughts on how well Jonathan did here, but I am not the deciding factor in his case." Valentine said and I was extremely confused. "Clarissa was actually the head honcho when it came to Jonathan's progress." He said and my eyes snapped to her. I was a little annoyed she never mentioned that, but I guess she wanted to keep her biased aside and I respected that. "Clarissa?" He gestured and she stood in front of the room.

"After monitoring the progress of Jonathan, and going over everything he's assisted with and the suggestions he's made for the benefit of the company, I think he has shown a lot of potential in the business world." He said and I let out a breath. "I've realized that Jonathan does better when he is under pressure, and able to apply techniques in real life circumstances rather than in a controlled environment." She said and I smiled. "Which is why I am offering you a permanent job at Morgenstern Industries."

"What?" Everyone in the room said in union except Valentine.

"Valentine and I have been discussing it for a few weeks now, and we think your perspective on things is just what we need around here. Of course, you'll have to complete college while working here, but once you have your degree, you are more than welcome to accept our offer or look for other offers."

"Can I accept now?" I said and she laughed and nodded.

"Of course." She said and I jumped up and swung her around completely forgetting who was in the room. When I put her down the principal didn't look pleased.

"Clarissa, did you say those things because you are involved with Mr. Herondale?" He questioned and before Clary or I could protest Valentine stepped in.

"What Clarissa stated about Jonathan was everything I would have said myself. He is a brilliant student, and the actions that my daughter and Jonathan engage in outside of this building no way influenced what she said today in the office. I would be happy to write up a written statement confirming everything she just said." The principal nodded and Valentine walked them out, which left my parents, Clary and I. My mom came up and hugged both of us and she had the biggest smile on her face.

"I'm proud of you Jace, I knew you always had it in you." She said and I gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Will you be home for dinner?"

"Yea."

"You too Clary." She said and Clary just nodded and after another goodbye Clary and I were left alone. I turned around and Clary placed her hands on my shoulders and I wrapped them around her waist. I couldn't help but smile whenever I looked at her.

"I love you." I said and her breath caught before she smiled and pressed her lips to mine.

"I love you too." She said and I couldn't help but smile. We were interrupted when Valentine came back in.

"You almost lost your chance Jonathan." He said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry sir, I was just happy with the offer, and I wanted to share that with her." I said and she smiled.

"You two can leave for the day. But I expect to see you two tomorrow, on time, and being professional."

"Of course father." Clary said and he smiled at left the room. I turned back to Clary.

"How long has he known?"

"I told him the day you asked me to prom." She said and I nodded. "Clearly he was going to know when prom rolled around, and I figured that it would be less of a shock to just get it out of the way."

"Smart move." I said and she laughed. I grabbed her hand and led her out of the office, and out for some celebratory coffee. I was excited for the future for the first time in forever, and I knew that having Clary by my side was everything I needed.

 **Time Jump – Six Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Everything that has happened in the past six years has been incredible. After Jace graduated from NYU he immediately started working full time at Morgenstern Industries and I was right, he was the perfect fit. Everything about him fit wit the company. Unfortunately the happiness, and string of good luck ended when my father suffered a stroke. He was in the hospital for a couple months before he suffered a second one and didn't make it.

Today was the day of his funeral and I was a complete wreck. I barely got out of bed the past week. Jace has been filling in for me at work with the help of Luke and Maryse but I knew that I needed to get back, but it was weird not having him there. I was lay in bed all day, and when Jace would come home, he tried to get me to eat, but always failed. He was super understanding, and I couldn't be more thankful for everything he's done for me since my dad got in the hospital, but today was the hardest. I got dressed an hour ago, but I was just sitting on the edge of my bed staring at the floor. I didn't want to face today. I didn't want to greet 600 people who were coming to pay their respects, or talk at his service, or watch them lower him into the ground.

"Clary?" I heard and when I looked Jace was kneeling in front of me. "You don't have to do this alone. I can do all the talking, and if it's get too much you can find a quiet room and stay there until it's over." He said and I placed my hand on his cheek.

"What did I do to deserve you?" I ask and he laughs and presses his lips to mine.

"Come on babe, let's go." He said as he reached his hand out. I took it and he led me to the car. We pulled up to the funeral home and I took a deep breath.

The viewing took two hours, and I met more people than I could possibly count. Jace stayed by my side the entire time and never let go of my hand. He was truly my rock these past couple months, and I have no idea what I'd do with out him. After I said my final goodbyes, I went out and met Jace in the parking lot, got in the car and headed for the church. Everyone poured in and the pastor started talking. Before I knew it, I was being called to talk and Jace gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and I made my way up to the podium. I took a deep breath before I started.

"Valentine was a lot of things to a lot of different people. He was a boss, a friend, a mentor, and a tough nut to crack sometimes. It was hard to get him out of work mode, but he was a father first and foremost to me." I said and I took another deep breath. "Those who didn't see the other side to my father really missed out on knowing a great guy. He was extremely professional, and didn't like showing emotion most of the time. But when it came to me, he always made sure I knew that I could talk to him about anything, and that I could always count on him having my back." I chocked up and took a moment. "He helped me through some of the hardest times in life, and he gave me everything I could possibly want or need in life. He was an amazing businessman, but he was an even more amazing father. These past few months have been extremely hard for me. I thought I'd have my dad until the day I was 60 years old, but here I am, 24 years old, saying goodbye to one of the most important men in my life, and I feel like half of my is empty." I looked at the front row and saw Jace smile at me and I smiled back. "I am going to miss our Friday night dinners, our relationship in the office, but I will miss knowing that he is just down the hall when I need a hug or just a nice talk. I loved my father, more than anything, and I know this will be a huge adjustment, but I can't thank you all enough for coming and showing your respect for him. It means a lot to me." I said and I stepped down. Jace was standing and when I walked over he pulled me into a hug. I took a deep breath and we took our seats.

The rest of the service and the cemetery was a blur, and the next thing I remember was being back in my room. I was so out of it, Jace had to get me dressed for bed. He sunk in next to me and pulled me closer and I let out all the emotions that I had been holding in all day flow. I didn't know what else to do. I had no family left, and I had to accept that, and move forward, but right now it seemed impossible.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Morgenstern Industries had been thriving and I couldn't be more proud of the staff. They have truly made this place run as smoothly as it does, and it was insane just how great things were going. Jace and I were married, and expecting our first child soon. He was two months away from being here and I couldn't be more anxious for him to get here already so Jace and I could start raising our family. Everything seemed to be working out, and despite the pain and the sadness that I had been feeling the past year, I was excited to begin this new chapter with Jace. I was sitting in my office when there was a knock on my door.

"Come in." I said and Jace walked through the door. "Hey."

"Hey. We have a meeting in 3 minutes."

"Oh shit. I totally forgot." I said and I stood straight up. My equilibrium was off and I nearly fell over when I felt sturdy hands on my waist.

"You know, you're 7 months pregnant, no one would blame you for wearing flats to work babe." He said and I laughed.

"I've always worn heels." I said and he laughed.

"Come on. Let's go." He said as he grabbed my hand and led me to the conference room. The lights were out and I was extremely confused. I flipped them on and was shocked by all the faces in the room.

"What's this?" I ask and Izzy comes running over to me and give me a big hug.

"You're baby shower silly!" She says and I couldn't help but smile.

"Really?"

"Oh course. You didn't think we'd let you have our grandbaby without a proper baby shower did you?" Celine said as she came over and gave me a hug followed by Stephan.

"Thank you guys."

"It was all Jace." Celine said and I looked back towards him and gave him a quick kiss.

"I love you." I said and he smiled and tucked a curl behind my ear.

"I love you too." He said and I couldn't stop smiling. We sat down, and started opening gifts, and eating cake, and I couldn't stop smiling. It had been one hell of a year, and it was only going to get more chaotic from here. But what is life without a little chaos?

"Oh shit." I said and all eyes were on me. "My water just broke." I said and than the chaos started all over again.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I have absolutely no idea who requested this story, but I do know that someone did! And I hope that I lived up to your expectations. I know it isn't the ideal kind of shy girl you were probably hoping for, but I wanted to make it different, and I am very happy with where it went! Let me know what you think! :)**


	36. Chapter 35 - Unwanted Married Life

**Thirty Fifth One Shot:**

 **Unwanted Married Life**

 **Clary POV:**

"You have got to be shitting me dad." I said as I stand frozen in the middle of the living room.

"I am not. You will be married to him." He said and I looked to his left, and saw that he didn't want to be there any more than I do.

"Why?"

"Because you are almost 30 Clarissa. You need to settle down, start a family."

"We don't even like each other. We haven't seen each other in years." I said and he smirked. "He isn't the settling down type though. He is basically the whore of the East Coast."

"Watch your mouth Clarissa." My father yelled and I shut up. "You will move in together today, and that's the end of that."

My father left the room with Stephan which just left Jace and I. We were both quiet, until he walked up to me and smiled.

"Look princess, I don't want to get married either. Especially to you. But we have no choice. So stay out of my way, and we can at least try to pretend this isn't happening." He said as he went in the direction of my father. This was going to be the worst life ever. I could already tell.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

This past month has been extremely weird. Jace rarely had time for me, but it was still nice to come home to someone after a long day. We basically only saw each other for dinner. He was always working late, or holed up in his room. I didn't mind the space because it gave me time to write. He was leaving for tour soon, and I think he was super excited to get away from me. I'm not gonna lie, it kinda hurt how much he wanted to get away from me, but I can't change it. I just hope maybe when he comes back he has a different mindset.

 **Jace POV:**

I was leaving for my tour today and I was pumped. Getting away from Clary was going to be wonderful. It sucked though, because since my dad leaked it to the paparazzi that I had a girlfriend, I can't have fun on tour but I would be with my boys, and I was excited. I got on the bus and took my seat and waited to get rolling when Alec sat next to me.

"I heard the great Jace Herondale has s girlfriend." He laughed and I groaned.

"Not by choice." I said and he patted me on the back. "She's so annoying, and she's like insanely smart so she literally knows everything. There isn't a thing she doesn't know, and it's incredibly frustrating."

"She doesn't sound that bad."

"Wait until you meet her. She's a nightmare, and not even my usual type."

"So she isn't a slut carrying a possible STD?"

"I don't even think she's kissed a guy." I said and he laughed. I groaned and sunk deeper into the couch. Just thinking about the fact that I have to marry her is annoying me. Of all the people, it had to be her.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was one of our off days, and we were chilling in the house that we rented watching TV when Clary popped up. It had been four months since I'd even looked at a picture of her. I tried to avoid the image as much as possible, but I had to admit, she looked good. She was smiling and laughing, and I don't know what happened, but something flipped and I turned up the TV.

"So Clary, I heard there is a man in your life. Want to tell me about him?" The interviewer asks and a picture of me pops up in the corner.

"I do. His name is Jace Herondale, as every woman in the world already knows. He's in a band and he's currently on tour." She said with a brilliant smile.

"How did you two meet? I bet it was very romantic." The interviewer said and Clary laughed.

"Not at all. Our fathers are old friends. And a couple years ago we were all at one of my book releases." She started and I knew where she was going with this. I remember this day. "Jace did not want to be there at all. You could just tell. Halfway through the book release he knocked over one of the displays and all of my books spilled all over the floor. It was so bad." She said and I couldn't stop the smile on my face.

"What did you do?"

"I was furious. I almost kicked him out of the bookstore. The book signing got delayed and I felt so bad for my fans."

"What did he do?"

"He bought five of my books." She said and the interviewer laughed.

"Really?"

"Yea. It was pretty much a disaster but here we are." She said and the interviewer smiled.

"So we're here to talk about you new book, Sometimes Love Is All You Need, and it comes out in November."

"Yes. This book is a lot different than my others because it touches on some pretty serious topics."

"Like that?"

"Depression, self hatred, eating disorders, and regret."

"And I understand this is a biography." The interviewer said and I was shocked.

"Yes. This book is all about my journey to where I am now."

"How so?"

"I don't want to give anything away, but I will tell you that I had a lot of struggles in my life. High school was hard for me, I started seeing myself in a horrible light because of the way that television was portraying women. I am not tall, I stand at 5 foot even. I'm not a blonde, I don't have big boobs. I'm not the ideal woman for a guy to love according to the media and it really got into my head." She said and I couldn't believe it. She was a beautiful girl, and the fact that she didn't believe it at one point was shocking. "There is a story in the book about an ex-boyfriend and how he wanted me to be perfect. He would make me weigh in every week and if I was over 110 pounds he would get physical." She said and I couldn't stop the anger that flooded my insides. "He was a huge part of a lot of my problems."

"And the regret?"

"That stems from my mother." Clary said and I was on the edge of the couch.

"What is your biggest regret?"

"Not telling my mom I loved her enough." Clary said, and the audience was quiet. "Sorry for getting so deep today."

"Don't worry about it." The interviewer said. "Has Jace helped with any recovery when it comes to all of this?"

"Jace actually doesn't know any of this, and if he's watching, I'm sorry you had to find out this way." She said into camera.

"Why not?"

"It isn't really a topic that is easily brought up." She laughed a little. "We don't normally sit at the table and talk about our self esteem issues. And I doubt Jace really has any. He's the most confident person I've ever met."

"Does it help having someone in your life that isn't like the ex you talked about previously?"

"Jace not knowing was actually very helpful. He didn't treat me differently, he didn't baby me, he didn't walk on eggshells around me. He never once treated me like glass. And I needed that. My father has been very protective ever since I was admitted into the hospital junior year of high school, which you'll read about in the book. And for him to approve of Jace, and kind of back off a bit and trust me in his care was a huge deal." Clary said and I was seeing things in a whole new light. I had been so resentful the first month that we were together that I didn't even realize how hard this must have been for her.

"Do you miss him?"

"I do." She said with a smile. "We had just moved in together a month before he went on tour and it was strange to go from seeing him every day to not seeing him at all, but he'll be back in a couple months." She said and smiled. I had been an asshole. She didn't deserve me avoiding her. And spending as little time as I could with her. I may not have always been the biggest fan of hers, but I certainly never hated her.

"Thank you so much Clary for stopping in today." I muted the TV and sat back on the couch. I had forgotten the rest of the band was in the room with me.

"Isn't that the girl you were complaining about the first half of the tour?" Alec said and I nodded.

"She's too good for you bro." Simon said and I shoved him.

"Trust me. I know." I said and Sam grabbed the remote a put on a football game. I got up and went to my room and grabbed my phone and called Clary.

"Hello?" I heard from the other end.

"Hey." I said.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

"No."

"What's wrong?"

"I saw your interview."

"Oh." Was all she said.

"I'm sorry Clary."

"For what?"

"For treating you like shit when you didn't deserve it. I was acting like a spoiled brat, and I took it out on you."

"Don't worry about it Jace. I was warned by Stephan that you would be miserable. I expected a lot worse honestly."

"I just wanted to let you know that when I get back I won't be that way anymore."

"I appreciate that. I have to go. I have a meeting with my publisher in 20 minutes. If we don't talk before tonight, good luck with your show." She said and she hung up before I could say anything else. I laid back on my bed and looked up at the ceiling. I'd make it up to Clary, and I would never be that rude to her again.

 **Time Jump - Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had been running around like a mad woman all day today. My book had been out on hold due to a misprint and I was freaking out. All my books had to be recalled, and the date has been pushed back two months and I was so annoyed. I walked into my house feeling so incredibly frustrated. I slammed the door, and shoved the keys on the table. I needed a hot shower. I went straight to the master bathroom and turned the shower up. The hot water felt amazing on my skin and I blasted music. I don't know how long I was I there but when I got out, I wrapped a towel around myself and headed towards the kitchen for a snack, but what I wasn't anticipating was Jace to be back, with his whole band.

"Oh. Hello." I said and Jace smiled.

"Rough day? I heard the music."

"Horrible month more like it." I said as I stood there awkwardly.

"I'm sorry." He said as he placed his drink on the counter.

"Well, now that I know you're home, I'm going to change." I said as I backed away. I got back to my room, put a pair of sweats on, and a hoodie and made my way back to the kitchen. The band was still there, and Jace was searching for food. I laughed and made my way over to him. "Hungry?"

"Yea. We didn't stop for lunch on our way back." He said and I smiled.

"What are you in the mood for?" I asked and he shrugged.

"I'll eat whatever." He said and I heard the band agree.

"Go into the living room, I'll cook something." I said and he leaned down, pressed his lips to my cheek.

"You're the best." He said and the band exited the kitchen. I was shocked, but he did say he wasn't going to be an asshole anymore, and I guess that was what he was doing, and I wasn't complaining.

 **Time Jump - Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day of my book release and I was super excited. I hated that I had to push it, but I wanted the best for my fans, and that's what I was going to give them. I walked out of the room and was getting ready to leave when Jace started walking with me.

"What are you doing?" I asked and he smiled.

"Coming with you."

"Why?"

"Because you're my fiancé and I want to support you." He said and I was shocked. Jace and I had been getting along better in the last two months. And it was surprisingly easy to live with him, but I never expected this.

"Really?"

"Yes. I told you I was done being an ass. I know how important this book is to you. You're bearing your soul to the world, and that takes guts. I want to be there for you."

"Wow. Thank you." I said and he grabbed my hand.

"We're going to be late, and I think your fans have waited long enough." He said as he walked us out of our house. This was the most couplely thing we've ever done, and I gotta say, I really like it.

We got to the bookstore and the place was crowded with people. I've been an author for a good 7 years, and these things always surprise me. I appreciate my fans so much, and to know they are so excited for this book means a lot. Jace put some shades on and a beanie and started walking around the bookstore while I started signing books. After about an hour, I took a break and started wondering around to find Jace. I found him in the corner reading a book and I giggled and made my way over to him.

"A Tale of Two Cities? Classic."

"One of my favorites."

"Mine too. It's actually one of the reasons I wanted to become a written."

"Really?"

"Yea." I smiled and he smiled back. I was about to say something else when my manager found me.

"Clary, break is over." He said and I sighed. Jace stood up, removed his sunglasses, grabbed my hand and walked me to the table that I was sitting at to sign books. When the women got a good look at him they started freaking out. I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped my lips. I was about to sit down when Jace grabbed my hand and turned me towards him. He got down on one knee and pulled out a box and naturally the whole room erupted.

"Will you marry me?" He asked and all I could do was nod my head. He slid the ring on my finger and than kissed me on the lips. I was stunned for a moment when I realized there were a bunch of cameras around and I fed into it. After we broke apart, I got back to signing my books, while some fans got a special signed photo of Jace's band. I knew this was mainly for show, but I couldn't help but like it.

 **Time Jump - One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I had been reading Clary's book for the past month and I couldn't believe what this girl had been through. It was ridiculous that she was ever put through any of the shit she was and knowing her today, she was an amazing person, and the fact that people overlooked that before was astounding.

My feelings towards Clary have changed in the past couple months. I had enjoyed getting to know her little quarks, and what makes her laugh. Her favorite food, and her favorite desert. I loved coming home and smelling dinner throughout the house, or seeing her sitting on the couch in one of my tee shirts, with her hair in a messy bun with her glasses on writing. It was everything I wanted, but didn't realize I wanted it until Clary came along. I hated to admit it, but my father was right. I was falling in love with her, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him.

Clary and I were going out to celebrate tonight. We had just released our new album, and her next book series was just picked up, and we needed a night to ourselves. No band, no publisher or manager. Just us to congratulate each other on our achievements. I was sitting in the living room waiting for Clary to finish getting ready when I heard the clicks of the heels. I stood up and was met with the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. Clary was wearing a dark green dress that hugged her body in all the right spots, and stopped mid thigh. She was wearing 5 inch heels, that made her legs look like they went on for days. Her hair was perfectly curled and her make up was subtle but perfect.

"You look stunning." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you. You look pretty good yourself." She said as she walked over to me. I reached out my hand and she took it without hesitation and we made our way to the restaurant.

Of course there were going to be paparazzi there, but Clary and I were both used to that. We clung to each other, and smiled as we made our way into the restaurant. We were seated immediately and broke out the bottle of wine. I poured to glasses and we both raised them.

"To your new book." I said and she smiled.

"To your new album." She said and we tapped out glasses together, took a sip and ordered.

Dinner was amazing, but any meal I share with Clary is. Whether it be something she made or something we ordered, we always had a great time together. We had finished, and Clary had a couple glasses of wine and she was feeling it. I paid and snaked my arm around her waist so she was steady while walking.

"Can we walk around for a little? I don't want a hangover and fresh air normally helps." She says and I nod, and we start walking down the street. I had no idea where we were going, but Clary was enjoying the walk, therefore I was enjoying the walk. We somehow made it to a park bench and took a seat. Clary curled into my side and rested her head on my shoulder and I couldn't think of a better way to end the night.

"Well, if it isn't the happy couple." I heard from behind us and I immediately felt Clary go stiff. "You two are hard to track down. I had to resort to a good old fashion following."

"It's called stalking." I hissed back. "What do you want?"

"I came here to see Clary." He said and I pushed Clary behind me so he couldn't even see her. "You've definitely changed a lot since high school. Put on a lot of weight too."

"Don't you dare talk to her like that." I said and he smiled an evil smile.

"I don't know how you can even stand being near her while she looks that fat. It wouldn't kill you to run a mile would it Clare-bear?" He laughed and I put two and two together.

"Sebastian. You were the boyfriend in high school." I said and I felt Clary stiffen even more. I didn't tell her I was reading her book.

"She's told you about me?"

"Yes. And I hate you." I said and he laughed.

"I don't care."

"You've seen Clary, now leave."

"I don't get a kiss for old time sake Clare?" He said and I growled. "Wow. Territorial I see." He put his hands up in a defensive position and stepped back.

"When it comes to my fiancé, hell yes I'm territorial."

"Congratulations. Better lose 40 pounds for the wedding Clare. Nothing looks worse than a fat bride." He said and just like that he was gone. I turned around and saw Clary completely frozen in place. The nerve of that guy, I just wanted to wring his neck for saying anything remotely discouraging to Clary.

"Come on. Let's go home." I said and she nodded. I led her back to the car, and the ride home was silent. She didn't say a word as she walked into the house, into our room, and got into bed. I got changed and slipped in next to her where she immediately cuddled into my side and I felt her sobbing. I held her close, letting her get it all out of her system. Tomorrow I was going to show how beautiful, and amazing, and funny, and talented she was, and I was going to make sure she knew just how I felt about her.

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up and immediately knew Jace wasn't in bed because all the warmth was gone. It was weird how I felt about Jace because I never in a million years thought that I'd be in love. I was content being alone. I had my friends, and my fans, and family, but sharing a life with Jace was a lot easier than I thought, and I was definitely getting used to it.

I got out of bed and made my way to the kitchen. When I walked in, Jace was making food and I couldn't help but smile as I watched him standing there shirtless making me breakfast. I took a seat at the counter and continued to gawk at him. He is my fiancé, and I can stare all I want right?

"Are you checking me out?" I heard him say and when I looked up he was now turned around, and I felt my cheeks redden. "Can't blame you."

"You are my fiancé? I'm allowed to look all I want." I said and he smirked that sexy smirk that I secretly love.

"I have no problem with you checking me out. I do it to you all the time."

"Really?" I said as he handed me a cup of coffee.

"Of course. You have a sexy body Clary. I'd be a fool if I didn't stare." He said, and for some reason, I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

"So, why are you making breakfast?"

"I have our entire day planned."

"Any special occasion?"

"I am going to get ride of every negative thing that was said about you last night."

"Jace."

"No Clary. I will not tolerate him stalking us, and than completely shitting on you. I know you want to be the bigger person, but I'm not below being the revengeful person. He pissed me off, and I'm going to make sure by the end of this day, you know exactly how I see you." He said and I smiled.

"Okay." I said and he placed a plate of pancakes in front of me. He knew me so well.

The whole day was absolutely perfect. I don't know how Jace knew exactly what to do, but I was smiling all day. When the sun set he lead me over to a lake where there was a small boat waiting for us. We got in it, and he paddled out into the middle before stopping.

"What's going on?" I asked and he smiled.

"I needed you to be somewhere I knew you wouldn't be able to run away."

"Why would I run away?"

"Because I'm about to bare my soul to you, and I don't want you to freak." He said as he grabbed my hands. "The day I saw your interview was extremely eye opening. It made me realize how little we know about each other. I mean, I read your book, you went through a lot of shit and you are the most amazing woman that I've ever met." He said and my eyes began to water. "I never wanted to get married because I never thought that I'd ever find someone who I loved. My parents marriage has always been shit. And that's all I had to look up too. To me, being in love meant being cold and distant towards each other, and I never wanted that." He said as he played with my fingers. "So many things changed when our parents told us about the marriage. I was pissed yea, but I also started to get used to having you around, and I started liking it. I loved coming home to the house smelling like food, or cookies. I loved when I'd come home really late to find you curled up on the couch with your latest book surrounding you. I loved being about to talk about my day with you, and hear about your newest story idea, and whether you thought it'd be good or not. You sought out my opinion and it mattered to you." He said and I couldn't help but smile. "I know I've only been home for a couple months, so the majority of our relationship I've been away, but the way I feel about you in undeniable." He said as he sucked in a deep breath. "I'm in love with you Clary, and I can't wait to make you my wife." He said and my eyes widened. He loved me. He actually loved me. I don't know how long we were quiet for but it was pure silence. "Please say something."

"Jace." I said and I squeezed his hand a little tighter. "I love you too."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." I said and he let out a relieved sigh. "I wasn't lying when I said I missed you in that interview. You may have only been here for a month, and you barely spent any time with me, but I did miss you. You were apart of my life, and when you left, there was a void." I said and I looked into his golden eyes. "I never wanted to get married either. After all I went through in high school, I didn't believe in love anymore. I thought I knew what love was, but I was incredibly wrong, and my trust in men died." I said and he was so attentive. "When my father told me about this, I was pissed. I'm a successful writer, I have great friends, I didn't need a man to make me happy." I could see his face fall a little and I smiled. "But I found being with you was natural. It came easy to cook for you, or bake for you. I loved sharing our days, and listening to a demo of your song and giving you feed back. Half the time you found me on the couch was because I was waiting up for you because I didn't like going to bed without you." I said and I took a deep breath. "What happened with Sebastian last night was terrible. He destroyed my self esteem, as you probably read. I was a wreck, and I tried to take my own life because of him." I said and Jace stiffened, I had left that part out of the book, it wasn't something I liked sharing. "But having you there, hearing you defend me, just made everything seem worth it. It made me happy that I got out of that relationship. That my father found me when he did. That I got a second chance."

"When did you know?" He cuts in. "That you loved me?"

"The day you came to my book signing. The way you seemed to be keeping me close to protect me from anything bad. And the way we had so much in common, and the way you kissed me after you proposed." I said and he nodded. "What about you?"

"I knew I felt different about you after the interview, but when I came home, and I saw you for the first time after I had my revelation. In that moment I knew I'd do anything for you. No questions asked." He started playing with the ring on my left hand. It was the ring he gave me many months ago, and I liked it. It was simple but I knew his father picked it out. He released my hand and fumbled with something in his pocket. When he pulled out a small box my breath caught in my throat. "About a week ago, when I knew I wanted to tell you how I felt I decided that the first step would be to propose properly." He looked at my hand and slipped the old ring off. "This ring was picked out by my father. He handed it to me, and I didn't even look at it. I didn't care what I was giving you. When I finally got a good look at it, I wasn't happy."

"I like it." I jumped in and he smiled.

"Yes, but you don't love it." He said and I shrugged. He opened the box and my hands flew over my mouth. "I saw this and knew it was the one for you. I wanted you to have a ring that shows that I love you, and that I want this for real."

"Nobody knew this was fake but us, and our families. I doubt the ring would give it away." I pointed out.

"That may be true, but what happens when you go in for another interview and they ask and you have to make up an excuse about how much you love it?" He said and I could see his point. "I want you to be proud to wear this ring." He said and he pulled it out of the box. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I can't wait to start a family, and do everything with you. Clarissa Morgenstern, will you marry me?"

"Of course." I said and he slid the ring on my finger and practically jumped in the boat to kiss me, which caused the boat to rock and we fell in. When we popped up out of the water he immediately brought me into his arms and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Now this is a story that will be good to tell our kids." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. I pressed my lips to his, and we floated in the water for a while kissing, and enjoying our new, and happy engagement.

 **Time Jump -Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today we had an interview with some talk show and for the first time I was pretty excited. Of course Clary was a possibility to be brought up, but I've just been extremely happy since the night we actually got engaged that nothing could ruin my mood. We all took our seats on set and got situated before the count down started. The red light came on, the audience got quiet and it was show time.

"Welcome back, right now we have some very special guests, thank you for taking your time to come on the show boys." The interviewer said and we all nodded.

"Thank you for having us." I said and she nodded.

"How has the tour been so far?"

"It's been great. We're only in the second month but the shows have been amazing. The fans are so supportive, and they love our new stuff. It's really encouraging."

"I know this has been your life for some time now, but does it ever get easier to leave your loved ones behind for months on end?"

"Not at all. Saying goodbye is one of the hardest parts. Alec over here actually just got married, and Simon just had a kid so there are always factors that make it next to impossible to leave, but our families are also super supportive of our work, and they understand which helps a lot."

"I know this is supposed to be about your tour, and the band and I promise I'll get back to that, but I have to ask, how is the wedding planning going Jace?" She looked super excited and I couldn't help but smile.

"I have no idea. Clary has been planning all of it. She told me that all I have to do is answer a few questions and show up at the alter."

"I saw the pictures of your proposal. Very sweet."

"That wasn't even the real one." I said with a smile and she perked up.

"Really?"

"Yea. Our manager, and my father said that I had to propose in public so cameras could get a good shot, but I didn't want that. I wanted it to between us, but they were persistent. So a couple months after that I proposed the way I wanted too, and it was absolutely perfect."

"What did you do?" She was at the edge of her seat and I smiled.

"I took her out for the entire day just doing random things, and at night I brought her to a lake, we got into a small boat, and paddled out into the middle, I poured my heart out to her and she did the same. I gave her another ring, one that I thought she truly deserved."

"What about the first ring?"

"It was a stand in. The original wasn't ready yet." I said and she nodded. "When she said yes I was thrilled that the boat ended up tipping over and we fell in." The whole audience started laughing. "It was absolutely perfect."

"That sounds so romantic." She said and the audience clapped.

"It was, and since that night she has been in crazy mode. Between her writing her latest book, and the planning, I'm impressed she gets any sleep. Some nights I'd have to carry her from the couch to our bed."

"Do you have a date set?"

"I'm pretty sure she has picked October."

"Like, this October?"

"Yup. Like in a couple months."

"Will your tour be over by that time?"

"We have a break between the American tour and the European tour, and after we get married she's going to come on tour with us for a little."

"Will that be the honeymoon?"

"Not at all. Once the tour is finished we'll go on our honeymoon, I just wanted to spend time with her as my wife, and not have to go back on tour without her right after we got married."

She nodded and continued to talk about the band and our tour and we answered all her questions before the segment was over. We got off the set and made our way back to our bus. We had a show tonight, and we had to head back to the hotel to get ready. I picked up my phone and I had a text from Clary.

 _Just went cake testing with Izzy, and all I have to say is we might be getting three different cakes. They were all so GOOD! Anyway, good luck with your show today, I know you'll kick ass! Love you! ~C_

I couldn't help but smile. Sometimes I couldn't believe that she was mine. Everything I thought in the beginning of this was completely wrong. Having someone there to celebrate your victories with, and share your failures with was truly unbelievable. Clary was always there to listen to my problems, and help me work through them, and I was always there for her. There wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her, and now that I know she's the one for me, I couldn't help but constantly be happy when thinking about the future.

 _I'm totally down for having three cakes, its our day babe, we can have as many cakes as we want. I'll check in after the show. Love you too! ~J_

I texted her back before entering the venue. I wouldn't be able to talk to her before the show, and we needed our sound check finalized. I was excited for the show, and basically the rest of my life.

 **Clary POV:**

"Clary, I can't believe you're doing this!" Izzy whisper yelled over her sleeping baby.

"Why not? It'll be so much fun!"

"You spent months planning, and you're just throwing it away!"

"No I'm not. I never wanted a big wedding. I honestly just need him. All my planning wasn't thrown away. I found a priest in San Diego, and had a bakery do our cake out there. I have the rings. I talked to his manager about it. He thinks it's a great idea. I got my dad, and his parents there. Everything is planned."

"What about your dress!"

"I have this." I said as I held up my dress.

"You're kidding right?"

"Not at all. I'm going to be surprising him on stage. He will most likely be all sweaty and I'm literally clipping a bow tie onto his neck. This isn't formal at all."

"Ugh. When does our flight leave?"

"In an hour. We should get there approximately 25 minutes before the show starts. We'll get ready, and make our way to his show." She nodded, I grabbed my bags and she grabbed her stuff along with the babies and we headed to the airport.

Five hours later and we were finally in San Diego, and we were at the hotel getting ready. I was excited, and nervous, and terrified, and pretty much every emotion you could possibly feel. Izzy was doing my hair, and my make up and in about an hour, I would be getting married on stage in front of a sold out crowed, and I couldn't wait.

We got to the venue and I could hear Jace's band playing and they sounded amazing. I walked backstage, and met with my father, and Jace's parents and the priest. I was standing in the wing, when they finished their song. They were all taking a little drink break when I walked on stage. The crowed started going wild and Jace looked over and his eyes widened when he saw me. He walked over to me and engulfed me in a hug.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in my ear and I just giggled. I walked over to the microphone and picked it up.

"Hello San Diego, I don't know if you know me, but my name is Clary, and how would you all like to witness our wedding?" The crowd went even more wild and I turned back to Jace and he looked confused. He walked over to me.

"You're serious?" He asks and I nod. "What about all the planning?"

"This was the planning. Your parents are here, my dad is here, Izzy is here, I found a priest, and there is cake backstage."

"You want this?"

"I want to be married to you, and I want to be married to you now." I said and he picked me up and spun me around. He put me down and grabbed the mic.

"I guess you all get a special treat tonight." He said and I motioned for the priest to come out, with the bow tie. I grabbed it and clipped it around Jace's neck and he laughed. We stood there and the priest started talking. It was really short, and before I knew it he was pronouncing us husband and wife. Jace dipped me while he kissed me and the crowd lost it and I couldn't stop smiling. After we were done, I gave him one more kiss before I headed off stage. While I was walking I heard Jace speak. "Well, that just happened. I'm a married man and I appreciate you all attending. Let's play another song."

I watched the concert from the sidelines and 2 hours later they were done, and we all gathered in the back room with the cake.

"I wanted to thank everyone who was able to make this possible. I know it was a shock, but I'm glad you were all here to witness this." I said and Jace pulled me closer.

"To Mr. and Mrs. Herondale." My father said and I couldn't help but laugh. I felt Jace's lips to my ear as he whispered.

"I can get used to the sound of that." He said and I buried my head in his chest. I was happy, and we were married, and everything worked out and despite how our relationship stared off, I couldn't be happier where it ended.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This was requested by a guest and I hope whoever you are, that you enjoyed where I took this. Let me know what you all think! Leave a review if you have a request! :)**


	37. Chapter 36 - Stripper

**Thirty Sixth One Shot:**

 **Stripper**

 **Jace POV:**

One of my buddies is getting married and tonight we're out for his bachelor party. His best man decided that strippers was the way to go. It should be an entertaining night.

We got to the club and it was packed. We were seated by the stage and the dancers were dancing, and we ordered a round of drinks. One of the guys called the waitress over.

"Hey, my buddy Frank is getting married and I was wondering if I could buy him a lap dance." He said and she laughed.

"I have a menu of the girls with a description of each of them. I'll bring it over. Pick one out, and let me know." She said and she walked away, grabbed a menu and was back. "Call me over when you made a decision." We nodded and started looking at the list.

"What's your type man?"

"Well, I'd prefer if you got me a girl the total opposite of my future wife."

"So, no blondes." I said and he laughed. "You're missing out."

We looked over it when he landed on a dancer by the name Cherry Pie.

"This one looks good. Redhead, short, one of the most popular in the club. Has about 7 years experience."

"Okay." We called the waitress over.

"Who will it be?"

"Cherry Pie."

"Sorry boys, but she's booked for the next six months solid. She's one of the most popular girls in the club."

"Can you point her out?" I ask and she laughs.

"I'll let her know the reason, and maybe she could squeeze you in." She said as she walked into the back. A few minutes later two women walked out and towards us. When they got to the table my jaw dropped. She was a lot older, and her smile seemed to be even more bright. It had been almost 10 years since we saw each other, and I didn't expect to see her here.

"Boys, meet Cherry Pie. Cherry Pie, this young man is getting married and his buddies wanted to give him a lap dance with you." She smiled and looked around the table until our eyes met.

"Thank you Maia." The waitress left and Clary was alone. "I wish I could fit you in, but I'm booked all night long. Congratulations on the marriage though. She's a lucky girl." Clary said. Her eyes flickered back to mine before she looks back. "I have a private session in 5 minutes, but whatever dancer you decide to go with, it's on the house."

"Thanks Cherry Pie." Frank said and she left. I was completely and utterly shocked at finding out Clary was a stripper. She was the shy girl in high school, who Izzy took under her wing. She started to become more social and eventually we got together and dated for almost 3 years. I watched her walk away and grab a man and walk him into the back room.

Anger flooded my insides, and I walked right over to the room. I opened the curtain and got even more angry. I pulled Clary off him, and punched him right in the face.

"Jace!" Clary shouted. I looked back and she looked pissed. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of the room and across the club into the back room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Me? You're the stripper here Clary. What the hell happened to you?"

"It's none of your business. You gave up the right to know any of my business when you broke up with me." She spat and I took a seat.

"Why don't you have a real job?"

"This is a real job."

"No. This is a job for dropouts and desperate people. Not you Clare."

"A lot has happened in the last 10 years Jace."

"What could possibly make you so desperate?"

"It's none of your business."

"God damn it Clary. Can you stop being so fucking stubborn for once?"

"You used to love that about me."

"I still do." I mumbled. "This isn't you Clary. This isn't the girl I knew. Are you in trouble?"

"No. I'm not." She simply said.

"So this is by choice?"

"Yes." She said and I opened my mouth to speak but she stopped me. "Jace, this is my place of employment, you can't come in here, and punch my customers."

"Clary."

"I think it would be best if you left." She said. She opened the door. "I'll walk you back." I didn't even have it in me to answer. We walked back to my table, and than she left.

"What the fuck man?" Frank said.

"Do you know her?" Another friend said.

"We dated in high school."

"You looked pissed man."

"I thought that we'd get married one day."

"What happened?"

"I broke up with her."

"Why?"

"We had always planned to go to the same college. But she changed her mind last minute and I was pissed."

"How longs it been?"

"10 years."

"You still got it bad man." They said and I just groaned.

"I can't be here anymore. I'm sorry if I ruined your night, but I have to go."

"Understandable man. Thanks for coming out." He said. I nodded and walked out.

The rest of the night I couldn't get her out of my head. A stripper. She was just a promising student. She always got great grades. The fact that she had gone as low as becoming a stripper was beyond me.

 **Clary POV:**

After my run in with Jace, I gave the customer he punched a free dance. The nerve of him to come in here and do that was unbelievable. He broke up with me. He dumped me. Ugh. Boys. When I was finally done, I changed and packed up my things. I made my way to the hospital to visit my mom. I got there and went straight to her room. I was there for about an hour before the doctor came in.

"Hello Clary."

"Hey Dr. Carstairs. I have the money for the next round of treatments."

"Very well. The next round should start next week at some point."

"How is she doing?"

"The chemo is really damaging her organs right now, but I think with the new dosage it won't be as bad. Right now the good thing is the cancer isn't spreading." I nod and he leaves the room. I look back at my mom and sigh. I make myself comfy on the couch and drift off hoping that something goes right for me this month.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was still reeling about what happened at the strip club last month. I am going home this weekend to talk to Izzy and Alec. I know I didn't keep in contact but I didn't know if they did, and I was desperate to find out what was going on, and what caused her to become a stripper.

When I got to Izzy's house, I knocked on the door and Simon answered. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Of all the people to get married, I never expected it to be Simon and Izzy. Nonetheless, they have been married for almost 8 years, with two kids, so they are clearly living the life that I always dreamed of with Clary. I walked in and gave Izzy and Alec both hugs before we sat on the couch.

"What is this about Jace? You sounded so upset."

"Guess who I ran into last month?" I said and they all shook their head. "Clary."

"You're kidding!" Alec said and I laughed.

"And you'll never guess where." They were silent again. "A strip club. She's a stripper. A popular one at that." I said and Alec and Izzy looked shocked but Simon didn't. "Did you know Simon?"

"I knew she took up a rather unconventional job years ago. She didn't tell me what, or where, but that she would be fine, and I didn't question her. Clary has always known what she was doing."

"But a stripper? I mean, she had such a promising future." Izzy said.

"Do you know why she bailed on our plans to go to UCLA together?" I asked Simon and he sighed.

"You know how her dad died senior year, and it killed her mom?" He said and I nodded. "She wanted to be closer to her."

"Why didn't she just tell me that?"

"At the time, her mom was in the middle of getting tested. She had been feeling sick for weeks, and had no idea why." Simon explained and I nodded. "She ended up going to a community college for a year before she had to drop out."

"Why?"

"Her mom was diagnosed with cancer." My eyes widened and Izzy and Alec looked just as shocked. "Clary dropped and used all her college tuition to pay for treatments."

"So why is she a stripper?"

"Despite having a really low reputation, stripping makes a lot of money, and the last time I spoke with her, she had sold everything to pay for her mom. It was a last resort. Clearly, she got good, and she probably makes a couple grand a night, and cancer treatments aren't cheap."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this Simon?" Izzy asked.

"I wanted too. I asked her if I could, but she didn't want anyone to know how desperate she was. The poor girl has absolutely nothing, and the only family she has left, is basically in comatose and showing no signs of progress."

"What about Jonathan?" I ask and he looks confused.

"You didn't hear?"

"I blocked out everything relating to New York, and Clary when we broke up."

"He was killed. He got involved with some gang, and eventually couldn't pay back some debt and was murdered."

"How long ago?"

"Almost 5 years." He said and I sighed.

"Why didn't she come to me? I would have done anything for her."

"You can't blame her for that one. When she told you she wasn't going to UCLA anymore you freaked. You wouldn't let her explain. You broke up with her, and were on the next flight out. I wouldn't have told you anything about my life either after that." Izzy said and I could see her point. We were silent for a moment before Izzy spoke again. "You still love her don't you?"

"I never stopped. After UCLA I moved back, but our paths never crossed no matter how much I wished they had. Not having her in my life, has been the hardest thing I've ever had to go through."

"So go and tell her that."

"She was pissed at me last month. I punched one of her customers in the face." I said and they all laughed.

"No, go somewhere that she isn't working, and talk. Tell her how you feel, apologize and maybe you can get back together." Izzy said and I nodded. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"Sure." I said and she smiled. I don't get back here as often as I should, and I have missed Alec and Izzy. They may only like 45 minutes away, but I'm always so busy with business and often forget to check in every now and than.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was walking out of the coffee shop, when I bumped into someone. When I looked up and was met with a familiar set of gold eyes. This is so not what I planned to do with my day off.

"What are you doing here Jace?" I asked.

"I talked to Simon." He said and my face fell. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You broke my heart Jace. I was going to tell you everything, about my mom, and about UCLA and you never gave me the chance. I was going to let you cool off for a day, but when I went to your house they told me you had already left for California. I figured if you really loved me, you wouldn't have left like that, and you would have listened to me."

"I thought you didn't want to be together anymore." He said and I sighed.

"I wanted nothing more than to be with you Jace. I was so completely in love with you. I would have followed you anywhere. What you wanted, I wanted, and when I got the news about my mom, the only person I wanted was you. I still had your things, and I cried into your hoodie for days. When I found out Jonathan was dead, the only person I wanted by my side at his funeral was you. Do you know how much it killed me that I lost you?"

"Clary, you could have called." He said and I laughed.

"I shouldn't have had too. You should have called. You should have checked up on me, you should have tried to at least see if I was okay." I said and he looked completely defeated. "I have to go."

"Are you uh working tonight?"

"No. It's my night off. I'm going to go sit in my moms hospital room, and read a book." I said and I started walking away.

"Where do you live?" He called and I stopped.

"Currently, I either sleep in the club, or in the hospital."

"What about your house?"

"I had to sell it to pay for her treatments." I said and his eyes widened.

"Can I see you again?" He asks and I think about it for a moment. As much as I really hate what he did to me 10 years ago, I have dreamed of this moment for so long.

"I get off work tomorrow at 11, and I'll be at the hospital. If it's too late, that's okay, but if you want to see me, that's where I'll be."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow." He said and I smiled and turned and walked away. I got back to the hospital and took a seat and scooted it closer to my moms bed.

"You'll never guess who I ran into mom. Jace. Of all the people in this city, I had to run into my ex-boyfriend." I said to her sleeping body. "He's coming here tomorrow. He wanted to see me, and as much as I want to hate him, I just can't." I said and I grabbed her hand. "Do you think it's stupid of me to still be in love with him?" I asked and I lowered my head on her bed. "I wish you were here to talk to mom. I miss you." I said as a tear fell from my eye.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I was working late on a project so that I could focus on something other than seeing Clary tonight. I didn't think I'd be this nervous, but being around her again, did something to me, and I knew she probably hated me, but I needed to talk to her, and see her, and apologize until I'm blue in the face.

When I looked at the clock, it was almost 11:45. I didn't realize I was working so late and I grabbed my jacket and ran to my car. I practically sped to the hospital and when I walked in I went to the nurses station.

"Jocelyn Morgenstern?"

"Room 134." She said and I went off to find the room. The door was closed and when I looked in the window I saw Clary sleeping in a chair. I slowly opened the door, and made my way inside. There was a couch near the window, and I knew that Clary would wake up with a stiff neck if she continued to sleep there, so I scooped her up and placed her on the couch. I put the blanket over her and gave her a kiss on the temple. I took the seat she was sitting in and looked and Jocelyn.

 **Clary POV:**

I heard a voice talking and when I opened my eyes I saw Jace sitting in the chair talking to my mom. I closed my eyes in case he looked back so I could listen to his conversation.

"I know you probably hated me after what I did to Clary, you never were my biggest fan." He said and I knew that it probably hurt him just as much as it hurt me. "I was an asshole, and I threw away the best girl in the world. I honestly never thought I'd see her again." He laughs a little. "You have one hell of a daughter Jocelyn. I don't know where that little redhead got all her courage, but I know for a fact, she is still the strongest woman I've ever met." He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. "I want you to know that I never did stop loving her. I picked up the phone to call her hundreds of times, but I was too much of a coward to dial her number." He said and I opened my eyes now. "She will forever be the only one for me, and I know she'll probably never forgive me, but I would wait until my very last breath for her." He said and I sat up.

"You should have called." I said and he jumped. He turned around and smiled. "I would have talked to you for hours, or seconds if that's what you wanted. I'd do anything to listen to your voice." I said and he joined me on the couch. "I'm actually extremely pathetic."

"No you aren't." He said and I laughed.

"Actually, I am. I went to visit Izzy when she had Maddie. It was one of the rare times I went to visit, but she fell asleep and Simon was out, and the phone started ringing. I let it go to voice mail, and it was you. I replayed that message a dozen times just to hear your voice."

"If it makes you feel less pathetic, I saved the last voicemail you left me, and listened to it all the time." He said and I laughed.

"It does make me feel less pathetic." I said and he smiled.

"Good."

"Did you mean it?" I asked and I could see he was confused. "When you said you still loved me?"

"Absolutely." He said and my heart started racing. "I never stopped Clare. You were always the one for me."

"I want to hate you Jace." I start. "I want to hate you for what you did to me. I want to hate you for leaving me, and never calling, never texting, never writing. I want to hate you so much. But I can't." I said and I sigh. "You broke me, but I also know that there wasn't anyone who could love me the way you did."

"I am so sorry Clary."

"I know you are. I know you are because you never apologize unless you truly mean it. I know because I can hear it in your voice. I can see it in your eyes, and I can just feel it." I said and I looked into his eyes. "I can't keep being strong Jace." I said and I a tear fell and he pulled me into a hug. "I'm so tired, and I'm so done."

"It's going to be okay Clary."

"I'm so tired of not having a real life. I'm so done with being felt up by horny guys, and being gawked at. I'm so tired of the way my life has been for the past couple years. I just want it to stop."

"Let me help you Clary." He said and I pulled away. "You know I would do everything and anything for you."

"You were right. That isn't me, and it never was. I hate showing off my body, and I hate being looked at as a sex toy. I absolutely hate my job but it's the only thing that pays well enough to afford this." I kept going. I was hyperventilating at this point and Jace was rubbing circles on my back to calm me down. After some time I was finally able to control my breathing. I sat back up and wiped away the tears. It was silent for a while before Jace spoke.

"Let's get married." He said and I think my mind stopped.

"What?"

"Let's get married, and than your mothers bills would be taken care of by my company."

"How?"

"She's a dependent on you correct?" He asked and I nodded. "Dependents are covered in our medical coverage. We get married, she becomes a dependent on me as well, and her treatment and hospital bill is covered."

"Why would you do that for me?"

"I have been in love with you Clary for 13 years, and I always thought that we would be getting married. When we were leaving for college and I broke up with you, I was broken as well. I would have married you in high school if your mom wasn't so against our relationship."

"You'd marry a stripper?" I asked and he laughed.

"No. I'd marry Clary Morgenstern. The comic book nerd, and artist, and coffee addict, and one of the smartest girls I've ever met. Being a stripper isn't who you are. It's what you did to provide for your mom."

"If we get married, do I have to keep stripping?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"I would never allow my wife to be man handled by other men."

"You're sure about this?" I ask and he takes my hand.

"I have always wanted to marry you Clary. I am never letting you go ever again." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I leaned over and pressed my lips to his and all that chemistry came flooding back. It was like we had never separated, and I missed it so much. When we broke apart I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.

"You know what this means?" I ask and he shakes his head. "Izzy is going to freak."

"You mean you're in?" He asked shocked and I smile and nod. He stands up and picks me up and I wrap my legs around his torso and he spins us around. I pull back and press my lips to his. When he breaks apart he smiles. "I love you Clary."

"I love you too Jace." I said and he kissed me again. I may be completely insane, or off my rocker but in the past 10 years, this was the easiest decision that I've ever had to make. I always loved Jace, and I knew that I would always need him, and for him to feel the same way means the world to me.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was completely right when I said Izzy would freak. She started planning the whole wedding, but when Jace and I told her that we were just going to get married at the courthouse she didn't speak to us for a few days. She eventually got over it when the wedding rolled around and she was there supporting us. Being married to Jace was everything I thought it would be and so much more. It felt like we fell right back into the pattern we were in in high school. It was like the 10 years in the middle never happened. Jace was completely right and his company was now paying my mothers medical bills. It took so much stress off, and I never stepped foot back into that club after Cherry Pie's farewell show. As much as Jace was against it, I had to do it in order to leave. It was in the contract. Of course Jace showed up, and for my potion on audience participation I grabbed him. If I was going to give a farewell lap dance to anyone it was going to be Jace. And he enjoyed it immensely. Later that night I even gave him an encore.

Things have been extremely normal since that night. I got a part time job at a bookstore while I went back to school. It wasn't anything big, but I loved it. Being around all these books, and not having to wear a matching bra and pantie set was extremely rewarding. Although I still wear them around the house for Jace's eyes only, that's the only time I get back into my Cherry Pie character. He secretly loves it, and I secretly love getting into character for him.

I just finished work, and was heading home. It had been a long day, and I was ready to get into a pair of sweats and curl up on the couch with some hot tea and watch TV. When I walked in the house smelled wonderful, and I made my way into the kitchen and saw Jace standing there cooking. I couldn't help but smile and love my life with him. It had been a tough road, but here we are, and I couldn't be happier with everything.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was walking in the door after a boring day when my phone started ringing. I dug around in my bag to find it. When I did, I recognized the hospital's number. My heart sank.

"Hello?" I hesitantly say.

"Clarissa Morgenstern?"

"Yes?"

"I think it would be a good idea to come down to the hospital." The woman on the other end says and I drop everything I'm holding.

"What's wrong?"

"Your mother took a turn for the worse last night, and we aren't sure how much longer she's going to hold on." She said and I start sobbing.

"Alright." I said and I hung up. I sunk down to the floor and cried until I realized I had to get to the hospital. I knew I couldn't drive, and Jace would kill me if something happened, so I dialed his number. After a few rings he picked up.

"Hey babe, now really isn't a great time." He said and I started to cry again.

"Jace." I barely got out.

"Clary? What's wrong?" He asked a little more alert.

"I just got a call from the hospital. They basically told me to come down and say my final goodbyes to my mom, and I knew you'd be upset if I drove myself in this state, I know you're busy but I was wondering if you could take me."

"I'll be right there." He said and he hung up, and curled up on the floor crying waiting for him to come home. Before I knew it, I was being lifted off the floor and carried to the car. Jace set me down, and got in but didn't start the car. "Clary?"

"Yes?"

"It's going to be okay." He said and I just nodded. We made it to the hospital and went straight to her room. She was barely breathing, and her heart rate was very low. I knew this was the end. There was no denying it. I went over and grabbed her hand and Jace came and stood behind me as he placed both hands on my shoulders. Neither of us moved as we waited for my mom to take her last breath. Thirty minutes went by and her breathing got more spread out, and her heart monitor reached and all time low. A moment later, she took a deep breath, and that was it. Her heart monitor flat lined. I put my head down on the bed and started crying. The last person in my family, gone and I was devastated. After a couple minutes I felt myself being lifted off the chair. I looked up and my eyes locked with Jace's.

"They have to do some things with her, and I don't think you want to be here for that." He said and I nodded. He walked me out to the waiting room and he sat down and placed me on his lap. After a few minutes of silence he spoke. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to go home." I said and he pressed his lips to my forehead.

"Okay. Lets go home." He said and he picked me up once more and started towards the car. It was in that moment that I realized that I still had a family. I still had someone who loved me more than anything and wanted nothing but the best for me. I know I'm going to be sad for a long time, but as long as I have Jace, I knew that I would never be alone.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by a guest, and I hope that I lived up to your expectations! I hope you all have enjoyed the one shots I have written thus far, and know that I am nowhere near done! There are still so many requests that I have not yet written! Let me know what you think, and leave a review! :)**


	38. Chapter 37 - Wheelchair

**Thirty Seventh One Shot:**

 **Wheelchair**

 **Clary POV:**

Kids can absolutely cruel. I never knew how cruel until I lost the ability to walk. Last year I got into a really bad car accident. It was snowing, and the roads were icy, and I hit black ice and my car was wrecked. It took them hours to get me out, and they tried, but my legs just didn't work anymore. I was pissed. When they told me I had to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life I cried for a whole week. I was a cheerleader, I was popular, I was going to be prom queen, but when I went back to school and everyone saw me, it was like I was the lowest on the food chain. I was the target of the jokes, and pranks. It was horrible, and I just couldn't wait to get out of high school. Today, I had to go to the wheelchair shop to get it fixed. Someone punctured a whole in one of both tires. I had asked Jon to take me to the park and stick me on a bench while it was getting fixed, at least for an hour or two I would look like a normal teenager.

 **Jace POV:**

Being the biggest loser in school is a tough thing. Constantly being mocked and ridiculed is not fun, and it makes time go incredibly slow. For me, I've been dealing with this since I was 8. I was shot in the leg during a bank robbery. It was the worst pain I've ever felt. When I got to the hospital they removed the bullet from my leg, but a few weeks later I had to go back because I had a really bad infection. It was either die, or lose my leg, and I really didn't want to die.

Today was particularly painful. I was tripped multiple times in the hallway, and someone even stole my leg and chucked it out a window. It was one of the worst days I've had in years. All I wanted to do was sit in the park and watch people go about their days like nothing bad ever happened to them. I was walking around when I saw a redhead siting on the bench. She looked like she was doing exactly the way I felt so I decided to make my way over to her. I took a seat on the bench and she looked at me like I was crazy.

"People watching?" I said and she smiled.

"Yea. I like to imagine that I have a life that simple." She said and I knew exactly how she felt.

"I know what you mean." I said and she nodded. "I'm Jace by the way."

"Clary." She said and I liked it. "You here to people watch as well?"

"Bad day at school, thought I'd come to clean my head."

"I know what you mean. Where do you go?"

"Alicante Prep. Full of snobby rich kids."

"And you go there because?"

"I am rich." I simply said and she nodded. "My parents went there, and they wanted me to go there too. What about you?"

"Idris High."

"I'd be there if I didn't go to a private school. What's it like?"

"Well, the popular girls rule the school. Mostly cheerleaders: girls who wear short skirts and high heels everyday. Jocks think they can do whatever they want, and get away with it. Pretty much your typical school. Watch any movie that revolves around it, and that's Idris. What about Alicante?"

"Uniforms. Hard ass teachers. Kids who believe they are above everyone else because their parents bought them a Benz for their 16th birthday."

"Sounds like the life."

"Not really. It gets old rather quickly." I said and she nodded. We sat there for talked for about an hour before my mom texted me and said I had to go home. "I have to go. My mom needs me for something." I said and she nodded. I quickly got out a piece of paper and scribbled my number down. "Text me." I said and she took it and nodded. I walked away thinking about Clary and how I felt so normal with her. Of course, she didn't know about my missing limb, but I wanted to get to know her.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left I sat there for another half hour before Jonathan joined me with my chair.

"It's all fixed Clare-bear." He said and I groaned at my nickname. He picked me up and placed me in my chair. "I asked him to give you tires that are equip to take a puncture and keep going for a while. Those bitches won't be able to puncture these this time."

"Thanks Jon." I said and I smiled.

"Why are you so happy?" He asked.

"I met someone."

"Who?"

"His name is Jace. He sat down and we started talking. He gave me his number and told me to text him."

"I don't know about this Clare. Does he go to your school?"

"No he goes to Alicante Prep."

"Oh, a spoiled rich kid."

"He isn't spoiled." I said defensively and he raised an eyebrow. "I enjoyed talking to him. He made me feel like a normal girl."

"He didn't see the hardware you come with Clare. I know school is already hard enough. I don't want you to get your heartbroken too."

"My heart was broken the moment I woke up and realized I couldn't use my legs." I said and he started pushing me towards the car.

"I know that Clare but…."

"No buts. That car accident ruined my life. My legs don't work. I can feel down to the middle of thigh and than there is nothing. I want to see how he reacts when he does see me in my chair. If he can't handle it, than that's that, but I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt." He lifted me in the car and made our way home. I knew that there was a chance that Jace wouldn't be able to handle the chair, and I knew that would hurt, but I was willing to take the risk.

 **Time Jump – Weekend**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I had been texting and decided to have a nice little coffee date today. I was nervous, because I knew that eventually she would find out about my leg. I knew there would be a possibility that she would freak a little, and treat me like my school, but there was something about her that made me want to risk that. I was sitting at a table, when I saw a flash of red outside. I followed the red and when the door opened she wheeled in. I was shocked, of course, but it didn't change the way I saw her. A boy walked in behind her and said something to her. She wheeled her way over to me, and I didn't stand, I didn't want to tower over her. She wheeled right up to the table and smiled.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey. I didn't know what you wanted, so I didn't get you anything."

"That's okay. Jon, go get me my usual." She instructed and he nodded and walked away. "I'm sorry about him. He's kinda my ride everywhere since I can't drive, and he wanted to meet you."

"Brother?" I ask and she nods. "I understand his concerns."

"I told him you weren't some snobby douche, but he didn't believe me." She said and I laughed. Her brother came back and put her coffee down in front of her.

"I'm Jonathan." He said and I stood.

"Jace." I said and he nodded.

"You hurt her, I hurt you." He said and I nodded. He leaned down to Clary's level. "Text me when you're ready." She nodded and he kissed the top of her head. He gave me one last look and than left.

"He's kinda intimidating." I said and she laughs.

"He's really a sweet guy. He just worries about me."

"I get that." I said and she laughed. She opened her mouth to talk when a voice cut her off.

"Well, if it isn't Clary the cripple." This girl said and Clary groaned. Her eyes flickered to me than back to Clary. "How much did you have to pay him Clare? To be your friend?" Clary was about to open her mouth when I cut her off.

"She's not paying me anything."

"I find that hard to believe, nobody is friends with Clary. Isn't that right?" She said and Clary lowered her head. "You have no friends, and you never will because nobody likes a freak in a wheelchair."

"I think you better leave." I said and she laughed.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, your nose might end up off centered, and I know mommy and daddy would hate to see their money go to waste." I said and she scoffed.

"See you Monday Clare, without the body guard." She sneered before walking away. It was quiet for a few minutes before I spoke.

"Friends of yours?" I said with a hint of sarcasm and she laughed.

"Used to be. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I used to be just like them." She said and my eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Yea. I was a cheerleader, every guy at my school wanted to date me, I was homecoming princess my junior year, and everyone thought that I'd be homecoming queen, and prom queen." She said and she looked down at her coffee. "God, I sound like a stuck up bitch." She said and I laughed.

"No you don't. You had it all, and than you fell. Once you've hit rock bottom, you start to realize how trivial your problems were before you actually had any real ones."

"Two years ago, my biggest problem was if my hair was curled good enough for the game. Or if my make up was perfect." She laughed. "Now, I'm proud of myself when I can get dressed without assistance."

"If it's an conciliation, I really enjoy being your friend, and anyone who judges you based on your extra hardware, doesn't even deserve the time of day." I said and she smiled. It was quiet for a minute before I broke it. "Does Jon go to school with you?"

"No. He commutes to NYU. He didn't want to be away from me, and he's basically my driver."

"Can you not drive, or is it just because you can't use your legs?"

"It's just my legs. A car accident is how I got into this chair. There is a car that is made for people who are paralyzed, but its extremely expensive, and because of my hospital bills, the chair, and my frequent check up money is already tight."

"I have a free period at the end of the day on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. How about I take some of the slack off Jon, and I pick you up."

"You'd do that?"

"I like you Clary. You're one of the few people who I like spending time with."

"I don't want to impose on your life. You probably play sports, and have friends, and a girlfriend. You don't need to sacrifice anything for me." She said and I laughed.

"I can't play sports, I have no friends, and I have never had a girlfriend." I admit and she looks shocked.

"How? You're hot." She flat out said and than her cheeks turned a shade of red. "I mean, you know what, I'm not even going to try and cover that up. I totally meant it." She said and I laughed.

"You aren't the only one who comes with a little extra hardware." I said and I lifted up the bottom of my pants. She looked down and than back at me. "Much like you, I'm the loser of my school. No amount of good looks can accommodate for the lack of limb."

"That's ridiculous. So you're missing a leg, you're still hot." She said and I laughed.

"I've gotten used to it."

"How long?" She asked and I knew immediately what she was asking.

"My dad and I were at the bank one day when I was 8. Unfortunately, that day was the day four people decided to rob it." I said. "We were hostages for about an hour, and somehow, I don't even remember, I was shot in the leg. After they were apprehended, I was taken to the hospital and the bullet was removed. About a week later it looked horrible. My parents took me to the hospital, and discovered a terrible infection. It was either lose my leg, or die." I said with a dry laugh. "I was only 8, and I didn't want to die. So I got rid of the leg. When kids found out about it, they were merciless. And they haven't stopped since."

"That's terrible." She said and I nodded.

"Yea. Kids can be cruel."

"I'm really sorry."

"I try to just keep my head down, and ignore them as much as possible."

"Way to be the bigger person." She said and I smiled.

"It was either that or take my leg off and beat them with it. But they've destroyed so many of them already, and I didn't want to give them the satisfaction."

"How did they destroy them?"

"They literally take it off, and throw them out the nearest window."

"That's terrible."

"I know. They've gotten rid of 4 perfectly good legs." I said and she laughed.

"I understand that though. The day we met in the park, I was having my tires fixed because that girl you just had the pleasure to meet, punctured my old ones."

"What a bitch." I said and she smiled, and I realized I really loved making her smile.

"Yea, money is already tight, and they just keep wrecking my chair." She said and I got angry. She didn't deserve that shit.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that, but you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always around." I said and she smiled.

"It goes both ways." She said and I smiled. We sat there and talked for about two hours. She was easily the greatest person I've ever met, and I couldn't believe that we met. She understood how I felt, and how horrible things could be but she also was so full of joy and kindness. I was excited to get to know her more.

 **Time Jump – Monday After School**

 **Clary POV:**

Today I was extra nervous because Jace was picking me up. After our little coffee date I couldn't get him out of my head. He was funny, and good looking, and smart, and he made me feel normal. It took some convincing, but eventually Jon agreed to let Jace pick me up from school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's due to him wanting to hang out with some friends. I couldn't blame him for wanting to have a normal life. It must be annoying to always have to watch over me, but I was grateful for him.

When school finally ended I was wheeling out to the parking lot. I liked to wait a little bit so that I wasn't caught in the halls with all the other students. When I finally got outside there seemed to be quite a big gathering and I had no idea why. My phone went off and it was Jace telling me that he was here, but I had no idea where because there were so many people around. I decided to just start wheeling around and see if I could find him. It was difficult considering people didn't like to move to accommodate me, but I was making my way through the crowed when I heard that annoying voice.

"What brings you here handsome?" She said and I could only imagine she was trying to flirt with Jace. I started wheeling in that direction, and when I finally got to the front of the people there stood Jace and Kaelie.

"I'm here for Clary." He said and she laughed.

"Why?" She said and he rolled his eyes. He looked behind her and when his eyes locked with mine he smiled. Kaelie immediately looked where he was looking and rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you're still with the charity case."

"She isn't a charity case. She's my friend. Now if you'll excuse me." He said and he walked over to me. He lifted me right out of my chair and started walking towards his car. I opened the car door, and he put me in there. He folded my chair and placed it in the back. Without another word he got into the car and started it. The people cleared out of his way and he started driving. It was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "You good?"

"Yea." I said and smiled. "She stopped effecting me about a year after I got the chair. She just doesn't know when to quit."

"She's dedicated. I'll give her that." He said and I laughed. "So, I was wondering, would you like to come back to my place for a little bit?" He asked and I was taken aback for a moment.

"I'd like that." I said and he smiled and proceeded to drive. We had entered a part of town that I would normally never step a foot in, or wheel my chain in. Every house was gated, and they were massive. I was completely awestruck and intimidated at the same time. I knew he was rich, but I never thought he'd be this rich. He pulled into a driveway, entered a code, and than the gate opened. He pulled up and I honestly couldn't believe what I was looking at. Before I knew it I was being lifted out of the car and out in my chair. "At least buy me dinner before you manhandle me." I laughed and he smirked.

"How about I make you dinner?" He said and I blushed.

"You can cook?" I asked as he wheeled me to his front door.

"I am a man of many talents." He said as we entered his home.

"I'm impressed a girl has snatched you up. You're hot, and you can cook? You're a perfect 10 in my book." I said and he laughed.

"At least someone thinks so. Besides my mom." He said and he wheeled me into his living room, he picked me up and settled me on the couch. He game me some blankets, and the remote. "What would you like to watch?"

"Honestly, I'm good with anything. I'm not picky." I said and he popped some DVD into his TV and it started playing. We sat on the couch and watched the movie and talked. He was surprisingly easy to talk to, considering we both knew how it felt to be an outsider, and ridiculed. The movie was at the end when we heard the door open.

"Jonathan! Change of plans, you need to come with us tonight." I heard a woman say as she entered the house. "Oh, I wasn't aware you had company." She said and I smiled.

"Mom, this is Clary, Clary this is my mom, Celine." Jace said and she smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Celine." I said and she smiled.

"You too dear." She said as she made her way towards us. "Who's chair is this Jonathan?" She said, and I made a mental note to ask why later.

"Oh, that's mine. I'm paralyzed." I said and her eyes widened.

"I'm so sorry." She said and I smiled.

"It's okay. I've accepted it." She nodded and took a seat.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did it happen?" She asked and I could tell Jace was about to stop her when I put my hand on his leg to stop him.

"Car accident. I was driving home from a friends house one night, and it just finished snowing. It was like the coldest night in New York, and I slipped on black ice, and drove off the rode. I woke up a week later in the hospital, and was told that I lost the ability to walk."

"That's terrible." She said and I nodded. "So, you can't feel anything from the waist down?"

"I can, I can feel up until the middle of my thighs, than nothing. It's weird. The doctors aren't sure why I still can feel a little below my hips, but sometimes things just can't be explained." I said and she nodded.

"Well, it was lovely meeting you, and Jonathan, don't worry about tonight, I'll make up some excuse for you to not be there. It should be rather boring anyway. I envy you for not being able to go." She said and kissed Jace on the head.

"Just go with the normal excuse. My leg hurts a lot today, and I don't want to hurt it any further." Jace said and his mom nodded before leaving the room. "I'm sorry about that. Nobody was supposed to be home."

"You ashamed of me?" I sarcastically said and he laughed.

"No, but meeting the parents on a first date is kinda intimidating." He said and I laughed.

"You're right, but she seems really nice."

"She's the best." Jace said and I smiled. I was about to say something else when his mom came back into the room.

"Alright kids, I'm heading out. If you aren't here when we get back it was a pleasure meeting you Clary. I hope to see you again soon." She said and I smiled.

"It was wonderful meeting you too." I said and she smiled and walked out. When we heard the door close Jace looked back to me. It was quiet for a moment before he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. I was stunned for a moment before I kissed him back, and man was it one hell of a kiss. I don't have much practice, considering every guy at the school practically lost interest in me after I was in the accident, but I wasn't a prude, and this kiss had surpassed all other kisses I've ever had. He pulled away much to soon, and when he looked at me, I couldn't stop my heart from racing. "That was some kiss." I finally said and he smiled.

"Yes it was. I hope it was alright, I don't have much practice, well any practice." He said and I smiled.

"That was the best kiss I've ever experienced." I said and he smiled. I leaned in a pressed my lips to his again. He pulled me into his lap and we sat there kissing for a little before we pulled apart.

"As much as I enjoy this, I'm going to start dinner." He said and I nodded. He gently placed me down on the couch, gave me one quick peck on the lips before disappearing. I couldn't stop thinking about that kiss. I honestly thought that I would never find someone who was so accepting of me. I thought everyone would view me as a cripple, and toss me aside, but with Jace, I felt nothing but normal, and happy. We've only known each other for a week, but I was excited to see where this went.

 **Time Jump – Christmas**

 **Jace POV:**

The past 4 months have been absolutely amazing because I was with Clary. After that night at my house I just went for it and asked her to be my girlfriend, and she said yes and we've been happy ever since. It was crazy how fast we bonded, and connected, but I really felt like she was it for me. She made me happy, and she made me laugh, and feel normal. She was perfect, and there was no way in hell I was ever letting her go.

We had agreed not to get each other Christmas gifts because we really hadn't been dating that long, and it wasn't necessary. We could make each other something, but there was no buying, and I was okay with that because the only thing I wanted to give Clary for Christmas was my love. I had everything planned out perfectly. My parents were in Asia for the holidays and Clary's mom invited me over for Christmas dinner, and after that Clary and I were going to my house. I walked up to her house and knocked on the door and when it opened Jon was standing there.

"Hey man, merry Christmas." He said and welcomed me in.

"Merry Christmas to you too." I said and I walked into the living room where Clary's mom was. She saw me and stood up and pulled me into a hug.

"Merry Christmas Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Merry Christmas Jocelyn." I said and she pulled away.

"Clary should be out soon." She said and I nodded and took a seat on the couch and started talking to Jon. A couple minutes later Clary wheeled out and she looked more beautiful than ever. She was wearing black skinny jeans, with a dark green sweater that really brought out her eyes. She wheeled right over to me, and I moved up on the couch and gave her a kiss.

"Merry Christmas." I said after a gave her a kiss and she smiled.

"Merry Christmas." She said back. She lifted her arms up, and I scooped her up and placed her down on the couch with us.

Being with Clary was as easy as breathing. Everything with her was so natural and so incredibly amazing. She was without a doubt the most loving, and caring person I have ever met, and the fact that people couldn't look past the wheelchair was disgusting because even in that wheelchair, she was still the most beautiful person I had ever seen.

Dinner went by quickly and wonderfully. Clary's family was great, and I could really tell how much they loved each other. I could tell the strain the money situation was putting on them, but it never once made a difference. They would do anything for Clary, just like I would, and being able to spend Christmas with them was great. After dinner Clary announced that she needed to go pack a bag for tonight. She was spending the night now, which I was extremely happy with. I was in the kitchen helping her parent clean up when Jonathan entered. They all looked like they wanted to talk to me so I stopped what I was doing and took a seat.

"Don't worry dude, you aren't in trouble." Jon said and I smiled. "We just really needed to thank you."

"For what?" I asked and they all smiled.

"For making Clary happy." Jocelyn said. "After the accident, she got really bad. I knew her friends ditched her, and they started picking on her because of her chair. She would come home and cry, and just get into really low emotional places, but with you she is nothing but smiles and laughs, and I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to us that you brought our Clary back."

"I would do anything for her." I said and they smiled. "I know we haven't been together long, but she means so much to me. She's the greatest person I've ever known, and I truly couldn't picture my life without her in it."

"And we appreciate everything you do for her. I mean, you've really lightened the load around here. Jon is less irritable, and Val and I know that if we can't get off work, and Jon is busy that you'll always be around to step in and help. I know she hates being so dependent on us, and if we could afford for her to be more independent we would, but money is tight, so we really appreciate everything you do for her." Jocelyn said.

"It's not a problem. I'll always be here to help her." I said and in that moment Clary wheeled back out.

"I'm ready." She said and then she looked at us. "Did I miss something?"

"Not at all. They just wanted to talk about what we planned on doing the next couple days." I said and she looked confused.

"Couple days?" She asked.

"Yea, I figured you could spend a couple days with me."

"Oh." She said as she smiled. "I'd love too. I need to pack a few more things than." She said and she wheeled back into her room. Once she was gone I turned back to her parents.

"I hope that's okay." I said and they laughed.

"Of course. We trust you with her Jace." Jocelyn said and I smiled. After a few minutes Clary wheeled back out. We said our goodbyes made our way to my car and to my house. When we got there, I sat her on the couch and she got changed. I put on a movie and we cuddled on the couch until we were both passed out. This Christmas was the best Christmas I've ever had, and I couldn't wait for many more to come.

A few hours later I woke up and looked at the clock. It was almost 3 in the morning and I knew that if Clary and I stayed here, we'd be in some serious pain in the morning. I scooped her up and made my way to my room. I put Clary down and tucked her in when she started to stir awake.

"Jace?" She said in a sleepy voice.

"We fell asleep on the couch. I figured we'd be more comfortable in my bed."

"Good idea." She said as she cuddled under the blanket more.

"I love you Clary." I said as I pressed my lips to her forehead. When I pulled back I could see a smile on her face.

"I love you too Jace." She said and I joined her in bed and pulled her closer to me. Yup, best Christmas ever.

 **Time Jump – Four Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I had been together for almost five years now, and it was the most amazing five years of my life. I never knew what it would feel like to be loved, especially after the way I was treated when I ended up in this chair, but Jace always made me forget that I was in the chair, he always made me feel normal. Sure, we were both handicapped, but when we were together, it never mattered. He saw me as the most beautiful girl in the world, and I saw him as the sweetest, and most amazing guy I've ever met. It was like we were made for each other, and I was really glad he sat next to me on the bench that day.

It was Christmas time, and Jace's parents invited my family over to their house for dinner. Christmas had become our favorite holiday, because it always reminded us of how incredibly lucky we were to have found each other, and we always made sure to thank our lucky stars that we were brought together. Jace and I had moved in together a couple years ago, and he had completely made our house wheelchair accessible. It was amazing. Some of the counters in the kitchen were low enough so that I could make dinner, and others were high enough for him. The bathroom had a wheelchair accessible shower, that also came with a water proof wheelchair so I didn't feel like a child, and I could shower without Jace's assistance, although I still like to have it every now and than.

We arrived at the Herondale house about an hour before dinner and my family was already there. My mom and Celine immediately hit it off, and so did my dad and Stephan. It was almost like our families were destined to be brought together, and I couldn't be more thankful. We were all sitting around in the living room after dinner, when Jace stood up and cleared his throat.

"First I'd like to say Merry Christmas everyone." He said and we all said it back. "Christmas is definitely my favorite time of the year, simply because I can shower Clary in all of the gifts she rightfully deserves." He said and everyone looked at me and I couldn't stop the blush that crept across my face. "Five years ago, I saw this gorgeous redhead sitting on a bench at the park looking a little low. Little did I know just how tough her life was, but I sat down next to her anyway, and started talking. Both of us have been through some tough times." He said and he started making his way over to me. "We were a little lost before we met, but I can honestly say that meeting you was the best thing that has every happened to me." He said as he kneeled down in front of me and took my hands. "I love you Clary, and I have no idea what I'd do without you. We have built a life together that is completely different than anyone else's. We can laugh at each other when I forget to put my leg on and try to walk, or when you some how end up falling out of your chair." He says and I can't help but laugh, as the tears stroll down my face. "But we can also have incredibly meaningful conversations, and we can talk to each other about anything. Especially when we both get a little depressed when we think about what life might be like if we weren't the way that we are." He said and he pulled out a ring, and my hands flew over my mouth. "But the thing is, I wouldn't want to be any different, because being different, led me to you, and I couldn't imagine a more stunning, and caring, and loving person to have by my side." He opened the box and my eyes widened. "Clarissa Morgenstern, will you marry me?" He said and I gasped.

"Yes!" I shouted as I launched myself at him, completely forgetting that my legs don't work. Jace goes to catch me and we both end up falling on the floor. The room is completely silent until Jace and I both start laughing. "You would think that after 7 years, I would remember that they still don't work." I said and Jace picked me up and placed me back in my chair. He slid the ring on my finger and than kissed me. "I love you."

"I love you too. And this isn't all." He said and my eyes widen.

"There is more?" I asked and he nods and pulls out another box. He hands it to me and I open it cautiously. Sitting inside is a set of car keys. "What's this?"

"These are the keys to your brand new car." He says.

"But I can't drive Jace." I said and he smiled.

"Remember you told me when we first met there is a car for parlayed people, you just couldn't afford it because it was like top of the line?" He said and my jaw drops. "I absolutely love driving you around. It gives us the opportunity to spend more time together, but I know you want to be independent. I know you hate relying on people, and I want to give some of that freedom back to you."

"Jace, this is a Lexus." I said and he laughed.

"I'm well aware."

"This must have cost a fortune." I said and he grabbed my free hand.

"I have a fortune." He simply said. "Clary, you know if I could I would literally buy you the world. There isn't anything out there that is too expensive in my eyes because you're worth every penny." He said and my eyes start to water again. "I've been planning on buying you this for a long time now, and I felt like this was the right time. We'll be starting our lives together, and sometimes things get in the way, and I don't want you stranded somewhere, or having to call Jon, or your parents if god forbid I get stuck at the office one night. I want you to be fully capable of being he strong independent woman that we all know you are." He said and I smiled.

"You are way too good for me." I said and he smiled and shook his head. "Don't even try to down play everything you've done for me. Our house is completely wheelchair accessible, and stocked with everything I could ever need. You have given me the world already, and I can't possible give you anything back."

"All I need is you Clary. Our life together is gift enough." He said and he kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. His lips met my ears and he whispered. "All I ever need in life is your love, and hopefully the love of our children one day."

"You're the most amazing man I've ever met." I said and he laughed.

"And you are the most amazing woman." He pressed his lips back to mine. When we pulled apart I looked around the room and my mom and Celine were crying, and my dad, Stephan, and Jon looked impressed. My mom and Celine immediately came over to look at the ring, and Jace made his way over to the men. In between talking to my mom and Celine about wedding details and everything I looked up and locked eyes with Jace, he smiled at me and I smiled back. There wasn't anyone else in the world that could ever make me feel the way he does. Our future looked bright, and I couldn't have even said that before Jace walked into my life.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I have no idea who requested this one shot, but I finally finished it! I am so sorry that it's taken me so long to update these one shots. It was midterm week and I was slammed with work, but I finally get a few days off, so I hope to have another one done by hopefully Monday or Tuesday. I appreciate you all hanging in there, and waiting for me, because I try so hard to make your requests into a story you all can love and be proud of, and sometimes it takes a little longer to get inspired when it comes to the plot, so I'm really grateful that you all have stuck around and haven't lost any faith in me! Whoever did request this one shot, I hope that I have lived up to the expectations that came along with it! Let me know what you think! :)**


	39. Chapter 38 - Badass

**Thirty Eighth One Shot:**

 **Badass**

 **Jace POV:**

"Finally!" Izzy shouts. "I thought summer would never come."

"Agreed, and now we have the whole summer before we are seniors." I said.

"I can't believe it came so fast. I feel like it was just yesterday you and Alec were arguing on the playground." She said

"Iz, that was yesterday." Magnus chimed in and we all laughed.

"It's not my fault he's too stubborn to admit when he's wrong."

"I wasn't wrong Jace. You were." Alec said.

"I'm never wrong." I said as we made our way out to the parking lot. We were all in our own conversations when an annoying voice broke us apart.

"Jacey, you weren't going to leave without saying goodbye were you?" Kaelie says and I roll my eyes.

"Why would I say goodbye?" I asked and she looked super offended.

"Maybe because I'm your girlfriend?" She said and I laughed.

"I never agreed to that." I said.

"Than what would you call us?" She asks.

"People who have sex?" I said and she looked like her head was about to pop off.

"You're such an asshole Jace."

"Never said I wasn't." I said and huffed and walked away but turned around a second later.

"Lose my number Jace. Don't call me when you need a late night booty call, cause I won't pick up." She said and I laughed.

"You act like I kept your number in the first place." I said and she gave me the middle finger and walked away. I turned around and my friends were all looking at me. "What?"

"She was right. You are an asshole." Izzy said.

"We weren't dating." I said defensively.

"One day Jace, you will find a girl, fall in love, settle down, and you'll look back on how you are now and cringe at how poorly you treated girls." Izzy said and I shrugged. I was about to say something when my phone went off. I looked at it and it was from my mom.

"My mom needs me home. I'll see you guys in a week at the lake house." I said.

"See you later man." Alec said. I got into my car and headed home. I couldn't wait to spend the summer at the lake with my friends. I had the whole house to myself since my parents never went up there. It was going to be an epic summer. I walked inside and there was a stranger there talking to my parents.

"What's going on?" I asked and the redhead turned around and her green eyes locked on mine.

"Sit down son. We need to talk." My father said and I walked over and sat down next to the redhead. "Over the past couple months I've been receiving envelopes with pictures of you containing threats."

"What the hell. Why didn't you tell me?" I nearly yelled.

"We wanted to see if the threat was credible. And it is." My father explained. "This right here is Clarissa Morgenstern. She will be your protection detail."

"This little girl?" I scoffed and she let out a dry laugh.

"My name is not little girl. You can call me Clary, and I'm here to do a job." She said and I looked at her.

"The Circle is an elite organization that trains the best of the best. Agent Morgenstern here was the top of her class, graduated two years early, and has as 100% success rate with her assignments. We're lucky she is here."

"Did you lose a bet? There must be more important people in the world who need protection besides me."

"I'm the most qualified agent who is your age." She said.

"You look 12." I deadpanned and she scowled.

"I'm 18, and I can kick your ass in a second, so I would keep the insults to yourself."

"Jace, you are in serious danger. Please don't take this as a joke like you normally do. We want you to be safe, and Agent Morgenstern is our best bet." My mom said and I nodded. "Okay, so Clary's back story is that she's on a foreign exchange program from Russia. She is spending the summer and her senior year with us."

"Can you even sound like a Russian?" I asked and she got a devious smirk on her face.

"Не волнуйтесь довольно мальчик, я могут справиться с этой." _(Don't worry pretty boy, I can handle this.)_ She said and my jaw hit the floor. Before I could speak she continued but this time in English. "Languages are kinda a specialty of mine."

"Alright, I understand you're leaving in a week for the lake house is that correct?" My father asked and I nodded. "Okay. Clary will obviously go with you. Stick to the story, and Agent Morgenstern will handle everything else." I nodded and my parents got up. "Dinner is at 6, don't be late." He said and they exited the room. Clary got up off the couch, and started walking towards the stairs. I got up and followed her.

"So, what other languages can you speak?" I ask after a couple minutes of silence. We are in front of the guest room when she turns around.

"Russian, Spanish, French, German, Polish, Dutch, and a personal favorite, Icelandic."

"Icelandic is a language?" I ask and she nods.

"It's very hard. Took me a month to get the hang of it."

"Just a month?" I asked.

"What? Is that not long enough?"

"It's taken me 18 years to learn what an adverb is and you know 7 different languages."

"8."

"Huh?"

"You said I know 7 languages. I know 8." She said.

"You just listed 7."

"I speak English don't I?" She said and I nodded. "Just do what I say Jace, and we won't have trouble." She said.

"You're going to have to blend in with my friends." I said.

"I'm well aware. I've read your file, I've gotten all the information on your friends. I know what I'm doing." She opened her door and walked in, but turned around. "I won't cramp your style with your friends, or your bros, or your pretty little girlfriend. I'll just blend in."

"She's not my girlfriend." I said through gritted teeth.

"Could have fooled me." She said as she closed the door. I don't know what her problem was, but I was going to figure it out.

 **Time Jump - One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"If we don't leave now Clary, we will get there past dinner and we'll be too tired to settle in." I yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" I heard her shout. I stood by the door waiting for her to come down. Finally I heard footsteps and when I looked up she took my breath away. There was something about her that I couldn't quite put my finger on but she intrigued me. Whenever we were in the same room I always felt like it was hard to breath, and when she left I felt a void. I hated it because she seemed to not have a care in the world about me and it was infuriating. She was wearing a simply cut off t-shirt, jean shorts and a pair of chucks, but she looked stunning. "You ready?"

"Of course." I said and I opened the door and we walked out to my car.

"Jace!" I heard and I turned around to see my father. "Don't damage the home, or get arrested."

"Have I ever let you down before father?" I said and he let out a dry, humorless laugh.

"No, but I do remember last summer you threw quite the party and were almost arrested. Don't let it happen again Jonathan."

"I get it. No major parties that attract the police. Noted." I said and he nodded and went back in the house. I loaded the car and Clary and I got in.

"So, how far away is this lake house?" She asked as I pulled out of the driveway.

"About a 4 hour drive." I said and she groaned. "It won't be that bad. I will even let you play whatever music you want to princess."

"Don't call me princess." She hissed back. "Do you have an aux cord?" She asked, and I nodded and gave it to her. She plugged her phone in and started scrolling through her music. When she finally found something she liked she clicked on it and to my surprise it was Fall Out boy. I didn't peg her as an alternative girl, but I liked it. "Is this okay?"

"This is perfect. I love this album." I said and for the first time I think I got a genuine smile out of her.

"Me too." She said and she reached into her bag and pulled out a book.

"You're going to read?" I asked.

"No. This is my sketch book." She said.

"You draw?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yea, it's a hobby of mine. You know, when I'm not kicking ass and taking name." She said and I laughed. For some reason, she was the only girl who ever genuinely made me laugh. She was very good at keeping me at an arms length and it was killing me.

About three hours into the car ride Clary fell asleep, and I couldn't stop myself from looking over at her every now and than. She looked so completely innocent when she was sleeping. I was excited that it would be just her and I in my lake house all summer. Sure we'd be surrounded by my friends most of the time, but there would be moments when it would just be us, and I was determined to get to know the real Clary Morgenstern. Finally I pulled up to the lake house, and I was so excited that I didn't have to sit anymore. I looked over and Clary was still sleeping. I poked her a couple times but she was unresponsive. I decided that I wasn't going to wake her up and I would just carry her into my house. I could explain her to the others later. I got out of my car, went over to her side and scooped her up and when I turned around everyone was standing there.

"Hey." I said and they all looked shocked. "What's up?"

"Really? You're holding an unconscious girl, who we've never seen before, and you just say 'what's up'?"

"I was planning on explaining who she was tomorrow." I said and they just looked at me unconvinced. "Let me go put her down, and than I'll explain." I said and they all nodded and I made my way into the house. I walked into the living room and put her down on the couch. She was sleeping like the dead and moving her didn't even cause her to stir. I placed her on the couch and put a blanket over her and made my way back outside.

"So, who is the girl?" Izzy asked.

"Her name is Clary, she's staying with me and my parents for the summer and senior year. Part of her foreign exchange program." I said.

"I didn't know you signed up to be a host." Alec stated.

"Neither did I." I simply said. "My parents thought it would be a good idea. Help me get into college or something like that. I came home on the last day of school and she was in my living room."

"Where is she from?" Jordan asks.

"Russia."

"I thought Russians were blonde." Izzy said.

"No. I don't think she's actually Russian. I think she just spent the majority of her life there. She has an accent but it's not that thick." I said and they all nodded. "I'm going to get settled in and we'll start this epic summer off the right way. Party tomorrow night."

"Sounds like a plan dude. We'll see you later." Alec said and we all went to our houses. I walked in with all the luggage and Clary was still asleep on the couch. I had no idea how she was able to sleep for so long, but I wasn't going to wake her up. I looked around the kitchen for something to eat but it was completely empty. I decided to order a pizza. 30 minutes later it was at the house and I was starving. I took a seat in the living room and turned on the TV, about 15 minutes later Clary started to wake up.

"What time is it?" She asked in a sleepy voice.

"Almost 7." I said.

"How long have I been asleep?" She asked.

"About 4 hours." I said and she looked surprised. "I didn't want to wake you up. I ordered pizza." I said and I pushed the box towards her. "It's plain. I didn't know what you liked so I kept it simple."

"Thanks." She said as she grabbed a slice.

"I explained to my friends who you were, or at least who my parents said you were."

"Thanks." She said.

"Were you planning on speaking with a Russian accent? Because I told them you had a slight one, because I don't think you are actually Russian."

"I can speak with a little Russian accent. That's actually what I'm used too. I'm not really Russian, but I was born there, and spent 10 years of my life there."

"Where are your parents from?" I asked.

"Originally, they were from New York, but they travelled a lot." She said and I nodded.

"I'm hosting a party tomorrow night, so be prepared." I said and she nodded as she finished her slice of pizza.

"I'm going to go unpack my things." She said as she stood up.

"You're room is the third door on the left." I said as she nodded and went upstairs. There was something about her that seemed so guarded, and insecure but she definitely put up a front, and I was determined to break it down.

 **Time Jump – Party Time**

 **Clary POV:**

I had just come back from my 'walk', which was actually me checking the perimeter. I walked into the house and I heard arguing.

"Jace, what are we going to do, Cole was the man who we bought the alcohol from. Without him we can't throw the party, and it's scheduled to start in 2 hours." I heard someone say.

"I know. I don't know where he went but according to some reliable sources he isn't coming back, and I don't know how many people would be willing to buy a 17 year old alcohol." Jace said and I got an idea. I walked farther into the kitchen and saw them all standing around trying to figure out what to do.

"I can help." I said with my slight Russian accent. It felt normal to talk like this again. I had so many assignments in so many countries, sometimes I forget where I really am from.

"How?" Alec asked.

"I have a way. Can I borrow your car Jace?" I asked and he looked skeptical. "I'll be back before the party starts, I just need to go somewhere first." He reluctantly handed over his keys and I smiled. "I won't wreck your car. I'm a very careful driver." I said and I made my way outside. My brothers both lived in DC, and we haven't seen each other in a couple years, so I decided to give them a call. After a couple rings, Jon picked up.

"This can't be my dear sweet sister Clarissa could it? I haven't seen her in at least 2 years." Jon said and I laughed.

"Shut up Jon, I'm on assignment."

"Where?"

"Upstate New York."

"No way. We're in New York too."

"You and Seb are here?" I asked really excitedly.

"Yea. Just got back from assignment, and needed a little vacation. What's your assignment?"

"Protection detail for an asshole." I said and he laughed. "I called because I need a favor."

"What's up?"

"He is currently in the middle of throwing a party, but the guy he normally gets to buy his alcohol is currently unavailable so I was wondering if you'd help." I said and he groaned.

"Clary, I'm all for helping you, but I don't want to get busted for helping minors." Jon said.

"The Circle told me to blend in. This is blending. I can call and ask if you and Seb could come around and blend in as well. I'd love to spend more time with you two."

"Alright, we'll meet you in an hour, call Luke, see if he approves, and get back to us."

"Thanks Jon!" I said and hung up. I went into the nearest town and found a liquor store. I called Luke and he said it was fine, and that having those two around for some extra back up would be a good idea. They might be 25, but they looked a lot younger, and I think they would fit in with the guys, which was a little concerning, but boys can get along with pretty much any other boy. I sat there for an hour playing games on my phone when I saw a truck approaching and I knew immediately who it was. I got out of the car and when they both got out of the car I couldn't help but run into them. I hugged Jon first, and than Seb and I finally felt at home for the first time in years.

"I missed so much Clare." Jon said and I smiled.

"I missed you two more than anything." I said.

"So, what do we need to do?" Seb asked.

"Buy a few kegs." I said and they laughed. "Trust me, these rich kids will be able to pay you back." I said and they nodded.

"Good thing we brought the truck." Seb said and I nodded. They both went into the store and 10 minutes later the truck was being loaded with the kegs. I sat in the car and waited until the men were gone before I started the car. My phone went off, and I looked at it, it was Jace.

 ** _Jace –_** _I know you said you'd be back, and I believe you, but the party starts in about 30 minutes, and you're still not here._

It said and I laughed. I told him I'd be back in time, and I had excellent time management. Something about Jace drew me in, and I absolutely hated it. I was so used to keeping people at an arms length, but for some reason I wanted to let him closer.

 ** _Clary –_** _I told you I'd be back in two hours, and I'll be there. Don't worry, I just had to get everything in order._

I texted him back and started driving. I pulled up next to my brothers and rolled down the window.

"Follow me. Oh and my story is that I'm a foreign exchange student from Russia spending the summer and my senior year with Jace. So brush up on your Russian on the way to the house."

"No problem Clare. It's pretty hard to forget where we came from." Seb said and I laughed. We started driving and in 20 minutes we were back at the house. Jon and Seb were a little ways behind me but they knew where to go. I got out of the car and was greeted by everyone in front of Jace's house.

"So, you leave for two hours, and come back with nothing?" Jace asked and I let out a dry laugh. I was about to say something when I heard the truck. I turned around and smiled. Jon and Seb parked the truck and stepped out. I walked up to both of them and the both gave me kiss on the forehead before I turned around and they all looked shocked.

"I told you I had everything covered, and I delivered. There are four kegs in the back." I said and I felt Jon and Seb laugh. "These two are Jon and Seb, they are responsible for the alcohol, and they will be staying for the party." I said and everyone nodded. "Сообщил вам он был прошлой неделе." _(Told you he was an asshole.)_ I said and Jon and Seb laughed.

"Вы не шутите братской." _(You weren't kidding sis.)_ Seb said and I laughed and shook my head.

"Мы будем удар его ass если он держит действуя таким образом." _(We'll kick his ass if he keeps acting that way.)_ Jon said and I laughed.

"На прошлой неделе." _(Love you guys.)_ I said and they smiled.

"Мы вас любим слишком." _(We love you too.)_ I turned back to everyone and they looked extremely confused.

"What?" I asked.

"Was that Russian?" Izzy asked and I nod. "They speak it too?"

"Of course." I said and I laughed. I could see Jace was pretty tense, and I couldn't help but feel a little happy that he looked so jealous. It was nice knowing someone actually wanted me like that, but I knew it would never be possible. "They are my brothers."

"Brothers?" Alec said and I nodded.

"This is Jonathan and Sebastian, my twin brothers." I said and they waved. "They are 25, and they live in DC."

"Nice to meet you all." Sebastian said, and his eyes locked on Alec's. "Especially you blue eyes." Alec blushed and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Down tiger, why don't you have a conversation before you try and make out with him." I said and Sebastian laughed. He as always been confortable with his sexuality, but I had a feeling Alec had just admitted his to himself, and his friends. "Alright, the kegs are here, I'm going to go up to my room and get ready. Jon and Seb do whatever you want to." Everyone nodded and I left and went up to my room to start getting dressed.

 **Time Jump – Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The party was in full swing and it was a blast. Everyone from the surrounding lake houses was invited, so there were a lot of people here. I spent my time dancing, and drinking, and occasionally making out with random girls. But I couldn't stop my eyes from searching for Clary. I saw her for a minute before the party started, and than it was like she disappeared. I went to the keg to get another drink when I finally spotted the redhead. She was talking to Mark Blackthorn, and she was laughing and flirting and I don't know why but it pissed me off. I grabbed another drink and made my way back to Aline. I grabbed her hand and pulled her off the dance floor and started making out with her. We have known each other for years, and she was always a good make out buddy, or sex buddy. After about an hour I was very drunk, and I made my way out to the lake. I loved looking at the water at night, it was extremely peaceful. When I got to the end of the pier I noticed that I wasn't alone. I took a seat next to the figure and when I looked down it was Clary.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked.

"Just needed a little space from all the people." She said and I let out a humorless laugh.

"You mean Mark." I mumbled under my breath.

"Do I hear jealousy?" She asked and I huffed. "You know, if you wanted to know what I was doing, all you had to do was ask."

"I had a feeling you wouldn't tell me." I said and she laughed.

"Well, it isn't really any of your business." She said and I nodded. After a couple minutes she spoke again. "I was trying to get a good basis for people who live around here. I only know you and your friends, and seeing as everyone who lives on this lake came tonight, I thought it was the perfect opportunity."

"You think these people could be a threat to me? I've known most of them my whole life."

"Anyone can be your enemy. It certainly helped that you wanted to throw a party tonight. I didn't have to put on my damsel in distress act, all I had to do was flirt and they were willing to tell me whatever they wanted."

"And is anyone a threat to me?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"We'll just have to wait and see if any other leads show up." She said.

"How long do you think that's going to take?"

"Who knows. Could take just the summer, or it could take an entire year. Who ever is threatening you, clearly means business."

"And your brothers?" I ask and she smiles.

"Agents as well. I haven't seen them in a couple years." She says.

"They can stay if you want. It's just me and you in the house, and they are pretty cool dudes."

"Thanks." She says as she looks up at me. "I really appreciate it." We were quiet for a moment before there was a loud crash from behind us. We both looked and I knew that something bad happened. I stood up and smiled.

"I should probably check that out." I said ands he nodded. She reached her hands up and I grabbed them and I felt an intense energy run through me. I lifted her up and our faces were inches from each other. I wanted so desperately to crash my lips into hers but I knew she wouldn't enjoy that and she would probably kick my ass for doing it. Another crash came and it broke us out of our moment. "I'll see you later." I said and I walked away I could barely even catch my breath as I made my way up to the house. I don't know what the hell just happened, but I wanted it to happen again.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had been here for a month and the couple leads that we did have, were total duds. They were all dead ends, and nothing was concrete enough to actually start investigating. I was sitting in the living room, with all of Jace's friends talking about what we were going to do today. I was pleasantly surprised that I actually really enjoyed his friends. They were all completely different than I had expected. Izzy and Maia were really fun to hang out with, and it was nice to actually have some girlfriends to talk to. I had always been surrounded by boys the majority of my life, so getting along with them was really cool. Alec, and Jordan were pretty cool as well. Jordan and Maia were dating and it was really nice to see a guy so sweet and taken by a girl. Jordan was a perfect gentleman with her, and I envied their relationship. I would never get that, and it kinda sucked. I was cut out of my thoughts when I heard my brother talking to me.

"Новый провод. У вас есть даты сегодня вечером." _(New lead. You have a date tonight.)_ Seb said and I groaned.

"What?" Izzy asked and I looked at her.

"I have a date tonight that I totally forgot about." I said and I could see a hint of sadness in Jace's face. I quickly brushed it off.

"Do you need any help?" Izzy asked looking super excited.

"No thanks. I need to shower first." I said and she nodded. I knew Izzy lived for stuff like this but I just really didn't want to be around people right now. I looked back at my brother. "Фантазии или непостоянная? И он действительно старого?" _(Fancy or casual? And is he really old?)_

"В официальном порядке. Он по крайней мере двадцать восемь, и он будет ждать." _(Formal. He's at least twenty eight, and he'll be waiting.)_ Jon says and I nod and make my way upstairs. I hop in the shower and start processing what is going to happen tonight.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left I couldn't help but want to go upstairs and tell her not to go. I wanted to tell her that I wanted to be the guy she went out with. I wanted to be the guy who she dressed up for, and I wanted to be hers. I never thought that I would be here, wanting a girl that doesn't want me, but here I am. Wishing that Clary actually had feelings for me like I had for her. It was stupid really, thinking that she was going to fall for me. She was here for a job, and after that she would be gone, and I'd never see her again.

After about 45 minutes I heard clicking coming down the stairs. My eyes immediately went to the entryway to see Clary and when she stepped out into the room my breath caught in my throat. She looked absolutely stunning. She had on a dark green dress that hugged her every curve to perfection, and she was wearing very high heels that made her short legs look incredibly long. Her hair was curled to perfection, and her make up, even though she didn't need any, looked absolutely flawless. When she looked up our eyes immediately locked and she blushed. It may not have been much but it gave me a little hope.

"Clary, you look hot!" Izzy said and she smiled.

"Thanks." She said as she walked farther into the room.

"Turn around?" Izzy asked and Clary rolled her eyes and turned around. When she turned around and the back of her dress was revealed my eyes widened. The whole back was cut out and it was completely breath taking. When she was done twirling for Izzy she just smiled.

"I'm going to be late." She said. "I don't know how long I'll be, but please don't wait up." She said and the group began to whistle which caused her to blush and she started walking out. I immediately got up and followed her. She grabbed the keys to her brothers truck and I grabbed her hand to stop her. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"You're much to fancy to be driving around in a pick up. Take my car." I said and her eyes widened.

"You're trusting me with your baby?" She said and I smiled.

"I know you can take care of her." I said and she put the keys down and grabbed mine.

"Can you make sure everyone is gone by the time I get back?" She asked.

"Why?"

"Cause I'm going to need to debrief my brothers on what I find out tonight and your friends can't know." She said and it finally clicked. This was another lead. She didn't have a date, or at least she wasn't going on this date for pleasure, but for work. I don't know why but it made me feel more relaxed.

"Yea, everyone will be gone by the time you get back." I said and she nodded.

"Thank you." She said as she opened the door.

"Clary." I said and she turned around. "Be careful."

"Always am." She smirked as she closed the door. I stood there for a minute before I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Jon and Seb standing there.

"You got it bad brother." Jon said and I scoffed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said and they both just laughed.

"Please, you watch her like a hawk." Seb said. "Everyone can see how into her you are."

"Does it really matter?" I said. "I'm just a job to her."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Jon said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She's different around you. She hides it really well, but she can't hide it from us. We know her far too well. She seems lighter, more relaxed, and happier when you're around." Seb said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Clary is a tough nut to crack. She hides her emotions very well. She graduated early and became one of the best agents around because she completely cut herself off from having friends, and potential boyfriends. Trust me, every guy at the training facility was into her, but she never gave anyone the time of day. I've never seen her act the way she does when she's around you. Give her some time. She'll admit it eventually." Jon said and I nodded. They made their way back into the living room and I followed shortly after. I sat back down on the couch and watched whatever was on the TV. I started getting hungry and I looked at the clock and noticed it was past 6.

"Who want's dinner?" I asked and everyone raised their hand. "How about Chinese?"

"Yes!" Everyone said and I went into the kitchen and ordered a shit ton of food. It got here in 30 minutes and everyone dug in. We decided to just chill for awhile and hang out before everyone turned in. After about two hours every decided to go home and do their own thing. I was happy that they all decided to leave instead of me kicking them out. Jon, Seb, and I started cleaning up the mess everyone made and after about an hour, the house looked brand new again. I looked at the clock and it was almost 11. Clary had been gone for a while and I was starting to get nervous.

"Don't worry dude, she's a tough one. If the meeting went sideways, she knew how to handle it." Jon said and I nodded. I knew Clary was tough, but that didn't mean that I was any less worried.

We all sat back down in the living room and continued to watch TV. I enjoyed hanging out with Jon and Seb. They were pretty cool, and it was nice not to be in the house all alone like I normally am. When 1 am rolled around we were all about to turn in. Jon and Seb got up and took our plates to the kitchen and I shut the TV off when I heard the door open. I looked into the hallway and Clary walked in but she looked terrible.

"Jon, Seb, I think we have a problem." I yelled as I ran towards Clary. She nearly fell over when I caught her. Jon and Seb were right by my side in a minute and they took in the scene. Clary's dress was ripped, her heel was broken and she had scratches on her arms and face.

"Take her up to the bathroom, start cleaning the blood off. I'm going to call Luke and tell him what happened. Seb, you start figuring out who she met with and what the hell happened. This was supposed to be good intel. I don't know where we went wrong." Jon said and I nodded. I scooped Clary up and her arms immediately clung around my neck and she buried her head into the crook of my neck. I made my way upstairs and into the bathroom where I sat her on the sink and turned the water on. I grabbed a washcloth and wet it with warm water. I started cleaning off her arms and she winced.

"I'm sorry Clary, but I'm just trying to clean you off." I said and she nodded.

"It's okay. I've had worse." She said as she gave me a small smile. Even after getting beat up she still looked gorgeous.

"What happened Clary?" I asked.

"The man I went to meet tonight, I was told that he was one of the men targeting you. I was to go to the club he was at and meet up with him." She said as I moved to her other arm. She winced again. "I was supposed to flirt, and get him to admit something to me. Like who was after you. But no matter how many drinks I got in him, he wasn't giving me anything. He offered to take me home." She said and I accidently squeezed a little too hard and she winced again.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"It's okay." She said. "Anyway, I thought if I agreed he'd be more willing to give up information. That was my mistake. I walked out of the club with him, and I was ambushed by the real people who are targeting you." She said. I moved from her arm to her face. "They killed him the minute he left the club. All I had were daggers on me, and it wasn't enough. I was outnumbered and had barely any weapons on me. I tried my hardest but they were ruthless. I pretended to play dead, and they picked me up and started walking me to their car I guess. The element of surprise was my only advantage. I broke the one guys neck, and knocked the other three out and I ran to your car and got back here as fast as I could." She said. Our faces were so close. I could feel her hot breath on my face, and I could smell the faint scent of her perfume. I couldn't take it any longer. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. The urgency in this kiss was unlike any other I have every experienced. Her hands were tangled in my hair and my hands rested on her thighs. I couldn't get enough of her. I never wanted to stop, and by the way she was kissing me, it seemed like she felt the same way.

"Sorry to interrupt." We heard from behind us and we broke apart. "But Luke should be here in the morning to get the story." Jon said and Clary nodded. "Are you okay?"

"Yea." Was all she said.

"I would assume so. Since you know, that was a pretty intense kiss." Seb said and Clary turned red. "We'll leave you two to it than. We're glad you're okay Clary." They said and they each gave her a kiss before leaving the bathroom. It was silent for a minute before she spoke.

"I'm sorry." She said and I was confused. "I shouldn't have allowed that to happen."

"Do you regret it?" I asked and she shook her head. "So why are you apologizing?"

"Because I'm on assignment. I'm supposed to protect you. Not make out with you." She said and I laughed.

"You can still protect me, and make out with me." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean." She said and I nodded.

"I've been dying to kiss you for weeks Clary. Seeing you like this, makes me so angry."

"You've been dying to kiss me for weeks?" She said and I laughed.

"Yes. I know you've noticed that I can't keep my eyes off you."

"I have." She said and I smiled.

"I like you, and I'd love to see where this goes." I said and she looked surprised.

"Why me? You could have any girl you wanted. I've seen you make out with half the girls here. So why me?" She asked. I tucked a stray curl behind her ear and smiled.

"Because the way I feel when you're around is something I've never felt before." I said and she looked socked. "That kiss had a lot of meaning for me. I felt something I've never felt before, and you can't tell me that you didn't feel anything either." I said.

"Jace." She said and I cut her off.

"Tell me you don't feel anything for me Clary. Tell me, and I'll back off." I said and I could tell she was thinking.

"I can't because I felt something too. Although, I don't have anything to compare it too, but it was pretty special."

"You've never kissed anyone before?" I asked a little shocked and she shook her head.

"Why? Was it bad?" She asked and I laughed and I grabbed her legs and pulled her into me. Her arms went straight to my chest.

"It was the complete opposite of bad." I said and she blushed. "I want to see where this goes Clary." I said and I could tell she was hesitant. "I'm willing to try if you are."

"Okay." Was all she said. I pressed my lips back to hers, and she immediately started kissing me back. We stayed their for a little while before we broke apart.

"You should get some rest. It's nearly three and you look exhausted." I said and she nodded and got off the counter, but her legs gave out. I caught her and picked her up.

"I'm sorry." She said and I smiled.

"No need to apologize." I said and she smiled. I walked towards her room and she opened the door and I walked inside. I put her on her bed, and when I started to walk away she grabbed my hand.

"I don't think I can be alone right now." She said and I smiled. "Can you get me a t shirt so I can change?" I nodded, went over to her dresser and grabbed her a shirt. I gave it to her, and in a second she ripped the dress off and put the shirt on.

"Is that all you need?" I asked and she shakes her head.

"Can you stay with me?" She asks, and I nod. I walk over and get in her bed and she immediately curls into my side. A few minutes later I hear her breathing even out, and I close my eyes and not long after I'm falling into a dreamless sleep.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up and realized that I had a weight on my chest. When I looked down I realized that it was Clary. She looks so peaceful when she's sleeping and I couldn't help the smile that spread on my face. I leaned down and kissed her forehead, and she started to stir. A moment later she started sitting up.

"Good morning beautiful." I said and she smiled.

"Good morning." She said. "What time is it?"

"A little after noon." I said and her eyes widened.

"Why did we sleep so late?" She asked.

"We had a long night." I said and she nodded. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. I'm a little sore, and the cut marks will take some time to heal but I'll be fine. I've had worse." She said and I nodded. I was about to open my mouth to speak when there was a loud crash downstairs. Clary and I looked at each other.

"I think we should see what's going on." I said and Clary nodded and we both got up, Clary quickly went into the bathroom to cover up the bruises so nobody would ask questions. When she came back out, I grabbed her hand and we went downstairs. We were greeted by all of our friends in the kitchen trying to make food. "What they hell are you guys doing?" I said and they all turned around.

"The real question is what the hell are you two doing?" Jon said and I felt Clary squeeze my hand. I pushed her behind me because I knew she was embarrassed. "You two sure took your time getting up this morning."

"We had a long night." I said and Jon raised and eyebrow.

"Расскажите мне все вам два не kiss прошлой ночью." _(Please tell me all you two did was kiss last night.)_ Seb said clearly directed at Clary.

"На прошлой неделе мы не переходите за поцелуй." _(Jeez, we didn't go past kissing.)_ She said back. I wish I knew what they were saying.

"Он не был в своей комнате сегодня утром." _(He wasn't in his room this morning.)_ Jon said and Clary groaned.

"Я попросил его остаться со мной прошлой ночью." _(I asked him to stay with me last night.)_ She said and both Jon and Seb crossed their arms.

"Вы две вещи сейчас?" _(Are you two a thing now?)_ Jon said.

"Да." _(Yes.)_ She said and Jon and Seb both started smiling.

"It's about time." They said in unison and everyone looked confused and I was no different.

"Its about time for what?" Izzy asked.

"These two are together." Jon said and everyone's eyes widened.

"Finally!" Izzy and Maia said together and ran towards Clary and pulled her into a hug. I walked into the kitchen while the girls were interrogating Clary to find that it was a disaster.

"Why didn't you just order food?" I asked and everyone shrugged. "You all are never allowed in my kitchen every again." I said and they all laughed. "I mean it." I said and than the girls entered.

"What the hell happened here?" Clary asked and I laughed.

"Your brothers tried to make food."

"You two know that you can't cook." She said and they just smiled and shrugged. "Clean it up."

"But Clary…" Jon started and she shushed them.

"No, you destroyed his kitchen, you clean it up." She said and they both nodded, and started cleaning up.

"So Clary, how was your date last night?" Izzy asks and I immediately tense.

"It was alright I guess. He was kinda boring, and only talked about himself. It didn't last very long." She said as she shrugged.

"That sucks. Was he at least cute?" Maia asked.

"He was alright, but not my type." She said and I couldn't help but smirk at her.

"Let me guess, he didn't have blonde hair and gold eyes?" Alec said in a mocking voice and I shot him a glare.

"He was a blonde, but no gold eyes." Clary said and I pulled her into my side and kissed the top of her head.

"Well, I guess there will be no second date considering you're with him." Izzy said and I could feel Clary nod. "Well, while those two are cleaning up the mess, what are we doing today?"

"I figured we could just take the boat out an chill on it for the day." I said and everyone nodded. "Meet by my dock in an hour." I said and they all nodded, said their goodbyes and headed back to their homes. Clary and I were the only ones left with nothing to do. "What would you like to do in the hour we have to spare?" I asked.

"I could really just use some coffee and some rest." She said and I nodded. I went into the kitchen and started the coffee pot. When it was ready I got two cups and took them out to Clary. She was curled under a blanket on the couch. I joined her and pulled her into my side. I could really get used to this, and there was no chance in hell I was going to risk messing this up.

 **Time Jump – End of Summer**

 **Clary POV:**

After the incident I had, the rest of the summer was pretty quiet. I didn't realize how awesome it would feel to actually have friends, and a boyfriend to enjoy summer with but I was enjoying it immensely. According to Izzy and Maia, Jace used to be a complete and utter dick to girls in the past but he was nothing but sweet and respectful towards me, and I absolutely loved it. Izzy said she's never seen him to taken by a girl before, and that she thinks I might be the one to end his player days, and as much as I loved being with him, and having him all to myself, who knows how long this was going to last. I could die tomorrow, or the mission could end and I would be sent away again and not see him for a long period of time, but I was going to live in the moment and enjoy our time together now.

Since the summer was winding down, Jace decided to throw another party. I had to admit that his parties were pretty epic, and since I knew all the people around the lake I could actually enjoy this party this time. Jon and Seb left to get the alcohol, Izzy, Maia and I were getting ready at her place, and all the boys were over at Jace's making sure all the valuables were stored away.

"Clary, I think you should wear this dress." Izzy said as she help up a red dress.

"That doesn't look like much fabric Iz." I said and she laughed.

"You want to drive Jace crazy right?" She asked and I smiled a little. "This dress will have him drooling all over the place."

"He already does that when he sees her." Maia chimed in.

"Very true. I've never seen him so captivated before. Normally he likes the way a girl looks for maybe 15 minutes and than he's lost interest. But with you, it's like he's seeing you for the first time every time."

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked and Maia and Izzy smiled.

"No, but it's an intense thing. Especially for Jace." Izzy said. "He has never been in a real relationship. You're his first, and it's weird to see him so committed." She said and I guess she could see how nervous that made me because she started speaking again. "Not that I think Jace would ever hurt you. I think you are the best thing that's ever happened to him, and I know for a fact that he is 100% in this relationship with you."

"What Izzy meant to say is that Jace has never had to be a boyfriend before, and it's weird to see the sweet and caring side of him." Maia said and I nodded.

"Exactly. He loves you." Izzy said and my eyes widened.

"What?" I said a little dazed.

"Has he not told you?" Izzy said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"We've been together for two months Izzy." I said and she just waved me off.

"Do you love him?" She asked and it was moments like this that I wish I could hide my feelings, because my cheeks turned bright red. "You totally do!" She screamed and I covered my ears. I know it seems rushed but there is just something about him, and when he kisses me I feel so much and I never want to be without him.

"I think so." I said.

"No, you are totally in love with him. I can see it when you look at each other, or when you are apart. You both seem incredibly sad when you aren't together. Like you're missing a piece of who you are."

"Do you really think he loves me?" I asked. I mean, I knew he liked me a lot but the thought of anyone loving me was hard for me to comprehend.

"I'm totally sure he loves you." Izzy said and Maia nodded along. "Come on, let's make you look sexy." Izzy said as she dragged me to a chair and started working on me.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Izzy was finally done working her magic on me and when I looked in the mirror I didn't even recognize myself. I had to admit, I looked pretty good. When Maia and Izzy were finally ready the party was about to start. We made our way over to Jace's house and when we walked in I immediately went to look for Jace, but he wasn't in the house at all. I found Jon and Seb talking in the corner and made my way over to them.

"Have you two seen Jace?" I asked.

"He went outside for some fresh air." Jon said and I nodded and made my way outside. I noticed a figure standing out by the dock and made my way over to him. When he heard my heels clicking on the pier her turned around and sucked in a breath.

"You look stunning." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you. Izzy had full range on me tonight." I said and he pulled me into him and kissed me.

"I think you always look stunning." He said and I laughed a little.

"The party is going to start any minute, I think we should make our way back in." I said and I could see he was a little hesitant. "What's wrong?"

"I feel like it's been too quiet lately. Like something is coming. Something big and bad." He said and I nodded.

"And if that happens, you have Jon, Seb and I all here to protect you." I said and he sighed. "What?"

"I don't want you getting hurt." He said and I put my finger under his chin and made him look at me.

"This is my job Jace. If I have to take a bullet or a stab wound for you, I will. So will Jon and Seb. We've trained our whole lives for this. We can handle whatever happens."

"I know, but I can't even think about the possibility of something happening to you." He said and I pressed my lips to his.

"So stop thinking about it. Nothing has happened, and if something does, we'll handle it." I said and he nodded. "Come on, the part is definitely starting." I said as we saw a bunch of people walking around the house. He nodded and I grabbed his hand and we made our way up to the house. I knew Jace was worried, but this was the job, if I lost my life protecting him, that's what happened.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The party had been a lot of fun. Jace and I were dancing, and making out, and drinking the whole night and it seemed like a great way to end the perfect summer. Most of my summers were spent teaching classes at the training facility, so actually acting like an 18 year old girl was great. By the end of the night it was just Jace, my brother, me and his friends at his house. We were cleaning up a little before going to bed. We would clearly finish cleaning up later, but we wanted to get some of it out of the way now. We were all in the living room when we heard the back door open. When I looked behind me I saw four guys standing there. Two of them I recognized form the club in the beginning of the summer. They looked pissed.

"Well, if it isn't little miss Red. Miss us?" The one man said and I rolled my eyes.

"You mean, you missed me kicking your ass?" I said and Jon and Seb were immediately beside me protecting our friends.

"Seems we've missed the party." The one said as he looked around the room. "Pity."

"Just hand over the boy and we've leave" The third guy said.

"Over my dead body." I said and they all laughed.

"With pleasure. We didn't have the opportunity to kill you before, but I can't wait." He said as he pulled out a sword. Like really? It's the 21st century. I immediately grabbed my daggers and Jon and Seb pulled out their guns.

"What the hell!" We heard from behind us. Everyone looked completely shocked.

"Everyone, out now." I said and the four men laughed.

"Nobody is leaving." They said.

"They have nothing to do with this." Seb said.

"I don't care." The one man said.

"Let them leave." I hissed and he walked up to me and got in my face.

"Not a chance sweetheart." He said. I took the opportunity to stab him in the side, Jon grabbed him by the neck and snapped. I turned around and looked at everyone.

"Run!" I yelled and they all ran out of the house like it was on fire. All hell broke loose after the first guy was killed. This gave us a good opportunity because we were now even.

We fought for about 20 minutes. They were good, and Jon and Seb had no time to even fire their guns because these men were all about hand to hand combat. They were good, and they knew it. I was being over powered by the one man. I may be one of the best agents my age but when a man a foot taller than me was coming at me, I was at a disadvantage. Seb came over and joined because as the man he was fighting was unconscious. I was sure if he was dead or not, but that didn't matter. It took us both about 10 minutes to knock him to the floor and I put a dagger to his neck.

"Any last words?" I said and he laughed.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." We heard from behind us. We turned around and the man Seb was first fighting with was holding Jace with a knife to his neck. "Drop the dagger." He said and I dropped it. The man who was on the ground was now holding my arms behind my back. "Good girl."

"What do you want with him?" I asked.

"His father pissed off my boss, and she wants to get even."

"So killing him will get even?" I asked and he laughed.

"No, it'll be a bonus." He said and I was confused. "She wants Stephan Herondale to suffer, just like she suffered when Stephan double crossed her."

"This is all about a shitty business deal?"

"No. It's about breaking promises." He said.

"So Stephan married Celine, and your boss was in love with Celine, so she's mad?"

"No. My boss was in love with Stephan." He said.

"I'm confused." I said and he laughed.

"My boss is a woman." He said and I had a 'duhh' moment. He did say 'she' and 'her' a couple times. "Amatis Greymark." He said and my eyes widened.

"You can't be serious." I said.

"She was married to Stephan for a couple years before he cheated on her with Celine. He promised it was a one time thing, and that it was over, but Celine got pregnant. With him. Stephan did what he thought was the right thing to do. He divorced Amatis, and married Celine to raise their child."

"So killing that child is going to bring her peace?" I asked.

"No, but it'll make Stephan miserable, and that's what she wants."

"So egg his house, or launder his money, or something. Don't kill his child." I yelled at him and he laughed again.

"What fun would that be?" He said as he dug the knife deeper into Jace's neck. I was about to say something when the sound of sirens filled the air. The men were clearly spooked but that didn't stop them from stabbing Jace in the side before bolting out the door. Jace fell to the floor bleeding and I ran to his side.

"Jace?" I said and I could see his losing consciousness. "The police are coming. Just stay with me. Just stay with me Jace." I said as I was about to cry. He reached up and placed his hand on my cheek.

"You're so beautiful." He said and I choked on my sobs. "Don't ever change." He said as he rubbed his thumb over my lips. "I love you Clary."

"I love you too." I said as I put my forehead against his.

"Promise to be happy if I don't make it. Don't shut yourself off anymore." He said which made me cry harder.

"No. You're going to live. You're going to live, and we're going to be happy together." I said and he let out a painful laugh. He started closing his eyes. "Stay awake Jace. Just stay awake for a little longer." I said but his eyes still fluttered between unconsciousness, and consciousness.

"I love you so much Clary. I'm sorry we only got the summer together, but it was the best damn summer of my life." He said and I started sobbing.

"You can't leave me Jace." I said and I felt his hand lave my cheek and slam on the ground. I looked at his eyes and they were finally shut. "JACE!" I screamed. "Don't leave me. Please. I need you. Please." I sobbed into his chest. Before I could register what was happening I was being pulled off Jace. "Let me go. I can't leave him." I yelled but than I saw the paramedics begin working on Jace. I calmed down a little bit and realized that Jon was holding me. They immediately got Jace into an ambulance and rushed away. We were standing in the house stunned at what just happened. We heard footsteps and when we looked all of Jace's friends were standing there confused.

"What the hell just happened?" Izzy asked. I opened my mouth to speak when I was interrupted.

"Clarissa Morgenstern?" I heard and I turned to face not only the regular police, but the police from The Circle as well. "You are under arrest for breaking protocol." He said as he slapped the cuffs on my wrist.

"That's not fair! She was doing her job!" Seb yelled.

"Her job included starting a relationship with her assignment." He said and I sighed.

"You told her to blend in, she was blending in. Anyone can tell you the insufferable sexual tension that was between those two. You can't expect nothing to happen? They are teenagers." Jon said.

"Jon, it's okay. I broke the rules, I should be punished." I said.

"You will remain in the holding cell in Circle headquarters until your trial." He said and he hauled me away. I could hear Jon and Seb protesting behind me but I didn't care at this point. All I cared about what Jace, and his well being.

 **Jonathan POV:**

"You asshole! She was doing her job!" I yelled again, but nobody seemed to care. "I'll take this to the top prick!" I said before they all laughed and left. I finally was able to catch my breath and realized that all his friends were still there.

"Can you please tell us what the hell is going on." Alec said and I nodded.

"Stephan was getting pictures and threats concerning Jace for a couple months. He didn't know how credible the threats were so he called The Circle."

"What's The Circle?" Izzy asked.

"An elite organization with the best agents in the country." I said and they all nodded. "Stephan contacted them and asked to provide a protection detail for Jace."

"And that protection was Clary?" Alec asked.

"Yes. She graduated two years early, top of her class, her success rate was 100%. She never failed. Plus she was the most qualified agent his age. When the summer started and she needed our help with the party, we were invited to stay for extra backup since we didn't know who was targeting Jace."

"And those guys, they were trying to kill Jace?" Izzy asked.

"Yes. Their boss as a personal vendetta against Stephan. Jace was the reason that Stephan and his first wife divorced, and she wanted to make Stephan pay."

"Why couldn't she just key his car, or cut his power, why kill Jace?" Izzy asked and I was about to respond when someone else did.

"Because Amatis is sick." I turned around and Luke stood there. "She gets obsessed. She was obsessed with Stephan and when he divorced her, she went off her rocker."

"How do you know all this?" Alec asked.

"Because she's my sister." Luke said and everyone's eyes widened. "Some people end up on the right side of the law, and others don't. I never knew Amatis was capable of this type of crime. I mean, contracting people to murder an innocent boy? I can't even begin to express how shocked I am."

"Luke, I'm so sorry." I said as I clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"I know. The shock will pass."

"Luke, we have to get Clary out of there. She doesn't belong in jail." I said and he nodded.

"They have every right to detain her. She broke the rules. We just have to wait and see how her trial turns out." Luke said and I nodded.

"She can go to jail for falling in love?" Izzy said and we turned to face her. "That's incredibly ridiculous."

"The Law is Hard, but it is the Law." Jon said.

"Why type of bullshit is that?" Maia said.

"It's the code we live by. Those who don't follow, must be punished accordingly." Luke said. "Her trial should be in a few days, and than we'll take it from there." I nodded and Luke looked sympathetic before he left, but he turned around before he opened the door. "Her chances of getting a lesser sentence depend on if the boy lives." He said before he left.

"I hope he doesn't die." Seb said and I nod.

"Jace is too stubborn to be killed. He finally fell in love. He isn't going anywhere." Izzy said, and I looked at Seb with concern. "What?"

"He told Clary to be happy if he doesn't make it." I said and Izzy gasped. "He told her that he was sorry they only had the summer."

"He was giving up?" Maia asked and I shrugged.

"Jace doesn't give up. On anything." Alec said.

"I hope you're right." I said and than it was quiet. The clean up crew came in and started cleaning up the blood. We all left the house and made our way to the Lightwoods. None of us talked, we just sat there thinking about how the future would play out.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Pain. All I felt was pain, deep into my left side. I felt like I was being branded. It was hot, and uncomfortable and never ending. I can faintly hear talking in the background but it's mainly covered by the annoying beeping next to me. I opened my eyes and am greeted with a white wall. When I'm finally awake I look around the room. I see Izzy, and Alec, and Jon. They are talking in the corner. My throat is dry but I don't know what happened, and I need answers.

"Iz." I said and they all turned.

"Oh my god, you're awake!" She screamed and ran over to me. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore. What happened?" I asked and Jon walked over.

"After your summer party we were greeted with some contract killers. We tried to hold them off for as long as we could. But one of them got you. Your friends called the police and they got spooked but they stabbed you before leaving."

"How long have I been here?"

"Three days." Alec answered.

"Where is Clary?" I asked and they all looked upset. "What happened?"

"After the paramedics took you away Clary was arrested and detained in The Circles headquarters pending her trial."

"Why was she arrested?"

"For dating you." Jon simply said and I nodded.

"So, what's going to happen to her?" I asked.

"She's been on trial. They are delivering the verdict as we speak." Jon said.

"Why aren't you there?" I asked.

"Sebastian is there giving me updates." He said and just like that his phone went off. "Speak of the devil." He said as he read the message. "What the fuck."

"What happened?"

"Nothing good." Jon said.

"What does that mean?"

"It means, Clary has been released from the Circle." My eyes widened at what Jon just said.

"They can't really do that can they? She's an amazing agent." Izzy said.

"They just did. She'll be sent somewhere remote for the time being while her identity is changed, and than who knows what they'll do with her."

"Will I ever see her again?" I asked.

"I have no idea if I'll ever see her again man." Jon said and I just laid back in my bed. "You should rest, I'll come back when I have the full story." I nodded and Jon and Alec left but Izzy lingered.

"I'm so sorry Jace." She said and I smiled.

"I'm not." I said and I smiled. "I was incredibly happy with Clary. Even if it was only for a summer. She made me a better person, and I'm grateful for the time we had together."

"What are you going to do?" She asked and I took a deep breath.

"Wait and see if she comes and finds me." I said.

"You're going to wait for her?" She asked.

"I've never realized what I was missing until she came along. I'm not going to give that up because of what happened." I said and she nodded.

"It might take months, maybe years." She said and I nodded.

"I know." Was all I said.

"Well, we'll be back tomorrow with everyone after school." She said and I nodded. She leaned over and kissed my cheek. "I'm glad you're awake."

"Thanks Iz." I said and she walked out which left me alone. Everything that happened over this summer really put things in perspective for me, and I feel terrible that Clary was punished for something that I initiated. She tried to stay away but I pushed and now, she lost her job. Whenever I see her again, I was going to apologize until my face turns blue.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

After my trial they hauled me off to a remote farmhouse in Nebraska. I was to stay there until my identity was worked out. My trial was totally rigged. I mean, I knew I broke the rules, but it's not like I was committing treason, I literally fell in love and they treated it like I was trading government secrets.

I was sitting in my new living room watching whatever basic cable that they gave me when there was a knock on the door. I was confused since the agents in charge of holding me here never knocked. When I opened the door I was shocked to see Luke standing there.

"Luke, what are you doing here?" I asked as he made his way into the house.

"I'm here with your new identity." He said and handed me a folder. I opened it up to see exactly where I would be going.

 ** _Name:_** _Clary Fray_

 ** _Age:_** _18_

 ** _Status:_** _High school senior_

 ** _Location:_** _Brooklyn, NY_

 ** _High School:_** _Idris Area High School_

 ** _Family:_** _Jonathan, and Sebastian Fray – Brothers_

 ** _Parents:_** _Deceased_

When I was finished reading I looked up at Luke thinking I was being punked. There was no way that I was going back to New York.

"Luke, what's happening?" I asked and he smiled.

"For about 2 months, Jonathan, Sebastian and I have been fighting the Circle to try and reduce your punishment. Yes you broke the rules, but your punishment was completely unreasonable. You weren't spilling secrets, you were just being a teenager."

"So what happened?"

"Well, Jon and Seb both threatened to quit if they didn't do something, and that really got their attention. Three agents all being released within a couple months doesn't look good for the circle." He said. "When they realized that they weren't kidding they started to deliberate on what your punishment should be, and unfortunately they will not let you back in the Circle, they don't want someone like you to fill the minds of the up and coming with the allusion that you can break the rules and not get punished." He said and I simply nodded. "I'm sorry Clary. We fought as hard as I could for you to be reinstated, but they weren't changing their minds."

"It's okay. I couldn't be an agent forever right?" I said and he grabbed my hand.

"We convinced them to let you back in New York. Your identity had to be changed but not completely. You'll be a normal teenager, going to school, and living with your brothers. I think you'll enjoy the school I pulled a few strings to get you into."

"Why?"

"Well, Jon said something about a certain blonde being a senior there, and since you were kicked out of the Circle, it's not against the rules anymore." He said and I flung myself at him.

"You're kidding?" I said and he laughed.

"Not even a little." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"When do I leave?" I asked.

"I can take you right now if you want." He said and I started jumping up and down like a little girl.

"I can pack in 10 minutes." I said as I rushed upstairs to pack my things. I may not be an agent anymore, but I certainly didn't care if it meant that I got Jace.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

School was a headache, and I couldn't wait for winter break to come. We had another week until we finally got a decent break and I was dreading the long wait. I didn't mind school, considering I was good at it, but I just felt completely empty without Clary. It had been almost 5 months since I'd seen her last. I wasn't kidding when I told Izzy that I would wait however long it took for her, because you don't find someone like Clary twice in life. There is only one, and she's the one for me.

When lunched rolled around I was sitting at the table with the usual group. Alec was sitting extremely close to Magnus, deep in conversation. I was happy for those two. Alec deserved to be happy, and now that he finally embraced who he was, he could allow himself to be happy, and it was really great to see him smile. Izzy was sitting with her boyfriend, Simon I believe his name is. When she first told us about him I thought we were being pranked. He is totally not her type but she was really happy, and he treated her right. You couldn't really complain much. Maia and Jordan were still together and going strong. I was the only loner in a group full of couples, but I didn't mind. I'd rather be alone, than with someone who I didn't really want to be with.

"You seem extra sad to day Jace." I heard Izzy say as I was brought out of my thoughts.

"Just thinking." I said and I could see her sad expression.

"About Clary?" She asked and I nod.

"When isn't he thinking about Clary." Maia said and everyone laughed.

"It's hard not to think about the only person you ever truly cared about." I said and they all nodded. They knew I cared about them, but I was talking about a different kind of caring and they knew that. We were all silent for a little until I realized that the whole cafeteria was abnormally silent. I looked around and noticed two familiar faces. Jon and Seb were standing at the front of the caf looking around, most likely for me. I got up and they smiled and started walking towards me.

"What are you two doing here?" I asked as we met in the middle of the caf.

"We couldn't miss the opportunity to see you face." Seb said and I was confused.

"What are you talking about?" I asked and they both just smiled. Jon grabbed my shoulders and turned me around. When I looked at where they faced me I was greeted by a familiar redhead. My jaw hit the ground, and I turned back around to Jon and Seb to see if this was real. "For real?"

"For real." They said together and I turned back to look at Clary who was now making her way towards me. I started walking and when we were close enough I scooped her up and gave her the biggest and most passionate kiss I've ever given. I totally forgot we were in the middle of the caf, and we had quite a large audience but I didn't care because Clary was here. When we finally broke apart I couldn't help but smile. "How is this possible?"

"I promise, we will talk about everything after school, right now I just want to be with you, and act like I'm a normal 18 year old senior."

"Wait, you're going to school here?" I asked and she nodded.

"I was released from the Circle, and not allowed back in. Apparently I'm too hotheaded, and a loose cannon for them to trust me. So, I'm going to high school." She said and I scooped her into my arms and swung her around. When I put her down I grabbed her hand and led her to the table. Everyone got up and started hugging her. When everyone got their turn I pulled her onto my lap, and wrapped my arms tightly around her. I never wanted to let her go every again.

"So, my parents are going away for Christmas and said that we could go visit our vacation home in Mexico for the holiday, whose in?" Izzy asks and everyone laughs. Everyone at the table obviously agrees. Izzy started talking about everything under the sun, and Clary was laughing and joking around and I honestly couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. It might have sucked, but this whole experience brought Clary and I together, and for that, I would forever be grateful.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So I combined two different requests into this story. I don't remember who requested them, but one requested a badass Clary, and the other requested a secret agent, but I thought that they were kinda similar so I just wrote them both together! I hope whoever requested these two ideas were satisfied! Let me know what you all think! Also, the Russian in this story is from a translator online so it might be inaccurate, but I wanted it in the story! Let me know who you all think! :)**


	40. Chapter 39 - Heartbroken

**Thirty Ninth One Shot:**

 **Heartbroken**

 **Clary POV:**

After the worst summer of my life I was ready to focus on something else. I needed a distraction. I don't know how more TV shows I can binge watch on Netflix, or how many tubs of ice cream I can go through before I finally die from inactivity. I had completely shut myself off from the world after it happened. I didn't want to talk, see, or look at people. I knew they would all pity me, and I didn't need that. Getting away was exactly what I needed, this was all my mom wanted for me, and I was going to do it for her.

I had an English 101 class right now and I wasn't too thrilled about it. I didn't mind English but I hated being forced to take a class for no reason. I walked in and took a seat in the back. I pulled out my sketchbook and started doodling. I was completely zoned out when I heard all the females in the room sigh. I only knew one person who was capable of that, and when I looked up, the one and only Jace Herondale was in the room. I knew we both wanted to come here. It's all we talked about when we were freshman. We were excited to be going all the way through school together, and now all I wanted to do was being on a different continent, one that didn't have Jace on it. He saw me and smirked and sat down next to me. I looked back down and continued drawing. He knew better than to disturb me while I was sketching, so he didn't speak, which I was thankful for. Eventually the professor walked in and started taking roll.

"Today we are simply going to partner off and get to know one another." She said. "I have a fish bowl of all your names, I will randomly picked two and that will be your partner." She said and I tuned her out until I heard my name called. "Clarissa Fray, and Jonathan Heronadale." She said and I just I couldn't believe how unlucky I was. I raised my hand immediately to switch.

"Yes?" The professor said called on me.

"Can I be partnered with someone else?" I asked and she looked confused.

"Why?"

"I've known Jace my whole life. I don't need to get to know him." I said and she didn't seem to believe me.

"Really? Prove it." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest. The whole class was staring at us.

"His name is Jonathan but he prefers Jace, he grew up in Brooklyn. His favorite color is gold because he views himself as a 'golden god'." I said and I could see him smirk. "He played football for as long as I've known him, he's the quarterback. He is an only child, and his favorite breakfast food is coconut pancakes." I said as I looked at Jace. "He's majoring in business so that he can take over his fathers company after he's played in the NFL. He's a city boy, but he doesn't want to live in Brooklyn for the rest of his life. When he was 11, he really wanted to own a farm and raise a pig named Cynthia. No idea why." I said and the class laughed. "He's about a foot taller than me, his shoe size is a 10, he plays piano, he's a great cook, his biggest fear is ducks. Do I have to go on?" I said and the professor looked stunned.

"Jace?" She asked after a moment, clearly wanted to know more.

"Her name is Clarissa but she prefers Clary. She's an art major. She wants to own her own gallery one day. She doesn't have a favorite color because artists can't choose favorites." He said and I couldn't stop the little laugh that escaped my lips. "Her favorite breakfast food is also coconut pancakes. She played lacrosse in high school. She's the klutziest person I've ever known. When we were 7, she fell out of our tree house and broke her arm. Her biggest fear is being alone." He said and I sucked in a breath. "Her hair is naturally that color, she's never dyed it. She's a total comic book nerd, she drinks her coffee black, she's not a morning person, she's an only child, her middle name is Adele. Need I go any further?" He said and the professor shook her head.

"The rest of you get to know each other, Jace, Clary, a word." She said and we followed her out of the classroom. "I sense of really strong negative feelings between the two of you. Bad breakup?"

"We never dated." I said. Even though my feelings for him were painfully obvious. "He couldn't hold a girl down even if he tied her to the bed."

"Wouldn't you like to know what that feels like baby." He said and I snorted.

"In your dreams Herondale."

"You always are." He retorted before the professor stepped in.

"Clearly you two have a rocky history. I'm not splitting you two up because I have another assignment for you two. Next class, bring in something that represents why you two have these strong negative feelings towards each other."

"Do I have too?" I asked.

"Yes. You two know so much about each other, yet you hold so much hatred for each other."

"I don't hate her." Jace said. "I never have."

"Well, I hate you." I said and it looked like he had no idea what I was talking about.

"Next class, I want the object. It doesn't have to be elaborated. Just something that symbolizes why you hate him Clary."

"Alright." I said and we made our way back into class.

 **Time Jump - Next Class**

 **Clary POV:**

The object I decided to bring was an old cellphone. It symbolized all the calls I made that he never bothered returning. When I walked into class the professor motions for me to join Jace and her at the front of the room. I walk over and stand as far away from Jace as possible.

"Do you two have class after this one?" She asks and we both shook our heads. "My office, that's where we'll get to the bottom of this." She said and we nodded and took our seats.

The lesson went by rather quickly. I was dreading this little session I had after class with Jace and the professor. What happened with my mom destroyed me, and Jace didn't even have the decency to call me back. When she dismissed us, Jace and I took our time packing up. We followed her to her office, she closed the door and we took a seat.

"Clearly whatever happened between you two is pretty fresh. I can just see it in how uncomfortable you are sitting here Clary." She said and I shifted in my seat. "Now, on the count of three, I want you to exchange object. One...two...three." She said and Jace and I both pulled out phones. We both reluctantly took the other and looked back at the professor. "Now, at the same time I want you to tell each other what it symbolizes. One...two...three."

"You never called." We said at the same time and my jaw hit the floor.

"So you're upset you never stayed in touch?" She asked and I think I was still too stunned to answer so Jace spoke.

"Junior year I was recruited by a private school in California for football and I jumped at the opportunity. I expected us to stay in touch. But football got crazy, and I never had enough time, but she never called me." He said and that seemed to snap be back to reality.

"Are you kidding me?" I seethed and he looked confused. "This has got to be a joke. I'm being punked right?"

"No." the professor said. "This is all real."

"Well, I'm not going to sit around and listen to this anymore." I said as I grabbed my bag and left. The nerve of him to say that to me. He never called ME. Not the other way around.

It was a Friday so after class I jumped in my car and went home. I didn't even want to chance running into Jace after what he said. I couldn't believe him. The nerve of him. It took about an hour to get home. When I pulled up in front of my house I sighed. Since I was 18 when my mom died I didn't need someone there for me. My father has been in jail since I was 4, and my mom never remarried. Luke was my neighbor and he was the closest thing I had to family around here anymore.

Izzy and Simon went traveling after high school. They wanted to take a year and explore, and I couldn't blame them. Being stuck in Brooklyn your whole life can be depressing. Alec had graduated already and lived with his fiancé somewhere in the city. I kept in touch, but our lives were at two separate places. When I walked in, the house was exactly the same. I took a deep breath trying not to cry. I went up to my moms room, laid on her bed and let it all out. Seeing Jace again, after two years was more overwhelming than I thought it would be. He broke me. When the one person you want in the world isn't there for you, there really isn't anything they could do that can make up for it.

 **Time Jump - Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The professor hasn't tried to have Jace and I talk it out since I stormed out of her office that day. I was grateful for that. I couldn't even look at him without wanted to smack him upside the head with my textbook. Jace has tried to talk to me a couple times but I ignore him. I can't do it. I can't sit there and listen to him when he completely ignored me.

Friday rolled around and I was planning on going home to visit my mom. Her birthday was tomorrow and I can't miss it. I wouldn't miss it. I was packing up my bag when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and Jace was standing there.

"What do you want Jace?" I asked.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" He asked and I let out a dry laugh.

"Was our last meeting not clear enough?" I said.

"I don't know what happened to us Clary. You were my best friend. You know everything about me, you can make me laugh, and you've always been there for me. What changed?" He asked. He genuinely looked like he had no idea what was going on, which only made me more mad. I opened my bag back up and started searching for my book. When my mom was in the hospital I didn't know how to cope. I didn't want to talk to anyone but Jace, so I started writing it out. When I finally found it I looked back at him.

"You want to know why I hate you so much?" I asked and he nodded. I trusteed the book into his hand. "Read it you piece of shit, and tell me how you think I should feel about you." I said and I stormed away. I never wanted to share that with anyone else, but it was the only way I knew how to make him understand. I got in my car and drive. I blasted the music, and let the loneliness sink in.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary stormed off I looked down at the book she gave me. On the front it read 'Clary's Journal'. I didn't know why she would give this to me, it seemed so personal, but she told me to read it, so that's what I was going to do. We had a game tomorrow, so tonight I was just chillin.

When I finally got my back to my room that night I pulled the book out. I looked at it for a minute before taking a deep breath and opening it to the first page.

 ** _July 12:_**

 _I woke up today and my mom was not in her room. I panicked and when I went downstairs she was laying on the floor unconscious. I called 911 and they took her straight to the hospital. I sat in the waiting room for hours before anyone told me anything. I called Jace. I knew it was still early for him, but I thought that maybe he would pick up for me. I guess I was wrong. Finally when a doctor approached me he looked sorrowful. He told me that my mom at advanced stage 4 breast cancer. It had been attacking her organs for months now, and it is far beyond treatment. I don't know what to do. She's all I have left in the world._

I looked over the page again thinking that it was wrong. That whatever was written in here wasn't from Clary, but I recognized her handwriting immediately. This was hers. I could see the tearstains on the page. The writing got sloppy, assuming she was crying while she was writing this, she probably couldn't see through the cloudiness of her tear filled eyes. I took another deep breath before flipping the page.

 ** _July 13:_**

 _I stayed the whole night at the hospital. My mom was still sleeping, but I didn't want to leave her alone. It was almost lunch time but I didn't want to eat anything. I looked at my phone again, I called Jace again. I left a voicemail this time. Maybe he'll call me back. I really need him. Izzy and Simon offered to come home early from their trip to stay with me, but I wasn't going to let them bail on their travels for me. Alec and Magnus were coming by today, I really didn't want to see anyone, but I couldn't deny them forever. There were two people I wanted right now, one is unconscious, and the other isn't answering my calls. I was alone, and I hated it._

Calls? I never got any calls from her. I never received a voicemail. I would have remembered if I did. There were more stains on this page than the last one. It broke my heart to know that Clary was going through this. Her home life wasn't terrible, but it could have been better. Her father went to prison when she was really young, and that just left her and her mom. They were close. I always remember going over their house and just seeing how much love they had towards one another. Knowing that she was struggling this much killed me. But I never got a call. I never I would have called her back. I turned the page and prepared myself for what I was about to read.

 ** _July 14:_**

 _She was still unconscious. The doctors didn't know if she would ever wake up. I'm so completely lost and alone and I don't know what to do. I called Jace again. I don't know why he isn't calling me back. I thought we were best friends. I thought he would be there for me no matter what. I know he's busy kicking ass back in California, but I thought I meant something to him. I thought he would never leave me. I guess I was wrong._

How come I never got a voicemail? How come I didn't know. Sure we talked briefly in the two years I was gone. Mostly random text messages, but I was super busy and so was she. If she needed me, and I wasn't there, no wonder she hates me. God, I hate me. Where was I? This was the summer, I was packing to come back, go to school. I was…spending the summer with Kaelie. But she wouldn't, I mean, she couldn't have. I flipped the page and began to read.

 ** _July 15:_**

 _I haven't eaten in 4 days. I haven't left this room in four days. I probably smell like a homeless person. Jace would have thrown me over his shoulder and forced me to participate in society. He wouldn't let me sulk, but he hasn't called me back. I called again. I left another voice mail. I don't know what I did wrong, but I need him. I need my best friend._

God damn. Why didn't anyone tell me? Why didn't my parents know what was going on. She kept in touch with the Lightwoods, clearly they knew, but not a word was said to any of us. This page had more tearstains on it. The page was crinkly, and smudged. She was broken, I could tell from how much she cried on this page. My Clary, my best friend was utterly alone, and I had no idea.

 ** _July 16:_**

 _I don't know what to do anymore. The doctor told me to start saying my goodbyes. To start going back to my normal life. But I don't know what that is without her. I don't know how to live without my mom. She is my whole world, my biggest supported, my inspiration. What is life without her? Izzy and Simon came back last night. Alec called them and told them and they said that they needed to be here with me. I appreciated the kindness, but all I need is my mom. I called Jace again. I knew he wouldn't answer, and I knew leaving a voicemail was pointless, but I was desperate. I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted him to tell me it was okay. I wanted him to wrap me in a hug, and hold me while I cried. I sank down in the hallway of the hospital and cried. Izzy found me eventually and tried to console me but it wasn't the same. Nothing would ever be the same._

I don't know when I started crying, but I was. I haven't cried since I was little but here I am, crying because the one girl in my life, who I loved more than absolutely anything was absolutely broken and alone and crying for me and I had no idea. I abandoned her, and she needed me.

 ** _July 17:_**

 _She's gone._

They were the only two words on the page and I broke. I closed the book and chucked it across the room. Clary was all alone now. Her biggest fear. She didn't have a family, she was her own family, and here I am, confused as to why I never got a call, or why I never received those voicemails. My phone was working, and I was talking to other people, so why wasn't it picking up anything from here? I knew the only way I was going to get answers was to call Kaelie. I dreaded the idea of talking to her again, but I needed to know if she had anything to do with the mysterious disappearing voicemails. It rang a few times before she picked up.

"Jacey, I knew you couldn't stay away." She said and I gagged.

"I have a few questions for you Kaelie, and than I promise I will never call again." I said and she laughed.

"You say that now." She said and I rolled my eyes. "What can I help you with handsome?"

"During the summer, when you invited me to your parents beach house, did I ever get any phone calls, or voicemails perhaps?" I asked and she was quiet, too quiet. "What the hell did you do Kaelie?"

"She deserved it. You're mine." She said.

"Kaelie, did you listen to them?" I asked and she laughed.

"Yea, and she sounded so completely pathetic. I mean, she was begging for you. Begging for what's mine."

"Kaelie, do you even know who that was that called?" I asked.

"No." She admitted.

"She's my best friend. I've known her since I was 5."

"You never mentioned that." She said.

"Why would I? It didn't matter when it came to you. We hooked up for two years Kaelie. We weren't dating. We were just having fun." I said and she gasped.

"I was the best thing that ever happened to you." She said and I laughed.

"No, she was the best thing that ever happened to me. She will always be the best thing that's happened to me, and you completely ruined that." I said and she laughed.

"Serves her right for stealing you from me."

"I was never yours Kaelie. I have always been hers." I admitted for the first time out loud and was kinda shocked.

"You love her?" She asked and I took a deep breath.

"Yes. More than anything." I said.

"You're such an asshole Jace. I'm glad I got rid of those voicemails. I'm glad you never knew how upset she was and how much she needed you."

"Shut the hell up Kaelie. That wasn't your decision to make." I yelled into the phone.

"Yet, here we are. Clearly something is bothering you, did she finally confront you? Her last voicemail was really funny to listen too. She was pissed Jace. You completely shattered her. You missed your best friends mothers funeral, how does that make you feel Jace?"

"You are a sick and twisted bitch, and I hope karma comes back to bit you right in the ass Kaelie." I said and I hung up. I looked at the clock and it was already past 9, I couldn't go home and find her. I had a game tomorrow and I needed to be well rested. I looked at the calendar and noticed that tomorrow was her moms birthday. I don't care what happens, I was going straight home and finding her tomorrow. I needed her to know that I would have dropped everything to be there for her. I starred at the ceiling for hours until I finally started drifting off.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I had to cry myself to sleep last night in order to get all the images of my moms funeral out of my head. I was tossing and turning half the night because of memories and nightmares, and when I woke up and looked at the clock it was almost 2 in the afternoon. I didn't realize how tired I was, and I guess I needed whatever sleep I could get. I got out of bed, made a piece of toast and walked out. I was going to spend the whole rest of the day at the cemetery with my mom. I know it was cold, but I really didn't care. She wasn't spending her birthday alone.

I walked over to her grave, put down a blanket, wrapped the second one around me and just stared at the headstone. It didn't seem real. It never did. No matter how many times I come back here, it felt like it was all going to just go back to how normal it was before. I would wake in the front door and she'd be there painting, or baking, or whatever else she did. I couldn't stop the tears, and frankly I didn't want too. I was sad, and I was lonely, and I was miserable. I hated my life, I hated how it turned out, and I hated waking up every day and pretending that I was fine. I wasn't fine, and I don't think I ever will be.

I was sitting there for who knows how long when the sun started going down and the sky looked absolutely beautiful. I wish I could paint it, and always remember this beautiful moment, until I remembered why I was there in the first place. I smiled a little before turned back towards her headstone.

"I miss you." I simply said as the tears started again. "I don't know what to do without you. I come home and it's completely empty. It's filled with memories of you and they don't even make me happy, they make me cry because now I'm alone. I'm so completely alone mom, and I don't know how to handle it." I started crying harder. "You were my everything, and now I have nothing. I have this giant void in my life, and I can't fill it. I can barely get out of bed in the morning. I can barely take care of myself. I need you. I need my mom." I said and I couldn't continue. I just let the tears consume me. I was sad, and I couldn't hold it in anymore.

 **Jace POV:**

After the game I drive straight to Clary's house. I didn't know what I was going to say, but I needed to be with her. I couldn't let her be alone today. When I pulled into her driveway there was no car. I got out and knocked on her door anyway. There was no answer. I looked in the window but the house looked empty.

"She's not home." I heard and I turned around and saw Luke standing there. "She left hours ago, and hasn't come back."

"Where did she go?" I asked.

"The same place she goes every time she comes home. The cemetery." He said and I took a deep breath. "Where were you Jace? She needed you."

"This girl I was casually seeing out in California erased every voicemail Clary left, and somehow always got the calls before I did. I had no idea Luke. You know I would have dropped everything to be here for Clary."

"I know you would have, you love her too much to ever let her go through something like that alone, but she was. She locked herself in that house for over a month after the funeral. She was hurting, and she thought you had abandoned her."

"I would never do that to her. She's the one who told me to go to California. She was the main reason I went. She believed in me so much, how could I say no? If only I stayed, I could have been here."

"It's too late to change what happened, but its' not too late to make it right." Luke said and I nodded. "Jocelyn is buried at Alicante Cemetery." He said as he looked at his watch. "It closes in 3 hours."

"Thanks Luke." I said as I made my way back to my car, I turned around and he was still standing there. "Was it that obvious that I loved Clary?" I asked and he laughed.

"Anyone could tell that you loved her. It was obvious. But Jocelyn and I knew that you were in love with her. We didn't know when you'd finally figure it out, but we knew that one day a light bulb would go off in your head and you'd know." He said and I nodded. I got into my car and made my way to the cemetery. I had no idea what I was going to say to her, but I had to be with her.

When I finally got there I recognized Clary's car. I got out of mine and started walking. It wasn't a huge cemetery but it was pretty big. I walked along the path until I caught a glimpse of red hair. She was wrapped tightly in a blanket in front of a headstone. I started walking towards her, and when I was close enough I could hear her talking.

"I miss you." She said and I could hear it in her voice that she was crying. "I don't know what to do without you. I come home and it's completely empty. It's filled with memories of you and they don't even make me happy, they make me cry because now I'm alone. I'm so completely alone mom, and I don't know how to handle it." Her body started to shake with how much she was crying. "You were my everything, and now I have nothing. I have this giant void in my life, and I can't fill it. I can barely get out of bed in the morning. I can barely take care of myself. I need you. I need my mom." She barely finished before she let the violent jolts take over her body. She was sobbing, and I couldn't take it. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my chest. I don't know if she knew it was me, but she didn't pull away. She simply buried her head into my chest and continued to cry. Seeing her like this was absolutely heartbreaking. She was one of the strongest people I had ever met, and to see her so shattered, hurt.

After maybe 30 minutes she was finally starting to calm down. Her breathing was becoming more normal and her sobs were now little sniffles every now and than. Her head still rested on my chest and we didn't speak. We sat there and let the silence consume us. I didn't move, she didn't move, she sat there on my lap as I rubbed circles on her back in an attempt to calm her down. Being this close to Clary again felt right, and it felt natural and I know she was pissed at me, but right now she needed me, and I was going to be there for her.

She eventually started to move and she detached herself from me. I didn't realize how warm she was until she sat up and I was hit with a cold breeze and I shivered. She laughed a little before she offered me some of her blanket. I took it, and we wrapped it around ourselves. She didn't look at me at first, but eventually our eyes locked and I could see the sadness in them.

"What are you doing here?" She finally said and I could tell her throat was sore from crying so much.

"I read your journal." I said and she sighed. "Why did you let me read that? You aren't the type of person who shares things."

"I wanted you to know how I felt. What was happening, and those pages sum it up." She said and I nodded.

"I know why you hate me, but I wasn't ignoring you." I said and she opened her mouth but I cut her off. "There was this girl in California. Her name was Kaelie, and we hooked up for the two years I was out there. You know that I never did the serious thing, and I thought she understood that." I said and she nodded. "The week that everything went down hill for you she invited me to her parents beach house, and I don't know how she did it, but she listened to your voicemails and erased them all. Clary, you know I would have dropped everything for you." She was silent so I continued. "If I would have known Clary, I would have been on the first flight out and been here for you the whole time."

"I know, that's why it hurt so much when you never called." She said as she hung her head. I put my finger under her chin and forced her to look at me.

"You are my best friend Clary. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else in my life. Reading what you wrote, and knowing that you needed me so much and I wasn't there for you broke me." I said and she sniffled again. "I cried when I read your journal. It was heartbreaking, and if I could go back and be there for you, I would."

"But you don't cry." Was all she said and I smiled.

"You mean everything to me Clary. I would never abandon you. I know football controlled my life for a long time, but you always came first to me." I said and her nose scrunched and I laughed. "You were always really cute when you did that." I said and she laughed. "It's getting late, and you have been out here for hours. You need to warm up." I said and she nodded we both got up but her legs gave out. I caught her and than scooped her up into my arms. She rested her head against my chest and I grabbed the blanket and made it to my car.

"What about my car?" She asked and I put her down.

"Do you think you can drive?" I asked and she nodded. "Alright, movie night at your house." I said and she smiled and nodded.

"But you have to shower first. You smell." She laughed, and it felt great to see a glimpse of the old Clary.

"I'll shower when I get back to your house." I said and she laughed. We got in our cars and headed back to her house. When we opened up the front door I could tell it was hard for her. I grabbed her hand and it seemed to relax her. "What are you going to do while I'm showering?"

"Make coffee. I'm freezing." She said and I nodded.

"I'll be done soon." I said and she nodded. She walked to the kitchen, and I walked upstairs. When I got to her bathroom everything was the exact same. Nothing at changed, and I felt at home.

I only took about a 10 minute shower, and when I got back downstairs Clary was on the couch with her coffee mug cuddled under blankets. I looked at the TV and saw that she had put on 'She's The Man', it was always her guilty pleasure. It was one movie that always made her laugh. I took my seat next to her and she curled up against my side like she always did.

I could barely pay attention to the movie because I wanted to tell Clary how I felt, and have her understand that I wanted to be more than just her best friend. I knew there was a chance that she didn't feel the same way but I had been oblivious to my own feelings for so long that I didn't want to wait anymore. When the movie was over, I got up and got us more coffee while she put in another movie. When I came back out into the living room Clary was standing in the middle of the room looking a little nervous.

"What's wrong Clary?" I asked as I put our mugs down on the coffee table.

"I have to tell you something." She said but she didn't make eye contact.

"Is something wrong?" I asked as I moved closer to her.

"No." She said.

"So, why do you look scared?" I asked as I moved even closer to her.

"I forgive you for not being there." She said and I sucked in a breath. "It wasn't your fault, I understand that now, and I'm sorry I didn't just flat out ask you why you ignored me. I shut you out, and I shouldn't have done that."

"You have nothing to apologize for." I said and she gave me a sad smile.

"I was so angry at you. I hated you more than I thought was possible." She said. "It felt wrong to hate you, but I didn't know what else to do."

"What do you mean?"

"I loved you for years." She flat out said. "You were my best friend, my everything. You were there when I broke my arm, or when I got my first concussion during lacrosse. You were there when that douchebag Sebastian asked me to the homecoming dance as a prank, and you were there when I was standing on that bridge because I was so completely lost. You talked me down and you comforted me." She was playing with her fingers, which was a tell tale sign that she was nervous. "I don't know if I can just be your best friend Jace. Not after everything that has happened. I love you. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone."

"Clary." I said but she cut me off.

"I don't know if you feel the same way, but I had to tell you. I needed you to know." She said and before I could even comprehend what I was doing I walked over to her and slammed my lips to hers. She was shocked at first, but she kissed me back. I don't know how long we were like that but when we broke apart I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said and she smiled. "I have for so long, I just didn't know it." I kissed her again and never wanted to stop. Clary and I were finally together again, and it felt amazing. When we broke apart she put on another movie and we cuddled back on the couch together. Everything was so messed up, but I was glad that we had cleared the air, and that we can start fresh.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I had been together ever since that day and I honestly couldn't be happier. When Izzy and Simon got back and I told them everything they were really happy for us. Apparently it was obvious to everyone that we were in love but it didn't matter because we were together and that's all that mattered. Last year Jace had asked me to move in with him, and I was hesitant towards the idea because I still had my house but I realized that I would truly never be happy in that house ever again. I talked to Luke and he offered to help me with selling it, and in a month it was sold and it was bittersweet to let it go, but I knew that I had too.

Which brings me to what I'm doing right now. I'm currently unpacking the last box that Jace and I had, and we could truly say we were moved in. We were almost done school, we were both seniors and I was so ready to be done. I was putting the books on the bookshelf when I heard the door open and than slam shut. When I turned around Jace looked like he was panting and out of breath.

"Where is the fire?" I said and he laughed.

"I got an offer." He said. "I was asked to meet coach in the office today and when I got there the head coach of the Detroit Lions was there." He said and my eyes widened. Jace didn't care what team got him, just as long as he was picked.

"Tell me everything." I said as we made our way to the couch.

"He has been watching me since freshman year. He said that he was extremely impressed. He said that he would be in touch. I can go to the NFL babe. I can actually make it." He said and I smiled.

"I knew you could." I said as I gave him a sweet kiss. "I always knew you had it in you."

"I can't believe this is happening." He said and I smiled, but the smile soon faded when I realized that I had just completely moved us in, and we'd most likely be moving to Detroit. "What's wrong?"

"I just finished unpacking the last box." I said. "We're officially moved in."

"And that's a bad thing because…..?" He asked.

"Because I just finished moving us in, and we're going to have to move." I said and it clicked.

"I told the coach before anything happens I want to graduate college. I told him about my plans for once my NFL career ends, and he understood. He isn't doing anything until I am a college graduate. I signed a pre-contract though, saying that I was going to them no matter what, so no other team can approach me with offers."

"So we're living here for a year?" I asked and he smiled and nodded.

"You worked so hard making this place our home, I wasn't going to let that go to waste." He said and I laughed.

"Home is wherever you are." I said and he smiled. "I don't care how many houses I have to unpack and organize, as long as you come home to me at the end of the day, that's all I care about."

"I will always come home to you." He said and I kissed him again. The rest of the night was spent eating Chinese food, and watching movies while we cuddled on the couch. The idea of moving used to scare me. I thought that I would always stay in New York, be close to friends, and family, and that would be my life, but I would follow Jace around the world if it meant that he got to live his dreams out. The NFL was his dream, and I wanted that for him just as much as he wanted it. The future wasn't clear, it will always be changing, but I knew Jace was always a common factor no matter what.

 **Time Jump – Ten Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was my last game in the NFL before I moved on to taking over my fathers company. I had a lot of shoulder problems and it was just too painful to continue, and it sucked because I loved football, but I had 10 amazing years in the game, and the next chapter of my life was going to start.

There was going to be a little ceremony before the game to let the fans know that I was retiring. I had kept it on the down low since I decided that it was my time, and my coach and the manager of the team thought giving me a little farewell was needed. Clary and our little girl, Caroline, who just turned 2 was going to be there. I couldn't picture a better way to announce my retirement than with my two girls by my side. I was in the locker room getting ready when I heard a throat clear, I looked up and my coach was standing next to Clary and Caroline. I got up and made my way over to them.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I gave her a kiss.

"Caroline has been sad all morning, and I thought that maybe if she saw you she would perk up." Clary said and I guess she was right because Caroline had the biggest smile on her face.

"Daddy!" She said as she reached for me. I took her out of Clary's arms and gave her a kiss.

"Hey baby." I said and she giggled before smiling again. After a few minutes I gave Caroline back to Clary and smiled.

"The little ceremony should start soon, would you like to walk out with me?" I asked and she smiled and nodded.

"Jace, you're up!" I heard coach call and I looked at Clary. I took her hand and we walked out onto the field together.

"Ladies and gentleman, we have a special surprise for you at the beginning of this game! Please welcome to the field Jace Herondale!" The crowd went crazy. "Jace is joined by his wife Clary, and his daughter Caroline. Jace has been in the NFL for 10 years, and has made huge contributions to every team that he has been on. It is with great sorrow that we announce his retirement today." The crowd was obviously upset by the news, and I expected nothing less from them. "We would like to take this time to thank you Jace Herondale for the time you have dedicated to the game both on and off the field, and we also thank you family for the sacrifices they have had to make while you were in this game. The NFL will definitely miss you, and your leadership, and your go getter attitude." The whole stadium started clapping. "Thank you Jace Herondale, for your ten years of phenomenal talent and over all love for the game." The announcer finished and I waved to the crowd while they all clapped and chanted my name. I turned to look at Clary who looked absolutely thrilled and proud of everything that we've done together.

"I am so proud of you." She said and I pressed my lips to hers.

"See you after the game?" I asked and she smiled and nodded.

"Go show them one last time how truly amazing Jace Herondale is." She said and I kissed her again.

"I love you."

"I love you too." She said and I knew that no matter where life took me, as long as I had Clary and Caroline, every new adventure would be exciting.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So this one shot was thought of by me. Some of the events that take place in this story and based off of my real life. I've been through a lot in the last couple years, and I'm still in the process of grieving and coming to terms with how my life is now, and that it won't ever go back to the way it was. I didn't know any other way to get it off my chest than to write it in the form of a story. Some things are changed to fit the characters, but the topic is real, and very emotional for me. This story gives my readers a glimpse into my life, and how truly truly sad I am, and how when shit hits the fan, sometimes you break, and putting those pieces back together is impossible. You lose a lot of yourself when you lose the one person you love more than anything in this world. Let me know what you all think, and I promise to get back to the requests when I come up with a badass story!**


	41. Chapter 40 - Prince

**Fortieth One Shot:**

 **Prince**

 **Jace POV:**

"Jonathan, honestly that's the fourth girl you sent away this month." My mom says, and I roll my eyes.

"Because she's money hungry mother. She wants the title, not me." I said.

"I'm sure that's not true Jonathan." My mom said and I laughed.

"Mom, she asked me 6 times how the name 'Princess Kaelie' sounded." I said and my mothers expression didn't change. "Than proceeded to talk about how great it was going to be to be the queen once you die."

"That little shit." My mom hissed and I laughed.

"Queens aren't supposed to curse mother." I said and she glared at me.

"I guess it's good we're taking an extended vacation. Are you all packed?" She asked.

"Yup. Finished last night." I said and she nodded.

"We're leaving at 9 am tomorrow, I know you like to sleep in but please be ready." She said and I nodded. I was excited to be going to America and visiting the Lightwoods. It's been years since I last saw them. They moved from Idris to New York because Robert got a better job and with all of the duties that are required of my family we don't get to visit much. I was excited to spend the next two months with them, and get away from being Prince Jonathan.

 **Time Jump - Next Day**

 **Izzy POV:**

Jace was arriving today and I was super excited. I haven't seen him in almost 10 years. It was tough when our parents told us we were moving but New York was a really cool and fun place. I've meet some cool people and loved my job but I was excited for our childhood friend to stay with us for awhile.

The doorbell rang and all of us basically ran to the living room to answer it. When I opened it up there stood Jace, Stephan and Celine. Jace immediately scooped me into a hug and I could help but laugh.

"Good to see you Iz." He said as he pulled away.

"You too Jace." I said.

"Man it's been awhile since I've been called that." He said. "I'm Prince Jonathan 24/7 at home."

"Well, you're just plain Jace here. Bask in it for the two months you're staying." I said and he laughed. He greeted the rest of the family and we sat down and started talking. It was nice to see him relaxed. I knew being the prince was tough but Jace was born to rule and anyone could see it.

 **Clary POV:**

I was wiping down the bar just counting the minutes until my shift was over. I loved working at this bar, it held a special place in my heart but I had a headache and I was tired of being flirted with by the men that walked in here. I heard the door bell ring and I looked up and was greeted with the most gorgeous man I've ever seen. He was golden from head to toe and I was actually awestruck. He sat down at the bar and I finally came back to reality.

"What can I get for you?" I asked and he looked up.

"I don't know. I'm not from around here and I was really cold so I walked in." He said and I laughed. The honesty was refreshing.

"How about a cup of coffee?" I asked.

"That sounds great." He said and I grabbed a mug and the pot and poured him one. I went down to the other end of the bar to tend to another customer. I couldn't stop sneaking glances at him. He was so beautiful. It was like looking at an angel. When I made my way back to where he was I noticed his cup was empty.

"Want some more?" I asked and he smiled.

"That would be great. I'm not used to New York winters."

"They can be brutal. Where are you from?" I asked.

"A small country in Europe. Most people have never heard of it."

"That small huh?" I said and he nodded. "What's it like?"

"It's pretty great. It may be a small kingdom but the people are great and the rulers aren't bad."

"Rulers? So you have a king and Queen?" I asked and he nodded. "That's cool."

"Yea. I love living there. I couldn't picture myself anywhere else." He said and I smiled. "What about you? You from New York?"

"Nope. I was born across the country, but moved when I was little. I've never left the country though."

"Do you like it here at least?" He asked and I sighed.

"I'll always love New York. It's my home, and that'll never change but I would like to see the world. I'm young, and traveling would be great."

"So why don't you?" He asked.

"I'm not financially stable enough to be traveling. Actually I'm financially struggling at the moment. Working at a bar doesn't pay all that well but without a college education I'm kind of stuck." I said and he nodded. He was about to say something when his phone went off. He looked at it and sighed.

"I have to get going." He said and I nodded. He reached in his pocket to pay for the coffee when I stopped him.

"Coffee is on the house." I said and he smiled.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" He asked and I couldn't help feeling extremely happy that he wanted to see me again.

"I work from open to close." I said and he nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow than." He said.

"See you." I said and he walked out. This miserable day turned out to be not so bad after all.

 **Jace POV:**

When I got back to the Lightwoods I couldn't get the smile off my face. Talking to her was so refreshing. She had no idea who I was and I felt like for the first time in awhile I talked to someone who genuinely wanted to talk to me for me than for my title and I was excited to go back tomorrow.

I walked upstairs to my room when Izzy popped out of her room.

"What has you smiling like an idiot?" She asked and I laughed.

"I met someone." I said and she squealed.

"Where?"

"I was talking a walk and I wasn't aware that it was going to be so cold and I found a bar and walked in. She was the bartender. She gave me some coffee and we talked a little."

"What's she look like?" Izzy asked.

"She's tiny. She has the most vibrant red hair I've ever seen and the brightest green eyes."

"Wait, did you get her name?" Izzy asked and I shook my head. "Come with me." She said as she grabbed my hand and pulled me into her room. I sat on her bed and she went searching for something. After a few minutes she came back with a book and she started searching threw it. She stopped and handed the book to me. "Is this her?" Izzy asked.

"Yea. That's her." I said. I looked at the picture. Clarissa Fray. "You know her?"

"I went to high school with her. She was pretty quiet. Had a friend named Sheldon, or Sherwin. Something like that. We weren't friends but I only know one girl with bright red hair like that. You went to Fray's didn't you?"

"I guess. I didn't really read the sign. Does she own it?"

"No idea. I just know that bar is around here."

"I'm going back tomorrow. Wanna join?" I asked and she nodded. "12:30. Be ready."

"Can Alec come?"

"Of course. If it was just you and I she'd think I was on a date."

"You wound me." Izzy said as she put her hand over her heart.

"You're a beautiful girl Isabelle, you will be fighting off the men who want to be with you, but you're like a little sister to me." I said and she laughed.

"Does she know about you?" Izzy asked.

"No. I'm just plain Jace remember?"

"She'll find out eventually." Izzy says and I nod.

"I know, but my parents have been trying to find me a woman to marry the past year and I don't want to be forced to marry someone you know? I want to be in love. And who knows what will happen with Clary, but I want to see what happens while I'm here. She's real, and that's what I want." I said and Izzy nodded.

"Well, I'll let you get to bed. I'm glad you're here Jace."

"I'm glad too." I said and I walked to my room. Coming to New York might have been the best move I've ever done, and I was excited to see what happens.

 **Time Jump - Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

Izzy, Alec and I walked into the bar and sure enough Clary was behind it serving drinks. When she looked up our eyes locked and she smiled.

"Welcome back." She said and we made our way over to her. "And your brought company."

"Yea. Thought I'd try more than just the coffee here." I said and she nodded.

"Sit anywhere. I'll be over to take your order in a minute." She said and I nodded and we sat at a table.

"You know, I don't think I heard her talk once in high school." Izzy said.

"You said you weren't friends."

"No, but still." I laughed and Clary made her way over to us.

"I'm Clary, and since I'm the only other person besides our Chef here today I'll be taking care of you." She said.

"I'm Jace by the way." I said. "We never exchanged names yesterday." I said and she smiled. "And these are..."

"The Lightwoods. Alec and Izzy. I remember from high school. Nice to see you again." She interrupted and Alec and Izzy smiled. "What would you like to drink?"

"Would it be possible to get a pot of coffee for the table?" Izzy asked.

"Of course. Let me go brew a new pot for you." Clary said and than the door opened again. She looked towards it and laughed. "Simon Lewis. When did you get back in the country?" She asked as the man walked over and scooped her into a hug and a twinge of jealousy shot through me.

"Got back early this morning. Thought I'd surprise my best friend." He said as he released her. She took a step back and inspected him.

"When did you get hot Simon?" She said and he laughed.

"You're only now noticing my looks?" He said in what seemed to be a mock hurt voice.

"Come on. I haven't seen you in almost 5 years. You wore gamer t-shirts in high school and were in that horrible band. You were the definition of a nerd. You must have all the ladies swooning." She laughed.

"I had a girlfriend for a couple years but wasn't really feeling it. I broke up with her before I came back." He said and he looked at her. "Speaking of changes, when did you get tits Fray?" He said and she hit his chest. "Seriously, you looked like a 12 year old boy in high school." Izzy couldn't contain her laughter at that comment. Simon looked over at us finally realizing we were there. "Oh, I'm sorry. It was a joke. I didn't really mean it."

"Yes you did." Clary cut in. "But its true. I've filled out a lot in the last couple years Simon. People have finally stopped asking if I want a kids menu at restaurants."

"Moving up in the world Fray." Simon said and they high fived.

"I'm going to go start that coffee. Simon, get over to that bar. First drinks on the house." She said and he nodded and they started walking away. When thy were no longer in an earshot Izzy started talking.

"If I knew they were that funny in high school I would have befriended them." Alec and I laughed and I looked back over at Clary. Getting to know her, and seeing her so care free made me like her even more.

 **Time Jump - Christmas**

 **Clary POV:**

The bar hosts a Christmas themed night every year and I dreaded it. I had to dress up like Mrs. Clause and the drunk men that attend like to think I'll give them whatever present they want if they are good. It's disgusting but it brings a lot of money in and it helps the bar. It had already been a long night and I was ready for it to be over when I saw a familiar golden man walking towards me and my mood instantly changed. He had been coming here regularly since he's been in town and I wasn't complaining. He was nice to look at, plus he was great to talk too. He came and sat down in front of my and I smiled.

"Coffee?" I asked and he simply nodded. He never got anything else besides coffee when he came in here. It was odd, but I guess he wasn't much of a drinker. When I came back with his mug and coffee he seemed a little off. "What's wrong?"

"My parents are putting a lot of pressure on me lately." He said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry." I said and he just sighed.

"I mean, I'm turning 29 in January and they act like I have accomplished nothing in my life because I don't have at least one kid." He said and I nodded.

"That sucks. You're still young." I said and he looked up at me.

"Try telling them that. It's like I've disappointing them or something." He said and on instinct I put my hand over his and felt a jolt run through my whole body. I could tell he felt it too considering his eyes lit up.

"Do you want a family?" I asked and he smiled.

"I do. I always wanted to get married, and have some kids. It's not uncommon in my country to have arranged marriages. It's a pretty old society that believes in marrying a person of the same social status as you. My parents were lucky enough to find love and get married and live out their dream, and I want that too."

"That sounds kinda awful. Marrying because of status and all that and not having a chance to find love." I said and he nodded.

"I know they want me to give them grandkids, and I'd be more than happy to, I just want to find that one girl who takes my breath away." He said and I nodded along, not sure of what to say. "What about you?"

"I'm only 25, so I have some time, but dating really isn't my thing. I'm too awkward for that."

"No you aren't." He said and I laughed. "You're not awkward around me."

"You're a special case." I said without thinking.

"How so?" He asked.

"I feel like I don't need to impress you with being something I'm not. I feel like on some level you like me exactly how I am." I said honestly and he smiled.

"You're right." He said. "I do like you exactly as you are." I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. Even if it wasn't a declaration of love he admitted to liking me at least a little.

"Do you celebrate Christmas back in your country?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"We do. It's actually quite a big deal. Parades, a giant tree in the middle of the town square, the royals host a ball. It's quite spectacular." He said and I couldn't help but wish I could attend.

"That sounds amazing." I said with a lot of excitement in my voice and he smiled. "I bet you're bummed you're missing it this year." I said and he smiled at me again.

"I quite like where I am." He said as he intertwined our fingers together. I was about to say something when one of the regulars interrupted.

"Hey sweet cheeks, mind topping me off?" He yelled as he made his way closer.

"I think you've already had too much Sebastian." I said as I grabbed his glass. He gripped my wrist tightly as he pulled me closer to him.

"How about you bring that sexy little ass of yours over to this side of the bar and I can show you a good time?" He slurred and I was about to say something when Jace stepped in front of him and pushed him away.

"I believe the woman doesn't want to." He said in a scary calm voice.

"Back off blondie. This is between that dime piece and me." Sebastian said and I scoffed.

"It became my business when you put your hands on her against her will." Jace said. Sebastian laughed and turned around before coming back and punching Jace in the face. I screamed and now the whole bar was watching. Sebastian was too drunk to have any real reflexes and Jace hit him once and he was down for the count. He turned back towards me and his nose was bleeding a little. I walked out from behind the bar, grabbed his hand and led him to the back room.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I looked at his face.

"I'm good. Are you?" He asked and I smiled.

"Yea. Thank you for that." I said. "This is going to bruise." I touched it slightly and he flinched.

"At least I got it for a worthy cause." He said and I smiled. I grabbed a tissue and cleaned up the blood dripping out of his nose. "Can I take you out Clary?" He said after a moment and it caught me off guard.

"Uh, sure." I said as I smiled. "I'd like that."

"Can I have your number?" He asked and I handed him my phone and he put his number in and texted himself. "After Christmas, we'll get together."

"Sounds good." I said as I finished cleaning him up. When I was done, he said that he was going to get going, considering my boss probably didn't want him to stay after the fight. We said goodbye and when he walked out and I took a breath. He asked me out. Like he really asked me out.

 **Jace POV:**

My face actually really hurt, and I wasn't going to have fun explaining it to my parents but it was worth it. I walked into the house and it was dark so I thought I'd get at least the night to find the words to explain my almost black eye but the minute I closed the door the light went on. My mother was sitting on the couch looking less than pleased.

"Where the hell have you been Jonathan Herondale?" She yelled as she stood up and walked over to me. "And what happened to your eye?" She grabbed my face and began inspecting it. Now the whole Lightwood family was in the living room wondering what was going on.

"I got into a fight." I said.

"With who?"

"Some drunk at a bar."

"Why were you at a bar?" My mom asked and before I could answer Izzy spoke.

"He met a girl." She smiled and my moms eyes snapped back to me.

"Jonathan. I know we've been pressuring you about settling down, but you can't simply marry anyone." She said and I took a deep breath.

"I am more than happy to marry someone mother. I would love the huge ceremony, and the party afterwards, and I would love to start a family, but I want to do it with someone who I love. Someone who brings out the best in me. Someone who makes me laugh, and smile, someone who takes care of me." I said and her face at softened a little. "You could set me up with every girl in Idris mother, but I guarantee none of them will make me feel the way Clary does."

"Are you in love with her?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"I've only known her a month. It's too soon to tell if it's love, but I like where it's going." I said and I couldn't help the smile on my face. "I got into the fight because of her. Some drunk grabbed her and tried to make a move on her. I wasn't going to let him man handle her. He caught me off guard and got one swing in."

"Celine." Izzy said and my mother turned around. "I went to high school with Clary. We weren't friends. We didn't really run in the same circle, but she was always nice to everyone, she's the type of person who will never up and leave when things get too tough. She's smart, she's beautiful, she's caring, and for the life of me, I have no idea why I never took the time to befriend her in high school because she is truly a gem. She had a tough life." Izzy said as she looked at me. Clary and I really didn't talk about our childhood. So I don't know much about her in that aspect. "She's overcome a lot in her life, and it's only made her a better person. In my opinion, I don't think you can come across people like her often. She's one of a kind."

"But it's not how things are done in Idris. The prince must marry someone of importance." My mom said and I grabbed her hand, she looked at me and I smiled.

"The rules can always be changed. I love Idris mom. I love where I came from, the tradition, the culture, and the people. It will be my honor to rule one day. But I want to rule with the love of my life by my side. Just like you are doing with dad. You two got lucky. You met, fell in love, and look at you two? You are the King and Queen of Idris and ruling it remarkably. I can only hope to be half the King father is now." I knew that I was getting to her. She had never heard me speak so passionately about something before, because I never had a reason. "I have nothing but the utmost respect for tradition mom, but if I have to rule with a woman that I don't love, I don't think I'd make a very good King."

"You're serious about her?" My mother asked.

"I'm serious about seeing where we go. I asked her out tonight. I want to get to know her, I want to know what she's been through, what she wants her future to look like, what her goals are. I know a little but I want to know every intimate detail about her." I said and she sighed.

"I'll speak to you father and we'll get in touch with the counsel and see about tweaking the law about royal marriage." My mom said and I scooped her into a hug.

"Thank you so much mom. Trust me, when you meet her I know you'll like her. She's really easy to talk to and like." I said and my mom nodded and smiled. I went up to my room and laid on my bed thinking about tonight and how excited I was to get to know Clary. Things were looking up, I just hope that she doesn't freak when she finds out who I really am.

 **Time Jump – Date**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace had texted me the address of the Lightwoods house. I was meeting him there because apparently Izzy wanted to help me get ready for the date, and since I'm kinda clueless when it comes to this stuff I was more than willing to accept. I walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. A moment later a woman who had Jace's gold eyes answered.

"You must be Clary." She said and I nodded. "Come in." She motioned and I walked into the living room. "How are you?"

"I'm good. How are you?" I asked and she smiled.

"I'm doing very well." She said. "I'm Celine, Jonathan's mother."

"Jonathan?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, I forgot that everyone here calls him Jace." She said and I nodded. "Odd nickname if you ask me."

"Sometimes nicknames don't make sense. Every one assumes mine is Rissa, but I absolutely hate being called that." I said.

"What is your first name?" She asked.

"Clarissa. I hate that even more. My father named me. It was a compromise so that I could have my mothers last name."

"Did they not get along?" She asked as we took a seat on the couch.

"They did in the beginning." I said. "The met young, had my brother, and 5 years after that had me. He started acting strange, and completely insane. My mom couldn't take it anymore, and left him. I haven't seen him since I was 6." I told her. I don't know why I was telling her so much about my life, but I felt comfortable around her for some reason. She brought a level of safety to the atmosphere.

"That must have been hard." She said and I nodded.

"It was because he kept my brother. Since my mom wanted the divorce to be as fast as possible she agreed to all of his terms. She gave him the house, the cars, everything, and packed me up and left."

"Do you still keep in contact with you brother?" She asked.

"No. When I was 14, I was home alone and the doorbell rang. When I opened it I saw two men who I had never seen before. They were from the FBI. Apparently my father turned into a mad scientist. He was convinced he had found blood from an angel, and if injected could turn a mortal into a fierce angelic warrior." I said. "My brother was his test subject, and one test went really wrong. My brother died, and my father kept his body to keep testing. The smell got so bad that neighbors called the cops, and discovered what he was doing." Her eyes were wide. She probably thought I was some lunatic now. "He was sent to an insane asylum."

"Wow. That's quite a story." She said and I laughed.

"People think I make it up because I don't want to admit what really happened to my father and brother, but I feel like that's the kind of story you just can't fake." I said and she laughed.

"It certainly isn't my dear." She said and I smiled. "Not that I mind, but Jace never told me any of this."

"Jace doesn't know." I said and she looked confused. "Most of our conversations take place while I'm working, so we stick to the light stuff. You know, favorite color, favorite hobby, where we want to vacation the most. Stuff like that."

"Why did you tell me than?" She asked, and I knew it was weird that I'd tell her before Jace but I just felt like I could.

"I felt like I could. It's been a while since I've been around a mother. I guess you make me feel comfortable." I said and she nodded.

"Do you not speak to your mom anymore?" She asked, and I started playing with my necklace.

"She died when I was 18."

"I'm so sorry dear." She said as she took my hand in hers.

"It's okay. Sometimes peoples lives aren't meant to last that long." I said and someone cleared their throat. We both look at the direction and Jace was standing there. I don't know how long he's been there but I guess I'll find out tonight.

"Izzy is upstairs waiting for you." He said and I nodded and started getting up. "Her door is the first one on the left."

"Thanks. It was great talking to you Celine." I said and she smiled.

"You too sweetie." She said and I walked past Jace and stopped and looked at him.

"How much did you hear?" I asked.

"Enough." He said.

"I'll answer all your questions at dinner." I said and he smiled, which I took as a sign of something good. I smiled and made my way up the stairs to Izzy's room. I had no idea what I was in for, but I can only imagine it won't be all that fun.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary went up stairs I looked back at my mom. Clary had told her a lot about her past, and I couldn't help but be intrigued even more by her. I went over to the couch and took a seat next to my mom.

"So, first impression?" I asked and my mom smiled.

"She is lovely." She said and I smiled. "She is just so full of something. I can't exactly pinpoint it but there is something special about that girl." My mom said and I smiled.

"I know. She's like a force that's constantly pulling you towards her." I smiled and so did my mom. "So does that mean you approve?"

"I've never seen you speak so passionately about something, and when you talked about her, she seemed almost like a figment of your imagination. But sitting here and talking to her, I can see why you were so captivated by her. She's gorgeous, and she's kind, and she seems to really like you." My mom said and my smile just got wider. "You have to tell her before we go back to Idris. You start becoming a major part of the Kingdom when you turn 30, and if Clary is the one you choose to rule with, she'll need to be trained to act like royalty, become part of the country."

"I know that. I will tell her. I promise. We aren't going back until after my birthday. That gives me almost a month." I said and my mom nodded. "This means a lot to me mom. I really appreciate getting your royal stamp of approval."

"I love you Jonathan, and I want you to be happy. I know you'll make a wonderful King, and I know you'll take Idris by storm and do amazing things during your reign. If she makes you happy, I'm all for it." I opened my arms and my mom came over and gave me a hug. I was thankful she was giving me the opportunity to find love by myself, and I was excited to see what happens with Clary. I know there was a possibility of her freaking out about me being a prince, but if she truly cared about me it wouldn't bother her.

Before I knew it Clary was walking down the stairs and when she made it to the bottom she looked absolutely breath taking. I told Izzy what I planed on doing with her, so she dressed her accordingly. She was wearing a knitted green dress that looked really warm, she had black closed heels on that gave her a little extra height but not much, and Izzy had curled her hair and went easy on the make up. I stood up and walked over to her.

"You look beautiful." I said and she blushed.

"I've never been dressed up so nicely before." She admitted and I thought it was cute that she was experiencing new things. She looked nervous but she had nothing to worry about, tonight was going to be amazing. "Izzy wouldn't tell me anything about tonight."

"That's because it's a surprise." I said and she smiled.

"Have I not mentioned in the month you've been showing up at the bar that I dislike surprises?" She said and I laughed.

"Trust me, you'll like this one." I said as I reached out my hand. She looked at it for a moment and than smiled.

"Okay, but only because I trust you." She said as she took my hand. We walked to the door before my mom called out.

"Have fun you two!" She said and I smiled back at her before escorting Clary out of the house. we walked to the curb and I could tell she was confused.

"What are we doing?" She asked.

"Waiting for our ride." I said.

"We aren't taking your car?" She asked and I shook my head. I was about to speak when I heard the clicking of the hooves. She looked to the left and I heard her gasp. "We're going on a sleigh ride?"

"I thought it would be romantic." I said a little nervous.

"I've wanted to do this for so long, but I thought I'd look lame going alone." She said as the horse drawn carriage approached us.

"Well, now you aren't alone." I said as I helped her into the sleigh. I got in after and pulled the blanket over us. She curled into my side and I put my arm around her shoulders. This felt right, and I know I've only known her for a month but I was excited to see where our future went. We sat in silence as the driver took us around the city. It had been years since I've been here but I couldn't pry my eyes away from Clary. She looked absolutely perfect tonight, and I couldn't picture my life without her.

"Do you believe in fate?" She asked after a moment.

"I didn't used too." I said and she looked over at me.

"What changed?" She asked.

"Meeting you." I said and her eyes widened. "What are the odds that I come to America, from a very small country to visit old family friends, take a random walk, get cold and go into the first close place I see and meet you? Seems like fate to me."

"Maybe it was just luck." She said.

"I'd say it was both. It was fate that we met. We're from two totally different worlds, and it was lucky that I was in front of that bar. Which brings a question to mind."

"Ask away."

"Your last name is Fray, and the bar is named Fray's. Is it yours?" I asked and she smiled.

"It was my moms." She said. "Did you hear what I told your mom about my parents?" She asked and I nod. "I lived in Southern California for the first 6 years of my life. When my parents got divorced she wanted to be as far away as possible. I can't say I blame her. She was a free spirit, and she told me that New York spoke to her. Something about how chaotic it was." She laughed. "She originally found that place and wanted to convert it into a art gallery. It was her passion. But she wasn't known so it would have flopped in the first year she opened it. She realized that there wasn't a bar around, and decided that it would be a good investment. She was right, people were so glad that a bar opened up and it was popular. She did theme nights for holidays, sport nights, anything she could make a weird theme out of, she had. It was a lot of fun."

"What happened?"

"When I was 15 money got really tight. My mom got sick and the money from the bar was enough to live off of, but no enough to cover the cost of medical treatments. She was going to close it down when a regular offered to buy it off her. He said that he couldn't let Fray's go, and that New York would never be the same without it. He paid her a nice chunk of change for it."

"So why did he keep the name?" I asked.

"He said Fray's was iconic. That it just wouldn't be the same if it had a new name. After high school I asked him for a job and he was more than willing to give me one and I've been there ever since." I was about to say something when the carriage came to a stop. I looked up and realized that we were at the restaurant. I pulled the blanket off Clary and I and got out of the carriage. I held out my hand and Clary took it and stepped down. I looked at the driver and smiled.

"We should be done in two hours." I said and he smiled and drove away. Clary and I walked into the restaurant and were seated immediately. We ordered our food, and talked the rest of the night. It was an amazing dinner and it made me feel even more confident in how I felt about Clary. Everything with her was natural, and enlightening. When I paid and we walked outside the horse drawn carriage was waiting for us. I helped Clary into it and we were on our way back to the Lightwoods. Half way back it started to snow and Clary got really excited. She looked like a kid in a candy store and I loved every minute of it. She was looking around and I was looking at her. When she turned and faced me our eyes locked and before I could even think I pressed my lips to her. Electricity spread through my body like a wildfire. It was the most tender, and loving kiss I've ever shared with anyone, and I knew in this moment that Clary was it for me. There wasn't anyone who could make me feel the way she does. When we felt the carriage stop we realized we were at the Lightwoods. I paid the driver, and we got out and he drove away. I walked Clary to her car and we both lingered. "When can I see you next?" I asked.

"Tomorrow is New Years Eve. I'm working. Come by the bar. It'll be one hell of a party. Bring Izzy and Alec too." She said and I smiled. I kissed her one more time before she got into the car and drove away. When I got back into the house everyone was awkwardly doing something, and my mom was holding a book upside down.

"I know you all were spying." I said and they groaned.

"How'd it go?" Izzy asked excitedly.

"I truly think I am in love with that girl." I said and I could see my mom start to get chocked up.

"Was it perfect?" Izzy asked.

"It was absolutely perfect." I said and my mom came over to hug me.

"Your father got off the phone with the counsel about 30 minutes ago." She said and I got nervous.

"How'd they react to the proposition?" I asked my father.

"They were skeptical at first, but I gave them a very convincing presentation." He said. "Celine told me about the girl and how you were around her and how you felt, and I didn't really get it until right now. They have agreed to change the law, but she has to acclimate to the royal lifestyle. I know you like her exactly as she is, but if she wants to pursue a relationship with you as much as you want one with her, she will have to conform to the royal lifestyle."

"I understand that dad, and I think she will too. I honestly don't want her to go anywhere." I said and he nodded.

"Alright son, remember, you will be King one day, and if you want Clary in your life she will be Queen."

"I know." I said and he took my mothers hand and they left the room. I was on Cloud 9 and telling her who I am is scary but tonight was so perfect and I can only hope she's as into me as I am to her.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

To say I was excited to see Jace again would be an understatement. Last night was the most magical night I've ever had, and I didn't want it to end. I told Simon to come to the bar tonight as well, because he had the biggest crush on Izzy in high school and half of me wanted to see him surprised that she was there but he also was more confident than he was in high school so maybe he had a chance this time around. He had gotten here an hour ago and I couldn't stop gushing about Jace.

"You've known this guy for a month Clare. Do you really think you're in love with him?" He asked.

"I do Simon. Trust me, you didn't experience that kiss last night. It was out of this world amazing." I said.

"It's a good thing I didn't. Something tells me Jace isn't the sharing type." He said and I laughed.

"I've never felt this way about a guy before. I mean, I've dated but there was never something naturally there, but with Jace, I just feel at home. It's weird, but I can't picture my life without him."

"You know I support you Clare, I really do. You deserve happiness, and I would never stand in your way, but be careful. I don't want you to get hurt." Simon said and I couldn't help but smile at him.

"I don't think he would hurt me Simon. He has been nothing but sweet to me since we've met." I said and he nodded. The place was crowded, New Years Eve was one of the busiest times for the bar. We played the Dick Clark Rocking New years Eve and drinks were half priced. It was a lot of fun, and it could get intense but the people were celebrating and being with their loved ones. I was finishing getting people their drinks when I turned around and was met with golden eyes. I couldn't help but smile. I leaned over the bar and gave him a kiss. "Hey." I said when we pulled apart.

"Hey. This place is packed." He said and I laughed.

"It always is during New Years Eve. Drinks are half priced. Brings in the masses." I said and he smiled. I looked behind him and saw Izzy and Alec. "It's good to see you two again. Simon is around here somewhere in case you want another familiar face that isn't working." I said and they all nodded. Izzy and Alec started to make their way towards the crowd but Jace stayed behind.

"How has your night been?" He asked.

"It's been alright. It didn't start getting really packed until about 10:45, and since than I've only gotten hit on about 5 times. It's a good night."

"That's always encouraging." He said and I laughed. "I'll be back soon. I want to talk to Izzy really quickly." He said and I nodded. He gave me one more kiss before disappearing into the crowd.

The night went on and Jace pretty much stayed at the bar and kept me company. Alec had disappeared somewhere that Izzy and Jace had no clue. Izzy on the other hand was pretty content getting drink after drink and dancing around the bar. I was pleasantly surprised to see Simon and her dancing at one point and I could see just how happy he was. I didn't even realize what time it was until I heard the countdown in the background. Everyone was drunk and counting extra loud. When it got down to 10 seconds, I had stopped everything and made my back to the end of the bar where Jace was sitting. When I got to him it was almost midnight. i couldn't help the smile on my face when the clock hit 12 and I grabbed his shirt and pulled us both over the bar and smashed our lips together. It was the perfect way to welcome the new year and all the possibilities that were a head. When we finally pulled apart his eyes were locked on me.

"I love you." He said and I laughed a little. I was shocked. I mean, I knew that I loved him but it was amazing to know that he loved me too. I pressed my lips back towards him and I could feel his smile on my lips. When we pulled apart I couldn't help but smile even more.

"I love you too." I had and he looked completely shocked. We've been on one date, but there wasn't any denying that we were in love.

 **Time Jump – End of January**

 **Jace POV:**

It was nearly the time of my departure and I had a huge date set up with Clary to tell her who I really am. I was nervous, but we've been having the time of our life this last month and I was nervous for her reaction. She was the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me, and I didn't want to lose her because I was a prince. I had texted Clary the address of where to meet me and as I stood here waiting for her, I was getting more and more nervous.

"Jace?" I heard and when I turned around Clary was there. When she saw me she smiled and started walking towards me. "Why are we in this abandon church?"

"I needed you in a place that no one would find." I said and she laughed.

"Planning on killing me or something?" She asked as she reached me and I pulled her into a kiss.

"I would never kill you." I said and she smiled.

"You seem tense. Is everything okay?" She asked and I led her over to the bench.

"You know how I don't live here?" I said and her eyes widened.

"You're leaving?"

"I am. In a week." I said and she looked so incredibly sad. "I want you to come with me."

"What?" She said and I took her hands in mine.

"You know how I explained how my country is very old school?" I said and she nodded. "I wasn't lying, but I didn't exactly tell you the truth."

"What do you mean?"

"The King and Queen, they have a son. He will become king one day."

"And that has to do with you because….?"

"Because you are currently dating Prince Jonathan." I said and her jaw dropped. "I know it's a lot to take in. I know it's a shock and I know it's kind of hard to believe but I'm telling you the truth."

"So you're the prince?" She asks and I nod. "Which makes Celine and Stephan the King and Queen." She said and I nodded once again. "Oh my god."

"I know, but I just wanted to be myself around you. I didn't want you to have that information because when I'm with you I don't feel like a prince, I just feel like me."

"That's odd." She said and I was confused, and I guess she could see that because she started laughing. "Because I feel like a princess when I'm with you." Before I knew it I was scooping her into my lap and pressing my lips to hers. When we broke apart she was smiling and it made me feel so much better.

"Clary, I know we've only been together for like a month, and it seems to sudden, but I love you, and I can't imagine life without you." I said and I could see tears pool in her eyes. "I want you to come back to Idris with me. I want to introduce you to the kingdom, and I want you by my side."

"You want me to rule an entire country with you?" She said and I nodded. "You want me to be your queen?" She asked and I nodded again. "You want me to just give up my life here and move across the ocean with you?" She asked and I nodded becoming more nervous. "What about the royal rule?" She asked.

"What royal rule?" I asked.

"Where you have to marry in your social class. I don't know about you Jace, but I am poor. I live in a shitty apartment and I drive an old ass car. You live in a castle, and you are probably very wealthy."

"I had my father talk to the counsel the night of our first date. I told them that I was more than willing to get married but it had to be with someone I loved. I love you Clary, and I want you to be my queen."

"You're already proposing after 2 months of dating?" She asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"No. I'm simply asking my girlfriend to move to Idris with me. I'm asking my girlfriend to take a chance and follow me. I can't picture life without you Clary."

"I can't picture my life without you either." She said and I smiled as I tucked a curl behind her ear.

"I have until my 30th birthday to get married Clary, and I just turned 29. We have a whole year to get to know each other, and figure out each other, and make a lot of memories. I want a future with you Clary. That much I am sure of." I said and I knew this was a lot to process, but I needed her to know that I was serious. She was quiet for a while before she spoke again.

"Okay."

"Okay?" I asked.

"Okay. I'll move." She said and I smiled. "I love you more than I thought was possible Jace, and I'm not going to throw that away because you're a prince. I mean, hell m boyfriend is a prince, that's pretty sweet." She said and I slammed my lips to hers. When we broke apart I leaned my forehead to hers.

"I love you Clary."

"I love you too." She said and I just couldn't believe that she took that so well.

"We have to tell my parents." I said and she laughed.

"Okay. I think they like me enough to let me stay with you." She said and I laughed. I grabbed her hand and started making our way to our cars.

"They like you a lot. They have really grown to care about you." I said and she smiled. I opened her car door, gave her one last kiss before closing her door and getting into the car I had.

When we got back to the Lightwoods I knew they were all probably waiting for us. I grabbed Clary's hand and we walked towards the house. before I opened the door I turned back to face her.

"They are all probably waiting in there for us, so be prepared." I said and she nodded. I opened the door and sure enough they were all in there looking awkward again. "For the love of God, mom the book is upside down again." I said and she threw it on the ground.

"Do you always have to be a smartass?" She said and I laughed. "So, what's the verdict?" She asked and I looked at Clary.

"I think I'll stick around for a while Celine." Clary said and my mom ran over and gave her a big hug.

"Oh sweetie, I'm so glad. I wanted to tell you for like a week, but Jonathan really wanted to tell you himself." My mom said and Clary nodded.

"It's okay Celine. It's a lot to process, but I would follow him anywhere, and I know I'm probably not the princess or queen your country is looking for, but I'll try my best." Clary said and my mom smiled.

"Sweetheart, that kingdom has needed someone like you for a long time." She said and pulled her into another hug. When my mom finally released her I pulled her back into my side. I didn't know what the future held for us. I didn't know how the kingdom was going to react to Clary, and I knew the road to becoming the King wasn't going to be easy, but with Clary I knew it was going to be amazing.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I have been in Idris for the past year learning everything I need to know about the kingdom, what it takes to rule it, the people, the culture, the traditions. Anything I could read in a book, I was learning and it was all extremely fascinating. Most of the kingdom was really accepting of me, and were excited to have an outsider come in and share ideas but others wanted tradition to stay the same, and I couldn't blame them for that. According to Jace though, many of them were the woman that Celine and Stephan tried to set him up with and were annoyed that he didn't pick them, but I got over that real fast. Jace and I were in love, and we were getting married in two days. Everything was perfect. The Lightwoods were getting here today and I was super excited to see them again. Simon was also coming with them, apparently after New Years him and Izzy had gotten close, and I had to say, I was proud of him. When the doorbell on the castle rang I ran down the stairs. When I got to the bottom I nearly knocked Jace over but I was so excited to see them again. I threw the door opened and screaming.

"Simon!" I jumped at him and he wrapped me in his arms. "I've missed you!" I said as he put me down and we broke apart.

"I missed you too Clare. How is royal life treating you?" He said and by this time Jace was wrapping his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side.

"It's a lot of work, and a lot of learning. But its great." I said and he smiled. Izzy made her way over to me, and after we hugged Simon had put his arm around her and I smiled. "We'll have someone show you to your rooms, and dinner should be ready in an hour." I said and everyone nodded. They were led upstairs and that just left and Jace and I standing in the foyer. I pulled me into a hug and I smiled against his chest.

"Are you happy?" He asked and I pulled away and looked him in the eyes.

"I've never been happier in my whole life." I answered and he kissed my forehead. "Are you happy?"

"I get to marry you in two days. I'm pretty stoked." He said and I laughed.

When everyone sat down for dinner it was like nothing had every changed. We were all laughing and joking around. It was weird to think that Celine and Stephan were a King and Queen and that Jace was a prince. They were like any other family in my eyes. Sure they were very polished when it came to appearances and when they went out and greeted their people but when it was just us in the house, it was noting short of normal, and I loved it. This might have been the craziest thing I've ever done. Getting married after a year of knowing Jace but I was excited and ready to marry him.

 **Time Jump – Wedding**

 **Jace POV:**

I was standing at the alter waiting for Clary to walk down the aisle. I had been looking forward to this day for a long time, but I was still nervous nonetheless. She was becoming my wife today, and that was scary to anyone. The back doors of the church opened and there stood Simon and Clary. My breath instantly caught. She looked absolutely stunning. They started walking towards me and I couldn't breath. She was mine. All mine, and I couldn't be more thrilled. When they finally reached me, Simon gave her a kiss on the cheek and than took a seat in the front row. I grabbed her hands and smiled. The priest started talking but I was focused on Clary that I barely registered his words until he came to the vows.

"Jonathan?" The priest says and I look at him and back at Clary.

"It was fate that we met Clary." I started off. "The moment I laid eyes on you I knew that there was something different about you. You had absolutely no idea who I was, but you made me feel normal. You made me a normal guy for the first time in my life, and from that night on, I couldn't get enough of you." I said and I squeezed her hands. "I love you more than anything in this world Clary. There is no one else I want ruling by my side, and to start a family with. You're the most amazing woman that I have ever met, and I can't wait for the rest of our lives together. There won't be a day that goes by where I won't treat you like the princess you are, and the queen you will one day become." I finished and I could see tears streaming down her face. I smiled and whipped them away and she smiled.

"Clarissa?" The priest said Clary took a deep breath.

"I never knew what it felt like to be in love." She started and she looked down, but soon looked back up at me. "I was barely scrapping by when you walked into that bar. I was desperately waiting for shift to end when this incredibly gorgeous man walked in to escape the cold. I was awestruck, and from the moment we started to get to know each other I knew that you were someone that I was going to have to have in my life one way or another. You defended me when I was being harassed, you protected me when I needed it, you treated me like your princess from the moment you helped me up into that horse drawn carriage." She said and I could hear the strain in her voice. "I love you more than anything in this world. I can't wait to wake up in your arms every morning, celebrate your victories and grieve your loses with you, and grow our family into what I know will be the craziest adventure we will ever embark on. I will be your shoulder to cry on, you biggest fan, and your number 1 supporter in everything you do in life. There isn't a doubt in my mind that you will be the most amazing king one day, and I can't wait to be by your side experiencing it all with you." She said and I couldn't believe it. She was so honest and raw and it made me love her ten times more.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, prince and princess. You may kiss your bride." He said and I slammed my lips into Clary's. When broke apart we noticed the applause from the guests and we looked out and my parents were looking so proud and I couldn't be happier. "Idris, I here by introduce you to your royal successors. Prince Jonathan Herondale, and Princess Clarissa Herondale." He said and I looked at Clary and she was beaming. Yup, life was going to be amazing with Clary and I was excited to explore everything.

 **Time Jump – Four Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was currently three months pregnant, and loving every minute of it. Sure the symptoms were annoying and incredibly frustrating at times but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I was growing Jace and I's children, yes plural. I was carrying twins. Apparently it was the first in the royal line, and I was pretty proud of that. We were going into town today to get some flowers for Celine and Stephan's 30 year anniversary. Jace told me that we could easily have someone else go into town to get the flowers but I enjoyed walking around the town and seeing the people who I would one day rule. When we finally arrived in the town square Jace helped me out of the car like the gentleman he is. People were gathered around our car, mostly little girls wanted a glimpse of Jace and I, and it was really flattering. We walked into the flouriest and picked up the flowers and started on our way back to the car when I little girl tugged on my dress.

"Carol, you can't touch her." I heard the mom say and I handed the flowers to Jace and bent down to her level.

"She's fine ma'am." I said and the mother backed off a little. "Hey sweetie, what can I do for you?" I asked.

"Do you know what you're having yet?" She asked as she pointed to my belly.

"I'm afraid not, but I can tell you they are identical, so it will either be two girls or two boys." I said and she smiled.

"I want you to have girls." She beamed and I smiled.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Girls are better." She said and I laughed and looked up at Jace who was smiling.

"I definitely agree with you there." I said and she giggled. "Tell you what, I'll get your number from your mom, and you'll be the first one I tell." I said and she got really excited.

"Really?" She shouted and I laughed.

"Of course." I said and she gave me a hug before skipping towards her mom. I stood back up, got her number from her mom, grabbed Jace's hand and we headed towards the car. When we were safely inside Jace turned towards me.

"That was really cool what you did with that little girl." He said and I smiled.

"If I've learned anything from living in your world for this long it's that if you don't try and include the people and make them feel like you care they will most likely not trust you as leaders." I said and he rubbed the back of my hand. "I like being involved and letting the people know that I don't think I'm some stuck up princess."

"I know, and that's why they love you so much. They can relate to you, and you're approachable." He said as he kissed my cheek. The rest of the drive was quiet but refreshing. I was excited to figure out what we were having. I would be happy with either, although I would be lying if I said I didn't want girls slightly more than boys.

 **Time Jump – Gender Reveal**

 **Clary POV:**

I was anxiously sitting in the waiting room to go back and find out what we were having. Jace was squeezing my hand every couple minutes and I knew he was just as nervous as I was.

"Princess Herondale?" I heard and my head snapped to the nurse. Jace helped me up and I waddled towards the room. I got up on the table and pulled my shirt up. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'm exhausted, but other than that I feel good." I said and she put the gel on my belly and started rubbing the machine over my swollen belly.

"Okay Princess, it looks like you are going to be the proud mother of two healthy boys." She said and I smiled. Like I said, I don't really care what I have, I just really want to meet them and know they are healthy and happy. She cleaned off my belly and I pulled my shirt down. "Make an appointment for two months and I'll see you than." She said and she left the room.

"You here that babe, boys." Jace said and I nodded. He kissed me and I couldn't stop smiling.

"I need your phone." I said and he looked confused. "I need to call Carol." I said and he laughed and pulled his phone out. I dialed the number and soon someone answered.

"Hello?" A man answered.

"Hello, is this the Baker family?" I asked.

"Who is calling?"

"This is Princess Herondale, I met your daughter Carol and your wife in town a couple months ago, and I was wondering if I could speak with Carol?"

"Did she do something wrong?" He asked.

"Not at all. I just promised her something, and this is me fulfilling that promise." I said.

"Okay." He said. "Carol, telephone!" I heard him call.

"Hello?" I heard a sweet voice say.

"Hey Carol, it's Princess Herondale."

"Really?" She squealed and I laughed.

"Yes. I just found out the gender, would you like to know?"

"Yes yes yes yes yes!" She chanted and I laughed.

"I'm sorry that you're going to have to wait a little while longer to get those girls because I'm having two boys." I said and she laughed.

"Boys are pretty cool too. I have three brothers." She said and I laughed.

"Well, maybe one day you can come to the castle and give me some advice on boys, or maybe we could have a tea party."

"Really?" She said and I laughed.

"Yes. I'll call you when I can sweetie okay?"

"Of course Princess Clary!" She said. We said goodbye and I hung up the phone. Jace was staring at me and I didn't know why.

"What's wrong?" I asked and he laughed.

"You're going to make an amazing queen one day." He said and gave me a kiss. I couldn't' wait to have these two boys, and start raising a family with Jace.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had been in labor for almost 5 hours and seeing her go through this pain was horrible. I knew she was trying to put on a brave face, but I knew she was in pain. I was trying anything to make the pain lesson but no matter what I did nothing worked. The doctor finally came in and checked Clary I thought maybe her pain would finally end soon.

"Alright Princess, looks like you're ready to push." She said and I was thrilled. "When I count to three I want you to push as hard as you can." Clary nodded and I grabbed her hand and put my arm around her shoulders to let her know I was here. "One…..two…three." She said and Clary started pushing with all her might. I could tell that she was in so much pain but she didn't stop pushing. "I can see baby A's head Princess. Keep going." Clary kept pushing until cries filled the air, and I almost cried. They swooped in and took my first son away to get cleaned up. "Alright Princess, lets start pushing again." She said and Clary nodded before using all her remaining strength to push again. "Almost there Princess. You're almost done." The doctor said and Clary continued pushing. After a little while more cries filled the air and Clary leaned back and I kissed her.

"You did amazing babe. I am so proud of you." I said and she gave me a little smile. 10 minutes later two nurses were holding our boys. They handed them to Clary and I and I just couldn't believe what I was holding. My own flesh and blood. Part me, and part Clary. Nothing has ever made me want to cry, but in this moment I couldn't stop the tears that escaped my eyes as I looked at my beautiful wife and sons.

"Welcome to the world Lucas Herondale." I said and Clary smiled. Lucas yawned and I took that as a sign that he liked his name. I looked over at Clary and she was looking at our other son.

"Welcome to the world Samuel Herondale." She said and he sneezed, which I took as a sign that he liked. I took a seat on the bed next to Clary and we just sat there enjoying this time with our family. My life was perfect, and I couldn't be more thrilled with how it turned out. I knew my life was never going to be a normal one, and I knew that it was going to take someone incredibly special to be in my life, and that's exactly what Clary did. She was there for me, and she was into me, for exactly who I was. She fit perfectly into the royal lifestyle even when she thought she was failing at it. She has been surprising me since the day that we met, and as I sit here with her and our kids, I couldn't think of anyone else I'd rather have by my side, being the mother of my kids, and being the queen of my kingdom.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was semi requested by a guest. They asked for Jace being powerful or a prince and I chose to go with the prince because I had never written him as one, and I thought it would be fun! Now, they also asked for Clary to lose her job or apartment but I felt like her being poor was enough for her. I hope you enjoyed this piece, whoever you are who requested it! I hope I lived up to your expectations! Let me know what you all think! :)**


	42. Chapter 41 - Tutor

**Forty First One Shot:**

 **Tutor**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in my desk while Mr. Harland passed out the test. I had no time to study since I had a huge soccer game tomorrow and I needed to stay focused. This game determines if we made it into the playoffs and I'll be damned if I let my team down because I was studying for a chem test. When he finally put the test on my desk I took one look at it and knew I was probably screwed. I mean, chem wasn't that hard when you actually paid attention but this last unit was on covalent bonds and I just didn't have the time to learn it.

The whole hour passed and I knew that my test was probably F worthy. It's not that I couldn't learn the material, it's just that school came second to me, and my grades showed that. I handed the test in and walked out of the room. I was headed towards my locker when Maia stopped me.

"You ready for the big game tomorrow?" She asked.

"Totally. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it." I said and she nodded.

"Me either. I actually think I just failed my history test because of it."

"I'm pretty sure I just failed my chem test for the exact same reason." I said and she laughed. The bell rang that indicated that I was most likely going to be late for my next class. I groaned, grabbed my books from my locker and headed in the direction of my English class. I normally didn't dread English but we were learning about poetry and it was simply a bore.

When I walked in I took my normal seat next to my friend Tessa. She was the only reason that I survived this class. Without her I would be dreadfully lost and confused half the time. Mrs. Thurman walked in and started writing on the board. After she was done she turned around and looked at us

"Can anyone tell me what this is?" She asked as she pointed to the name Annabel Lee on the board. After a minute of silence she sighed.

"A name?" Trevor said from the back and she sighed again.

"Not one of you knows this poem?" She asked and from what I could tell everyone was skating their head, until someone spoke up.

"It's by Edgar Allen Poe." Someone said and everyone turned around. The voice was something that should have come out of an Angels mouth. When I realized who it came from I was surprised. Jace Herondale. Not a popular guy by a long shot. Everyone considered him a really big nerd. He didn't have any friends except Alec, who was also looked down on by everyone for being gay when he went to school here. He wore glasses that I didn't think made him look nerdy, and he was insanely smart.

"Excellent Jace." She said. "Can anyone tell me the meaning behind the poem?" She asked and it was quiet again. "Did none of you read it for homework?"

"It's about true love." Jace spoke up again and I could help but look at him. I had no idea why, but there was something about him that was intriguing. "The narrator of the story fell in love with Annabel Lee 'in a kingdom by the sea' when they were young. Their love changed though when Annabel Lee died. The narrator never gave up on their love because he believed that their souls were intertwined. He believed they were destined to be together." Jace said and I was captivated with every word that came out of his mouth. "Like most of Poe's work there is a slight demented side, because the narrator sleeps in her tomb every night to be close to her."

"Very good Jace. Any other themes?"

"Envy is another one, although it's more subtle than love." He said.

"What about envy?" She asked.

"It's said that the Angels were envious of the love between Annabel Lee and the narrator so they killed her so that their love would die."

"Excellent Jace." She said and I could tell that some kids were making fun of him for being so knowledgeable, but I found it fascinating how he could pick all that up from a poem. "Since Jace just answered my questions far better than I expected, he just got you all out of a quiz." She said and the class cheered.

The rest of the day went by normally and when I was at my locker at the end of the day I heard a noise from behind me and when I looked I saw Jace on the ground picking up the books that someone knocked out of his hands. I heard laughter and when I looked around I saw Sebastian and his goon squad high five and walk away. I don't know what I ever saw in that asshole but breaking up with him was the best thing I ever did. I closed my locker and headed towards the gym to change for practice. I was completely in the zone and ready to kick ass tomorrow.

 **Time Jump - Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I could barely sleep last night so I was pretty tired this morning. I had two cups of coffee in me so I was slowly waking up, and I knew that once I stepped my cleats on the field I would be unstoppable. I walked into my chem class and zoned out the minute he started teaching. The bell rang and I started gathering my things when the teacher stopped me.

"I graded your test Clarissa." He said and I groaned. "You failed. You currently have a D- in this class and you are one more bad grade away from being put on academic probation."

"Mr. Harland, I can't be on academic probation. We're one game away from making the playoffs."

"Academics are just as important as sports Clarissa, if not more." He said.

"What do I need on the next test to boost my grade?" I asked.

"An A."

"Seriously?" I asked and he nodded.

"I can set you up with another student to tutor you. I know how much soccer means to you Clary, and I hate doing this but you're nearly failing, and I don't want to put an F on your report card." He said and I nodded. "Meet here during your 7th period, I'll introduce you to your tutor."

"Okay." I said and I left. I couldn't believe I was half a grade away from being put on academic probation.

 **Jace POV:**

I was in Mr. Harland's class doing some paperwork for him when he asked me to step outside the class with him for a moment.

"I have a student who is on the verge of being put on academic probation." He said and I nodded. "She needs an A on the next test and I know she's capable of it but her head is just in the clouds."

"Sure. I can schedule some time to help." I said and he nodded.

"She'll be here soon." He said and I went back in to grade some papers. About 10 minutes later the door opened and when I looked up I was meet with beautiful green eyes. She gave me a small smile before walking up to Mr. Harland. They talked for a minute before walking up to me.

"Jace will be your tutor Clary. He's excellent at chemistry and he's currently me TA. You'll learn a lot from him." He said and she nodded before he turned away. It was a little awkward for a moment before she spoke.

"So, what's a TA?" She asked and I smiled.

"Teachers assistant. I help him grade homework or look over the experiments kids did in class to see if their right."

"But aren't you in chem now? How will you know if they're right?" She asked.

"I took chem freshman year."

"Seriously?" She asked and I nodded.

"I took a placement test so that I could skip all the classes that I didn't need to retake."

"You are a genius." She said and I laughed.

"I like to learn." I said and she nodded. "So when would you like to meet?"

"I have to be honest with you. My schedule is kinda crazy. We might have to meet at odd times." She says.

"I'm okay with that." I said and she nodded before handing me a schedule of the times she's free. I looked it over and realized that she really was busy. "What do you do every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and weekends from 5-9?"

"I volunteer. A lot." She admitted almost like she was embarrassed.

"That's cool." I said and she looked confused. "So how about we meet up Tuesdays around 7?"

"Sounds good. Where?"

"You know Java Jones?" I ask and she nods. "There. I'll be in the booth in the very back." I said and the bell rang. I gathered my stuff and we walked out of Mr. Garlands class making small talk. It was interrupted when Sebastian made his way over to us. He put his arm around Clary and drug her away from me. I sighed and shook my head as I made it to my locker. A girl like her would never like a guy like me. There was no need to pretend it could happen.

 **Time Jump - First Tutor Session**

 **Clary POV:**

Walking up to Java Jones I couldn't help but feel nervous. I've never been like this around anyone before. It was weird. Jace and I didn't run in the same circle and the fact that I felt like this about someone who normally I would never speak too was weird. When I walked in I saw Jace sitting in the back booth and I made my way over to him. He was currently working on other homework that looked really complicated. I sat down and he looked up and smiled.

"What are you working on?" I asked.

"Calculus." He said and my nose scrunched which made him laugh, and I really liked the sound of it.

"How are you so smart?" I asked and he tapped his pencil on his book.

"Having no social life gives me a lot of free time." He said and his eyes locked with mine. "It gave me something to focus on."

"I wish I was that smart." I said and he smiled as he closed his book and put it away.

"I think you are, you just have a lot going on in your head right now." He said and I guess I looked confused because he laughed. "I know you have a huge soccer game coming up, and I know that is probably sucking all of your attention from school." He said.

"I just can't help it. When I'm thinking about soccer it's all I can focus on."

"That's okay. We'll just get that chem grade up and you'll be golden." He said and I really wanted to reply with 'just like you' but I stopped myself.

We sat there for two hours and he re taught me everything that we had already learned in chem and I actually understood it all. He was a great teacher but it also helped that we laughed and joked around. He was actually a really funny person, and it sucked that nobody at school knew this side of him. When the time came we were packing up and walking out of the coffee shop. He walked me to the car and we lingered for a little.

"Same time next week?" He said and I smiled.

"Yea. Same place?" I asked and he nodded. "Thanks for doing this Jace. I really needed it."

"No problem Clary. See you." He said and he walked to his car. When I got in my car I sat there and watched him drive away. Spending time with Jace was fun, and different, and refreshing. I liked it. Maybe almost failing chem was a blessing in disguise.

 **Time Jump - Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

My mom has been working insane hours at the medical center to pull in extra money. Our schedules are so conflicting that we barely ever see each other. She was working another 12 hour shift today so I was bringing her some real food. I walked into the facility and was making my way towards the break room when I heard someone singing. It was a beautiful voice so I followed it. When I got to the doorway I saw a familiar redhead and I was surprised to see her, but she did say she volunteered a lot. When she was finished with the song I turned around and kept walking. I didn't want her seeing me and thinking I was stalking her. I got to the break room and put the lunch for my mom in the fridge. I rented around and saw Camille sitting at the table eating. I had run into her a few times while dropping food off for my mom.

"Hey Camille." I said and she looked up and smiled.

"Jace, it's been awhile. How are you?"

"I'm alright. You?"

"I'm good." She said and I took a seat.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Clary. How much do you know about what she does here?" I asked and she smiled.

"Clary is one of the most selfless people I've ever met. She's been volunteering here for years. She sings to the hospice patients or paints murals on the walls. She gives up her holidays and summers to help grieving families through the process of losing a loved one. She's a treasure around here." She said and I nodded. It just made me like Clary so much more.

"Thanks for clearing that up for me." I said and she smiled.

"Of course. Are you waiting for your mom?" She asked.

"No. I just thought she'd like some real food for a change."

"You're a great son Jace."

"I'm trying." I said and I waved goodbye and headed back out to my car. When I turned the corner I ran into something, and when I looked down I saw that vibrant red hair.

"Jace. What are you doing here?" She asked extremely shocked to see me.

"My mom works here. I was bringing her some food." I said.

"Who is your mom?" She asked.

"Celine Herondale."

"Really? I love her. She's great at what she does." She said and I nodded.

"She better be. She works all the time." I said as I looked down. "So this is where you volunteer?"

"Yea. I love it." She said and I smiled.

"I better go. I'll see you Tuesday?" I said and she smiled.

"Yea. Tuesday." I waved goodbye and made my way back out to the car. Things with Clary had been great. We always had a good time when we were together, and getting to know more about her was just giving me more reasons to like her.

 **Time Jump - Championship Game**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day of the championship game and I was nervous as hell. I knew my team had what it takes to win but it was going to be a war, and I wasn't going down without one hell of a fight. I was passing the ball with Maia when looked confused.

"You good Maia?" I asked.

"Yea, it's just, Jace Herondale is staring at you." She said and I turned around and Jace was in the stands. I was confused because he never comes out and he had a textbook opened on his lap but his eyes were on me. "What's up with that?"

"I don't know."

"He's watching you like a hawk." She said a little rudely.

"He's my tutor." I said.

"Since when did you need a tutor?"

"Since I failed that chem test and I was going to be put on academic probation." I said and she nodded. "Come on, we need to focus." I said and she nodded and we started passing the ball again. I had no idea why Jace was here but I liked it. A lot.

 **Jace POV:**

I don't know what persuaded me to go to Clary's game in the first place but here I was. Sitting in the stand, doing my calculus homework and I couldn't keep my eyes off her. I felt like I had known her my entire life. She made me laugh and she didn't treat me like everyone else. I liked being around her, hence the reason I'm sitting here, in the cold, watching a game that I didn't really understand.

When the game ended they were champions and they were celebrating on the field. I packed up my backpack and started walking towards my car. When I reached my door and opened it I heard my name being called.

"Jace!" I turned around and Clary was jogging towards me. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not really sure. I found myself getting in my car tonight and driving here." I said and she nodded.

"Did you enjoy the game?"

"I did. You did really good." I said and she smiled. It was silent for a little, before she spoke again.

"Are you doing anything tonight?"

"I was planning to go home and finishing my calculus homework." I said and she laughed.

"Want some company?" She asked and I was a little taken aback.

"Aren't you going to celebrate with your team?" I asked and she looked behind her at the girls celebrating with all the students, than she looked back at me.

"I'd rather spend time with you." She said and I think my eyes almost popped out of my head. "That is, if you want to spend time with me."

"Of course. You wanna follow me to my house?" I asked and she nodded and headed to her car. I watched her get approached by a couple teammates and some boys asking if she wanted to go back to Sebastian's house and celebrate and she declined saying she already had plans. Maia looked my way, she had caught me staring at Clary during the game and I knew she was curious about what was happening. Nonetheless, I got in my car and Clary got in hers and I started driving. When I pulled into my driveway and got out so did Clary. I didn't live in the best part of town, but it was home. When I opened the door it was completely dark. I switched on the light and saw the remnants of my moms dinner on the coffee table.

"Do you want to shower or something?" I asked Clary.

"Do I smell that bad?" She laughed and I shook my head.

"I just thought you'd want to be comfortable." I said and she blushed.

"I would actually really like a shower. Is that okay?"

"I do believe I offered first." I said and she laughed. "I'll show you the way." I said and we headed upstairs. I walked into the bathroom and handed her a towel. "You can use whatever my mom has in there. Uh, I'll get you some of her clothes for when you're done. You two look about the same size."

"Thank you." She said and I nodded and headed to my moms room. I pulled out a pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt and went back to the bathroom. I knocked on the door and Clary opened it wearing nothing but her towel, and I quite enjoyed the view. "Thank you again." She said and I headed back downstairs. I made a pot of coffee, and made myself a little snack for finishing my homework. Before I knew it Clary was walking down the stairs looking more beautiful than I've ever seen her. She joined me on the couch and I realized the place was a mess.

"Sorry this place is such a mess." I said as I started I clean up. "My mom probably pulled a double and only had a little time to come home and eat."

"Does she pull a lot of doubles?" Clary asked as she helped me clean up.

"That's basically all she works. Things have been a little tight since my dad died. We need the money." I said and she nodded.

"Mind if I have a cup?" She asked and I shook my head as I handed her a mug. She poured the cup and we went back into the lock room, my homework completely forgotten. "So, it's just you and your mom than?"

"Since my dad died it's mostly just been me."

"What do you mean?"

"She works all the time. Like I said, doubles are normal for her. When she gets off work at midnight and needs to be back in the next day she just sleeps at the facility. I'm lucky if we get a few words in a week to each other." I said and she nodded again. I was about to say something else when the door opened. My mom ran in and went straight to the kitchen. A moment later she was searching through the living room. "What are you doing home mom?"

"I left my pager, and I need it for work. I won't be home tomorrow. Maybe I'll see you Sunday. Love you." She said as she left. I looked back at Clary and smiled.

"Is it always like that?"

"Yup. Told you. She's barely home."

"So you are alone a lot?" She asked and I nodded. "That must suck."

"I've gotten used to it." I said and she reached over and took my hand.

"That doesn't make it any better. Why don't you socialize at school more?"

"Because people have already labeled me the nerd of the school. They won't take the time of day to get to know me. There is no point in trying to convince them that I'm not just a book worm." I said and she smiled.

"So, why don't you tell me what else there is to Jace Herondale?" She asks and I smile.

"Well, before my father died we were both actually into boxing." I said and she smiled.

"That's why you're so in shape." She said and I smiled.

"You checking me out Clary?" I asked slightly joking but judging by her blush I was also right.

"I have noticed that you are incredibly muscular and lean." She said and I laughed.

"Anyway, my dad and I did everything together. He taught me everything I know. Boxing, playing the piano, all of the knowledge I posses. Our old house had a library. I would spend hours in there reading any book I could find." I said as I intertwined our fingers. I noticed she scooted a little closer to me. "It took my mom a while to get back on her feet. We lost our house and had to move, and it's been pretty lonely ever since."

"I'm really sorry." She said and I shrugged. "I know how you feel though." She said and I looked at her in confusion. "My dad died too. It's why I volunteer so much. I help families deal with their loses."

"I'm sorry." I said and she nodded.

"It was hard, but my mom and I got through it. She remarried a couple years ago, he's great, but not my dad."

"I understand. My mom threw herself into work so she never had the opportunity to even try and move on." I said. We sat there in silence for a moment. It wasn't awkward at all, but comfortable. "Want to watch a movie?"

"Sure." She said and I went and picked out a movie. I put it in and went back to the couch. To my surprise Clary curled up against my side and I wrapped my arm around her. I put my feet up on the coffee table and got comfortable, while Clary and I laid there and watched the movie.

Before I knew it I was waking up and Clary was still cuddled into my side asleep. I looked at my phone and it was nearly 3 am. I don't remember falling asleep but I didn't mind. I scooped Clary up and started making my way upstairs. When I got to my room I put her in my bed and she didn't even stir. I pulled the blanket over her body and walked out. I made my way back downstairs and got back on the couch. I was slowly drifting off thinking about the fact that Clary was asleep in my bed.

 **Clary POV:**

When I woke up I was really confused. I looked around and noticed that I was in a strange room. It was incredibly clean, and not very personal. There were two photos on the dresser and I got out of the bed and went over to look at them. I noticed that there was a young Jace in both of the pictures. He had the biggest smile on his face, he looked incredibly happy. I smiled to myself and decided to make my way downstairs. When I reached the bottom of the stairs and Jace was sleeping on the couch. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face at seeing how innocent he looked. I walked over and kneeled down in front of him. I started rubbing circles on his back until I noticed him start to stir. His eyes started to flutter opened. When he finally realized what was going on he smiled.

"Hey." He said in a groggy voice that was insanely sexy. "How did you sleep?"

"Very well. Your bed is really comfy." I said and he smiled and sat up.

"I quite like it." He said and I laughed. He reached over to the side table and grabbed something. "Your phone has been ringing off the hook this morning."

"Oh shit. I never told my mom where I was going last night." I said and I grabbed my phone. "I'll be right back."

"Stay. I'll make some coffee." He said and he got up and went into the kitchen. I dialed my moms number and she picked up rather quickly.

"Clarissa Adele Fray, where the hell have you been?" She yelled.

"I'm sorry mom. I was hanging out with a….friend, and we fell asleep on the couch watching a movie." I said.

"I called Maia, and Sebastian, and Tessa, yet no one knew where you were, so which friend were you with?" She demanded.

"His name is Jace." I said.

"You spent the night with a boy?" She said sounding extremely pissed.

"It's not like that. He's my friend, and he's also my tutor." I said and she sighed.

"Sweetheart, you can't just go over a boys house and not tell me." She said.

"I know mom. I didn't mean to not text you. We won the game, and I hung out with my friend to celebrate. We were watching a movie and we fell asleep." I said.

"Is there something more going on Clary? You sound off." She said and I bit my lip.

"There is something about him." I finally said. "He's not the normal jock that everyone expects me to date. He's smart, and nice, and kind, and funny. We both understand each other." I said and I couldn't stop smiling.

"I want you to come home Clary." She said and I sighed.

"I'll be home in an hour mom." I said.

"Okay. Bye Clary."

"Bye mom." I said and I hung up. I sat back on the couch and a moment later Jace walked in with two cups of coffee.

"How'd she take it?" Jace asked as he handed me the cup.

"She freaked. I told her what happened and she clamed down slightly. She wants me home in an hour."

"Well, tell her I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep." He said and I laughed.

"I'll let her know." I said and we sat on the couch drinking coffee and talking. I don't know when I started liking Jace as more than just a friend, but I did and I have no idea what I'm going to do about it. When I left he walked me to my car and I couldn't stop the smile on my face. I turned around and faced him and smiled. "Thank you for last night Jace. I really enjoyed it."

"So did I." He said. I didn't know what else to do so I got up on my tippy toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. When I pulled away he had a smile on his face that matched mine.

"I'll see you at school on Monday?" I asked and he nodded. I smiled again and got in my car and headed home. Things with Jace were different, and new to me, but I was excited to get to know more about him.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

My feelings for Clary have been growing since the night of our little sleepover. I was still tutoring her and we were getting closer and closer every time we met. At first people were really confused when they would see us talking. She sat at my lunch table one day and we were the talk of the school for a week. I didn't mind. I finally had someone other than Alec in my life. Especially since he was away at college, I didn't really see him much.

It was a normal Wednesday and I was getting my books for my history class when they were knocked out of my hands. Of course this was normal so I just turned around to see who it was and as always it was Sebastian. I stood there and prepared him to give me the normal 'you're a loser speech' and than be on his way but apparently that wasn't how it was going today.

"Keep your nerdy hands off my girlfriend." He said and I was confused.

"Who is your girlfriend?" I asked because I don't remember him walking around with his arms around a girl.

"You know who my girlfriend is loser. Short, redhead, soccer player." He said and I think I made him even more angry because I scoffed involuntarily. "Is that funny to you nerd?" He asked and like an idiot I am when it comes to Clary I speak without a thought.

"I wasn't aware you two were still together." I said and immediately hated myself.

"We're always going be together." He said as he slammed his hand against my locker. "She would never go for someone like you anyway. It's pathetic that you think you had a shot to begin with." He said and I was about to say something but another voice sliced through the air.

"That's enough Sebastian." We both turned our heads and saw Clary standing there.

"Come on baby, I'm just trying to get this loser off your back. He follows you around like a lost puppy." Sebastian said and I rolled my eyes.

"He isn't the one following me around like a lost puppy, you are." Clary said as she walked closer to us. "I broke up with you almost a year ago Sebastian, and we aren't getting back together. Give it up."

"So your next target is what? This loser?" Sebastian said as he pointed to me. "You go from me to him?"

"I didn't go from you to him. I went from you to being happy, and than I met him." Clary said as she stood next to me.

"You can't be serious Clary. This kids a loser, a total nerd. You can't associate with him."

"And why is that?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Because he isn't right for you. You deserve someone athletic, popular, handsome." He said as he smiled at her.

"You can't describe yourself Sebastian. If anything you don't deserve me." She said and his smile faltered. "Stay away from him."

"Whose going to stop me?" He said.

"I will." Clary retorted and I looked pathetic having a girl stand up to me. Sebastian laughed and him and his friends walked away. Once he was gone Clary turned towards me. "If he bothers you again, let me know."

"I don't need your protection." I said and she looked surprised. "I've been dealing with him for years, if I don't fight back he leaves."

"You shouldn't have to deal with him Jace." She said and I laughed a dry laugh.

"You used to be just like him. You went around attached to his hip, letting him pick on anyone he deemed unworthy of him and your friends." I said and she seemed surprised. "Now your finally seeing that the way he treats people, the way he treats me, is not right you suddenly want to do something about it?"

"What are you talking about Jace?" She asked and I could tell she was a little hurt and confused.

"I don't need your pity Clary. I'm 18, I can take care of myself." I said as I started walking away. She was stunned in place before I heard her footsteps behind me.

"Is that what you think this is?" She asked as we neared my next class. "You think I stood up to Sebastian because I pitied what he was doing to you?"

"Why else would you do it?" I asked.

"Maybe because you're my friend, and he's an asshole who needs to be told that treating someone the way he treats you is pretty fucking shitty." She said and I could tell she was getting angry.

"You wouldn't care if you never needed my help in chem. We would have never spoken because we aren't the same. Sure, we bonded over the fact that we both lost our dad, but other than that, we are just cut from two totally different clothes. Your silk, and I'm polyester. We were never meant to be sewn together." I attempted to walk away when she grabbed my arm.

"What are you saying Jace?" She asked and I avoided eye contact, until she grabbed my face and forced me to look at her.

"I'm saying that, maybe we should just stick to being tutor and tutee, and stay on our own side of the river."

"Is that what you want?" She asked. I shrugged and her eyes narrowed. "Jace, is that what you want?"

"I don't know Clary. I really don't know." I confessed and her eyes softened.

"I can't be your friend Jace." She said and I was really confused. I was about to say something when she cut me off. "I can't just be your friend because I think that I'm in love with you." My eyes widened and she laughed a little.

"You…..what…..I…" I was rambling until she smiled and shut me up with a kiss. I was shocked for a moment before I started kissing her back. Kissing her felt like I was walking on water. I pulled her closer to and I felt her laugh in the middle of the kiss. When we finally pulled apart I couldn't help but feel like I was dreaming. She smiled and I put one of her stray curls behind her ear and she blushed.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" She asked and I smiled. I nodded and she grabbed my hand and we walked out of the school. She had gotten a ride today so we took my car and went back to my house. When we walked in, I don't know what came over me but I pushed her up against the wall and kissed her. She gasped but smiled and kissed me back. I don't know how long we were there but when we split apart I couldn't help but smile.

"Do you want some coffee?" I asked and she nodded. "Make yourself comfy on the couch." I said and I started walking about when she stopped me.

"Do you mind if I borrow some clothes? I don't think I can get comfortable in what I'm wearing." She asked and I smiled.

"Sure, you remember where my room is?" I asked and she nodded. "Top drawer are shirts, third drawer are sweats. I would offer my moms clothes again but she's sleeping." I said and she nodded and started walking upstairs. I went into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. When the coffee was done I made my way out to the living room and Clary was sitting there on the couch. I set the mugs down, grabbed a blanket and sat down next to her. She cuddled into my side and I turned on the TV and found a random show. We drank our coffee, watched the show, and kissed for what seemed like hours when I heard footsteps on the stairs. We both stopped kissing and looked up to see my mom yawning as she made her way down.

"Hey Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Hey mom." I said and she smiled and than her eyes locked on Clary. I knew they knew each other, but I guess that never occurred to me before right now.

"Clary?" She questioned and Clary smiled.

"Hey Celine." She said with a smiled.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, and Clary laughed.

"Um, well, I don't really know what to call it." She said as she looked at me, and I smiled. "I guess you could say we're dating?" She questioned and looked at me and I simply nodded. "Yea, we're dating." She said confidently and I smiled.

"I wasn't aware you two even knew each other." My mom said and I laughed.

"We didn't, until a couple months ago. She needed a tutor in chem and the teacher asked me." I said and my mom nodded.

"Well, it's good to see you sweetie. Do I smell coffee?" She asked and I laughed.

"Yea, its still warm." I said and she ran into the kitchen. She came out a moment later and sat on the couch. "Are you working tonight?"

"Yea. I'm working for the next week straight so I won't be around much." She said and I nodded.

"I know." I said and I could tell she felt bad.

"I'm sorry Jace. I wish I didn't need to work so much." She said and I smiled.

"I know mom. You know I've never minded." I said and she gave me a sad smile.

"I work until 5 tomorrow night, how about we go out to dinner?" She asked and I smiled.

"I would love that mom." I said and she smiled.

"I have to go. We'll talk tomorrow. I love you Jace."

"I love you too mom." I said and she stood up and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"It was lovely seeing you Clary. Will you be there tonight?" She asked and I forgot that it was Wednesday.

"I will. I'll see you later." Clary said and my mom smiled one more time before leaving. Clary turned back to me and smiled. She cuddled back into my side and I smiled and kissed the top of her head. I had never imagined that we would end up here, but I didn't want to be anywhere else. She made me happy, and she made me feel normal, and loved. I realized that I had never actually said it back to her. I realized that it was almost time for her to get to the facility.

"You ready to go?" I said and she smiled.

"Let me get changed." She said and she went into the bathroom. I cleaned up the food and the drinks and when I was done, she was dressed again. I held out my hand and she took it and smiled and we made our way to my car. We got in and I drove her to the facility and when we got there we both lingered for a moment. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Can you pick me up tonight?" She asked and I smiled. "Since I don't have my car, I don't really have another way to get home."

"I'd love to pick you up." I said and she leaned over and gave me a kiss. She reached the handle and opened the door. "Clary." I said and she turned around, and I smiled. "I love you." I said and her smiled got wider.

"I love you too." She said and I smiled and she got out and made her way to the entrance. When I was on my way home I couldn't believe that this was actually happening. Things were great, and I was excited to see what happened in the future. I may have started out on the bottom, but I have never felt so high in my whole life than I do with Clary by my side.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by Julmclay, and I hope that I have lived up to the expectations of your story idea! I tried really hard to make this something you would love to read, and I hope that I have done that! Let me know what you all think, and leave a suggestion if you have and idea! :)**


	43. Chapter 42 - Protector

**Forty Second One Shot:**

 **Protector**

 **Clary POV:**

"Clary, wanna hang out this Saturday?" Izzy asked me in English class and I really wanted to say yes, but I knew Sebastian wasn't going to like me going out with Izzy.

"I wish I could Iz, but Sebastian and I have plans. We'll hang out sometime soon though okay?" I said and she got upset. I always turned her down, and I hated it, but Sebastian doesn't approve, and I didn't want to upset him.

"Yea, sure. I'll add it to the list of other times you promised to hang but couldn't make it." She said and she turned around. I was about to say something when the teacher walked in and started talking. I hated that I was letting her down, but I knew Izzy would forgive me, Sebastian on the other hand wasn't as understanding. The bell rang and I headed towards my car. Sebastian was standing there waiting for me, and I put on my smile and walked over to him. He pulled me in and gave me an aggressive kiss, and than we got in and headed back to my house. Him and my brother were friends, and normally when they were in the same room I was practically invisible, but for some reason I didn't mind.

 **Izzy POV:**

"And she always makes up and excuse about not having the time to hang out. I mean, come on, nobody is that busy in life." I complained to my brothers. I didn't know what to do. She always bailed on me, and I understood that her and Sebastian had been going out for some time now, but that doesn't give her the right to ditch her friend.

"Maybe she really is doing everything she says, and they aren't excuses." Alec said and I rolled my eyes.

"Really?" I said sarcastically.

"You never know." Alec said and I laughed.

"She once used the excuse that she had to watch her dog one day, and couldn't go to the mall." I said and Jace and Alec both looked at me.

"What's wrong with that?" Jace asked.

"She doesn't have a dog." I said. "Half of the things she uses as excuses are bogus. Once she told me she was meeting her mom at Java Jones after school so we couldn't go check out the new store in the mall, and I went to that coffee shop and she was nowhere to be found." I said.

"You stalked her?" Jace said.

"I wanted to see if she was telling me the truth, and she wasn't. She's hiding something, and she's been hiding it for months guys. I don't know what to do." I admitted.

"Wait until she comes to you Iz." Alec said. "I know from personal experience that if someone is hiding something they will come out with it on their own time. Don't pressure her. It'll only make her lie more." Alec said and I nodded. I just wanted my friend back, and it was killing me that we couldn't do everything we used too.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Care to ditch 4th period Clare?" Sebastian whispered into my ear and I nodded because I knew that it would be going regardless of my answer. He grabbed my hand and led me to the men's bathroom, the one that nobody uses. He pushed me inside and than turned around and closed the door. I don't know whose bright idea it was to put locks on the door, but here we are with locks on the bathroom door, and sure enough Sebastian used it. He walked over to me and slammed his lips to mine and his hands started roaming my body. "You finally going to give me what I want baby?"

"Sebastian. Not here." I said when I wasn't being mauled by his mouth.

"Well, you aren't willing to anywhere else either, and if you aren't willing, and I'll just have to take." He said as he ripped open my shirt.

"Seb." I tried again but his touches just got more aggressive. "Stop."

"Don't even try baby, you're no use for me." He said as he undid the button on my jeans. All I could think about was this was how it was going to happen, I was going to have my virginity taken in the boys bathroom in school.

"HELP!" I screamed at his hand slammed down on my mouth.

"Scream again, and I'll make it hurt even more." He said in a deadly calm voice. My jeans were half way down my legs by now and I just closed my eyes trying to ignore the feelings of his hands on my body.

 **Jace POV:**

I was wondering the halls during 4th period because I really didn't care about the Roman Empire. I couldn't get that conversation I had with Izzy out of my head. I didn't know much about Clary, but I knew how much Izzy cared about her and seeing Izzy upset killed me. I didn't really know where I was going but I was mindlessly wondering when I heard a noise. I looked around but nobody was in the hallway with me. I thought I was hearing things until I heard it again. It sounded closer and I realized that I was near a bathroom. I went over to it and tried to open it but it was locked. Don't ask me why, but I always carried a lock pick with me in case of any issues and I was glad I did because I picked the lock and when I opened the door I saw Sebastian getting ready to have sex with Clary, and she didn't look like she was a willing participant at all. I grabbed Sebastian by the back of his shirt and threw him against the wall. I would take care of Clary later, but right now this douchebag needed to be taught a lesson.

"This what you do in your free time Verlac? Take advantage of girls?" I hissed and he just smirked at me.

"Calm down Herondale, she was enjoying it. Right baby?" He looked over my shoulder at Clary and I punched him right in the jaw.

"This is between you and me Verlac. Leave Clary out of it." I said and he laughed.

"You can have her dude. She's a prude anyway. Maybe if she put out, I wouldn't have had to take it." He said and I couldn't control my anger anymore. I launched myself at him and started punching with everything I had in me. After a few minutes I noticed that his body went slack. I stopped punching and noticed that he was unconscious. I got off him and turned around to see Clary sitting there clutching her knees, half naked and crying. I crouched down next to her but didn't touch.

"Clary?" I said in a gentle voice. I didn't want to scare her anymore than she already was. "Clary, you should get dressed." I said and she looked down at herself.

"He ripped my shirt." She said in a shaky voice. "I don't have another shirt he ripped it." She said and I took off my hoodie, and gave it to her. She took it and slid it over her head. She seemed to calm down a little more when she finally had it on and wasn't revealing so much of herself.

"Clary, you need to put your jeans back on." I said and she looked at her naked legs. "As much as I appreciate the view, class is going to end soon, and someone will notice his head hanging out of the bathroom." I said and she gave me a little smile. I reached my hand out and she took it and I helped her up. She grabbed her pants and started putting them back on. She nearly fell over when I grabbed her by the hips to steady her when she flinched. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to steady you."

"It's okay. I just, I don't know why I freaked." She said and I smiled and I tucked a curl behind her ear.

"It's okay. I understand why you did it. You just went through something traumatizing." I said and she nodded. "Do you wanna get out of here? We can go to my house so you don't have to face anyone yet." She nodded and I reached my hand out again and she took it. We walked out of the bathroom, leaving Sebastian unconscious on the floor. We went to her locker and grabbed her bag and than grabbed mine and we were walking out of school when she stopped. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think I can drive, but I don't want to leave my car here." She said and I smiled.

"Can I have your keys?" I asked and she nodded and handed me her keys. "Do you know which car is mine?"

"I've known you for years Jace, and your car is your most prized possession, of course I know what your car looks like." She said and I laughed.

"Go out and get in it. I'll give Izzy your keys and ask her to drive it home." I could tell she looked nervous about how I was going to explain it. "I will tell her you weren't feeling well and I took you home. She won't even think twice about it." I said and she nodded. She walked out side and I grabbed my phone and texted Izzy to meet me by the water fountain near the 1st stairwell. About 3 minutes later she was walking towards me.

"What's up?" She asked and I handed her the keys.

"Clary isn't feeling well and I'm going to take her back to our house. These are her car keys. You'll need them to get home." I said and she nodded.

"Tell her I hope she feels better." Izzy said and I nodded and she walked away.

When I walked out to my car I could see the blankness in Clary's eyes. What Sebastian had tried to do completely sucked out whatever she had in her and I was going to try by very best to bring that fire back in her. We pulled up to my house and got out. We walked in and we walked straight to my room. I knew she probably wanted to get some rest. She looked exhausted. I opened my door and she hesitantly walked in. I never allow people in my room, so this was a first for me. She was looking around my room and after a while she spoke.

"It's a lot cleaner than I expected." She said and I laughed.

"I'm a bit of a neat freak." I said and she turned around.

"Izzy says you have OCD." She said and I nodded.

"I like everything to have a place, and I like when things are clean. I don't think that's a problem."

"I didn't either. My room looks like a tornado ripped through it about 8 times." She laughed a little and I was glad I was getting a glimpse of the old her. It was quiet for a moment when I stepped a little closer to her. I could see the tears welling up in her eyes. I pulled her into a hug and she was stiff for a moment before she melted into my hug and started sobbing. I bent down and scooped her up and lead her to my bed. I sat down and put her on my lap while she cried. I don't know how long we were sitting there but I eventually felt her breathing even out. I put her down and tucked her in. I gave her a quick peck on the forehead before leaving my room and going downstairs. I knew she was going to have to explain this to Izzy, and I know that's going to be tough.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was siting on the couch watching TV and doing some homework when Izzy and Alec walked in the door. Alec takes a seat next to me and so does Izzy.

"Where is Clary?" Izzy asks.

"She's asleep in my room." I said and they both looked at me.

"But you never let people in your room." Alec said and I just shrugged.

"How is she feeling?" Izzy asked.

"I didn't fully tell you the truth earlier." I said and Izzy looked confused. "It's not my story to tell. You'll have to ask Clary, but let her sleep. She's been through a lot." I said and she nodded. She got up and started making her way to the kitchen before she turned around.

"Listen Jace, I know you've had a thing for Clary for like a year now." She said and my jaw dropped a little. I thought I did a good job at hiding it. "I was annoyed in the beginning, thinking that you were just going to treat her the same as you always do." She said and I sighed. "But I see how much you care for her. Clearly you know what's going on. And I want to thank you for taking care of my best friend." She said and I smiled.

"Of course Izzy." I said and she smiled.

"Be careful with her Jace." She said and I nodded. "Sebastian is a dick, and if he knows you have feelings for her, he won't take that lightly."

"Sebastian isn't a problem anymore." I said and she looked confused. "Once you know what happened, it'll make sense." She nodded and than walked into the kitchen. I made my way upstairs to check on Clary. When I cracked the door and she was sleeping soundly in my bed. I walked over and kneeled down and took in the features of her face. She was absolutely beautiful and innocent. I couldn't even imagine what would have happened if I didn't find her at school today. Her eyes started to flutter open and when she realized I was there she smiled. I smiled back and she sat up.

"Hi." She said and she was cut so cute.

"Hi. How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Violated. Disgusted. Used. I could go on." She said and I took a seat on my bed.

"Can I hold your hands?" I asked and I knew she was still probably uneasy with touch but she lifted her hands and I took them in mine. "You are none of those things Clary. Sebastian is a coward, and an asshole, and didn't deserve you at all. You shouldn't be feeling used or anything else that you do. He should."

"I can still feel his hands on me." She said and I sighed.

"Where?" I asked and she took a deep breath, took her hands back and pointed to her stomach. I moved cautiously towards her and put my hands on her stomach. She flinched at first but soon her body relaxed and I could tell she was calming down a little. After a couple minutes I slowly backed away. "Are you okay now?" She nodded and I smiled.

"Can I borrow some clothes?" She asked.

"I can ask Izzy for you." I said and she shook her head.

"I don't really want to tell her yet. I was hoping I could just stay in here for a couple more hours, but I can't stay in these pants." She said and I smiled. I walked over to my dresser and got a pair of sweats out.

"These will be huge on you." I said and she laughed. She got out of bed and took her pants on and my eyes widened.

"I'm sorry. I figured you've already seen me without pants on, that this wouldn't be a problem." She said as she climbed back in my bed.

"It's not a problem. I'll just tell everyone not to disturb you. Although, my room is off limits to everyone so they wouldn't come in here anyway." I said and she nodded. "Text me if you need anything." I said as I headed for the door.

"Jace?" She asked and I turned around. "I don't have your number." She said and I laughed. I walked over and grabbed her phone and put my number in.

"Text me if you get hungry, or thirty, or when you're ready for Izzy." I said and she nodded. I walked out of my room and back downstairs and joined Izzy and Alec in the living room.

"Is she awake?" Izzy asked.

"She woke up for a couple minutes and asked for some clothes and than went back to sleep." I said and Izzy looked sad. "She'll talk to you when she's ready Iz." She nodded and we went back to watching TV.

When dinner rolled around Clary still wasn't awake and I decided that I'd bring her some food. When I walked in I saw that she was starting to sit up. I walked over and put the bowl down on the nightstand and smiled at her.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Better." She smiled and I nodded.

"I brought you up some dinner." I said.

"Thanks. What time is it?"

"6:30. You've been asleep for a while." I said and she nodded. "Izzy keeps asking about." I said and she sighed.

"Can you tell her to come up here?" She asked and I nodded. I walked out of my room and back downstairs.

"Izzy." I said and she turned around. "Clary is asking for you." I said and she nodded and made her way upstairs.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace let I picked up the bowl that he brought up and started picking at the food. I wasn't that hungry but I knew that I needed to eat. After a few minutes the door opened and Izzy appeared in the doorway.

"It's a lot cleaner in here than I thought." She said as she looked around his room.

"He really never lets anyone in here?" I asked and she shakes her head.

"He was really closed off when he came here. It took him a year before he really even began speaking to us, but he went through a traumatic event, so I can't really blame him. He's an extremely private person. Alec and I were shocked that he let you sleep in here." She said and I nodded. She made he way over to the bed and sat down. "No fair."

"What?" I asked.

"His bed is way comfier than mine." She said and I laughed. "So, what really happened today Clary?"

"Sebastian asked if I wanted to skip 4th period." I started. "I knew that no matter what I said he was going to get his way so I just agreed. He took me to the boys bathroom and locked the door." I said and the tears started welling up in my eyes. "He told me that if I wasn't going to give him what he wanted that he was going to take it."

"Oh my god." She said.

"I asked him to stop, but he wouldn't. He kept touching me, and kissing me. He ripped my shirt and my pants were by my ankles and he said if I screamed than he would make it hurt more."

"He didn't….rape you did he?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Jace got there before he did anything like that." I said.

"Jace was there?" She asked and I nodded.

"He heard me struggling. He picked the lock, and pulled Sebastian off of me. The next thing I remember was that he was telling me to get dressed and we were leaving the school."

"Clary."

"He brought me up here, I think I cried myself to sleep because I woke up in his bed."

"What happened to Sebastian?" She asked.

"He was unconscious when we left." I said and she let out a little laugh.

"Figures Jace would beat him unconscious." She said and I was confused.

"What does that mean?" I asked and she smiled at me.

"Jace is going to kill me for this." She said. "Jace has had a thing for you for over a year now." She said and my eyes widened.

"Seriously?" I asked and she nodded. "Why didn't he tell me?"

"You were with Sebastian and he didn't think it was the right time to tell you." She said and I nodded. "I was annoyed in the beginning when I realized that he liked you. I thought that he was just trying to get you because you were not like the other girls. You didn't swoon over him, or talk about him all the time, and I didn't want you to get hurt but I realized that it was different when it came to you."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going to ask you a few question about Jace, and I want you to be honest." She said and I nodded. "Okay, how many time in all the years you've know Jace has he ever opened the door for you?" She asked and I laughed.

"More times than I can count." I said and she nodded in agreement.

"How many times in the past six months has he always been there when you needed someone to comfort you?"

"Too many times to count."

"In the last couple months or so, how many girls has Jace hooked up with?" She asked and I was confused.

"How the hell would I know the answer to that Izzy?"

"Ball park it."

"I don't know, 13." I said and she laughed.

"None."

"None?" I questioned.

"None. I think it was because he realized he didn't want that anymore. I'm not sure, you'd have to ask him, but I know that he is serious because of how he's been acting."

"So Jace likes me?" I hesitantly said and she nodded.

"I would talk to him about it, because I don't have all the answers, but I thought you should know. Cause he wasn't going to tell you any time soon."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because he probably didn't want to be rejected, and with everything that went down today, it probably seemed like poor timing to him." She said and I nodded. After a moment she spoke again. "I'm glad nothing serious happened Clary. I know it was totally unacceptable of Sebastian to do what he did, but I'm glad it didn't go any further."

"Thanks Izzy." I said and she smiled and got off the bed.

"Want me to send Jace up?" She asked and I smiled and nodded slightly. She laughed and left the room and I finally got some time to process everything she said to me.

A couple minutes later the door opened again and in walked Jace. I smiled and he smiled back and he made his way over and sat on his bed. I didn't know what to do with the information that Izzy had shared with me, but after today, I just didn't want to have to figure anything out on my own anymore, and the one person who could clear things up for me was sitting in front of me, so it was now or never.

"Izzy shared some interesting information with me just now." I said and he nodded. "And I'm not sure what to do with it."

"What did she tell you?" He asked and I started playing with my fingers.

"She told me that you had feelings for me." I said bluntly and I heard him suck in a breath.

"Oh." Was all he said and I figured this was going to let me down easy. "Izzy never was one to mind her own business." He laughed and I was a little more clam now.

"Is it true?" I ask.

"Yea. It's true." He said and I think my heart started racing a million miles a minute.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked and he smiled.

"For one, you're Izzy's best friend. And you were with Sebastian and I wasn't going to try and break you two up. If you were happy, I wasn't going to mess that up." He said and I laughed.

"Look where that got me. Almost raped in a school bathroom." I said and I could see him tense. He reached his hands out but immediately pulled them back. "You can touch me Jace."

"I didn't want to scare you." He admitted and I smiled.

"I'm not afraid of you Jace." I said and he reached his hands out again and took mine. He started rubbing circles on my knuckles to calm me down, or maybe himself down, it was working nonetheless.

"I'm not proud of my behavior in the past. I didn't always treat girls the right way, and I didn't always respect their boundaries." He said and I guess he felt me tense because the circles got faster. "I never did anything that they were uncomfortable doing. I just want to get that out there. I would never disrespect a girl the way Sebastian disrespected you." He clarified. "They were all willing, and all aware enough to be giving consent." He further clarified and I just laughed a little. It was cute how much he was trying to defend his actions while also calling himself out on them. "When I saw you getting closer to Sebastian something flipped in me. Suddenly I stopped hanging out with girls all the time, I found myself doing things for you that I normally wouldn't do for other people, and eventually I realized that I had feelings for you, but you were already with Sebastian. So I stayed on the sidelines being whatever you needed me to be." He admitted and I can't believe I never saw this before. "Seeing him forcing himself on you like that Clary made me so incredibly angry. I wanted to do more than just knock him unconscious but I needed to be there for you more than punching him."

"Jace." I said but he stopped me.

"I don't expect you to tell me you have feelings for me or anything, I just thought you deserved to know how I truly felt." He said and I smiled.

"I appreciate that, and this isn't me rejecting you, but I think I just need a little time to process what happened, and all of my emotions before anything happens." I said and I could tell her wasn't thrilled by this news. "I'm confused right now, and I'm very upset, and angry, and I feel used, and I just kinda feel like a shell of a human, and I think I need to sort that out first, before anything else."

"I understand Clary. Take your time." He said and than got up. Part of me didn't want him to leave but he just poured his heart out to me and I kind of shut him down, so I understand.

"You don't have to go." I said and he turned around and smiled.

"I'm not saying this to upset you even further Clary, but I just can't be around you in this moment of time. I need to process everything you just told me as well. But if you need me, just text me. I'll be right down stairs. I can send Izzy back up if you want some company."

"I'd like that." I said as he exited the room. I continued picking at the food that Jace brought me and a minute later Izzy was entering.

"What happened between you two? Jace looked a little upset when he went downstairs." Izzy said as she got on the bed.

"I told him what you told me, and I asked if it was true." I said.

"And is it?" I nod and she squeals. "So why did he look miserable?" She asked and I didn't look at her. "Oh god, you don't feel the same."

"I don't know what I feel." I said eventually and I looked at her. "I was just almost raped today by a guy who for the last 8 months practically controlled my life. He manipulated me into doing whatever he wanted and I just I'm confused." I leaned my head back against the headboard and sighed. "I don't know what to think Izzy. I feel like a used plastic fork people just throw on the floor when their done with it. I can feel his hands on my body. Gripping my boobs, and squeezing my ass. I can feel his tongue on my chest, and it grosses me out. I feel like I need to shower for a couple years just to feel normal again."

"So this has nothing to do with Jace himself? Its just you trying to figure out yourself?"

"I guess. Don't get me wrong, I like Jace. He's always been nice to me, and he saved me today in more ways than one. I just I need to get back to the old Clary before I even think about a relationship or anything like that." I said and she nodded.

"Alright." She said in a voice that sounded a little annoyed.

"What?" I asked, and she looked at me confused. "You don't sound too supportive of my decision."

"It's not that." She said and I waited for her to continue. "I totally support you taking time to focus on yourself, and processing everything that happened today. It totally makes sense and I understand that you need to do this before anything else happens, just be prepared."

"Be prepared for what?" I asked.

"Jace won't wait around forever. He's a patient guy, but he is also a teenage boy who currently has half the girls in the school pining after his attention. Don't be upset when you finally decide you're whole enough again and he has someone else." She said and I nodded. She looks at her phone and gets up. "I promised Maia that I would meet her at the mall to help her pick an anniversary present out for her parents. I'll see you later Clare."

"Bye Iz." I said and she left the room. I laid back down thinking about what Izzy said. I knew Jace was a hot commodity, and I knew how all the girls thought about him. I hear it almost every period in school, but if he truly had feelings for me like he said he did, he would wait for me, right?

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The past month has been rough. I was having nightmares about what happened and I was constantly looking over my shoulder in school to see if he was following me. Every noise I heard outside my window scared the hell out of me, and the fact that he knew where I lived was even worse. Thankfully he hasn't tried to do anything since that day, but that didn't make the paranoia go away.

I was sitting in my bio class sketching something in my notebook when I heard Aline say Jace's name and it caught my attention. I normally don't eavesdrop but I couldn't help it.

"Jace asked me to the homecoming dance and I need your help with dresses." Aline said and my heart sank. I guess Izzy was right, Jace was a hot commodity, and I let him go.

"What color do you have in mind?" Kaelie asked.

"I was thinking purple, I think it would go great with his golden looks." She said and Kaelie giggled and agreed and I tried my best to block out the rest of the conversation. When the bell rang I ran out of the class faster than I could and I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and ran into Izzy. I fell on my ass and she was looking at me confused.

"Why are you in such a hurry to get out of there?" She asked as she helped me up.

"I didn't want to listen to Aline gush about how she's going to the homecoming dance with Jace." I said and Izzy nodded. She handed me back my books and smiled at me.

"Told you he wouldn't wait forever." She said and walked away. I mean, we aren't together, he just told me he liked me. I don't have any ownership to him, and he can take whomever he wants to the dance, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

The rest of the day went by so slowly. When the final bell rang I was so glad to be leaving. I was standing by my locker when I felt a body behind me. I felt lips against my ear and I shivered.

"Wanna finish where we left off baby?" I heard the cold voice say and I knew that it was Sebastian. "You don't have your body guard with you now." He said as he grabbed my hips and turned me around and pressed my body into the lockers. "I'm not happy that he interrupted us last month. We were having such a good time." He said as he traced my jaw with his fingers. "How about we get out of here, and head back to my place? You can make as much noise as you want, and no one will hear you." He said as he pressed a kiss to my neck. I was about to say something when someone else cut me off.

"You would think you learned your lesson the first time Verlac." Both of our heads snapped in the direction of the voice, and sure enough there stood Jace. "Do I need to toughen up the lesson?"

"Back off Herondale, this doesn't concern you." Sebastian spat and Jace started walking towards me.

"I made myself perfectly clear last time Sebastian, leave her alone, or I'll make you." Jace said in a scary calm voice. "I didn't go to the principle last time because I was giving Clary the decision on whether or not she wanted to report you, but this time I won't hesitate."

"You can't prove anything Herondale." Sebastian smiled triumphantly. Jace let out a humorless laugh and it seemed to confuse Sebastian.

"You were smart the first time, taking her to the bathroom. But you just got careless. You're standing in front of a camera Sebastian. They got everything on tape of you forcing yourself on Clary. Walk away and never approach her again or it won't end too nicely for you." Jace said and Sebastian growled and slammed his fist into the locker next to me and caused me to flinch, and than walked away. Once he rounded the corner I finally let out a breath. Jace stood there waiting for me to collect myself, and when I finally completely calmed down I couldn't help but feel a little angry at him. I grabbed my stuff and started walking away. "Where are you going?" He asked as he followed me.

"Home? I'm tired, and I had a long day and that little stunt didn't exactly help me." I said as I continued to walk.

"Are you sure you're okay with being home alone?" He asked and I turned around.

"How do you know I'll be home alone?" I asked a little curious.

"Well, your brother is away at school, and it's a work day, your mom normally doesn't get home until dinner time." He said and I nodded.

"I'm fine Jace. You don't have to act like I'm a wounded little animal. I can handle this myself." I said rather defensively and I knew it caught him off guard.

"Have I done something to upset you Clary?" He asks and I just scoff and walk away. "Clary." I heard Jace call but I didn't stop walking. Before I make it to my car I feel a hand on my shoulder. When I turn around Jace is standing there looking confused. "What did I do Clary?"

"Look, I know I said that I needed time when you told me that you had feelings for me." I started. "I was the one who turned you down, and yea I meant it because I have needed some time to myself and to process everything, but I just thought I don't know that if you really meant what you said that there was a possibility that you'd wait until I was ready but I guess I was wrong." I said and he looked utterly confused and I opened my car and started to get inside.

"What are you talking about Clary?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.

"I overheard Aline talking about how you asked her to the homecoming dance Jace." I said and his eyes got even wider.

"I never asked her that. I don't even want to go." He said and now it was my turn for my eyes to get wide. "Aline has been asking me for a couple weeks if I would go with her but I turned her down. I have no idea why she would be talking like that about the dance but I never asked her."

"Oh." I said and I rested my head on the steering wheel. I was quiet for a minute before I felt Jace's presence beside me. He was kneeling down so that we were closer. "I'm sorry."

"Clary, I meant every word I said to you. I do like you, and I know you need time and I get that. I respect that. If I was going to the homecoming dance with someone else, I don't think that gives you the right to be angry at me though." He said and I sighed.

"I know. I don't know why I got so upset. Izzy just kept telling me you wouldn't wait forever, and I knew she was right but I just wanted to hold on to hope that maybe you would for me." I said and he rested his hand on my thigh.

"Next time you hear a girl claiming something like that, just ask me, and I'll give you the truth." He said and I nodded. "I have to get home, I'll see you around though?" He asked and I nodded. He got up and started walking to his car. I sat there for a moment thinking about how stupid I was. I drove home and walked into an empty house. I sighed and threw my keys on the table and walked into the kitchen and got a drink. When I walked up to my room my door was slightly opened. I thought that was odd because I could have sworn that I closed it this morning. I took my phone out and held it opened in case something was wrong, or out of place. I walked slowly towards the door and I saw a figure standing in my room. I immediately called the one number I knew would always answer. I guess the figure heard my footsteps because he turned around and I gasped.

"Clarissa, I'm glad you made it home safety, because you sure won't leave that way." Sebastian said and I started crying.

 **Jace POV:**

When I got home I couldn't get the conversation with Clary out of my head. She was upset that I was 'going' to the dance with someone else. In a weird way it kind of made me feel good because that meant on some level she liked me, but also kinda made me upset because she's the one who is putting it off, and I know why she is, but she can't get mad at me for something like that when she's the one who doesn't want a relationship. My phone started ringing and I looked and saw that it was Clary. Maybe she had changed her mind about not wanting to be alone.

"Hello?" I answered.

"What are you doing here?" I heard Clary say but she clearly wasn't talking to me.

"Come on baby, you know you want me." I heard a man say and it could only be one guy.

"Oh shit." I whispered as I ran to grab my keys.

"Sebastian, I don't want this." I heard Clary say and than he laughed.

"Of course you want this baby, who wouldn't?" I heard Sebastian say and I put my car in drive and went as fast as I could to get to Clary. At some point, I don't know when I hung up the phone. I got to Clary's house and I ran inside and went straight upstairs. When I got to her room Clary was completely naked and tied to her bed. I pushed through the door and saw Sebastian getting undressed. He looked at me and sighed. "How the hell do you always show up?"

"I swear to god Sebastian you are dead for this." I hissed and I lunged at him. I didn't care what Clary saw, I just wanted this bastard dead. We wrestled around on the ground for a while throwing punch after punch at each other. He punched me hard in the face which caused me to be disoriented and he took this opportunity to get on top of me and pin me down.

"Look at the mighty Jace Herondale, always coming to rescue the princess but this time I won't let you ruin my fun." He said and he had his hands around my throat. He was cutting off my air supply and I could slowly feel myself losing consciousness. I looked around the floor of Clary's bedroom and for the first time ever I was thankful she was so messy. I found a tube of paint and I grabbed it and squirted it in his face which caused him to release my throat. I grabbed the textbook from the ground as well and slammed him over the head and he was out cold. I took a moment to catch my breath when I realized that Clary was still there. I turned around and she was still naked and she looked super uncomfortable. I grabbed the nearest blanket and threw it over her and untied her. As soon as she was free she wrapped her arms around me. I gladly took her in my arms and held her while she cried. After she calmed down we broke apart and I looked at how scared she was.

"We have to call the police Clary." I said and she nodded. I grabbed my phone and called 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator asked.

"My girlfriends ex-boyfriend broke into her house and was waiting for her. He tied her to her bed and was getting ready to rape her. I got here and knocked him unconscious." I said.

"Alright, I'll dispatch officers immediately." She said and we hung up. I looked back at Clary.

"Why did you call me your girlfriend?" She asked.

"It'll just make it easier. Give the police a more believable reason as to why you called me when you realized who it was." I said and she nodded. We sat there for a minute before I realized that she was still naked. "You should get dressed. The police should be here any minute." I said and I stood up. "I'll wait for you downstairs." She nodded and I made my way downstairs, and a couple minutes later the police arrived. I opened the door and let them in.

"Are you the boyfriend?" The one asked and I nodded. "Can you take us to where it happened?" I nod and we start making our way upstairs. Clary was on her way down when she saw us.

"It's the room on the left. Do you mind if I take her downstairs?" I ask.

"No. We'll be down shortly to ask a few questions." The one said and we nodded and went downstairs. Clary said on the couch and I sat next to her. I knew she was totally freaked out. I put my arm around her and she immediately curled into my side and I kissed the top of her head. I don't care what she wants to be, friends, more than friends, whatever, I was never leaving her alone ever again, until Sebastian was behind bars, Clary was going to be safe, I promise you that.

 **Time Jump – Sebastian's Sentencing**

 **Clary POV:**

After everything that happened with Sebastian I was so ready for it to be over. Jace had been incredible through the whole thing. He was by my side during court, and when I was completely unable to handle things. He wanted Sebastian get the maximum amount of time he could so Jace went out and found a couple other girls who Sebastian did the same thing to, unfortunately I was the luckiest one out of the 5 girls who came forward. They didn't have someone like Jace to stop the attempts, and for that I would forever be grateful. I don't know how I would be able to handle if he actually went through with it.

We were currently sitting in the courtroom waiting for the verdict to be read. Jon and my mom had both taken the time off to be there for me. Jon was absolutely furious to learn that his friend had tried to defile his little sister, and my mom cried more than I did. I tried to explain to them that they had no reason to feel responsible for what happened but they still felt bad and I couldn't take that away.

I was sitting there playing with Jace's fingers trying to distract myself from the wait. It had taken the jurors a day to come to a verdict, which I didn't understand. It was clear how disgusting Sebastian was, and there was a lot of evidence but I was biased so. Finally, after what felt like forever the jurors made their way back into the courtroom. I tensed but Jace pressed a kiss to my temple and I leaned into his side and he put his arm around my shoulders. I felt incredibly safe with Jace by my side and I don't know what I would do without him. Finally the judge began to speak and I don't think I could breath.

"Jurors, have you reached a verdict?" She said and the first juror stood.

"We have your honor." He said.

"What say ye?" She said.

"We find the defendant, Sebastian Verlac….guilty of first degree rape, and attempted rape of a minor." He said and I let out the breath I was holding and I started crying. Jace pulled me into his lap and hugged me. I cried into his shoulder knowing that this was finally over and I didn't have to look over my shoulder anymore. We walked out of the courtroom and I was finally at peace with everything.

"Clary." I heard my mom say and I turned around. "We're going to head home, will we see you tonight?" She asked.

"Yea, I'll be home for dinner." I said and she gave me a kiss and her and Jon walked away. Jace and I walked slowly to his car, with our hands interlocked and swinging between us. He opened my door and I got in and a moment later he was sitting in the drivers seat. We sat there for a moment without even putting the key into the ignition. I took another deep breath and Jace reached his hand over and put it on my thigh. Physical contact took a me a little while to get used too again. Jace was very sweet about it though, and even suggested when I felt super uncomfortable for him to place his hands there so I would associate him with the ghost feeling instead of Sebastian and it had worked wonders. I smiled at the contact and turned to look at him, and he was already staring at me with a smile on his face.

"I love you." He said and my eyes widened but so did my smiled. I leaned over and gave him a kiss before pulling away.

"I love you too." I said and she gave me one more peck before he started the car. This traumatic event was never going to fully go away, but I knew as long as I had Jace by my side helping me through it and loving me through it was going to make it a more distant thought than a constant memory and for that I will forever be grateful for him.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This was requested by a guest, and I hope that whoever you are, you like what I did with your idea! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	44. Chapter 43 - Running

**Forty Third One Shot:**

 **Running**

 **Clary POV:**

"Clary, its 4 in the morning, why are you calling me?" My brother said on the other end of the phone.

"Jon…" I tried to say but my voice cracked.

"Clary, what's wrong?" He said sounding extremely alert.

"Sebastian, I need to get away." I said trying not to cry.

"What did that bastard do?" Jon asked sounding extremely pissed off.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said. "I need to leave but I don't have anywhere to go." I said truthfully.

"Get to a train station, get a one way ticket using cash to Idris, Pennsylvania. Someone will meet you there." He said and I wasn't looking forward to going back to my hometown, but I never told anyone where I was from, so nobody knew to look for me there.

"I'm scared Jon." I said and my tears started flowing.

"I know, but you'll be safe soon." He said and he hung up. I grabbed a small bag of clothes and things I'd need because I was never coming back here. When I got to the station I did exactly what Jon told me to do. When I got on the bus and it pulled out I felt an odd sense of comfort. Knowing that I wasn't going to see him again. The man at the station told me it would be about a 4 hour bus ride, so I leaned back a little and closed my eyes, trying to forget the horrors I just left behind.

 **Jon POV:**

After Clary called I only knew one person that I would trust her safety in. Clary might hate me for this, but I'm constantly traveling, and she needed a stable place, especially with how scared she sounded. I dialed the number and after a few rings he picked up.

"Hello?" I heard a groggy voice say.

"Jace. I need a favor." I said and I heard him groan.

"This couldn't have waited until a decent hour Jon? It's 4:30 in the morning." He said.

"It's Clary." I said and I heard him take a breath. I knew that would interest him. Despite their rocky past I knew he still cared about her.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I don't know. She called me half an hour ago, she sounded scared, I think she was crying. She told me she needed to leave. I told her to get a one way bus ticket to Idris. She should be there at some point."

"Do you know where she has been living?" Jace asked.

"Not a clue. I travel so much its hard to keep in touch, but I know she has been living with her long term boyfriend. Something must have happened because you know how tough she is, and she sounded broken." I said.

"Okay. I'll just go to the bus station and wait until I see her." Jace said and I felt relieved.

"Thank you Jace. I know you two have a rocky past, but this means a lot to me. You know I'd do anything to keep her safe."

"You know I'd do anything to keep her safe as well." Jace said and I believed him. Nobody besides Jace and Clary know what happened between them. They both refused to talk about it after they broke up, but I knew Jace cared about her, and her safety.

 **Jace POV:**

After I hung up with Jon I got dressed and made my way to the bus station. The bus station was pretty quiet. I stopped and got some coffee for both Clary and I, even though I had no idea when she was getting here, I figured that it wouldn't hurt if it was hot or cold. It was pretty chilly out and I took a seat inside and pulled out my old copy of A Tale of Two Cities and started reading.

After a couple hours I decided to get up and stretch my legs. I didn't go far, because I didn't want my stuff to be taken even though there wasn't anyone really in the station. I was nervous about seeing Clary again. It had been almost 13 years since we last saw each other and we didn't end on good terms.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _"God Jace, why do you have to be such a jackass?" Clary shouted at me._

 _"I have no idea what you're talking about Clary." I said but that didn't calm her down._

 _"You seriously have no idea what I'm talking about?" She said and I shook my head. "We went to a party on Friday." She said._

 _"I know that Clary. I was there." I said._

 _"Yes, you were. But unlike most boyfriends, who you know, make out with their girlfriends at parties, you weren't making out with me." Clary said and I was confused._

 _"That's not true. We were dancing, and than I went to get us something to drink, and you grabbed my hand and took me into the hallway and we started making out." I retorted. I was not going to be accused of cheating._

 _"That wasn't me." She said and my eyes widened._

 _"What do you mean it wasn't you?" I said back. "I remember your red hair, and that ring you always wear on your left middle finger." I said._

 _"This who 'playing dumb' act isn't working Jace. Just admit you cheated on me." She said and I just shook my head._

 _"I didn't though Clary. I didn't cheat on you." I said and she laughed._

 _"If you can't even admit to it Jace, than we're over." She said and I started walking towards her._

 _"You don't believe me?" I asked._

 _"I saw you Jace. I watched you make out with her and I watched you run your hands all over her body." She said and I was appalled._

 _"Who was it?" I asked._

 _"Seriously Jace?" She asked and I nodded. "It was Kaelie." She said and I couldn't believe it._

 _"I didn't cheat on you Clary." I said again and she shook her head._

 _"I can't do this Jace, I just can't." She said and that pissed me off._

 _"You know what, fine. If you don't believe me, fine. I'm not going to keep defending myself to you when you obviously don't believe me."_

 _"I SAW YOU JACE!" She screamed at me._

 _"FINE! I CHEATED ON YOU! ARE YOU HAPPY?" I yelled back._

 _"Of course I'm not happy. My boyfriend cheated on me, is that supposed to make me feel giddy?"_

 _"I don't know what else you want from me Clary, you don't believe me, and you clearly have already made your mind up about ending this relationship."_

 _"I hate you Jace Herondale." She said and I sighed. She stormed out of my house and I watched her leave._

 _"And I'll always love you Clary." I said to myself as I watched the best thing to ever happened to me walk away._

 ** _Flashback Ends_**

When I pull myself out of my memory and sit back down on the bench. I look at my phone and it's almost 8, and I still didn't see her. I grabbed the notebook that I always carry with me and start writing a song that I can pitch to the songwriters at the studio that I work for. After about 15 minutes I see a flash of red. I look up and see Clary standing there looking frightened. I put my stuff down and walk over to her and take a deep breath.

"Its been a while Sage." I said and her head slowly turned around. I knew using her nickname would get her attention and know that it was me. When out eyes locked it seemed like we were back in high school and so many old feelings surfaced.

"Jace." She simply said but it made every ounce of my being want to wrap my arms around her and never let her go. "This was my brothers big plan?"

"He needed someone he trusted with you, and he trusts me." I said and she scoffed.

"That's because he doesn't know how truly rotten you are." She said and I shook my head.

"Look, Jon asked me to do him this favor, I'm here to pick you up and take you back to my house. You can call Jon and talk to him." I said and I went back and grabbed my stuff. She reluctantly followed. "I bought you coffee. Black, just like you like it. It might be cold, but I figured that it was early, so you might need the caffeine." I said and she took my cup out of my hand. We got into my car and a minute into the ride she fell asleep. I glanced at her than focused back on the road. This was going to be a nightmare, but Clary clearly still hated me for that night, and despite the truths that I now know, maybe once she warms up to me again I can tell her what really happened and we could rekindle our friendship.

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up when I was being lifted out of the car. I opened my eyes to see Jace carrying my into a house. I was so exhausted that I didn't care that he was touching me, but once he put me on the couch I was happy. I took a look around his house and felt like I had just entered a house that would be on MTV's Cribs. This house was massive, and I felt like I would probably get lost in it. When Jace returned he had hot coffee and he took a seat on the chair.

"Your room is upstairs, and it's the third one on the left. You have your own bathroom, and everything. If you need anything, just use my card and get it. It's not even 10 yet, so if you want to go back to sleep go head. I have a meeting with my boss at 1, and I'll be gone for most of the day. I'll let you know if I'm not coming home for dinner. Cook, or order whatever you want." He said and I nodded. He got up and left me alone. I didn't realize how angry I was with him until seeing him again. The fact that he was so casual about seeing me didn't help my feelings either. It had been 13 years, and Jace Herondale still gets under my skin.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had been here for two days, and she's mostly just slept. She tried to call Jon but I'm assuming that he was busy with work, but he would call eventually. I noticed that she didn't have a sketchbook with her, which was strange for Clary, so I decided to grab her one on my way home from work.

I had been busy for the past couple months helping an up and coming band get their new album ready. I was lucky to get this job right out of college, and I loved creating music for other people. It was awesome knowing that my music was being listened too, and sung all over the country. It was definitely something that made me truly happy.

When I got home I smelled food and when I walked into the kitchen Clary was standing there cooking. I smiled to myself because this is how I would come home every night when we were together. I wanted everything with Clary, and when it was taken away from me, I never really moved on. I cleared my throat and she turned around and smiled. I knew she was still unhappy that she was sharing the same air as me, but clearly she needed to be here more than she wanted to be anywhere else, and I'd take what I can get.

"I got sick of eating take out, so I decided to cook." She said and I nodded.

"That works for me. What did you make?" I asked.

"I made chicken, pasta, and green beans." She said and I nodded again. I grabbed the sketchbook and the pencils out of my back and set them on the counter. "What are those?"

"I noticed you didn't have a sketchbook with you, and I've never seen you without one, so I bought you one." I said and she walked over and picked it up.

"I haven't sketched in years." She said as she took him the new book.

"Why?" I asked and she stopped looking at the book and locked eyes with me.

"Life gets busy, people change." She said and I shook my head.

"Not you Clary. Since the day I met you, you've always had a sketchbook on you. And if you didn't you were sketching on a napkin, or a cup, or pretty much anything you could get your hands on." I said and she sighed.

"A lot has happened in the last 13 years Jace." She said an I couldn't agree more.

"I just thought you'd like to have one." I said after a moment of silence.

"Thank you." She said and put the book back down. "For everything. It's not ideal, but I appreciate you helping me out."

"It's no problem Sage." I said and I could tell she wanted to smile but she stopped herself. "I'm not going to be around this weekend. I have to fly to Georgia to meet with a artist and discuss a song I wrote for him."

"Okay." She said and I got up and left the kitchen. I wanted so badly to just confess to Clary that whatever happened between us was just a huge misunderstanding, but she still doesn't like me, and I need her to be in a place where she at least acknowledges me as a friend before I drop the bomb on her, and completely blow up the way she's viewed me for the past 13 years.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jon was coming over today and I was super excited. I hadn't seen him in years, and we talk every now and than but he has enough vacation built up that he can come and visit. It would be nice to not be surrounded by Jace all the time. Although I was really thankful for everything he's done, I still don't trust him and I don't know if I ever can. Jace was at work today so it would just be Jon and I and I was excited to be hanging out with him alone. When the doorbell rang I ran to it and when it opened I flung myself at Jon, he caught me and hugged me back.

"It's so good to see you Clare." He said as he walked into the house.

"It's good to see you too. I'm starting to go crazy just being around him again." I said and we took a seat on the couch.

"It can't be that bad." Jon said and I rolled my eyes. "He took you in, and if you two were truly enemies he wouldn't have done that."

"You don't understand Jon." I said.

"Than just tell me what happened, and I can understand." Jon asked and I shook my head.

"I don't want to ruin him for you." I said.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You two are still really good friends. If I tell you, than you'll look at him differently and I don't want to ruin your friendship." I explained further. "Our relationship might be ruined forever, but that doesn't mean yours has too."

"You're my little sister Clary, if he hurt you in the past I want to beat the shit out of him for you." He said and I laughed.

"I appreciate the offer Jon, but I'm not going to tell you." I said and he nodded. We sat there and talked for while before I noticed that it was almost dinnertime. "Want to order something? Jace gave me unlimited access to his money, so its all on him." I said ad Jon laughed.

"Sure, does he have any alcohol in here?" He asked and I laughed.

"Yea, beer is in the fridge and wine is in the basement." I said and Jon left. I picked up the phone and ordered Chinese. It was always something Jon and I did we were together.

We sat down and talked for what felt like hours. I had had almost the whole bottle of wine and Jon was working on his 5th beer. I didn't realize how much I missed Jon until this moment. We lost contact after college and he travels a lot so these occasions are rare but I love them.

"Remember that time junior year when Jace rigged the principles doors to drop water balloons filled with paint when they opened?" Jon laughed and I couldn't help but laugh along. He got suspended for a week but it was totally worth it.

"That was one of the funniest things I've ever saw. And him getting it on camera was even better." I said remembering that day. "I miss the old days."

"You could have them back Clare." Jon said and I shook my head.

"We can't go back to where we were in high school. Not after I caught him cheating." I said and than I realized it slipped out and Jon looked pissed.

"He cheated on you?" He practically yelled.

"Remember Mark's party during the summer before I started college?" I asked and he nodded. "I caught him making out with Kaelie in a hallway."

"Did you confront him?" Jon asked.

"Of course I did. He denied it. He tried to play dumb but I knew his history with Kaelie, and I knew how much of a player he was before we started dating."

"Doesn't make it right Clary." Jon said and a tear slipped out of my eye. I was about to say something when I heard the front door open. My eyes widened because I saw Jon planning something. When Jace came into sight he looked at us and Jon lunged and punched him in the face.

"Jonathan!" I yelled and he looked back at me. "What the hell?"

"He cheated on you Clary. I'm not going to let him get away with it. Even if it has been 13 years." Jon said and Jace stood back up and whipped the blood off his lips.

"I guess I have to come clean now." Jace said.

"Yea you do. How could you cheat on Clary?" Jon asked.

"Lets all take a seat." Jace said and we took a seat. Jon and I were sobering up due to all the adrenaline and Jace looked very serious. "I did cheat on you Clary."

"Finally, you couldn't have admitted that 13 years ago? I could have been able to forgive you for that, but lying about it was pushing it." I said and he shook his head.

"That's the thing, I wasn't lying. I truly thought I was making out with you at that party." He said. "After our fight, I immediately started looking for Kaelie's number. I had to know what the hell happened for me to do that Clary." He looked down at his hands. "It took some convincing but I finally got Izzy to give me her number."

"Izzy still talks to her?" I asked.

"No. But Simon is very handy when it comes to hacking some things, and she got it and gave it to me."

"What did you have to promise Izzy in return?" I asked because I knew Izzy didn't do anything just because.

"She wanted to be to go out on a date with her friend." He said. "You remember Aline?" He asked and I nodded. "Well, she's a lesbian, and she'd been trying to get the attention of this other girl, and the other girl wasn't giving her any signs that she was interested, so I went out on a date with her to the club where the other girl worked to see if she got jealous when she saw us together. She did, they are together, problem solved." He said and I nodded.

"So what happened when you called Kaelie?" Jon asked.

"She refused to talk to me unless we went out, and I needed answers so we went out. I am truly ashamed that I ever socialized with her."

"You did more than socialize." I muttered but he heard and nodded his head.

"We went out to dinner one night and I got a few drinks in her and asked her about that night." He said. "She was apparently really jealous of our relationship. She wanted nothing more than to break us up. At some point during that party she slipped something into my drink." He said and my eyes widened. "It wasn't strong enough to knock me out, but I could feel it, but at the time I just thought it was the alcohol." He admitted. "She dyed her hair red, and started wearing rings like you to throw off my perception. I truly thought it was you Clary. Her hair smelled like strawberries, and she wasn't wearing heels so she was short and she tricked me." He said as he looked up at me. "I truly am sorry that happened. I would have never done that to you, and you have to believe me."

"How do we know that's the truth?" Jon asked. "You could be lying out of your ass."

"I recorded our conversation that night. I hoped that if I ever got the chance to apologize to you Clary I wanted you to hear her say it."

"Can I hear it?" I asked and he nodded and got up. A moment later he was back with a tape recorder. He put it down on the table and hit the play button.

 ** _Recording:_**

 _"I'm glad we did this Jacey."_ I heard Kaelie giggle and I wanted to gag. _"I've missed you so much."_ She said and I heard Jace scoff in the background.

" _I have a question for you Kaelie."_ I heard Jace say.

 _"Ask away baby."_ She said.

" _You remember the night of Mark Blackthorn's part summer before we all left for college?"_ Jace asked, and she giggled again.

 _"Of course I do. It was a fun night."_ She said and giggled yet again.

 _"I'm a little hazy on one part of the night. I remember dancing with Clary, and than going to get drinks but from there on it's a little murky. Did we see each other at that point of the party?"_ Jace asked.

 _"We did a little more than see each other."_ She said in a seductive voice.

 _"Did you initiate it?"_ Jace asked.

 _"Of course. You were too caught up in little virgin Mary to even notice me."_ Her voice was laced with malice.

 _"What did we do?"_ Jace asked.

 _"Well, while you were dancing I slipped a little something into your drink. It took some time but you finally felt it and when you were getting another drink I grabbed her hand and lead you into the nearest hallway and we started making out."_ She admitted and my jaw practically dropped.

 _"Why would you do that Kaelie?"_ Jace asked.

 _"We are meant to be Jace. That stupid ginger bitch didn't deserve you."_ She said in an angry voice.

 _"Who I chose to date isn't up to you Kaelie."_ Jace said.

 _"Maybe not, but you're single aren't you? Even if I don't have you, neither dose she, and that's all I care about."_ She said and than hiccupped. She was clearly under the influence of alcohol. I doubt anyone sober person would admit to drugging someone flat out. _"I can't tell you how many times you called me Clary while we were making out. I got you good. You really thought I was her. Do you know how many times I had to wash my hair in order for it to small like that all the time?"_

 _"You ruined my relationship Kaelie."_ Jace said and I could hear the hurt in his voice.

 _"And your broke my heart Jace. I loved you, and you threw me away the minute you saw Clary."_ Kaelie said and it sounded like she was crying.

 _"You didn't love me, you loved the idea of having me. You didn't care about anything I cared about. You didn't support me in anything I did. You just liked the idea that you were somehow better than everyone else because we hooked up every now and than."_ Jace said and you could hear a sob in the background.

 _"It doesn't matter anymore. I've moved on from you. I have an amazing man at my school who is so much hotter than you."_ Kaelie said and I could just hear the smile on her face.

 _"I truly don't care who you're hooking up with. You ruined my relationship with Clary, and I can't fix it. She won't talk to me, and she doesn't believe me. You may have gotten exactly what you wanted, and that makes you happy, but I am the farthest thing from happy Kaelie, and I can't see that changing anytime soon."_ Jace said and I felt like such a fucking idiot. He was telling the truth all those years ago, and I blew up.

" _Well, this was wonderful Jacey, but I have to go. My man is waiting for me. We should do this again sometime."_ She said and Jace scoffed.

 _"Yea, I never want to see you again Kaelie."_ Jace said and than the recording stopped.  
I took a deep breath and looked at Jace. I felt awful but I also thought I acted the right way back than. I had information and proof, and he was denying it. After a few moment of silence Jace spoke up.

"I don't expect you to forgive me or anything like that, but I wanted you to know the truth. I would never cheat on you Clary. You were the best thing in my life back than, and when you walked out of that house I was devastated."

"You can't blame me for reacting the way I did." I said eventually and he shook his head.

"I don't blame you at all. I would have been just as pissed if the roles were reversed. It took me a while to understand that and accept that." He admitted. "I just really needed you to hear the truth. No matter what happens, or if we become friends again or not. For my own sanity, I needed you to know." I nodded and it was quiet. "How long at you staying Jon?"

"A couple days. I figured I might as well get the use of my vacation days, and who knows the next time I'll be able to see Clary." Jon said and I smiled.

"Sounds good. I have to be in California tonight for a couple days. If you aren't here when I get back it was good seeing you again, and nice right hook." He said and we all laughed. Jace walked out of the room and that left Jon and I. We were quiet for a while before Jon spoke up.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I just found out my ex-boyfriend was drugged and tricked into making out with his ex at a party we were at, and I accused him of lying and I should have known better. Jace doesn't lie, at least he never lied to me. I ended us, and if there was one thing I was certain of in high school was that we would never end." I admitted and Jon pulled me into a hug.

"Like he said Clare, he understands why you freaked out and why you did what you did." Jon reassured me.

"That doesn't make me feel like less of a bitch." I said and he laughed.

"You have a couple days with just us before he comes back and that should be enough time to let the news sink in." Jon said and I nodded. After about 15 minutes Jace reappeared with a bag.

"Alright, you know the drill. Order, cook, or whatever. I'll be back in three or four days." He started walking towards the door and I got up and ran after him.

"Jace." I said and he turned around. "Thank you for explaining that night." I said and he smiled. "And I am truly sorry for how it happened and ignoring you and yelling at you and pretty much everything."

"It's okay Clary. I understand, and it sucked. So much, but you had every right to be pissed at me." He said and I smiled.

"Have a safe trip." I said and he opened the door.

"See you when I get back." He said and than he left. I went back to the couch and sat down with Jon. I was thankful that Jace was going away for a few days because it gave me the opportunity to let the news sink in.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was woken up when my phone started buzzing like crazy. I blindly grabbed it and answered.

"Hello?"

"My dear sweet Clarissa, I've been looking for you." I heard and I was immediately awake.

"How did you get this number?" I asked frightened.

"I have my ways baby." He said and I cringed.

"Don't call me that." I hissed back. "You lost that right the moment you decided to hit me."

"You can't escape me Clarissa." He said in a deadly tone.

"Watch me." I said and I hung up and chucked my phone at the wall. It cracked and I went over and started stomping on it as hard as I could. I'm not very powerful and I had no idea how long I was doing it but the next thing I know I'm being lifted up and moved. When I finally looked up I saw Jace sitting next to me on the bed.

"What the hell are you doing Clary?" He asked.

"My ex called. I don't know how he got my number but I didn't want him calling me again."

"You could have just shut the phone off. You didn't need to break it."

"He found me, if he still had that number I'd never hear the end of it." I said and Jace nodded.

"Why can't you just file a restraining order?" Jace asked after a minute.

"Cause than he'll know where I am." I said.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened between you two?" Jace asked and I sighed. I guess it was time he knows why I fled.

"About 7 months ago I was almost 3 months pregnant." I said and I saw Jace tense. "We were really excited. We had been trying for a couple years but it had been really hard. The day I found out I cried for an hour." I said as I looked down at my hands. "I miscarried the week before I was three months. It broke me. Sebastian didn't speak to me for about 2 weeks, and when he finally did he was different."

"What happened?" Jace asked.

"We got into an argument, and he hit me." I said and Jace grabbed my hands. "I thought it was a one time thing, and I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt and see if it was the heat of the moment thing, or what."

"I'm guessing it wasn't." Jace said and I shook my head.

"He blamed me for losing the baby, and he called me every name in the book. He got physical but it wasn't as often as the verbal attacks here." I said and I looked at Jace. "The night I called Jon he pushed me down a flight of stairs, and I just knew that was the last straw. I couldn't keep making excuses for him and I needed to leave."

"I'm so sorry Clary. You know that wasn't your fault." Jace said and I smiled.

"It didn't matter to Sebastian. I was the one who lost our baby, and I could have done everything in my power to save him or her."

"That's not true. Sometimes things happen and we have no control over them." Jace said and the tears started to flow. "Hey, you don't need to cry. Everything is going to be okay. I can talk to one of my buddies down at the police station, and we can figure something out. I'm not going to let him hurt you."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked. "I was a total bitch to you, and broke up with you. You should hate me."

"Clary, I have never in my life hated you. What happened in high school sucked. A lot. And I have been spending the last 13 years of my life waiting for the day that I could apologize to you, and now I have. It's water under the bridge. I want to move past that incident, and just move forward."

"How can you not hate me?" I asked as a sob escaped my throat. "Ever since you played that recording I have hated myself for what I did back than."

"You were hurt, and you felt like I was lying to you, and I know how you feel about people who lie. You felt replaceable, and you felt used, and I can't blame you for that because what Kaelie did was messed up, and she knew exactly what to do to break us up." Jace explained and it didn't make me feel any better.

"After 13 years you're still the same patient and understanding man I've always known." I said and he laughed.

"I had a lot of time to reflect on myself and grow." He said and I nodded.

"I really am sorry Jace." I said and he smiled. "I could probably tell you until I am blue in the face how incredibly sorry I am for that night, but it wouldn't be enough."

"Clary." Jace started but I cut him off.

"No Jace, I thought in high school that we were going to be together forever. I was so sure of it. We were together for almost 3 years, and we knew college would be hard but we were both determined to make it work." I said. "We had it all figured out and than everything changed."

"Outside variables got in our way Sage. We can't control everything, but I hope that we can build our friendship back up." He said and I laughed.

"We never had a normal friendship Jace." I said and he smiled.

"I know, but we're both older now, and wiser." He said.

"I'd like to start over." I said and he smiled.

"That we can do." Jace said and I don't know what force lead me to do it, but I moved closer and hugged him and I could tell he was a little shocked because he tensed but soon he hugged me back. It felt right to be in Jace's arms again, and maybe now with our relationship can mend and build from here.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

This last year had been extremely eventful. After a couple months I moved out and got a job. Sebastian hadn't been a problem for me since and I was really grateful. Jon had been coming home more frequently, but it still wasn't enough for me. I wanted to see my brother more than just once or twice every couple months. Jace and I were friends again and I liked it but after 13 years apart, I remember every single reason why we were together. He was funny, and handsome, and extremely sweet. It was everything any woman wanted in a man, and here I was, just a friend again, and as the days go by I feel like even more like a loser than I did before. We've got out for coffee, and lunch, and the amount of stares he gets from women is impressive. He called me yesterday and asked if I would meet him for coffee today, and here I am, waiting in the coffee shop for him and I've never been more nervous. I didn't know what else to do so I brought out my sketchbook Jace bought me and started sketching. I was so lost that I didn't even know that he sat down across from me, when I looked up he smiled.

"You're even better than you were in high school Sage." He said and I smiled.

"I've been getting back into the swing of sketching ever since you got me this book." I said as I held it up. "I didn't realize how much I missed it until I started doing it again."

"You never did tell me why you stopped." He said and I closed the book and looked at him.

"I studied art in college. I really wanted to open my own gallery." I said and he smiled.

"I remember. You wanted to name is Freaky Fray's Modern Art." He said and I laughed.

"That I did." I answered. "I met Sebastian in college and everything was perfect. After college we moved in together, and art just wasn't enough to live off of. I had to get a practical job and that's what I did."

"What did you do?" He asked and my face turned red.

"It's embarrassing." I said and he smiled even more.

"Come on Sage, you know you can tell me anything." He said and I covered my face with my hands.

"I had a couple jobs. On weekends I worked as a Disney princess at children's birthday parties, and on the week days, I worked at the coffee shop and nights I worked at the local night club as a bartender."

"A woman of many talents." He said and I sighed.

"I did what I did to get by." I said and he smiled. "What did you exactly study in college?" I asked. It was strange that we never talked about this, but it just never really came up in conversation.

"I studied music." He said. "Mostly how to compose. I really wanted to write symphonies, and all that stuff."

"Why don't you?" I asked.

"Doesn't pay as well. I met this girl in a bar one night, and she was a singer, and she was really good, and I took a shot and gave her one of my songs. She loved it."

"That's amazing." I said and he nodded.

"A couple weeks later her label called and asked me to work for them. I've been there ever since."

"I still think you could write symphonies." I said and he smiled. "You're amazing on the piano Jace, if anything you've probably only gotten better."

"I don't play as much as I would like, but I make sure that I play at least once a week." He said and I nodded.

We got coffee and sat there and talked for an hour and I just loved how amazing it felt to be with him again. It felt natural, and he was truly the only one who made me smile. His phone started ringing and he paused the conversation to answer it.

"Hello?" He said and than he was quiet. "Hey Amber, what's up?" He said with a smile and a part of me broke a little. "How about dinner in 30 minutes." He said and I took a deep breath. "Usual place." He said and than hung up. He looked at me and smiled. "I have to go, but we'll talk soon? Maybe we can go out to dinner on Friday."

"Of course." I said with a fake smile. He got up and walked over to me and kissed the top of my head.

"It was great talking Sage." He said and I nodded and watched him leave. I guess that's how he felt when he walked out on him all those years ago. It was a sucky feeling, and I wish I never had to experience it. The one guy that I truly loved, and wanted to be with has moved on, and I will always be the friend now.

 **Jace POV:**

Walking out of that coffee shop I knew Clary was faking something. She wasn't smiling her normal radiant and beautiful smile but today it was off. I got to the restaurant and sat down and waited for Amber. Maybe 10 minutes later she showed up, we hugged and than she sat down. Once we ordered we started talking.

"So, what's up Amber?" I asked.

"I want to write a song for my fiancé, and I want to preform it at our wedding, but I can't write music the way you do." She said and I laughed. "You've been my guy for songs since you approached me in that bar. I trust you more than anyone in the music industry."

"I'll do it Amber. You know I'll always write you songs." I said and she got the biggest smile on her face. "When is the wedding again?"

"3 months. You think you can have it done by than?" She asked.

"Of course. I'll have a draft done in one month and send it to you, and than we'll go from there." I said and she nodded. She reached in her bag and pulled out a book.

"This has a bunch of memories, and my favorite things about him, what I love about him, how excited I am to spend the rest of my life with him. I was hoping you could use it." She said and I took it.

"I will try my best to make a good song." I said and she laughed.

"I know it'll be perfect. You're still coming right?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." I said and she smiled.

"You bringing a date?" She asked and I sighed.

"The girl I want to bring, I can't seem to get the courage to ask her." I said and she smiled.

"Is this the same girl you told me about all those years ago?" She asked and I nodded. "She's back in your life?"

"Yea. About a year ago she was in a tough situation and needed somewhere safe to stay and her brother asked me if I'd help, and I couldn't say no. She means everything to me. We've been building our friendship back up, and I don't know how she'd take to me asking her to a friends wedding."

"Do you still feel the same way about her?" She asked.

"Of course. I've never stopped loving her, and I never moved on, but it just seems like she's hesitant towards me."

"What makes you say that?" She asks.

"Today we were out for coffee, and we were having a great time, and when I left to meet you she just seemed different. She was smiling but it wasn't her real smile. She looked sad." I said and Amber nodded.

"Was that before or after our phone call?" She asked and I looked at her with confusion.

"After. Why?" I asked.

"Did you happen to tell her that we were having a business meeting tonight?" She asked.

"Why would I?" I asked and she laughed.

"You dumbass. She probably thought you bailed to come on a date." She asked and than it clicked.

"But I asked her to dinner on Friday." I said.

"Did you ask her out on a date, or did it seem very causal? Like what friends would do?" She said and I hung me head.

"Shit." I said and she laughed.

"Ask her to come to my wedding. It'll be a fun time, and you can spend the whole night wooing her!" She said and I laughed.

"Okay, I'll ask her Friday." I said and she smiled and nodded. The rest of the night was fun. I always loved hanging out with Amber. She and I have become really close and I don't know what I'd do without her in my life. When dinner was over I walked her to her car and we said goodbye. I had to convince Clary that I was still in love with her, and I was determined to show her at that wedding.

 **Time Jump – Friday Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I was getting ready for my dinner with Jace and I couldn't help but feel like this was a complete waste of time. He had clearly moved on to Amber, and we were just friends. When I was finished I took one last look in my mirror and than headed into the living room. After a couple moments there was a knock on the door and I knew it was Jace. When I opened it he looked even more gorgeous than he normally does and I looked down at my outfit.

"I feel under dressed." I said and he laughed.

"I just got out of work. I had a really important meeting today which is why I looked so fancy." He explained and I nodded and walked out of my apartment. "You look beautiful by the way, like always Sage."

We walked out to his car and made our way to the restaurant. I'm almost 33 years old and he still makes me feel like an 18 year old girl. When we pulled up to the restaurant and walked in I was glad to see that he didn't bring me to a fancy place. I wasn't dressed well enough for that, but I could handle this place. I looked around and realized that this was the diner we used to go to all the time in high school, and man it hasn't changed a bit. We sat down and he smiled at me.

"Surprised this place is still around?" He asked and I nodded. "I still come here religiously. Nobody beats their coconut pancakes." He said and I laughed.

"You were a sucker for those." I said and he smiled. We ordered our meals and were engrossed in conversation until I noticed him get a little nervous. "are you okay Jace?"

"Yea, I just need to ask you something." He said and I nodded. "I was invited to a wedding, and I was wondering if you'd like to be my plus one?" He asked and I was shocked. I don't know why he would ask me if he has been seeing someone else.

"Won't Amber be annoyed?" I said not trying to sound spiteful but it definitely came out that way and he laughed.

"She said you would think we were dating. Man I hate when she's right." He said and I was confused. "You remember that girl I gave that song too in the bar one night?" He asked and I nodded. "That's Amber. She called because she wants me to write her a song so she can sing it to her fiancé on their wedding day." He said and I felt like a complete idiot. Which doesn't seem to be uncommon these days.

"Oh." I said and he laughed.

"Yea, she called me because she wanted to ask me if I'd right the song for her." He said and I nodded along. "So, will you accompany me to the wedding? She said it would be fun."

"Of course. It sounds like fun." I said and he smiled at me. When we finally left the restaurant it felt like there was a clearing in our friendship again. He walked me up to my apartment and we both lingered for a minute.

"Thank you for coming with me tonight." He said and I smiled.

"Of course. I was never one to turn down a meal." I said and he laughed.

"No you aren't." He said and I smiled. "I guess I'll see you around?" He said and I nodded. "Goodnight Sage."

"Goodnight Jace." I said and he kissed my forehead and left. When I walked into my apartment I took a deep breath. He was able to make my whole entire body go to jell-o with a kiss on the forehead. If I didn't pluck up the courage to tell him how I felt soon, it might be too late, and I am not letting him go again.

 **Time Jump – Wedding**

 **Jace POV:**

I had picked Clary up and we were heading towards the venue and I couldn't stop stealing glances at Clary. She looked absolutely stunning. I knew she was beautiful, but today she looked ethereal. Nothing could compare to her, I don't even think Amber could out shine her in my eyes today. When we pulled up to the ceremony space there were paparazzi camped out trying to get a glimpse of Amber. I parked the car and grabbed Clary's hand and pulled her into my side. The paparazzi didn't really care about anyone who wasn't famous but that didn't stop them from asking a million questions and Clary didn't need that.

Once we were safely inside the church we were escorted to out seat and Clary was looking around. She was always one to admire fine craftsmanship, and I could only imagine she was looking at the structure of the building. I was blatantly staring at her and when our eyes locked she smiled.

"This place is amazing. I'd kill to paint it." She said and I smiled.

"Commit it to memory, and you can when I get you home tonight." I said and she smiled and nodded. The ceremony space was packed and Clary and I were sitting extremely close and I really liked it. I put my arm around the back of her chair and she didn't pull away so that's a good sign.

The ceremony started and the back doors opened and everyone turned around. The bridal party started filing in and they all looked magnificent, but I expected nothing less from Amber. The music stopped and than we heard singing. It was my song, and it sounded absolutely perfecting coming out of her mouth. We all stood but I leaned down and put my lips to Clary's ear.

"I wrote that song." I said and she turned and looked up at me.

"It's beautiful." She said and I smiled. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and when the reception came around Clary and I were at a table where we didn't know anyone, which was to be expected. I didn't care though, I was here with Clary and that's all that mattered.

After dinner everyone starting crowding the dance floor and they looked like they were having an amazing time. I saw Amber and she started making her way over to us with her new husband. I stood up and pulled her into a hug and shook hands with her husband.

"That song was one in a million Jace, I can't thank you enough for it. It made the ceremony even more amazing." Caleb said and I smiled.

"It was my pleasure man. When Amber asked me I knew I couldn't say no. I mean, it got me out of buying a wedding present." They laughed and than Clary elbowed me. "I'm just kidding, I got them a gift." I said and she smiled. "Amber, this is Clary. Clary, this is Amber and her husband Caleb."

"It's wonderful to meet you, and the ceremony was beautiful." She said and Amber gave her a hug.

"We're so glad you two could make it!" Amber said and a slow song came on. "Oh, let's go babe!" She said and she grabbed his hand and lead him to the dance floor.

"Would you like to dance?" I asked and Clary nodded. We got onto the dance floor and I pulled her into me and everything just felt incredibly right. The last 14 years without her by my side, and in my bed, and in my arms have been excruciating and I was ready for the drought to end. The whole song we were both quiet, and enjoying the music. When it was over some pop song came on and everyone started dancing again, but Clary grabbed my hand and started leading me to a place that was much more quiet. It was a balcony and it over looked the garden at this place and it was quite the view. After a few moment of silence Clary looked into my eyes and spoke.

"I'm still in love with you Jace." She said and I felt my heart skip a beat. "Even after our huge fight I never stopped." She said and I just couldn't believe what was coming out of her mouth. "I tried to move on. Hell, I did move on, but you were always in the back of my mind." She said.

"What about Sebastian?" I asked.

"I did love him. I cared about him, and I enjoyed out time together that was happy, and positive. But I remember when we first met I compared him to you immediately." She said. "After our first date I knew you were the one for me, but everything got so messed up that we lost it." She said and I took a deep breath. "Just being your friend is killing me."

"Oh thank god!" I said and than I slammed my lips into hers. We stood there kissing for who knows how long before we broke apart. "I have always been in love with you Clary, I will always be in love with you, and if there is life after this one, I will continue to be in love with you." I said and I could see in her eyes that she knew I meant it.

The rest of the night Clary and I danced and had an amazing time. One our way home Clary passed out in the car and I didn't want to wake her so I just drove to my house. when I parked the car I picked her up and took her inside. When I placed her on my bed she started to stir. She rubbed her eyes and looked at me.

"Where am I?" She asked and I smiled.

"You fell asleep in the car, and my house is closer so I thought I'd just bring you back here." I said and she nodded.

"Can I borrow a shirt?" She asked and I groaned and grabbed her a shirt and she put it on and damn did she look sexy as hell. "Are you going to stay in here with me?" She asked.

"If you think for a second I would miss the opportunity to fall asleep holding you, you are out of your damn mind Sage." I said and she giggled and got back in my bed. I changed and joined her not long after and I pulled her into my body. This was always how it was meant to be and I was so glad, it finally happened.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Jace can you grab her?" I groaned to my husband in the middle of the night. Jace and I got married three years ago, and we have a one year old daughter, Hazel, and I am currently 6 months pregnant.

"Yea. I got her." Jace said and het got out of bed. I rolled over as much as I could with my belly and tried to go back to sleep but I heard Jace speaking through the baby monitor. "What's wrong baby girl?" I heard him say and I couldn't help but smile. "Why are you so unhappy right now?" I heard him coo and than the cries got softer. "You wanna hear a song baby girl?" He asked and there was a noise that I couldn't make out. "I loved you first, I held you first, And a place in my heart will always be yours, From the first breath you breathed, When you first smiled at me I knew the love of a father runs deep…." He trailed off and I couldn't help but fall more in love with him. I dozed off until I felt the bed dip next to me. I opened my eyes and they locked with golden one.

"I love you." I said and he smiled and leaned over and kissed me.

"I love you too Sage."

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by 14bubbles, and I took the idea they requested about Clary and Sebastian being together and her miscarrying and her needing Jace! I hope you all enjoy this. I know it's been a very long wait for a new one shot, but I just had intense writers block when it came to any of the requests and I have been working on this story for a few days, and I'm so happy to finally be done, so I can give it to your guys!** **I promise I am not giving up at all. I will be writing these one shots for a very long time, but sometimes it just gets really hard to write them, especially because I am in school. Senior year of college is no joke people! Let me know what you think, and I promise I will try my best to get another one shot down soon! :)**

 **Also, the song Jace sings is "I Love Her First" by Heartland, I changed some of the lyrics from 'she' to 'you' because he was singing it to his daughter. It's a great song, if anyone is interesting in listening to it! :)**


	45. Chapter 44 - Normal Days

**Forty Fourth One Shot:**

 **Normal Days**

 **Jace POV:**

I couldn't wait to get home and see my family. I had been gone for a couple days on official Clave duty, and I absolutely hated being away from them. Leaving for long periods of time didn't happen all that often, but sometimes it was inevitable, and I hated it. I hated sleeping alone, and not being able to cuddle up with Mia and watch TV together, or train with Stephan, or help Celine with her homework. It was the little mundane tasks that I missed the most, and I never thought I'd ever say that.

I finally arrive back at the house and when I opened the door it was unnaturally quiet. I placed my bags down on the ground and made my way further into the house. When I entered the living room I saw Clary sleeping on the couch while Mia was sitting on the ground playing with blocks. I walked over and smiled.

"Pssst!" I said and Mia's head immediately snapped in my direction.

"Daddy!" She yelled and ran towards me. I bent down and scooped her into my arms.

"Hi pumpkin." I said and she gave me a kiss.

"I missed you daddy." She said and my heart melted.

"I missed you too." I said and I looked back at Clary.

"Mommy isn't feeling well." She said. Since our kids have higher percentage of Angel blood they all had abilities like Clary and I. Mia could feel what you were feeling. It was almost like she could read your mind, but less creepy. It was frightening how accurate she always was when to came to our moods, but she was too cute to mind. "She's sick. So is Celine."

"Where is Celine and Stephan?" I asked as I put her back down.

"Celine is in bed, and Stephan is training with Uncle Alec." She said as she went back to playing with her blocks. I went over and gave Clary a kiss on the forehead and her alarm started going off. She groaned and sat up and I couldn't help but smile. She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times before she registered that I was there.

"Jace." She said and I smiled. "When did you get back?" She asked as she stood up.

"About 5 minutes ago. Mia said you weren't feeling well." I said as I wrapped my arms around her. "What's wrong?"

"Celine got the flu yesterday and I think I'm coming down with it as well." She coughed and she looked absolutely dreadful, beautiful but dreadful.

"Why didn't you call?" I asked and she laughed.

"Like the Clave would have let you leave. They may have become more lenient but they are still far from nice." She said and I smiled. "I have to go pick up Stephan, and than start dinner." She said and I sat her back down on the couch.

"No. You sleep. I'll pick Stephan up, and make dinner." I said and she gave me a sleepy smile.

"You're too good to me." She said and I gave her a kiss.

"Not as good as you are to me. I'll be back soon love."

"I love you Jace." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said and soon Mia was climbing on the couch and snuggling with Clary.

"You wanna cuddle with mommy?" Clary asked and Mia nodded and buried her head into Clary's chest. I stood up and couldn't believe how incredibly lucky I was to have this family.

 **Clary POV:**

Mia and I were cuddled on the couch watching whatever was on TV. I loved moments like this. Our lives might be extremely abnormal, but it was times like this when we acted like total mundanes that I truly treasured. It was how I grew up, and with Celine and Stephan started to learn about the demon world, I enjoyed treating them like regular kids. Mia was way too little to understand what we did exactly, and I loved her innocence. She was a combination of Jace and I. She had his blonde hair, with my green eyes and curls that were just untamable. She was adorable and ever time I looked at her, I remembered how incredibly lucky I was to have this life with Jace.

"Mommy?" I heard from behind me and when I turned around Celine was wrapped in a blanket.

"Hey baby, how are you feeling?" I asked and she joined me on the couch.

"Horrible. But I was lonely." She said and I pulled her into my side.

"I'm sorry baby. I wish I could snap my fingers and make you feel better."

"Can you create a rune for that?" She said and I laughed.

"I wish. I hate when you kids are sick." I said and I kissed her forehead.

"Where is Stephan?" She asked after a moment.

"He was training with Uncle Alec but daddy went to go get him." I said and I felt her perk up.

"Dads home?" She asked and I smiled. She has always been a daddy's girl. Both my girls were. It was the cutest thing in the world.

"Yea. He got home today. He should be back soon." I said and she nodded and rested her head on my shoulder. Before I knew it I was drifting off again, and I couldn't help but feel completely content being surrounded by my girls, knowing my boys were coming home any minute.

 **Jace POV:**

I walked into the Lightwood Manor that Alec and Magnus were currently staying at. It took some convincing but Maryse and Robert eventually caved because they had kids first and would need it first. Izzy and Simon lived near by so it wasn't like he was stealing it from her. Plus, they traveled a lot, recruiting new Shadowhunters so it made sense for Alec and Magnus to get the manor.

I didn't even bother knocking because it was basically my second home. Stephan loved to spend time with his cousins, and Clary and I were over often hanging out. I went straight for the training room to find Stephan. When I got there I saw Stephan and Alec fighting. I stood in the doorway and watched as my son kicked my brothers ass.

"Stephan, what have a told other before? No using your super angel powers during training." Alec said and I laughed.

"But I'm going to be using them when I'm out there fighting demons. Might as well practice them." He said and I saw Alec roll his eyes.

"You are so much like your father it's scary." Alec said and Stephan laughed.

"I take that as a compliment. Who wouldn't want to be like the greatest Shadowhunter of all times?" He said as he took another swing at Alec.

"You Herondale's and your giant egos." Alec said and Stephan laughed. Stephan than proceeded to completely destroy Alec. He stood over him with a powerful stance and I couldn't have been more proud. "You are your fathers son." Alec said and Stephan offered Alec his hand and helped him up.

"Mom tells me that all the time. I'm not sure if she means for it to be a compliment or not." Stephan says and Alec smiles.

"It's definitely a compliment. Your father, even though can be a real pain, is the greatest man I've ever known. It's why we became parabatai. I knew there wasn't anyone else I wanted by my side in battle. And as for your mom, you know she loves your dad more than absolutely anything in this world. The fact that you are just like him, is the greatest compliment she could ever give you." Alec said and I couldn't help but smile. I knocked on the door and they both turned and looked at me.

"Way to kick his ass Stephan." I said and he smiled and I walked over to him. "It's always fun taking down Uncle Alec isn't it?"

"Totally." Stephan said and Alec rolled his eyes.

"Next time, I won't go so easy on you. Be prepared."

"I don't need to be prepared." Stephan said. "I'm a Herondale, we're naturally great." He said and I laughed.

"Come on Stephan, your mom and Celine are sick so I'm making dinner tonight." I said and he nodded. We said our goodbyes and made our way back to my car. When we got home I saw that Mia had made her way back to playing with blocks while Clary and Celine were cuddled on the couch sleeping. Two of my girls not feeling well killed me. I hated seeing them sick, and I hated even more that I couldn't do much about it. "Go shower and get changed. Dinner will be ready within the hour." I said and Stephan ran off upstairs and I started getting dinner ready. It wasn't going to be anything fancy. I was going to make chicken noddle soup for Clary and Celine, and spaghetti for the rest of us. I was in the middle of getting the spaghetti out when I felt a tap on my leg, I look down and there is Mia looking up at me with a big smile and those bright green eyes.

"Daddy?" She asks and I pick her up.

"Yes pumpkin?"

"Do you love me?" She asks and I knew she was trying to get at something bigger.

"Of course I do Mia. I love you more than anything." I said and she smiles at me.

"Can we get a puppy?" She asks and I laugh.

"Why do we need a puppy sweetheart?" I ask and she laugh.

"Cause as much as I love being with mommy all day, we need a new friend." She said and I smiled.

"We'll discuss it later." I said and she smiled and gave me a kiss. I put her down and finished getting dinner ready.

I set the table and Stephan got Mia and went over to the table and I went to wake Clary and Celine up. I bent down and started rubbing both of their legs until they started to stir awake.

"Daddy?" Celine said and I smiled.

"Hey princess, how are you feeling?" I asked and she shrugged. A moment later Clary woke up.

"Jace?" She asked in the same sleepy voice Celine had.

"Yea baby?" I said and she smiled.

"Thank you for getting Stephan and making dinner." She said and I smiled.

"Anything for you." I said and I pressed my lips to hers. "I made you two ladies chicken noddle soup. I figured it would help."

"You're the best daddy." Celine said and I helped them both off the couch. I put an arm around each of their shoulders and guided them to the kitchen. They sat down and we ate dinner and talked about our days. I was happy to be home, and I was glad that I would be home for a little while longer to soak up these moments with my family.

 **Time Jump - Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had gone to bed right after dinner along with Celine. I couldn't blame them. I would imagine being sick really drains you. Stephan, Mia and I stayed up to watch a movie and about halfway through Stephan announced that he was going to bed. Mia and I continued to watch the movie but when it ended I noticed that Mia was sound asleep on my lap. I smiled to myself, picked her up and walked to her room. I placed her down on the bed and tucked her in when she started to stir.

"I love you daddy." She said and I leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"I love you too pumpkin." I said and she smiled before falling asleep again. I made my way into my room to see Clary curled up in a ball sound asleep. I got changed and got in bed and she immediately curled up next to me. I fell asleep inhaling the sweet smell of Clary thankful that I was finally home.

I was woken up by the annoying sound of my phone ringing. I got up and looked at the clock to see that it was 2:30 in the morning. I saw that it was Alec and groaned.

"This better be important man." I said not even bothering with a hello.

"Major demon activity close by." Was all he had to say before I was out of bed getting ready.

"Be there in 5." I said before hanging up. I was almost ready when I heard Clary.

"Jace?" I heard and walked over to the bed. "What's going on?"

"Demon activity is high close by. Alec just called." I said and she nodded.

"Be safe." She says as she places her hand on my cheek.

"Always." I said as I smirked at her.

"Come back to me Jace. Come back to us." She said, and I knew she was worried.

"I will always come back to you and our kids." I said and gave her a kiss. I made my way outside to see Alec waiting for me. "Hey."

"Hey. You ready?" He asked and I nodded. We made our way to where the demon activity was and at first there seemed to be nothing, than all hell broke loose.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left I tried to fall back asleep but I couldn't stop worrying. I haven't been on a hunt in years. After Mia was born I decided to stop for awhile. I knew Jace had gotten less reckless since we got together but that didn't stop me from worrying. When he's in the middle of a fight, he is solely focused on that fight and it scares me half to death to know he might not come back to me.

I got up and went into the kitchen to make myself some tea to try and calm my nerves. I know I should be sleeping, considering I felt like shit but I just couldn't get the image of Jace being hurt out of my head. When I turned back around I saw Stephan standing there.

"Jesus Stephan, how many times do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me?" I said as I tried to catch my breath.

"I'm sorry mom." He said and I took a deep breath.

"What's wrong?"

"I heard dad leave." He said and I gave him a smile.

"And?"

"I heard what you said to him." He said and I secretly cursed his ability to hear absolutely everything. Even a soundless rune didn't work on his hearing. Even if you were your quietest, he could hear you sneaking up. "You think he'll come home?"

"Of course I do Stephan. Your dad is way to stubborn to let a demon kill him." I said and I saw him relax a little. A moment later Mia walked into the kitchen. "What are you doing awake baby?"

"You're worried." She said and I picked her up. Sometimes I wish my kids were normal Shadowhunters, and not filled with crazy talents.

"I always worry when daddy goes out on a mission." I tell her.

"Your extra worried. I can feel it." She said as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"I'll be okay kids, and so will your father." I said and I felt Mia nod and Stephan nodded as well. "Go back to sleep kids." I said as I gave them both a kiss. Stephan grabbed Mia and headed upstairs and I grabbed my cup of tea, and waited until Jace got home.

I most have nodded off because the next thing I know there is shouting coming at me. I look up and see Alec holding a limp Jace and my heart nearly breaks.

"What happened?" I ask as we lay Jace on the couch.

"Too many demons. They multiplied when we killed them. It took nearly two hours before we could control the situation."

"What happened to him?" I ask gesturing towards Jace.

"One was hiding in the shadows. Jace didn't even have time to react before he was hit. I got him back here as fast as I could." Alec said.

"Have you tried to heal him?"

"Yea. Nothing is working. I even called Magnus when I realized it wasn't helping. He couldn't do anything." Alec said and I started to panic. I couldn't get a hold of my breathing until I heard it behind me.

"Mom?" I turned around to see Celine.

"Baby, you shouldn't be here." I said and she walked closer.

"What's wrong with daddy?" Celine said.

"It's complicated."

"He's not moving." Celine said. "Do something." She started crying.

"Baby, we've tried everything." I said and she moved even closer.

"Not everything." She said and she bent down next to Jace. She placed her hand on his, closed her eyes, and suddenly, I saw gold leaving her fingers and entering his body. The gold started running through his veins and his breathing evened out and his cuts began to heal. When Celine opened her eyes she looked drained. I lifted her up and put her on the chair and Jace started to wake up.

"What happened?" He asked and I was too pissed to sensor my language around Celine.

"You almost died asshole. You told me you would be careful. You told me you'd come back to me."

"Baby." He started but I cut him off.

"Don't baby me. I almost lost you Jace. No one could heal you. Do you know how serious that is? Do you know how broken I would be without you?" I was crying at this point. I don't know what was with me lately. I was constantly moody, and throwing up and hungry...oh shit. I'm late. I was supposed to get my period two weeks ago.

"Clary?" I heard my name and I looked around and realized I had spaced out for a moment.

"What?" I said.

"You were yelling at me, and than you stopped." Jace said with a laugh.

"Sorry."

"You okay?"

"Yea."

"Clary." He said, clearly knowing I was lying.

"We'll talk later. You need to heal." I said and he nodded.

"How did you heal me?" He asked.

"Don't ask me. Ask Celine." I said and Jace's eyes wondered over to Celine.

"You healed me?" He asked and she nodded. "But how?"

"I just grabbed your hand and concentrated on you." She said.

"At least we know what the extra angel blood did to you." Jace said and Celine smiled.

"Alright baby, back to bed." I said and Celine and Jace both groaned.

"Oh, you were talking to her?" Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Thanks for getting him home Alec." I said as I faced Alec.

"Of course Clary. I'll see you guys later." He said as he exited the house.

"Come on Celine. You're sick back to bed." I said and she nodded and made her way back upstairs. I turned to face Jace and he looked so much better.

"You should be in bed too. You're also sick." He said and I smiled.

"I don't think I am." I said and he looked confused.

"But you've been sleeping a lot, and throwing up."

"Yea, and I've also been extremely hungry, and moody, and I've put some weight on, and I'm two weeks late." I said and his eyes widened.

"You think you're pregnant?"

"I think so. It's the only valid reason. I mean, I don't have the shakes, or a fever, or the sweats like Celine does. I feel like shit, but I'm not physically sick." I said and he nodded.

"We'll go to Magnus tomorrow and have him take a look at you." Jace said and I nodded. He got up and walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me. "I'm sorry I scared you." He said as he placed a kiss on my forehead.

"I can't lose you Jace. I don't think I'd be able to handle that." I said and he pulled me tighter.

"You'll never lose me Clary. I don't care what happens. I'll always come home." He said and I pulled back and looked into those golden eyes. "I love you Clary, and I would never leave you."

"I love you too Jace." I said and he gave me one more kiss before we headed upstairs. I hated how dangerous our lives were, but I was glad that Jace did always make it home no matter what.

 **Time Jump - Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Well, turns out my suspicions were correct and now I'm almost 5 months pregnant. It was weird to be pregnant again, but that didn't mean I regretted it. Jace and I loved having Stephan, Celine, and Mia. They were the best three things to ever happen to us, and adding another one would just add more love to our already loving family, but that didn't make it any less of a surprise. The kids were excited to be getting another sibling. Especially Stephan because he was finally getting a brother, and Mia was excited because she was finally getting a friend. The dog she asked Jace for was put on hold for the time being which Mia was completely okay with because of her brother coming. The fact that they took the news so well really made it a lot easier on me. I had a check up with Magnus today, and I was super nervous, I had no idea why, but I was. I heard a knock on the door and when I opened it, Magnus was standing there.

"Hello biscuit. How are you feeling?" He asked as we made our way into the living room.

"I'm okay. Tired, but what else is new?" I said and he nodded. "How is he doing?" I asked.

"He's healthy." Magnus said and I sighed. "Were you worried?"

"He hasn't been as active lately, and I got scared." I said and he nodded.

"His heartbeat is strong, he is growing at the normal rate. Everything with him is healthy." Magnus said and I nodded.

"Is Stephan at your house?" I asked and Magnus laughed.

"You don't know where your own child is?" He asked and I smiled.

"Him and Jace left pretty early this morning, and they didn't tell me where they were going." I said and he smiled.

"Yes. They have been training all day." He said and I was about to say something when he kept going. "I tell you, those three never stop training."

"Well, that's all Jace was really raised to do, I mean, Valentine wanted a soldier, and he trained Jace to be a soldier, and Alec grew up wanting to be the perfect warrior. Training is really their security blanket. Especially since they have kids now."

"I know, Alec is so protective of Max. It's heart warming really." Magnus said and I smiled.

"Stephan and Max both want to be exactly like Alec and Jace. I wouldn't be surprised if they want to become parabatai."

"I overheard them talking about it yesterday." Magnus said.

"Really?" I said excitedly.

"Yea. Those two are inseparable as it is, and I know they would do anything for each other." Magnus said and I smiled.

"There really isn't anything like that bond." I said and Magnus nodded along. There was a loud crash that came from upstairs and Magnus and I both looked at each other. "Can you go check on Mia?"

"Of course biscuit." He said and he went upstairs. I sat on the couch and rubbed my belly waiting for him to come back. Ten minutes later he was back with Mia in his arms. Her eyes were red and puffy. Magnus put her down on my lap and she sniffled.

"What happened baby?" I asked.

"I was running and I ran into the table, and the vase fell and broke." She got out between little sobs.

"It's okay Mia, its just a vase. Are you hurt?" I asked and she shook her head. "That's all that matters." I said and she nodded and I gave her a kiss.

"When is daddy getting home?" Mia asked and I couldn't help but smile, she was a daddy's girl, and I couldn't really blame her.

"He'll be home soon. Uncle Magnus is going to go home and kick them out." I said and I heard Magnus laugh.

"Thanks Uncle Magus." Mia said and Magnus walked over and kissed her forehead and than kissed mine.

"They'll be home in 10 minutes." Magnus said and I nodded before he left. Mia and I cuddled on the couch when we heard the door open, Mia jumped off my lap and ran towards Jace and a minute later him and Stephan walked into the room.

"Stephan, can you go into the hallway upstairs and clean up the mess in there?" I asked.

"Of course mom." He said and walked towards the broken vase. Jace took a seat next to me with Mia curled up on his chest.

"What happened in the hallway?" Jace asked.

"Mia ran into the table and a vase broke." I said and Jace picked Mia up and looked her over.

"Are you hurt pumpkin?" He asked and I couldn't stop smiling.

"No daddy." She replied and he kissed her and put her back into the position she was in.

"Good." Jace said and than he looked at me. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright. Magnus said everything was progressing just fine." I said and Jace out a hand on my belly. I was excited to have this little one, and I couldn't wait to not be pregnant anymore.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Clary POV:**

"Come on biscuit, one more big push and you'll be holding your sweet baby boy." I heard Magnus said and I didn't want to push anymore, it hurt.

"I don't want too. It hurts." I said while I sobbed. This labor hurt way more than the other three, and I had no idea why. "Jace, put another rune on me. I'm dying here." I said and I felt the stele burn into my skin. Once he was finished drawing the rune the pain started to lesson.

"Alright biscuit, lets go." Magnus said and I pushed as hard as I could. Soon enough I heard cries fill the air and I was thrilled. Magnus cleaned him off and handed him to me and I just fell in love.

"Welcome to the shadow world Mason." I said and he sneezed. Jace sat down next to me and gave me a kiss. "I am so glad I made that rune for labor. I have probably helped a lot of pregnant shadowhunters." I said and Jace laughed.

"I'll go get the kids." Jace said and I nodded and he left. A few minutes later Stephan, Celine, and Mia were all in my room and on the bed looking at their brother.

"What's his name?" Celine asked.

"Mason." I said and she smiled.

"That kinda matches mine!" Mia said and I laughed.

"Close, but not your actual name." Stephan said and Mia looked confused.

"Mia is my real name." She said and I realized that she didn't know her actual name wasn't Mia.

"No it isn't baby." I said and she looked at me confused now. "Mia is just your nickname."

"Than what's my real name?" She asked.

"Amelia." Jace said and she scrunched her nose.

"I like Mia better." She said and we all laughed.

"That's exactly why we call you Mia." I said and she smiled at me. She leaned over and gave Mason a kiss and it just warmed my heart. I looked up at Jace and he smiled at me and I knew that life may never be normal, but it would always be amazing.

 **Time Jump – Parabatai Ceremony**

 **Jace POV:**

Stephan and Max became parabatai today and I couldn't be more proud of the two of them. To make that commitment to someone is insanely tough to make, but can also be the best thing that ever happens.

I was sitting in the church as our family mingled with people from the institute and the Clave. Mia was dragging Celine everywhere and Mason was in Maryse's arms, and Clary was talking to Izzy and Simon. I looked around and couldn't be more proud of my family. Alec sat next to me and I looked at him and smiled.

"Takes me back to he day we became parabatai." I said and he smiled.

"One of the best decisions I have ever made." Alec said and I nodded.

"Me too. Don't know what I'd do without you buddy." I said.

"I just can't believe our sons are now parabatai." He said and I laughed.

"Those two have been inseparable since they could walk. I think they might actually get in more trouble than us." I said and that made Alec laugh.

"That might be impossible. We were mischievous back in the day." Alec said.

"Yes, but Max and Stephan are basically our clones. Plus with how quiet Stephan can be, who knows how many times he'll be able to sneak by me." I said.

"Is Jace Herondale admitting that his son might be more powerful than him?" Alec said in a fake surprised voice.

"Not at all. I can still knock him on his ass, but he has an advantage." I explained.

"I wonder what Mason's powers will be." Alec said and I just hung my head.

"I don't even want to think about that right now. For all I know he'll have the weirdest power of them all." I said and than my eyes locked with Clary's. She smiled and made her way over to Alec and I.

"What are you two talking about?" Clary asked and I pulled her onto my lap.

"Just reminiscing about our parabatai ceremony." I said and she nodded.

"Simon and I were just doing the same thing." Clary said and I smiled. "Our baby is all grown up. Soon you'll be taking him out on missions and than I'll have to worry twice as much."

"You know I'd never let anything happen to him Clary." I said and she nodded.

"I know, but that puts you at double the risk." She said and I smiled.

"I survived the war with Valentine while protecting you and your mundane friend. I think protecting my son will be a little less chaotic." I said and she smacked my arm. "I'm not complaining. You know I'd protect you with my life."

"I know." She said and she kissed me. At that moment Stephan and Max made their way over to us. Clary pulled him into a hug and he groaned which made me laugh.

"I'm proud of you Stephan." I said and he smiled.

"Thanks dad." He said and I gave him a high five. "When can I start coming on missions?"

"You're only 14 Stephan. You have some time."

"But I'm ready." He said and I sighed. He was so eager, and I couldn't blame him. I was that way too.

"I'll tell you what. The next mission, that isn't extremely dangerous, I'll take you with us."

"Thanks dad!" He said and hugged me. "You hear that Max, I get to go hunting!"

"Can I come too dad?" Max asked Alec and Alec shot me a glare.

"We'll talk to your father about it." He said and Max accepted that. They ran off to go talk to their friends and Alec glared at me again. "Thanks a lot."

"What? They are eager young shadowhunters, you can't blame them for wanting to go out on a hunt." I said and he sighed.

"I know, but I just want him to stop growing." He said and Clary put her hand on his shoulder.

"It doesn't get any easier." She said and we all laughed. I wrapped my arms around Clary and kissed her shoulder. Life might not be normal, but hey it was never boring.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Wow, two in the last couple days, I'm so proud of myself! This one shot was requested by someone that I can't remember. They asked for Clary and Jace interacting with their kids on a normal day, but I just couldn't help but make them Shadowhunters, and I hope who ever requested this doesn't mind! I have been working on this story for a while now and I finally came to a point where I was happy with the way it ended. Let me know what you think! :)**


	46. Chapter 45 - Marrying A Stranger

**Forty Fifth Story:**

 **Marrying A Stranger**

 **Jace POV:**

Finding love was never really easy for me. Sure getting a girlfriend was easy, but I've never had that connection with someone. I never really had a relationship last more than a few months, and than I would cut them loose. It's not that I didn't like them, they just liked my money so much more than they liked me. You see, being the founder of a pretty large company does come with some perks. I'm my own boss, I make a lot of money to support myself, and I get the satisfaction of knowing that I build something from the ground up and I get to watch it thrive. Now at 33 I want something more. I want to come home to a woman who I love, and who loves me and I want to start a family. Ever since I knew what happened to my parents having kids was something that meant a lot to me, and I don't want to do that with just anyone.

When this experiment presented itself to me I was a little skeptical. I mean, being matched with someone based on 4 people who don't really know me, but are trying to find me love was scary, but what did I have to lose? I wasn't getting any younger, and clearly I wasn't doing anything right, so I signed up and I had my first meeting with the experts today and I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty nervous. I got to the building and was seated in a room immediately and I was just waiting for them to come in. my palms started to sweat and I was getting pretty hot and once the door opened my heart started racing.

"Jonathan Herondale?" The older woman said and I stood up.

"Please, call me Jace." I said and I shook all their hands.

"So Jace, today is just simply us getting to know what you want in a partner." The man said and I nodded. "First, I want you to know that this is going to end in a marriage." My eyes widened. They had failed to mention that part.

"I have to get married?" I asked and they all nodded.

"We know it seems insane, and hell it probably is, but it's a chance, and if you're willing to take that chance we promise to match you with the best possible candidate to be your wife." The one woman said and I couldn't believe it. I was going to get married. I was going to have a _wife_ by the end of the month.

"You know, I agreed to this because dating my way isn't working, and if you are so confident in picking my future wife, than I trust you to make that decision."

"Wonderful." The woman said and than looked at me. "So Jace, what do you want in a future wife?"

"I want someone who is independent, who can make me laugh, and forget about the stress of my job when we're together." I said and they started taking notes. "Someone smart, I want to be able to hold a decent conversation with her, and not feeling like my brain cells are dying every time she opens her mouth. I'm not going to lie, I can pretty full of myself sometimes, and I can be really sarcastic in some of the most inappropriate times, but I want someone who will love that part about me but also know when to put me in my place. I am who I am, and I don't want to fully give up who I am for someone, but I know that a relationship is going to take some compromise."

"How do you feel about having a family one day?" The man asked.

"I can't be with someone who doesn't want a family. I have dreamed about having a family of my own since I was 24 years old. It's very important to me. I was a foster kid, and I didn't get placed with a good family until I was almost 16, and up until that day I didn't really know what it meant to have a good support system, and I will forever be indebted to the family that took me in, and for that reason I want to have children and raise them, and make sure they feel loved and wanted."

"What happened to your parents?" The older woman asked.

"My father bailed when he found out my mom was pregnant, and when I was 2 my mom couldn't support both of us and decided to give me up. She left me in front of a fire station."

"I am so sorry." The man said.

"Family means everything to me because I know what it feels like to not be wanted. I was almost adopted multiple times but I didn't have the best attitude and it turned a lot of families off from adopting me."

"Thank you so much for coming in today Jace, we will call you when we have everything set up, in the mean time, go to this website and fill out a few more questions about what you want in a spouse." I nodded, shook all their hands and headed out of the building. I was meeting up with Alec, and Izzy for lunch to tell them about what I was getting ready to do. I didn't know how they would react, but I was hoping they would be supportive.

When I got to the restaurant I saw Alec and Izzy already sitting and waiting. They had already gotten me a drink and when I walked in I gave them both hugs and we sat down. After a few moments Izzy finally spoke.

"So, what did you want to meet us about Jace?" She asked and my palms started sweating again.

"So, a few weeks ago I heard about this experiment when a group of experts match you with a person."

"So, a dating experiment?" Alec asked.

"Kinda. I just found out today that it's a little more than just a date." I said and Alec and Izzy both looked confused. "I'm getting married."

"Married?!" They both yelled at the same time.

"Yea. I am getting married to a total stranger."

"You don't know anything about this girl?" Izzy asked.

"Nothing. I will meet her at the alter." I said.

"Jace, that's insane." Alec said.

"I know, but dating hasn't exactly worked out for me lately, they all want me for my money, and I just can't keep dating these money hungry woman. I want someone who wants me for me, and someone who I'm compatible with and these experts are really going to find someone who is a match for me." I explained and they still looked skeptical. "I need you guys to support me. You are the only family I have and it would mean the world to me if you supported my decision."

"I support you fully Jace, but she needs my stamp of approval." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Thank you Iz. Means a lot to me." I said and I looked at Alec. "Alec?" I asked.

"I'll support you Jace, and I really hope this works out." He said and I smiled. Having both of their support honestly meant to the world to me, and I couldn't be more thankful for that. By the end of the month I would be married, and it was the strangest thing I have ever imagined.

 **Clary POV:**

Living on a farm was never very appealing to me. It was the only life I knew and I was determined from a very young age to get out of this farm world and into the real one. Especially after my father remarried to the worst woman I've ever met. My mom died when I was 17, and two years later my father met a woman and decided that it was time to move on, and they got hitched. She absolutely hates me, and the feelings were mutual.

When I went to college I absolutely fell in love with the city, and found every way to stay there longer than I probably should have. I always loved learning, so being in school up until I was 28 wasn't really that much of a problem for me. After I graduated I had to come back to the farm because my father was getting older and it was too much for him to run both sides of the farm. I took over the administrative part and I've been doing that ever since.

When I heard about this experiment I was really excited. Dating wasn't a priority for me in the past but I'm 32, and I want to have my own family, and my own life, and I want to experience everything with someone. I haven't had a real relationship in about a year and a half and I was ready to just take the plunge and try a new method. I was meeting with the experts today and I was pretty nervous. They were based out of New York City so we were meeting in the middle at a cute little restaurant. The back room was reserved so that we could talk privately and I was eagerly waiting to talk to them. When four people walked in my heart immediately started to race.

"Clarissa Morgenstern?" The man asked and I smiled.

"Please, call me Clary." I said and they all nodded. I shook all their hands before sitting back down.

"So Clary, today is going to be all about getting to know what you want in a partner, but there is a part of this experiment that we left out." The older woman said.

"Which is?" I asked.

"This experiment will end in marriage." She said and my jaw dropped.

"Marriage?" I asked and they nodded.

"This may sound insane to you, but it also might be just insane enough to work. We will do everything in our power to find the perfect match for you and if you are crazy enough to take this journey with us, we promise to do everything to make your marriage work." The woman said and I started thinking about it, what more could I lose?

"You know what, dating is getting me nowhere, so maybe a marriage is what I need to get over all the trials and tribulations and to finally make me happy." I said and they all smiled.

"So Clary, what do you want in a future husband?" The man asked.

"I want someone who is confident. Someone who knows what he wants, and isn't afraid to go out and get it. I want someone who is a gentleman but also isn't completely and totally wrapped around my finger." I said and laughed. "I know that's what most girls want in a guy, but I want someone who will completely sweep me off my feet but also know when I'm being unreasonable. I'm a farm girl. I grew up on the farm, and that's the only life I've ever known, but I know when to put my foot down when someone is completely out of line and I want someone to do that for me too." I said and they all nodded and started taking notes. "I don't want someone who is willing to completely change for me, I know that relationships require compromise but I want my husband to be comfortable being exactly who he is around me because I want someone genuine and true to ones self."

"How do you feel about having a family?" The older woman asked.

"Having a family is very important to me. I don't think I could be with a man who didn't want to have kids." I said and they nodded once more. "My mom died when I was 17, and a couple years later my father remarried to an awful woman, and it completely changed him. I went off to school and stayed there as long as I could."

"You just didn't want to graduate or…?" The man asked.

"Oh no. I got my Ph.D. in Art History, and once I graduated I had to go back to the farm because my father needed help and his wife was pretty useless. I've been running the administrative side of the farm for about 4 years now."

"Wow. A Ph.D. That's pretty impressive." The older woman said.

"I love learning. Education is really important to me. I couldn't imagine being an uneducated woman in this society, and I got a lot of shit for being a nerd in high school, but there is nothing more attractive to me than having a deep, meaningful, and intellectual conversation."

"That's really good to know. Thank you for meeting us today Clary, here is a website that you need to go to just to answer some more questions and we'll be in touch." The man said and I nodded, shook all their hands and left the restaurant. I got into my car and immediately called Simon. He moved to Rhode Island after college for some fancy job but I needed his support because I know my father and stepmother won't approve. The phone rang for a couple times before he answered.

"What's up Clare?" He said and I smiled.

"I have to tell you something." I said.

"Okay, what's going on?" He asked.

"So, a couple weeks ago I heard about this experiment to find love, I figured I haven't been so lucky in the past and I might as well try it out."

"Why not just try online dating?" He asked and I laughed.

"Tried, and failed. I just needed something different, and this was different. You meet with a group of experts and they match you with the best candidate." I said.

"So after that it's all on the two of you to date and see where it goes?" He asked.

"No exactly. The experiment starts off with marriage."

"Marriage?!" He shouted. "You can't be serious Clary."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"You get divorced." He said.

"I trust these experts with finding me a perfect match. I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but it's worth a try. I need to get away Simon. My life has hit a standstill and if I have to hear one more time from my oh so wonderful stepmother that I'm useless and never going to find love, I might stab her with a pitchfork."

"Clary."

"Simon, I need you to be by my side. I need you there, and I need your support."

"You know I will always support you Clare." He said and I smiled.

"Thank you Simon. It means a lot to me." We hung up and I continued on my way home. Explaining this to my father wasn't going to be fun, but this is what I wanted to do, and I don't need his permission anymore, I am a grown woman and I'll do what I want.

 **Experts POV:**

It as been about a week since we met with all the possible candidates and today we were all meeting to pair them together. We had all the necessary information and were confident in the people that we had to choose from. We had all their pictures up on a board and were just staring.

"Alright, I'm going to start off." Dr. Green said. "I personally think that Camille and Raphael would work. The both aren't really into having a family, and they are focused on their careers, and they answered the questions relatively the same, but also differently. I think they would compliment each other nicely."

"I think you're right. When comparing their answers and looking at how they would interact, and just being in a room with them they both have the same energy. I mean, they both put in their answers that they get their best work done at night. Seems like they could be a match made in heaven." We put them together and finally had one couple out of the way, only two more to go.

"I like the pairing of Emma and Julian. I don't think they are really that compatible but I think they would really bring out the best in each other." Dr. Haring said.

"They have pretty different interests." Dr. Poole said.

"Yes, but they also answered the questions pretty similarly. They both want a family but aren't in any rush to have one. They both love the out doors. Both dog lovers. Having a close relationship with their families is important. Their differences aren't too different to make the marriage fail, but give them enough to make the relationship interesting." The experts all nodded and put their files together. They were all staring at the boards trying to figure out the next right pairing. It was harder than it looked. They were arranging marriages, and they didn't want them to fail. They wanted these to work, and as much thought and optimism they put into the picking, it was ultimately up to the couples to make it through the storm and they weren't taking their part lightly.

"Alright, I think Jonathan and Clarissa would really fit well together." Dr. Fitzgerald said. "Clarissa is independent, just like Jonathan said, she's smart, she's sweet. Having a family is important to her, and she's everything he described in a woman."

"And Jonathan has everything Clarissa asked for. He's confident, he's successful, he wants a family, he's a gentleman, and Clarissa isn't asking for him to change. I think that they would get along. It might be a rough and interesting road, but I think that they both could be what each other needs."

"I agree." Dr. Green said. "I think that they would be a good fit." The put their files aside and all smiled.

"We have found our first three couples. Now, lets go inform them." All the experts nodded and started making phone calls. These couples would be getting married at the end of this month and enduring 8 weeks of marriage before they have to decided if they want to continue the marriage or file for divorce and as the experts we feel rather confident in our pairings, and hopefully they work out.

 **Time Jump – End Of The Month**

 **Jace POV:**

When I got the call about them finding me a match I was in complete shock. I didn't doubt them, but it was still a really strange concept, and the fact that they found someone who they believe will be a good wife for me was pretty insane. When I told Alec and Izzy about it they wee surprised as well. Izzy started to try and picture what kind of girl I was going to marry and her brain was in overdrive. I mean, I could literally be marrying anyone, and I'd have to stick it out for the 8 weeks we had to stay married.

It took some convincing to get the whole Lightwood family to come, and in the end they all decided to be there and support me and that meant a lot to me. A couple of my friends came to support me as well. When I walked out, I saw that the ceremony was pretty small, and that was nice. Her side wasn't that crowded and it got me very curious about where her family was, or if she had any. I took a deep breath and the back doors opened and in walked a freaking angel. Her pale skin was almost as white as her dress, but the vibrancy of her red hair made a striking visual. I heard a couple of my buddies whistle which caused her to laugh. I didn't even realize that I was holding my breath. She was smiling the whole way over to me and when she was right in front of me our eyes locked and they were the most mesmerizing shade of green I have ever seen.

"Jonathan, meet Clarissa." The woman in front of us said.

"Jace." I corrected her at the same time Clarissa said "Clary."

"Sorry, Jace meet Clary." She corrected and we looked at each other.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Jace." She said and I smiled.

"You as well Clary." I said and everyone let out a little laugh.

"I know that this is in no way traditional. Jace and Clary have just met each other, and for the next 8 weeks endure the life of a married couple. This is a legally binding marriage, and the only way out is divorce." The woman said. I kinda blocked out the rest of what she said, I was so captivated by Clary that nothing else seemed to matter. "Now, normally this is where I say you may now kiss the bride, but you can decide if that's what you want to do or not." She said and I looked at Clary and she smiled.

"Why the hell not." She said and I laughed and she got on her tippy toes and I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. The short kiss was something that I've never felt before. When we pulled apart I heard the people in the background clapping and I grabbed Clary's hand and we headed out of the ceremony.

When we got outside we both took a deep breath. We looked at each other and smiled. We took a seat in the chairs that were conveniently placed outside the room.

"That was insane." I said and she laughed.

"I know. We're married. Like you're my husband." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"And you're my wife." I said and she smiled.

"I know we were kinda introduced in there, but I'm Clary. It's really nice to meet you." She said and I couldn't get over how incredibly adorable she was.

"I'm Jace. It's nice to meet you too." I said and she smiled. After a few moments of silence she spoke again.

"You would think I told the experts that I wanted the tallest guy in the world in the requirements." She said and I laughed.

"I'm not that tall." I said and she smiled.

"Way taller than me, but I didn't luck out in the height department. I'm just glad I'm not a legal midget." She said.

"I feel like we should get some basics out of the way." I said and she nodded. "What do you do for a living?"

"Currently I work on my fathers farm. I run the business side of things." She said and I nodded.

"How long have you been doing that?" I asked.

"About 4 years. I started after I finished school." She said and I looked at her.

"How old are you exactly?" I asked. I hope I wasn't like a decade older than her.

"I'm 32." She said and now I was confused.

"So you finished school at 28?" I asked and she nodded. "Did you not know what you wanted to do? Or were you just not that great at school?" I asked hoping that the experts didn't match me with another dud.

"I was actually getting my Ph.D." She said and my eyes widened.

"Wow. So you're a doctor?" I asked and she blushed.

"I don't like being thought of as a doctor. That's always been strange to me. I am just a nerd who loves to learn." She said and I smiled.

"So, what's your Ph.D. in?" I asked.

"Art History." She said and I nodded.

"What do you want to do with that?" I asked.

"In the last few years I actually have been considering becoming a professor. I'd love to teach art and show students how impactful that it can be."

"What stopped you from applying?" I asked.

"My father needed my help and my stepmother is completely useless on the farm. Since I grew up on a farm I knew what to do, and I've always been on the business side so he needed my help."

"I noticed that it didn't look like they were in the crowd today." I said and she nodded.

"They didn't approve of my decision to participate in this experiment." She said and I nodded. "But my stepmother doesn't like me so I doubt she would have attended a regular wedding for me."

"And your mom?" I asked.

"She died when I was 17."

"I'm so sorry." I said and she smiled.

"It's okay. It was a long time ago." She said and we were silent. "What about you? Were those who were sitting in the front your parents?"

"They were my adoptive parents." I said and she looked at me.

"If it isn't too soon, what happened to your real parents?" She asked.

"Dad bailed when my mom got pregnant. When I was 2 my mom realized she couldn't afford me and I was put in the system."

"That sounds terrible." She said and I smiled.

"It was a long time ago." I said and she nodded.

"So, what do you do for a living?" She asked and I smiled.

"I am in the business world." I said and she nodded.

"Do you like that world?" She asked.

"I do. I built my company from the ground up, and I'd do it all over again if I had the chance."

"What's your company's name?" She asked and it was now or never.

"Herondale & CO." I said and she nodded.

"Sounds fancy." She said as she smiled.

"You've never heard of me?" I asked and she shook her head.

"I live on a farm, and we don't have TV or anything. I'm pretty sheltered from the business world or anything like that."

"That's a relief." I said and she looked confused. "I decided to do this experiment because it was hard to find a woman who wanted to be with me because of who I am, and not how much money I make."

"That makes sense. That would really suck." She said and I nodded.

"What about you? Why did you do this experiment?"

"I never really took time to focus on relationships before. I mean, I spent the majority of my life in school, and the way I was dating just wasn't working so I thought this was new and different, so why not." She said and I nodded.

"Well, I think we should go meet the rest of our friends and family and start our reception." I said as I stood and reached my hand out. She took it and we made our way to the hall. This was definitely going to be interesting, but I liked what I knew about Clary so far.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The reception wasn't that bad. The food was pretty good and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Some boy came up and asked Clary to dance and she happily accepted and I was sitting watching them. Izzy came up and sat down next to me and smiled.

"She's a lot different than I pictured." She said and I laughed.

"Same. I didn't expect her to be so beautiful." I said and Izzy smiled.

"You know, I was skeptical of this before but I think this could actually work out." She said and I laughed.

"Yea, we went over some pretty basic things before the reception and I like what I know so far." I said as I kept my eyes on the boy Clary was dancing with.

"If your wondering who she's dancing with, that's her best friend since they were kids. His name is Simon." Izzy said and I looked at her.

"How do you know that?" I asked and she laughed.

"After you two left he came up to me and asked if I knew you, and we started talking. He was the only one who came who she considers her family. Apparently her parents weren't very supportive."

"Yea, we talked about that. I'm glad she has him." I said and I looked back at Clary. She looked really happy, and I just hope that I can make her as happy as she looks right now. When the song ended her friend gave her a kiss on the cheek and than she made her way back over to me. She sat down and smiled and I smiled back. I knew this was going to be an interesting marriage but I was excited to see where it went.

 **Time Jump – Honeymoon**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I were preparing to go on our honeymoon and we had no idea where we were going. The only clue was to pack for warmth and we'd find out when we got to the airport. I was nervous but Jace and I seemed to get along really well, and this honeymoon was only going to help us get to know each other that much better.

I finished packing and was heading towards the door of Jace's apartment. A day after our wedding I packed everything up and moved my stuff into his place because we had to move in with him after the honeymoon was over.

"Jace, we have to leave now, or we'll be late!" I yelled and than laughed because we already sounded like a married couple. I heard footsteps followed my wheels and than Jace appeared.

"I'm ready." He said and we made our way out to the cab waiting for us. The ride to the airport wasn't bad. We were both pretty quiet but neither of us seemed to mind. When we got to the airport we grabbed our suitcase and he grabbed my hand. I wasn't expecting it, but I just figured it was because he didn't want to lose me. We got up to the counter and Jace smiled and I saw the woman behind the desk start to swoon. "Hi, tickets should be under Herondale." He said and she nodded and started getting the tickets.

"Here you go Mr. Herondale." Jace smiled and grabbed the tickets and gave them to me. We started walking while he took my bag and I looked at the tickets.

"No way!" I said and he turned around.

"What?" He asked.

"We're going to Fiji!" I said and he smiled.

"Really?" He asked and I nodded. "That's pretty sweet. I've never been."

"Me either." I said and we made our way to the gate. He put our stuff down and I smiled. "Would you like some coffee? I think I might die without caffeine."

"Sure. Two creams and three sugars." He said and I nodded and made my way to the nearest coffee stand. I grabbed out coffee and headed abck to where Jace was sitting only to see three woman standing in front of him. One was twirling her hair, and the other two were giggling and I rolled my eyes. I mean, I knew he was completely gorgeous, but couldn't they see the ring?

I made my way over to him and handed him the coffee. He smiled and me and took a sip. He completely ignored the fact that the three girls were still standing there and he gave me a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you." He said and I smiled back at him.

"No problem." I said and he went to open his mouth to say something when one of the girls started speaking.

"Who is this? Your sister?" She asked in a typical valley girl voice and I laughed.

"No, this is my wife." Jace said and their eyes widened. "We just got married, and we're getting ready to go on our honeymoon."

"Oh…. Uh…." The one girl started speaking but her friend grabbed her arm and pulled her away from us. When they were gone I couldn't stop the laugh that left my mouth.

"I'm sorry about that. They just came over and started talking to me." He said and I smiled.

"It's okay. Having a hot husband is destined to attract the women of the masses." I said and he smirked.

"Clary, did you just admit that I was hot?" He said and immediately my cheeks lit up like a fire truck.

"I mean, you own a mirror, you know how attractive you are." I said and he laughed.

"That I do." He said and I slapped his shoulder. Before I knew it our plane was boarding. We got into our seats and waited for the rest of the plane to load. I was seated by the window, and this was my first time on a plane so I was a little nervous and I guess Jace picked up on that. "Are you okay?"

"This is my first time on a plane." I admitted and he grabbed my hand.

"The worst part of flying is the take off and the landing. The rest of the ride is pretty smooth, unless we hit turbulence, but if that happens, my hand is always available for you to hold." He said and I smiled.

"Thank you." I said and than a busty blonde sat next to Jace on the other side. She smiled a flirtatious smile at him and I rolled my eyes again. "How long is this flight again?" I asked after a minute.

"About 16 hours." He said and my eyes widened.

"Are you serious?" I asked and he smiled and nodded. "Well damn."

"Don't worry, we can get to know each other more and than when we get there it'll be like a normal honeymoon." He said and I smiled and the plane started moving and I involuntarily gripped Jace's hand tighter. "You'll be okay." I nodded and closed the window of the plane.

When the plane took off and we were horizontal again I started to calm down. I loosened my grip on Jace and pulled out my sketchbook. I pulled out my pencils and started sketching the view from out of my window. I was so lost in thought and the view that I hadn't realized that I was completely done my sketch. When I looked back at it I signed and dated it and set it down on the tray in front of me.

"That's amazing Clary." Jace said and I looked at him.

"You think?" I asked and he nodded. I ripped the paper out of my book and handed it to him. "Consider this a late wedding present from your new wife." I said and I saw the woman sitting next to him give me a shocked look but she quickly looked away and I smiled to myself, it was the little victories that counted.

"It's beautiful, and I will treasure it forever." He said and I have never liked giving my artwork to someone else as much as I loved giving that picture to Jace. The flight attendant came around and asked if we wanted something to drink and Jace and I both got coffee again.

"If you couldn't tell, I'm kinda addicted to coffee." I said and he laughed.

"Duly noted. I'll make sure our house is stocked with all kinda of coffee." He said and I swear that statement could have made me fall in love with him.

"You are an angel." I said and he smiled.

"So, how about we talk about our childhoods first, and than go from there." He said and I nodded. "I'll start, I didn't have the best childhood considering it was spent in foster care, but when I was taken in by the Lightwood's I turned everything around because I wanted to be something in the world."

"I understand that. I can't even imagine what foster care was like, but you seem to have made a good life for yourself, and that's amazing." I said and he smiled. "I was your typical book worm. I loved learning. I was the nerd of the school. Didn't have many friends. Simon was all I ever had, and truly all I ever needed. I worked on the farm who whole life, and than when my mom died I was pretty lonely. My dad met this awful woman, and she hated me from the moment she met me. I got a scholarship for art from NYU and the moment I could I left."

"That's horrible."

"She really changed him. I had to pay my own way through school. I worked three jobs, and barely slept the four years I was there because there just wasn't enough hours in the day to get everything done."

"I lucked out when it came to college. I got accepted into Columbia and the Lightwood's offered to pay for everything." He said and I smiled.

"That's fantastic." I said and he smiled.

"Yea, I paid them back in full though once my company started doing really well. They didn't have to pay for my education, and they did without even blinking an eye, and it was the least I could do you know?" He said and I nodded.

"That was very nice of you." I said and he smiled.

"I have my moments." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. The plane that we were on came with TV's fully stocked with movies so Jace and I picked one we both hadn't seen and started watching it. So far Jace and I had been getting along really well, and I was excited to get to know him even more.

 **Time Jump – Fifteen Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We were getting ready to land and Clary was asleep on my shoulder. She had fallen asleep about two hours ago, and I didn't mind one bit when she decided to use me as a human pillow. Getting to know things about Clary was great. She seemed like a really down to earth person, but also very interesting at the same time, and I was excited to get to know her more on this trip.

I didn't want to do it but the flight attendant came around told us we would be landing soon so I had to wake Clary up. I started off my rubbing her arm which only made her smile in her sleep which was really cute. I leaned closer and decided to start whispering into her ear and see if that did the trick.

"Clary, we're about to land. You have to wake up." I said and she groaned.

"Five more minutes." She mumbled and I couldn't help but laugh. She sounded like a high schooler which was pretty cute.

"I'm afraid the pilot can't hold off until you wake up Clare." I said and she groaned again and sat up. She rubbed her eyes and looked down at my shoulder. "I see you drool in your sleep." I said and she blushed.

"I normally don't. It was probably because sleeping in a chair isn't really normal, or comfortable." She said as she whipped the drool off her cheek.

"I guess we'll see when we sleep tonight." I said and she nodded.

"Attention Flight 345, we will be beginning our decent momentarily." The pilot said and Clary grabbed my hand. I held it back to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. She smiled back at me and the plane started to descend.

When the plane finally landed and we got off Clary looked super relieved to be on solid, nonmoving ground. It was pretty cute to see her let out a sigh as we got into the airport. We went to baggage claim and grabbed out stuff and made our way out to the parking lot where we were greeted with a man who was holding a sign that read : _Welcome to Paradise Mr. and Mrs. Herondale._ Clary and I both laughed and went to him and he smiled.

"My name is Paulo, welcome to the island! I'll be taking you to your bungalow." He said and Clary's eyes widen.

"We get a whole bungalow?" She asked and Paulo smiled.

"Of course. You're staying in our of our honeymoon bungalow's." He said and Clary's shocked expression quickly turned to one of excitement. We got to the car and he started driving. This place was absolutely beautiful, and we get to spend a week here getting to know each other and having a relaxing time on the beaches and I wasn't complaining.

When we finally reached the bungalow I was in awe. It was more beautiful than I ever imagined and I was honestly speechless. I grabbed our bags, tipped Paulo and started walking towards the bungalow. Once we were inside I set our stuff down and Clary and I started wondering. She went one way and I went another. I was looking at the view when I heard Clary calling.

"Jace! Come here!" I heard and I started following the voice. When I got to where she was we were in the master bedroom. There was a heart made out of rose pedals, and a bottle of Champaign waiting for us and Clary was holding a card.

"What's it say?" I asked.

"It says, Dear Jace and Clary, we hope this honeymoon brings you two closer together. Here is a bottle of Champaign to toast to your new life, have fun! This place is all inclusive so don't be afraid to let loose! Love, the experts."

"That was really sweet of them." I said and she nodded.

"So, it's only 4 in the afternoon, what would you like to do?" She asked as she sat on the bed.

"Well, I figured we could settle in and than go out to a local place and get something to eat." I said and she nodded.

"Sounds like a plan. You don't mind that there is only one bed do you?" She asked and I laughed.

"You are my wife now, it would be criminal not to share a bed." I said and she laughed. I grabbed our stuff and brought it into the room and we started settling into our bungalow. I was going to have a good time on the honeymoon and I hope that she does too.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I were exploring the island when we came across this local nightclub and decided to check it out. The music was blaring and it looked like fun so Jace and I went in. The place was crowded with locals and tourists alike and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

An hour after arriving I went to the bar to get Jace and I some more drinks and while I was waiting I saw two girls approach Jace and start flirting. I turned around because I didn't want to watch and waited patiently for our drinks. I felt a hand on my back at thought it was Jace and turned around with a smile only to find out it wasn't Jace.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else." I said and he smirked at me.

"I will be whoever you want baby." He purred and his hand started to run up my arm. Disgusted I moved away from him but he just moved with me. "I haven't seen you around before, are you visiting?"

"I am. I'm here on my honeymoon." I said and he looked shocked but only for a minute.

"No way. A young thing like you. You have plenty of time to settle down." He said and I crossed my arms.

"How young do you think I am?" I asked.

"You don't look a day over 24." He said and I laughed.

"Nice try." I held up my left hand. "But I really am married." The bartender placed the drinks down on the bad and I picked them up. "Now if you'll excuse me. I'm going to go back to my husband now." I walked away before he could reply and made my way back over to Jace. I gave him his drink and we both finished them quickly and made our way to the dance floor.

I think it was the alcohol in my system because I normally can't dance but I was just letting the music guide me and Jace seemed to be enjoying it so I kept going. It was weird for the chemistry to be so good between us already, but there was definitely something there, and I was ready to explore that part of this new relationship during this vacation as much as I could. After about 45 minutes of dancing I had to use the bathroom. I told Jace that I would be right back, and he went to go get us more drinks. When I was finished I was washing my hands and I heard these two women talking behind me and I couldn't help but listen.

"Have you seen him though?" The one girl said. "He like a god amongst men. Everything about him is like perfection."

"I know. I can't stop staring at him. I just want to grab him and kiss him until I can't breath anymore." The other girl said.

"He even has a sexy name. I mean come on, someone with the name Jace can't be anything but hot." She said and I stood up a little straighter. I finished washing my hands and I was drying them off and I looked back at them.

"I'm so glad I'm not the only one who finds my husband undeniably sexy." I said and their jaws dropped.

"You're married?" They said in unison, and I nodded proudly before leaving. I met Jace over at the bar and I grabbed him by his shirt and slammed our lips together. We hadn't really kissed since our wedding day, besides the cheek kisses he's given me, but I had the urge to just make out with him tonight and he was all for it because it took him no time to slip his tongue into my mouth. We stood there kissing until we heard someone clear their throat. We broke apart and the bartender was looking at us. Jace grabbed the drinks and we walked away.

"Not that I minded, but what was that kiss for?" He asked and I took a sip of my drink.

"I overheard two girls in the bathroom talking about you." I said and he raised his eyebrow.

"Oh really? What were they saying?" He asked.

"They were talking about how hot you are." I said and he laughed. "You know, being your wife is kinda fun. It's the perfect reason to stop gross men from hitting on me, and I get to brag to random girls who think they have a chance with you."

"I'm glad that it's coming in handy." He said and I laughed.

"Plus, you're a really good kisser."

"I haven't had any complaints yet." He said and I laughed.

We danced and drank for a few more hours until we decided that it was time to head back to the bungalow. I was pretty buzzed, and Jace had to be my human pole at some points during the walk until he picked me up and continued walking. We got back to the bungalow and I threw my heels off and unzipped my dress. I heard an intake of breath and turned behind me to see Jace staring.

"See something you like?" I asked in the most seductive voice I could.

"You have got to be kidding me." He said in a low voice. "You are incredibly sexy, do you know that?" He said as he made his way over to me.

"I've never been told that before." I said and he smirked.

"You Clarissa, are incredibly sexy, and beautiful, and stunning, and all mine." He said and I let out a small whimper. He slammed his lips to mine and we started stumbling. He picked me up and lead me to the room and before I knew it we were falling onto the bed. "Are sure you want to do this?" He asked and I smiled.

"Yes." I said and his lips were back on mine. There wasn't anywhere else I would want to be than right here with Jace.

 **Time Jump – Next Morning**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up and the events of last night came flooding back. I looked down and saw Clary curled up against me and I couldn't stop smiling at what happened. Last night almost feels like a dream, but when I know for a fact that it was completely real makes me incredibly happy. A moment later Clary started to stir and when she opened her eyes she looked up at me and smiled.

"Good morning." She said and I pressed my lips to the top of her head.

"Good morning." I said back and she sat up. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel good. A little sore, but we did go at it a couple times last night, so I can't say that I'm surprised." She said and I laughed.

"So you remember last night too?" I asked and she smiled.

"Of course I do. The walk back here sobered me up enough to know what was going on." She said and I was thankful because even thought we were both under the influence of alcohol, I would have felt bad if she didn't remember anything from last night.

"What's on the agenda today?" I asked.

"I was thinking we could go to the beach and just rest because I don't know about you but I am slightly hungover." She said and I laughed.

"I'm with you there. That club was really fun." I said and she nodded. She got out of bed and grabbed my shirt off the ground and put it on and damn did she look great.

"You want some coffee?" She asked and I nodded. She left the room and I took a deep breath. I was really nervous about this whole marriage at first, but Clary and I had such good chemistry and we had fun together so I was really enjoying married life so far, but I know once we get back to New York everything will change. She will realize that I work a ton, and than she said she was going to apply to teach when we get back so that will take up a lot of her time. It'll be hard, but I think it really will be worth it. She walked back in and handed me the mug, I took a sip and it felt incredibly good with the raging headache I had.

When we got to the beach Clary put her towel down and took her cover up off and laid down. It took everything in me not to attack her right there on the beach. She truly didn't know how incredibly beautiful she was, and it was insane. It's like she's never heard it before, but I couldn't even go an hour without wanted to tell her again.

I looked over at Clary and she was reading a book about art that she found in the bungalow and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. She really was a nerd, but I didn't mind that. I actually thought it was great. I knew we could an intelligent conversation and that she could honestly teach me a few new things in life and what more could you want out of a partner?

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Coming home from the honeymoon was a shock. We spent a blissful week not having to worry about work, or anything else and it was amazing. Moving into Jace's was pretty stressful, I figured out he has OCD and likes everything to be in order. I told him I'm really messy and that was something we were going to have to work through. His apartment was absolutely beautiful and he was even kind enough to let me use one of the spare rooms as my art room, but he vowed to never walk into it unless he wanted to have a heart attack, and I was okay with that.

I had applied to a couple colleges in the area to be the art professor and I was nervous because I haven't heard back from any of them yet. I didn't know what I should do around Jace's apartment while he was at work. It was already spotless, so I didn't need to clean. He had informed me that on Wednesday's a bunch of his friends come over and hang out to distress from work, so I was making them something to eat incase they were hungry. He told me a couple days a week he stays late at the office, and I guess Wednesday was one of those days. I don't really understand his world, and I trust that he really does everything in his power to make his company the best, and that takes some serious time and effort. It sucked that we spent so much time apart, and we've only been back for a week, but he was a busy guy, and if I ever got a job maybe I wouldn't be so lonely.

It was nearly 8 when I heard the door open. I was happy that he was home, and I wasn't going to intrude on his night. I just wanted to say hi, tell him what I did, and than I'd disappear for the night. I actually started working on a piece that I planned on giving Jace at the end of the experiment, and hopefully everything worked out and I could actually give it to him. So far I'm really enjoying this marriage, but who knows, we still have 6 weeks left and anything could happen.

"Hey, I'm home." I heard Jace say and I turned around and was greeted by three unfamiliar faces, although I think one of them was at the wedding. "I don't know if you remember Sebastian but he was at our wedding."

"I knew one of you looked familiar." I said and Jace smiled.

"The other two are Jordan and Mark." Jace said and I smiled.

"It's nice to meet you both." I said and they nodded. "I didn't know if you ate dinner, but there are left overs in the fridge. Um, I made some things for you guys to snack on if you get hungry. I don't know how long you normally stay but I figured food was a necessity. There are drinks in the fridge, and I'll be in the art room until it's safe to come out."

"You don't need to hide yourself away Clary." Jace said and I smiled.

"I know, but I'm actually working on a project, and it seems like the perfect time to work on it. You're hanging out with your friends, and you don't need your lame wife hanging around." I said and he laughed. "I did my part. I made sure you four didn't go hungry."

"You're the best." Jace said and I gave him a quick kiss and smiled.

"I'll see you later." I said and I walked away. I didn't want Jace to give up the things he does just because we got married. If he hung out with his friends on Wednesday, than he can still do that without having to worry about me being annoyed. Space is a good thing in a relationship, and having Wednesday nights apart will be good in the long run.

 **Jace POV:**

Once Clary left the room the guys started raiding the fridge for the food and I went and got our show up. They came back out with their hands full of food and they all looked over the moon happy. Once they set everything down Jordan looked at me and smiled.

"Dude, if you two don't work out, send her my way." He said and I punched his shoulder. "What? This woman is a goddess."

"I know, which is exactly why I don't plan on getting rid of her." I said and Sebastian looked at me.

"You've only known this girl for what, two weeks? How can you be so sure it'll work out?" He asked and he had a valid point.

"There is just something different about her. I've never really connected with a girl before, and with her I just feel like we've known each other for so much longer than we actually have. We have great chemistry, she's everything I've ever wanted in a woman, and I really like her."

"Well, she made us food, so she can't be that bad." Mark said and the guys laughed.

"Trust me, once you get to know her, you'll like her too." I said and they nodded and we turned our attention back to the TV.

We sat there eating and talking for about two hours before we heard a scream. I had no idea what was going on because it didn't sound like the person was in distress. A moment later another scream came and Clary ran into the room. I stood up and looked at her and she was jumping around. When she finally calmed down I felt like I could talk.

"Why are you screaming?" I asked and she smiled at me.

"That was NYU. I got the job! They want me to be their Art History professor!" She said and I walked over and scooped her up in a hug.

"I knew you'd get the job. When do you start?"

"Friday. Their old professor has health issues that he needs to attend to, and they were really impressed with my resume."

"Well, who wouldn't be?" I said and she smiled.

"I can't believe I'm actually going to be a college professor." She said and I laughed.

"You're more than qualified for the job, and you know your shit. Those kids are lucky to have you as their professor." I said and she smiled again. I totally forgot the guys were there for a minute until Sebastian spoke up.

"Congratulations Clary. I didn't realize that you went to school to be an educator." He said.

"I didn't. I really didn't know what I wanted to do with my degrees, but the last few years teaching really spoke to me."

"Did you say degrees?" Mark asked and she nodded.

"I have three. Bachelors, masters, and my Ph.D." She said I smiled with how shocked the guys looked.

"That's impressive." Sebastian said, and Clary blushed.

"Yea, it was extremely hard, but totally worth it." She said and te guys nodded. "Anyway, I'm really sorry I just couldn't contain my excitement."

"It's not a problem. I'm proud of you for getting the job." I said and she gave me another hug. When she pulled away she gave me a quick kiss.

"I have to go call Simon!" She said and she ran away. I shook my head and turned around. The guys and I went back to watching TV and I could slightly hear Clary laughing in the other room. I was extremely proud of her for getting that job. I knew she was board around here all day, and now that she has something to do I think she will be much happier.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I felt like Jace had been pulling away from me recently and I didn't know why. He was spending more and more time at work and when he would come home he would go straight to bed. I didn't really even have time to speak with him most nights, and it was really annoying. I'm his wife, and he should be able to talk to me about anything.

It was Thursday and I was sitting alone at the kitchen table eating dinner alone yet again. I didn't know how to confront Jace without arguing with him. I just wanted to know what happened. We were really happy last week and all of the sudden it's like he can't stand being around me.

I tried to distract myself. I graded some papers, I watched some TV, I was sketching, but no matter what I did, nothing was helping. It was nearing 11 and I was laying in bed when I heard the door open. I listened for his footsteps and I heard the door open and I heard Jace walking around. He went into the bathroom and I heard the shower running. I figured this was my best bet because he would be slightly trapped. I got out of bed and walked into the bathroom.

"What the hell Clary?" Jace yelled and I crossed my arms. "What are you doing in here? I thought you were asleep."

"Nope. Wide awake, because my husband won't talk to me for some reason and this was the only way I could corner you." I said and I saw him get annoyed.

"I don't want to talk." He said.

"But I do. You've been avoiding me all week. You come home late and go straight to sleep. We were in a really good place last week Jace. What changed?"

"Clary, I don't want to speak to you. I thought I made that clear." He said in an alarmingly calm tone.

"No, you're being unreasonable. I am your wife, we need to figure this out." I said and he laughed.

"You've been my wife for a month Clarissa, you don't know the first thing about me." He said and I was shocked.

"Are you cheating on me?" I asked and it caught him off guard.

"What?" He asked still slightly shocked.

"Are you cheating on me?" I asked again and he stuck his head out of the shower.

"Absolutely not. I would never do that to you." He said and I nodded.

"Good." I said and I walked towards the door. "I may have only been your wife for a month, but that doesn't mean you can shut me out. If you're hurting I want to be there to help. But I get it, you need your space, and I'll let you have that."

"Clary, where are you going?" He asked as I opened the door.

"I'm not sure, but you clearly need time to figure out whatever is going on." I said.

"Don't go." He said and I turned around.

"I can't just sit around this house and wait for you to come home. It's lonely. I've eaten dinner alone every single night this week Jace." I said and I could see the hurt cross his face. "Call me when you want to work this out, but until you do, I'll be somewhere else." I said and I left. He clearly had something going on and I wasn't going to pry it out of him but I can't just sit around this house all alone all the time. I packed a bag and headed out. I didn't really have anywhere to go that was close. I wasn't from the city so my options were limited. I decided that for tonight I was simply go to NYU and sleep in my office. I had a key to the art department, and I had a pretty comfy couch in my office so that would have to make due for now. When I got comfy I thought back to Jace. I wanted him to be able to open up to me about anything, and it hurt that he felt like he couldn't or that he didn't want too. I started to drift off thinking about Jace's and I's first little fight, but the ball was in his court now and I'd just have to wait.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left I finished my shower and than got into bed. I felt terrible shutting her out but I just had a lot going on in my life right now. But she was a huge part of my life now too. She was right, she is my wife and I should be able to open up to her about what's bothering me, and instead I completely shut her out. I can't blame her for thinking the worst or leaving for that matter but I didn't like it. I only knew one thing I could do. Call Alec. It was late, but I knew he would always be there for me. After a couple rings he picked up.

"It's late man, can't this wait until morning?" He asked.

"Not really. Can you please come over, I really need you." I said and I heard him sigh.

"I'll be there in 15 minutes." He said and we hung up. True to his word he was there 15 minutes later in his pajamas. "What was so important that you needed me at midnight?"

"Clary left." I said and that grabbed his attention.

"What do you mean she left?" Alec asked.

"I mean, we got into an argument, and she said I needed space and she packed a bag and left." I said.

"What did you do?" Alec asked.

"My mother found me." I said and his eyes widened. "She showed up at the office on Monday and begged me to forgive her and than asked me for money."

"Shit man." Alec said.

"It's been driving me crazy. She won't leave me alone. I keep avoiding her calls, and I have had to have security escort her out of my building four times."

"That's horrible." He said and I nodded. "And you didn't tell Clary?"

"No. I know we've been married for a month, but you know how private I am about that kind of stuff. Like when my dad tried to get in contact when I was 17. I shut everyone out for 2 months."

"Jace, you're married now. You have to remember you have someone to help you through that. I know I wasn't always a fan of hers. This whole marriage took me a while to get used too, but she seems like a really understanding girl, and I think your cheating yourself by not letting her help you."

"She asked me if I was cheating on her." I said and Alec just nodded. "She sounded so sad when she asked and it just broke my heart."

"Can you blame her for thinking that?" He asked and I shook my head. "At least she confronted you about it instead of letting it fester in her head."

"She told me to call her when I wanted to work this out." I said and Alec put his hand on my shoulder.

"I think you should go to NYU tomorrow, and talk to her face to face. You made a mistake. You started shutting her out, and once you explain it to her, I think she'll understand. You just have to give her a chance to help you." Alec said and I nodded.

"Thanks for coming over man. I watched her walk out of the door and everything in me just went numb. She means so much to me." I said.

"Are you falling in love with her?" Alec asked and I took a deep breath.

"I really think I am man." I said and he smiled.

"Than everything will work out. You don't give up on the people you love, and I can guarantee that Clary doesn't either."

"You want to crash here tonight?" I asked and Alec nodded. He made his way to the guest room he used to stay in and I fell back into my bed. I was such an idiot for shutting Clary out and tomorrow I was going to explain everything to her, and apologize until I'm blue in the face.

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up and was confused for a minute until I remembered what happened last night. I looked at my clock and saw that I had about 30 minutes before my first class of the day started. I got changed and went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth and brushed my hair and went to my class room and watched all the students file in. Today I was showing them a slideshow of a bunch of different famous paintings and we were going to analyze them.

I had three classes today and they were all pretty much the same. By my last class I was just ready to get back to my office and take a nap. The couch might be comfy but sleeping on it all night wasn't. I was getting the projector ready when a student raised her hand. I looked up and pointed to her.

"There is someone at the door holding flowers." She said and when I looked over there stood Jace holding my favorite flowers, white roses.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and he stepped into the room.

"I was an asshole last night." He said and I didn't really want to have this conversation in front of my whole class.

"Can we talk about this later? My class is about to start."

"As long as you promise to come home. I'm not going into work tonight and I'm cooking." He said and I leaned forward and smelled the roses. I looked back up at him and I could see last night got to him as well.

"Okay, I'll be home by 5." I said and he pressed his lips to mine. When he broke away he smiled at me before leaving the room. I turned back around and the whole class was staring.

"Who was that?" The one girl asked.

"That was my husband." I said.

"He's hot." Another girl said and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, and he's taken." I said and she rolled her eyes at me. "You have an exam next Friday and I will put one of these pictures on it and you'll have to analyze it so pay attention." I said and I started the slideshow. Jace coming here to speak to me meant a lot and I was really hoping he would open up to me tonight.

On my way back home I couldn't help but feel nervous. Jace sounded really sincere today and I just hope that he opens up to me and than we can work out whatever has been bothering him for the past week. When I opened the door I was hit was a wall of whatever he was making and it smelled absolutely amazing. When I walked into the kitchen he was still cooking and I couldn't help but smile. He turned around and smiled at me.

"Glad you came." He said and I put my stuff down.

"You said you wanted to talk, and I told you I would be here when you were ready." I said and he nodded.

"Give me 5 more minutes." He said and I nodded.

"I'll set the table." I grabbed the plates and made my way to the table and once I was done Jace came out with the food. He sat down and we both started eating. It was some of best food I have ever eaten, and when I looked at him I smiled. "You are a man of many talents. This food is amazing."

"I tried my best." He said and I nodded. "First I want to apologize for everything that happened that last night and this past week. I know I've been unfair to you, and it wasn't right of me to keep something from you."

"I just want you to be able to come to me if you're having a problem. I get that we don't really truly know each other, and I know we've only been married for a month, but we're still married. You're still my husband and I hate that you felt the need to hide something from me."

"I am an extremely private person. Always have been, and it takes me awhile to be able to open up to someone." He said and I nodded. "On Monday my mom showed up at my work and she looked horrible. I think she's a junkie now." He said and I reached my hand across the table and he interlaced our fingers. "She was hysterical. She kept telling me how sorry she was and how she didn't want to give me up but she had no other choice. After her fit I managed to calm her down, and than she asked me for money."

"That's terrible." I said and he just shrugged.

"I'm assuming she was going through withdrawal, and she didn't know where else to go."

"How did she find you?" I asked.

"Since I was a child of the state my adoption wasn't closed." He explained. "Apparently she went to the agency and begged them to tell her anything about me. Eventually she got a picture and I guess she was looking for me."

"She must have stalked a lot of people." I laughed and he smiled.

"My father tried to contact me when I was 17, and since I was still a minor it was up to the Lightwoods, and I told them I wanted nothing to do with him and I closed myself off for 2 months before I finally talked to Alec about it."

"I am in no way trying to make you share every little detail of your life with me Jace, but if something is bothering you, I will always listen and help you through it." I said and his eyes locked with mine.

"I know that now, and I shouldn't have shut you out. It was a stupid thing for me to do, and I really am sorry for that." He said and I smiled. I stood up and walked over to him. I sat on his lap and pressed my lips to his.

"Apology accepted." I said and he smiled. "But I have one request."

"Anything." He said.

"I really hate eating dinner alone. I know some nights you work late, but if you could make it home some nights I would really like that." I said and he smiled.

"I will be home more often for dinner. I promise." He said and I smiled. I know that this whole marriage thing was still new to both of us, but I thought that now that we have had our first 'fight' out of the way we could make it through whatever came our way.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was late one night and I was stuck finishing grading some projects that I was supposed to finish the other day but I couldn't. I told Jace I would be late coming home and I just wanted to get home, change into a comfy clothes and relax. My phone started ringing and I figured it was Jace so I didn't even bother looking at my phone.

"Hey babe, I have one more project to grade and than I'll be home." I said.

"Uh, Clarissa?" I heard and I recognized that voice.

"Dad?"

"Hey." Was all he said.

"Why are you calling me?" I asked.

"We haven't spoken since you told me you were getting married." He said and I scoffed.

"Yea, because you didn't agree with my decision." I said.

"I know, and I thought about it, and I would really like to meet you…" He trailed off and I rolled my eyes.

"Husband dad. He is my husband." I said.

"I know, it's just strange to me that you're married." He said and I nodded to myself.

"I know that, and I know this marriage wasn't traditional but I'm happy. We get along really well, and I like him. It's been a good month and a half." I said.

"Can we all meet for lunch, maybe this weekend?" He asked and I took a deep breath.

"I'll talk to him about it tonight, and I'll get back to you." I said.

"Okay, have a good night Clarissa."

"You too dad." I said and I hung up. I finished grading the project and couldn't wait to get home. When I opened the door and walked in and found Jace sitting on the couch watching TV. I sat down next to him and leaned against his shoulder.

"Rough night?" He asked.

"My dad called me tonight." I said.

"What did he want?" Jace asked.

"He wants to meet you." I said.

"Really?" He asked and I nodded.

"He wants to get lunch with us this weekend."

"I'm down if you are." Jace said and I smiled.

"I don't know if my stepmom will be there, but I guess it wouldn't hurt for you to meet them." I said and he pulled me into his lap.

"Don't let him get to you, or her if she is there. We're happy, and this is our marriage, they don't have any say in it." He said and I nodded. He gave me a kiss on the neck and I smiled. "Go get changed, and we'll chill out on the couch for the rest of the night. And if you fall asleep I will carry you to our bed." He said and I laughed.

"Hoe thoughtful of you." I said and I got up. When I came back I curled into side and he put something on but I wasn't really paying attention. I didn't realize how tired I was because before I knew it I was drifting off. I was nervous about seeing my dad again, and I was nervous for him to meet Jace. I didn't need their approval, considering I would never get my stepmom's but having my dad be a little supportive would be nice.

 **Jace POV:**

It was late and Clary had already fallen asleep. I picked her up and made our way to our room. When she asked how I felt about meeting her father and potentially stepmom I was a little nervous. I wanted them to know that I was going to take care of Clary, and that I was in the marriage for real. It might not have started out traditionally but I felt like it had been a good month and a half and I was excited to continue to get to know Clary and I didn't want her family to get in the way of that.

I got ready for bed and joined Clary and I loved that even in her sleep she cuddled next to me. I gave her a kiss on the top of her head and closed my eyes. We could get through whatever her family decided to put us through, and I knew that I would be there for her no matter what, but I really hope that her family doesn't do anything that would cause Clary to be upset because that is the last thing I want her to be. She means a lot to me, and I want her to be nothing but happy.

 **Time Jump – Lunch**

 **Clary POV:**

We had to meet in the middle for lunch and my dad picked this restaurant that I had never heard of but at least it was public and it would be harder to completely blow up unless you wanted to cause a scene. I think Jace could tell I was nervous because he didn't let go of my hand the entire time we drove there. I was grateful for his company and that he was willing to go with me.

When we pulled up I took a deep breath and got out. Jace was right by my side holding my hand and we walked into the restaurant. I saw my father and unfortunately my stepmother was with him. We walked over to the table and took a seat not really greeting each other. It was quiet for a minute but my father decided to break it.

"So Clarissa, care to introduce us?" He said and I gave him a fake smile.

"Dad, Carol, this is Jace. Jace this is my father Valentine and my stepmom Carol." I said and he reached out his hand and shook both of their hands.

"It's a pleasure to me you both." Jace said.

"I'm not going to ease into it. I have been curious since the day she told us about what kind of guy she would be marrying." My dad said.

"Completely understandable sir." Jace said. I put my hand on his thigh under the table and he looked and smiled at me.

"What do you do for work?" My dad asked.

"I am the founder and CEO of my own company." He said and my dads eyes raised.

"Really? Which company?" My dad asked.

"Herondale & CO." He said and my dad nodded.

"Impressive." My father said and Jace smiled. "So Clarissa, on the phone you said you were grading something, what do you do for a living now that you left me to fend for myself?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm a professor at NYU." I said and his eyes widened.

"I didn't know you wanted to teach." He said.

"It was something that I had been considering in the last couple years. I have my Ph.D. and I felt like I could do so much more with it and teaching just really spoke to me."

"Well, you can't do much with an art degree." Carol said in a really condescending voice.

"There are more jobs out there than you might think." Jace said and I looked at him. "It's actually a really fascinating field when you research all the possibilities that it comes with." I smiled at Jace because I was glad that he was defending me.

"So she's dragged you into her ridiculous world?" Carol asked.

"Nope, I willingly entered. I felt it was important to get to know what my wife had her degree in and what she was passionate about. I've actually really enjoyed learning from her." Jace said and I could have cried tears of joy with everything he was saying. It was quiet before my father started talking about.

"So, how is married life so far?" He asked.

"It's been pretty great. Our schedules get pretty crazy, but we always make sure we have time for each other, and I think that's really helping us bond and show that we are both serious about this working." Jace said and I smiled. I was glad my father wasn't intimidating him, or at least he wasn't showing it.

"Being married is tough. It takes two willing people to make it work and normally people know who they are going to spend the rest of their life with, you didn't have the chance to run away from your wife." Carol said and I sighed. I really didn't want to fight with her, I just didn't have the energy to do it right now.

"I wouldn't have run away, I have been loving who she is. Getting to know her has been great." Jace said and it was nice but I knew Carol was going to shoot something back at him.

"You've only been with her for a month and a half. She'll get old pretty quick and you'll be dying to divorce her." Carol said and I just stood up and looked at Jace.

"I can't be around her anymore. I'm going to go wait in the car." I said and I walked out. I really wanted this to be a smooth meeting, I didn't want to fight, or start shooting insults back and forth but Carol can't stop herself, and I needed to get away.

 **Jace POV:**

After I saw Clary leave the restaurant I turned back to her family and I could see Carol smirking. I stood up and put some money down on the table because I wasn't going to make them pay for our food. I was about to say something when Carol spoke up.

"Leaving so soon? It was just about to be an enjoyable lunch without her here." She said.

"Listen, Clary told me that you weren't a fan of hers, but I didn't think you would be so cruel. We didn't arrange this meeting, Valentine did and she wanted me to meet her family, and so did I." I said and Valentine sat there with a stone cold face. "Clary is an amazing woman. She's kind, and loving, and caring, and she has the biggest heart that I've ever seen. She never has a bad thing to say about anyone, and she is completely and totally loyal. She's one of the best people I have ever had the opportunity to meet, and the fact that she's my wife makes me the luckiest guy in the world."

"You're in love with her aren't you?" Valentine finally spoke up and I looked at him.

"I am." I said after a moment. There wasn't any doubt in my mind that I was in love with Clary. All I had to do was tell her. "I understand that you are her family, but please don't contact us again if this is how every meeting is going to take place. Clary doesn't deserve that." I grabbed my coat and was about to leave when I heard Valentine.

"Take care of her." He said and I nodded and went out to the car. I saw Clary sitting in the passenger seat and she looked pretty upset. When I got in the car I noticed that he cheeks were tear stained and I reached over and grabbed her and she looked at me.

"I'm really sorry." I said.

"It's not your fault. I knew the minute I saw she was there that it was going to be problematic." She said and I started the car. The drive home was silent but I didn't mind. I knew Clary needed to process everything, and I was okay with that.

When we got home Clary immediately went into our room and changed. When she came out she sat on the couch and cuddled under the blanket and turned on the TV. I made my way into the kitchen to make her some coffee and when I joined her on the couch she smiled at me.

"Thank you." She said and I kissed her forehead.

"Anything for you." I said and she leaned back against me and I put my arm around her. I couldn't picture my life without her in it, and I couldn't wait for the day that we sat back down with the experts and made our final decision.

 **Time Jump – Final Decision**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day that we were meeting with the experts and I was nervous. We decided today whether we wanted to stay married or get a divorce and I was really confident in my answer. Although we have had our ups and downs, I was really enjoying being married to Jace. We got along and we fit together really well.

I made it to the building where we were meeting the experts and when I walked into the room my heart immediately started racing. I knew how I felt, but I didn't know how Jace was feeling. I knew he was happy, and I knew we had been great recently, but it could always change and I don't think that I would be able to handle if I lost him.

I sat in the room and waited for Jace to enter. He had to something to do in the office so we showed up separately. After about 10 minutes of waiting the door opened and in walked Jace in his suit and tie and he looked so damn sexy. He sat down next to me and gave me a kiss. A moment later the experts all filed in and sat in front of us.

"Nice to see you both again." The older woman said.

"It's nice to see you as well." Jace said. He put his arm around me and I leaned into him.

"How has your 8 week marriage been?" The man asked.

"We've had our share of bumps, but other than that, I think it's been a really good 8 weeks." I said and they all nodded.

"So today is the day that you give us your final decision. You can either continue with the marriage or you can file for divorce." The woman said and Jace and I nodded. "So Clary, would you like to stay married, or would you like a divorce?" I looked at Jace and I gave him a smile.

"These last 8 weeks have been hard at times, but have always been really wonderful. We both went into this not knowing a thing about each other and had to figure it out as we went, and I think at some points that was a challenge for us considering out closed off you can be, but we've always been able to make it work, and you've always been there supporting me, defending me, and taking care of me, and I think that that's a huge part of any marriage." I said and I grabbed his hand. "Over the past 8 weeks you really have become a huge part of my life and I never want to lose that." I smiled and looked back at the experts. "I would really love to stay married and continue to let our relationship grow."

"Jace, what is your decision?" The man asked, and Jace looked at me.

"I think the hardest part of this experiment was letting someone into my life in every aspect." He started. "I had never had a relationship where the girl knew all about me. I could keep my distance and let her in when I wanted her to be there, but this time around you know, she is my wife, and we live together, and it's hard to try and fool the person who you spend the most time with." He said and he looked at me. "I really had to learn how to trust her and let her into my life in a way that I normally wouldn't let woman in, and when I did it turned out to be one of the most amazing things I've ever done." He squeezed my hand and I smiled. "I don't know how you did it, but Clary is hands down the most amazing person I've ever met and over the past 8 weeks I have found myself wanted to celebrate my victories with her, and share my disappointments and pretty much everything in between because I finally had that someone who wanted everything I did." He looked at the experts. "I can't thank you enough for bringing her into my life, because now that she's here I can promise that I will never let her go, and I want to stay married and build our life together like we both want." He said and I couldn't stop the smile on my face as I leaned over and kissed him.

"We are so happy for the both of you, and we are excited that you two have found that bond and are willing to stick with it because there isn't anyone else you'd rather be with." The man said and we all stood up. We shook their hands, and than Jace grabbed mine and we walked out of the building. When the air hit me suddenly everything else did too. I looked up at Jace and smiled.

"We're really sticking with this?" I asked and he nodded and laughed.

"Yes we are. I can't wait to get to know you even more, and build our life together." He said and I pressed my lips to his. I knew this was the start of a beautiful life together and knowing that we both want this to work, and are willing to make it happen means everything to me.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today is the one year anniversary of Clary and I's marriage and I was planning something truly special for her. I was going to ask her to take my last name tonight and I was pretty nervous. This past year has been crazy but Clary and I were closer than ever and doing this experiment was the best decision I've ever decided to do and I was happy that it worked out.

I had gotten everything ready at the restaurant and I was heading home to pick up Clary. When I walked into the house I heard the music from our room and when I walked in Clary looked absolutely stunning and I still couldn't believe she was mine. She turned around and smiled at me.

"Does this look okay?" She asked and I nodded and walked over and gave her a kiss.

"You look amazing. You ready to go?" I asked and she nodded. I grabbed her hand and we made our way to the restaurant and were seated immediately. We ordered and when I went to pour Clary some wine she didn't want any and when I looked at her confused her face got red and she smiled.

"I wanted to tell you in a better way, but I'm pregnant." She said and if I was standing I would have been on my ass.

"You're pregnant?" I asked and she nodded. I stood up and pulled her into a hug and she laughed. "When did you find out?"

"Last week." She said and I smiled.

"How far along are you?" I asked.

"Almost 2 months." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"You totally took my thunder." I said and now it was her turn to be confused. I reached across the table and took her hands in mine. "I love you Clary. I am completely and totally in love with you, and I knew the moment our lunch went terrible wrong with you father." I said and she smiled at me. "There isn't a person in the world that I care about more than you, although our child might just beat you out." I said and she laughed. "Clarissa Morgenstern, would you do the honor of taking my last name?"

"I would be honored Jace." She said and I walked over and kissed her. My hand immediately went to her stomach and she smiled into the kiss. "I love you more than you could possibly know Jace."

"Here is to our first anniversary. May we have many more and they be filled with as much love as this past year has been." I said as I raised my glass. She lifted her up and we toasted to our marriage, our new baby, and our life that was going to be absolutely amazing, I just knew it.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was thought of by me because I am totally in love with the show "Married At First Sight" and I wanted to create a story based off of that! I hope you all like it as much as I do! This is by far the longest story I have ever written, but I absolutely love it! And before anyone comments, I know I said Simon was important, but just because it was already extremely long they don't really speak as much and I'm just going to chalk that up to them living in different states and being busy with work! Let me know what you all think and thanks for reading! :)**

 **Disclaimer - I do not own "Married At First Sight" and if anyone is familiar with the show, I didn't want it to be exactly the same. So they weren't on TV in my story, and I know most couples would go through a lot harder times than these two did, but I wanted to show the good side of their relationship, with a touch of hardships. It might be a little unrealistic but this is fiction and I like the story! :)**


	47. Chapter 46 - Prodigy

**Forty Sixth One Shot:**

 **Prodigy**

 **Jace POV:**

This was the fourth tour of a college in the last two months and I was so tired of them. They were all the same. Nothing was really special about them, and to be honest I wasn't really sure college was the right path for me. What sucked even more was that they broke us into groups and Jon and I were separated. I mean, sure we got busted making out with two college girls on the last tour but that didn't mean we needed to be separated. We were standing in the library and I was tuning whatever this tour guide was saying out when I caught the sight of fiery red hair out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and she was sitting at a table doing something. I couldn't take my eyes off her, she was mesmerizing. The teacher wasn't paying attention so I slipped away from the group and made my way over to her. I took a seat in front of her and waited for her to notice me. When 5 minutes went by I cleared my throat and she looked up and I swear I could get lost in the green eyes.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

"No, I just saw you sitting here and I had to come say hello." I said with my signature smirk. "You're very beautiful."

"Does that work on all the girls?" She asks and I laugh.

"To be fair, I've never really called a girl beautiful before, unless you count my mother, and I don't think that really counts in this context." I said and she laughed. "What are you doing?"

"Grading papers." She said and I was confused. She looked really young.

"Are you helping a professor out?" I asked and she smiled.

"Something like that." She said. "What about you?"

"Just clearing my head." I said and she nodded. I didn't want her to know I was still in high school. Then she wouldn't give me the time of day.

"How is that working for you?" She asked.

"My mind has never been more clouded." I said and she laughed.

"Wow. You truly must be a hit with all the ladies." She said and now it was my turn to laugh.

"The girls I normally go for don't have enough brains to recognize a pick up line." I said and she nodded.

"So if I'm not the type of girl you normally go for, what are you doing over here?" She asked.

"Like I said, you're beautiful, and I would regret if I walked out of this library and never saw you again." I said.

"You are very charming." She said and I laughed.

"So, what's your name Red?" I asked and she smirked.

"I don't like giving out personal information to strangers." She said. She liked to play hard to get. I love a challenge.

"I'm hardly a stranger." I said and she laughed.

"But that's where you're wrong Blondie." She said and I smirked.

"And how so?" I asked and she leaned forward and licked her lips.

"If you knew anything about me, you would have known that I don't get swept off my feet by every guy who tries to use a pick up line to get in my panties." She whispered and in that moment I just wanted to pin her against a wall and kiss her. I was too stunned to speak and she got up, grabbed a book and disappeared behind the bookshelf. When I realized she was gone I got up and went to look for her. She was looking at the top shelf and she was clearly too short to reach. I walked over and grabbed the book and she was looking at me. She tried to snatch it but I held it up higher. "Give it to me Blondie."

"Not a chance Red." I said and her eyes darkened. I stepped closer until our bodies were pressed up against each other. Our eyes were locked and I didn't really care about anything in that moment and I crashed my lips to hers. She responded immediately and we stood there for who knows how long kissing, and I never wanted it to end. When we finally broke apart all I wanted to do was kiss her again. She grabbed the book that I totally forgot that I was holding and smiled. She started walking away and I grabbed her hand. "You can't just leave me."

"I have a class to get to." She said and I sighed. I saw her phone in her back pocket and grabbed it. Thankfully she didn't have a password and I put my phone umber in there and texted myself.

"I want to see you again." I said and she smiled.

"I don't have class Friday. You free for lunch?" She asked and I smiled.

"I am." I said. I would definitely miss school to come eat lunch with her.

"12:30, there is this place called Taki's right around the corner. Meet me there." She said. She walked away, grabbed her stuff and walked out of the library. I stood there for a moment until someone snapped their fingers. When I looked to my left Mrs. Connors was standing there.

"Honestly Jace, am I going to have to buy you a leash?" She asked and grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the library. I didn't care how much trouble I got in for ditching the group. It was totally worth it.

 **Clary POV:**

After I left the library I couldn't get the smile off my face. He was super hot, and a great kisser and I was proud of myself for making him want me so bad. I'm not the typical hot girl, but I had something no one else did. I was a 16 year old art professor at NYU and well on my way to breaking into the professional art world. I know what you're thinking, I should be shy, introverted, unable to speak in front of a super hot guy. Well, that's not how this art nerd operates. Being a prodigy in art wasn't always something I wanted to admit too. I wanted to be normal, go through school like every other kid, but in 4th grade I realized that I'd never be normal. Art was what I wanted to do, and I could reach that level quicker than anyone else my age.

Summer going into 5th grade I was approached by the head of the art department at NYU. She asked me to come in and observe one of her classes. I was all for it, and the next week I was sitting in a college classroom with kids 10 years older than me. I tried to just observe but I saw an empty canvas and just let myself go. By the end of the class the professor had come up to me and told me that I had a gift, and that I should use it to the best of my abilities. I didn't know what she meant at the time but after she talked to my mom, I was pulled out of normal school and was on the fast track to becoming a 16 year old professor and showcasing my work in some of the most prestigious galleries in the country.

When I turned 15 I was allowed to officially start working at the college, and I've been here ever since. With my parents permission I moved out and got my own place right next to the university and I have been on my own ever since, but I liked it that way. I talked to my parents often but I didn't really visit home all that often. It's not that I didn't want to go home and see my parents and my brother, its just I felt more at home here. Jon never understood me being a prodigy, I mean I loved my brother, but he just didn't get it.

I wasn't the most cultured person in the world of dating. Being such a nerd and being 16 and teaching kids years older than me didn't leave many options, but flirting was always fun. Flirting with Blondie came really naturally and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was surprised that he wanted to see me again but I was actually looking forward to getting to know him.

 **Time jump – Lunch**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in Taki's waiting for Blondie to show up and drinking my coffee while grading more papers. I totally understood why teachers took so long to grade now. This is tough, and I feel like if I don't go through it extra careful that I'll give them a grade they don't deserve and I don't want to be that teacher. It had been a slow afternoon considering it was a Friday so most people were working or in school so when the bell dinged and I looked up to see Blondie I smiled. He made his way over to me and took a seat.

"Grading more papers?" He asked and I laughed.

"What can I say? The professor needs help." I said and he laughed.

"What class is it for?" He asks.

"Art 101. Pretty basic class." I said and he nodded.

"So if it's art, why do they have papers?" He asked.

"Art isn't all about drawing or painting. Some people who enter the art world don't want to create it but critique it. That involves a lengthy understanding of the history behind the piece, that artist, the style, the era, the inspiration, the meaning, the paint selection, the canvas selection. There are multiple components to art besides just picking up a paintbrush and slapping the color on a piece of paper." I said and his eyes were slightly wider.

"You sound like you know what you're talking about. So what was the topic of this paper?" He asked.

"They were asked to pick a artist, their most famous painting, or sketch and analyze it." I said and he nodded.

"If you were doing this assignment, who would you chose and why?" He asked, and I was surprised that he cared enough to ask.

"Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night." I said and he smiled. "I've always found it very mystical. It's kinda Burtonesque in a sense because it looks like a creation of fantasy, but in reality it was a portrait of the night from his room in an asylum."

"How long have you wanted to be an artist?" He asks.

"I think art chose me." I said and he smiled. "It sounds strange, but art was the only thing I was ever good at. I wasn't athletic, I wasn't the smartest in my class, and I wasn't the prettiest, or the most popular. Until I discovered art. Ask me any math question and I'll get it wrong, ask me the difference between meiosis and mitosis and I couldn't even begin try and bullshit an answer. But with art, I just I feel like a genius. It's empowering to know that I am brilliant in at least one way." I said and than I realized I was rambling. "Sorry, you didn't need my whole story." I laughed and he smiled.

"Don't worry about it. You sound really passionate about it, and I like when people talk about their passions." He said and I smiled.

"I could sit here for hours talking about just the different kinds of paints, and brushes, and strokes, and canvases and that wouldn't even make a dent in the knowledge that I know about art." I said.

"I wish I knew about something that much." He said and I smiled.

"Well, do you have any hidden talents that nobody else knows about you?" I ask and he smiles.

"I play the piano." He said and I wasn't expecting that."

"Really?" I said and he nodded.

"My dad taught me when I was little, and I was really good so I just kept at it." He said and I nodded.

"I have the musicality of a dying goat." I said and he laughed.

"You can't be that bad." He said and I shook my head.

"Oh trust me, I can. When I was 14 I was singing in my room, it was summer so it was incredibly hot, my windows were opened, and my favorite song at the time came on and I just started singing away, and my neighbor stood under my window with a bullhorn and yelled at me to shut up because I was making her dogs uncomfortable." I said and he started laughing. "My mom thought it was a good idea to enroll me in some music class to learn how to play an instrument, but she had to pick it."

"What did she pick?" He asks.

"She picked the trumpet. I mean, of all instruments, she had to pick the one where I sounded more like a dying goat than I already did?" I said and he laughed. "The place where I had to take the lessons put on a concert at the end to show how much we improved."

"How did it go?" He asked.

"I was asked to get off the stage so the other kids and the parents could enjoy the show." I said and he lost it. "It was so embarrassing, and after that I just stuck with a paintbrush. I'm much more capable with that."

"Wow. I am going to need a private concert of your amazing trumpet skills at some point because I feel like I'm being deprived of that experience." He said and I laughed.

"I'll play the trumpet for you, if you paint me a picture." I said and his smiled faded a little before it came back.

"You have yourself a deal Red." We shook on it and than started to have lunch. Hanging out with him was one of the easiest things I've ever done. It didn't feel forced, and it didn't feel awkward, or uncomfortable. It just felt right, and I know that sounds crazy because we literally just met, and we don't even know each others names, but it's mysterious, and its fun, and I don't want to ruin that yet.

When we left the restaurant we lingered by his car for a minute.

"I had a great time today Blondie." I said and he smiled.

"Me too Red. And since we aren't strangers anymore, is there a chance that I can get our name?" He asked and I smiled.

"Not a chance." I said.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I think it keeps whatever this is interesting. You can't tell me you've never wanted to have a steamy and hot fling with a mysterious woman." I smirked and I could tell I was getting to him. "Because I for one, get a little turned on knowing that we don't know each others names." I said as I stepped closer to him. "Take a trip on the wild side Blondie, and I'll make it worth your while." I whispered in his ear and before I could comprehend anything his lips were on mine. If I thought hanging out with him was natural, than kissing him was even more natural. Our lips were in perfect synchronization, his hands were on my hips while mine tangled in his hair and when we broke apart we were both breathless.

"If you keep teasing me Red I don't know how much longer it will take until I cave to every little thing you say." He said and I smirked.

"And what if that's my goal?" I said.

"Than you're an evil girl." He growled out and I smiled.

"We should do this again Blondie." I said and I opened his car door for him. "Text me and we'll do something next weekend, that is if you're up for it."

"Oh Red, I am always up for it." He said and I shut his door. He drove off and I smiled to myself. I don't know what this boy was doing to me, but I didn't want it to end.

 **Jace POV:**

When I got to school on Monday I couldn't get Friday out of my head. I wanted to see her again so badly, and I don't think I could wait until the weekend. But I didn't want to seem desperate. I wanted her to like me, and she's a collage girl, and I could easily lose her interest if I start acting clingy. I was sitting in homeroom when Jon sat down next to me.

"Where the hell were you Friday man?" He asked.

"I was out." I said.

"I know that, but where were you?" He asked.

"I met this girl, and I have no idea what she's doing to me, but I am hooked." I said and he smiled.

"Jace Herondale, finally found a girl to tame that playboy attitude." Jon said and I laughed.

"There is just something so incredibly sexy about her, but she's also incredibly beautiful. She is feisty, but she has this really intelligent side and she's funny. It's like she's everything in one girl."

"What's her name?" Jon asked.

"I don't know. We met last week and she told me she didn't give personal information out to strangers so I've just been calling her Red."

"Ah, a redhead. That's new territory for you." Jon said and I laughed.

"Yea, and I don't know what's going to happen with her, but she has completely ruined other redheads for me." I said and Jon laughed. The bell rang and we headed off to our classes. Red was stuck in my head all day, and I didn't mind it one bit.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Blondie and I have been getting to know each other for the past couple months, and everything was awesome. He made me laugh, and smile and feel like a normal girl for the first time in my life. We went out last week and he had asked me what we were doing, and it dawned on me that we didn't really have a label for what we were doing. We kissed, and held hands, and went out on dates, and I certainly wasn't seeing anyone else, and apparently neither was he so we made it official. We still didn't know each others names, but it was part of the fun.

It was Christmas and my mom wanted me home for the holiday and I didn't mind. It was on the holidays that I did end up going home and it made her happy, so I was more than happy to go. According to my mom Jon's best friend was spending Christmas with us, which wasn't bad. It might help Jon actually enjoy a holiday for once in his life. I was on my way home and jamming out to the radio sounding like a dying goat and not caring at all. My mind drifted to Blondie and wondering what he was doing this holiday season. When I pulled up to my house I took a look and took a deep breath. I opened the front door and it smelled like cookie and pine trees.

"Mom! I'm home." I called.

"Oh sweetheart! I'm so glad you could come!" She said as she gave me a hug.

"Me too mom." I said and she smiled at me.

"Jon! Your sisters here!" She yelled and I heard two steps of feet coming down the stairs. I was putting my stuff down when I felt arms grab me.

"It is so good to see you Clary!" Jon said and I hugged him. He put me down and stepped aside and I almost fainted. "Clary, this is my best friend Jace, Jace this is my little sister Clary." Everything in the world stopped. Our eyes were on each other but neither of us dared to move. "Uh, what's wrong with you two?"

"Um, Jon did you say little sister?" Blondie, or I guess Jace said. Man, hot name for a hot guy. My hot guy. My hot boyfriend. Wow. This was weird.

"Yea. She's 16." Jon said and Jace's eyes widened. "Why do you look like you just got caught with your hand in the cookie jar?"

"I think this would be a perfect opportunity to get something off my chest." I said and by this time my mom and my dad were also in the room.

"You know you can tell us anything sweetie." My mom said.

"I have a boyfriend." I said. I looked around and everyone looked stunned. "Yup, I have a boyfriend that I didn't tell you about. Uh, it's pretty new, within the last couple months actually. I don't really know much personal information on him, but I feel like that's going to change now."

"What are you talking about Clare?" Jon said.

"I think I can clear it up." Jace finally said.

"What do you mean?" Jon asked. Jace looked at me and I looked at him and Jon was looking between the two of us. "Wait a minute, that sexy redhead you were talking about a couple months ago is Clary?" Jon finally connected the dots. Jace and I simply nodded. "How the hell did you two even meet?"

"Well you know how we went to NYU for that college trip. I saw her in the library and I started talking to her." Jace said.

"So you saw a girl in a college library and started a conversation with her?" Jon asked and Jace nodded. "Do you remember the one college visit that we were busted for making out with those two college girls?" Jon asked and I looked at Jace and he seemed ashamed. "We got in a lot of trouble because we were under aged Jace."

"But she is clearly not over 18." Jace said back and Jon laughed.

"You just found that out! For all you know you were hitting on a college student." Jon said.

"You're making it sound a whole lot worse than it is." Jace said.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret about our dear Clarissa."

"Clarissa?" Jace questioned, I nodded in conformation and he scrunched his nose. "Doesn't suit you." He said and I laughed but apparently that was the wrong thing to do.

"Back to what I was saying, you hit on a college professor." Jon said and Jace's jaw hit the ground.

"A what?" Jace asked and Jon laughed.

"That's right, Clary is an art professor at NYU."

"But she's 16!" Jace said.

"She's a fucking prodigy man. She graduated her fancy art high school at 10, she went to college when she was 11, and started teaching at 15." Jon said.

"Why wouldn't you tell me that?" Jace asked.

"You never actually asked. I wasn't lying to you. I would tell you I had class and that I was grading papers. You just assumed I was a student." I said and Jace sighed. "I didn't want it to freak you out. I mean, what would you have done if I told you I was a professor at 16?" I asked.

"Well, it would have been nice to know you were only 16." Jace said.

"You didn't tell me your age either. I didn't know you were in high school. What about all those Friday's we would meet for lunch?" I asked.

"That's why you ditched school?" Jon asked.

"I wanted to see you, and I didn't want you to think lowly of me if you realized I was still in high school." Jace said.

"This is so weird." My mom finally said and my dad nodded along.

"We aren't doing anything wrong. I'm 16, he's 17. We're dating, not getting married." I said.

"You two can't seriously still want to be together after this?" Jon said.

"Why not?" Jace asked. "This was bound to happen eventually. You're my best friend, and she's my girlfriend. At some point she would have wanted me to meet her family, and I would have wanted to introduce her to you." Jace explained. "I'm personally glad we got this out of the way, and that I know your real name."

"Mom, dad, do something." Jon asked. I looked at my parents and they seemed to still be taking it all in.

"Jonathan, you can't exactly stop them." My mom finally said. "Like Clary said, it's not illegal, and Clary doesn't live here, so whatever we say probably wouldn't matter anyway."

"This is insane." Jon said and I walked over to him.

"Face it Jon, Jace and I are together. And until one of us decides to break up with the other, or something happens, we're going to stay together. Don't you want me to be happy?" I asked.

"Can you be happy with someone else?" Jon asked and I glared at him.

"Jonathan, do you have any idea how hard my life has been?" I asked and he shrugged. "It's a nightmare being a prodigy. Kids were cruel. I didn't fit in anywhere. Not even in art class because I was ten times better than every one in my class. I was the freak. I was in high school with 16 year olds and I was 10. I went to college at 11, and I was constantly stared at. It was horrible. When I walked across that stage for my college graduation do you know how many strange looks I got? When I walk into my classroom to teach I'm asked if I'm in the wrong room because the high school is down the block." I said. "I'm not taken seriously, my students think they can walk all over me because they are 5 years older than me. It sucks being 16 and having people look at you like an immature little kid when I am smarted than every kid that walks into my class."

"Clary." Jon said but I cut him off.

"No Jon, Jace is the first person who has ever made me feel normal. I feel like I'm 16 with him. I'm not prodigy, I'm not a professor, I'm just me and I've never been just me before." I said and Jon looked at me and than looked at Jace.

"Are you going to treat her right?" Jon finally says after a moment of silence to Jace.

"Always man." Jace said and Jon sighed.

"Well, I can't really do anything about it." Jon said and I laughed. "But I do not want to see you being a couple around me."

"Can't promise you that big brother." I said and he groaned. I walked over and gave him a hug and he gladly returned it. After hugging him I walked over and gave Jace a hug. When we pulled apart he kept his arm around my shoulders. "Do I need to make introductions?" I said and everyone laughed.

"I think we're good sweetie." My mom said and I smiled. "Well, dinner is ready." We all made our way into the dining room to have dinner. This night didn't turn out the way I expected but I was glad everything was out now, even though I didn't know that my boyfriend was my brothers best friend. It was weird, but hey, I finally knew his name, and I felt like this was a good thing for our relationship.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in class grading papers while the students worked on their projects. I had music playing in the background. I wasn't really paying attention much today. I was stressed with finals coming up so I just let the students walk in, take a seat and start. I was pulled out of my thoughts when someone started speaking.

"Excuse me Professor, but I'm having a hard time capturing the face of my model." I heard and I looked up to see Jace sitting at one of the canvases. The whole class was staring at him and I laughed.

"Well, who is your model?" I asked with a smile.

"Well you see, it's my beautiful girlfriend, and I just can't seem to capture her eyes." He said and I laughed.

"Why don't you turn your canvas around." I said and he smiled and turned it around and I couldn't keep it together. I started laughing until my stomach hurt.

"Oh my god Jace, that is the worst painting I've ever seen." I said and he laughed with me.

"It's not that bad." One of the girls said as she batted her eyes at Jace. "Maybe your girlfriend just isn't that pretty."

"I wouldn't say that." Jace said.

"And why not?" The girls asked.

"Cause she's in charge of your grade in this class." Jace said and all of the students snapped their heads in my direction.

"She's your girlfriend?" The girl said and Jace smiled proudly. I shook my head with a smile on my face. I looked at the clock and realized that class was over.

"Alright class, these project are due next Friday and they are worth 15% of your grade. Don't get too far behind. Have a great weekend." I said and they all packed up and left and that just left Jace and I. I walked up to where he was sitting and took a seat on his lap. "So, this is how you view me?"

"Not at all. You're impossible to capture on a canvas." He said and I laughed.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"It's an in-service day. No school, and I wanted to see you." He said and I smiled.

"So, how about lunch?" I asked and he smiled and I stood up. He grabbed my hand and I grabbed my stuff and we walked out of the classroom. When we got to the restaurant we ordered our food and talked about school and what he's going to do with his future.

Our relationship started out strange and unconventional but it worked for us and I enjoyed it a lot. He was sweet, and kind, and hot, and sarcastic but he treated me right, and I was happy. I don't know what our relationship was going, but I was really enjoying it so far. When we got back to my apartment I put on a movie and we cuddled on the couch.

"I almost forgot." Jace said as he got up and left the apartment. 5 minutes later he came back holding something with a devilish smirk on his face. "I painted you that picture, it's time for my private concert." He said and my jaw dropped.

"You're seriously going to make me play the trumpet?" I asked and he took it out of the case. "Jace, this is a horrible idea."

"You promised me Red. We had a deal, and I fulfilled my end of the deal, now it's your turn." He said and I groaned and stood up and walked over to him.

"I hope you're ready for the worst sound you've ever heard." I said and he laughed.

"I'm prepared." He said and he took a seat. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I put the trumpet to my lips and started playing. It was totally worth it to see Jace's eyes when he realized how truly awful I was. Once he broke out of whatever paralyzed state he was in he stood up and yelled. "That's enough! You're horrible, I get it!" I stopped playing and started laughing.

"I told you I was bad." I said and he took the trumpet from me.

"But I didn't think it was actually going to sound like an animal dying. God, that might have been the worst thing I've ever heard." He said and I wrapped my arms around him.

"You wanted to hear me play, and now you have." I said and he leaned down and kissed me.

"Well, I can finally cross, listening to the worst musician ever, off my bucket list." He said and I laughed.

"One day that is going to make a great story." I said and he smiled at me.

"That it will." He said and he kissed me again. This relationship might be new, but I knew it was going to last. When something is right, you don't mess with it, and Jace and I were right, I just knew it.

 **Authors Not:**

 **This was requested by a guest and I really like how it turned out! I made Clary very different than normal, but I think that gives her a little something different. I didn't want her to be the normal shy prodigy, I wanted her to be fun, and wild, and something that drew Jace in more than any other girl he's ever known, and that's what I did. Let me know what you think! :)**

 **P.S. I've been curious for a little while now, I have mentioned that I am in college a couple times now, and I was curious, what do you guys think my major is?**

 **Anyway, I might not be able to update all the much because I am on thanksgiving break, but I will try my absolute best to try and get more one shots done, and update my other stories! :)**


	48. Chapter 47 - Homeless

**Forty Seventh One Shot:**

 **Homeless**

 **Jace POV:**

I was walking to my favorite restaurant in New York. I am a regular there and until the place burns down I will always eat there. I was lost in thought when I saw a bright redhead standing in front of Taki's. When I got to the restaurant I opened the door expecting her to walk in. She just stood there. I smiled and cleared my throat and she looked up at me.

"You planning on standing there forever?" I asked and she looked away embarrassed.

"I wasn't planning on eating, I thought I saw a friend of mine in there." She said and I nodded.

"You're missing out, they have the best food in all of New York." I said and she nodded.

"I've never eaten here." She said and my jaw dropped. I did something that I never thought I would.

"Do you want to join me for dinner?" I asked and she looked at me shocked.

"That's okay, I'm not really hungry anyway." She said and her stomach growled and she sighed.

"Come on, its on me." I said and she finally gave in and walked in with me. When we sat down the waitress walked over to me and smiled.

"Will it be the same as always Jace?" She asked and I smiled.

"Of course Kaelie." I said and she looked at the girl.

"And for you?" She asked.

"I'll have the coconut pancakes." She said and I smiled.

"Two orders of coconut pancakes it is." She said and she started walking away before the redhead stopped her.

"Could I have some coffee as well?" She asked and Kaelie nodded and walked away. She looked back at me and blushed. "I'm sorry, I just need the energy."

"I don't mind." I said and she nodded. "I just realized, I don't know your name."

"I'm Clary." She said and I nodded. Dinner went by really well. We talked about random things and I realized that I really liked getting to know her. I hadn't really laughed like this is awhile. When I paid for dinner we walked out and I started towards my car when I saw her start walking down the street.

"Hey, you need a ride?" I asked and she turned around.

"I'll be okay." She said.

"It's freezing out here. Let me give you a ride home." I said and I could tell she was slightly conflicted but gave in because she started walking towards me. We got into the car and I turned the heat up because I could see her shivering. "Where too?"

"I live off of 5th and Main." She said and I nodded. The car ride was silent, but I didn't mind. When I pulled onto 5th I looked back at her and she smiled. "I'm the second house on the right." She said and I nodded. I pulled into the driveway and parked the car. "Thank you for dinner, and the ride."

"It was no problem. Maybe we'll run into each other again sometime soon." I said and she nodded slightly. She got out of the car and walked behind the house and I assumed she made it in safely. I pulled out of the driveway and made my way home. It was weird, I never felt a connection to any other girl before but with Clary it felt almost like we have known each other for way longer than a couple hours.

When I got home I walked through my house and made my way to my room. It was weird living alone, but I really wanted to share it with anyone because they never matter, but now I feel like something could potentially happen if I ever saw Clary again, and I was hoping that we ran into each other.

 **Clary POV:**

After I saw the lights leave I walked out from behind the house and started making my way to the homeless shelter down the street. I was too ashamed to tell him that I didn't have a home, or that I was staring in that restaurant because I was so starving that I was thinking about stealing. He seemed like he had his life together, and I was a homeless 25 year old with a 3 year old daughter. I was hoping that we never saw each other again, because I didn't want to explain my situation to him.

When I got back to the homeless shelter Aubrey ran right into my legs. I picked her up and gave her the biggest hug. I walked us back to our bed and sat her down under the blankets and gave her the pancakes that I took from my dinner. Not being able to provide for her was killing me. There wasn't anything more humiliating than not being able to provide for you daughter, and I felt like such a failure.

"I love you mommy." She said and I leaned down and kissed her.

"I love you too sweet pea." I said and she smiled.

"Are we ever going to go back to daddy?" She asked and I tucked her into bed.

"I don't think so baby."

"Why not?" She asked.

"He doesn't want to be in our lives right now." I said and she pouted.

"He doesn't want me?" She asked and my heart broke.

"He doesn't know what he wants right now sweet pea." I said and she sighed. "But I will always want you, and you can make sure that we will always be together."

"Good." She said with a smiled and I smiled back. I cuddled in the bed with her until I felt her breathing even out. I hated that he didn't want his only child, and that she knew he didn't want her. It was horrible, and Christmas was just around the corner. He was the only person I had left, and he tossed me out like last weeks old Chinese food. I felt a huge wave of exhaustion hit and I closed my eyes and dreamed of what my life could be like if I found a rich man to take me under his wing and care for me and my daughter, but the odds of that happening are slim to none.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Come on Jace, it'll be fun." Izzy said and I groaned.

"It's Christmas Iz, we should be with our family." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"It wouldn't kill you to give back Jace. It's just two hours. We're meeting everyone at mom's house for dinner." She said and I grabbed my coat.

"Why do you want to do this so badly? And why couldn't you bring Alec?" I asked as we got into my car.

"Alec had other plans, and I feel like it's important to help those less fortunate. We grew up with everything, and these people are homeless. Volunteering two hours of my life won't make a huge difference, but it could to these people." She said and I nodded. I followed her directions and parked in front of the homeless shelter. We got out and made our way inside. There were more people here than I expected, and a lot of them were kids. It broke my heart to know all these people wouldn't be spending this holiday with their families. Izzy was right, doing this was important and I was glad to be giving them two hours of my life.

Izzy and I were separated when it came to getting our jobs assigned. I didn't mind though, I was in charge of making sure people didn't fit over food in the eating area, while Izzy served the food. Basically I sat on a stool and watched people eat, but I didn't mind doing it. I was deep in thought when I felt someone pulling on my leg. I looked down and there was a cute little girl smiling up at me.

"Hello." I said and she reached her hands up, I guess she wanted me to pick her up so I did and sat her on my lap. "What's your name sweetie?"

"I'm Aubrey."

"Hello Aubrey, I'm Jace." I said and she smiled again.

"Are you here to eat too?" She asked.

"I'm not, I'm here helping." I said and she looked out at the people. "Are you?"

"Yea. Mommy and I have been here for a long time." She said and I was about to say something when someone else did.

"Aubrey." I heard and I turned around and was greeted with that redhead I couldn't get out of my mind. "Jace, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"You know him mommy?" Aubrey asked.

"I do sweet pea, I told you a hundred times, you can't run away from me like that." She said and Aubrey pouted.

"I'm sorry mommy. He looked really friendly, and you told me to be nice to new people." Aubrey said and I smiled.

"I know that baby, but you should have told me." Clary said and Aubrey nodded. "I'm really sorry."

"It was no trouble. She's an angel." I said and Clary smiled.

"Yea she is." Clary said as she smiled at Aubrey. "Alright baby, go find a seat and I'll be right over." Clary said and Aubrey jumped out of my lap and skipped over to a table.

"How come you made me drop you off at that house if you've been living here?" I asked.

"I didn't want you to know I was homeless." She said and I let out a little laugh.

"Aubrey said you've been here for a long time." I said and she nodded.

"Almost 8 months." Clary answered. "I'm really hungry, and this food will get cold quick and than Aubrey won't eat it, it was nice seeing you again, but I have to go." She said and I nodded and she walked over to Aubrey and sat down and they started eating.

When the tow hours were over Izzy came over to me and I out my coat back on and I looked back at Clary and realized that she was wearing the same shirt she was wearing the last time I saw her, and Aubrey was bundled. This place wasn't the warmest, and I would bet anything that Clary didn't own a coat.

"Iz, I'll met you at the car." I said and she nodded. I put a business car in the pocket of my coat and walked over to Clary. I took a seat down and Aubrey looked up at me and smiled.

"Jace!" She said and I smiled.

"Hey sweetie, I'm getting ready to leave but I wanted to say goodbye." I said and Clary smiled and nodded.

"It was nice seeing you again." Clary said and I nodded and got up. I walked over and put my coat around her shoulders and she turned around.

"You look cold, and I don't want you freezing to death." I said and her eyes were wide.

"But this is your coat." She said and I laughed.

"Yes, and I have more. I left my number in one of the pockets. Call me sometime." I said and she went to say something but closed her mouth.

"Thank you Jace." She said and I nodded and made my way back out to the car. When I got in Izzy looked at me with a confused look.

"Where is your jacket?" She asked.

"Someone looked cold, so I gave it to them." I said and she smiled.

"Way to get in the spirit Jace." She said and I put my car in drive and made my way to our parents house thinking about Clary and Aubrey the whole time.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was woken up in the middle of the night by someone shaking me. When I opened me eyes Phyllis was standing over me. I sat up making sure that I didn't wake Aubrey up. I got out of bed and she walked me to the corner before she started speaking.

"I'm so sorry Clary, but you and Aubrey have to leave." She said and I was stunned.

"What? Why? Its in the middle of the night." I said clearly flustered.

"We have no more room, and that means we have to make space, which means those who have been here the longest have to leave."

"But Phyllis, it's the middle of the night." I said and she shook her head.

"I'm sorry Clary." She said and she walked away. I went back to my bed and looked at Aubrey. I couldn't believe we were being kicked out. I leaned down and wrapped Aubrey up in my arms and grabbed whatever we had and walked out of the homeless shelter. I went to the bench and put Aubrey down so she could continue sleeping. She looked cold so I took off the jacket Jace gave me and put hit over her. I remembered that he said he put his number in the pocket. I reached in every pocket and found 75 cents and a business card.

 _Jace Herondale – Attorney at Law_

 _Business : 495-555-4324_

 _Personal : 345-555-7845_

 _Call me at home or the office, I'm always available if you have a problem._

I debated calling his personal number but it was the middle of the night so it was the only option I had at this point. I hated relying on people, but it was freezing, and I wanted Aubrey to be safe, and being in the cold wasn't safe for her. I put the money in and called the number. It rang a few times before he picked up.

"Hello?" He said.

"Jace, it's Clary." I said.

"Are you okay?" He asked sounding slightly more alert.

"Aubrey and I got kicked out of the homeless shelter and we have no where else to go and it's freezing out." I said.

"I'll be there in 10 minutes." He said and than the call ended. I went over to try and warm myself and Aubrey up the best I could until Jace got there. Sure enough, 10 minutes later a car pulled up and Jace got out. He walked right over to us and picked Aubrey up and put her in the back seat. I went around and got into the passenger side. Soon Jace got in and started driving. I wasn't paying any attention to where we were going and focused on getting warm. When the car stopped I looked up and saw a huge mansion. I was completely lost in this house but when I heard Jace laugh I looked at him. "Are you okay?"

"I will be when I get warm." I said and he laughed.

"Come on, let's get her in bed." He said as he pointed to Aubrey. I nodded and we got out of the car. Jace picked her up and we walked towards his house. When he opened the door his house was warm, and smelled like heaven. Jace was already completely gone, and I was just standing there looking around. When my eyes caught the coffee machine I made a beeline and started making a pot. I didn't realize that Jace had returned until I heard him laugh. I turned around and blushed.

"I'm sorry, I thought it would warm me up the fastest." I said and he nodded.

"I get it. You're more than welcome to have some." He said and I nodded. When the coffee was done, I poured myself a cup and took a seat on the couch in the living room. Jace put a blanket over me and I finally started to get warm. "Are you going to tell me why you got kicked out?"

"Apparently they were full, and when that happens they have to make room, and that means those who have been there the longest have to leave. That was Aubrey and I." I explained and he nodded. He opened his mouth to speak when his front door opened.

"Jace, I got what you wanted but I don't know why you needed it." I heard a female voice said and when she turned the corner I recognized her from the homeless shelter. She was helping serve food on Christmas. When her eyes landed on me I could tell she remembered. "I remember you. You're from the homeless shelter." She said and I nodded.

"Thank you for doing this Izzy." He said and she handed him some bags.

"It's no problem, but I'm crashing in one of your guest rooms I'm exhausted." She said and he laughed.

"Sure, the first one on the left is taken, but every other one is opened." He said and she nodded before disappearing up the stairs. He turned back to me and smiled. "That's my sister. I texted her after you called to pick something's up for you and Aubrey."

"You didn't have to do that." I said and he smiled.

"Don't worry about it." He said as he gave me the bags. When I looked through them there were pajamas and clothes for Aubrey, and a few sweaters, and a jacket for me.

"Jace, this is too much." I said and he laughed.

"No it isn't. These are basic things people should have." He said and I sighed. I sat back in the couch and tried not to cry. "Are you okay?"

"I just hate the way my life has been in the past year." I said and he nodded.

"Does it have to do with the reason you were in a homeless shelter?" He asked and I nodded. "What happened?"

"Aubrey's father decided that he wasn't sure a family was what he wanted, so he kicked us out." I said.

"He kicked his girlfriend and daughter out with absolutely nothing?" He asked and I let out a humorless laugh.

"Oh no, he left us something." I said and he looked confused. "He threw a suitcase of bills at me that he paid but I had to repay him for. Apparently a kid is a lot more money than he thought and if he knew that he wouldn't have had her."

"Did he think being a father was going to be easy?" He asked and I shrugged.

"I don't know, but I think he expected me to do everything. Raise her, cook for him, clean for him, wait on him hand and foot. I couldn't even ask him to go get her in the middle of the night because he was so tired from supporting my lazy ass."

"Why were you two together?" He asked.

"I was lonely, he was there, and he took me under his wing." I said and Jace nodded. "He got me into a lot of trouble. He got me smoking cigarettes, doing drugs, he was even close to pimping me out to his friends if it meant a little more cash. But I got pregnant with Aubrey and completely changed. He had a harder time accepting that the old days were over and we had another life to think about."

"I can't believe he would do that." Jace said and I just shrugged again.

"I was an idiot for getting involved with him anyway. I was 18, and impressionable. I didn't have parents and since I was an adult I was no longer a child of the state. I was completely on my own, and he took advantage of that." I said and he nodded.

"How long were you two together?" He asked.

"We were officially a couple from when I was 18 until Aubrey was about 1 and a half. After that he told me he didn't want to be exclusive anymore, he wanted to keep his options opened, and I just said sure because I needed a place to stay, but it was over than. I've been focused on Aubrey for the last 2 years, and keeping her healthy, and happy, and positive because some days I just feel like the world is playing some sick joke on my life."

"Well, you can stay here as long as you want." He said and I looked at him.

"Why would you do that for me? You barely know me." I said.

"True, but I also remember us having a wonderful dinner a few months ago. I had a great time, and I knew that I wanted to see you again, and running into you at the homeless shelter was a sign that maybe we were supposed to be involved in each others lives some way, some how." He said and I was speechless. He smiled and stood up. "I don't know if you want to sleep with Aubrey, but there are plenty of rooms if you don't. I have work tomorrow, so I'm going to head to bed. Goodnight Clary."

"Goodnight Jace." I said and he walked upstairs. I stayed awake until I finished my coffee and than made my way upstairs. I walked into the room Aubrey was sleeping in and saw her sprawled out on the bed and smiled. I cuddled with her when I got into the bed and fell asleep warm, safe, and happy for the first time in almost a year, and I had Jace to thank for that.

 **Time Jump – Three Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and Aubrey had been with me for three weeks and we had settled into a routine. I was always home to eat dinner with them because when Aubrey asks you to do something, you just never say no, it's impossible. I didn't know how it was going to work at first but I actually really loved coming home to both of them. I didn't realize what I was missing until I got to walk into a house that smelled like food and seeing a little girl playing with her dolls on the ground while someone made dinner for you. It was domestic, which I thought I was going to hate, but I actually really enjoyed it, but that might just be because its Clary and Aubrey, and I had a soft spot for both of them. I was working on some paperwork when my phone started ringing. I blindly reached over and picked it up.

"Jace Herondale speaking." I said.

"He's taking me to court." I heard and I was pulled out of my work mindset the minute I recognized Clary's voice.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Aubrey's father, he's taking me to court. He filed for custody of her." She said and I put down my pen and grabbed my coat.

"How did you even get the papers? Nobody knows you're living with me." I said as I made my way out to my car.

"I was out with Aubrey and someone literally ran after me and gave them to me." She said which only made me mad because he has clearly been watching her.

"I'm coming home, I'll look over the paperwork and we'll figure this out." I said and I started on my way home.

"Thank you Jace." She said and I hung up. I was home a couple minutes later and when I opened the door the house smelled like cookies but I didn't think Clary was in the baking mood after today but when I walked into the kitchen there she and Aubrey were making cookies. Aubrey turned around and smiled.

"Jace!" She ran over and jumped into my arms and I picked her up and gave her a kiss.

"Hi sweet pea. How are you?" I asked.

"Good. Mommy is making cookies!" She said and I laughed.

"I see." I said and I put her down and looked at Clary.

"There is an envelope in the dining room. Those are the papers." She said and I nodded before making my way to the dining room. I picked up the papers and started to look through them.

I didn't even know how long I was sitting there until I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at Clary was standing there with a plate of cookies. I pushed my chair out and she took a seat on my lap. We had been getting closer since she has been living here, but we made sure that we didn't do anything like this in front of Aubrey. Clary said she didn't want to give her any ideas about us because who knows what would happen. I understood, Aubrey would probably get attached and if something happened Aubrey would be upset and Clary didn't want that and neither did I.

"Is Aubrey napping?" I asked and she smiled and nodded. She looked down at the papers and than back at me.

"Do you have any advice lawyer of mine?" She asked and I laughed.

"I don't deal with custody cases, but my brother, who is my partner does, and I think he would be your best bet." I said and she nodded.

"Alec right?" She asked and I nodded. "Well, at least I finally get to meet him." She said and I laughed.

"Yea, he's busy, and not a people person. And he will be nothing but a lawyer around you, so don't expect him to be all buddy buddy with you." I said and she nodded.

"I'm used to that. I spent 5 years around unfriendly people." She said and I nodded.

"I'll give him a call, and get him over here immediately." I said and she pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"Thank you Jace. I don't know what I would do without you." She said and I smiled. I gave her a quick kiss before lifting her off my lap and taking her hand and leading her into the kitchen. I grabbed my phone and called Alec and told him to meet me here in 15 minutes.

When Alec arrived I welcomed him in and showed him to the paperwork. He read over it rather quickly, but he also knew what he was looking for, whereas, I did not. I left him alone to do it and I made my way back into the living room where I saw Clary sitting and reading a book. I sat next to her and put my arm around her and she leaned into me.

"Jace." I heard from behind me and Clary and I both turned to see Alec standing there.

"What's your opinion?" I asked as he walked over and joined us in the living room.

"I don't think he has a very strong case for full custody like he wants, but that doesn't mean the judge won't agree to something lesser. Honestly it all depends on how the trial goes."

"I have to go to trial?" Clary asked.

"Yea. This isn't going away. These papers sound like he's been building this for a while." Alec said and Clary sighed. "Come to the office tomorrow, and we'll talk more."

"I have Aubrey." Clary said.

"I'll take the day off and watch her." I said and Clary looked at me.

"You can do that?" She asked and Alec laughed.

"Of course he can, he doesn't have to answer to anyone." Alec said and I smiled at Clary's cute little confused expression. I was about to open my mouth when someone beat me to it.

"Mommy." All our heads look towards the sound and Aubrey was standing there rubbing her eyes.

"Hi sweet pea." Clary said and Aubrey made her way over to us. Clary picked her up and gave her a kiss. "How was your nap?"

"Lonely. I missed you cuddling me." She said and Clary smiled.

"I'm sorry baby, but I'll be there to cuddle you tonight." Clary said and Aubrey cuddled into her chest. She looked up and saw Alec and smiled.

"You're new." She said and Clary and I laughed.

"This is Alec, he's my brother." I said and Aubrey nodded.

"Nice to meet you Awec." She said and Alec smiled at her.

"You too sweetheart." He said and Aubrey smiled. "I have to get back to work, but I'll see you tomorrow Clary." Clary nodded and Alec made his way out of the house.

"We're going somewhere tomorrow?" Aubrey asked.

"No baby, I'm going to meet with him for a little bit." Clary said.

"What about me?" She asked.

"You get to spend all day with me sweet pea." I said and she smiled.

"Like a daddy daughter day?" She asked and I looked up at Clary and she just smiled at me and than I smiled at Aubrey.

"Exactly like a daddy daughter day." I said and she got really excited.

"Yay! I've never had one of those before." She said and I laughed.

"I'll make it the best daddy daughter day ever." I said and she hopped off Clary's lap and started running around cheering. I looked at Clary and she smiled at me and than we looked back at Aubrey being goofy. I truly didn't want anything with this custody case to go anywhere because if they left I wouldn't feel whole.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The trial was coming up and I was really nervous. I had been spending a lot of time with Alec, doing everything I could to make sure Sebastian never sees Aubrey ever again. I was so pissed that Sebastian's lawyers called Aubrey as a witness, I didn't want her anywhere near the courthouse but now I couldn't do anything about it. Jace was going to be sitting with her while I sat with Alec defending my daughter and myself to the bloodsuckers who want to separate us.

"Aubrey Fray to the stand." Sebastian's lawyer said and my blood ran cold. Aubrey walked up to the stand and took a seat and the lawyer went up and began to question her. "Aubrey, do you know what a father is?"

"Yes. My mommy tells me a father is someone who takes care of me, who plays with me, who reads me stories before bed. Someone who holds my hand while I'm walking down the street, and protects me from the monsters under my bed." She said and I smiled.

"Can you explain your relationship with you father for me?" The lawyer asked and she lit up.

"It's great! He reads me a story every night when he tucks me in, and he lets me sit on his lap when we watch movies, and sometimes if he's in a good mood he plays the piano for me. He's really good." She said and it wasn't what the lawyer wanted at all. She was describing Jace, not Sebastian.

"That is your relationship with this man right here?" He pointed to Sebastian.

"No, him." Aubrey said as she pointed to Jace.

"I'm talking about your father Aubrey, this man right here." The lawyer said as he pointed to Sebastian again. "What's your relationship with him?"

"Bad. He didn't want me." Aubrey says and my heart broke.

"What do you mean Aubrey?" The lawyer asked.

"Mommy and I had to leave because he didn't want a family anymore." Aubrey said. "We went to a place with other people who didn't have homes either before Jace found us." Aubrey said and the lawyer nodded.

"No further questions your honor." The lawyer said and Alec stood up. He walked over and smiled at Aubrey.

"Hi Aubrey." He said and she smiled.

"Hi Awec." She said and it was just the cutest thing.

"What you were describing before, about a father, why did you describe Jace?" Alec asked.

"Because he does everything that a daddy is supposed to do. I asked mommy one day if my real daddy was ever going to want us again, and she didn't know. He never really liked me anyway." Aubrey said.

"Do you like living with your mom and Jace?" Alec asked.

"It's the best! Me and mommy bake cookies all the time, and than at night we watch movies together and Jace lets me sit on his lap. Than he tucks me into bed and reads to me. It's the best. And the best part is, we get to do it all over again the next day!" She said and everyone laughed.

"Thank you Aubrey." Alec said as he helped her off the stand. She made her way back to Jace and sat back on his lap like she always did.

"Clarissa Fray to the stand." Sebastian's lawyer said and I made my way over. When I sat down he looked me in the eye and smirked. "Clarissa, can you please explain your relationship with Sebastian."

"We would have to have a relationship in order for me to explain it." I said.

"Fine, explain what your relationship was like when the two of you were together." He said.

"Wild. We were two kids who had no obligation to anyone, and we didn't really care about the rules. We did whatever we wanted too, and no one could tell us any differently." I said.

"Sebastian informs me you were quite the drug addict in the day." He said and he picked up a file. "Cocaine, heroine, crystal meth."

"That was years ago." I said and he laughed.

"Doesn't change the fact that it happened."

"It also doesn't change the fact that Sebastian was a druggie with me. Hell, he was my dealer." I said and he raised his eyebrows at me. I looked over at the judge. "Can my daughter leave for this? I don't want her to hear." The judge nodded and I looked back at Jace, he nodded and picked Aubrey up and they left the room, and it took a huge weight off my shoulders. I looked back at the lawyer and continued. "If you're going to bring up my drug history, than bring up his as well."

"Why would you keep Aubrey from her father?" He asked.

"I didn't. He kicked us out." I said. "One night he came home and decided he didn't want a family anymore. He told me to take Aubrey and leave. And you know what he gave me?" The lawyer shook his head. "He gave me all the bills that I owed him and told him to pay him back."

"And did you?" The lawyer asked.

"I was homeless. I barely was able to feed my daughter. If Jace hadn't come and taken us in, my daughter and I would be dead." I said.

"No more questions your honor." He said and he took a seat and Alec stood up.

"Clary, can you describe Aubrey and Sebastian's relationship?" He asked.

"They didn't have one. Sebastian was barely around for her. He was there when she was born but after that he was like a ghost. He hated when she cried, or laughed. He couldn't stand that she barely slept as a baby, and he was always so angry when I was too tired to cook or clean for him. I tried to keep Aubrey away from him because he would just get angry and yell, and I was afraid he was going to hit her."

"The night you were kicked out, can you describe it?" He asked.

"It was almost 11, and he came home and he was not in a good mood. Aubrey was already asleep and he told me that he didn't think this was going to work. Said he needed some time to think, and that he needed some space from us. Told me to leave and that was that. I went and got Aubrey, and a few things, and left. It was late, and I didn't know where to go so I went to the neighbor's house and said I forgot my keys and he was on a business trip and we needed somewhere to stay. She let us crash there that night and the next day I went to the homeless shelter and we were there for about 9 months."

"Thank you Clary." He said and I stepped down. I sat back down next to him and tuned out the judge. When the gavel hit Alec and I made our way out into the lobby where Aubrey and Jace were dancing. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen and I didn't want to break them apart but Aubrey saw me and ran towards me. I scooped her up in my arms and gave her a kiss.

"Hi mommy." She said.

"Hi sweet pea. Were you having fun with Jace?" I asked and she giggled and nodded. Jace walked over to us and smiled.

"We were having a ball until you ruined it." He said and I laughed. "How'd it go?"

"I just want this to be over." I said and he nodded. Alec didn't know how long the deliberation would take and I just wanted to be away from Sebastian. I hated being around him, and I hated Aubrey being around him. But until this was over, we were kinda stuck.

Two hours later the sheriff told us the jury was ready and to head back into the courtroom. Jace said he would stay outside with Aubrey and I couldn't be more thankful. She did her part, and she didn't have to be involved in any other part of this trial. Everyone took their seat and the judge started speaking.

"Have you reached a decision?" She asked the jury and juror number one stood.

"We do your honor." He said.

"What is the verdict?" She asked.

"We do not believe that Sebastian should be able to get full custody, or any custody at that." He said and I let out a sigh of relief. It was finally over and I felt like I could breath.

When I walked out of the courtroom I went straight to Jace and gave him a kiss which coughed Aubrey to giggle. I gave her a kiss after and couldn't get the smile off my face.

"Are we done mommy?" Aubrey asked.

"We are baby. Lets go home." I said.

"We have a home?" She asked and Jace smiled.

"Of course you do sweet pea." Jace said and Aubrey cheered. We walked outside and got into the car and made our way home. It was silent for a while until Aubrey started speaking.

"Does that mean Jace is my new daddy?" She asked and this is what I was avoiding because it had only been a couple months, and as close as Jace and I got Aubrey was a different story. She was my kid and I just wanted to best for her. "Cause that'd be cool." She said and Jace laughed.

"How about we see where this goes, and if in a couple months you still like me, than I can be your new daddy. How does that sound?" He asked as he looked at Aubrey in the mirror.

"Okay." She said and went back to looking out the window. Jace looked at me and smiled than grabbed my hand. I was glad that this whole custody thing was behind us, and that Aubrey and I were finally in a stable environment and that Jace was so willing to pick up the role as her father. It was so incredibly kind of him and I just didn't know how to thank him.

 **Time Jump – Ten Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Where do I even begin with the last ten years? Well, Jace and I were married. Have been for the past 7 years. I don't know what would have happened if we hadn't met that night in front of Taki's but it was like the universe was pushing us together and I couldn't be happier that it happened.

Aubrey was now 13, and 5 years ago Jace and I welcomed another little girl into the world, he name was Violet and she was the spitting image of Jace. Cute blonde curls and golden eyes just like him. Aubrey absolutely adored Violet and I couldn't be happier. I was scared about telling her I was pregnant, but she was over the moon happy to get a sibling and I was so thrilled.

She knows that Jace isn't her father, but she doesn't remember Sebastian at all. Being 3 when everything went down didn't really stick in her mind. She remembers being in the courthouse, but she doesn't remember the trial, she remembers dancing with Jace.

Sebastian gave up after the trial. He didn't care about us that much, he just tried to get the last word in, and when that failed he dropped off the face of the earth. I haven't heard from him since, and I liked it that way. I was dreading telling Aubrey about her father, and how awful he really was. Her history class was doing family trees and she was really curious about him.

Today we were going out for a family lunch so that Jace and I could explain to her father to her in a way that wouldn't completely destroy whatever image she created for herself. When we got to the restaurant and Violet naturally sat on the side with Jace, and Aubrey and I sat on the other side. Violet was a daddy's girl through and through, and I couldn't really blame her, Jace was fantastic.

"So Aubrey, there was a reason we wanted to do this lunch." I said and she nodded. "You've asked about our father before and I think you're old enough to know what he was like."

"I have been trying to remember him for months now, and all I have are little snippets." Aubrey said and I nodded.

"What do you remember?" I asked.

"I remember when I was really little, and I wanted him to play with me. I had this doll, she was my favorite, and I went up to him with her and he ripped the head off. That's all I can remember." She said and I nodded.

"Yea, he wasn't a nice man." I said and she nodded. "Your father and I had a rocky relationship, and when you came along he got distant and than out of nowhere he kicked us out and all we had was each other." I said and she nodded.

"Until dad came along." She said and Jace smiled.

"That's right sweet pea." Jace said and Aubrey smiled.

"Do I have to include him in my family tree project?" She asked and I pulled her into my side.

"Not if you don't too." I said and she nodded.

"Blood doesn't make you family, love does, and there isn't anyone else I would want on top of my family tree than you and dad." She said and I gave her a kiss.

"Than put Jace and I on the top and call it a day." I said and she laughed. Our food came and everyone started eating, Violet and Aubrey were laughing and I looked at Jace and he smiled.

"I love you." He said and I couldn't help but lean over the table and give him a kiss.

"I love you too." I said and we intertwined our feet under the table and continued with out lunch. This was what a family was supposed to be, and I never thought I'd ever get the chance to experience it, but having it with Jace, and seeing my two amazing girls made me incredibly lucky and happy that he came into my life and saved me and Aubrey and I would be forever thankful for that.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so a lot of you requested a one shot about her being homeless, and I did the best I could, and I really like this story. I'm sorry I have been so slow with all the one shot updates, and I hope you can all forgive me for that, but I'm trying my hardest! Let me know what you think and don't be afraid to request an idea! I hope i lived up to the expectations and that you are all satisfied!**

 **Oh, and I have no idea how custody battles work, but I just used a trial as my way and I think it turned out well. Please don't bite my head off if it isn't accurate but I think that it works for this story!**

 **Oh, and for all of those who took a guess at my major, I know you all expect me to be an english major or something like that, but I am actually a Criminology major, I want to give back and help those who are victims of crimes, but more importantly those who are victims of abuse. It really speaks to me, and it's what I'm really passionate about. Oh, and if anyone was curious, I am a senior and should be graduating soon!**


	49. Chapter 48 - Camp

**Forty Eighth One Shot:**

 **Camp**

 **Clary POV:**

I was on my way to Camp Navajo to start off the summer and I was super excited. I have been a counselor here since I was in high school. I absolutely loved it. What was even better was my job was really accommodating to me spending summers here. They used my absence during the summer to give internships to the college kids, so really everyone wins.

Working at this camp was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I was always a counselor for the little kids, they were between the ages of 4 and 6 and they were just the cutest kids ever. It also helped that I was close with the other counselors. I loved getting to spend the summer with them, well, not Jace. He is so full of himself, and since he's a counselor for the older kids, the boys pick up his attitude by the end of the summer. He was infuriating.

When I pulled up to the camp I couldn't help but smile. The kids were getting here tomorrow which gave the counselors enough time to get everything in the cabins ready. I got my stuff and headed towards the registration building to find out who I was sharing a cabin with this summer. When I walked in I was greeted by the head of the camp.

"Hey Hodge. How was your year?" I asked and he smiled at me.

"It was great. Got everything around the grounds fixed, and ready to start this summer off right." He said and I nodded.

"Who am I bunking with this summer?" I asked as he pulled up the file on the computer. I was paired with Aline last year, and I absolutely hated it.

"You are with Isabelle this summer." He said and I smiled. Izzy was one of my best friends from this camp. It sucked that we didn't live near each other but I always loved getting to spend an entire summer together.

"Sweet." I said and he laughed.

"You'll be in the 4 year old cabin this summer." He said and I nodded.

"I'm going to go get my bunk ready, I'll see you at the meeting later tonight." I said and he waved and I made my way to the cabin.

I loved this place because it had kids from all different places at all walks of life. It started at 4 years old, and the older ones stopped at 15. People came from Europe, and the west, and anywhere really. It was a great way to make friends, teach the littler kids things, and just have an awesome summer that is filled with experiences you don't get anywhere else.

An hour later, I was unpacked and I heard the door open and I looked back at saw Izzy standing there. I screamed and ran over to her and gave her the biggest hug ever. I didn't realize how much I really missed her until this moment. When we broke apart I took her bags and walked them over to her bunk.

"I gave you the bottom bunk cause I know you hate heights." I said and she smiled.

"You're the best Clare. How was your year?" She asked.

"Uneventful." I said and she laughed.

"Aren't you like an assistant for like the richest man in New York?" She asked.

"Something like that. He's a friend of my fathers, and after I graduated college I needed a job, and he was looking for an assistant and I've been there ever since, but some of the work is kinda boring." I said and she nodded. "How was your year?"

"The usual. Saving lives and everything." Izzy said and I smiled. She was a nurse, and a damn good one at that.

"How do you manage to get the whole summer off?" I asked as I got her bed ready.

"I build up enough vacation days throughout the year. I literally don't take any vacation days and by the time summer comes, they are practically begging for me to take the time." She said and I laughed.

"Is Alec here this year?" I asked.

"Yea. He's up in Iroquois this year. He is actually in the same cabin as Jace." She said.

"Good, so Jace won't corrupt them too much." I said and she laughed.

"He isn't that bad once you get to know him." Izzy said.

"You say that like you spend a lot of time with him." I said and she shrugged.

"I kinda do. He visits Alec a bunch and we get together a lot." Izzy said.

"Isn't he from England? How does he get the time, and money to come here all the time?" I asked.

"Rich kid he is." Izzy said and I just nodded.

"How are Alec and Magnus doing?" I asked after a moment.

"Great. They moved in together like 5 months ago." She said and I smiled. They met here about 4 years ago, and hit it off immediately.

"Where is he this year?" I asked.

"He's with Simon in Cherokee." Izzy said.

"Are they bunking together?" I asked.

"No. Separate cabins." She said and I nodded.

We finished getting all of her stuff unpacked and by that time it was time for the meeting. There were 8 counselors in the Ottawa division, which is where Izzy and I were. There were 8 for Cherokee, and 8 for Iroquois. 16 counselors in all and we all sat around a campfire for the meeting. Jace and I locked eyes across the fire and he gave me his signature smirk. I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back towards Hodge as he began speaking.

"Welcome back counselors. Since you all are returners, I'm going to cut you long speech and make a few announcements." He said. "Well, all of the showers in Ottawa have been fixed, so fear not ladies and gents. No more freezing cold showers for you." We all cheered. It was the longest last week of summer I've ever had. "I delayed telling you who was in charge of the three campsites this summer because you all are such great candidates, that it was hard for us to choose. We took a vote, and than another vote, and than another, but there was one person who stuck out no matter how many times we voted." He said and looked around at all of us. "The person in charge of Ottawa this summer is….Clary Morgenstern." He said and my jaw dropped. Izzy hugged me and I hugged her back seriously shocked that I was given this job. "You have been an amazing counselor at this came for 7 years and you are the perfect example of how we want out counselors to be."

"I really appreciate this Hodge. It means a lot." I said and he nodded.

"The person in charge of Cherokee is…Julian Blackthorn." He said and the guys gave him high fives, and I smiled. "And the head of Iroquois is…..Jace Herondale." He said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. There were so many great people in the teenagers department and he picked Jace. "We have a meeting on Friday after the kids go to sleep right here, and we'll get this summer rolling the right way, but for now let's just have a fun night before it gets busy!" He said and everyone smiled and nodded.

The night was amazing. I caught up with Alec, Magnus and Simon and we all laughed until out stomachs hurt. Only being able to catch up with these people during the summer was hard, we were really close and it sucked but I was glad that we at least had the whole summer to spend together and be kids again. It was getting late, so we put out the fair and started making our way back to our cabins. Izzy and I walked with our arms linked and laughing and smiling the whole way back. I couldn't wait for the kids to move in, and start having the time of my life this summer.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I loved coming to this camp and working. It was a great way to just leave my life and problems behind and enjoy a summer spending time with kids, and some friends who I don't get to see often. And I can't forget Clary. There was something about her that really draws me in but she doesn't like me in the slightest. I get that I can come off as really arrogant, but that's who I am. Who I've always been, and probably how I'll always be. It's a defensive mechanism that I got from my childhood, and I don't think it can ever go away.

This summer I was going to try to get her to like me. I didn't like that she didn't like me, but I understood why, I was an ass, but I wanted to change that. Today there was a whole camp pool party and all the counselors were invited to have fun and hang out with the kids. I didn't swim much, and neither did Alec so we were sitting on the side watching all the kids.

"Clary! Clary! Come swim with us!" I heard a bunch of little girls shouting. I looked over and saw Clary getting up from her chair and removing her cover-up. She wasn't like the normal women that I normally wanted to get with, but that's why I liked about her. She was independent, and she was smart, and I just felt a connection with her. She got into the pool and the girls swam towards her and attached themselves to her.

I didn't even realize that I was staring at her until I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. When I looked up Izzy was standing there smiling at me. She took a seat next to me and followed where my eyes always ended up.

"Why are you staring Jace?" She asked with a wicked smile.

"I think you already know Iz." I said and she laughed.

"Why don't you just talk to her if you're so fixated on her?" She asked.

"Cause she already thinks I'm an asshole, she won't give me the time of day." I said and she put her arm around me.

"I think she would change her mind if she knew you. I told her you weren't really that big of a jerk, but until you prove it to her, I don't think she'll understand." Izzy said and I nodded. "When did this even start?"

"I think I realized that she was different than other girls last summer, and when I got back to England I went out on a date with a redhead but I couldn't stop thinking about Clary, or comparing them. It freaked me out at first, but I follow her on Instagram, and Twitter, and I was constantly curious about her life, and what she was doing. I found myself thinking about her all the time."

"How come you never mentioned this to me?" She asked.

"You two are friends, I didn't want you to tell her." I said and she nodded.

"I do have a big mouth don't I?" She asked and I laughed and nodded.

The rest of the day went by quickly and before I knew it I was getting ready for bed and staring at the ceiling thinking about Clary yet again. It was weird how she was constantly on my mind, and how I never seemed to think about anything else. The past year Clary had been a constant in my mind, and if I didn't do something about it soon, I might just lose my mind.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

This summer has been a weird one to say the least. Being in charge of the Ottawa cabins was really eye opening because I had more work, but I also relied on Julian and Jace and honestly they were really dedicated to the job and pretty good at it. I had to admit, Izzy was right. Jace was different once you got to know him, and after spending this month and a half in meetings with him, I was seeing him in a whole new way, and I did like who he was. He was a hard worker, and he was actually really creative when it came to themed nights, and activities for the kids. I was surprised but I was glad it was a good surprise.

"Okay boys, we need to plan the next three weeks of activities to plan." I said and Julian and Jace both nodded.

"I think we need to have a movie night. Like, projected on the side of the barn with a camp fire, and s'mores, and popcorn, and soda." Jace suggested and it sounded like a great idea.

"I like it. How do we pick the movie?" I asked.

"Why don't we have the kids write down movies and narrow it down for all ages and than we put it out to a vote and that's how we vote?" Julian said.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll do it for Ottawa, Julian you do Cherokee, and Jace you do Iroquois." They nod in agreement. "So, what about the other idea we can think of?"

"How about a mission impossible night?" Jace said. "We hide flags, and each cabin has to go find them and which ever cabin finishes first wins."

"That sounds cool, but that's a lot of kids running around." Julian said.

"We could do it on different nights." I suggest. "Ottawa can go first, but it can be when its lighter out since they are so little. The next night can be Cherokee and that can happen later but not too late, and than Iroquois can go the next night later."

"That could work." Jace said and I wrote it down along with the movie night. "How many more idea do we need?"

"3." I said and they nodded. It was quiet for a while before Julian spoke up.

"How about we do like a huge game night. WE could play tug of war, red rover, like classic playground games."

"What is Red Rover?" Jace asked and I laughed.

"You don't have Red Rover in England?" I asked and he shook his head. "It's a playground game. There are two teams. They stand like 30 feet apart or something like that, a good distance. Than they all hold hands. They chant 'red rover red rover please send' and than they say someone's name 'over' and that person gets out of line and runs towards the line of kids and tries to break the hands and if they break the line they can go back to their side but if they don't they are out."

"Sounds like it could get dangerous." Jace said and I laughed.

"It doesn't have too." I said and he nodded.

"Seems fun, we could try it." Jace said and I wrote it down.

"Alright, two more ideas." I said and than something popped into my head. "Let's have a sports night. Pick teams and make a bracket, and go to town. But the teams must be co-ed. They boys can't gang up on a team of girls. Each team has to have at least one boy and one girl on it."

"Let's do it." Julian and Jace say at the same time and I write it down.

"Alright boys, last one." I said.

"How about a midnight pool party to end the summer off?" Jace said and it sounded like a great idea. The little kids might have a hard time but I think it could be fun.

"It sounds fun, and I know the kids would love to stay up that late." Julian said and I agreed and wrote it down.

"Great meeting boys, and we'll meet tomorrow to start planning the first event." I said and they nodded. Julian got up and walked away and that left Jace and I. It was late, and I had to walk all the way back to Ottawa and I was slightly afraid of the fact that a bear could be lurking in the woods. They were the biggest fear of mine, and I took a deep breath to get ready to make the walk back to my cabin.

"Would you like me to walk you back?" Jace asked and I was shocked. "You seem a little put off about the thought of walking back alone."

"I'm not a big fan of the woods at night." I said and he laughed.

"Being a camp counselor is the perfect career you." He said and I laughed as we started to walk. It was quiet for a while. I could hear the rocks under my feet and the wind whistling through the leaves on the trees. I didn't mind the company of Jace, I had never enjoyed the silence before, but with Jace it just felt comfortable. We made it back to my cabin and we both stopped and lingered.

"Thank you for walking me." I said and he smiled.

"It was my pleasure. I'll see you tomorrow Clary." He said and than he walked away. I stood outside for a few minutes and before I knew it Izzy was standing next to me.

"What are you doing?" She asked and I blushed and I'm glad that it's dark.

"Getting some fresh air." I said

"Who was the other voice I heard?"

"Jace." I said and she raised her eyebrows at me. "He walked me back. You know I don't like the woods at night."

"Sure. That's the only reason." She said and I playfully pushed my shoulder into her. "Face it, you like him."

"Izzy." I said but she cut me off.

"If you don't like him romantically, you at least like him as a person." She said and I smiled.

"Yea, I do like him as a person." I said and she laughed.

"Come on, let's go to bed." She said and we walked into the cabin and got into bed, and I started thinking about what Izzy said. Did I like Jace romantically? Or did I just like him as a friend? I mean, he was incredibly handsome, and he was actually really sweet when he let his walls down. Now I just had to figure out my feelings because at the end of the summer we would be going our separate ways and wouldn't see each other until next summer.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was the night of the movie night and Jace, Julian and I were getting everything ready for the campers. The movie that they all picked was Annie, which surprised me, but when we actually explained what Annie was, everyone seemed to really want to see it. We chose the 1999 version so it would be a little more current. I was getting the snacks ready, while Jace was getting the projector ready, and Julian was setting out blankets, and benches and everything kids could use to sit on out on the ground.

A half an hour later the Iroquois show up and take their seats, followed by the Cherokee and last but not least the Ottawa. They all took their seats and got settled. Once they were all there Jace, Julian and I stood in the front and when the quieted down Jace began to speak.

"Alright guys, the movie that was selected tonight was Annie, and I don't want to hear the groans, this is a good movie, and everyone will like it, and if you don't, bit your tongue until its over." Jace said and everyone laughed and nodded. "There is food along these tables, and the fire pit is for s'mores, and you can get as much as you want. Ottawa goes first, and than Cherokee and Iroquois are last. If you need a counselor, they will be in the back so don't be afraid to ask." Everyone nodded and everyone started to get food and when they were all settled, Julian pressed play on the projector and Annie popped up on the screen.

When Annie had snuck out of the orphanage, I snuck away from the group and made my way to the bridge that crosses the water. I had an overwhelming feeling growing in my chest and I just needed to get away and clear my head. I don't know how long I was standing there but I heard leaves crunching and it freaked me out and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw Jace standing there.

"Jesus Jace, don't sneak up on me." I said and he stood next to me.

"You're really jumpy. Are you okay?" He asked and I looked back at the water.

"Just felt a little trapped, I wanted to clear my head." I said but I didn't look to see if he answered. I just kept my eyes on the water.

"You seem really freaked out by the dark." Jace final said and I shrugged.

"I've never been a fan of night time. So many things can happen, and people get lost, or taken, and things lurk in the trees."

"Sounds like paranoia." He said and I shrugged. I was about to say something when I heard leaves crunch in the distance, and I turned around and looked in the trees, and the tightness in my chest was getting worse. I think Jace was trying to talk to me but everything was completely tuned out and I was looking around trying to find the source of the noise. I couldn't get my breathing in check and I couldn't even control my legs. I was pacing and close to hyperventilating when I felt someone grab my arms and before I knew it, lips slammed against mine and I stopped breathing all together. After a moment he pulled away and our eyes locked.

"How did you do that?" I asked after a moment.

"I've read once that if you hold your breath in the middle of a panic attack that it helps control your breathing. When I kissed you, you stopped breathing." He said and I nodded.

"That was a really good idea." I said and he nodded. It was silent for a while before I spoke. "We should get back to the party." I said and he nodded. We walked back to the party and the movie was almost over. We took a seat with the rest of the counselors and didn't speak of that moment for the rest of the night. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the moment, it's just I didn't really know what to do now that it happened. When the movie was over and we cleaned up we made our way back to the cabins. I was laying in my bunk and staring at the ceiling thinking about what this changed between Jace and I but we left in a couple weeks, and we wouldn't be in the same country.

 **Time Jump – End Of Summer Camp**

 **Clary POV:**

The end of the summer camp was here and the kids were all leaving today. I was cleaning up the cabin and getting my stuff in order to leave once all the kids were gone. Jace and I haven't talked about what happened on the bridge that night. We didn't let anything get awkward between us, but we both definitely wanted to talk about it, but neither of us brought it up. I liked that the friendship between us didn't really change, but there was a change in my mind. I was seeing Jace in a different way since that kiss. I was loading up my car when I heard someone clear my their throat. When I came around my car Jace was standing there. He was leaning against my car and I walked over to him and it was silent for a little before he spoke.

"I guess this is it until next summer." He said and I took a deep breath.

"I guess." I said and I finally looked up into his golden eyes and they looked darker today.

"I don't want it to be." He said and I smiled a little. I reached into my car and pulled out one of my business cards and went back and stood in front of Jace. I handed it to him and smiled up at him.

"In case you're ever in New York." I said and he smiled.

"I will defiantly call." He said and I smiled. We were silent for a couple minutes before he looked at his watch. "I have to go. My plane leave in a few hour."

"Have a safe flight." I said and he pushed himself off the car.

"Have a safe drive home." He said and I nodded. He walked away and I got into my car and took a deep breath. This was a step in the right direction, and I only hoped that it continued in a positive direction.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was going to a business meeting in New York and I was pretty excited because I was going to give Clary that call and see if we could meet up. I didn't really know if we were even going to be in the same part of New York, but I was willing to rent a car and drive to go see her. When the plane landed I immediately got in the car and was headed straight for the hotel. I had to take a late flight due to business meetings earlier today and my flight got out in at 3 am and I was so ready to go to bed.

When I woke up the next day I felt refreshed and ready to meet with the potential client and honestly, this client was a shoe in and I wanted the meeting to be over so that I could give Clary a call and meet up with her. I got to the building and made my way to the conference room. The whole meeting was a blur. We exchanged information about our companies, and we've made another time to meet and discuss this again, this time in England. We talked numbers, and ideas, and it went really well and when I walked out I took a deep breath, pulled out my phone and pulled out the business card and gave her a call. It rang a few times before she picked up.

"Mark Blackthorn's office, Clary speaking. How may I help you?" She said and I laughed.

"Hi, I would like to make an appointment." I said.

"Sure, what is your business with Mr. Blackthorn?" She asked and I smiled at how she didn't recognize me.

"I was actually looking to make an appointment with you." I said and I heard a gasp. "Miss me?"

"Jace, what are you doing in New York?" She asked and I laughed.

"I had a business meeting for a potential client. And I knew a certain redhead lived in New York and asked me to call her whenever I was here." I said and I heard her laugh.

"My lunch break is in 20 minutes. There is this great coffee shop near my building, it's called Java Jones, meet me there." She said.

"You got it. See you soon." I said and we hung up. I made my way over to Java Jones and waited for Clary.

Twenty minutes went by and than Clary walked into the coffee shop. It was weird seeing her in actual clothes because at camp she was in t-shirts and shorts wearing an old pair of converse, but here she was in a fitted dress, heels, and a pea coat that fit her to perfection. Her hair was perfectly curled and she was wearing make up, she looked flawless, and I stood up and immediately pulled her into a hug when she came up to me. I knew I probably caught her off guard but I needed to hug her after all that time spent apart. When we sat down she smiled at me and I smiled back. I didn't realize how much I missed her until now.

"It's good to see you Jace." She said and I smiled.

"You too." I said and she smiled. "You look incredibly fancy."

"I know. It's part of the job. I would much rather be in a t-shirt and shorts running after four year olds." She said and I laughed.

"So why not be a preschool teacher?" I asked.

"Wasn't really in the cards for me. My dad wanted me to get a real job, so I did." She said and I nodded. "How was your business meeting?"

"It was good. I think he'll be a client rather soon." I said and she nodded.

"What exactly do you do again?" She asked.

"I am the CEO of my families company." I said and her jaw dropped.

"What are you, like 24?" She asked and I laughed.

"Just turned 24 actually." I said and her eyes got even wider.

"How did you get that job?" She asked.

"My father got sick and he couldn't do it anymore, so he gave it to me. I've been in charge for a couple years but he officially gave it to me when I graduated from university." I said and she nodded.

"That's impressive." She said and I shrugged. We talked for another hour until her break was eventually up. I walked her back to her building where we lingered for a little. "I'm glad you called Jace."

"Me too. If I had to wait until this summer to see you again, I would have gone mad." I said and she laughed.

"It couldn't have been that long." She smiled and I nodded.

"It was. Trust me." I said and she looked at me and I did the one thing I've been dying to do since that night on the bridge. I slammed my lips to hers and she stumbled in shock but once I steadied her she started kissing me back. We spent a couple minutes kissing on the streets of New York until we broke apart and our eyes locked and I smiled. "I have been waiting to do that since the bridge."

"Really?" She asked and I nodded.

"Honestly Clary, for the past 2 years you're all I've been able to think about. I don't know what happened. One summer you hated my guts and I couldn't care less and than the next I had this insane urge to get you to like me, and when I finally got you to be my friend I liked you even more. The night we kissed, this is going to sound horrible, but I was glad you were having a panic attack because it gave me a reason to kiss you."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" She asked.

"Because you hated me. I figured if you already had an opinion on me, it wouldn't change in a couple months." I said and she nodded.

"Well, I'm glad that my opinion of you changed." She said and I pulled her into me.

"So am I." I said and she smiled.

"I have to get back to work, but when do you leave?" She asked.

"My flight is tomorrow." I said and she nodded.

"Dinner tonight?" She asked and I smiled.

"I'd love to." I said and I gave her a quick kiss on her lips. Her cheeks turned a rosy red and I smiled. "I'll see you tonight."

"Bye Jace." She said and she walked into the building. I got back into the car and went back to my hotel thinking about what just happened and I couldn't get the smile off my face because I was going to enjoy getting to know everything about Clary.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"I can't believe you Clary!" Izzy yelled as we got our cabin ready for the final summer we were working at this camp.

"I'm 25 Iz, and I'm adjusting to my new home, and I've worked here since I was 17. It's time for a change." I said and I looked at her.

"What am I going to do without you?" She asked and I walked over to her and gave her a hug.

"You can always come visit me Izzy. Trust me, I would die if I never got to see you again." I said and she smiled.

"I still can't believe you moved to England." She said and I smiled.

"I'm still adjusting, and everything but there was no way that Jace and I were going to survive being in two separate countries and since his company is in England it made sense for me to be the one to move."

"Who would have thought you two would be living together, being in a cute relationship, and getting your life together." She said and I laughed.

"Life has a funny way of working itself out." I said and she laughed. "Now, if only he would purpose, we could get our lives started."

"You know Jace, he's probably going to make it as special as possible." She said and I smiled.

"Probably. He is such a dramatic guy." I said and she laughed.

We finished getting our cabin ready and when we were finally finished it was time for the annual counselor meeting. Izzy linked her arm in mine and we began walking down the path to the meeting place. We got to the bridge and I noticed the subtle differences in he bridge. There were flower peddles thrown around and bows on the end of it. I looked over and Izzy and she had the biggest smile on her face. We kept walking to where we were supposed to and that's when I heard the soft music playing. I was so confused but when I saw Jace standing there with his hands in his pockets looking incredibly attractive made my heart start racing. Izzy walked me right up to him and than let me go. Jace took my hands and looked directly in my eyes.

"I'm sure you're incredibly confused as to what is going on." He said and I nodded. "I know you've been dropping hints for a couple months, and you don't even know how many times I wanted to ask you but I had it in my head a certain way, and I wanted to keep that." He said and he pulled out a box from his pocket. My hands went over my mouth and Jace smirked. "This is where it all started. We met, and you instantly disliked me, and I didn't really care." Everyone let out a little laugh as so did Jace and I. "Everything changed for me one summer, and I knew that I had to at least see where we went or if we even had a chance, and here we are, two and a half years later, and we have our own house in England, we are building our life together, I mean, we have a cat." He said and I laughed. "I can't wait to start our lives together and I wouldn't have wanted to do it with anyone else. I love you more than I ever thought was possible Clary, and I want to have everything with you." He said as he opened the box. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" I yelled and he put the ring on and picked me up and spun me around and pressed his lips on mine. When we broke apart and I finally heard everyone clapping. When we faced them I was brought into a hug by the girls and Jace was talking to the guys.

When the meeting finally started Jace took a seat next to me and pulled me into his side. I looked up at Jace and than back at my ring and couldn't help the smile on my face. Who knew that Jace and I were going to end up getting married? Certainly not me. I never thought that he would be the guy I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, but I also couldn't be any happier. He made me laugh, and smile, and he made me feel loved. Nothing in the world could compare to the love that Jace shows me every single day, and I couldn't wait to see where our future held for us because it certainly looked incredibly bright for us.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This was requested by NightReader1214, and I am so sorry that I have taken so long to do your request, but I really had been trying to come up with an idea, and I had a hard time sleeping last night and I came up with this, and I really hope that it was worth the wait! I really enjoy this one shot. I think it's pretty cute, and very Clace oriented which I felt like you wanted! Let me know what you think and I hope you like it! :)**

 **Also, the whole thing with Clary being afraid of bears, and the woods, and night time doesn't really have a real reason behind it. She's just never liked night time, and it clearly really freaks her out, and it's just the way she is, and I like her that way, and I'm sorry if you don't like that little character part of her!**

 **AND, the part with the kiss on the bridge, I totally used Teen Wolf as a reference because Season 6 is killing me, and I don't want it to end, but I really want Stiles and Lydia together, and I will cry if they aren't! Okay, my little rant is over! Let me know what you think! :)**


	50. Chapter 49 - Secret Admirer

**Forty Ninth One Shot:**

 **Secret Admirer**

 **Jace POV:**

It was the end of the day on a Friday and I couldn't wait to get home. Senior year of high school was a joke yet so serious at the same time. I was taking a bunch of AP classes, and playing football. It was a lot to juggle but I loved the sport and I really wanted to get an academic scholarship to school so I did everything I could to make sure that happened.

I got to my locker to grab the homework I had to complete this weekend, and when I opened my locker a piece of paper fell out. I quickly picked it up and put it in m pocket. I grabbed my stuff and made my way out to my car. We had a huge game tonight and I wanted to finish some homework before I had to be back here for the game. I was on my way to my car when my friend came up and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"You ready for the big game tonight Herondale?" Sebastian asked and I smiled.

"Hell yea. You know I'm always ready." I said and he laughed.

"Party after, be there. My place." He said and I nodded. He saw a hot girl walk past and I was completely dead to him and he left. I laughed and got to my car. I booked it out of that parking lot and made my way home. When I got there I put my backpack on the table and made my way to the fridge to grab a snack. When I took a seat at the table I forgot that I put that weird piece of paper in my pocket that fell out of my locker. I figured that it was some homework that I needed to remember to do so I grabbed it out of my pocket, but when I opened it I realized how incredibly wrong I was about what it was.

 _Dear Jace,_

 _I know this is probably incredibly weird for you, getting a letter in your locker isn't really common but I didn't really know how else to talk to you without actually having to approach you. I'm not the type of girl who is confident enough to put myself out there, especially with someone like you. You probably don't know me, we have class together, but I doubt you notice me. I guess the purpose of this letter was to start a friendship with you without you knowing who I am. An anonymous person, who might never build up the courage to do this in person. This is mostly for my own benefit but I like to think that you benefit as well. I know you have a game tonight, and although I won't be there, I wish you the best of luck and I know you'll kick some serious ass, because that's what Jace Herondale does._

 _xoxo_

 _your secret admirer_

When I was finished reading it was honestly really shocked. This kind of thing doesn't happen to me. I mean, girls approach me all the time, but this was different, and mysterious, and I couldn't help but wonder who this girl was that one, knew my locker number, and two who wrote me this letter. This didn't strike me as weird though, I was actually really flattered that she took the time to write out this letter. It definitely raised some questions but I was intrigued and was curious if I was going to get another one next week, but for now I have to focus on my homework and then the game.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I haven't gotten another letter since last Friday and to be honest I was a little sad. Everything these days was so focused around technology and people don't take the time to communicate like they used too. Having someone handwrite me a letter was nice, and something about it made me actually feel special, like I was worth a hand written note to someone and they wanted me to know that.

Today we had an away game so we got out early. I was pumped because traveling to other schools was always fun. Their fans tried so hard to hate us but once they take a look at me all the girls start to swoon. It's rather funny, and I get a kick out of it whenever we go. I was walking to my locker to get my things so I could go to the locker room and get ready. When I opened my locker a piece of paper fell out and I'm not going to lie, I got really excited. I put it in my pocket and grabbed my things and went to the locker room. The guys were all standing around talking until the bug got here. We all loaded in and I took my usual seat in the back. Nobody sat with me, which is how I liked it and everyone knew that. I put my headphones in and took out the letter. I was really excited to read it, and I didn't know why.

 _Dear Jace,_

 _I hope this isn't starting to creep you out, but if it is, you can leave a note in the plant pot outside of the gym doors and I'll pick it up. If you don't want anymore notes, I'll completely understand. I don't really know what I want to say in this letter, but I felt like if I was going to continue writing you, I had to have a schedule. I know you have a game tonight, and I wish you luck again. I heard you really kicked ass last Friday, just like I said you would. I mean, I'm not saying I can predict the future, but I did do a little happy dance when I heard you made the winning touchdown. Very impressive Mr. Herondale. I bet you can't wait for your future. You probably have it all figured out, and you have everything going for you. I wish I had that. I have no idea what my future looks like no matter how many times I shake my magic 8 ball. It's murky, and grey, and who even knows if I have a future, but I'm not very optimistic about it. I guess you could call me a pessimist, but whatever you call me, I know one thing for sure, Jace Herondale will be a house hold name one day. (If I'm right about this, you totally need to give me a shoutout when you're famous) Until next time._

 _xoxo,_

 _your secret admirer_

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped my lips. She had a sense of humor, and I couldn't not laugh. Although the part about her future kind of made me wonder about her. Was she not going to college? Was she taking time off to pursue other things? Was she sick, and her future was undetermined? I didn't know, and I couldn't ask because I had no idea who she was. I folded the letter up and put it in my pocket. I turned my music up and looked out the window while questions about my admirer flooded my mind, questions that I may never get.

 **Time Jump – Monday**

 **Clary POV:**

It was almost 4 and I had stayed after to finish my latest art project. I knew the football team had practice and there was no way that I would be seen picking a note out of the plant pot outside. When I walked out I saw it sticking out and I quickly grabbed it and stuck it in my pocket. I made it to my car and made my way home. My parents were still at work, which meant that I got some time alone. I took an apple out of the fridge and took a seat on the couch and opened the letter.

 _Dear Admirer,_

 _I don't find your letters creepy or weird at all. I actually find them quite flattering. I found myself looking forward to receiving your next one. I appreciate the 'good lucks' you've been giving me, and I think they are coming in quite handy. We won on Friday, and I was pretty pumped. I wish you would tell me something about yourself, I've been looking around trying to figure out who you are but I've come up with nothing thus far. Most of the obvious choices of girls who want to talk to me normally just come right up to me and start a conversation, but you just had to be mysterious. But I like it. There is something intriguing about you, and it keeps me wanting more._

 _Jace_

When I finished reading it I couldn't get the smile off my face. I was glad that he liked my creepy letters. I decided on a whim that I wanted to stick the letter in his locker, and there was a 50/50 chance that he would be thoroughly creeped out and I was glad that he wasn't.

I took a deep breath and relaxed into the couch. Going through every day was really hard with my condition. But I wanted to live as normal of a life that I possibly could, and when the pain hit, I just had to suck it up and deal with it. I didn't realize how physically drained I was until I felt my eyes closing. I decided not to fight it and just let it happen.

Before I knew it I was being shaken awake. I opened my eyes and saw my mom standing in front of me. I slowly opened my eyes and let them adjust to the light. I sat up and rubbed my eyes trying to come back to reality. When I was finally awake enough to hold a normal conversation I looked up at my mom.

"When did you get home?" I asked.

"About 10 minutes ago. I'm going to make dinner and than you have therapy." She said and I nodded. Being sick sucked, but I continued to do everything in my power to give myself the chance of a normal life, and if going to therapy three times a week was what I had to do, than so be it.

 **Time Jump – Friday**

 **Jace POV:**

The end of the day couldn't come fast enough. And it wasn't because I was excited for the game, I wanted to see if there was a note in my locker. I don't know why I looked forward to them so much lately, but they really did lighten my mood and make me smile. I was sitting in my last class just watching the time tick down until it reached 3 and I booked it out of my class. I got to my locker and opened it to find no letter in there. I was actually really disappointed that I didn't get to read one today, and it made me wonder what happened to her. I sighed, grabbed my books and made my way to the locker room. I was zoned out until I felt a hand on my shoulder, when I looked up Alec was standing there.

"You okay? You look lost." He said and I nodded. "Seriously Jace, I've known you my whole life. Something is off."

"For the past two weeks I've been getting notes in my locker." I said.

"That's weird." He said and I laughed.

"You would think but it's really not. She leaves them for me every Friday, but I didn't get one today." I said and he nodded.

"Who is this girl?" He asked.

"I have no idea. She never signs her name." I said. "But she's funny, and her notes always make me laugh."

"You sound a little taken by her." He said.

"It's nice to have someone who wants to talk to me because they genuinely want too, and not because they want to be popular, or they want something from me. She just likes to talk, and I like listening to what she has to say." I said.

"Maybe she wasn't in school today. She could be sick, or he might have had to leave early." He said and I nodded.

"I guess. I don't know why I got so excited for this letter." I said and Alec laughed.

"You like her. Maybe as a potential girlfriend, or maybe just as a potential friend. She makes you happy, there is nothing wring with that." He said and I smiled.

"I guess you're right." I said and he laughed again.

"Of course I'm right. Now focus on the game, we have to keep our streak up. We have to go undefeated this year." He said and I laughed. I put my headphones in and tried my best to focus on the game, but the fact that I never got a letter really did bother me, and wouldn't leave me alone.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was our by week this week, and I was glad to have a day off. It was rare when our coach gave us a Friday off but we were doing really well this year and he thought be deserved the day, and I wasn't complaining about it. School went by slowly and by the end of the day I was ready to go home and take a nap. I made it to my locker and when I opened it a note fell out. I picked it up and shoved it in my pocket. I would read it when I got home.

I made my way to my car avoiding everyone. I was really drained and just needed rest. It felt like it took me forever to get home, but when I finally did I collapsed on the couch. It didn't take long before my eyes were shutting and I was drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

I don't know how long I was asleep for but when I woke up it was completely dark outside. I didn't even bother getting off the couch. I pulled a blanket over me and shut my eyes again. This is exactly what I needed, and what my body needed. Having a day off like today was perfect, and I was going to take advantage of it in anyway that I could.

When I woke up the next morning I was slightly confused but than I remembered that I fell asleep on the couch. I sat up and stretched and decided that I needed to change into comfier clothes. When I changed into sweats and a hoodie I made my way back to the couch and remembered that I had a letter waiting for me to be read. I grabbed it out of my coat pocket and began reading.

 _Dear Jace,_

 _I don't think I can properly express how sorry I am that I didn't stick to my schedule last week. I wasn't in school for a couple days, and I didn't have a chance to leave you a note earlier. My absence wasn't planned. I heard you played well in the game last Friday, but you didn't totally kick ass so I'm going to assume that I'm your good luck charm, and there isn't anything you can do to change my mind. I know you said you wished you knew something about me, and I was hesitant to share a personal detail with you, but seeing as I skipped last Friday, I feel like I owe you one. I'm not a very intriguing person, I live quite a boring life so I don't really have many fun facts to tell you, so I think I'll just stick to a basic one for now, and maybe I'll work up to an actual fun fact about myself. Uh, well, man this is harder than I thought, okay, here's one, I can't ride a bike. I know it seems weird, but growing up in the city didn't leave a lot of room to practice, and to this day I still don't know how to ride one. Anyway, I know you don't have a game tonight, so I hope whatever you do to fill the time goes well, and you have a fun time. Until next Friday (unless I'm a total bitch and flake again)_

 _xoxo_

 _your secret admirer_

She still managed to make me laugh and I folded the letter back up and put it on the coffee table. I turned the TV on and decided that this weekend I was going to watch a massive amount of mindless TV and enjoy it. The day passed and I didn't move from the couch. My mom laughed at me when she saw me, claiming that she had never seen me be such a lazy couch potato, but I didn't care, I was relaxing, and having a damn good time doing it.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was Christmas time and I was in the hospital again. I had another attack and my parents didn't want to risk it and I was admitted a week ago and I'm still here. I hated being in hospitals more than anything, and the fact that I could be stuck in here for Christmas really killed me. I was flipping through channels on the TV when my doctor walked in.

"Good morning Clary, how are you feeling today?" He asked and I smiled.

"A lot better Stephan. Thank you for asking." I said and he smiled.

"I'm afraid you won't be discharged until the New Year Clary. I wish I could tell you better news, but your last attack raised a lot of questions and I don't want to let you leave until I have an answer for every single one of them." He said and I nodded.

"I guess it's just another Christmas in the hospital." I said and he gave me a sad smiled. "I had avoided this for 5 years. I thought I was finally in the clear when it came to this holiday."

"MS doesn't really do holidays." He said and I laughed.

"Don't I know it." I said had he sat on the foot of my bed.

"I'm working this Christmas, and my wife and son are coming to spend the day with me here, how about we have our own mini Christmas together. Our families can make this less depressing." He said and I laughed.

"That sounds great Stephan." I said and he nodded and got up.

"I'll check back in before I leave tonight." I nodded and he left my room. I sat back in my chair and thought about his offer. I knew his son. His son was the same guy that I had been writing to for months, and I was going to be spending Christmas with him. I don't know if this is karma, or luck, or the universe playing a trick on me, but it would definitely be an interesting Christmas.

 **Time Jump – Christmas Day**

 **Jace POV:**

"Come on, my shift starts in an hour and I want to introduce you to the girl you'll be spending the day with." My dad said and I groaned.

"Are you really trying to set me up with one of your patients dad?" I asked and he laughed.

"No, but I know she goes to your school, and you're in the same grade." He said and I rolled my eyes. "She's spending another Christmas in the hospital Jace. Imagine how depressing that is." He said and I nodded. I couldn't imagine having to unwillingly spend a holiday sick in a hospital.

When we got to the hospital my dad started walking and my mom and I just followed. I felt like the room was on the complete opposite side of where he parked and I thought we would never get there. He finally stopped in front of a door and turned to us.

"Wait here for a minute. I want to see if she's awake." He said and we nodded. He walked in and my mom and I just waited in the hallways. A couple minutes later he walked back out. "She's awake." He said and we walked in after him. "Clary, I don't know if you know my son, but this is Jace and my wife Celine."

"It's nice to meet you both." She said and I nodded.

"It's good to meet you too sweetie. Are your parents here?" My mom said and Clary shook her head.

"They'll be here later. They both had to work." She said.

"That's awful. They couldn't get Christmas off?" My mom asked.

"This hospital visit isn't going to be cheap, and they get paid double time on Christmas." She said and my mom nodded. "I was just about to watch a lot of cheesy Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel, would you care to join?" She asked and my mom and I laughed.

"We'd love too." My mom said and she made her way over to the only chair in the room. I didn't know what to do and I was about to go get one when Clary spoke.

"I promise, cooties isn't the reason I'm in here." She said and I couldn't help but laugh, and she smiled. "Your father always makes sure I have an extra big bed when I'm in here. There is plenty to share." She said as she scooted over and patted the space beside her. I smiled and made my way over to her. I took my shoes off and got in the bed. "Would you like some blanket?" She asked and I nodded. She pulled the blanket back to reveal her pajama pants that had cupcakes on them. I smiled as she pulled the blanket over my legs. She smiled at me and than flipped the TV on.

We watched 4 movies before the door opened and revealed a woman that looked exactly like Clary and a man. Clary smiled as they made their way over to her and they both gave her a kiss. My dad brought two more chairs in and they took a seat.

"Mom, dad, this is Jace and Celine, Stephan's wife and son. Celine, Jace, these are my parents, Jocelyn and Valentine." Clary said.

"It's nice to meet you both." My mom said.

"You as well. Thank you for keeping Clary company while we were at work." Jocelyn said and my mom smiled.

"She's a delight to be around. I didn't think there was a person out there that was able to make Jace laugh, but she's very good at it." My mom said and I shook my head and I heard Clary laugh.

"Just trying to make this place a little less depressing." Clary said.

"You have therapy at 6 Clary, don't forget." Jocelyn said and Clary nodded.

"How could I possibly forget mother? This is so routine by now." She said and I saw a hint of sadness cross her mothers face. "Why don't you go and get dinner, both of you. I know you didn't take time to eat after work."

"We just got here Clary." Valentine said.

"Yes, and I'll be here after you eat dinner." She said and they got up reluctantly.

"I'll go with you. I'm starving anyway." My mom said and they nodded and all three of them walked out of the room. We sat in silence for a minute before she began to speak.

"You can go with them. I don't mind being alone." She said.

"I'm not that hungry, and I can have my dad bring me something when he gets you dinner." I said and she smiled. "I can't believe we go to school together and I've never met you."

"Seriously? We don't run in the same circle Jace." She said and I laughed.

"I don't really think I have a circle per say." I said and she laughed. "Well, we're friends now, so I guess we do run in the same circle."

"I guess so." She said and I was quiet. "How about another cheesy movie?" She said and I laughed.

"Sounds good." She turned the TV back on and we continued to watch cheesy Christmas movies and before I knew it I felt her head resting on my shoulder and when I looked over she was asleep. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face at how peaceful she looked.

It was weird being with Clary. I had just met her today but I felt like I've known her for so much longer. But I felt like as I was sitting in this bed with this girl leaning on my shoulder I was somehow cheating on my admirer. She had kept to her schedule and I have been getting notes every Friday, and she had shared some other facts like the one about her not knowing how to ride a bike with me. She was really stubborn, and didn't really like giving away too much detail of who she was, and it was driving me crazy. After a few months I realized that Alec was right. I did like her, and the more letters I got the more I realized that I liked her more than a friend.

I don't know how long we were sitting there, but before I knew it Jocelyn, Valentine and my mom were back. Jocelyn walked over and started to wake Clary up. After a good ten minutes Clary finally stirred awake.

"Oh my god, I totally fell asleep on you." She said and I laughed.

"It was no problem, although you did leave me to watch this movie alone, and the remote was on the table over there." I said and she laughed.

"I apologize, but now you're fully caught up on cheesy Christmas movies." She said and I laughed.

"Jace, I think it's time we head home. Clary has therapy anyway, and your dad gets off in 5 minutes" My mom said and I nod and get out of the bed.

"It was nice meeting you Clary." I said and she smiled.

"You too Jace, and you as well Celine." Clary said and my mom beamed.

"I hope we made your Christmas a little more enjoyable." My mom said and she smiled.

"You most definitely did." Clary said. My mom and I made our way out to meet my dad and I noticed my mom was staring at me while smiling.

"What?" I asked and she laughed.

"You like her." She said. "I mean, at first I thought I was just imagining it, because you literally just met her, but I can see it. You like her."

"I'm not sure. I'm conflicted." I said and we got in the car to wait for my dad.

"Conflicted about what?" My mom asked.

"Since the beginning of school I've been getting notes in my locker every Friday."

"From who?" She asked and I laughed.

"No idea. She always signs it 'secret admirer', it's been driving me crazy." I said and my mom laughed.

"Who knew a girl could conflict you." She said and I smiled.

"She's really funny, and I always look forward to reading what she wrote. I don't know, I just have really been enjoying it, and her."

"I don't know what to tell you hunny. That does seem complicated, because I can tell you like Clary." She said.

"I feel like I've known her forever." I said and my mom smiled.

"It looked like you've known each other forever. You both seemed really comfortable and content in each others presence today." I nodded and a moment later my dad got in the car. We drove home in silence and I couldn't' stop thinking about Clary and my secret admirer. I didn't want to have to chose, but if continues, I feel like I'm going to have too.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was surprised that Jace continued to talk to me after his visit to the hospital. He spoke to me in class, and said hi to me in the hallway. It was weird, but I enjoyed it. I still haven't told him that I'm the one leaving him notes. For some reason I feel like our friendship won't be the same if he knows its me. I like being anonymous, and keeping my identity a mystery.

I was sitting in class doodling in my notebook like it did before every class. I didn't really like talking to the people in this class. They weren't very nice, and frankly I wasn't friends with any of them. I was lost in thought when I heard someone call my name. when I looked up Jace was standing there smiling at me.

"What's up?" I asked and he took the empty seat next to me.

"I was wondering if we could talk after school today." He said and I was kinda confused.

"Is everything okay?" I asked and he smiled.

"Yea, I just need some advice, and I figured you'd tell me the truth instead of just agreeing with me." He said and I laughed.

"Okay." I said.

"Sweet, I have a meeting right after school that should only be about 30 minutes. Meet me at Java Jones?" He asked.

"Sounds good. I'll go right after school and wait for you." I said.

"Thanks Clare." He said and than the teacher walked in and started teaching.

The rest of the day went by rather ordinarily. I went to class, didn't speak, and just hoped for the day to come to an end. When it was finally over I got into my car and headed towards Java Jones. I was very curious about what Jace needed my advice for, I mean, I don't really think I have a lot of experience to be giving advice but I could try my best. Jace showed up eventually and took a seat.

"Thank you for meeting me Clare." He said and I smiled.

"No problem. So what does Jace Herondale need advice on?" I asked and he laughed.

"This might sound strange to you at first but let me explain before you talk." He said and I nodded. "Since the beginning of the year I've been receiving notes in my locker." He said and my heart started racing. He was going to talk to me about his secret admirer, to his secret admirer. "She leaves one in my locker every Friday, and I have no idea who she is." I tried to act as calm as I could, but my blush had a minds of it's own and Jace definitely noticed. "Why are you blushing?"

"Because you are asking for advice about your love life to a girl who has no experience with the topic." I said trying to make it sound reasonable.

"I just don't know what to do." He said and I smiled. He looked so lost it was cute.

"Well, do you like these letters?" I asked. I was actually really curious as to what he thought.

"I love getting them. They always make me laugh, and I feel like when I read them she just has so much to say about anything, and it makes me feel like she wants to be genuinely be her friend because she likes me." He said.

"Is that so hard to believe? That she wants to be your friend?" I asked.

"No, but its just not normal for me. People don't genuinely care about what I like, or what I'm interested in. And even though I just get a letter from her, she seems to know me."

"So, what advice do you need from me?" I ask and he smiles.

"Do you think I'm making a big deal out of this? I mean, what if she just wants to be my friend, and I'm getting these feelings that she won't even reciprocate." He said and I could see that he genuinely really cared about me, and loved getting my letters, which made me feel even better about starting it in the beginning.

"But what if she does like you?" I asked.

"I don't even know who she is, and I'm conflicted." He said.

"Conflicted about what?" I asked.

"My feelings." He said.

"I thought you said you liked her?" I asked and he nodded.

"I do, but I like someone else as well." He said and I'm not going to lie, it kinda hurt.

"Oh." I said, because I didn't know how to respond. "Well, I guess you just have to decided which feelings are more genuine."

"But that hard. One is so mysterious and funny, and the other one is so easy to be around and fills a missing piece of me that I didn't know I was missing." He said.

"It sounds like you already picked in your head." I said and he sighed.

"I just wanted to know your opinion. What should I do?" He asked.

"I don't think you can really do much until you know who this secret admirer is." I said and he nodded.

"I figured." He said and I smiled. "I just thought it would be interesting to get a girls point of view."

"Well, I hope it works out." I said. I was a little discouraged that he also had feelings for someone else wasn't what I wanted to hear today, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. He has no idea that I'm the admirer. "I have to get home. My mom needs me."

"Thanks for talking it out with me Clary." He said and I stood up.

"No problem Jace. See you tomorrow." I said and than I left. The whole way home I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He liked me, he actually liked me. But I didn't know how long that would last when he found out it was me. I guess I won't ever know unless I tell him, but I didn't know how to tell him, so I guess for no I'll just keep it to myself.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I still don't know who keeps leaving the notes in my locker. Talking to Clary didn't really help, because she's the other one who I like. I just don't know what to do. I mean, I have no idea who my secret admirer is and it was driving me nuts. I couldn't sit in class anymore so I asked to go to the bathroom and just started walking around the school. I don't know how long I was walking up when I turned the corner I stopped dead in my tracks. Lying in the middle of the hallway was the redhead that had been flooding my mind. I rush over to her and she's out cold. I had no idea what happened but I think back to the first time I met Clary and it was in the hospital, so I called 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator asked.

"My friend is passed out cold in the hallway." I said a little panicked.

"Does this happen a lot?" The operator asked.

"I don't know, all I know is that right before Christmas she was in the hospital and I didn't know if this was related in anyway." I said.

"What is your location?" The operator asked.

"Alicante High School." I said.

"I'll send help immediately." I hung up and focused all my attention back on Clary. If I wasn't so freaked out I would just think she was sleeping. 10 minutes later I heard the sirens and I haven't been so glad to hear them before. Two paramedics rolled a gurney in and bent down to asses Clary. They took her blood pressure, and checked her pulse and her heart. The put her on the gurney and I walked right next to her and into the ambulance. When we got to the hospital I immediately spotted my dad standing at the nurses station desk. He turned around and was so confused as to what I was doing there. He walked over to me with wide eyes.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I was walking the halls and I found her out cold on the ground. I had no idea what happened, but I didn't know if this had anything to do with why she was in the hospital before so I just called 911."

"Okay." He said and he turned towards the paramedics. "Patient has MS, put her in a room, and I'll be in right away." They nodded and he turned back towards me. "Did you not know?"

"How would I know dad? We don't talk about our medical history." I said and he nodded. "Can I go in and sit with her?"

"Of course. I'll be in in about 10 minutes. I have to call her parents and figure out what to do." He said and I nodded. I made my way to the room that I saw the paramedics wheel her in and I took a seat next to her and took a deep breath. I noticed that her fist was balled and I saw a white object in it. I opened up her hand and saw a piece of paper. I took it from her hand and opened it up.

 _Dear Jace,_

 _I know this letter is early, but I don't think I'll be in school on Friday and I didn't want to leave this week without giving you a note. It's been a weird week for me, and I'm not really sure how I could explain exactly what's going on, but I guess I'm just not feeling like myself. This letter is really going to suck. I don't have much to say. I'm really tired, and a little sad. Even though this letter sucks I still wanted you to have it, so you know that I didn't forget. Maybe next week I'll be a little more exciting._

 _xoxo,_

 _Your secret admirer._

I couldn't believe it. She was the one who was leaving me the notes. The two girls that I was confused about were one in the same. Despite being in the hospital right now I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. I didn't have to choose because she was the whole package. But my smile instantly faded when I realized I had talked about my feelings about her, to her. I shook my head and placed it in my hands. None of this mattered right now. Clary was unconscious and I just needed her to be okay.

"Jace." I heard and I turned around to see my father standing in the doorway.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked.

"I have a neurologist coming in to check on her shortly." He said and I nodded. I looked back at Clary than back to my father.

"Is this normal?" I asked.

"It's hard to say. This isn't the first time she's passed out. It's not a common symptom for MS patients, but it isn't unheard of either." He explained.

"When will she wake up?" I asked.

"Hard to say. Could be in the next couple minutes, could take an hour." He said and I nodded. "Look, I talked to her parents, they can't leave work. Would you mind staying with her until she wakes up?"

"Of course not." I said and he smiled.

"When she wakes up, let me know." He said and I nodded. He left the room and it was just Clary and I. I wanted her to wake up so that I could talk to her. I wanted her to know how I felt, and I wanted to know her full reasoning behind the notes.

I set my head down on the bed waiting for her to wake up. At some point I think I drifted off because the next thing I remember was the feeling of a small hand on my head. I sat up and was met with those emerald green eyes and I couldn't help but smile.

"You're awake." I said and she smiled.

"Yea. I'm assuming you found me?" She asked and I nodded. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

"You scared the shit out of me Clary." I said and she gave me a sad smile. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to treat me any differently. I didn't want you to look at me as the girl with MS." She said and I took her hand.

"Clary, telling me wouldn't have made me look at you differently, but it definitely would have prepared me for this afternoon." I said and she smiled.

"I am sorry though. That must have been terrifying." She said.

"Yes. It was." I said. "I want to talk to you about something."

"More advice?" She joked and I smiled.

"Well, after you were brought in here I noticed that you had something in your hand." I said and her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and she paled.

"Oh my god." She said. "I can explain."

"Good, because I really want to know why you started leaving letters in my locker." I said and she blushed.

"You seemed like a person I'd get along with. We've had class together all four years of school. At first I thought you were just a dumb jock who was a huge flirt, but as I observed I realized that there was more to you than just that. You seemed like you built a wall, and it intrigued me. I wanted to break through it, but I'm not confident enough to just go up to someone and start talking."

"But how did you know which locker was mine?" I asked.

"I work in the library. I have access to stuff like that." She said. "I figured it wouldn't hurt. You'd either read it or not. I took a gamble."

"I enjoyed your gamble." I said.

"I'm glad. I enjoyed writing to you." She said.

"Which brings me to another point." I said. "You were rather calm when I brought this up all those months ago in the coffee shop.

"I was internally freaking out. Once you started talking about it my heart started racing." She said and I laughed.

"You did good though." I said.

"I tried my best. I didn't want to give it away. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to tell you who I was." She said.

"Why not? We're friends." I said.

"Yea, but you added more to that after that meeting." She explained. "You told me that you had feelings for me, and that just complicated it more. Especially when you said you liked someone else too. Can you imagine how confused I was?" She asked and I laughed.

"I'm about to blow your mind." I said and she looked at me with a confused expression. "You were the other girl." I said and her jaw dropped again.

"What?" She asked and I laughed.

"Ever since we met I just felt like you were meant to be in my life. You made me laugh, and you filled a void that I didn't even know I had." I explained.

"And me as your admirer?" She asked.

"You were mysterious, and you always made me smile. Not knowing who you were was intriguing to me." I said and she laughed.

"This is so strange." She said and I laughed. "What happens now?"

"What do you mean?" I asked wondering where her head was at.

"Are you disappointed it was me?" She asked.

"Not at all. I was truly conflicted with my feelings. I thought that I was never going to find the girl leaving me notes, and you were real. Honestly, I thought she was going to be a fictional person. When I read that note in your hand, I was so relieved that you and her were the same. You're the complete package Clary."

"I'm not special." She said and I laughed.

"You are to me. I've never felt so normal, and happy as I do when I'm with you." I said. She opened her mouth to speak when there was a knock on the door. We both looked and there stood my dad and another doctor.

"Clarissa, we need to take you down to get a cat scan." He said and Clary nodded.

"We'll talk later?" She asked and I nodded.

"I'll be here when you get back." I said and I kissed her forehead. She was put in a wheelchair and wheeled out of the room. My dad stayed behind and once Clary was out of sight my dad smiled at me.

"You really like her don't you?" He asked.

"I do." I said and he laughed.

"Told you coming here for Christmas was a good move." He said and than left. I smiled to myself and hated to admit that he was right, but without him we wouldn't have met, and I was grateful we met.

 **Time Jump – Graduation**

 **Clary POV:**

The last couple months have been interesting to say the least. I was in the hospital for a week and when I was released I didn't know what to expect. I walked into school the Monday after I was released and to my surprise Jace was waiting for me. He pulled me into him and kissed my temple. We got a lot of strange looks but I couldn't help but smile. He walked to me to my locker, and than he walked to me to my first class and that was that.

Now we were graduating and I couldn't be happier to be getting out of high school. Jace and I were both attending NYU together, and even though we had only been together for a couple months it felt incredibly right. We weren't sitting together for the ceremony because H and M aren't that close which really sucked. I just wanted to be next to him. It was weird, after we talked about how we felt and he asked me out all I wanted to do was be close to him. I always felt like I was going to be a burden to anyone who wanted to be with me. I was sick, and there wasn't a cure. I was going to be like this for the rest of my life, but with Jace I just felt like a teenage girl. He made me laugh, and smile, and when I ended up in the hospital for tests, or something he was right in that bed with me watching terrible movies and holding my hand.

When the ceremony was over Jace found me immediately and scooped me up into his arms. When he put me down he gave me a sweet kiss and grabbed my hand and we started making our way out to the parking lot to meet our families. I didn't have a chance to say a word before my mom pulled me into a hug. It didn't seem like she was ever going to let me go until my dad laughed and pulled her off of me.

"I am so proud of you baby." My mom said and I smiled.

"Thanks mom." I said.

"How are you feeling?" My dad asked.

"I'm a little tired, but other than that I feel fine." I said.

"Are you sure?" My mom asked. I rolled my eyes because they never seemed to believe me. I was about to say something when Jace cut me off.

"She's good." He said.

"How do you know?" My dad asked.

"When she starts getting other symptoms her hands normally start shaking." He said and my parents looked immediately at my hands. They were completely still. I knew they were worried about me, but sometimes they worry too much.

"Okay, so you'd be okay to go out for some lunch?" Celine asks.

"Lunch sounds amazing." I said. Every nodded and we all got into our respected cars and made our way to the restaurant.

Lunch was great. I loved how our families got along do well. It helped that my mom and dad have known Stephan since I was diagnosed. It made everything feel so normal. Like I was just an 18 year old girl out to lunch with her parents, her boyfriend, and his parents and that was all there was to it.

The day went by quickly and Jace told me he wanted to take me somewhere tonight. When he got to my house Jace and I got into his car and he started driving, but not anywhere that I recognized. I looked over and him and he simply smiled and kept on driving. I didn't know where we were but when he stopped I couldn't help but smile. It was an open field, and there was a blanket set up in the middle. He took my hand and we walked over to it. We took a seat and he laid back and pulled me into him. The stars were absolutely amazing. You could see everything, which was hard to do in the city. We laid there in silence for a while until I felt his lips on my head. I turned and propped myself up on my elbows and he smiled at me.

"I love you." He said and my eyes widened. I didn't know what else to do so I pressed my lips to his. I felt him smile in the middle of the kiss. When we broke apart we both had the biggest smiles on our faces.

"I love you too." I said and he laughed. We might have been together for a short while, but when you know you know, and I know that I'm in love with Jace. There wasn't a question about it.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This was requested by a guest, and I hope you all enjoy it especially the guest who requested it! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update, but it's finals week, and I've been stressed and running on no sleep. Let me know what you think! The next one shot is going to be one that I thought of. I promise that I will continue with the requests but I haven't been able to come up with a badass story, so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone, and give you another update while coming up with another story in the mean time! The idea has been in my head for about a week, so I'm excited to write about it! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	51. Chapter 50 - Left Behind

**Fiftieth One Shot:**

 **Left Behind**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting on my couch in a black dress while people roamed around the house that I shared with my boyfriend. Or should I say ex-boyfriend now. I didn't even want to have this at our house. I just wanted to be left alone, and people knew that. Nobody even tried to talk to me, or sit with me, or even look at me. I was grateful for that though. I didn't want to have to hear people tell me what a great guy he was, or how much he would be missed, or how terribly sorry they were for my loss. It was all cliché anyway. The majority of them didn't even mean it.

By the time everyone was gone, Izzy was cleaning up the place. It was her idea to have this elaborate post-funeral gathering. She knew I didn't want it, but I think it was more for other than it was for me. She knew how pissed I was, and how incredibly disappointed I was in Sebastian. I know its pretty cold to hate a dead man, but I hated him, and if I could bring him back from the dead to smack him, I totally would.

"Clary, everything is cleaned up." Izzy said.

"Thanks." I said and she sat in front of me.

"You need to let this anger go Clare." She said and I let out a humorless laugh.

"Let it go? How can I let it go Isabelle? He was dying. For months, and he didn't tell me." I said and she took my hands in hers, but I yanked them away. "He knew well before I got pregnant that I was going to be raising our child alone. How the hell do you want me to let that go?"

"I don't want you to let that go, but this anger you're holding inside of you has too. It's not good for you or the baby."

"Neither is not having a father, but Sebastian didn't really think about that now did he?" I said.

"You think that was easy for him Clary? I don't think it was. Keeping a secret from the girl that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with knowing that his life was ending in a couple months, not a couple decades?" She said and I rolled my eyes.

"Than why keep me around? If he knew he was going to die, why did he string me along making me believe we were going to be together forever?" I asked.

"Because he loved you." She said as she stood up. "Because nothing in this world meant more to him than your happiness. He wanted to give you everything he possible could, and I say that he pretty much did." She said and I rolled my eyes again. "Quit rolling your eyes Clarissa and look around." She snapped and I did. "He gave you this incredible house to raise your child in. He gave you that child knowing the one thing you wanted more than anything was to be a mother. He gave you everything in that will, so that in the future you would be completely taken care of. He left you everything but himself, and that's only because he was the one thing he couldn't save." She said and I sat back and started rubbing my bulging belly. "You need to get your head out of your ass and realize that you aren't the only one who lost someone that night. He was my friend too. My kids loved him; Simon and him were best friends. You may be the one hurting the most out of all of us, but that doesn't mean others aren't hurting as well."

"I'm sorry Iz." I finally said and she sat next to me and put her arm around me. "I'm just so angry that he didn't tell me. We were partners. We have been together since I was 23 years old. How am I supposed to live without him?"

"It's going to be incredibly hard, but you can't push everyone away." She said and I looked up into her eyes. "Simon and I are here for you, and Alec is finally coming back to the States."

"He is?" I asked and she smiled.

"You know his band that you absolutely love?" She asked and I smiled. I was truly a fan of their work, and so was my baby. It seemed to be the only thing to calm her down when she was kicking the shit out of my ribs. "They are finally touring the country and one of their shows is in New York."

"That's so exciting. I haven't seen him in years." I said and she smiled.

"Me either. I mean, I don't even know his band. He left to pursue music in Europe what, 8 or 9 years ago and hasn't come back."

"I'm glad he's finally coming home." I said and she nodded.

"The show here is in one month, and he gave me backstage passes. Simon agreed to watch the kids, and I could really use a night out with my best friend." She said and I smiled.

"I would love to Iz." I said and she hugged me.

"Do you want me to stay tonight?" She asked and I looked around.

"Can I actually go back to your house? I don't think I can stay here. Like ever again." I asked.

"You're going to sell?" She asked.

"This was our home, and I'm not going to be able to sleep in our room, and cook in that kitchen without having memories of him, and I don't think that would be beneficial to the grieving process." I said and she nodded.

"I understand, but you aren't leaving New York are you?" She asked and I shook my head.

"His company is here, and one day this little girl is going to get it all. Plus, I could never take her away from her cousins." I said and she smiled. I packed a bag and headed to Izzy's. I knew that I had been incredibly distant his Sebastians's death, and I was still incredibly mad at him, but Izzy was right, he gave me everything so that once he was gone I wouldn't have to worry, and I was incredibly grateful for that.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We had been in America for a month now and I had to say, these fans were pretty fucking insane. Probably the most dedicated fans we've come across, which was incredible to think about. We had been pretty big in Europe for the past couple years, but to know that we had this large of a following in America surpassed our wildest dreams.

We were currently finishing up our sound check for tonight and we were all pretty fucking pumped. New York seemed like a wild city, and I couldn't wait to go out on stage and see just how insane the fans got. Some even followed us from city to city which blew my mind. Meeting Alec in that pub that night, and starting this whole thing was one of the greatest things that has ever happened, and seeing how far we've come truly made me grateful.

"So, you're sister is coming tonight?" One of the members, Jordan, asked Alec and he rolled his eyes.

"She's married, with two kids. Even if she was single, there is no way in hell you stood a chance." Alec said which caused me to laugh.

"But you said she's bringing a friend?" He asked. "Is she single?" He asked and Alec hesitated. "So she is single?"

"It's complicated." Alec answered.

"How can it be complicated?" He asked. "She's either single, or she isn't."

"Not all relationships are that simply explained." Alec said. Jordan was a great guy, but he didn't know when to shut the fuck up and it could get very annoying.

"Do I stand a chance?" He asked.

"No." Alec said and Jordan rolled his eyes and left the room. Bat followed, making sure he wouldn't get in any trouble and I turned my attention back to Alec.

"You good?" I asked. He seemed pretty upset with all the questions Jordan asked.

"Izzy's friend is going through a personal loss at the moment." He explained and I nodded. "Izzy said she likes our music, and that it would be a good excuse to get out of the house and start living again, and I just don't want Jordan to make her feel uncomfortable tonight."

"I'll keep Jordan in check. You know how he can get." I said and Alec nodded. "Look, I'll give my friend Maia a call."

"Maia Roberts?" He asked and I nodded. "I thought she was living in like Guam or something."

"Naw, she was traveling for a while but she found a great place somewhere in Jersey I think she said, and I know for a fact Jordan would like her."

"You're going to set poor Maia up with Jordan? He's a pig." Alec said and I laughed.

"Yes, but Maia doesn't take anyone's bullshit. You know that." I said and Alec laughed.

"Man if she wasn't so dead set on traveling she would have made a great manager for us." Alec said and I laughed and nodded.

"I promise, Jordan won't bother your sisters friend." I said and Alec nodded. I got up and made my way out into the hallway to make the call. Jordan was a sucker for a sweet girl, who liked to eat, and I knew that Maia would be exactly what he liked.

 **Clary POV:**

"I feel like a bloated whale." I said as I looked in the mirror. Being 5 months pregnant wasn't a walk in the park. I felt disgusting, and I looked disgusting.

"You look great Clare." Izzy said and I rolled my eyes.

"I look fat." I said.

"You're growing another human inside you. That is a miracle." She said and I looked back at myself and smiled. Despite feeling horrible, and hating the way I looked she was the only thing that kept me going most days anymore, and I couldn't wait to meet her. "Alright, lets go. I want to see my brother."

We got in the car and made our way to the venue where they were playing. Alec had told her to come early so that he could have some time with her before the show and Izzy was more than thrilled. She had seriously missed her brother more than she admitted, and since she told me Alec was going to be back in town I could just see the happiness shinning through everything she did.

When we got there, Izzy directed us to the back entrance. Alec was leaning against the wall and when Izzy spotted him she went running. She jumped into his arms and he picked her up enthusiastically and hugged her tight. I made my way over there as fast as I could with my little waddle. When Alec and Izzy finally broke apart he looked back at me and smiled.

"It is so good to see you Clare." He said as he pressed his lips to my forehead. "I know you've probably gotten a lot of apologies recently, but I just wanted to say I truly am sorry. I didn't know him well, I think we only met once, but I knew how happy he made you, and I know how hard it is to lost someone you love." He said and I smiled. I knew Alec was being so incredibly sincere. When he first moved to Europe he had met a man, and they fell in love instantly and before I could even blink they were married. According to Izzy they were incredibly happy, but a year after they were married he was killed in a car accident. Izzy said that Alec was devastated, and jumped off the deep end. He was getting into trouble, and drinking away is life, when one of the members of the band approached him in a pub after hearing him play. It saved his life, and a couple years later he met someone else, and they've been together ever since.

"Thanks Alec." I said and he smiled.

"I promise, you'll get through it." He said and I smiled. I knew Alec meant well. He lost his husband, and it took some time, but eventually he grieved and found someone else who he loved, and that did give me some courage. Sebastian may have been gone, but that didn't mean I couldn't have a family one day. "Come on, lets get inside."

Him and Izzy were talking while I was walking behind them looking around. I had never been backstage at a concert before, and it was really interesting to see how chaotic it could really be. We were walking for what felt like forever, but I did get tired rather quickly these days, before Alec turned into a room. When I got in there it looked nothing like I thought it would. I thought there would be clothes thrown everywhere, trash cluttering the area, and instruments laying around. It didn't look like this was a guys waiting room at all.

"You'll have to excuse the cleanliness. Jace is a neat freak." Alec said and I laughed.

"I prefer the term organized." I heard and when I turned around I saw the most beautiful man I've ever seen. He was golden from head to toe, and I think my brain literally forgot how to function. I had liked their music but that didn't mean I googled them, and stalked their social media. I really only knew what Alec looked like. "And if you three weren't such pigs, I wouldn't have to clean up all the damn time."

"There could be a pillow out of place and you would have to fix it Jace. Face it, your OCD is out of control." Alec said and I couldn't help but laugh. "Clary, Izzy, this is the lead singer, Jace Herondale. Jace this is my sister Izzy, and her friend Clary."

"Pleasure to meet you two." He said and I smiled.

"You as well." Izzy said for both of us. A rather painful kick caused me to hiss and double over in pain right at that very moment. I felt two sets of hands grab me and when I looked up Izzy was on my right and Jace was on my left. "Are you okay?"

"Yea, she just decided that I wasn't in enough pain, and that she was going to cause me more." I said and they both guided me to the sofa. "Thank you."

"You need water, or food?" Jace asked, and I found it really sweet that he cared how I was doing.

"Water would be great." I said and he turned to leave before Izzy spoke.

"Could you also get her something with protein? The doctor said she was lacking it."

"Of course. I'll be right back." Jace said and than he disappeared.

"Wow. I've never seen him so nice before." Alec said and I laughed.

"Pregnancy normally makes people hyperaware to everything and causes them to act differently because if something happens they don't want it to be on their conscious." I said.

"Maybe, but he is a great guy. Just has a lot of walls built up." Alec explained.

"Don't we all." I said and Alec nodded. A moment later Jace walked back in with a bottle of water and chicken nuggets. I know I didn't know him at all, this man was at the top od my favorites list. "You are an angel."

"I figured healthy hasn't really been your favorite since being pregnant." He said as he took a seat next to me.

"Not at all, and Izzy keeps forcing me to eat organic shit." I said and he laughed.

"It's better for the baby." She said defensively. "Those chicken nuggets aren't filled with all the proper things you need."

"I've been living off your food the past month, one cheat day won't hurt." I said as I dug into the chicken nugget. "Oh my god, you are my hero." I said as I looked at Jace.

"Glad I could help." He said and I laughed. Alec and Izzy were across the room undoubtedly catching up on the time they are spent apart and Jace and I sat in silence while I continued to eat. "So, when are you due?" He finally asked.

"January 28th." I said.

"No way. That's my birthday." He said and I laughed.

"Cool." I said and he smiled.

"So, is the father excited?" He asked and I sighed. I guess he could tell the atmosphere changed. "Did I say something wrong?" He asked.

"The father passed away a month ago." I said.

"I'm so sorry." He said. "That must have been tough."

"It was, considering I didn't even know he was dying." I said and he looked confused. "Apparently he had cancer, and neglected to tell me."

"That's a shitty thing to go to a pregnant woman." He said and I laughed.

"It was rather shitty. You have your whole life planned, and than poof, it's gone." I said and he smiled.

"I'm a true believer that things happen for a reason, and even if it's a shitty thing to experience, there is always a reason." He said.

"Just seems pretty hard to believe considering I'm 5 months pregnant, and I don't know how I'm going to be a single mother." I said.

"Izzy seems pretty invested in your pregnancy, so you aren't truly alone." He said and I smiled and nodded at him.

"I guess you're right." I said and he smiled.

"You're up in 25 minutes!" We heard someone yell and Alec and Jace both looked at each other.

"We'll see you two after the show." Alec said and Izzy and I both nodded. Jace and Alec left and Izzy made her way over to me and took a seat.

"You and Jace seemed to hit if off pretty well." She said.

"He was rather easy to talk too." I said and she smiled.

"I'm glad. I know it's hard only having Simon and I to talk too." She said and I nodded. It was weird how easy it was for me to be so comfortable talking to Jace. I literally met him an hour ago, and I already felt like talking to him gave me a more courage than I had before about raising my baby. Things were going to be hard, but I did have a support system, and that was a huge thing for me.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Clary POV:**

I was currently in the hospital waiting for my baby to be born and god I wanted her out of me. My water broke at 4 this morning, and it is currently 11 am. I felt like whatever I did, she was too stubborn to come out. I was in pain, and I was scared, and damn it I wanted Sebastian. Izzy had truly been amazing throughout this. She herself was pregnant with her third child, and she hasn't left my side since I was admitted into the hospital, which I was incredibly grateful for.

"Alright Clary, lets see how far along you are." The doctor said. She quickly examined me and than smiled. "Looks like you're ready to push."

"Oh thank god." I said and she laughed.

"Next contraction, push." She said. I waited for the pain to come and when it did I pushed like there was no tomorrow.

I honestly didn't know how long I was pushing but eventually I heard cries and when I opened my eyes I saw them holding my little girl. Finally, after everything that I had been through I started crying. She was here, and she was mine, and I was so incredibly happy that I could hold her. When the nurse walked over and handed me that little bundle of pink I couldn't stop the tears. I leaned down and pressed my lips to her forehead.

"I love you Everly Fray." I said. I decided to give her my last name because I didn't want to have her to go through school having to explain everything, and with Fray being her last name nobody would ever connect her to Verlac Industries, which, in the long run would cut back on the amount of threats she might receive, or fake friends she'll make. I wanted her to be able to live without all that pressure on her back, and with the last name of Fray, that's exactly what she can do.

"She's beautiful Clary." Izzy said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I know, I can't believe she's here." I said and Izzy smiled.

"I'm gonna text Alec. He wanted to know when you had her." She said and I nodded. I looked back at Everly and couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. She was beautiful, and she was mine, and I couldn't be happier even if I wanted to be.

 **Jace POV:**

We were all sitting around our house trying to write songs for our new album. The tour in America went amazingly, and when we got back to Europe there was even more fans than when we left. It was crazy, and I didn't even know how to put it into words how insane it truly was. This album was coming along rather slowly, but it was nice to have some time off while getting it together. Jordan was strumming his guitar while Bat was playing a little bit on the drums, and I was working on the lyrics.

"Clary had her baby." Alec said out of nowhere, but Jordan and Bat weren't paying attention, and it really was just directed towards me. "Looks like you and her are now birthday buddies." He said and I laughed.

"How are they?" I asked. I had only gotten the chance to speak with Clary that one night because the tour pretty much sucked our time completely up, but Alec frequently let me know what was going on, and how both Clary and Izzy were doing.

"Both mother and child are doing well." Alec said.

"What did she name her?" I asked.

"Everly." He said.

"Pretty." I said and Alec looked at me.

"Do you like her?" He asked. "Because you are uncharacteristically so interested, and genuinely curious about her well being and what's going on in her life."

"I like her as a person. I think being her friend would be great. I only spent a couple hours with her Alec, but she was nice and I enjoyed talking to her." I said. The truth was, I didn't know how I felt about Clary, but I did care about what was going on in her life, and how she was doing. He nodded and left the room and I went back to working on the lyrics. I didn't think things would ever happen between Clary and I. We were at two different places in life, and she has her baby to worry about, and if she wanted to focus on Everly for a while, I completely understood that.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Izzy, she's only six months old, you don't have to throw a party for her." I said and Izzy laughed.

"It's not a party. Alec has a break from touring for the first time ever, and he's coming home to visit, and I think it would be great for him to meet her." She said and I looked at Everly. She was the happiest baby I've ever seen. She had my green eyes and my curly red hair. She has inherited none of Sebastian's features, which I was pretty happy about. It made missing him hurt a little less.

"Alright." I said and she smiled.

"Come on, Jace is coming." She said and I looked at her.

"Okay?" I said as a question and she rolled her eyes.

"Come on, you two got along great when you met. You can't tell me you haven't at least thought about him since they went back." She said.

"Izzy, Sebastian died 7 months ago, you can't seriously be trying to set me up with a member of your brothers band." I said.

"I said nothing about setting you up on a date, but I think he could be exactly what you need." She said and I sighed. "You spent 10 amazing years with Sebastian. He gave you everything. You loved him, and he loved you and he gave you a baby who you love more than anything in the world. But he didn't just pack up and move. He isn't coming back, and you deserve to be happy. To find love again."

"Iz." I said but she stopped me.

"I'm not saying you have to jump into another relationship. Grieve for Sebastian, and focus on Everly, and take the time you think you need, but don't forget about yourself either." She said and I nodded. "Alec and Jace should be here in an hour. I'm going to go take a little nap because I'm exhausted."

"What did you expect, you're 8 months pregnant Iz." I said and she laughed. She went upstairs and I went over to the playpen where Everly was sitting. She smiled up and giggled at me and I couldn't help but smile. I picked her up and made my way back to the couch. She curled into my chest I took a deep breath. Izzy was right, one day I'm going to start dating again, but for now, I just want to focus on Everly, and grieve the man that I lost.

 **Jace POV:**

"Why do you look so nervous?" I asked Alec as we were driving to Izzy's.

"I'm not that great with babies." He admitted and I laughed. "It's not funny. Not everyone can be a baby whisperer like you."

"I am incredibly good with kids." I said and Alec rolled his eyes. "How old are Izzy's kids again?"

"The oldest is 4, than there is a 2 year old and she's pregnant again." He said and I nodded. "Plus Clary has a 6 month old. What if she wants me to hold her and I drop her?"

"Alec, you need to calm down. If you don't feel comfortable holding her, than don't. It won't be the end of the world." I said and he nodded. "She's 6 months old, I doubt she'll be offended."

"I don't want to offend Clary." He said.

"I doubt she'll be offended either. Clary doesn't peg me as the type to get upset over things like that." I said and Alec nodded. We got to the house and Alec just opened up the door and walked in. It was unnaturally quiet for a house that had three children in it, but when we entered the living room the only person that we saw was Clary.

"Hey Clare." Alec said and she turned around. She smiled, got off the couch and made her way over to us.

"Alec, it's so good to see you." She said as she wrapped her arms around him. When they broke apart she looked at me and smiled. "You too Jace." She said and she wrapped her arms around me. Not that I minded the hug, but it was rather forward of her, and a little unexpected but nice nonetheless.

"Where is everyone?" Alec asked.

"Izzy is napping. She's been running herself around like a mad women for the last couple days and she was exhausted. Simon took the kids out so that they wouldn't disturb her, and Everly is currently sleeping. I've been enjoying the peace and quiet." She said and just on queue a baby started crying and Clary laughed. "A mother never does get a break."

"Let me." I said and she looked at me confused.

"He's kinda a baby whisperer." Alec said and Clary laughed and motioned for me to go over. When I got to the playpen and took a look at Everly she might have been the most adorable baby I've ever seen. She had Clary's green eyes, and her vibrant red hair. I leaned forward and picked up the crying baby and almost instantaneously she started to calm down. I made my way over to the couch and a moment later Alec and Clary both joined me.

"I don't think she's ever calmed down that quickly for me." Clary said and I laughed.

"I have a way with kids." I said and she laughed. "I don't know why, but they just seem to like me."

"And do you like them?" She asked.

"Of course. Kids are the best. I can't wait to have my own little army running around some day." I said and she smiled.

"I'm gonna go check on Izzy." Alec said out of nowhere and left the room.

"What's stopped you from having a family already?" She asked. "You seem like you really want one."

"Haven't met the right woman. Being famous doesn't really attract the right kind, and I want to start a family with a girl who loves me, and supports me. I mean money is important, don't get me wrong, but I want someone who would love me even if I was dirt poor." I explained and she nodded.

"I get it. When I was deciding what to name her, I didn't know if I wanted to give her my last name, or her fathers." She said.

"And what did you decide to go with?" I asked.

"Mine. Don't get me wrong, I loved Sebastian, and I'm grateful that he gave me her, but his last name comes with a lot of pressure, and I didn't want her to have to bare that weight at such a young age. I wanted her to have a normal life, and with my last name she can."

"What kind of pressure?" I asked.

"Sebastian was the CEO if a major business here in New York. In his will he left it to our child. Ultimately she will have to decide if she wants to take it over, or not. He was very clear that he wasn't going to force her into that world, and I won't do that either. I want her to make her own decisions, and carrying around his name would be far more disastrous than anything else."

"Sounds like he really thought of everything." I said and she nodded. She took one of Everly's tiny hands in hers. I didn't realize how close we were until my body immediately reacted when she touched me.

"He made sure we were both taken care of for the rest of our lives." She said and I nodded. "Doesn't make it any easier."

"I don't doubt that. Growing up without a parent is tough." I said and she looked at me.

"Who did you lose?" She asked.

"I never knew my mom. She died giving birth to me, and than when I was two my dad died. I was shipped off to my grandmom's and she fed me and gave me a place to stay but she wasn't very nurturing." I said.

"That must have sucked." She said and I nodded.

"It wasn't the most ideal situation. I would have rather grown up with my parents, but things happen, and I am thankful I had someone to take me in." I said.

"I'm sorry you went through that." She said and I smiled at her.

"It taught me a lot about the type of person I was, and what type of father I will be someday." I said and she nodded.

"Do you still keep in touch?" She asked.

"She died 10 years ago. She wasn't in the best health when I was with her, and honestly I was just waiting for her to kick the bucket." I said and Clary laughed. "I visit her grave ever now and than. Despite how bad she was of a mother figure, she really did save me from bouncing around from different homes, and I am grateful for that."

"You turned out pretty well." She said and I smiled.

"I'd like to think I am making my parents proud." I said and she smiled. Our eyes were locked and neither of us were moving. My eyes flickered down to her lips and she bit them in the process, which drove me crazy. I didn't know how bad of an idea it was, but I was just going to go for it. I leaned in and pressed our lips together and the natural chemistry that was there was insane. The kiss didn't last long but it was everything I needed, and I wanted to do it again. She went to open to mouth when we heard footsteps. She immediately got off the couch and put enough distance between us.

"I am so sorry I was asleep when you got here." Izzy said and I smiled.

"It was not a problem. I have been enjoying my time with Everly." I said and she smiled.

The rest of the day went by great, but I couldn't get that kiss out of my head. I wanted to talk to Clary about it, but she was keeping her distance from me. I understood why though, she was probably really confused, and I didn't blame her. She just lost her boyfriend, and she had Everly to worry about, and I didn't want to complicate anything, but I needed to talk to her.

Unfortunately, I never got the chance because Alec and I had to leave so that we could catch our flight in morning. We had only been in for a day, but something came up with our record label and they needed us back. I didn't know when I would be seeing Clary again, and I hated leaving everything so open and confusing.

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting on the couch after I had put Everly to bed, and I couldn't get that kiss out of my head. I mean, he kissed me, and I didn't mind. I thought moving on was going to be impossible, but apparently that didn't matter when it came to Jace. He made me feel something I haven't felt since Sebastian died, and it scared me because it was 10 times more intense than it had ever been with Sebastian. I didn't even know how long I was sitting there until I felt a hand on my shoulder. When I looked up Izzy was standing there looking concerned.

"You've been sitting here staring at that wall for 25 minutes. Are you okay?" She asked.

"Jace and I kissed." I said and she squealed and took a seat.

"Oh my god, how was it?" She asked.

"It was the most intense kiss I've ever experienced." I said.

"In a good way, or a bad way?" She asked.

"An insanely good way." I said and she started clapping and laughing.

"So, what's the problem?" She asked.

"It scared me. I mean, I felt something I never felt before. Even when I was with Sebastian a kiss never made me feel like that." I said and she smiled at me.

"You two seem to have natural chemistry." She said and I nodded in agreement.

"Something about us being together just seems right, and I don't know if I'm ready for that." I said and Izzy put her hand on my back.

"Did you guys talk about it?" She asked and I shook my head. "Why not?"

"I just avoided him the rest of the day." I said and she laughed. "I was scared."

"It's okay to be scared. You and Sebastian were together for a long time, and he just passed, and you just had a baby. You've been through a lot in the past year. It makes sense something like that would be terrifying." She explained.

"I could tell he wanted to talk to me, but I just kept avoiding it, and now who knows what I'll talk or see him again." I said and Izzy smiled.

"They are having some issues with their label, and Alec told me they were trying to set up a tour for some time in the New Year. You have some time Clary."

"I just don't know what to do." I said and Izzy gave me a hug.

"Than take this time and figure it out. Next time you see him, that's when you can talk." She said and I nodded. "Come on, it's getting late. You should sleep." She said as she grabbed my hand and pulled me off the couch. I made it to my room and just laid on my bed. I was confused, and I knew that I needed to talk to Jace and figure this all out, but I was going to take Izzy's advice and take this time to figure it out. That's all I could really do for now.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was Everly's first birthday and I still haven't seen or spoken to Jace. Turns out someone leaked their whole album and there was a whole lawsuit to follow and it devastated the band. The whole record label was under investigation and it took months for it to end. Izzy said that Alec and Jace were angry, upset, annoyed, and just frustrated with the whole situation but I couldn't blame them. According to Izzy they spent months working on that album and for it all to be leaked was a huge blow to them.

The tour that they had been planning had to be rescheduled and from what I've read and seen on TV the fans weren't too happy, but they were still incredibly devoted to the band. Which brings me to why Everly's first birthday is even more important this year. Izzy had told Alec that she wanted him to come in for her birthday, but we weren't just celebrating her birthday, we were celebrating Jace's as well. After talking to Jace about his childhood I kinda figured he never got to celebrate a birthday properly, and what better way than to share it with a giggling one year old. Alec thought it was a good idea since they've been pretty bummed with the whole lawsuit and everything and it gave them an excuse to get away for a little.

"Alright, they will be here in a couple minutes." Izzy said and I smiled. Everly was a determined little thing and learned how to walk last week. I was so incredibly surprised when she stood up and took her first steps but I was so incredibly proud of her.

"Everly Fray, get over here!" I said and she came running into my legs. I picked her up and kissed her cheek and she started giggling. She really was the cutest little thing and I was happy to have her in my life. Simon had the littlest one while the other two were standing by his legs. The doorbell rang and Izzy went to go get it. After a few minutes Izzy walked back in followed by the band.

"Happy birthday!" The kids yelled as they attacked Jace's legs. Everly was squirming in my arms and I put her down and she ran over to him as well. He bent down and gave them each a hug. Everly put her arms around his neck and wouldn't let go. Jace laughed and picked her up. It was a sweet scene and I couldn't even begin to express how nervous I was because I knew we were going to have to talk.

"I thought this was a party for Everly." Jace said and I smiled.

"I figured you'd like to celebrate together." I said and he laughed.

"It would be my honor to celebrate with this pretty girl." He said as he picked her belly and she giggled.

Everyone made their way into the house. There was food, and everything and the kids were all playing together and there were more than enough adults watching them so I thought this was going to be a good opportunity to get Jace away so we could talk. I walked over to him and grabbed his hand. He turned around and I didn't say anything I just led him away. I took him into the hallway where I knew nobody would be able to hear us. We were quiet for a little before I spoke.

"I want to talk to you about what happened the last time you were here." I said and he nodded.

"I want to apologize for that. I saw an opportunity and I took it. I should have asked if it was okay with you." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"No, it's okay. I avoided you because that kiss scared me." I said.

"It was pretty intense." He said.

"You felt it too?" I asked and he nodded. "I've never felt anything like that before."

"Not even with Sebastian?" He asked.

"No. Which is why it scared me so much. I was with him for 10 years, and I was planning on spending my whole life with him, and than you kissed me and I couldn't help but wonder if being with him was right."

"You're going to drive yourself mad thinking about that." He said and I laughed.

"I know, but its been stuck in my head since our kiss. You made me question my whole relationship with him." I said and Jace grabbed my hand.

"I don't think you can really do that. You had a life with Sebastian, and you were happy. I know we don't really have anything going on, but that kiss certainly started something. And we have no idea what could happen if we give us a chance, but every relationship is going to be different. I won't be the same as Sebastian but I think there are many different ways that people can experience love, and I think that Sebastian and I are too different to compare." He said and he was right. There were two different people, and I really couldn't compare them. If I wanted to start something with Jace, it wasn't going to be the same. It would be different, and that's normal.

"I guess you're right." I said and he laughed.

"I'm not going to pressure you into starting something with me. I understand that you have had a tough couple years, and I understand if you aren't ready." He said and I smiled.

"I like you Jace. I do, and I think that I'm ready to see where this could go." I said and he smiled. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine and this time I welcomed the kiss, and I still felt everything I did the first time. We were broke apart when I heard the doorbell ring and Izzy calling my name. Jace and I broke apart and made our way back in to the living room. Izzy was standing there with a note.

"This was just delivered for you." She said and I took it. I opened it up and it was a letter from Sebastian. "What is it?"

"A letter from Sebastian." I said and her eyes widened. "I'm going to go up to my room and read it. Will you watch Everly?" I asked and she nodded. I looked at Jace and he smiled at me before I made it up to my room. I took a seat on my bed, took a deep breath and opened the letter.

 _Dear Clary,_

 _If you're reading this, it means it's our sweet babies birthday. I can't tell you how truly sorry I am that I'm not there to experience it with you. I know you are probably incredibly mad at me, and I completely understand why, but I want you to know that I loved you so much that I knew I couldn't tell you. You were the best thing that ever happened to me, and making you laugh and smile was my favorite thing to do. I know life is going to be tough raising our sweet baby by yourself, but I know you are strong enough to do it. You've always been the most independent woman I've ever met, and I can only hope that our sweet baby gets that magnificent quality from you. When our sweet baby gets old enough I want you to tell him or her how much I loved them even though I didn't meet them. I want you to tell them about how we met, and how we fell in love, and all the adventures we went on. I want them to know that I didn't want to leave. I didn't want our sweet baby to grow up without a father, but sometimes life doesn't do what you want. Let our sweet baby know how truly loves they were by me. Let our sweet baby know that even though I'm gone, I still love you and I still love them more than I could properly express in this letter._

 _As for you my sweet Clare, I want you to know it's okay to move on. We had 10 incredible years together, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. I will always cherish our vacations together, and our spontaneous picnics together and the time we got stranded in that log cabin for the holidays. I will be grateful I got to wake up to your sweet smile every morning, and that I had the pleasure to listen to you sing while you cooked. You were the love of my life Clarissa, but just because I'm gone doesn't mean you have to be lonely. I want you to know that if you have the opportunity to find love again, I want you to pursue it. I want nothing but the best for you Clary, and I know there is man out there who will love you the way I did. Who will see how truly beautiful and amazing you are just like I did. Who will cherish you, and make you happy just like I did. Our love will live on because of our sweet baby, but I want you to know that you have so much love it would be a shame not to share it with someone else. I love you more than I can truly express Clarissa Adele Fray, and just because I'm gone, doesn't mean our love has died, it's just taken on a new form with our sweet baby. Kiss him or her a kiss for me, and I wish them the happiest of birthdays. I love you both forever._

 _Yours forever,_

 _Sebastian._

I finished reading the letter and I had tears streaming down my face. I don't know how he knew this was exactly what I needed but he knew, and I was truly always going to be grateful for those 10 years just like he said he was. I took a few moments to calm myself down before I headed back downstairs. Everly was sitting on Jace's lap in the living room and I made my way over and sat down next to him. I think he could tell that I was crying because he looked at me with concern.

"Are you okay?" He asked and I smiled.

"I'm more than okay." I said and he smiled. Everly jumped from his lap to my own and I gave her the biggest hug ever. Jace out his arm around me and I couldn't help but smile. I knew that this could potentially be my future, and I was ready to embrace that with my arms wide opened.

 **Time Jump – Fourteen Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Happy birthday dad!" Everly shouted as I made my way into the kitchen. I gave her a kiss on the head before making my way over to Clary and giving her a kiss.

"Thanks Ev. Happy birthday to you too. Where is Tommy?" I asked and Clary laughed.

"Your son is still sleeping." She said and I laughed.

"But it's 11 am." I said and she shrugged.

"He's your son." She said and I laughed.

"What are we doing for our birthday?" She asked and I smiled.

"I figured we would go out, just the two of us for a little, than meet mom and Tommy for dinner somewhere." I said and she smiled.

"Okay!" She said as she jumped off the stool and ran back upstairs. I looked over at Clary and she was smiling at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked and she made her way over to me.

"You know how I got that letter on her first birthday from Sebastian?" She asked and I nodded. "I got another one today. It was addressed to her."

"I guess it's time to explain to her than." I said and she nodded. "We can do this together." I said and she smiled.

"Everly! Can you come down here?" Clary yelled and soon enough we heard footsteps.

"Am I in trouble? Because that would really suck on my birthday." She said and we laughed.

"No, but we need to talk to you." I said and she nodded. We made our way to the living room and Clary and I sat on either side of her.

"What's up?" She asked. I looked at Clary and smiled and she nodded.

"This is really hard to tell you, and I hope you'll hear me out before jumping to conclusions and getting mad." Clary said and Everly looked confused. "Jace isn't your father."

"What?" She said and Clary took her hand in her own. "Than who is?"

"His name was Sebastian, and we were together for 10 years. I was planning on spending the rest of my life with him, and having you and any other kids we wanted to have."

"What happened to him?" She asked.

"He passed away when I was 3 months pregnant with you." She said.

"How?" She asked.

"He had cancer. He didn't tell me until he was almost dead, and I couldn't believe it." Clary said and Everly looked heart broken.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She asked.

"I didn't want to upset you. Jace has been raising you since you were 1, and he is your father, just not by blood." Clary explained and Everly nodded.

"Why are you telling me this now?" She asked.

"On your first birthday I was sent a letter from your father. Explaining how much he loved me and you and how it was okay to move on and be happy. It was the only letter I got, until today. I got another one, but it's addressed to you."

"Is it from him?" She asked. Clary nodded and handed her the envelope.

"You have a lot of similar qualities that he had, and I'm really proud of the girl you have become, and I hope that you don't hate me for keeping this from you." Clary said and Everly smiled.

"How could I possibly hate you?" She said. "You and dad have given me everything. And it's not like I ever knew him, or anything. He might be my biological father, but he'll always be my dad." She said as she looked at me. I gave her a kiss on the head and she smiled.

"I want you to get to know the man who helped me create you." Clary said and Everly smiled and nodded.

"Of course mom. I'd be honored to know who your first love was, and who my biological father was." She said and Clary smiled.

"We love you Everly, and we always will." I said and she turned towards me and kissed my cheek.

"I love you guys too. You're the best parents a girl could ever ask for. I'm going to go read this in my room." She said and we nodded. She got up and left the room which just left Clary and I. Clary made her way over to me and curled into my side.

"I think that went well." I said and Clary laughed.

"I think so too. I'm glad she took that so well." Clary said and I laughed.

"She does take after her mother." I said and Clary slapped my shoulder. I kissed her on the head and we stayed like that for a while. My life had never been so incredibly chaotic, or interesting but I couldn't imagine what life would be like without Clary, Everly, or Tommy, and I was looking forward to many more years of growing together and making lots of memories.

 **Authors Note:**

 **WOW! Fifty stories already. Where the hell did the time go? Anyway, this story was thought of by me, and I wanted to share it with you all! I can't thank you enough for following my stories and encouraging me to continue and giving me some dope ideas to work with! I'm almost done with the semester so I should be updating a lot more frequently, so thanks for sticking with me!**

 **Also, I just wanted to let you know that Everly's reaction is actually quite common for kids who lost a parent without even meeting them. I'm sorry if it came off as her not really caring who her biological father is, but she never knew him, so she doesn't really have an attachment to him, so she wasn't really that distraught to know that he was dead. Again, I know it might come off as uncaring and cold, but I promise that's not how I intended for it to sound! Let me know what you think! :)**


	52. Chapter 51 - Best Friend or More?

**Fifty First One Shot:**

 **Best Friend or More?**

 **Jace POV:**

"Come on Clary, it will be fun!" I said as I tried yet again to have Clary come to the party with me.

"You know I'm not into parties Jace." She said and I rolled my eyes.

"But you'll be with me." I said.

"Yea, until you find some whore and go upstairs and have sex, leaving me to fend for myself with all your disguising friends." She said.

"I promise. I'll be a good boy tonight." I said and I folded my hands and stuck out my lip.

"Ugh, you have to stay with me, or I'm leaving your ass there." She said and I cheered. She doesn't drink, so she's always my DD.

"Thanks Clare. You're the best." I said and I gave her a hug.

"Yea, yea. I know." She said and I laughed. "I'll meet you back here at 9?" She asked and I nodded. "See ya later Herondale."

"Bye Fray." I said and she left my house. I knew parties weren't her thing, but it was the beginning of our last summer before we head off to college, and we needed to start it off the right way.

 **Time jump – Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I should have known Jace couldn't keep it in his pants for an entire night. Half an hour after we showed up he was already drunk and flirting with anything that had legs. He was currently standing with some bottle blonde that had her back pressed up against the wall, and her tits shoved in his face. It was truly disgusting, but if I wasn't so madly in love with him, I don't think I'd find it as gross. Yup, I'm that girl who falls in love with her best friend. Pathetic, I know, but he's hot, and funny, and smart, and athletic, and I get to see the sweet side he shuts off for the rest of the world, which just makes me love him even more.

I finally see the girl leave him so I make a beeline towards him. I know he's been drinking, and I know that he loses himself a little when that happens so I shouldn't be surprised that he left me for the first piece of ass he saw tonight, but that didn't mean I liked it.

"Jace." I said as I grabbed his arm and turned him around.

"Hey Fray, you having fun?" He slurred and I rolled my eyes.

"You promised you wouldn't leave me tonight Jace." I said and he laughed.

"You need to live a little Clare. Stop being so uptight." He said and I was actually really offended. He put his cup in my hand and smiled. "Get that stick out of your ass, and have some fun."

"I only came tonight because you begged me too. I was perfectly content spending my night at home watching TV and eating ice cream." I said and he laughed.

"Have you ever thought, maybe that's why you don't have any friends Fray? You don't put yourself out there enough." He said and my jaw dropped. I tended to avoid people who were intoxicated because of this reason. I hated alcohol and what it did to them, and Jace knew that, and he knew why too.

"I have friends Jace. You are one of them." I said.

"Yea, but having three friends is a little pathetic Clare." He said and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He is my best friend, and he's making me feel like shit. I threw the contents of the cup in his face and threw the cup on the ground.

"Screw you Jace Herondale. You're my best friend, and this is how you think you can treat me?" I said and he was still wiping the beer off his face. "You can walk you sorry ass home and explain to your mom where you've been tonight." I said and I stomped to the door. When I opened it and I was away from people, I finally let the tears fall. I wasn't aware anyone was around until I heard my name.

"Clary?" I turned around and Izzy and Simon were walking towards me. "Are you okay?"

"Just Jace being a jackass. What else is new?" I said and I wiped the tears away.

"He may be a jackass to the world Clary, but he is never one to you." Simon said and I laughed.

"I guess that changed tonight. Give that kid a couple beers and no one is safe from his horrible insults." I said.

"What did he say?" Izzy asked.

"That I had no friends because I have a stick up my ass. I need to put myself out there and live a little. Told me I was pathetic, and I threw beer in his face and walked away." I said.

"What a dick." Izzy said and I let out a little laugh.

"Yea, so I'm gonna head home. I just can't be in the same place as him right now." I tore a key off my key chain and handed it to Izzy. "This is a spare key to Jace's house. Make sure he gets it. I might hate the bastard right now, but he needs to get into his house." I said and they nodded.

"You're too good for that boy Clare." Simon said and I shrugged.

"Be safe you two." I said and I left.

I got into my car and started making my way home. It was dark and a little foggy for a summer night but nothing too bad, that was until I saw the lights too late. I slammed on my breaks and I slammed my heard so hard against the steering wheel as I hit something in front of me. I was floating in and out of consciousness but I could hear the faint sirens on the background. I opened my eyes for a second, and saw so many cars, and flames, and I heard screams. I didn't know what was happening, but I was so tired. I tried to fight it, but in the end, I let it consume me.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up with a pounding headache. I opened my eyes and saw that I was in my bedroom. I guess Clary got me home safely last night, because I have no idea what even happened. 10 minutes into the party I was gone, and having a blast. My head started pounding again, when I realized that the pounding in my head was being caused by the pounding on my door. My parents weren't home today, so it was just me. I slowly got out of bed and made my way downstairs. When I opened the door a livid Isabelle ran in and I can only imagine what was going to happen to the person who pissed her off.

"What has your panties in a twist Iz?" I said, and apparently it was the wrong thing to say.

"Is that all you have to say for yourself Jace?" She said and I took a seat on the couch. "After everything you did last night?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"You were a real dick to Clary." She said and I was confused.

"I don't know what you're talking about Iz." I said and she let out one of her humorless laughs.

"Don't play dumb with me Herondale." She said.

"I truly don't know what you're talking about. Clary and I are fine. She brought me home last night." I said.

"No she didn't." Izzy said.

"Than how did I get here?" I asked.

"I found your ass passed out on the couch, and Simon and Alec dragged you to my car and I brought you home." She said.

"How did I get in?" I asked.

"Clary gave me the key to your house. As much as she hated you last night, she didn't want you to be stranded on your own porch." Izzy said. "Honestly, are you really that stupid?" She asked.

"Huh?" I asked. Thoroughly confused now.

"You are so blinded by every bottle blonde with big tits that you have ignored the one girl who has always been there for you." Izzy said.

"Iz, what are you talking about? Clary and I are just friends. We're best friends." I said.

"Maybe to you, but you've been more to her for years." She said. Suddenly a piercing sound flooded the room and my head started to pound. Izzy pulled her phone out of her purse and answered it. "Hello?" She answered. "Oh my god. She isn't dead is she?" She asked and that immediately got my attention. "What the hell happened?" Izzy asked. "Where are you?" She asked after a moment. "I'll be right there." She said and she hung up. Izzy looked extremely distraught.

"Izzy, what's wrong?" I asked and she looked at me with tears I her eyes, and I knew it must have been bad.

"It's Clary." She said and my heart stopped. "She never made it home last night, and her parents got a call this morning. She was involved in a 10 car pile up last night on her way home."

"Is she okay?" I asked worried about my best friend.

"They found her car on the highway, and she was still in it. According to Simon, they haven't been able to free her."

"But she's alive?" I asked.

"They don't know how she's still breathing. According to the police officer that talked to her mom, she should have died hours ago." Izzy said and I nearly collapsed. "I'm going to the hospital, that's where everyone is waiting, do you want a ride?" I nodded and we made our way to the hospital. I was completely numb the whole way there. I might never get to hug my best friend again. We won't watch movies together, and I won't get to hear her sing along to those crappy musicals she forces me to watch. I'll never get to watch her play in the sand like a toddler when we go on our annual beach trips. "Jace, we're here." I finally heard and I looked at Izzy.

"What if she doesn't make it Iz?" I asked and she reached over and took my hand.

"Clary is the strongest girl I know. There is no way in hell she's leaving us like this." She said.

"I don't even remember our last conversation." I said and Izzy sighed.

"Maybe that's for the best. You weren't particularly nice to her." She said and I looked at her.

"What did I say?" I asked.

"You told her that the reason she doesn't have any friends is because she has stick up her ass, and she needs to learn to live a little and put herself out there more." Izzy said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. "You called her pathetic and handed her a cup of beer."

"I did not." I said and Izzy nodded. "I'm the worst best friend in the world." I said and Izzy squeezed my hand a little tighter.

"You really hurt her last night." Izzy said and I hung my head.

"The last thing I did with my best friend was call her pathetic, and now I might never get the chance to make that up to her." I said. "I don't know what I'm going to do if she doesn't make it Iz."

"Sucks being in love doesn't it?" She said and I looked at her with confusion. "I don't care what you say Jace. You're in love with her. You two might as well be in a relationship, you just haven't actually kissed yet."

"We have actually kissed." I said with a smiled. "We were in 4th grade, and we wanted to know what it was like. We were each others first kiss. Plus all those times you've made us during a game of Truth or Dare."

"I meant willingly. And do you understand why I did that now? I was trying to get you to see that Clary has always been the one you were meant to be with. Why do you think you've never been able to commit to someone?"

"I don't know. I just thought I was having fun." I said.

"Maybe you didn't know it, but I think you haven't been able to get a girlfriend is because deep down you know that the only girl who will ever truly understand you is Clary." She said.

"And what now? I don't know if she's even going to be alive tomorrow." I said and Izzy took a deep breath.

"There is only one way to find out." She said and she got out of the car. We both made our way into the hospital and saw Jocelyn pacing with Luke sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. Simon was sitting next to him. When he saw Izzy he stood and she went running into his arm. "Any news?"

"None. Jocelyn gave them her description and they said they would be back when they had any news." Simon said. Everything seemed to stop. My best friend could potentially die today, and I don't think I'd ever recover from that.

We sat in that waiting room for hours. None of us dared to leave in case news came back on Clary. I was dozing off every now and then, I didn't sleep well last night due to all the alcohol and I needed sleep but I wanted to hear the news about Clary.

"Mrs. Fray?" Someone finally said and we all stood up. "We're so sorry for your loss." He said and Jocelyn broke down. My best friend was dead. She wasn't coming back, and the last thing we did was fight. "Her body was so burned that there was no way she would have been able to survive."

"The police never said anything about her being in a fire." I said and the doctor looked at me.

"Many vehicles burst into flames upon impact." He said and he looked back at Jocelyn. "Your daughters car was lucky for a while, but after trying to free her for hours the fire spread and her car went up in flames." He said.

"She isn't dead." I said and everyone looked at me. "I would know if she was dead. She isn't dead."

"Jace, I know this is a lot to process but you can't know because of a feeling." Izzy said.

"I would know if she was dead. She's my best friend." I said and Jocelyn just started crying even louder. "Maybe you misidentified the body."

"The wasn't a lot of features left to recognize." The doctor said.

"So it might not be her." I said. I wasn't giving up on Clary that fast.

"Mrs. Fray told us that Clary was about 5 feet tall, red curly hair, and normally wore a green coat when she went out at night." The doctor said. I tried my hardest to think back to last night. I needed to remember. I needed to know what Clary looked like last night.

"Jace, are you okay?" Izzy asked.

"I'm trying to remember last night." I said. "Maybe if I remember something I could help find Clary."

"Jace, you're going to have to come to terms with this." Izzy said and I yanked my hand away from her.

"I won't believe it until I see it with my own two eyes." I said. "Can I see her?" I asked.

"Normally only family is allowed to see the deceased." The doctor said.

"I won't believe it until I see it." I said and Jocelyn walked over and put her hand on my shoulder.

"He has my permission to go. I don't think I can." She said with tears spilling out of her eyes.

"Follow me." The doctor said. I took one look back at the group and Jocelyn was a wreck, Izzy was crying, and so were Simon and Luke. I wasn't going to give up on Clary until I saw her dead body in front of me.

The morgue was cold and creepy just like I thought it would be. I don't know how long we were walking, but it felt like it was never going to end. Eventually the doctor stopped in front of a room and when I looked through the glass there was a body laying on a table. I took a deep breath before entering the room. I walked over to the table and the medical examiner removed the cover from her body. The doctor was right. This woman was burnt beyond recognition. The tears started welling up in my eyes as I look at the corpse of a girl, who could potentially be my best friend.

"Cause of death?" I asked.

"Glass from the windshield impaled her which caused severe blood loss, and than the fire ultimately claimed her life." He said and I nodded.

"Is her whole body burned?" I asked.

"There are parts that aren't as bad as others, but the majority of her is a crisp." He said and I looked at the body again. Everything in me screamed that this wasn't Clary, but I didn't know how much of that was pure denial. I looked over the body for a couple more minutes.

"Mind if I grab a pair of gloves?" I asked and the medical examiner gave me a pair.

"What are you looking for?" The doctor asked. I put the gloves on and moved the body slightly so I could see her left shoulder. It was burnt but not as badly as the rest of her body. When I finally got a good view of the shoulder my heart nearly ripped from my chest.

"This isn't Clary." I said and the doctor looked at me.

"How do you know that?" They asked.

"When Clary was 12 she had chicken pox. Like really badly, and she had to stay home for two weeks before they went away. She scratched one so badly it left a scar on her left shoulder. This body doesn't have that scar." I said and I looked at the doctor and medical examiner. "This isn't my best friend."

"We can't just take your word for it." The doctor said.

"I'm not asking you too. I'm just asking you to look again." I said and they exchanged a look and then looked back towards me.

"Alright, we'll run more tests, and ask around the hospital about any other possible Jane Doe's that fit her description." He said and I nodded.

"Thank you." I said and I ran out of the morgue and back up to the waiting room. Everyone was sitting around I guess waiting for me. When I burst through the doors they all looked at me. "It's not Clary."

"Are you sure?" Izzy asked.

"I don't want this to sound creepy, but I know my best friends body. I know every freckle, every scar, and every birthmark she has. And that body doesn't have a certain scar that Clary does." I said.

"So what happens now?" Jocelyn asks.

"The doctors said that they were going to run more tests and look for possible Jane Doe's." I said and they all nodded. Jocelyn walked over to me and gave me a huge hug.

"Thank you for knowing my daughter as well as you do." She said in my ear and I nodded.

We all took a seat back in the waiting room and waited for any more news. It was well into the night now, but none of us cared. We weren't leaving until we had news on Clary, and if I have to stay in the hospital all night, that's what I was going to do.

"Mrs. Fray?" We all heard again and we all jumped up. "We want to apologize for misidentifying your daughters body." He said and I almost fell. "After more tests, and a lot of phone calls, we were able to track a woman who fits your daughters description, down to the scar this young man told us about, to another hospital."

"Where is she?" Jocelyn asked.

"She is at Alicante Memorial Hospital." The doctor said and we all sprinted to our cars. The drive took about 45 minutes but that didn't matter because Clary was alive and I was going to get my best friend back. When we finally got there we all ran into the hospital and straight for the nurses station.

"My daughter was in that huge accident that happened the other night, and I was told there was a girl here who fit that description." Jocelyn said.

"Can you give me the description again?" The woman asked.

"Short, red curly hair, scar on left shoulder." Jocelyn said and she started typing.

"Jane Doe is in room 234. She's currently in the ICU, so only family are allowed to visit." The woman said and I felt like I was getting a stake through the heart.

"Perfect, I'm her mom, this is her father, and this is her brother." She said grabbing my hand and I was taken aback.

"Well, if you'll follow me. I'll lead the way." She said and she stood. I looked back at Izzy and Simon.

"Tell her we love her." Izzy said and I nodded. The nurse walked us to the room. She nodded and left us alone and we all took a collective deep breath before entering.

Clary was laying in the bed with a tube down her throat and needles stuck in her body. I hated seeing her like this. My best friend, who was thought to be dead, and than not dead, and now not breathing on her own. It was too much. A moment later the doctor walked in and we all looked at him.

"We can finally put a name to this Jane Doe." He said.

"Her name is Clarissa Fray." Jocelyn said and he wrote it down. "What's wrong with my baby?"

"As of right now, it looks like Clarissa…"

"Clary." I said and he looked at me. "She prefers Clary."

"And you are?" the doctor asked. Jocelyn was about to answer, but I cut her off.

"The boyfriend." I said and he pressed his lips together.

"Only family is supposed to be in here." He said.

"He is family. He was actually planning on purposing before she got in the accident. I couldn't possibly keep my future son-in-law out of here on a little technicality." Jocelyn chimed in.

"Very well. Right now we can't tell what's going on. Her brain is swollen, and we won't be able to make a clear cut diagnosis until the swelling goes down."

"And how long will that take?" Luke asked.

"Depends on how willing she is to fight. I've seen patients like this for a week, and some for years. We can only do so much, the rest is up to her." The doctor said.

"Do you know what could potentially be wrong with her without a brain scan?" Jocelyn asked.

"What I'm fearing the most right now is paralysis." He said.

"Is that the worse case scenario?" I asked.

"Worse case scenario if a vegetative state. She would be on life support until you decided to pull the plug." He said and I looked back at Clary. "We're going to take it day by day. I want to see how long it takes for the swelling in her brain to go down, and than we'll take it from there." He said.

"Thank you doctor." Jocelyn said.

"I know it might not seem like it, but she is very lucky. She has the potential to make a full recovery, and from experience, most people in her situation are dead an hour after being in a crash that bad."

"Wait." I said as the doctor was about to leave. He turned around and looked at me. "How long was she trapped in the car?"

"The accident happened at about 1 am that night, and she wasn't brought to me until 4 that afternoon." He said and my jaw hit the ground. "Like I said, it's a miracle she's even alive right now." He said.

"How come the police didn't tell me she was at this hospital?" Jocelyn asked before the doctor could leave.

"There were dozens of firefighters, paramedics, and police officers on the scene. Sometimes when a person is passed off to the next set of responders the information gets lost, or isn't right. A lot of her belongings were lost on impact, and the only thing that I was able to get off of her body when she came in here was this." He said as he pulled a bag off a table near by. He handed it to me and I saw it was the necklace that I got Clary for her last birthday. "As you can imagine, a 'C' isn't much to go on when trying to identify someone." He said and Jocelyn simply nodded. The doctor smiled and than left the room.

When he left we were all insanely silent. I was holding one of Clary's hands, while Jocelyn and Luke were holding the other. There was hope for Clary to be alright, and there was hope that she was going to make it through this, and I don't care what I have to do, I was going to hope, and pray, and be here 24/7 until she wakes up.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I guess I fell asleep because I felt someone shaking me awake. When I looked up Jocelyn was standing above me. I rubbed my eyes but didn't dare break contact with Clary's hand.

"It's time to head home Jace." She said.

"I don't want to leave her." I said and Jocelyn smiled.

"I know. I already talked to the doctor and nurses. They are allowing at least one person to stay with her, and since you're on summer vacation, and Luke and I need to work, we figured you'd want too."

"Absolutely." I said and she smiled.

"We just need to get you home and get you new clothes." She said and I nodded.

"Can I say goodbye first?" I asked and they nodded. They walked out of the room and gave us some privacy. I leaned in and pressed my lips to her ear. "I was a complete and utter fool Clare. You are the best friend any guy could ever ask for, and I can't believe it's taken me this long to realize that I'm in love with you." I said and I tear rolled out of my eye. "I need you to fight for me Clare. I need you to fight so that we can have a shot at seeing where we go. I need you to fight for me, and for your parents, and for your friends, but most importantly, I need you to fight for yourself." I pressed my lips to her forehead and gave her a kiss. "I love you Clary, and I need you to wake up so I can finally tell you."

I gave her one last kiss before I exited the room. Jocelyn put her arm around me and we walked out of the hospital together. We got in the car and the drive to my house was silent. I think we were all still processing what happened the past couple days. When we got to my house I opened the door and Jocelyn stopped me.

"Thank you for not giving up on my daughter." She said and I smiled.

"She's my best friend." I said and she smiled.

"And a little more." She said and I smiled and nodded. "Luke and I will visit as often as possible, but keep an eye on her Jace."

"You have my word Jocelyn." I said and I closed my door and walked up to my house. When I got inside my parents were sitting on the couch. They looked incredibly sad, and worried, and concerned.

"Isabelle came by to tell us what happened." My mom said. "I'm so sorry baby."

"How is she?" My dad asked.

"Currently not breathing on her own, her brain is swollen, and according to the doctor the worst that could come out of this is that Clary remains in a vegetative state." I said and I heard my mom gasp.

"Oh my god." My mom said.

"Yea, so I'm moving into the hospital." I said. "They are allowing one person to stay with her at all times, and it's 45 minutes away, and her parents need to work, and since its summer I'm going to do it." I said and they nodded.

"I was wondering when you were going to admit your feelings for her." My mom said and my eyes widened.

"Was everyone aware of her feelings for me, and my obliviousness to them?" I asked and my mom nodded.

"Yes." She said and I laughed. "I'm really sorry this happened Jace. I know she means a lot to you."

"She means everything to me." I said and my mom smiled and put her hand on my cheek.

"Go upstairs, take a shower, pack a bag and take a nap. I'll make you something to eat, and than you can go back." She said and I nodded. I knew I needed a shower, and food, and some sleep before heading back to the hospital, but as much as I know I needed those things, I just wanted to get back to Clary. She's all that matters right now, and I was never going to leave her side again.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It's been a month and Clary was still on the ventilator. Seeing her like this was absolutely killing me. Every time a doctor or nurse walked in I got my hopes up thinking today was going to be the day she was going to be scanned. Living in the hospital wasn't ideal. The food sucked, the bed they brought me was uncomfortable, and they didn't get a lot of good channels, but for Clary I would camp out in the snow, with no wood to make a fire, and barely enough food if it meant that I was by her side.

The doctor told me that it was a good idea for me to talk to Clary. It might stimulate her brain and I was willing to do anything to help her recovery. I read to her all the time, and played her music, which was funny because I played all the songs that she absolutely hated, but it made me smile. I could just picture he face scrunching up in annoyance. Izzy, Simon, and Alec visited a couple times, and Jocelyn and Luke came as often as they could. My parents even made a couple trips up here, and I hated that there wasn't any news on Clary since she was admitted, but I was simply focusing on the fact that she was alive, and she could recover.

"Good afternoon Jace." The doctor said as he walked into the room.

"Hey doc. What's up?" I asked as I put my book down.

"Today is the day that we're going to get a scan of her brain to fully diagnose her." He said.

"You think the swelling went down that much?" I asked.

"I can only hope." He said as he wrote something down.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked and he looked up.

"Of course. What's on your mind?" He asked.

"How likely will it be that when she wakes up she won't remember anything?" I asked.

"That all depends on what we find on the scan today. There is a possibility that brain damage is minimal. She might have no memory of the accident or anything like that though." He said.

"So she could remember me?" I asked.

"I don't want to get your hopes up Jace, but when it comes to memory loss due to an accident like this, I've never seen a patient lose that much of their memory." He said and I nodded. "How long have you known each other?"

"We've been best friends since we were 6." I said as I looked at Clary.

"I think you are safe. If she does have brain damage, and she ends up forgetting, it would potentially only go back a couple years. I am optimistic that she wouldn't lost an entire decade." He said and I nodded. "Her scan is in an hour." He said and than he left. I took a deep breath and called Jocelyn.

"Hey Jace. Any news?" She answered after a moment.

"They are taking her to get a scan of her brain to get a proper diagnosis." I said.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yea. He said it would be in an hour." I told her.

"Okay. Luke can't make it, but I just finished work. I'll be there soon." She said and we said our goodbyes and we hung up. There wasn't anything I wanted more than for Clary to wake up without any injuries but I knew that was impossible. I didn't care what had to happen, I was going to be there every step of the way for her recovery.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Jocelyn and I were sitting in Clary's room waiting for her to get back from her scan. I didn't realize how long it was going to take, but I was getting anxious being away from Clary. I didn't really know how much I relied on her until not having her around happened. She truly was a huge part of my life, and I'll be damned if I lose her.

The doctor finally rolled her back in and got her situated. He was writing something down on his chart and when we looked up he smiled at us.

"I have good news." He said. "Looks like the damage to her brain was very minimal."

"So what caused the swelling?" I asked.

"She slammed her head pretty hard against her steering wheel. The most she probably had was a concussion, but that has cleared up since she arrived here."

"So what does that mean?" Jocelyn asked.

"It means that her memory should be intact if she wakes up. I was worried that if the damage was severe she would have to learn the basics of speaking, and doing mundane tasks. Basically I was worried that she would have the capacity of a toddler when it came to her motor skills. But knowing the damage was minimal, the risks are fewer."

"What still has the potential to be wrong?" I asked.

"She might need to learn how to walk again, and how to use her hands. Speaking might take her some time, but not because she can't do it, but because it might take her some time to think things through." He said and Jocelyn and I nodded. "This is the best possible diagnosis you could get. I'm optimistic that she'll wake up."

"Thank you so much doctor." Jocelyn said. He smiled and left the room. Jocelyn and I sat back down and just looked at each other. "I guess the rest is up to her."

"She's a fighter. I know she'll wake up." I said and Jocelyn smiled.

"This is going to be a hard road Jace. If she wakes up or not, this is going to be challenging." She said and I looked at Clary than back to Jocelyn.

"I would go through hell for her." I said and she smiled and gave my hand a little squeeze.

"I know you would." She said and I nodded. I don't care what I have to do, but I was going to be here for her.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Jace, you can't put off your education." My mom said.

"I don't know if you've been paying attention mom, but literally nothing else matters to me but Clary. I'm not leaving her. I'm going to sit my ass in that hospital room until she wakes up." I said.

"Jace, she might never wake up." My dad said.

"You don't know that. You don't know Clary." I said.

"Sweetheart, she's like a daughter to me, of course I know her." My mom said and I looked at her. "I know she means everything to you, but you can't put your life on hold for something that might not happen. Think of what Clary would want."

"I have. I've been thinking if the roles were reversed she would do the exact same thing for me as I'm doing for her." I said.

"Jace, you haven't left this hospital the entire summer." My dad said.

"So?" I asked.

"It's unhealthy." My mom said.

"Good thing I'm already in a hospital. If I have any concerns, I'll call for a nurse." I said.

"Jonathan, this is no time for your sarcasm. And you don't know that's what Clary would have done." My mom said and I was about to tell her off when someone cut me of.

"She would." We turned and saw Jocelyn standing there. "My daughter would do the exact same thing for him as he's doing for her."

"Mom, I can't do anything until I know she's okay." I said. She didn't look convinced so I took her hands in mine. "I'm not giving up on my education, I'm just delaying it a little bit. And if it makes you feel any better I'll take some online classes so I'm not too far behind."

"Fine, but you better get A's." She said and I laughed.

"Come on, I've always been a straight A student." I said and she laughed. I pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. I felt her relax, and I knew that I had just convinced her. The only way I was leaving this hospital is with Clary by my side.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was used to the beeping of the machines at this point. I have been sleeping here for the past four months, and they have become some kind of soothing sound that lulls me to sleep at night. Weird, I know, but it works. Tonight was not one of these soothing nights. I was woke up by machines going crazy, followed by a bunch of talking. I immediately sat up and saw them working on Clary. I looked at her heart monitor and it was still beeping, but a little faster than normal. I stood up and looked over the nurses and saw that Clary's eyes were opened. The nurses were trying to hold her down while they removed the tube from her throat. I reached between them and took her small hand in mine, and it seemed to calm her done just enough that they nurses could remove the tube. Once it as removed all the chaos died down. The nurses started to leave and I made my way over to the side of her bed.

Clary was looking around, clearly trying to figure out where she was. She looked incredibly confused, but I didn't blame her. Her eyes raked around the whole room until they landed on me. I gave her a smile but she just turned away and kept looking around. A moment later the doctor came in.

"Hi Clarissa, I'm Dr. Wayland." He said and Clary opened her mouth but nothing came out. "It's okay. Your throat is probably incredibly dry from having that tube down it for so long." That didn't stop her from trying anyway. She was forming words but no sound was coming out. The doctor looked over to me and I was trying to figure out what she was saying but it was hard.

"I think she's trying to tell you to call her Clary." I said and she nodded signaling I was right.

"Right, my apologies. Jace did tell me you prefer to be called Clary." He said and Clary looked confused. "Do you remember what happened to you?" He asked. Clary shook her head. "That's not a problem. You were in a car accident Clary." Clary raised her arm as far as she could and pointed to herself. "No, you didn't cause the accident. You were just another victim to the chaos." He said and she nodded. "I know you probably have a lot of questions, but don't feel like you need to ask them all now. Give yourself a little time to let your throat heal."

"Ja…." She started. It was horse but she was trying. I took her hand in mine and gave her an encouraging look. "Jac…" She tried again.

"You're so close Clare." I said and she swallowed and looked into my eyes.

"Jackass." She said, and it was not what I was expecting but I didn't care. She spoke and she was awake and that's all that matter to me. I laughed and leaned forward and pressed my lips to her forehead. By now we were left alone in the room just looking into each others eyes.

"I know you can't really speak right now, but I have to get this off my chest." I said and she nodded. "I am so incredibly sorry for that night Clary. You have to know that I meant nothing that I said to you. You are my best friend. I don't care how many friends you have, or if you want to sit on the couch every weekend watching movies. That's who you are, and that's my best friend, and I wouldn't want you any other way." I said and she gave me a small smile. It was a tiny victory, but a victory nonetheless. She nodded and I sighed. "It's the middle of the night, I'll call your mom tomorrow and let her know, but I think you should rest." She nodded and I went to move but she gripped my hand tighter. I looked at our hands and than up to her eyes.

"Stay." She said and she didn't have to tell me twice. I wasn't going anywhere. I grabbed a chair and moved it as close to the bed as possible. Our hands stayed locked together, and I knew that this was definitely going to be a hard road, but I don't care how long it takes, I'll always be here.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was still in the hospital recovering and I was getting incredibly frustrated with it. I felt like I wasn't making any progress and I hated it. I was sitting in my room after one of my many therapy sessions when Jace showed up. He was here every day, and he tried to help me as much as he could.

"Hey, how was therapy?" He asked as he took a seat at the foot of my bed.

"Shitty. Like everything else in my life." I said and he looked at me with sad eyes.

"You'll get there Clary. I promise." Jace said and I rolled my eyes.

"I should have just died. It would have been easier." I said and before I could even process anything Jace and I were face to face.

"Don't you dare say that Clary. I would have been devastated if you died." He said.

"Life would go on without me." I said. Being stuck in this hospital, and having to learn how to use my hands and my legs again was extremely depressing.

"Mine wouldn't." He said and I looked at him. "You are everything to me Clary."

"You're just saying that." I said and he put his finger under my chin and forced me to look at me.

"Clarissa, you are my life. My world. My everything. I am so incredibly in love with you, and if you weren't in my life anymore I might die myself." He said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"Jace." I said but he cut me off.

"Do you remember the night you got into the accident? Before it happened?" He asked.

"Bites and pieces. The whole night isn't fully there." I said.

"I don't remember that night at all. I woke up the next day with a huge hangover and an incredibly angry Isabelle pounding on my door. She came over to rip me a new one for the way I treated you that night." He said and he took my hands.

"I remember you giving me the cup of beer, and I remember throwing it in your face, and leaving." I said. "I also remembering giving your house key to Izzy, but everything else is fuzzy."

"You are still so incredibly sweet even when I don't deserve it." He said and I smiled.

"You're my best friend Jace. I don't care how angry I am at you, I'm not going to leave you out to dry. That's not who I am." I said and he smiled.

"I know, and I have taken advantage of you in all the years of our friendship." He said.

"No you didn't Jace. I would have done anything if you just asked. If you showed up at my doorstep at 3 am asking me to help you hide a body I would do it because you're my best friend." I said and he laughed.

"That doesn't mean I haven't taken advantage of you." He said and I just shrugged. "You have always been there for me. When I'm too drunk to stand straight, when I would get bummed if we lost a game. When I was upset and just needed company. You were always there for me." He said.

"You did the same thing for me. I mean, you slept in this hospital for months Jace." I said and he smiled.

"I couldn't leave you." He said.

"And I wouldn't leave you either." I said.

"When they misidentified your body and told us you were dead, I think part of me broke. I felt like a huge piece of me was never going to be the same, and I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes." He said and I laughed.

"I can't believe you remembered that scar." I said and he laughed.

"I know your every freckle, scar and birthmark Clary." He said and I smiled. "I needed to be sure, because I didn't feel like you were dead."

"Well, you were correct. I wasn't." I said and he smiled. "Being in that coma was kind of like an out of body experience."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I don't think I was dreaming, but they don't exactly feel real either." I said.

"Well, why don't you talk it out, maybe it'll help." He said and I smiled.

"I remember music." I said and he laughed. "Did you play me music?"

"The doctor told me that talking to you would be helpful so I thought that music would be too." He said.

"The only song I could make out was 'The Macarena' and I felt like it was on a loop." I said and he laughed. "You purposely did that to me."

"I couldn't help it. You weren't awake to protest." He said and I laughed.

"You're cruel." I said.

"It made me smile." He said and I laughed.

"Well, I'm glad the hospital couldn't get your spirits down." I said.

"They were down alright. They were at a low point for he first couple weeks." He admitted.

"I didn't mean to scare anyone. I was just trying to get home." I said and he smiled at me.

"You did nothing wrong Clary. You ran into a car because you couldn't see in front of you due to another car on fire which caused a huge smoke screen." He said.

"That doesn't mean I don't feel horrible about what happened." I said.

"You're awake now, that's all that matters." He said and I shrugged. We were silent for a moment before I remembered what he said early on in the conversation.

"So, you're in love with me?" I said and he laughed.

"Cats out of the bag." He laughed and I could tell he was nervous. It didn't happen often, but it was cute when it did. "The morning after the party I didn't know how I got home. I assumed you helped me until Izzy told me what a dick I was."

"I believe I used the term jackass and bastard, but dick works too." I said and he laughed.

"She told me that I was an idiot for being completely clueless of your feelings towards me, and I didn't know what she meant until she told me you were in an accident. Hearing those words nearly broke me. My mind starting thinking of the absolute worst and the possibility of living without you, and I realized that I couldn't. I can't live without you."

"You can't?" I asked.

"I can't live without you Clarissa, and I don't want too." He said and a tear escaped my eye. He wiped it away and I couldn't help but smile.

"What if I don't get better?" I asked after a moment.

"You will Clary." He said.

"But what if I can't. I feel like every day I go to therapy I'm back at square one. I can't walk Jace." I choked out.

"But you will one day. It doesn't matter how long it takes, but it does matter that you keep trying. Don't give up Clary." He said and I nodded. It was getting late and I was pretty tired.

"Lay with me?" I asked and he got the biggest smile on his face.

"I'd love too." He said. I moved over and made room for him on the bed. He put his arm around me and I rested my head on his chest. I could feel my eyes growing heavier.

"Jace?" I said before I was lost in my dreams.

"Yes?" He said.

"I love you too." I said and I felt him press his lips to my forehead before the darkness consumed me.

 **Jace POV:**

I felt Clary's breathing even out and I sighed and leaned back. There was nothing better than holding her in my arms. I can't even imagine not being this close to her, and I can't believe that it took me so long to figure out my feelings for her. It was silent for a while until I felt my phone going off in my pocket. When I looked at it I saw that Jocelyn was calling.

"Hey Jocelyn." I said in a hush toned.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yea, Clary is just sleeping." I said.

"Okay, how was her day?" She asked.

"Therapy isn't moving as fast as she would like, and it's frustrating her." I explained.

"She never was a patient one." Jocelyn said and I laughed.

"No she isn't." I said.

"Luke and I were planning on coming to visit tomorrow." She said.

"Sounds good." I said.

"I really appreciate you looking after she Jace." Jocelyn said for the millionth time.

"It's my pleasure." I said.

"Goodnight Jace." Jocelyn said.

"Goodnight Jocelyn." I said and I hung up. I leaned back and closed my eyes and let the sleep wash over me while holding onto Clary.

 **Jocelyn POV:**

Luke and I were going up to visit Clary today, and I was happy. Work was getting crazy, and Luke and I couldn't get as much time off as we would like, and with the hospital being 45 minutes away, getting there isn't easy. We were thankful that Jace was still with her though. That boy is so incredibly protective of her I would trust her in nobody else's care.

When we finally got to the hospital we made our way up to her room and when I opened the door we were greeted with a sleeping Jace and Clary, but it wasn't normal because Jace and Clary were asleep in the same bed. It was really a sweet sight. Jace had his arm protectively around Clary. Luke and I didn't want to disturb them, so we were going to let them sleep until we heard Jace start talking.

"Baby, stop moving. You're going to push me off the bed." He said and I had to suppress the grin that I wanted to spread across my face.

"I wouldn't be moving if you weren't taking up the whole bed. Seriously Jace, you are such a hog." Clary said back. I could hear the grogginess in their voices.

"It's not my fault this bed isn't big enough for the two of us." He said back.

"I didn't think you'd stay the whole night." Clary said back.

"You invited me." Jace said.

"I am aware, but I thought you'd leave after I fell asleep." Clary said.

"Not a chance." Jace said as he tightened his grip on Clary. Luke and I looked at each other and smiled.

"Well, isn't this a sweet sight." Luke said and both Clary and Jace groaned.

"Maybe if we pretend to be asleep they'll leave." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"I doubt that." Jace said as he started to sit up. "When did you two get here?"

"We entered right in time to hear your lovely conversation." I said and Clary flushed a bright red. "So, care to tell us what happened?"

"We talked, and now we're here." Clary said, and I rolled my eyes. "Honestly mom, I'm not sure what happened."

"Jace?" I asked as I looked from Clary to him.

"We didn't really have a chance to discuss it. She was really tired last night." He said and I nodded.

"Well than, this is the perfect time for Luke and I to go get breakfast. We'll be back in 45 minutes." I said as I stood up. "That should be plenty of time to talk." I said. I grabbed Luke and rushed us out of the room and out to our car.

"That was so subtle Jocelyn." He said and I laughed.

"Subtly was never my thing." I said and he laughed and we got in the car to get breakfast.

 **Jace POV:**

After Jocelyn and Luke ran out of here it was silent for a little. I didn't want to force Clary to talk about whatever was going on, so I was leaving it completely open to her.

"Wow. I never thought I'd see the day where my mother was pawning me off to a boy." She said and I laughed.

"Jocelyn loves me." I said and Clary smiled.

"That was a whole new kind of love." She said.

"We got closer while you were in the coma." I said and she nodded. "We don't have to talk if you don't want too."

"I want too." She said and I nodded. "You still mean everything you said last night?" She asked.

"Every single word." I said. "You know I would never lie to you."

"I know. It just seems to surreal to hear you say it." She said and I laughed.

"How long have you been in love with me Clary?" I asked and she started fidgeting with her fingers like she always does when she gets nervous.

"Since freshman year of high school." She said so quietly I nearly missed it.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked and she looked up at me.

"I want you to answer a question for me. And I want honesty." She said and I nodded. "If I didn't almost die, would you have even thought about me in that way?" She asked.

"I don't know Clary, but it definitely would have come into question." I said.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Izzy came to chew my ass out before we found out about the crash. She told me that I was blinded by bottle blondes and big tits, and that I was completely overlooking you." I said.

"She wasn't wrong. You have a type." She said. It was almost painful to talk about this with her. "Which, I don't fit into by the way."

"Clary." I said but she cut me off.

"No, you date girls who are like 8 inches taller than me. They are blonde hair, blue eyes, big tit, and round ass kind of girls. You are literally going for the complete opposite when it comes to me." She said.

"I know, and that's why I feel more confident in you than I ever have in any other girl I've hooked up with." I said.

"You really want to see where this goes?" She asked.

"No. I already know where it's going to go." I said and she looked up towards me.

"Oh yea? And where is that?" She asked.

"We're going to go as far as life lets us go, together." I said and I could see her eyes gloss over.

"Are you sure? Because I don't think I can handle getting my heart broken by you Jace." She said. I rubbed my finger over her cheekbone and smiled at her.

"I have no intentions of breaking your heart Clary." I said and she smiled. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her. The kiss was everything I'd imagined it would be. Sweet, gentle, passionate, electric, and perfect. But what else did I expect? This was Clary, and she was the epitome of all those things. When we broke apart our eyes locked and she smiled. "So Clarissa, would you do the honor of being my girlfriend?"

"I would love to." She said and we kissed again. When we broke apart I couldn't stop smiling and neither could she. Suddenly her face changed and I was confused.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" I asked and she laughed and shook her head.

"No, I was just thinking back to waking up this morning." She said.

"What about it?" I asked.

"My mom and Luke were in the room…..when you called me baby." She said and I couldn't stop the laugh.

"It would appear that they were." I said and she hung her head.

"That's embarrassing." She said and I pulled her into me. "What even possessed you to call me that?"

"I don't know. I was still sleepy, and it just kinda fell out of my mouth." I admitted and she laughed. "Why? Do you not want me to use pet names for you?"

"No, I actually kinda liked it." She confessed and I pressed my lips to her head. We sat there in silence for a while and she was tracing patterns into my chest. "I never thought I'd be in this position."

"What? Paralyzed or in my arms?" I said not realizing how awful it sounded and I was about to take it back when she started laughing hysterically.

"Neither, but I appreciate the laugh." She said and I smiled. "I needed that."

"It's been too long since I've heard that beautiful laugh." I said and she leaned back into me.

Jocelyn and Luke came back shortly after and were pleased to find out that Clary and I were together. We spent the rest of the day talking and laughing and just pretending everything was normal, and I could tell it was exactly what Clary needed and I was happy to be able to give her that.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Oh my god, you're walking Clary." The therapist said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I finally don't feel like an invalid!" I said and she laughed. "Don't get me wrong, I love my boyfriend, but I was starting to feel like a toddler every time I asked him to carry me anywhere." I said and she laughed.

"How about we go surprise him?" She said and I nodded. "We'll walk to your room and end your session there." I nodded and we started walking. "Now that you have mobility back, you'll be out of here in no time."

"I can't wait to sleep in my own bed again." I said and she laughed. We slowly approached my room and I took a deep breath. I looked at my therapist and she gave me an encouraging nod, and I opened my door and saw Jace sitting on my bed reading. I cleared my throat and Jace looked up and complete and utter shock washed over him.

"Clary? You're walking?" He said as he stood up.

"I'm walking." I said and he ran over to me and scooped me up. I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped my lips as he swung me around.

"I can't believe you're walking." He said as he put me down and I smiled.

"It was challenging, but this is totally worth it." I said and he smiled.

"I'm going to miss carrying you around everywhere." He said and I laughed.

"You liked that?" I asked.

"Of course. I got to hold you close, who wouldn't like that?" He said and I shook my head with a smile.

"My therapist says I might be able to go home now that I have my mobility back." I said and Jace smiled.

"That's amazing Clare." He said and I smiled. "But something is wrong."

"I'm gonna miss having you around." I said and he pulled me into him.

"Just say the words, and ask Jocelyn and I'll move into your house." He said and I laughed.

"You don't want to move on with your life? You can actually go to school Jace." I said.

"I don't want to be anywhere you aren't. I will be here to take care of you forever Clary." He said and I smiled.

"I know, I just want you to know that if you want to go to school, you can." I said and he smiled.

"I know." He said and he pressed his lips to mine. There was a knock on the door and we broke apart and looked.

"I was told by your therapist that you're mobile." Dr. Wayland said and I nodded. "All you have to do is fill out some paperwork, and you can go home."

"Thank you Dr. Wayland. For everything." I said and he smiled.

"I'll go get the paperwork." He said and than left. Jace didn't let go of my hand the entire time. When Dr. Wayland brought the paperwork back in Jace and I took a seat on my bed and I began filling it out. I was sitting in between Jace's legs and leaning against his chest as I rested the clipboard on my legs and filled it out. Jace was running his fingers up and down my legs, and pressing his lips to my shoulder. Part of me never wanted to finish filling out the paperwork because that meant this was going to stop.

Finally when I was done, I handed it to the nurse and she left the room. Jace and I started packing everything up so that we could make our trip home. After 15 minutes I was told that I was officially released and I couldn't get the smile off my face. Jace picked everything up and took my hand in his. We walked out of my room but before I walked away I looked back at it one last time.

"Come on, let's go home." Jace said and I turned and smiled at him. Home had never sounded more amazing in my life. He took my hand in his and we walked out of the hospital ready to begin a whole new chapter of our lives, and I couldn't be more excited.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I figured while I was in the middle of deciding what story I wanted to write next from your suggestions that I would write one from my own mind, and give you something so I don't make you wait a month before my next update. I thought about this story the other day and just really wanted to write something like it and I absolutely love the way it came out. I want to address a few things that I know you might have questions about, so here it goes.**

 **1\. The reason Clary doesn't drink, or like alcohol is because her father was an alcoholic, and it ruined his life. He decided to drink and drive one night and ended up driving off a cliff, ending his life (Clary was 12) Clary takes drinking seriously, and as of right now, she never wants to have a sip of alcohol, because she doesn't want to end up like him.**

 **2\. I know it seems like she's in the hospital forever, but thats just how long her recovery is taking her. They couldn't release her until she was able to walk by herself, and that takes some time for some people.**

 **3\. The woman that was originally misidentified as Clary had the same description that Jocelyn gave, but there was so much blood her hair was dyed red. Originally she was a blonde. You can imagine the confusion. Another reason she was thought to be Clary I kind of addressed, but I'll say it again. Everything was so chaotic at the scene that Clary was put in an ambulance and shipped off to a random hospital, and those EMT's weren't given any information on her.**

 **4\. I don't know a lot about brain injury, or what happens when you have suffered a major blow to the head. So a lot of the things are purely made up. Don't yell at me!**

 **5\. What the police originally told Jocelyn about Clary was true, but since there were so many people helping save lives, they were moved onto the next when they were relieved, so as far as the cops were concerned, they had very little to tell Jocelyn.**

 **6\. I know Jace would never be allowed in the morgue, but I said fuck it, and did it anyway! And I know it seems too perfect that the one shoulder wasn't burned, but hey I did what I did, and I liked it.**

 **I think thats all I wanted to address thus far, but if you still have questions, I can try and answer them! Let me know what you all think, and I'll try my best to get back with a story from one of your suggestions! :)**


	53. Chapter 52 - Intruder

**Fifty Second One Shot:**

 **Intruder**

 **Clary POV:**

All the kids were getting in for the day and I was setting up the classroom. I loved being a preschool teacher. It was truly the most rewarding job in the world, and I loved my kids. When they were in my care I was their protector, and their nurturer, and I took that really seriously. I was waiting for one more kid when there was a knock on the door. I went over and was greeted by the principle.

"Hello Mrs. Penhallow, what can I do for you?" I said and she brought me into the hallway.

"Last minute problem, Mr. Halloway came down with the flu and we didn't have enough time to find a sub so we're splitting the kids up among the other 3 preschool classrooms, can you take 5 kids?" She asked.

"Of course I can." I said and she smiled.

"Great, I'll go get them." She said and I went back into my classroom.

"Alright kids, everyone take your seat in your chair, we have a few kids from the other class coming in and we'll start soon." I said.

"Okay Miss. Fray." They all said and I smiled. A few moments later there was a knock followed by Mrs. Penhallow and 5 kids.

"Miss. Fray, these are the five kids. We have George, McKenna, Dean, Rebecca, and Oliver. Kids, this is Miss. Fray, she'll be your teacher today." The kids looked really shy so I bent down on front of them.

"Hi guys, I know this is a new classroom for you today, but I promise you're going to have a lot of fun." I said and they all nodded. "I have a table set up for you guys right over there." I said as I pointed. "Why don't you go put your backpacks down and take a seat." I said. They all nodded and made their way to table and I stood back up.

"Thank you for this Clary, I wish we had a sub ready in the building today but we don't." She said and I smiled.

"It's no problem Mrs. Penhallow." I said and she smiled. She left and I made my way to the front of the room. "Alright kids, we have 5 new friends today, and we're going to do everything we can to make them feel at home in our room today!" I said and everyone nodded. "Alright, we're going to start with our daily color session!" I said and every cheered. "Today we are coloring a picture of a Christmas ornament, or holiday decoration." I said and I started going around giving them pictures.

During their color session I went around to see how they were doing. They were really cute when they colored. They were trying to hard to stay inside the lines, and I could really tell that they wanted them to look nice. After the color session we had a little playtime followed by circle time and than it was naptime. Everyone laid down on their mats and I sat at the desk catching up on some reading that I was doing when the phone in my room started to it. I ran towards it so that it wouldn't wake the kids up.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Clary, there is an intruder in the building. Hide the kids…..no please please don't hurt me." I heard followed by a gunshot. I immediately drop the phone and start waking up the kids.

"Hide. Go in the closet, in the bathroom, anywhere just hide please." I said and than I heard a cock of a gun.

"Now why would you want to do that?" I turned around and there he was, holding a gun and pointing it to McKenna.

"Please, don't hurt the kids." I said and he gave me a sinister smile.

"Why not? They aren't your kids." He said as he made his way closer to her. She was whimpering and I could tell she was scared.

"They are when they are here." I said and he laughed.

"You all don't care about kids. You're here for the money. You don't care what happens to these kids." He says.

"That's not true. I barely get paid. I'm here because I want to make a difference." I said as I tried to make my way closer to him.

"Stop lying." He said through gritted teeth. "My teachers didn't give a shit about me."

"I'm sure that's not true." I tried to reason with him.

"They never cared, and they were always singling me out. They tried to make my life as miserable as possible." He said.

"Than you didn't have the right teachers. I promise, all teachers aren't like that." I said as I inched closer. I just wanted to get McKenna away from him.

"Stop lying." He said as his voice got darker.

"Than hurt me. Don't hurt the kids. They had nothing to do with it." I said. He closed his eyes for a minutes and I bent down next to McKenna.

"Move!" He yelled when he saw me next to her. "Move, or I'll shot her." He said and I took a gamble. I picked McKenna and threw her across the room. Rage filled his eyes and I heard the gunshot, and a searing pain ripped through my abdomen. The next thing I heard was sirens. I looked up at the intruder and he ran away. I looked down at my stomach and put pressure on it as much as I could so that I had a chance of living.

"Miss. Fray." I heard and I looked over and saw McKenna. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But I need you to go grab me some paper towels." I said and she nodded. A minute later I heard more gunshots and screaming. McKenna came back over and handed them to me. I put them on my wound and before I knew it there were more adults in the room. I was happy to know the kids were going to be safe, and I closed my eyes and passed out.

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting in my office finishing some paperwork that I had been putting off. It was really tedious and I just didn't feel like doing it, but I had nothing else to do today so I figured I'd get it over with. My phone started ringing and I was happy that it gave me a distraction from my work.

"Jace Herondale speaking." I answered.

"Mr. Herondale, I'm calling from Alicante Elementary School." She said and I immediately thought of my daughter.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"There was a shooting today." She said and I think I nearly had a heart attack. "The intruder is no longer a threat. He was killed, but we would like you to come down to the school."

"I'll be right there." I said and I hung up the phone. I ran out of my office and nearly ran into Alec.

"Are you okay man?" He asked.

"There was a shooting at Alicante. Didn't you get a call?" I asked.

"Max was sick today. Magnus stayed home with him." Alec said.

"I have to go." I said and he nodded. I didn't bother to hear if he said anything to me. I got into my car and made my way to the school. When I got there it was a mad house. There were parents, and ambulances, and police officers. I didn't know what to think but I just needed my daughter. I walked up to someone and tapped them on the shoulder. "What happened?"

"Some intruder came in and started shooting. They haven't told us if anyone was killed, or injured." He said and I nodded.

"Are they releasing the students?" I asked.

"As of right now, I think they are trying to get everyone accounted for." He said and I nodded. I stood back and just waited for something to happen. I was pulled out of my thought when someone called my name.

"Jace!" I turned around and saw Kaelie running towards me. I wanted to roll my eyes because I didn't want to see her, but our daughter was at risk, and she had every right to be here.

"Hey." I said when she was close enough.

"Any word?" She asked and I shook my head. "Damn it." A moment later there was a bunch of chaos. I turned my attention and someone was being rushed into the ambulance. She was tiny, but didn't look like a student. After the ambulance left, a man walked over to the group of waiting parents.

"Hello parents, my name is Mr. Carstairs, and I am the Vice Principal of Alicante Elementary School. I am sorry about the wait but we had to assess the damage inside. No children were harmed, but there was one death, and two injuries. One to a teacher, and one of a police officer. Principal Penhallow was the only fatality." He said and I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders knowing no children were hurt. "They should be our momentarily." He said and walked away. A moment later the doors opened and children started coming out. I immediately spotted my baby and I ran towards her.

"Daddy!" She yelled and I bent down and she ran into my arms.

"Oh my god. Are you okay McKenna?" I asked.

"I'm fine daddy." She said and than Kaelie joined us.

"Oh baby, I was so worried." She said and gave her a kiss.

"I'm okay mommy. I scrapped my knee, but I'm fine." She said and I looked at her knee.

"How did you do that sweetheart?" I asked.

"Miss. Fray threw me across the room." She said and range filled me. I immediately walked over to the Vice Principal and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, my daughter told me a teacher threw her across the room. I would like to have a conversation with this woman." I said.

"Yea, we'll sue this place for throwing our daughter around like she's some rag doll." Kaelie chimed in.

"Who was her teacher?" The man asked.

"Miss. Fray." I said and he sighed.

"Miss. Fray has been rushed to the hospital." He said and my eyes widened. "What's your daughters name?"

"McKenna. She's supposed to be in Mr. Halloway's class." I said.

"Mr. Halloway called in sick with the flu and we didn't have enough time to find a sub, so we divided the class up. Miss. Fray is another preschool teacher." He explained.

"That doesn't excuse her behavior." Kaelie said.

"McKenna, can you tell me why Miss. Fray threw you across the room?" He asked.

"The man was pointing a gun at me." She said and I nearly dropped her. "Miss. Fray was trying to get him to hurt her instead of me. He closed his eyes for a second and Miss. Fray bent down next to me. He wasn't happy. She picked me up and threw me across the room and than he shot her." McKenna explained.

"Okay sweetie." He said and looked at me. "If Miss. Fray pulls through you may speak with her, but she saved your daughters life. A scrapped knee is a lot better than a bullet wound." He said and walked away. I looked at Kaelie and she still didn't look happy.

"I still want to sue her." She said and I rolled my eyes. "This school can't be serious. He isn't even going to punish her."

"She was shot saving our child Kaelie. She deserves a medal, not a lawsuit." I said.

"She still threw her." She said and I put McKenna down. She didn't need to hear this.

"Hey sweetie, I want you to get that looked at. Let's go over to the ambulance." She nodded and I walked over. I told the paramedic what happened and he agreed to clean up her knee. I walked back over to Kaelie.

"We aren't going to sue her because there is no reason to sue. She might not make it, and we owe her a lot. Because of her, our daughter is getting her knee cleaned off, not getting a bullet removed from her." I said and she rolled her eyes. "We aren't suing her Kaelie, and that's final." I said and I made my way back over to McKenna. She was smiling and laughing at the paramedic making jokes and I just couldn't be more thankful that her teacher sacrificed herself to save my daughter.

"Daddy." McKenna said.

"Yes baby?" I said.

"Can we go visit Miss. Fray?" She asked.

"Of course we can, but she might not be up for visitors today." I said and she nodded.

"That's okay. I just want to see if she's okay." She said and I smiled. Despite having Kaelie as a mom, she was extremely thoughtful of everyone else and I loved that about her.

"We can go see if she's up for visitors okay?" I said and she nodded. We sat there while the paramedic cleaned her knee off. Kaelie apparently had to go back to work, so she left. I rolled my eyes when she told me. I mean, our daughter could have been hurt today, but I guess that doesn't really matter all that much to her. I on the other hand was glad my baby was okay, and was going to spend the rest of the day with her.

 **Time jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I heard beeping and I slowly opened my eyes. My stomach was killing me, but than I remembered what happened. I was shot. I opened my eyes and I was in a hospital room. I took a deep breath and tried to sit up. It hurt like a bitch, so I stopped. I looked for the button on the bed that lifted the bed, and that was a lot less painful. I didn't know what to do so I clicked the nurses button and a minute later she walked in.

"Miss. Fray, good to see you awake." She said and I smiled.

"I'm in a lot of pain. Can I get something for that?" I asked and she smiled and nodded.

"I'll be right back." She left the room and I took another deep breath. When she returned she handed me a cup with pills, and a cup of water. I took them and handed the cup back to her. "There are some people here to see you, are you up for visitors?"

"Sure." I said confused as to who was here to see me. She nodded and walked out and I waited to see who was coming to visit me. After a couple minutes there was a knock on the door and when I looked over there stood the most beautiful looking man that I had ever seen. He was golden from head to toe and I think my brain forgot how to function. I looked down and saw a familiar face and I couldn't help but smile knowing that she was okay.

"Miss. Fray!" She said and she ran over to me.

"Careful McKenna, she's still getting better." The man said and she stopped. I smiled at her.

"You can join me on the bed sweetie." I said and she climbed up. "Are you okay McKenna?" I asked after a minute.

"I'm good! I scrapped my knee when you threw me, but a very nice man cleaned me up." She said and I smiled. "I didn't even cry!" She said proudly and I held up my hand and gave her a high five.

"I'm so proud of you! You were very brave today McKenna, and I'm really glad you're okay." I said and she smiled.

"You're braver than I am." She said and I grabbed her hand.

"I think you're both brave." The man said and I smiled.

"Thanks daddy." She said and I couldn't help but smile

"I'm Jace by the way. McKenna's father." He said and I smiled.

"Clary. McKenna's substitute teacher." I said and he laughed.

"Thank you for saving McKenna." He said and I smiled.

"I was just doing my job." I said and he laughed.

"Today could have been a totally different day if you didn't do what you did, and I owe you big time." He said and I just shook my head.

"You don't owe me anything. I made a promise when I decided to be a teacher to protect my kids no matter what, and that's what I did today." I said and he smiled.

"McKenna, can you go wait in the hallway for me? I want to speak to Miss. Fray for a moment." He said.

"Okay. I'm glad you're okay Miss. Fray." She said as she got off the bed.

"I'm glad you're okay too McKenna." I said and she skipped into the hallways. It was quiet for a moment before he started speaking.

"I want to do something for you Clary. I can't just do nothing. You saved my baby today." He said and I laughed.

"Honestly Jace, I would done that for any one of my students. It's my job, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat." I said and he smiled.

"Let me take you out to coffee." He said and I thought about it for a minute.

"Is there a Mrs. Herondale?" I asked and he laughed.

"No. Never has been." He said and I nodded.

"Than, I'll agree to coffee." I said and he laughed. He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to me.

"This is my card. My personal number is on there. Call me when you're ready, and we'll go out." He said and I laughed.

"Sounds good." I said and he smiled. He started walking away before he turned around before walking out the door.

"I'll see you soon Clary." He said and I smiled.

"See you soon Jace." He walked out and I laid back on the bed. That was not what I expected to happen, but I couldn't deny that I was slightly happy that he asked me out, even if it's just one coffee date, I was still super excited about it.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It had been a week since the shooting and I still haven't heard from Clary. I knew she was going to take some time, considering she was shot, but I was getting anxious to see her again. I was sitting in my office filing paperwork when my phone rang.

"Jace Herondale speaking." I answered.

"Hey Jace, it's Clary." She said and I instantly smiled.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked.

"I was released yesterday. I feel alright, but I'm still pretty sore." She said and I understood. "I was wondering if you were free to get some coffee later."

"Of course." I immediately said.

"Okay, cool. 3:30, Java Jones?"

"Sounds good. I'll see you than." I said.

"Great. Bye Jace." She said.

"Bye Clary." I said and I hung up. I decided to text Kaelie and tell her to hold onto McKenna a little longer.

 ** _To Kaelie:_**

 _I won't be able to pick McKenna up until about 5._

 ** _From Kaelie:_**

 _Okay. I know it's your week with her, but I was wondering if you could keep her until Saturday morning. I have plans Friday night._

 ** _To Kaelie:_**

 _I can do that._

Custody was a bitch, but I would rather deal with this than have to deal with not seeing my baby as much as I do. I continued to do my work until I noticed 3:30 approaching. I grabbed my coat and made my way to Java Jones. I couldn't express how excited and nervous I was to see Clary again, I don't know what it was about her, but I just wanted to see her again.

When I finally reached Java Jones, I looked in the window and saw that gorgeous red hair. It's weird thinking that I knew what I was looking for, and than I see someone who is the complete opposite, and suddenly things shifted. I smiled and walked into the coffee shop, and made my way over to her. She looked up and smiled and I couldn't help but smile back.

"It's good to see you out of a hospital bed." I said as I took my seat and she smiled.

"It's good to be out of the hospital bed. I was going crazy, but my best friend won't leave me unsupervised for a second. I had to practically trick him into letting me come here today." She said and I laughed.

"He seems rather protective of you." I said trying not to sound jealous.

"He is. He has always viewed himself as my big brother. He felt like he needed to defend my honor when guys were being dicks, and bring me ice cream in the middle of the night when I was heartbroken." She said as she looked down at her hands. "He was there when I lost both my parents, and he continues to be there for me throughout this. I'm very lucky to have him in my life."

"I know what a friendship like that means. I'm glad you have him." I said and she smiled.

"So, how is McKenna?" She asked which made me smile even more.

"She's good. She's with her mom right now. I have to pick her up after we're done here." I said.

"You don't have to stay if you need to get her. I totally understand." She said and I laughed.

"It's okay. She's keeping her later tonight, and I'm keeping her for an extra night next week. It's all figured out." I said and she nodded.

"Custody must be hard." She said and I nodded.

"It was challenging to work out, but we finally found a schedule that works for both of us, and we're both willing to be flexible for the other. McKenna's mom can be a nightmare, but she's pretty easy going when it comes to helping me out, so I can't complain too much."

"It's its not too personal, why aren't you two still together?" She asked.

"We dated in high school, but broke up to go to college. A couple years after we were both finished college we ran into each other again and we both weren't dating anyone so we decided to pick it back up but we didn't give it a label. We were just an old fling having some fun. Then she got pregnant, and everything changed. I knew that I didn't want to be in a relationship with her for real, I mean I wasn't looking to settle down, but life happens. I wouldn't trade McKenna for the world, and thankfully she looks more like me, than she does her mom."

"I noticed she has your unique gold eyes." She said and I laughed.

"I was really happy when she had them. Don't get me wrong, I would have loved her if she got her mothers blue eyes, but gold is just something that's so different, and I love that she got that from me."

"I know what you mean. My mother was so happy when I started to look like her. I, of course hated it because everyone always made fun of me for my red hair. I would come home crying because of how mean kids can be."

"That's terrible." I said and she shrugged.

"I decided young that I was never going to let them get to me again. I couldn't change the fact that I had red hair, and my mom refused to let me dye it, which I'm really thankful for now. I love my hair, it makes me different, and it might have taken me a long time to see that, but I get a lot of compliments on it now, and that makes it worth it." She explained.

"I love the color of your hair." I admitted before I could stop myself. Her cheeks turned a bight red and she looked away. "It's nice to see someone embrace something about them that they didn't always like. I've never seen someone with such vibrant red hair. Plus it compliments your green eyes really well." I said and internally I groaned as I said that. I sounded like a girl.

"I've heard that a lot. I've definitely come full circle when it comes to my hair, but someone will like me for it one day. Just have to wait for the right guy." She said and I nodded. I wasn't going to say what I was really thinking, I didn't want to freak her out, so I just smiled and acknowledged what she said.

We sat there talking for about an hour and a half and she just made me laugh like nobody ever could. I was really disappointed when it got closer to 5 because I needed to go pick McKenna up. Clary and I walked outside and we lingered for a moment.

"I had a great time today Jace." She said after a moment and I smiled.

"So did I." I said. "I'd love to do this again, but I feel like it's against the rules." I expressed and she laughed.

"Normally it would be, but I'm not McKenna's teacher. She just so happened to be put in my classroom that day." She said and I smiled.

"Well, how about Next Saturday, I take you out to dinner." I said and she smiled.

"I'd love that." She said. She reached up to my cheek and placed a kiss on it before stepping back. "I'll see you around Jace." She said and than she walked away.

"See you Clary." I said. She gave me one more smile before she disappeared into a car and drove away.

I made my way over to Kaelie's house and just walked right in. If we didn't want to be disturbed we locked our doors, kinda like that lame thing you did in college to let your roommate know you were busy, so I knew she was probably just alone with McKenna. I walked in and saw them sitting on the couch watching TV. I smiled and made my way over to them. McKenna jumped into my arms and I gave her a hug. I grabbed the bags and we said our goodbye's to Kaelie and made our way to my car. I got her all strapped in and started on our way home,

"Why were you late daddy?" She asked.

"I was out having coffee with Miss Fray." I said as I looked in the mirror and she smiled.

"Is she okay?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"Yea she is." I said.

"Good. I like her." She said and it made me happy.

"You do?" I asked and she nodded. "What do you like about her?" I asked.

"She's really nice. When we had to go into her classroom because our teacher didn't show up she made sure we had fun. And she's really pretty."

"She is really pretty, isn't she?" I said and she giggled and nodded. "I'm glad you like her McKenna." I said and she went back to staring out the window. I knew I wanted to see Clary again, but I also knew that I couldn't be with someone McKenna didn't like. She always came first, and I was happy to know that McKenna liked Clary.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was McKenna's birthday and Jace invited me to the party that him and her mom was throwing her and I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I haven't met McKenna's mom yet, Jace insisted that I stay away from her as long as possible, and I trusted him, but today was finally the day we were going to met, and I was scared. I was just about ready to go when I heard a knock on my door and when I went to open it, there stood Jace in all his glory. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine briefly.

"You look beautiful as always. You ready?" He said and I nodded and grabbed my present for McKenna and we headed to his car.

I liked Jace more than I thought I would, and it scared the shit out of me. I haven't really been in a relationship since I was in college and some stupid bitch stole him from me, and I just gave up and focused on my career. I loved the McKenna liked me, and I know I shouldn't care, but I wanted her mom to like me too. I was involved with Jace, and we were going to have to see each other occasionally and I'd prefer if those visits were civil. When we got to the house Jace and I got out, he took my hand and we started walking towards the house. It was a beautiful home and it just made me that more intimidated. When Jace opened the door we were greeted with the sound of giggling kids and the low mummer of adults talking. I set my gift down on the gift table and continued through the house.

"I'm going to go find McKenna." Jace said and I nodded and he disappeared into the crowd. I went over to get a drink and was greeted by a voice that I never wanted to hear again.

"Who let you into my house?" I turned around and saw Kaelie. I thought I left her behind in college.

"Your house?" I questioned. She was the last person who I thought would raise McKenna to be such an amazing little girl.

"Yea. This is my daughters birthday party." She said and I took a deep breath. "I want you out. Now." I opened my mouth to say something when Jace cut me off.

"You told me I could bring her Kaelie." Jace said and Kaelie looked stunned.

"She's the girl you've been seeing?" She asked and Jace nodded.

"Wait, you know her?" Jace asked.

"We went to the same college." I said and Jace looked stunned. "I thought I left you there."

"Oh sweetheart, you could never get rid of me." She said and I rolled my eyes. "Just goes to show you go after my leftovers."

"For the record, he was dating me first, and you broke us up." I said and I could tell Jace was utterly confused.

"Wait a second. What is going on?" He asked.

"My boyfriend in college cheated on me with her. Than he left me for her. Than when she left him, he tried to come crawling back to me." I explained.

"What can I say honey, you're simply the entrees, and I'm the main course." She said with that bitchy smirk on her face.

"Look, I completely forgot about you when we graduated, and I'm here to celebrate McKenna's birthday with my boyfriend. Like it or not, we're going to cross paths every now and than, and I'd prefer for it to be civil." I said and Jace smiled proudly and Kaelie looked shocked.

"How come you never mentioned that you knew her before now?" Jace asked after a moment.

"Her last name isn't Fray, and I thought your first name was Clarissa." Kaelie said.

"I changed my last name right after graduation. It's easier for children to say Fray, than it is for them to say Morgenstern, and my name is Clarissa, but I prefer to be called Clary." I said and she simply rolled her eyes and walked away. It was quiet for a moment before Jace started laughing.

"Who knew you already knew each other." Jace said and I playfully shoved him and smiled.

"I can't believe McKenna came from her. They are totally different." I said and he laughed.

"Yea, I like to think she got my manners." He said and I smiled. "Come on, McKenna wants to see you." He grabbed my hand and led me over to where McKenna was.

"Miss. Fray!" The children cheered when they saw me and I bent down and gave them all hugs.

"It's great to see you all today." I said and they had the biggest smiles on their faces. The last one I hugged was McKenna and I held on just s little longer. "Happy birthday to you sweet girl."

"Thanks Clary." She said and went back to playing. Since I wasn't her teacher I didn't want her calling me Miss. Fray everyday, and I told her she could call me Clary and that's what I've been to her ever since, and it made me smile every time.

The rest of the party I stayed by Jace's side. Kaelie kept giving me weird looks, but I ignored her for the most part. I knew she probably would hate any woman that Jace decided to bring home and see, but she hated me even more because she knew me. But she was McKenna's mother, and I liked Jace so much that she was part of the deal, and I liked Jace a lot more than I disliked her so I would find some way to deal, and enjoy just being happy with Jace.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

McKenna and I were going out to lunch today because I had an important question to ask her. I have been thinking about proposing to Clary for the past couple months, but I needed to know that McKenna was okay with it. Clary and her had an amazing relationship, but I needed to talk to McKenna about it because her opinion matters to me. We got to the restaurant and we were seated. I was waiting until we got our food to bring up the topic, and I didn't realize how anxious waiting to talk to McKenna would make me. After what felt like forever, our food finally arrived, and I took a deep breath.

"I have to talk to you about something McKenna." I said and she looked at me.

"Am I in trouble?" She asked and I smiled and shook my head.

"Not at all sweetie. I was actually wondering how you felt about me asking Clary to marry me." I said and her eyes lit up.

"You mean she's going to become a part of our family?" She asked with a huge smile.

"That's exactly what it means sweetheart." I said and she giggled.

"That's cool! Would she move in with us?" She asked.

"Yes she would." I said and she smiled.

"You should ask her soon!" She said and I laughed.

"I plan on it baby." I said and she smiled and went back to eating. Having her approval meant the world to me, and I couldn't wait to ask Clary and start our lives together.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was finishing up for the day and was making my way back to my apartment when my phone went off. I was sitting at a red light and decided to check it.

 ** _From Jace:_**

 _I would like to invite you to have dinner at my place tonight. McKenna is with her mom, so it'll just be the two of us._

I couldn't help but blush at the message. Jace had the ability to make me feel like a teenager all over again, and I couldn't help the butterflies that filled my stomach every time I was with him.

 ** _To Jace:_**

 _Sounds perfect. I'm going to go home and change, and I'll be right over._

I sent the text than continued driving home. When I got back to my place I immediately went to take a shower. I didn't know what was going to happen tonight, but I figured I might not want to smell like play-doh and glue. Once I was finished with my shower I picked out a simply pair of leggings and a sweater. When I was happy with my outfit I made my way back to my car and headed towards Jace's house.

When I got there I didn't even bother knocking. I walked right in and was hit with a wall of delicious smelling food. I made my way to the kitchen and saw Jace standing there cooking. I couldn't stop the smile that appeared across my face. I took a seat and just watched him for a minute. When I realized that he didn't know I was there, I decided to speak.

"I like the way you look in a kitchen." I said and he turned around surprised.

"Jesus, you scared me Clary." He said as he made his way over to me.

"I figured since I've been sitting here for about 5 minutes." I said and he pressed his lips to mine.

"I was kinda focused on our meal." He said and I laughed.

"It smells amazing." I said and he smiled.

"I tried my very best." He said and I smiled. "Would you mind setting the table?"

"Not at all." I said and I grabbed the plates, and silverware. I set up the table and when I was done dinner was ready. Jace got our plates ready and I poured the wine. The food was absolutely delicious, and we talked the entire time. Things with Jace were so incredibly natural and I couldn't believe that there was a chance that I might not have ever met him.

"There was a reason I invited you over." He said when we were both finished. I nodded and let him continue. "I love you, and I didn't think that I would ever fall in love. I didn't think there was a girl out there that I would want to spend forever with, and than I met you. You are without a doubt the most beautiful, and most caring and loving person I've ever met. You accepted McKenna with open arms and you love her like she's your own, and that's all I can hope for when it comes to choosing my life partner." He said and my eyes widen. He took out a box and put it in front of me. My eyes were welling up with tears, I had pictured this moment a hundred times but it was actually happening and I was overwhelmed. "I love you more than anything Clary, and I would be honored if you would accept my proposal to becoming my wife." He said and the tears finally spilled over. He opened the box and there sat the most gorgeous ring I've ever seen.

"Oh my god." Was the first thing out of my mouth. I looked up from the ring and into Jace's eyes. "Yes." I said and he got out of his chair and slammed his lips to mine. When we broke apart he had the biggest smile on his face, and I couldn't stop the one spreading across mine. He pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it on my finger. I looked at it and than back at him. "I love you." I said and he pressed his lips to mine again.

"I love you too." He said and I stood up and wrapped my arms around his neck. I was so excited to start planning the future with this man, and all the adventures that came with being his wife.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting in my office when there was a knock on the door. I was expecting anyone so I thought it was a bit odd.

"Come in." I said and the door opened.

"Are you Jace Herondale?" The man asked.

"I am." I said and he handed me a folder.

"You've been served." He said and than he left. Confused I opened the folder and saw the Kaelie filed for full custody of McKenna. I was livid. How could she possibly think that this was okay? I immediately dialed her number and after a few rings she picked up.

"Hello?" She answered.

"You're seriously taking me to court Kaelie." I said and I heard her laugh.

"I don't trust my daughter in the care of your new fiancé. I think she would be better off in my house, with her mother raising her." She said.

"Come on Kaelie. We both know that a load of shit. You just don't like Clary." I said.

"No, I don't think she's a good person, but I also don't think she's a good role model for our child Jace."

"You can't be serious." I said.

"We'll settle this in court." She said and before I could say anything she hung up. I slammed my phone down and took a deep breath. Before I knew it Alec was standing in my doorway.

"You alright Jace?" He asked.

"Kaelie is taking me to court to try and get full custody of McKenna." I said and he looked shocked.

"Why?" He asked.

"She doesn't think Clary is a good role model for her, and doesn't want her to be in the same house as McKenna." I explained.

"That's ridiculous. Clary is amazing, and she's a preschool teacher, so she's a great role model for kids." He said.

"Yea, but Kaelie and her have a history, and I think she's just holding a grudge." I said.

"They have a history?" Alec asked and I nodded.

"They went to the same college. Bad blood." I said and he nodded.

"Well, all you have to do is prove in court that Kaelie isn't doing this for the well being of your child, but for her own selfish reasons, and I doubt anything will happen." He said and I nodded.

"Thanks man." I said and he smiled.

"It'll work out. I promise." He said and than he left.

The rest of the day I tried to occupy my mind with other things, but I still couldn't believe that she was taking me to court. I mean, the nerve of that woman to think that McKenna would be better off with just her was ludicrous. I don't care what I had to do, I was going to fight this until the end because there was no way that I was getting weekend visits with my daughter.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was currently sitting in the courtroom waiting for the custody battle to begin. I couldn't believe Kaelie would do something like this to Jace. He was the best father to McKenna and to try and take her away from him was the harshest thing I think Kaelie could do.

When the judge arrived and took his seat I instantly got nervous. I wanted this to work out, and I wanted Kaelie to lose. I know she doesn't like me, but that doesn't mean that she should take that out on McKenna and Jace.

"We are here to discuss the custody between Jace Herondale and Kaelie Whitewillow concerning their daughter McKenna Herondale." The judge said and the lawyers both stood up.

"Yes your honor, my client feels that Mr. Herondale's future bride isn't a good role model for McKenna and she wants full custody." Kaelie's lawyer said.

"And what evidence do you have to support this claim?" The judge asked.

"His fiancé has a history of abuse towards the child." Her lawyer said and my jaw dropped.

"Hold it right there." Jace said before I could even comprehend what was happening.

"Do you deny such abuse Mr. Herondale?" The judge asked.

"I most certainly do. She's trying to make my fiancé look like a bad person, when in reality the only reason she's filing for custody is because she simply doesn't like her." Jace said.

"Miss. Whitewillow, is that true?" The judge asked.

"Of course not. She did cause my child harm." Kaelie said.

"You don't have the full story." Jace pleaded to the judge.

"What's the full story?" The judge asked.

"Do you remember when Alicante Elementary School had that intruder?" Jace asked and the judge nodded. "My fiancé is a teacher at that school, and the day of the intrusion my daughter had to be in her classroom for the day because her teacher was sick. The intruder came into her room and was pointing a gun at my daughter. My fiancé tried to calm the shooter down so he would stop pointing the gun at McKenna. When it didn't work, she made a split second decision. She picked up McKenna and threw her across the room, and ended up being shot. McKenna scrapped her knee, and that was the only damage that my fiancé has ever done to my daughter." Jace finished and the judge looked over at Kaelie.

"Is that true Miss. Whitewillow?" The judge asked and Kaelie looked away. "Miss. Whitewillow, you can't just come in here with half a claim and not be able to back it up."

"But she's not fit to be in my daughters life." Kaelie said and I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up and decided to speak my mind.

"Excuse me you honor, can I say something?" I said and all eyes were on me.

"And who are you?" The judge asked.

"My name is Clary Fray, and I'm the fiancé." I said and he nodded.

"Continue." He said.

"Look, Kaelie and I have a history. We went to college together and we weren't friends. We were actually the farthest thing from friends." I said as I laughed. "People would actually describe us as enemies, and said that if we were ever to be described as a super hero and their villain, we're be batman and the joker." I said and the judge laughed. "I'll admit, when I found out that McKenna was her daughter I was shocked, but that doesn't mean that I'm here to ruin her life." I said and I turned to Kaelie. "Kaelie, I love Jace and I love McKenna, but I am in no way trying to come in and take your place. You will always be McKenna's mom, and I'm happy that she has you. My mom died when I was young, and it was hard. The fact that you're around for McKenna and how much you love her makes me happy. I promise, I will look after her when you aren't around, and when she's in Jace and I's care because even though she isn't my daughter, I still promise to protect her like she is my own."

"Miss. Whitewillow." The judge said and Kaelie looked at him. "It looks like Clary is doing everything in her power to make sure your daughter is taken care of. That sounds like someone who I would want my daughter's stepmom to be like." He said and Kaelie hung her head. "The way I look at it is you can do two things. One, you can keep trying to fight with her as much as you want and potentially completely destroy whatever relationship you still have with your daughters father, or two, you can make the best of it and show McKenna that you all can be a family. There isn't anything worse than separated parents who hate each other. Don't make McKenna feel like she has to choose a side. It's not fun, trust me." The judge said and Kaelie simply nodded. "This case is dismissed. Custody is to remain how it is." He said and he smacked the gavel. Jace made his way over to me, grabbed his hand, and we walked out of the courtroom. We were almost at Jace's car when he was called.

"Jace, wait." We turned around and Kaelie was running towards us.

"What do you want Kaelie?" Jace asked.

"I'm sorry I put you through this. I just don't want McKenna to end up liking Clary more than me." She said.

"Why couldn't you just talk to me Kaelie? Why did you need to take me to court?" He asked.

"I don't know. I guess I just always thought maybe one day we'd get back together, and we could be a real family." She said and I honestly felt bad for her.

"Kaelie, you will always have a small piece of my heart because you gave me McKenna." He said and a tiny part of me didn't like the sound of that but I knew it was true. "You gave me one of the best gifts life can offer, but we were never a good couple. We didn't care if we hurt each other, and we fought like crazy. If we tried to be a family for McKenna's sake, it would end poorly. I'm in love with Clary, and I would really like for you two to at least be civil to each other so we can all get together to give McKenna a family birthday party or a family holiday party together."

"I don't know how good I'll be at it, but I'll try." She said and Jace smiled.

"Look, I promise that I will look at McKenna like she is my own, but you will always be her mother. I don't want to take that spot from you." I said and she sighed.

"I'm sorry I've been so bitchy." She said and I smiled. "I guess I just don't like McKenna having more than two parents in her life that she can go to for advice. Now she has another woman in her life. Now if I piss her off, she can go to you."

"I'm not going to undermine you Kaelie. If she asks you for something, and you say no and she tries to get me to say yes, all you have to do is text me that you said no, and I'll say no as well. I'm not going to be her scapegoat when she gets mad at both of you." I said and she nodded. "Plus, how do you think Jace will feel when you start dating?" I said and I felt Jace tense.

"I don't think that will happen for a long time. I like being single, and sure I date, but I never bring them home. I don't want McKenna meeting a guy that I date casually. When I met the one, than she'll meet him." She said and I laughed.

"Look, we're going to be seeing a lot of each other. It's inevitable. And I'd really like to invite you to our wedding, but I won't if we can't try and be nice to each other." I said and she smiled.

"You know, you aren't so bad Clary. Half the reason I didn't like you was because everyone loved you in college. I don't think I could find a single person who had a bad thing to say about you, and it kinda bothered me." She said and I laughed.

"College is behind us. We're adults, who are going to be a family soon, and I'd really like for us to be friends." I said and she smiled.

"I think we can make that work." She said and I reached my arms out and she gave me a hug. When we pulled apart we were both smiling.

"How about we go out to dinner tomorrow night, as a family." I said and she smiled.

"Sounds great. Text me the address, and McKenna and I will meet you there." She said and I smiled and nodded. "I have to go pick McKenna up from my moms house. We'll see you tomorrow." She said and she waved goodbye and went to her car. Jace and I stood there and watched her leave. I turned towards him and smiled.

"That went well." I said and Jace laughed.

"It could have started better, but I think it ended well." He said and I leaned up and pressed his lips to mine.

"Come on, I want to get home and change out of this dress, and cuddle on the couch and watch movies with you." I said and he laughed.

"Sounds perfect to me." He said and we got into his car and made our way back to our house.

Our relationship sure didn't start our in a conventional way. But I can't help but feel like that intruder was a sign that we were meant to be together. Without him, I doubt Jace and I would have ever met, and I couldn't picture my life without him. I may have been shot, but in the end it lead me to the man of my dreams, and I couldn't wait to see what our future held together. This was only the beginning and I couldn't wait to experience every adventure with him, because I knew our life was going to be one crazy ride, but I was ready for all the ups and downs as long as I had Jace by my side.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, this subject was requested by two different people, HorribleLittleDucks, and TMIShips4Life and I just had to write it. I'm sorry if it's not my best work, but I really wanted to finish this story for you all because I really do like it. I've been going through some personal tragedies the last couple days, and I thought finishing this story would distract me. I'm sorry if it doesn't live up to what I usually write, but that doesn't mean I don't like it, I think that this story is really cute, and sweet. Let me know what you think, and leave a review! I promise I will try to write another story soon, but with everything going on, writing might be kinda slow, but I promise that I'll try my hardest to update my stories, and write a new One Shot for you all! :)**


	54. Chapter 53 - FBI : Police

**Fifty Third One Shot:**

 **FBI/Police**

 **Clary POV:**

"Face it Simon, we need more help with this case. This is the fourth murder, and we aren't anywhere close to finding the killer." I said as he looked at the dead body in front of him.

"We can do this Clary. This sick twisted bastard isn't going to walk away scotch free. We're going to nail his ass to the wall when we catch him." Simon said and I sighed

"Extra hands aren't going to hinder us. Especially if their specialty is serial killers." I said and I knew he probably rolled his eyes. "Come on Si, I know you want to solve this one on your own, but the chief is getting mad, and the people of this city are worried. We need to catch him."

"Ugh, fine. But if they try and take over this investigation, I'll arrest them." Simon said and I just laughed.

"I don't doubt you one bit. Come on, lets get back to the station and I'll make a call." I said and Simon and I got back into my car.

When we got back to the station Simon went to his desk to review the entire case while I went into the chiefs office. I knew he was probably pissed at us, but I was prepared to take the yelling. We needed help, and I should have made that call after the last murder.

"Chief Garroway?" I said as I knocked on his door.

"Detective Fray, to what do I owe this pleasure?" He said and I closed the door and took a deep breath.

"There was another murder last night." I said and he shook his head.

"God damn it Fray. I didn't want it to get this far." He said and I nodded.

"I know. I think that we should call in the FBI's Specialty Unit. I think they could really help us." I said and he nodded.

"I'll give them a call. They'll be here tomorrow. Put them in the CPD's house, and get them up to speed. I don't want this body count to get past 5, and you're one body away Fray." He said and I nodded.

I left his office and made my way back to my desk. I know I should have gone to the Chief earlier, but Simon convinced me that we had a handle on it, and I believed him. I didn't want the chief to me mad at me, but I also knew that I was going to take the fall because he's never really liked Simon. Simon and I took the rest of the day to process evidence and try and find a new way to look at this case. Tomorrow was going to be a new day, and we were going to catch this bastard.

 **Jace POV:**

It was just another day at the office, Alec and I were sitting at our desks working on paperwork and Izzy was sorting through possible cases that we could consult on in the future. My phone started ringing and I immediately knew it was probably going to be a good day.

"Agent Herondale speaking." I said after a picked it up.

"Agent Herondale, this is Chief Garroway, from Chicago Police Department. We have a serial killer that is managing to avoid our officers and detectives in every way possible. There was another killing last night, and it's our fourth body. We really need your help." He said.

"We'll be there as soon as possible." I said.

"Thank you Agent Herondale." He said and I hung up.

"Where are we going?" Alec asked.

"Chicago. Serial killer." I said and Alec groaned.

"It's the middle of the winter. Chicago is going to be numbing." He said and I laughed.

"We'll only be there for a couple days Alec. You'll be fine. Go grab Izzy, we'll get our go bags and we're leaving in an hour." I said. He nodded and got up.

Once we were all ready to go we got into the plane and started our journey to Chicago. Alec was right, it was going to be freezing there, but this was our job. If we had to go to Alaska to solve a case, that's what we'd do. Once we landed we got off the plane and was immediately greeted by two people. We walked over and the girl looked like she was about 14, but I guess she just has a young face.

"Welcome to Chicago, I'm Detective Fray, and this is my partner Officer Lewis." She said and I nodded.

"I'm Agent Herondale, and these two are Agent Lightwood." I said.

"Siblings?" Officer Lewis asked and I nodded. "Well, follow us. No need for you to freeze your asses off." He said in a somewhat rude tone. I looked at Alec and Izzy and they both just shrugged and we followed. For some reason I couldn't take my eyes off of Detective Fray. Although she looked young, she was also very beautiful, and even if I just met her, there was something intriguing about her, and I was curious to see how working on this case was going to go. On our way to the car, I caught Officer Lewis looking back at me every now and then, he didn't looked pleased about our presence, but I also saw the way he looked at Detective Fray, and I couldn't help but internally smile because he looked jealous.

We got in the car and they started driving. We made it to what looked like a Victorian style house, which seemed a little much for just three people, but it was a place to stay where our department didn't have to pay so that was nice. When we got settled inside we were all standing in the living room not talking.

"I'll be in the car. Come out when you're done babysitting." Officer Lewis said and than stormed out of the house. Once the door closed Detective Fray looked at us with a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry about Simon, he didn't want to call you guys in." She said and I nodded.

"People generally don't like outsiders coming in and handling their cases." I said.

"Well, I'm glad you're here. This case has been kicking me in the ass." She said. "I'm Clary by the way."

"I'm Jace, and that's Alec and Izzy." I said and she nodded.

"The station is right around the corner." She said.

"That's really convenient." Izzy said and she smiled.

"That's the point. This house was my parents, and after they died it was left to me. I figured it would be perfect for officers, and out of towners to stay because it was close."

"Smart idea." I said and she smiled. She had a beautiful smile.

"I have my moments. There is car in the garage that you can use. Come to the station when you're ready." She said and she started leaving.

"You didn't give us any directions to the station." Izzy said and she turned around.

"It's literally right around the corner. When you pull out of the driveway, turn left. When you get to the end of the street turn right, and it's right there." She said and than she left the house.

"I like her." Izzy said and I laughed. I did too, I didn't know why, but there was something about her that was really interesting to me, and I was going to enjoy working along side her the next couple days.

 **Time Jump –Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was the middle of the night when I heard someone walking around downstairs. I got out of bed and made my way downstairs, and when I walked into the kitchen Clary was standing there and I was really confused. I looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 3 in the morning.

"Do you ever sleep?" I said and she jumped a little, which made me smile.

"Sometimes, but since these murders started, I don't get much." She said as she turned around.

"Why are you here at this hour?" I asked.

"Another body was found this morning. I came to bring coffee, and breakfast because it's going to be a long day. My chief is pissed, and I want to find this son of a bitch." She said and I laughed.

"We know his type, and his MO, we just need him to make one tiny mistake." I said and she nodded. "I'll go wake up Alec and Izzy." She nodded and I made my way upstairs. I walked into the room that Izzy was staying in and started shaking her awake.

"This better be important Jace." She mumbled and I laughed.

"Another body was found. Clary is downstairs with coffee and breakfast." I said and she nodded and sat up. I made my way across the hall and started shaking Alec.

"What the hell do you want?" He said in an agitated voice.

"Another body was found. Clary is in the kitchen with coffee and breakfast." I said and he groaned. I walked out of his room and went back downstairs, and saw Clary and Izzy laughing about something. She had one of the best laughs I've ever heard, and it just made me want to listen to it all day long.

"Okay, I did one of my jobs. The chief originally asked Simon to come get you guys, but he declined real quick, and was sent to do some DUI checks as punishment, so another officer will be with us today." She said.

"He doesn't like us does he?" Alec asked.

"He isn't really a people person. Officer Bane is much friendlier. Dress warm, it's about -12 degrees outside." She said and my jaw nearly dropped.

"Why the hell do you live here?" Izzy asked and she laughed.

"I grew up in Chicago. I'm used to the frigid winters. When you spend 27 years here like me, you learn how to survive them." She said and I laughed.

"I would have left the minute I was going away to college." Alec said and I laughed. I opened my mouth to say something when there was a knock on the door. Clary left and returned moments later with another officer.

"Everyone, this is Officer Bane." She said.

"Please, call me Magnus." He said and we all nodded.

"This is Agent Herondale, and other two are both Agent Lightwood." Clary said and he nodded.

"I'm Jace, and that's Alec and Izzy." I said and he smiled.

"Pleasure to meet you all. Especially you blue eyes." Magnus said and I looked at Alec and smiled. He of course was embarrassed, but I enjoyed it. "Chief wants us there immediately, and I have my own cases to solve biscuit."

"Biscuit?" I questioned and Clary laughed.

"When I first made detective, Magnus and Simon threw me a little party. When I got there I was so hungry, and I snuck away from the group to find something to hold me over until dinner. Magnus caught me red handed with a biscuit in my mouth, and he's called me that ever since." She said and I laughed. "I've grown to enjoy it, as weird as that it."

"You could be called so much worse, in fact, I heard one of my officers call you something incredibly rude just the other day." Magnus said and Clary laughed.

"I bet it was Brenda." Clary laughed.

"How did you know?" Magnus questioned.

"She took my lunch out of the fridge the other day, and when I questioned her about it she was pissed. She claimed I was calling her so fat that she needed two lunches." Clary said as we all made our way out to the car.

"What happened after that?" I questioned.

"I put a laxative in her coffee. She didn't leave the bathroom for the rest of her shift." Clary said and I burst out laughing.

"Explains why she called you an evil conniving bitch who looks like a leprechaun with no tits." Magnus said and Clary laughed.

"She learned her lesson, and lost a couple pounds. I say it's a win/win for everyone. Now, come on, I'll show you the way to the crime scene." She said as she got into her car. Magnus got in his, and we got in ours.

It took about 10 minutes to get the scene and man did this victim get it far worse than the others. This just goes to show that the serial killer is getting angrier. Whatever has happened in this guys life clearly made him angry. I walked over to the body and bent down, her face was completely destroyed, and she was dressed in very revealing clothes. I stood up and Clary was right next to me. I smiled at her and she smiled back.

"He definitely escalated." She said and I nodded.

"Something happened to him, and he's pissed." I said.

"God, I wish I could just arrest him and ask why the hell he's doing this." She said and I sighed.

"We won't know until we find him, and we can only hope that he left something on this body to reveal himself." I said and she nodded.

"Alright, let's get back to the station, and we'll figure it all out." She said and I nodded.

When we got back to the station we put all the evidence in with the others, and took a seat at the conference table. Everyone was quiet while Clary went to get more coffee, and when she returned I started speaking.

"We won't know if he left anything until we get the autopsy results back, but let's go over everything we know." I said.

"He's a male, about 5'10" in build, clearly knows how to avoid forensics. He doesn't seem too strong considering all his victims are females, and under 5'3" and weight less than 120 pounds. He likes their deaths to be personal. He doesn't use a weapon. He drugs them, and than strangles them. He likes to see the light leave their eyes. He pulls these girls off the street so they won't be reported missing by family members, and there is never any DNA left, and he doesn't do it for the sexual gratification. None of them were raped. So his victims are clearly a stand in for whoever he wants to kill." Izzy said and we all nodded.

"This one probably won't be any different." Alec said.

"We can't just give up though." I said. "He's bound to make a mistake at some point, and when he does, we'll catch him."

 **Time Jump – End Of The Day**

 **Jace POV:**

"Jace, this DNA test is going to take awhile. We should get back to the house, and get some rest." Izzy said.

"I'm going to stay until it's done. I want to get some paperwork finished anyway, and I'm not that tired." I said and I looked at Alec and Izzy. "Seriously, I'll be back soon."

"Text us the minute you have anything." Alec said and I nodded. They left the room and I was left alone. Clary had left an hour ago, and I couldn't leave without knowing who this DNA belonged too. I knew he would mess up, and I wanted to be the first to know who left semen on this girl. He treated this victim differently than the others. He got intimate with her, and he had sex with her before he killed her, and I wanted to figure out why.

I was sitting in that seat dozing off for about two hours before the bell dinged on the computer, and when I opened my eyes and looked at the match my eyes nearly popped out of my head. I grabbed my phone to call Izzy and Alec when I felt a towel pressed over my mouth. I tried to fight but there was something on the towel that made my incredibly tired right away. The next thing I know I'm falling into unconsciousness, and being dragged away.

 **Time Jump – The Next Morning**

 **Clary POV:**

I think I had found something interesting after I got home last night, and I was trying to call Jace all morning but he wasn't answering. I figured my best bet would be to swing by there before heading to the station. I walked right in and upstairs, when I found Izzy and Alec standing in the hallway looked worried.

"What's wrong?" I asked and they both looked at me.

"Jace never came back last night." Izzy said.

"He told us he would come back as soon as he got the DNA results back, but we woke up and he wasn't here." Alec said.

"Maybe he fell asleep at the station?" I said.

"He won't answer any of my calls, and that's not like Jace at all." Izzy said.

"Well, why don't we go see if he's at the station and if he isn't, than we can panic." I said and they nodded. "I'll be downstairs, come down when you're ready." I said and the nodded and I went downstairs. I had a bad feeling about Jace, but I just hope that I'm wrong.

When we got to the station I looked everywhere but Jace was nowhere to be found. This was normal. Agents don't just go missing from a police station. I made my way back to the conference room where Alec and Izzy were standing. When I walked in they both looked at me and I shook my head.

"Damn it, where the hell is he?" Alec said. I know I had only known these guys for a few days, but I was worried about Jace. There was something about him that made it impossible for me to keep my eyes off him. I often found myself looking at him, or glancing at him during the day. I'd never felt like that about anyone else before, and it was a little scary, but I also really liked it. I walked out of the conference room and stood on a chair.

"Listen up everyone!" I shouted and the whole office looked at me. "Agent Jace Herondale was here last night working on some paperwork and waiting for some evidence to get back, but now he is nowhere to be found. I was a BOLO, and an APB out immediately for him. He couldn't have gotten far, he doesn't know Chicago. If anyone knows anything, please come to me." I said and everyone nodded. I made my way back into the conference room.

"He's going to be okay, right?" Izzy asked.

"I told them all to come to me if they know anything and I put a BOLO and APB out for him. All we can do is wait." I said and they sigh.

"Well, we'll be here until he's found." Alec said and I nodded.

"Well, until something comes back, I think we should go over the evidence from our latest victim. Which computer was Jace working on?" I asked and Izzy pointed to one. I went over and started clicking away. "Huh, that's strange."

"What's wrong?" Alec asked.

"You said he was waiting for a DNA test, but there isn't anything on this computer about any DNA. It was like it was erased." I said as I clicked through more files.

"Do you think the killer found him in here, saw him looking through it and took care of him?" Alec asked and I looked at him.

"I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait and see." I said and there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

"Hey Clare." Someone said and I looked up and Magnus was standing there.

"Magnus, what's up?" I asked and he took a seat.

"I was here when Jace was last night. I had the night shift." He said.

"Do you know what happened to him?" Alec chimed in.

"I was out at my desk and I saw him sitting in here, but when I went to the bathroom and came back he was nowhere to be found. I thought maybe he was sleeping on the floor. He was staring at that computer screen all night, but when I checked he was gone." Magnus said.

"How long were you gone for?" Izzy asked.

"I was only gone for about 6 minutes. After I went to the bathroom I grabbed some coffee. If he didn't walk out of here willingly, than whoever came in here was pretty efficient." Magnus said.

"Thanks Magnus." I said and he smiled and took my hand in his.

"I'm pretty much caught up on my cases, if you need any help, you can always call me." Magnus said and I smiled.

"Thanks Mags, hey have you seen Simon lately, he was supposed to be here by now." I asked.

"He talked to the chief yesterday, he was late too many times last week, and I think chief put him on his old beat." Magnus said and I nodded.

"Odd, Simon is normally on time." I said and Magnus smiled.

"We'll find Jace biscuit." He said and I smiled.

"Thanks for the information Magnus. We really appreciate it." Alec said and Magnus smiled, got up and left. "So either he left, and just didn't come home last night, or the killer found him and he could possibly be dead right now."

"Let's not look at the negative." I said and I stood up. "Jace is in great shape. He could fight off anyone, which means the killer probably used something to make him come with him. Do you know what that could have been?"

"First, you clearly have been checking him out." Izzy said and my cheeks flared red, and he laughed. "Second, Jace has no family left, and we work all the time. We all don't have boyfriends or girlfriends, we all share an apartment, Alec and I's family live across the country." She said and I felt a pang of sadness for Jace. "He doesn't have anyone that could potentially be in danger for him to willingly put his life in danger for."

"Maybe he was drugged." I offered and they shook their heads.

"He's too smart to be drugged. He doesn't take drinks form anyone, not even us. He smells his food before he eats it, he checks his contact solutions to make sure it hasn't been switched out. He takes every precaution he possibly can to make sure that doesn't happen." Alec said.

"But he's in a new city. He could have been ambushed." I said. "Chicago is dangerous. One of the most dangerous cities in the world, it wouldn't surprise me if he was ambushed on his way to his car."

"But you said it yourself, he's strong. He wouldn't go down without a fight." Izzy said.

"Look, I can sit here and come up with theories all day about what happened to Jace, but the truth is, we have no idea what happened to him. The best thing we can do is catch this killer, and see if he did anything to him." I said and they nodded.

We all got back to work, going over evidence, talking to family members, witnesses who last saw each victim. I couldn't get Jace out of my head. Something didn't add up about his disappearance. How did the killer get into the building? He couldn't have just walked right in. And why did he take Jace? And why was the DNA test missing? Nothing made sense, but I was sure as hell going to find out what happened and get him back for Alec and Izzy.

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up and realized I was tied to a cement pole sticking out of the ground. I remember siting in the office looking at the computer, but than nothing. I look around at my surrounding and nothing looks familiar. All I can gather is that I'm in some warehouse, and it's cold. My jacket id thrown across the room and my feet are tied together as well. There is nothing but the sounds of cars rushing by outside until I hear the clash of a door slamming. I hear footsteps before I see anyone, but I can also hear the sounds of keys banging together. I wait for a figure to appear when the footsteps stop.

"Not so tough are you Agent Herondale?" The voice said, and it sounded familiar to me, but I just couldn't put a face to it.

"Why did you take me?" I asked and he let out a small laugh.

"You can't come into my city, and try and stop me." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"You're killing innocent women, I'd say that's a good reason to stop you." I said.

"You have no idea why I do what I do." He said.

"Than explain it to me. Why have you killed those women?" I asked. It was silent before he started explaining.

"Because what I want, I can't have." He said.

"So they are surrogates for a woman who hurt you, or was mean to you, or didn't love you back." I said and at the last one, he sucked in a breath. "Ah, you love her, and she doesn't love you back."

"She doesn't even look at me. She describes me as her fun little brother." He spat out. "Like I'm the replacement for her real brother who doesn't give a rats ass about her anyway."

"You seem to know her well." I said.

"Since we were little. Grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same school, hell we even went to prom together. I finally gathered up enough courage to ask her, and when I did she laughed, and said sure, I didn't want to go with a date anyway." He said and I could hear the malice in his voice. "Am I really that bad of a guy, that she can't even see me as potential boyfriend material? I would be the perfect husband for her. Her life is already fucked up enough, and I can handle that, but no, she doesn't see me. She see's someone else, someone who isn't right for her. Someone who will ultimately hurt her."

"Than tell her, and leave me out of it." I said and he laughed.

"She wouldn't take me seriously if I got down on one knee and proposed. She has her head up the clouds all the time, and on the rare occasion she does come down to earth, I'm just her brother." He said and I had to admit, I felt sorry for the guy. He was clearly very in love with this girl, who just wouldn't stop friend zoning him, and that's gotta hurt.

"I get being put in the friend zone hurts buddy, but that's no reason to kidnap a federal agent. You are going to have a shit tone more charges when you're arrested." I said and he laughed again.

"Who is going to arrest me? You? Last I checked you are tied up to a pole, and I'm needed for my shift in about an hour, so I'll be leaving you here." He said with joy in his voice.

"Can I at least have my jacket? It's cold in here." I asked and he laughed and than I heard footsteps. I thought he was leaving until he bent down and our eyes locked. "Simon?"

"Have a nice day Agent Herondale." He said as he threw my jacket on the ground. He walked away and I just couldn't believe that he was the one who was killing those women. It made sense though. Why he wasn't caught, and how he knew how to avoid leaving any evidence.

What I couldn't believe was that he loved someone so much that he frequently had fantasies about killing her. I try and think back to the last victim, the one who he had sex with. She clearly meant more to him than the other 4 but I couldn't figure out why. She was short, and she was fair skinned, and had red hair, and than suddenly it clicked. The girl who he's in love with is Clary, and he was using those women as a way to get his revenge on her. I know a lot about serial killers, and I know that once they build enough courage, they'll go after the person they really want to kill, and I can't imagine him killing Clary.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

We still haven't found Jace and I was starting to lose my mind. Something wasn't right, Jace was missing, but the killings stopped. It made no sense, almost like this killer was now just done killing those women and focused on hiding Jace away from us. I could tell that Alec and Izzy were getting frustrated as well. They just wanted their friend back, and I couldn't blame them. I'd be pissed if one of my friends was kidnapped, and there were no solid leads.

It was late, and I was at the office again. I wanted to find something that could lead us to Jace, and if that meant working over time, than that's what I was going to do. I was currently walking through the station looking for Magnus. I needed a fresh set of eyes on this one, but I couldn't find him anywhere. He wasn't at his desk, or in the break room, or the vending machines, and he wasn't outside. I had almost lost hope when I thought I heard a noise coming from the closet. Odd, but I went to investigate and when I opened the door I saw Magnus and Alec, embracing, and their lips were touching.

"Oh my god!" I shouted before I could stop myself and they sprang apart. "There is a house down the street for this reason people!" I said and Magnus laughed.

"But I'm on night shift." Magnus complained and I laughed.

"Please tell me this isn't what you were doing when Jace was taken." I said and they shook their heads. "So how new is this?"

"The past couple days. "Alec answers and I nod.

"Well, I was wondering if I could use your eyes Magnus. I think we need a fresh pair on this case." I said and he nodded. "Can you grab us all some coffee Alec?"

"Sure." He said and he walked the opposite direction. I knew he wanted to get away from us, I could tell he was shy.

"So, that was unexpected." I said and he laughed.

"You're telling me. The first time we kissed I was stunned." He said and I laughed.

"Are you happy?" I asked and Magnus smiled.

"Very." He said and I smiled

"Than I'm happy for you two. You make a cute couple." I said and Magnus blushed. We were walking to the conference room when I saw Simon. He had been MIA for the past couple days, and I didn't know why. When we passed each other, I caught a smell that didn't belong to Simon. I sniffed and he looked at me with confusion and than what looked like worry, but I smiled and kept walking. I loved Simon, he was like my brother, but I had to find Jace, and I didn't have time to worry about Simon's strange disappearances right now.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

"Alright Clare, Jem is coming in to take his shift, and I really think you should go home and sleep. It's almost 4 in the morning." Magnus said.

"I just want something to make sense before I go home Magnus. This whole kidnapping and the stopping of the killings makes no sense, and if I don't figure at least one piece of this puzzle out now, I'm going to scream." I said.

"Okay, but make sure you get sleep. You look like shit girl." He said and I laughed.

"I appreciate the honesty." I said and he smiled and left. I was looking at my notes and thinking about everything that could possibly happen. Nothing made sense, and that was pissing me off.

Finally when I saw the sun peeking up I figured I'd go home and shower, take a power nap and come back in. I was walking to my car when I felt a hand over my mouth. I tried to scream but it was just muffled. The glove went over my nose and mouth and it was hard to breath, until finally I was starting to feel dizzy, and than darkness took me over.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was still stuck in the stupid warehouse, and I was hungry, and cold, and tired since sleeping sitting up next to a pillar wasn't exactly comfortable I barely slept. I heard nothing but the sound of car rushing by like I did every day, until I heard the doors slam shut again. The footsteps made their way closer to me until they stopped. I felt something touch my hands behind me but I couldn't look to see who it was. Nobody was speaking, and there were chains being used but no words.

Finally the chains stopped, and the footsteps started again. The door slammed shut soon after and I was stuck listening to car horns, and absolutely nothing else. I could feel something behind me, but I had no idea what it was. I took a deep breath and leaned my head back against the pillar, hoping that I would be found soon.

"Ouch." I heard and I realized that when I felt were a pair of hands. There was another person here.

"Hello?" I said and I heard an inaudible sound. "Are you okay?"

"I think so." She said. "Where are we?"

"A warehouse. That's all I know." I said.

"Wait a second, I know that voice." She said and I was confused. "Jace?"

"Yea, who are you?" I asked.

"It's Clary." She said and my eyes widened.

"Oh shit." I said and she laughed.

"We've been going to crazy looking for you." She said and I laughed.

"I've been here. Just sitting around." I said.

"Do you know who took you, and me?" She asked.

"I do, and you aren't going to like it." I said.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"Because…." I started but the doors slammed opened again and the footsteps started. The were quicker this time, and they got to us a lot faster.

"Good to see you awake Clary." Simon said and I heard her gasp.

"Simon? Why would you do this?" She asked and I could hear the strain in her voice.

"Because you forced my hand Clary." He said.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"Don't act like I haven't notice how you look at him." He said and I knew he was probably pointing at me. "All those times you would look at him when he wasn't paying attention, or how you would smile more when he was around, or how much effort you put in this past week looking for him and I couldn't he even get you to take me serious in high school when asking you to prom."

"Simon, that was years ago." She said and he laughed.

"And I was in love with you. I still am, but you never saw it. You still don't." He said.

"You wouldn't have done this if you loved me." She said.

"Wouldn't I? This is me showing you that I want you, that I would do anything for you." He said.

"By killing people, by kidnapping someone?" She asked.

"He means nothing to anyone. I looked him up. He has no family. No girlfriend. Not even a pet." Simon said with a laugh. "He won't be missed."

"He has friends, and co-workers, and…." She trailed off.

"And what? You? You've known him for a week and a half Clary. I've known you for 23 years. We've been through everything together. My dad dying. Your mom dying. Your father being put in jail. Your brother being the most fucked up human in the world. Why can't you see that we belong together?" He said and I was taken aback.

"Simon, you're my best friend. Why can't that be enough?" She asked, and he just laughed.

"Because I know how good I can be for you. Nobody else deserves you Clary, nobody but me. And I plan on making sure the only other person out there doesn't get the chance to be with you." He said in a deadly calm voice.

"So your plan is to what? Keep us here for however long you deem acceptable, and than kill Jace and expect me to run around in a field of sunflowers when it's over? Cause I'm pretty sure you would still be responsible for the other 5 murders Simon." Clary said and he let out a humorless laugh.

"You wouldn't really arrest your best friend Clary." He said. "I know you, you don't have a mean bone in your body for those you care about."

"You hurt people Simon. You killed 4 innocent women, kidnapped a federal agent, and than kidnapped your best friend. You aren't ending up anywhere but in jail when we get out of here." Clary said.

"What makes you think you're getting out of here?" He said and than walked away. After the door slammed shut.

"You okay Clary?" I asked after a moment.

"I can't believe he did this." She said and I started to shuffle. I tried to maneuver myself so that Clary and I could see each other. Finally when I was on the side of the pillar I could see her hair.

"Turn to the left Clary." I said and her head turned and I finally saw her face. She was even more beautiful than I remember. "Try and move over this way." I said and she started to move. After a couple moments she was now sitting next to me.

"You look horrible Jace." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Not what I'm used to hearing, but I have been attached to this pillar for a week, so I guess it's acceptable." I said and she laughed.

"Has he given you anything to eat or drink?" She asked.

"Some crackers. I don't think he really wanted to give them to me in the first place, but he dropped them on the ground and kicked them towards me." I said and she looked shocked.

"I just don't get it. Simon has always been such a sweet guy. I can't believe he would do all this." She said and I just shrugged.

"People do crazy things when they're in love." I said and she looked up at me.

"I can't believe he's in love with me." She said after a moment and I laughed.

"Explains why he didn't like us coming in. He didn't want to get caught, and after that dirty look he came me at the airport, I guess he felt like he had some competition." I said and she blushed.

"He gave you a dirty look?" She asked and I nodded.

"He is really determined to get you to fall in love with him Clary." I said and she sighed.

"He knows my history with men, he knows why I don't date all that often. He should know better than anyone why I'm single, and why I've been single for almost 5 years." She said and it sparked my curiosity.

"Bad relationships?" I asked and she laughed.

"My relationships made some of the worst relationships in history look like a walk in the park." She said, and if my hands weren't tied behind my back I would be holding her hands right now.

"That really sucks." I said and she nodded.

"Some men just think they deserve the girl to do everything for them, and when they say no, they'll do anything to change that no to a yes." She said and I sigh.

"I'm sorry you went through that." I said and she finally looked up at me.

"It was years ago, and I've recovered, but I just kinda gave up. I'm content with being alone."

"But not happy." I said and she shrugged again.

"Is anyone really happy with being alone?" She asked.

"Alec is. He's never had a boyfriend, and I doubt he'll ever get one." I said and she laughed.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I walked into Alec and Magnus making out in a supply closet at the station." She said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"I miss everything!" I said and she laughed. It was quiet for a minute before she spoke again.

"I'm going to ask you a really weird favor, but I promise it'll be worth your while." She said and I looked at her with a confused expression. "You see my necklace?" She asked and I looked down and saw it, and nodded. "I was undercover years ago and the chief gave me this necklace in case anything happened to me and the op went sideways. Thankfully I never had to use it, but I loved the necklace so much I never took it off. There is a GPS tracker in there, but I need to turn it on."

"How do I do it?" I asked instantly.

"That's the weird part. There is a little switch on the back, but you need to turn it over." She said and I took a deep breath. I nodded and started to lower my head. She pushed her chest out as far as she could so that it could be easier for me. I used my teeth to grab the necklace but when my lips touched her chest a spark flared through me, and I could tell it flared through her as well because she jumped a little. Once I got the necklace around I saw the switch. I lowered my head back down and used my teeth to once again flip the little switch. It was harder than I thought, but finally I switched it on. I looked back up at Clary and her cheeks were insanely red, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Who does that tracker get sent too?" I asked.

"The chief." She said and I nodded. "All we do is wait now."

"That's all I've been doing, so I'm pretty good at it." I said and she shivered a little. I used my knees to move part of my jacket onto her knees. It took some time, but I finally got some of her legs covered and she smiled at me.

"Thanks." She said and I smiled back. We fell into a comfortable silence, and I knew that once we got out of here, I was taking this girl to dinner.

 **Izzy POV:**

"Great, first Jace now Clary. What the hell is wrong with this city?" I said to Alec and he just shrugged.

"I have no idea what's going on, but we need to get to the bottom of it. This isn't normal." He said and I nodded. We were sitting in the conference room looking at the evidence and trying to figure out what the hell happened to Clary. When we came back in this morning her car was still in the parking lot, but Clary was nowhere to be found. There was a knock on the door before it was opened and Magnus appeared. He walked over to Alec and gave me a kiss on the cheek, and I couldn't help but smile. I was happy for my big brother, and I absolutely loved him and Magnus together.

"I shouldn't have left her last night." Magnus said after he took a seat.

"You knew she wasn't going to leave. She is more determined to find Jace than anyone I've ever seen." I said and he nodded.

"But I should have stayed." Magnus said and I reached across the table and took his hand.

"I don't think any of us could have prevented Jace and Clary going missing." I said and he shrugged. He was about to open his mouth when the door opened again and Chief Garraway stepped into the room.

"Officer Bane, may I have a word?" He asked and Magnus nodded. He stood to leave with the chief but instead the chief closed the door and took a seat.

"What's this about chief?" Magnus asked.

"You remember that undercover mission Detective Fray went on years ago?" He asked and Magnus nodded. "That necklace you gave me to give to her that had a tiny GPS in it, it was just activated."

"Where?" Magnus asked immediately.

"About two hours away. I'll send the address to you phone. Take the feds with you. We're swamped, so I can't lend you any other officers." He said and than left.

"That sweet biscuit of mine was never one to turn down a pretty piece of jewelry. She's a freaking genius." Magnus said and we grabbed out coats. All three of us rushed towards the car and immediately headed towards where the GPS was active. I couldn't wait to find the son of a bitch who took Jace and Clary, and nail his ass to the wall.

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I were sitting in this warehouse with no sense of time or any other interaction. Simon had left to go somewhere, who knows with him anymore. I have no idea who he is anymore. I was incredibly hungry, and tired and cold, and I just wanted to get out of here, but I had no idea when that was going to be. I shivered involuntarily and Jace looked over at me.

"Still cold?" He asked and I nodded. He than proceeded to move the rest of his jacket over to my legs.

"I'll be fine. You don't need to do that." I said and he laughed.

"I'll be fine. I sat here for three days without that jacket as a blanket, I can survive the cold. I don't want you going numb." He said and I couldn't help but smile. He was incredibly sweet.

"Thank you." I said and he smiled at me again. "You know, you didn't peg me as the kind of guy who was really sweet."

"I definitely have my moments." He said and I laughed. "I know I don't really have that whole 'I'm a sweet guy' vibe radiating off of me, but when it comes to people I care about, I will do anything for them."

"You care about me?" I asked a little shocked. I've only known this guy for about two weeks.

"I do." He said a little sheepishly but I found it incredibly adorable. "I guess Simon wasn't that far off when it came to how I felt about you."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I was always staring at you, or smiling more when you were around. I looked forward to every day so that we could work together again." He admitted and I couldn't help but smile.

"I was doing the same." I said after a moment and Jace looked at me with a smile on his face.

"When we get out of here, I'm taking you out." He said bluntly and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. "What?"

"Sorry, I just didn't expect you to say that." I said and he laughed.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I mean, guys who look like you don't normally go for girls like me." I said matter of factly, and he looked at me like I had 4 heads.

"You are a beautiful girl Clary. Don't sell yourself short on that." He said and I couldn't help but blush. I went to say something when we heard the door slam open again. Instead of one set of steady footsteps, there were more frantic footsteps.

"Clary, Jace!" We heard and our eyes both widened.

"Over here!" Jace yelled and the footsteps started to come closer. Finally we saw Alec, Magnus and Izzy and I had never been so happy to see them in my life.

"Oh my god. You guys look horrible." Izzy said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I am so glad to see you guys." Jace said and Magnus immediately started to work on my cuffs. When I was free, he started working on Jace.

"Guys, Simon is the one who kidnapped us, and who is responsible for the murders." I said and they all looked shocked.

"Why?" Magnus asked.

"He's in love with me, and apparently I never gave him the time of day. He said that I was…." I said as I looked at Jace.

"He was jealous that you two couldn't keep your eyes off each other since we got here." Izzy said and I simply nodded. "It makes sense. If he wanted you, and you want Jace, he got desperate."

"Wait, I never said I wanted…." I started but she cut me off.

"By the looks of your cheeks, and how shy you're being, you clearly do. Plus you've been keeping a very close eye on each other since we landed." Izzy said and I just shut up. I mean, she wasn't wrong so I figured I didn't need to keep speaking.

"Did Simon show up for his shift?" I asked after a moment.

"We left before I saw him, but I would assume he's at the station. He's been there all week. He has to keep his appearance up." Magnus said and I nodded.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Alec said and we nodded and started making our way to the door. Once we got into the car I finally took a breath.

"Can you please turn the heat up?" I asked and Magnus laughed and did so. Jace draped his jacket over my legs for some extra warmth. "Thank you." I said and he nodded. Izzy leaned over and was inches from my ear.

"He is totally into you." She whispered and I could feel my cheeks heat up. "And you are so into him." She said and I looked at her. "I say go for it. I've known Jace my whole life, he's a great guy, and I know he'll treat you like a freaking princess."

"I'm just worried about the distance. Quantico and Chicago are far apart." I said and Izzy placed her hand on top of mine.

"If there is something there, the distance shouldn't be a problem. Sure it's going to suck, but if you are both willing to make it work, I don't see the problem in trying it out." She said and I nodded. "And if it doesn't work, at least you tried."

I turned to my right and looked at Jace. He was in the middle of having a conversation with Alec and as creepy as I felt I just stared at him. Izzy was right, there was no harm in seeing where things went. If it didn't work out, it didn't work out, but at least I wouldn't have any regrets. He wanted to take me out anyway, so I guess we'll see what happens after that.

 **Time Jump – Back At The Station**

 **Jace POV:**

We finally pulled up to the station and I felt Clary go tense beside me. I knew this was hard for her. Her best friend of 23 years turned out to be a crazy serial killer, and kidnapped us and now she's going to lose him forever. There was no way to possibly process all of that in the short 2 hours that we were driving back to the station.

"You two stay in the car, we'll go in and arrest the bastard." Alec said and Clary and I nodded. Alec, Izzy, and Magnus all exited the car and made their way into the station. We were silent for a minute before I heard Clary sniffle.

"Are you okay?" I asked and she looked at me. Her eyes were glossy and I knew she was upset.

"I'm losing my best friend today. All because he couldn't handle rejection. Why can't I ever have a decent man in my life who won't completely fuck me over?" She said and I put my arm around her shoulders and she leaned into me. I pressed my lips to the top of her head and I felt her relax a little.

"I don't have a reason for all the men in your life to be such douchbags." I said and she sat back up and looked at me. "But you don't deserve them Clary. Simon fucked up. He did this to himself. And I know I don't know about your father, or your brother or your past relationships, but you deserve so much more than them." I said and I saw a tear escape her eye. I reached up and brushed my thumb along her cheek and got rid of the tear. "I know I've only known you for a couple weeks Clary, but I already know that all those men are missing out on having you in their life because I for one think you are absolutely amazing, and they were stupid to ever let you go."

"Thank you." She said and I smiled. I put my arm back around her and pulled her into my side. I still stood by my comment in the warehouse, I was taking this girl out, and I wasn't going to just let her slip away. Quantico and Chicago might be far away, but that didn't mean that I couldn't have a relationship or even a friendship with Clary.

 **Alec POV:**

After getting out of the car we made our way into the station. Everyone was going about their normal work life. People were being processed, officers were doing desk work, or in the break room eating. I looked around the office and saw Simon sitting at his desk. He looked completely calm, like there was no way in hell he would ever be caught. I looked back at Magnus and nodded towards the chief's office. He nodded and made his way over there. I looked at Izzy and nodded her to go over to Simon. She nodded and made her way over to Simon. I stood back to take it all in.

Izzy went over and sat on the desk and started twirling her hair. It was clear that Simon wasn't used to girls flirting with him, he looked a nervous wreck, but I couldn't blame him. Izzy was laying in on thick, and no man has ever been able to resist Isabelle Lightwood. A few moments later I saw the chief walk out of his office and Magnus made his way back t my side. He went straight over to Simon's desk and cleared his throat. Izzy stopped flirting and made her way back over to me as well, and we stood and watched. I had texted Jace to let him know him and Clary could come in.

"Simon Lewis, you are under arrest for the murder of those 4 women, kidnapping a federal agent, and a Chicago Police Detective." Chief Garraway said as he took Simon's hands behind his back and cuffed them. "You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to you. Do you understand the rights that I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?"

"You can't prove anything." Simon hissed.

"That's where you're wrong. We have two eyewitnesses who can testify against you." Chief Garraway said. Just as he said that the doors opened and in walked Clary and Jace. "You had so much potential Lewis."

"This is impossible." Simon yelled and Clary walked right up to him and slapped him right across the face.

"How dare you Simon Lewis. How dare you do this to me, and to yourself, and to your family. You were my best friend, the one person I could count on for absolutely anything, and you ruined that all because you couldn't just be my friend." Clary said and you could just tell she was pissed. "You were the one person I thought I could count on for the rest of my life, and you completely destroyed that. I hope you rot in that cell for the rest of your miserable life Simon. Have fun being someone's bitch, we all know you don't have any balls anyway."

Clary stormed out of the police station and Jace followed after her. Even though I didn't know Clary all that well, she had done everything in her power to find Jace, and after she was taken she had the right equipment to lead us to both of them, and that makes her pretty damn cool in my book. Chief Garraway lead Simon out of the office space of the station and away from prying eyes. Chief Garraway handed him off to some other officer and made his way over to us.

"I can't thank you enough for finding Detective Fray, and solving these murders. If you hadn't come, I doubt we would have ever caught Simon." He said and I shook his hand.

"It was our pleasure sir. It's what we do." I said and he laughed.

"I doubt getting kidnapped was in your planes, but I appreciate everything you've done around here." He said. "Hopefully we get to work together in the future."

"It would be our pleasure Chief." I said.

"And Officer Bane, keep this good work up, and you'll make detective in no time." He said and Magnus smiled.

"Thank you Chief." Magnus said and Chief Garraway walked away.

"I didn't know you wanted to be a detective." I said and he shrugged.

"I thought I did, but I'm not so sure anymore." He said and I was confused.

"Why not?" I asked as we made our way out to the car. I could see out the window that Jace had Clary in his arms, she looked like she was crying, and I couldn't blame her. She lost a lot today.

"There is this gorgeous black hair, blued eyed boy who I can't seem to get out of my head, and he doesn't exactly live close by."

"Magnus." I said about to tell him he can't give up on his dream of being detective for me.

"Listen to me Alexander." He said and I nodded. "My whole life I thought I was never going to find someone who I actually wanted to spend my time with. Than we met, and I can't possibly think about us living in different cities. I thought I was content being alone, and working my way up through the rankings, but I don't want that as much as I want you." He said and I was completely speechless. I don't know how long I stood there just staring at this man in front of me.

"Say something Alec." I heard Izzy say from beside me, and I finally snapped out of it.

"I don't know what to say." Is all that came out of my mouth, and I immediately regretted it.

"I gathered that much for myself believe it or not." Magnus said which caused me to laugh. "Look, you don't need to say anything, I can take your silence as my answer, but I wanted you to know that I don't have roots here."

"You'd move to Washington D.C for me?" I finally asked and he took my hands in his.

"I would." He said and I don't know what came over me but I launched myself at him and our lips slammed together. I don't know how long we stood there kissing, but when I finally heard Izzy clapping and squealing I broke the kiss and turned towards her.

"Oh my god, Magnus, we're going to be the best of friends!" Izzy said and she ran over and hugged Magnus. When I looked over to where Jace and Clary were standing there looking over at us. Clary looked like she had calmed down a little. Jace grabbed her hand and they both made their way over to us.

"I'm so sorry biscuit." Magnus said and Clary walked over and gave him a hug. "I know how much Simon meant to you."

"He drug his own grave, now it's time for him to lie in it." Clary said and I couldn't help but feel incredibly sad for this girl standing in front of me.

"I know, but that doesn't make it any easier." Magnus said and she shrugged. "When are you guys leaving?"

"We can leave whenever, but it'll most likely be tomorrow. We have other cases to work on." I said and Magnus nodded.

"How about we all just have a night to lay low. Pizza, movies, ice cream, and a shit ton of alcohol. I think you all deserve it." Magnus said.

"I'm down." Izzy said. I saw Jace look at Clary and she just gave him a sad smile.

"Clary and I are in." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. I had never seen Jace connect to someone so fast like he did with Clary, but I was happy for him. I truly thought he would never find someone who he would genuinely care about the way he seems to care about Clary.

"I'm in. Why don't Magnus and I go out and get everything, you three head back to the house and take some showers, and get comfy, and when we get back we'll start our relaxation." I said and they all nodded. Jace had led Clary to her car, and Izzy went to the car we drove here and I went with Magnus. Once we were in the car I looked at Manus. "You'd really move for me?" I asked again and he smiled at me.

"I would really move for you Alexander. I know it's only been like a week, but I feel so strongly about you, that I'm willing to pack up and see where this goes." He said and I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"I would really like to see where this goes too." I said and he got the biggest smile on his face. He took my hand in one of his and didn't let go for the rest of the ride. I was going to enjoy getting to know Magnus more, and I was happy that we wouldn't have to do that from 727 miles apart.

 **Clary POV:**

The ride back to my apartment was quiet. I was staring out my window, while Jace's hand rested on my thigh. His touch calmed me down more than anything ever had before and I was grateful for that. I don't know what I'd be like if he wasn't here with me, and it was crazy to think that we only met two weeks ago, and he already had me captivated more than anyone ever had before.

When he pulled up to my apartment we both got out. I was planning on staying over at the stations house tonight so I was just stopping by to pack a few things. We made it up to my floor and I opened the door. My apartment was a total disaster, but I was so caught up in this case to have the time to clean in.

"I'm sorry it's such a mess." I said and I looked at Jace, and he looked twitchy. "You okay?"

"Yea, just my OCD kicking in." He said and I laughed.

"Another thing I would have never pegged you as." I said and he smiled.

"There is a lot you don't know about me." He said and I smiled. "Hopefully one day you can learn them all."

"I'd like that." I said before heading to my room to pack a bag. When I was finished packing I went back into the living room to see Jace looking at the pictures on the wall. I couldn't help but smile at myself and I set my bag down and made my way over to him. "Do you like it?"

"They're beautiful." He said and I couldn't help but smile even more.

"Thank you." I said and he looked at me.

"You did these?" I asked and she nodded. "You're extremely talented."

"My mom taught me how to paint. She had I had a natural talent when I was younger, and it kinda became my escape after everything in my family went down." I said and he nodded. "Come on, we don't want to be late."

We got back into my car and made our way to the stations house. When we walked in Izzy was already changed and getting the living room ready for us to chill for the rest of the day. Jace let me take a shower first, and I really thought he needed one before me considering he was tied up longer than me, but he insisted, and all I wanted to do was sit on the couch and curl under some blankets, and showering first let me get to that point faster so I caved and made my way to the bathroom. When I stepped into the hot water I let it wash away all the dirt, and lies, and betrayals of the day.

When I was finished with my shower I got into my sweats and hoodie and made my way downstairs. When I entered the living room I took a seat on the couch and Jace made his way upstairs. I curled under the blanket and Izzy took a seat next to me.

"You have got that boy wrapped around your little finger." She said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"He is literally willing to do anything for you." She said and I gave her a sad smile. "Why are you so afraid about your feelings for Jace?"

"Because my best friend of 23 years turned out to be someone I couldn't even recognize, and I don't think I could go through that again." I said and she took my hand.

"Jace has a tough exterior. He's gone through a lot in his life, which seems like a common bond between you two. He comes off cold, and distant, and arrogant and sarcastic, but he truly is the sweetest guy you'll ever met." She said and I looked at her.

"Did you two ever date?" I asked curiously, and she started laughing.

"Never. I mean, I'm sure we thought about it once when we were younger, but he's like my brother, and that would have been way too weird." She said and I nodded. "Why?"

"Just curious." I said but it looked like she didn't believe me.

"See, you are already a little jealous." She said and I just shrugged.

"I just didn't peg me as his type." I said.

"You aren't, which is why I think you two would be good together." She said and I looked at her. "He dated the wrong girls in high school, and in college. They were all the same. Bottle blondes, and complete air heads." She said and I couldn't help but laugh. "I think that's why he likes you so much more than he ever liked them. You're smart, and you witty, and you don't take shit from anyone. You challenge him, and I think that's exactly what he needs in a woman."

"You really think this is a good idea? Us seeing where we could possibly go?" I asked and she smiled.

"I do. I think you two would be good together." She said and just as we finished the conversation Jace came walking down the stairs. He made his way over to me and took a seat right next to me. I lifted up the blanket and he pulled it over his and put my feet on top if his lap and proceeded to give me a foot rub. I couldn't help but smile, and I could see the evil little smirk Izzy was giving me. Maybe she was right, maybe seeing where things went with Jace wasn't such a bad idea.

Magnus and Alec got back 45 minutes later with a ton of groceries and the whole living room was filled with snacks, and drinks. We put on 'The Wolf of Wall Street' and decided to make a drinking game out of it, which wasn't hard. Every time they said the word 'fuck' we had to take a drink, and boy did they say it a lot. Before I knew it I was drifting into darkness while my head rested on Jace's chest. Today was a lot to process. I had lost my best friend, but I had made three new friends, and maybe it was the alcohol, but something told me everything was going to be okay.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

This past year has been interesting to say the least. Chief Garraway gave me as much time off as I needed to cope with everything that happened. I was grateful for that, but getting back to work was going to help me more than just sitting in my apartment moping, especially after Jace, Izzy, Alec, and Magnus all went back to D.C. I didn't realize how much I was going to miss them until I was saying goodbye at the airport. Once they boarded the plane, a couple tears escaped my eyes. I knew that day was going to come, but that didn't make it any easier.

When Simon was up for trial though Jace had to come back to Chicago for however long the trial was because who knows how long they wanted to question us for. I remember going to pick him up at the airport and I felt like a little kid on Christmas waiting for him to get off that plane.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was standing at the terminal waiting for Jace to get off. Seeing him for the first time in 3 months was nerve wracking, and exciting all at the same time. Of course we talked. He called me all the time, and texted me everyday, but that doesn't replace the void in my life without his physical presence. I finally spotted the golden blonde and I ran towards him. I jumped into his arms and he caught me effortlessly._

 _"I missed you." I said into his neck and I felt him laugh._

 _"I missed you too." He said. He didn't let me go, and I didn't let him go either. I had been waiting for this moment since he left, and finally having him back meant that I wasn't planning on letting him go. Finally after what felt like hours he put me back down on the ground._

 _"How was your flight?" I asked as he took my hand and we made our way out of the airport._

 _"It was fine. There was a crying baby, but she eventually calmed down." He said and I nodded. "How have you been?"_

 _"We talked last night Jace." I said as I opened the car door and I heard him laugh._

 _"So? Something could have happened in the time we haven't talked." He said and I started the car and pulled out of the parking lot._

 _"I'm better now that you're here." I said as I smiled at him and he smiled back. "How are Alec, Izzy, and Magnus doing?"_

 _"Magnus and Alec are doing great. Alec moved out of the apartment and they got a place together. Izzy has been burying herself in work. Her now ex-boyfriend cheated on her, and she's been trying to distract herself." He said._

 _"That sucks. Who could ever cheat on Izzy?" I asked and he shrugged._

 _"No idea. She's one of the best people I've ever met. Anyone would be lucky to have her." He said and I smiled. It was sweet to see the protective side of Jace._

 _We made our way back to my place and we got Jace situated. Even though we had been talking lately, and getting to know each other, we didn't officially put a label on what we were just yet. We wanted to see how things went before we decided to make it official. After Jace went into my room I went into the kitchen to make us something to eat. I didn't feel like putting a lot of effort into it, I worked late last night, but wanted to pick Jace up so I was pretty tired, so I thought making pasta was a good choice._

 _Once it was done, Jace was also finished getting all his belongings just like he liked them. Some people think that OCD is annoying, but I found it pretty adorable when it came to Jace. He liked things neat and in order, and with how messy I am, I don't mind one bite. I set the table and Jace walked out an smiled._

 _"What's this?" He asked._

 _"Dinner. I would have made something better, but I'm running on E right now, and didn't feel like standing and putting in so much effort tonight. I'm sorry." I said and he walked over and kissed my forehead._

 _"Pasta is perfect." He said and I smiled. He took his seat and I took mine. We fell into a comfortable while we ate, and occasionally I would glance over at Jace and smiled. I couldn't believe he was here, but I absolutely loved it._

 _Once we were finished dinner, we both cleaned up and made our way over to the couch. We cuddled together while huddled under a blanket and watching NCIS reruns on TV. I couldn't tell you how much I wanted this the past three months, and now that I had it back, I don't know how I was going to part with it this time._

 _"Clary?" Jace asked after a while._

 _"Yea?" I asked._

 _"Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked and I sat up and looked at him. I was shocked, but I was also really excited._

 _"I would love to be." I said and his lips slammed against mine. We sat there for the rest of the night cuddled together, watching TV and sharing sweet kisses that have been building up for quite some time. Despite how incredibly happy Jace made me, I knew that this whole trial was going to weigh heavily on my heart, and I truly wasn't prepared to go and send my old best friend away to jail._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

So here we are, a year later, and Jace and I are still together. I decided that after the trial I wanted nothing more to do with Chicago. My whole entire life was gone. I had no more family, and my one best friend was in jail. Magnus had moved, and I was alone, and I hated being alone. Chief Garraway was upset that I was leaving the CPD, but he understood that I needed to do this. He wrote me one hell of a recommendation letter, which I was grateful for. I was currently a part of The Violent Crimes Bureau at Prince William County Police Station in Virginia, and I have to say, I absolutely love it. We dealt with a bunch of different cases that ranged from robbery, to rape, to Homeland Security Investigations, it was awesome and I was never board.

After I moved to Virginia Jace slowly started moving his stuff into my place, which was completely fine with me. He stayed there all the time anyway, and it was in-between both of our jobs, so it worked out perfectly. Everything had been perfect since Jace entered my life, and truthfully I have no idea where I would be without him. He was truly the best thing that ever happened to me, and I was glad that I took the chance and decided to get to know him.

I had just finished the night shift and I was exhausted. I got home and opened the front door and blindly walked towards my room. It was one of the worst night shifts I've ever had and I just wanted my bed. I plopped down on the bed fully expecting Jace to be there but he was nowhere to be found. I rolled over and grabbed his pillow when I found a note attached to it. I sat up a little and opened the note.

 _Dear Clary,_

 _I know you were probably expecting me to be there this morning when you got done work, but I was called into work to consult on a case, and stupid me forgot to plug my phone in last night, so it's dead. Anyway, I shouldn't be gone all day, but I was hoping that tonight I could take you out. I already told Izzy about it, and she should be over around 3 to get you ready. Get some sleep in the mean time and I'll see you tonight. I love you._

 _Love always,_

 _Jace._

I couldn't help but smile at the note that he left me. He truly was the sweetest guy I've ever met, and I was so incredibly thankful that he was all mine. I looked at the clock and it was almost 5:30 in the morning, which gave me plenty of time to sleep. I had no idea what Jace was planning for tonight, but I was so incredibly exhausted that I didn't even have time to think about it. The moment my head hit the pillow I was out like a light.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was woken up by a pounding on the door. I reluctantly got out of bed and made my way to the front door. I opened it and Izzy came storming in. she went straight to my room without a hello and I followed shortly after.

"Clarissa, you look like shit." She said and I laughed.

"I worked the night shift last night Iz, and I just fell asleep at 5:30 this morning. Of course I don't look good." I said.

"Well it's a good thing I'm here to make you look stunning." She said as she sat me down and started going to town.

I think I sat there for a couple hours until she was completely satisfied with her work. When she finally let me look in a mirror I couldn't believe my eyes. She had made me look different, but in a good way. She really high lighted my eyes, and made my unruly curls look incredibly tame.

"Alright, go put this on and let me see." She said as she handed me a dress.

I went into the bathroom and slipped the dress on. It was s fitted black dress that had long mesh sleeves. There were delicate flower details that went all the way down and the back was completely see through with the same delicate flower details. It stopped mid thigh and I had to admit, I really loved it. I went back out and Izzy nearly broke my ear drums with how loud she screamed.

"You looked flawless! Now, heels." She said as she dug through a bag of shoes she brought. Finally she pulled out a pair of little black booties. I slipped them on and was glad they weren't 5 inches tall. When I looked at the finished product in the mirror I was blown away.

"You're a miracle worker Iz." I said and she laughed.

"No, I just work with what I got, and you are a perfect canvas." She said and I smiled. "Jace should be here any minute, so I'm gonna go. Let me know how it went tomorrow!" She said and I smiled and gave her a hug.

"Thank you so much Iz." I said and she smiled when we pulled away.

"You are so incredibly welcome." She said as she left my apartment. I looked back in the mirror and smiled to myself. A heard the front door open again and made my way out to the living room. Jace was standing there in the middle of the room looking at some of our mail. When he finally looked up hit jaw nearly hit the floor.

"You look stunning Clary." He said as he dropped the mail and walked over to me.

"Izzy really knows how to transform a girl." I said with a little laugh.

"You are always stunning to me." He said as he pressed a kiss to my cheek. "You ready?" I nodded and he took my hand and led me out of the apartment.

We were sitting in the car in complete silence but I didn't mind. It took us about 45 minutes to get to dinner, and I was really curious why he picked a restaurant that wasn't close to us, but I wasn't going to question him. We finally got there and it was incredibly fancy. We walked in and were immediately seated. The waiter poured us two glasses of Champaign.

"Are we celebrating something tonight?" I asked as I took my Champaign glass in my hand. Jace picked his up too and clinked it against mine.

"I sure hope so." He said and I was confused. He downed his glass of Champaign and I was kinda confused. Suddenly soft music started to play and Jace stood up and reached for my hand. "Would you like to dance?" He asked and I looked around and saw there was a dance floor in the middle of the room. I took his hand and nodded. He led me to the dance floor and pulled me close to him. We swayed for the rest of the song and than another one started playing. Jace pulled away and tucked a stray curl behind my ear.

"Why do you look so nervous Jace?" I asked and he gave me a small smile. "You now I love you right?" He asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Of course. I love you too." I said and I saw him visibly relax.

"When we first met I knew there was something different about you. You were someone that I wanted to get to know. You were everything I didn't think existed in one woman, and than I got called to Chicago and there you were, everything I ever wanted standing right in front of me." He said and I felt my eyes fill with tears. "You mean everything to me, and I can't picture my life without you." He said and he dropped down to one knee and pulled out a box and my hands flew over my mouth. "I love you Clary, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Would you do the honor of becoming my wife?" He said and the tears spilled over my eyes.

"Yes." I said and he slipped the ring on my finger and slammed his lips to mine. I vaguely heard the claps from the people around us, but I was so caught up in Jace and I didn't pay attention. When we broke apart I couldn't help but smiled. After a minute we made our way back to our table and I couldn't stop staring at my ring. "I can't believe you just did that."

"Why not?" He asked with a smile.

"Because I wasn't expecting it at all!" I said and he laughed.

"Which is exactly why it was so perfect." He said and I smiled. "You should have seen the look on your face. You were shocked."

"Well duh!" I said and he smiled. We went through the rest of dinner laughing and talking about how Izzy was going to react. Jace didn't tell her he was proposing, just taking me out to a fancy dinner, and she was definitely going to flip when she saw the ring.

Although I hated to say this, Simon going completely insane might have been a blessing in disguise. Without him killing all those women, I doubt I ever would have met Jace, and I can't picture my life without him. He was everything I wanted and needed up had no idea until we met. Our relationship was everything I thought one should be like, but never thought could happen to me but now that I have that with Jace, I was going to do everything in my power to make this marriage to be the best adventure we've ever been on together.

 **Authors Note:**

 **FINALLY! So, like I said it was going to take some time to update because I was going out of town for a few days, and I was busy today, but I hope you all had a good holiday season! A bunch of different people requested one where Jace was in the FBI, and I really wanted to write one of those, but I didn't want it to be one of those cliche Clary is the victim, and Jace needs to save her, so I made Clary a Detective, and I really enjoy this story! Whoever requested it, I hope that I have lived up to your expectations! I'm trying my hardest to think of an amazing story for some other suggestions, so just hang on tight and be patient with me! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Disclaimer: The Prince William County Police Station is a real place that I do not own, along with Quantico! They are both in Virginia and very real, and I hold no ownership to them! That's all! Please enjoy! :)**

 **Also I would like to address some things that might be confusing to you! In the beginning Simon sounded really mad at the person who was killing the women, but he was just doing that so Clary wouldn't get suspicious! Clary mentions that her parents are dead, but later Simon says he is in jail. He was in jail, but was ultimately killed in prison. As for her brother, you can all make up your own little story as to why he's messed up! I think that's all I wanted to address, but if you have other questions, let me know and I'll try my best to answer you! :)**


	55. Chapter 54 - Snowed In

**Fifty Fourth One Shot:**

 **Snowed In**

 **Clary POV:**

It was an incredibly cold day in New York and the forecast called for snow later this afternoon. I couldn't wait for it to start coming down. New York in the snow is something magical. It was one of the reasons why I never wanted to leave New York. It was completely breathtaking to see the streets and the parks covered in a white blanket.

Later that afternoon, I stared at the snow fall from inside my gallery and couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. It truly was going to be a beautiful winter season. Since the snow picked up, business has been kinda dead, and I decided that I was going to close early and take a walk around the city before heading home. I didn't know when the next time I was going to be able to walk outside like this, according to the weather, it was supposed to snow for the next week straight, and I was going to take advantage of the first snowfall of the season.

I was walking along the sidewalk taking in the beauty of New York, and smelling the freshly fallen snow. I didn't care the my fingers and toes were basically numb, I was going to get my fair share of snow this season, even if I get hypothermia. I was walking along a sidewalk when my foot slipped from under me and I slammed my head against the cold ground. Before I knew what was happening the darkness consumed me and I slipped into unconsciousness.

 **Jace POV:**

I had just gotten home from Alec and Izzy's and I was walking up to the building when a flash of red caught my eye. I looked in front of me and there was this petite little redhead walking around looking in every direction possible. She was clearly a fan of the snow, and I couldn't blame her. There was something mystifying about the white powder. I smiled to myself but the smile is soon lost when I see she slip on some ice and fall hard. I wait a moment to see if she gets up, but she doesn't. I walk over to her and look down on her, and realize that she's out cold.

I don't know what else to do, so I pick her up in my arms and take her into my building. I know this might seem really strange, but I have no idea who she is, and I'm not going to let her freeze outside. When I finally get up to the penthouse I place her on the couch and grab an ice pack from my freezer. I place it on her head and cover her with a blanket and let her lay there. My stomach began to growl, and there wasn't much else I could do for her until she woke up, so I decided to make some food.

 **Clary POV:**

Pain. Intense pain radiating throughout my whole head, and parts of my body. The last thing I remember was falling down and than absolutely nothing. I open my eyes slowly and realize that I'm in someone's house. But how did I get here? I think to myself as I take a look around. It's a beautiful house, but there is no one around. I sit up, but pain rushing through my head and I wince in pain.

"Careful, you took quite a fall." Someone said and I turned around and was greeted by a face that I never thought I'd see again. Judging by the way he's looking at me, he doesn't remember me at all.

"Why am I here?" I ask and he walks over to me.

"I watched you fall outside, and I went to check if you were okay, and you were out cold. I brought you up here, and when I went to check your phone, you broke it in the fall, so I thought I'd just let you rest." He said and I nodded. This was definitely something I wasn't expecting from him.

"Thanks. Can I borrow you phone?" I asked and he looks at me with confusion. "I need to call my fiancé and tell him I'm alright." I said and I thought I saw a hint of sadness cross his face, but I brushed it off. He walked over and handed me his phone and I called Simon. He didn't answer at first, but he never answers random numbers, so I tried again. Still no luck so I decided to try a third time. This time someone finally picked up, but it wasn't Simon.

"Can you please stop calling this number? We aren't in the mood to buy anything you're selling, but you are certainly wrecking the mood for us!" A high-pitched voice said.

"Babe, don't be rude." I heard Simon say and I wanted to vomit. "Who is this?" He asked and I couldn't believe it.

"Your now ex-fiancé." I said and I heard him gasp.

"Clary?" He said.

"Who else would it be asshole?" I said and I felt tears pool in my eyes, which only intensified my headache.

"I can explain." He said and I let out a dry laugh, which also hurt my head even more.

"I don't want an explanation. I don't want anything from you. I don't want to marry you, I don't want to live with you, I don't want to be friends with you." I said trying to keep my voice as calm as I could. "I'll be by to collect my things as soon as I can." I ended the call, looked at my hand, took off my ring and threw it at the wall. "Simon Lewis, you stupid bastard."

"Are you okay?" I heard from behind me, completely forgetting he was there. "Oh you know, cheating fiancé, now ex-fiancé, and look at that, after 7 years I'm single." I said as I leaned back against the couch. A moment later I felt the couch dip and I looked to my right and Jace was sitting there.

"I'm sorry he was such a dick." He said and I shrugged.

"Men suck." I said and he let out a laugh.

"I'm Jace by the way." He said and it was my turn to laugh.

"I know who you are." I said and I could see he was confused. "We went to high school together."

"I don't remember you." He said.

"We didn't run in the same circle. I stuck to the art wing, and you stuck to pretty much any girl who would make out with you. I'm Clary." I said and he nodded.

"So you had the disadvantage of knowing me when I was a total dick." He said and it kind of surprised me.

"So you knew you were a dick?" I asked and he laughed.

"Not at first. It didn't click until I was almost a junior in college. I ended up dating this girl who I really liked, and she was just playing me. I realized that I had no reason to be upset with her because I had been doing the same thing to girls for years, and I gave it up." He said and I was impressed.

"Wow. That's impressive." I said and he shrugged.

"It actually got quite boring after a while anyway. I realized a couple years ago that finding one girl who I truly got to know and care for was better than countless one night stands." He said and now I was truly impressed.

"So, have you found that special someone yet?" I asked and he laughed.

"No, I'm still single and looking for her." He said and I nodded. "I made some food if you'd want to try and eat something."

"Thanks, but I should probably get going. I need to clean out my stuff from my old place." I said and he gave me a sad smile.

"I don't think you'll be getting there anytime soon." He said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"You've been out for a couple hours, and we're currently snowed in." He said and I stood up went over to the window. The snow was coming down harder, and there was absolutely no people or cars outside. I turned around and groaned. "I'm not that awful to be snowed in with." Jace said with a certain lightness to his voice.

"It's not you, I just I'm in pain, I just currently broke off my engagement, and I was really looking forward to climbing into my favorite pair of PJ's and eating my feelings away in ice cream." I said and he laughed.

"Well, I don't have your favorite PJ's but I have some comfy sweats and a hoodie that's a little too small for me, plus ice cream, and an extra room for you to sleep in." Jace offered and I thought about it for a moment. He didn't seem like such a douche, and I did just break up with Simon, and being stuck in here might be just the little get away I need.

"I guess that sounds like the next best thing." I said and he smiled.

"Would you like to shower, or get your room ready, or eat?" He asked and I smiled at how sweet he was being. I guess he really did change.

"I think a shower sounds nice. I'd love to get out of these jeans." I said and he nodded.

"Follow me." He said and I started walking behind him. When we walked into the bathroom I was blown away. It was the biggest bathroom I've ever seen. "There are different types of shampoo and conditioner in there for you." He said and I walked over and saw feminine products in the shower. I held it up to him and he laughed. "My sister stays over a lot, and she didn't like what I used so she keeps that here in case she takes a shower."

"Right, the Lightwood's." I said as I remembered back to high school.

"Correct, and you know how picky Izzy can be." He said and I laughed. I didn't know how picky she could be. "I'll put the clothes in to the spare room. It's literally right across the hall. I'll be in the living room. Would you like me to put on a movie while you drown in the tub of ice cream you're going to eat?" He asked and I laugh.

"A movie sounds great." I said and he smiled and left the room. I turned the water on and let it warm up before stepping into it. I let the water run down my body and I instantly felt more relaxed. I stood there letting the water warm me and thinking about Jace's hospitality. This didn't seem like something he would have done in high school, but that had been years ago, and I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt, and see how much he's changed.

When I got out of the shower I went into the room with the door opened. There were clothes set out on the bed just like Jace said there would be. I felt a little gross, but I put on a fresh pair of underwear this morning, and I could get away with wearing a sports bra for a couple days without washing it. I put on the pants and hoodie, and they smelled exactly like I pictured Jace would smell. Like sunshine, and peppermint. I took a deep breath and made my way out to the living room. Jace was sitting on the couch doing something with the remote. I took a seat next to him and he looked over and smiled at me.

"They don't look too bad on you." He said and I couldn't stop the blush that crept into my cheeks. "I didn't know what you wanted to watch, but you can pick any movie out on here. Don't worry about the price, it'll just charge my card. I was just about to make myself a cup of coffee. Would you like any?" He asked and I looked at him.

"Coffee would be great. Do you also happen to have any medicine? I still have a bad headache." I asked and he laughed and got up.

"Of course. I'll be right back with your medicine." He said and he walked away. I went back to look at the TV, and there were more movies than I even knew on there. I was scrolling down when Jace came back with a glass of water and two pills. "Would you like anything in your coffee?" He asked as I took the medicine and water from him.

"I like my coffee black." I said and he nodded and walked away again. I went back to searching through the movies, but nothing was sticking out to me. Finally I came across Harry Potter and decided to settle on that. A few minutes later Jace walked back in with two cups of coffee.

"What did you finally decide on?" Jace asked as he took a seat.

"I found Harry Potter, so I thought I'd go with that." I said as I took a sip of coffee waiting for the medicine to kick in.

"I've never seen Harry Potter." He said and my jaw hit the ground.

"Have you even lived?" I asked and he laughed.

"None of my friends were ever into it, and I just never got sucked into the whole Harry Potter black hole." He said and I laughed. I originally just found the 3rd one, but after hearing Jace, I went searching for the very first one. When I found it, it was 2 dollars more.

"You don't mind that I spend money on this movie do you?" I asked and he smiled.

"Do you see where I live Clary?" He said and I laughed. "I can afford to spend 5 dollars on a movie."

"I understand that, but I'm going to make you watch all 8, and that's like 40 dollars total, and I wasn't sure if you were okay with spending that much on movies." I explained and he smiled.

"We're going to be here for a while, I might as well see what Harry Potter is all about." He said and I clicked the movie and it started. I immediately paused it and looked at Jace.

"Do you know the basics of Harry Potter?" I asked.

"Isn't it about magic?" He asked and I smiled.

"Yes. It follows the life of a boy named Harry Potter, and his friends." I said and he nodded.

"If I have a question, will you be able to answer it?" He asked and I smiled.

"I like to consider myself a Harry Potter fanatic. So, I will most likely be able to answer all of your questions." I said and he smiled. "Before we start, do you happen to have a blanket I could use?"

"You're already under one." He said and I look down.

"I have anemia, I get cold really easily." I said a little embarrassed. He got up and grabbed a blanket from the closet and made his way back over to me. He placed it on top of me but than got down on the floor. "What are you doing?"

"Well, if you get cold often, there is no reason to be piling blankets on top of you, so I grabbed the heated blanket that I have. I was just plugging it in." He said and I was shocked.

"You know, if you acted this way in high school, we may have possibly been friends." I said and he laughed.

"Why don't we start fresh?" He said and I smiled.

"I'd like that." I said and he smiled.

"Before we start this marathon, I'd like to get to know you a little better." He said and I nodded. "Where did you go to college?"

"Pratt Institute." I said and he looked confused. "It's an art school right here in Brooklyn."

"Is it hard to get into?" He asked.

"About 53% of those who apply get accepted, so it isn't impossible, but it definitely isn't easy." I explained and he nodded.

"What did you major in?" He asked.

"Art." I simply said.

"I should have guessed that." He said and I laughed. "And your job?" He asked.

"I own my own gallery in the city. I don't display much of my own work, but sometimes I get one or two of my own pieces up on the wall." I said.

"That's cool. What do you showcase in your gallery?" He asked.

"Mostly people who are native to Brooklyn and New York who want to give back to the city. They pay a nice chuck of change to have their work displayed in my gallery. It's in a pretty popular part of the city, so it get a lot of attention." I said and he nodded. "What about you?"

"I majored in business at NYU." He said.

"Sounds a little boring." I giggled and he smiled at me.

"It would be if I didn't love it. When I was 24 I took over my fathers company, and it took me two years to learn all the ropes, but I've been CEO for a couple years now." He said and I was impressed.

"Impressive." I said and he shrugged.

"It was kind of always in my blood. My father built the company from nothing, and when he died it was left to his VP, but it was stated in the records, and his living will that I was to inherit everything once I graduated college." He said and I nodded.

"When did he pass?" I asked.

"When I was 7. I don't remember him much. Even the picture in the office building I work in seems a little foreign to me. I wanted to do one better by him and I didn't take over the company fully until I got my masters degree. I wanted to be as qualified as I could be, so that I could run the company how it is supposed to be run. Unfortunately, the VP wasn't that great at his job, so when I took over I kind of had to back track and fix everything he messed up, but there isn't anything else I would want to do." He said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry about your dad. That must have been hard." I said and he shrugged. "Was it just you and your mom than?"

"No. She killed herself when I was a baby. According to her journals that were found she was always depressed, and she thought having me would change that, but after 2 months, she still felt just as depressed, and she even suffered from post partum depression, and she couldn't take it anymore. She drown herself in the bathroom tub while I was napping and my father was out getting groceries." He said and my entire heart broke for him. He never showed any signs that he had such a tough life when we were in high school.

"What happened to you?" I asked.

"I was put in foster care for a couple months until the Lightwood's took me in and they kept me until I was 18." He said and I reached my hand over to his and grabbed his hand. I tried to ignore the sparks that flared in my hand.

"I'm really sorry you had to go through all of that." I said and he gave me a small smile.

"It wasn't a pleasant time. Especially when I learned the truth about my mom, and how terrible kids are treated in foster care, but I got through it, and I feel like once I had fully accepted the hand that I was dealt, I was able to move on and start doing some good for the world." He said and I was truly inspired by the man sitting next to me.

"Well, I think you turned out to be an incredible person, and I've only just met you officially today." I said and he smiled.

"So, let's start this movie. I don't know about you, but I'm a little tired, so we might only get in one movie tonight." He said and I smiled.

"That's okay. I will make you watch every one of these movies at some point." I said and I clicked play.

Jace and I sat there and watched Harry Potter, and surprisingly he didn't have any questions for the first half of the movie, but I felt like as we got farther into the series the questions would start, which I was completely fine with. I didn't realize how incredibly easy it was going to be to talk to him. I mean, in high school he came off as such a player, and a tool, but the man sitting next to me today was completely different and truly inspiring. I guess being snowed in with him wouldn't be that bad, and if it is, it can't be worse than losing your fiancé and your home all in one day.

 **Jace POV:**

When the credits started rolling I looked over and Clary was already asleep. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face as I looked at how angelic she looked while sleeping. It was weird to me that I didn't even know we went to the same high school. Maybe if I wasn't such a dick we could have been and I had a feeling being her friend was actually going to be a lot of fun. I already liked what I learned about her.

I turned the TV off, and removed the blankets from Clary. I scooped her up in my arms and was surprised at how perfectly she fit. She nuzzled her head into my chest and I took a deep calming breath. She was doing something to me, and I didn't even know it was possible. I've never felt like this around a girl before, and the fact that we were currently snowed in together made it that much worse because we couldn't take a break from each other if need be.

I walked into the guest room that she was going to be staying in and placed her on the bed. I gently moved the comforter back so that I could wrap her in it. This room rarely got used so it was a little chiller than the rest of the house. I could see that she was shivering a little, so I went back out into the living room and grabbed the heated blanket. When I walked back into her room I placed it over her and turned it on low. I didn't want to have her wake up sweating, but warmth was a necessity, and I wanted her to be warm and comfortable here. She stirred a little and her eyes fluttered open.

"Jace?" She said in a sleepy voice which I hate to admit did more to me than I would care to share.

"Yea. You fell asleep during the movie so I brought you to bed." I said and she gave me a sleepy smile.

"Did you have any questions?" She asked which caused me to laugh.

"No, but if I think of any, I'll write them down and ask you them tomorrow." I said and she smiled and curled herself farther under the blankets. "I'll be at the end of the hall if you need anything."

"Thank you Jace." She said and I smiled.

"It's not a problem Clare." I said and her eyes fluttered closed and her breathing evened out.

I made my way back to my room and took a deep breath. I went over to my closet and grabbed my senior yearbook and searched through the pages until I got to Clary's.

 ** _Name:_** _Clarissa Fray_

 ** _Hobbies:_** _Art_

 ** _Sports:_** _Way too uncoordinated_

 ** _Clubs:_** _Art Club_

 ** _Favorite Teachers:_** _Mr. Carstairs, Ms. Gray, and Mr. Morgenstern_

 ** _Future Plans:_** _Honestly, I have no idea what I want to do in the future, but I hope whatever it is, I love doing it. I want to settle down and have the family I always dreamed about with a man that will treat me the way a woman is supposed to be treated, and spend everyday without regrets._

I looked at the picture of 18 year old Clary and I couldn't help but realize that she didn't change all that much. She of course matured, but she still had that same innocence that is captured in this picture. Our high school wasn't very large, and when I looked at the other side of the page, there was my high school picture. I took a deep breath and read what I wrote.

 ** _Name:_** _Jace Herondale_

 ** _Hobbies:_** _Making out with chicks_

 ** _Sports:_** _Football (Captain) Ice Hockey (Captain) Baseball (Captain)_

 ** _Clubs:_** _What do I look like, a nerd?_

 ** _Favorite Teachers:_** _Mr. Wayland_

 ** _Future Plans:_** _Who really knows, but I know I'll look good doing it._

I cringed at how incredibly douchy I was in high school. I looked at Clary, and I's pictures and I can't help but hate who I was back than. I can't blame her for not giving me the time of day. I wouldn't of either with how terrible my attitude was. I went to the back of the book, and looked at the clubs photos. I immediately spotted the redhead, and she had the biggest smile on her face. I looked down at the names, and it said that she was the president of the art club with her future looking brighter than the sun.

I closed the book and put it back in my closet. I got out of the clothes and got into a pair of ball shorts and got into bed. I wasn't really that tired, so I just laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. I didn't know what happened today. I saw a girl fall on the sidewalk and decided to take her in to make sure she was okay, and she turned out to be a girl I went to high school with, and we got snowed in together, and now I can't get her out of my head. I looked at the clock on my dresser, and it was nearly 2 in the morning. Clearly I didn't need to get up for work, although I would still use some of the day tomorrow to work from home, but I didn't have to be in the office. I laid there waiting for sleep to consume me while I had that redhead flooding my mind and when I did finally drift off she flooded my dreams as well.

 **Clary POV:**

 _I couldn't get away. I was running but I wasn't going anywhere. I looked back at he was chasing me. I tried to escape but I was stuck. I was stuck in my worst nightmare, and there was nobody around to save me. I felt something tug on my ankle and I slammed in to the ground. I was flipped around and I came face to face with my father. I tried to scream but nothing came out. It was like I was mute. He smiled at me and his black eyes glared at me._

 _"No one is going to save you, you're not worth it." He hissed and I felt tears start to well in my eyes._

 _"Stop." I finally managed to get out and he laughed at me._

 _"I never wanted you. You were a mistake, and if I had my way, your mother would have aborted you the minute she found out she was pregnant." He spat as he slapped me across the face. I started sobbing uncontrollably while he hit me repeatedly. I tried my hardest to fight him off but nothing was working._

 _"Clary." I heard but it didn't sound like my father. "Clary wake up." I heard again._

I shot up in my bed panting after I felt someone shaking me. My cheeks were tear stained and my head was pounding. I looked around and didn't recognize the room I was in. I was taking in my surroundings when my eyes locked with golden ones, suddenly I was very aware of where I was and immediately felt ashamed.

"Are you okay?" He asked and I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry I woke you up." Was the first thing I said. I should have warned him about the nightmares.

"It's okay. I'm more worried about you." He said and I gave him a sad smile.

"I'm fine." I said and he smiled.

"I'm no expert, but normally when a woman says 'I'm fine' she is in fact the opposite of fine." He said and I laughed. "At least, that's what Izzy tells me. I made that mistake once, she didn't let me forget for an entire year."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"She seemed a little off. She came over one day in a very un-Izzy like outfit and I asked if she was alright, she told me she was fine and I left because I had a date, and when I came home Izzy was livid. She yelled at me for an hour before she finally broke down. I held her until she fell asleep and apologized until I was blue in the face the next day." He said and I smiled.

"What was really wrong with her? If you don't mind me asking." I said.

"Our parents were getting divorced. Apparently Izzy caught my father in a rather compromising position with his assistant. She lost it." He explained and I nodded.

"I can imagine that was horrifying." I said and he nodded.

"You wanna talk about it?" He asked after a moment and I took a deep breath.

"Not really, but I think if I'm going to be here until the snow melts, you deserve to know." I said and he was quiet. "For most of my life, my father was an absent father. He was traveling, and rarely spent a day at home." I explained. I tried to keep my cool, but this wasn't a subject I enjoyed talking about. "When I was 13 his work transferred him permanently to the New York office. My mom and brother were thrilled to have him home, but I barely knew him, so it didn't matter to me whether he was home or not." I said and I took another deep and calming breath. "I came home from school one day, later than normal, because the art teacher needed my help, and I was the president of the art club so I stayed to help. My mom worked late, and my brother was out with a bunch of friends. He was the only one home, and when I walked in the door he was sitting in the living room, and he looked pissed." I said and I took a shaky breath. I felt a warm hand fall over mine and I looked up to see Jace holding my hand. It was rather calmer and I gripped it a little tighter. "Now, I'm not very tall, but my father is close to 6'4" and when he stood up he towered over me. I immediately felt sick. I had no idea why he was angry, or what he was going to do." I said. "He grabbed me by my hair and threw me to the floor. He started yelling at me, and I tried to crawl away but he grabbed my ankle and pulled me back towards him. He straddled me and just kept yelling how much he hated my existence. He was mad when my mom got pregnant again, and he wanted her to abort me, but she didn't want too." I said and I felt the hot tears stream down my face. "I felt like I was trapped for hours just being hit in the face. When he finally got up, I used whatever strength I had left and made my way to my room. I looked in the mirror and my face was bloody, and bruised, and swollen."

"What happened to him?" Jace asked, and he sounded unhappy.

"Nothing. I lied to my mom, told her I came down with the stomach bug. She was always so busy with work, she believed me. I spent the next week at home while my face healed, and went back to school the next week like nothing happened." I said.

"Why didn't you report him?" Jace asked.

"Nobody would have believed me. My father has lived here his entire life. He's friends with the police officers, he's friends with the principal of our old high school. I was doomed to be trapped by that man until I went to college." I said. "How long did this go on for?" Jace asked.

"Until I was 18. I tried so hard to spend as much time at school, or at the library, or pretty much anywhere so that I didn't have to be home alone with him, but some days were just inevitable. I'd come home, he's be pissed, I'd get hit, and repeat."

"Clary, you should have told someone." Jace said and I laughed.

"Than I probably would have been killed. He hates me, and if he could kill me and get away with it, he probably would." I said.

"He's still around?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I went to college, and never went back. I met my ex-fiancé at a local coffee shop when I was 22, and after college we moved in together so I never had a reason to go back." I said and Jace nodded. "I haven't spoken to my family since I was 18, and I don't plan on having a nice family reunion any time soon."

"I don't blame you." Jace said which caused me to laugh. I looked around for the time but there was no clock in my room.

"What time is it?" I asked Jace after a moment.

"It's almost 5." Jace said and my eyes widened.

"I'm really sorry I kept you up. Not really a good way to start off the day." I said and Jace laughed.

"Well, we don't really have much to do considering we're snowed in. So, we can sleep for a couple more hours without punishment." He said and I laughed. "We can start our day now, or I can leave and you can get more sleep. I'm fully awake, so I'll probably go to my office and get some work done."

"You're still going to work?" I asked and he stood up.

"We might be snowed in, but that doesn't mean my company shuts down. I'm pretty productive in the morning, so I might be done before 9 am, and than it's just you, me, and Harry Potter for the rest of the day." He said and I smiled.

"I think I'm going to get some more sleep." I said and he nodded and walked towards the door. "Jace." I said before he left. "Thank you for checking on me, and listening."

"I'm always here if you need to vent, or talk, or just cry. All you have to do is let me know." He said and I smiled.

"You're a great guy Jace, and I'm glad I'm here." I said and he smiled and left the room. I laid back down on the bed and took a deep breath. I tried to think of happy things while trying to go back to sleep so the nightmares wouldn't flood my memory, but the only thing that kept popping up was Jace, and I soon realized that he wasn't going away, so I let the images of Jace lull me to sleep, and for the first time in a awhile I fell asleep content with everything in that moment.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"But what I don't get is how the hell does Hermione know everything?" I asked and Clary laughed. We were currently in between of the third and the fourth movie. "Didn't she grow up knowing nothing about magic?"

"Yes, but she reads a lot. She wanted to know everything when she found out she was a witch, so she read a lot about the history, and spells, and everything she could so she was caught up." Clary explained.

"But Ron is so clueless and he grew up around magic." I said and she laughed again.

"He isn't clueless. He just comes off that way. It's annoying because in the books he's actually really smart, but they didn't translate that well into the movies, which sucks." She said and I nodded. "It's like you and I."

"How so?" I asked, curious as to where she was going with this.

"What was your GPA in high school?" She asked.

"I don't remember." I said and she smiled.

"Ball park it." She said and I thought about it.

"Somewhere around a 3.2 I think. I could be totally wrong though." I said and she shrugged.

"Who cares, I graduated high school with a 3.9, and that's only because I got an A- in a calculus class. I was 3rd in our class at graduation." She said.

"And this relates back to Harry Potter because…..?" I asked.

"A 3.2 isn't a bad GPA, but a 3.9 is higher. So technically when looking at just grades alone I'm smarter than you. Same goes for Ron and Hermione. On paper Hermione is smarter than Ron, but in the later movies, and books you see that Ron is actually really intelligent but not really when it comes to a classroom setting. When Ron is our fighting dementors, and finding horcruxes he isn't looking up how to kill them or fight them off in a pocket-sized textbook. He's going on what he remembers, and instinct. Just because Ron doesn't do well in his classes, doesn't mean he isn't smart." She said and I nodded. It was quiet for a minute before I spoke.

"What was your GPA in college?" I asked and she laughed.

"I was just using that as an example. I'm not saying I'm smarter than you." She said and I laughed.

"I'm just curious." I said.

"I graduated Pratt with a 4.0." She said and I was impressed. "But we can't really compare college GPA's because we studied two totally different things."

"A 4.0 is impressive no matter what you study." I said and she shrugged.

"What about you?" She asked.

"3.7. I didn't do so hot in a few of my classes." I said and she smiled.

"3.7 isn't bad." She said and I nodded. "Which classes?"

"Believe it or not I had to take an art class and I did miserably. And I think the other two were some science classes. I mean, I was a business major, I didn't really do well in anything that didn't revolve around business." I said and she nodded.

"Makes sense, but a 3.7 isn't half bad, and maybe one day I can teach you how to draw a tree." She said with a laugh and I smiled. I didn't want to show her, but I was really excited to that fact that she alluded to us hanging out after this snowstorm passed.

"It's almost dinner time, what would you like to eat?" I asked after a moment.

"Hmmmm, well, what can you make?" She asked.

"Anything I have ingredients for. Thankfully right before the storm hit I stocked my fridge, so I have a decent amount of food left." I said and she nodded.

"I'm really in the mood for a killer grilled cheese." She said and I laughed.

"I can do that. Get the next movie set, up and I'll make you one killer grilled cheese." I said and she laughed and turned back towards the TV. I got up and went into the kitchen and got the ingredients for grilled cheese out while Clary flooded my mind.

 **Clary POV:**

Jace was only gone for 10 minutes, but for some reason those 10 minutes felt like an eternity. When he finally came back out he handed me a plate and went back into the kitchen. I didn't want to be rude, so I didn't eat it. A couple minutes later he walked back out.

"What would you like to drink?" He asked.

"What do you have left?" I asked.

"Well, there is water, iced tea, orange juice, and milk." He said.

"Iced tea would be great." I said and he left again. A moment later he walked back out and handed me a glass.

"You didn't have to wait for me." He said and I smiled.

"I didn't want to be rude." I said and he smiled. He took a seat and I picked up my grilled cheese and took a bite. "Oh my god, this is amazing."

"It was the first thing I ever learned how to cook." He said and I laughed. "I've mastered it over the years."

"Well, you definitely delivered on the killer grilled cheese." I said and he smiled.

"Alright, let's see what happened to Harry next." Jace said and I clicked play.

"This is a good one! It might be my favorite one in the series." I said and he nodded.

"Let's hope it doesn't disappoint." He said and I laughed.

We sat there and watched Harry go through the Tri Wizard Tournament but when they got to the end of the second task I started to get tired. I didn't mean too, but my head found Jace's shoulder and I closed my eyes. I guess I was more tired than I thought, because before I knew it, I was slipping into the darkness.

 **Jace POV:**

I don't know when I fell asleep, but I woke up with Clary curled into my side. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face when I looked down and saw her holding onto me, and completely calm. I noticed the movie was over, and we had missed the ending, but I wasn't going to move if Clary was comfy. I laid my head back and closed my eyes, I wasn't going back to bed, but I figured I'd wait until Clary woke up.

It wasn't long until she stirred awake. I felt her sit up a little, and instantly the heat from her body was gone, and I missed it. I looked over at her and she was rubbing her eyes. When she was fully awake she looked at me and smiled.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you." She said and I laughed.

"Don't worry about it, I didn't mind." I said and she blushed.

"We missed the end of the movie." She said and I smiled.

"We'll catch it later. It's getting late. We should probably go to bed." I said and she nodded.

"I am really tired." She said and she stood up, and gathered the heated blanket from the couch. We walked to her bedroom and I paused.

"Goodnight Clary." I said and she smiled.

"Goodnight Jace." She said and she slipped into her room. I made my way to my room and got ready for bed. When I laid down I couldn't get Clary out of my mind. I've only known her for a couple days but I felt like we had this long lost connection. Slowly I felt sleep consume me and I fell asleep thinking of Clary with a smile on my face.

 **Time Jump – Middle of the Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I was woken up when a knock came at my door. I rolled over and the door creaked open, and there stood Clary. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, she looked incredibly tiny, but incredibly beautiful no matter what state she was in.

"You okay?" I asked and she walked in and shut the door.

"The power is out." She said. I looked over at the clock and sure enough it was blank. "I was wondering if you had any extra blankets that I could borrow since I can't use the heated blanket anymore."

"I can do you one better." I said and I shifted in my bed and pulled the covers back.

"Are you sure?" She asked and I smiled.

"We're both adults, and you know what they say, the best form of heat, is body heat." I said and she laughed. She walked over and got into my bed. For a moment it was awkward. She didn't move, she was as stiff as a board. I laughed to myself before I pulled her into me. She squealed at the sudden movement but once she was against me she melted into my arms. It was weird how familiar, and comfortable this felt. I have never experienced this with anyone else before, but with Clary it felt like we'd been doing this for years. I felt her breathing even out pretty quickly, and I wasn't far behind.

I woke up in the morning I had pressure on my stomach that I wasn't used too. I opened my eyes and looked down and saw Clary lying on top of me. My arms were wrapped protectively around her, and she had the smallest smile on her face. I leaned down and pressed my lips to the top of her head. She started to stir and her eyes fluttered open. She pressed herself up on her elbows on top of me, but when she realized that she was on me she blushed and started to move away. I wasn't letting her go anywhere so I tightened my grip on her and she looked up at me.

"Does this make you uncomfortable?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Not at all." She said and I smiled.

"Did you have any nightmares last night?" I asked.

"Surprisingly no. I don't know when the last time that happened." She said.

"Didn't your ex-fiancé ever just hold you until you were okay?" I asked.

"No. Simon wasn't the type of guy who knew how to comfort a person. Normally if I had a nightmare he just got out of bed and slept on the couch." She said and I was a little annoyed that he could be so insensitive.

"That's a dick move." I said and she laughed.

"I don't blame him. They aren't fun to deal with." She said.

"But they aren't impossible either." I said and she shrugged and rested her head back on my chest. I started running my fingers up and down her spine and I felt her shiver at first, which caused me to smile.

"It's so cold." She said after a moment.

"I think that heated blanket can run on batteries, we can look around for some and get it working for you again." I said and I felt her laugh.

"Can we just stay here for a while? I'm comfy." She said.

"We can stay like this for however long you'd like." I said and I could feel her smiled. She started drawing random patterns on my chest, while I continued to run my fingers up and down her spine. We didn't talk the rest of the time we laid in bed, but we didn't need to. The silence between us was a comfortable one, and as long as I had her in my arms, I didn't care what we did.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since the night that I slept in Jace's room things have been different. When we sat on the couch we sat much closer, and we even cuddled most of the time. I spent the past couple nights sleeping in his room so I wouldn't freeze to death, but I also really loved sleeping with him. I didn't have nightmares when he was holding me, and I felt completely safe.

Turns out the heated blanket could use batteries and when we found them I was thrilled. Jace's laptop was fully charged and we decided to watch at least one movie on it, but we found out it had an incredible battery life, so we were able to get a couple movies on it, until it died. Which brings up to now, we decided to play a good old fashioned game of Go Fish, and I don't remember the last time I had this much fun.

"Do you have any 4's?" Jace asked and I looked at my cards, I did have a 4 but I didn't want him to win.

"Go fish." I said.

"You're totally lying!" He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"No I'm not!" I said through my giggles and he smiled at me.

"You're a terrible liar Clary. You have a 4, give it to me." He said with a smiled and I just held my cards closer to me.

"I said go fish!" I said and he leaned across the couch and our faces were inches from each other.

I don't know how long we were like that because time completely stopped. My heart was racing, and his eyes kept flickering down to my lips. I couldn't take it anymore so I moved forward and our lips touch, and I felt like I had floated to cloud 9. This kiss was something I've never experienced before. It was electric, and passionate, and so long over due. Our lips moved in perfect rhythm and I never wanted it to end. When we finally pulled apart my cheeks were flushed and we were both breathing heavily.

"Wow." Jace said and I couldn't help but giggle.

"My thoughts exactly." I said and he smiled.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"What took you so long?" I asked and he laughed.

"I guess I didn't know how you felt. I mean, it's not like you could leave if you didn't like the kiss." He said and I laughed.

"I liked the kiss." I said and he smirked, a sexy smirk. "A lot."

"The best kiss I've ever had." Jace said and I couldn't help but blush. "I still need that 4 though." He said as I burst into a fit of giggles.

"Fine, but if I lose, I won't be happy." I said and he smiled.

"Duly noted." He said.

"Do you have any kings?" I asked after a moment and he smiled and handed one over. We sat there and played Go Fish like we were a bunch of kids in elementary school who weren't allowed to go outside for recess, but this was all I wanted to do. I just wanted to sit here with Jace, and play stupid card games because for the first time in years I truly felt completely blissed out, and happy.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The power came back on last night but that didn't stop Clary and I from sleeping in the same bed again. I don't know what it was but it was like meeting her, and having this time together was a breath of fresh air. She was someone who I was missing in my life that I didn't even know, and not that I had her I never wanted to let her go. I was in the kitchen making breakfast when Clary walked out in one of my shirts, and a pair of sweats. I didn't think anyone could look as sexy in my clothes but she was the epitome of sexy, and I loved seeing her in my clothes.

She sat at the island while I cooked us breakfast. There wasn't anyone in the world that I'd rather stand here and cook for, but that's all I wanted to do for Clary, I wanted to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner for her. I wanted to sit on the couch and cuddle with her while we watched Harry Potter, and play card games with her. I wanted to fall asleep next to her like we've been doing the past couple nights, and I wanted to kiss her. More than I wanted to kiss anyone in my life. I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard a knock on my front door.

"Do you mind getting that for me?" I asked Clary and she shook her head and walked to the front door. I didn't know who would possibly be here, but I wasn't expecting the voice that I heard.

"Who are you?" I heard and I was confused as to why she was here.

"I'm Clary." I heard and than I heard the squeaking on the shoes.

"Jace, who is she?" I heard and I looked up to see Izzy standing in my living room.

"That's Clary." I said.

"I got that the first time, what is she doing here?" She asked.

"The day the storm hit she slipped outside my building. She was out cold, and I wasn't going to let her freeze to the ground, so I brought her up here. We got snowed in together." I explained and Izzy looked back at Clary.

"You look familiar." Izzy said.

"We went to high school together." Clary said.

"Really?" Izzy said and Clary just nodded. "Interesting."

"Here are your pancakes Clary." I said and Clary made her way over to the counter and took her seat.

"Jace, can I have a word, alone?" Izzy asked and I nodded and took her back to the hallways.

"What's up Iz?" I asked.

"Why haven't you been answering your phone?" Izzy asked.

"Well we didn't have power for days, and it died. It's been in my room charging. I didn't think I'd need it." I said.

"Mom has been freaking out. You never called to tell her you were okay." Izzy said.

"I'm sorry. I was concerned with Clary. She slammed her head hard on the ground." I said and something in Izzy's face changed.

"You care about her don't you?" She asked and I nodded. "Good for you."

"What?" I asked taken aback.

"It's about time you found someone who you actually cared about. I thought after you gave up your playboy ways you'd never settle down. You were turning into an eternal bachelor." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Would you like some breakfast?" I asked and she nodded. "How the hell did you even get here?" I asked after a second realizing that she had to walk in the snow.

"The snow stopped last night, and they started clearing the roads and sidewalks." She said and I nodded. We got back into the living room where Clary was still eating. I made my way back into the kitchen and Izzy took a seat next to Clary.

"Sorry for being so bitchy to you before. I was just really confused." She said and Clary laughed.

"Completely understandable." Clary said and Izzy smiled. "I wasn't meant to be here in the first place."

"Jace told me how you ended up here." Izzy said and Clary smiled. It was quiet for a moment before Clary spoke.

"Hey Jace, can I borrow your phone again?" Clary asked me and before I could respond Izzy did.

"You can use mine." She said and Clary smiled and took it. She dialed a number and after a moment she started talking.

"Hello Simon." She said and she sounded so unenthusiastic. "I don't really care about an apology, I just wanted you to know that I'll be by to pick up my stuff sometime today." She was quiet for a moment. "I don't want to hear it Simon. You cheated on me, and I'm moving out. End of story." She said and she rolled her eyes, which caused me to laugh. "Fine, we'll meet for coffee. How does 2:30 sound?" She asked. "Perfect. I'll see you than." She said and she hung up.

"You're really going to go meet with him?" I asked after she handed the phone back to Izzy.

"If it gets him off my back about wanted to apologize to me, than yes." Clary said.

"I don't like it." I said and she smiled.

"I'm not going to go running back into his arms. I'm just going to hear him out, and than leave and never speak to him again." Clary said.

"Still, if he tries anything, let me know and I'll beat the shit out of him." I said and she laughed.

"I appreciate that, but I can take care of myself." Clary said as she smiled. She pushed her empty plate towards me and stood. "I'm going to change and than had out."

"Where are you going to go after you move out?" I asked her and it seemed to stump her.

"I haven't really thought about that yet. I'll probably stay in my gallery until I find a place." She said.

"Why don't you just stay here?" Izzy said almost like she read my mind. "Jace has enough spare rooms, and he wouldn't charge you rent."

"I don't want to put you out. I mean, you already had to host me for some time now and I don't want to overstay my welcome." She said and I laughed.

"I don't mind one bit you being here Clary." I said and she smiled.

"Well, I guess I could bring my stuff over, but if you want me out, just let me know and I'll find somewhere else to go." She said and I laughed.

"I'll be sure to tell you." I said and she laughed. She left the room and Izzy and I were quiet for a moment before she spoke.

"You're welcome." She said and I laughed.

"I was going to offer. You just beat me to it." I said and she laughed.

"I like her." Izzy said.

"So do I. A lot." I said and Izzy smiled.

"So who is Simon exactly?" Izzy asked after a moment.

"Her ex-fiancé. After she woke up from her fall she called him to tell him she was alright and the girl he was with answered. She threw her ring at the wall and that was that." I said and Izzy nodded. Clary walked out in the clothes that she got here in, since she's been living in mine since she's been here. She walked over to the counter and smiled.

"Do you know where I threw my ring? I'd like to give it back." Clary said and I smiled.

"It should be over by the TV." I said and she walked over. She bent down and picked it up.

"Thanks. I can't wait to give this back and rid myself of him once and for all." She said and I smiled.

"I'll let the women in the lobby know you're going to be staying here, and leave a key down there. I would give you one, but I don't have a spare. It should be there when you get back." I said and she nodded.

"Thank you, for everything." Clary said and I smiled.

"I'll walk you to the door." I said and she nodded. We walked over to the door and we lingered for a moment. "If you want, I can hire some people to pick your stuff up from his house so you don't have to worry about it."

"That actually sounds great. The last thing I want to do is spend more time with him." Clary said and I smiled.

"Just text me the address." I said.

"I don't have a phone anymore." She said and I laughed.

"You'll have one by the time you get back." I said and she smiled. She got on her tippy toes and pressed her lips to mine.

"Thank you. I seriously don't know what I would have done without you." She said when she broke apart from the kiss and I smiled.

"Anything for you." I said and she smiled and than left. I walked back into the kitchen and Izzy was still sitting there eating her breakfast.

"Her fiancé's name was Simon right? Simon what?" Izzy asked after a moment.

"I'm not sure, but I think I heard her mumble Simon Lewis once.

"Why does that name sound so familiar?" She asked and I just shrugged. She pulled out her phone and started typing. After a minute or two she looked at me. "Now I know why. My friend Maia told me a year ago that she met this really nice guy at a comic book store. She said they hit it off really well."

"And his name is Simon?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yea. Simon told her he lived with his friend Carl, and that he worked night shift so he slept all day and he didn't like to be disturbed, which is why she never went to his house." Izzy explained.

"That doesn't explain why when Clary called she picked up the phone." I said and Izzy shrugged.

"Maybe Clary told Simon that she was going to stay late at work and he thought he was in the clear." Izzy said and I just got even madder.

"Why not just break it off, why string her along. Clary said they had been together for 7 years." I said.

"Maybe he just find someone else who he had more of a connection too, but he was already engaged to Clary and he didn't want to break it off." Izzy suggested.

"It just doesn't make any sense. I'd rather someone straight up tell me they didn't feel the same way, rather than go behind my back with someone else." I said and Izzy nodded.

"I agree, but some people just don't think about it that way." Izzy said. "I can't believe we went to high school with her. I don't remember her at all."

"I didn't either. I looked at my old yearbook, and it still didn't click, but Clary said that we would have never been friends in high school. She stayed in the art wing."

"That makes sense. We never went to that part of the school." Izzy said and I laughed.

Izzy stayed for a couple more hours, and I eventually called my mom and told her that I was okay, and that I was sorry for not calling. Talking to Izzy and calling my mom made me realize how fortunate I am despite what happened when I was young. Clary had no one, well she had me, but it still made me grateful for the people who I had growing up.

 **Clary POV:**

I made my way to the coffee shop and ordered my drink. I took a seat at a table and waited for Simon to show up. I was nervous to see him, but not because it had been some time, but because I didn't know how long I'd last without pouring my hot coffee all over him. When the doorbell rang and I looked up, in walked Simon and he gave me a smile, which I didn't return. He took a seat I waited for him to start, since this was his idea.

"Hi Clare-bear." He said.

"Don't call me that. You lost the right to call me that when you cheated on me." I said and his smiled fell.

"How are you?" He asked.

"As good as I can be. I slammed my head on the ground really hard the day the snowstorm started, and I've had a dull headache ever since, but other than that I'm fine." I said and he nodded.

"Where have you been staying?" He asked as he fidgeted with his fingers.

"Well, after a slammed my head on the ground, I was knocked out cold. The next thing I remember was waking up in a strange house. Turns out a guy I went to high school with found me outside his building and he took me into his house so that I wouldn't freeze, and we got snowed in together." I explained and he nodded. "I assume you were snowed in with your girlfriend."

"Yea. It definitely wasn't planned." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"So the whole cheating part was planned?" I asked and he looked at me.

"I didn't mean for it to start. We met one day at the comic book store, and we just got along really well. Before I knew it we were going out for coffee, and meeting for lunch, and before I knew it we were kissing, and I liked it to much to stop it." He said.

"You promised me forever Simon. You got down on one knee and declared your undying love for me 2 years ago. Where did all that go? Or was it just a bunch of bullshit from the beginning?" I asked.

"Not at all Clary. I do love you. I've loved you for 7 years, but I guess it just faded." He said and I let out a dry laugh.

"Why not break off our engagement? Why do this to me?" I asked.

"I didn't want to hurt you." He said.

"This hurt me Simon. You went behind my back and started dating someone else when you promised me a future." I said and I was surprised that I wasn't getting overly emotional. No tears were being spilled, and I was glad for that. "Do I know her?"

"No." He said.

"Did she know about me?" I asked.

"No." He said.

"Did you tell her?" I asked.

"Yes." He said.

"And she stayed?" I asked.

"She was pissed at me for a day, but once I told her you broke off the engagement she forgave me. We're doing good now." He said and I nodded.

"I'll have people over to collect my things." I said.

"Where are you staying?" He asked.

"With the friend from high school. He offered me a room, and since I have nowhere else to go, I took him up on his offer." I said.

"Did you two ever date in high school?" He asked after a moment.

"God no. He was a total dick in high school. He didn't even recognize me when I woke up." I said with a smile.

"I don't think he's good enough for you Clare." Simon said and that really hit a nerve.

"Oh and the lying son of a bitch in front of me is?" I asked and he took a deep breath.

"No. I'm not good enough for you. I hurt you, and I lied to you, and I should have been more of a man and told you the minute I met her and when I started getting feelings for her. I was a coward and I know that, but if this guys a dick, I don't think you should involve yourself with him."

"Too late Simon." I said and his eyes pulled together.

"You're already sleeping with him? I thought you were saving yourself for marriage." He said with a harsh tone in his voice.

"Not that it's any of your business, but we aren't sleeping together. Not sexually anyway."

"What the hell does that mean?" He asked angrily.

"It means, the power went out, I was freezing due to being anemic, he offered his body heat and I took it." I said and I could tell this was pissing him off but I couldn't find it in me to care.

"You've known this guy for what, a week, and you're already cuddling in his bed?" He asked.

"Why is that a problem Simon? You were cheating on me for who knows how long." I said.

"Because it took us 3 years to share a bed, and you just jump into this guys bed with the excuse of being cold? I thought you were above that Clary." He said and I stood up.

"You have no right to judge what I do Simon." I said with my voice raised, and I felt people's eyes on me. "So what if jumped into his bed after knowing him for a week? So what if I confessed the darkest part of my past with him after a couple days? So what if I'm moving in with him after a week? Why the hell do you care about what I do Simon? I'm not yours to worry about anymore. You gave that right up the minute you decided to fuck another woman while we were engaged." I was fuming at this point and I realized the whole coffee shop was quiet. "I'll send men over to collect my things. Everything better be there, and if she wore any of my clothes, you might as well burn them because I don't want any of that skanks skin particles within a inch of me. Rot in hell Simon." I said and I started to walk away.

"He's going to hurt you Clary, and I won't be there to pick up the pieces of your broken heart." He said and I turned around. I walked over to him and tossed the contents of my coffee in his face.

"You did a pretty great job at breaking my heart already Simon. If anything, he picked up those broken pieces and mended them." I said and he wiped the coffee off his face. "You're a coward Simon Lewis, and I never want to hear from you ever again." I took out the engagement ring and dropped in front of his feet. "I'm glad you showed your true colors before we got married. Marrying you would have been the biggest mistake of my life. Have fun with your new girlfriend, I hope karma bites you in the ass so hard." I said and turned around. I started walking out of the coffee shop when I heard clapping and whistling. I looked around and everyone was smiling at me and clapping.

"Way to show him girl!" Someone yelled and I just laughed. I walked outside and took a deep breath feeling so much lighter.

I made my way back to Jace's building. When I walked in I walked right up to the woman in the lobby and smiled.

"Hi dear, what can I do for you?" She asked.

"Jace Herondale told me there would be a key waiting here for me." I said and she smiled.

"Yes he did. One moment." She said and she started searching. After a moment she held up a key and handed it to me. "Here you god doll."

"Thank you so much." I said and I walked over to the elevator. I hit the PH button and waited for the elevator to make it to his floor. Thankfully the elevator didn't make too many stops and I was at the top before I knew it. I tried the door, just to see if it was opened and of course it was. When I walked in, Jace wasn't the only one there. I was greeted by 4 new faces apart from Izzy and Jace.

"Hey Clare." Jace said as he made his way over to me. I couldn't help but smile as he pressed his lips to my forehead. "How did it go?" He asked as he led me into the living room.

"Well, it ended by me pouring my coffee in his face, dropping my engagement ring on the ground and walking out to a huge round of applause." I said and Izzy laughed.

"I got a video." Izzy said after a moment.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I walked over to her.

"My friend works there, and I guess she saw what was going down and started recording." She showed me the video and I shook my head.

"He deserved it." I said and everyone nodded.

"This is my family Clary. You already know Izzy, but the rest are Alec, Max, Maryse and Robert." He said and I nodded and waved. "Everyone, this is Clary, and she'll be staying here for some time."

"Are you two together?" Maryse asked and my cheeks flared red.

"We haven't actually talked about anything yet." Jace answered. "I'll keep you posted."

"So dear, what exactly happened at the coffee shop?" Maryse asked as we took a seat.

"My ex-fiancé was cheating on me. And he kept asking if we could meet up so we could talk, and I was getting so sick of him asking, that I just said yes. And that was our meeting." I said and they nodded.

"How long were you engaged?" Robert asked.

"About 2 years." I said.

"And how long were you two together?" Maryse asked.

"7 years." I said.

"Oh my, that's awful." Maryse said and I shrugged.

"Breaking off an engagements a lot easier than filing for divorce so I'm glad I found out when I did." I said and they all nodded.

We stayed there and talked for a couple hour before they all needed to go. Jace and I said goodbye to everyone and than it was just us. We took a seat on the couch and it was silent for a while before I decided to ask a question that had been on my mind since his mom brought it up.

"So, are we together?" I asked and Jace looked at me.

"Do you want to be together?" He asked.

"Why did you just answer my questions with a question?" I asked and he laughed.

"Why did you just do the same?" He asked and I laughed.

"Alright, serious now." I said and he nodded. "You did offer me your house, and ever since the night the power went out we entered a grey area on what we are exactly."

"We have." He said and I nodded.

"So what I guess I'm wondering is if you want to be in a relationship with me." I asked.

"Are you kidding?" He said and I was kinda confused. "I've never wanted anything more than to be in a relationship with you." He said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"Really?" I asked and he laughed.

"I have loved getting snowed in with you Clary. It makes me wish I knew you in high school, although I doubt we would have been friends." He said and I laughed. "I feel this incredible connection between us, and I can't even begin to explain it, but I want to see where it goes."

"I feel it too. I have never felt so safe in someone's arms than I do with yours." I said and he smiled at me. "I was with Simon for 7 years, and I didn't date before that. So I might be kind of sucky at being a girlfriend." I sad and he laughed.

"The last serious relationship I was in, was that girl who played me in college. I'm a little rusty as well, but the past week has been great, and I can only imagine it getting better from here." He said and I smiled. I leaned over and pressed my lips to his and I felt him smile in the middle of it.

"I should warn you about something though." I said when we broke apart.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I don't know how much this will impact your decision to start a relationship with me. It might be a deal breaker for a lot of people, but I figured I might as well tell you now so that you know and aren't blindsided…"

"Clary." He cut me off and I realized I was rambling. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it won't make me run for the hills."

"I'm saving myself for marriage." I said and I was half expecting his face to become saddened but his facial expressions never changed.

"Okay." He said and I was a little confused.

"You're okay with that?" I asked and he laughed.

"I would never force you into doing something you don't want to do. You want to wait until marriage, I respect that. As long as I can cuddle you at night, and kiss you whenever I want, I'm totally on board." He said and I laughed.

"Thank you." I said and he pulled me closer to him.

"You don't have to thank me for respecting your decisions." He said and I melted into him. I don't know how long we stayed tangled together but I couldn't force myself to move, and he didn't try to either. We just sat there in complete and utter bliss of our new relationship.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Jace, are you sure you want to do this? It's a huge decision." Izzy said as we looked through the store.

"There isn't anyone else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with Iz. She's it for me." I said as I looked at the rings in front of me.

"You've only been together for a year Jace, are you completely sure?" Izzy asked again and I looked up at her.

"I love her Iz. More than I've ever loved anyone in my life." I said and she smiled.

"You sure this just isn't you getting one step closer to getting in her panties?" Izzy said and my jaw dropped.

"Sex is the last thing on my mind when it comes to our relationship. She wants to wait, and I respect that. This is me letting her know that I want to spend the rest of our lives together. I want her to know that I'm serious, and that I love her." I said and I saw Izzy give me a genuine smile.

"I'm happy for you Jace. You picked a good one." Izzy said and I smiled. I looked at more of the rings before I saw one that really stuck out to me. It was a square cut, with a huge diamond in the middle surrounded by smaller diamonds.

"Can I see that one?" I asked the man behind the counter and he nodded and took it out of the case. He put it up on top and I inspected it. "What do you think Iz?"

"I think that looks like the most expensive ring you could find." She said and I laughed.

"Excuse me sir, how much is this ring?" I asked the man.

"9,500 dollars sir." He said.

"That's not too bad." I said and Izzy's jaw dropped. "What? I'm a CEO Iz, I have money."

"What a lucky girl." Izzy said and I smiled.

"I'll take it." I said and the man nodded.

"Do you know her ring size sir?" The man asked.

"4 ½." I said and he nodded and looked at the ring.

"Wow. Perfect size." He said and I smiled.

"Perfect. I plan on purposing soon." I said and he nodded and walked to the back.

"I can't believe you just spent that much money on a ring." Izzy said as we made our way over to the register.

"She's worth every penny Iz." I said and she smiled. The man packed up the ring, and I swiped my card, he handed me the bag and we walked out of the store.

"So, now what?" Izzy asked and I smiled.

"Now we start planning the proposal." I said and she got super excited. I knew Izzy lived for this kind of stuff, and I needed a females perspective.

We spent the rest of the day thinking of ideas, and after a couple hours we finally had something planned and I was super excited to have this whole thing planned out. I wanted to ask her as soon as possible, and I wanted us to plan the wedding and get married, so we could start our lives together.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Izzy called me earlier asking if I wanted to get a manicure and pedicure with her today and I had nothing else going on so I said sure. I walked into the nail salon and Izzy was in there waiting for me. When she saw me she stood up and gave me a hug.

"What would you ladies like today?" The woman at the place asked and I was about to answer when Izzy cut me off.

"We'll both get manicures and pedicures. French tips on both the fingers and the toes." Izzy said and I looked at her. "What?"

"Why don't I get a say?" I asked and she laughed.

"I have something in mind, and that will be the best for it." She said and I knew sometimes Izzy did really random things, so I just learned to go along with it.

"Alright, I trust you." I said and she smiled and we were lead back.

Izzy and I had a great time getting our nails done, and when we left Izzy asked if she could come back to Jace and I's place for a minute or two and I nodded and we made our way back. When we walked in she went straight for Jace and I's room which really confused me. I followed her back there and she was going through my closet.

"What are you doing Iz?" I asked.

"Picking out an outfit for you." She said.

"Why?" I asked as she walked out of my closet.

"Jace asked me to get you ready. He's taking you out tonight." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Okay. Let me know when you find me something." I said and I walked out of my room. 15 minutes later Izzy called me back and when I walked back into my room there was an outfit sitting on my bed.

"There will be a car here at 6, the driver will know where to go, so just get ready and wait!" She said and I smiled. She pulled me into a hug. "Have fun!" She said and walked out of the house. I looked at the outfit that she picked out for me and it was pretty. A simple black dress, with black stockings, and black little booties. She got out my black dress coat, and a pair of earrings and a necklace. It was simple enough and I decided to get a shower before getting ready.

When I got out, I dried my hair and began getting ready. I didn't realize how long it was going to take me, but when I looked up at the clock it was nearing 6. I took one last look in the mirror and felt like I was ready enough to be going out on a date with Jace. I walked out in front of the building when a car pulled up. The window rolled down and there was a man sitting in front.

"Clary?" He questioned and I nodded. "Jace Herondale instructed for me to pick you up." He said and I got into the car.

We drove for about 25 minutes when we pulled up to a beautiful restaurant. I got out of the car and started walking towards the entrance. When I walked in Jace was waiting there for me dressed in an all black suit looking sexy as hell.

"Glad you made it." He said as he leaned down and kissed me.

"This is rather fancy Mr. Herondale." I said and he smirked.

"Only the best for you." He said and I blushed. We were led to our table and seated in a semi empty section. We ordered our food, and Jace bought a bottle of wine and we started eating dinner. Dinner went by like all our diners do, filled with laughs, and jokes, just like the rest of our relationship was.

By the time desert rolled around I was stuffed, and didn't think I could eat another thing, but when the plate was place in front of me there wasn't food on it, but a black velvet box. My eyes immediately shot up and looked into those golden eyes that I loved so much.

"Jace." I said as I took the box and opened it. Inside there was the most beautiful ring I've ever seen.

"I have loved you since the moment we got snowed in together. There isn't anyone else on this earth that I'd want to spend forever with. I love you more than I though possible Clary, and I want to build a life with you, and a family with you." He said. He stood up and walked over to me and got down on one knee. "I promise to love and cherish you for the rest of my life. And if there is a life after this, I will love and cherish you than as well." He said as he took the box and took my hand. "Would you do the honor of becoming my wife Clary?"

"Oh my god, yes." I cried out. He put the rings on my finger and scooped me up into his arms. I couldn't believe this just happened, but I was so incredibly happy that all I could do was cry and smile. It was weird, being proposed to by Jace felt incredibly right, and amazing, as when Simon proposed it just felt like another regular day. Jace put me down and slammed his lips to mine. When we broke apart I couldn't stop the smile on my face.

"I love you Clary." He said and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I love you too Jace." I said and he kissed me again. I couldn't wait to start planning our wedding, and spending the rest of our lives together.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Not to my surprise at all Clary didn't want a big wedding. She just wanted a few of her friends from college and my family and some of my close friends there. I didn't mind a small wedding, but Izzy wasn't pleased. She was so excited to plan the biggest more elaborate wedding she could possibly do, considering I didn't give Clary a budget. I wanted her to have her dream wedding, and whatever she wanted, I wanted.

When Clary told Izzy she didn't want anything big Izzy didn't speak to us for three days, but finally came around when Clary said she needed her for dress shopping, and Clary allowed her to help get the most beautiful dress there was. It made Izzy insanely happy, and I was glad that her and Clary were getting along. When I watched her walk down the aisle I nearly fainted. She was an angel, and I had no clue how I got so lucky to call her mine. We had been married for 6 months already, and Clary was almost 4 months pregnant. When she told me, I nearly had a heart attack. I still remember that day like it was yesterday.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was at the office late today trying to get everything organized for the meeting I had tomorrow, and I felt awful because Clary told me she wanted me home for dinner, but I just didn't have the time. Of course she understood, considering she's the most understanding person I've ever met, but I still felt horrible. I promised to make it up to her and she was okay with that, but it didn't make letting her down any less hard._

 _I walked into our house to find the kitchen table was still set from dinner, but Clary was nowhere to be found. I walked into the living room and Clary was cuddled under her favorite heated blanket sleeping peacefully. I walked over and leaned down and pressed my lips to her forehead and her eyes fluttered opened._

 _"I'm really sorry I missed dinner tonight." I said and she smiled._

 _"It's okay, I just wanted to talk to you about something." She said in a sleepy voice. I was a little confused, because if she needed to talk to me, she should have told me and I would have been home. Work is important, but if Clary needs me, I'll be there._

 _"Why didn't you tell me? You know if you needed to talk to me I would have been here." I said and she gave me a small smile._

 _"Don't worry about it. You had work, and I get that." She said and I brushed a curl out of her face._

 _"Can you tell me now?" I asked and she giggled a little, and I could tell she was still half asleep, which was weird because it was barely 10 o'clock and Clary is normally a night owl._

 _"I'm pregnant." She said and my heart nearly ripped out of my chest._

 _"You're pregnant?" I said and she simply nodded. "How far along are you?"_

 _"Almost 2 months." She said and I couldn't believe it._

 _"I'm going to be a dad?" I said, mostly for myself but I said it out loud and Clary giggled._

 _"You're going to be a daddy, and I'm going to be a mommy." She said and I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her._

 _"I love you." I said and she smiled at me._

 _"I love you too." She said and my hand rested on her belly. Our child was growing in there, and I couldn't wait for him or her to enter this world. There wasn't anything else in the world that I wanted to do than start a family with Clary._

 ** _Flashback Over_**

Since I found out she was pregnant, I work from home a lot so that I can be here for her. The first trimester was brutal. She could barely keep anything down, and she could barely go to work. She was constantly tired, and in pain, and I wanted to be here as much as I could for her, so I worked a lot from home, which I found surprisingly easier than in the office. Which was a good thing, considering when our baby arrives I'll be doing the same thing. Of course I'll go into the office, but if I didn't need to be there, I would be home with Clary and our baby, no doubt about it. I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard the front door open.

"Jace!" I heard and I smiled because man did I love that girl more than anything.

"In here!" I called from my office and a moment later the door opened and there revealed Clary and the adorable baby bump that I've grown to love so much. "What's up?"

"It's our 10 year high school reunion next week." She said as she walked over to me and took a seat on my lap. My hands immediately went to her baby belly as she opened the letter.

"I totally forgot about that." I said and she laughed.

"I RSVP's no when it originally came out." She said.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"I thought it would be weird to bring Simon along since he didn't go to our high school. I mean, we got this invitation like 3 years ago to make sure everyone could make it. Who knew I'd be married to you." She said and I laughed. "Did you RSVP yes?"

"Yea, but only because Izzy wanted me to go with her." I said and she nodded.

"Do you still want to go?" She asked and I shrugged.

"Can I bring you?" I asked and she read the letter.

"It says if you want to bring a last minute plus 1, we have to fill this out, and send it to this address no later than tomorrow." She said and I took it and filled her name out.

"Done, you are officially my date to our 10 year class reunion." I said and she laughed.

"How sweet of you to bring your wife to her own high school reunion." She said sarcastically and I reached up and gave her a kiss. "I'm going to start dinner, you want anything special?"

"I was actually craving Chinese food." I said. She laughed and got off my lap.

"Than I shall order Chinese food. I'll call you out when it gets here." She said as she started to walk out of the room.

"Love you!" I called out and I heard her laugh.

"Love you too!" I heard and I went back to my work. I couldn't get the smile off my face because if someone told me years ago that this was going to be my life, I would have laughed for being so incredibly ridiculous, but I loved my life, especially my life with Clary, and the life I created with Clary. I couldn't picture a better person to be by my side, and I was glad the universe brought us together.

 **Time Jump – High School Reunion**

 **Jace POV:**

Tonight was the night of our high school reunion and I was pretty excited. Some of those people I haven't seen since high school, and I was curious to see where everyone ended up, because I know nobody will expect where my life went, but I think that made it all the more exciting. I was sitting in the living room waiting for Clary, and she was taking forever.

"If we don't leave soon Clary, we're going to be late." I yelled and I heard the clicking of the heels. I stood up and turned around and there stood Clary looking more beautiful than ever. "You look amazing." I said and she smiled and walked over to me.

"Thanks. I couldn't decide what dress to wear, so I went with the one that showed off my bump." She said as she rubbed her belly.

"Good choice." I said as I gave her a kiss. "Come on, Izzy is probably already there waiting for us." I said and she laughed.

We made it to the school and I hadn't been back here since high school, so it was pretty nostalgic to be back. I parked the car, helped Clary out and we walked in hand in hand. When we got inside I took Clary's coat and she turned towards me.

"Why don't you go find Izzy, and I'll put these where the coats are being held." I said and she nodded. I had to admit, our high school did a pretty impressive job at making it look like we were in a fancy hotel. I walked over to where there as small line and waited to get to the front once I was there, I handed the two coats over and was handed a ticket. I put it in my pocket and went to go find Clary.

I walked into the main area and it was completely filled with kids from our year. Someone of them I knew immediately, and some I've never seen, but I'm not surprised since it took me 7 years to even meet Clary. I started weaving through the crowd looking for Clary when a hand grabbed my wrist and turned me around.

"Jacey, it's been a while." Kaelie said and I rolled my eyes. "Damn you look good."

"Good to see you too Kaelie." I said trying to be polite. She looked exactly like she did in high school, but I guess that's what plastic surgery can do for a person.

"Why don't we sneak away to our hold janitors closet for a walk down memory lane." She said and it made me sick that I even associated with her.

"You see, I'd love too, but I don't think my wife would be too happy with that." I said and her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"You're married?" She said and I smiled and nodded. "Since when?"

"About 6 months ago." I said as I showed her my wedding ring.

"Do I know her?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her obvious fake chest.

"I don't know, but she went to school with us. In fact she's here somewhere." I said looked around when I caught a glimpse of red. I smiled and started walking completely ignoring Kaelie, but I had a feeling she was following me. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her and rested my hands on her baby belly.

"You married the freak?" I heard from behind me and I turned around and saw Kaelie looking absolutely livid behind us. "You didn't even know her in high school."

"Correct. We officially met a couple years ago, and look at us now." I said and if it was possible, she's have smoke coming out her ears.

"I can't believe you went from me, to that." She said and I pulled Clary closer to me.

"I'd love to sit here and talk about your feeling's Kaelie, but I just really don't want to talk to you anymore, and you're really killing my mood." I said and she stormed away. I turned back to Izzy and she couldn't stop the laughter.

"I have to admit Jace, I've been waiting for you to tell that whore off for years!" She said and I laughed.

"Man I was a total idiot for ever involving myself with her in high school." I said and Izzy laughed. I looked down at Clary and smiled. "Pay no attention to Kaelie, she's just as much of an attention seeking whore today, and she was back than."

"Trust me, I know. She was exactly pleasant to be in school." She said and it pissed me off that Kaelie was ever rude to Clary.

"Well, on the bright side, you two are married, and starting a family, and she's still single as a pringle." Izzy said and I laughed. "I need a drink." She said and I took Clary by the hand and led her to the bar.

"I'll have a rum and coke, and she'll have a Shirley temple." The bartender looked at me with confusion and before I could open my mouth Clary spoke.

"Could you give me extra cherries, this baby is craving them." Clary said as she rubbed her belly and the bartender nodded and started making out drinks. "Is it like a crime for an adult to still enjoy Shirley temples? Cause whenever you order one for me, we always get a weird look."

"I think they just aren't used to it. If you're an adult, you get a dirty Shirley, not a Shirley temple." I said and our drinks were put on the bar. "Thanks man." I said and I gave him a tip and we walked away.

For the rest of the night I caught up with a bunch of guys whom I played sports with in high school while Clary and Izzy walked around. Her standing by my side talking about sports wasn't fun for her, so I let Izzy kidnap her from me, and I think she was talking her ear off about baby stuff. Another thing Izzy was over the moon about, buying baby clothes for her niece or nephew. You couldn't rein that girl in if you tried. I was standing around in a circle talking when Sebastian mentioned Clary, not by name of course, but I didn't like it.

"You see that smoking hot redhead with the baby? I didn't know she went to school with us." Sebastian said and I was about to say something when another buddy cut me off.

"That's Clary, she was that art girl who was always asked to paint the murals around the school. Her initials are all over the walls at this place." Jordan said.

"I wonder who she married." Sebastian said. "And maybe I could possibly get her number." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"I don't think her husband would like that very much." I said and they all looked at me.

"Do you know him?" Jordan asked.

"Very well." I said.

"Who is he?" Sebastian asked.

"Me." I said and they all looked stunned.

"You married Clary Fray?" Jordan asked and I nodded. "How the hell did that happen?"

"We bumped into each other a couple years ago. I didn't even recognize her, but we became friends, and 6 months ago I married her." I said and they all looked at my left hand. "Were you checking to see if it was true?"

"You were just never the type to settle down." Jordan said. "It's shocking to know you married someone we went to high school with, and you didn't even know when you actually met her."

"It was strange, and I pulled out my yearbook and looked her up, and sure enough there she was." I said with a laugh.

"How far along is she?" Jordan asked. He was always one of the nicer guys that I hung out with in high school.

"Just about 4 months." I said.

"Do you know what you're having?" He asked and I was happy that he was genuinely interested in my life.

"We will be able to find out at our next appointment, but I don't think we want to know. I think we want to be surprised." I said and he nodded. "Izzy isn't handling that too well though. She's been dying to get started on the nursery and buy baby clothes.

"Isabelle, there's another hottie. Is she single?" Sebastian cuts in and I glare at him.

"I said it in high school, and I'll say it again. Stay away from my sister." I said and he rolled his eyes. I felt a hand on my arm and I turned around and Izzy and Clary were standing there. "Hey."

"Hi." She said and I kissed her forehead. "Jordan, it's good to see you again." Clary said as she gave him a hug.

"I didn't know you two knew each other." I said as Clary stepped back towards me.

"Jordan and I had a lot of classes together. I helped him pass art senior year, and he helped me get that A- in calculus." She said and I nodded.

"Without her, I would have been stuck in high school forever learning how to draw a tree." Jordan said and Clary laughed.

"I think at some point the school would have taken pity on you, and just let you go." Clary said and Jordan laughed.

"Congratulations on the marriage and the baby." Jordan said and Clary smiled.

"Thanks. You married yet?" She asked and Jordan shook his head.

"Nope. Not really looking to settle down just yet." He said and Clary nodded.

"Isabelle…." Sebastian started but she cut him off.

"Dude, are you ever going to give this up?" She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"It's been 10 years, we've both changed." Sebastian said.

"We are never going out on a date." Izzy said and he rolled his eyes and walked away from the group. "God, you think he'd give up."

"One thing about Sebastian, he's very determined." I said and everyone laughed.

The rest of the night went by smoothly, and by the time we got home Clary and I were both exhausted. We got into bed and she curled into my side and before I knew it we were both asleep. When I woke up the next day I really didn't want to do anything. It was one of those days where I just wanted to spend the whole day with Clary doing absolutely nothing. Thankfully I was my own boss, so I had the luxury of giving myself the day off. I got out of bed, not disturbing Clary and went into the kitchen to make Clary something to eat. Since she got pregnant, she hasn't liked breakfast food, so I decided on the next best thing. A few minutes later Clary walked out and took a seat on the stools at the counter. When I turned around I put the plate in front of her and she smiled.

"This better be one killer grilled cheese." She said and I smiled and she took a bite. She smiled while she chewed and I knew it was good. "You've done it again Mr. Herondale."

"Anything for you Mrs. Herondale." I said and she blushed and continued to eat. I made my own grilled cheese and I sat down and we ate together. When we were done eating we took our respective places on the couch and turned the TV on. About an hour into watching TV the power cut out.

"Again?" Clary said and I got up and looked outside. I knew it was calling for snow, but I didn't expect to be caught in another snowstorm.

"Looks like we're going to be here awhile." I said and she smiled. She pulled out the heated blanket and a deck of cards.

"How about a good old fashioned game of Go Fish?" She asked and I laughed and made my way back to the couch.

"You are so on." I said and got under the blanket as she dealt the cards. It seemed like our lives were destined to be controlled by the snowstorms that locked us away in our home, but as long as I had Clary, our heated blanket, and a deck of cards, there isn't anywhere else I'd rather be than snowed in with her.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, Shadowhunter paigeok21 requested a one shot where they were snowed in together, and inspiration struck me and this was the end result! I hope you enjoy this one shot as much as I enjoyed writing it. I was suffering from a case of writers block, but I think writing this story helped me get past that a little, and I hope that my creativity comes back soon because I hate leaving you guys waiting for so long! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! :)**

 **Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter, they belong to the fabulous JK Rowling and I simply used them because I love Harry Potter, and Freeform is currently having and Harry Potter weekend, and I'm so incredibly happy! Anyway, thank you all for being so incredibly patient with me, and allowing me to take some time so I could write a kick ass story! Also I think this is one of my longest one shots ever, and I'm super proud of that! Alright, enough rambling! Enjoy this story, and let me know what you think! :)**


	56. Chapter 55 - Firefighter

**Fifty Fifth One Shot:**

 **Firefighter**

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting at the station like I always do playing some cards seeing if a call would come in. It was in the middle of the night, so I didn't think there would be, but who really knows. Sometimes people get really intense in the middle of the night. I was pulled from my thoughts when someone slammed their hand on the table. I looked up and saw my brother Alec standing there.

"May I help you?" I asked and he laughed.

"You seemed long gone. Everything okay?" Alec asked.

"Yea. I'm fine." I said and he glared at me. "Really, I'm fine."

"Okay." He hesitantly said and he took a seat. "Deal me."

"I'm playing solitaire. It's a single person game." I said and he laughed.

"Well, you aren't anymore. I'm board and you're going to entertain me." Alec said and I laughed. I stopped my solitaire game and started shuffling the cards.

"What would you like to play?" I asked.

"War." He said with a glimmer in his eyes. This had been a constant competition since we were kids. This game brought out our ultra competitive sides. I started dealing but before we got the chance to play the fire alarm started going off. I put the cards down and Alec and I started getting ready. When we were in the fire truck I looked over at him and smirked.

"I won't forget about that game of War." I said and he laughed.

"Don't worry, I'll kick you ass once we're finished with this call." He said and I laughed.

When we reached our destination, the house was completely set ablaze. Everyone immediately sprung into action. The hoses were being taken out and other responders were getting ready, and I looked over and Alec before we both ran into the house. We secured the first floor and Alec and I made our way to the upstairs. The house seemed to be empty. Alec came out of a room holding a cat, and I couldn't help but laugh. We made our way outside and back to the truck to let our captain know what we found. I was about to start talking when I heard a woman crying.

"Please, my baby is in there." I turned around and this woman was hysterically crying and being held back by police officers. I looked back at Alec and decided to go over to her.

"Ma'am, we checked the house, there was nobody in there." I said and she looked at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Her bedroom is up in the attic." She said and I looked at Alec. We hadn't checked the attic.

"Where is the attic located?" I asked.

"The latter is right next to the bathroom on the second floor." She said and I started walking before Alec stopped.

"Jace, don't do this. The house was already starting to fall when we were in there. This is suicide mission." Alec said.

"I took an oath to protect others Alec. I'm not going to let a little girl die." I said and he sighed.

"Than I'm going in with you." He said and I nodded. We started making our way back into the house while the others were trying to get a handle on the fire. We went back up the stairs when I heard a bang. Alec had fallen through the floor I went back to help but he stopped me. "Go get the girl. I'll get out." He said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes. Go get her." He said and I reluctantly left him. I found the string and pulled the stairs down. I walked up them cautiously. When I got into the room I spotted a form on the ground. I walked over and took a pulse. It was there, but it was faint. I picked her up and made my way back down the stairs. Alec was no longer on the stairs so I'm assuming he made it out. I walked out and immediately went to the ambulance. The mother was right on my tail. I laid her down and the EMT's started working on her.

"Ma'am, tell us everything about your daughter." The one EMT said as I took off my helmet.

"Her name is Clarissa Fray, she's 25 years old. She's diabetic." She said and I was a little shocked. When she said her baby, I assumed the girl was young, and when I saw her lying there, she looked exceptionally tiny. The loaded her into the ambulance and I started to look around for Alec. When I saw them loading him in to another ambulance I rushed over there.

"What happened to him?" I asked.

"A piece of the ceiling fell on his head, and knocked him out cold." The EMT said and I nodded. I wanted to get in the back of that ambulance more than anything, but the captain wouldn't be pleased if I left during this fire.

I made my way back over to the truck and started making myself useful. I grabbed a hose and started helping contain the fire. I tried my hardest not to think about Alec, and get this fire stopped, but I couldn't help but worry about my brother.

It took hours to control the fire, but when it finally was out, the house was burned to a crisp. There was nothing left. We did a final run through, and when I kicked some debris up I heard something tip over. I bent down and there was a box. I grabbed it and dusted it off. It was locked, and you needed a key to get in, and I figured I'd give it back to the family. I searched for a little to see if there was a key, but I couldn't find anything so I decided to let it go. I walked out of the house and the captain came over to me.

"Get out of here Herondale. You worked all night. Let the fresh firefighters come in and finish the job." He said and I nodded. "Oh, and update me on Lightwood."

"Will do Captain." I said and I got into one of the fire trucks and headed back to the station. I put all my gear away and made my way to the car. Izzy had texted me telling me that Alec was at Alicante hospital. I made my way over there before heading home. I didn't care how tired I was, I needed to check on Alec before I went home. When I got there Izzy was pacing in the waiting room. When she saw me she flung her arms around my neck. I gladly returned the hug and when we broke apart she smacked my arm.

"I never want to get a call that one of you is injured every again. You scared the shit out of me." Izzy said and I sighed.

"I'm sorry Iz." I said and she smiled. "Is Magnus here?"

"He won't leave Alec's side. We were together when the call came. I've never seen Magnus cry before, but he shed a few tears." She said and I nodded. "Come on, he'll be glad to see you." She said. We made it to his room and he was awake and speaking. Magnus was clutching tightly to his hand. I walked in and Alec smiled.

"Good to see you awake." I said and he smiled.

"You get that girl out?" He asked and I nodded. "Good. So the suicide mission wasn't pointless."

"Not pointless at all." I said and he laughed. I stayed for about an hour before I knew I needed sleep. "I need to head home and get some sleep. Glad you're alright buddy." I said and he smiled.

"I haven't forgotten about that game of War you owe me." He said and I laughed. I walked out and bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry." I said and she looked up at me.

"You're the firefighter that saved my daughter." She said and I did notice that she looked familiar.

"How is she?" I asked and she looked in windows and she was lying there with a tube in her throat.

"They put her in a coma so that her lungs could heal properly." She said and I nodded. "I want to thank you for going in there and getting her. I don't know what I'd do without her. She's all I have left." The woman said.

"I'm glad I could save her for you." I said and she smiled.

"I'm Jocelyn by the way." She said.

"Jace." I said and she nodded. I quickly remembered the box in my pocket and pulled it out. "I found this while going through the remains of your house. I tried to look for a key, but I couldn't find one." I said and Jocelyn got the biggest smile on her face.

"Oh my god, Clary will be so happy this survived." She said as she took it from my hands. "She wears the key around her neck, so we have that. Thank you so much for getting this back to us."

"No problem. It's my job." I said and she smiled. She walked back into the room where her daughter was in, and I made my way back out to my car. These were the reasons why I did what I did. I made a profound impact on that family's life, and that's what I always wanted to do in life, and I couldn't ask for more.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up a little over a week ago, and I was in pain. My mom explained everything to me and what happened. Apparently she fell asleep on the couch and a candle was still lite, and something caught fire. Makes me never want to use candles, but I was glad we were both safe. I was still sitting in the hospital room, I was supposed to get discharged today, and I couldn't wait to get out of here. I looked around the room and notice my little box sitting on a table in the far corner. I shook my mom awake and she rubbed her eyes and looked at me.

"Are you okay?" She asked and I nodded.

"My box. How did you get it back?" I asked. She smiled and went over and grabbed it.

"The firefighter who saved you, he found it once the fire was done, and returned it." She said as she handed it to me.

"Wow. That was kind of him." I said and she nodded. "Maybe I can find him once I get out of here to thank him."

"All I know is his name is Jace." She said and I nodded. I would find him and thank him for saving me, and my box.

"Where are we going to live mom?" I asked and she sighed.

"My friend Luke, you kinda remember him?" She asked and I nodded. "He owns a bookstore, and there is a place above it where he lives, and he offered it to us until we find another place to live." She said and I nodded. We lost our home, and that completely sucked.

When I was finally discharged from the hospital we made our way over to Luke's. when we got there, the little apartment was in fact, little. Mom and I were going to have to sleep in the living room, but hey it was a place to stay for a little, and that was good enough for me. I placed my stuff in the living room and looked around. Luke was still in the bookstore working, and my mom was starting to cook dinner.

"Mom, I'm going to go find the firefighter who saved me." I said and she smiled.

"Let me know if you'll be back for dinner." She said and I nodded. I grabbed my keys and went downstairs and got into my car. I figured I'd start with the fire station that's in my town, and go from there.

When I got to the fire station I was immediately nervous. I don't know why, but I just had knots in my stomach. But despite how nervous I was, I had to speak to the man who saved my life, I owed him that much. I walked into the station and there were a bunch of men cleaning off a truck and some were sitting at a table playing cards. I cleared my throat and everyone's head turned towards me.

"What can we do for you?" One of them asked.

"I'm looking for a firefighter who's name is Jace." I said.

"Hold up." He said and I nodded. "Jace! You have a visitor!" The man yelled.

"Hold on!" I heard from the back. I heard footsteps and than he started talking. "If it's you Izzy, I'm not in the mood to deal with your shit today." He said as he walked out and when his eyes landed on me he stopped talking. "Oh, you aren't Izzy."

"That I am not." I said and he laughed, and the other man hit him on the shoulder.

"I know my sister can be a pain, but she's just worried." The guy said and Jace laughed.

"She doesn't need to stop by 6 times a day to check on us." He said and the other boy laughed.

"True, I'll try and get her to lighten up." The guy said and Jace nodded. Jace walked over to me with a dazzling smile.

"How can I help you?" He asked.

"I'm Clary, and you were the one who saved me from the fire." I said and he nodded. "I just wanted to find you and thank you, and to thank you for getting my box."

"It's no problem. I was just doing my job." He said and I smiled.

"I know, but my mom doesn't deserve to lose anyone else in her life, and you stopped that from happening, when you went in there to save me, and I appreciate that." I said.

"I'm glad you're okay." He said and my pump started beeping. I looked down and realized that my blood sugar was low. "Are you okay?" He asked after a moment.

"Oh, yea. I just haven't eaten yet today, and my blood sugar is low." I said and he looked confused. "I'm diabetic."

"Right. I remember hearing your mom tell the EMT's that." He said and I laughed.

"Well, I thought this was going to take longer, but I just wanted to come and thank you for saving me, and returning my box. I should probably head home and eat something before I end up back in the hospital." I said and he smiled. I started walking away when I heard him speak.

"I'm done my shift, and there is an amazing diner right around the corner." He said and I turned around.

"I like diners." I said and he smiled. He walked over to me and we both made our way to the diner. When we got in there we didn't even wait to be seated, he just walked over to a booth and took a seat. "You come here a lot?"

"Yea. Everyone at the station does. It's close, and they have some of the best food in town." He said and I nodded.

"Welcome to Taki's, and welcome back Jace. You want the usual?" The waitress asked.

"Yes please Kaelie." He said and she wrote it down.

"What about you?" She asked, but she didn't sound very welcoming.

"Uh, what do you recommend?" I asked as I looked at Jace.

"How do you feel about breakfast foods?" He asked and I laughed.

"My favorite meal of the day." I said and he smiled.

"She'll have coconut pancakes as well." Jace said and she wrote it down. "And a pot of coffee please." She took our menus and walked away. "Can you have pancakes?" He asked after a minute.

"Yes. I just won't eat too much. I don't want my levels to get out of control." I said and he nodded.

"How long have you been diabetic?" He asked.

"12 years." I said and his eyes widened. "I passed out in class when I was 13, and when I was taken to the hospital I had all these tests done, and found out." I said and he nodded.

"So what does that pump do?" He asked as he gestured to it.

"It regulates my insulin levels in between meals and over night. It gives me insulin 24 hours a day, and I program different amounts before bed, or in between meals so that my levels stay at a normal level." I said and he nodded.

"That seems complicated." He said and I laughed.

"For 13 year old me, it was pretty complicated, but I'm a pro now." I said and he laughed. "So, why did you become a firefighter?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"I wanted to make a difference in people's lives, and I wasn't cut out for medical school." He said and I laughed. "I've always wanted to help people, and I admired firefighters when I was little, and it was just something I could always see myself doing."

"That's pretty cool." I said and he shrugged. "A lot of people wouldn't put their lives on the line for others."

"I don't even think about that half the time. When I see a burning building, I'm the last person I think about." He says.

"That's pretty selfless." I said.

"Its about time I became a little selfless." He said and I laughed. "What about you?"

"I'm a wedding planner." I said and he nodded. "I know, not as heroic, but I enjoy it."

"What made you want to do that?" He asked, and the waitress put the coffee down on the table.

"My mom said that I was always planning tea parties, and balls when I was little with my dolls, and stuff animals. When I got to high school, I just planned everything. Homecoming, our winter ball, proms, pep rallies, pretty much anything that needed to plan, I planned it." I said and he laughed. "During the summers I would plan birthday parties for anyone who needed it, and when I was 18 I planned my first wedding. I had no formal training, but the woman who asked me, I had planned her child's birthday party, and she loved it and gave me a shot, and that's how I started."

"That's impressive, an entrepreneur." He said and I nodded. "Isn't that stressful though?"

"You would think because it's the most important day of their lives, but I find joy in being pressed for time, and when something I happens I love coming up with a Plan B or reworking it to improvise. It's different every single time, and I love that about it." I said and he laughed.

"Ever have a wedding go completely wrong?" He asked and I sighed.

"My own." I laughed and his smile faded.

"What happened?" He asked as soon as our food was brought out.

"I was about 3 months into planning in when he decided that he didn't want to get married anymore." I said.

"What a bitch." He said and I laughed.

"He told me he only proposed because he thought it was the next step, and that he didn't really want to." I said. "I think that was the only one that completely fell through. I've had brides breakdown, and grooms be late, and in laws enter a full out brawl, but the couple has always gotten married."

"How long ago did your proposal fall through? If you don't mind me asking." He said.

"I guess it'll be a month soon. Which is why at 25 I was living with my mom. I packed all my stuff and moved back in with her until I got back on my feet." I said and he nodded.

"I'm really sorry about that." He said and I shrugged.

"Clearly we were at two different places in our lives, and if he didn't want it, than I didn't want it with him." I sad.

"How long were you two together?" He asked.

"3 years." I said and he nodded. "What about you? Any special girl in your life?" I asked and he laughed.

"No. None of my relationships seem to work out. They either get annoyed because my hours at the station are unpredictable, or they don't like that my job is risky, or I don't make enough money for them. It's always something."

"You just haven't found the right one I guess." I said and he shrugged.

"I'm starting to believe she doesn't exist." He said and I reached over and placed my hand on his, and I could have sworn there was an actual electric spark.

"She's out there. Just keep looking." I said and he smiled.

We sat there for what felt like forever just laughing and talking. It felt like I had known him forever, and we were just two old friends catching up, you would never have guessed we just met. I didn't realize how late it was until my phone started ringing. When I took it out, it was my mother and I sighed.

"Hi mom." I said.

"Hi mom? That's all you have to say after being gone for 4 hours Clarissa?" She said.

"I'm sorry I forgot to text you." I said.

"If you're going to be gone for that long, I need to know Clarissa. Do you hear me?" She said and I sighed.

"I hear you. And I'm sorry. I got distracted." I said.

"With what?" She asked.

"That firefighter that saved me, well I met him, and I offered to buy him dinner as a thanks. We lost track of time talking." I said and she sighed.

"Don't do that again Clary." She said.

"I won't I promise." I said.

"See you when you get home." She said and I sighed. Before I could answer she hung up.

"Yea, home." I said to my phone as I took it away from my ear.

"Do you have to go?" He asked.

"I probably should. She's not happy with me, and I have to settle into my new home." I said as we stood up. I went into my bag and pulled out some money when Jace stopped me.

"My treat." He said.

"I think I am the one who owes you the dinner." I said and he laughed.

"Than I guess you'll just have to pick up the next one." He said with a smirk and I couldn't stop the blush that crept into my cheeks. "My hours this next week are pretty crazy, but maybe I can call you soon and we can do this again." He said. I pulled a pen out of my bag and wrote my number on his hand.

"Sounds like a plan." I said and he smiled. We walked back to the station and he walked me to where my car was parked.

"I had fun today Clary." He said and I smiled.

"So did I. Can't wait to do it again." I said and he opened my car door.

"I'll see you around Clary." He said and I got into my car.

"Bye Jace." I said as he shut my door. I started my car and pulled out of the fire station. Once I drove away I took a deep breath. He asked me out on another date. How the hell did that happen? My engagement was just broken off a month ago, and I didn't even feel sorry about wanting to go on a date with Jace. I guess that just goes to show I was never meant to marry that loser.

 **Jace POV:**

I stood there as I watched Clary pull out of the fire station. I had such a great time today, and I couldn't wait to do it again. And when she touched my hand I swear I could have lite an entire city with how much electricity I felt. I made my way into the station to grab the rest of my things when a buddy of mine came up behind me.

"How was your date?" He asked and I laughed.

"It was good." I said.

"She's a hot piece of ass. If it doesn't work out, send her my way." He said and I turned around and pushed him away from me.

"I don't care what happens between us, you keep that attitude up, I'll tell her to avoid you like the plague. Have some respect man." I said and he held his hands up in a serenading motion.

"Chill dude, I was just pointing out the fact that she's hot." He said.

"I know she's hot, you don't need to tell me that, and I don't care if you think that, just don't be a pig about it." I said and he rolled his eyes and walked away. I shook my head and turned around and continued to grab my things when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and there stood Alec.

"You good?" He asked.

"Yea, just Sebastian being a dick like normal." I said and he nodded.

"Izzy invited us over tonight. She said she wanted to hang out with us." Alec said and I nodded.

"Cool. I'll meet you over there." I said and Alec nodded. I grabbed my bag and headed towards my car. When I got to Izzy's, I walked in and she jumped on me. I hugged her back but when I put her down she wouldn't let go. "Iz, you're going to have to let me go."

"Sorry, I'm just happy to see you." She said as she led me into her living room.

"You check up at the station 6 times a day Iz, aren't you getting sick of seeing my face?" I said and she laughed.

"No, are you getting sick of seeing mine?" She asked and I laughed.

"A little." I said and she punched my arm. A few moments later Alec and Magnus walked in and we were all seated. "So, what are we doing here?" I asked.

"After that fire, I realized we don't hang out as often as we used to when we were younger. I miss you guys." Izzy said and I smiled.

"Okay." Alec said. "What's the real reason?" He asked and I laughed. Alec has always been able to read Izzy better than anyone.

"Okay." She said and she held up her left hand. "We're getting married!" She yelled and my eyes widened.

"When did he ask?" Alec said through gritted teeth.

"Last night. I was shocked. I cried for 20 minutes." She said. "I wanted you to be the first people to know."

"He better take care of you Iz." Alec said and Izzy rolled her eyes.

"Simon is nothing like Meliorn." Izzy said and I looked over at Simon.

"We're your brothers Iz, you can't expect us to be anything else but over protective when it comes to you." I said and she smiled.

"I know, and I appreciate that, and I appreciate everything you've done for me with douchebag guys who hurt me, but Simon's different and I want to marry him." She said as she took Simon's hand in hers.

"I promise guys, I would never hurt Izzy. I love her too much." He finally said and I sighed.

"Well, as long as you're happy, I'm happy." I said and she smiled and ran over and hugged me.

"Thank you guys." She said as she went over and gave Alec a hug.

"We need to start planning immediately." Magnus said to Izzy and she cheered.

"I need to find a bomb ass wedding planner, that's what I need to do first." Izzy said and a light bulb went off in my head.

"I have someone in mind that would do it." I said and everyone looked at me with confusion.

"How the hell do you know a wedding planner?" Izzy said.

"I just met her today." I said and they were still confused, but Alec seemed to get it.

"The girl you saved from the fire?" Alec asked and I nodded.

"We got dinner, and we talked. She's been a wedding planner since she was 18." I said.

"That gives me no clue on how good she is." Izzy said.

"Look her up on yelp." I said and Izzy pulled out her phone and started typing.

"What's her name?" Izzy asked.

"Clary Fray." I said and she started typing again. After a couple minutes she started talking.

"Okay, here are some reviews." Izzy said. "Okay, review one. _'Best wedding planner I've ever worked with. This was my third wedding and she was fabulous.'_ Sounds promising, but one good review won't do." Izzy said as she continued scrolling. "Okay, review two. _'That girl certainly has a talent and a knack for making even the smallest details look magnificent. I had the tightest budget for my wedding, and she managed to make all my dreams come true and stay within my budget. Anyone who wants an excellent wedding planner, who truly cares about you, Clary is your girl.'_ Wow, that woman really loved her." Izzy said and I laughed. "Okay, review three. _'Clary Fray is a miracle worker. She managed to get my in-laws, and my parents to get along, and she blew me away when she improvised and sang my husband and I's wedding song when the sound system cut out. What a doll she is. You want someone who cares, Clary is your girl!'_ Okay, that's impressive." Izzy said. "One more. _'Clary Fray is nothing short of extraordinary when it comes to the craft of wedding planning. At just 22 she is one of the most amazing wedding planners I've ever had. She truly has a solution to any problem, and makes you feel like royalty on your big day. I would recommend her to anyone looking to make their special day nothing short of magical.'_ Oh my god, that review was written by Cher. Oh shit."

"I guess she's good." Alec said and Izzy laughed.

"This girl is gold. You have to introduce me Jace." Izzy said and I laughed.

"I'll give her your number, and you two can meet." I said and she hugged me again.

"Thank you so much." She said and I just laughed. When she pulled away from me she gave me this knowing look. "So, you went out to dinner with her?"

"Yea. She came by the station to thank me for saving her, and she's diabetic, and she had low blood sugar, and needed to eat. So I took her to Taki's." I said and they nodded.

"Are you going to see her again?" Alec asked.

"That's the plan." I said and Izzy squealed.

"This is so exciting, plus you'll be spending loads of time with her because I will literally do anything to get her to plan my wedding." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Anything?" I said and she nodded. "So you'd run up and down the street naked with nothing but antlers on?" I said and she burst out laughing.

"First off, that was your fault for getting so completely drunk I could convince you to do anything." She said and I glared at her. "And second, it was hilarious."

"To you. I was scarred, and so was that poor little old lady who I ran into." I said and she laughed even harder.

"Not my fault my friend." Izzy said and I just took a seat.

I stayed at Izzy's until almost 11 just talking and catching up. I didn't have a shift until late tomorrow so I had the opportunity to sleep in. when I finally did get home I was exhausted. I collapsed on my bed and was finally able to relax. I decided to text Clary and tell her about Izzy. I took out my phone and put her number in and started typing.

 ** _To Clary:_**

 _Okay, so I'm not trying to be creepy, but my sister just got engaged, and I may have mentioned that you're a wedding planner. She looked you up on yelp, and loved what people had to say about you. You don't have to do anything, but I promised I'd give you her number so you could meet. Her number is, 555-3452. Like I said, you don't have to do it, but I figured why not. I had a lot of fun today, and I can't wait to do it again. ~Jace_

I put my phone down and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. When I got out I clicked my phone and Clary had messaged me back.

 ** _From Clary:_**

 _That's no problem! I love meeting with future brides, and I need to start getting back into wedding planning after the fire! I'll text her tomorrow, and set up a time. I had a lot of fun today too, and I can't wait to do it again and pick up the check ;) Have a good night Jace. ~Clary_

I couldn't help but smile. I plugged my phone in and laid in bed. I couldn't get Clary out of my head. There was something about her that just really did something to me, and I couldn't wait until I got to know her more.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was meeting with Izzy today to talk about her wedding. She sounded incredibly enthusiastic over the phone, and I couldn't wait to start planning her big day with her. I walked in to the coffee shop and saw a girl sitting with a dozen bridal magazines, and I smiled and walked over. I cleared my throat and she looked up.

"Are you Izzy?" I asked and she smiled.

"Yes! And you must be Clary!" She said and she hugged me. "I can see why my brother likes you, you're gorgeous." She said and I blushed.

"Me? Look at you." I said and she smiled. We took a seat and she had a huge list of dozens of things.

"Okay, I highlighted everything in these bridal magazines to give you an idea of what I want." She said and I shook my head. I grabbed her pen, and closed the magazines.

"First, I just want to talk and get to know about you and your fiancé. Planning can happen later." I said and she nodded. "How long have you two been together?" I asked.

"Almost 4 years." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"How did you meet?" I asked.

"It's actually a funny story. We met in college. We are totally different. He is a total geek, but I love him for it. I was late for a meeting with the fashion club and I was running in 5 inch heels across campus. When I finally got to the room, it was filled with guys. I had no idea what happened. Simon was the first to speak and ask who I was looking for. I told him and he said they moved down the hall, and that I had just walked in on the robotics club meeting." She said as she laughed. "I was super embarrassed, but he was really sweet about it. He saw how out of breath I was, and he got me a chair and handed me a water bottle and just told me to collect myself before going to the meeting. He said that I was already late, so a couple more minutes wouldn't hurt. It's pretty much history from there."

"That's a lovely story. Something that will make a great story for your kids one day." I said and she smiled.

"I hope so." She said.

"Do you have a budget?" I asked.

"Nope. My parents are paying the whole thing, and they gave me no budget." She said and my jaw dropped. "My family comes from old money."

"Okay. I've never had a bride without a budget." I said and she laughed.

"I read a review that you did Cher's wedding." She said and I laughed.

"I did do Cher's wedding. But even Cher had a budget. It was a big one, but it was a budget nonetheless."

"How the hell did you land that job?" She asked.

"My father and her husband served together. One night they were talking and her husband mentioned that she needed a wedding planner, and my dad suggested me. She took a gamble on hiring a 22 year old wedding planner, but I did my best, and she was very pleased." I said and she nodded.

"That's so cool." She said and I shrugged.

"She was my only high profile client." I said and she nodded. "Okay, before we even plan anything, a location is needed."

"We're getting married in my parents backyard. It's like 10 acres, so it'll be enough room."

"Holy shit." I said and she laughed. "Excuse my language, but this might be the largest wedding I've ever done. What's your guest list?"

"So far we have about 300 people." She said and I took a deep breath.

"Okay. Is that going to get bigger?" I asked.

"I don't know. I definitely don't want over 500 people at my wedding, but it might inflate." This was without a doubt the biggest wedding I've ever been apart of.

"Okay, when are you getting married?" I asked.

"June 15 of next year." She said.

"Okay, so we have almost a year to plan this. Good." I said and she smiled.

"Is it impossible? Am I aiming too high?" She asked and I laughed.

"Not at all. This is your day. Whatever you want, I will make sure happens." I said and she smiled at me. "We are going to have to meet a lot though."

"That is not a problem. I am doing nothing with my life until this wedding is over." She said and I laughed.

We sat there and talked for another hour before she had to leave. We had set up another meeting time for Saturday at her parents house. She wanted me to get a feel for the land, and I was happy about that. The good part about backyard weddings is that we always have access to the venue. When I got home I sat on the couch and took a deep breath. A moment later my phone started to ring. I grabbed it and saw Jace's name on the screen.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey." He said and I smiled.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Well, Alec just got a call from Izzy who is incredibly excited to start planning this wedding with you." He said and I laughed.

"She wants a monster of a wedding, but I'm going to do whatever I can for her to get her dream wedding." I said and he laughed.

"Thank you for doing this for her." He said and I smiled.

"Of course. It's my job." I said.

"So, I have off this weekend. I was wondering if you'd like to out to dinner with me." He said and I smiled.

"I'd love too." I said.

"When are you free?" He asked.

"The only thing I'm doing this weekend is going to Izzy's parents house and looking at the backyard. That's on Saturday, so any night is really fine." I said.

"You're going to Maryse and Robert's?" He asked.

"I'm assuming their your parents, yes." I said.

"Okay, a little heads up, they are really old school. They are very stuck up. I love them to death, they gave me a home when I had nowhere else to go, and I'll always be grateful for that, but they see the world differently than others." He said. "Just don't be surprised if they aren't really warm and inviting. You might not even see Robert with how much he works, but Maryse will be there with her nose in your personal space making sure you do everything right."

"That's not intimidating at all." I said and he laughed.

"I just want you to be prepared." He said and I smiled.

"Thanks for the heads up. So dinner Saturday?" I asked.

"Saturday sounds perfect. I'll pick you up at 7." He said.

"Sounds good. I'm going to go take a nap. I'll talk to you later Jace." I said.

"Bye Clary." He said and I hung up. The worst part of wedding planning is definitely the parents, but I've dealt with difficult parents before, and it was nothing I couldn't handle.

 **Time Jump – Saturday**

 **Clary POV:**

I pulled up to Izzy's parents house, or should I say mansion. I was completely overwhelmed by how big it was. I walked up to the door and rang the bell. A moment later it opened.

"Who are you?" The man asked.

"My name is Clary Fray, I'm here to see Isabelle Lightwood." I said. Izzy had informed me that her parents didn't call her Izzy, and I would get a lot farther calling her Isabelle.

"Come in." He said and I walked in. "May I take your coat?" He asked and I immediately took it off and handed it to him. "Wait here." He said and I stood still. A moment later an older version is Izzy walked in.

"You must be the wedding planner." She said and I nodded. "Come with me." She said and I started following her. She walked back and into the backyard and I nearly dropped my folder of things. Their backyard had a beautiful patio that looked over a very elegant pool that looked like it went on for miles. There were beautiful cherry blossom trees lining the property, and there was a beautiful gazebo sitting in the middle of the property that was just awe inspiring. "Isabelle will be down shorty." Mrs. Lightwood said and left.

"Holy shit." I murmured to myself.

"Clary! I'm glad you made it!" Izzy said as she walked over to me.

"Hi." I said and she laughed.

"Sorry I left you with my mother, I was on the phone with Simon." She said and I smiled.

"Not a problem. Shall we begin?" I said and she started leading the way.

I spent about two hours going over the whole design of the ceremony and the reception. Izzy knew what she wanted, and I couldn't blame her, she had a wicked sense of fashion and design. I don't know why she needed me, but I wasn't complaining. I already knew being apart of this wedding was going to be magical. By the time I left my brain felt like mush. I got back to Luke's and collapsed on the couch and I immediately fell asleep.

 **Jace POV:**

I got to Clary's and walked into the bookstore that was below it. I knew where she lived but I never been inside. I grabbed the bag in the passenger seat and made my way inside. There was a man standing behind the counter, and I walked over and smiled at him.

"How can I help you?" He said.

"My name is Jace, I'm here for Clary." I said and he looked at me.

"In the back of the store there is a staircase, go on up." He said and I smiled.

"Thanks." I said and he nodded. I walked back and up the stairs and knocked. I waited for a minute but nobody came. I knocked again, and still no answer. Now, I don't make a habit out of checking to see if doors are locked, but I figured it couldn't hurt. The door was in fact unlocked and when I opened it Clary was lying on the couch sleeping. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. I walked over and kneeled next to her and I stroked her cheek. Her eyes began to flutter, and when they opened she looked confused.

"Jace?" She questioned and I laughed.

"It's 6:45." I said and her eyes widened.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry." She said and I laughed.

"No problem. Our reservation isn't until 7." I said and she smiled.

"How fancy are we talking, because as you know, all of my clothes burned in the fire." She said and I held up the bag.

"Izzy helped me pick it out." I said and she smiled.

"I'll be like 5 minutes." She said and I laughed.

"Take your time." I said and she rushed into the back room. I took a seat on the couch and waited for her to come out. Sure enough 5 minutes later she walked back out and she looked so incredibly gorgeous. "You look amazing."

"Thanks." She blushed and I motioned for her to exit the house. We walked downstairs and the man was still behind the counted. "Don't wait up Luke!" She called and he laughed. We got into my car and I started driving to the restaurant. We got their at exactly 7, and walked right up to the hostess.

"Reservations for Herondale at 7." I said and she looked up and her eyes widened. She immediately looked down and started typing.

"Herondale for 2. Right this way." She said and Clary and I followed. We were seated at a table that wasn't necessarily close to anything, which was nice. It was private, and I liked that. She handed us our menus and left.

"So, how was Izzy's?" I asked.

"Overwhelming." She said and I laughed.

"Yea. It's intimidating that's for sure." I said and she smiled.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked and I nodded. "On the phone you said they took you in when you had nowhere else to go. What did you mean?" She asked and I sighed.

"My parents were killed when I was 10. They knew the Lightwoods from college, and they offered to take me in and raise me." I said and she nodded.

"That was very kind of them." She said and I nodded.

"I don't know where I'd be without them, but I know how intimidating that house can be. Imagine 10 year old me walking up to that after both his parents were killed." I said and she just shook her head.

"How did you adjust?" She asked.

"Alec actually really helped me. He was shy as a child, but he always knew exactly what to say or do to help me through whatever I was dealing with." I said and she smiled.

"It's nice to have someone like that." She said and I nodded.

"How was Maryse?" I asked after a moment.

"Surprisingly not around. She showed me to the backyard, and than left, and didn't come back." She said.

"Weird. I think she's still adjusting to Izzy not choosing the 15 wedding planners that she had hand picked out for her." I said and Clary's face paled.

"Oh god. She probably hates me." Clary said and I reached across the table and grabbed her hand.

"She might be a little bitter, but she doesn't hate you. Izzy hated every single wedding planner Maryse brought over. She was bringing them over way before Izzy even got engaged. Maryse has been trying to plan this day for years, and Izzy was having no part of it." I said and she calmed down a little. "Maryse is used to getting her way, and when Izzy denied her, it didn't sit well with her. Trust me, Maryse will be just fine."

"I can't screw this up than." She said and I laughed.

"You won't." I said and she smiled. "So, you know about my life, what about you? You told me your mom didn't deserve to lose anyone else." I said and she nodded. "What did you mean by that?" I asked.

"My brother died when I was 12." She started. "Him and my dad had this tradition, every summer, they would go to a cabin in the woods and hunt, and fish, and just do guy things." She laughed. "This particular summer was just like the rest, and they went up to the woods. My father said that Jonathan went outside to collect more fire wood so they could cook." She said and she took a deep breath. "He never came back."

"Do they know what happened to him?" I asked as I took her hand in mine.

"They found his body in the woods a month later. He was beat up, and starved. After about 6 months the case went cold." She said and it broke my heart. "It devastated my family. He was 4 years older than me, and we were never the same."

"I can imagine. That's not something you can really come back from." I said and she nodded. "How are they doing now?"

"Well, my mom still grieves on his birthday, and my father was actually killed in action 2 years ago." She said and my jaw dropped.

"He was in the military?" I asked and she nodded.

"He was a pilot in the Air Force. He was so incredibly proud of that, and I was proud of him too." She smiled.

"What happened to him?" I asked as she linked our fingers together.

"He was shot down." She said.

"I am so sorry Clary." I said and she looked up at me.

"My mom is all I have left, and I'm all she has. That's why she was so thankful you saved me, and that's why I wanted to come personally thank you myself. We've lost so much." She said.

"I'm glad I saved you too." I said and she blushed. "Can I ask you something?" I asked and she nodded. "What was in that box?" I asked and she smiled.

"The last letters my father sent us. Family pictures, before Jonathan was gone. They are my most treasured memories, and I wanted them safe. I still can't believe they survived the fire."

"I'm glad you didn't lose them." I said and she smiled.

We sat there and ate, and laughed all night. After the heavy stuff was over we got into lighter conversation. Talking to her was surprisingly easy, and I really enjoyed being around her. When it was time to leave I didn't want too. I drove her home and walked her to the front of the bookstore. We both lingered for a moment.

"I had a great time tonight Clary." I said and she smiled.

"So did I." She said. I grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers, and when I say this kiss felt like I was flying, I really mean it. There was everything in this kiss. There was sparks, and passion, and urgency, but it was also gentle, and sweet, and slow, and everything I've never felt in a kiss before. When we finally broke apart our eyes locked and I couldn't help the smile when I saw how red her cheeks were. "That was…."

"Amazing." I finished and she laughed. "I know we literally just met, but you are literally all I think about, and there is this need that if I don't make you mine I might lose my mind." I said and she gasped. "If it's too soon, and you want to go out on a few more dates, we can do that, but I just need to know that you want to see where this goes too." I said and it took her a minute but she finally spoke.

"I don't know if I should be happy, or terrified with how strong my feelings are for you, but I'm willing to see where this goes too." She said and I smiled before pulling her into me.

"So Clary, would you like to be my girlfriend?" I asked and she let out a little giggle.

"I'd love to." She said and I scooped her up into my arms. After a set her back down, I gave her a sweet kiss.

"I have to go, but I'll call you tomorrow?" I said and she nodded. I made my way back to my car while Clary went inside. When I got in I took a deep breath. We were together, and I couldn't be happier.

 **Time Jump – One Week Before Wedding**

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting at the station playing my solitaire. It had been pretty slow the last couple weeks, which was nice. The doors of the firehouse were opened to let the fresh air in. I heard a clicking of heels and it threw me off, but when I looked up Clary was running into the station.

"Clary, what are you doing here?" I said as she continued running.

"Alec. I need Alec." She said breathlessly while running past me. By now everyone in the station was watching.

"Before you go and see my brother, does your boyfriend get a greeting?" I said sarcastically and she stopped running. She came back to me and gave me a kiss. "Thank you."

"I need Alec." She said. "I went to his house but Magnus said he was here."

"Upstairs." I said and she smiled and ran away. I took my seat back at the table and continued my game until I heard Alec scream.

"ARE YOU SHITTING ME?" I heard and I immediately got up but Alec was already running down the stairs with Clary behind him.

"Alec, you can't just leave." Clary said and he turned back around.

"I have to go comfort my sister." He said.

"What happened?" I asked. Clary leaned up and whispered in my ear.

"Izzy caught Robert cheating, and now she refusing to have him walk her down the aisle." Clary whispered and my jaw nearly dropped.

"I can't believe him." Alec said.

"Alec, you can't leave right now. The Captain will have your head." I said.

"Plus, Izzy is with Simon anyway. You can see her after you're done." Clary said.

"Is he still going?" Alec asked.

"I believe so. Izzy didn't tell me anything about that, but half the guest list is your parents friends, and it would be weird for Robert not to be there." Clary said.

"But they'll notice when he's not walking her down the aisle." Alec said.

"She wants you to do it." Clary said and Alec's head snapped towards her.

"Me?" He asked and Clary nodded.

"She says she's always been closer to you." Clary said.

"It's true Alec. Robert was never home, and you've always watched out for Iz." I said and he sighed.

"Who is going to take my place in the party? We can't just have an open spot." Alec said.

"Magnus can do it!" Clary said. "He's about your same build, and him and Simon are going to be related through marriage, might as well put him in your spot."

"Simon did feel bad when he couldn't invite him to be there." I said and Alec sighed.

"Alright, I'll walk her down the aisle, but I'm not getting bitched at for it." Alec said.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure everything goes as planned!" Clary said. "I have to get to Izzy and tell her everything in worked out." Clary said almost running away before I grabbed her arm and pulled her back to me.

"You really need to stop coming and going without giving me a kiss." I said and she laughed.

"You'll see me when I get home." She said and I couldn't help but smile. A couple months ago Clary and I moved in together, and it was the greatest thing that we ever did.

"Doesn't mean I don't want a kiss." I said and she rolled her eyes but kissed me anyway. When we broke apart I looked her in the eyes and smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too, but I have to go before Izzy has another meltdown." She said and I let her go and she ran back to her car. I would never get tired of hearing her tell me she loved me, or knowing that she's mine.

 **Time Jump – Wedding**

 **Clary POV:**

I had been running around all day making sure everything was in order for this wedding. I was internally freaking out but I didn't want anyone to know it. I was walking to the bridal suit, which was just Izzy's room, but it could pass for a suit. When I walked in Izzy looked drop dead gorgeous.

"Ceremony starts in 10 minutes ladies!" I said and they started cheering. I walked over to where Simon was and I walked in and they were all chugging beers. "Ceremony starts in 10 guys!" I said and I went to leave when I felt Jace grab my hand.

"Will you dance with me tonight?" He asked and I couldn't help but blush.

"Wedding planners aren't supposed to be a part of the wedding." I said and he smirked at me.

"But you're more than a wedding planner at this wedding." He said and I giggled.

"You got yourself a deal." I said and he pressed his lips to mine. When he pulled away and I couldn't help but smile. "Ready in 7 guys!" I yelled and was greeted with a bunch of yeas.

I made my way to the backyard where everyone was waiting. I told the band to begin to play some soft music to let the guests know the ceremony would be starting soon. I made my way to the back and watched as everyone took their seats. I looked to my left, and I saw the bridal party. I gave a thumbs up to the band and they started playing other music. The guests all looked back and began watching the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk down the aisle. Finally when it was Izzy's turn everyone stood. She looked like such an angel coming down those steps. I looked at Simon and his looked awed. It was in this moment that I knew that I loved what I do. I made people's dreams come true, and that's all I could ever want.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The ceremony had been extremely beautiful and there was barely a dry eye in this backyard. I was really proud of myself for putting this whole thing together, and even more proud to be apart of their special day. I was currently standing on the patio watching the people drink, and dance and eat when I felt arms around me. I thought it was Jace so I turned around and my blood ran cold.

"Toby. What are you doing here?" I asked.

"My girlfriend is a friend of the bride. They went to school together." He said. "You look good Clare." He said as he stepped closer.

"You need to leave me alone Toby." I said and he just smirked.

"And why would I do that?" He asked.

"Because you broke off our engagement. If you wanted to be with me, you shouldn't have done that." I said and he laughed. He reached down and put his hand on my pump. "What are you doing?" I asked. Before he answered he started pressing the buttons and a minute later I started to feel it.

 **Jace POV:**

I just finished dancing with Izzy and I was looking around for Clary. I saw her standing up on the patio when a man came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her. Jealously instantly flared, and I started making my way over to them. When I finally got closer to could hear them talking.

"Because you broke off our engagement. If you wanted to be with me, you shouldn't have done that." She said and he laughed. He reached down and put his hand on her hip that held her pump. "What are you doing?" She asked and he just laughed.

"Get your hands off her." I said and Clary and him both turned and looked at me.

"What are you going to do about it? Kick my ass at your sisters wedding? Highly unlikely." He said in a laughing tone.

"I don't need to kick your ass." I said and he looked at me with confusion. "BAT!" I called and the bodyguard showed up. "Please escort him out of the party. He hasn't been keeping his hands to himself, and he's dismissed." I said and Bat grabbed his arm and forcefully led him away from the party. I turned my attention back to Clary and she didn't look so great. "What happened Clary?"

"He raised my insulin levels. I have too much in my system." She said.

"You're over dosing?!" I nearly yelled and she nodded and stumbled. I grabbed on her and held her close. "What can I do?"

"Get me a soda." She said and I nodded. I put her down on the chairs that were on the patio and went and grabbed her a soda. I gave it to her and she started drinking it. It took a couple minutes but she started looking better. "Thanks."

"What happened Clary?" I asked as my hands rested on her knees.

"That was my ex-fiancé, apparently his girlfriend is a friend of Izzy's." She said and I squeezed her knees a little tighter.

"What did he want?" I asked trying not to sound jealous.

"He told me I looked good, and when I told him tot leave me alone he grabbed my pump and started raising my levels." She said. She started shaking her head and whispering to herself.

"Clary, what's wrong?" I asked.

"I can't believe I was even engaged to that dick. I mean, he knows what I look like when I have too much insulin in my system. He knows how it affects me." She said.

"He wanted to push your buttons…literally." I said and she laughed.

"Serves me right for teaching him how to use it." She said.

"How come you haven't taught me?" I asked curiously.

"Because there was a point in my life when sometimes my levels would get really low at night, and if I didn't wake up, he would have to do it for me, so I taught him." She explained. "Can you hand my kit?" She asked and I took the little pouch out of my pocket and handed it to her. She pricked her finger and put it on the strip and put it in the device. A second later it beeped.

"How does it look?" I asked.

"It looks better. Thanks for the soda." She said and I leaned up and kissed her.

"Of course." I said and she smiled.

"I'll teach you how to use it when we get home." She said and I smiled.

"Sounds like a plan." I said and I helped her up. "Now I believe you owe me a dance." I said and I guided her to the dance floor. I spun her around and than pulled her into my chest. She rested her head on my chest and we swayed to the music, and I was completely engrossed in the perfect little bubble that Clary and I have created.

 **Time Jump – Five Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had been running around like a mad woman trying to get my latest wedding organized. There was two weeks before the wedding date, and I was just finishing some last minute details. I was sitting at a red light on my way home when 4 fire trucks zoomed through the intersection, and I knew more were coming. Immediately my heard sank. Jace was working today, and so was Alec, and there wasn't a doubt in my mind that they were both on those truck. Once they passes I immediately got home and turned on the news.

"A five alarm fire has been issued for a building downtown. There is no word on how the fire started, or if there have been any fatalities at this moment, but we will keep you updated." The woman on the news said as they showed pictures of the fire. It looked insanely dangerous and I sunk into the couch. Before I knew it my front door was opening, and when I looked in walked Magnus, Izzy and Simon. They joined me on the couch and Magnus took my hand in his.

We sat there and watched the news for hours. The fire was still raging, and there were more firefighters there than I could even count. It was like a train wreck, we couldn't turn it off, but every time they loaded another firefighter into an ambulance my heart sank.

"Does anyone want coffee?" Izzy asked at some point and I nodded my head. She left the room and went into the kitchen and made two cups. She handed me mine, and I started to slowly sip it.

"Why hasn't anyone called us yet?" Magnus said.

"I won't get a call." I said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Simon asked.

"I'm not his wife. I'm just his girlfriend. Family gets notified first." I said.

"That's so stupid. They should call you." Izzy said.

"I don't make the rules. I just know your parents will be getting a call if there is one to make." I said and I put my cup down and curled under the blanket. Magnus put his arm around me and pulled me into him.

"He'll be okay biscuit." He said as he kissed my temple.

"You don't know that Magnus. You know Jace, he would go running into that burning building faster than any other firefighter there." I said.

"Yea, and my husband would right on his ass making sure he didn't do anything stupid." Magnus said. "Alec will make sure Jace gets out alive, just like Jace will make sure Alec gets out alive."

"Thank you for not being a firefighter." Izzy said to Simon which caused me to smile. Simon simply kissed her cheek and pulled her close.

I don't know how long we sat there for but when I looked at my phone it was nearly 2 am, and the fire was still going. Simon and Izzy had fallen asleep some time ago, but I didn't want to wake them up. Magnus said he needed a shower to wake himself up, and I was currently cleaning the kitchen to keep myself occupied. I went back out to the living room and saw Magnus sitting on the couch. I went over and put my head on his shoulder.

"They'll get through this. I know they will." I said and he simply nodded.

 **Jace POV:**

"Alec, I need your help on the hoses." I yelled and Alec made his way over to me.

"Where did the firefighters go who were doing these hoses?" Alec asked and he grabbed one.

"Captain told them to switch. He wanted fresh guys on them." I said and he nodded.

We had been called in on this fire early, and it was in the middle of the night now. I knew Clary was probably insanely worried, and I hated that I couldn't call her and tell her I was okay. Alec and I took control of the hoses and tried to stop the fire as much as we could. This thing was strong, and he didn't look like it was stopping any time soon.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The sun was rising and the fire was still raging. Alec and I handed off the hoses to some other men while the Captain called us over. We got over to him and he smiled at us.

"Go home boys. Get some sleep, and if the fire is still here in a couple of hours, we'll call you back." The Captain said and Alec and I both nodded. We got onto the one truck that was going back to the station to refuel and get more gear.

Once we got back to the station I grabbed my stuff and went to call Clary but my phone was dead. I walked over to Alec and it seemed like he had the same problem.

"Yours dead too?" I asked and he nodded. "Come on, you know Magnus is with Clary at my house." I said and he nodded. It had become a thing when a fire was called in and Alec and I were both there that Magnus would go over to Clary and I's place and they would be there for each other. I was glad she had someone like Magnus to lean on when she was worried. It made me feel a little better.

We finally made it back to my place and when I opened the door I could hear the news. I put my stuff down and made my way into the living room. Simon and Izzy were passed out on our one couch while Clary and Magnus were curled together on the other. I looked at Alec and he just smiled. We went over and I bent down and started rubbing Clary's leg. Her eyes started to flutter open and when our eyes locked they immediately widened.

"Jace." She said as she flung herself at me. "You scared the hell out of me." She said as I picked her up. Magnus was now awake as well and Alec pulled him to his feet and into an immediate kiss.

"I'm sorry. My phone died." I said as I put her down.

"Charge it next time." She said and I kissed her.

"Will do." I said and she wrapped her arms around my torso and hugged me tighter.

"Don't ever let me worry that much ever again." She said and I kissed the top of her head.

"I promise. I'll call next time." I said and at this point everyone was awake. "Captain said we might get called back later if the fire is still raging, so Alec and I better get some sleep so we can be ready if that happens." I said and Clary nodded. "You can crash here if you want Alec."

"I might take you up on that offer. I'm exhausted." Alec said and Magnus grabbed his hand.

"Let's get you to bed." Magnus said and he led him to the guest bedroom. I wrapped my arm around Clary's shoulder and started walking to our room. Once I got changed I joined Clary in bed and I couldn't wait to just sleep with her in my arms.

"I love you." I heard her whisper and I smiled.

"I love you too." I said and than I fell into a deep sleep. I couldn't blame Clary for worrying, but she also knows that this is who I am. This is my job, and she knows it's risky. I was always going to be a firefighter, I mean without this job, I wouldn't be holding this girl in my arms, and there isn't any place else I'd rather be.

 **Time Jump – Six Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Anthony Jonathan Herondale, if you don't come downstairs right now daddy won't let you ride on the fire truck!" I yelled up to my 3 year old son.

Jace and I got married shortly after that huge fire. We both realized that there isn't any place else we'd rather be than together, and it seemed silly to put it off any longer. Our wedding was perfect. I was simply, and small, exactly what I wanted, and Jace didn't mind either. We took a beautiful honeymoon to Hawaii and I was incredibly sad when we had to come back to reality. I wish that Jace and I could have stayed in paradise forever, but unfortunately reality came knocking and we had to answer.

"But mommy, I want to ride with daddy." Anthony said as he came down the steps dressed in his firefighter outfit.

"I know, but if we're late they might leave without us." I said and he ran towards the door.

"Than we have to leave right now!" He said as he jumped up and down. I grabbed my keys and we got to the car. When we finally got to the station Anthony practically jumped out of his car seat looking for Jace. I took his hand in mine and started looking around until Anthony found him. "Daddy!" He shouted and ripped his hand out of mine and went running. Jace turned around and scooped Anthony up in his arms.

"Hi little man. You ready for a ride on the fire truck?" Jace asked and I walked over to them and put my arms around them both. "Hey baby." Jace said and he gave me a kiss.

"Hi." I said and I looked at Anthony. "You're going to be on your best behavior right?" I asked and he nodded. "Good. Can I have a kiss?" I asked and he leaned forward and gave me a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too mommy." He said and I smiled.

"I love you." I said to Jace and he gave me a kiss.

"I love you too." He said. "But if we don't get on the truck now they might leave us." He said and I laughed.

"Alright, I'll be at the end with Simon, Izzy, Magnus and their kids." I said and he nodded. As Jace walked away with Anthony I heard someone tell.

"Hey Anthony, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"A firefighter!" Anthony shouted and the whole station started to cheer. I smiled to myself and shook my head as I got in my car. I looked over at the truck and saw Anthony and Jace and I couldn't help but thank the angels that Jace ran into a burning building to save me, and who knows, maybe my little man was destined to follow in his fathers footsteps, but for right now, the only fire he's going to be putting out, are the fake ones in our living room, while Jace and I cuddled on the couch loving every minute of our perfect fiery life together.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So many people requested a story where Jace was a firefighter, and here it is! I hope you all don't mind the direction I took it in, because I for one really love this story! I think it's fun, and sweet, and everything a one shot should be! Now, I'm not an expert in firefighting, so I might have gotten a few things wrong, please don't hate me if I did! I tried my best! Also, I have very limited knowledge of diabetes, but I know a little, and for some reason when I thought of this plot, Clary had diabetes so I did my best to incorporate it! Also, I don't own Cher, I just thought she'd be pretty cool to use in my story! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! :)**

 **Also in this story, Alec is a little more energetic than his character normally is, and he's pretty sassy, at least with Jace and I enjoy him like that! I also enjoy the Alec Cassandra Clare wrote, but I just thought I'd make him a little OOC in this one shot! :)**


	57. Chapter 56 - Lawyers

**Fifty Sixth One Shot:**

 **Lawyers**

 **Clary POV:**

"You won't win the next one." I said as we exited the courthouse.

"Do you doubt my abilities Miss. Fairchild?" He said with his signature smirk.

"No, I doubt that your client is innocent." I said defensively.

"Innocent until proven guilty sweet cheeks." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"That only applies when the law is upheld." I said and we stopped and he looked at me.

"Are you saying that my client didn't deserve to walk free?" He asked and I crossed my arms over my chest.

"You are very good a planting reasonable doubt. There is a reason people call you to be their defense attorney." I said and he smiled.

"I do my job. Just like you." He said and I let out a humorless laugh.

"My job is to make sure that the law is being followed, and those who are breaking the law are punished accordingly. You job is to get your client, innocent or guilty, out of their crime." I said and his eyes narrowed. "We're on two totally different sides of the law Herondale." I said as I started walking again. I was really pissed that I lost this case, and I knew he could tell.

"We aren't so different Fairchild, you'll see." He called after me but I kept walking. I got into my car and drive away. He's been a pain in my ass since college, and for some reason I can't get rid of him.

When I get back to my apartment I put my keys down, kick my heels off, and started making dinner. Living alone wasn't the worst thing in the world, sure a little company would be nice, but all my friends have families that they have to take care of. I chose work over starting a family, and there were days that I wished I had someone to come home too, but I love my job. I love putting criminals in jail for the crimes they committed. It was my dream job as a little girl, and now I'm living it. I couldn't be happier with the outcome.

 **Jace POV:**

There weren't many women in the world who denied me, but Clary Fairchild was one of them and it drove me crazy. We met in college, and for some reason we have always been in competition with each other. If it wasn't on a paper, it was a test. If it wasn't a test, it was a project. If it wasn't a project, it was our countless mock trials. She always wanted to beat me, and I always wanted to win. Once our professors realized what was happening between us, they purposefully put us against each other just to see what the outcome would be. And it wasn't a bad move on their part, we brought out the competitive side of each other, and it made us work ten times harder.

When I got back to my place, Alec and Magnus were on the couch watching TV. I walked right to the kitchen and got whatever leftovers were in the fridge. You would think since I moved out I would have learned to cook, but it wasn't a skill that I picked up. I made my way back into the living room and took a seat.

"How'd you so?" Alec asked and I smiled.

"I won." I said with a smirk.

"I bet Clary was pissed." Alec said and I just laughed and nodded. They had had the pleasure of meeting her once or twice and they said just by being in the same area as us they could feel the tension between us.

"Yea, she wasn't too pleased, but that's how it works." I said.

"Was your client even innocent?" Magnus asked.

"It was questionable. I asked him a lot of questions before that trial, and spoke to witnesses. He wanted to plead not guilty, and my job is to help my client." I said and they nodded.

"What was he being tried for anyway?" Alec asked.

"Hit and run." I said and they nodded.

They went back to watching TV, and after I finished my dinner I decided to go to bed. It had been a long week, and tomorrow I didn't have to go into the office, so I could finally sleep in. After I got ready for bed I climbed into my bed and for some reason I still couldn't get Clary out of my head. It was weird for me to still be thinking about her at this point, normally after a case I just forgot about her, but something was different, I just didn't know what.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was in court again today against Jace. I never understood how he could be a defense attorney. I would never be able to fight for a client that I knew was guilty, but wanted to plea innocent. That never sat well with me, and I didn't know how Jace slept at night. I walk into the courthouse and of course, Jace is standing right there.

"Good morning Miss. Fairchild." He smugly said. "I got you some coffee. Figured you want to be awake when I kick your ass." He said as he handed me a cup. "Don't worry, I got your order right. Black, like you soul, correct?" He said and I rolled my eyes. I tell him something once, one time during our sophomore year of college, and yet he still remembers.

"How the hell do you remember that?" I asked as I took the coffee. I may not like the guy, but I was never one to turn down free coffee.

"I remember getting you nearly 30 cups of coffee that night. I can't forget it even if I wanted too." He said with a smiled. As much as we constantly battled in our academics, we found each other very good study partners when it came to exam times.

"Can you blame me? Professor Wright's class kicked my ass that semester, and I needed a good grade on the final." I said and he laughed. If only he wasn't so damn irritating me might actually get along.

"Not at all. You had coffee, I had RedBull." He said as we entered the courtroom. We walked to the front and I looked at him and smiled.

"Good luck Herondale." I said and he smirked.

"You're going down Fairchild." He said and we went over to our sides. One of my favorite parts of this job was battling him. Our little back and forth game had been going on for years, and it was always fun to kick his ass in court.

 **Time Jump – Later That Day**

 **Clary POV:**

"Better luck next time Herondale." I said as we left the courtroom.

"I tried to convince him to plead guilty, but he wasn't having it." Jace said as we walked to the parking lot.

"Just another tally in my 'Times I've kicked Jace Herondale's ass journal.' It's getting kinda full. I might need a new one soon." I said and he smirked.

"You keep a journal of my ass? I'm flattered Clarissa." He said and I rolled my eyes. "And here I thought you didn't like me." He said and I laughed. When I scanned the parking lot for Jace's car I noticed it wasn't there. And I know what this looks like, but Jace was a flashy guy, and his car showed it, so when it wasn't around, I noticed.

"Take the bus to work today?" I asked and he laughed.

"Car is in the shop. My brother drove me." He said as he looked around. "Looks like he didn't get my message. He's probably sexing it up with his boyfriend." Jace said and I laughed.

"Jealous?" I said and he laughed.

"Never. The guy wears too much glitter for me." Jace said and I shook my head.

"I'll give you a ride." I said and he looked at me.

"What's the catch?" He asked and I opened up my door.

"No catch. You got me coffee this morning, I'm returning the favor." I said as I got in. "Are you going to get in or what?" I asked as he made his way over to the passenger side. He got in and I started the car. "Plus, I never want to be in your debt ever again." I said and he laughed.

I pulled out of the parking lot and followed the instructions Jace gave me. Surprisingly he didn't live that far away from me, but I was never going to tell him that. I pulled up to the curb and put the car in park. I looked over and gave him a friendly smile, which he returned.

"Next case we go back to enemies. This idea of friendship freaks me out." He said and I laughed.

"Deal. Now get out of my car." I said and he laughed and got out.

"Thanks for the ride Fray." He said as he slammed the door. I shook my head at the ridiculous nickname he gave me years ago. I pulled away from his building and started making my way back to my place feeing something different towards Jace, but I sure as hell was never going to admit it out loud.

 **Jace POV:**

I walked up to my floor and unlocked the door to see Alec and Magnus going at it on the couch. Nothing too inappropriate, but they were in the middle of one heated make out session, and I was a little upset that I walked in on it.

"Now I know why you didn't come get me." I said and they sprinted apart.

"By the Angel Jace, don't do that." Alec said breathlessly and I laughed.

"Than don't start a heated make out session with your boyfriend and forget to pick up your brother." I said and he cursed and looked at his phone.

"I'm sorry man." He said and I waved him off. "How did you get home?"

"The spawn of Satan gave me a lift." I said and they both looked at me. "Clary." I said and they nodded.

"You two have the strangest relationship." Magnus said and I laughed.

"We don't have a relationship." I pointed out.

"Yes you do, it's just really weird." Alec said and I gestured for him to continue. "You two are constantly battling it out in court, and whoever wins brags, and whoever loses whines, but you buy her coffee, and she brought you home. You two talk about college like you were the best of friends, and on some really strange level you two really understand each other."

"How do you know I bring her coffee?" I asked, which might not have been the right thing to ask seeing the looks I got from both Alec and Magnus.

"Please Jace. You only remember two coffee orders. Yours and hers. Forget the fact that we're brothers, you can't remember what coffee I like, and you never remember what Izzy likes." Alec said.

"In my defense, Izzy always changes hers, and you just like regular coffee." I said and Magnus laughed.

"He doesn't drink coffee." Magnus said and I looked at Alec.

"Since when?" I asked.

"I gave it up for lent when I was 18, and I realized that I didn't need it anymore, and I haven't touched it since." Alec said and my jaw dropped.

"You haven't had coffee in 12 years?" I asked.

"No. And if you remembered other peoples coffee orders, you'd know that." Alec said and I shook my head.

"Look, Clary and I don't have a relationship. We're co-workers at best, and college rivals after that." I said and they both rolled their eyes.

"Deny it all you want Jace. You're different when it comes to her, and one day you'll figure it all out." Alec said and I walked away. Clary and I didn't have a relationship, did we? I mean yea, the first time I saw her I thought she was hot, but she didn't give me the time of day, and since then we've been rivals, but I couldn't shake what Alec and Magnus said all night, and I fell asleep thinking about that stubborn, and intelligent redhead who I couldn't seem to get away from.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I didn't have a case lined up this week, so my boss told me that I could come into the office late, and catch up on whatever sleep I missed after busting my butt on the last case I had. I wanted nothing more than to put that man in prison, so I barely slept while trying to get everything I could to get him away. There was a loud knock on my front door that woke me up. I looked at my phone and realized it was nearly 9:30. I rolled out of bed and made my way to the door. When I opened it, it was the last person I ever thought I'd see. Jace Herondale was standing there, looking completely and totally wrecked.

"How the hell did you find out where I lived?" I asked as he made his way into my apartment.

"I need your help." He said and I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Why on earth would I help you?" I asked.

"Please Clary. I need you." He said and he sounded so incredibly desperate, and my heart nearly broke for him.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"My little brother, he was killed last week, and the guy is pleading not guilty in court." He said and I gasped. "I need that son of a bitch in jail Clary, and you're the best prosecutor in this state." I lead him over to the kitchen table and made us a pot of coffee. I set it down, and grabbed two mugs with cream and sugar and took a seat.

"Tell me everything." I said and his eyes lightened up.

We sat there for 3 hours talking about everything that we could do to make sure this man was sent to prison. He was driving while intoxicated but he was technically under the limit and was trying to get the DUI charges dropped and just plead to manslaughter, but Jace and I both knew that wasn't enough for him. Jace and I both knew that he should be charged with vehicular manslaughter and face the higher amount of jail time the system will allow, but even that didn't seem like enough.

"How did it happen?" I asked hesitantly.

"He was playing in the front yard with the neighbor. They were just throwing a football around and having fun, and the ball landed in the street. Max looked both ways and there were no cars coming, and he went to get the ball, and when he was on his way back over the yard, that's when he was hit. They did everything they could, but they couldn't save him." Jace said and my heart truly ached for him.

"The neighbor is a witness, right?" I asked and he nodded.

"He told the police the man that after he hit Max he didn't even flinch. He just kept driving." Jace explained, and I did something I never thought I'd do. I reached my hand over the table and took his hand in mine.

"I'll nail this son of bitch's ass to the wall Jace." I said and he gave me a sad smile. "When was the last time you slept?" I asked.

"I don't even remember what day it is." He said and I laughed.

"It's Wednesday." I said.

"I haven't really slept since it happened." Jace said. "So it's been about 4 days."

"You need sleep Jace." I said and he shook his head.

"What I need to do is get justice for Max." Jace said.

"I'll do that, you go over to my couch, and take a nap. I'll wake you up when dinner is ready." I said and he looked at me with confusion.

"I get helping me with the case, I mean I practically begged, but why the hospitality?" He asked and I shrugged.

"I guess I know you'd do the same for me." I said. "Look, we get on each others nerves like it's our second job, but I don't think I'd be as good a lawyer as I am if it weren't for your constant pushing in college." I said and he laughed. "Despite how competitive our professional career has been against each other, I do consider you a friend Jace. And if there is one thing I want you to know about me, it's that I will always help a friend out. No matter what." I said and he smiled, an actual smile at me. "And right now, you need sleep."

"Thank you for doing this for me. I know my family really appreciates it." Jace said and I nodded. Jace made his way over to the couch, and I went and grabbed my laptop and started on my research for this case. If there was one case in the world I didn't want to lose, it was this one.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I felt something rubbing my hand and I started to open my eyes. I don't even remember falling asleep. I was so exhausted, that when I put a blanket over me, I smelled the sweet scent of Clary and I was immediately knocked out. When my eyes were fully opened Clary was kneeling in front of me with a smile on her face. I sat up and stretched out a little bit and she laughed.

"Next time, get a bigger couch." I said and she rolled her eyes but had a smile on her face.

"Sorry, next time I go furniture shopping, I'll make sure it can fit a man who is taller than 6 feet." She said and I smiled.

"That's all I'm asking." I said and she shook her head.

"Well, my 5 feet fit perfectly on that couch." She said and I smiled. "Come on, dinner is ready. I hope you don't mine, but your phone was going crazy. Alec called like 9 times."

"Shit, I never texted him that I was coming here." I said as I grabbed my phone.

"We talked. I told him everything. Don't worry." She said.

"You talked to my brother?" I asked.

"Yes. He was worried, and I didn't want him to think you fell into a ditch and died. He's very nice by the way." She said and I sighed. This was going to be hard to explain to him. "I'm starving, so I'm going to eat, feel free to join me." She said as she walked away. I stood up and followed her into the kitchen where the table was already set with food and everything.

"You made all this?" I asked and she giggled. Man was she cute. Hold up, I don't know where that came from.

"Of course. Don't you cook?" She asked and I laughed.

"Not at all. I never really picked it up." I said as I sat down.

"Boys." She muttered and I smiled.

I don't know how to explain it, but eating dinner with Clary was one of the most natural things I've ever done. We were laughing, and joking around with each other, and talking about college, and all of our weird experiences in classes with our professors, and other students and each other. I don't know why I never saw how amazing of a person she was before, but now I would never be able to unsee it.

"Do you remember when you were partnered with that girl in Tally's class, what was her name, Alli, or Alice." Clary said and I laughed.

"Aline." I said and she smiled

"Yes, Aline. I still remember your face when he called your names together." She laughed and I just shook my head.

"That was a project from hell. She actually tried to have sex with me, and than told me it would help me with my career." I said and her eyes widened.

"Did you?" She asked and I scoffed.

"I have some standards Clary." I said and she giggled. It was in this moment that I realized, I was potentially going to be a goner when it came to this girl. "Your partner wasn't any better." I pointed out and she laughed.

"He was such a dick. We couldn't get through a meeting without him talking about the hypothetical sex he was having with me in his mind." She said as she cringed.

"We killed it though." I said and she nodded.

"Because we did all the work. Can you imagine if we were paired together? Dude, that would have been such a badass project." She said and I smiled and nodded. "Could you imagine if we were actually allies during college?"

"Not really. I enjoyed our little rivalry. It gave me the kick in the ass I needed, and we pushed each other when we needed it." I said and she nodded.

"That it did. Especially because my family thought I couldn't make it as a lawyer." She said.

"And look at you now." I said and she laughed.

"Look at me now." She said and it got quiet before my phone started ringing. I looked at it and it was Alec.

"I should probably get home. Alec keeps calling, and I think I worried him enough for today." I said and she nodded.

"I'll let you know the minute I have anything." She said and I smiled.

"Thank you again for doing this Clary." I said and she walked me to the door.

"It's no problem Jace." She said and I left.

The whole way back to my apartment I couldn't get the stupid smile off my face. I don't know why today changed the way I saw things, but I don't think that I could possibly go back to how things were before. Something was different, and I wasn't quite sure how to deal with it. I walked into the apartment and Alec, Magnus and Izzy were all there. As soon as I opened the door they rushed me.

"Where the hell have you been?" Izzy shouted.

"I was at Clary's." I said and I got that look from Magnus and Alec. "She's going to prosecute the man who killed Max."

"How did you convince her to do that? Aren't you two enemies?" Izzy asked.

"They have a strange relationship Iz." Magnus said.

"It's not strange. We actually talked about it today, and although we were rivals in college, and we like to kick each other's ass's in court, we actually are friends."

"You told us not even a month ago that you two were just co-workers at best." Alec pointed out.

"It changed." I said.

"Why?" Magnus asked.

"Because she is the only person I trust to put that bastard behind bars for life." I said and they nodded. "Look, it's different. I don't know how different, but it's different. I just, she's the best prosecutor in the state, and with what this guy is trying to plead in court, she's the only one who I can trust to do everything in her power to make sure he rots in a prison cell."

"We get it. We want him in jail just as much as you do, it just shocked me when I go to call you, and she answered the phone." Alec said.

"I know, but she made me sleep since apparently I looked awful." I said and they laughed.

"We all look pretty rough." Izzy said and I smiled.

"She told me she would let me knows anything else, and how she is going to persecute." I said and they nodded. "I'm actually still tired, so I'm going to get more sleep. You all should do the same." I said and I went to my room.

 **Time Jump – Start of Trial Process**

 **Clary POV:**

The case was starting this week, and I had my first discovery with the defense attorney and all other parties that will be in attendance. I was nervous, which doesn't happen often, but this case meant more to me than any other case ever has. Not only because a little boy's life was lost, but because since the day Jace asked me to help, my view of him changed. He was no longer an arrogant asshole that I've known him to be, but he was funny, and he made me laugh, and he understood me.

I was walking up to the courthouse when I was suddenly surrounded by people, but the only one I recognized was Jace. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at him waiting for him to tell me what he was doing here, but he was just silent, along with the three other people with him.

"Are you going to speak? Cause I'm going to be late." I said.

"How's it looking?" He asked.

"You know I can't discuss the case with you Jace." I said as I tried to move past him.

"Just hint at it." He said and I rolled my eyes and tried to get pact him again when the girl put her hand on my shoulder to stop me.

"First, get your hand off me." I said and Jace grabbed her hand and removed it. "Second, it's just the discovery Jace. I haven't even started the pre-trail yet, so right now it's still more of a blank slate."

"When does the pre-trail start?" Jace asked.

"Next Friday." I said and he groaned. "You know how the system works. I'm doing my best to make sure I have everything I need to prosecute the shit out of this man, but you can't come here and ambush me when I have to be somewhere. You want information, call me." I said as I pushed past him.

"But you just said you can't tell me." He said and I turned around. I moved closer to them all so that I wasn't shouting this in front of the courthouse.

"I can't tell you, but if you come over to dinner, and I happen to leave something open on my coffee table, and you just happen to see it, than nobody has to know." I winked and walked away.

"Dinner tonight?" I heard him call and I laughed.

"Be at my place at 7." I called back as I made my way into the courthouse.

I went through the whole day and I couldn't believe that this man was actually trying to plead not guilty. The whole time I just wanted to lunge across the table and strangle him for taking an innocent boys life. When the meeting was over I went to my office and took a seat and rested my head on the desk. There was something off about this guy. I don't know what it was, but he seemed all too familiar with the court system, but when they tried to get fingerprints after his arrest they couldn't because his fingertips were too burned. He claimed it was because of his work, but something just seemed off, and I needed my best team on it. I picked up my phone and dialed the person I knew I could count on.

"Hello?" He answered and I smiled.

"Simon, it's Clary." I said.

"Clary, what do I owe this call?" He asked.

"You and your team still the best PI's in New York?" I asked and I heard him scoff.

"Please, we're the best in the country." He said and I laughed.

"I have a job for you." I said.

"Shoot." He said.

"Matthew Bennett. Involved in a hit and run that ended a boys life last week. He was driving while intoxicated but his blood alcohol level was a .075, so he's trying to get that part dropped and only get charged with manslaughter." I explained. "I want to prosecute him for vehicular manslaughter with the DUI."

"Okay. What do you need from my team?" He asked.

"There is something not right about this guy. He seems oddly calm during this, and when they ran his fingerprints they couldn't get a good read because his prints have been burned off due to his job." I said. "I need you guys to dig up everything you can on this man. I need something so I can nail his ass to the wall."

"No problem Clary. I'll get them on it right away." He said.

"Thanks Simon." I said and we hung up.

By the time I was done for the day I was exhausted. I got back to my placed and collapsed on the couch. After about 30 minutes, I took my notes out from the discovery, and put them on the coffee table * **wink, wink** * to look over them. So far I just had what he was pleading and all of the contact information of Simon's group. The real work started tomorrow, but at least I knew what I was working with now. There was no way this guy was getting off as an innocent man. He was going to jail, I just didn't know for how long.

 **Time Jump – First Day of Trial**

 **Clary POV:**

"All rise." The bailiff said and everyone stood. This trial has turned out to be one of the most difficult cases I've ever worked on, but I was fully prepared to bring out all the stops in order for him to be put in jail for the rest of his life. The judge walked in and took his seat and the rest of the court sat as well. "In the case of Matthew Bennett vs. The State of New York, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty your honor." He said and the judge nodded.

"Proceed." The judge said and thus the trial started.

After being in that courtroom for hours I was happy when the judge called to reconvene tomorrow. I walked out and was making my way to my car when I saw Jace leaning against it. I took a deep breath and made my way over to him. He moved aside so that I could put my thinks in the back seat. When I was finally done I closed the door and looked at him.

"Any news from your PI?" He asked and I shook my head.

"It's a lot harder than anyone else they've ever had to track down. I already informed the court that I had more evidence, it just wasn't ready yet, and Bennett's lawyer got a copy as well. It's just a waiting game now." I said and he sighed.

"I'm tired of waiting. I want action." Jace said and I nodded.

"I know, and so do I, but it's the first day of the trail. We have a long time before this one ends. I'm doing my best." I said and he smiled.

"I know you are. You're kicking ass in there." He said and I laughed.

"Don't I always?" I said and he smiled and nodded. "How's your family?" I asked.

"Their holding up. They don't want to get their hopes up, which is why they weren't here. They don't want to relive it, but I just can't stay away." He said.

"I understand. It's the lawyer in you." I said.

"Yea." He said but he didn't move from his position on my car.

"Wanna come over for dinner? You look stressed." I offered and he smiled.

"I'd love too." He said and I nodded.

"Meet me over there." I said as I got in my car. He nodded and walked away and I felt like I could finally breath. When I got home, I kicked off my heels and started making dinner. I wasn't in the mood to make anything elaborate, so I just stuck to spaghetti. 10 minutes later I heard my door open, and in walked Jace with a six pack of beer. "You read my mind." I said and he laughed.

"I've always been good at that." He said and I laughed.

"Hope you don't mind spaghetti, I had a long day, and didn't feel like trying." I said and he laughed.

"Love spaghetti. In fact, when I was little my only request for my one birthday was to bath in a bath full of spaghetti." He said and I couldn't stop my laugher.

"You're joking right?" I asked and he shook his head. "Did you get it?"

"Of course." He said and I continued to laugh. I got our dishes ready and we made our way out to my couch to eat. It was a very informal dinner tonight, and I couldn't wait to cuddle under a blanket and not move until tomorrow.

It was late, the beer was gone, our dishes were sitting empty on the coffee table and I was slowly falling asleep. Before I could stop myself I rested my head on Jace's shoulder, closed my eyes, and I was out.

The next morning I woke up, and I was a little disoriented. I remembered falling asleep on the couch, but what I wasn't expecting to wake up too was cuddled up against Jace, with his arm around me and our hands interlocking. I slowly tried to get up without waking him, but I failed and he yawned, and sat up.

"What time is it?" He asked in a sleepy voice, which was incredibly sexy, and I hated to admit that. I looked over at the clock and groaned.

"Almost 7. Court starts at 9." I said and he nodded.

"I should probably go." He said and before I could stop my self I spoke.

"Why?" I said and immediately wanted to kick myself in the ass.

"I need a shower, and new clothes. Don't worry, you'll see me in court." He smirked at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Get out of my house." I said playfully and he laughed. He put his shoes on and grabbed his coat.

"Thanks for last night. I needed it." He said and I smiled and he walked out. I let out a sigh and leaned back against the couch. What the hell was happening to me?

 **Jace POV:**

When I left Clary's I couldn't help but shake the feeling of her in my arms. I remember her falling asleep on my shoulder, and me not being too far behind, but I had no idea when I put my arm around her, or when we started holding hands, but I didn't want to stop. The majority of me wanted to do it over and over again. I took a deep breath and walked into my apartment into another angry family gathering.

"Seriously Jace, you need to stop this disappearing act." Izzy said. "Where were you?" She asked and I was about to respond when Alec cut me off.

"Let me guess, you were with Clary?" He asked and I nodded.

"I fell asleep on her couch. I didn't mean too." I said and they nodded.

"A text would be nice. I know I'm not your mother, but we live together, and when you don't come home without telling me, I worry." Alec said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry. I should have texted you. It won't happen again." I said and he nodded as his thanks.

"How is the trial going?" Izzy asked after a moment.

"You should come." I said and she just shook her head.

"I can't be in the same room as that man." She said.

"And you think I can? I want to jump over that barrier and strangle the shit out of him, but I can't and it pisses me off, but Clary is kicking some serious ass in that court room." I said and Izzy smiled.

"I think our little Jacey has a crush." She said as she made her way over and pinched my cheek.

"It's not a crush." I said as I swatted her hands away.

"But you like her?" Magnus asked.

"I don't know what I feel." I said and they all looked at me. "I didn't fall asleep along on her couch last night. We had dinner, and we were drinking, and at some point she put her head on my shoulder and fell asleep. When we woke up, my arm was around her. She was curled into my side with her head resting on my chest, and we were holding hands." I said.

"That's so cute!" Izzy cheered.

"What happened when you woke up?" Alec asked.

"I left." I said.

"You left?! What do you mean you left?" Izzy shouted.

"I mean, I got my stuff and I came here." I said.

"Why?" Izzy yelled.

"Because court starts at 9, and I needed a shower, and new clothes? What kind of question is that Izzy. I didn't have a spare set in my car, I didn't plan on staying over." I said.

"But you did! That has to mean something!" Izzy said.

"Yea, it means I was tired, and I fell asleep." I said.

"You're downplaying this Jace, which means it means more to you than you care to admit." Alec pointed out. Curse him for knowing me so well. "What are you afraid of?"

"Who says I'm afraid?" I scoffed and he gave me that look.

"You are an expert at avoidance. You build walls so nothing gets in, but Clary seems to have slipped through the cracks, and you are avoiding thinking about what's happening, because you don't want to admit that you like her, because you don't want her to hurt you." Alec said.

"Can you just be my brother and not a psychologist for 5 minutes." I said and he rolled his eyes.

"Even if I wasn't a psychologist, we can all see you doing it." He said and Magnus and Izzy nodded in agreement.

"Whatever, I need a shower, and than I need to be in court." I said as I walked away.

"We all approve!" I heard Izzy yell and I turned around. "If something does happen between the two of you, we all approve of her." She said and I just nodded. They all knew how much their opinions mattered to me, and to hear them say that meant a lot, but I had to figure my own feelings out, before I thought about theirs.

 **Time Jump – Nearly the End of Trial**

 **Clary POV:**

The trail was coming to its conclusion and I still had nothing from Simon. He told me that they were exhausting all their resources, but nothing was solid enough for me to bring into the courtroom and I was getting incredibly frustrated. I knew Jace was just as frustrated as me, and there wasn't anything more that I wanted than to get that information and use it to make this guy pay.

Things with Jace and I have been weird. Not a bad weird, but a different weird. Ever since that night he slept over, we both have been pretty careful around each other. He always made sure he left before he got too tired that he ended up crashing on my couch, and I tried to keep the physical contact to the bare minimum. I had no idea what was running through his mind, but I wasn't going to make either of us uncomfortable with weird arm touches, or the subtle brush of the hands. If things happened, I wanted them to happen organically, not forcefully.

It was the last day before the jurors went to deliberate, and I was sitting at the desk taping my fingers and watching my phone. I was hoping for a last minute miracle to pull through. Bennett's lawyer was doing his final round of questions and my phone went off.

 ** _From Simon:_**

 _Found something. Be right in._

When I read it I nearly cheered. A couple moments later I heard the doors open, and when I looked behind me, I saw Simon and his team (Bat and Jordan) walk in. He handed me a folder and I gave him a smiled and mouthed a 'thank you'. His team took a seat and I went over the folder. My eyes widened and I looked at Bennett, and couldn't help the anger that filled me.

"That's all the questions I have your honor." The lawyer said and I snapped my head up.

"Does the prosecution have anything?" The judge asked and I stood up. I turned to Jace and winked before making my way over to Bennett.

"Mr. Bennett, where were you born?" I asked and he looked at me with confusion.

"What does that have…." He started.

"Just answer the question." I cut him off.

"Objection!" His lawyer shouted. "This has nothing to do with his case."

"I know what I'm doing Judge Mills, I promise." I said and he smiled.

"Miss. Fairchild had the right to ask him any questions during her cross examination." The judge said and I heard him curse and sit back down.

"Please answer me." I said.

"Right here in New York." He said.

"What was your address when you were little?" I asked.

"I don't remember. That was a long time ago." He answered.

"Surely you remember which part of New York you grew up in. Was it one of the boroughs, or was it the city, or maybe Long Island."

"Manhattan." He responded.

"Which part of Manhattan? The Lower East Side? The Upper East Side, or neither?" I asked.

"Upper." He said.

"Huh, cause according to the information you provided to the court on your life, your parents weren't wealthy enough to live in the Upper East Side of Manhattan." I said and I saw him gulp. "Your name is in fact Matthew Lewis Bennett right?" I asked and he nodded. "Huh, so than who is this?" I asked as I held up a photo.

"I – I – I don't know what you're talking about." He said when I showed him the picture.

"Really? Cause this looks like you. A lot like you. He even has the same exact birthmark you have on your neck, but this man's name is Mark Blackthorn, and he's a wanted criminal in three other states." I said and the courtroom let out a collective gasp. "Care to explain?" I asked. He looked around the room, and than back at me. He jumped off the stand, knocking me over and tried to run. Thankfully, Bat and Jordan pinned him to the ground before he could get out of the courtroom. The whole courtroom was going crazy, and I felt someone grab me by the waist and help me up. I looked up and saw Jace.

"Order!" I heard the judge call as he hit the gavel. "Order in my courtroom." The judge yelled and everyone calmed down. Bat and Jordan escorted Bennett back to the stand but didn't leave. Seeing as how he reacted the first time, the judge let them stay. "Continue Miss. Fairchild."

"Matthew Bennett, or Mark Blackthorn was born in Miami, Florida. He was an orphan and to pass time he used to steal. Got caught a lot as a kid, but his juvie record was expunged. Four months ago he was involved in another hit and run that resulted in severe injury to the victim. Luckily for him, he was left with only a few broken bones, and the doctors said he would make a full recovery after intense physical therapy. Blackthorn fled the state before he was caught. A couple days later he was involved in another hit and run. This victim wasn't as fortunate; she was paralyzed from the waist down. Again Blackthorn fled. A week after that incident, he committed yet another hit and run, leaving him with his first kill. He hit an elderly lady crossing the street. She was pronounced dead on site." I explained as I looked between Blackthorn and the jury. "My team went down to where these crimes took place and Mark Blackthorn was drinking at a bar before every hit and run took place, and he was asked to leave because he was disturbing other customers. I have several witness statements that place Blackthorn there. This isn't the first time this man has caused destruction and ruined the lives of families. He doesn't deserve any of your leniency. Think about the poor old woman who lost her life because of him. Think about the woman who lost her ability to walk because of him. Think about the man who spent months in physical therapy learning how to use his limbs again because of him. Think about a little 9 year old boy, who was playing catch with his neighbor. Think about him running across the street to grab the football, and on his way back, was hit by this man, who was drinking, and took his life. Think about his family. He had two brothers, a sister, a mother, a father. He was taken from this world all because this man can't keep himself out of a bar, who drives recklessly, and who leaves a string of broken hearts in his review mirror. Mark Blackthorn is a murderer, and he doesn't deserve to be a free citizen. He's caused too much pain and heartache already, don't let him cause anymore." I said as I made my way back to my seat.

The judge pounded his gavel, and the jurors left the courtroom. We were instructed that we couldn't leave, so I was sitting in my seat fidgeting, hoping that I had said enough to get that man sent away for a very long time. After all the jurors left the judge began to speak.

"Considering this case just turned to federal jurisdiction with the knowledge we now know, whatever the jury decides won't be his only punishment. He will have to be tried in a separate case, but I promise to the family that lost the little boy, and the other families that he has torn apart, I will never allow that man to walk free again. Court will reconvene when a verdict has been decided." He said as he pounded his gavel back down.

The courtroom emptied immediately and I made my way out into the hallway. I was trying my hardest to find Simon, and when I spotted him I ran over and threw my arms around him.

"You are a miracle worker." I said as he laughed. He put me down and I rested my hands on his shoulders.

"It took forever, but I finally found someone who remembered him." Simon said and I laughed.

"What can I do to repay you?" I asked and he smiled.

"Dinner tonight? Your favorite restaurant." I couldn't help but laugh and I nodded. I heard a throat clear behind us and when I turned around, I was greeted by Jace but something was different.

"Jace." I said. "Did you hear what the judge said?" I asked happily and he nodded.

"I did. I can't thank you enough for doing this for my family." He said in his lawyer voice.

"Jace, what's wrong?" I asked as I stepped closer to him, but he stepped back.

"I just wanted to express my gratitude before I leave." He said.

"You aren't going to stay for the verdict?" I asked and he shook his head.

"Have a good night Miss. Fairchild." He said and he left. I was so completely and utterly confused. What the hell just happened?

"What's with that guy?" I heard Simon ask and I turned around.

"I have no idea." I said. "How's the wife?" I asked after a moment.

"I didn't tell you?" He said and I shook my head. "We got divorced."

"When?" I nearly yelled.

"Last year. She didn't like my job, and decided that I was away to much, and she needed a man who was going to be around." He said and I gave him a sad smile.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm good. If she didn't want to work through it, there was nothing I could do about that." He said and I smiled.

"What are you going to do about Natalie?" I asked.

"We have joint custody. She didn't really understand it at first, but she's getting used to it." He said and I nodded.

"Well, I'm going to go home and nap, and shower. Meet you there at 7?" I asked and he nodded. I made my way out to the car and couldn't help but think about how Jace was acting. What happened between when he helped me in court, to after it all ended? I guess I'd wait until the next time I saw him.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I may not be the prosecutor anymore, but I still followed up on Blackthorn's case. He didn't have a good solid case against him, and ended up pleading guilty, and I couldn't wait until he was sentenced.

Jace has been avoiding me since the end of the trial, and I couldn't figure out why. I wanted to talk to him, but if I called, he didn't pick up, and when I saw him around for cases, he avoided me like the plague. The only thing I haven't done was show up to his apartment, but that was all about to change. I took a deep breath before heading into the building and up to the front desk.

"How may I help you?" The man behind the desk asked.

"Hi, I'm supposed to have a meeting with a guy named Jace Herondale, but I totally forgot where he told me his apartment was and I was hoping you could tell me." I said and he smiled and started typing.

"Herondale lives on the top floor ma'am." He said and I nodded.

"Thank you." I said and I headed towards the elevator. I got in and hit the last floor. The ride was long, and it didn't help with the nerves. When the elevator finally dinged, I got out and made my way to the door. I took a deep breath before knocking. A moment later the door opened that there stood Jace.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"You won't answer my calls, you avoid me at the courthouse. This was my last option." I said.

"To do what?" He asked.

"To get an explanation as to why you've been giving me the cold shoulder." I said and he turned and walked away, but he kept the door opened and I followed him in. "Do I get one, or am I going to have to figure it out myself?"

"I don't know what you want me to say Clary." He said as he took a seat on his couch.

"I want you to tell me why you've been avoiding me." I said.

"I thought we were going back to our old ways?" He said and I laughed.

"This wasn't how we used to act Jace." I said. "Sure, we used to butt heads, but we could also joke around, but now I don't even see you."

"I'm busy." He said as he watched the TV. I snatched the remote out of his hands and turned the TV off. "What the hell?"

"Would you just talk to me!" I yelled.

"Fine! You want me to talk? I thought something was happening between us Clary. I thought that maybe…." He stopped talking and calmed himself down. "I thought maybe you liked me the same way that I like you. I don't know what happened Clary, but I haven't been able to get you out of my head since I spent the night with you, and I guess a part of me thought you felt it too."

"Jace." I said but I guess he wasn't done.

"And it was clear that you don't. I didn't realize that PI was actually someone to you. I thought you were just colleagues, but you aren't, and I shouldn't have assumed you were single, but I did." He said. "It was my fault really, and I thought the best way to get over my feelings was to not see you."

"And how's that working out for you?" I asked.

"Horribly." He said and I laughed.

"You're such an idiot." I said and he looked at me about to ask something but I didn't give him a chance. I walked over and slammed our lips together. He was shocked but he soon started kissing me back. I don't know how long we were standing there but when we broke apart we were both breathless.

"But what about…..?" He asked and I just shook my head.

"I've known him since I was little. He moved when we were in high school, but we always kept in contact. He moved back when he got a job as a PI here, and his wife lived here." I said and he nodded slowly. "Although, they did get divorced, but that's besides the point. Simon has always been like a brother to me."

"Damn." He said as he put his forehead against mine.

"You should have come talked to me." I said.

"I know, but I just couldn't. It hurt seeing you with him, and I figured that if I just stopped putting myself in situation where we ended up together, that it would be easier." He explained and I laughed.

"You are so stupid." I said and he laughed.

"Can we pretend these last two weeks didn't happen?" He asked and I bit my lip and nodded. "Good, because they were horrible."

"Yea. I know." I said and he pressed his lips sweetly to mine. "Have you been following his case?" I asked after we broke apart.

"Yea. I can't wait to hear his sentencing." Jace said and I laughed. "I'm taking you out tonight, and we're going to start this whole thing off correctly."

"Deal." I said and he pulled me into him and I instantly melted into his embrace. Now this felt right.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I've joined the dark side! I'm just kidding, but a year after Jace and I started seeing each other I decided to try my luck out at being a defense attorney. I loved my old job, but there as something about working along side Jace that really intrigued me, and I decided to give it a try. It's not as bad as I thought, but it helped that I had Jace by my side. We never defended a client without each other, and if I didn't feel comfortable with a certain client, all I had to do was tell Jace and we referred them to another lawyer in the firm. It was honestly a dream come true to work with Jace. I was right, we were a badass team, and we ruled the courtroom together. I was pulled out of my thoughts when a ball of paper hit me in the head. I looked up and Jace was smirking at me.

"Be mature Jace." I hissed and he just laughed.

"You need to loosen up Clary." He said and I stuck my tongue out at him. "Oh, real mature Clary." He said and I laughed.

"Herondale!" Our boss called.

"Yes?" Jace and I answered together and our boss rolled his eyes.

"I'm really going to need to get used to that." He said and Jace and I laughed. "Conference Room B."

"Which one?" Jace and I said together yet again.

"Please, everyone at this firm knows you're a package deal." He said and he walked away. Clary and I got up and made our way to Conference Room B, and when we walked in there was a woman and I assumed her two children. We walked in and took a seat and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Jace Herondale." Jace said as he shook her hand.

"And I'm Clary Herondale, how can we help you today?" I asked and the woman started to explain her situation. Jace reached his right hand under the table and took hold of my left hand and interlocked our fingers. I blushed, just like I always do when Jace does cute things like this to me, and he looked over and smirked just like he always does. If you told me back in college when we met that we would be in this position right now, I would have laughed at you, but being Jace's wife, and his partner in this job is everything I ever wanted, and I couldn't be happier with where I am in life.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I have no idea who requested a story where they are both lawyers, but I hope that I made a story that you enjoy! I tried to work with the idea of them hating each other, but the more I wrote, the more I realized that I didn't want them to hate each other, but I wanted them to be rivals who engage in witty banter, and I feel like I successfully accomplished that and I really like this story! Let me know what ya'll think and leave a review! :)**


	58. Chapter 57 - Princess

**Fifty Seventh One Shot:**

 **Princess**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in my room when there was a knock on my door. I sighed and got out of bed and made my way over and opened it, and there stood my maid, Rose.

"Hello Princess, I was instructed by our father to tell you to meet him in the dining room." She said and I nodded.

"Thanks Rose." I said and she bowed and walked away. I closed my door and got dressed into something more appropriate that my father would approve of. When I finally felt presentable I made my way down to the dining room. To my surprise, he wasn't the only one in there. My mother, my brother, and the royal family from the country over was also there.

"Ah Clarissa, nice of you to join us." My father said.

"I'm sorry I wasn't at breakfast this morning father, I wasn't feeling well." I said and he nodded and I took a seat next to my mother.

"Now that Clarissa is here, we would like to make an announcement." My father said and King Stephan stood up and joined him at the end of the table. "Stephan and I have come to an agreement, and have sighed a treaty that will forever bind out kingdom's together." My father said. "Princess Clarissa and Prince Jonathan will be married."

"I have to marry my brother?" I said and everyone laughed.

"No, I'm sorry Clarissa, I should have been more specific. You will marry Stephan's son."

"I thought his name was Jace?" I asked.

"That's the nickname he prefers to go with, but his name is Jonathan." King Stephan clarified and I nodded.

"It would be my pleasure. May I be excused?" I asked.

"Of course, but I'm sorry that Jonathan couldn't be here today. He is coming off of a illness himself, and wasn't allowed to travel on doctors orders." King Stephan explained.

"We'll have to make a trip up to your kingdom soon to introduce the two." My father said and Stephan nodded. I left the room before I heard anymore. I figured my father would marry me off to some prince in another kingdom at some point but I didn't realize it would happen so soon.

When I got back to my room I got back in my bed and pulled my computer up and looked up Jace. Google immediately gave me thousands of pictures of him, and sure he was hot but in most pictures he had a different woman on his arm, sometimes even two women. I sighed and shut my computer. Of course I get handed off to a huge playboy, and have to live my life with him probably having affair after affair, and I just have to smile and pretend that I don't know anything about it. I leaned back and snuggled under my covers and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

My father, mother and I had landed in the airport and were making our way out to cars. Flashes were going off from a lot of different camera's and people were shouting at me about how much they loved me, or if they could have an autograph, or if they could marry me, and I smiled and waved like I always do. I didn't realize how popular I was in another country, but at least they knew who I was so they might be a little more accepting of me as their future queen.

We got to their palace and were greeted by the staff. I had to give them credit. Their place was huge, and completely magnificent. It was an older style but that just added to the charm of it. We were guided into the living area and told that they would be in right away. I stood up and started inspecting the pictures on the mantle. They were older pictures. None were really recent and that only added to my curiosity of how close they really were.

"Valentine, wonderful to see you." I heard and I turned around and there stood the Herondale's.

"You too Stephan, Celine, and it's wonderful to finally meet you Jonathan." My father said.

"Please, call me Jace." He said and my father nodded.

"Very well. Jace, this is our daughter, and your future wife Clarissa." My father said as he gestured to me.

"Nice to meet you Clarissa." Jace said as he took my hand and kissed it.

"Please, call me Clary." I said and he nodded. "Pleasure to meet you."

"You as well." He said as he backed away.

"We shall leave you two to get to know each other a little more." King Stephan said as all the adults left the room. Jace and I stood awkwardly in the living area until he broke it.

"Would you like me to show you around?" He asked.

"That would be lovely." I said. He started walking and I decided to follow him. As soon as we made it outside, he started talking.

"I'm sure you can see what we have here from just looking, but that's the pool, and farther back is the tennis courts. Around the bend are the stables, and beyond the tennis courts there is fields to play polo, and such. We have cricket equipment, but I'm not much of a player. My father enjoys the game much more than I." He said and I just nodded and continued to follow. "I'm sure you got a nice look at the town on your way in, and everything."

"I did." I said and he looked at me.

"You don't have many emotions do you?" He asked with a laugh and I just shrugged. "Do you have any?"

"I guess." I answered and he laughed. He wasn't wrong, I didn't show much emotions. Normally I just went through the motions of my duties, and appearance sake, but when I didn't need to be the perfect princess, I didn't even try.

"You know, I looked you up when my father told me that we were getting married, and you looked incredibly happy in the pictures I saw." He said as we took a seat on a near by bench.

"Have to keep up the appearance." I said with a shrug. "There aren't any camera's here, so I don't need to smile."

"It would be nice if I could tell if you were enjoying your time with me." He said with a smirk and I just shrugged.

"And what if I'm not?" I asked and he laughed.

"Everyone enjoys their time with me." He said with a cocky attitude.

"You know, I looked you up as well, and I noticed a trend with you." I said and he motioned for me to continue. "Women. Lots of women."

"Jealous?" He asked.

"No, just preparing myself for the future marriage we're going to have." I said.

"And what would that be?" He asked.

"Full of lots of affairs, and fake smiles." I said as I stood up. "I have to go. I'm tired. It was a long trip." I said as I started to walk away.

"I'm not that heartless." He called after me and I turned around.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see about that." I said as I continued to walk away.

 **Jace POV:**

I was stunned as Clary walked away. The fact that she thought that was what our life was going to be like. Yea, I liked to flirt, and stuff, but I wasn't planning on doing that to her. I saw what one simple affair can do to a marriage, and if I wanted this to work out, and not be miserable, I wasn't going to jeopardize that with a stupid hook up. Clary and I might have to work on our relationship, but I was willing to do that, I just had to make her believe that.

I walked around the grounds and heard laughing coming from the stables. I made my way over and saw Alec and Izzy standing there in the middle of a conversation. Our stables were a place for our horses but also for other people's who need a place to keep theirs, and when we got a lot of them, we needed to hire people who knew how to take care of them. That's where the Lightwood's came in. They are a team of vets, and some of the best in the country. They just so happen to be my friends. We met in school, and instantly clicked.

"Hey guys." I said and they turned around and smiled.

"Hey, I thought you were meeting your future bride today." Izzy asked.

"I did, but she said she was tired and wanted to nap." I said and they nodded.

"The whole kingdom is thrilled that she's here." Alec said.

"They know her?" I asked and they both laughed.

"Of course they know her. I heard the airport was packed with people waiting to see her." Izzy explained.

"But how do they know her?" I asked.

"She's a princess Jace." Alec said.

"Yes, but she's a princess for a different country." I said.

"Do you know anything about her?" Izzy asked and I shook my head. "You should look her up and find out."

"I figured there wouldn't be much on her." I said.

"If you dig deep enough I'm sure you can find it." Izzy said.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to get much out of her. She is like a walking robot. She's very monotone, and she doesn't really have much feeling for anything." I explained.

"Look her up. I guarantee you'll get some answers." Izzy said.

"Why can't you just tell me?" I asked.

"Because it's something you need to do for yourself." She said and I sighed. "And don't look for the obvious. You won't find much looking up Clarissa Morgenstern."

"What does that even mean?" I asked.

"Be creative." She said and I groaned. "I have to take Lord out for his daily walk, trust me Jace, you might not like what you find out, but it'll be worth it." She said and than she left.

"What the hell does that mean?" I asked Alec as Izzy left.

"I've never been able to understand Izzy, or how she manages to find things out but she's almost never wrong." Alec said.

"I just want to know how she knows something that most of the population doesn't." I said and Alec laughed.

"You know how determined she is." Alec said and I nodded. "I have to meet with the owners of Cassius, and give them an update. See you around man." He said as he left the stables and than it was just me. Clearly Clary acted the way she did because of something that happened in her life, and I was determined to figure out what, but I just didn't know where to start, since asking her was completely out of the question.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Searching about Clary was harder than I thought, but I wasn't giving up. My family was hosting our annual ball, and the Morgenstern's arrived a few days ago, and I rarely saw Clary. She spent the majority of her time in her room, and only came out when asked, or for meals. It was weird. I never experienced someone who was so incredibly numb before, but Clary was almost the shell of a human. She smiled out in public, and laughed when she talked to someone, and occasionally when we would have to make public appearances she would show some type of affection towards me, but when people were gone, and there weren't camera's she put that wall up, and it was impossible to break through them.

My father almost sent a maid to go get Clary, but I volunteered because I really wanted to see her. I was making my way up to her room and trying to figure out what I was going to ask, and when I knocked on the door she opened it and she looked incredibly tired.

"Yes?" She asked.

"The designer is here to find you a dress for the ball." I said and she nodded.

"Thanks." She said as she went to close the door but I stopped her.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yea. Why wouldn't I be?" She asked.

"You look exhausted." I said and she shrugged.

"I don't sleep well in unfamiliar places." She said and I nodded.

"Is there a certain scent that reminds you of home?" I asked and she looked confused.

"I have a lavender plant in my room at home." She said and I nodded.

"He's waiting for you in the foyer." I said and I walked away. When I went downstairs I grabbed my coat and walked outside before my father stopped me.

"Jonathan, where are you going?" He asked and I turned around.

"Clary doesn't sleep well in unfamiliar places, so I asked if there was a scent that reminded her of home, and she said lavender. I'm going to go pick up a couple plants and put them in her room." I said and he seemed a little shocked.

"That's very unlike you." He said and I shrugged.

"I want this to work, and she needs to trust me." I said and he nodded and walked away. I got into the car and made my way into town. I tried to hide my face, but once one person see's me, they all freak out.

I was mobbed by people, and asked for pictures, and I've learned that if I just do what they want they leave me alone quicker. It took me about 30 minutes to make it to the florist but when I finally got into the store, and I went right up to the older woman behind the desk.

"Prince Jonathan, what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked.

"I would like to purchase 5 lavender plants please." I said and she nodded. She walked away and came back with the 5 purple plants.

"Will that be all Prince?" She asked and I nodded. I gave her my card and she swiped it and I made my way back to the car, while workers brought the flowers out. When I finally got home, I had the staff bring them up to Clary's room. I knew she wouldn't be there, considering Magnus would keep her hostage for a couple hours. I opened the door, and walked in and her room even felt like ice.

"Alright, just place them anywhere there is room." I said and they nodded and placed them around the room. "Thank you." I said when they were done and left. I hoped that Clary liked this gesture, and that it helped her sleep at night.

 **Clary POV:**

After 2 hours with Magnus, I was finally released and I went straight to my room. When I walked in I was hit with the overwhelming scent of lavender. I looked around and realized there were lavender plants placed all around my room. I walked over to the closest one, and there was a note attached to it. I picked it up and unfolded it.

 _Dear Clary,_

 _I hope the smell of these plants help you sleep at night. If you need anything else, please don't be afraid to ask the staff, or me personally. We will make sure that we make your stay here more comfortable._

 _Jace._

I couldn't help the rare smile that spread across my face. This was a very sweet gesture that he did, and I appreciated it, but it wasn't enough to make me trust him. I have trust issues, and I wasn't willing to just give my trust away to someone that I barely knew. Of course, maybe if I came out of my room and tried a little harder, I could get to know him, but I just didn't have the will.

 **Time Jump – Ball**

 **Jace POV:**

I was standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for Clary to come down. The ball had started, but we were being introduced so we got a little more time to get ready. I was nervous, and I could only imagine Clary wasn't, since she didn't seem to really care about anything, but I was anxious to see her. I heard the clicking of the heels and when I looked up, she took my breath away. She was wearing an emerald green ball gown that hugged her torso, but flowed at the bottom. Her hair was curled like normal but these curls were elegantly placed with a tiara on the top of her head. She descended the stairs and it took me a moment of two to get my breathing evened out. When she reached the bottom of the steps, I reached my hand out and she took it.

"You look absolutely beautiful." I said and she smiled, and I could tell it was an actual smile, not one of her fake ones.

"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself." She said and I smiled.

"You ready?" I asked and she shrugged. "You're not excited?" I asked as we started to walk towards the ballroom.

"I've never been one for big events." She said and I laughed.

"I've gathered as much." I said and she shrugged again. "How come you're so closed off?"

"I'm not closed off." She said.

"Yes you are." I said and we stopped.

"Just because I don't trust you doesn't mean I'm closed off." She said and I was taken aback.

"You don't even know me, and you don't make an effort to know me for you not to trust me." I explained and she didn't say anything. "I'm willing to try and earn your trust, but you need to be willing too."

"I'll try to be more involved." She said and I nodded.

"Thank you." I said and we stopped in front of the doors and I heard my father speaking.

"I am pleased to introduce you, for the first time, Prince Jonathan, and his future wife, Princess Clarissa." We heard and the doors opened. Clary had her signature fake smile plastered on her face. Her arm was linked in mine and we started entering the ballroom. The whole room erupted into a fit of applause and cheers as we made our way in, and I didn't know about Clary, but I was proud to have her on my arm. I knew there was something about her that I didn't know, but I was hoping that that changed in the future.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The ball had been going on for hours, and I was tired, but I couldn't leave. This ball was to introduce me to this new country and if I left, I don't think Stephan and Celine would like that very much. Jace had disappeared about an hour ago, and I hadn't seen him since. I figured he was mingling with some people, so I didn't think too much about it.

The thing about Jace was, I knew that it was wrong of me to treat him with just a cold attitude, but I didn't trust him, and that's how I treated people I didn't trust. I knew what it could do when you trust people and how much it can break you when you do let people close, and I never wanted that to happen again. I need a break so I thought I would take a nice little walk outside to get some fresh air. I walked out onto the balcony and I could hear a girl giggling. I didn't know where it was coming from, so I decided to follow it, and when I turned the corner my eyes widened. There stood Jace, and he had a girl wrapped around him.

"You want me to trust you?" I said and they broke apart. "And this is you way to gain my trust?" I said and the girl laughed.

"Please. Everyone knows your marriage is political." She said and I rolled my eyes.

"You can forget about the trust." I said as I walked away.

"Clary." I heard Jace call and I turned around.

"You want to so desperately know why I'm so closed off, and why I seem so emotionless, well maybe it's because there were men in my life who I let in, who ended up hurting me or disappointing me and I don't want that to happen again." I said as tears filled my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "You want to try and get me to open up to you, but last I checked, having some blonde pressed up against you, at our ball, announcing our engagement, isn't really the best way to get me to open up to you."

"Just let me explain." He said and I laughed.

"I don't want to hear it." I said as I walked away. At this point I didn't care about the ball. All I wanted was to go to my room, get out of this dress, get in the bath, and cry. And that's exactly what I did.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left I turned around furious at Kaelie.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked and she rolled her eyes.

"Come on, you know you don't want to marry her." She said. "Plus, we have always been a much better couple." She said seductively.

"We dated for like 2 months when we were 15. I hardly call that being a couple." I said as I started walking away.

"She's damaged Jace." Kaelie said and I turned around. "She's more damaged than you'll ever know and I don't think you can handle that."

"Why the hell does everyone seem to know about her life but me?" I asked.

"It's not hard to track down one of her staff members and get some information." She said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Just pay them a decent amount and they aren't afraid to tell you whatever you want to know."

"Care to share?" I asked and she laughed.

"What do I get out of it?" She asked.

"You get to stay at this ball, and are allowed back to whatever other functions my parents have and I won't tell your parents you corned me and tried to ruin my engagement." I said and she glared at me.

"I didn't get much out of the girl who I talked too." Kaelie started. "She didn't know anything but the basics, but apparently the guy who worked for King Valentine as his right hand man took advantage of Clary when she was a little girl."

"By take advantage, do you mean…..?" I asked and Kaelie shrugged.

"The girl didn't know what he actually did, but nobody knew about it until Clary was nearly 17." Kaelie explained.

"Why didn't she say anything?" I asked furiously.

"Nobody knows the reasons why Clary never told. She wouldn't tell anyone when they found out." Kaelie explained.

"She's been keeping that to herself for 4 years? Wouldn't that make her go crazy?" I asked.

"Why do you think she's so numb? Most people would try and kill themselves, or start doing drugs, or go to therapy and get help. Clary, she just shut herself down from everything." Kaelie said. "She's emotionless because I think she's too tired to try and have any."

"You're being awfully forthcoming with this information. I thought I was going to have to threaten your parents status at some point." I said and she laughed.

"I didn't realize she actually mattered that much to you, but I saw it when she walked away." Kaelie said. "I'm sorry that I ruined it. I didn't mean too."

"I appreciate everything you've told me, and I appreciate the apology." I said and she nodded. "Go enjoy the rest of the ball." She smiled and walked away and I took a deep breath. I walked back in to the ballroom and tried to find Clary. When I couldn't I made my way over to Izzy to try and see if she knew anything. "Iz, have you seen Clary?"

"She stormed out of here a while ago. She looked angry, and I thought you said she didn't have emotions." Izzy said.

"Kaelie cornered me out on the balcony and tried to make out with me, and Clary caught us." I said.

"What is wrong with that girl?" Alec asked and I laughed.

"I don't know. Clary yelled at me, and than left." I said.

"Why didn't you run after her?" Izzy asked.

"Because I wanted answer from Kaelie, and than when I was about to leave she said something that caught my attention." I said.

"What?" Izzy and Alec asked in unison.

"She said that Clary was damaged. And I wanted to know what she meant." I explained.

"Did she tell you anything?" Izzy asked.

"She told me more than you." I said and Izzy rolled her eyes. "She said when Clary was little a member of her father's staff took advantage of her, and nobody found out until she was nearly 17."

"That sounds right." Izzy said.

"Why the hell wouldn't you tell me? And why the hell wasn't I able to find anything when I searched?" I asked.

"I told you to be creative in your research." She said. "Her family tried to keep it from going public, but some information leaked. Her family said that it wasn't their daughter, but another member of the staff, and who was going to not believe the King? The man who did it was sent to secure location and hasn't been able to leave since they found out. Everyone just accepted what King Morgenstern said and that was that."

"How did you find out?" I asked.

"I had to go to her country for a veterinarian convention about two years ago, and we got to tour their stables. It was amazing, and I saw her standing on her balcony, and she looked distant. I found a cute stable boy and started flirting and asked about her. He knew a lot more than most of the staff there. According to him, they used to be really good friends until she shut down." She explained.

"What exactly happened to her?" I asked.

"I think you should hear that from Clary. She needs to tell you when she trusts you." Izzy said.

"She's never going to trust me Iz. That was completely ruined tonight." I said and she walked over and hugged me.

"Prove to her that this wasn't you, and you do care." Izzy said and I nodded.

"Cover for me, I'm going to go look for her, and my parents won't be happy that I left." I said and Izzy nodded.

I made my way up to her room because I figured that was my best bet. When I knocked nobody answered. I was normally a patient guy, but I really needed to talk to her, so I twisted the doorknob and it was open. When I walked in Clary wasn't there, and I was about to leave when I heard something from the bathroom. It sounded like crying and when I peaked in, Clary was in the bathtub and rubbing her eyes. I knew I was taking a risk, and she might hate me forever, but I had nothing to lose at this point so I opened the door and her head snapped up towards me.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!?" She yelled and I was surprised.

"That was the first raw emotion I've gotten out of you since we've met." I said as I kneeled down next to the tub.

"Seriously Jace, this is super inappropriate." She said and I laughed.

"You're covered in bubbles. I can't see anything." I said and her cheeks turned red. "Ah, so you do have other emotions besides anger. I was starting to worry."

"What do you want?" She asked.

"You didn't let me explain." I said.

"I didn't want to hear any lies." She said quietly.

"Which is why I wasn't going to lie to you." I said and she looked over at me. "What you saw was Kaelie and I in a very compromising position, I'll admit, but I didn't initiate it. I was getting some fresh air on the balcony when she cornered me. We dated for like 2 months when we were 15, and she thought that she could try and ruin our engagement by making out with me. I tried to tell her no, but she threw herself at me, and that's when you walked over." I said.

"How do I know that's the truth?" She asked.

"Because I'm not a liar. Ask my parents, ask my friends. I don't lie. I never have." I said and she took a deep breath.

"Okay. I believe you, but that doesn't mean I trust you." She said and I nodded.

"I understand you need time to trust me because of your past, and I'm willing to wait, you just can't run away from me without an explanation." I said and her eyes widened.

"You know about my past?" She asked sounding horrified.

"I don't know much. Just that someone took advantage of you in some way, and you shut down because of it." I said and she sunk even further in the tub. "I'm not going to force you to tell me. When you're ready, and you trust me, just know I'm always up for listening." I said and she nodded but didn't look at me. "I like you Clary. I think you're incredibly kind, and sweet, and from what I've read about you, you're hilarious, and amazingly talented, and smart. I'd like to get the chance to experience those sides of you, if you'll let me."

"I can't promise you I'll open up about my past anytime soon." She eventually said. "It might take me some time, but I'm willing to try and trust you, and try to let you see other sides of me that I haven't shown to anyone in awhile."

"That's all I'm asking Clary. I know what you saw online about me is horrible. I lost my way when I was a teenager, and I'm not proud of that. I'm a different person now, and I hope that you see that, and eventually we can have a friendship or a relationship because we're stuck together Clary, and I don't want to be one of those kings and queens that only talk during public appearances, and ignore each other at home. I know what that looks like, and I'm not a fan." I said and she looked at me.

"Your parents, they aren't very warm and fuzzy towards each other. I notice it when they are in the same room." She said and I nodded.

"My father lost his way when I was about 12. He had an affair with some woman, and it destroyed my mother." I said. "Which is why I would never do something like that to you. It took my mom years to come to terms with what my father did, and even though he never did it again, he was never able to make it up to my mom. She had no choice in staying, but everything was different. Dinners were silent. Vacations were spent with me drifting from hotel to hotel so I could spend the same amount of time with each parent. Weekends were reserved for time with dad, while weekdays I was all of mom's responsibility. It was like living being two different people with two different lives."

"That must have been hard." She said and I shrugged.

"It sucked. We'd go out in public, and I'd see my mom and dad holding hands, and laughing together, but I knew it was all fake, but there was a part of me that longed for it to be real. I'd make them stay out an hour longer, just so that fantasy didn't have to go away." I laughed at the memories. "Eventually they realized what I was doing, and I got yelled at, and punished by both of them at the same time, but I couldn't even find it in me to care because at least while they were punishing me they were doing it together."

"That sounds terrible." She said and I laughed.

"I love my parents. I really do. My dad messed up, and I don't blame my mom for handling it the way she did. But sometimes I think that maybe if we weren't in this lifestyle, that it wouldn't have happened, and I think that's what sucks the most about it." I confessed. She reached out of the tub and placed her hand on my cheek and smiled at me, I real genuine smile.

"But if you weren't in this lifestyle, your parents might not have met, and you might not be here." She said and I shrugged. "Look, I don't know why bad things happen. I can't explain them, I can't excuse them, and I certainly can't predict them, but dwelling on them will only bring you misery."

"Is that why you are a ray of sunshine?" I asked and she laughed for this first time since I've known her.

"I've moved on, I just don't have time to deal with false emotions. Being happy in public is exhausting enough. I'm not happy, and I'm not going to pretend to be for the sake of others around me. I think that's a very important lesson to learn about me." She said.

"Look, I can handle the emotionless robot you've become, but that doesn't mean I'm going to sit back and not try and do nothing about it." I said and she nodded. "I believe you can be happy again, and I won't stop until I get you there."

"Why do you care so much? Nobody else has tried in the past." She said.

"Because I care about you, and I believe that we could have a really good life together. I don't mind you putting up a front out in public, and when we come home you sink into the couch and don't move for the rest of the day, but don't avoid things that could potentially make you happy because you think you don't deserve it." I explained. "Be sad, be angry, be numb, be emotionless, but you're allowed to be happy too. Even if it's just for 5 minutes."

"I can promise you I will try my hardest." She said and I nodded and stood up.

"That's all I'm asking for." I said and she smiled. "I'll let you get back to your bath. I'm sorry for interrupting but I needed to speak to you."

"It's okay. I'm glad we had this talk." She said and I nodded and made my way out of her bathroom. I felt like things were finally going to go up from here when it came to Clary and I, and I couldn't wait to see where it goes.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since the ball, Jace and I haven't really seen each other considering we live in two different countries, but I had taken everything Jace said to heart, and was going to try my absolute hardest to try and give him something that the world doesn't get, and that's who I really am. I figured the best way to do that was to try and reconcile with my family first. They all knew that it was hard for me, but they understood why I shut myself off from everyone, and if I was going to start beginning to let a little bit of myself through, the best people to start with were my family. I made my way into the dinning room, where I had called a family meeting and when I rounded the corner I instantly got nervous. My family saw and I could see how curious they were with why I called this.

"Are you going to tell us why we're here Clarissa?" My father asked.

"Yes." I said as I took my seat. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" My mother asked.

"I shut myself off from the world after everything happened. I shut you all out, and I shut my friends out, and I retreated into myself and just left a shell for you guys to see, and I'm really sorry that the one place where I'm supposed to feel safe, and loved, got turned into a place where I was scared, and alone." I said.

"Oh sweetheart. We don't blame you for that." My mother said.

"I know, but it wasn't fair to you guys. I know it hurt you when I put on a show for the world. I could see it. You didn't deserve basically losing me." I said and my mom took my hand in hers.

"You had every right to grieve in whatever way you deemed necessary." My mom said.

"What brought this on?" Jonathan asked.

"At the ball, Jace and I talked. He told me that I should allow myself to be happy." I said.

"He doesn't understand the emotionless Clary?" Jonathan asked with a laugh.

"He understands it, and he told me that he can handle it, but that doesn't mean I also can't be happy. And he made a good point. I completely removed myself from everything that made me happy, and smile, and laugh all because of what happened, and that's no way to live life." I said and they nodded. "This meeting was just a chance for me to say sorry. I know it's been hard for you, and I'm sorry I didn't make it any easier."

"We understand Clarissa. But know, you have never once made it difficult for us." My father explained. "Sure we had to adjust to your new self, but that didn't mean it changed anything for us. We still love you, and we'll still do everything in our power to help you."

"I have one request." I said and he nodded. "I want to have a meeting with him."

"Clarissa." My father started but I stopped him.

"I need answers dad. I need to know why, and I think if I know that, I can finally move on." I said and I knew he wasn't happy, but he understood.

"I'll talk to my men immediately. But I don't want you going alone." He said and I nodded.

"Jace is coming in a few days. He can come with me." I said and they looked confused. "We're going to be married in a couple of months. He deserved to know what happened."

"Are you sure Clarissa?" My father asked.

"I'm sure. I'm starting to trust him, and I believe that this will only build on that trust." I said and he nodded.

"Very well. I'll make that call today." He said and I stood up and walked over to him.

"Thanks daddy." I said and I felt him laugh.

"It's been awhile since I've heard you call me that." He said with a smile on his face. I smiled as I hugged him and knew that this was the right thing to do, and after this meeting I can finally forget about him and move on.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had informed me that we were going somewhere today but wouldn't tell me where. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Going to a place where I had no idea what was going to happen was nerve wracking. I was standing in the foyer waiting for her when I heard the footsteps descending the stairs. Clary wasn't dressed like she normally would be for a public outing, which only heightened my curiosity as to where we were going.

"You ready?" She asked and I nodded and we made our way to the car. She took out the keys, which surprised me and got into the drivers side. I got into the passenger side, and I guess I looked confused because she laughed. "Where we are going, I didn't want anyone else there who didn't need to be."

"Are you ever going to tell me?" I asked as she started the car and we began driving.

"I took your advice into consideration." She said. "There is only one way that I'm going to be able to lay to rest my past, and start being who I was before I shut down, and that's if I have some answers."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"We're going to the place where the man who took advantage of me is being held, and I'm going to get some answers." She said and my jaw dropped.

"Are you sure?" I asked and she took a deep breath.

"I'm not sure. I don't know how I'll react after seeing him, or if I'll just shut down even more after our meeting, but if I don't do this, I don't think I'll be able to move on." She explained.

"So why bring me along?" I asked.

"My father didn't want me to go alone, and we are getting married soon, and you deserve to know what happened." She said and I nodded.

"Do I get a shortened version of the story before we get there, or am I going to just learn as we go?" I asked.

"I'll tell you. This is a pretty long drive." She said and I nodded. "It started when I was 8. I was playing with some toys in the living area when he came in and sat next to me. I didn't think anything of it. I had known the man my whole life, and I figured he was just coming to say hi. I didn't realize what he was doing until his hand brushed my leg. I thought it was weird, and thankfully my mom called me to have a snack and I got up and left." She explained. "The next time it happened was a couple months later. We were all eating dinner and he took the seat next to me, and he rested his hand on my thigh. I was about to say something when he pinched me, and I nearly cried. I figured if I spoke, he'd pinch me again, and I didn't want to be in pain again so I kept my mouth shut. That went on for a couple months." She said as she took a deep breath. I knew it might bring back some unwanted memories, but I placed my hand on her thigh to let her know I was there. "When I was 9, my father had to go out of the country, and my mom went with him. Jonathan and I were left with the staff, and I woke up when I felt someone climb into my bed with me. At first I thought it was Jonathan, but when I opened my eyes, it was him. He smiled at me and pulled me close. He didn't do anything but stroke my hair, and rub my legs. I started crying, but he slapped me on the ass and told me to be a good girl, and I immediately stopped crying and shut my mouth."

"You don't have to continue Clary." I said but she shook her head.

"That went on for years. The touches, the glances, the punishments if I acted out. I wanted so desperately to tell my parents but he told me that they wouldn't believe me, and that he'd punish me." She said. "So I kept quiet. He would pretend that everything that was happening was appropriate and I slowly died on the inside."

"He didn't, touch you in appropriately, did he?" I asked and she was quiet. "How long did it take him to get to that point?"

"That didn't start until I was almost 12." She said quietly and it took everything in my not to scream. "He got meaner, which caused me to stay silent."

"Did he ever…you know…rape you?" I asked hesitantly.

"He tried, but before he could do any significant damage I screamed and Jonathan came running in. I don't think I would have ever been able to recover from that. Jonathan beat him up, and than my father had him taken away. I haven't seen him since I was 17." She explained.

"I can't believe that went on for almost 10 years." I said and she shrugged.

"It didn't happen every day. Sometimes my father would send him out to other kingdoms, where he was gone for weeks or months, and I was thankful for those times."

"Still, no child, or teenager should ever have to go through that." I said and she looked over at me and gave me a small smile. "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me."

"You aren't a bad guy Jace, and over the past couple months you have proved that I can trust you, and I'm working on that still." She said and I smiled.

We were in the car for a couple more hours until we pulled up to a house that was extremely secluded. Clary parked the car and we both got out. I could already tell that she was nervous. I walked over to her and took her hand in mine. She seemed to relax a little, but I knew once we entered that house, everything was going to change.

We walked up and Clary knocked on the door. A moment later a man answered it and walked us in. they stopped us in the living room and had us take a seat on the couch while they got him ready. I hadn't let go of Clary's hand yet, and I didn't plan on letting go any time soon. I leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple and she seemed to relax a little more, but that all went away when two men walked back into the room.

"We're ready for you now Princess." The one man said and Clary and I both stood. "Only the Princess."

"Like hell." I said and Clary gripped my hand to calm me down.

"The deal was that he came with me. He can't back out of that now." Clary said and the two men nodded. Clary and I made our way into the room and he was sitting in a chair, chained to the floor, and even though I could tell he couldn't move, I still didn't like it.

"Clarissa darling, it's been too long." The man said as Clary and I took our seats.

"Not long enough Hodge." Clary said and the man smirked.

"Did you miss me?" He asked as he licked his lips, and anger filled me.

"No." Clary simply said.

"Who have you brought with you today Clarissa?" He asked seemingly ignoring what Clary just said.

"My fiancé." Clary said and I could see his eyes darken.

"No need to lie my dear Clarissa." He said.

"She isn't." I said. "We're getting married in 3 months." I said and he didn't take his eyes off Clary.

"Did you not understand that you are mine Clarissa?" He hissed and Clary squeezed my hand.

"She isn't yours. She's mine." I said through gritted teeth.

"Oh please, I think I left enough of an impression on her that she'll never be able to give herself to anyone else." He said with a smirk and I stood up, walked over to him, and punched him in the face. The first hit was out of anger, and the second one for Clary, but after the second I was pulled away and forced back in my seat. He still had a smirk on his face, but this time it was covered in blood, which made me feel better. I looked over at Clary and instead of seeing fear, or sadness in her eyes, I saw a little glimmer.

"Thank you." She said and I took her hand in mine again.

"Anything for you." I said and she smiled.

"I'm here for answers Hodge. I want to know why you did what you did all those years ago." Clary said and he laughed.

"And why would I tell you that?" He asked.

"Because I can make sure your seclusion turns into a whole lot more than just sitting in a house all day." Clary said, and she sounded so incredibly strong, which was new for me. "I can make your life a living hell, just like you did for me."

"What do you want to know?" He asked after a moment.

"Why me?" She asked.

"You were a beautiful girl. I just couldn't help myself." He said as his eyes raked over Clary's body. "If I only knew you'd grow up to be even more beautiful I would have made sure I was more careful."

"You don't regret anything you did to me?" Clary asked.

"Not one bit." He said and Clary gripped my hand tighter.

"My father trusted you, why break that trust?" Clary asked.

"Because I could get away with it. Your father and I go way back, and the fact that he trusted me, made it easier." He said.

"You're sick." Clary said and he just laughed. "So the only reason you did it was because you wanted too?"

"No. I wanted to hurt your father." He said. "He was never fit to be king. He was such a fucked up teenager. He didn't have the confidence, or the will to be king. He shouldn't have taken the crown."

"So punch him in the face, don't go after his daughter." I said before Clary could speak.

"Valentine is an excellent fighter. Punching would do no damage." Hodge explained.

"There is a special place in hell for you." I said and he laughed again.

"We're leaving." Clary said as she got up and walked out of the room.

"Don't be a stranger Clarissa! Visit again sometime." He called after her. I stood up and looked at the two men standing next to him. They both stepped aside and I went over and punched him one more time for good measure. I made my way out to the car and Clary was now sitting in the passenger seat crying. I got into the drivers seat but didn't start the car. I didn't know what to do for Clary. I had never seen her express this much emotion before, and there was just something so incredibly heartbreaking about seeing her this incredibly vulnerable.

I did the one thing that I knew she needed. I put the car in drive and got us far away from that house. Once I felt like we were far enough away, I pulled the car over and put it in park. Clary was now staring out the window with a dead expression on her face. I knew today was a toss up. It would either go well, or horribly wrong, and I think it went with the latter. I got out of the car, made my way over and opened her car door. She looked confused, and I reached my hand out and she took it hesitantly. I helped her out of the car and than I pulled her into me and gave her the biggest hug that I could. She was surprised but she wrapped her legs around my waist, and locked her arms around my neck the moment our bodies collided. I could tell that she was still crying, and that only made me hold onto her tighter. I stood there with Clary in my arms and just let her cry it out. I couldn't imagine what she was going through after that meeting, and if this was all I could do, that's what I was going to do.

When Clary finally pulled away I didn't let her go. Her eyes were swollen, and there were tear stains down her cheeks, and her eyes were bloodshot, but the only thing that I could focus on was how perfectly she fit into my arms, and how incredibly right holding her like this felt. She leaned her head on my forehead, and closed her eyes. After a few minutes she opened her eyes and they locked with mine. Her eyes kept flickering down to my lips, but I wasn't going to make the first move. This was all Clary. We were going to do what she felt comfortable with, and I wasn't going to push her. After a couple seconds, I finally thought she was going to kiss me, but instead of my lips, she moved her mouth over and kissed my cheek. To say I was a little disappointed would be an understatement, but like I said, this was all going to move at Clary's speed, and if this is all she could handle today, than that was fine with me.

After she pulled away and our eyes locked again, she carefully unlocked the death grip around my waist, and I slowly put her down. Neither of us said anything, and I don't really think we were quite ready to talk about today, so I simply, opened her car door, and she climbed back in. I took a deep breath and than made my way over to the drivers side and continued on our way home.

 **Clary POV:**

God, I'm such an idiot. I had prime opportunity to kiss this man that I was going to marry, and I decided to plant a soft, sweet kiss on his cheek? What kind of loser am I? He had listened, and heard about my horrible past, confronted the man that I have been incredibly scared of for the past decade of my life, he punched him, twice, and all I reward him with is a kiss on the cheek? Jeez, if I were anymore socially inept I would have kissed his freaking hand.

I continued to stare out the window as Jace drove us back to the kingdom. I couldn't even look at him I felt so ashamed. He didn't look mad, or annoyed when he finally put me down. Actually, he looked rather content, but that didn't always mean that that's what the person was feeling. Hell, I've been putting up a wall for years, and nobody questions me, so how the hell am I supposed to know if Jace was really content? For all I know he's pissed, or disappointed, or anything really.

"Clary, we're home." I heard Jace say. I didn't realize how far gone I was in my head. "I took the liberty of calling ahead, and there is a bath waiting for you in your room so that you can relax and forget about today." He said and my jaw nearly dropped. I didn't deserve this guy. I didn't deserve anything he was doing for me.

"Thank you." I simply said and we got out of the car. I half expected him to leave my side the minute we entered the castle, but I should have known he was going to walk me to my room.

The whole walk up there I was gathering the courage to kiss him. I couldn't help but sneak a few peaks at him as we walked in the most comfortable silence up to my room. He was safe, and he was strong, and he made me feel safe, and strong, and that's something nobody was able to provide for me before. When we finally got to my room, we both lingered for a moment before he started to speak.

"I'm sorry today turned into a miserable day, but I hope you got some answers you were looking for." He said.

"I don't think I'll ever fully hear his real reasoning. He's twisted, and I think keeping that information from me is his last resource of having power and control over me." I said and he nodded. "But today was definitely eye opening."

"How so?" He asked as he leaned against the doorframe.

"For one, I feel like we got a little closer." I said and he nodded. "Now you know the reason behind my emotionless attitude, and now if I ever cocoon myself, at least you'll know why. And even though I may never get the answers I want, I can finally lay him to rest and move on." I explained.

"Even though you still don't have a concrete reason?" He asked.

"I never really expected to get one. I needed to go, and see him, and show him that he didn't end my life. He didn't ruin who I am. He doesn't have control over me, and he never will again." I said. "In the back of my mind, I always knew that he was taking advantage of me. I always knew this was on his conscious, and not on mine, but at the same time, I always felt like I could have done something to prevent it, or stop it." I said as I shook my head. "I could have worn different clothes, I could have spent less time alone, I could have told my parents the minute I started feeling uncomfortable around him, but I didn't. I wore what I wanted, I was alone because I liked it, and I didn't tell because he scared me. But here I am, at 21 years old, and I'm still living, I'm still growing, and I'm starting to forgive myself, and I think that's something he thought he could destroy, and I hope as he rots in that house, he realizes that he may have severely wounded me, but he didn't kill me." I said as I looked up at Jace. "And I hope that thought kills him everyday."

"You truly amaze me Clary." Jace said and I smiled and shrugged. "No seriously. You handled today so incredibly well, and I couldn't be any prouder of you. You faced your demon, and you won."

"I could have been stronger, but I'm just impressed I didn't cry in front of him." I said with a laugh.

"Who cares if you cried. Crying is okay. Its an emotion that proves that you are still human, and that you still feel things, and that you still have a heart, and a soul." Jace said. "Crying isn't a sign of weakness Clary, it's sign of perseverance, and growth. If something makes you cry, than cry. Let it out of your system and learn from it. That's what life is all about. Making mistakes and learning to better yourself because of them."

"I'm glad you were there with me today." I said and he smiled.

"All you have to do is ask, and I'll do anything for you Clary." Jace said and I realized that it was now or never.

"There is something I want to do." I said and he opened his mouth to speak but I took the plunge and pressed my lips to his. He was surprised for about 2 seconds before he started kissing me back. I don't know how long we stood there kissing, but I felt like I couldn't get enough of him. When we finally did break apart we were both breathless. "I'm sorry that took me so long." I said and he laughed.

"I was willing to wait as long as you wanted too." He said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I want you to progress this relationship at the speed you're comfortable with. Especially knowing your past. I don't want to trigger anything, and I don't want to push you past your limits. If you don't feel comfortable doing something, like a kiss, I'm not going to force you into it." Jace said and I smiled.

"You are so incredibly patient." I said and he shrugged with a smile.

"We have the rest of our lives to progress in this relationship. I wouldn't care if it took us up until our wedding day to share our first kiss, because I get to kiss you for the rest of my life." He said and I laughed.

"You sure about that?" I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I'm pretty sure." He said and I smiled.

"You're right." I said and he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me into him and I let out a laugh.

"I'm glad we can progress, and grow together Clary, and I can't wait to see where this relationship goes without anyone forcing us to enter it." He said and I smiled. "Now, your bath is probably going to get cold, and I think you deserve it after today."

"Thank you. For everything you did today, including punching Hodge twice." I said and he laughed.

"I actually punched him three times. Once after you left." He said and I laughed.

"Nice." I said and he smirked.

"Couldn't let him off the hook that easily." He said and I opened my door.

"I'll see you at dinner." I said and he nodded and kissed my forehead before walking about. I got into my room and closed my door just as Rose walked out of the bathroom.

"Your bath is ready Princess." She said and I smiled and walked over to the bathroom.

"Thank you Rose." I said with a smile.

"It's good to see you smile again Princess. We've missed it around here." She said and I gave her a hug.

"I have a feeling you'll be seeing it a lot more." I said and she smiled back at me.

"You've got yourself a good Prince there Princess." She said and I couldn't stop the grin on my face.

"Yea I do." I said. She bowed and left my room. When I got into the bath I reflected on the day I had and realized that I had gotten a lot more good out of this day, than bad, and I was going to cherish that.

 **Jace POV:**

After I left Clary to take her bath I made my way into the kitchen for a snack. When I walked into the kitchen I was greeted by Clary's whole family, and they were all smiling from ear to ear. I made my way over to them and Queen Jocelyn pulled me into a hug.

"We can't thank you enough Jace." Queen Jocelyn said as she pulled away.

"For what?" I asked.

"We haven't heard her really laugh in years." Jonathan said and I smiled.

"We figured out a lot of things today that will hopefully strengthen our relationship, and allow us to grow and move on from the past and start our future off without any baggage." I said.

"So the meeting with Hodge went well?" King Valentine asked.

"No. It was nightmare. If there weren't two men to stop me, I would have given him more than a bloody lip, and a swollen eye." I said and Jonathan laughed.

"You punched him?" He asked.

"Three times. The first time, I was just angry. He was saying disrespectful things to Clary, and I didn't like it. The second time was for Clary. I felt like she wanted to do some damage but something was stopping her, so I took the liberty of doing it for her. And the third time was a parting gift." I said and King Valentine and Jonathan laughed.

"It's good to know that son of a bitch got hit." Jonathan said.

"I can't do much about him, and I figured I would never see him again, so I had to do something." I said and they all nodded.

"We're thankful you went with her, and that she's starting to open up to someone. We've been trying to get her to talk for years." King Valentine said.

"She's still pretty closed off, but I can work with that." I said and they smiled.

"Well, dinner should be ready in about an hour, so we'll see you than." Queen Jocelyn said and I nodded and grabbed an apple and left the kitchen. Today was an interesting day, but I was happy that Clary and I have reached a point where we can actually see where this relationship goes and get to know more about each other.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Celine and I had a lunch today with some other royals in the kingdom, and it was interesting, but I just couldn't wait to get home. I knew what responsibilities came with being a Princess. I mean, I've been a Princess all my life, but I had to learn about an entirely new country, and that was really tough. Today was also a bad day for me. I didn't feel like being out in public, or putting on a show, but this lunch was organized 4 months ago, and I couldn't back out, so it took all of my energy to put on that performance, and my bed was calling my name.

I didn't even bother to find anyone. Once my feet entered the castle, I immediately went up to Jace and I's room. I was planning on getting into my PJ's and not leaving my bed for the rest of the day. Jace was out with his father and some friends playing Polo, so I figured I wouldn't see him for another couple hours, and it was the perfect opportunity to take a nap. Since Jace and I got married, I would say I've had more good days, than bad days, but that didn't mean that they still didn't affect me as much as they used too. And having someone as supportive as Jace was really encouraging.

 **Jace POV:**

I had just finished my game of Polo, and I went to go find Clary. Today was the one year anniversary of the first time we kissed, and I felt like that was worth celebrating. It was a symbol of the progression and truly the start of our relationship, and I think that's what makes it so special.

I walked into the house and I looked in all the usual places where Clary would be. I knew she went out with my mom today, but I figured she'd be back by now. I took a deep breath and thought about where Clary might be, and than it hit me. I started making my way up to our room, and when I opened the door, sure enough I saw a little mound on the bed. I smiled to myself, and made my way over to her. I got into bed and she opened her eyes. She looked sad, and almost like she was shrinking into herself. I opened my arms, and she scooted over and I pulled her close to me. I heard her sniffle, and I started rubbing her back to calm her down.

"I'm having a bad day." She said softly, and I pressed my lips to the top of her head.

"Just tell me what you need, and you got it." I said as she snuggled closer to me.

"I just need you." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"You have me." I said and I felt her nod. We didn't talk the rest of the time we laid in bed. I heard her sniffle occasionally, and I continued to rub her back to show that she had my support. "I love you." I said after a while.

"I love you too." She said and I nodded. Clary might take years to grieve everything she's been through, but I knew that we could make it because no matter what, she would always have my love, and support whenever she needed it, and I knew that was a two way street, and that's all I could ever want in a marriage. Clary would never truly be the same person she was when she was little. But I saw her progressing each day, and sure she had bad days, but when I saw her smile, or I made her laugh, those were the moments that made it worth it, and I planned on keeping her smiling and laughing for the rest of our lives.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I'm not quite sure who requested the Prince and Princess story, but here it is! I know it might not be what you originally wanted, but this was how it turned out. I truly just let my creativity flow on this one, and I really enjoy it, and I hope that whoever requested it likes it as well! Let me know what you think, and I promise that I'll get started on my next one shot soon! :)**


	59. Chapter 58 - Confusion

**Fifty Eighth One Shot:**

 **Confusion**

 **Clary POV:**

We had all just graduated high school, and were getting ready to spend a couple days at the beach before we all went away with our families and headed off to college. I'm not going to lie, I'm really going to miss all these guys, especially because I'm actually going to college in a different country. It would be weird at first, but it's something that I really wanted to do, and it was now or never, and I decided that I didn't want to live life with any regrets, and I knew I'd regret not taking this chance. I was pulled out of my thoughts when my best friend pulled up to my house. He got out of the car and flashed that gorgeous smile at everyone and I nearly melted. Okay, so maybe I'll live with one regret, but you can't win them all.

Jace Herondale, the hottest guy you'll ever meet, and also, when he decided you're worthy enough, the sweetest guy you'll ever meet. We became fast friends in middle school, and that soon turned into being best friends, and yup, you guessed it, that soon turned into me falling in love with him. I tried to get over it. I even dated this one guy earlier on in the school year, but he turned out to not be as nice as he appeared and I quickly broke it off. Jace dated too, but what can you expect from a hot guy. Girls were constantly fighting to get hit attention, and if I was more confident, I might be as well.

"Hey Fray, you in there?" I heard and I looked up and Jace was standing there. "I thought I was going to need to send a search party to come find you." He said and I laughed.

"You know how I get lost in my own head." I said and he smiled.

"That I do." He said. "Come on, you're coming with me." He said as he grabbed my bag and threw it into his car. I got into the passenger seat and waited for him and the other two people coming with us. Of course it was going to be Alec and Magnus because Simon and Izzy couldn't be separated for more than 5 minutes or they both start to whine, and I didn't want to be stuck in a car with Kaelie, Aline, and Sebastian (who by the way is the guy I dated earlier). Kind of weird that he's coming, but he was kind of a friend of all of ours, although we aren't really sure how he got there, and Kaelie and Aline are friends with Izzy, and sometimes they are pretty chill, but who knows how spending a week with them will be.

The car ride took about 4 hours, and we jammed the whole way down. Jace and I understood each other. We liked the same music, sang duets together all the time, and loved making fun of Alec and Magnus when they were together, but they were just too cute not to. I wanted what they had, but I couldn't with the person I desperately wanted to be with.

When we finally got to the hotel, we all broke apart. The girls headed to our room, while the boys headed to theirs. We were on the same floor, but about 3 doors away from each other. Our parents would only allow us to go together if our rooms didn't have a joined door. It was worth that one sacrifice to be able to spend these couple days together, and we might not even spend that much time in our room if we're hanging out doing everything else.

"Okay, let's just put our stuff down and hit the beach to catch the sunset." Izzy said and everyone agreed. We went down the hall and knocked on the boys door and Jace answered.

"What's up Fray?" He asked and I smiled.

"We were thinking about going to the beach to catch the sunset, would you boys like to join?" I asked and Jace turned around.

"Guys, wanna catch the sunset with the girls?" He called back and as answered with a bunch of yeas. "We're in."

"Cool. Meet us down in the lobby." I said and he shut the door.

By the time the boys got down there, we were afraid we were going to miss the sunset, but thankfully we got there just in time, and we weren't the only ones admiring the beautiful picture. Although, I was soon brought out of my trance when I heard a bunch of girls giggling, and when I looked over they were openly gawking at Jace, who was smirking and winking at them like he always does. He was such a flirt, sometimes I wondered if he was really ever going to get into a serious relationship. By the time the sunset, we all started heading back to the hotel when Izzy spoke.

"I don't want to go back and sleep just yet." She said.

"What do you suppose we do?" Alec asked.

"I saw this poster for a Hawaiian show just down the boardwalk, let's check it out." She said with a smile. Everyone agreed and we started walking when I shivered. I instantly regretted not bringing a jacket. Suddenly I feel fabric drape over my shoulders and look up to see Jace.

"Thanks." I said and he smiled.

"Don't mention it." He said and we continued to walk in silence. We finally got to the Hawaiian show it was packed. There were belly dancers, and fire throwers, and a ton of Hawaiian food. Of course being the starving teenagers that we are, we pigged out on the food and enjoyed the Hawaiian experience.

It ended at about 10:30, and we all decided to just walk around and see what else this place had to offer. Towards the end of the boardwalk there was the building and inside there were just hammocks, and mats that people were resting on, and it had been a long day so a couple of us (the ones who weren't coupled up and making out) went in to just relax. I sat on the ground and leaned against a pillar trying my hardest to stay away.

"Don't fall asleep on me now Fray." Jace said and I laughed.

"It's been a long day Jace." I said and he smiled. He grabbed his phone and started playing You & Me by Marc E. Bassy ft. G-Eazy. I couldn't help but laugh because he started dancing. He looked absolutely ridiculous but I couldn't get the smile off my face. I loved this side of Jace, and I never wanted to leave him, but we both had plans for our future, and that took us away from each other.

Finally we decided to go back to the hotel, or at least the people who were with us. When we got back to the hotel I realized that I was the only girl. The others were out, and I really didn't want to be alone, so I followed Jace into his room. It was just Jace, Sebastian and I, and I took a seat on the one bed, while Sebastian laid on the other. Jace came over and laid down next to me.

"Pull the covers over you." He whispered into my ear, which caused me to shiver. I did as he told me. "Sebastian has been eyeing you up all night." He said and I nodded.

I stayed there until Izzy texted me and asked where I was. By this time Sebastian was passed out, Jace wasn't far behind, and when I opened the door, there stood Simon, Alec and Magnus. I said my goodnights and went back to my room and went right to bed.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was pretty simple. We all went to the beach for the majority of the morning, but as we were leaving the beach, all the boys spotted an arcade. They all ran and the girls simply laughed and followed. As we sat there and watched them play, Jace came over and rested his head on my lap. This was normal for us, especially when we were in this type of situation. We just always found ourselves using each other as pillows, but I didn't mind.

After a while of being lost in Jace's head on my lap, I realized that everyone left. Jace and I laughed and made our way back to the hotel. It was a little after 1, and we were going to get lunch, and we needed to change. After I was decent, I went down to his room to see if he was ready. The door was propped opened so I just walked right in, and I heard Jace on the phone so I just took a seat on the bed and waited for him to be finished.

"They said they would meet us downstairs in 30 minutes." He said as he took a place on the bed next to me.

"Sounds good." I said and he nodded.

We laid there talked about college, and the future. He got up to get a drink of water, and I sat up and eyes spilled out of my eyes. I was really going to hate leaving everyone, but especially him. When he came back out he noticed something was wrong and walked over towards me.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he wiped the tears from my eyes.

"I'm just really going to miss everyone." I said and he smiled.

"Same, but college is going to be so much fun Clare." He said and I shrugged. "Come on, you have to be excited for at least some portion of it."

"I'm not great at making friends Jace. Before we became friends, Simon was the only one I had." I said.

"It's going to be okay Clary. If some people don't like you, fuck them. You're an amazing person." He said and I wanted so desperately to roll my eyes and tell him that if I was so amazing, why couldn't he just see that we would be so good together.

"I guess." I said and before I knew it Jace was pulling me into him. I think he knew that I needed some comfort, and I wasn't going to tell him to stop any time soon. As we hugged, I felt his hands running through my hair, and I was instantly relaxed. There was just something about being this close to him that was really comforting.

I don't know how long we were like this, but we soon realized that we had never been this close to each other for this long, and I was about to pull away when Jace pushed me back gently and he was hovering over top of me. We were completely against each other, and when I say completely, I mean _completely._ His eyes were locked with mine, and I melted. My body was igniting, and my head was in a daze, and before I knew it, he was kissing my neck. Nothing in the world felt so good, and I never wanted him to stop. I was completely lost in the moment until I realized that anyone could walk through that door. My eyes snapped open and I pushed Jace off of me and ran. I didn't know what else to do but run. I got back to my room and just started crying. Everything that just happened was confusing, and I knew that it couldn't happen again.

I tried to avoid him for the rest of the day, and I was successful, until everyone decided to go back to the arcade, and Izzy convinced me to come. I didn't want too, but this was our last week to be together like this, so I gave in. We were there until a little after midnight and I just needed to go back.

"Iz, I'm gonna leave. I'm so tired." I said and she smiled and hugged me.

"Of course. Thank you for coming even though you didn't want too." She said and I laughed and waved goodbye. I started walking when I heard footsteps behind me and when I looked back Jace was running towards me.

"Where are you going Fray?" He asked.

"Back to my room. I'm exhausted." I said and he nodded.

"I'll walk you. I was getting tired of kicking Sebastian's ass anyway." He said and I just nodded and continued to walk.

"Wait!" We heard and we both stopped and turned around and saw Aline running towards us. "You guys heading back?" She asked and we nodded. "Good. I was so bored." She said and we laughed and all three of us walked back to the hotel.

When we got up to our floor, Aline and I made our way to our room when we heard Jace curse. We looked over at him and he turned around and smiled.

"I don't have a key." He said and I shook my head.

"Come stay with us for a little." Aline offered and Jace made his way over to me.

We got into the room and I turned the TV on immediately. I didn't feel uncomfortable because Aline was there, and we couldn't exactly discuss what happened earlier which I was thankful for. I flipped through the channels until I landed on some cooking show and gave up. I looked over and Aline was literally asleep! She left me to fend for myself with Jace! I laid in my bed, and Jace made his way over and laid with me. We didn't speak, we just faced each other and he was drawing patterns on my side. I don't know how long we laid there, but I felt myself nod off and I opened my eyes and decided that if I was that tired I would just get ready for bed.

I went into the bathroom and washed my face and brushed my teeth. I took a deep breath and looked at myself in the mirror. Someone would be back soon. At least I hope someone would be back soon, because the tension between Jace and I is incredibly high and I don't know how much longer I can handle it. When I was finally calm I opened the bathroom door and there stood Jace.

"Jace." I said and he walked in. "You should really get some sleep. I'll wake you up when someone comes looking for you."

"I don't want to sleep." He said.

"So what do you want to do?" I asked hesitantly.

"This." He said. He took my hand and pulled me into him. I didn't know what was happening until he started swaying side to side. We were dancing. In a bathroom. Slowly. To say I was confused would be an understatement, but I rested my head on his chest and just let it happen. After a little while of dancing he randomly took my waist and picked me up and placed me on the ledge of the sink. His eyes locked with his and he leaned forward and pulled me into a hug. His arms locked around my waist, and my arms locked around his neck. We stayed like that and I started rubbing my hands up and down his back and he shivered. I went to back away but he didn't let me go. His lips touched my ear and whispered.

"You make me shiver." I nearly lost it. I pulled back and leaned my forehead against his.

"Jace." I whispered and he smiled.

"Don't think Clary." He said and I nodded. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine and fireworks went flying. I locked my legs around his waist and he pulled me into him. Our lips moved in perfect rhythm, and I never wanted this feeling to go away. We were completely lost in each other when I heard the door open. Jace and I broke apart and I heard Izzy talking. The next thing I know the bathroom door is opening and Izzy is standing in the doorway.

"Why are you two in the bathroom?" She asked and I looked at Jace.

"Clary wasn't feeling well, and I came to see if she was okay, and we didn't want to wake Aline with our talking so we just kinda stayed." Jace said like it was the actual truth.

"Oh. Okay. Well come on, let's go to bed. We have to be out of here at 9 am tomorrow." Izzy said as she left.

"Clary…." Jace said but I cut him off.

"Goodnight Jace." I said and I made my way out into the room. Jace left shortly after without saying goodnight. I knew something had happened in that bathroom, but we were leaving soon and I honestly had no idea if he actually had feelings for me, or if this was just his way of a nice send off, but it kinda scared me because this was what I always wanted, but didn't think I'd ever get.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It had been a couple days since we got back from the beach and I hadn't seen Clary at all, which was weird for me. We were always spending as much of our free time together as we could. But today I finally got to see her, but not for a great reason. She was leaving today to go study in another country, and I've been dreading it ever since she told me. Losing Clary was going to be the hardest thing I've ever done, and I don't know how I'm going to do it.

I got to her house and the usual gang was already there. Jocelyn was packing the car and Izzy was currently squeezing Clary half to death. I got out of my car and made my way over to them and I heard Izzy talking.

"You have to call me as soon as you land, and every day to let me know what's going on. Keep in the loop of all the hot guys, and how people dress, and the weather." Izzy said and Clary laughed.

"The weather Iz? You want me to keep you updating on the forecast?" She said and Izzy rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean. You have to keep me in the loop." She said and Clary took her hands.

"You know we'll talk all the time Iz." Clary said and Izzy started to sniffle.

"I love you Clare." Izzy said.

"I love you too Iz." Clary responded and in that moment I was jealous that Izzy could confess her love, and I couldn't. _Wait,_ did I just say love? Since when did that come into the equation? I asked myself but than realized, it's always been there.

"Can I hug my best friend now Izzy?" I said and they turned towards me.

"She's all yours." Izzy said and I couldn't help but think that she wasn't. Not in the way I wanted.

"It's going to be weird without you Fray." I said and she smiled.

"You'll find another redhead to annoy I'm sure of it." She laughed and I smiled.

"But they won't be you." I said and she gave me a sad smile.

"We'll keep in touch. If you want weather reports as well, all you have to do is ask." She said and I laughed and pulled her into me.

"Stay safe over there." I said in her ear and I felt her nod. When we finally broke apart I wanted nothing more than to kiss her but her mom interrupted us.

"We have to go Clary. You're flight leaves in a few hours, and airports are a nightmare." Jocelyn said and Clary nodded.

"I love you all." Clary said. "Don't miss me too much."

"I miss you already Biscuit." Magnus said and she laughed.

"Bye." She said as she walked away. I watched her get into that car and drive away and I instantly felt like something was missing.

"Come on. Lets all go back to my house." Alec said and everyone agreed and we made our way to the Lightwood's. I was out of it for sure. But I didn't realize how out of it I was until Izzy poked me.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked.

"I lied to you while we were at the beach." I said and she looked confused. "Clary and I weren't in the bathroom because she was sick, or because Aline was sleeping."

"Than why were you in there?" Izzy asked.

"Before you came in we were actually making out." I confessed.

"Finally!" Izzy shouted and now I was the confused one.

"What do you mean finally?" I asked.

"Dude, we've been waiting for you two to get together for years." Alec said.

"Seriously?" I asked and they all nodded. "Why didn't anyone tell me that?"

"You wouldn't have listened unless Clary told you, and face it, I love that girl to death, but she was never going to tell you." Magnus said.

"What happened after you kissed?" Izzy asked.

"Nothing." I said.

"Nothing?" Izzy repeated and I nodded. "Why the hell not?"

"She seemed to be avoiding me." I said.

"Classic Clary." Alec said with a laugh. "That girl has been digging herself into a hole ever since she started getting feelings for you."

"And when would that be?" I asked.

"About sophomore year of high school. I caught her staring at you, and at first I thought it was just her normal zoning out thing she does, but there was something in her eye. I could tell something was up." Izzy said. "I asked her about it and surprisingly she spilled her guts without me having to threaten to dress her up."

"Wow. I'm blind." I said and everyone laughed.

"Very." Izzy said.

"What do I do now? She's leaving." I said.

"Go to the airport and tell her how you feel." Izzy said.

"But that won't stop her from going." I said.

"No, but it'll stop her from moving on." Alec said. "Face it, Clary hasn't been able to get over you because you two were always together. When she's over there, and you aren't around her all the time, and she thinks you aren't interested, she might decide its time to let you go."

"Way to bring down the mood Alec." Izzy said.

"He's right. She tried to date Sebastian earlier this year to get over you, but it didn't work." Magnus said. "Especially because he wasn't all that nice to her."

"He's a dick." I said as I remember Clary telling me how he started treating her poorly.

"Yea, and so are you. To everyone but Clary." Izzy said. "Every single person at that school knew you had a soft spot for that redhead."

"She's my best friend." I said and Izzy smiled.

"Exactly. Now go tell your best friend that you're in love with her." Izzy said and I stood up.

"Okay. I'm going." I said as I ran out of the door.

I got into my car and rushed to the airport. Clary's flight as leaving at 3, and I had to get there before so I could tell her how I felt. The airport was a mad house, and I had no idea where I was going. I walked up to the desk and decided to ask for help.

"How may I help you today sir?" the man behind the desk asked.

"My best friend is about to board a plane, but I'm not sure where to go." I said.

"Where is the destination the plane will be landing?" He asked.

"Dublin." I said and he started typing.

"All flights from New York to Dublin are in Gates G, H, and I." He said and I nodded.

"Thank you." I yelled as I started running towards those gates. I had no idea how I was going to find her in this sea of people, but I wasn't giving up. After searching through Gate G, I made my way to Gate H. I almost gave up until I spotted a familiar head of red hair that I couldn't forget even if I tried. "Clary!" I called and she turned around.

"Jace, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"I'm an idiot." I started and she looked confused. "I didn't realize how stupid I was to never realize how incredibly smart, and beautiful and charming, and witty you are."

"What are you talking about Jace?" She asked as she put her bag down.

"You're my best friend." I said.

"You're my best friend too." She responded.

"Gate H is now boarding, all passengers please make your way to the terminal." A voice came over the intercom.

"Jace, I have to go or I'll miss my flight." She said as she picked her bag back up.

"Clary, wait." I said.

"I can't be late Jace. I'll call you when I land and we can talk." She said as she turned and started walking.

"Damn it Clary, I'm in love with you!" I yelled and everyone stopped what they were doing to stare, and Clary was frozen. Slowly she turned around and our eyes locked.

"You're what?" She asked slowly.

"I'm in love with you." I said again in a lower voice. "I wasn't teasing you at the beach. Or at least, I wasn't trying too." I explained. "I've been wondering what it would feel like to kiss you for years, and I figured why not, since we were both leaving to go to college." I said as I stepped closer to her. "I didn't expect to feel like I had just been shocked back to life when out lips touched."

"You felt that too?" She asked and I smiled.

"Yes. And all I wanted to do was keep doing it." I confessed. "I was blind, and I was a fool, and I should have known that the only girl who has ever mattered to me is you." I said and I saw her eyes start to tear. "You have had my heart since we met when we were 12 years old Clary."

"Jace." She whispered and I cupped her cheek.

"I love you." I whispered and the tears spilled over.

"I love you too." She responded. "But I can't stay."

"I know. I didn't tell you this to make you stay." I said.

"Than why did you tell me?" She asked.

"Because I want every guy over in Dublin to know you're taken." I said and she laughed.

"Is that what I am?" She asked and I grabbed her hand.

"If that's what you want to be." I said and she smiled.

"Absolutely." She said and I pressed my lips to hers. We were lost in the moment until a voice broke us apart.

"I hate to break this up, but the plane is almost done boarding miss." The voice said.

"I'll call you the minute I land." Clary said and I nodded.

"I'll be waiting." I said and she smiled.

"I love you." She said and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.

"I love you too." I said and she smiled and made her way over to the terminal. She turned around one more and waved before disappearing into the doors. I took a deep breath and watched as the love of my life flew off into the sky, and even though we were going to be separated, I felt like I was on top of the world.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

These past six months have been interesting, but in the best way possible. I mean, how can it not when it started off by Jace asking me to be his girlfriend? It truly only got better from there. My classes were amazing, and I made friends with some girls who reminded me a lot of my friends back home. For the most part the boys were nice, but there was this one kid that just wouldn't take no for an answer. Even after I told him I had a boyfriend, he just keeps insisting that we should go out.

It was a normal day and a bunch of us were sitting outside on the picnic benches eating lunch when there was a mass silence from the whole courtyard. I had no idea what was going on but everyone seemed mesmerized.

"Who the hell is that?" My friend Emma said and I turned around and got the biggest smile on my face.

"Jace, what are you going here?" I said as I got up from my seat. I ran over and jumped into his arms and I felt him laugh.

"I thought I'd come surprise you." He said and I pulled away.

"Jace, it's the middle of the day, how did you get here from Japan?" I asked. Jace was always fascinated by the Japanese culture and when he learned that he could go to school there, he jumped at the opportunity.

"My school does this program where for two weeks we visit another country and learn about their traditions and culture, and everything, and after the two weeks are up, we write a paper on it and a whole presentation and I thought, what better place to travel than to Dublin to see you." He said and I was floored.

"So you're here for two weeks?" I asked and he smiled.

"I'm all yours for two weeks." He said and I slammed our lips together. When we broke apart I had realized that we had quite a large audience, who were still in shock. I buried my head in Jace's next and he laughed. Even though we've spent our entire relationship apart, these two weeks were going to be absolutely perfect, I just knew it.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So this story was requested by WDLF, and I have to say, you really kicked my ass with this request. I felt like I was ruining your story, and that it wasn't good enough, and to top it all off, it's a lot shorter than most of my other stories, but I felt like I gave it all the aspects that you told me about, and modified a few to make the story believable, and I had to keep with the characters, so some things might not be what you wanted, but were crucial to the story! Over all, I hope you enjoyed this. I know you requested it months ago, and I'm sorry it took me so long, but please let me know what you think, and I hope that I captured what you truly wanted! Leave a review! :)**


	60. Chapter 59 - Actress

**Fifty Ninth One Shot:**

 **Actress**

 **Clary POV:**

I got my big break when I was 13. It wasn't anything too over the top, but I got a job to act in a commercial, and I was over the moon happy. I wanted to start getting jobs a lot younger than that, but my mom always told me that it would have been hard to get a job as a child actor, and I trusted her. But once I turned 13 she had allowed me to go to a couple auditions, and by sheer luck, I got a call back, and I've been in the business ever since.

My acting career took off after that commercial, but my life also changed dramatically, and it kinda threw me off as a person. I kept acting, and pursuing my dreams, but there was definitely a difference in jobs that I got. I stopped getting jobs that required me to be extremely peppy, and got more of the roles that were suited for characters who were shy, and quiet, or characters who basically said 'fuck you' to the world, and lived a very lonely life, but I wasn't complaining. I had jobs, and I was still acting, so it was all the same to me.

When I was 18, I was offered a part in a movie series that was being adapted from a book series. It was my first job that had a very promising future, with potentially huge box office numbers, and a following that exceeded my wildest expectations. That movie changed my life, but not purely for the movie, but also in my personal life. My character was a girl who lived a seemingly ordinary life, who had two loving parents, a sister, and friends that everyone wanted. My character got straight A's, and was the captain of the soccer team, and basically a shoe in for a scholarship to a major university. My character had it all, until the new boy moved to town. He was mysterious, and the epitome of a bad boy, but something intrigued her about him, and vice versa.

The movie went from the time I was 18, until I was nearly 25. It had taken along time to make, especially considering there were 5 movies that needed to be made, but there was such an incredibly response from everyone, that working on a project for that long was totally worth it. My relationship with my co-star was another thing all together. We were love interests in the movie, but at one point, it moved beyond the screen and into real life. He was kind, and funny, and smart, and athletic, and pretty much everything every girl wants in a man. The only problem? We lived in two different countries. I lived in America, and he lived in England. The long distance was tough, but we made it 4 strong years together, until one day, it was just over. It had been my first official heartbreak, and it took me some time but I got over it.

Since our ending, I continued to work on movies, but not just acting. I had actually been getting into the directing side of things, and he started dating some model. Our lives were clearly at two different stages, and hey, maybe we weren't made to work out, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the time we had. It's been about 5 years since that movie wrapped, and 5 years since I've spoken to him, but I still wish him the best of luck in everything he does, and I do go see his movies, and whatever show he ends up in, and he's still just as fabulous of an actor that he was during the movie, which didn't surprise me at all.

Which brings me to present day. I was currently in the middle of directing an original screenplay that was supposed to make box office history for a director on their first film. To say I was shocked when this idea was picked up would be an understatement. I wanted to make a story that was relatable, and depressing, and kinda seems like the main character can't catch a break, but also make it inspiring, and when I pitched the idea, everyone was immediately drawn to it. They couldn't wait to start writing the script, and casting everybody, and to know that a piece of my work was making people this excited, was mind blowing.

The thing about this piece was, it was an autobiography of my life. The events, and the feelings, and the struggles were all pulled from my personal experiences. Nobody knew that though. I kept that a secret because I didn't want anyone to have that kind of pressure on them when creating this film. I wanted them to give me their best work, and I don't think they would have performed up to their abilities if that weight was hanging over them.

The script was finalized last week, which meant that we were about to start the casting process, and I was a nervous wreck. I wanted to cast the perfect people, and part of me was afraid that I wasn't going to find them. I was sitting in the office with my producer, my executive producer, my production manager, and my script supervisor all waiting for the first person to be brought back. The door finally opened and in walked the first girl.

"Hi, what's your name?" I asked.

"My name is Helen Blackthorn." She responded.

"Hello Helen, can you just give me a little background on yourself and your career?" I asked and she nodded.

"I started acting when I was around 11. Nothing big, just commercials, and small appearances on shows. This is actually the first big audition that I've come too, so I'm a little nervous." She admitted, and I felt like I would have kept that part out, but I was happy with her honesty.

"How old are you Helen?" I asked.

"I just turned 18." She said and I nodded.

"And how would you feel if we cut and dyed your hair?" I asked.

"I wouldn't mind it at all. I've always wanted to do something different, but never really had the guts." She said with a smile.

"Okay Helen, this movie is pretty dark, and deals with a lot of heavy topics. Do you feel like you are mature enough to handle that?" I asked.

"I've always been told I'm mature for my age. I feel like whatever you throw at me, I'd take and do my absolute best to portray what you wanted on set." She answered and I nodded.

"Okay Helen, I'm going to have you read off a few lines for me." I said as I handed her the script. "Page 56, line 13." I said and she flipped through and found the page. "Begin."

Helen began to read the lines, and I was impressed that she only looked at the script a couple times, which shows that she picks up the material easily. After she was done I took the script back and she left the room. I looked around at my staff and took a deep breath.

"I like her." I said and everyone laughed.

"She's only our first girl Clare, we have many more to go." My producer said and I nodded.

 **Time Jump – Three Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Throughout the course of 3 weeks, we had auditioned hundreds of girls. But for some reason, I couldn't get Helen out of my head. There was an innocence to her, that I had when I was a young girl, and I felt like she portrayed exactly who I was growing up, and I felt like she could really dive into whatever role I give her, and express those emotions perfectly.

The next morning I walked into the office and gathered my staff. We all met in the conference room and I after a moment I decided to speak.

"I want Helen Blackthorn to play the lead." I said and their eyes widened.

"Seriously?" My producer asked.

"When writing this script, she is exactly how I envisioned the main character to be." I explained, mainly because she reminded me so much of myself. "I think she could be absolutely amazing, and I want to give her that chance to shine and prove to the world that commercials, and little cameo's aren't all she's good for. It's a risk, but so is this movie, and you all believed in me."

"Okay, so Helen gets the job, now onto the rest of the cast." My producer said and I nodded.

"I'm going to go give her a call." I said as I exited the room. I pulled out my phone and dialed the number of her agent.

"Hello, Helen Blackthorn's agent, who am I speaking with?" The woman on the other end answered.

"My name is Clary Fray, and you client auditioned for my upcoming movie, and I was just calling to inform her that she got the part." I said and the other end was silent. "Hello?"

"You're serious?" The woman asked.

"Very. I would love for Helen to come in sometime this week so we could talk more, and get the ball rolling on this." I said and there was a scream at the other end.

"Helen! Get in here!" I heard and I couldn't help but laugh. "You got the part!"

"No way!" I heard in the background. "Ahhhhhhh!"

"I'm glad you're both excited, and I can't wait to meet with you, and I look forward on working together." I said.

"Thank you so much. This means everything to Helen." The woman said.

"I'll have someone email you with details, and when to met." I said. We said our goodbyes and I took a deep breath. I felt good about this. Really good.

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting on the couch looking up possible job opportunities and auditions that I could go to. I haven't had a project in about 6 months, and I figured the best way to get out of this funk was to go and audition and hope I get a call back. Most of the TV shows, or movies coming out weren't really what I was interested in, until I came across this one description that instantly captivated me.

 _Nowhere Girl:_

 _This story follows a young lady by the name of Catie, who at a young age realizes that life isn't all rainbows and butterflies. Her life takes a hard hit when she starts viewing herself in a negative light and heads down a path where few have been able to escape. On top of dealing with self-esteem issues, her mother is fighting a battle all her own, and when a certain bad boy enters her life, will she be able to handle the pressure or will she ultimately be another victim in life's cruel and unfair game._

I couldn't help but want to be play that bad boy, I may be older than what they wanted, but I still looked incredibly young, and was able to play young parts. I thought the plot was incredibly intriguing, and I couldn't believe that Alec hadn't heard of this job yet. It was set to be one of the biggest movies of the year when it comes out, and Alec was always in the loop when it came to big blockbuster hits like this. I closed the laptop and went upstairs to find Alec and figure out who I needed to call in order to get this part. When I knocked on his door, I heard the footsteps and a minute later it was opened.

"What's up Jace?" He asked.

"I found a movie that still casting that looks absolutely amazing, and I just need you to call and set something up." I said as we walked downstairs.

"Which movie?" He asked.

"It's called 'Nowhere Girl' and I read the description and I have to be apart of it." I said and he sighed.

"I already told them no Jace." He said and my jaw dropped.

"Why would you do that? You didn't even ask me." I said a little annoyed.

"Did you happen to read anything else about that movie?" He asked and I shook my head. "The director, it's Clary."

"Clary Fray? She's directing it?" I asked and he nodded. "Since when is she a director?"

"Since she wrote the script for the movie." Alec said and my eyes nearly pop out of my head.

"She wrote it?" I asked and he nodded.

"I got the email last week. They were looking to cast the bad boy, and I emailed them back with a polite decline, and they said thank you for considering and there were no hard feelings." Alec explained.

"That sounds like Clary." I said as I rubbed the back of my neck. She was always really understanding.

"I should have told you, but I figured I wasn't going to open that can of worms again." Alec said and I nodded.

"I appreciate it man, but that role just sounded so good. And that movie sounds amazing." I said and Alec smiled.

"Yea. I don't know if I'm really allowed to tell you this, but Magnus is her Executive Producer, and he says the script is one of the best he's ever read, and this movie will without a doubt win an Oscar or a SAG Award." Alec said and I took a deep breath.

"It's that good?" I asked.

"Magnus can't really tell me much, but he was reduced to tears when reading it. And Magnus doesn't cry." Alec said and I couldn't believe it. "It's one of the most depressing stories Magnus has ever worked on, but he thinks the message is the most powerful thing he's ever read."

"Wow. I guess that means I'm going to have to go and see it." I said and Alec laughed.

"Magnus is taking me to the premiere. Maybe he can snag an extra tick or two for you and Kaelie." Alec said, and just the sound of my girlfriends name wasn't pleasing. We had been dating for about a year and a half now, but I didn't know why. She was constantly traveling, and when she was around all she did was complain. It made no sense why we were still together, but we were.

"Yea, or I could go with Izzy." I said and he glared at me.

"Break up with her dude. You don't even like her." Alec said and I sighed.

"We're never together long enough to bring it up. And I'm not going to be that douchebag that breaks up with a girl over a text." I said and Alec shook his head.

"I get it man, but you aren't happy, and we knew she was never going to be the one you settled down with." Alec said.

"Please don't start with this again." I said.

"I'm just saying Jace, you had a good thing, and you ended it." Alec said referring to Clary.

"We were young. We weren't thinking about settling down." I explained.

"Yea, and you're 30 years old, and not getting any closer to that dream family you've been wishing for since you were 10." Alec said. "Look, I'm leaving for LA tomorrow night. I'm meeting with Magnus, and I'll try and find you some work out there for right now. You need to get out of this funk."

"I appreciate that man." I said and he nodded and went back upstairs.

I took a seat back on the couch and turned on the TV. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but I just wanted to distract my mind from Clary. Alec was right, Clary and I had an amazing relationship, but in the end we just didn't work, and I don't know if I'll ever regret not trying hard enough, but I haven't been able to find someone who made me feel like she did, and that was something I missed more than anything.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Okay everyone, this is the final scene!" I yelled and the whole cast and crew cheered. "Okay, ready, and action!" I yelled and they started filming. I was incredibly proud of all the work that had gone into this film, and I couldn't wait for it to be in the theaters, and getting the recognition that I think it deserves, especially with the serious topics that people don't like to talk about in society. "AND that's a wrap! Good work everyone!" I yelled and the whole place started cheering.

I walked over and gave Helen, and Julian a hug. They had truly been the best lead roles that I could ever imagine and I was happy that I gave them this chance to break out of their molds, and do something different, and show the world that they are capable if they give them a chance.

"Thank you two for bringing this story to life, and giving it meaning, and making it heart wrenching and inspiring." I said as I pulled away. "You made this movie what it was supposed to be, and what I imagined when I wrote it, and I couldn't be more proud of how far you two have come."

"We couldn't have done it without you." Julian said. "You pushed me farther than I thought was possible. You gave me a shot to prove that I can do this, and you taught me more about myself, and who I am as an actor than anyone has ever before."

"You gave me a shot in this industry." Helen added after Julian was done. "I was forever known as the girl in the cheerio commercial, and the random girl who was in every episode of every drama for 10 minutes." She laughed. "You believed in me, and you allowed me to grow as a woman, and as an actor."

"You two are extremely talented, and I can't wait to see what you accomplish in the future after this movie. I know whatever it is, will be absolutely amazing." I said and they smiled. "If you ever need anything, don't be afraid to give me a call."

"Thank you Clary." They both said in unison, and I smiled and walked away. I was making my way to the office when someone linked arms with me. I looked to my right and there stood Magnus.

"You did it Biscuit. You created a masterpiece." He said and I smiled.

"I had a lot of help along the way." I said and he smiled.

"Yes, but without you creativity, and your determination to pilot this movie, it wouldn't have been made." He said and I just nodded. They still had no idea it was a true story. That I lived all of those tragic events, and I was going to keep it that way for as long as possible.

"I couldn't have done it without support." I said to him and he smiled.

"I can't believe it's over." He said as he took a deep breath.

"Me either. Seems like just yesterday we shot our first scene." I said and he laughed.

"This is going to change lives Biscuit." He said and I smiled. "Well, I have to go. I'm meeting with Alexander tonight."

"He's in the country?" I asked.

"He flew in last night." Magnus said with a smile.

"Go get your man. I'll see you around." I said and he kissed my cheek and left. I smiled as I watched him go and than sank into my office. My little fetus was finally finished, and soon it would be played throughout the country, and I couldn't even begin to imagine how insane that was going to be.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was asked to be one of the actors that announced the Oscar nominations, and I couldn't be more privileged to have this honor. It wasn't every day that this happened, and I couldn't wait to see all the talented people who were up for Oscars this year. I had gone and seen most of the movies nominated and I was floored by all of them, especially 'Nowhere Girl'. Clary truly was a genius, and I hope I get the opportunity to tell her that one day because she deserves to hear it.

"Alright everyone, I'm going to be handing out the cards that you'll be reading and what category you'll be getting!" The man in charge yelled and everyone nodded. He started walking around handing out the cards, and when he finally got to me he only had one left. "You'll be announcing the nominee's for Best Director."

"Wow. That's an honor." I said and he smiled.

"You'll be the last to announce, so just sit back and relax." He said and I nodded. "Alright everyone, places. We go live in 5 minutes!" He yelled and I took my seat.

To say I was nervous would be an understatement. I was given one of the most prestigious award, and that was a huge deal. The camera turned on and everyone immediately got into character. Listening to all of the movies, and the people that were nominated was amazing, especially considering that the main girl in Clary's movie was nominated for Best Actress in a leading role, and the boy was nominated for Best Actor in a supporting role. It was insane because they were new comers. Clary picked them specifically because they weren't known, and now they were. When it came time for me to present, I stood up and took a deep breath.

 **Clary POV:**

The nominations for the Oscars were on and I was already freaking out because Helen and Julian were both nominated, and I couldn't be more proud of them. I knew they had it in them, and I couldn't wait to see what happens when the award show rolls around. I was shocked to see Jace on the screen as one of the announcers, but they always did like to have other actors read the nominee's so I guess it wasn't that weird. It was the final category and Jace stood up, walked up to the podium and took a deep breath.

"Good morning, my name is Jace Herondale, and I'll be announcing the nominee's for this years Academy Award for Best Director." He said and I took a deep breath. "Sebastian Verlac 'Wasted'. Raphael Santiago 'Crowns'. James Carstairs 'Better In Debt'. Henry Branwell 'SmokeScreen'. And Clary Fray 'Nowhere Girl.'" He said and my jaw literally dropped. I was nominated for an Oscar, and I was a female in the Best Director category. My dreams literally couldn't have lived up to this moment because it is far better than I could have ever pictured.

 **Time Jump – Award Show**

 **Jace POV:**

I was currently sitting at home with Izzy, and Alec watching the Oscar's. Due to scheduling conflicts I wasn't able to go, so watching them from home was the best that I was going to get. After announcing the nominee's I couldn't believe that Clary was in the running to be Best Director, but I also saw her movie three times, and it was absolutely spectacular.

"I can't believe we have the opportunity to watch Clary win an Oscar. She'll be the second girl in history to win one if she does." Izzy said.

"It's a pretty extraordinary thing." Alec said. "Especially because her film was one of the most moving pieces of work I've ever seen."

"I hope she wins." Izzy said and I laughed. "What went through your mind when you saw her name on that card Jace?"

"I thought 'it's about damn time'. I saw that movie like three times. I couldn't get over how impeccable it was." I said.

"It made me cry. That girl had the roughest life ever." Izzy said and Alec and I nodded in agreement. "Oh it's starting!" Izzy pointed and turned up the TV.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was almost the end of the show and the final award to be given out was for Best Director, and I was actually pretty nervous for her. I wanted this for her. Even though we haven't spoken in years, there isn't a person on this planet who could convince me her movie didn't deserve an award, especially this award.

"….here are the nominee's for Best Director." I heard from the TV and I focused all my attention to it. "Sebastian Verlac 'Wasted'. Raphael Santiago 'Crowns'. James Carstairs 'Better In Debt'. Henry Branwell 'SmokeScreen'. And Clary Fray 'Nowhere Girl'." The woman said and I took a deep breath. "And the Oscar goes to….Clary Fray 'Nowhere Girl'." The woman said and I think I lost the ability to function. The camera cut to Clary and she had the biggest smile on her face. Izzy was freaking out, and Alec looked proud, and I was still trying to catch my breath. She got up to the microphone and smiled.

"First off, I would like to thank the Academy for seeing the beauty in my movie when I didn't give it all the beautiful aspects of life." She said with a smile. "I would also like to thank my incredibly talented cast and crew, without you, this movie wouldn't have been possible, and I am eternally grateful for everything you've done, and believing in me and this movie." She said and she took a deep breath. "There is something about this movie that I didn't disclose to anyone, but I'd like to make it known now." Clary said and that caught my attention. "This movie is an autobiography of my life." She said and there was a collective gasp from the TV and from my living room. "By the age of 14, I had completely given up taking care of myself and let it lead me down a path of eating disorders, and scales. When I was 15, my mom was diagnosed with cancer, and it just paved the way for my life to spiral out of control even more." Clary explained. "By the time I was 19, my mom had died, and I stopped taking care of myself all over again. I was a mess, and it lead me to harming myself in ways that never left scars, and I continued to go down this path of destruction and carelessness for years." Clary said and she was holding it together remarkably well because I heard Izzy crying next to me. "By the time I was 25 I experienced my first real heartbreak, and I finally broke." She said and I knew she was talking about me. "I had gone off the grid for awhile. I checked myself into rehab, and I got the help that I needed to make sure that I didn't end up dead the next time I did something reckless." Clary explained and she looked down at her Oscar. "There are many things in life that we can't control, and I know that sometimes there doesn't seem to be an ending, but I want every person out there who relates to my movie, and who relates to those feelings. Anyone who feels trapped, and lost, and forgotten, this Oscar if for you. You aren't alone. I am right here with you, and I can tell you from personal experience that it will get better." She said and everyone started clapping. "There was a quote that I lived by when I was in rehab, and throughout my journey to get back on my feet. 'Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.' I didn't know exactly what I meant until this moment, because this is definitely a beautiful destination. Thank you." Clary ended and started to walk away as she got a standing ovation from the crowd. Clary and I may have been together for years, but she was extremely private, and I never wanted to push her, and this was shocking to me. All I could think about was her movie, and how incredibly sad and depressing it must have been to live that, and there she was letting the world know she made it, and I couldn't be prouder of her.

"Please tell me she didn't just say all that, and I just imagined it." Izzy said after a moment and I looked at her.

"Nope. She said it." I said.

"Did you know?" Alec asked and I shook my head.

"She was an extremely private person. We barely talked about family, and I noticed that she always did this thing with her hands when a topic came up she was uncomfortable with, and I never pushed her." I explained.

"You were together for like 4 years." Izzy said.

"I know, but half the time we were in two different countries, or working on a movie. I would say we spent 2 years apart, and 2 years together, and when we were together we were having fun. We weren't talking about topics that were sad." I said.

"I can't tell you how many times I cried during that movie." Izzy said. "And now knowing that Catie, is Clary, it makes me even more emotional."

"It's a dark movie." I said.

"That makes Jason you." Alec pointed out.

"I guess it does." I said.

"Maybe that's why I was so conflicted by him during the movie." Izzy said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"In the beginning of the movie, Catie is puking her guts up in the bathroom. She had just eaten lunch and she binged. You could see it in her eyes that she was empty. But once Jason entered her life, she seemed lighter. Maybe not happy, but definitely not depressed like the rest of the film. For once it seemed like everything was working out and than poof, he was gone. It made me angry. How can someone just up and leave someone he cares about." Izzy said. "You did that to Clary."

"No I didn't." I said defensively.

"Yes you did. You were out in LA working on a new project after the movies wrapped, and Clary decided to take a break, and when you were getting ready to come home you asked her to come with you, and she said no because she was planning on working again, and it ended." Izzy said.

"You make it sound heartless." I said.

"It was. Clary is an actor. You can't expect her to give up her life, and any jobs she has in LA so she can come be your groupie." Izzy said with a little anger in her voice.

"That's not what I wanted." I said. "I just wanted to spend more time with her, and I thought while she was between jobs she could come here."

"So your solution to spending more time with her was to break up with her?" Alec asked.

"That's not how I intended for it to go. I was pissed, and I made a rash decision." I said. "I wanted to be with Clary."

"But you made it seem like you never even cared about her." Izzy said.

"Of course I care about Clary." I said.

"Still?" Izzy asked and I was confused.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You said you care, not you cared." Izzy said. "So you still care about her?"

"I never stopped." I admitted. "Clary isn't the type of person you stop caring about."

"So what the hell are you doing with Kaelie?" Izzy asked.

"We broke up. Was I not supposed to move on?" I asked and Izzy shook her head in disbelief.

"You don't give up on someone you care about Jace. Who cares if you live in two different countries. People who want to be together make it work." She told me.

"We did make it work. For four years." I reminded her.

"And look at you now. In a relationship with a girl who travels basically every other week for work. The one girl who I truly saw you care about is off winning an Academy Award for a movie that is based off her life, and guess what, you are part of that story." Izzy said.

"I know Iz." I said.

"So what are you going to do?" Alec asked.

"I don't know." I said honestly.

"Well first you're going to break up with Kaelie." Izzy informed me.

"She's in Madrid this week." I said and Izzy grunted.

"Why can't you just be a dick and end it over text?" She asked.

"Because no girl deserves that." I said and she shrugged.

"Well break up with her when she gets back, and than go crawling back to Clary and see if she'll even take you back." Izzy said.

"No. I'll break up with Kaelie, and see where life takes me. I'm not going to charge into Clary's life and practically demand or beg for her to take me back. She doesn't deserve that either." I said and Izzy huffed.

"Sometimes I wish you were just as big of an asshole as the characters you play on screen." She said and I laughed.

"If it's meant to be Iz, it'll be." I said. And I truly believed that. If Clary and I were truly meant to be together, than we would find our way back to each other, but for right now, I wasn't going to interfere at all.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Kaelie was finally home and we were going out to dinner tonight. I planned on breaking up with her tonight, and finally getting it over with. I know that sounds horrible, but it was time. We barely ever saw each other, and being away was really stressful on a functioning relationship and ours stopped being that a long time ago.

We got to the restaurant and were immediately seated. I wasn't going to bring it up until the end of dinner so that way she could have a nice meal before everything went down. Kaelie had a tendency to be dramatic, so I was trying to lesson the number of plates that ended up being casualties. We talked about her trip to Madrid and than how she had to make a quite stop over in Paris. She really loved what she did, and I could see that in how her eyes lite up when we talked about it, and I didn't want her feeling like I didn't support her, but I couldn't keep doing this to myself, or to her.

"There is actually something I wanted to talk to you about." I finally said after we were both finished our dinner.

"What's on your mind?" She said and I could tell something was up.

"Well, as you know we've been together for almost two years, and I really enjoyed them, but I don't really know what we're doing anymore Kaelie." I admitted and her jaw dropped.

"You're….you're breaking up with me?" She asked and I nodded. "I thought you were going to purpose." She said and now it was my turn for my jaw to drop.

"Why would you think that?" I asked.

"Jace, we've been together for 2 years, and you brought me to this really nice restaurant. What else was I supposed to think?" She said angrily.

"Sorry, was I supposed to break up with you in the parking lot of a McDonald's, or should I have texted you?" I said.

"You're such an asshole Jace. Why waste these two years of my life?" She asked.

"You think they were wasted?" I asked and she sighs angrily.

"Of course. People date for one reason Jace. To get married. That is the end goal for every single person who is dating. We aren't teenagers anymore, we don't casually date for the hell of it." She said.

"I'm not ready for that yet Kaelie. And I'm not going to hold you back if you are." I said truthfully.

"Is there someone else?" She asked and I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. "There is isn't there."

"Not in the way you think Kaelie." I said.

"That doesn't make any sense." She said.

"I dated my co-star years ago, and we were together for a while. But we broke up pretty quickly, and that was that. One minute we were together, the next minute we weren't. It was a fast change, and a couple years later we met, and I figured it was time to start dating again."

"But you never got over her." She said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry Kaelie, but you deserve a guy to give you 100%, and that guy isn't me." I said and she sighed.

"I understand. It just sucks." She said and I laughed.

"Break ups are never easy." I said and she nodded.

"Well, thank you for the dinner." She said after a moment of silence and I smiled.

"It was my pleasure." I said and we got up and left the restaurant. I was glad that tonight went pretty smoothly, and that we were both leaving on civil terms.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Magnus POV:**

"Magnus, are you sure this is going to work?" Alec asked me.

"Of course it will work." I said and Alec gave me that look. "You said it yourself, Jace will always care about Clary, and I know that when they broke up she was heartbroken. We aren't forcing them to get married, we're just putting them into the same room and seeing where it goes."

"Clary isn't going to be happy." Alec said and I laughed.

"Trust me, I know. But she'll get over it." I said and Alec laughed.

"Okay, I have to go meet with Jace, and talk. We'll meet you at the restaurant at 1." Alec said.

"Good. I told Clary to meet me there at 1:30." I said and Alec nodded. He gave me a sweet kiss before leaving and I couldn't get the smile off my face. I just hoped this plan worked.

 **Time Jump – Lunch**

 **Jace POV:**

I was having lunch with Alec, Izzy and Magnus today. Alec finally got me an audition for a new TV series, so I've been in LA for a couple weeks for casting and meetings, and Izzy didn't want to be left back in England alone so she tagged along. We got to the restaurant but Magnus told us we couldn't order because we were waiting for a friend, so I decided to step out and have a smoke.

"Those things will kill you." I heard and I turned around and saw Clary standing there. "I thought you wanted to quit."

"I have." I said and she laughed. "A couple times. I just get really stressed."

"I understand. Can I have a hit?" She asked and I nodded and handed the cigarette over to her.

"When did you start smoking?" I asked as she handed it back to me.

"Rehab." She said and I nodded. "They said I needed to find a better alterative to self destruct. Which I found oddly weird at a facility that was supposed to help you get better. Smoking was something that helped. I don't do it often. Only when I'm stressed."

"What are you stressed about?" I asked.

"I just got done an audition and it didn't go well." She said and I nodded.

"That sucks." I said and she shrugged.

"There will always be more work." She said and I nodded. Being back in her presence was rather calming, and I never wanted that feeling to go away. "I'm assuming we aren't here by coincidence?" She asked and we both looked through the window and saw Alec, Magnus and Izzy's eyes on us.

"Highly unlikely." I said and she laughed.

"Well, lets not keep them waiting." Clary said. I stomped my cigarette out and we made our way into the restaurant. When the door opened Alec, Magnus and Izzy all scrambled to grab a menu and look like they weren't watching which caused Clary and I to laugh. "Really smooth guys."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Magnus said and Clary laughed.

"Please. You guys are so busted." I said and they all put the menus down. "If you wanted us to have lunch, all you had to do was say so."

"You wouldn't have shown up." Izzy said.

"Not true." Clary said. "Jace and I have a history, but that happened years ago. I hold no grudges against him."

"Really? You don't want to rip his throat out?" Izzy asked and Clary laughed.

"Not at all. We're all adults. We can be in the same room without petty shit going on." Clary said and I nodded along.

Lunch went by smoothly. We talked about our potential upcoming projects, and the success of Clary's first movie, and I had truly felt like a void had been filled in with Clary around. One that I didn't know existed until I realized it was full.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I didn't know exactly how I felt seeing Jace for the first time in years, but there was something so familiar about his presence, and for that it made it a lot easier to be around him. Not that we hung out on a daily basis, but when Magnus, Alec, and Izzy were getting together, Jace and I normally got lumped in and spent time together. He had really matured since that last time we saw each other, and it was nice to see how far he's come.

I was currently sitting in my favorite coffee shop reading over the script that I had. Turns out the director of the show really liked me and wanted to give me a second chance so he let me audition again, and I got the role. To say I was blessed would be an understatement. It meant the world to me that he saw something in me, and is now allowing me to show him what I can do.

"A bit of light reading?" I heard and when I looked up Jace was standing right there.

"Just trying to prepare myself for the first day of shooting." I said.

"Mind if I take a seat?" He asked and I shook my head and he sat down. "I guess the audition wasn't that bad if you got the part."

"He let me do a second audition. He really liked me, and decided to give me a second chance." I said and Jace nodded.

"What's the show about?" He asked.

"About a girl who is dealing with a midlife crisis at 32." I said and he laughed.

"That's a little young to be dealing with a midlife crisis." He said with a laugh.

"Her fiancé of 5 years broke up with her, and she was so dependent on him that she kinda has to learn how to be her own person again, and it's a lot harder than she expected." I explained.

"Sounds challenging." He said and I shrugged.

"I'm no stranger to heartbreak." I said without thinking.

"I see you're still holding onto that." He said and I looked at him.

"I meant it when I said I wasn't holding a grudge. You did what you did, and I can't change that. It might have taken me a couple months to fully grieve the end of our relationship, but that doesn't mean that it didn't still hurt." I said.

"Sounds like you're holding a grudge." He said and I closed my script.

"It hurt. A lot." I started to explain. "Our relationship was one of the few things holding me together, and when it ended, it seemed like all of my seams were just ripped apart. I didn't understand why you did it, and I never got real closer." I said and he looked like he felt kinda bad. "It wasn't until I went to rehab that I learned that I can't possibly have an answer for everything. I had to let go of the constant nagging in my head about what happened between us that made you end it. It wasn't until I heard you were dating that model that I finally realized that I was over it."

"It took you three years?" He asked.

"No. It took me about a year to come to that conclusion, but I was in rehab for about 2. I was trying to find myself again, and I was trying to fix so many more issues than just my broken heart." I said and he nodded. "It was by accident that I heard you were dating her. My roommate got the privilege to order her favorite magazine, and you were one of the top stories."

"I want you to know that if you would have asked me why I did it, I wouldn't have had an answer to give you." He said after a moment.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Our break up was completely spontaneous. I didn't plan it, and I wasn't thinking. It was in the heat of the moment when you declined my offer to come to England with me." He explained.

"All because I said no?" I asked.

"Our relationship was mainly spent away from each other, and I hated that. I wanted some time with you and I figured that since you were on a little break from acting that you could use that time to spend with me in England and when you said no I kinda lost it." He said.

"You should have let me explain my reasoning." I said and he hung his head.

"You said your break wasn't going to be long. You told me you were going to start looking for work." He said.

"Yes. And I meant that, but there was so much more to it than just that." I said and he looked up at me.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Well for one, the timing was all wrong. It was coming up on the anniversary of my mom's death and I never leave for anything when that time comes around." I explained. "I also needed to stay in the area because my manager told me that my name was being thrown around when it came to playing a huge role in a movie, and I should stay in the country in case they wanted to meet with me."

"I guess I should have listened." He said and I laughed.

"It would have been beneficial to our relationship if you did." I said and he sighed.

"I'm sorry I'm such a hot head." He said.

"You're passionate, and passionate people tend to feel things full throttle and act according to how they are feeling in that moment. You were hurt, so you hurt me." I explained.

"I never wanted to do that to you Clary." He said and I smiled.

"I know that now." I said and he smiled. He opened his mouth to say something when my phone started ringing. I reached into my bag and pulled it out and I saw that my good friend Jordan, who I met in rehab, was calling me. "I have to take this."

"Of course." He said.

"Jordan! I'm so glad you called!" I said and he laughed.

"Me too Clare, it's been a while." He said and I smiled.

"It really has been. What's up?" I asked.

"Well as you know, our little girl Adrianna turns one in a week." He said.

"How could I possibly forget." I said with a laugh.

"Maia and I wanted to invite you to come to dinner with us to celebrate." He said and I pulled out my planner.

"When would it be?" I asked.

"Wednesday night. Probably around 8." He said.

"I can totally do Wednesday." I said as I put it in my calendar.

"Perfect. We can't wait to see you." He said.

"I can't wait to see you either." I said.

"Love you Clare." He said and I smiled.

"I love you too." I said and we hung up. "Well, this has been great Jace, but I have a meeting in 30 minutes." I said as I stood up.

"Of course." He said with a hint of anger to his voice.

"Thank you for clearing things up for me." I said as I gathered my things.

"No problem. We should do this again soon." He said.

"Maybe. See ya." I said and I walked out of the coffee shop. I really did have mixed feelings about having Jace back into my life, but after today I finally felt like I had closer, and I didn't know how much I really need that.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left I instantly felt horrible. Especially after hearing her on the phone with Jordan. I hadn't heard anything about her dating, and it threw me off. She looked so happy talking to him, and I knew that at one point in time that person was me making her smile and laugh like that. I shook my head and left the coffee shop. I had no right to be jealous of Clary moving on, but I was, and I hated it.

When I finally got back to the house I walked in and everyone was home. Magnus and Alec were on the couch watching TV, and Izzy was on the phone in the kitchen, most likely talking to Simon. I took a seat in the living room and leaned my head back against the headrest.

"You look like you've had a tough day." Magnus said.

"I ran into Clary at the coffee shop." I said.

"Were latte's thrown?" Alec asked.

"No. We actually had a really nice conversation. We talked about the way things ended, and we finally cleared the air." I said and they looked impressed.

"Wow. That's pretty cool." Alec said and I shrugged. "You don't seem happy about that though."

"That's because I'm such an idiot." I said.

"We all knew that." Magnus said and I glared at him.

"She looks so happy." I said after a minute.

"And that's a bad thing?" Alec asked.

"No. It's amazing. I forgot how infectious her smile was." I said as I remembered it.

"But you aren't the one making her smile anymore." Magnus said and I nodded. "She wasn't always like that. It took her some time before she no longer had to fake happiness."

"I know, and I'm the one to blame for that." I said.

"As much as Clary says you aren't, you totally are." Magnus said and Alec elbowed him. "What? He is. You should have seen her after he broke her heart. I found her in her apartment crying on the floor. She was so distraught she passed on that movie she was going to be cast in."

"She gave that up?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yea. She told the director that she needed to take some personal time." Magnus said. "The next week she was in rehab, and spent a little over 2 years there."

"Damn." Alec said. "I didn't realize she was there for so long."

"She really needed help, but she also really wanted to get better. She knew she was on a destructive path, and she knew it was time to get some help for it." Magnus explained.

"Clary was also really good at accepting help when she needed it." I said and they nodded in agreement.

"Yea, and I think that she finally grieved and accepted her past as her past when she created that movie and she was finally able to move on." Magnus said.

"God I'm so stupid." I said again.

"Yea. You are." Magnus said. "You might be Alec's brother, but Clary is my best friend, and I'm not going to lie, I hated you for years after what you did to her."

"I don't blame you." I said.

"Good, because Clary finally convinced me to let the anger go because you weren't worth it." Magnus explained further.

"She was right. I'm not worth it at all." I muttered.

"At least we're all on the same page." Magnus said and I sighed.

"She couldn't have meant that though." Alec said after some time. "I mean, she loved Jace, how can she say he isn't worth it?"

"I think she meant that holding in all that anger towards Jace wasn't worth it. Not him personally." Magnus said. "Look, Clary is a strong girl, who after she got out of rehab realized her own worth, and realized she didn't need a man to tell her she was worth it." Magnus explained. "If Clary thought you weren't worth it, she wouldn't have spent her time talking to you today. Trust me, she has completely let go of every person in her life that brings her down. So if she willingly talks to you, and allows you in her life, you clearly still mean something to her."

"Highly doubt it." I said.

"Believe me, don't believe me. I don't really care, but don't sulk if you aren't going to listen to what I have to say. You broke up with her almost 6 years ago. Move on." Magnus said.

"I don't think I can." I said honestly.

"Okay, than don't. But if you really want her back, my advice for you is to be proactive, not inactive." Magnus said. I stood up not wanted to be lecture by Magnus anymore and walked into the kitchen to get a snack. Izzy had just gotten off the phone so I was glad I didn't have to hear her talking to Simon.

"Why do you look so pissed?" She asked.

"It's nothing." I said.

"You can fool a lot of people but you can't fool me." She said and I sighed.

"I talked to Clary today." I said.

"So?" She asked.

"It just made me miss her." I said honestly.

"So tell her that." She said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"She's seeing someone else." I said.

"How do you know that?" Izzy asked.

"I just do. Look, I don't really want to talk about this anymore." I said and Izzy nodded.

"If you decide that you do I'm always up for listening." She said and I smiled and nodded. I took my snack and headed up to my room trying to forget today even happened in the first place.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was currently sitting at lunch with Magnus, Alec, and Izzy and it was weird being around them still, but it was nice, and I forgot how close we used to be. I was currently looking at my phone when I heard someone snap in my ear. I looked up and Izzy was looking at me.

"Are you in Clary?" She asked.

"In for what?" I asked.

"Were you even listening?" She asked with a laugh. I shook my head and she smiled. "There is this new club that opened last week, and we were going to go check it out. You in?"

"Sure. Sounds like fun." I said and she clapped.

"Perfect!" She said and she started rambling on and on about that night. I knew Izzy was all about the club life. She was always looking to have a good time, and I guess I couldn't blame her for that.

 **Time Jump – Club Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I pulled up to the club and saw Magnus, Alec and Izzy waiting outside for me. The line to get in was incredibly long, but I figured that maybe I could persuade the bouncer to let me an my friends in sooner on account that I am a celebrity. I got out and greeted my friends and we made our way to the front of the line.

"Line starts back there miss." The bouncer said to Izzy, and I made my way to the front and smiled.

"Hi, I was wondering if my friends and I could get a little pass on the line." I said as I batted my eyelashes.

"Clary Fray, it's an honor to have you choose our club to come too." He said a little bit awestruck. He removed the red velvet rope and let us pass.

"Thank you." I said as we made our way into the club.

"You sure come in handy for these types of things." Izzy said and I laughed. The club was packed, and the music was blasting, and the atmosphere was insane, and I could see us having a great time tonight, and I was excited.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Izzy and I were out on the dance floor when I felt someone come up behind me and start dancing with me. I had a couple drinks in me, and who says I couldn't have a hot guy dancing on me. I let him grab my hips and we swayed to the music together as I felt his hot breath on my neck. I was lost in the music when I suddenly felt all my heat leave. I opened my eyes and saw Izzy standing between us.

"She's got a boyfriend asshole." Izzy shouted and the man left.

"Izzy, why would you do that? We were having a good time." I said as she turned back towards me.

"I don't think your boyfriend would like you dancing on another guy." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Boyfriend? Izzy, I'm single." I said and her face changed.

"You're what?" She asked.

"I'm single. Have been for years." I explained. "Why would you think I had a boyfriend?"

"Jace told me last week that you were seeing someone." She said.

"Why would Jace tell you that? Jace and I didn't discuss my love life, not that I have one anyway." I said and she looked confused. "Where the hell did he get that from?"

"I don't know. He didn't want to talk about it." She said.

"That's so weird." I said and she nodded. "Well, now that you ruined my dance, I'm going to go to the bathroom." I said and she nodded once more. I made my way to the bathroom, and when I was done I walked out but I didn't make it far. I was grabbed my wrist, and pinned up against the wall.

"Why don't we finish what we started on the dance floor baby?" The man said and my stomach dropped. Dancing was one thing, but this was something totally different, and one of the things that I feared the most.

"No." I barely got out but he laughed and started roaming his hands all over my body. I felt disgusting.

"I know you want me. I can show you a great time." He whispered in my ear before kissing down my neck.

"Get off." I said and I felt him smile against my neck.

"I don't think you mean that baby." He said and I tried to move but he just pinned me harder against the wall. I looked around as best as I could but nobody was around. He was still kissing my neck and I did the only thing I could think of. I kneed him in the balls and he went down. "Bitch." He muttered and I ran away. I found Magnus and Alec sitting at a table and Magnus saw that I was distraught.

"Biscuit, what's wrong?" He asked.

"Man…..grope…gross." I could barely speak. I was so disgusted and I just didn't know what to do.

"Come on, we'll take you home." Magnus said.

"No. I don't want to be alone." I said as I started crying.

"Of course. Come with me." Magnus said as he helped me stand up. "Alec, take Clary's car." Magnus said as he tossed my key's to Alec. Magnus grabbed Izzy and led me to the car. I completely blocked out everything on the drive. I didn't want to remember, but my mind just kept overflowing with images.

 **Jace POV:**

It was close to 3 in the morning and I was just getting home. Night shoots were always the worst, everyone was tired, and it was cold, and everything just took so much longer than expected that by the end everyone was glad to leave. I walked into the house expecting it to be dark, but when I opened the door lights were on. I made my way to the light source and found everyone awake in the kitchen.

"What are you all doing awake?" I asked and they looked at me.

"We were at a club." Izzy said.

"Right. How was that?" I asked as I put my stuff down.

"Fun, until the end." Magnus said.

"What happened?" I asked and they all looked over to the couch. I followed their gaze and my eyes met a sleeping Clary. "Why is she here?"

"Something happened at the club, but when we brought her back here she had a full blown meltdown and cried herself to sleep." Alec said.

"She's been asleep for about an hour." Izzy said. I was about to say something when we heard someone groan. We looked behind us and Clary was sitting up. Everyone made their way over to her. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face was swollen, and she looked absolutely drained.

"Clary, are you okay?" Magnus asked hesitantly. She looked over at him with empty eyes and just nodded. "Don't down play this. I know the memories it brings back….."

"Stop." Clary said before he could finish. "Don't talk about it."

"Clary, don't bottle this up." Magnus pleaded and Clary just shut down.

"Would you like a shower?" Izzy asked after a moment. Clary simply nodded. Izzy took her hand and helped her off the couch and they walked out of the room.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked.

"Yea, what was that all about Magnus?" Alec asked.

"I'm not going to explain until Izzy is back." Magnus said and we nodded. Almost 10 minutes later Izzy walked back into he kitchen.

"Explain." Izzy said and Magnus sighed.

"When Clary got out of rehab, I almost didn't recognize her. She was happier and she smiled more. It was weird, but a good weird." Magnus started t explain. "It was a summer night, and it was late. Clary really wanted ice cream and there was a store right down the street so she walked there. On her way back she was corned by 4 men, and they started….touching her." Magnus said and my blood began to boil. "She tried to get away but they smacked her, and pinned her against the wall."

"Did they…..rape her?" Izzy asked.

"No." Magnus said and I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. "A couple walked back and Clary screamed. They came running, and the men booked it out of there. They took her to the hospital and called me. It took her a couple months to get over it. She was staying with me because she couldn't be alone otherwise nightmares plagued her."

"Oh my god." Izzy said and I couldn't believe it.

"I guess something similar happened at the club that caused that reaction." Magnus said. I couldn't take it anymore. I left the kitchen and walked right upstairs. I saw Izzy's light on and figured that's where Clary was. I walked into her room, and right into the bathroom to find Clary standing there in just her bra and panties.

"Jace. What are you doing in here?" Clary asked.

"Magnus told me what happened years ago with those men." I said and she paled.

"It doesn't matter." Clary said and I walked over to her.

"Of course it matters Clary." I said as I cupped her face in my hands.

"No it doesn't." She said and I tilted her head up so our eyes locked.

"Yes it does." I said once again.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because I love you Clary." I said and her eyes widened. Before she could respond I slammed my lips to hers and became to kiss her. There wasn't a feeling in the world that could compare to this. Kissing Clary always felt like a breath of fresh air. That was until I realized that she was seeing someone else. I broke the kiss and our eyes locked and I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"Jace." Clary said but I was already walking away. "Jace!" I heard her yell but I was making my way to the front door. I didn't know where I was going, but I couldn't sty in this house with her. "Jace!" I heard again as I passed by the others. "JONATHAN!'' I heard and I froze. "Can we please talk."

"I can't Clary. I just can't be in the same room with you and not kiss you." I admitted and I turned around. Clary was standing there in one of Izzy's pink fluffy robes.

"Which is exactly why we need to talk." She said.

"I shouldn't have kissed you. Especially when I knew you were seeing someone else." I said.

"Here we go again." She said and I was confused. "I don't know where you got your information, but I'm not in a relationship. I'm very much single." She said and my jaw dropped.

"But what about Jordan?" I asked and she laughed.

"That's where this came from? My conversation with Jordan?" She asked and I shrugged.

"You went out to dinner with him." I simply said.

"You're right, I did. But I also went out to dinner with his wife, and daughter." She said and I sighed. "I met Jordan in rehab. We took kickboxing classes together and we got close. I introduced him to my roommate, Maia and they hit it off really well. Their daughter turned one this week, and they wanted me to celebrate with them since I'm her godmother." Clary explained.

"I'm an idiot." I said and she laughed.

"Yea, you are." Clary said as she made her way over to me. "Why wouldn't you just talk to me?"

"I felt like I didn't have the right to after everything that went down between us." I admitted. "I hurt you, and I don't deserve your forgiveness, or your friendship really."

"Jace, I've forgiven you. Years ago." Clary admitted. I couldn't look at her, but she put her fingers under my chin and forced our eyes to meet.

"I'm sorry. For everything I've done to you." I said and she smiled.

"It's all in the past Jace. It's time you forgive yourself." She said. "This guilt is going to eat you alive, and I would really prefer if you weren't dead."

"I really do love you Clary. I've never stopped." I said as I put a stray curl behind her ear and she blushed.

"I know. I love you too." She said and my jow dropped. "I never stopped either." She said and before I could stop myself I slammed my lips to hers again. This time around I wasn't going to let her go. I don't care how hard our relationship is, or how long we spend apart working on separate projects, we were going to make it work this time. There was no question about it.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"…..and the nominee's for best actress in a leading role are: Camille Belcourt 'TomBoy'. Aline Penhallow 'The Great Outside'. Clary Fray 'Sounding Off'. Tessa Gray 'Wide Open'. And Seelie Queen 'Pottery'." The announcer said and I couldn't help but hold my breath. "And the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role goes to….Clary Fray 'Sounding Off'." He said and my heart dropped. I stood up and made my way over to receive my award.

"Oh god, where do I even begin?" I said and everyone laughed. "First I would like to thank the Academy for this incredible honor." I said. "To all my fellow cast mates, and the amazing crew behind the set that deserves endless praise for all their hard work." I said as I looked down at my Oscar. "This movie moved me in way that I never thought was possible, and I felt like it told a story that many people needed to hear, and I am so incredibly proud that I was a part of it." I said with a smile. "And I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my amazing husband." I said as I looked over to Jace. "I love you, and I can't even begin to thank you for all your endless love and support throughout this incredibly hard and emotional journey." I said as he blew me a kiss. "Thank you for being my biggest supporter, and my number 1 fan even when I didn't believe in myself, you were always there to pick me off the ground when I felt like giving up." I said as I tried to hold it together. "I couldn't picture journeying through life with anyone else by my side. Thank you for our life together, and the life that we have created together." I said as I rubbed my little bulging belly. "Thank you." I finished off and walked off the stage. I made my way backstage and got my picture and talked to a few people before making my way back to my seat. I sat down and Jace leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"I love you, and I am so proud of you." He whispered in my ear.

"I love you too." I said back. We might have taken some time to get here, but I couldn't picture my life with anyone else, and even though it was a difficult road, we sure made it to a beautiful destination.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I have no idea who requested one where they were actors, but here it is! I hope you all enjoy this one shot, and find it inspiring just like I did! Let me know what you think, and leave a review! I can't promise that I will be updating soon! I've hit another writers block and nothing is coming to me! This story alone took me almost a week to finish, and thats a long time for me when it comes to a one shot!**

 **Also, I just binged Stranger Things, and I have to say, I am obsessed! I recommend it to anyone who loves the supernatural, and loves to laugh! Can't even begin to describe how incredible the show is, and how excited I am for Season 2! Okay, I'm off my soapbox! Let me know what you think! :)**


	61. Chapter 60 - Sperm Donor

**Sixtieth One Shot:**

 **Sperm Donor**

 **Clary POV:**

I always had it in my mind that I would be married at 25, and start having little babies 2 years later, but unfortunately for me, Mr. Right was no where to be seen. I had my fair share of relationships, but their were either really shitty people, too controlling, didn't want to have kids, or too immature. I felt like my dream goals of having a family were dwindling, which is why I made myself a promise. If I turned 30, and I wasn't married, or in a serious relationship, I would go to sperm bank and start my own family.

I know what you're thinking, it seemed like I was rushing to have a family, but being a mother was the one thing I wanted more than anything in this world. When I turned 22 I had a horrible case of baby fever. Whenever I saw a baby, I instantly wanted one. It seemed so natural for me to want to have a baby, and I didn't want to get to the point where I couldn't get pregnant, or the pregnancy would be risky for me and the baby. I wanted to have a healthy pregnancy, and a healthy baby, which is why I gave myself until I was 30. And guess what? When 30 rolled around, I had no boyfriend, and I was ready for a baby. Telling my mom what I planned on doing was weird, but she understood that this was what I wanted, so she was supportive. She even went to the sperm bank with me. That was an interesting day.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _My mom and I were sitting in the sperm bank waiting to meet with the women who would be helping me choose a donor. I had finished filling out all the paperwork, so now I was just waiting to be called back._

 _"Clarissa Fray?" Someone called and my mom and I got up and followed the woman. When we got back there was a woman sitting behind the desk, we took our seats and she gave us a warm smile._

 _"Clarissa, it's wonderful to meet you." She said._

 _"Please, call me Clary." I said and she nodded._

 _"And who did you bring with you today?" She asked._

 _"My mom." I said._

 _"Well, I looked over your paperwork, and I pulled some potential candidates that fit what you're looking for in your future child." She said._

 _"You got all of that from what I wrote down?" I asked._

 _"Well, we ask you to describe your perfect partner so we can gather the men who resemble that." She explained._

 _"Okay." I simply said._

 _"Here are some of the files. There aren't any pictures of names due to confidentiality, but all their medical history is in there, and physical features." She said and I nodded. "I have to make this speech for ever client although I know you probably already know this, we can't guarantee you have a son or a daughter. That is completely up to the sperm."_

 _"Do people get upset when the gender isn't what they wanted?" I asked with a laugh._

 _"We've actually been sued for it before, granted they didn't get anywhere, but now I have to mention that every meeting." She said and I just shook my head. "I'll leave you in here for a little to look over the files."_

 _"Thank you." I said and she got up and left. I took a deep breath before looking at the first file._

 ** _Eyes:_** _Green_

 ** _Hair Color:_** _Light Brown_

 ** _Medical History:_** _Male has no preexisting conditions, but heart failure is in the family._

 _I immediately put that file away when I saw that. I didn't want to be too picky, but I wasn't going to pick a male who has a history of a medical condition in their family because I didn't want to have to go through the heartache if my child gets it. I picked up the next one and started to read._

 ** _Eyes:_** _Blue_

 ** _Hair Color:_** _Dirty Blonde_

 ** _Medical History:_** _Male has slightly elevated blood pressure._

 _Again I put it to the side. I had about 6 more files that I had to look through and if they all had something that had to do with a medical condition I didn't know what I was going to do. I wanted my child to be as healthy as possible, and I was going to make sure that happened. After about 15 more minutes I put my head in my hands. The other 5 had small medical history problems, so I was really hoping that this last file was a winner._

 ** _Eyes:_** _Gold_

 ** _Hair Color:_** _Blonde_

 ** _Medical History:_** _Male has no medical conditions listed._

 _My eyes widened because this seemed like a fit. I was super excited and the woman walked back in and took a seat and smiled at me._

 _"Have you found a donor?" She asked._

 _"I think so, but I have one question." I said and she nodded. "It says that he doesn't have any medical history listed, does that mean there isn't any in his family?" I asked and she reached for the file. I handed it over and she looked at it._

 _"Ah, Donor GRF6734. He actually doesn't know his family history. He wouldn't go into specifics when asked, but there isn't any listed because he doesn't know." She said and I thought about it for a minute. I could either go with him and potentially have a problem down the line, or my child could be extremely healthy, and I was pretty optimistic, so I decided to just go with it._

 _"I think I found my donor." I said and she smiled._

 _"Perfect. We'll set you up with an appointment and get started right away." She said and my mom and I got up and left. We walked out scheduled my appointment and started walking to the car._

 _"Are you sure you want to do this Clary?" My mom asked and I looked at her and smiled._

 _"I'm positive." I said and she smiled and we made our way home. I was excited to start a family, and raise my little baby._

 ** _Flashback End:_**

That was 3 years ago, and so far my little baby boy is as healthy as can be. Justin was born January 24th, at 9 in the morning. He weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces, and he was 19 inches long. He was absolutely perfect. He had gotten the blonde hair from the donor but he had beautiful curls from me, and his eyes were golden with traces of green in them. He was absolutely perfect and I loved him more than anything.

"Mommy! Come play with me." I heard Justin yell and I was pulled out of my memories. I looked up and Justin was playing in the sandbox. I smiled and made my way over to him and took a seat next to him.

"What are we making?" I asked and he smiled.

"A sandcastle!" He said and I laughed and we started making the castle. I loved every minute of being a mom, and I was so thankful I decided to get a sperm donor and start my perfect little family.

 **Jace POV:**

I had gotten home from work and grabbed my mail. I put it on the counter as I put my work stuff down and grabbed a snack. I made my way back over to my mail and started looking through it when I noticed I had a letter that was dated for three years ago. Curiously I opened it up and started ready.

 _Dear Jonathan Herondale,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that the second half of your payment had been added to your account. Thank you for your donation and we look forward to hearing from you again._

 _Sincerely,_

 _MLF Inc._

I had no idea what this letter meant, so I just put it away and went back to checking my more recent mail. It was nearing 6 o'clock when Alec came home and joined me on the couch. Living with him was great. Thankfully when his family adopted me we instantly became best friends, and I couldn't be more thankful.

"Yo, I got this letter in the mail today from 3 years ago." I said as I handed it to Alec.

"Three years? What, did it get lost or something?" He said and I laughed.

"I don't know, but I have no idea what it even means." I said and Alec opened it and started reading. I didn't think much of it until I saw his eyes widened. "What?"

"Jace, you remember when Max got really sick and we were desperate for money?" He asked and I nodded. "You donated your sperm for like $60,000 and gave my mom the money."

"What does that have to do with that letter?" I asked.

"This is them telling you that someone bought your sperm." He said and my eyes widened.

"What?" I yelled.

"Three years ago, someone bought your sperm." He said again.

"So I have a kid out there?" I asked and Alec nodded. "I thought it was for research purposes, at least that's what the woman told me."

"Dude, why would someone need your sperm for research?" Alec asked and I shrugged.

"I don't know. I didn't think anyone would actually buy it. Who goes to a sperm bank anyway?" I asked and Alec shrugged.

"I think the price of your sperm was clouding your mind. Did you even listen to the woman who was explaining the process to you?" He asked.

"Not really, but I don't remember her saying someone could use it. I just wanted to save Max." I said and Alec smiled.

"I know, and we are incredibly grateful for that, but you gave a sperm bank you sperm, and someone used it to create a child." He said and I took a seat.

"I have to find her." I said and Alec looked confused.

"Why?" He asked.

"I had a shitty childhood. I feel like if I don't at least meet the kid, I'm doing the same thing my parents did to me." I said.

"Jace, you aren't your parents." Alec said and I shrugged.

"I just want to see them." I said and Alec sighed.

"I can get my friends who are PI's to look into it." Alec said and I smiled.

"Thanks man." I said and he nodded before exiting the room. I had a child, and I don't think I can actually wrap my head around that.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was standing in my flower shop when I heard the bell ring. I looked up and two men in suits walked over to the counter. They didn't look like they belonged in my shop but I smiled at them anyway cause who am I to judge.

"Welcome to Fray's, how may I help you?" I said.

"Are you Clarissa Fray?" The one man asked.

"I am, who is asking?" I asked.

"My name is Bat, and this is my partner Jordan. We are Private Investigators." He said and I got confused.

"I don't know what they has to do with me." I said.

"You went to a the My Little Family Sperm Bank 4 years ago to get a donor am I correct?" Bat asked.

"How…how did you know that?" I asked confused.

"We work for the man whose sperm you chose." He said and my jaw dropped.

"That's supposed to be confidential." I said and they put some paperwork on the table.

"The man whose sperm you choose wasn't aware his sperm would be used. The woman who he talked to implied they would be used for research." He said and I felt awful.

"So I chose a man's sperm who never wanted to give it?" I asked.

"Not necessarily. He was willing to donate his sperm, but he wasn't informed that someone could buy it." Bat explained.

"I literally stole his sperm." I said and the men laughed. "Are you here to like take my son away?"

"No. He doesn't want to do that, but he does want to meet you both." Jordan said and my mouth went dry.

"He wants to meet me and my son?" I asked and they nodded. "Why?"

"You can ask that if you decide to meet with him, but I assure you, if you decline he will most likely take this to court, and try and get some type of custody out of it because his sperm was sold under false administration." The man said and I just felt my heart break.

"Would he be opposed to just meeting me first? I would rather not put my son in that situation." I said and they nodded.

"We understand. Are you free tomorrow?" Bat asked and I looked at my phone.

"I have about 2 and a half hours I can spare." I said and they nodded.

"Are you familiar with Java Jones?" He asked and I laughed.

"Very familiar." I said and they smiled and nodded.

"What time would work best for you?" Bat asked.

"10:30." I said and they nodded.

"10:30 it is." Jordan said and they left. I finally took a deep breath ad the tears fell. I couldn't believe this was happening to me, and I needed my moms advice.

I closed early and made my way over to her house. Justin was with her so I needed to pick him up anyway. When I walked in he was sitting on the couch watching a movie. I walked over and gave him a kiss, and went into the kitchen to greet my mom.

"You're here early Clary." She said and I took a seat.

"I got some unexpected visitors today." I said and she sat with me.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"The sperm I chose all those years ago, turns out the man who donated them wasn't aware that they were going to be sold. He was told they would use his sperm for research and he never agreed to sell them." I said and my mom looked shocked.

"How do you know this?" She asked.

"Two Private Investigators came to the shop today. They found me, and he wants to meet Justin and I." I said.

"Wow." She said and I nodded.

"I'm meeting with him tomorrow, without Justin of course, but I'm scared. What if he wants custody?" I asked.

"There really is only one way to find out, and that's talking to him." She said and I nodded.

"I don't know what I'd do if he wanted to take Justin away mom. He's my baby." I said and she reached over and grabbed my hand.

"He's his baby too. He has already been deprived of three years of his life." My mom said.

"Whose side are you on?" I asked and she laughed.

"Sweetheart, don't take this personal. He just found out his sperm was sold without his knowledge, and now he as a child. He is probably freaking out." She said and I guess I never thought about that.

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in Java Jones nervous as hell to meet the man who is the father of my baby. Every time the bell rang my head whipped around but none of them made their way over to me. I was so nervous I was barely drinking my coffee which was weird for me. After a couple minutes the bell rang again and when I looked up a golden man walked into the shop and I was completely speechless. As he continued to walk I could help but see the similarities between Justin and him. It was freaky.

"Are you Clarissa?" He asked and instead of being a normal adult, I had to be myself.

"Whoa." I said and he laugh.

"Believe it or not, that's not the first time I've been greeted that way." He said and it snapped me out of my daze.

"I'm sorry. It's just, i wasn't prepared for the similarities." I said and he nodded.

"Mind if I take a seat?" He asked and I shook my head. He pulled the seat out and sat down, and so far I liked what I saw, and he seemed nice so that was good. "I know this is extremely weird, but I appreciate you meeting me."

"At first I was annoyed, but after Bat and Jordan explained that you never really gave consent for your sperm to be sold, I was more willing to meet you." I said and he nodded.

"Understandable." He said and it got quiet. "Well, I'm Jace."

"It's nice to meet you Jace, I'm Clary by the way. I've never liked Clarissa." I said and he laughed.

"Yea, I don't like my first name either." He said and I smiled.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Jonathan." He said and I nodded.

"Yea, you don't look like a Jonathan." I said and he laughed.

"So, this kind of meeting doesn't really have a protocol, so I hope you don't mind me being blunt." He said and I smiled and shook my head. "Do we have a son or a daughter?" He asked hesitantly. I laughed and pulled out my phone and found a good picture.

"A son. His name is Justin." I said as I handed him my phone. He took it from me and I could just see the awe cross his whole face. "Which is why I greeted you the way that I did. The similarities are shocking." I said and he just nodded and kept looking at the photo.

"He has my eyes." Jace said after a minute as he gave my phone back.

"Yea. That was half the reason I picked your file. I thought it was so unique that you had gold eyes. The majority of the files had blue, or green but when I saw gold I was sold." I said and he laughed.

"It's definitely unique. I get a lot of compliments on them." He said and I laughed.

"So does he. No matter where we are someone always asks about them." I said and he nodded.

"So if my gold eyes were half the reason, what was the other half?" He asked.

"I was very particular about medical history. I wanted to know if there was a chance my baby was going to have health issues." I explained and he nodded. "Truthfully, I didn't want anyone who had a history of bad health problems, but when I came to yours there were none listed, and when I asked she said you didn't know. So I decided the unknown was worth it because at least my baby had the chance to get gold eyes." I said and he laughed.

"And is he healthy?" He asked.

"He's very healthy." I said. "But since I now have you here, could you tell me if there is any medical issues I should worry about?" I asked and I could tell his mood shifted.

"I wish I could tell you, but I don't know." He said.

"Can you call up your parents?" I asked and that's when I saw his body language shift from comfortable to rigid.

"My parents dropped my off in front of a church when I was 2." He said and I just felt my heart break. "I have no idea who they are, or where they are at this point."

"Why did they do that?" I asked.

"The note they left on my shirt had my name and said that they tried the whole parent thing, and it just wasn't for them." He said with a dry laugh. "I was put in a orphanage until I was 15." He said.

"That's terrible." I said and he shrugged.

"I got out." He said.

"How did you do that?" I asked.

"Well, if the accent isn't a dead give away, I'm from England. And in middle school I read about this program when American families were fostering kids, and I figured why not. I had nothing in England holding me there. So I went to the man who ran the orphanage and asked if I could sign up, and he didn't care, so I did." He explained. "It took some time, but by the time I was about to start high school I was given a family. Right here in New York. I spent my freshman year of high school here, and when the year was up they asked if I would like to stay, and I said yes. The whole fostering process took almost a year, but when I was 17 I was legally adopted by them."

"That's amazing." I said and he smiled.

"Even though I was going to be 18 the next year, it felt great to be apart of a family." He said.

"I bet. I'm glad that worked out for you." I said.

"Which is the reason why I wanted to meet you, and my kid. I felt like I was doing the same thing my parents did to me if I didn't at least meet my own kid." He said, and now I completely understood his motives. They weren't mean, he was simply checking on his child.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked.

"Of course." He said.

"Why were you donating sperm in the first place?" I asked.

"The family that adopted me, they have three children. One who is significantly younger than the other two. About 5 years ago he got really sick and they needed a lot of money desperately. I read that donating sperm is a great way to make money, and I got $60,000 for my donation and I gave it all to my adoptive family to help with the medical bills." He said and I couldn't believe he did that.

"But you didn't know thy were going to be sold?" I asked.

"No. The woman said she would most likely use my sperm for research, and looking back now I should have known that was a false claim, but I was too worried about Max. I needed the money, and it was a sure thing." He explained.

"That makes a lot of sense." I said and he nodded.

"Now I have a question." He said.

"Okay, shoot." I said and he laughed.

"When is Justin's birthday?" He asked.

"January 24th." I said and he smiled.

"My birthday is January 26th." He said.

"That's cool." I said and he nodded.

"I can't believe he'll be four." He said and I laughed.

"Time certainly flies." I said.

"I'd love to meet him." He said after a moment.

"I need to explain what's going on first, and I would like to give him a few days to process it. But if you leave your number, I'll contact you when we can meet up." I said and he nodded and pulled out a business card. "Fancy."

"Work requirement." He said.

"What do you do for work?" I asked realizing we didn't even cover the basics.

"I'm the COO of Branwell Inc." he said.

"What's a COO?" I asked and he laughed.

"Chief Operating Officer. It's one step below the CEO." He explained.

"That is a fancy job." I said.

"I worked my ass off to get where I am." He said.

"I don't doubt it." I said and he smiled.

"What about you?" He asked.

"I own my own flower shop." I said.

"That's cool." He said and I shrugged.

"It's not fancy, but I love it." I said.

"All that matters is if you love what you do." He said and I nodded.

"Speaking of my shop, I have to get back. I left one of my employees in charge, and she isn't the brightest." I said and he laughed.

"Well, it was great meeting you, and I hope we get the chance to meet up soon, and that I can meet Justin." He said and I smiled and nodded as we walked in opposite directions. Even though this meeting went well, I was still hesitant to introducing Justin to him, and I didn't know if that feeling would ever go away.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day that I was going to explain to Justin about his dad. I was worried that Justin would than want to spend every waking moment with Jace, and I didn't know how Jace felt about that. He seemed eager to meet Justin, but that didn't mean he wanted to be a father. I had taken Justin out to eat and I nearly chickened out multiple times, but I needed to tell him, and I knew Jace was probably just as anxious to meet him.

"Justin, we need to talk about something." I finally said and he looked up from the picture he was coloring.

"Am I in trouble mommy?" He asked and I smiled and shook my head.

"Not at all Justin." I said and he put his crayon down. "You know I love you very much, but recently I have come in contact with your father."

"I have a daddy?" He asked with such amazement in his voice.

"You do." I said and he got the biggest smile on his face.

"Where is he?" He asked as he looked around the restaurant.

"He isn't here right now baby, but he really wants to meet you." I said.

"Why didn't he want to meet me sooner?" Justin asked and I reached over and grabbed his hand.

"You might not understand it, but your daddy and I were never together. I went to a special place to have you, and I just met your daddy myself a couple days ago." I explained as easily as I could.

"So you don't love my daddy?" He asked and my heart just ached.

"No baby. I don't really even know him." I admitted.

"Oh." He said as he looked down.

"But he seems like a really nice man, and if you want to meet him, you can." I said and he looked up at me.

"Okay." He said with the same defeated tone as before.

"Is that something you'd be interested in?" I asked and he looked up and nodded. "Okay, maybe this weekend we can do something together."

"Like a family?" He asked and my heart just broke a little more.

"Exactly like a family." I said and he smiled and continued to color. I knew this was something that both Jace and Justin needed, but I didn't want Justin to get his hopes up just to be let down. I don't think I could go through that.

After lunch we went home and Justin went into the living room and I put on a movie. I made my way into the kitchen and pulled my phone out and Jace's business card. I took a deep breath before dialing the number and waited for him to answer.

"Jace Herondale speaking, how may I help you?" He said and my breath caught.

"Hi Jace, it's Clary." I said after a moment.

"Oh, hi Clary. How are you?" He asked and the fact that Jace seemed like such a nice guy made it harder to try and reject him with meeting his son, our son.

"I'm good. How are you?" I asked.

"Doing pretty well." He said.

"I talked to Justin today, and he is eager to meet you." I said.

"Really? That's great!" He said and I could hear the excitement in his voice.

"I was thinking that maybe we could go to the park this weekend. Justin loves the park." I said.

"That's perfect. Let me know when." He said.

"How about Saturday, 12 o'clock?" I asked.

"Sounds perfect. Thank you Clary, this means a lot to me." He said and I smiled.

"No problem Jace. See you Saturday." I said.

"Bye Clary." He said and we hung up. I took a deep breath and made my way out to the living room. I sat on the couch and Justin curled into my side. I gave him a kiss on the head as we sat and watched the movie together, and I couldn't stop thinking about how the outcome of their meeting was going to turn out.

 **Time Jump – Saturday**

 **Jace POV:**

I was standing in the park anxiously waiting for Clary and Justin to arrive. I was so incredibly nervous because I didn't know how he was going to react. Would he accept me, or would he want nothing to do with me? I had no idea, and that scared me. I was staring at the ground when I heard someone clear their throat and when I looked up there stood Clary with the cutest little boy I've ever seen.

"Hi." She said and I took a deep breath.

"Hi." I said back. She leaned down and gave the little boy a kiss, our little boy and he giggled.

"Justin, I want you to meet your father." Clary said and Justin turned towards me. I smiled at him and he looked up at me for a minute and than got the biggest smile on his face.

"Daddy!" He yelled and started running towards me. I bent down and opened my arms and scooped him up. Holding him for the first time filled some sort of void that I didn't even know I had.

"Hi little man." I said and he laughed. He leaned back but I didn't let him go. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too daddy." He said and I never thought I'd never hear a child call me that, but I never wanted him to stop. "Would you like to play in the sandbox with me?" He asked and I smiled.

"I would love too." I said as I put him down. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the sandbox, and in that moment, I couldn't picture myself doing anything else in the world.

 **Clary POV:**

Justin ran off with Jace to the sandbox so I took a seat on the nearby bench and watched. I knew that Justin would welcome Jace with open arms. He's three, he holds no grudges or resentment for anyone. And looking at Jace play with Justin and seeing how incredibly happy Justin was, made me feel like I did make the right decision. Jace deserved to know Justin, and Justin deserved to know Jace, and it might be hard to always schedule play dates, and whatnot, but seeing how incredibly happy there were together was always going to be worth it.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Why in the world did Jace have to be such a kind, and caring man? Why couldn't the sperm donor I choose be a dick? Why did I have to pick the guy who I was starting to fall head over heels in love with? Yup, you heard correctly. These past two months have been insane but Jace and Justin hang out as often as they can, and when Jace isn't around Justin can't stop talking about him. Seeing them together melted my heart every time, and it made me wish that we were an actual family, but I knew that dream was never going to come true.

Jace was coming over today and I was internally dreading it. Being in the same room as him was really difficult and seeing the bond and Justin and him have created made it even worse. The more time they spent together the more I noticed that Justin was a mini version of Jace, which meant that I was never going to be able to escape him. There was a knock on the door and Justin went running. I heard the door open and I took a deep breath.

"Daddy!" I heard Justin yell and I thought that this was the start of the day.

"Hi little man, where is mommy?" I heard Jace ask and just like that, my insides went to goo.

"She's in the kitchen." I heard Justin say and a moment later Jace was standing there with Justin in his arms.

"Hi." He said and I simply smiled. He put Justin down, and he went running into the other room and Jace made his way over to me. "I was thinking that we could go out to lunch and than maybe we could introduce him to my family. My siblings have been dying to meet him."

"I guess that could work." I said as I tried to sound enthusiastic but Jace caught on.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I just hate getting Justin's hopes up." I admitted.

"What are you talking about?" Jace asked.

"I don't know how you feel about religion, but before bed we pray every night, and do you know what Justin has been praying about lately?" I asked and Jace shook his head. "He prays that we will be a family one day."

"But we are a family." Jace said.

"Not in the way that he prays for." I said. "When I first told Justin about you, one of the first things he asked me was if I loved you. And when I told him I didn't because I barely knew you, he got so sad, and spending time with you, and doing things that families do is giving him hope that we could be like that one day, and I know we can't, but Justin doesn't know that." I admitted.

"What makes you think we can't?" Jace asks and I was completely taken aback by that statement.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"What makes you think we could never be the family that Justin prays for?" He asks.

"I just - I didn't think - I mean we barely know each other." I stuttered ad Jace laughed.

"That's the great thing about spending a lot of time together, we get to know each other." Jace said as he moved closer to me.

"We can't risk that." I said and Jace looked confused.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Because we have Justin to worry about. If we ended up getting involved and we become that family that Justin prays for, and something goes wrong, that would break his heart, and I won't do that to my baby." I said.

"Our baby." Jace corrected. "Do you know how awful it is for me to spend an entire day with Justin and than have to go home to an empty house? To not be able to tuck my son in, and kiss him goodnight, and than wake up in the morning alone?" Jace asked.

"No." I simply said.

"It's horrible. I dread for the day to end because I know I'm going to walk into my empty house and be riddled with the fact that my own son isn't really mine." Jace admitted.

"What are you talking about? Of course he's yours." I said and Jace just shook his head.

"Not really. Sure he has my DNA, but at the end of the day he goes home with you, not me." Jace said and I never thought about how unfair and sad that must have been for him.

"I never really thought about that before." I said and Jace shrugged.

"He's been only yours for 3 years, and than I show up out of nowhere and completely throw you off?" He says with laugh. "I wasn't going to be the guy who came into your life and demanded time with my son. I wasn't going to change your whole life just because my sperm was sold without my permission. Trust me, I could have gone to court and this whole thing would have been one hell of a mess." Jace said and my stomach tied itself in knots. "I wasn't going to do that to you, or my son, so I take what I can get. But sometimes it just sucks a lot."

"I didn't realize you felt that way." I said and Jace just shrugged.

"You could have kept Justin from me, but you didn't. It was incredibly kind of you to let me meet him and share him with me. That's what I'm grateful for. That I can actually have a relationship with my son." Jace said with a smile. It was quiet for a moment before I spoke.

"Hypothetically, if we did, you know, want to risk it, everything would have to be thought through carefully." I said and I could see him perk up a little. "Justin means the world to me, and I'm not going to put him through this if we can't work out our problems, or reconcile if we have a fight."

"Communication is something that I think we could work out. I'm normally not very good with expressing myself, but I will do everything to make sure that we don't hurt Justin." Jace said and I took a deep breath.

"Okay." I said.

"Okay? You would be willing to see where this went?" He asked and I laughed.

"Only if you want too." I said and he walked over and scooped me up into his arms.

"Ever since we started to get to know each other all I want to do is be with you and Justin." He said and I smiled.

"Do you think your family will like Justin?" I asked and he pulled away from me.

"They have been dying to meet him since the day I found out about him." Jace said and I laughed.

"Okay. Let's go." I said and he smiled.

"Justin! You ready little man?" Jace called and we heard little footsteps. Justin ran into the kitchen and Jace picked him up.

"I'm ready daddy." He said and honestly my heart couldn't handle the cuteness. "Where are we going?"

"I was thinking of taking you and mom out to lunch and than over to meet my family. How does that sound?" Jace asked and Justin got really excited.

"I have more family?" Justin asked and I smiled and made my way over to him.

"Yes you do baby. You have more grandparents, and aunts and uncles." I said and Justin got super excited.

"Let's go!" He said and Jace put him down and we each grabbed one of his hands and made our way out to his car.

We got to the restaurant and I don't think Justin could contain his excitement for the day. He was bouncing up and down in his seat, and coloring like a mad man when it came to his pictures. I didn't mind it at first because I knew this was all exciting and new for him, but once he spilled his juice is when I couldn't take it anymore.

"Justin Fray." I said and he stopped moving and hung his head.

"I'm sorry mommy." He said and I noticed that Jace had been cleaning the table up.

"Come on little man, if you can't make it through the meal without anymore spills, we won't go visit my family." Jace said and Justin looked really sad.

"Okay daddy." Justin said and I took a deep breath. Having someone else was actually really nice, because I didn't have to be the bad parent all the time now.

Justin was so well behaved the rest of the time at the restaurant and I knew it was only because he really wanted to meet Jace's family. It was so cute to see him so incredibly excited about something, and it was exciting for me as well for Justin to have more than just me and my mom in his life. He had other family members, who hopefully would love him as much as my mom, Jace and I did. We got in the car and Jace started driving, and we pulled up to this lovely little house, and we got out. Jace and I each took one of Justin's hands and made our way up to the house. Since Jace did live here at one point he just walked in and that's when the nerves really hit me. Jace and I just decided to risk our friendship to see if there was anything else there, and I knew they would love Justin, but what if they didn't like me?

"Mom?" Jace yelled. "You home?"

"I'm in the kitchen dear!" I heard a woman yell and Jace started walking and Justin and I followed behind. "I didn't know you were coming over."

"I have a surprise for you." Jace said as Justin and I entered the kitchen.

"Is that….?" The woman asked and Jace smiled.

"I'd like you to meet Justin, my son." Jace said and the older woman took off her apron and dried her hands.

"He reminds me of you." She said and I laughed.

"The similarities are shocking." I said and she looked at me. "I'm Clary."

"It's wonderful to meet you dear, I'm Maryse." She said. "And it's wonderful to meet you sweetheart." She said to Justin.

"What do I call you?" He asked and I laughed.

"Well, you can call me anything you want sweetie." Maryse said.

"Can I call you Granny?" Justin asked and I could tell it was very emotional for Maryse.

"That's perfect." She said and she kneeled down and Justin went running into her arms. He was never shy about hugs. "You are just the sweetest little thing." Maryse said when they finished hugging. "I'm going to go get everyone else."

"Everyone is here?" Jace asked.

"Isabelle and Simon got into a fight last night so she stayed here, and Max is still in high school." Maryse said.

"Is dad here?" Jace asked.

"He should be in his study." Maryse said as she walked out of the kitchen. A moment later an older man walked in and Jace greeted him with a hug.

"Hi dad." Jace said and the man smiled.

"This is the little guy you haven't been able to shut up about?" The man said with a smile and Jace laughed.

"Yup, this is Justin, and that's Clary." Jace said.

"I'm Robert, it's nice to meet you." He said and I smiled.

"You as well." I said and he looked down at Justin.

"Welcome to the family little man." Robert said and Justin smiled.

"Thanks…..uh, what do I call you?" He asked and we all laughed.

"Whatever you want kid." Robert said.

"I've never had a grandpop before." Justin said and I nearly cried. "Can I call you Pappy?" Justin asked and I laughed. In one of the many books we read, that's what the little boy calls his grandfather, and I thought it was adorable.

"Of course kid." Robert said and Justin ran and hugged his legs. Robert bent down and picked Justin up. Jace walked over to me and put his arm around my shoulder. I leaned into him, and took a deep breath. Seeing Justin with his family made me grateful that Jace was so invested in getting to know Justin. A moment later two other people walked in behind Maryse.

"Isabelle, Max, this is Justin and Clary." Maryse said.

"Call me Izzy." The girl said with a smile. "He's a cutie." She said and I laughed.

"That he is." I said as Robert put Justin down and he walked over to the two.

"What do I call you?" He asked and I laughed.

"That's your Aunt Izzy, and your Uncle Max baby." I said and he smiled. He grabbed one of each of their legs and hugged them causing everyone to laugh.

"I texted Alec and asked him to come over, he should be here in 10 minutes." Maryse said and Jace just nodded. After Justin was done hugging everyone, he ran back over to Jace and I and Jace picked him up. He rested his head on Jace's shoulder and I looked at the time and realized he needed his nap.

"It's time for his nap, is there a place that he could rest?" I asked.

"Of course. Jace, take him up to your old room." Maryse said and Jace nodded. He grabbed my hand and I followed Jace upstairs. We got to his room, and when he opened it I wasn't expecting it to be so clean. Nothing was out of place, and it was quite surprising.

"You're a neat freak." I said and Jace laughed.

"I have OCD." He said as he placed Justin down on the bed.

"I would have never of thought you'd be this tidy." I said as I looked around.

"I like everything to have it's own place." He said and I laughed.

"One day I'm going to have to have you over to clean my apartment." I said and he grabbed my hand and led me out of his room.

"I don't know, your apartment doesn't seem to have enough room for all your stuff." He said and I laughed.

"Most of that stuff is Justin's." I pointed out as we walked down the stairs and was greeted with a new face.

"Alec, you just missed Justin." Jace said and the boy smiled.

"That's okay. I figured I'd catch him after his nap." He said and Jace laughed.

"This is Clary. Clary this is my brother and my roommate Alec." Jace said.

"It's nice to finally meet you Clary." Alec said and I smiled.

"You too." I said. It might seem weird that him and Jace live together, and I've never met him, but according to Jace, he is either working crazy weird hours, or with his boyfriend, so we always ended up missing each other.

We all took a seat in the living room and started talking. It was weird being around such a big family. It was just my mom and me my whole life, and to be around a mother, and a father, and four siblings was really interesting, but they all just laughed, and joked so much that I was glad that Justin had them in his life now.

"I still can't believe you used this losers sperm." Izzy said as she pointed to Jace. "I mean, if only they had a box for arrogant as hell, and loves to hear himself talk you would have stayed far away from that sperm." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Compared to the pervious relationships I've had, Jace is by far one of the nicest guys I've ever met." I said and she nodded.

"What made you go to a sperm bank in the first place?" Izzy asked.

"I was always the girl who wanted to be a mom." I started to explain. "I only had my mom growing up. She was my world, and as I got older, I just wanted that kind of connection of my own. I dated jerks, and losers, and cheaters, and commitment phobes. And I made myself a promise, if I was 30, and single that I would go to a sperm bank and start that family I always wanted." I said. "When 30 rolled around and I was single, and not even thinking about men anymore, I realized that I wanted a baby, and that's what I did."

"And what compelled you to chose Jace?" Maryse asked.

"I was very specific when it came to medical history. I wanted my baby to be as healthy as possible, and they also asked about my dream guy." I said with a laugh. "So they gave me files of sperm donors who matched my description. They all had light hair, and light eyes. When I came across Jace's, the gold eyes immediately caught my attention. I thought they were incredibly unique, and in his file it said that he didn't have a medical history listed, and when I asked the woman she said he didn't know so he didn't write any down. So for me, it was either be in the dark about his medical history, and have the possibility of those gold eyes, or pick someone who I knew had a good medical history. I was too intrigued by the gold eyes that I decided to take a chance."

"All because of his eyes?" Izzy asked and I shrugged.

"I could either chance it with the unknown medical history or my child could have had a long line of the medical histories that I was shown, and in the moment, I decided the unknown was better because at least he would have cool eyes." I said and everyone laughed. A second later I could hear Justin crying. "I should go get him. He's not used to strange places." I said as I stood up and went to get Justin.

 **Jace POV:**

Clary went upstairs and the room was quiet. I didn't know what they were thinking, and it was kinda throwing me off a little. If Clary and I were going to see where this went, I would love to have my families approval.

"So, what's going on between the two of you?" Izzy finally asked.

"I'm not entirely sure yet." I admitted. "We talked earlier, and I want to see where it can go."

"Already?" Alec asked. "You met like two months ago."

"Yea, but I spend the majority of my free time with both of them, and when I have to leave I just feel like emptiness that I can't fill unless I'm with them." I confessed.

"Isn't that just because of Justin though?" My mom asked. "It's not like you've known Clary for years, and you just recently got back together. You had literally no idea she existed before you realized she used your sperm to create a child."

"It sounds weird, but when we're together I feel like we're a family, and I feel like we've always been a family. There is something about her that makes me feel like I've known her for years, not months." I said.

"She seems like a lovely girl, and you can see the amazing job she's done raising Justin over the past three years." My dad said. "If you think that you three can be a family, we certainly won't stand in your way."

"I appreciate that." I said and everyone nodded. A moment later I heard footsteps walking down the stairs and a fit of giggles.

"Mommy, I'm three years old. You don't have to hold my hand down the stairs." We heard and I couldn't help but smile.

"Justin, you get super excited and miss stairs, remember you ended up in the hospital with a split chin last year?" Clary asked as they walked into the living room.

"But I got a cool scar!" He said and I couldn't help but smile. Clary laughed and let go of his hand and he ran towards me. I picked him up and sat him on my lap and he smiled. "See my cool scar daddy?"

"That is a cool scar little man." I said and he smiled as Clary took a seat next to us. "There is one more person I'd like you to meet Justin." I said and he nodded. "That's your Uncle Alec." I said as I pointed to Alec. Justin looked over and Alec smiled.

"Hi Uncle Alec!" Justin said and Alec smiled.

"Nice to meet you Justin." Alec said and Justin smiled.

"I have a lot of family mommy." Justin said and Clary grabbed his hand and kissed it.

"Yea you do baby." She said and Justin leaned back towards me. I put my free arm around Clary and pulled her close to me. This might have been the most unusual way to have a family, but I couldn't wait to see what the future held for the tree of us.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

To say this last year was insane would be an understatement. Jace and I had been getting along really well, and after a couple months of seeing how well we worked we officially became a couple, and I know it sounds weird, but it was one of the greatest decisions I've ever made, apart from decided to go to the sperm bank in the first place.

Justin and Jace were without a doubt the cutest father and son you'll ever see. Jace takes him to he park, and he just started playing soccer which Jace coaches. It was almost like Jace had always been around raising Justin with me. Justin was a mini Jace, but I wouldn't want it any other way. Without my commitment to being a mother, I wouldn't have Justin, and I wouldn't have Jace either, and those two meant the world to me, and I couldn't picture life without them.

"Mommy! We're going to be late!" Justin yelled as he ran into the kitchen. "Daddy said he'd meet us at the field."

"Okay little man, we'll leave right now." I said as I grabbed my keys. Justin had a game today, and unfortunately for Jace, he had to go in for an emergency meeting, so he was going to have to meet us there. We drove to the field and Justin ran to join the rest of the team, and I made my way down and stood with the other parents. The game was starting in 5 minutes and Jace was nowhere to be found. I was looking everywhere for him, and I even tried calling him, but no luck. The referee came over to the parents and looked sympathetically at us.

"If this team doesn't have a coach, we need to forfeit the game." He said and I sigh.

"I'm the coach." I said and everyone looked at me. "I totally forgot that the actual coach said he was going to be late, and asked me to start without him. I'm so sorry."

"Very well." The ref said and I shook my head. I made my way down to the field where the little guys huddled around me.

"Where is daddy mommy?" Justin asked and I gave him a kiss.

"I don't know baby, but we have to start the game." I said and he nodded. I gave them a little pep talk and than sent the players out on the field. The whistle blew and the game started.

Half way through the first half Jace still wasn't here and I was starting to get angry. How could he not even text me to let me know he would be late? I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and there stood Jace.

"Why the hell are you so late?" I whisper yelled so that none of the children heard.

"The meeting went longer than anticipated, and I wasn't allowed to use my phone." He said and I wanted to be angry, but I knew I couldn't.

"Was it at least an important meeting?" I asked and he smiled.

"I think you will be very pleased with the outcome." He said.

"What does that mean?" I asked and he got a wicked smirk on his face.

"You're looking at the new CEO of Branwell Inc." He said and my jaw hit the ground.

"Are you serious?" I asked and she nodded.

"Branwell is getting old, and he wants to spend more time with his grandchildren." He explained and I threw my arms around his neck.

"I'm so proud of you." I said and I felt him laugh.

"There is a slight problem though." Jace said and I pulled away.

"What?" I asked.

"We have to move." He said and I looked confused.

"Why?" I asked.

"Okay, I phrased that wrong. We don't have to move, but it would be beneficial if we did." He said and the whistle blew indicating half time. The boys ran off the field and Justin ran straight to Jace.

"Why are you late daddy?" He asked.

"I had work things to do, but I'm here now." He said as he gave Justin a kiss. "Go join your team for snacks while I talk to mommy." Jace said and Justin nodded and made his way over to the other boys.

"So why would moving be beneficial?" I asked.

"Right now it takes me about 40 minutes to get to work, and being the CEO, I would have to be there whenever I'm needed, and a 40 minute commute isn't very efficient." He said and I understood what he was saying.

"But what about my flower shop?" I asked.

"I thought about that. I was thinking we could open another location. Expand your store and get more business." He said. "I'm not saying we move 40 minutes away, but I would like to be in at least a 20 minute drive to work."

"Will this move hurt Justin in anyway?" I asked worrying about my baby.

"He's only 4, so not at all. They have great school districts in the area, and sports leagues, everything that's offered here, is offered there." He said.

"Okay." I said and he got the biggest smile on his face.

"Seriously?" He asked and I laughed.

"Of course Jace. I am so incredibly proud of you for getting this job, and if we have to move, well move." I said and he scooped my up into his arms.

"Do you think your mom can watch Justin tonight?" He asked.

"I can call her, but why does she need to watch him?" I asked and he got another wicked smirk on his face.

"Because I intend on taking you out, and getting a little too drunk to be able to watch a child tonight." He said in a seductive voice that made my legs almost give out.

"You sure about that?" I said back and he leaned down and pressed his lips to my ear.

"Positive." He whispered and I had to suppress a moan.

"You have yourself a deal." I said and he smiled. "No go coach your son's soccer team, and I'll call my mom." I said and he gave me a small kiss and headed over to the team. I calmed myself down before pulling out my phone and calling my mom. Tonight was going to be fun, I knew it, and I couldn't wait.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit." I mumbled as I searched through my bag for my keys. I just now realized that I was a month late. I needed to go to the pharmacy and pick up a couple pregnancy tests. Thankfully Jace and Justin were out having a father son day, so I didn't have to make up some excuse to leave.

When I got to the pharmacy I grabbed about 5 tests, because I needed to make sure before I sprung it on Jace. I paid and left hoping that I would get home before Jace and Justin. When I pulled up to our house the car wasn't there and I took a deep breath. I ran to the bathroom and immediately started peeing. It was the longest couple minutes of my life.

Finally when the timer went off I checked the first stick, and it was positive. My heart stopped as I waited for the other one. The second one read positive as well. As so did the third, fourth, and fifth one. I was pregnant, and I just sat in the bathroom and started sobbing, but they were happy tears of course. Justin was almost 5, and bringing another child into this world, especially another one with Jace was incredible. I heard the front door open and I immediately hid all the tests, and washed my face and composed myself before heading out towards the living room. When I walked out Jace was holding a sleeping Justin in his arms. He smiled at me as he put Justin on the couch.

"You two must have had one eventful day." I said and Jace laughed.

"Sugar rush that ended poorly." He said and I laughed. "How was your day?" He asked. I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bathroom. "What's going on?" He asked but I still didn't say anything. I pulled the drawer out and pointed. He walked over and looked in and his eyes got wide. "You're serious?"

"I realized that I was late about an hour ago, and I ran to the pharmacy and picked up all 5 and took them." I said and Jace scooped me up in his arms.

"We're going to have a baby?" He asked and I laughed.

"We're going to have _another_ baby." I said and he smiled even more.

"I can't believe we're pregnant. I can't believe I get to witness it." He said and I laughed.

"You won't be saying that when I reach six months. I'm a nightmare." I confessed and he laughed. "I'm serious. My mother wouldn't spend more then 10 minutes in a room with me when I was pregnant with Justin because I was just so nasty."

"I think I can handle it." He said and I shook my head.

"If you say so, but don't complain when I turn into a dragon and try to bite you head off." I said and he laughed again and pulled me into a hug. This pregnancy I knew was going to be different, and I couldn't wait to experience it with Jace.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Pregnant**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary wasn't kidding when she said she gets nasty. More often than not I'm ducking to avoid pillows, and remotes, and the occasional plate. Everything just seemed to bother her 10 times more than normal, and it sucked, but I knew it was because her hormones are out of whack, but poor Justin just wants his mom back, and I couldn't blame him, because I wanted Clary back.

Today we had an appointment so Justin was going to spend the day with Clary's mom. I was thankful that Clary and I would get some time alone together, and that Justin would spend some time with his Nanna, and he also wouldn't have to worry about making Clary angry. He could simply be a kid, and that's what he needed. I opened the door and Justin made a beeline for Jocelyn. She gladly scooped him up and gave him a huge hug. When she set him down he ran into the living room and I made my way over to Jocelyn.

"Thank you for watching him today." I said and she smiled.

"It's not a problem. I love spending time with him." She said and I nodded. "How is Clary?"

"A nightmare, just like she warned me she would be." I said with a laugh and Jocelyn laughed as well.

"Man, I don't know how you do it. I was ready to suffocate her with a pillow when she was pregnant with Justin." Jocelyn said and I laughed.

"I just don't take it personal. I know her hormones are all out of whack, and she will only be pregnant for a couple more months, and hopefully she goes back to normal." I explained and Jocelyn nodded.

"Once she held Justin for the first time she was completely back to her old self, so hopefully that happens again." She said and I nodded.

"Justin, can you come here for a minute!" I called and I heard Justin come running.

"What daddy?" He asked and I kneeled down in front of him.

"Mommy and I will only be gone for a couple of hours, so be good for Nanna." I said and he smiled and nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too daddy." He said as he gave me a hug. I gave him one more kiss before saying my goodbyes and heading back home to get Clary. I walked into the house and heard sobbing. I immediately ran into the living room to see Clary sitting on the couch crying.

"Clary, what's wrong?" I asked frantically as I made my way over to her.

"How do you still love me?" She said through sobs as she blew her nose. "I've been awful to you."

"Clary baby, don't worry about it. I can handle it." I said and she looked at me with swollen eyes.

"You deserve so much more than what I can give you." She said as she continued to cry.

"Clary, listen to me." I said and she looked at me. "I love you. More than I've ever loved anyone else in my life. You have filled a void that I had in my life that I didn't even know existed. You and Justin are my world, and I couldn't picture my life without you." I said and she hiccupped.

"So why haven't you asked me to marry you yet?" She asked and I smiled and wiped the stray tear that escaped her eye.

"I was waiting until after the baby was born. You're already under a lot of stress, I wasn't going to add to that by you trying to plan a wedding." I admitted knowing that all she really needs to hear is the truth.

"So you really do want to marry me?" She asked and I laughed.

"More than anything else in the world Clary." I said and she sniffled a little more. "Come on, let's go find out the gender of our baby, and than we can stop for ice cream." I said and she smiled.

"You're the best." She said and I helped her off the couch.

"You've given me two children, I think that makes you the best." I said as we made our way to my car. The whole way to the doctors office Clary didn't let go of my hand, but I didn't mind. This was the first time in months that Clary has been semi close to her original self, and I was going to soak up every minute of it.

We were sitting in the waiting room and Clary's leg was bouncing up and down like crazy. I knew she was nervous, but at least she's been through this before! I was new to this whole thing, and it scared the hell out of me, but I wasn't going to tell Clary that because one of us had to stay sane throughout this whole process.

"Clarissa Fray?" The nurse called and Clary and I stood up. We followed the woman into the office. "The doctor will be in shorty." She said than she left. A few moments later the doctor walked in.

"Clarissa, it's great to see you again." The doctor said and Clary smiled.

"You too doctor." Clary said.

"So you want to find out the gender today, is that correct?" The doctor asked.

"Yes." Clary answered with a grin.

"You know, I still can't get over the fact that you two are together. I remember when you walked in here pregnant with Justin, and now here you two are." The doctor said and Clary and I both laughed.

"Trust me, we can't believe it either." Clary said and I grabbed her hand.

"Okay, let's see what we have here." The doctor said as she rubbed the gel on Clary's belly. After a couple moment of looking the doctor grinned. "Looks like you two are going to be the proud parents of a little girl."

"A girl?" Clary asked as I heard her voice crack.

"Looks like it." The doctor said. "I'll see you two back here in a couple months." She said as she wiped Clary off and left the room. We sat there in silence for a moment before I heard Clary sniffle.

"Are you happy baby?" I asked and she looked at me and smiled.

"I couldn't be happier." She said and I gave her a kiss. Having a girl was going to be weird, but I couldn't wait to start raising her, and protecting her, and just loving her more than life.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Clary POV:**

"Jace!" I called out from my spot in the living room. "Jace we need to go to the hospital." I said and I heard running.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yea. My contractions are finally close enough." I said as he helped me off the couch. My water had broken a couple hours ago, and Jace and I had just been waiting for the contractions to be close. My mom came and picked up Justin so that Jace and I didn't have to worry about him in the moment.

We got to the hospital and I was immediately brought into a room. They hooked me up to all the machines and gave me that wonderful epidural, and the pain had decreased, and all Jace and I had to do was wait for her to finally arrive.

 **Time Jump – One Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Okay Clary, it's time to push." The doctor said and I couldn't help but sigh.

"Oh thank god." I said and she laughed. Jace stood next to me and held my hand and kissed my forehead.

"When the next contraction hits, I want you to push." She said and I nodded. When the contraction finally hit I pushed as hard as I possibly could. I felt like she was never going to get here. The contraction ended and I stopped pushing. "Okay Clary, I can see you crowning, I need you to give me the biggest push of your life on the next contraction." She said and I nodded again. When the contraction hit I let it out. I screamed on the top of my lungs, and pushed harder than I ever had to push before, and a moment later the soft cries of my baby filled the hospital room. "Congratulations, it's a girl." The doctor said and I started crying.

"I love you more than anything Clary." I heard Jace whisper and I nodded letting him know that I heard him. A moment later the doctor brought a cute little pink bundle of us me and placed my sweet baby girl in my arms.

"Welcome to the world Hannah Herondale." Jace said as he pressed his lips to her head and I smiled. "I love you two so much."

"We love you more than anything." I responded. 15 minutes later the door opened revealing my mom and Justin. You could tell he was hesitant to come any closer.

"Come here little man." Jace said and Justin ran to him. Jace picked him up so that he could see his sister.

"That's my sister?" Justin asked and I smiled.

"Yes, say hello to Hannah." I said and Justin leaned forward and kissed her head.

"Hi Hannah. I love you." Justin said and another tear slipped out of my eye. Jace out his arm around me and Justin sat on his lap. I couldn't be happier with my perfect little family, and I couldn't believe how incredibly lucky I was. Our family may have started out unconventionally but I wouldn't have it any other way.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, this one shot was requested by CityOfClace01, and it was one request that I automatically had a plot for, and felt like I could write instantly, and well, this is the result! Let me know what you think, and I hope that this is the end of my writers block, but who really knows at this point! I hope that CityOfClace01 is happy this outcome, because I absolutely** **adore this story and I hope that you do as well! Let me know what you think! And Leave a review! Also, I hope that you update your stories soon CityOfClace01, because I'm always looking forward to the next update, especially** **I'll Be There For You! Still one of my favorite stories on this site! :)**


	62. Chapter 61 - Broadway

**Sixty First One Shot:**

 **Broadway**

 **Clary POV:**

Performing has always been a huge part of my life. I was labeled the drama nerd of my school since middle school, and I haven't been able to shake the title, but part of me never wanted too. Performing was who I was, and what I wanted to do in life, and I was proud of that.

It was my senior year of high school, and I didn't care what I had to do, I was trying out for a role in Chicago, and I was more determined than anything to get it. My mom knew how much this meant to me, and she was up for helping in anyway that I could. Now, I wasn't looking for the lead on Broadway, considering I was 18, I knew I wouldn't get it, but I was hoping for some role that would be my big break.

Today was like any normal day for me. I would be in school until about 1, and than make my over to one of the millions of auditions that I would go to in hopes of being cast. My mom talked to the school and worked something out, and as long as I wasn't failing, they were all for getting me to follow my dreams. The bell rang and I was so thankful because it meant that I was leaving. I walked up to my locker and started getting my things when someone slammed their hand on the locker next to mine. When I looked up, there stood Jace Herondale, and all his douchebag glory.

"Where you going Fray?" He asked in his signature arrogant tone.

"Why do you care?" I asked as I continued to gather my things.

"Cause we have a test next period, and if you aren't there, how am I going to pass?" He asked and I laughed.

"You really think I would let you cheat off me?" I asked and he laughed.

"Of course you would Fray, cause who in their right mind would ever want Jace Herondale to fail, and miss out on his dreams of getting a college scholarship for football?" He asked.

"Oh gee, I didn't even think of that. Whatever will I do if I'm not there to save poor Jace Herondale's dumb ass from failing physics?" I said in a mocking sad tone.

"I don't appreciate the attitude Fray." He said and I laughed.

"I don't appreciate being used." I said and I closed my locker.

"This is what we do Fray." He said as he pointed between the two of us. "We bicker, but in the end we're buddies."

"Did I miss that memo? Because last I checked 'buddies' didn't treat other 'buddies' like complete shit, and go around mocking them for what they love to do." I fired back.

"You know I'm just kidding Fray." He said and I rolled my eyes. I've known Jace for what felt like my whole life. He moved in next door to me when we were 8, and ever since we've just always gotten under each others skin.

"Do I now? Because it's not funny. It's actually kinda hurtful. You mock me all the time, you openly make jokes about what I love to do, and you use me to pass your classes. That doesn't sound like you're kidding Jace." I said and he genuinely looked like what I said hurt. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be late for my audition."

"But what about Starkweather's test?" He called after me.

"I took that test last week." I said and I turned around. "Good luck passing it. I barely got a B." I said and I walked out of the school. Jace may be able to chalk all our bickering up to having a good laugh, but I didn't see it that way, and maybe he'll see that I actually don't enjoy this game that he thinks we're playing.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I felt pretty confident in my audition this afternoon. I nailed the song, and I nailed the choreography, and all I had to do now was wait to see if I get a call back. I was laying on my bed when I heard something hit my window. Confused I thought it might just be the wind so I ignored it until it happened again. I got up and made my way over to the window and when I opened it Jace was standing under it throwing pebbles at it. I guess he didn't see me open it because one hit me in the head.

"Ow." I said.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you open the window." He admitted.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I was thinking about what you sad this afternoon, and you're right. I shouldn't make fun of you for doing what you love." He admitted and I was kinda shocked. "It's not fair to you, and I promise from now on, I'm done with the jokes."

"Really?" I asked and he smiled a real genuine smile.

"For real. I do consider you one of my buddies Fray." He said and I laughed. "You've always been fun to hang out with when both of us are board out of our minds late at night, and you have saved my ass multiple times in school."

"It's about time you admitted that." I said and he laughed.

"So how did the audition go?" He asked.

"I felt like it went well, but I just have to wait and hear back." I said and he nodded. "How did Starkweather's test go?"

"You weren't lying when you said it was hard." He said and I laughed.

"I wouldn't joke about a physics test." I said and he smiled. "I appreciate the apology Jace, but I had a long afternoon, and I need sleep."

"Of course. I just wanted to let you know that from now on, we're buddies, for real." He said and I laughed.

"Goodnight Jace." I said.

"Night Clare." He said and he walked away. I shut my window and went back to my bed and for some reason I couldn't get the smile off my face. I knew Jace could be a complete dick, but he could also be nice, and I was hoping that for here on out, I would get the nice Jace instead of the asshole he normally is to me.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting outside on the porch reading a book one afternoon when my phone went off. Not really thinking much about it I grabbed it and answered.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hello, is this Clarissa Fray?" The man on the other end asked.

"Yes, who is this?" I asked.

"My name is Luke Garroway, and I'm the director of Chicago." He said and my heart started beating. "I'm calling because we would be honored if you'd play Annie in our rendition of Chicago."

"Oh my god, I'd be honored." I said kinda stunned.

"Great. Rehearsals are starting next week, Monday night, we start at 4, and we don't end until late, so be prepared for some insanely long nights." He said.

"Of course. Thank you so much Mr. Garroway." I said and he laughed.

"Please, call me Luke. We'll see you next week." He said and he hung up. Once I knew the call was ended I stood up and started screaming at the top of my lungs. I kind of forgot that people lived around me and before I knew it, Jace and a bunch of his friends from the football team came running out of his house.

"Jesus Clary, what the hell is with all the yelling?" He shouted from his yard and I laughed.

"Nothing, just nothing." I said as I grabbed my jacket and my keys.

"Seriously? You scream bloody murder, and not even an explanation?" He asked and I get into my car.

"Sorry, but you aren't the first person I'd like to share this information with!" I shouted back before driving off. I had to go see my mom, and than go see Simon. Those were the only two people who fully supported me, and I couldn't wait to share the good news.

I got to the art gallery that my mom owned and burst through the doors. She wasn't in the front, so I assumed she was in her office, so I ran back and when I opened the door, there she was doing paperwork. She looked up with concern considering I wasn't supposed to be here.

"Clary, are you okay?" She asked and I smiled and nodded.

"I just got a call from the director of Chicago. They want me to play Annie in the Broadway production!" I nearly screamed and my mom jumped out of her seat, and pulled me into a hug.

"Oh my god Clary! That's amazing1" She said as we're hugging.

"I know. Rehearsals start next week, and they might be crazy long." I said and she nodded.

"Well, whatever you need from me, just say the word." She said and I smiled. "I am so proud of you Clary. And I know your dad would have been too." She said and I smiled. My dad died when I was 5. I barely knew him, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt that he's gone.

"Thanks mom." I said and she smiled. "I have to go tell Simon." I said and she laughed.

"Okay, but we're going out to dinner tonight to celebrate!" She said and I laughed.

"Of course." I said and I left. I knew that Simon was over at Eric's at his horrible band practice, and normally I didn't like to interrupt him but today was a special case. I made my way over to his house, and when I got there I heard the awful racket that they called music. I walked over to the garage, and saw a bunch of nerds trying to rock out and it just wasn't working. "SIMON!" I yelled over the music and everything stopped and they focused on me.

"Clary, what are you doing here?" Simon asked.

"I just got a call from Broadway, and guess who will be in Chicago?" I asked and his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Oh my god, that's amazing Clary." He said as he ran over to me and scooped me into a hug.

"I just really needed to tell you." I said and he smiled.

"I am so proud of you." He said and I smiled.

"Well, I'll let you get back to trying to make some music, I just really wanted to tell you." I said and he laughed.

"Hey, we're actually starting to sound like a real band." He said and I laughed.

"Yea, okay. I'll see you at school tomorrow." I said and he smiled and waved and I made my way home. I got a text from my mom that said we're splurging tonight, and to get fancy, so when I got home I went straight to my closet and started looking for an outfit.

After about an hour an a half, I finally decided on a dark green dress that fit my body to perfection, it had the back completely meshed out, and long sleeves. I chose black heels that were a solid 4 inches, and gave me some height. I curled my hair, and gave myself as smokey eye. There was a knock at my door and when it opened there stood my mom.

"You ready Clary?" She asked and I stood up and she smiled. "You look gorgeous."

"Thanks mom." I said and I grabbed my clutch and made my way outside. When I got into the living room I heard a bunch of yelling and I looked out the window to see all the boys from earlier playing football in Jace's front yard. I took a deep breath and prepared myself to expose the girly side of myself to a bunch of horny teenage boys.

 **Jace POV:**

The boys and I were out front playing a game of catch when I saw Clary's mom walk out of her house. She was dressed up looking like she was going somewhere fancy, like maybe on a date. When she got to her car she turned around and looked confused.

"Clary, let's go! We'll be late for our reservation!" She called.

"I'm coming!" We heard from the house and I looked back at the front door and when I saw Clary step out my heart nearly stopped. Clary was a simple girl. She never dressed up because she honestly didn't need to, and she didn't care about impressing anyone. She walked down those porch steps in a fitted green dress that made her eyes even more green, her hair was curled to perfection, and holy shit did her eye make up make me want to go weak in the knees. She looked over at us and giggled, and I could have died happy in that moment hearing that sound escape her mouth. "Might want to close your mouth fellas, you don't want to catch flies." She said and I looked around and saw all the guys had the same reaction. I looked back at her, and our eyes locked. She winked at me before getting in the car and driving away. After the car pulled away I think we were all brought back into reality.

"Holy shit, was that Clary Fray?" Mark asked.

"Dude, she's hot." Julian said and he high fived with Meliorn who agreed with him.

"You're a lucky son of a bitch to live next to her if she dresses like that all the time." Greg said.

"Trust me, in the 10 years I've lived next to her, I've never seen her dress that way." I said still completely in shock of how Clary walked out of that house.

"Might have to pay a little more attention to her at school from now on." Mark said with deviance in her voice.

"Dude, don't fuck around with her emotions." I said and everyone looked at me.

"You do it on a daily basis Jace." Julian said.

"I do it because we're friends. She knows that. She doesn't need you assholes picking at her just because you think she's hot after seeing her actually in a dress." I said.

"Since when are you two friends?" Greg asked.

"We've always been friends." I said and they just shook their head and went back to playing. I knew that whatever happened now, I was going to make sure these losers didn't mess with Clary, because I was serious about being her friend, and I knew these pricks were going to only try and get one thing from Clary, and she didn't deserve that.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

This last month of rehearsals have been kicking my ass, but the opening was this weekend and I was freaking out. I didn't want to disappoint the director, or the cast, or my mom, or myself really. I just wanted to do an amazing job, and prove that this is what I wanted to do. I was perpetually exhausted after all the rehearsals but it was worth ever single sleepless night and only get 2 to 3 hours of sleep and barely having any time to do my homework or eat because this show was absolutely amazing, and I couldn't wait to show the world what we had been working on.

I was in school, and there was a whole school assembly happening, but I had no clue what it was about. We normally get warned about these things, but this one had no summary, so it could really be on anything. Simon and I walked into the school gym and took a seat on the bleachers. We waited for everyone else to enter, and than the principal walked in and everyone stopped talking.

"You're all probably wondering why we are having this assembly." He started. "Well, many of you might not know this, but our very own Clarissa Fray has been selected to be in the Broadway production of Chicago." He said and my face lit up like a freaking Christmas tree. All eyes were on me, and the teachers all started clapping, and soon the whole student body was clapping. Once it started to die down the principal started speaking again. "As you all can imagine, we are incredibly proud of her for making it on Broadway and can't wait for her show. Which brings me to why we are all here today. The grand opening is this weekend, but since it is the middle of the week, not many of us will be able to attend." He said and I didn't have a good feeling about where this was going. "So, in the next few weeks, there will be a table in the cafeteria that will be selling tickets to her show. We encourage you all to see you fellow peer in what I'm sure will be the start of her amazing career in the entertainment world." He said and I nearly had a heart attack. The school was selling tickets to see me perform.

"Well, that was unexpected." Simon said and I couldn't speak I just simply nodded.

"Alright, that's it. Back to class." The principal said and everyone stood up and started walking out of the gym. Simon basically picked me up and helped me walk out since I was still pretty stunned.

"Well, how do you feel?" Simon asked.

"Overwhelmed. I mean, nobody gives a rats ass about drama here, why would anyone pay to come see me on Broadway? They don't pay to see me here!" I said and Simon just shrugged.

"Well, your mom and I are going tonight, and if it sucks, I'll try and convince everyone not to go!" He said and I punched his arm.

"Thanks a lot Simon. I'm already nervous enough for opening night." I said and he laughed.

"You're going to be amazing Clary." He said and I smiled. We walked to our next class, and I couldn't get the knot out of my stomach. I knew this moment was coming, but now that it was here, I was nervous as hell.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

A bunch of my friends wanted to go see Clary on Broadway, and I wanted to go so badly to see her, but I didn't want the boys to know, so I had to pretend to let them 'convince' me to go, so here we are, on a Friday night, sitting in a theater waiting for the show to start, and honestly I was pretty nervous. Being nice to Clary, and actually being her friend was weird, but it felt right, and she was actually a pretty awesome person when you got to really know her.

The show started and the music began to play and than the curtains opened. I didn't recognize any of the people on the stage as Clary, and I realized that I hadn't really known that much about her role in the show.

The stage went dark and than a man walked out and started talking. Soon 6 women appeared on the stage, and the music started. The women started singing and I recognized Clary's voice so I sat up a little straighter to see.

"Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh, Cicero, Lipschitz!  
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh, Cicero, Lipschitz!  
Pop! Six! Squish! Uh uh, Cicero, Lipschitz!

He had it coming, he had it coming  
He only had himself to blame  
If you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it  
I betcha you would have done the same

Pop! Six! Squish! Uh Uh, Cicero, Lipschitz!

You know how people have these little habits  
That get you down like Ernie  
Ernie like to chew gum, no, not chew, Pop

Like, I come home this one day and there's Ernie  
Layin' on the couch chewin', no, not chewin', poppin'  
So, I said to him, I said  
"Ernie, you pop that gum one more time" and he did

So I took the shotgun off the wall  
And I fired two warning shots into his head

He had it coming, he had it coming  
He only had himself to blame"

Finally, I saw Clary walk forward, and I couldn't wait to hear her sing. She was wearing a very revealing outfit, but she looked amazing. There was something in her body language that showed so much confidence. Something that I never saw in Clary before, and than she started dancing and singing, and I was shocked.

"I met Ezekiel Young from Salt Lake city about two years ago  
And he told me he was single and we hit it off right away  
So, we started living together

He'd go to work, he'd come home, I'd fix him a drink, we'd have dinner.  
Then I found out, single, my ass  
Not only was he married, well, he had six wives  
One of those Mormons, you know

So that night, when he came home  
I fixed him his drink as usual  
You know, some guys just can't hold their arsenic

He had it coming, he had it coming  
He took a flower in its prime  
And then he used it and he abused it  
It was a murder but not a crime

Now, I'm standing in the kitchen  
Carvin' up the chicken for dinner  
And in storms my husband Wilbrin in a jealous rage  
"You been screwin' the milkman"

He says and he kept sayin'  
"You been screwin the milkman"  
Then he ran into my knife  
He ran into my knife ten times

If you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it  
I betcha you would have done the same

Mit kersek, en itt? Azt mondjok, hogy a hires  
Lakem lefogta a ferjemet en meg lecsaptam a fejet  
De nem igaz, en artatlan vagyok  
Nem tudom mert mondja Uncle Sam hogy en tettem  
Probaltam a rendorsegen megmayarazni de nem ertettek meg

But did you do it?  
Uh uh, not guilty

My sister, Veronica and I had this double act  
And my husband, Charlie traveled around with us  
With the last number in our act  
We did 20 acrobatic tricks in our world

One two three four five, splits, spread eagles  
Flip flops, back flips, one right after the other  
Well, this one night we were in Cicero

The three of us, we were in this hotel room  
Boozin' and havin' a few laughs and we ran out of ice  
So I went out to get some

I come back, open the door  
There's Veronica and Charlie  
Doing number seventeen, the spread eagle

Well, I was in such a state of shock, I completely blacked out  
I can't remember a thing, it wasn't until later  
When I was washing the blood off my hands  
I even knew they were dead

They had it coming, they had it coming  
They had it coming all along  
I didn't do it, in spite if I'd done it  
How could you tell me that I was wrong?

I loved Alvin Lipschitz, he was a real artistic guy, sensitive, a painter  
But he was always trying to find himself  
He go out every night looking for himself  
And on the way, he found Ruth, Gladys, Rosemary and Irving

I guess you can say we broke up because of artistic differences  
He saw himself as alive and I saw him dead

The dirty bum, bum, bum, bum, bum  
The dirty bum, bum, bum, bum, bum

They had it comin', they had it comin'  
They had it comin' all along  
'Cause if they used us and they abused us  
How could they tell us that we were wrong?

He had it coming, he had it coming  
He only had himself to blame  
If you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it  
I betcha you would have done the same

You pop that gum one more time  
Single my ass  
Ten times

Miert csukott Uncle Sam bortonbe  
Number seventeen, the spread eagle  
Artistic differences  
I betcha you would have done the same"

When the number was over, I was blown away. Clary had done an amazing job, and I could tell that she really loved what she did. I had never gone to see her in a school play, so this was all very new to me, and I was extremely proud of her.

The rest of the play continued and Clary was in bites and pieces, but I couldn't get her out of my mind from her one dance number. She looked like a pro, and I knew that this was only the beginning for her. When the play was finally over we made our way back to the car, and got in a drove away.

"Who knew Clary Fray could be so hot." Julian said and all the guys agreed.

"Good to know you boys get turned on by murder." I said and they all laughed.

"Who knew Clary Fray had that great of a body covered in all her tee shirts and jeans. I mean, if she dressed like that on a regular basis, I would have to get a little action." Greg said and it took everything in me not to punch him in the face.

They dropped me off at home, and I noticed that Clary's car wasn't there, but I didn't really expect her to be home. I went into my house and straight up to my room and just laid on my bed. I don't know how long I was staring at my ceiling but I heard a car pull up and I saw lights. When I looked out my window I saw Clary getting out of a car, but it wasn't hers. Confused I continued to watch and a guy got out behind her and I instantly got jealous. He walked her to her porch, she gave him a kiss on the cheek and than went inside. The guy walked back to his car and left, and I couldn't help but be annoyed. But I guess I can't really blame her for not giving me a second glance. I mean, we didn't exactly have a perfect friendship, and I guess I can only blame myself for that.

 **Time Jump – End Of Chicago**

 **Clary POV:**

We had just finished our last show, and I was incredibly sad to see it end, but I had the most amazing time with this cast, and on that stage, and I couldn't wait to audition for my next Broadway show. Since it was the last show, we had a huge after party, that I couldn't wait to attend. I got one extra ticket, and I gave it to my mom, but she was meeting me here later. I was spending time with the girls and getting ready, and I just couldn't believe that after today, I might not get to see them for a long time and that really sucked, but I couldn't be more grateful for my time with them.

 **Jace POV:**

Is it possible to develop feelings for someone in such a short amount of time, when you didn't think it was even possible to have feelings for them? Because that's exactly how I felt about Clary. In the beginning of the school year, she was my neighbor and my buddy, but as I lay on my bed, I can't get her out of my head, and the fact that she gave that guy a kiss on the cheek, was still bothering me even after all this time.

It was like something flipped and all of the sudden, all I see is Clary, and all I want to do is be near her, and talk to her, and hear about her day, and hear her laugh, and see her smile, and be the reason she laughs and smiles. It was a new concept for me, but it was all I wanted, and I haven't been able to shake that for months. I decided that it was time t actually let me feelings be known. No more sitting at my window staring at her window like a creep. It was time that I confronted her, and told her how I felt.

I got off my bed and walked right over to her house. I knocked on the door and waited for someone to open it. After a few moments the door opened, and there stood Jocelyn.

"Jace, what a surprise. What can I do for you?" She asked.

"I was hoping to speak with Clary." I said.

"She isn't home. They have a after party tonight for the ending of the show." She explained and I took a deep breath.

"Do you know when she'll be home?" I asked.

"The party goes on until late hours of the night. I'll probably be home before her since this will be the last time she sees a lot of those people." Jocelyn explained.

"Okay. Well, thank you." I said and I turned around to go back to my house when Jocelyn called out.

"Jace." She said and I turned around. "You know, I have a really bad headache, but I didn't want to bail on Clary, would you like my ticket?" She asked and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"Are you serious?" I asked and Jocelyn laughed.

"You know, since you moved in I wasn't really sure how I felt about you." She started. "You seemed a little cocky, and for lack of better words, a playboy, but I see the way you look at Clary. That day we went out to dinner, and all those boys were eyeing her up like a piece of meat, but you had a different look in your eyes." She said.

"What look is that?" I asked and she smiled.

"You looked star struck by her. Like you've never seen anyone more beautiful in your whole entire life." She said and I smiled.

"That's because I haven't." I admitted.

"The party is taking place at The Institute, do you know where that is?" She asked and I nodded. She reached inside the house and grabbed something. She walked over to me and handed me a ticket. "It starts at 10." She said and I smiled.

"Casual or formal?" I asked and she laughed.

"It's supposed to be like business casual. So not jeans, but nota suit." She said and I nodded.

"Thank you Jocelyn." I said and she smiled.

"Your welcome. Tell Clary I have a horrible headache." She said as she winked and walked away. I went back into my house and ran up to my room. It was currently 9:15, so I had some time to get ready, and my stomach was in knots. I had no idea what I was going to say to her but I just knew I needed to talk to her.

 **Clary POV:**

The party started about 15 minutes ago, and my mom still wasn't here. I tried texting her, but she wasn't answering her phone, and I was starting to worry. I was making my way outside because I thought that maybe I had poor reception when I saw the last person I thought I would ever see standing there. I shook my head and started making my way over to him.

"Jace, what are you doing here?" I asked as I made my way over to him.

"Your mom wasn't feeling well, and offered me her ticket." He said and I crossed my arms over my chest not believing him.

"My mother wasn't feeling well, and you were her first choice to fill her spot?" I asked and he laughed.

"Well, in all fairness, I went looking for you at your house, and we got to talking, and she offered it to me." He admitted.

"Why were you looking for me?" I asked. He rubbed the back of his neck like he was nervous or something.

"I wanted to talk to you." He said.

"About what?" I asked.

"Can we go somewhere more private?" He asked and I nodded. He took my hand in his, and my whole body felt like it was set on fire. He led me into a hallway that was far away from the other people.

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" I asked after we were done walking.

"Okay, well I want to say everything that's on my mind before you interrupt me, is that okay?" He asked and I simply nodded. "Okay. So I know I haven't always been the nicest to you, but I like to think I made a remarkable improvement since our little talk in the beginning of the year." He said and I nodded. "I don't know if you know this, but I went to see you on Broadway." He said and my jaw dropped. "You were absolutely amazing, and I really wanted to tell you, but you weren't home so I thought I'd wait until you did, so that I could tell you how amazing you were. Being your friend has actually been a lot more enjoyable than I thought it's be." He said and I laughed. "You funny, and smart, and beautiful, and talented, and pretty much everything anyone could hope to find in a girl, and I don't know when it started, but I haven't been able to get you out of my head." He said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. "And the night I saw you on Broadway, I heard a car pull up to your house. I went to my window to see you, but you weren't alone." He said and I couldn't help but want to smile at how jealous he sounded. "I watched him walk you to our porch, and you kissed his cheek, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about that."

"Talk about creepy." I said and he glared at me.

"It was the last thing I needed to know that I felt differently towards you. That I wanted to be the one you ran to first when you had news, or when you were upset you would want to find comfort in me. I wanted to make you laugh, and smile, and damn it I want to kiss you." He said and my heart skipped a beat.

"Are you done?" I asked and he nods his head. I don't say anything, I just close the distance between us and press my lips to his. He shocked but a second later he returns my kiss, and I don't know how long I've wanted this, but everything in me changes. I never wanted this kiss to end, and I knew that I was going to miss this feeling when it did. When we both needed some air we broke apart, and he had the biggest smile on his face.

"Is that you agreeing to everything I just said?" He asked breathlessly and I just laughed.

"You can be a real idiot, you know that right?" I asked and he laughed.

"I know." He said and I wrapped my arms around his waist.

"And that guy who's cheek I kissed, is insanely gay." I said with a giggle. "My car wouldn't start and he gave me a ride home. He was my dance partner in the show, and we got close, but I'm not his type."

"Good." Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"So, you came all this way just to tell me that?" I asked and he smiled and rested his hands on my hips.

"I figured the only way you'd believe me is if I came and proved it to you." He said and I nodded. "So, did I prove it to you?"

"I think the kiss was my yes." I said and he smiled and kissed my forehead. "So, you liked the show?" I asked as we started walking back to the party.

"I love it. It was my first Broadway show." He said.

"You picked a good one. I've always loved Chicago." I said.

"I picked a great one. It's not everyday the girl you like stars in one." He said and I laughed.

"I was the farthest thing from the star." I said.

"Really? Because I couldn't keep my eyes off you." Jace said and I blushed.

"I appreciate the compliment, but it was my first show, maybe in a couple years I'll be the star." I said and he smiled.

"Do I get a ticket to that show?" He asked and I smiled.

"That depends." I said.

"On what?" He asked.

"Will you be attending every show I perform in?" I asked and he smiled.

"I wouldn't miss a single one." He said as he pressed his lips to mine. I didn't know how long I've wanted this, but man did I love kissing this guy.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was currently sitting in the theater waiting for the show to begin, and just like every other time, my stomach was in knots. The was the 4th show Clary was in, and my nerves were still through the roof. But I think that was because she was finally the star of the show. When Clary got the call saying they wanted her to play Christine, in Phantom of the Opera, she nearly fainted. Getting the lead was something that she had been working her ass off for, and I couldn't be more proud of her.

"Daddy, why do you look so worried?" Our four year old daughter, Adley asked. Clary and I were surprised by Adley's arrival at the end of our freshman year of college. She wasn't planned, but man was she loved. Clary and I knew it was going to be hard, but we made a promise to love this girl no matter what, and the minute we both laid eyes on her, we knew we were both goners.

"I'm just nervous for the show baby." I said as I readjusted her in my lap.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because mommy is the star." I said and she smiled.

"Mommy is always the star." She said and I kissed the top of her head.

"You are so right sweetheart." I said and the lights dimmed. Adley got super excited and sat up straighter so that she could see. This was the second show she had been too, and she absolutely loved it, but she was a mini Clary, so I wasn't surprised at all that she loved the theater.

When the show was over, I was blown away by Clary's performance. She was absolutely stunning up on that stage, and I couldn't wait to get backstage and tell her that. I picked Adley up and started making my way backstage to see Clary. When I finally spotted that vibrant red hair, I wrapped my arms around her waist and she let out a little shriek. She turned around and had the biggest smile on her face.

"You did great mommy!" Adley said and Clary picked her up out of my arms and gave her a kiss.

"Thank you baby." She said and than it was my turn to give her a kiss.

"She's right, but I always knew you were the star of the show." I said and she blushed, just like she always did when I gave her a compliment.

"As long as you two loved it, that's all that matters to me." Clary said and I pulled her into my chest and I gave my two girls a hug.

"You were amazing, and I truly didn't expect anything less than perfection from you." I said and she smiled.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Anyone up for some pizza?" She asked and Adley nearly jumped out of Clary's arms.

"ME!" She yelled and Clary put her down and we each grabbed a hand.

"Pizza it is." I said and we made our way out to our car. It was in this moment, when I hear Clary laugh, and our beautiful little girl giggle, that I know I hit the jackpot in life, and I couldn't be more blessed with how everything worked out. Clary was one of the biggest name son Broadway, but with talent like her's, I knew that this was still only the beginning, and I couldn't wait to see her shine in even more shows in the future.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so this is very rare for me, but someone requested a story about Clary on Broadway and still in high school, and I saw that review, and this hit me and I wrote it. So, whoever requested it, man you got my creative juices flowing! I hpe you like it, and let me know what you think! :)**

 **Disclaimer - I do not own Chicago, or Phantom of the Opera. The lyrics in this story are the lyrics to Cell Block Tango, and I don't own any of that! And If you're curious about who Clary played, she was Annie (Six) one of the murderesses in that number! :)**


	63. Chapter 62 - Pretend Dating

**Sixty Second One Shot:**

 **Pretend Dating**

 **Clary POV:**

There were many things in life that I thought would never happen. I would never date Leonardo Dicaprio. I would never be best friends with Taylor Swift. I would never release that mix tape that I thought I would when I was 6. What I'm getting at, is some things are never meant to be, and I was okay with that, but as I sit here, in this car, with none other than Jace Herondale, do I realize that what we were about to do, was something that I knew matter of factly that would never happen, but yet, here we are. When he asked me for this favor, I didn't know what to think, but he looked genuine, and he needed my help so I agreed, but I didn't know what was going to happen.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I had just gotten to the coffee shop when I was meeting with Jon and Jace. It was weird living in the same city with Jace and not Jon, but life happens, and when Jon came to visit it was always nice to catch up with him and Jace._

 _Even though Jace and I lived in the same city, we were always busy and we got together even now and than, but it mostly happened when Jon was in town and he only had a short period of time before he had to go and he wanted to see us both._

 _Today was a normal day to be meeting with Jace and Jon and I was excited to see Jon again. It had been a couple months since his last visit, and I missed him. I took a seat with my coffee and waited for the two boys to come in. When the bell of the shop dinged I looked up and saw the two boys who I grew up with and smiled. I was always going to have such a soft spot in my heart for Jace, even though he could be a real jackass._

 _"Clary, it's so good to see you again." Jon said as he scooped me up in his arms._

 _"You too Jon. It's been too long." I said and he laughed. I gave Jace a quick hug before we all took our seats._

 _"So, there was another reason why I wanted to meet with both of you." Jon said. "Mom and Luke are finally getting married." Jon said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. "You two are clearly invited, and she didn't want to send a note, or tell you over the phone, so I'm her messenger."_

 _"It's about time." I said and Jon and Jace laughed. "When did they start dating? My junior year of high school?" I said and Jon laughed._

 _"Around that time." Jon said. "Also Jace, your father gave me this." Jon said as he handed Jace a note. "I'm assuming you know he isn't doing well?" Jon asked and Jace simply nodded._

 _"You never told me that." I said to Jace and he just shrugged._

 _"We haven't exactly hung out recently Clary." Jace said and I nodded, knowing he was right. "Its no big deal. I'll see him when we go back to the wedding."_

 _"The wedding is actually next week, it's not big, and it's not exactly fancy, so there wasn't a need for months advanced notice." Jon said and I nodded. "I'm heading back today, but mom would like you there by the latest Friday Clary."_

 _"I'll be there." I said and he nodded._

 _"We can drive down together." Jace said and I nodded._

 _"Sounds great." Jon said as he stood. "I have to go other wise I'll be stuck in traffic." Jon said and I nodded._

 _"Drive safe. Text me when you get back?" I asked and he nodded and kissed my forehead._

 _"Love you Clare." He said and I smiled._

 _"Love you too." I said._

 _"See you at home Jon." Jace said and Jon nodded. He left the coffee shop but Jace was still sitting there looking at the letter. I took a seat next to him and placed my hand on his arm._

 _"Is everything okay?" I asked and he looked up from the note._

 _"He doesn't think he's going to last much longer." He said and my heart broke. "He says he can't wait to see me, but he wished that he could see me settle down." Jace said with sadness in his voice. "Its been his dream to see me find a girl, and start a family, and I'm just letting his last dying wish die." Jace said and I could tell this was really hard for him._

 _"He has to understand that love doesn't work like that." I said and Jace just shrugged._

 _"Doesn't really matter anyway. I don't have a girlfriend, I'm nowhere close to being married, or having a kid, and he isn't going to make it another month." Jace said. I didn't know what to say so I just didn't say anything. A couple minutes went by before Jace spoke. "I know this is crazy, but would you be willing to help me out?" Jace asked._

 _"With what exactly?" I asked._

 _"I could easily find a girl and have her pretend to be my girlfriend, but I don't want to introduce a stranger to my family." He said._

 _"Okay?" I asked._

 _"My family knows you, my family loves you, you aren't half bad." He said and I glared at him. "Can you please pretend to be my girlfriend, so I can make my fathers dream come true."_

 _"You want us to pretend to be dating?" I asked._

 _"Nobody would know, we could tell Jon about our plan and he could even make it more real. Please, I want my father to be happy in his last month of life." He said and I thought about it. All he wanted to do was fulfill his fathers last wish, and I'd be a bitch if I didn't try and help him with that._

 _"Okay." I said and his eyes lit up._

 _"Seriously? You'll help?" He asked and I laughed._

 _"Of course. This means a lot to you, and it means a lot to Stephan, the least we can do is give him his last wish." I said and Jace pulled me into a hug._

 _"Thank you so much Clare." He whispered and I smiled._

 _"Of course. No I have to go home and pack. Meet me at my place at 9 am on Thursday morning." I said and he nodded._

 _"Seriously, thank you for doing this Clary." I smiled and he left the coffee shop. I knew this would be interesting but he needed me, and I would want him to do the same for me if the situations were revered._

 ** _Flashback End_**

We were about 6 hours into hour 12 hour car ride, and I was about to pull my hair out with the music that Jace chose to play. I mean, a girl could only take so much rap music in her life. I yanked his phone out of the aux cord and the noise finally stopped.

"Hey, that was a great song!" He said and I laughed.

"It's past the six hour mark. You got the first six hours, I get the last six hours." I said and he groaned.

"Whose brilliant idea was that?" He asked.

"Yours dumbass." I said ad he laughed. He had a beautiful laugh. I grew up with the kid, and from very early on in life I knew he was going to be a force to be reckoned with when it came to his looks. He was beautiful, and he knew it, and so did everyone else. It didn't help that I knew the soft and sweet side of him as well, that just made him even more of a great guy, and I think it would be interesting to pretend to date, because I would be lying if I said that my teenage self wasn't curious as to what it would feel like to date Jace.

 **Time Jump – Six Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We finally made it to Charleston South Carolina, the home of Clary and I, and I was exhausted. I pulled up to the front of Clary's house and put the car in park. It was silent for a minute before she turned and smiled.

"Thank you for bringing me Jace." She said and flashed that beautiful smile.

"No problem Clare. There are only certain people who I can stand to spend 12 hours in a car with." I said and she laughed.

"I'm honored to make the list." She said.

"Although, on the way home we might have to readjust the music list. Cause we both can't handle six straight hours of each others music." I said and she laughed.

"You have yourself a deal." She said.

"So, tomorrow everyone is going to find out about us. Jon already promised to let it slip, and all we have to do is sell it." I said and she nodded. "This might sound weird, but I was thinking that we should kiss before everyone finds out. To make it more believable."

"Sounds fair." She said and I was nervous. I've never been this nervous around a girl before but it was different with Clary. I grew up with her. I leaned forward and our lips touched, and I felt like every nerve in my body ignited. It was a short, and simple kiss, but it was jammed pack with passion. When we pulled apart, I couldn't gage her reaction because it was dark out, and I silently cursed the 12 hour drive. "I'll see you tomorrow Jace."

"Goodnight Clary." I said and she got out of the car. I popped the trunk and she grabbed her stuff, and slammed the trunk. I watched her walk up to her door and than disappear into the house. I took a deep breath and than pulled out of her driveway and made my way to my house, and I couldn't get the kiss out of my head.

 **Clary POV:**

When I got into my house I leaned against the door and caught my breath. I didn't think his kiss would affect me the way that it did, but I felt like he had taken all my oxygen, and the only way to get it back was to kiss him again. I didn't realize that I wasn't the only one in the living room until I heard Jon laugh.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked.

"Nothing." I said and he gave me that look. "It's nothing Jon."

"I know you far too well. You're lying." He said and I sighed and took a seat in the chair.

"Well, Jace suggested that we get our first kiss out of the way before everyone finds out about us 'dating' and I guess I wasn't prepared for it." I said truthfully. Jace and I told Jon about the plan, and although he was skeptical about it at first, he understood that this was something that Jace needed, and he understood why he would want it to be me, instead of a random girl.

"Is he as good a kisser as all the girls in high school said?" Jon asked and I laughed. Jon was always good at lightening the mood.

"Better." I responded and he laughed.

"You two are only here for 5 days. It'll be over before you know it." He said and I shrugged. "Or do you not what it to end?" He asked.

"I don't know. I never even imagined what it would be like to be with Jace." I said and he gave me that look again. "Okay, maybe my 15 year old self did, but I'm 25 Jon. I got over that infatuation when I was 17."

"Maybe you didn't get over it, you just buried it." He said and I shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. After we get back to the city, I'll go back to my life, and he'll go back to his. We'll hang out when you come to visit, but other than that it'll be like we don't even live in the same city." I said and Jon just shook his head.

"I think this trip will be good for the both of you." Jon said after a moment.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I promised I would never tell you, but it's been 10 years." Jon said and I just looked at him pleading for him to continue. "When Jace was 14, and you were 13 he admitted that he found you attractive. Thinking nothing of it, because we were so young, I just kinda brushed it off as him acknowledging you were a pretty girl, and that was that." Jon said. "When we were 16, and you were 15 and we started high school I kept catching Jace looking at you, but not in like that creepy way, but in an admiring way. At first I thought it was because you were my sister so he must have wanted to protect you like I wanted to protect you, but than I realized that he wasn't looking at you the same way I was looking at you." Jon said. "Once when we snuck into his house and stole his parents alcohol, and we got drunk, he told me he liked you, but you'd never like him back because you thought he was a man whore."

"Seriously?" I asked because it seemed to be the only think I could formulate in my mind.

"I confronted him about it the next day, and he made me promise to never bring it up, and I kept my promise, but you both are older now, so maybe you both can get your heads out of your butts and do something about it." Jon said and I was stunned.

"Why wouldn't he just talk to me about it?" I asked and Jon laughed.

"You know how private Jace is about his feelings. It took me like 6 months for him to openly admit that he was scared to death to lose his dad." Jon said and my eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"How long has Stephan been sick?" I asked and Jon sighed.

"Two years." Jon admitted and I was honestly in a state of shock. "Look, Jace didn't tell you for a reason. I know that's what you're thinking, but you two clearly don't really hang out all that often. So, just be there for him. Please. He's more willing to open up to you, than he is to me."

"Yea right. I didn't even know Stephan was sick until 3 days ago." I said and Jon laughed.

"You have a really calming affect on people Clare. I guarantee if you and Jace and sitting alone somewhere, you could get him to open up." Jon said and I just sighed and shrugged.

"It was a long car ride, I'm going to shower and than go to bed." I said and Jon nodded.

"Tomorrow is the rehearsal dinner. It starts at 7, so you and Jace better be there by 6." Jon said and I looked at him with a confused expression.

"Why do I need to bring Jace?" I asked and Jon laughed.

"You two are 'dating', you get a plus one." Jon said and I groaned.

"Who are you bringing?" I asked Jon and he smiled.

"Izzy." He said and my eyes widened.

"Finally plucked up the courage to ask her out?" I asked and he laughed.

"I've been back here on business a lot in the past 6 or 7 months and we've been getting dinner or coffee. I figured she was coming anyway, so why not ask her to be my date." He said and I laughed.

"Good for you bro." I said and he laughed. "See you tomorrow." I said and he nodded. I made my way up the stairs and into my childhood bedroom. It was weird being home, but nice.

 **Time Jump – Rehearsal Dinner**

 **Jace POV:**

I was waiting in the living room with Jon for Clary and Izzy to come downstairs. It was the rehearsal dinner, and I wasn't going to lie, I was really nervous about telling everyone that Clary and I were 'dating'. I mean, part of me wished it was a true statement, but the more rational part knew that it would never happen. Jon and I felt like we had been waiting for hours when we finally heard the clicking. Izzy was the first to appear and she looked good as always. That girl knew how to work a dress, and wasn't afraid to let everyone know. I looked over at Jon and he had the biggest smile on his face as he eyed up Izzy. I couldn't help but laugh, but that was all gone when I heard the other heels and I looked back at the steps and I nearly lost my balance when I saw Clary. She was wearing a deep green dress that hugged all her curves. It was long sleeved, but the back was opened, which left just enough to the imagination that would drive any man wild. She was wearing heels, her hair was beautiful curled, and her make up was light and fresh.

"He is a goner." I heard Izzy say to Jon and he laughed. I shook my head and smiled as Clary walked over to me.

"You look gorgeous." I said and she blushed.

"You don't look bad yourself." She said. It took everything in me not to pull her into a breathtaking kiss.

"Alright you two, you don't have to pretend to be a couple until we get to the venue." Jon said and I internally groaned and Clary blushed again. Izzy just laughed as they made their way outside. Clary and I followed, and got into the back of the car.

The ride to the venue was silent, but not a bad silence. It was comfortable. Clary was looking out the window, and I was looking at her. Jon caught me looking a couple times in the review mirror, but I couldn't find it in me to care at this point. When we arrived, we all got out of the car and started making out way to the door. Before we walked in I gently took Clary's hand in mine and she interlocked our fingers. I looked down and smiled at her, which she adorably reciprocated. We walked in and the minute all eyes landed on us it was silent. Jon and Izzy clearly weren't the center of attention so they kept walking, but Clary and I froze.

"It's about time!" Jocelyn said and the whole room erupted in applause. I don't get embarrassed easily, but I'll admit, that embarrassed me, and I looked at Clary whose cheeks were as red as her hair. We made our way over to the table, and greeted everyone. Clary and I took our seats, and were prepared for a million questions.

"When did you two start dating?" Lydia, Clary's cousin asked first. I looked over at Clary who looked a little shell shocked so I thought I'd answer first.

"About 6 months ago." I said as I looked back at Lydia. "Jon had come to visit, which meant our causal meetings where I'd see Clary again. We met for lunch and we were having a great time, but Jon had to leave to go take care of business, which just left Clary and I alone at the restaurant. We finished our meal, and were about to leave when I finally plucked up the courage to ask her our on a proper date, and it kinda just blossomed into what it is today." I said.

"Was the first date romantic?" Charlotte asked. I guess that's where Lydia gets her curiosity from.

"It kinda started that way, but it certainly didn't end that way." Clary said before I could. "He took me to this restaurant, which was absolutely beautiful but they didn't speak any English, so we didn't know what we ordered." Clary said with a laugh. "When we googled it, I ended up getting dog, and Jace got some weird looking fish. I nearly threw up." Clary said and I had to admit, it was a pretty good story. "We left, and he took me to get a burger from McDonald's and we got a couple Big Mac's and ate them in the parking lot as we watch a couple fight." Clary said as she laughed. "It was pretty comical."

"Sounds like an interesting night. "Jocelyn said, and I nodded.

"But it worked. She's still around." I said and I put my arm around Clary. There were a couple awes, and thankfully the questions stopped because the food was brought out. The rest of the dinner was mainly focused around Luke and Jocelyn which was a good thing considering they were the ones getting married. When the night finally came to a close, Clary, Jon Izzy and I said out goodbyes and made our way out to the car. My father had asked me the other night if I was seeing someone, and I told him, and he wanted to see Clary, but I hadn't asked her yet, and for some reason, I was a nervous wreck, and I guess Clary could tell cause in the back of the car Clary reached over and put her hand on mine.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"My dad asked about my love life the other night, so I told him about us, and he wants to see you." I said and she smiled.

"I'd love to see Stephan." She said and I felt like a weight had been lifted off of me.

"Would you mind going tonight?" I asked and she smiled.

"Not at all. Jon, drop us off at Jace's." She said and Jon nodded and turned. Thankfully I decided to walk to her house earlier, considering we lived on the same street, so I wasn't leaving my car at her house. When we got to my house Clary and I both got out of the car and Jon pulled away. We walked up and I opened the door to reveal my father's hospital bed. He didn't want to be in a hospital or a treatment center, so I had tired an at home nurse to watch him 24/7, and he seemed happier this way.

"Hey dad." I said as I walked in and he turned and smiled.

"Jace, how was your night?" He asked and I smiled.

"It was good. I brought someone." I said and Clary walked out from behind me.

"Clary dear, its good to see you." My dad said and Clary smiled at made her way over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"It's even better to see you." She said in her usual charming manner.

"I have to say, I didn't think this was ever going to happen." My dad said and Clary laughed.

"It was a surprise for us too." Clary said and I took a seat next to Clary. "But sometimes things happen that you just don't understand."

"I can't tell you how happy this makes me." My dad said while pointing between the two of us. "To see my son is a stable and happy relationship."

"I told you it would happen one day." I said and he smiled.

"Yes, but we all knew you in high school." My dad said with a little laugh.

"I was having fun in high school. I grew up a bit since than dad." I said and he laughed.

We spent a couple hours sitting there talking, and just like always my dad made Clary laugh more than anything. He had always had a soft spot in his heart for her. Since she was little, my father always loved Clary, and loved Jon too. When I saw my father getting sleepy, I went and got the nurse, and she gave him his nighttime medicine and Clary and I said goodnight and than we walked outside. We got into my car and I started driving her home. When I pulled into her driveway she didn't move.

"Why didn't you tell me he was that sick?" She asked after a moment.

"I don't know. I guess I didn't want to admit it to myself." I said and she reached over and placed her hand on my hand.

"You shouldn't have to bare this weight on your own." She said and I shrugged.

"I told Jon." I said and she laughed.

"After he dragged it out of you." She said and I smiled.

"I didn't want pity." I said after a moment.

"I don't pity you Jace. I know what it's like to lose a father." She said and I looked over at her. "I had Jon to share most of the heartbreak with. You shouldn't have to carry it all on your own. Especially after everything that happened with your mom." She said and I winced as she brought her up. When I was 9 my mother killed herself, and I was the unfortunate soul who found her. Safe to say, I was a little messed up for a few years.

"I just didn't want to think about losing him. He's all I have left." I said and I heard Clary let out a little laugh.

"You aren't alone Jace. You have Jon, and my mom, and Luke, and the Lightwoods." She said and I was just staring at the wheel until I felt two fingers under my chin, and she forced me to look at her. "And you have me Jace." Our eyes were locked and our faces were inches from each other. I don't know what came over me, but I was leaning in until I felt our lips brush against each other. I don't know who deepened the kiss, all I know was that our lips were moving in perfect synchronization. I don't know how long we were like that until we broke apart.

"Promise?" I asked and she gave me a small smile.

"Promise." She said and I took a deep breath. "I have to go, but I'll see you at the wedding."

"Will you not be around tomorrow?" I asked before she could fully open the door.

"My mom booked a spa weekend for the two of us in preparation for the wedding. I'll be back Sunday." She said and I nodded.

"That'll be nice, and I'll have some time with my dad without being dragged to wedding functions." I said and she laughed.

"Give Stephan my best." She said and I nodded. "I'll see you at the wedding Jace." She said and she got out of the car. After I saw her enter her house, I pulled out of the driveway, and went back home, smiling the whole way thinking about the kiss.

 **Time Jump – Wedding Day**

 **Clary POV:**

The spa weekend with my mom was something that I needed desperately. It gave me time away from Jace and to think about what had happened in the past couple days. Kissing him felt right, and I guess it felt right to him as well because he kept asking if it was alright, but I needed some time to think, and the spa was the perfect place. Accept when my mom decided to bombard me with questions. Thankfully our massages were at different time, so I got an hour of peace.

We also took the time to find my bridesmaid dress. Since I was the only one, she said I could get whatever I wanted, and I could ever pick the color, so I ended up with a dark purple dress. It stopped at my knee, but it wasn't form fitting. It was flowy, but still gave me a figure, which was nice.

I was currently in the dressing room with my mom waiting for Jon to come back and let us know that we were starting. I was incredibly happy for my mom and Luke. I knew that after my mom died she had a hard time getting back on her feet, but when she met Luke it was like she could breath again, and I knew she needed that, and she needed him. This wedding was long overdue.

"You decent in there?" I heard from outside, and I opened the door to see Jon standing there.

"We've been ready for an hour Jon." I said and he laughed.

"Just making sure." He said as he made his way into the room. "You look beautiful mom." He said when he saw her.

"Thank you Jon." She said as she gave him a kiss.

"You don't look so bad either Clare." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"Gee, thanks. Way to make a girl feel good." I said and he laughed.

"You'll be getting enough compliments from Jace tonight, that I can give you a hard time." He said with a wink, and of course I blushed. "I came to let you know that we're ready."

"Okay, one more look." My mom said as she turned towards me. "How do I look?"

"Amazing mom. Luke is a lucky guy." I said and she smiled. We made our way out to the ceremony space. The music started and the doors opened and I made my way in. I walked down the aisle with the biggest smile on my face. As soon as Jace came into my vision I couldn't help but smile even more, and he had this look on his face that resembled the look he had when we went to the rehearsal dinner. I made it way to the end and stood in my spot before my mom walked in and everyone stood. Everyone turned to look at her, except Jace. Jace was still looking at me, and I couldn't help the blush that swept across my face. I turned my attention back to my mom hoping that nobody noticed the little exchange between Jace and I.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting at my table talking to Jon when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I looked up and there stood Jace. He had the most genuine smile on his face, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Would you like to dance?" He asks and I take a moment to listen to the music, it was a slow song. Jace had his hand extended waiting for me to take it. I smiled and nodded before reaching out and taking his hand. He led me out onto the dance floor before he pulled me against him. His one hand rested on my lower back, while the other one held onto mine as it rested on his chest. I was still incredibly short compared to him, so my free hand snaked around his waist while I rested my head on his chest. It felt incredibly natural to be in the position with Jace. We swayed for a few moments before I heard him speak. "You look incredibly gorgeous tonight Clary."

"Thank you." I said in a whisper and I could feel like laugh a little.

"I never got the chance to ask, how was your weekend away?" He asked and I pulled myself away so that I could see his eyes.

"It was really relaxing, especially when my mom wasn't bombarding me with questions about us." I laughed and he smiled.

"We seem to be the talk of the neighborhood." He said with a smile.

"That's because we were never meant to be." I said and I could see his face fall a little.

"Yet here we are." He said and I looked into his eyes.

"But not really." I said.

"But not really." He repeated in a tone that suggested sadness.

"How's Stephan?" I asked after a moment.

"He's alright, could be better." Jace said and I looked over to where he was sitting. "He didn't want to miss this. It took about 3 hours to convince the nurse to let him out of the house."

"Nothing was able to stop Stephan." I said and Jace laughed and nodded.

"He's a determined man, I'll give him that." Jace said.

"That must be where you get it from." I said with a smile and Jace returned it.

"Possibly." He said. We stopped talking for the remainder of the dance. I rested my head back down on his chest, and I could feel his thumb rubbing absentmindedly on my lower back, and in this moment, I never want this moment to end.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had just finished packing my stuff to get ready to leave tomorrow. It was fun seeing friends and family, but Jace and I both needed to get back to our lives in New York. I made my way downstairs to find Jon sitting on the couch looking conflicted. I made my way over and sat down next to him.

"What's on your mind Jon?" I asked and he looked up at me.

"I just got off the phone with Jace." He said and I nodded. "He told me to tell you that he isn't going back tomorrow, but you can have his car and he'll find another way home."

"What? What's happening?" I asked confused.

"I think he should be the one to tell you." Jon said as he handed his keys over to me. Without thinking I grabbed them and ran to his car. I got in and drove to Jace's house. It wasn't far, but it was easier to drive than run. I threw the car in park and ran to his front door. I checked to see if it was opened and when I felt it unlocked I opened it to see Jace sitting beside Stephan's bed looking a wreck.

"Clary, what are you doing here?" Jace asked with clear sadness in his voice.

"Jon told me you weren't leaving tomorrow." I said and he shook his head.

"No, but you can take my car and I'll just get it from you when I get back." HE said.

"Jace, what's going on?" I asked as I walked over to him.

"He took a really bad turn last night. He isn't going to last much longer." Jace said and I could hear the strain in his voice.

"Jace." I said as I kneeled down in front of him.

"I can't leave him." He said and I nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry. I'd love to spend 12 more hours in a car with you, but I can't." He said.

"You don't have to apologize to me. I understand." I said as I placed my hand on his knee. "Are you going to be okay?"

"He's all I have left." Jace said as I saw a tear fall from his face. I didn't even think, I just wrapped my arms around his neck and I felt his body start racking. He was crying, and it took everything in me not to cry with him. He was one of the strongest guys I've ever met. He broke his leg in high school during a football game, and he was calm the entire time. I've never seen him show his vulnerable side, and seeing it now nearly killed me.

I don't know how long I held him close to me, but eventually we pulled apart and his face was a little swollen but he wasn't crying anymore. I leaned back down on my knees and he took a deep calming breath.

"Sorry you had to see that." He said with a little laugh.

"Don't worry about it Jace." I said and he smiled at me. "Do you need anything from me?"

"No. It's nearly midnight, you should go home." He said and I looked at the clock, and I had no idea what I had been here this long.

"I'm not leaving." I said and he looked at me.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Because I don't want to leave you." I said.

"You know I don't want the pity Clary. I showed one moment of weakness, I'll be fine now." He said and I let out a dry laugh.

"That's not why I want to stay." I said.

"Than why do you want to stay?" He asked and I took a deep breath.

"Because since we got here everything has been weird. We've kissed, multiple times. When we're in the same room we always manage to have some form of contact no matter what, and dancing with you at my mom's wedding was one of the most intimate interactions between us, and it felt incredibly right." I told him and his eyes were a little wide. "I don't know what you're doing to me Jace, but something changed between us."

"You feel it too?" He said and my whole body relaxed because now at least I knew we were in the same boat.

"Yes." I said and he stood up and stood in front of me. He put a piece of hair behind my ear, but he didn't move away after the action was completed. We didn't talk, we just stared into each others eyes. I don't know how long we stayed like that but before I knew it, he was leaning in and our lips touched. My hands snaked up his chest and stayed there while his one hand rested behind my head, and the other fell to my hips. The kiss was perfect, and just solidified all my feelings for this guy. When we pulled apart I looked back into those beautiful golden eyes and smiled. "What do you need from me?" I asked after a moment.

"I just need you here." He said and I smiled.

"When was the last time you ate anything?" I asked and he shrugged. "I'm going to go and get our favorite food. I'll be back soon." I said and he nodded. He pressed his lips to mine, and it was the sweetest kiss I've ever experienced.

"Thank you." He said when he pulled away. I smiled and headed back out to Jon's car. I knew this was going to be incredibly hard, and whatever was happening between Jace and I was going to be figured out tonight, but I felt like we were moving in positive direction, and I was optimistic about that.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary came back with food, we sat on the couch next to my dad and ate. She was right, I was starving, but at the time I wasn't really thinking about me, I was just thinking about my dad. I don't know when we both fell asleep, but I woke up this morning with Clary's head on my chest, and everything felt right, despite how incredibly hard of a time I was having. There was a knock on the door, and I gently placed Clary down on the couch so I could open it. When the door opened, Jon was standing on the other side.

"Is Clary here?" He asked breathlessly.

"Yea. We fell asleep last night." I said as I moved aside to show Clary's sleeping form on the couch.

"Oh thank god. I was going to wait up for her last night, and I ended up falling asleep and when she wasn't home this morning I panicked." Jon said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry. One of us should have texted you, but last night was a pretty emotional night." I explained and he nodded.

"How are you holding up?" He asked and I smiled a little, which didn't escape his notice. "So that's why Clary didn't come home last night." He said and I shrugged.

"We talked, but nothing really transpired except for the fact that we both admitted something changed between us." I explained and Jon nodded.

"It's about time. You two were so clearly oblivious to each other's feelings in high school." Jon said.

"In high school?" I questioned and Jon nodded. "She liked me in high school?"

"For a period of time." Jon said like it was nothing.

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" I asked and Jon laughed.

"You told me not to tell her about you finding her attractive, which she knows by the way, so I decided not to tell you about her crush, which you now know, so you two are even." Jon said and I was shocked. "Treat her right man. I'm not just down the street anymore. So if you hurt her, it's going to take me some time to get to you, which will only escalate the anger."

"I would never do that to her Jon." I said and he smiled and nodded.

"Have Clary call me when she wakes up." Jon said and I nodded. He started walking away when I grabbed the keys from the side table.

"Jon." I called and he turned around. I threw the keys at him and he caught them and laughed.

"Thanks. I wasn't really looking forward to walking home." He said and I laughed. He got into his car and drove away. I closed the door and made my way back over to Clary. I kneeled in front of her and started to gently rub her back. A moment or two later she started to stir awake.

"Hi." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Good morning." I said and she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"It's almost 9." I said and she groaned. "Would you like some coffee?" I asked and she nodded. I kissed her forehead before making my way into the kitchen and making two cups of coffee. I walked back out to her and she had cuddled under a blanket. I handed her the cup and she smiled at me.

"Thanks." She said and I nodded and joined her on the couch.

"Jon wants you to call him when you get the chance." I said and she nodded.

"Probably should have told him I was staying." She said and I laughed.

"Yea, but he's good. I gave him the keys to his car back, so just let me know when you want to go home." I said and she nodded.

After Clary called Jon, she stayed for a couple more hours. She made lunch and we sat and talked. We discussed what was going to happen when we got back to New York, and what was going to change between us personally. Clearly we couldn't go back to the way it used to be, and I didn't want that to happen, so hearing that she was willing to see where we went was music to my ears. Finally when it was time for her to go home, I pulled her into her driveway and cut the engine but she didn't move.

"So you're serious, you want to see where we go?" She asked again and I laughed.

"Yes Clary." I said and she smiled.

"Sorry, I guess it's still just weird to me." She said with a laugh.

"It's a shame we didn't think of this in high school when you had a crush on me." I said and her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

"I'm gonna kill Jon." She said and I laughed.

"Well, you know about me, and I know about you. so I guess we're even and we will never tell Jon anything ever again." I said and she laughed.

"I guess you're right." She said and I smiled. She leaned over and pressed her lips to mine.

"See you tomorrow?" She asked and I nodded.

"I'll pick you up at 8." I said and she nodded. "In the morning." I specified and she laughed.

"I know." She said and I nodded.

"Goodnight Clary." I said and she opened the door.

"Night Jace." She said and than she left. I watched her go into the house and I pulled out of her driveway and left. I made my way back to my house thinking about how different the future was going to be from now on.

When I pulled up into my driveway, I got out of the car and made my way inside. The nurse was standing next to my father looking for a pulse. When she heard the door open she looked over at me with sympathetic eyes and simply shook her head, I heard the monitor still beeping, but not as regularly as it should. I knew this was the end. I made my way over to him and pulled his hand into mine. I rested my head on the bed, and took the last couple moments I knew I had with him before he was taken away. I didn't know how I was going to handle this, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I walked downstairs fully dressed ready for Jace to pick me up. I walked into the kitchen, and Jon, Luke and my mom were all standing around. Something was different about the atmosphere. I made my way over to them and my mom handed me a cup of coffee.

"What's wrong?" I asked after a moment.

"Stephan died last night." Jon said and I let go of the coffee cup. It shattered on the floor, but I couldn't find it in me to care.

"Why didn't I hear from Jace?" I asked.

"I would assume he hasn't talked to anyone. Maryse saw the ambulance in his driveway this morning. They weren't moving particularly fast, and Jace was just standing on the porch watching with a void expression on his face." My mom explained. I ran into the other room and started looking for Jon's keys. I couldn't find them so I threw the bowl where they are normally kept on the ground.

"Damn it." I said and I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. I turned around and Jon was standing there holding his keys.

"I'll give you a ride." He said and I nodded. We got into his car and he drove me to Jace's. The ambulance as still there, and Jace was still standing on the porch, but he was talking to a man. I got out of the car and made my way over to him. He saw me out of the corner of his eye, but he kept talking to the man. I stood off to the side, not wanted to interrupt, as he finished his conversation with the man. Once he finally left I made my way over to him. I walked up on the porch and stood in front of him. I gently took his hand in mine and I looked up and all I saw was sadness in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Jace." I said and he nodded. I knew he was numb, so I stood on my tippy toes and wrapped my arms around his neck. His snaked his arms around my waist and we stood there embracing for who knows how long. I knew this was hard for him, and he didn't deserve to go through this alone.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Stephan didn't want a funeral. He just wanted to be buried with Jace looking over him and that was it. Of course Jace couldn't keep me away, which brought Jon, Luke and Jocelyn along, but Jace thought that his dad would have been happy to have his us there for him. The burial was quick. There wasn't any bible versus being read, or memories shared, but it's what Stephan wanted, and that's all that mattered.

Jace and I were headed home today and since Jace was still in a void state, I was going to be driving the 12 hours back. I didn't mind though. I knew Jace needed the time to still process everything that happened, and he barely slept since he died, so he wasn't in the best state to drive back to New York.

It was about 7 hours into our trip back when I felt my eyes getting heavy. Jace was sleeping in the passengers seat, so I decided to pull over and get some coffee and something to eat to recharge me. I parked the car and got out and grabbed my coffee and some for Jace as well for when he woke up and some doughnuts. Not the healthiest choice, but it would do. I got back into the car and when I closed the door Jace shot up.

"What happened?" He said and I laughed.

"I was getting tired, so I stopped for coffee and doughnuts." I said as I handed them to him.

"I can drive." He said and I started the car.

"Don't worry about it, I'm recharged." I said as I pulled out of the parking lot.

"Are you sure?" He asked and he handed me a doughnut.

"I'm positive. Plus, you drove the 12 hours down, I might has well drive the 12 hours back." I said and he nodded and grabbed a doughnut himself. He put on some of his music for the duration of the ride, and I didn't care at all. Whatever he needed I was willing to let him have, because I knew how hard this was for him.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The last year of my life had been nothing short of insane. Once we got back to New York, it took Jace and I like 2 months before we decided to move in together. It might seem fast, but we've known each other forever, so to us it was just normal. After we moved in together everything just seemed to fall into place. Well, maybe not everything happened that easily.

Four months ago I wasn't feeling well, and I thought it was just the stomach bug, but turns out that after another month and it wasn't going away I went to the doctor, and turns out I was pregnant. It was shocking to say the least, but when I told Jace, he was incredibly thrilled, which made everything calmer, and made me calm. I was worried at first, but than I realized that no matter what this child was going to be loved, and seeing the overwhelming joy on Jace's face when I told him was incredibly satisfying.

"Jace, we're going to be late!" I yelled up the stairs as I waited on the couch. Jace and I were heading home today to visit my family, and visit his father for the one year anniversary of his death. I know it still hurts Jace, but he's getting better every day, and when he was having a bad day, he simply told me so, and I'd let him have to the day.

"I'm coming!" I heard Jace shout from upstairs. I don't know what was taking him so long, but if we wanted to get to South Carolina before midnight, we had to leave now. Jace walked down stairs with his suitcase in hand, and I stood up from the couch and made my way over to him. "Sorry about that." He said as he pulled me into a kiss.

"No worries, but let's go." I said and he smiled and we made our way out to the car. We got situated and than Jace started driving. It was quiet for a little while before Jace turned up the radio and one of his ridiculous rap songs was on and I groaned, but our baby started bouncing around. "She just had to acquire your taste in music?" I said and Jace laughed as he reached a hand over the consul and rested it on my bump.

"Like father like daughter." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I realized that I was going to have to get used to listening to this music, cause there wasn't anything that this baby loved more than jamming out to her daddy's favorite music.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, this one shot was requested by Deadmenscurlyshoes, and I hope that I lived up to your expectations as much as I could! I realize I didn't follow the movie exactly, but I put my own little spin on your idea, and I quite like it! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	64. Chapter 63 - Trust Issues

**Sixty Third One Shot:**

 **Trust Issues**

 **Jace POV:**

We were starting our new school today, and I wasn't looking forward to it. Not because I felt like everyone was going to be looking at me with that 'new freak kid' but because I was so over being the new kid. This was the third school that we have been through in the last 5 years, and it got quite annoying to make new friends all the time.

Thankfully this was our senior year and after this college was a new experience, and we would be at one school for four years, which is new for me, but I was ready for it. I just really want high school to be over honestly. I was tired of all the fake people, and the losers who didn't care about education and made it impossible for those who wanted to learn to actually learn.

Izzy, Alec and I walked into the school and went straight to the office. This was routine for us. We needed our schedules, and everything. So as we walked aimlessly through the hallway, I looked down a hallway and caught a glimpse of vibrant red hair. She was standing by her locker, and there was something about her that intrigued me, even if I had just seen her for 5 seconds. When we passed the hallway and she was out of sight I focused back on following my siblings. We got to the office and walked in and went straight for the receptionists desk.

"Hello, how can I help you?" She asked Alec.

"We're the Lightwood's, we're new here." Alec said and she nodded.

"Right, here are your schedules, and Magnus here will be showing you around." She gestured to the boy sitting in the chairs.

"Welcome to Alicante High." He said as he eyed Alec up, as to which Alec blushed.

"Thanks, I'm Izzy, and these are my brothers, Alec and Jace." Izzy introduced us.

"Pleasure to meet you. Especially you blue eyes." He said as he winked at Alec. "Well, let me see where I'm dropping you off at." He said as we handed him our schedules. "Ah, okay, well Izzy we have first period together, Alec you have first period with a friend of mine, his name is Simon. Nerdy boy, he wears glasses, and has brown shaggy hair. And Jace you have class with another friend of mine. Her name is Clary. She has the brightest red hair you'll ever see, but don't be alarmed if you try and talk to her, and she doesn't talk back. She's pretty shy." He said and I nodded. "Well, I'll show you to your lockers, and than I'll drop you all off at your classrooms." He said and we followed him.

When he finally showed me to my classroom, he left immediately. I walked in and all eyes were on me. Most of the girls started twirling their hair, and licking their lips. It was quite gross actually, and I didn't really want to deal with them.

"Who are you?" The teacher asked.

"I'm Jonathan Lightwood, I'm new here." I said as I handed him my schedule. He looked it over and nodded.

"Welcome to Alicante Jonathan." He said as he handed my schedule back to me.

"I prefer to be called Jace." I said and he nodded.

"Very well. You can have a seat next to Clary." He said as he pointed to the back. The redhead lifted her head up and our eyes locked but she immediately looked back down at whatever she was doing.

When the class ended Clary booked it out of the classroom. I don't know what it was about her, but she intrigued me. She was beautiful, and quiet, and mysterious, and for some reason I just really wanted to protected her from the cruelties of the world. The rest of my classes went by rather uneventful, especially because I didn't have any more with Clary. I was standing at my locker putting my books away and getting ready for lunch when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and Izzy and Alec were standing there.

"What's up?" I asked as I closed my locker.

"Magnus invited us to sit with him and his friends at lunch." Izzy said. "I figured why not since we all had class with one of them, and they are really the only people we know here."

"Sounds good." I said and we made our way to lunch. Magnus wasn't hard to spot, but considering Clary was sitting there as well, her hair could have been used as a flare signal, but I enjoyed it. We made our way over to the table and took a seat.

"Ah, welcome new friends." Magnus said. "I'll make proper introductions. These are my two best friends, Clary and Simon." He gestured to the two sitting next to him. "These are the new kids, Alec, Izzy, and Jace."

"Welcome to Alicante." Simon said. "How has your day been so far?"

"Rather uneventful." I said and Clary, Simon and Magnus all laughed.

"I don't think the point of high school is to be fun." Simon said and Izzy laughed.

"It's not that it's high school, Jace has a really high IQ, he's always thought school was dull." Izzy explained.

"Why are you still in high school than?" Magnus asked me.

"I wasn't a very social kid when I was younger, and my adoptive parents thought that keeping me with kids my own age would be beneficial for me." I explained.

"I was going to ask if you three were really related." Simon said, and I couldn't get over the fact that Clary hadn't spoken yet. She was doodling in a book probably not even listening to our conversation.

"Yea, we get that a lot." Alec said. "Jace was adopted young. He's always been our brother."

"How young?" Simon asked and I was about to answer when Clary cut him off.

"Did you ever think that maybe he doesn't want to talk about his past Simon?" Clary said and it shocked me.

"Well, I guess not." Simon admitted.

"I'm getting fruit. Anyone want anything?" She asked as she stood and put her book on the table. We all shook our heads and she left. I looked over at her book, and her drawing was absolutely magnificent.

"She's pretty spectacular, don't you think?" I heard and I looked up at Magnus.

"She's amazing." I said and he smiled and nodded.

"That's our Clary. She's going to make it big in the art world, I just know it." Magnus said with obvious admiration towards Clary and her incredible gift.

Clary came back a few moments later with grapes, and picked her book back up and continued to draw. It was just another reason why I was so captivated by her. I wanted to sit there and watch her create art all day, and admire her creative ability to create a beautiful picture on a piece of paper purely using her mind. When lunch was over I went to my next class, which meant that I probably wouldn't see Clary for the rest of the day, and it kinda brought a gray cloud over the rest of the day.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I got home and Magnus wasn't there. I had noticed that him and Alec had gotten exceptionally close since they arrived at the school, and I couldn't blame them. Jace, Izzy and Alec were pretty great people. It really made me realize that I couldn't judge a book by its cover. You take one look at the three of them, and you could try and automatically rattle off characteristics that you thought they would posses, but you'd be completely wrong.

Izzy looked like the typical popular girl. She was gorgeous, and she knew it. She wore dresses, and skirts, and heels and make up to school everyday, and she always looked flawless. I thought she was going to be really stuck up and cling to Kaelie and Aline the moment they dug their claws into her. Surprisingly, she wanted nothing to do with them. Apparently there had been an incident at her other school where they used her to get to Jace and Alec, and when Alec came out of the closet, and Jace expressed no interest whatsoever in them they dropped Izzy like yesterday's news, and Izzy swore she would never befriend anyone like that ever again. She was actually really funny, and sweet, which was not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed her company and I could tell Simon was completely taken with her.

Alec was pretty shy in the beginning, but once he got comfortable around us he started laughing, and joking around. And you could tell that him and Jace were close, and you could tell how protective he was when it came to Izzy. He was really sweet, and when I noticed that Alec and Magnus were getting closer, I could just see how happier he was, and I could see a difference in Magnus as well, and after everything Magnus and I overcome in our lives, he deserved to have someone like Alec make him laugh.

Jace was a whole different story. He was hot, anyone knew that, and the girls at our school flocked to him any chance they got. Surprisingly he never seemed to be interested in them. Whenever I saw one trying to flirt with him, he seemed extremely disinterested, which made me laugh. He could have anyone he wanted, the line was long enough, but he wasn't pursuing it, and part of me was really curious as to why that was, but it wasn't my business, so I never asked. He was insanely smart. I only had one class with him, but he always had the answer to the question, and I've seen some of his grades, and he never got below a 90 on any test that we took. It was infuriating sometimes, because I wish I could be that smart, but I couldn't discredit his intelligence.

I was sitting on the couch doing my math homework when the door opened. Magnus walked in with the biggest smile on his face, and I knew he just got back form hanging out with Alec. There was only one person in the world that could make him smile that much. He took a seat down on the couch with me and I laughed.

"How was the date?" I asked.

"Perfect." Magnus said.

"What did you two do?" I asked.

"He actually took me to his house to meet his parents." Magnus said.

"How did that go?" I asked.

"It was alright. His mother was way more accepting that his father, but it was a nice visit." Magnus explained.

"That must suck nothing having your parents full approval." I said and Magnus nodded.

"I know it means a lot to Alec, but I was just really happy that he felt confident enough in our relationship to introduce me in the first place." Magnus said.

"Aren't you glad we don't have that problem?" I said with some amusement to my voice.

"Sometimes it's nice, and other times it just makes me wonder." Magnus said and I nodded. "Don't get me wrong, I love living with you Biscuit, but sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if my father kept me."

"I understand Magnus. I think about it all the time when I see families at the park." I said and he nodded. "Does Alec know about your past?"

"Some of it. He knows I grew up in the foster system, and he knows that I emancipated myself, but I left you out of it. I knew you'd share those details if you wanted too."

"Thanks Magnus." I said and he smiled.

"You can't bury it forever darling." He said and I sighed.

"No, but I can bury it until it's needed." I said and Magnus gave me that look.

"You need other people in your life Biscuit. Other people you can rely on." He said and I knew he was right, but it was hard letting people in.

"I know, but I just haven't found the right person." I said.

"Understandable, but just know there is someone out there who will accept every part of you." Magnus said and I nodded. "Start giving people the benefit of the doubt."

"I'll take your advice into consideration." I said and he laughed.

"That's all I'm asking. So, what would you like for dinner?" He asked as he got off the couch.

"Pasta!" I said and he laughed.

"I'll call you when it's ready." Magnus said as he left the room. I knew Magnus was right, and I wish I had someone in my life that would be so incredibly understanding, and caring when it came to my past, but I just didn't know who to trust yet, or if that person really existed.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Okay class, I'm going to pair you up for the project that due at the end of the year." The teacher said. He started pairing kids off but I wasn't paying any attention until he called my name. "Clary and Jace." He said.

"Hello there partner." I heard Jace whisper and I laughed and shook my head.

"Okay class, your assignment is to find a poem, and analyze it, and than present your findings to the class. Not particularly hard, but I expect you all to look below the surface. Be creative, and don't just brush this off, or pick an easy poem. It's worth 15% of your final grade." He said and the class groaned but paired off and started working together.

"Okay, I figured we could get together after school today and figure out what we want to do." Jace said and I nodded. "Meet me at my place? 3:30?"

"Sounds good." I said and than the bell rang. The rest of the day went by uneventfully and I was kinda nervous to go to Jace's house. According to Magnus it was absolutely spectacular, and something that you'd expect a celebrity to live in.

 **Time Jump – After School**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace had given me his address at lunch, so I followed it, and when I got to the house, Magnus wasn't lying. The house was huge, and an old model of a Victorian style. It was truly magnificent. I made my way up to the door and rang the bell. A moment later it opened and there Jace stood.

"Glad you made it. People tend to get lost." He said as he welcomed me inside.

"I can't imagine why." I said and he laughed. "This house is beautiful."

"I quite like it myself." Jace said and we went into the kitchen. "Okay, so we need a poem, have any ideas?"

"I have one, but don't dismiss it because of the length." I said and Jace nodded. "I was thinking we could do 'April Rain Song', by Langston Hughes." I said.

"Okay, let me look it up." Jace said as he pulled out his computer. "Okay, here we go:

'Let the rain kiss you

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops

Let the rain sing you a lullaby

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk

The rain makes running pools in the gutter

The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night

And I love the rain.'

"You were right, that is short." Jace said and I nodded. "Why this one?" He asked after a moment.

"I read it in a book once, and I thought it was a great way to describe why we should appreciate the rain. People are always so crabby when it rains, but I always take my time getting somewhere when it rains, because it's a beautiful part of nature." I said and he nodded.

"Than it's perfect." Jace said and I smiled.

It took us a couple hours breaking down the poem, and trying our hardest to analyze it when a huge crack of thunder came and nearly made me pee myself. I didn't realize that it was calling for rain, but when Jace and I looked out the window, it was really coming down hard. The phone started ringing and Jace made his way into the kitchen while I continued to watch the rain. A few moments late Jace was back by my side.

"That was my parents. We are currently in a state of emergency. We're instructed to stay in doors until it passes." Jace said and I nodded. "You hungry?"

"A little." I said and Jace nodded. We walked back into the kitchen, and I sat at the table.

"What are you in the mood for?" He asked.

"Pasta." I said and he laughed.

"I swear, like 85% of what you eat id pasta." He said and I laughed.

"I love pasta." I said.

"Can't blame you there, so do I." He said as he started cooking.

I grabbed my sketchbook out of my bag and started drawing what was in front of me. There was something about Jace that always inspired me to draw him. I would never admit it to anyone, but most of my sketches lately have been of him doing the most mundane tasks, but I just can't seem to stop drawing him.

Once he was finished cooking we sat at the table and ate together, just like we did with lunch but now that it was only the two of us, we had to keep the conversation going ourselves, we couldn't rely on others. When we were finished we cleaned up the kitchen but we didn't know what to do. The rain was still coming down heavily, and we didn't know what else to do with the poem, so we just kinda sat in the living room doing nothing.

"I have an idea." Jace said after a few minutes of silence.

"What?" I asked.

"Let's play a game." He said as he got off the couch. "Follow me." He asked and I got up and he led me into the kitchen. "We don't know much about each other, so let's get to know each other." He said as he grabbed something from the cabinet.

"I think we know each other." I said dreading what he was going to ask me.

"Not really." He said as he returned with a bottle of vodka and tow shot glasses. "We get to ask questions, and if you don't want to answer it for whatever reason, you take a shot." He said and I guess he could tell I was hesitant. "We can start easy."

"Okay." I said after a moment. He pushed the filled shot glass over to my side and than filled his.

"What's your favorite color?" He asked and I calmed down slightly. I could answer that.

"Purple." I said.

"Follow up." He asked and I laughed. "Why?"

"I think it's a really homey color, and there are so many shades, that it can have so many uses." I said and he nodded and gestured towards me indicating that it was my turn. "What's your favorite animal?"

"Easy." He said with a smirk. "A lemur." He said and I laughed.

"Follow up." I said. "Why?"

"They are so incredibly weird looking, that I think they're awesome."

"Fair enough." I said with a laugh.

"What's your middle name?" He asked.

"I don't have one." I said.

"Really?" He asked and I nodded. "Interesting." Was all he said and I was glad he didn't press the issue.

We sat there and played for hours, and we were both clearly not thinking coherently. We had both taken our fair share of shots, and the room was spinning, and Jace and I couldn't stop laughing like little school schools, but it was nice to just let loose with him. It had been a while since I had so much fun. It was getting late, and the rain was still pouring so I was going to be spending the night here. I started walking upstairs when I stumbled and I felt hands on my waist.

"Careful there Clare." Jace said and I couldn't stop the giggle that escaped my mouth. He kept his hands on my waist the whole way upstairs, but when we reached a door he didn't let go. "Clary." Jace said in a lower voice that made my body feel like it was turning into mush.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked and I didn't trust my own voice so I just nodded. I didn't know if it was because of the alcohol, because I wouldn't normally say yes, but something in me wanted to say yes so badly, so I did.

I don't know why, but once his lips touched mine, I never wanted them to stop, and I could tell he didn't want too either, because we were stumbling into his room, and we landed on his bed, and before I knew it our clothes were coming off, and his lips to kissing ever inch of my body, and everything was covered in a fog, but I knew one thing. I was enjoying it immensely.

 **Time Jump – Next Morning**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up with a killer headache. I opened my eyes and didn't recognize where I was. I sat up and felt a draft and I looked down and realized that I was naked. I immediately started looking around for my clothes when I noticed I wasn't alone. Jace was laying next to me, completely unclothed as well. The events of last night rushed back to me. We had sex. I couldn't believe I lost my virginity. I mean, it's not like it really meant anything to me, I just never really expected to lose it at all, especially not to Jace Lightwood.

I got out of bed and gathered my clothes and rushed downstairs. The storm had passed, so I gathered my books, and was making my way out to my car when I saw Izzy.

"Clary, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"Jace and I got paired together in English class and I came over here yesterday to work on it, and the storm kept me from leaving." I said and she nodded.

"Do you want to stay for breakfast?" She asked sweetly.

"No. I can't, but thanks for the offer." I said and she nodded. I got in my car, and made my way back to my house. I didn't know why I allowed to happen last night, but I guess it didn't matter because I enjoyed it a lot. When I walked into the apartment Magnus was sitting on the couch.

"So you did survive." He said and I smiled.

"I'm sorry. I should have texted you." I said and he laughed.

"It's okay. Alec informed me that you were going to his house to work on a project with Jace, so I figured you were okay." Magnus said.

"Yea, maybe a little better than okay." I said and that grabbed his attention.

"What happened?" Magnus asked.

"Jace suggested me play a game to get to know each other, but little did I know it would be a drinking game, and I may have gotten a little drunk." I said.

"That is so unlike you." Magnus said.

"I know. I don't know what came over me. But one shot lead to another, and than before I knew it I was stumble up the stairs, and than Jace was kissing me, and than we were stumbling into his room, and I woke up naked next to him this morning." I confessed.

"You two had sex?" Magnus asked shocked.

"Yea. God Mags, why am I so stupid?" I asked as I hung my head.

"You aren't stupid. Clearly you trusted me enough to get that close." Magnus said.

"I know, but I don't do that. I don't let people get close." I admitted and Magnus hugged me.

"Maybe it's time you did." Magnus said and I just shrunk into the couch. "I'll order us some Chinese."

"You're the best." I said and he left the room to order and I started thinking about everything that happened last night. But one thing I do remember, we didn't use protection, and I just pray to god I'm not one of the unfortunate ones.

 **Time Jump – End Of School; Graduation Week**

 **Jace POV:**

Everything since that night with Clary has been weird. We didn't talk about it. I woke up and she was gone, and since than we barely talk unless it's the group of us, which was a little frustrating, but I'm not going to corner her and force her to talk to me. I just couldn't control myself. The second our lips touched, I never wanted to break that kiss. It was perfect, and even though I was intoxicated, I knew what I was feeling was different than anything I've ever felt before. But today was different. I was going to speak with Clary, and I didn't care if she didn't want too. I needed to clear the air, and I needed to know what she was thinking.

We were sitting at lunch and Clary was on the other side of the table drawing like she normally does at lunch and not participating in the conversation at all. It was strange to me, because Clary was actually a really funny person when you got her talking, and the fact that she liked to stay silent didn't make sense to me. When the bell rang Clary darted up and practically ran out of the cafeteria, and I went to follow when someone grabbed my arm.

"Don't follow her." Magnus said.

"I need to talk to her." I said.

"I know, but Clary is the type of person who needs to come to you. Forcing her to talk won't get you anywhere." Magnus explained.

"I don't know what else to do. She won't even make eye contact with me." I said and Magnus nodded.

"Clary has a hard past, and no I won't tell you how hard. If Clary wants you to know, she'll tell you." Magnus said and now I was just more curious about the beautiful redhead. "I know what happened between you two, and if she doesn't want to talk to you about it, there is a reason for that."

Magnus walked away to join Alec and I couldn't get the conversation out of my head. Clary had a hard life, and I wanted to know how hard. I wanted to know what experiences shaped her as a person, and why she was so closed off, and we were graduating on Friday, and who knows if I'll see her after that.

 **Clary POV:**

I was currently sitting on the toilet waiting for the time to run out. I haven't been feeling right for a couple weeks, and I was trying to deny it as best as I could, but I had to face reality and figure out if I was pregnant or not. It may have only taken three minutes but it was the longest three minutes of my life. When I grabbed the stick, and looked at the little pink plus sign I broke. I was only 18 years old, how was I going to take care of a baby?

I don't know how long I was on the floor of the bathroom crying until I felt someone's hands on my shoulders. I looked up and there stood Magnus looking incredibly worried about me. I didn't say anything, I just handed him the test. He knew not to say anything either, he just pulled me into a hug and let me cry it out. After what felt like hours I finally calmed down and Magnus brought me out in the living room and we settled on the couch.

"Are you going to tell him?" Magnus asked after a moment of silence.

"No." I said.

"He has the right to know Clary." He said.

"He won't care. It was a stupid drunken mistake. He has college to worry about. He doesn't need to know about the baby." I said.

"That's a terrible thing to say." Magnus said a little angrily. "Do you think Jace won't care about his own child?" He asked and I just shrugged. "I think you underestimate how much you mean to him."

"I don't mean anything to him." I said and Magnus stood up from the couch.

"Are you kidding me? You haven't noticed the way that boy looks at you? The way he pays extra close attention to you. The way that when you're in a room his soul focus is only on you? How Alec tells me that he's never seen Jace incredibly captivated by a girl before. How he was ready to run after you this afternoon to talk about what happened that night." Magnus said and I couldn't believe what he was saying. "If you'd open your eyes Clarissa and see that not every man is going to be your father, or that jerk who took advantage of you when you were 12, you might actually see that Jace sees something in you. Jace sees past the walls, and the emotional façade you put up for the rest of the world."

"Magnus." I said but he wasn't finished.

"You're so determined to keep everyone away from you, and for what? Because you don't trust them? Because you don't want to be hurt? Because you don't think someone could possibly love you? Well guess what Clary, you will never know if someone is capable of loving you unless you give them a chance." Magnus said and my jaw dropped. "You're so determined to keep everyone at an arms length that sometimes I wonder if you realize that that's the way you truly end up alone forever."

"I won't be alone forever." I said as I rested my hands on my belly.

"And what happens when that baby wants to meet their father? Or when career day comes, and Doughnuts with Dad comes around, or if you have a girl and there is a father daughter dance? What than Clary?" Magnus asked.

"I haven't thought about that." I confessed.

"Exactly. And what happens when you realize it's a lot of work taking care of a child? You just going to drop them off in front of a church like your mother did to you?" Magnus said.

"Of course not!" I shouted back. "I'll love my child no matter what. I'll never put them through what I went through." I said as tears filled my eyes.

"You're depriving that child a chance at a family, just like you're depriving Jace a chance at one. He knows what it's like Clary. He is one of us too. Don't let this child grow up wondering why they don't have a father." Magnus said. "I promised I'd meet Alec for dinner. Think about what you want to do Clary, because this is the rest of your life." Magnus said and than he was gone. I took everything he said to me and started to think it over. Did Jace really care that much about me? Would he care about our baby? Would he want anything to do with me, or would he lay me out to dry? I put my hand on my stomach and thought about the life that Jace and I created, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling. I never got the chance of having and family, and now I do, and as much as I wish that our family was complete, I didn't know where Jace would stand if I told him, and that terrified me.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Up until graduation Clary avoided me, and I knew Magnus was right. I knew Clary needed to be the one to come to me, but it was driving me crazy that I haven't heard from her. I'd see Magnus at the house occasionally and I kept asking about her, but he always just said the same thing, she needed time. But seriously, who needs that much time? I was going absolutely crazy wondering if I was ever going to speak or see her ever again. I walked downstairs and Magnus and Alec were sitting in the kitchen talking, but as soon as I walked in they stopped.

"Did I interrupt something?" I asked as I made my way over to them.

"Clary wants to meet with you." Magnus said and my hear started racing.

"When?" I asked.

"Today. Meet you at the gazebo in Central Park. 1 o'clock." Magnus said and I looked at the clock. That was in 45 minutes. "Just be open minded Jace. Don't jump to conclusions. Listen to her."

"I will." I said as I ran back upstairs and got ready for the day. I was finally going to get some answer, and I was ready.

After I got a shower and got dressed I went to my car and started driving to Central Park. I parked the car and got out and started looking for the gazebo. I spotted Clary's bright red hair instantly and the biggest smile spread across my face. I made my way over to her, and she was so caught up in drawing that she didn't even see me coming.

"You get better and better every time I see one of your drawings." I said and she jumped a little.

"You scared me." She said and I laughed.

"I'm sorry. You just get so wrapped up in what your drawing and I never want to disturb you." I said and she smiled and closed her sketchbook. "You wanted to meet with me?" I asked and she nodded.

"I want to explain why I avoided you after that night we shared." She said and my heart started racing even faster. "And please, just let me say what I need to say, ask what I need to ask, and I would appreciate complete honesty from you."

"Of course." I said and she took a deep breath.

"What did that night mean to you?" She asked.

"That night meant everything to me." I said honestly. I knew she needed the absolute truth. "You don't understand Clary, I've been intrigued by you since the first day I got to Alicante. I saw you standing by your locker, and I instantly wanted to get to know you. I can tell that you're guarded Clary, but I want to break those walls down and get to know the real you." I said and she looked completely stunned. "It may have been the alcohol that encouraged me, but I've wanted to kiss you since the beginning of school."

"I guess I should listen to Magnus more often." She said with a laugh. "He's been trying to get me to talk to you for a month and a half."

"I would have appreciated it." I said and she smiled.

"The main reason I wanted to talk to you today is because that night had a consequence." She said and I didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know what she meant by that. I looked down at her stomach and she wasn't showing yet, but I knew she was carrying my child.

"You mean you're pregnant?" I asked a little dumbfounded and she nodded. After a couple minutes of processing I guess I shouldn't be that shocked. "I mean, this is what happens when you don't use protection." I said with a little laugh and Clary looked at me.

"You don't hate me?" She asked a little hesitantly.

"Hate you? Of course not Clary. I'm sure you've taken a health class in school, but it takes two people to get a girl pregnant. You aren't at fault here on your own. This is both of our responsibilities." I said.

"I didn't know how to tell you." She admitted. "I haven't had the best life, and I was scared shitless when I found out."

"Magnus said you had a hard life, but he wouldn't go into details." I said and she looked at me and nodded. "I've been told I'm an excellent listener. Want to talk about it?" I offered and she looked surprised at my offer, but nodded anyway.

"My parents were drug addicts. We lived in a shitty apartment, in the middle of the ghetto, and there were constant drug dealers in and out of my house." She explained. "When my father would go through withdrawal, he got mean. And I was often the punching bag for his anger. My mom was always too high to care." She said and my heart broke for her. "When I was 3 my mother left me in front of a church, and that was the last time I saw her. I was sent to the last Orphanage that New York had, and that's where I met Magnus."

"Wait, Magnus is an orphan too?" I asked and she nodded.

"We became friends fast. He was just so fun, and always knew how to lighten the mood." Clary explained. And I reached over and took her hand in mine. I needed her to know that I was here, and I was listening. She smiled at the gestured and kept talking. "When we were both 7 we were sent to different foster homes, but that didn't last long. I was sent back because they were moving, and Magnus was sent back because he didn't get along with the other children." She explained. "We were there for a couple more years until we were both 12 and sent to other foster homes. That's when things got bad." She said and she squeezed my hand a little tighter, I knew this was hard for her. "The new foster home had a boy, he was 15 or 16. I'm not sure. He would sneak into my room every night and lay down in bed with me and he would lay there and touch me and kiss me." She said and I have never been so mad in my life. "He always told me that if I ever ratted him out it would get ugly, and I kept my mouth shut for 6 months. But I couldn't take it anymore, so I hit the mother, and was sent back immediately." She said.

"Good for you." I said and she laughed.

"Magnus was sent back a couple weeks later. His foster home didn't like the fact that he wasn't straight, and caught him kissing a boy and sent him back. We lived at the place until we were 16, and we both decided to emancipate ourselves, so we didn't have to deal with anything like that again. We've been living together ever since." She said.

"I'm sorry you went through all that." I said and she shrugged.

"That's why I was so desperate I guess to keep you away from me." She said. "I've never been good at letting people in. Magnus is the only person who has been there for me my whole life, and I guess I'm just used to disappointment."

"Is that why you didn't want to tell me about the baby?" I asked and she nodded.

"I didn't want you to feel obligated. You're going to college in the fall, and I didn't want to hold you back. I'm sure I could find some way to survive on my own with the baby." She said.

"If you think I'm letting you go through this alone you're wrong Clary." I said and she looked at me with tear filled eyes. "This is my child too, and I will help you in any way that I can."

"Why? You don't owe me anything." She said and I laughed and took her other hand in mine.

"I like you Clary. A lot." I said hoping that it would sink in. "That night wasn't just a one night stand that happened because we both had too much alcohol in our systems. Sure it might not have been the right move, but we both weren't really thinking straight." I explained. "I was so confused when I woke up and you were in bed with me. I went to find you when Izzy told me you just left after being stuck with me for the storm, and I was going to talk to you the next day but you just kept avoiding me, and I figured I'd let you have a few days, but getting you to simply make eye contact with me was like pulling teeth." I said and she laughed.

"I was just really confused. I never let anyone get that close to me, and we had gotten extremely close rather quickly. I thought that keeping my distance would be safer." She said.

"And was it?" I asked.

"I wanted to talk to you every day, but I just didn't know how to approach you." She confessed.

"A simple 'hey' would have been just fine." I said and she laughed.

"It wasn't the simple in my head." She said and I nodded.

"Look, whatever you need from me, I'll be there. I'm commuting to NYU, so I'll be around." I said and she nodded. "I know what it's like growing up in foster care Clary. I've been there. It sucks, and I promised myself that when I had children they would know what it felt like to be loved unconditionally, and that's what I plan on showing our baby." I said and she nodded. I let go over hands and pulled her into a hug. She easily melted into my embrace, and we sat there hugging for who knows how long, but I didn't mind, I loved having Clary in my arms, and I was going to show her that I was going to be there for her and our child.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Clary POV:**

Since telling Jace about the baby, he had been nothing but completely amazing. Telling his family was intimidating, but surprisingly they all took it rather well. Izzy couldn't wait to start shopping for baby clothes, and Magnus was excited to be an uncle which made Alec excited to be an uncle. Mr. and Mrs. Lightwood were stunned and it took them some time to process it, but they were just happy that Jace was taking on the responsibility of our actions and doing what was right by me and the baby.

I had woken up at about 2 am in an immense about of pain, and waddled into Magnus's room. After he completely woke up he took me to the hospital where he called Jace from and in record time Jace was by my side. We had been spending a lot of time together since our talk in the park, and we had been an official couple for about 6 months now, and I was so incredibly glad that I listened to Magnus and let me walls down for Jace, because he truly was an amazing man who was willing to do anything for me, and I appreciated that so much.

I have been in labor for about 6 hours, and I was just ready for our little baby boy to get here. When I found out that we were having a boy I think Jace nearly fainted. There was something about Jace having a son that was incredibly special to him, and I couldn't wait to see them together. Jace had stepped out of the room to speak with his family so I was laying in my bed just thinking about the future. I was incredibly scared, but I couldn't wait to start raising my son.

"Are you up for some visitors Clary?" Jace asked as he peaked his head in the room.

"Of course." I said and the door opened and showed the whole Lightwood family. They all filed into the room and stood around me.

"How are you feeling?" Maryse asked me.

"I'm alright. The contractions are incredibly painful, but I know it'll be worth in when he's here." I said and she nodded.

"How far apart are your contractions?" Izzy asked.

"About 4 minutes." I said just as another one hit and I screamed. Jace offered his hand and I gladly took it and squeezed. I was so relieved when the pain was over. A moment later a doctor walked in.

"Let's have a look Clary." The doctor said and I nodded. "Looks like you're ready to push my dear." She said and I sighed.

"Thank god." I said and everyone laughed.

"We'll be out in the waiting room." Maryse said and I nodded. They all left and all that was left was Jace and I and the hospital staff. I was ready to bring my baby boy into this world.

After about 45 minutes of pushing, I finally heard those soft cries that filled the room and I couldn't hold it in anymore, I started crying as well. Jace leaned down and pressed his lips to my head.

"I love you." He whispered in my ear, and I couldn't help but cry harder. That was the first time he told me that he loved me.

"I love you too." I said and he pressed his lips to mine.

"Would you two like to meet your son?" The nurse asked and I nodded. She handed over the little blue bundle and I still couldn't keep it together.

"He's perfect." Jace said as he played with his little fingers.

"He is." I said in agreement. "Welcome to the world Beckett Alexander Lightwood." I said and Jace kissed my head before he leaned down and kissed our son. A moment later the door opened again and the Lightwood's walked in and gathered around my bed.

"What's his name?" Alec asked. I looked up and Jace and smiled and than he looked at his family.

"This is Beckett Alexander Lightwood." Jace said and Alec smiled.

"Means a lot bro." He said as he clapped Jace on the back. Everyone took turns holding our little Beckett. Jace took a seat next to me on the bed, and I leaned into him. I couldn't believe that we were actually a family, but I couldn't wait to see what the future held for us.

 **Time Jump – College Graduation**

 **Jace POV:**

The fact that I was graduating college today was completely surreal. Not because college was necessarily hard, but because Clary and I had overcome a lot in the four years I've been at school.

Clary and I ended up getting our own place after Beckett was born, and it was an amazing feeling getting to go to sleep with Clary every night, and waking up to an excited 3 year old in the mornings. It was tough in the beginning because Beckett was a newborn, but Clary and I made it work.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my family, but Clary and I had gotten into a few intense arguments in the last 4 years that have almost caused us to call it quits, but we love each other too much to ever throw our family away, and every night when I came from a long day of classes, I would see Beckett and Clary cuddling on the couch watching a movie and I knew everything was going to be okay.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was completely exhausted from my day and having a night class that ended at 9 was the last thing I wanted to deal with, but I only had it once a week, so I was really looking forward to getting home. It had been a tense few days. Clary and I got into an argument about her continuing her education and I ended up sleeping on the couch. It wasn't pretty, but I just suggested instead of her going to school part time, that we put Beckett in a day care and she start attending NYU as a full time student and you would have thought I burned her favorite sketchbook. I was packing up my stuff, getting ready to get home when one of the guys in my class stopped next to me._

 _"Me and the guys are going out to get a couple drinks. You in?" He asked._

 _"Can't tonight fellas. I have to get home to read to my son before bed." I said and I guess they weren't expecting me to say that because they looked confused._

 _"You have a kid?" The one asked and I smiled and nodded._

 _"I do. His name is Beckett, and he's 2 and a half." I said and they nodded._

 _"Well, we go out almost every Tuesday, and the offer always sands." He said and I nodded._

 _"I'll keep that in mind." I said and they walked away. I finished gathering my things and started making my way home. When I opened the door I put my stuff down, and made my way into the living room. Beckett and Clary were sitting on the couch watching a movie, just like they do every night before I get home. I guess Beckett heard me because he shot up and got the biggest smile on his face._

 _"Daddy!" He called out and jumped off the couch and made his way over to me. I picked him up and gave him a huge hug._

 _"Hey little man. Did you have a good day?" I asked and he smiled._

 _"Mommy took me to the park, and we looked at all the little ta…tad…what are they called mommy?" Beckett asked as he looked back at Clary who was now off the couch and making her way over to me._

 _"Tadpoles baby." Clary said and Beckett nodded._

 _"Right! Tadpoles! We looked at the tadpoles! They were so cool daddy!" He raved._

 _"I bet they were!" I said as he smiled like a loon._

 _"Tell daddy what we learned about tadpoles today." Clary said and I didn't think it was possible, but his smile got even bigger._

 _"Tadpoles are born with gills, but once they start getting bigger, they lose them!" He said._

 _"That's very interesting! Where did you learn that?" I asked._

 _"Mommy told me!" He said and Clary laughed. "She's really smart daddy."_

 _"Yea she is." I said as I looked at her. "Come on, it's bed time." I said and we started making our way to his room. I tucked him in and I read him his favorite book, 'Goodnight Moon'. Clary and I sat on either side of him and watched as his eyes slowly fell. Once his breathing evened out, Clary and I gave him a kiss and made our way back out to the living room. She started cleaning up when I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her towards me. "I'm sorry."_

 _"It's okay." She said but it didn't feel okay._

 _"No it isn't Clary. I upset you." I said and she smiled._

 _"I shouldn't have reacted the way that I did. I just love spending time with Beckett and teaching him random things on our daily walks." Clary explained._

 _"I know. I can see how much he loves it when he tells me about it." I said and I pulled her down to the couch and she was sitting on my lap. "I fully support you going to school part time."_

 _"That means a lot to me." Clary said and I pressed my lips to hers._

 _"Come on, I had a long day, and I just want to hold you in my arms while falling asleep." I said and she laughed and helped me off the couch. We got ready for bed and when I climbed into the bed and felt Clary get in I pulled her close to me and took a deep breath. These were the moments I lived for. Having Clary in my arms and knowing that she was mine. I don't know when I fell asleep but a huge crack of thunder woke me up. I rolled over to go back to sleep, when I heard the door open. I looked over and Beckett was standing in the doorway. "You okay little man?"_

 _"I'm scared." He said and I smiled._

 _"Come over here." I said and he ran to the bed and I picked him up and he snuggled into my side. Clary rolled over and opened her eyes._

 _"Everything okay?" Clary asked in her sleepy voice._

 _"Everything is fine. We just got another sleeping buddy." I said and her eyes landed on Beckett._

 _"The more the merrier." Clary said. I pulled her into my and her hand laid over Beckett's back and I fell asleep with my little boy and the love of my life in my arms, and I couldn't be more in love with my life than I am right now._

 ** _Flashback End_**

Thinking back to all the trials Clary and I have overcome, just made our relationship stronger, and I couldn't wait to actually start providing, and raising Beckett like a real man. I was pulled out of my thoughts when the line of students started moving. I honestly just wanted the ceremony to be over so I could spend the rest of my day celebrating with my family.

We were seated and the ceremony started. I wasn't really paying attention, until they started calling names. I was handed my diploma and I made my way back to the seat and waited for the rest of the names to be called. Finally, the ceremony was over and I started looking for my family. I thought Clary's hair would be an easy way to find them, but I couldn't see red anywhere.

"Daddy!" I heard and I turned around and there stood Beckett and Clary. He came running and I bend down and scooped him into my arms. "I'm proud of you daddy."

"Thanks little man." I said as I made my way over to Clary.

"I'm proud of you too." She said and I leaned down and kissed her.

"Thank you." I said and I pulled her into me and hugged my family. I gave the rest of my family a hug and heard their congratulations. We all went out to eat after that and I just couldn't get over how incredibly lucky I was to be able to call Beckett mine, and have an amazing woman like Clary in my life. I knew the future was going to bright no matter what as long as I had Beckett and Clary by my side.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Someone requested that Clary have trust issues, and Jace is captivated by her, and he ends up taking her virginity, and I took it one step farther! I hope you enjoy it, and I hope I met your expectations with this story! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	65. Chapter 64 - Deploy

**Sixty Fourth One Shot:**

 **Deploy**

 **Clary POV:**

The day Jace told me that he joined the Air Force, I nearly fainted. It was about 2 months before we graduated high school, and it wasn't something that I was expecting at all.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _"Clary, we need to talk." Jace said as we were driving to his house._

 _"About what?" I asked not really sure what I should be expecting. He pulled into his driveway, and put the car in park, but neither of us moved._

 _"I joined the Air Force." He said and my jaw dropped and I instantly got dizzy._

 _"When?" I asked, because it seemed to be the only thing that I could ask._

 _"Two days ago." He said._

 _"Why?" I asked after that._

 _"It's something I feel passionate about. I want to make a difference, and I want to protect this country, and what better way than to join the military." He explained._

 _"Why did you wait to tell me? Why didn't you talk to me when you were thinking about it?" I asked._

 _"Because I knew you'd try your hardest to convince me not to go." He said._

 _"Damn right." I said and he sighed._

 _"This is what I want to do Clary." He said and the tears pooled in my eyes._

 _"You do realize I could lose you forever, right?" I said and he took my hands in his._

 _"You know I would fight through the deepest pits of hell to get back to you Clary." Jace said and the tears spilled over my eyes. He reached up and wiped them away. "I love you Clary. More than anything in this world."_

 _"I love you too. That's why I don't want you to go." I said and he nodded._

 _"I know, but Clary, I need to do this." He said and I looked into those golden eyes that I love so much._

 _"You need to promise me that you'll come back to me Jace." I said and he let go of one of my hands and pulled something out of his pocket._

 _"I got this for you." He said as he showed me a ring. "We're only 18, so this is a promise ring. A promise that I will come home to you. A promise to love you for the rest of my life. A promise of a future." He said and the tears started pouring out._

 _"You better keep those promises Jace." I said and Jace slipped the ring onto my hand._

 _"You have my word Clary." He said and I nodded. I leaned over and pressed my lips to his. This was the hardest thing I've ever heard, but I had faith in Jace's promise._

 ** _Flashback End_**

That was almost 3 years ago, and I miss him more and more every single day. We talk when he can, but his assignment was supposed to be over last year, but he was asked to stay, and leave it to Jace to agree no matter what. When he told me that I was pissed, but I knew Jace. I knew that he would never abandon his unit, and I couldn't fault him for his loyalty. He was truly a saint, and he would do anything for the people he cared about, it was one of the many reasons that I loved him, and I was proud of him for all his achievements.

While Jace was overseas, I was holding the fort down at home. Once I went off to college, I decided that I didn't want to do the whole dorm thing, and my parents were pretty open with that idea and helped me out when I was looking for an apartment, and helped me while I was getting used to living on my own. I was walking back to my car when my phone started to ring, when I looked to see who it was, I was surprised to see Celine calling.

"Celine, what do I owe this pleasure?" I said as I got into my car.

"Clary." She said and I could hear the strain in her voice.

"What happened Celine?" I asked immediately knowing that this was linked to Jace.

"Jace was on a normal sweep. He was in the air with a bunch of his buddies, making sure everything was okay." She started. "Everything looked good, and when they were about to turn back around they were ambushed. They were shot down."

"Oh my god." I said. "Is he alive?"

"I don't know." Celine said. "As of right now, he's considered MIA, and most like if he wasn't killed in action, he's a POA." Celine said and my heart just broke.

"He's okay." I said. Not sure if I was trying to convince her or myself. "He promised me he was coming home."

"War doesn't work like that sweetie." Celine said and I started crying.

"No. He's coming home to me." I said. "Thank you for calling me Celine, but I have to go."

"Take care of yourself sweetie." She said and I hung up. I sat in my car for a long time trying to compose myself. I didn't know what I'd do without him, and if he does make it back, I was going to scream my lips off at him for making me worry so much.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in the cafeteria eating my lunch on a normal Tuesday. There still wasn't any news on Jace, and I have been a wreck since Celine called me. I was lost in my own little world until I heard someone clear their throat beside me. When I looked to my right, I saw Sebastian. I really didn't want to deal with his shit today.

"What do you want Sebastian?" I said and he smiled at me.

"You seemed a little sad, thought you could use some cheering up." He said in what I assume was supposed to be a sexy voice, but it just wasn't working.

"I don't want any company right now Sebastian." I said.

"Come on Clary, when are you going to give me a chance? I promise I'll be worth it." He said and I just couldn't take it anymore.

"What part of 'I have a boyfriend' do you not understand?" I said rather loudly and I think that I gathered quite an audience but I didn't really care at this point.

"You keep saying that, but I've never seen him." Sebastian said.

"Maybe because he's stationed overseas right now." I said and I saw something change in his expression.

"I didn't know he was in the army." Sebastian said and I laughed.

"He's in the Air Force asshole. And maybe if you took the time to try and actually be my friend instead of hitting on me you'd know that. Or you'd know that we've been together for 5 years. Or how he's been stationed overseas for a little over three years. Or how his plane was shot down two weeks ago and I don't even know if he's still alive." I shouted and I had tears running down my face.

"Clary, I didn't know." He said, his voice full of sympathy.

"I don't want your sympathy. You don't get to decide to be my friend now that you feel sorry for me." I said as I gathered my things and tried not to make eye contact with the people who were staring. "Please just leave me alone." I said and I practically ran away. I didn't want anyone right now, I just wanted Jace, and it was killing me knowing that I didn't even know if he was alive for not.

I didn't even bother going to my classes for the rest of the day. I just wanted to be alone. I emailed my professors and told them what happened, and they were all very understanding in me taking some time to process everything. I got home, turned my phone off, grabbed one of Jace's shirts, and climbed into what would be our bed. He hasn't even had the chance to move into the place that I got for us, and now he might never get that opportunity. I wasn't okay. I was far from okay, and I just didn't know what I was going to do if I lost him.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I haven't moved from my bed. I just didn't have the will to do anything with my life. After my blow up with Sebastian it really hit me that I could never see Jace again. I couldn't get up, I couldn't look at the pictures of Jace and I from high school that were scattered around the house, I couldn't go to school and see these happy couples being everything I wanted to be with Jace. There was a knock on my door, and at first I was going to ignore it, but then there was another knock and it sounded frantic. I got out of bed and made my way over to the door. When I opened it there stood a dazed and frantic looking Celine.

"Celine, are you okay?" I asked and she rushed into my place.

"I've been trying to call you all day. Is your phone dead?" She asked.

"I turned it off about 4 days ago. I might have had a mental breakdown." I admitted as I rubbed my arm nervously. "Has something come up about Jace?" I asked after a moment realize why she must be here.

"He's alive." She said.

"How do you know?" I asked almost in my own daze hearing those words.

"He was taken prisoner. They just got video proof of him and anther man he was in the air with. Both alive, beaten up a bit, but alive." Celine explained.

"Well, are we going to get them back?" I asked.

"They want something. I don't know what though. I kinda tuned the man out after hearing Jace was alive." Celine said and I nodded. "I just knew you needed to know."

"Thank you so much Celine." I said as I pulled her into a hug.

"I can tell by your appearance that you haven't probably done anything in a couple days." She said as she pulled away from the hug. She looked me up and down and laughed. "Is that Jace's shirt?"

"Yea. His plan was always to move in here after he got back, so I took the clothes that he didn't need and unpacked them when I first moved in." I admitted. "This is the closet I could get to him."

"You need to go back to class sweetie." Celine said.

"But….." I started but she waved me off.

"Jace wants you to get your education. You're a junior Clary. You're so close. Don't make this an excuse to get behind." Celine said.

"I just don't know what I'm going to do without him." I said as I started to cry. I sunk onto the couch and Celine sat next to me and pulled me into her.

"I know sweetie. But you aren't alone." Celine said and I looked into her eyes. "You have Stephan and I, and I told your parents a few days ago, they are worried. But they are there for you as well."

"He's everything to me Celine. He has been since we were 17." I said and she smiled.

"I'm extremely happy that you two found each other. I can tell how much Jace loves you, and how much you love him." She said. "Which is why you need to continue living. He's alive, hold onto that until we have more information."

"Okay." I said and she kissed my head.

"Stephan and I were going to go out to dinner tonight. We figured we needed a distraction. Would you like to come?" She asked.

"I'd love too." I said and she smiled.

"Meet at Taki's, 6:30." She said and I smiled and nodded. "See you later sweetie."

"Bye Celine." I said and she left.

I went back into my bedroom and got back into bed. It was only 2 o'clock so I figured maybe getting some decent sleep would be wise before participating in life. Turns out, that's not as easy as it seems, even after a couple hours of trying. My mind was racing of what Jace could possibly be going through. I couldn't shut my brain off for three seconds to get a decent rest, so I gave up, I decided to shower instead.

Feeling the hot water run down my back was a feeling I missed so much. It was calming, and relaxing, and just what I needed. When I finally stepped out of the shower, I checked the time. It was nearing 6, so I walked to my closet and put on the first real pair of pants. Once I was finally ready I walked over to the dressed and looked a picture from Jace and I'd senior prom. I picked it up and kissed it.

"Please come home to me." I whispered to the picture, knowing full well that he couldn't hear me in the slightest, but I knew Jace. He wasn't a quitter. He'd find his way home.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I've been locked in this room for who knows how long. They would throw bread at us at random times. Not enough to fill us, but enough to keep us alive. I had no idea why they wanted us, but they weren't giving us back any time soon. I couldn't stop thinking about Clary since I woke up in this hellhole. This had been one of her biggest fears, and I promised that I would come home to her, and I don't care what I have to do, I'm keeping that promise. I will not make Clary attend my funeral, I will not let those Military Police go to her and tell her that I was Killed In Action. I will come home, and I will propose to her, and we will live happily ever after. Just like she always wanted us to do.

The keys jangled in the door, just like they do every day, and in walked four men. They threw the bread at us, and than left. I reached out and grabbed my loaf while my buddy, Meliorn, grabbed the other. I'm assuming the other two men that were in the air with us were dead.

"You think we'll ever get to go home?" Meliorn asked.

"I promised my girlfriend three years ago that I was coming home." I said and I looked at him. "I don't intend to break that promise."

"What do you think they want?" He asked.

"I don't know. Do you speak Russian?" I asked and he laughed.

"Unfortunately, Russian isn't in my knowledge bank." He said and I shook my head.

"I don't know what they could possibly want with us." I said and he just shrugged. "I mean, we aren't even that important to the Air Force."

"We were the best they could do." Meliorn said. "We had the misfortune of being sent out on patrol. We're as unlucky as they come." He said and I nodded.

We finished eating our bread in silence. When I was finished, I closed my eyes and thought of my fondest memory of Clary. It was the only thing that was keeping me sane while I was here. It was the only thing giving me the will and the strength to make it home to her.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _Clary and I were sitting in the park awkwardly. It was our first date, and I was nervous as hell. Clary and I have had class together since freshman year, but it wasn't until the end of sophomore year that I knew she was different. She was always laughing, or cheering someone up. She always knew the right thing to say, and she had this incredible ability to calm anyone down when they were getting out of hand. Especially me. When junior year started back up, I took one look at Clary, and I was a goner. I knew I had to have her. So when I finally plucked up the courage to ask her, the smile that spread across her face as she nodded was all the conformation that I needed to know that this was going to work. Now if only I could get over this intense awkward pause and just talk to her like a normal person._

 _"Jace, are you okay?" I heard Clary as and I looked over at her._

 _"I'm fine." I said, not very convincingly._

 _"Are you sure? Because we don't have to do this." She said which confused me. "We can go back to being friends, and pretend this didn't happen."_

 _"Is that what you think I want?" I asked and she shrugged._

 _"I don't know. I mean you asked me out, and I said yes, and here we are, and you look really uncomfortable." She said. "I get that I'm not really the type of girl most people would ask out on a date. I'm not that attractive. I'm incredibly small. I'm really uncoordinated…"_

 _"Stop." I said and she stopped talking. "You are none of those things." I said and she gave me this look. "Okay, you're uncoordinated, but I blame that solely on the sports they make us play in gym. I bet you're a real rockstar in jump rope." I said and she threw a blueberry at me. "Hey, I picked those especially for you."_

 _"Did you really?" She asked kind of taken aback._

 _"Of course. I know you prefer fresh fruit over the store bought fruit." I admitted and she smiled._

 _"That was really sweet of you." She said._

 _"I'm not uncomfortable Clary. I'm nervous as hell." I said and she looked stunned._

 _"Why?" She asked after she composed herself._

 _"You make me nervous." I admitted. "I find you incredibly beautiful Clary. You're smart, and funny, and sarcastic, and kind and pretty much everything any guy would kill to find in a girl." I said. "The fact that you even agreed to come out on this date with me in the first place still blows my mind."_

 _"The fact that you asked me still blows my mind." She said and I laughed._

 _"Don't ever doubt the affect you have on people." I said. "I know plenty of guys at school who have expressed interest in you."_

 _"I find that hard to believe." She said with a laugh._

 _"That's because I told them all to back off." I confessed. "There was no way that I was standing a chance with all that competition."_

 _"Oh please. You're like the hottest commodity at school. Every girl wants you." She said._

 _"And I want you." I said and she looked up at me. It was quiet for a moment before she smiled. She leaned over and pressed her lips to mine, and I knew that I was going to need her kisses to survive the rest of my life. When she pulled away she sat back down on her place._

 _"And I want you." She said and I couldn't help the ridiculously huge smile that spread across my face. It felt like I had just won the lottery, and there wasn't anything else in the world that I needed as long as I had Clary._

 ** _Flashback End_**

I knew that she was freaking out at home. She has a tendency to do that when she's worried, but I made her that promise, and I was going to make it out of here. I just didn't know when, or how. All I could do was trust in the United States Military, and pray that they'd come to our rescue.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Celine POV:**

I was sitting at home reading some random magazine when there was a knock on my door. I put it down and made my way over and opened the door to show two men in military uniforms, and I automatically think the worst.

"Ma'am, are you Celine Herondale?" The one man asked.

"Yes." I answered.

"We would like to inform you that at 22 hundred hours, your son Jonathan Herondale was rescued from a compound in Russia." He said and I nearly fell over.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"Currently in an army hospital in Germany. He was told he could call when he's ready." He said and I nodded.

"Thank you so much." I said and I went to close the door but they stopped it.

"Your son had a message he wanted us to deliver to you." He said and I nodded. "He wanted us to tell you not to tell Clary. He wanted to surprise her when he was back." They said and I smiled.

"Of course my son wants to dramatically announce his return to his girlfriend." I said and the man laughed.

"Kids do crazy things when they're in love." He said and I nodded.

"Thank you so much for coming here and telling me." I said and they nodded and walked away. I got back to the sofa and just screamed at the top of my lungs. My baby boy was safe, and he was coming home.

I immediately started occupying myself until Jace called. I didn't know what I was doing, I just knew that I had to stay busy until that phone started to ring. I had cleaned the entire house from top to bottom hen I heard the phone ring, and I sprinted towards it.

"Hello?" I said breathlessly.

"Mom?" I heard and I had to sit right down on that floor because I was so incredibly emotional.

"Jace, is it really you?" I asked through sobs and I heard him laugh.

"Yea ma, it's really me." He said and I just lost it. "It's okay ma. I'm okay. A little beat up, and incredibly hungry, but I'm alive."

"It is so good to hear your voice again." I said once I calmed down. "But don't you dare ever put me through that shit again Jonathan or you're going to think what those Russians did to you was a walk in the freaking park!" I yelled at him.

"Trust me, I don't plan on ever being shot out of the sky ever again." He said. "How is Clary?"

"She's heartbroken." I said honestly. "I had to convince her to get out of bed and go back to class."

"I feel awful." I heard him say.

"As you should. You were supposed to be home a year and a half ago Jonathan." I said and I heard him sigh.

"I shouldn't have volunteered to stay. It was completely unfair to Clary, and to you and dad, but I felt like it was calling me, and I made a split second decision." He said.

"I know this is what you really want to do, and you know your father and I supported you when you decided to join, but you have other people who rely on you. You can't just think of yourself Jace. I can't even imagine how completely shattered Clary would be if you died." I said.

"I know. I'll think it through the next time I'm put in a similar situation." He said.

"The army men said you wanted to surprise Clary." I said and he laughed.

"Yea." He said.

"How are you planning on doing it?" I asked.

"I was just going to show up at her school. Do you happen to know when she's free?" He asked.

"The only thing I know about her schedule is that she eats lunch at noon on Wednesdays." I admitted. "It was the only day she was available to meet with me to catch up or just miss you together so we weren't so lonely."

"Okay. Thanks ma." He said.

"When will you be back in the States?" I asked.

"They want to keep me here for a coupe more days. Get me fed, and keep be under observation. I should be home next week." He said and I felt like for the first time in a long time I could breath knowing he was coming home.

"Let me know the details when you know them." I said.

"Of course. Look, I'm really tired. I'm going to catch up on some sleep. We'll talk later." He said.

"Of course. I'm so happy you're safe." I said.

"I love you ma." He said.

"I love you too Jace." I said.

"Tell dad I love him as well. I'll be home before you know it." He said.

"I will. Sleep well sweetie." I said. We hung up and I sat back on the couch still trying to process that I just heard from my baby after an incredibly long and emotional couple months. Everything was going to be okay. I knew it.

 **Time Jump – Next Week**

 **Jace POV:**

I just landed in New York and I couldn't even begin to explain how amazing it felt to be home. I missed it more than I thought was possible, and I couldn't wait to see my parents, and finally see Clary again. I didn't have much, just my carry on bag, so when I stepped off the plane I could see my mom jumping around like a little kid on Christmas. I walked over and scooped her into my arms.

"Oh my god, you're actually here." She said and I laughed.

"In the flesh." I said as I set her back on her feet. I looked over towards my dad and pulled him into a hug.

"It's so good to see you son." He said and I smiled.

"You too dad." I said and he smiled.

"Let's go get some lunch." My mom said and I nodded. I grabbed my things and we started making our way out to the parking lot. I was greeted with cheers, and claps, and a bunch of thank you's and a few salutes. It felt nice to be home. "This is my son! He's a hero!" My mom shouted and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm hardly a hero mom." I said and she smiled.

"Nonsense. You are a hero. My hero." She said and I leaned down and kissed her temple. I couldn't believe that I was actually home, and I never wanted to leave ever again.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in the cafeteria like I do every Wednesday at noon. It had been a rather boring day to say the least, and I wasn't particularly in the mood to do anything today. I wasn't even eating my lunch. I was just pushing food around on my plate, and wondering if I would wake up from this nightmare I had been living the past couple months.

"Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?" I heard from behind me, and I knew that voice, but I couldn't believe I was actually hearing it. I turned around and there stood Jace in his full Air Force uniform.

"I'm not imaging this am I?" I asked and he laughed. "You're really here?"

"I'm really here." He said and I just couldn't hold it in anymore. I started sobbing. He leaned down and I wrapped my arms around his neck and he lifted me off my seat. "God I missed you." He heard him say into my neck and I pulled back and slammed my lips to his. I completely forgot about all the people who were in the cafeteria. Jace was here, and that's all I cared about in this moment. When I pulled back I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.

"I missed you so much." I said and he held me a little tighter. I was now aware that the whole entire cafeteria was now clapping for us. I blushed and buried my head into Jace's chest. I felt him laugh as he pressed his lips to the top of my head. "Are you okay?" I asked after a minute.

"I'm back with you, I'm absolutely perfect." He said and I smiled. "Are you done for today?" He asked.

"I have one more class at 2, but she has been very lenient when it comes to my attendance. Her son is in the military, so she understands how I'm feeling." I explained and he nodded. "I don't think I could even try and fake caring about missing class. I've been waiting for months, hell I've been waiting for years for you to come home, and now that you are I'm not leaving you."

"I promised you three years ago that I was coming home." I head and tears pooled in my eyes again. "I was not breaking that promise." He said and I laughed.

"I would have hunted you down and personally punched you in the face if you broke that promise." I said and he laughed.

"You wanna get out of here?" He asked and I couldn't nod fast enough. He picked up my backpack and we headed towards the exit when Sebastian appeared in front of me.

"What do you want?" I asked not even trying to hide the annoyance in my voice.

"This him?" He asked as he looked at Jace.

"Yes." I said. "And as you can see, he really does exist." I said.

"Who are you?" Jace asked before Sebastian had the chance to reply.

"My name is Sebastian." He said as he stuck out his hand. Jace, being the polite guy that he is, returns the gesture and they shake hands. "I heard that you were MIA for quite some time." He said and Jace nodded. "Glad you made it back safety."

"Thank you. There was no way in hell I was ever leaving this one." He said as he pulled me into his side, which caused me to smile.

"She's one of a kind, that's for sure." Sebastian said. "Look, you aren't going to like me when Clary tells you who I am exactly, but I just wanted to come over and give my respects to you. It takes a lot of courage to join the Military, courage that I certainly don't have, and I felt like it was something that every soldier deserves to hear."

"I appreciate it." Jace said. Sebastian nodded and than walked away from us. Once he was gone Jace looked at me. "Who was he exactly?"

"He's been asking me out since I started here. No matter how many times I told him I had a boyfriend, he just wouldn't stop." I explained. "He thought I was making you up because he'd never seen you around, but a couple weeks after your mom called to tell me you were MIA, he tried yet again and I kinda blew up at him."

"Oh." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile at how jealous he was.

"But now he's seen you, so he'll leave me alone." I said as we got into my car. Apparently his mom dropped him off so we wouldn't have to worry about cars and everything.

"He better." Jace said and I laughed.

"He backed off after I yelled at him, so hopefully that continues." I said and I started my car. "Where too?"

"Home." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I started making my way back to my apartment. When we arrived we walked up to the third floor, and when I opened the door Jace walked in and took it all in. "This is where you live?"

"Well, this is where we could live." I said and he turned around. "If that's what you want."

"We've spent 3 years apart. If you think I'm spending anymore time away from you, you're out of your damn mind." He said and I laughed. "I love you Clary."

"I love you too Jace." I said and he walked over to me and pressed his lips to mine. Everything felt right, it felt like the world was finally back together, or at least my world was back together, and I couldn't wait to start living again.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I had a meeting with my commander today, and I was a little nervous. I didn't know what he was going to say, or if he was going to ask me how I felt about being deployed again. My palms were sweating and when the door opened my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

"Major Herondale, good to see you again." My commander said.

"You as well sir." I said as he took a seat.

"I brought you in here because I talked to your fellow soldiers, and your commander from battle, and I've heard nothing but positive things." He said. "You are one of the fastest learning airmen we've ever had. You've risen through the ranks quite fast, and you have a incredible ability for battle strategies that most soldiers never acquire." He continued. "I was looking over your file, and wondering if or when you'd be ready to go back to active duty when something dawned on me."

"What's that sir?" I asked.

"You're make an incredible asset to the Thunderbirds." He said and I think my jaw hit the ground.

"Seriously?" I asked and he laughed.

"I've talked to enough people, and they all would recommend you." He said. "I am offering you the Opposing Solo, flying No. 6 jet. How does that sound Major?"

"I think that sounds absolutely incredible." I said and he smiled.

"I'll put in for your transfer to Nellis AFB in Nevada as soon as possible, and get you out there right away." He stood up and I followed.

"This is a real honor sir. Thank you." I said as we shook hands.

"Can't wait to see you up in the air Major." He said and I smiled and left the room. I couldn't believe that this was happening. Everything just seemed so perfect, and I couldn't wait to tell my parents of Clary the good news.

I drove back to the apartment, and when I walked in Clary was sitting on the couch sketching. I walked over and sat down next to her. She looked up at me and smiled and I smiled back.

"How was your meeting?" She asked.

"Amazing." I said.

"Really?" She asked and I nodded.

"Guess what I was asked today?" I asked and she shrugged. "I was asked to join the Thunderbirds."

"Are you kidding me?" She asked with the biggest smile on her face.

"Nope. They want me Opposing Solo. No.6 jet. How crazy is that?" I said and she threw her arms around my neck.

"I'm so proud of you Jace." She said and I pressed my lips to hers briefly. "Aren't they stationed in Nevada though?"

"Yes. They are putting my transfer in soon." I said and she nodded. "Come with me Clary." I said and her eyes widened.

"You want me to move to Nevada with you?" She asked.

"Absolutely. We've spent so much time apart, and I don't want to do that ever again. I want to be with you for the rest of my life." I said.

"This sounds like a proposal." She joked but I took this opportunity and reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring that I picked up earlier today. I was going to wait until a more romantic time, but I was too excited.

"That's exactly what this is." I said and her hands flew over her mouth. "I love you Clary. I've loved you since junior year of high school. You are my partner, my best friend, my better half, my everything. There isn't anyone else I want in this world by my side for the rest of our lives." I said and her eyes started to pool with tears. "Would you do the incredible honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes." She barely choked out. I slid the ring on her finger and than pressed my lips to her. I couldn't wait to start our lives together. A new place, a new start, a new job, but I knew it was going to be incredible as long as I had Clary by my side.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace's transfer was approved, and I transferred for my final year of college out in Nevada, everything had been going extremely well. I thought moving and everything was going to be hard, but we acclimated to our new home rather quickly, and I couldn't even begin to explain how insane our first year out here had been. Jace and I got married quick. Like two weeks after he proposed. I know, it was fast, but we were moving, and we knew for years that we were going to get married, so why prolong it? Plus we wanted our families to witness it. We wanted to head off to Nevada as a newly married couple, so that's what we did.

Jace had his first show today, so Celine and Stephan were coming in to see it. But that wasn't all. I was picking them up at the airport with a surprise of my own for them. I was currently 4 months pregnant. Jace and I didn't want to tell anyone over the phone, so we decided to tell them when they came to visit. Celine and Stephan were the first two, and my parents were coming out in a month, so I was pretty pumped for their arrivals.

I was currently standing in the airport just waiting to catch a glimpse of them. I had been here for about 30 minutes, and I finally spotted Stephan's head in the crowed. I started making my way over to them, and when they saw me they were excited, but once Celine noticed that I was a bit bigger than I was before she screamed and ran towards me.

"You're pregnant?" She yelled and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yup. 4 months tomorrow." I said as I rubbed my bump.

"Oh my god! This is so exciting! My first grandchild! Do you know what you're having?" Celine asked.

"A girl." I said and she got even happier.

"Ahh! Jace is a goner." She said and I laughed.

"When we found out he already started making all kinds of rules about her dating, and sleepovers, and anything he could think of." I said and she laughed. I turned my attention to Stephan and gave him a welcoming hug. "Come on, we don't want to be late for the show." I said and they nodded and we made our way out of the airport.

When we got to the show, I showed the guard my VIP passes, and we made our way to where the other spouses, and families of other Thunderbird members were standing. I was incredibly proud of everything that Jace accomplished. I know that I didn't agree with him in the beginning about him joining the Air Force, but man did he love what he did, and I couldn't help but be proud of that, and support him in everything that he did for the Air Force.

The show started and I looked up and spotted his jet immediately. My hands were on my stomach, and I watched as my man did what he did best, and an intense pride that I felt being his wife, and being a military spouse, and continuing on this insane journey that is life with someone like Jace proved to me that no matter what come our way, we could overcome it, just like everything else in our lives.

When the show was over we got to go and greet our family member at their jet. I walked right over to No.6 jet and slammed my lips to his. There was something about him in his uniform that did things to me, and it just made me want to make out with him ever chance I could. I wish I could blame that all on the hormones, but my husband was hot, so it was part hormones, part uniform, and part me.

"I love you." He said as we broke apart as he hand rested on my belly.

"I love you too." I said and he smiled. He greeted his family and we stood there and talked as I was tucked into Jace's side. Being married to a man in the military was hard, but man was it worth it.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so someone requested that I do another one where Jace is in the military and he surprises Clary, and since I'm such a sap for these types of things in real life, i decided to write another one! And i quite life this one a lot! I don't know much about the Air Force, so I looked a lot of stuff up! I don't any information that I used when talking about the Air Force! Just wanted to put that out there! Thank you all for being patient when it comes to my updating! Let me know what you think, and I hope that I lived up to your expectations! Let me know what you think! :)**


	66. Chapter 65 - Sugar Daddy

**Sixty Fifth One Shot:**

 **Sugar Daddy**

 **Clary POV:**

It was a normal Monday, and I was standing in the bookstore sketching a simple landscape. There weren't a lot of customers that came through here on a normal day, and it is a rainy Monday, I doubt that I'll even see one, but I didn't mind. Being around books, and getting to sketch and get paid for it was my kind of job. It was very peaceful and I was humming while sketching when the ding of the bell scared me. I looked up and in walked the most beautiful man I've ever seen. My fingers started to twitch because all I wanted to do was draw him. Our eyes locked and he smiled and made his way over to me.

"How can I help you?" I asked when he got closer.

"My best friends birthday is coming up, and he's a professor at Columbia." He said and I nodded. "He's a bit of a book worm, so I wanted to get him something he didn't have, but I really don't know where to start." He said and I laughed.

"Well, what kind of literature is he into?" I asked.

"The classics." He said. "He's an English lit professor." He said and I nodded.

"Okay, does he have any favorite authors?" I asked.

"Mark Twain." He said.

"Good choice." I said and he smiled at me. "I'm not sure what we have in our inventory for Mark Twain." I said as I typed into the computer. "Give me a minute."

"Take your time." He said. I continued to search our inventory, and even though Mark Twain was a classic author, those didn't sell as much as the teenage romance novel, so we didn't have many in stock.

"Yea, selling classics is kinda hard, so we don't have any in stock currently." I said and he nodded.

"Well, there is one book that he's wanted since the day I met him, but I'm not really that great at tracking things down." He admitted.

"Okay, what book?" I asked.

"He's always wanted a first edition of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." He said. "But not just any copy. He wants the rare blue first copy."

"Those are hard to come by." I said and he laughed.

"That's what he said. Which is why he doesn't own one yet." He said. "I really suck at finding the best deal, and everything. I know it's probably not in your job description, but would you mind helping me out?" He asked and as much as it wasn't my job to do that for customers, I couldn't help but want to help him with this.

"Sure. I track down books for the owner of this place all the time. I have connections." I said with a wink and he laughed.

"He's my number." He said as he took a sticky note off the counter and wrote it down. "Call me when you find something. We can get lunch and discuss it." He said and I took the card and nodded. Not trusting my voice. Even though it was just to discuss a purchase, we were going to get lunch together. "Have a good day…..?"

"Clary." I said and he smiled.

"I'm Jace. Have a good day Clary." He said and than he left.

"You too Jace." I said, even though I knew he couldn't hear me. Maybe this abnormal Monday wasn't so bad after all.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had called me yesterday and said she had tracked down the book I was looking for and we were meeting for lunch today to talk details. I don't know I was so nervous to see her again, but I was. The minute I walked into that bookstore she took my breath away. She is incredibly beautiful, and talking to her was so incredibly easy. I got to the restaurant Clary had told me to meet her at. It was small diner, but it was charming. I looked in the window and spotted her red hair immediately. I walked over and took a seat in the booth. She was drawing something, and I couldn't help but notice how incredibly talented she was.

"You're really good." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you." She said as she closed the book.

"You two ready to order?" The waitress said as she batted her eyes at me.

"I think so." I said.

"I'll have the coconut pancakes." Clary said.

"I'll have what she's having." I said and the waitress nodded and walked away.

"Okay, so I tracked down that book you wanted, but I have to say, it's not cheap." She said.

"How much are we talking?" I asked. Money wasn't an issue for me. I was rich, and a CEO, but that didn't mean I wasn't curious.

"A little over 13,000 dollars. The owner of the book has kept in immaculate condition, and I don't think she's even opened it." Clary explained. "It was passed down from her grandfather. She got all his books, but she's never been a fan of that particular one. She's been looking to sell for awhile she's just never found the right person to sell it too."

"Tell her I'm in." I said and her jaw basically dropped.

"Did you not hear the price?" She asked and I laughed.

"I never cared about how much it cost." I admitted and she just nodded.

"This best friend must mean a lot to you." She said and I laughed.

"He's basically a brother to me." I said. "We went to boarding school together, and sometimes he would spend the summer with me, or I'd spend the summer with him."

"Must be nice to have someone mean so much to you." She said with a certain sadness in her voice.

"It came in handy when my parents weren't around." I said. She simply nodded, and I moved on from the subject. It seemed like a sensitive topic, and I didn't want to push her.

We sat at the diner for almost two hours just talking about random things, and discussing childhood stories. It felt like I've known this girl my whole life, not just a week, and when she said she had to go back to work, I was dreading her leaving. I didn't want the day to end I just wanted to spend more time with her. I walked her out of the restaurant and to her car.

"I was wondering." I started and she turned around. "Would you like to have dinner with me?"

"Really?" She asked in a surprised tone, which caused me to laugh.

"Is that so hard to believe?" I asked and she shrugged.

"A little. I mean, did you not see our waitress eyeing you up the whole time we were in there?" She asked and I laughed.

"I did, but the difference is I wasn't eyeing her back." I said and she nodded. "I had a great time today Clary, and I would really love to do this again."

"Okay. Let me know when." She said and I smiled.

"I'll call you tomorrow with the details." I said and she nodded. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her cheek. "See you soon Clary."

"Bye Jace." She said and she got in her car and drove off. I couldn't wait to see Clary again, and continue to get to know her better.

 **Time Jump – Dinner**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace told me that he was taking me somewhere fancy for dinner tonight, and at first I was nervous, I didn't know how fancy we were talking. I mean, he spent 13 grand on a book, so for all I know, we were having dinner with the president. Thankfully my panic wore off when I remembered that I had a nice black dress that I got in high school for my senior banquet that I didn't even go too, and nice black heels that were still in the box. When I put them both on I instantly felt like I was worth more than I actually am, but tonight that was a good thing. I curled my hair, and applied light make up. When I was satisfied with the outcome, I grabbed my clutch and headed down the street to wait for Jace. I told him to meet me at the bookstore, so that he wasn't greeted with my shabby apartment building. It wasn't nice, but it was all that I could afford, so it had to do.

When Jace finally pulled up in his extremely expensive BMW, I knew that I wasn't possibly prepared for what this night was going to be like. He pulled up to the curb and got out and made his way over to me. He leaned down and kissed my cheek again, which sent my stomach into all type of loops and twirls.

"You look beautiful." He said and I couldn't help the blush that crept across my face. "You ready?" He asked and I nodded. He opened his car door and I got in. he quickly got in as well, and we were off.

"So, where are we going?" I asked after a moment.

"Eleven Madison Park." He said. "Ever heard of it?"

"No. But I feel like it's not the place I would normally eat at." I said and he laughed.

"Probably not. I know the owner, and I asked if he could squeeze us in." He said and I nodded.

"Am I dressed appropriately?" I asked and he laughed.

"You look stunning." He said and I blushed yet again.

We drove to the restaurant and when I got out of the car I was in awe at the building. It was absolutely gorgeous, and I totally didn't belong here. Jace walked over to me and took my hand in his. We walked into the restaurant and up to the hostess.

"Do you have a reservation?" She asked.

"Yes. Two for Herondale." Jace said and she nodded.

"Follow me." She said and we walked behind her to our table. Jace pulled my seat out like a gentleman and she placed the menus on the table. "Your waiter will be out momentarily." She said and we nodded and she left. I opened my menu and my eyes nearly fell out of my head when I saw the price.

"Jace, this place is way too expensive." I said and he laughed.

"Not for me. Get whatever you want. You have no limit." Jace said and I was about to protest when the waiter walked over.

"Welcome to Eleven Madison Park, my name is Paul, and I'll be your server tonight. May I start you off with something to drink?" He asked.

"May I see your wine list?" Jace asked and he nodded.

"Of course. I'll be right back." Paul said and he walked away. I guess it never occurred to me that Jace could be older than 21, but he certainly didn't know I wasn't.

"Jace, I'm not 21." I said and he looked up from the menu with a shocked expression on his face.

"You aren't?" He asked and I shook my head. "You are over 18 though, right?" He asked and I laughed and nodded.

"I'm 20. I'll be 21 in August." I said and he nodded. "Why? How old are you?"

"33." He said and now it was my turn for my eyes to nearly pop out of my head.

"Oh my god." I said. "You don't look 33 at all." I said and he laughed.

"I've been blessed with ageing." He said and I nodded. "Look, if this is too weird, we can just be friends after this dinner. Just think of this as me thanking you for finding that book for my friend." He said and I thought about it. I mean, sure he's 13 years older than me, but we're both adults, and I like him. A lot. I wasn't going to ruin that just because of our pretty big age gap.

"I mean it doesn't bother me." I said hesitantly avoiding eye contact.

"Really?" He asked and I looked up to see him with a smile on his face.

"We're both adults. There just happens to be 13 years in between us." I said and he laughed. "I like you." I admitted, which was something I didn't do often, but I just felt so comfortable around him that I didn't mind telling him how I really felt. "I don't think our age should determine if we continue to see where this goes or not."

"Age is but a number." He said and I laughed. "I like you too Clary. Walking into that bookstore was the best decision I've made in a long time." He said and I laughed. "So, if you're 20, does that mean you're in school?"

"No. I went to the local community college for two years, but I can't afford college." I said and at that moment Paul returned.

"Here you go. Would you like me to give you some time to look over that?" He asked.

"Actually Paul, I'm not in the mood for wine tonight. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Jace said and Paul smiled.

"It wasn't an inconvenience at all." Paul said as he took the wine menu back. "What can I get you two to drink?"

"I'll just have a water." Jace said. Paul nodded and wrote it down before looking at me.

"Iced tea please." I said and he nodded.

"I'll be right back with those for you." Paul said as he walked away.

"So, you aren't currently in school?" Jace asked and I shook my head. "Why don't your parents help you out?"

"My dad bailed when I was 8, and for lack of better words, my mother is a crack head." I said and he looked stunned.

"That's horrible." Jace said and I shrugged.

"It was hard growing up. She was either high or overdosing." I admitted. "I was lucky that I passed high school with how much I missed, or barely passed because I had to work in order to keep our house."

"That doesn't sound like a fun way to live." Jace said and I laughed.

"It wasn't." I said.

"So, if you were in college, what would you study?" He asked after a moment.

"I'd be a art major with a minor in English lit." I said and he nodded.

"Nice. I was never good at either of those." He said and I laughed.

"What do you do for a living?" I asked.

"I'm the CEO of Herondale Inc." He said and it was at that moment that I realized I was in over my head.

"That's impressive." I said and he shook his head.

"Not really. My father built the company over in England, and he wanted to expand. He brought it over here, and put me in charge of this branch." He explained. "So I guess you could say I'm the Co-CEO. Since my father is the CEO of the branch in England."

"Still, you must have worked hard for him to put you in charge." I said.

"I definitely busted my ass in college to make sure he saw me as a worthy partner." Jace said. "I spent most of my college days holed up in the library studying."

"That surprises me." I said and Jace laughed.

"Why?" He asked.

"I figured you'd be going to crazy parties, and living it up." I said and he laughed.

"I wish." He said. "I was more focused on proving to my father that I was the right fit for the job. I wanted him to see me as his business partner, not just his son."

"And you did." I said and he nodded.

"And I did." He said. At that moment Paul came back out with our drinks.

"Have you decided on what you want tonight?" Paul asked and I realized I didn't even look at the menu. Jace looked over at me and smiled.

"You trust me?" He asked and I nodded my head. "We'll both have the special." Jace said and Paul nodded. We handed over our menus and Paul walked away.

"What did you just order me?" I asked and Jace laughed.

"You'll have to wait and see." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

The rest of the night went by extremely well, and the age gap was completely forgotten. I liked Jace, and Jace liked me. Age didn't matter, and I wasn't going to let it affect how my relationship with Jace progressed. We were going to take a chance, and if it worked, than it worked, but if it didn't, at least I wouldn't have any regrets.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary's birthday was tomorrow, so I was taking her clubbing tonight in order to celebrate. I knew a couple of the local club owners, so we were going to be taken care of no matter where we went. I was looking forward to seeing Clary tonight. I wanted to give her her present, and just enjoy celebrating her tonight.

These past two months with Clary have been amazing. She is so incredibly kind, and caring, and sweet, and funny, and beautiful, and sarcastic. She was truly everything I've ever wanted in a woman, and I couldn't believe I found in one.

Alec and Izzy were currently at my place. I had convinced them to come out and celebrate with Clary and I, and to get to meet her. They were hesitant at first, but I think I begged enough that they finally gave into me. I walked out of my room and Izzy and Alec were standing in the living room talking.

"You two ready?" I asked.

"Ready to meet you 20 year old girlfriend? Can't wait." Izzy said with the usual bitchy tone in her voice.

"Please be nice to her Iz. She means a lot to me." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"I just don't like it Jace. You're 13 years older than her." Izzy said.

"I'm aware." I said and she rolled her eyes again.

"She's probably just some gold digging whore, and latched her claws into you." Izzy said.

"You don't know anything about our relationship Izzy. She isn't like that." I said and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"So this 20 year old just so happened to stumble into your life? Come on Jace." Izzy said. "That doesn't just happen."

"I actually stumbled into her life." I said and Izzy looked confused. "She works at a bookstore, and I was really stumped when it came to getting Alec a present for his birthday, so I asked her for some advice."

"She helped you find that first edition?" Alec asked and I nodded.

"She told me she tracks down books for the owner all the time, so she knew people who could help. And it worked." I said.

"So you're telling me, she isn't going to be jumping for joy when you give her that 14K white gold necklace?" Izzy asked.

"She'll actually probably tell me to take it back." I laughed knowing Clary hated when I spent money on her, but I just couldn't help it. I loved spoiling her.

"Really?" Izzy asked sounding kinda shocked.

"Clary isn't a material person. She hates when I spend money on her, but I do it anyway because I like too." I said. "Look, she isn't with me for my money. And to be fair, I had no idea she was only 20 when I asked her out, and she didn't know I was 33. We were both equally shocked when we found out."

"It just seems weird to me." Izzy said.

"I know. It's not normal, but we like each other, why should our age matter?" I asked. "And if it makes you feel any better, I don't pay for everything."

"Come on Jace, you're too controlling to not pay for everything." Alec said as we made our way out to my car. I just laughed.

"It's true. If we go out to lunch, she pays. If we go out for coffee, she pays. When we go out to dinner, I pay. When we go out to do something fun, like I took her to a fancy art class, I paid. Or when I brought her to a company business dinner, I bought her outfit." I explained. "She doesn't let me pay for everything. She told me that if she couldn't at least pay for lunch and coffee, I wasn't allowed to take her to fancy restaurants anymore."

"She seems sensible." Alec said.

"She's a great girl, and I really like her." I said. "I would like if you two liked her as well."

"I will be on my best behavior tonight." Izzy said.

"That's all I'm asking." I put the car in drive and started making my way towards the bookstore. Clary still refused to tell me where she lived. She was embarrassed about it, but I didn't care where she lived. When I arrived at the bookstore, Clary was standing there like she always was when I picked her up. Alec was about to get out of the front seat when Clary waved him off and got in the back. "You don't have to sit back there. Alec will move." I said and she laughed.

"Don't worry about it. He was already there." Clary said. "It's nice to meet you both finally." Clary said.

"You too. We've heard a lot about you. I'm Izzy." She said and Clary smiled.

"Thank you for picking me up." Clary said towards me.

"You know, if you just told me where you lived, you wouldn't have to wait outside the bookstore." I said and she laughed.

"I don't want you seeing where I live. It's so shitty." She said and I just shook my head.

"So, do you drive to the bookstore and wait for him?" Izzy asked.

"No, I walk." Clary said.

"Why?" Alec asked.

"I don't have a car." Clary said.

"Really? Why not?" Izzy asked.

"I can't afford one." Clary said and I opened my mouth but she cut me off. "And I swear to God if you offer to buy me a car one more time Jace, I'll ban you from taking me out for a month."

"He's seriously offered to buy you a car?" Izzy asked.

"Multiple times." Clary said. "He doesn't like that I walk places, or take the bus."

"It's dangerous out there." I said and she laughed.

"I've lived in New York my whole life. I grew up in the projects, and my mother was on crack." Clary said. "I think I've survived enough dangerous situations to know when I'm in one."

"Holy shit." Izzy and Alec said in unison.

"I would still buy you a car." I said and she just laughed.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm okay." Clary said and I just shook my head.

We got to the club and were immediately let in. It as nearing 11, which meant that, in this club, Clary was allowed to drink. I went up to the bar and ordered a few shots. When I got back to the group I passed them out and everyone held them up.

"To Clary." I said and everyone smiled.

"To Clary." Alec and Izzy said before we all took the shot. I was impressed that Clary handled that shot like a pro.

The night progressed with more drinks, and dancing. I was the DD tonight, so I wasn't drinking anything but soda, but Clary was knocking back drink after drink, and she was just letting herself have fun, and it was amazing to see her like this. It was about 3 am when we finally decided to call it quits. I dropped Alec and Izzy off at home, and than decided that Clary was to drunk to tell me where she lived so I brought her back to my place. When I finally pulled up to my house though, Clary was passed out. I got out of the car and made my way over to her. I picked her up, and made my way into the house.

Izzy and Alec both seemed to really get along with Clary, and just seeing them all having fun together was more than I could ask for. I understood that Izzy and Alec were a little skeptical of Clary and I'd relationship, but I think tonight showed that Clary and I are together because we like each other, not because Clary wants my money. I brought Clary into my room and set her down on the bed. I started walking towards the dresser to change when I heard her.

"Jace." She said and I turned around and she was sitting up in the bed.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Can I change into something comfier?" She asked and I smiled.

"Of course." I said as I grabbed a shirt. I walked back over to her and handed it to her. "Here you go. I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick. You can change while I'm in there." I said and she nodded. Once I was finished in the bathroom I walked back out in the room and Clary's dress was thrown on the floor and she was already asleep. I shook my head with a smile on my face and climbed in to bed with her. Before I knew it she was curling into my side. I know we've only been together for a few months, but this felt right.

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up with a killer headache, and having no idea where I was. I sat up in bed and heard something coming from down the hallway. I got out of the bed and realized I was only in a shirt. I saw my dress on the floor, but decided to just stay in this shirt. I walked out of the room and followed the noise to be greeted with Jace in the kitchen cooking.

"You cook?" I said and Jace turned around. She was shirtless, and man was I appreciating the view.

"A man has to know how to feed himself." He said and I laughed.

"So what's the special occasion?" I asked and he looked at me like I was crazy.

"It is your birthday Clary." He said and I laughed.

"Sorry, I just didn't celebrate it when I was growing up, so to me it's just a normal day." I said as I took a seat at the bar.

"Well, it's not a normal day for me." He said as he walked over and pressed his lips to mine. I swear I could get lost in his kisses. When he pulled away he smiled and than pulled out a box. "Happy birthday."

"Jace, you shouldn't have." I said as I took the box.

"It's my girls birthday, of course I'm going to buy her a gift." He said and I laughed. I opened the box and I nearly had a heart attack.

"Oh my god." I said and Jace laughed.

"I know what you're going to say. But it wasn't too expensive, and you're worth it Clary." Jace said and tears filled my eyes.

"Wanna know a secret?" I asked after a moment.

"Is it that you secretly love your gift, and you don't want me to return it?" He asked and I laughed.

"No, because I absolutely love my gift." I said and he smiled. "This is the first present I've ever gotten."

"Seriously?" He asked and I nodded.

"My mom was hooked on drugs, and my father couldn't be bothered with me before he left. If my mom had extra money, it went to buy drugs, and if my dad had extra money, it was most likely spent on the whores he used to fuck." I admitted. "I was never their priority." Jace made his way over to me and cupped my cheek in his hand. I leaned into his embrace and closed my eyes.

"You will always be a priority of mine." He whispered and my skin tingled.

"Thank you for the necklace. It's absolutely beautiful." I said. Jace took it out of my hands and proceeded to put it on me. When he was finished, his hands slid down my arms and he kissed my neck.

"I will take care of you Clary." He whispered into my ear as he planted another kiss behind it. I involuntarily shivered and I could feel him smile against my skin. "You don't have to worry about anything anymore."

"Do you mean that?" I barely got out.

"Absolutely." He whispered against my skin and I accidently let out a soft moan. "Happy birthday love." He whispered and I think at that point I was putty in his hands. There wasn't a thing I wouldn't do for this man, and it had only been a couple months. I can only imagine how much deeper I was going to fall the more time we spent together.

 **Time Jump – Christmas**

 **Clary POV:**

Being with Jace was an absolutely dream. Of course we got some weird stares when I'd accompany him to his business diners. I was constantly being complimented on how young I looked, which was flattering in a sense, but I also knew that some women were simply saying it to point out the obvious age difference between us. You could see some of the women that work for him are completely in love with him, but he didn't give them the time of day. His eyes were always solely focused on me, and it made all the stares, and whispers worth it.

Trying to find something to get Jace for Christmas was the most impossible task I've ever had to deal with. He had everything, so what do you get the man who has everything? Your guess is as good as mine. I searched for about a month before Christmas just to see if I could even find anything that he'd be interested in, but I always fell short. That was, until one day, I passed by an art store and I saw the most beautiful canvas, and I just had to have it. Thankfully, it was in my price range, so I bought it and decided to paint Jace a picture of us. His phone background was a picture that Izzy had taken without either of our knowledge but Jace loved it because it showed just how invested we were in each other. I figured it was the perfect gift to get him. Something original, and something I knew he'd like.

Giving it to him was a whole other pile of nerves. I had no idea if he'd even like it, because it wasn't my best work in my eyes, so I was scared to see his reaction. But as I stood in front of the bookstore, waiting for Jace to pick me up, I realized that I couldn't go back now. I already finished it, and I was meeting his parents tonight at his house, so I was focusing on those nerves more than the ones about his present. When his car finally pulled up I opened the back door and put the canvas in there before getting in the front.

"Hey baby." Jace said as he leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. "What's that?"

"Your gift." I smiled.

"What is it?" He asked and I laughed.

"Now that would just spoil all the fun." I said and he pulled away from the curb. I guess he noticed my hands fidgeting, so he reached across the consul and grabbed my hand.

"They're going to love you." He said.

"I don't think they will Jace. I mean, Izzy thought I was gold digger before she met me, I can only imagine what your parents already think of me." I said.

"Izzy is very judgmental. My parents, although they can be distant, they've never had an opinion in the women I've dated before. I can't imagine that would start now." He said.

"I'm just worried they won't be able to look past the age gap." I said.

"Than we'll make them see past it." He said and I nodded. The rest of the car ride was silent, but neither of us minded. When we got to his house I took a deep breath before grabbing the canvas and heading inside.

"I'm going to put this upstairs." I said and he nodded. I walked up stairs and placed the canvas in his room. I too a few calming breaths before I started making my way downstairs. I was walking towards the living room when I heard voices. I normally wasn't one to eavesdrop, but they didn't sound happy.

"Honestly Jonathan, you couldn't have found a woman your age? You went for the child?" I heard a woman say, I can only assume it was his mom.

"She isn't a child mother, she's 21 years old." I heard Jace say.

"And you're 33. Think about how poorly that reflects on you." The woman said.

"You haven't even met her yet." Jace said.

"They're all the same Jonathan. They want you for your money, and the minute you buy them those heels they've always wanted, and that beautiful diamond necklace, they will go running for the hills." The woman said and my hand automatically went to the necklace he bought me for my birthday.

"Clary isn't like that mother. Se cares about me, and I care about her." Jace said.

"13 years Jonathan. She was 10 when you were 23. Doesn't that bother you?" His mother said.

"No, it doesn't, because she isn't 10 mom. She's 21." Jace said. "Look, I'd appreciate if you could at least be nice to her, instead of making her feel like she's committing a great sin." Jace said and I thought it was an appropriate time to make my presence known. I walked into the living room and Jace immediately smiled. I walked over to him and he pressed his lips to mine briefly. "Mom, dad, this is Clary. Clary these are my parents, Celine and Stephan."

"Mr. and Mrs. Herondale will do just fine." His mom said and I nodded.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Herondale." I said and the woman looked me up and down.

"Clary, that doesn't down like a normal name, is it short for something?" Mrs. Herondale asked.

"My full name is Clarissa." I said. I wasn't going to tell her how much I detested my full name, that wasn't going to get to her to like me.

"Well, dinner is almost ready, why don't we sit down." Mrs. Herondale said and they made their way into the dining room.

"I'm so sorry about them." Jace said and I smiled up at him.

"I knew I was entering the shark tank before I got here." I said trying to lighten the mood. "I have thick skin, I can handle them." I said and he nodded and we made our way into the dining room.

"Izzy and Alec should be here shortly." Jace said.

"They aren't spending Christmas with Maryse and Robert?" Mr. Herondale asked.

"No. They are traveling with Max this holiday, so I invited them over so they wouldn't have to spend it alone." Jace said and his parents nodded. A moment later the door opened and in walked Alec and Izzy.

Everyone said their hellos and dinner began. I was pretty much wallpaper the whole time. Jace rested his hand on my thigh to make me feel more comfortable, and I appreciated that, but I could tell his parents wanted nothing to do with me. I understood their reservations, but that didn't meant I liked them.

When dinner was done, we all made our way out in to the living room to exchange presents. I had gone off to get mine, and met everyone else in there. I took a seat next to Jace and Mrs. Herondale stood up and began handing a present over to Jace.

"I didn't know what to get you this year, so I figured I'd just play it safe." She said and Jace opened the present. It was a black and gold tie, one that matched his eyes perfectly.

"Thanks mom. I love it. You as well dad." Jace said and Mr. Herondale nodded. "I was in the same boat as you two. I had no idea what you two would possibly enjoy, but I was hanging out in the bookstore that Clary works in and I remembered that you used to read me poetry when I was young dad."

"You remember that?" He asked Jace and Jace nodded.

"Of course. It was something you used to do every night before I went to bed. I didn't understand any of it, but I knew it made you happy." Jace said. "I asked Clary to help me find something that I thought you'd be interested in, and I hope I didn't disappoint." Jace said as he handed his father the both. He gently opened it and looked at the book.

"Prufrock by T.S Elliot." Mr. Herondale read aloud. " You helped him pick this out?" He asked directing the question at me.

"Yea. It was something that a lot of men would come in asking for, but we never really had in stock because teenage romance novels sell better than poetry, but I looked it up one day, and it was recommended for every male to read, whether they liked poetry or not." I explained. "So when Jace told me you liked poetry, I thought it was a perfect idea."

"Thank you. I love it." Mr. Herondale said, and it made me feel a lot better knowing he appreciated his gift.

"And you mom, well I didn't want to be generic with getting you a piece of jewelry, but you are also a hard woman to shop for." Jace said and she laughed, which surprised me because she didn't seem like the type of woman who laughed at anything really. Jace handed her the box, and I watched her open it carefully. I was scared to see her reaction, but Jace told me that she had always loved thing like this, so I was hopeful.

"Oh my god, they're beautiful." Mrs. Herondale said as she took out the teacup and examined it.

"It's a 19th century Naples/Capo di Monte Boxed Tea or Coffee Service." Jace said. "Clary and I went antique shopping one day, and I saw a couple tea cups, and I knew you always liked collecting them, but I wanted to get you really nice ones, so Clary and I spent weeks searching for the perfect set."

"I love them. Thank you." Mrs. Herondale said.

"My turn!" Izzy said and I couldn't help but laugh. "Now, I know you really don't like fashion like me, so I decided to go in a totally different direction." Izzy said as she handed me an envelope. I opened it up and my eyes widened.

"No way!" I shouted and I looked at her and she was nodding enthusiastically. "You're the best!" I said as I got out of my seat and gave her a hug.

"What is it?" Jace asked.

"Two tickets to Panic! At the Disco!" Clary nearly shouted.

"The concert isn't until the summer, but I thought it was perfect!" Izzy said and I hugged her again.

"It is perfect, and I can't wait to go. We're going to have so much fun!" I said to Izzy.

"Whoa, I don't even get to go?" Jace asked and I laughed.

"The concert is July 18th." I said and he nodded.

"I purposely got them when I knew you'd be out of town so I could go with her." Izzy said and I laughed.

"I love it. Thank you Iz." I said and I hugged her again. "Okay, now for your gift." I said.

"You didn't have to get me anything." Izzy said and I smiled,

"Nonsense." I said as I handed her the box. "You's and Alec's are kind related." I said and Alec joined her and watched her open it. "I'm sorry it's not much, but it was all I could afford to do." I admitted embarrassingly. His parents already didn't like me, and admitting that I was pretty much poor wasn't helping my case.

"Are you kidding?" Izzy said. "It's perfect." Izzy said as tears came to her eyes.

"What is it?" Jace asked.

"You know how Alec has always wanted to publish a book, and I have always wanted to write for Elle?" Izzy asked and Jace nodded. "Well, Clary here just got Alec a meeting with one of the most well known publishing companies in New York, and she got me a meeting with the publisher of Elle."

"How the hell did you manage that?" Jace asked.

"The man who owns the bookstore is friends with the man who Alec has a meeting with." I explained.

"But how did you get the Elle gig for Iz?" Jace asked.

"That one was a little trickier." I said with a laugh. "I think I mailed her around 45 letters before she finally responded to one. It took a lot of time. I told her that I had this friend who really had an eye for fashion, and that she would be a great asset to the magazine. I think she finally got tired of me sending her letters because she asked me to give her a sample of her work."

"How did you manage that?" Izzy asked.

"I may have slightly stalked one of your professors at your college and asked for a sample of your writing." I admitted and she laughed.

"I don't care if you had to sleep with the man, this is a dream come true. Thank you so much Clary." She said as we hugged. Once we were finished Alec opened his arms up and I hugged him as well.

"It was my pleasure. Alec's was cheaper considering all I had to do was ask my boss, but you were worth ever penny of it Iz." I said and she laughed.

"What about my gift?" Jace asked and I laughed. I grabbed the canvas and stood in front of him.

"You were also impossible to shop for." I said and he laughed. "What could I possibly buy the man who already has everything?" I asked. "I was walking home from the bus stop when I passed the art store, and I just saw the most beautiful canvas, and decided to buy it. I figured I'd paint you something, since I'm not so bad at it." I said and he laughed. I turned the canvas around and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. The room was silent for a moment while everyone looked at my painting.

"Clary." Jace said and I held my breath. "This is the most breath taking piece of art I've ever seen, and I'm not just saying that because I'm in it." Jace said and I laughed. "You truly are so much more talented than I thought."

"I'm glad you like it." I said and he stood up and pressed his lips to mine.

"I love it." He said and I smiled. "Now, it's your turn." He said and I propped the canvas up against the wall and took my seat on the couch. "You might hate me for this, but I did it anyway." He said as he handed me a box. I opened it up expecting it to be a necklace, or a bracelet, but low and behold, inside the box was a key to a BMW.

"Jace, how many times did I tell you not to buy me a car?" I said with a laugh and he just smiled.

"Clary, you walk everywhere, and you take the bus." Jace said. "And I'm not saying those are horrible ways to get around, but I'm always nervous that something is going to happen to you." Jace says. "Ever since you told me that you couldn't afford a car, and that you took the bus I've wanted to buy you one, but you always told me no, and I respected that." Jace said. "But we've been together for 6 months. That's 6 months I respected your wishes and didn't buy you a car. But it's Christmas, and I love you, so I bought you one." He said and my eyes got even wider than they were before, and so did his at the realization of what he just said. "Oh shit." He said and I just laughed.

"You love me?" I asked and the horror and shock was replaced with one of those genuine Jace smiles.

"I do. I really do." He said and I smiled and pressed my lips to his.

"I love you too." I said and I just couldn't help but feel so giddy. "I appreciate the car, but you aren't allowed to buy me an expensive gift until my birthday, and I mean it." I said and he laughed.

"You really hate when I spend money on you don't you?" He asked and I nodded my head.

"I would have been satisfied if you gave me a piece of paper that said 'IOU a picnic in the park'." I said and he laughed.

"Thanks for the Valentine's Day gift idea." Jace said and I shook my head. After the gifts were exchanged Alec and Izzy decided to head home. We hugged them goodbye and that just left Jace's parents and us. "I'll be right back." Jace said as he got off the couch and exited the room. I felt extremely uncomfortable sitting there with his parents but the uncomfortable silence was broken when Mrs. Herondale spoke.

"You really love my son for exactly who he is don't you?" She asked and I looked at her. "You have no interest in his money?"

"None at all." I said honestly. "I was shocked when he spent 13 grand on a book for Alec. He was totally unbothered by the price. When he asked me out I don't even think I could properly comprehend that it was happening." I said with a laugh. "Than we went out, and had a great time, and found out what we both did for a living, and what we liked to do for fun. It was like I already knew him, and we were just catching up."

"And the age difference, that doesn't bother you?" Mr. Herondale asked.

"I was stunned when he told me he was 33." I admitted. "He doesn't look it at all." I said and they laughed. "When we first went out to dinner he asked to see the wine list, and it never even occurred to me that he could be over 21. When I told him that I was only 20 he was just as shocked. He gave me the option of just being friends if the age gap was too weird for me, but I liked him. He made me laugh, and he genuinely cared about what I was interested in." I admitted. "I told him that it didn't freak me out because we were both adults. If I was 30, and he was 43 it wouldn't be as big of a deal, but since I'm only 21, people think it's some huge sin for us to be together."

"We shouldn't have judged you so harshly." Mrs. Herondale said and I smiled.

"It's okay Mrs. Herondale. I completely understand." I sad and she smiled.

"Please, call me Celine." She said and I nodded. A moment later Jace walked back into the room and sat back down next to me.

"Sorry about that. What did I miss?" He asked.

"Celine and I were just talking." I said and he smiled and looked at his mom.

"So, you're letting her call her Celine now?" Jace asked and Celine laughed.

"She's a very bright girl." Celine said. "I can see why you're so taken with her."

"I told you you'd like her once you got to know her." Jace said as he pulled me into his side.

"I should listen to you more often." Celine said and I laughed. "It's been a long night. We're going to head off to bed. Merry Christmas you two."

"Merry Christmas." Jace and I both said as Stephan and Celine both left the room.

"Let's go to bed." Jace said as he got off the couch. He stuck out his hand and pulled me up. Before I knew what was happening he scooped me into his arms and carried me up the stairs and into his room. When he opened the door, his room was illuminated with candled and there were rose peddles all throughout his room.

"Wow." I said as he put me back on the ground and I soaked in all that was around me.

"Do you like it?" Jace asked from behind me. When I turned around I couldn't help but smile.

"I love it. But what's the occasion?" I asked.

"The car isn't my only gift for you." He said.

"Jace, you seriously spoil me too much." I said and he smiled. He walked over to the bedside table and picked up another box. He walked back over to me and held it in front of me.

"I hope you like it." He said and I took the box out of his hand. I opened it to find yet another key inside.

"If you bought me two cars Jace, we're seriously going to need to have a talk." I said and he laughed.

"That isn't a car key." He said and I looked more closely at it. "It's a house key." He said and I looked up at him." A key to this house."

"Jace." I said but I was at a loss for words.

"I know we've only been together for six months, but I can feel it in my bones just how right we are together." He said and my eyes started to pool. "I love you Clary. I love being around you. I love getting to know you. I love every little detail about who you are. And I hate dropping you off in front of that bookstore at night not knowing where you're going to be sleeping at night." He said and I laughed. "You don't need to give me an answer tonight. I don't mind if you need time to process it, but I want you to know, that I want it." He said and I just couldn't believe what was happening. He wanted me to live with him. He wanted _me_ to _live_ with _him._ It just seemed so surreal. But I already knew my answer.

"Do I have to take a couple days to think about it?" I asked.

"Not if you already know." He said and I smiled.

"I think." I said as I snaked my arms around his neck. "I'd really like it here." I said and his lips slammed down onto mine.

"You're serious?" He asked when we broke apart.

"Very." I said and he kissed me again.

"I love you." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said back. Tonight had turned into a pretty amazing night. It was without a doubt the best Christmas I've ever had, and I couldn't wait to experience many more with Jace.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

This past year with Clary by my side was absolutely amazing. After she moved in we became like the most domesticated couple you've ever seen. But I didn't even care, because spending time with Clary, was my favorite thing to do. I'd come home from work, and dinner would be ready, and than we'd talk about our days, than cuddle on the couch and watch TV until bed. It was easily the most amazing part of the day, and what I looked forward to the most.

Clary and I were currently sitting in bed. I was looking over some report that I was supposed to have finished yesterday, but didn't, and Clary was sketching. Clary was completely serious about me not buying her any more expensive gifts until her birthday, and I had been very good about it, but since I was finally allowed to get her something, I went all out.

"So I was thinking." I said and Clary laughed.

"That's never good." She said and I shook my head.

"I want to take you somewhere." I said.

"Oh really?" She asked and I nodded. "Where?"

"Anywhere you want." I said. "Somewhere you've always wanted to visit." I said and I could see her thinking about it.

"Australia." She said after a moment.

"Why Australia?" I asked.

"It just seems like the perfect place to go. It's warm, the people speak English, and they have koalas." She said and I laughed.

"Than Australia it is." I said as I pulled up flights on my ipad. I clicked around until I was finally done and I put it down. "We're booked. We leave on January 7th."

"That fast?" She asked and I smiled.

"Australia also happens to be warm. I am not fan of the cold, but I figured we'd let the New Year pass before we left." I said and she nodded.

"And let me guess, first class?" She asked and I smirked.

"Only the best for you." I said as I pulled her into my lap.

"You really do spoil me." She said and I pressed my lips to her.

"And I love doing it." I said and she smiled before pressing her lips back to mine. Clary and I had been together for almost 2 years. We lived together, we were in love, and there wasn't anything anyone could say that would split us apart. It didn't matter that I was 34 and she was 22. When we were together, we were just Clary and Jace. Some people refer to me as Clary's Sugar Daddy, and at first it annoyed me, but than I thought about it. If those people had a lot of money, wouldn't they want to spoil the shit out of their significant other as well? I knew the term was supposed to be offensive, but I've embraced it, and Clary and I knew that wasn't how our relationship worked, so we let people talk, and whisper about us as much as they wanted, because in the end it didn't matter that we were 13 years apart, it only mattered that we were in love. I felt Clary's breathing even out, and I turned out the light and sunk down into the bed. Clary rolled over and curled into my side.

"Goodnight." She mumbled and I kissed the top of her head.

"Goodnight love." I said and I felt her smile. She curled even closer to me, and I couldn't help but smile. "That's right, come to sugar daddy."

"Jace." Clary groaned and I just laughed and held her tight. I closed my eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep loving every minute of my life with Clary.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I have no idea who requested one about Clary having a sugar daddy, but I had a blast writing this one, hence why it's almost 2:30 in the morning, and I'm updating now! I just couldn't stop until this one was finished! I hope that I lived up to your expectations! Also, the books, and the restaurants, and the tea set are all real, just look them up if you want to know what they look like! Also, I just want to make a little note here about the 13 year age gap. I know it seems like a lot, and hell it probably is, but I know people who do have a 13 year gap between them and their significant other, so it might be rare, but it isn't impossible! Just wanted to let everyone know that it can happen! Alright, let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	67. Chapter 66 - President

**Sixty Sixth One Shot:**

 **President**

 **Jace POV:**

Being accepted into office without a wife was rarely heard of, but somehow I did it. Normally the public loved the undeniably in love couple taking over the White House, and everything, but that just wasn't who I was. I didn't have that special someone, but that didn't mean I was ready to become the president, and I guess the world agreed. It was my second year as president, and it was challenging most of the time, but I loved it. It was everything that I worked for in my life, and now that I was living my dream, I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

Alec Lightwood was my Vice President. He was the one who told me to go for it even though it was the traditional way of doing it, and I was so incredibly happy that I listened to his advice because without him I wouldn't be here, and I can't picture myself doing anything else. I would be sad when it ended, but I was going to enjoy my time in office while I was here.

On Friday nights, Alec, Izzy, my receptionist and also Alec's sister, and I go out and just enjoy being normal people. It took a couple trial and errors before we finally got it down to a science where I wasn't recognized. I loved being the president, but sometimes I just wanted to be normal again, and having these nights just hanging out with Alec and Izzy reminded me of what it felt like before I had so much responsibility, and I needed that.

We were out at our favorite pizza shop, and having a great time. I don't know why, but I felt a little claustrophobic while sitting in the restaurant so I decided to go out the back way and get some fresh air. I figured it was the safest option, not many people are roaming around in allies, so I had no chance of being spotted. When I opened the door I took a nice deep breath of fresh air. It did wonders, and I was about to go back inside when I heard a noise at the end of the ally. The better half of me told myself to just go back inside, and that it was just an animal getting food out of the dumpster, but the curious part of me started walking towards the noise. When I got closer I was stunned to see a girl curled up against the wall shivering. I kneeled down in front of her, and our eyes locked. I had never seen such intense green eyes before, and I was slowly getting lost in them when she spoke.

"I'm sorry. I can leave if you want me too." She said. She had an accent, but it wasn't incredibly thick so I could understand her perfectly.

"It's okay. I heard a noise, and curiosity got the best of me." I said and she nodded. "What are you doing out here?" I asked.

"Sleeping." She said and I was shocked. "I figured it was better to sleep in an ally than in a public park." She said and a part of me broke for this girl who had nowhere to go. It was against the rules, but I didn't care if I was the President, or a farmer, I wasn't going to let her sleep in the streets tonight that's for sure.

"My friends and I are inside having a bite to eat, would you care to join?" I asked.

"I can't afford food." She said and I laughed.

"That's okay, it's my treat tonight." I said as I stood up. I reached my hand out and I could tell she was hesitant but she took it anyway. I lifted her up, and I could tell she was probably starving. She weighted next to nothing, and her clothes were baggy. She started walking and I walked behind her. I opened the back door and she walked in, and I guided her over to our table.

"What is this Jace?" Alec asked as I pulled the chair out for the girl.

"I found her in the ally, I couldn't leave her there." I said and Alec gave me that disapproving look. "You know me Alec, you know I've always been one to help when I can. I can help her, so I'm going to."

"You just love taking these types of risks, don't you?" Alec asked and I laughed.

"I wouldn't be me if I didn't. I grew up fortunate, you know I like to help when I can." I said and Alec nodded.

"What's her name?" Izzy asked and it occurred to me that I never asked.

"I don't know." I said and I turned my attention back to her. "What's your name?" I asked.

"Clarissa, but I prefer to be called Clary." She said and I nodded.

"Where are you from?" Izzy asked picking up on the accent.

"Norway." She said and that kinda shocked me. I wasn't expecting her to be from so far away.

"What are you doing in Washington D.C?" Alec asked clearly just as shocked as I was.

"Hiding." She said.

"Okay, enough of the heavy stuff. What kind of pizza do you like?" I asked.

"I don't know. I've never had it before." She said.

"Okay. We'll start you off with a plain slice." I said and I motioned for the waiter. I ordered her a plain slice of pizza and when it arrived I watched her eat it curious about what she would think of it. After she swallowed her first bite she smiled.

"It's good." She said and I nodded.

"Pizza is one of the best meals in my opinion. You can never go wrong." I said and she laughed, and I really liked her life.

"Unless you put pineapple, and ham on it." Izzy said and I scrunched my nose in disgust.

"Whoever invented that clearly was high on something." I said and everyone laughed, including Clary.

When the night was over we made our way out the back of the restaurant and into the car waiting for us. Clary seemed hesitant to follow, but I insisted and eventually she gave in. the drive back to the White House was silent, but I didn't mind it. I wasn't going to force Clary to talk, if she wanted to open up she would, and I'd be willing to listen if she needed to vent.

When we pulled up to the house Clary was staring out the window. Her jaw was practically on the floor and her eyes were incredibly wide. We had dropped Alec and Izzy off at their place so it was just Clary and I in the car. I couldn't help but watch her as she gawked at the house, but I couldn't blame her, it was a terrific view.

"You live here?" She asked as the door opened and she stepped out.

"Being the President of this country does have its perks." I said and she turned and faced me.

"The President?" She asked and I nodded. "You aren't going to extradite me are you?" She asked.

"No. If you're hiding, I assume it's for good reasons, and America is supposed to be a beacon of hope. A safe haven." I said and she nodded. "Come on, I'll get you settled into a room."

We walked into the White House and she had to be searched. I knew she wasn't hiding any weapons, but it's better to be safe than sorry. When the check was over, I grabbed her single bag and started making my way to her room. When I opened it her jaw dropped yet again. I couldn't imagine how intimidating this was for her, but I hope that she feels comfortable here.

"I hope it's okay." I said as I set her bag down. "That door over there is the bathroom. It's fully stocked so if you want a shower, it's already to go. If you need anything, just call the number that's on the bedside table, someone will be around to help in anyway they can." I said and she nodded. I walked back towards the door when she spoke.

"Thank you." She said and I smiled.

"I'm Jace by the way. I don't think I ever told you that." I said and she laughed.

"Goodnight." She said and I nodded before closing the door. I took a deep breath before making my way to my room. There was something about her, something different than any other woman I've ever met, and I was determined to figure out why.

 **Clary POV:**

After I took my shower I settled into the bed. It was the comfiest and warmest bed I've ever laid in, and for the first time in along time, I felt at peace. I tried to fall asleep for hours, but no matter what, when I closed my eyes, all I could see was his face, and I could feel his hands on my throat, and I just couldn't close my eyes any longer. I decided to roam this place and see if I could try and find the kitchen. Hot tea normally calms me down enough to sleep.

Walking through the hallways, and looking at the artwork was incredible. This place was truly a dream come true, and it kind of amazes me that the President of this country found me in that ally way. I mean, wasn't he supposed to be busy, not hanging out at a pizza joint? Oh well, who am I to judge?

After wondering for some time I finally found the kitchen. It was incredibly huge, and I didn't even know where to start looking for tea bags, so I just started opening every cabinet that I could and hopefully I would get lucky. After opening about 15, I realized that I was probably not getting lucky and almost gave up when I heard someone laugh. I jumped and nearly knocked over a vase, but when I turned around there stood Jace.

"I didn't mean to scare you." He said as he made his way into the kitchen. "Are you okay?"

"I couldn't sleep." I admitted. "I thought maybe some hot tea would work, but I can't seem to find it." I said and he laughed.

"I always thought there were too many cabinets in here." He said as he walked over to one. He opened it up, and there was a wide variety of teas, and coffees, and hot chocolates. "You said tea right?" He asked and I nodded. He walked back over to me and handed it to me. "The kettle is over there." He said and I nodded. I walked over and grabbed the kettle and filled it up from the sink. I placed it back on the stove and turned on the burner and made my way back over to where Jace was standing. "You okay?"

"Just some nightmares." I said with a shrug. "I think it also has to do with the new environment."

"Do the nightmares have anything to do with why you're in hiding?" He asked and I nodded. "Look, I'm not going to pry into your life. If you want to tell me what's going on, that's up to you, but I would like to know more about you." He said and I looked into those golden eyes that were so captivating.

"Like what?" I asked.

"For one, how did you learn to speak English so well?" He asked.

"That requires a little background information first." I told him.

"You don't have to tell me if you aren't comfortable." He said. I thought about that for a minute and it was weird but I did feel comfortable, and he gave me a warm place to stay tonight, he deserved something in return.

"No, it's okay." I said and he nodded. "When I turned 20, my father set me up with a man who I was supposed to marry." I explained. "Apparently it had been my fathers plan all along, and 20 was a proper age. We were supposed to be married 2 years after our engagement, but it never happened. He got so caught up in his job that our wedding just kept constantly being pushed." I said. "I wasn't allowed to work, so I had to fill my time with something, and I thought it would be beneficial to learn another language. English is pretty common, so I figured I'd try it out."

"So, I'm assuming you're hiding from your husband?" Jace asked and I shook my head.

"We never did get married." I explained. "Work was his only focus. Every year we were together it would come up, and every time a year passed, we still weren't married."

"How long were you together?" Jace asked.

"10 years." I said.

"That's a long time." Jace said and I nodded. "So, why did you leave?"

"He wasn't nice, and I got tired of being his punching bag." I admitted. Jace opened his mouth to speak, but the kettle started howling. I went over and removed it from the stove. I place it down and was about to ask for a mug when I turned around and there stood Jace.

"Need this?" He asked in a low seductive voice as he held up a teacup. Not trusting my voice I simply nodded and took it from his hands. "How long have you been in the states?"

"Two weeks." I said as I poured the hot water in the cup. Jace had moved back to where he originally was and I felt like I could breath again. He was without a doubt the most handsome man I've ever seen, and having him so close to me made me feel like I was suffocating on his beauty.

"And you've been living on the streets?" He asked and I nodded. "Why?"

"I can't afford to stay in a hotel." I said.

"So how did you get over here?" He asked.

"I stole money from my fiancé, or now ex-fiancé. I can only imagine how incredibly unhappy he is with me at the moment." I said with a dry humorless laugh. "He went to work one day, I picked the lock to his office, grab enough money to buy a plane ticket, grabbed my passport, and didn't look back."

"That takes some guts." He said and I shrugged.

"It was only a matter of time before I was being forced into having his children. I could take a hit, but I don't think I'd recover from that." I admitted. I don't know why I felt so comfortable talking to him about this, but I felt calm, and I felt like he wasn't judging me, and damn did it feel good to finally open up about this.

"Understandable." He said and I nodded. "Well, it's late, and I have a country to run in the morning. I'll see you tomorrow." He said and he got up, and before I could stop myself I was talking.

"Thank you for letting me stay here tonight. I know your family probably won't enjoy that you brought home a stray, but I appreciate it." I said and he smiled.

"You're in luck." He said. "Because it's only me here." He explained and I nodded. I could have sworn someone as good looking at him would be married by now. "I have a bunch of meetings tomorrow, but feel free to roam the place even more." I nodded and than he left the kitchen. I finished up my tea and made my way back to my room, after getting lost a few times. I curled into the blankets on my bed and closed my eyes preparing for the nightmares to fill my dreams, but to my surprise the only image that was flooding my memory were the golden eyes, of the man who lived here, and for the first time in a long time, I dreamed.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had been here for two weeks, and we've been getting to know each other a lot more. I found out she likes to draw, and that she enjoys listening to classical music, which in turn I let her know that I play the piano, and when she asked me to play for her, I just couldn't deny her. She was completely attentive while I played and I couldn't help but smile at how amazed she was by it. I learned that she just turned 31, and that her favorite food was fruit. I constantly saw her eating an apple, or grapes, or oranges. It was like a staple of her personality that I had grown to enjoy immensely.

I've been thinking for the past couple days that I wanted to ask Clary to be my date to a huge dinner that I was hosting here. Normally I wouldn't care if I had a date or not, and the country had grown accustomed to me being a single man, but I wanted to bring Clary, and I wanted to have her on my arm, and I wanted to dance with her all night long. It was weird, but I wanted so many things with her, things I've never wanted before, but somehow felt incredibly right when it came to her.

"Jace, are you sure about this?" Alec asked as we sat in my office.

"Of course I'm sure Alec." I said.

"It's just, she's in hiding, and having her face blasted all over the internet as 'Jace's Herondale's arm candy' isn't really being discreet." Alec said and he made a good point, but I still wanted to ask her.

"I understand that Alec, but I still want to extend the invitation to her." I said.

"Why her?" Alec asked. "What makes her so different?"

"I have no idea." I admitted. "There is just something different about her, something that I can't seem to get enough of."

"Okay, but just know, this could easily blow up in your face, and hers as well." Alec said and I laughed.

"Always the pessimist." I said.

"I'm more of a realist, which is why I'm your VP. Someone has to pull our head out of your ass sometimes." He said and I smiled.

"Which is why we make such a great team." I said and he smiled.

"Alright, well let me know how it goes." Alec said as he stood up. "I have to get home. Max has been sick for the past week, and Magnus and I are alternating night shifts. Poor Magnus is running on E right now." Alec said and I laughed.

"Go take care of you family. I'll talk to you tomorrow." I said and Alec nodded before walking out of the office. I decided to call it quits for the day and find Clary. I wanted to ask her sooner rather than later about the dinner, so if she rejected me I had some time to get over it.

I walked around the house for almost 30 minutes trying to find her. She wasn't in any of her normal places, which confused me, but eventually I found her in the library in the house. I never really come in here much, unless I need to look something up, but Clary was sitting on the floor surrounded by a pile of books. It made me smile, and I made my way over and took a seat next to her.

"What are you looking at?" I asked and she looked up at me.

"I'm not really sure. It isn't in English." She said and I laughed. "You're done early."

"I didn't have much else to do, and Alec needed to go home. His kid is sick." I said and she nodded. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What's up?" She asked as she closed the book.

"There is this huge dinner I'm hosting here, really fancy, a lot of politicians. It can get rather boring, but I'm kinda strong armed into doing them." I said. "I was wondering if you'd like to come with me."

"Like a date?" She asked and I smiled.

"Yea. Like a date." I said.

"Why me?" She asked.

"Because I think we've been becoming really good friends since you've been here, and I think we could have a good time together." I said. I could see that she was thinking it over, and I couldn't blame her. She was probably thinking the same thing Alec brought up.

"Okay. It sounds fun." She finally said and I was a little shocked.

"Really?" I asked and she laughed.

"Yea. I mean, I'm cooped up in a house all day, and the dinner is here, so I might as well embrace it." She said and I smiled.

"Great. I'll get you in touch with Magnus. He's Alec's husband. He's also the fashion expert around here. He'll dress you to the nine's." I said and she nodded. "Well, I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing." I said as I stood up.

"Hey, I was wondering." She said and I turned back towards her. "Could we possibly get pizza for dinner tonight? I don't know why but I've been craving it since the night we met."

"Of course. I'll tell the chef, and it'll be here by dinner time." I said and she smiled.

"Thanks Jace." She said and I nodded before walking out of the library. I was excited for Clary to be accompanying me to this dinner, and hopefully she was just as excited.

 **Time Jump – Dinner**

 **Clary POV:**

"You look fabulous." Magnus said as I stood in front of the mirror.

"Are you sure? I'm not too fancy?" I asked and he laughed.

"Not at all biscuit." He said. "You will be one of the best dressed at the dinner. Hands down." He said and I laughed. It was quiet for a minute before I decided to break it.

"Jace mentioned that you and Alec had a kid." I said and Magnus nodded. "How are they feeling?"

"He's doing a lot better." Magnus said with a smile. "He had the flu, but thankfully he's doing a lot better."

"How old is he?" I asked.

"2 and a half." Magnus said. "Our pride and joy."

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Max. We named him after Alexander's late younger brother." Magnus said with sadness in his voice.

"I'm so sorry." I said. "That must have been tough."

"It was a very hard time for the family." Magnus explained. "It took Alec some time to fully grieve and come to terms with his death, but Max brings us so much joy, and I can tell how much it means to Alec to have him."

"I can imagine. I always wanted a family." I admitted. "It just never seemed like an option for me though."

"One day biscuit." He said and I smiled. "You are complete." He said and I looked back at the mirror. "Isabelle will be in shortly to do your hair and make up. I must go meet Alec."

"Thank you Magnus." I said and he smiled before stepping out of the room. The door opened a minute later and in walked Isabelle.

"You look good." She said and I smiled.

"Thank you." I said and she instructed me to take a seat, which I obeyed. She started playing with my hair and braiding it, and unbraiding it. I don't know how long I sat there, but when she was finally done, I was impressed with what she did to it.

"I'm not going to put any make up on. I think you look good without it." She said.

"Okay. I trust your judgment." I said and she smiled.

"Come on, we're going to be late." She said and we made our way out of my room and down the hall. Jace's back was turned towards me, and he was talking to Alec and Magnus. Their eyes all made their way over to me, which caused Jace to turn around, and damn did he looked good.

"You look amazing." He said as we made our way over to them.

"It was all Magnus and Isabelle." I said.

"We were working with what we had." Magnus said with a smile. "We had a great platform."

"Thank you." I said.

"We ready?" Jace asked and everyone nodded. "We'll see you in there Iz." Jace said and she nodded before leaving us.

"Why isn't she walking in with us?" I asked. Jace stuck his arm out and I looped my arm around it and we started walking.

"Only the President and the Vice President get announced. As much as I love Izzy, she is only my secretary." He said and I nodded.

"Where is little Max tonight?" I asked Magnus.

"He's with his grandmother tonight. We weren't sure how long we were going to stay tonight, and she's been dying to see him since before he got sick, so it was the perfect idea." Magnus explained.

We walked down the hallway, and I could hear all the people talking. I was pretty intimidated but I was actually pretty excited to spend the night with Jace. The doors opened and Alec and Magnus walked in greeted with a huge round of applause. You could tell just how much the people admired them, and I thought it was absolutely amazing. The doors closed and a voice started speaking and I started getting nervous. I gripped Jace's arms tighter, and he looked down and smiled at me. The doors opened and Jace and I proceeded to walk through. The thunderous applause filled the air, and all I could think about was not tripping. We made our way fully in and Jace guided us to our table. We were seated with Alec, Magnus, Izzy, and her husband Simon. Everyone calmed down and took their seats. Dinner was passed out, and light conversations began. If I didn't know that I had just walked in with the President of the United States, I would have thought I was at a regular dinner, just enjoying time with friends, and it felt great.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace was pulling me all over the dance floor, and I couldn't help but laugh. I was having an amazing time, and it almost felt too good to be true. Being with Jace felt like the most natural thing in the world, and truly made me happier than I've been in my whole entire life. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I knew one thing, I didn't want my time with him to end, even though I knew it probably would eventually.

When the evening was over, Jace grabbed my hand and we sloppily made our way through the hallways. I may have had one to many drinks, and I was a giggling idiot. Jace didn't seem to mind. His hand would rest on my lower back, or on my hip when I lost my balance. When we finally stopped I realized that we had arrived at my door. I turned to face Jace and he was incredibly close. Our eyes locked, and my breathing started to speed up.

"I've wanted to do this all night." Jace whispered and before I answered, his lips were pressed to mine. I have been waiting for this moment for like 9 days.

As our lips moved in perfect synchronization I couldn't help but wonder how long this would last. Sure he liked me now, but what happens when he finds someone who wasn't in hiding or is prettier than me? What happens to me when I leave and he realizes that this was just a simple case of infatuation? As my mind reeled with questions I couldn't help but get distracted when he pulled me into his chest. It felt so incredibly right, and I never wanted it to end. When we pulled apart, our eyes locked again and he had a huge smile on his face.

"Why don't we take this back to my room?" He asked and I couldn't even speak. I just nodded and he guided me through the hallways. When we finally got to his room he opened the door and I walked inside. His room was incredibly neat, but I didn't get a chance to take everything in because before I knew it I was being pressed up against the door and Jace's lips were back on mine. The feeling was heavenly, and as Jace led me to his bed, my mind wondered about what this was going to mean for us in the future, but as he ripped off my dress, and I discarded his tie, all I could think about was this moment, and how right it was.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up the next day and was confused when I didn't feel Clary next to me. Last night was absolutely amazing, and I couldn't believe that it happened, but I wasn't complaining. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes when I heard movement in the bathroom. A second later the door opened and revealed Clary in nothing but my white button up shirt from the night before.

"Holy fuck." I said and she laughed.

"I think that happened last night." She said in her cute accent with a smirk on her face. "But if you want to go for round two, I'm not opposed." She said in a seductive voice as she crawled across the bed and over to me. My mind was completely mush at this point. Never had a woman turned me on this much, but Clary made me want to lock the doors and never come out of this room.

"Oh yea?" I finally answered and she nodded. "And what did you have in mind?" I asked.

"I don't know about you, but I could really use a shower." She said and my body reacted before my mind. I scooped her up in my arms and led her towards the bathroom while she giggled.

I put her on the counter top as I turned the shower on. I made my way back over to her and captured her lips with mine. This woman was doing things to me. Things that I never thought a woman would be able to do, but I liked it, and I liked her, and there was no way that I was ever letting her leave.

After our shower we both got dressed and made our way down to the kitchen for some lunch. Nothing was going on today, so that's why I thought it was strange to find Alec in the dinning room waiting for me. I didn't check my phone, so if he told me he was coming over, I clearly didn't get the message, but I was pretty distracted, so I was really aware of my phone.

"What are you doing here Alec?" I asked as I took my seat.

"I told you this would happen." Alec said before turning on the TV.

"Jace Herondale has been this country's bachelor since his governor days. He never showed signs of settling down, but does this new mystery woman have the chance of becoming out first lady?" The new anchor said as a picture of Clary and I flashed on the screen. "The couple was reported to be a couple at the dinner Jace hosted last night, and the two were seen dancing the night away, and clinging extra close to each other all night." She said. "Could POTUS finally be giving us a FLOUTUS, and who exactly is Red Hot? When members of Jace's staff were questioned about who she was, nobody would give a comment, but why would Jace Herondale being hiding her away? What secrets is he keeping from us? And why are we just hearing about her now?" The woman said and Alec shut it off.

"Red Hot?" Clary questioned. "They couldn't think of anything better?" She said and I laughed.

"You better hope that things don't get out of control Jace." Alec said and I nodded.

"Everything will be fine." I said and he shook his head and stood up.

"I hope you're right." He said before walking out. I looked back over towards Clary and her face had paled and she looked worried.

"What's wrong Clary?" I asked and she looked at me.

"What are the chances that this reaches Norway?" She asked and I sighed.

"I have no idea Clary. Last I checked Norway didn't care about the political side of our country, I can't imagine this being in their news, but I also don't know what gets circulated around the world." I said and she nodded. "Nothing is going to happen to you Clary. I promise." I said and she nodded again. I didn't care what happened, she would be safe. That was a fact.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I were laying in bed like we did every Sunday morning. Ever since our first night together, things with Jace have been amazing. I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be than right here in his arms. He made me laugh, he made me smile, he treated me right, and he was so incredibly kind and sweet. It was everything I ever wanted to find in a man, but though I could never have.

"Okay, let's go over what you've learned so far." I said as I traced random patterns on his chest.

"Hallo, ha det, takk skal du ha, god morgen, og god natt _."(Hello, goodbye, thank you, good morning, and goodnight)_ Jace said and I couldn't help but smile.

"That was really good." I said and he laughed.

"I've been practicing." He said and I smiled.

"What would you like to learn today?" I asked as I continued to draw random patterns.

"How about, 'you are so beautiful'." He said and I couldn't help but blush.

"Du er så vakker." I said and he smiled.

"Du er så vakker." He repeated and I nodded. "It's true you know." He said and I looked up at him. "You are so incredibly beautiful." He said and my face turned bright red. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine, and just like every other time, I got lost in the kiss until a voice interrupted us over the loud speaker.

"Jace, I don't know where you are, but you have to come quick. We have a problem." The voice said and I recognized it as Alec. Jace groaned but got out of bed. He got dressed and I decided to get up as well. Once we were both dressed he took my hand in his and we started making our way to the main area of the house. I could hear voices and I knew they weren't happy, but I also knew they weren't speaking English. I knew who it was immediately, and I knew this was going to end badly. I stopped in my tracks which seemed to get Jace's attention.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Do you recognize that language?" I asked and Jace listened and he shook his head. "That's the same language that I'm teaching you." I said and I could see it click.

"They found you." He said and I nodded. "I promise you Clary, I'm not letting anything bad happen to you. I swear, you will be safe." He said and I nodded once more. Jace gripped my hand tighter before we both continued. Once we got in the room where the voices were coming from, I saw my father and Sebastian being restrained by four very muscular men. They didn't look happy, and I wasn't going to lie, I was terrified of them.

"Sir, you have to stop yelling in a language we don't understand." Alec said but that didn't stop my father from yelling even louder.

"Hvor er min datter?" _(Where is my daughter?)_ My dad yelled. "Jeg vet at hun er her." _(I know she's here.)_ He yelled again.

"Far, nok." _(Father, enough.)_ I shouted and it grabbed their attention.

"Kom Clarissa, vi kommer hjem." _(Come Clarissa, we're going home.)_ My father said and I shook my head.

"Jeg kommer ikke tilbake dit." _(I'm not going back there.)_ I said and my father's face seemed to get even angrier.

"Ikke vær latterlig Clarissa." _(Don't be ridiculous Clarissa.)_ My father said.

"Jeg er ferdig å være boksesekken." _(I'm done being your punching bag.)_ I said.

"Du dum tispe." _(You dumb bitch.)_ Sebastian said.

"Jeg forlot for en grunn, og jeg kommer ikke tilbake." _(I left for a reason, and I'm not going back.)_ I said and my father and Sebastian both looked at each other before looking back at me. They both attempted to lunge at me, but the men held them back. Although that didn't stop Jace from protectively pushing me behind him.

"Clary, I need you to tell them that they are going to be escorted back to their country, and placed on the no fly list for attempted to lunge at the president." Jace said and I nodded.

"Dere kommer til å bli sendt tilbake til Norge. Du vil ikke være i stand til å forlate under ordre fra USAs president for å ha truet ham." _(You both are going to be sent back to Norway. You won't be able to leave under the order of the President of the United States for threatening him.)_ I said from my place behind Jace. They weren't too pleased with me when I said that.

"Gentleman, please escort these two off my property." Jace said and the men pulled Sebastian and my father out of the room. I took a deep breath and Jace pulled me into him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I said and he pressed his lips to my head.

"They will never be able to hurt you ever again Clary." Jace said and I nodded.

"Would someone please let me in on what just happened?" Alec asked and I turned to face him.

"That was my father, and my ex-fiancé. The two I was hiding from." I explained and he nodded. "I'm sorry they came here."

"It's okay. Nobody was hurt." Jace said.

"Speak for yourself. The first guard who approached him got a broken nose." Alec said.

"He can recover." Jace said. "Why did you bring them in here in the first place?" Jace asked.

"They were being really violent, and we couldn't understand what they were saying. After they broke Bat's nose, we figured we'd detain them until they calmed down, but that didn't work, and the older man just kept shouting. That's when I called you." Alec said.

"Well, they'll be back in Norway soon." Jace said and I couldn't really speak so I just nodded. "Come on, lets get something to eat. I was quite enjoying our morning before it was interrupted." Jace said to me and I smiled and nodded.

"Don't forget we have a meeting with the leader of Japan at 4." Alec shouted at us as we were walking away.

"I'll be in my office at 3:45." Jace shouted back as we walked into the hallway. "I was thinking we could go out."

"Really?" I asked and Jace nodded. "Okay."

We grabbed our coats and made our way to the garage. The driver got in the front, and Jace and I got into the back. He pulled me as close to him as he could as we made our way to the restaurant. Wanting to be discrete as possible, we got a table in the back where we wouldn't be recognized, and thankfully nobody really noticed when we were seated. It was weird that has well known as Jace was, he could easily fit into any environment and easily go unnoticed. We took our seats and we ordered our drinks.

"So, I was thinking." I started and Jace looked up at me. "I want to become a citizen."

"Really?" Jace asked and I nodded.

"I never want to go back to Norway, but I can't stay here forever without documentation." I explained and he nodded. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

"Not at all. I think it's great." Jace said and I smiled.

"Cool. I've been learning all about the history from your library. I think I'm doing pretty well." I said and he laughed.

"How about we test that knowledge?" Jace asked and I nodded. "Okay, how many amendments does the constitution have?"

"27." I said and he nodded.

"Who is in charge of making laws?" Jace asked.

"Congress." I said.

"And what are the two parts of congress?" He asked.

"The Senate, and the House of Representatives." I said and he smiled and nodded.

"How many Senators are in Congress?" Jace asked.

"Ohh, I know this. One second." I said as I tried to remember the exact number. "Well, there are 50 states, so aren't there 100 senators? 2 for each state." I said and Jace laughed.

"Very good." He said and I mentally patted myself on the back. "How many are in the House of Representatives?" He asked.

"Okay, that one is a little trickier." I said and he laughed. "One second." I said and he nodded. I tried to remember how many were in Congress all together, but it was a large number, and the House wasn't as clean cut at the Senate. "Is it, 435."

"Wow. Not even many citizens know that." He said and I smiled

"I was right?" I asked and he nodded. "Sweet." I said and he laughed.

"If the President can no longer serve, who takes over?" Jace asked.

"The Vice President." I said and he nodded.

"Name two cabinet lever position." Jace said.

"Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Education." I said and he nodded. "Do you think I have a good chance?"

"Absolutely." He said and our food came out. "The worst that happens is you fail, and you take it again Clary." He said and I nodded.

"I just really don't want to go back." I said honestly. He reached his hand over the table and took my hand in his.

"You aren't going back. I promise." He said. I trusted him, so I nodded in confirmation, but it still scared me that I could have to go back without being a citizen.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Jace was becoming a citizen today, and I honestly couldn't be prouder of her. She would basically live in the library of the White House until her brain could barely function learning everything she needed to know about the United States, and I thought she was going overboard in the beginning because she knew so much, but I understood her need to pass and stay in this country, and it paid off. After she said the oath, she would really be a citizen of the United States, and than I could actually make her mine forever. That's right, tonight while we were celebrating, I was going to propose. Having Clary in my life for the past year has been absolutely amazing. After the little stunt her father and her ex haven't bothered us. I think they got the memo that she wasn't going back to them when I put them on the no fly list and they were banned from leaving their country for 5 years. Clary was going to be safe, and I was going to do everything in my power to make it happen. I was pulled out of my thoughts when the judge began to speak. "Now, would those who are becoming citizens, please stand." The judge said. I looked to my right and Clary smiled at me before standing up. "Raise your right hand, and recite the oath." He said.

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God." Everyone said and I just couldn't believe that Clary was no legal. Once they were finished I stood up and pulled Clary into a hug.

"I am so proud of you." I said and I felt her laugh.

"I can't believe I'm a citizen." She said and I laughed.

"Let's go meet up with everyone, and celebrate." I said and she nodded.

Alec, Magnus, Izzy and Simon were all waiting back at the White House for us. When we walked in she was greeted with applause and everyone immediately brought her in a warm embrace. I was standing back watching her talk with Izzy when Alec came and stood beside me.

"You sure about this?" Alec asked and I smiled.

"As sure as I was the day I picked you as my VP." I said and he laughed.

"Wow. That's pretty sure." He said and I laughed.

"There isn't anything else in the world that I want besides Clary being my wife. I mean, I want her to be my wife more than I want to run for reelection, and you know I want to continue being the President for the full 8 years." I said and he nodded.

"That's serious." Alec said and I nodded. "I'm happy for you." He said and I smiled.

"Thanks." I said. "Alright, lets go!" I said and the whole room looked towards me. Clary made her way over to me, and I pulled her into me. I gave her a quick kiss before we all headed out.

At first I wasn't sure where I wanted to take everyone. I didn't want anything to get out of control, but I also didn't want us to be secluded, so I booked the VIP section of a certain exclusive club off. That way I knew we'd have fun, but we would also be safe. And this was Clary's night, I wanted her to let loose, and enjoy her new citizenship.

Izzy immediately pulled Clary, and Magnus onto the dance floor and we all made our way up into the VIP lounge, and ordered a round a drinks. Alec, Simon and I were all sitting around talking, and drinking when Izzy, Clary and Magnus returned. She sat beside me and I handed her a drink. She gladly took and I couldn't even believe that I was about to propose, but I wanted this. I stood up and cleared my throat and everyone turned their attention towards me.

"As you all know, Clary is now a naturalized citizen of the United States of America." I said and everyone started clapping and cheering. "Tonight is a night to celebrate her, but not just for her new citizenship." I said as I turned towards her. "I've wanted to do this for awhile now, but today seemed like the perfect day." I said as I took the ring out of my pocket and got down on one knee. Her hands flew over her mouth and her eyes welled up with tears. "I love you Clary, and I don't want to ever have to live without you." I said. "Will you marry me?" I asked and she couldn't speak so she just nodded enthusiastically. I slipped the ring on her finger, and pulled her into a hug before slamming my lips to hers. I completely forgot that our friends were there, but that didn't matter. Clary and I just got engaged, and it was the happiest day of my life.

 **Time Jump – Presidency Announcement**

 **Clary POV:**

It was the day that we would find out if Jace succeeded in getting his second term, or if his run as the president was over. It was a pretty nerve wracking campaigning road, and I couldn't believe that this was his second time going through it, but he was good at what he does, and the public loved him, and I found out rather soon after our engagement was announced that they loved me too. Everyone was so accepting of our marriage, and although some people had a problem with me not being born in this country, they got over it.

This time around though, things were a lot different. About 4 months ago I welcomed our first little baby into the world. Ellen Marie Herondale. She was without a doubt the best thing that's ever happened to Jace and I. we loved her more than anything in this world, and I knew there wasn't anything that I wouldn't do for her. Jace was the same way too. That little girl had him whipped. She wanted a toy, Jace got it for her. She wanted to be held, Jace held her. She didn't want to go down for a nap, Jace didn't make her, of course she always ended up falling asleep on his chest, which was the most adorable thing in the world. I wouldn't trade my life for anything, and honestly, sometimes I woke up and still couldn't believe that I was married to Jace, and I was the First Lady, and that I had the best daughter in the world.

"And the last votes are in." The man on the TV said and I was brought out of my mind. We were all sitting in the living room waiting for the results. Jace had Ellen on his chest, she was sound asleep. Alec and Magnus were sitting on the other couch, while their son was asleep across Magnus's lap. Simon and Izzy were standing behind us. Her hands were on my shoulders, and we were all anxiously waiting to see the results. "And back again my popular demand. Jace Herondale will continue to be the President of this country!" He said and I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding. I looked over at Jace and he had the biggest smile on his face, not really celebrating, because he didn't want to wake Ellen. I leaned over and pressed my lips to his.

"I'm so proud of you." I said and he smiled.

"Thank you." He said and I smiled and nodded. "Not just for the support, but for giving me her." He said as he looked down at our daughter. "I feel like I don't thank you enough for that." He said and I laughed.

"You don't have to thank me for that." I said as I rubbed her back. "I'd do it again in a heart beat." I said and he smirked.

"Oh really?" He said and I laughed.

"Of course. I want at least 4 kids." I said and he laughed.

"Anything you want babe." He said and I kissed him again.

I don't know where I'd be without Jace. Probably dead, or back in Norway living a life I never wanted. I curled into his side as the rest of the room celebrated his victory. Ellen was fast asleep on his chest serenading us with her adorable baby snores, and there wasn't anywhere else in the world that I'd rather be than right here with my family.

"Jeg elsker deg Ellen." _(I love you Ellen)_ I whispered to my little girl. I kissed her head before looking up at Jace. "Jeg elsker deg Jace." _(I love you Jace.)_

"Jeg elsker deg også Clary." _(I love you too Clary.)_ Jace said and I rested my head on his shoulder. Life was amazing, and I could only imagine it getting better with Jace by my side.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Someone requested a one shot where Jace was the president and Clary was from another country and they fall in love! I hope that I lived up to your expectations! I had a lot of fun writing this one, and I hope you all enjoy it! Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot, and even that it's fully mine! The oath that she recites is the actual oath that is recited when becoming a citizen. I got it off a government website, so props to the government website that I grabbed it from! Also, I used google for the Norwegian language, so please don't rip me apart if it isn't correct! I just thought it was important to add to the story, and since I am not fluent, I needed a little help, and google is my friend! Let me know what you think, and leave a review! :)**


	68. Chapter 67 - Heart Transplant

**Sixty Seventh One Shot:**

 **Heart Transplant**

 **Jace POV:**

I've been on the waiting list for a heart transplant for about 4 years now. I've been in and out of hospitals since I was diagnosed, and it seemed like I was never going to get a match. It made sense, a lot of people never make it off the list, there just aren't enough matches in the world to accommodate everyone on the list. I was no exception. I could see it tearing my mother apart. She lost that spark in her eyes, and my father had become an emotionless robot. I knew it was hard for them, but I was the one dying, I was the one in pain, and I was the one constantly being poked and prodded with needles.

Sometimes I wish that my heart condition took me quickly. I was basically the walking dead. I could collapse at any moment, or I could die in my sleep. I didn't know when the end was coming, or if I was ever going to receive a heart, and sometimes I think the waiting was killing me faster than my heart was, but that was the natural of my illness. It was a waiting game, and I personally didn't know how much longer I could wait for something to potentially not come.

 **Clary POV:**

I hated being alive. I hated it more than anything. I tried to kill myself. Four times actually, in four different ways, but something or someone always got in the way. I didn't understand why they kept me alive. I did it for a reason, I wanted to end my life, but apparently life had a different idea for me, and I didn't like it.

Now, I may want to end my life, but that didn't meant I wanted others to die. I was planning on ending my life, for real this time, but I decided to go to the hospital and ask if I could willingly donate my organs for those who needed them. I certainly wasn't going to need them anymore, and I had so many tricks up my sleeve, that nobody could stop me this time, and I figured letting them know they would have my organs in a couple days, they could start the process of finding people who needed my organs.

"Excuse me, I have a couple questions about being an organ donor, and I'm not really sure who to talk to." I said when I got to the nurses station.

"That's a wonderful thing to do. What would you like to know?" The nurse happily asked.

"Well, if I have taken pills recently, would I still be allowed to give them away?" I asked.

"Depends on the type of pill. If its just regular cold medicine, or headache medicine, of course. But if it's illegal pills, or drugs, than I'm afraid that your organs wouldn't be in good condition to be donated." She explained.

"Okay, and if I were to die not naturally, would I still be allowed to donate?" I asked and that seemed to get her attention.

"Why are you asking me this dear?" She asked, and I couldn't be detained, or anything so it wasn't like they could haul me off.

"Because I plan on killing myself and I want to give my organs away." I admitted and her eyes widened.

"Oh sweetie. You don't need to do that. You have such a long life to live." She said and I shrugged.

"I don't want my life. I've been trying to die for years, but somehow I always survive. I'm ready. I just want to give those who want to live the chance too." I said.

"Why don't I call your parents, and we can talk about options." She said and I laughed.

"I have no parents." I said and her eyes started to fill with tears. "My dad killed my mom when I was 10, and than killed himself when I was 13. I've been on my own since."

"Why aren't you a child of the state?" She asked.

"Nobody wants me." I said.

"Sweetheart." She said but I cut her off.

"Look, I just wanted a few answers, and I got them. Don't be surprised if you see my corpse in here in a couple days." I said and she gasped. I started walking away when she started talking.

"Can I change your mind?" She asked and I turned around. "What if I showed you kids who want to live. Those who would do anything to be in a healthy body, just like yours, would that change your mind?"

"You can try. I don't think you'll get far, but I have a condition." I said as I made my way back to her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"You have to do whatever tests you do to see how many people I'm a match too. I want to see how many people I can save. And at the end, I'll see if you've changed my mind." I said and I saw her thinking it over.

"Deal." She said. "Come back in tomorrow, and I'll take your blood and I'll start the tour." She said. I nodded and left the hospital. It definitely wasn't what I came here for, but there was something calming about seeing the people that I could help. It almost made me want to do it even more.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Clary POV:**

I came back as promised and went right up to the nurse. She was waiting for me in the lobby. I followed her back, and waited for her to take my blood. It wasn't a long process, but I could tell this woman was really nervous for me, and she should be I supposed. She can't save me. Nobody can. When she was finally done, she wrapped my arm and grabbed the vials of blood.

"I'm going to put a rush on this, and when I get the results, I'll start showing you people who would want what you have." She said and I nodded. "Um, could you possibly wait in the observation room? That way I know where to find you." She asked and I nodded. "Great, it's at the end of the hall."

I stood up and walked out of the room. I made my way to the observation room, and it was more like a sunroom, filled with children, and the elderly. I walked over to the windows and took a seat that over looked a pond. It was a pretty view. I could understand why people would come here. Staring at these walls must get really boring.

"You're new." I heard from behind me. I turned around and was greeted with the most beautiful boy I've ever seen. "What are you in for?" He asked as he took a seat with me.

"Nothing. Just visiting a nurse, and she had to do some stuff and I was asked to wait here until she was done." I said.

"Hanging out in a hospital? Your life must suck." He said with a laugh.

"You could say that. You sick?" I asked, sounding a lot more insensitive that I intentionally intended but he laughed which made me feel better.

"Very." He said. "Heart failure. If I don't get matched with a heart soon, I'll be dead in about 2 or 3 years." He said. He was the reason why I wanted to do this. He wanted to live, I didn't. He deserves my healthy heart.

"That sucks. How long as it been failing?" I asked.

"Let's see, I was diagnosed when I was 14. And I'll be 18 in January, so it'll be almost 4 years soon." He said.

"You seem content with your fate." I pointed out and he shrugged.

"Did you know the 22 people a day die waiting for an organ?" He said and I shook my head. "And every 10 minutes someone is added to the list." He said. "I guess I'm content because I know that being on this list doesn't automatically guarantee you an organ."

"So what's the point?" I asked. "If you know your fate, why are you still on the list?"

"Hope." He says. "It gives my parents something to look forward to. Something to hang on to."

"I see. And if you don't get the heart?" I asked.

"I think that once I die, my parents will fall apart, my dad will become even more of a distant alcoholic than he already is, and my mother will probably lose herself in pills." He said and I was kinda shocked by his answer.

"They sound like they're taking it rather hard." I said.

"I'm their only child, and when they were told, it kinda broke them." He said. "You have all these hopes and dreams for your children, and when something goes wrong, and you can't help, it really breaks you." He said. I was about to say something when I heard a throat clear. I looked up and there stood the nurse.

"Well, I hope you get your heart." I said as I stood.

"And I hope you have a good rest of the day in the hospital." He said with a charming smile. "It was nice meeting you…?"

"Clary." I said and he smiled.

"I'm Jace." He said. "Maybe we'll see more of each other, if you plan on visiting often." He said and I laughed.

"Maybe." I said and I made my way over to the nurse.

"I see you met Jace." She said and I nodded. "Great young man he is. I've been his nurse since he was diagnosed." She said and I nodded. "I got your blood work back. I'm going to start with the eldest patient you're matched with. And this isn't legal, so blab, and I'll tell the hospital how mentally unstable you are, and we both will be very unhappy." She said and I laughed.

"My lips are sealed." I said and she nodded.

"First up is George Wallace." She said as we walked past his room. I peaked in. He looked completely out of it, and like he was already on his deathbed. "He has been on the waiting list for about 6 years now, and he needs a new kidney."

"How old is he?" I asked.

"67." She said. "Next stop." She said we continued walking. "Okay, next we have Ginger Reynolds." She said and peaked into her room. "She needs new eyes." She said and I involuntarily cringed. "She lost hers when a stranger attacked her with a fork. She's been on the list for a long time, since being blind isn't fatal, but she wants to see again. Your optic nerve would be used for that. How is your eyesight?"

"Pretty good." I said still a little creeped out.

"20/20? No glasses or contacts?" She asked and I shook my head. "Good. On to the next." She said as she guided me through the hospital. "Next on the list is Bradley Garret." I looked in the room and saw a relatively younger guy. "He needs a pancreas. He has been on the list for 4 years. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 30, and he's still hanging on." She said and I nodded.

"How many people can I help exactly?" I asked as we continued walking.

"You can help 5 people." She said and I nodded. "Next is Kimberly Climb." She said. I peaked into the room and she looked relatively young as well. "Kimberly is a 25 year old, she needs new kidney's. Both are in full failure." She explained and I nodded.

"Does she have any family?" I asked as we continued.

"Nope. Single woman, family all gone." She explained. "And last but not least, Jace Herondale. 17 year old in heart failure." She said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"I can save him?" I asked and she nodded. "Than of course I want to do it." I said and she let out a dry laugh.

"Do you honestly think these 5 people are going to be thrilled to know their organs came from a healthy girl, who just didn't want to live anymore and decided to take her own life?" She asked and I shrugged. "They are going to regret getting your organs after they find that out."

"You can't possibly tell them." I said.

"They always get the option to know what happened to the donor. And you can bet your ass I'll let them know about you." She said.

"Why? Why would you ruin that for them?" I asked.

"Because you are a young girl sweetie. You have a life to live. A healthy life. Something these people would kill for." She said.

"But they want to live. I don't. I can save them." I said.

"George Wallace, he's going to be gone in a week or two. Your organ won't save him. Ginger, she's blind, not dying. She can survive without vision." She said.

"But what about the other three? They need my organs." I said.

"Bradley is on the waiting list because he doesn't think when the doctors remove his pancreas he'll live. He wants a new one, a functioning one. Kim, she's an alcoholic. You give her your kidney's she'll destroy them just as fast as she did her own."

"And Jace?" I asked.

"I'll admit, you'd save him. But he wouldn't want that heart after learning the truth." She said. "Think about this. Think long and hard, because I want you to be sure that this is what you want." She said and than she left.

I was walking out of the hospital thinking about what the nurse said. I understood what she was saying. The majority of the people that would benefit from my organs weren't going to take care of them, and they would eventually be wasted, but I could help Jace, and for some reason that was the one thing that was sticking out to me. I mean we had one conversation, and I already wanted him to live more than I wanted to live.

"Clary!" I heard ad it pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned around to see Jace walking out of the hospital as well. "You leaving?" He asked and I nodded. "Cool, I'm starving, and was thinking about grabbing lunch before heading home. You wanna join?" He asked.

"You're leaving?" I asked a little surprised.

"Yea. I was only in here for testing. Just a one night stay this time." He said and I nodded. "I know the best diner in New York, you in?" He asked.

"Sure." I said and he nodded.

"My car is over here. You didn't drive here did you?" He asked and I shook my head. "Great." He said as he continued to walk. We got in his car and he started driving. "So, how was your day with Camille?" He asked.

"It was fine. I had to observe her for a project in school." I lied but he didn't need to know that.

"Oh really? What Class?" He asked.

"My health class." I said thinking it was the best answer.

"So are you in college, or high school?" He asked.

"High school." I said.

"Nice. What grade?" He asked, and man did he ask a lot of questions.

"I'm a senior." I said. Technically I was. I graduated early, but my age would mean I'm a senior so I wasn't a complete lie.

"Same. Although I'm home schooled. Kinda sucks, but I frequent the hospital so much that going to an actual school would be a hassle." He said and I just nodded. We pulled up to a diner, and it looked really charming, and welcoming. We got out and made our way inside. We didn't even wait for anyone to seat us, Jace just walked to a booth in the back and I followed.

"I was wondering when I'd see your face again." A woman said as she approached us. "I've missed your endless need for coconut pancakes." She said and Jace laughed.

"I've been a little under the weather lately, but I'm back, and introducing my friend to the best food in New York." He said and she looked at me and smiled.

"So, two orders of coconut pancakes?" She asked and Jace looked at me for confirmation and I just nodded and he smiled.

"Yes. And a pot of coffee." He said and she walked away. "I come here often." He said and I laughed.

"I can tell." I said.

"It's the best after getting out of the hospital. You can only eat that food for so long before you're craving something real." He said and I laughed.

"I believe it." I said.

When our food came out we started eating and Jace was right, these were the best pancakes I ever had, and being here with Jace was something that felt so natural, but I knew it shouldn't. Things like this don't happen to me. I didn't have anyone. I was a loner, I was depressed, I didn't want to live, but being here with Jace was changing that, but I also knew that if I lived, he wouldn't, and I don't think that I would survive that either. I know I've only known him for one day, but he already makes me feel so much more comfortable than anyone else ever has in my life, and that kinda scared me.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was in the hospital yet again getting tested. Although this time I didn't mind it as much because I asked Clary to come visit me and she agreed. Getting to know her these past two months has been absolutely amazing. She's kind, and funny, and sarcastic and beautiful. I don't know how it happened, but I was falling in love with her, fast. It seemed like a dream, but being with her felt right. We were always laughing, and she was never weirded out when I asked her to visit me in the hospital. She always made the stay more enjoyable, but I was so hesitant to tell her knowing that I might not make it. She doesn't deserve to lose someone, and I wasn't going to do that to her. If just being her friend was all I got, than I was happy for that, because being her friend was better than nothing.

"Knock knock." I heard and I turned my attention towards the door. Clary was standing there with a bag of food. "I stopped by and picked up dinner."

"You're an angel." I said and she laughed as she made her way into the room.

"I wouldn't go that far, but I thought it would be dick move if I picked up something for myself and left you hanging with green Jell-O and ice chips." She said and I laughed.

"How kind." I said and she put in on the tray and I scooted over to make room for her on the bed.

"Also, I think it's a crime that you've never seen Dirty Dancing, and it just so happens to be on tonight. So you are finally going to witness the masterpiece of this movie." She said and I smiled. She picked up the remote and started flipping through the channels.

"Whatever you want." I said and she smiled.

"You here for the night or longer?" She asked.

"Just the night." I said and she nodded.

"Found it!" She said and I turned my attention towards the TV. "Prepare to be amazed." She said and I laughed as I grabbed the burger she got for me.

We were half way through the movie when there was a knock on the door. When it opened there stood Camille. She had been my nurse since I was diagnosed but I didn't think she was on duty tonight.

"I thought Emma was my nurse tonight." I asked.

"She got the flu, so I offered to pick up her shift. I need a moment with Jace." She said as she looked at Clary. "Alone."

"Understood. I'll be in the hallway." She said and she got off the bed and exited the room. Something seemed weird between Camille and Clary, but I couldn't figure it out.

 **Clary POV:**

I stood out in the hallway and waited for Camille to be done with Jace. I didn't think she'd be here tonight, and I was normally very good at avoiding here when I came to visit Jace when he was here. The door eventually opened and I tried to run past her but she grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing Clary?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said.

"You still plan on doing it?" She asked and I nodded. "You are really stupid, you know that?" She asked.

"You don't get to talk to me like that." I said as I yanked my arm out of her grip.

"You're leading that boy on." She said.

"No I'm not. We're friends." I said and she shook her head.

"He wants to be more than friends. It's written all over his face." She said and I'm a little stunned.

"No he doesn't." I said.

"I've known him for 4 years. He looks at you like you're an angel. Trust me, that look isn't common." She said. "And if you go through with this, and he learns that he gets your heart, he is going to be devastated."

"We're friends." I said again because I had nothing else to say.

"It's been months, and you're still here." She pointed out. "So clearly something is stopping you." She said and I avoided eye contact. "It's him isn't it?" She asked but I didn't answer. "Than why the hell would you still think of going through with it?"

"Because I want him to live." I finally said. "He deserves to live. He is too good of a person to be in this situation."

"You deserve to live too sweetie." She said and a tear escaped my eye. One that I didn't even know was there.

"It doesn't matter. I made my mind up." I said and I pushed past her and walked back into the room. Jace was still in bed but he was watching the movie. When he heard movement, he looked over at me and smiled.

"I thought you got lost." He said and I smiled and shook my head. "And you're right, I can't believe I've never seen this movie." He said and I laughed and joined him on the bed again.

"I told you it was a masterpiece." I said and he laughed. We both focused back on the movie, but I couldn't stop thinking about what Camille said. We were getting close, and I didn't realize how horrible that would be in the future.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was back yet again in the hospital for a visit. I texted Clary and asked her to come and hang out but she didn't answer me, which I found odd, but she did have a job, and a life apart from me, so I figured that she was just busy and she'd get back to me when she could. I was flipping through the channels on the TV and when nothing popped out to me, I decided to take a walk. I was half way down the hallway when the doors flew opened and in rushed paramedics.

"18 year old girl. Jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge. Was dead when we arrived, but we managed to bring her back her on the scene, but that water was freezing." The man said but all I could focus on was the bright red hair on the gurney. The bright red hair of the girl I've been getting to know for months. The girl I was in love with. I was staring at her. I didn't know what else to do until I felt a hand on my arm.

"Go back to your room." Camille said when I looked at her.

"Clary." I said and she nodded.

"I know. Go back to your room." She said again but I didn't move. "Emma! Take Jace back to his room. Now." She said and Emma grabbed my arm and started guiding me but I could still hear Camille. "I don't care what we do, we are saving this girl. No matter what, we save her." And than I was in my room. Emma led me to my bed and I sat down completely void of emotions. Clary jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why.

 **Camille POV:**

"Someone start warming her up. Now." I yelled and people started moving. She had a pulse but it was incredibly faint. "You will not die on me Clary. You hear me? You aren't going to die." I said as I stuck the tube down her throat and I had another nurse started her breathing back up. This girl truly didn't know how much she meant to people, and I'll be damned if I let her die without her hearing just how incredibly kind, and encouraging she is.

"Camille, what do you need from us?" Emma asked as she walked back into the room.

"I just need to get her body temp up and than the rest is up to her. But she isn't dying." I said and Emma nodded.

"She was such a special girl." Emma said and I looked at her.

"Is." I corrected her. "She _is_ a special girl. And when she wakes up you can tell her that." I said and Emma nodded before leaving the room. "You hear that Clary? You're special, and you will not die today."

 **Time Jump – Four Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was still in a daze. Nobody had come to tell me anything, although they weren't inclined too. They would probably call her parents, or something before I got to know anything. I was pulled out of my daze when there was a knock at the door. When I looked over Camille stood on the doorway.

"Is she okay?" I asked and she walked in and closed the door. "Please Cam, is she okay?" I asked again, more desperately this time.

"It was touch and go there for awhile, but we warmed her up, and she has a steady pulse now." She said and I felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. She was alive, and now I could yell at her for almost leaving me.

"What else Camille?" I asked when I noticed she still looked worried.

"There is something that Clary needs to tell you, something that will shock you, and confuse you, and probably anger you, but you need to hear it." She said as she stood up. "And don't leave until she tell you the truth."

"What does that mean?" I asked before she left.

"You need to ask Clary that." She said. "You can visit her in the morning." She said before she left. I laid back on the bed wondering what Clary could possibly need to tell me. And it bothered me that I couldn't find out until tomorrow.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Clary POV:**

Pain. That was the first thing I felt, and I knew that I was alive. I heard the beeping and I slowly opened my eyes. I can't believe I was saved again. When my eyes were fully opened, I looked around and my eyes landed on a pair of golden ones that were staring at me intensely. I pushed the button on the bed that moved the bed into a sitting position. This was something I never wanted to do. I never wanted to confront Jace again, and now I had nothing to hide behind. He was going to want to know the reason, and I was going to tell him.

"Why the hell would you jump off the Brooklyn Bridge?" Jace finally said and I took a deep breath.

"I figured the cold water would kill me faster." I admitted.

"Are you insane?" He nearly yelled. "You almost died Clary."

"I know. That was the point." I said.

"You wanted to die?" He asked quietly.

"Most people do when they chose to jump off a bridge into cold water." I said like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"I'm so pissed at you Clary." He said and I nodded.

"I knew you would be." I said.

"And you still went through with it?" He asked and I nodded. "Why?"

"I want to save you." I said.

"What? How is jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge saving me?" He asked.

"The first time we met, I was here seeking advice about donating my organs." I explained. "Camille was the nurse I talked to, and I told her that I was going to kill myself in order to save other people." I said and I heard Jace gasp. "I tried to kill myself four times before this time, and I was unsuccessful all four times obviously. She convinced me to get my blood tested, and stuff to see how many people I could end up saving." I said. "She walked me through the hospital and showed me the patients that would be getting my organs." I said. "The last patient was you."

"What?" He asked in a disbelieving tone.

"I can save you Jace. You can have my heart. I don't want it anymore." I said as the tears began to flow.

"I don't want it." He said.

"Yes you do. You want to live. More than I do." I said.

"I don't want it if it means you have to die." He said.

"Jace, you want to experience life. Your parents need you. Nobody needs me." I confessed.

"Your parents need you." He said.

"Don't have any." I said.

"Your friends?" He asked.

"None." I said.

"I need you." He said and I finally looked up at him.

"No you don't. You need my heart." I said.

"I do, but in a different way." He said and I looked at him with a confused expression. "I love you Clary. I'm in love with you."

"No you aren't." I said completely shocked by his confession.

"Yes I am. You are the first person who I've ever felt so incredibly complete around. You make me happy, and you make me laugh, and you make you feel so much." He admitted. "I would be so devastated without you." He said.

"I was trying to save you." I said.

"I am so incredibly thankful you're alive Clary, and I hope you don't take this personally, but I can't be around you right now. I'm so mad at you." He said and I nodded.

"I understand." I said. He stood up and I looked up at him. "Thanks for caring."

"People care about you Clary, and I wouldn't be the only one devastated by your death." He said and than he walked out. I knew he was pissed. I knew that was going to happen, and I couldn't blame him. I took a deep breath and laid back against the pillows. I knew I fucked up, but I wanted to save him, and now I can't, and that completely sucks too.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It had been a week since I spoke to Clary, but I just couldn't look at her at that moment. She tried to take her own life to donate her heart to me, and I know I want to live, but I wouldn't have be able to handle having her heart and knowing she wasn't around anymore.

I was on my way to the hospital to finally see her, and tell her something pretty amazing. I got a call last night telling me that I had a new heart. The patient had been on life support for about a week, and the family finally decided it was time to let him go, and I was a perfect match. I told Camille that I wanted to tell Clary when I was ready, so today was that day.

I walked into the hospital and over to Clary's room and when I got there it was empty. I was confused so I made my way to the nurse station where Camille was siting. I walked over and leaned against the counter and smiled at her and she smiled back.

"What brings you here Mr. New Heart Transplant?" She said and I laughed.

"I came to see Clary but her room is empty. Did she move?" I asked.

"She was released yesterday." Camille explained. "I would have called, but she didn't want me to tell you." She said and I nodded. "You two are very similar."

"I guess we are." I said.

"She missed you." Camille said after a minute and I looked at her. "She always asked how you were doing, and it killed me not to tell her the exciting news."

"I know. But I just couldn't be around her, but I wanted to be the one to tell her." I said and she nodded. She grabbed a sticky note and started writing something before handing it to me.

"This is her address." Camille said with a wink.

"You always were my favorite nurse." I said and she smiled.

"Thanks doll." She said and I turned and walked away.

I made my way to Clary's house and when I pulled up I was slightly confused. It looked like a nice house, but I had no idea how a girl her age could afford it, but I realized that I didn't know much about her personally. We never really discussed it, and now I knew why. I walked up and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. I waited a couple seconds before it opened and there appeared Clary.

"Jace." She said. "How did you find me?" She asked.

"Our favorite nurse." I said and she nodded.

"You know, it's amazing that she still has a job." Clary said and I laughed.

"Yes, but she is very useful, and good at her job." I said and she nodded.

"That she is." Clary said and we stood there in silence for a moment. "Would you like to come in?" She asked and I nodded. She stepped aside and I walked into her house. After she closed the door she walked in front of me and I followed. We made it to her living room and she took a seat on the couch and I took a seat in a chair. "What are you doing here?"

"I went looking for you at the hospital, but you weren't there." I said and she nodded. "I wanted to tell you something."

"What? That you hate me and never want to see me again?" She said.

"No. Quite the opposite actually." I said and she looked confused.

"Huh?" She asked.

"I got a call last night." I started. "They found me a heart." I said and he jaw dropped.

"Oh my god. Why didn't Camille tell me?" She said and I laughed.

"I asked her not too. I wanted to be the one to tell you." I said.

"That's amazing Jace." She said and I nodded.

"Which means, I no longer need yours physically." I said and she looked down at her hands.

"I was just trying to save you." She said.

"I know that Clary, but you mean everything to me." I said. I made my way over to her and kneeled in front of her and grabbed her hands. "I was devastated when I saw you wheeled into the hospital basically dead." I said. "I meant it Clary. I'm in love with you."

"Why?" She asked in a small voice.

"Because you're amazing. You make me laugh, you complete me, and you make me happier than anyone ever has." I admitted. "Seeing you like that nearly killed me."

"I didn't mean to get so close." She said. "I wasn't supposed to mean anything to anyone. That's how it always was, and how I expected the rest of my life was going to be." She said as she looked up at me. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I wasn't expecting you either, but here we are." I said and she nodded.

"Here we are." She repeated.

"I'm scheduled for open heart surgery in two days." I said. "Will you be there before I'm taken into surgery, and when I come out?" I asked.

"You really want me there?" She asked and I laughed.

"I always want you." I said and she smiled.

"I'd love to." She said and I smiled.

We spent a couple hours talking about everything that we never knew about each other. Her life wasn't very pretty, and I understood why she didn't want to live anymore, I mean, her life was one tragedy after another, but I was glad she was still alive, and that I got this chance with her. My mom called and told me that I had to go home, so I had to leave but we were going to see each other in two days at the hospital, where I got my new heart, and I finally got to live.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was siting in Jace's hospital room just waiting for him to be taken down for surgery. I was surprised when they said it would only take 4 hours, but I knew nothing about surgery, so if that was normal, than I was glad it was short. I was on the bed with Jace while his parents were both sitting in chairs. According to Jace, when they got the news about the new heart, his dad and mom both just snapped out of whatever daze they were in. Jace said it was weird, but he was glad to have them back. When Camille finally came in I got off the bed and smiled at Jace. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his.

"I love you too." I whispered against his lips and I felt him smiled. When I pulled away he had the biggest smile on his face, and before he could really say anything they wheeled him away.

Sitting in his room with just his parents was a little strange, but his mother was very sweet, and his father was quiet, but didn't seem rude or antisocial. After about an hour I turned the TV on and was searching for something when I stopped on HGTV.

"Oh I love this show." His mother said as Property Brothers played.

"Me too. They're great." I said and she smiled.

"If I had that kind of money, I would love them to redesign my house." She said and I laughed.

Before I knew it, the door to Jace's room was opened and Jace was being wheeled back in. He was still asleep, but he looked peaceful despite the huge scar he had down his chest.

"The surgery was a success." Camille said. "He'll be out for a couple more hours, but he'll be ready to go home in the next couple days."

"Thank you so much." Celine said and Camille nodded before walking out. She leaned over Jace and pressed a kiss to his cheek. This must have been a miracle for them, and I was so glad that they got to keep their son.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was super groggy, but I started to wake up, and I remembered that I got a new heart. I looked around my room and my parents were asleep on the pull out couch in this room, and Clary was awake reading a book.

"Why aren't you asleep?" I asked and he head shot up.

"I couldn't sleep without seeing you first." She said as she closed her book. "How do you feel?"

"I'm a little sore, but I did just get a new heart, so I expected that." I said and she laughed. "What time is it?"

"Almost 4 in the morning." She said.

"Jesus Clary, you should be asleep." I said and she laughed.

"I took a nap like 2 hours ago. Your mom insisted." She said and I laughed.

"Sounds like her." I said.

"She's great. We watched HGTV for like 5 hours today." She said and I smiled.

"She loves that channel." I said and Clary nodded. "Lay with me?" I asked and she smiled.

"I don't want to hurt you." She said and I laughed as I scooted over.

"It's hurting me being this far away from you." I said and she laughed. She got on the bed and I pulled her closer to me. "Thank you for being here with me."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." She said and I kissed her head.

"Not just here in my bed, but here on this earth." I said and she sighed.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." She said again and I smiled. We laid there in silence but we didn't need to talk. Everything was perfect, and I couldn't believe that I got to live the rest of my life with Clary by my side.

 **Time Jump – Two Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Well, a lot has happened in the past two years. Jace was stronger than ever with his new heart, but he kinda had to be considering we now had a one year old daughter. When I first told him I was pregnant, I thought I gave him a heart attack. I understood his shocked reaction, hell I was shocked when I took those 5 pregnancy tests, and they were all positive. We weren't expecting it, not by a long shot, but after we got our first sonogram, I knew I already loved her more than anything in this world. Telling his parents was hard, but when Celine saw the sonogram, she got super into decorating the nursery in the apartment that Jace and I were planning on getting. As young as we were, we knew that it was right. Living together, and raising our baby, there wasn't anything more natural to us.

How could I possibly describe our daughter? Well, she had Jace's beautiful blonde hair, but she had my green eyes. I might be biased, but she was the most beautiful little girl you've ever seen, and Camille agrees with me, so it must be true. Since heart failure was a health concern for her we were going to have her checked every year. Call us paranoid, but Jace and I weren't taking any chances. She was completely healthy when she was born, but today was her next check up and I was nervous, but she was my pride and joy, I couldn't help but be nervous.

"Holly, come on baby." I said as she came waddling into my legs. I picked her up and started making my way to the car. I just locked the door when Jace appeared behind me.

"Dada!" She shouted and I laughed. I won't lie, I was a little hurt when her first words were dada, but she was a daddy's girl, so I guess I always knew it would happen.

"Where are you two off too?" Jace asked as he picked Holly up out of my arms and kissed her.

"Her annual check up to make sure everything works." I said and he nodded.

"Can I tag along?" He asked.

"You worked all night babe, don't you want to sleep?" I asked and he laughed as we made our way to the car.

"I can sleep when we get home. I missed you two, plus I get to see my favorite nurse." He said and I laughed.

We got to the hospital, and Jace had to hold Holly because she had so much energy I wouldn't be surprised if she ran into a door trying to get into the hospital. We made our way into the hospital and over to the nurses station where Camille was sitting going over some charts. Jace cleared his throat and she looked up and got the biggest smile on her face.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite family." Camille said and I couldn't help but smile. "What do I owe this pleasure?"

"Just Holly's annual check up to make sure she's healthy." I said and she nodded.

"She gets eve more beautiful every time I see her." Camille said.

"I say the same exact thing." Jace said and I laughed.

"She is a cutie." I said and Camille nodded.

"Come on, I'll set you two up in a room." She said and I shook my head.

"How do you still have a job? You break literally every rule." I said as we followed her into the exam room.

"I'm great at what I do." She said with a smile.

"That you are." I said.

"The doctor will be in soon." She said and she left. Holly was being entertained by a game of peek-a-boo Jace was playing with her, and just seeing him with her was absolutely amazing. A moment later the doctor walked in and smiled.

"Welcome back. How is our little Holly doing?" The doctor said.

"She's the happiest baby I've ever met, that's for sure." I said and he smiled. Jace sat Holly down and the doctor proceeded to check her out. Right now, all he could really do was listen to the heart and make sure that it was beating properly, and that nothing sounded off. After a few moments he backed away with a smiled on his face.

"She sounds perfectly healthy." He said and I let out the breath I was holding. "I'll see you next year." He said and I smiled and nodded. Jace picked up Holly and we made our way out of the room and passed Camille in the hallway.

"Don't be a stranger, bring her around more often!" Camille shouted and Jace and I laughed.

"I have my appointment in two weeks, I'll bring her along!" Jace said and Camille gave us a thumbs up before disappearing around the corner. We made our way home, and when we got inside, we made our way into the living room. Jace didn't work nightshift often, but when he did, he was always so incredibly tired afterwards.

I sat on the couch and I put Holly on the ground to go play with her toys but as soon as her feet touched the ground she lifted her arms up for me to pick her up again. I laughed, but obeyed because I can never say no to her unless it was necessary. I picked her up and she snuggled into my chest. I looked down and her eyes were drooping, which I should have expected since she woke up at 4 this morning and wouldn't go back to bed. I leaned into Jace and he pressed his lips to my head.

"I love you." He said in his super sexy sleepy voice.

"I love you too." I said and I could tell he was smiling.

"Thank you." He said and I looked up at him, his eyes were drooping but he wasn't quite asleep yet.

"For?" I asked.

"Staying, and giving me one of the greatest gifts life has to offer." He said as his free hand rubbed Holly's back.

"Thank you for caring enough." I said and he smiled.

"You are worth it Clare." He said as he yawned. "You always have been." He said and than he was asleep. I looked around the living room and I looked at all the family pictures that were displayed on the walls. I looked at all the toys that Holly had, and than I looked down at my baby girl, and over at my amazing boyfriend, and I realized that being alive wasn't so bad when you had the right people in your life. I certainly didn't before I met Jace, but seeing how amazing life was with Jace, and with Holly, and with Celine and Stephan, I was incredibly thankful that Camille convinced me to think about it, and that I got another chance at life. Not many people get as lucky as Jace and I, and I didn't take that for granted even for one second. Life was good, and even though it didn't start out that way, I was thankful that I got through all the hard parts, so I could enjoy all the amazing parts with my amazing little family.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so this one was requested awhile ago by LuckyWitch13, and I have to say, inspiration struck me when I reread your request, and I wrote this in about 4 hours. I hope that it was worth the wait, and everything you hoped it would be when you originally requested it! I'm also sorry that it took me so long to get to it, but I've been having trouble writing one shot unless I feel really inspired, and have a kickass idea as soon as I read the suggestion, so I'm going through the comments and hoping the they just come to my mind easily, just like this one did!**

 **Also, I know nothing about heart failure, or open heart surgery except the basics that I googled, so don't rip me apart about that, and also, I know that someone would have probably detained Clary for admitted that she was going to kill herself, but since this is a work of fiction, that didn't happen! If you have anything negative to say about how this isn't very realistic, please keep it to yourself! This is FICTION! Nothing has to make sense at all! Anyway, rant over! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Also! I have a question for you lovely and devoted readers! I was wondering if you think that I should stop once I reach 100 One Shots but I didn't know how you all felt about that! Let me know what you think! I'm eager to read your opinions and to see how far you want me to take this! :)**


	69. Chapter 68 - Zoo

**Sixty Eighth One Shot:**

 **Zoo**

 **Clary POV:**

Chandler has been begging me to take him to the zoo since April, and since it's a pretty nice day out, and I finally had time off of work, I figured it was the perfect opportunity. Chandler was my 3 year old son, and just the splitting image of me. He had right red hair, and my green eyes. I couldn't even begin to explain how happy I was when he didn't look anything like his father. I was a fool when we got together, and didn't realize how toxic he was until Chandler was born. Turns out he didn't really care much for our son, and I packed my things, and left him. He hasn't called, or tried to make any contact with Chandler, and I was happy about that, but I knew it was only going to get harder as he got older, and he started to ask questions.

Chandler was pretty pumped when I told him where we were going, and I had to hold him back while walking towards the entrance because he was just too excited for his own good. He was all about the alligators. No matter what, that's what he wanted to see the most. I got our tickets and we made our way into the zoo, and I immediately started guiding us towards the alligator exhibit, and just seeing the joy in his smile brought so much happiness to me. It may only be us, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Chandler was my world, and he always would be.

"Mommy, look at the alligators!" Chandler said as he pointed to them.

"I see them baby." I said. "They look really scary." I said.

"They just look like giant lizards." Chandler said. "Just like Lizzy!" He said referring to his pet lizard. I was against getting him one at first, but he never really asked me for anything before, and he really wanted it, so I got him one for his birthday and he was so incredibly happy.

"They're a little bigger than Lizzy." I said and he laughed.

"Of course they are mommy." He said and I laughed. After looking at the alligators for about 25 minutes I heard his stomach growl.

"You hungry little man?" I asked and he nodded. "Lets go get some lunch." I said and he nodded. I stuck my hand out and he grabbed it and I started walking towards where the food was. We found an empty table and I told Chandler to sit there, and I would grab us something to eat. I wasn't going far, and he would always be in my sight, so I didn't mind leaving him at the table alone. I grabbed us both something to eat and when I started making my way back to the table, I saw the cutest little girl standing next to Chandler talking to him.

"Hi sweetie." I said when I got over to them. "Where are your parents?"

"I lost my daddy, and I didn't know where to go." She said in the saddest voice I've ever heard.

"Where did you last see him?" I asked as I kneeled in front of her and wiped her tears away.

"By the giraffes." She sniffled and I nodded.

"Why don't you take a seat next to Chandler." I said and she nodded. "Are you hungry?" I asked and she nodded again. I handed Chandler his food, and gave the little girl mine. "What's your name sweetheart?"

"Natasha." She said.

"That's a really pretty name." I said and she smiled. "What's your last name?"

"Herondale." She said and I nodded.

"How old are you?" I asked trying to keep her mind off the fact that she lost her father.

"I'm 3, but I'll be four soon." She said.

"Chandler here is 3 as well, but his birthday isn't until later in the year." I said and she nodded. "Do you remember what your daddy was wearing today Natasha?" I asked.

"He wears black a lot." She said and I nodded.

"Okay. Why don't you two stay here for a moment, and I'll be right back?" I said and they nodded and I walked over to one of the eating establishments. I could still see them both, and Chandler was comforting her, and it was really sweet. "Excuse me, but you don't happen to have like a megaphone that I could use do you?"

"What for?" The man asked.

"This little girl lost her father, and I just want to get his attention and tell him where to meet her at." I said and he seemed to soften up when it came to a child.

"Okay." He said and he handed me the speaker. I clicked the button on the side and the music that was playing immediately stop.

"Mr. Herondale." I said into the speaker. "Please make your way over to the food court. Thank you." I said and I released the button and the music started playing again. I handed it back to the man and smiled. "Thank you."

He nodded and I made my way back over to the kids. They were still eating, and Natasha seemed to calm down a bit, and was actually laughing at something Chandler said. I didn't know how long it would take her father to come, but I was going to sit here until he did.

"Daddy!" I heard Natasha yell and she jumped out of her seat and ran towards a man who looked like he was out of breath.

"You scared me half to death Natasha. Where did you go?" The man asked as he clung to his little girl.

"I wanted to see the tigers, so I walked away." She admitted. "I thought you were following me but when I looked around you were gone."

"Next time sweetheart, just tell me you want to look at something else." He said and she nodded. He finally looked up and saw me and smiled. "Thank you for looking out for her."

"She found us." I said with a smile. "I hope you don't mind, but I fed her."

"Not at all." He said with a gorgeous smile. "I'm Jace by the way."

"Clary, and this is my son Chandler." I said and Chandler waved.

"Nice to meet you both." Jace said.

"Daddy, can I go look at the alligators with Chandler?" Natasha asked.

"That's up to Chandler and his parents sweetheart." Jace said.

"It's just me." I said with a smile. "And we've been looking at the alligators all day Chandler. Don't you want to see something else?" I asked with a laugh.

"I want to show Natasha them, after we can look at something else." Chandler said and I smiled.

"The more the merrier." I said and Natasha and Chandler both cheered. Chandler hoped off his seat, grabbed Natasha's hand and ran away. "Do you mind?" I asked as I gestured to the kids. "I should clean up after them." I said and he smiled and shook his head before running behind the kids. I cleaned all the mess up and made my way over to the alligators. When I got there I heard Chandler talking all about Lizzy.

"You have a lizard?" Natasha asked.

"Yea. She's great. Mommy didn't want me to have her at first, but when she gave me her for my birthday I was so happy." Chandler said.

"That's so cool." Natasha said. "We have a pet pig!"

"Really?" Chandler said like it was the coolest thing in the world.

"Yea, her name is Pepper." Natasha said. "She's great."

"Your mom and dad let you get a pig?" Chandler asked.

"I don't have a mom. It's just me and my daddy." Natasha said and I felt kinda sorry for the little girl.

"That's okay, I don't have a daddy." Chandler said like it was super common. They went back to discussing the alligators and I looked over at Jace.

"A pig?" I asked and he laughed.

"I tried to get her to change her mind. Maybe get a cat, or a dog, but she was so set on having a tea cup pig, and it's so hard to deny her sometimes." Jace said and I laughed.

"That's how I felt about the lizard. He was begging at one point, and I figured, he never really asks for much, so why should the one thing he wants, I deny?" I said and Jace nodded.

"I totally get it." Jace said.

"Mommy, can we go look at the tigers?" Chandler asked. I looked between the two and Natasha was smiling eagerly.

"Of course." I said and they cheered. "But stay in our line of sight, and hold hands." I said and Chandler grabbed ahold of Natasha's hand and they started walking towards the tigers, after we pointed them in the right direction. Jace and I followed behind and watched our kids talk and walk through the zoo like they'd been doing it forever.

When we got to the tiger enclosure, Chandler and Natasha were standing at the glass looking up at the animal completely amazed by it. I couldn't help myself, I took my phone out and pointed it at the kids. They were still holding hands, while their free hand was on the glass. It as the cutest thing in the world, and I couldn't pass the opportunity to document it up.

"Can you send that to me?" Jace asked and I smiled.

"Of course." I said. He gave me his number and I sent the picture. After a minute I couldn't help but realize what happened. "That was very smooth." I said and he laughed.

"I really did want the picture, and it cut out a step." He said.

"How so?" I asked.

"You know those two aren't going to just separate after today." He said and I laughed. "My little girl is the friendliest kid in the world, and she's going to ask before we leave here if she can have a play date with Chandler." He said and I laughed.

"I guess you're right." I said and he smiled.

"Mommy! Come look at this!" I heard Chandler call and I walked over to him. "Look how cool this is."

"It's very cool baby." I said and Jace came up and stood next to me. He picked Natasha up and put her on his shoulders.

"Whoa, its even cooler up here." Natasha said.

"Why can't you be that tall mommy?" Chandler asked.

"I wasn't blessed with height baby." I said and he pouted. A second later Natasha was back on the ground and Jace was picking up Chandler and putting him on his shoulders.

"Wow, you were right. It's way cooler up here." Chandler said. Natasha looked up and smiled. She lifted her arms up and I picked her up and situated her on my hip. It was weird how natural this felt. I had only met these two today, and we were enjoying our day at the zoo like we were a family.

"Do you know the tigers name daddy?" Natasha asked.

"Her name is Savannah." Jace said as he read the little description. "She's 8 years old."

"Wow, she's older than me." Chandler said and I laughed.

"Can I just say…" We heard from a voice behind us, and we all turned around. "You two have the most beautiful children I've ever seen." She said and I couldn't help but blush, and before I could say something Chandler cut me off.

"Thanks!" He said and Natasha laughed as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry if that was strange, but I've just been watching you interact, and I just had to tell you." She said kindly and I smiled.

"It's completely okay." I said and she smiled.

"I bet you hear that a lot." She said with a laugh.

"Believe it or not, you're the first one to tell us that." Jace said with amusement in his voice.

"Well, I hope you have a lovely rest of your day." She said. We nodded and waved and she walked away. Jace and I turned towards each other and laughed slightly.

"Can we go look at the snakes?" Chandler asked, and sometimes it creeped me out how much he loved reptiles.

"Ew. Snakes are gross." Natasha said.

"Please mommy." Chandler said and as much as I didn't want to look at snakes this was his day.

"How about we go look at the snakes, and your mom and Natasha can go look at something else?" Jace suggested and Chandler looked thrilled by the plan. "Is that okay?" I didn't know if it would be weird to trust a man who I just met with my kid, but for some reason, I had no problem with it, and he trusted me with his kid as well, so why not.

"Of course." I said and he smiled. "Where would you like to go Natasha?"

"Can we go look at the penguins?" She asked.

"Of course." I said and I looked at Jace. "Where should we meet up?" I asked.

"Red pandas?" Jace suggested. I smiled and nodded. He turned and started walking away with Chandler still on his shoulders. I still had Natasha in my arms, but I put her down and grabbed her hand as we made our way to the penguins.

Natasha seemed like a quiet girl. She was sweet, and very polite, and friendly, but I got the feeling that she wasn't much of a talker unless she genuinely had something to say. Our walk to the penguins was quiet, but I didn't mind it at all. She was looking around at all the people, mostly families I gathered, and it made me curious about what happened to her mom, but I wasn't going to ask a 3 year old that, and I just met Jace so I wasn't going to pry into his life, but I was curious. When we finally got to the penguins, her face lit up and she started walking fasted towards them. I laughed and started walking quicker because I knew when a three year old was excited they rarely calmed down.

"Look at them Clary." She said and I smiled. "I wish I could have a pet penguin." She said and I laughed.

"Do you like penguins?" I asked.

"Yes! One of my favorite movies is Penguins of Madgasar." She said and I smiled.

"Penguins of Madagascar is one of my favorites too." I said and she smiled at me.

"Maybe we could watch it together." She said with so much joy in her eyes.

"We'll talk to your dad, and set something up." I said and she nodded enthusiastically and looked back at the penguins.

We were in there for about 45 minutes when we decided to head over to the Red pandas. Again, the walk was quiet, but I didn't mind one bit. She kind of reminded me of myself as a child. Not particularly shy, just not very talkative, and it was a drastic change from Chandler, who could talk your ear off about anything he wanted too. When we got to the Red pandas, Jace and Chandler were already there looking at them. We made our way over and Natasha stood next to Chandler and they started sharing stores.

"Sorry we were gone for so long." I said and he smiled.

"I knew you would be. She loves penguins." Jace said and I laughed.

"I learned, and we may have also decided on having a movie date and watching Penguins of Madagascar together." I said and he laughed.

"She watches it daily." Jace said and I laughed.

"How were the snakes?" I asked.

"Pretty cool. I wouldn't have made it over there with Natasha, so it was nice to be able to go." He said.

"Yea, I appreciate you taking Chandler cause there was no way I was getting out of that, and I hate snakes." I said and he laughed.

"We had fun, but man can that kid talk." He said and I laughed.

"I know. He's a chatter box for sure." I said.

"I'm used to silent walks, and drives, so getting the opposite end of that was pretty intense." He said and I laughed.

"I noticed she's pretty quiet." I said and he nodded.

"Yea. One quality she got from her mother. She wasn't particularly shy, she just never really said anything unless she felt the need, and Natasha is the same way." Jace said.

"I don't mean to pry, considering we just met today, but what happened to her mom?" I asked and Jace sighed.

"Natasha wasn't planned." Jace started to explain. "Neither of us were looking to settle down, but when she found out she was pregnant, everything changed. I hate to admit it but the way we met was terrible." Jace said. "We were both drug addicts, and ended up attending an AA meeting. Seems weird that drug addicts would attend and Alcoholics Anonymous meeting but my parents insisted, and so I went." He said. "We turned out to be each others biggest down fall." He admitted "She cleaned herself up while pregnant, and so did I, and I haven't touched drugs since Natasha was born, but she couldn't stay away." Jace said. "She OD'd when Natasha was 9 months old."

"That's terrible." I said and he nodded.

"It's not something I'm prepared to tell her about, but I know she'll be curious when she's older, and I'm not thrilled with her finding out my past." Jace said.

"I'm in the same boat you are." I admitted. He looked at me and I smiled. "Chandler's father and I met like 8 years ago, and it was a toxic relationship from the beginning but I didn't realize how bad it was until I got pregnant with Chandler." I said.

"How toxic?" Jace asked curiously.

"He had a violent temper." I admitted. "And he was a big drinker."

"Why were you together?" Jace asked.

"I had graduated from nursing school. got a job in the local hospital and he came in when one of his buddies busted his skull opened." I admitted. "He was sweet, and charming. He knew exactly what to say to get me to agree to go out with him." I said. "Things were good in the beginning. IT was a normal relationship, but when he was drunk, he wasn't the most patient guy in the world, and I knew how to handle him, but sometimes he was just unbearable." I said.

"Was he abusive?" Jace asked.

"Yea." I honestly said. "Mostly verbal, but he got physical occasionally too."

"Why didn't you leave him sooner?" Jace asked.

"I didn't have anyone." I said. "When I decided I wanted to be a nurse, I found a school in Tennessee and moved away. I had nobody with me." I said. "When I found out I was pregnant with Chandler, I knew I didn't want to raise him in that environment, and his father wasn't even interested. I told him I was pregnant, and his response was a grunt." I said with a humorless laugh. "I was done with him out of that, but I stayed until I gave birth cause I thought that maybe he would change, but I was wrong." I said. "He was there when Chandler was born, but once the nurse cut the cord he actually said 'glad that's over' and walked out of the room."

"What a dick." Jace said and I laughed.

"Yea. I didn't even put him on the birth certificate." I admitted. "I was released a couple days later, packed my things and moved back here. I haven't heard from him since."

"I can't even imagine someone having a child and not caring." Jace said. "I mean, Natasha is everything to me."

"I know, but he doesn't deserve Chandler." I said and Jace nodded.

"Daddy." We heard and Natasha walked over to us. "I have to use the bathroom."

"Okay sweetheart." Jace said.

"You know, I was just about to go myself, would you like to come with me?" I asked and Natasha smiled and nodded. "You don't mind do you?" I asked Jace realizing that she isn't my kid, I need to ask permission.

"Not at all. I'm gonna check out the red pandas with Chandler." Jace said and he started walking over to Chandler. Natasha reached her hand out and I gladly took it and started making my way over to the bathrooms. Once we were done we were walking back when I heard Natasha whine.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"My feet hurt." She said and I looked down and noticed that she was wearing sandals.

"Come here." I said as I picked her up and continued walking. When we got over to where Chandler and Jace were I put Natasha down and reached into my bag. "Chandler is such a mess that I basically carry around an extra outfit everywhere I go. I have a pair of his sneakers, would you like to try them out?" I asked and she nodded. I took her sandals off and replaced them with socks and sneakers.

"Thanks Clary." She said and I smiled. She ran over to Chandler and showed him that she was wearing his sneakers. Jace made his way over to me and I handed him her sandals.

"I told her these were going to hurt her feet, but she insisted." Jace said and I laughed.

"Luckily Chandler is such a mess, that I always carry around extra everything." I said and Jace smiled.

"Thank you." He said.

"It's no problem." I said.

We walked around to about 4 more exhibits before I could see the two kids starting to get sleepy. I picked Chandler up and he rested his head on my shoulder, and Jace did the same thing with Natasha. Since they were pretty spent, we decided to just start walking towards the exit.

"Clary, when can we have our movie day?" Natasha asked after a while.

"I don't know. When are you free?" I asked.

"Everyday!" She said and I laughed.

"Well, I need to talk to my boss, and see when I can get off." I said and she nodded. "When are you free?" I asked Jace.

"I'm a high school teacher, I have the whole summer off." Jace said.

"Lucky you." I said and he laughed.

"Just tell me a day, and it'll work." Jace said.

"How about a week from today?" I asked.

"Works for us." Jace said and I smiled.

"Then it's a movie date." I said and Natasha smiled. We finally exited the zoo and stopped momentarily.

"I'll text you my address, and you can come over at like 12?" Jace said and I smiled.

"Sounds good." I said. "I'll see you in a week Natasha."

"Is Chandler going to come?" She asked.

"Of course." I said and she smiled.

"Cool." She said.

"Bye Jace." I said and he smiled.

"Bye Clary." He said and we parted ways. I walked back to the car and strapped Chandler into his seat. On the drive home I couldn't help but smile and think about the day I had. It was great, and I couldn't wait to see Natasha again.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was getting Chandler ready to go over to Jace's house. Part of me was nervous to see him again, but I was also really excited to see Natasha again, and so was Chandler. He was so excited to see his best friend again, and I couldn't help but smile at how incredibly cute that was.

We got to Jace's house and it was a pretty nice house. Much nicer than my apartment, that's for sure. I walked up and rang the doorbell and a minute later Jace opened it.

"Hey." He said and I smiled. "Natasha is in the living room little man." Jace said and Chandler darted in the house and I laughed. "How are you?"

"I'm good. You?" I asked as I walked into the house.

"I'm alright." He said and I smiled. I followed the sounds of children laughing, and found Chandler and Natasha in the living room playing with a pig.

"Mommy look! It's Pepper!" Chandler laughed and I smiled.

"I see." I said. She was very tiny, and you could see how much Natasha loved the pig.

"You hungry?" I heard Jace ask. "I was going to make Natasha and I some lunch. Have you and Chandler eaten yet?"

"Lunch would be great." I said and Jace nodded before walking into the kitchen. I made my way over and sat on the couch.

"Clary!" Natasha cheered and ran and gave me a hug, which I lovingly returned.

"Hi there pretty girl." I said and she smiled.

"Daddy got the movie all ready for us." She said and I nodded.

It didn't take Jace long to make lunch, considering it was just sandwiches. He made Natasha and Chandler peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and he made us grilled cheese. He came out and handed the kids their plates. They sat at the coffee table and ate their sandwiches. Jace brought two sippy cups of milk out but before he set it down in front of Chandler I grabbed it.

"Chandler is lactose intolerant." I explained and he nodded and took the cup back.

"Does he like apple juice?" Jace asked and I nodded. He went back into the kitchen and returned with another sippy cup of juice, and than two glasses of iced tea for us. Jace pressed play and the movie started. Once the kids were done with lunch, Natasha climbed onto the couch and cuddled into my side, and Chandler followed her lead. Jace cleaned up the lunch mess and than returned to the couch.

Halfway through the movie Jace's phone started going off. He ignored it at first, but whoever called, clearly wanted his attention because they called back. He looked at his phone and answered.

"What's up Izzy?" He asked as he stood up and left the room. A part of my heart sank. Of course he had a girlfriend. How could someone as good looking as him not have a girlfriend? I mean, it just made sense, and we just met. We didn't talk about our personal lives, accept for what happened with the other parent of our children. I should have never expected that our friendship turn into anything else, but I guess a part of me was a little hopeful.

Jace returned and reclaimed his seat. The movie finished and Natasha and Chandler looked like they were ready for their naps. When I checked the time, it was almost 3, and almost time for time to nap. Jace grabbed Natasha and picked her off my couch.

"Daddy, I don't want to nap." She said and Jace laughed.

"You know it's important princess." Jace said as he rubbed her back, and I could see her eyes drooping.

"I don't want Chandler to leave." She said and I smiled.

"We can have another play date soon." Jace said.

"But I haven't even shown him all my cool toys." She said and I laughed.

"I actually have to run a few errands." I said. "Would it be okay if Chandler stayed and took a nap with you?" I asked and she nodded as enthusiastically as she could while being tired.

"Come on, I'll show you to her room." Jace said and I nodded. I picked Chandler up and followed him upstairs. We walked into her room, and it was nothing like I expected. Her walls weren't pink like other little girls rooms, they were green, and one wall was actually a chalkboard, which I thought was pretty cool. Jace set Natasha down, and I put Chandler right next to him. They were both knocked out, and I knew he was going to get a solid 2 hour nap out of this.

Jace and I made our way downstairs and I grabbed my keys and put my shows back on. Jace walked me to his front door, and I turned around and smiled at him.

"Thank you." I said and he smiled.

"It's not a problem." Jace said.

"I should only be gone for like an hour, maybe two." I said.

"Take your time. I can entertain them myself. And when you get back just walk in. No need to ring the bell, or knock." He said and I laughed and nodded. I got to my car and pulled out of his driveway and out of his neighborhood. I could see how attached Chandler was getting to Natasha, and I thought it was great, but that meant I had to see Jace even more, and there was something there, something that felt so natural, and normal about us being in the same room, and interacting with each others children.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left I took a deep calming breath. I had never met a woman who affected me the way that Clary did, and being in the same room as her just made me crazy. It took everything in me not to pick Natasha up from her side during the movie and pulling her into my arms. Ever since the zoo I haven't been able to stop thinking about her, and Natasha hasn't been able to stop talking about Chandler. She called him her best friend, and it just melted my heart. They got along so well, and they were the cutest little set of friends.

I decided to take the opportunity to clean up the living room. Pepper had made a mess, and Natasha didn't clean up her toys when she was done playing with them this morning, but she was just super excited about Clary and Chandler coming over, that I couldn't blame her for not cleaning up. I had put everything back in it's place, and was satisfied with the results. I turned the TV on and decided to just chill until they woke up or until Clary got back.

It had been almost 2 hours since they went down, and I was surprised that they were still asleep. Not that I'm complaining, they both clearly needed the sleep, and I was all for them taking as long as they needed. When the door opened, I expected Clary to walk through the door but was surprised to find Izzy instead.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I stood up and gave her a hug.

"Do I need a reason to visit my brother?" She asked and I laughed.

"I guess not, but you normally don't stop by unannounced." I said and she laughed.

"I know, but I'm in town for a couple days, and I wanted to come by and see you and tell you that mom and dad are having a huge family dinner tomorrow night." She said.

"Sounds good." I said.

"Is Natasha napping?" Izzy asked and I nodded. "Man, I have the worst timing." She said and I laughed.

"You'll see her tomorrow." I said and she smiled.

"Well, I'm meeting Alec and Magnus for dinner tonight, but I just wanted to stop by and see you." She said as she gave me another hug. We lingered on this one. Izzy travelled a lot for work, so seeing her was rare, and I missed my sister. I guess I was caught up in having her back that I didn't hear the front door open.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." Clary said as her cheeks flushed.

"You didn't." Izzy said with a smile. "I was just leaving." She said as she backed away and gave me that signature Izzy look that meant I had some explaining to do. "Remember, dinner tomorrow night Jace. Don't forget."

"I'll be there." I said and she nodded and left. I turned back to Clary and there was something different about her body language. "How were your errands?" I asked.

"Fine." She said. "I have the early shift at the hospital tomorrow, and I have to get Chandler settled in with my neighbor. I feel bad taking him considering I promised Natasha she could show him her toys, but my neighbor can be kinda reluctant to flexibility." She said.

"He can stay here." I said without thinking. "I mean, Natasha loves having him around, and I don't mind watching him for the night."

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Of course." I said and she smiled and nodded.

"Okay. I have a bag of clothes in my car for him. One second." She said and she left and came back a couple minutes later. "Everything is in there. Extra clothes, pj's, toothbrush, medicine if he gets sick, some of his favorite snacks, his favorite drink to have before bed." Clary explained and I smiled.

"Wow. You weren't kidding when you said you were always prepared." I said and she shrugged.

"Sometimes I can't rely on my neighbor to watch him, so I have to find someone who can, and it's just easier to always have a bag ready." She explained.

"Well, I will have Chandler explain his routine to me tonight." I said and she nodded.

"I'm just going to go up and talk to him, and let him know what's going on." She said and I nodded. She walked upstairs and I took another deep breath. I don't know what she was going to me, but it was driving me crazy. She came back downstairs a couple minutes later with both Natasha and Chandler. They immediately ran into the living room and started playing and Clary made her way over to me. "He's excited to be staying here." She said and I laughed. "I have to go though. My shift starts at 3 am, so I need to eat dinner and get some sleep."

"That sucks." I said and she laughed.

"That's what being a nurse is. Long shifts." She says.

"Well, come over when you're done and collect him. Doesn't matter what time." I said.

"It'll probably be around 3 in the afternoon, but sometimes things happen." She said and I nodded.

"Well, we'll be here. Friday's are our movie days." I said and she smiled.

"Chandler." She called and he came running in. "I'm going to go home now, but I want you to be on your best behavior for Jace." She said and he nodded. "I'll be back tomorrow to pick you up okay." She said and he nodded again. "I love you."

"I love you too mommy." Chandler said and he gave her a kiss. She stood back up and smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said and I nodded. She walked away and I heard the door shut and I took another calming breath. She was killing me and she didn't even know it. I made my way into the living room with the kids and started playing with them. I don't know why this felt so natural for me. I was used to having Natasha, but having her and Chandler together just felt like it was what I was meant to be doing. I couldn't explain it but I liked it, a lot.

 **Time Jump – End of Clary's Shift**

 **Clary POV:**

I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was get home, and get into my bed and sleep. Since Jace offered to keep Chandler as long as I needed, I decided to just text him and tell him I needed a tow hour nap before I could come get him, and Jace understood and told me to take my time. My shift was an absolute nightmare and I knew that Chandler was going to talk my ear off about his time with Natasha and Jace, and I wanted to be fully awake and invested when he told me, and I just couldn't do that right now.

When I woke up, I didn't even remember falling asleep. I was still in my scrubs, and my shoes were still on my feet. I was exhausted, and my disheveled appearance clearly told that story. I looked at the clock and it was almost 5:45, and I remembered that Jace had dinner plans with that girl tonight, so I wanted to grab Chandler so that he wouldn't be late. I didn't even bother getting changed at this point. I got into my car in my scrubs and made my way to Jace's. I knocked on the door and a minute later it opened revealing Jace.

"Hey, you look rough." He said and I laughed.

"Long night." I said and he nodded. "How was Chandler?" I asked as I made my way into the house.

"Great. We had a lot of fun." He said as we made our way into the living room where there was a huge blanket fort. I couldn't help but smile. "Chandler, your moms here." Jace said and Chandler emerged from the fort.

"Mommy, look at this cool fort Jace built." He said and I smiled.

"It is cool, but we have to go baby." I said and he pouted.

"I don't want to mommy." He said and I kneeled down in front of him.

"You can't stay here forever baby." I said. "Jace and Natasha have other things to do as well."

"Otay." He said and he walked over and gave Natasha a hug, than he made his way over to Jace and gave him a hug as well.

"We'll get together again soon little man." Jace said and that seemed to make him a little happier.

"Come on, we're going to go out to dinner." I said and he smiled.

"Taki's?" He asked and I laughed.

"Why of course." I said and he smiled even more. "Thank you for watching him Jace." I said as Jace handed me his backpack.

"It was no trouble." Jace said and I smiled. I grabbed Chandler's hand and we made our way out to the car. Chandler talked the entire way to the restaurant and I couldn't help but smile at how much fun he had with Natasha and Jace. I didn't know when we'd see them again, but I knew Chandler couldn't wait.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary and Chandler left, I got Natasha ready for dinner with my family. She was excited to see everyone, and I couldn't blame her, it's been awhile since we were all together. Once we were ready, I started our trip to my parents. Now, they weren't right around the corner, it took us about 30 minutes to get to their house, and the car ride was silent, just like it always was, but I didn't mind. She was probably all talked out from her afternoon with Chandler. When we pulled up to the house, everyone else was already there. I opened the door not bothering to knock and walked straight to the living room where everyone was gathered.

"Grandma!" Natasha cheered and she ran to Maryse.

"If it isn't my favorite granddaughter." Maryse said and Natasha smiled. "How are you sweetheart?"

"I'm good grandma, I made a new best friend!" She said.

"Oh really? Where did you meet them?" Maryse asked.

"Daddy and I went to the zoo, and I got lost." Natasha said and Maryse looked up at me with the signature disapproving look. "I saw this little boy sitting at a table and walked over to him cause I didn't know what else to do." Natasha explained. "His mommy helped me find daddy, and then we spent the day together at the zoo. It was really fun."

"What's his name?" Maryse asked.

"Chandler." Natasha said. "He likes lizards, and stuff, but he's pretty cool." She said and everyone laughed. "We had a sleepover last night, and it was great. He really likes Pepper, and he wants me to meet his pet lizard, her name is Lizzy. I don't think I'll like her as much as he likes Pepper, but I still want to meet her cause Chandler loves her so much."

"That's very sweet of you." Maryse said and Natasha nodded. She went to greet everyone else and Maryse made her way over to me. "You lost her?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"No. She walked away from me." I explained. "I was panicking for about 25 minutes before Chandler's mom made an announcement to meet her at the food court, and there sat Natasha and Chandler eating lunch together." I said. "I was mortified."

"And this Chandler, what's he like?" Maryse asked much more accepting now.

"He's a cool little dude." I said with a smile. "He is really into reptiles, and we actually looked at the snakes together at the zoo."

"You got Natasha to go to the snake exhibit?" Maryse asked shocked and I laughed.

"Oh god no. Chandler's mom took her to go look a the penguins." I said.

"You just let a strange woman take Natasha?" She asked.

"She let a strange man take her son." I pointed out. "It isn't like that. Clary is really nice, and Chandler and Natasha are best friends. I trusted her with Natasha."

"I'm guessing that's the woman who walked in when I was over yesterday." Izzy said and I nodded. "She was pretty."

"She's really nice. And Chandler is great." I said and Izzy nodded.

"What about Chandler's dad?" Maryse asked. "What's he like?"

"Not around." I said. "Clary told me he wasn't the nicest and that he didn't care one bit about having a kid."

"That's horrible." Maryse said and I nodded. "Okay, well dinner is ready. Let's eat."

We all made our way into the dinning room and took our seats. Natasha was telling everyone about her day, and what Chandler and her did. I couldn't help but smile at how happy she was and how much she loved Chandler. I was only half listening considering I was there the whole time when Izzy elbowed me.

"You like her don't you." She said.

"There is something about her." I admitted. "We spent the whole day at the zoo together, like a normal family would, and it just felt so right."

"And do you think she likes you?" Izzy asked.

"I don't know. She's kind of hard to read, well when it comes to me." I said. "I can tell she loves Natasha."

"That's always good." Izzy said and I laughed and nodded. We both turned out attention back to Natasha who as still talking about Chandler. Everyone seemed fascinated by her story, and I couldn't blame them, she was quite the story teller.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace had asked me a couple times if Chandler and I wanted to get together with him and Natasha and I have been avoiding him. I couldn't get that girl out of my head, or should I say woman, gorgeous woman, who was totally in his league, and he was totally out of mine. I thought that maybe if I didn't answer the first few times, then he would get the hint, but he didn't, and Chandler has been asking about seeing Natasha so it was time to bite the bullet and text Jace back. I took out my phone and opened his latest message.

 **To Jace:**

 _Chandler and I were going to go to the pool today, would you and Natasha like to join us?_

I put my phone down and continued to get Chandler ready for the pool day. It was incredibly hot today, and I knew he was going to enjoy it, and it was a good opportunity to invite Jace and Natasha along. When I checked my phone again Jace had replied.

 **From Jace:**

 _That sounds fun. Where?_

 **To Jace:**

 _My mom actually has a pool in her backyard._

 **From Jace:**

 _Sounds fun. Send me the address. Mind if I invite my siblings?_

 **To Jace:**

 _Not at all._

 **From Jace:**

 _Cool. See you soon._

He said back and I took a deep breath. I sent him my address and than put Chandler in the car. Thankfully my mom was traveling this summer, so I wouldn't have to explain all these people to her, although she wouldn't really care anyway. I got to her house and used the spare key to let myself in. The house was like I always remembered, cold, and unwelcoming. I didn't come back here often, and seeing this house for the first time in years, reminded me why.

I made my way out to the backyard, and got the pool ready. My mom had hired help for when she was travelling, so the kept the pool in tack, and I was thankful for that. I grabbed all the toys out of the shed and went over and put on some music. My mother was unnecessarily wealthy. She had things that she never needed, but bought simply because she could. This pool, rarely got used, but it made her look better, so she got it. The hot tub, I don't think anyone has been in it since I was a sophomore in high school, and the fire pit, never touched. She made no sense to me, but that was her style, and I learned to accept that long ago.

"Holy crap." I heard from behind me. I turned around and there stood Jace and his entourage.

"Channy!" Natasha yelled and she ran over to him. Her nickname for him was so cute and I couldn't help but smile.

"Hey. Welcome." I said and they all walked in further. I noticed the girl from before was here with him, and I guess I still wasn't completely over it because my heart sank a little.

"This is insane." Jace said and I shrugged.

"You know rich people. They like to make everything look expensive." I said and they all laughed.

"Trust us, we know." The girl said. "Our parents are the same way, although, they never did invest in a pool."

"Come on, you know mom would never do that on account of the numerous parties you would try and throw." The one boy said and the girl laughed.

"Clary, these are my siblings." Jace said after a minute and my gut twisted. _Siblings._ "This is Izzy, and that Alec. And the sparkly dude is Magnus, Alec's husband." He explained before turning to the kids. "And those two are my nephews, Max and Rafe. They are Alec's and Magnus's."

"Mine should be here soon. Husband that is." Izzy said. "He got held up at work." She explained and I nodded.

"Well, make yourselves at home." I said. "I'm going to go talk to the chef, and ask that they start dinner."

"You have chefs?" Izzy asked.

"My mom has chefs." I explained. "Me, I'm the chef in my household. Burgers and hot dogs good with everyone?" I said and they nodded. I walked in the house as I saw them all getting ready. Siblings. They were siblings. I couldn't believe it.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left, I looked around at the backyard, and it as absolutely insane. I mean, I knew what it was like growing up with money. After everything my real parents left me, and getting adopted by the Lightwood's, money was always a constant, but this was truly insane.

"Did you know she was loaded?" Izzy asked after a moment.

"I don't think she is." I said honestly. "She made it sound like she doesn't get anything."

"But look at this house." Izzy said.

"Yea, and in the text, she said it was her mothers." I said and Izzy shrugged.

"I thought our parents were loaded." She said and I laughed. Clary made her way back outside a couple minutes later.

"Mommy, can I swim yet?" Chandler asked Clary.

"Let me put your floaties on." Clary said and Chandler made his way over to her. She slipped them on and than Natasha walked over and handed her hers. "Oh, I like yours." Clary said and Natasha smiled. "And I like your bathing suit."

"Thanks. Daddy won't let me wear the one Aunt Izzy got me." She said and I laughed.

"But it's so cute!" Izzy said.

"It's a two piece bathing suit Izzy. She's 3 years old." I said and Izzy huffed.

"It's still cute." She mumbled and I shook my head.

"Well, I think this one is absolutely adorable." Clary said again and Natasha smiled.

"Thanks. Daddy picked it out." She said as she looked at me and I just smiled.

"He has some pretty good taste." Clary said and Natasha nodded. "Okay, be careful you two, and no rough housing."

"Hear that Max, and Rafe." Alec shouted. "No rough housing." The boys sighed but got into the pool anywhere.

"Aunt Izzy, come swim with us!" Natasha cheered and Izzy stood up, took her cover up off and got into the pool.

"Oh my god." I heard Clary say and I looked at her. "Is she like a super model?" She asked and I laughed.

"Actually, yes." I said and she looked at me. "She just got back from a show in France."

"I was kidding, but like now I get it." Clary said and I laughed. "She's gorgeous."

"Yea. She's always been that way." I said and Clary nodded.

"And her husband? Is he a male model?" She asked and I laughed.

"Oh god no. Simon is like her opposite in every possible way." I explained.

"How did they meet?" Clary asked.

"High school believe it or not." I said. "Simon was her tutor in math, and they just kind of clicked." I said and Clary nodded. "He's a weapons engineer for the military."

"That's intense." Clary said and I laughed.

"Yea. They make it work." I said and Clary nodded. A minute later the gate opened and there was Simon.

"Sorry I'm late. My commander was not being very cooperative." He said.

"Uncle Simon!" Natasha cheered from in the pool. Simon made his way over and gave Izzy a kiss and splashed Natasha playfully, and she giggled.

"No worries." Izzy said with a smile. He turned around and looked at Clary and I.

"I'm Simon by the way. Nice to meet you." He said and to Clary.

"You as well." She said. Everyone at this point was in the pool except for Clary and I, and I thought this was a perfect opportunity to ask why it took her so long to respond to me.

"So, it took you quite some time to answer my texts." I said and she sighed.

"I know. I'm sorry." She said.

"What happened? I thought everything was going well." I said.

"I'm gonna sound so childish for a moment, and I won't be surprised if you laugh at me." She said and I nodded. "The day I was at your house for the movie date with Natasha, and you answered the phone, I thought Izzy was your girlfriend."

"Oh god." I said with a laugh.

"Yea, so I just thought that keeping my distance would help." She said.

"Help with what?" I asked.

"My confusing feelings for you." She admitted.

"What's so confusing about them?" I asked after a moment.

"I guess I'm just being cautious, considering that my last relationship wasn't a very pleasant one." She said. "And the fact that we only met a month ago, and I feel something between us that I've never felt with anyone else before."

"What's that?" I asked.

"At home." She said. I was quiet for a moment because it seemed like she wanted to say more. "I'm sure you look at this house and think 'wow, she's a rich girl' but this house never felt like home." She explained. "I never knew my father, he bailed when I was 2, and my mother was a really good painter, and decided that she was going to explore that area, and her fame escalated practically overnight." She said. "I was always handed off to a nanny, and when my mom was home, she wasn't very nurturing. Which is one reason I went all the way to Tennessee for school. It was far away, and I could truly be independent of her."

"I know the feeling." I said. "I lost my parents when I was 5, and the Lightwood's adopted me when I was 13. I knew what I was like to be tossed aside."

"I'm sorry." She said. "That must have sucked."

"It was hard, I won't lie, but the Lightwood's are great." I said as I looked at them all playing together in the pool.

"They seem great." Clary said with a smile.

"I have feelings for you too Clary." I said after a moment and she looked at me. "Not confusing one, but strong ones."

"Really?" She asked and I laughed.

"Is that so hard to believe?" I asked and she shrugged.

"I don't know. I mean look at you, and look at me." She gestured to herself.

"You're beautiful." I said and she blushed. "Look, let me take you out. No kids, just you and me, and we see where it goes." I offered and she looked at me.

"Who would look after Chandler?" She asked.

"Alec can do it. He always babysits Natasha when I need him too." I said and I could see she was thinking about it.

"Okay. Sounds fun." She said and I smiled.

"When are you free?" I asked.

"I don't work this weekend." She said.

"Saturday night. 7 o'clock." I said and she nodded.

The rest of the day and night went by perfectly. Eventually Clary and I joined everyone in the pool. Chandler and Natasha were having the best time and I couldn't help but smile every time I looked at Clary. I was excited to be going out with her and seeing where our relationship went, because I wasn't lying when I said my feelings for her were strong, I just hoped hers were just as strong.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Chandler I'm leaving." I yelled while I gathered my things. I was called in tonight, and I wasn't happy about it, but Emma, who was supposed to work tonight but has the flu, promised to cover any shift that I needed covered, so I guess that was a good perk.

"I thought you weren't leaving tonight mommy." He said as he ran into my legs.

"I wasn't supposed too, but someone got sick, and they need my help." I said and I kneeled down in front of him. "I'll be back in the morning." I said and he was still sad.

"Mommy!" I heard from the hallway, and before I knew it Natasha was running to me.

"Hi pretty lady." I said as I gave her a kiss. "Be good for daddy, and I'll see you both in the morning." I said as I stood up. Jace was leaning against the doorframe, smiling at us. "I'll be back at like 5 am." I said and he nodded.

"We'll hold down the fort." Jace said. "Right little man?" He asked Chandler.

"Right daddy!" He said as he gave him a high five. I smiled and gave Jace a kiss before walking out to my car.

This past year had been absolutely amazing. After our first date, I just knew everything was going to be okay. Chandler and Natasha loved each other, and always referred to each other as brother and sister, and the first time Natasha called me mommy, I nearly cried. I told Jace about it, and he told me that Chandler called him daddy as well, and that just solidified it for us. We were a family, and nothing was going to change that. After about 2 months of dating I actually moved in with him. Call us crazy, but we were ready for it. Chandler was pumped and Natasha couldn't stop talking about it for a week, I think Chandler's talking abilities had worn off on her, cause she was turning into quite a chatterbox as well. My life seemed so surreal, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

 **Jace POV:**

"Ready or not, here I come!" I called after a counted to 100. I started searching through the house for Natasha and Chandler. They were both pretty good at hide and seek, and sometimes it did take me some time to find them, but they enjoyed it so much that it didn't matter.

It amazed me how many new hiding spots they could find. I searched in all the normal ones but they weren't there at all, so I started to think outside the box. I checked the closets, but no luck. I chest under the stairs, but they weren't there either. I went in Clary and I's room and checked the bathtub but they weren't there either. I decided to check under the sink cause that's unusual right? I opened the door and there wasn't a child there, but there were 4 pregnancy tests sprawled out. I kneeled down and picked one of them up. Positive. My jaw nearly hit the ground. I picked up the other three up. All positive. Clary was pregnant. With my child.

I heard some movement from in the hallway, and I put the tests all down, and closed the door. I made my way out in to the hallway and saw Natasha and Chandler running down the stairs.

"Now I know why I can never find you!" I said as I chased after them. "You're always moving you little sneaks!" I said as I picked Natasha and started tickling her.

"Daddy that tickles!" She said and I smiled and out her down.

"You two are tricky." I said and they smiled. "How about we get some dinner?"

"Can we go out daddy?" Natasha asked.

"Please!" Chandler asked and I laughed.

"Of course. Come on, let's get your shoes on." I said and they ran to the front door and started putting their shoes on. We got the restaurant and were seated and the kids started coloring. They already knew what they were getting, since they get the same thing every time, so there was no need to look at the menu. After we ordered, and our food was brought out I decided that it was the perfect time to talk to Chandler. "So little man, I have a question for you."

"What is it?" He asked as his mouth was full with French fries.

"I was wondering how you felt about me asking your mommy to marry her." I said and his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Really?" He asked and I simply smiled and nodded. "Than you'd be my real daddy!" He said and I laughed.

"That I would little man." I said and he climbed under the table and over to my side of the booth. He wrapped his arms around my neck and I gladly returned the hug. "So you're okay with it?" I asked and he nodded his head. "How about you Natasha, are you okay with it?" I asked and she nodded her head enthusiastically as well. The rest of dinner went by amazingly and I just couldn't wait until Clary got done work and talk to her about the pregnancy tests, and marriage and the rest of our lives.

 **Time Jump – End Of Clary's Shift**

 **Clary POV:**

I was dead on my feet, but I think that had more to due with the pregnancy, than anything else. I still haven't found the right time to tell Jace about the baby, but I had my blood taken during my shift, which in fact concluded that I was in fact pregnant, and nearly 2 months along. He or she was due on Valentine's Day, and I couldn't wait to meet them. When I got home, I walked up to my room and to my surprised Jace was sitting up in bed reading.

"Why are you awake?" I asked and he smiled.

"I couldn't sleep." He said as he put his book down.

"Are the kids okay?" I asked and he laughed.

"The kids are great." Jace said. I made my way over to the bed and he pulled me into a kiss. "I know Clary." He said and my eyes widened.

"How?" I asked.

"I found the pregnancy tests in the cabinet." He said. "How long have you known?" He asked.

"A couple days." I admitted. "But I got my blood work done tonight, which in fact confirmed that I am pregnant. Almost 2 months along." I said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

"I guess I wanted to be sure." I said. "Pregnancy tests can be wrong, or give out false results."

"This is incredible." He said with the biggest smile on his face.

"Really?" I asked.

"Absolutely. Why wouldn't it be?" He asked.

"I don't know, because we've only been together for a year, because we aren't married and Maryse will probably hate me even more, because we have Natasha and Chandler to worry about…"

"Clary." Jace cut me off. "Maryse likes you. I promise you. So what if we've only been together a year. I'm more in love with you than I've ever been in love with anyone in my entire life. And Chandler and Natasha will be excited about getting a sibling." Jace said. "And as for the marriage thing…" He said as he shifted his weight and opened the bedside drawer. He pulled out a box and I gasped.

"Jace." I said but he stopped me again.

"This ring has been siting in that drawer for 3 weeks just waiting for me to work of the nerve to ask you." He said and I laughed. "After I found the pregnancy tests, I knew it was the right moment." He said as he opened the box, and in it sat the most gorgeous ring. "I asked for Chandler's permission this afternoon, and he was more than willing to say yes." He said and my eyes started filling with tears. "I love you Clary, and I love our kids, and I love our one on the way." He said and I smiled. "Will you marry me?" He asked.

"Absolutely." I said and slid the ring on my finger. He pulled me into a kiss and I couldn't help but smile. When we broke apart our eyes locked. "Does it make me a bad woman that I don't want a wedding?" I asked and he laughed.

"Courthouse. Wednesday morning?" He asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Sounds perfect to me." I said and he kissed me again. Yesterday I was just Clary Fray, I had a son, and a boyfriend, and the cutest little daughter. Now I'm Clary Fray, soon to be Clary Herondale, with a son, a daughter, and one on the way, and I couldn't be happier.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary went into labor about 3 hours ago, and the doctor said she was getting close. I was anxious to meet my cute little babies. You heard right, babies, as in plural, as in Clary was having twins. We were shocked at first. Like, floored, but Natasha and Chandler were super excited to be getting two new siblings instead of just one, and that calmed us both down a little. But finding out that they were both girls, I think that floored me even more. I was now the father of three daughters, and I think I'm going to be in over my head with how much I'm going to want to spoil and protect them, but I couldn't wait to meet them.

Chandler and Natasha were spending the day with Izzy and Simon, and I was thankful that they volunteered to take them. They sacrificed their Valentine's Day plans to help us out, and although I had to babysit their son for a make up Valentine's Day date, it was worth it. My family was waiting out in the lobby anxiously waiting for the two to come into this world, and I couldn't blame them because I was anxious as well.

"Alright Clary, lets see how far you are." The doctor said as she examined Clary. "You're ready to push."

"Oh thank god." Clary said and I laughed.

"Okay Clary, next contraction, push." The doctor said and Clary nodded. It was about 2 minutes later that Clary started screaming, squeezing my hand and pushing. I was prepared for this to take some time, but apparently they were more than ready to come out. "Wow, she is eager. Alright Clary, push a little harder." The doctor said and Clary started pushing. A few moments later cries filled the room and I couldn't believe that I had another child. Clary leaned back against the bed and I kissed her forehead.

"You did great babe." I said and she nodded.

"Okay Clary, next contraction, push." The doctor said and Clary nodded. When the next contraction hit, Clary pushed even harder than she did with the first one. "Wow, this might be the fastest birth of twins I've ever been apart of." The doctor said. "Big push Clary." She said and I didn't think it was possible for her to push any harder, but she did. A moment later more cries filed the room. Clary leaned back and I kissed her lips.

"You did it Clare." I said and she gave me a sleepy smile.

"Who wants to hold who?" The doctor asked as two nurses walked over with two pink bundled babies.

"Doesn't matter." I said and the nodded. The nurse closest to me hand me a baby, and the other one handed the other one over to Clary. "Who wants to be who?" I asked and Clary laughed. "Okay, which one of you wants to be Emerson?" I asked and the one in Clary's arms sneezed. "You got it baby girl." I said.

"Which makes that little one Anastasia." Clary said and I nodded.

"Emerson, and Anastasia, welcome to the Herondale family." I said and I kissed her. My family came in shortly after. I called Izzy and asked them to bring Chandler and Natasha over. It took them about 25 minutes but they finally arrived. Chandler and Natasha got up on the bed with Clary and were looking at their sisters.

"What are their names?" Chandler asked.

"Daddy is holding Anastasia, and I'm holding Emerson." Clary said and they both nodded.

"You can get closer guys." I said and they moved closer to Clary. Chandler leaned forward and gave Emerson a kiss on the head. Natasha did the same thing after. I leaned forward and Chandler and Natasha gave Anastasia a kiss as well.

Clary scooted over in the bed and I sat down with her. Natasha was sitting on Clary's legs, and Chandler was sitting on mine talking about their adventures with Izzy. Anastasia, and Emerson were asleep at this point, and the rest of my family was gathered around listening to the stories. I looked over at Clary and she looked over at me and smiled.

"Mommy, Uncle Simon let me go down the icy slide." Chandler said and we both looked over at Simon.

"He was sitting on my lap." Simon said and everyone laughed.

"It was so cool." Chandler said and I couldn't help but smile.

"It sounds like you guys had a good time with Aunt Izzy and Uncle Simon." Clary said.

"It was so much fun!" Natasha said. They continued to talk about building snowmen, and making snow angels, and I just took it in and couldn't believe that this was my life. Everything had worked out so incredibly well, and I couldn't be more thankful, and it was all because of the zoo.

 **Authors Note:**

 **TMIShips4Life I have finally done it, and completed one of you suggestions, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself! You are one of the most loyal readers of my stories, and you always give me great suggestions, but this one really hit me and I loved writing it! I hope you don't mind that I gave Clary the son, and Jace the daughter, but I'm just such a sucker for Jace being wrapped around his daughters finger, and I had to write it! Please let me know what you think, and let me know if I've lived up to your expectations! I really hope I did! :)**

 **Also, I know I didn't really address the father of Clary's son other than Clary's history with him, but I just wanted to add in this note that he's dead. He was sent to prison when Chandler was 2 for soliciting a prostitute, and he pissed the wrong people off, and they shanked him (for those who don't know what that means, getting shanked in prison means stabbed with a homemade knife. His pants were not pulled down to his ankles!) Anyway, so since he was no longer in the picture, like at all, Jace was allowed to adopt Chandler, and Clary adopted Natasha a few months before the twins were born! Okay, I think thats all I wanted to clear up! Let me know what you think, and leave a review! :)**


	70. Chapter 69 - Divorced

**Sixty Ninth One Shot:**

 **Divorced**

 **Clary POV:**

"What brings you two in to my office today?" Mrs. Stevens, the lawyer, asked us.

"Our therapist told us that it might be time to consider divorce, and referred us to you." I said. I didn't even bother looking over at Jace.

"Okay, and why might that be?" She asked.

"We've been separated for about 3 months now, and she doesn't think couples therapy is working for us." I admitted. "She told us that you were one of the best in the state, and I trust her."

"Because she always takes your side." Jace finally spoke and I just rolled my eyes

"Not true." I said as I looked back at the woman.

"Okay, there is obviously something straining your marriage." She said. "I'm assuming you two were seeing Dr. Wilson correct?" She asked and I nodded. "Her and I go way back. Do you know why she referred you to me specifically?" She asked and I shook my head. "I'm a different kind of divorce lawyer." She said. "I'm not here to just write up a contract, and have you two sign it and than end the marriage. Do you two have anything else to do today?"

"No. We're both free." I said and she nodded.

"Good, cause this could take a while." She said as she wheeled her chair around her desk and was now sitting in front of us. "What we're going to do is take a stroll down memory lane. There are 4 different events that I want you two to both think back too." She said and I nodded. "The first day you met, your first date, your wedding day, and the day you separated." She said and I nodded. "I've helped 45 couples who came in here seeking divorce stay together, and continue thriving in a marriage that they thought they wanted to end. If after our meeting today, you two both feel like divorce is what you want, I will write the contract up, and I'll get you two divorced."

"Okay." Jace and I said together which kind of shocked me.

"Now, lets talk about the first day you met." Mrs. Stevens said and I thought back to that day, and it feels like a lifetime ago.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 ** _Seventh Grade_**

 ** _Clary POV:_**

 _I was sitting on the brick wall outside during recess drawing. I was caught up in my own little world when someone sat down next to me. I looked up and there was a kid who I'd never seen before. He smiled at me and I smiled back and continued to work on my picture. It was quiet for a minute before he spoke._

 _"What are you drawing?" He asked._

 _"A lake." I said and he nodded._

 _"Can I see?" He asked. I sighed and turned my body so that I could show him. I wasn't really proud of it. It could have been way better and that bothered me. "You're really good."_

 _"It's not my best." I admitted and he laughed._

 _"If this isn't your best, you must be pretty good. I stuck at art. Like really badly." He said and I smiled and laughed._

 _"I haven't seen you before." I said changing the subject. "Are you new?"_

 _"Yea. I just moved her over the weekend." He said. "I got a new foster family."_

 _"That sucks." I said without thinking. "I mean, the fact that you are in foster care. Not getting a new foster family." I said trying to make it sound less bad._

 _"It's okay. The last one wasn't that great. I was glad to move." He said and I nodded._

 _"Is the family you're with now nice?" I asked after a minute._

 _"Yea. They're nice enough. Still not the same as having a real family." He said and I shrugged._

 _"Sometimes real families aren't that great anyway." I said thinking about my family._

 _"I guess." He said. "I'm Jace by the way."_

 _"Clary." I said and he nodded. "How come you aren't playing with the other kids?" I asked._

 _"Wasn't feeling it. People tend not to let the new kid join right in you know?" He asked and I nodded._

 _"You know, I could teach you how to draw." I offered and he smiled._

 _"Nothing too complicated." He said and I flipped the page to a blank one._

 _"Let's start with a tree." I said and he nodded and I continued to show him how to draw for the rest of recess._

 ** _Flashback Over_**

"I learned how to draw my first tree that day." Jace said with a smile on his face. A real one, something I haven't seen in a while.

"Not a very good one." I said with a laugh and he laughed as well.

"Not everyone can be as good as you Red." He said using my old nickname, one that I thought he totally forgot about.

"You progressed quite well. By the time the year was over, you were finally able to draw actual leaves instead of that big cloud of squiggles that you normally did." I said and he laughed.

"What grade were you two in?" Mrs. Stevens asked, and for a second I completely forgot she was there.

"Seventh." Jace answered. "I was the new kid, and I saw her sitting alone, and I wanted to be her friend immediately." He said while he looked at me. "I have no clue why, but I did."

"Okay, how about your first date?" She asked and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face as I remembered where he took me.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 ** _Eleventh Grade_**

 ** _Clary POV:_**

 _I was incredibly nervous for this date tonight. Jace had I had been friends for so long, and I thought that dating would totally ruin that, but at the same time I was really excited about it. I liked him immediately, well after getting over his whole ego, and cocky attitude. He was a really sweet guy, and easy on the eyes. He told me to dress casually, which was nice. It meant that our date was going to be very chill, and easy going, which is exactly what I liked._

 _The doorbell rang and I went to answer it. Thankfully my family was out so I didn't have to deal with them. We had gotten into a huge fight this afternoon, and my mother went to her 'friends' house to calm down, my dad went to a bar, and Jonathan went out with his buddies, probably to do drugs. Who really knows with him. When I opened the door I couldn't get the smile off my face. It was like the whole day completely got washed away and all that mattered was Jace._

 _"You ready?" He asked and I nodded. I walked out of the house, locked the door and proceeded to walk to his car. "I figured we'd get pizza first, and than I'd take you to the main activity."_

 _"Sounds good. I'm starving." I said and he smiled. The car ride was quiet, which wasn't a bad thing. Being in his presence was really calming, and I didn't mind the silence._

 _Dinner went by quickly and we laughed the whole time. He knew some of the trouble I had with my family. He's been on the receiving end of some of my breakdowns, and has always been really understanding and comforting which was nice, and something I really needed from someone and he took on that role. When we were finished, we got back into his car and started driving. The drive took about 35 minutes, but when we finally arrived I was confused. We were in front of a warehouse, that wasn't really well advertised._

 _"Oh god, are you going to kill me?" I asked and Jace just laughed._

 _"No. But we are going to break things." He said and that only confused me more. We walked into the warehouse and all I heard were things shattering. The more we entered, the more confused I got until I finally saw what was happening. People were throwing plates at targets. I laughed and I looked up at Jace._

 _"We're going to smash plates?" I asked with a laugh._

 _"I figured it would be a good release." He said. "I know it's been tough at home the last couple months. And I know you bury it all deep inside, and I totally understand that, because I do the same thing, but if it sits in there for too long, it starts to become toxic. So I figured this was a perfect way to let the anger out, plus getting to do something that is forbidden in every house." He said with a laugh._

 _"It's perfect." I said. We got out stake of 10 plates and went over to the throwing area. I never knew how much pent up anger I had until I started smashing plates. Jace was right, I needed a good release, and this was it._

 ** _Flashback End._**

"I broke so many plates that night." I said and Jace laughed.

"80 to be exact." Jace said. "At one point I just told the woman in charge to just bring over the next stack when she saw you getting low."

"I must have been one expensive first date." I said and Jace just smiled.

"I never cared how much it was going to cost. I knew you needed it, and I was glad that I could do something." Jace said.

"I don't think I ever told you that my family got into a really bad fight that day." I said as I looked at him. "It might have been the worst fight we've ever had, and you taking me there really let me get it all out of my system." I explained. "I mean, I knew you were doing it for the fights that happened months before, but that particular day, it was really needed, and I don't think I ever told you how thankful I was for that." I said.

"You never had to thank me for anything Clary." Jace said. "I would and still will do anything for you."

"Was that the only date you two ever had like that?" Mrs. Stevens asked.

"No. He actually took me on a lot of other dates similar to that one." I said.

"Like what?" She asked.

"There was a similar place that let you throw hatchets." I said with a laugh. "It wasn't as easy as smashing plates, but it was a nice friendly competition to see which one of us got a hatchet buried into the barrel." I said.

"I won, obviously." Jace said and I laughed.

"You're a lot stronger than me." I said with a smile. "It was impossible for me to get that hatchet stuck. Plus, I remember kicking your ass in bowling the next week, so I was content with that victory."

"Bowling has never been my thing." Jace said.

"Mr. Athletic got 5 gutter balls that night." I said to Mrs. Stevens and he just laughed.

"Like I said, not my thing." Jace said and she nodded.

"Okay, what about your wedding day?" She asked and I looked over at Jace and he smiled at me and we both laughed. Our wedding was unconventional, but totally worth it.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 ** _Wedding Day_**

 ** _Clary POV:_**

 _I was laying in bed dreading getting up. My mother has been so incredibly annoying with this whole wedding planning. I mean, she didn't even like Jace in the beginning, and boycotted our engagement, and now that she knows we are serious, she is going overboard. I didn't like it. I just wanted something simple. I didn't care about the flowers, or the cake, or the dress honestly. I just wanted to be married to Jace. That's all I needed. Our bedroom door opened and in walked Jace with a steaming cup of coffee. I sat up and he gave me a sweet peck on the lips._

 _"Good morning." He said and I smiled._

 _"Morning." I said._

 _"What's wrong?" He asked._

 _"I'm so over the wedding planning." I said and he laughed. "Seriously, my mom called me six times last night. At 3 in the morning." I said and he laughed even more. "She's getting out of control."_

 _"I'm sorry babe. Just tell her to calm down." He said._

 _"If only that worked. She won't listen to a thing I say. It's like my opinion of my own wedding don't even matter." I said and he brushed my cheek._

 _"Your opinion is the only one that matters." He said and I smiled._

 _"Yours does too." I said and he smiled._

 _"I just want to marry you." He said. "Nothing else matters to me."_

 _"That's all I want too." I said and he got that wicked look in his eyes. "What are you thinking about?"_

 _"Let's elope." He said and my eyes widened._

 _"What?" I asked and he laughed._

 _"Let's go to Vegas and elope." He said again. "You don't want to deal with a huge wedding, and neither do I." He explained. "We could take a fun trip to Vegas and get married and finally make it official."_

 _"My mother is going to kill me." I said through a fit of giggles because it sounded perfect to me._

 _"So? You've never cared about what she thought. This is our life Clare. Our wedding. Not hers." He said._

 _"When can we leave?" I asked and he smiled._

 _"This weekend? We could both take Friday and Monday off. Make it a long weekend for the both of us." He said._

 _"Sounds perfect to me." I said and he leaned forward and kissed me._

 ** _Time Jump – Weekend_**

 _We got to Vegas, and I honestly was so excited to be here. Jace was right, this was about us, and our wedding, our life, and our future. This had nothing to do with my mother. She never really even approved of my choice to marry Jace. We had gotten here early on Friday, so the rest of the day we were spending apart getting ourselves ready for tonight, where we would be getting married. Thankfully, Jace's adoptive sister moved out here years ago, so she was meeting with us, and going to be our witness._

 _She met me at a nail salon and we spend the day getting our nails done and looking for a wedding dress for me. I wasn't going over the top, but I wanted to get married in white. Something super casual, but still classy looking. Thankfully his sister had a really good eye for fashion and we found something in about 3 hours, which would have taken me like three days to find. By the time we were done, it was almost time to meet up with Jace and I was a ball of nerves. We pulled up to the chapel, and I took a deep breath before opening up the doors. Jace stood at the front looking better than ever, and I couldn't get the smile off my face. I made my way up to him, and he was smiling the whole time too. I stood in front of him and he took my hands in his._

 _"You ready?" He asked and I smiled and nodded._

 _"Absolutely." He said and we turned our attention to the officiate. The whole ceremony was kind of a blur. I couldn't take my eyes off Jace, and all I heard was him asking if I took Jace as my husband, and I couldn't say 'I do' faster. Before I knew it our lips were tangled together and we were finally married._

 ** _Flashback Over_**

"And was your mom pissed?" Mrs. Stevens asked.

"She disowned me." I said. "Stopped talking to me for 5 or 6 years."

"That seems incredibly drastic." She said.

"My mother is insane. To put it nicely." I said and Jace laughed.

"That's an understatement." He said.

"Have you spoken recently?" She asked.

"She reached out a year or two ago." I explained.

"And have you reconciled?" She asked.

"Nope." I said and she nodded.

"Okay, let's talk about why you separated." She asked and I dreaded this because the atmosphere was pretty light, and pleasant, and the minute she said that it got dark again.

"About a year ago, I miscarried." I said as I remember that horrible day. "I was a week shy of my second trimester, and I just woke up in immense pain, and the sheets were all bloody, and when I got to the hospital, there was nothing they could do." I said as I tear escaped my eye. "It was the worst moment of my life."

"I'm so sorry for your loss." She said.

"I kinda disappeared after that." I said.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"She locked herself in our room for 2 weeks." Jace answered before I got the chance. "She didn't eat. She didn't drink anything but vodka. I slept on the couch, and hoped that every day she would unlock the door."

"How did that make you feel Jace?" Mrs. Stevens asked.

"Useless." He said. "Losing our child was the worst thing that's ever happened to me as well." He admitted. "I had a horrible childhood. Bounced around from home to home until I was adopted in 9th grade. I saw my parents die right in front of me. I got abused in some of the homes that I was sent too. It wasn't fun, and I haven't had a family since I was 7. And than losing the only blood relative I had, and it being my child, I sank into a deep depression."

"Is that why you two decided to do therapy?" She asked.

"We barely talked in 5 or 6 months, and I felt like we had lost everything we had." I said. "I thought that maybe therapy would help. I was wrong."

"Why were you wrong?" She asked.

"Because Jace doesn't take it seriously." I said.

"That's not true." Jace said.

"Oh really?" I asked. "You barely talk, and when she gives us suggestions on how to fix our marriage you blow it off." I said. "I'm tired of being the only one trying."

"You literally just shit on me the whole session, and than she gives me dirty looks, as if I'm the worst person on this planet." Jace spit back. "You disappeared for 5 months Clary." He said. "I didn't have my wife. You were a shell of a human."

"Was I supposed to be happy Jace? I just lost my baby." I nearly yelled as the tears streamed down my face.

"And I lost my baby too." He said. "You weren't the only one suffering. I was too. I was so sad. I lost my baby, and than I lost my wife too. How do you think that felt? You pushed me away. You didn't want anything to do with me." He said and than I realized that I never even thought about how it would affect him. I was so consumed in my own guilt and sadness that I never thought about him.

"I didn't realize." I said softly.

"Of course you didn't because you left me to fend for myself." Jace said. "You know I planned her whole funeral? I picked out her casket, I designed her grave. Where were you?" Jace said.

"I don't know." I said honestly.

"You were drunk. That's where you were." Jace said. "I would visit her every week because I had no one else to grieve with but her. Do you know how awful that felt? The one other person who knew what I was going through, what I was feeling, wasn't even there anymore." He said.

"I thought you blamed me." I said honestly. "You were so quiet when we got the news, and than after we held her for the few minutes that she was alive you were so still, and emotionless."

"Why in the world would I blame you Clary?" Jace said and I shrugged. "You had no control over what happened."

"I lost our baby Jace. I blamed myself, and convinced myself that you blamed me as well." I said as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "I was so lost, and upset, and depressed." Jace got out of his chair and kneeled down at my feet and took my hands in his.

"I never once blamed you for that Clary." He said in a soft voice. "I saw how much that destroyed you. I could see it every single day, and I couldn't do anything to help you because you wouldn't let me." He said and I sighed.

"I'm so sorry." I said and he kissed my knuckles.

"I just wanted my wife back and when you suggested therapy, I was all for it because I wanted to salvage whatever was left of our marriage, but once we stepped into that room it was like it never happened and I was the worst husband in the world because I didn't do anything for you." Jace said.

"I've been horrible to you." I said and he smiled at me.

"Marrying you was the best thing that ever happened to me Clary." He said honestly. "You were the only one I wanted to share my life with, and that hasn't changed one bit."

"Even after I kicked you out?" I asked and he laughed.

"Like I said, I was willing to do anything to make our marriage work." Jace said.

"Seems like you two figured out a lot today." Mrs. Stevens said and Jace went back to his seat, and he was about to let go of my hands but I didn't let him. "What would you like to do?" She asked and I looked at Jace and smiled.

"I don't think we need a divorce lawyer after all." I said and she smiled.

"Than, it was lovely meeting you two, and I wish you the very best." She said and Jace and I stood up. We shook her hand and walked out of her office. On our way to the elevator I saw a girl checking him out hard core, and I didn't like it.

"He's married." I said and her eyes shifted from Jace to me.

"Not for long sweetie." She said as she handed Jace her number. "Call me the minute the divorce is finalized."

"Oh, we weren't here for a divorce." Jace said casually. "We were just catching up with an old friend." Jace said as he pointed back to the office we just came out of. "We all went to high school together, but thank you for the offer." He said as he handed her number back to her. She walked away and Jace and I continued to walk to the elevator. Once we were inside and the doors closed Jace started laughing.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"I forgot what it was like when you get jealous." He said and I huffed.

"I was not jealous." I said and he looked at me.

"Clary, you were jealous." He said and I rolled my eyes. "Don't be embarrassed, I missed it."

"Really?" I asked and he nodded.

"You realize how many women you get off my back when we're out together?" He asked and I shook my head. "I've missed that. I've had to do it myself." He said and than something popped into my head.

"You didn't date while we were separated, did you?" I asked hesitantly and he looked at me.

"I know most people view separation as them being single again, but I never took off my ring." He said and I looked at his left hand and there the ring sat.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because you are my wife." He said. "And you have been my wife since the day we got married."

"I love you." I said and I couldn't help but realize how foreign those words sounded coming from my mouth, but also how good it felt saying them again.

"I love you too." He said after a moment. "I never stopped." He said and I got on my tip toes and pressed my lips to his, for the first time in so long, I kissed my husband, and I finally felt at home. "You have no idea how much I missed that." He said when we broke apart.

"I'm sorry it took me so long." I said and he pulled me into a hug.

"The point is that we got here, we're getting better, and through our problems. That's all that matters." He said and I nodded. The elevator finally opened and Jace took my hand in his and we walked out to he parking lot like the couple we were before, and nothing has felt more right in my life.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

This past year had been more amazing that I could have anticipated. When I finally moved back into the house I couldn't believe how good it felt to be back, and than to finally sleep in the same bed as my wife, was a feeling that I truly missed. Clary and I were getting stronger every single day. There were some days where Clary was incredibly sad, and I understood, but she let me help, and be there for her, which is what I've wanted from the beginning and I was glad that she was allowing me to help her properly.

I just got home from work, and I was exhausted. It had been a pretty hard week, but I was glad to have the weekend off and just spend some time with Clary. We made it a mandatory thing that weekends were spent together no matter what mood we were in. I didn't care if we spent the weekend in bed because Clary was having a hard time, or if we went out every night and did something. Just spending time with Clary was all I needed and what we did didn't matter.

"Clary?" I called when I got into the house. "Where are you?"

"Bedroom!" I heard her call and I walked up the stairs and into our room. She was sitting on the edge of bed looking at something in her hands.

"What's that?" I asked and she looked up and I could tell she had been crying.

"I'm pregnant." She says and my heart stops momentarily.

"Come again?" I asked because I'm not sure I can fully comprehend it yet.

"I'm pregnant." She says again and I make my way over to her and look at the stick. "There are four more in the bathroom that are all positive."

"You're pregnant." I say and she nods. "We're having a baby." I say and she nods once more. "We're going to be parents." I say and she nods yet again. I looked up and our eyes lock and I smile. "I love you."

"I love you too." She says and I press my lips to hers. When we break apart I smile and so does she.

"Are those happy tears?" I asked and she laughs.

"The happiest." She said and I picked her up and spun her around.

"This is amazing." I said and she laughed.

"I made an appointment for next week." She says and I nod. "Wednesday, 12:45." She said.

"I'll be there." I said and she smiled. "Come on, we're going out."

"But I thought we were just going to stay in and order something?" She asked and I laughed.

"You just told me we're having a baby. We're going out." I said and she laughed.

"Okay, just let me change." She said and I nodded.

"I'll be downstairs." I said and she nodded. I made my way downstairs, and waited for Clary. When she finally came down and wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me quick.

"I love you." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said as I took her hand and led her out to the car. We made our way to the restaurant and I let my hand rest on Clary's thigh the whole time. I couldn't believe that we were going through this again. It was exciting but also pretty terrifying, but I was ready. I was ready for us to be parents, and for Clary and I got get through all the highs and lows of pregnancy. We were robbed last time, and we went through something that was incredibly heartbreaking and depressing and we almost lost each other because of it. This time, Clary and I were stronger, and we were going to do everything in our power to make sure everything runs smoothly. After the last couple years Clary and I deserved happiness, and that's exactly what we were going to get this time around.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I don't know who requested this one, but I enjoyed writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it! This is probably one of the shortest one shots I've ever done, but I felt like it didn't need anymore! I feel like I hit all the parts that I wanted, and fulfilled the wishes of the reader, and I'm pretty pleased with the results! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	71. Chapter 70 - Memory Loss

**Seventieth One Shot:**

 **Memory Loss**

 **Jace POV:**

I never thought that I would be here. I never though that in 5 minutes, my entire life could turn completely upside down. The accident was bad enough, but I wasn't fully aware of just how terrible the events after would be. I still have nightmares about it. Every single night I can't escape, because it doesn't matter when I wake up, I'm still living it.

Two years ago today Clary and I were coming home from dinner. We had decided to go out and celebrate our 4 ½ year anniversary. Normally we wouldn't bother with half's, but I was planning on proposing on our 5th anniversary, and I knew that night was going to be about more than just us, and I wanted a night to ourselves. It was an icy night, and neither Clary nor I saw it. Our car skidded on the road and went straight into the forest. I don't remember much, just that when I looked over at Clary, her head was gushing blood, and I heard faint sounds of yelling than its blackness.

When I woke up in the hospital, I was so confused. I was in pain, and when the doctor asked if I remembered what happened, I vaguely remembered the car accident but I remember the rest of the night. He was testing my memory, which was understandable after being in an accident. Izzy was in the room with me, she looked like she was crying, but not happy tears. She looked sad, and I didn't know why until I remembered that I wasn't alone in the car. It was a conversation I never wanted to have.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _"Izzy, where is Clary?" I asked panicked as I tried to get out of the bed. She pushed me back and shook her head._

 _"She's asleep right now." She said and I sighed knowing that she was alive._

 _"I want to see her." I said._

 _"Jace, there is something you should know." Izzy said._

 _"What?" I asked._

 _"Clary hit her head really bad." Izzy started. "When she woke up she barely knew her own name."_

 _"So?" I asked._

 _"Jace, she thought she was 15 again." Izzy said. "She barely remembered me. The doctor was asking her all types of questions, and she lost the last 10 years old her life Jace."_

 _"But she'll remember me." I said a little confused. "We spent the last 5 years of our lives building our future together. You don't just forget that."_

 _"I mentioned your name." Izzy said. "And all she remembered was you were my cousin from England. When I asked the last time she saw you, her answer was the summer before you moved here. I'm so sorry Jace, but she doesn't remember you."_

 _"But - we're in love. We live together. I was going to ask her to marry me." I said._

 _"The doctor said that her memory might come back, it just won't be an easy road." Izzy said and I nodded before sitting back, my life had just changed, and I didn't know how to cope._

 ** _Flashback End_**

Easy road was nothing compared to what this journey was. After a week I was discharged but Clary was still there. I decided to test the waters and go and see Clary. Just like Izzy said, she didn't remember me at all, and it took everything in me not to break down and cry right then and there. Clary was everything to me, and the fact that she didn't remember anything about the life we made together was really difficult.

Clary was in the hospital for a grand total of two weeks, and in that time Izzy and I moved all her stuff out of our apartment and back in with her mom. Once everything was gone, I sold the place and moved. I couldn't be in that place anymore. Not without Clary.

Which brings us to today. It was supposed to be our 7th year together. I thought we'd be married by now, and possibly starting our family. But here I am, in a bar, drinking away my sorrows and wondering what my life would have been like if we never slipped on that ice.

"You look like you've had a rough night." The bartender said. "Penny for your thoughts?" She asked.

"Not really in the mood to talk." I said as I took another sip of my whiskey.

"We don't have to talk." She said as she licked her lips. "I can get your mind off whatever is bothering you."

"No thank you." I said and I saw her face change.

"Well, I'm done at 11, if you change your mind, I'll be over there." She said as she motioned to the other end of the bar. I nodded and she left, thankful that she was done talking to me. I don't know how long I was there but I wasn't prepared for Clary and Izzy to walk into the bar. I locked eyes with Izzy and she gave me sorrowful eyes, and I just hung my head.

"Jace." Clary said and just her saying my name was torture. "What a coincidence that you're here."

"Yea." I simply said, not being able to have a real conversation with her. It was just too painful.

"You here with someone?" She asked with her normal perky smile.

"Nope." I said as I finished my whiskey and the bartender came back over.

"Need another one handsome?" She said and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm good." I said as I put the money on the bar and stood up. "I'll see you guys later." I said towards Clary and Izzy. I walked out of the bar and started making my way home. I couldn't stand being in the same room with her, even after two years. I wanted her back, but she moved on. She had a boyfriend, and I just couldn't handle that.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left, Izzy and I got our drinks and found an empty table. There was something about Jace. Something that was so familiar but I couldn't figure it out. Izzy looked a little sad, and disappointed after Jace left and when I asked her about it she just shrugged it off and I didn't want to bring it up again. Something was clearly going on, but if she didn't want to talk, I wasn't going to push it.

"How are you and Sebastian?" She asked after a while and I groaned.

"He told me he loved me." I said after a moment.

"Wow. That's huge." Izzy said, but I could tell her enthusiasm was fake. "Did you say it back?"

"I opened my mouth to say it, but something stopped me." I admitted. "So I just told him I wasn't ready to take that step."

"Was he mad?" She asked.

"He looked disappointed, but he understood that it might be a little too fast. I mean, we've only been together for 6 months, who knows if you love someone after that short amount of time." I explained. Izzy said something under her breath that I didn't quite catch. "What did you say?"

"Nothing." She said and I gave her that look. "Honestly, it's nothing."

"Did something happen in your family that you didn't tell me about? You and Jace both seem really distraught."

"It's an anniversary of something today, and before you ask, I can't tell you." Izzy said and I nodded. "It meant a lot to both of us, and I guess I didn't realize it was going to affect me this much, but seeing Jace kinda hit me really hard."

"I'm sorry." I said because there wasn't much else I could say.

"Nothing we can do about it now." She said and I nodded. "Come on, we haven't seen each other in like 9 days, we're going to have fun." She said and I smiled and the heavy conversation was over and now we were going to have fun, which is exactly what I need.

 **Time Jump – Three Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Izzy, are you sure I should come?" I asked as I was on the phone with my best friend.

"It's his birthday Clare, don't you want to celebrate?" She asked and I sighed.

"Jace and I aren't friends Iz. He probably doesn't even want me there." I said and I heard Izzy sigh.

"I want you there." Izzy said. "It's a party, you might not even see him."

"You want me to come to a birthday party for Jace, and than not see him the whole time?" I said.

"Please Clare, I know you might not see it, but it would mean a lot to him." Izzy said and I closed my eyes.

"Okay. I'll be there." I said and she cheered.

"Great, the party is at 7 tonight." She said. We hung up shortly after, and I laid back on my bed and thought about this party. Jace barely spoke to me, and barely looked at me when we were in the same room, and I was going to his birthday party. It didn't make sense, but for some reason I couldn't say no to Izzy.

 **Time Jump – Party**

 **Jace POV:**

Izzy insisted that she throw me a birthday party. I had no idea why it was such a big deal, I was turning 28, not exactly a huge milestone, but Izzy never really did need a reason to want to throw a party. It started about 45 minutes ago, and I was mingling with a bunch of people, but not really interested in anything they were talking about. Everyone was either getting married, or having a baby, and it just made it even harder to know that I could be discussing my wedding story, or about how far along Clary is with our first child, but I can't and it was truly the hardest thing in the world, even after 2 years. I decided that I needed another drink so I made my way over to the bar and low and behold, the same bartender was working again.

"What can I get the birthday boy?" She said in a seductive voice.

"Whiskey on the rocks." I said and she nodded and grabbed a glass.

"So, how old are you tonight?" She asked as she poured the whiskey.

"28." I said.

"You don't look 28 at all." She said as she pushed the drink over to me. "I thought about carding you the first time you walked into this bar."

"I've always had a young face." I said and she nodded. "Comes in handy sometimes."

"I bet." She said and I smiled. "Have a good night." She said as she was asked down at the end of the bar. I turned around and there stood Clary. I wasn't in charge of the guest list, Izzy was, and I wasn't surprised that she invited Clary, but I was surprised that she decided to show up. I made my way over to her after we locked eyes and just tried to act like it was killing me to be around her.

"I'm surprised to see you here." I said as I made my way over to her.

"Izzy convinced me to come." She said and I nodded. "I didn't know what to get you, since I'm not really sure what you are interested in, but I found this earlier, and something compelled me to get it for you." She said as she handed me the gift. I looked at it, and it was a sheet of music.

"Piano sheet music." I said and Clary nodded.

"I don't even know if you play. I guess that never really occurred to me. If you have no use for it, I can totally return it and get you something else." She said and I laughed.

"I do play. Quite frequently actually." I said and she nodded. "This is perfect. Thank you."

"Let me know when you play it, and let me know if it's good." She said and I smiled.

"I will let you know the minute my fingers touch the keys." I said and she laughed, that beautiful and angelic laugh that I've missed so much.

"Babe, there you are." I heard and there came her boyfriend. "I thought I lost you." He said as he kissed her lips quickly.

"Just giving Jace his birthday gift." She said and he nodded.

"Happy birthday man, thanks for the invite." He said and I had to bit back my temper and nod.

"No problem. Have fun." I said and I looked back to Clary. "Thank you for the gift, but I have to go."

"Okay. Happy birthday again." She said and I nodded before walking outside to get some fresh air. Knowing they were together was one thing, but seeing them together was something entirely different, and I hated that it wasn't me kissing her, and calling her babe. She got me sheet music, for an instrument she didn't even know I could play, so I was holding onto that piece of her memory returning.

"I'm sorry." I heard behind me and when I turned around there stood Izzy. "I didn't know she invited him."

"It's not your fault Izzy." I said and she made her way over to me.

"They've been rocky lately, so I thought maybe tonight she would use as an excuse to have some time for herself." Izzy explained.

"Honestly Iz, it's not your fault." I said and she nodded. "She got me sheet music."

"What?" Izzy asked.

"Her gift to me was sheet music." I said as I handed it to her. "She didn't even remember that I played the piano, but she got it for me anyway."

"Maybe that's a sign that her memory is coming back." Izzy said and I shrugged.

"I'm not going to get my hopes up." I said and she nodded.

"Well, come on. Everyone is wondering where the birthday boy is." She said with a laugh. She grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the bar. Clary pretty much ignored me the rest of the night, which was actually really nice, but I couldn't stop myself from looking over at her every now and than. I never was able to keep my eyes off her, and I guess that'll never go away.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

 _"Come on, why won't you tell me?" I asked as I drove down the rode. He was being really sneaky lately, but he wouldn't tell me why._

 _"You're just going to have to wait and see babe." He said and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "You'll love it. I promise." He said and he was just so convincing, that I knew he was right._

 _"Okay, but if I don't like it, you're going to be so sorry." I said and he laughed, such a beautiful laugh._

 _"I think I know how much you're going to love it." He said and I smiled._

 _"Okay, I trust you." I said and he smiled I turned on my high beams because we were on a dark road and there weren't any other cars. We were coming around the bend when I lost control of the car. I tried to slam on the breaks but it wasn't working. I looked over to the right but before I saw anything everything went back._

I woke up startled for the third night in a row. For some reason this dream is haunting me and I don't know what to do. I can't see the person's face, and when I look to the right, I black out before I can see anything. I look around and notice that I'm in my room. I decided that I wasn't going to sleep again so I decided to just make myself some hot tea.

I was sitting at the table when Izzy appeared. She looked exhausted, and in need of more coffee than we kept in the apartment. She mindlessly grabbed the pot and brought it the table than got herself a bowl of cereal. Once she sat down she looked a little more awake and I felt like it was an appropriate time to speak.

"Rough night?" I asked and she looked at me.

"I barely slept. I think I'm getting sick." She said and I nodded.

"There is medicine in the cabinet." I said and she nodded but didn't get up. I went and grabbed the cold medicine and handed it to her with a full glass of orange juice.

"Thanks." She said and I nodded before sitting down, still thinking about the dream that I had. "You look troubled."

"I've had the same dream for the past three nights now." I said.

"Are you naked in the auditorium while giving your valedictorian speech? Cause I've totally had that before." She said and I laughed.

"No." I said. "I'm in a car, and I'm driving. But someone is there with me. I don't know who he is but we're having a conversation." I said as I smiled at the conversation topic. "He was going to surprise me. And I'm trying to figure out what it is but he won't tell me."

"What's so bad about that?" Izzy asks.

"Because when I focus back on the road, the car skids on ice, and we crash, and the moment I look to my right to see him, everything goes black," I said and she looks upset but nods regardless. "It kinda reminds me of the way the doctor explained my accident."

"Interesting." She says but I can hear something in her voice that's weird.

"What's wrong?" I asked and she shakes her head. "Isabelle, whenever that crash is mentioned you always freeze and start acting weird. I've ignored it every other time, but this is the third time I've dreamed this, and it feels so vivid."

"Maybe it is." She says.

"It can't be. I was alone that night." I said and she looks like she wants to say something, but she's biting her tongue so hard. "Just spit it out Isabelle."

"You weren't alone." She finally said and I was taken aback. "That night, you weren't alone. You were on your way back from dinner with your boyfriend."

"I had a boyfriend?" I asked and she simply nods. "How come I didn't know that?" I asked.

"You lost 10 years of your life Clary. You barely remembered me." She says and I just couldn't believe it.

"Why didn't anyone tell me I was in the car with someone? Did he die?" I ask realizing that maybe that's why.

"No. He was pretty beat up, but he was out of the hospital in a week." She explains and I nod.

"Why would you keep that from me?" I ask.

"He told us too." She said. "You didn't remember him, and he wasn't going to force himself back into your life. You needed to heal, and he wanted the best for you."

"How long were we together?" I ask after a moment of processing.

"Almost 5 years." She said and my eyes nearly pop out of my head.

"I couldn't remember a boyfriend of 5 years?" I ask and she nods. "How is that possible?"

"You slammed your head really hard. The doctors said it would be a miracle with you not to come out without some kind of memory loss." She explained.

"Do I know him?" I asked and she nods. "Who is he?"

"I think you need to figure it out on your own Clary." She said. "He would never forgive me if I told you. He always said he wanted you to remember him on your own. I've already told you too much."

"Okay. I understand." I said and she nodded.

After breakfast I went back to my room and got ready for the day. I had the day off from work, and I had something's to do, and than I was meeting Sebastian for lunch. Maybe that's why I always felt so weird with Sebastian, maybe subconsciously I remembered that I had a boyfriend before and I felt like I was cheating on him by not remembering. But how could I not remember? Being together with someone for 5 years is bound to leave an impression. Maybe the dream was my minds way of telling me. I don't know. I was confused, and lost, and I just wanted to know who was in that car with me. I pulled up to the restaurant when Sebastian was already waiting for you. He greeted me with a kiss on the cheek and I smiled and we took our seats.

"You look lost Clare, is everything okay?" He asked.

"I've been having this really vivid dream the past couple nights, and when I talked to Izzy she told me something about that night that was being kept a secret." I explained.

"And what is that?" He asked.

"I wasn't alone." I said. "Apparently I was coming home from dinner with my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" He asked and I nodded.

"He was in the hospital for a week." I said.

"Why didn't he come find you?" He asked.

"I lost 10 years of my life." I explained. "Apparently I didn't remember him. Izzy told me that he didn't want to force himself back into my life, and that if I ever did remember him, he wanted it to be on my own."

"That makes sense. There isn't anything worse than someone trying to force you to remember something you forgot." Sebastian said and I nodded. We ordered our food and the conversation was dropped. I could tell he didn't want to talk about it, and as much as I did, I wasn't going to talk about my old boyfriend, who I didn't remember to my actual boyfriend. But maybe that's why I couldn't commit fully to him. Maybe it was a sign, but who knows at this point.

"Hey Red! Over here!" I heard and it was like my mind started recalling every memory I didn't know I had.

 _~"Come on Red! Give me one chance!" Jace said as we sat in the park. "If you don't enjoy the date, at least we tried."~_

 _~"Aw Red, it wasn't that sad." Jace said as we walked out of the movie theater. "Not everyone can get a happily ever after.~_

 _~"Red, talk to me, what's wrong?" Jace asked as I cried into his chest.~_

 _~"Can you believe it Red, its our very own." Jace said as we stared at our new apartment.~_

 _~"Red, come to bed, it's late, and you're going to be extremely grumpy in the morning if you don't get at least 5 hours of sleep." Jace said in his extremely sexy sleepy voice.~_

 _~"RED!" Jace yelled as our car flew off the road and into the forest. I tried to stay awake, but my eyes started to flutter closed and everything seemed to stop around me.~_

"Clary, what's wrong?" I heard Sebastian ask and I realize that I stood up and spilled my food all over the ground.

"Oh my god." I said as I looked around. "I'm so sorry." I said to the waiter and he simply just smiled and waved me off before going to grab a broom.

"Clary, what's gotten into you?" Sebastian asked.

"I remember." I said silently. "I remember." I said again and he stood next to me.

"You remember him." Sebastian said and I nodded. "I guess that explains why this relationship always felt one sided." He said and I sighed.

"I'm really sorry Sebastian." I said and he smiled.

"Whoever he is, he's a lucky guy." He said and I smiled. I leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"You were a great boyfriend Sebastian, and any girl will be lucky to have you." I said and he laughed.

"We had a great run Clare, but go get your man." He said and I laughed before leaving the restaurant and getting in my car. It was currently 1 in the afternoon so Jace should be at work. I remember Izzy mentioning that Jace was an accountant, and worked at the Blackthorn Accounting Firm so I made a beeline in that direction.

It felt like it took forever to get there, but when I finally found it, I parked, horribly I might add, in the parking garage before making my way to the lobby. I ran right to the desk and rang the bell and waited for someone to come and assist me.

"Hello, welcome to Blackthorn Accounting Firm, how may I help you today?" The nice lady asked.

"Jace Herondale, which floor does he work on?" I asked a little out of breath. She started typing and I literally felt like everything was moving in slow motion.

"Jace Herondale's office is on the 8th floor." She said and I nodded before running to the elevator. It stopped on pretty much every floor before it finally made it to the 8th floor. Once the doors opened I made it to the open office space and saw a woman who looked like the floor receptionist and made my way over to her.

"Welcome to Blackthorn Accounting Firm, how can I help you?" She asked.

"I'm looking for Jace Herondale." I said.

"Do you have an appointment?" She asked and I shook my head. "I'm sorry ma'am, you need an appointment to see Mr. Herondale."

"Please, I really need to see him." I said. "I'm an old friend, just tell him Clary is here." I said.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but he's booked all day and…"

"Clary?" I heard and I turned around and there stood Jace. "What are you doing here?" He asked and I made my way over to him.

"For our first date you took me out in the middle of nowhere where we stargazed for hours because I told you I was fascinated by the stars when I was little, and living in New York City didn't give me the best access to them." I said and I saw his face change from surprise to something that I can only describe as elation. "You told me that if the first date didn't live up to my expectations, than at least we tried." I said as I moved closer to him. "You exceeded my expectations that night and you proceeded to exceed my expectation on every other date you took me on." I said and now we were toe to toe and I was looking up at him. "I remember." I said and before I could process anything, his lips slammed into mine and I felt like I had just come home after so long. Forgotten were all the workers on the floor, who had a front row seat in the reunion of Jace and I. I was finally me again, and I couldn't even begin to imagine how hard the past couple years have been for Jace. To just sit on the sidelines, not saying a word, and hoping that I would remember at one point. When we finally broke apart, is when I heard the applause.

"I can't believe you remember." He whispered and I laughed.

"I'm sorry it took me so long." I said and he smiled.

"You remembered, that's all that matters." He said and I nodded. "Come on, lets go to my office." He said and I nodded. He took my hand in his and guided me to his office. He shut the door and turned to face me. "What triggered it?" He asked.

"I kept having this vivid dream. It was the night of the crash, and you were there and we were talking. But every time I went to see who you were, everything went black and I'd wake up. I talked to Izzy about it, and she told me that I wasn't alone that night like I thought I was. She told me I was with my boyfriend." I said and he simply nodded. "Than, I went out to lunch with Sebastian, and I was telling him about it, and than someone in the restaurant called someone Red, and it was like every memory that ever contained you came flooding back." I said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"The minute I walked into your hospital room, and you said 'oh my god Jace, it's so good to see you, what's it been 10 years?' I just it broke me." He said and I could see how much it hurt. "Everything we built together was gone, and when I talked to the doctor he told me that you may never remember but if I tried to force you to remember, it would probably only make your recovery worse." He admitted. "And there wasn't anything in the world that I wanted more than for you to heal." He explained. "So, after I left, Izzy and I moved all of your stuff our of our apartment, and back into your moms. I sold our place, and got something else because I couldn't possibly stay there without you, and I waited."

"You mean, for almost 3 years, you didn't try and move on?" I asked pretty shocked.

"You're it for me Clary. You always have been." He said. "After the accident, I thought maybe I could move on, but just thinking about it felt wrong. Izzy tried to convince me after a year that it was time I just got myself out there again, but it just didn't feel right." He said. "I mean, it wouldn't take much effort to get another girlfriend." He said and I laughed. "But I didn't want anyone else."

"I can't believe you waited." I said and he made his way over to me.

"I would have waited 10 or 15 years for you Clary." He said and my eyes started to tear. He walked over to his desk and opened a door. He reached in and pulled out a small box. He made his way back to me, took a seat on a chair and pulled me into his lap. "I bought this a month before the accident." He said as he handed it to me. I opened it and there sat the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. "I was planning on asking you to marry me on our 5th anniversary, but than everything went to shit." He said and I laughed.

"You kept it?" I asked and he nodded. "In your office?" I added and he laughed.

"Last year my place was broken into and robbed." He said and I gasped. "I literally didn't care about anything but the ring. And when I found it, still in the drawer, I was relieved. This office building is so secure, and I figured that it would be the best place to keep it."

"It's beautiful." I said and he smiled.

"I saw it, and knew it was the one. Kinda like when I realized that I liked you." He said with a laugh.

"So was this a show and tell moment, or are you asking me to marry you?" I asked and he laughed.

"Clarissa Fray, will you please marry me?" He asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Nothing would make me happier." I said. He took the ring out of the box and slid it on my finger. "I love you."

"I can't tell you how amazing it is to hear you say that again." He said. "I love you too."

"Thanks for waiting for me." I said and he pressed his lips to mine.

"You are worth the wait." He said and I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him like my life depended on it.

Jace talked to his boss, and he is such a sucker for love that he left Jace leave early. We made our way back to my place, and when I opened the door Izzy was sitting on the coach with Simon watching a movie. I walked in first, and she looked up and smiled.

"How was lunch with Sebastian?" She asked and I laughed.

"Eye opening." I said and she looked confused, and when Jace walked in she looked even more confused.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"Iz, I remember." I said and for a split second she looked more confused until it clicked.

"Oh my god. You remember?" She asked and I nodded. She jumped off the couch and pulled me into a hug. "Everything?"

"Everything." I said and she looked like she was about to cry. "And there's something else." I said. I lifted up my left hand to show her the ring and I think we all went deaf for a moment while her high-pitched screams carried throughout the apartment.

"Oh my god! Finally!" She said and I laughed. "I was seriously wondering if this was ever going to happen. I mean, after a year I was still hopeful, but I honestly had given up."

"It's understandable Iz. I'm just thankful Jace didn't give up." I said and Jace pulled me into him.

"He always was super loyal." Izzy said and I smiled. "How did you remember?"

"I was at lunch with Sebastian and someone in the restaurant called someone Red, and everything just came flooding back." I said and she nodded.

"Now we get to plan a wedding!" She said and I laughed. "This is so long over due."

"You're telling me." Jace said and she gave him a hug and than pulled me into it.

"I'm so happy you two found each other again." Izzy said and I smiled.

"Me too." I said. "Which brings me to another point." I said and she released us. "I'm moving out."

"Finally." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Jeez, don't throw a party quite yet." I said and she laughed.

"It's not that. Simon asked me to move in with him a month ago, and I've been postponing it because I didn't want to leave you alone." She said.

"I'm a big girl Iz. I could have lived alone." I said and she smiled.

"I know, but still." She said and I laughed.

The rest of the day I spent attached to Jace's hip, but I didn't care how clingy I was being. I had missed out on almost 3 years of being in this man's arms and I was going to try and get that time back as much as I could. He didn't seem to mind either. He held onto me so tight, that I couldn't breath sometimes, but it didn't matter because I remembered, and I was with Jace, and everything felt right for the first time in years, and I couldn't wait to finally start living my life again.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I rolled over in bed and blindly reached out for Clary. When I found her I pulled her into my embrace and buried my head into her hair and smelled the sweet scent of strawberry shampoo. It was a smell that used to haunt my memories, but ever since I got it back, it can't help but smell it every time Clary is near, and instead of pain, all I feel is pure bliss.

"Good morning Mr. Herondale." Clary said in a sleepy voice.

"Good morning to you Mrs. Herondale." I said and she smiled.

"I can't believe we're married." She said and I laughed.

"I can. It's been a long time coming." I said and she leaned up and kissed me.

"It does feel like we took our sweet time getting here." She said and I smiled.

"It was anything but a sweet time, but I'm thankful to be here and to be holding you in my arms." I said and she smiled.

"What do you want to do on our first day as a married couple?" She asked and I smiled.

"This." I said and she snuggled into my chest.

"This sounds perfect." She said and I kissed her hair. It might have taken us a long time to get to this moment, but we were here, and we were happy, and in love, and everything we were before the accident. We were finally in a place where we wanted to be all those years ago, and Clary was right, we took a long time to get here, but the point was that we were here, and we were happy, and together. And that all I've ever wanted.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Happy Valentine's Day, even though I hate this holiday, that doesn't mean I don't want others to enjoy it! And no, I am not single, I've been with my boyfriend for a long time, I just don't really care for this particular holiday! Anyway, with that in mind, I think I have come up with a mushy one shot that gave me all types of feels while writing it! I have no idea who requested this one shot, but I know it was requested a long time ago, and although it took me some time to finally give it to you, I hope that it was worth the wait, because I think this one just oozes Clace, and thats exactly what I wanted to give you all on such a mushy day, and for all of those who don't have a Valentine, I hope you live vicariously through Clary and Jace in this one shot! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **And WOW 70 one shots! Seems like time is just passing us by! I have no idea if I'm going to stop at 100 or not as of this moment, but I still have 30 more before I even get to 100, so I have plenty of time to think, but I've appreciated all of your input and I'll take what you all feel into consideration, because as long as you all love what I write, than there really is no reason to stop giving you something to look forward too on a daily basis! Just because I'm perpetually sad doesn't mean I want you all to be, and if one of my one shots puts a smile on your face, than I'm doing something right! :)**


	72. Chapter 71 - Secret Service

**Seventy First One Shot:**

 **Secret Service**

 **Jace POV:**

"You'll be assigned to my daughters protection detail when her plane lands." President Morgenstern said.

"Of course sir." I said.

"She doesn't particularly like having a security team, but she doesn't really have a choice." He said and I nodded. "Bat will show you the way." He said and another man walked in.

"Of course sir." I said. I followed the man out and once the doors were closed he smiled.

"My name's Bat, and I'm the head of Miss. Morgenstern's security detail." He said. "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks." I said. "Does she really hate having a detail?" I asked after a moment.

"She'll never admit it, but she really likes all the men in her detail, she just hates that her father still thinks she's 12." He explained. "But I think any 22 year old would feel that way."

"Understandable." I said.

"Her plane lands in 10 minutes. We'll go out and I'll introduce you to the men that are also in her detail." He said and I nodded. We made our way out to the field where the plane would land, and there were 6 other men waiting there and talking. "Men, we got another one." Bat said and everyone turned and faced us. "This is Jace Herondale. Newest member of Miss. Morgenstern's detail." He said and they all nodded. "We have Jordan Kyle, Simon Lewis, Alec Lightwood, Julian Blackthorn, Magnus Bane, and Raphael Santiago."

"Nice to meet you all." I said and they nodded.

"Remember that Miss. Morgenstern is coming back for the summer with Isabelle and Emma, so we don't only have her to worry about her, but them as well." Bat said.

"Oh god." Julian said and all the other guys laughed. I guess Bat could see my confusion because he clapped me on the shoulder.

"Emma came for the first time 2 years ago, and Julian fell hard, and fast." Bat explained and I nodded. "He hasn't seen her since, so this should be a fun reunion."

"Laugh at my pain." Julian said which only made the guys laugh even more.

"Well, if you weren't such a little bitch and asked her out, we wouldn't laugh." Simon said and Julian punched him.

"Just because everything worked out between you and Isabelle, doesn't mean it'll work out for Emma and I." Julian said.

"As much as I'd love to discuss my little sisters love life. The plane is coming." Alec said and we all turned our direction towards the jet approaching.

"Is everyone here connected?" I asked Bat and he laughed.

"Not on purpose." Bat said. "Alec started here and Miss. Morgenstern told us she was bringing a couple friends home for the summer. Alec was stunned when his sister walked off the plane with her." Bat said with a laugh. "The whole summer Isabelle and Simon got really close, and when it was time for them to go back to school, Simon took a risk and asked if she'd like to be his girlfriend, and they've been together ever since. Julian and Emma are more complicated."

"How so?" I asked.

"Emma had a boyfriend back at school." Bat said. "Although you could see how much Emma liked Julian, she wasn't going to do that to her boyfriend, and it really hurt Julian when they went back to school. Miss. Morgenstern keeps me in the loop about everything going on, so she is currently single, but who knows if Julian will even try anything this summer."

"You seem really close with her." I said and Bat laughed.

"She's like my little sister." Bat said. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her." He said and I nodded. A moment later the plane landed and the boys started making their way to the plane. The door opened and the steps came down, and out walked basically Alec's replica, only in girl form.

"Simon!" She cheered as she ran down the stairs and into his arms. You could see how happy he was to be with her again, and I couldn't imagine spending the majority of your time in a relationship away from that person.

"Just ignore your brother." Alec said. "That's cool." He said and she broke away from Simon, and glared at her brother.

"I haven't seen Simon since Christmas, you work with your significant other. I don't get the luxury." She said as she hugged Alec. "You better be keeping him in check." She said as she looked towards Magnus.

"Oh darling, Alexander is in good hands." Magnus said as he gave her a huge hug.

"Is that even allowed?" I whispered to Bat and he laughed.

"President Morgenstern is a very chill guy." Bat explained. "When Magnus and Alec both realized that they wanted to explore a relationship together, they went to him and told him that if one of them needed a new job, it wouldn't be a problem because they really did care about each other." Bat said. "President Morgenstern simply laughed and said he wasn't going to make one of them quite because they wanted to date a coworker." Bat said. "But they were split up. Magnus is in Mr. Morgenstern's detail."

"You mean President Morgenstern?" I asked and Bat laughed.

"No, his son." Bat said and I nodded. "He is simply here to make sure everything goes smoothly, and than he'll be off."

The next person to exit the plane was Emma because Julian immediately cursed under his breath. I could see why he fell hard and fast. She was a beautiful girl, and sometimes looks kill you before you even get a chance to get to know the person. She walked off the plane and made her way over to Isabelle, and I couldn't help but notice that she avoided Julian at all costs. I wasn't paying attention to the next person who started to exit the plane until I heard a scream. I turned around just in the nick of time to catch her at the bottom of the stairs.

"I see you're still just as uncoordinated as you were when you left." Bat said to the girl as I helped her stand up.

"You know me, clumsier with every day that passes." She said and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was gorgeous. She turned towards me and smiled which brought me off of whatever trance she locked me under. "You're new."

"Miss. Morgenstern, this is Jace Herondale, newest member of your detail." Bat said and I smiled.

"Pleasure to meet you Miss. Morgenstern." I said and she smiled again.

"Please, call me Clary." She said and I nodded. "Same goes for you Bat. You've known me since my father was elected. If I hear you call me Miss. Morgenstern one more time, I might have to shoot you with your own gun." She said as she and Bat laughed. "And we all know that that's not something you want to tell the guys over a round of beers when they ask how you were shot."

"You are very right Clary, but I'm just doing my job." Bat said.

"I'm not as formal as my parents or my brother. You guys are more than just my detail, you're my friends, and I don't have my friends call me Miss. Morgenstern." Clary explained.

"I will try my best." Bat said and she smiled. "Jace, and Alec will escort you inside, the rest of us will get your bags."

"You remember what rooms Emma and Izzy stayed in last time?" Clary asked and bat simply nodded. "Great. This way Jace and Alec."

Alec and I followed the three young ladies to the house and escorted them into whatever room that Clary had led us too. When we reached the room, it was filled with people who I'm assuming are her family, so Alec and I just lingered near the door like we were supposed too. They stayed for some time before Bat came in and told them that all their belongings were brought up to their rooms, which made all three ladies excuse themselves, so that they could unpack. Since we were in the house, we didn't need to escort them to their rooms, so the boys and I simply made ourselves scarce around the house and occupied ourselves with small tasks to buy time for the rest of the day, but I couldn't get Clary out of my head, and it was driving me crazy.

 **Clary POV:**

When I finally reached my room, I took a deep breath and laid out on my bed. The new secret service agent assigned to my detail was hot. Like smoking hot and the fact that I was going to be spending the majority of the summer with him, made me thankful that I decided to come home instead of travel abroad with Izzy and her family. I was going to enjoy spending my time with him. My door opened and I looked up and Izzy and Emma entered my room.

"That new guy is really hot." Emma said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Seriously, where the hell do they find all these hot guys at?" Izzy asked as they both sat on my bed.

"He smells nice too." I said because I remembered him catching me when I tripped on the stairs.

"You have the best looking detail in the world." Izzy said. "You're so lucky."

"I guess I'm pretty lucky." I said and they both rolled their eyes. "Oh come on, Izzy you're with Simon, and Emma you and Julian have a lot to figure out this summer."

"I don't even think he still likes me." Emma said.

"Oh please. He still likes you." Izzy said. "He was trying to hard not to look at you today, which makes sense. He fell in love with you after a week of knowing you, and when he found out you had a boyfriend, he was crushed."

"I didn't mean to hurt him." Emma said.

"I know you didn't, but that didn't mean that you didn't." Izzy said. "But you have another chance. You broke up with that dick, and now you have full freedom to see where things go with Julian."

"I guess, but he does have a job. I can't distract him from that." Emma said.

"Please, Clary has enough people to watch out for her. Plus super hot new guy will probably be on her everyday." Izzy said and I rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, they all watch me like a hawk when I'm here. Jace won't be much different." I said and they rolled their eyes again. "What's with the eye rolling?"

"You've never done anything for yourself Clare. You do whatever you need to do so it'll look good for your father." Izzy said.

"That's not true." I said.

"Yes it is." Emma said. "The only thing you've ever done for yourself was going to Stanford. Your father wanted you to go somewhere local, but you were so committed to going to Stanford, and look where that's gotten you." Emma said.

"Yea, it brought us together, and I couldn't picture my life without you." Izzy said and I couldn't help but smile.

"This summer, make it about you." Emma said. "Live it up, and hey if you fall for the hottie, that's just a bonus." She said and I laughed.

"I'm not going to fall in love with a member of my security detail." I said and they both laughed.

"Don't be so sure. I wasn't looking for Simon when I came here, and I can't picture my life without him, and Emma might not be able to openly confess it, but she'd be miserable without Julian in her life. I mean, you deserve someone to do that to you."

"He might not even like me like that." I said and they both laughed.

"You've always been able to attract any guy you wanted. He won't be any different." Izzy said.

"He might also be like 10 years older than me Iz." I said and she just shook her head.

"I'll talk to Alec, but he didn't look older than 25." She said and I just shrugged. "Just have fun, and maybe something will happen, and maybe something won't, but who knows unless you try."

"Okay." I said and they cheered.

We stayed in my room for another hour or so until we were called for dinner. It was great to be back with my family again. I missed them, but I also loved the freedom of being away at school. People knew I was the president's daughter, but they didn't make a big deal out of it, which was really nice. I was just a regular girl there, and that's all I've ever wanted to be, and I loved that.

"Remember Clarissa, we have a huge event in a month, and please don't try and ditch your detail again." My father said.

"Don't worry dad. I left my rebellious years behind." I said and everyone laughed.

"That's good to hear." He said and I nodded.

"Also, we were going to go shopping tomorrow. If you could tell my detail, that'd be great." I said and my dad simply nodded and we went back to eating in peace. I couldn't wait to just be a normal person again. School was over, and I didn't have to worry about exams or homework. I was going to have fun with my friends, and I was going to enjoy it.

 **Jace POV:**

I came in today not knowing what was on the agenda. We were called into the office to talk with President Morgenstern, and to be honest, I haven't really spent that much time with him so I have no clue what I'm in for, and that's slightly terrifying, but Bat made him seem like he was pretty open, and up for anything, so that was pretty calming when it comes to any type of meetings he calls.

"Welcome, thank you all for coming in today." President Morgenstern said. "My daughter is going out shopping with her friends. As you know, Clarissa is always your first priority, but with her friends being here, they are just as much your responsibility as Clarissa." He said and we all nodded. "Bat and Simon, you'll be in Clarissa's car. Jordan and Alec, you'll be with Emma. Jace and Julian you'll be with Isabelle. Raphael, you'll be the lead car with no girl, but you know the drill, keep an eye on everything." He said and we all nodded. "Have a good day, you know how those ladies are with shopping, so I'll see you after dinner, or maybe later." He said and we all walked out. Once the door was closed I turned to Bat.

"Do they really shop all day?" I asked and everyone laughed.

"Last year, we left at 9 am, and we didn't get back until after 10. It was a nightmare." Bat said and my jaw dropped. "They don't just shop. They stop for lunch, than shop for hours. They get their nails done, than shop, than it's dinner time, and than they shop, and last year, they found a club they really wanted to try out, but they weren't dressed appropriately, so they shopped some more, and than went to a club. It's a full outing with them. Always has been, always will be." He said and I nodded. "Everyone go get your girl, and we'll meet in the garage." Bat instructed and Julian and I headed towards Isabelle's room. Julian knocked on the door and a moment later it opened.

"Hi. I was wondering who I was going to be with today." She said rather cheerfully.

"It's barely 8 am, you look oddly chipper." I said and she laughed and made her way out of her room.

"Unlike my counterparts, mainly Clary, I don't roll out of bed, throw a t-shirt on and my chucks and take on the day." She said and I couldn't help but laugh at how opposite they were. "I take my time getting ready for the day, and sometimes that requires getting up rather early, but beauty takes some sacrifice." She said as we made our way into the foyer to meet the others. Isabelle was correct in pinpointing what Clary would be wearing, and she had it down to the converse. Emma was dressed a little more feminine, but Isabelle was definitely dressed the most girly, but it seemed to fit her personality quite well.

"Alright, first stop, Starbucks." Clary said. "Because you made today start way too early Iz, and if I don't have caffeine in me soon, no one is going to be safe from my hysterical outbursts." She said and everyone laughed.

"She's not kidding." We heard from behind us, and when we turned around, there stood President Morgenstern's replica.

"Jonathan, what are you doing up? You got in at like 3 am." Clary said and he simply laughed.

"I had a date, and it went a little longer than expected." He said. "Although, I wouldn't have needed to stay out so late if Emma here would just accept my invitation to accompany me to dinner." He said with a smirk and I glanced to my right, and Julian had his fists in balls.

"I am flattered that you want to take me out Jonathan, but you're simply not my type." Emma said in a polite voice.

"Seriously, you've been asking for 2 years Jon, give it up." Isabelle said and Jonathan just rolled his eyes.

"You'll give in eventually." Jonathan said as he winked at Emma. "They always do." He walked away and Emma scoffed.

"I love you Clare, but your brother is a huge creep." Emma said and Clary laughed.

"I'm sorry he's such a jerk sometimes. I thought that maybe he would get over this weird fascination with you when you didn't come last summer, but it seems to have only heightened." Clary said and Emma just shrugged it off.

"He'll get the hint one day. I'm hoping he get's it before I have to cause him bodily harm, but I'm not beneath it either." Emma said and Clary laughed.

"If you do end up slapping him, make sure I'm there to witness." Clary said and she didn't seem at all bothered about her friend smacking the shit out her brother, which was really funny to me.

"Oh girl, you'll have a front row seat with a camera ready." Emma said and Clary laughed.

"Let's get going, I can already feel myself getting antsy from lack of sleep." Clary said and we all walked into the garage and got in our designated cars and started off towards the shopping center we were going too.

"So, you're name is Jace right?" Isabelle asked from the back.

"That's right." I said with a smile.

"What made you want to join the secret service?" She asked.

"I've always wanted to protect people. At first I wanted to be a police officer, or maybe a federal agent, but in college there was just something so intriguing about the secret service. Of course that not what my degree is in, but it was always my dream job." I answered and I saw her nod.

"Are you fresh out of college than?" She asked.

"I actually graduated college when I was 20. I started out being the security detail for the local senators, or other congressman, some cabinet members, but this past year I was promoted to Miss. Morgenstern's detail." I explained.

"So that makes you how old?" She asked.

"I'll be 26 in January." I said and she nodded.

"Are you married?" She asked and I looked in the rearview, and she laughed. "I'm sorry, I always question the new members. I just like to know everyone. I'm really friendly."

"I've gathered that much." I said with a laugh. "But to answer your question, no, I'm not married. Haven't me the right girl yet." I said.

"But you must be a hit with all the ladies." She said with suggestive tone. "You're quite the looker."

"I'm flattered you think so." I said and she laughed.

"Don't get me wrong, I love my Simon, but you are structured like a god." She said and I laughed. "I'm not coming on to you by the way, but I appreciate the way you look."

"Thank you. I've never gotten that compliment before." I said and she laughed. "And you're right, I've never had a girl deny me, but I must say, I deny them quite a lot."

"That surprises me." Isabelle said. "You think you'd take advantage of your looks, and use them to get dates."

"I was that way when I was 15 or 16. When I started to realize that girls were noticing me, and not just girls my age, but older women." I admitted. "But when I was 17, I graduated high school, and went to college, and noticed that 20 year olds were doing the same thing as those 15 year olds, it kind of made me take a step back and think about the way I could abuse my looks into getting a lot of girls." I said. "I realized that I didn't want to be known as the player. If I met a girl I genuinely liked, than I would take that opportunity to ask her out, but I've never taken advantage of my looks for causal hook ups. That's never been me."

"That's really cool." Isabelle said. "I know plenty of guys, if they were in your situation who would have used their looks as bait to reel in any girl they could charm." She says. "I dated a few of them, and I've seen friends get heartbroken time after time, and it really sucks."

"I know what you mean. My little sister is 17, and it sucks that I can't be home to make sure the guys she brings home are good enough for her." I said.

"She's a lucky girl to have a brother who cares so much." Isabelle says. "Alec was that way with me. It's endearing to have someone care so much. Especially because my parents weren't around as much as normal parents would be."

"I understand. My dad bailed after my sister was born. Apparently one kid was already too much of a hassle, and two kids was just pushing it." I said with a dry humorless laugh. "As much as my sister hates it, I'm like a big brother and dad all in one."

"She'll appreciate it later in life." Isabelle said with a smile. "Trust me."

"I'll take your word for it Isabelle." I said.

"Call me Izzy. Isabelle makes me feel like I'm be reprimanded by my parents." She said and I laughed.

"Duly noted." I said and Julian parked the car. We got out and made our way into the Starbucks. Clary was standing at the counter, when she turned around and smiled.

"You boys want anything?" She asked.

"No thank you Miss. Morgenstern." Bat answered for all of us. "We're just fine." She nodded and paid for the drinks and we all made it back into our cars and headed towards our next destination. I thought the car ride was going to be quiet but man could Izzy talk.

"So, are you going to do something about Emma this summer, or let Jonathan continue to creep her out?" Izzy asked Julian and he nearly swerved off the road.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Julian said as he focused back on the road.

"Oh please. Everyone in the White House could tell that you fell hard and fast for my little blonde friend, and I don't blame you. She's quite the catch." Izzy said. I looked over at Julian and he was blushing hard core. "And I know she likes you, a lot. So do something about it."

"What about her boyfriend? The one she was madly in love with the last time she was here." Julian said.

"They broke up like last year. He was a dick, and she finally noticed." Izzy said. "Now is your chance, make your move. She'll appreciate it because that shows that you're interested."

"I think I proved that I was interested more than enough." Julian said.

"But it's been 2 years." Izzy said. "I love Emma to death, but she's the type of person to need reassurance. She won't believe you're interested until you show her that you are."

"You are quite the friend Izzy." I said before Julian could speak. "You really care about Emma and Clary."

"I didn't have a lot of girlfriends in high school." She admitted. "They all wanted me for one reason or another, and I knew that. I distanced myself from most of them because I was tired of the fakeness. When I got to Stanford and met Clary and Emma, we just clicked so well. I'd do anything for them, and I know they'd do the same for me."

"That's really awesome to have a friend like that." I said and she smiled. "I was a loner too."

"That surprises me more than you not being married." She said and I laughed.

"Not saying that I didn't have friends, but I didn't consider any of them close." I explained. "My mom referred to them as my 'location friends'. I'd talk to them in school, or on the football field, but I never willingly hung out with them outside of that environment."

"At first glance, you look like you'd be a total tool." Izzy said and Julian and I laughed. "But you seem like a cool person."

"Thank you." I said and than Julian parked the car. When I looked out the window I saw that we were at a mall, quite a big mall. Izzy had a smile on her face that stretched from ear to ear and I could tell this was going to be a long day. Izzy made her way over to where Clary and Emma were standing and they all started making their way into the building with us following close behind, but not too close that we were crowding them. I knew I was supposed to be keeping an eye on Izzy, but I couldn't stop myself from occasionally glancing at Clary. She was intriguing, and insanely beautiful, and that was captivating.

 **Clary POV:**

We got to the first store and started looking through the clothes. My detail was spread out rather well, and although I knew they looked like the secret service, it didn't seem to bother anyone else, and that was nice. I was searching through some dresses when I heard a bunch of giggling. I turned around and there were 5 girls standing around Jace. Some were batting their eyelashes, or twirling their hair around their finger. They couldn't have been older than 18, and I heard someone laugh, and when I looked to my right there stood Izzy.

"You are so jealous right now, it's cute." She said and I scoffed and went back to looking at dresses.

"I am not jealous." I said and she laughed.

"You have that look in your eyes Clare." She said. "That look that says you want to go over there and pull Jace away from those girls giggling at what sounds like a lame joke." She said. "Although, Jace is a rather charming person, so I can't imagine him using a lame joke to pick up women, let alone teenage girls."

"You seem to know him well. Fun car ride?" I asked, and I sounded rather bitter in my question, and I didn't mean for it to sound that way, but I couldn't help it.

"See, you were just jealous of me when you know I have a boyfriend. He's in your detail, assigned to you, and you don't see me getting jealous." She said and I sighed.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what he's doing to me." I admitted and she laughed.

"He's getting under your skin." She said and I laughed. "But we did have a nice car ride. He's actually a lot different than I thought he would be."

"How so?" I asked curiously about what she learned.

"For one, he's almost 26 so those teenage girls don't stand a chance." She said and I laughed. "Also, he doesn't use his looks to get dates." She said and I scoffed, that had to be a lie.

"Yea right Iz. Look at him." I said as I slightly gestured towards him. "He's gorgeous."

"I pointed that out to him in the car, and he told me he knew what his looks did to women, and that he decided when he was 17 that he didn't want to be known as a player." She said. "If he genuinely liked a girl, that's when he would ask her out. Not every girl who fawned over his looks."

"That's impressive." I said and she laughed.

"I said the same thing." She said and I smiled and picked up a dress. I held it out in front of me and looked at the mirror on the pillar next to me.

"What do you think?" I asked and instead of Izzy's voice, another one spoke.

"I think you'd look beautiful in it." I turned around and Jace was standing there.

"Thanks." I said and he smiled and walked away. I waited until he was out of earshot and turned towards Izzy.

"I told you." She said and I rolled my eyes. "He might not admit it out loud, but he has that look written all over his face. By the end of the summer, he is going to be yours. I know it."

"Oh please. I'm always going to be his job Izzy." I said as I looked in his direction than back at the dress in my hands. "That's all."

"But you're still getting the dress?" She asked after a moment I smiled.

"I was told that I would look good in it." I said and she laughed. "It would be a shame to waste a perfectly good compliment." I said as I walked towards the dressing room. I had absolutely no idea what Jace was doing to me. I had only known him for a day, and I was already jealous of girls who gave him attention, and getting a dress he told me would look beautiful on me. I've never done that before, yet here I am, paying for this dress because Jace told me I would look beautiful in it, and I felt like I shouldn't like it as much as I do, but I like it. I like it a lot.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

President Morgenstern had an event today, and Raphael and I were put on Clary's personal detail. We were currently in the car on our way back from the event. Everything went as planned and I was ready to get home and chill. It had been a really stressful month working in the secret service, but I liked it a lot, so it was all worth it. I noticed that Raphael wasn't heading back towards the White House, and I was confused.

"You missed the turn Raphael." I said and he looked over at me.

"No I didn't." He said.

"Yes you did. The White House is in the other direction." I said as I pointed back where we should have turned.

"What's going on?" Clary asked from the back.

"Nothing Miss. Morgenstern." Raphael said. "I know what I'm doing Jace."

"You missed the turn Raphael." I said again and before I could even blink something was being plunged into my leg. "You son of a bitch." I said as I felt whatever he injected into me seep through my veins.

"What's going on up there?" Clary asked. I could feel my eyelids getting heavy and I looked back at her.

"Call your dad." I said before darkness consumed me.

 **Clary POV:**

Jace was now passed out in the front seat and I looked at Raphael. He had a needle in his hand and he looked in the rearview mirror and he had a crazy look in his eyes.

"Raphael, what's going on?" I asked again.

"I'm sorry Miss. Morgenstern." He said. He reached back and jammed something into my thigh. I looked down and it was another needle. I was to protest but everything slowed down incredibly fast and I could feel my eyes getting heavier. I looked back at Jace one more time and realized we were in a shit ton of trouble, and than darkness consumed me.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up groggy and incredibly confused. I went to move but something was stopping me. I looked down and realized that I was tied to a chair. I looked around and saw Clary sitting in a seat right across from me. She was clearly still passed out, and I cursed under my breath. I was supposed to protect her, and I couldn't do that. Although, it didn't help that Raphael was the one who took us. Nobody else was in the room, which was odd to me, but than again, this situation wasn't really normal.

After another 25 minutes Clary started to stir awake. I was thankful that she was still alive, although I could see her breathing before, actually seeing her wake up was really nice, and really calming because now I knew that she was okay despite being tied to a chair and taken prisoner.

"What the hell?" She said as she tried to move her arms.

"It's no use." I said and she looked up. "These knots are tied incredibly well."

"What happened?" She asked and I went to open my mouth when someone else decided to speak.

"I thought it was obvious Clarissa." Raphael said. "I'm going to use you as bait."

"For what Raphael?" Clary asked. "You've been in my detail for years, why lash out now?"

"Because there wasn't a weak spot until now." He said as he looked back towards me. "I've noticed the way you look at him, and the way he treats you."

"I don't see what that has to do with why you've taken me in the first place." Clary said, obviously not denying what Raphael said, which was actually really nice to hear.

"When your father was running for senator of New York all those years ago, he demolished a neighborhood in the projects." Raphael said.

"You make a rec center for that neighborhood. For those kids to have a place to go and stay off the streets." Clary said before he could continue.

"But he didn't take into consideration all the families he was displacing by demolishing those homes." Raphael yelled. "My family was put on the streets because of your father. I have a little sister, and a little brother." He said. "My mom is a single mother. But your father never considered that. He simply got the stamp of approval, and that was that. Our house was gone, and we had nowhere else to go."

"I didn't know that. How was I supposed to know that?" Clary said frantically. "I'm not involved in my fathers political agenda."

"But you are a Morgenstern." Raphael said. "And you're the only one I could take without reinforcement."

"So why take Jace? He has nothing to do with anything my father does." Clary said.

"Like I said before. You have a weak spot for him, and I'm going to use that against you." Raphael said.

"How?" Clary asked and instead of speaking Raphael simply showed her by punching me in the face, hard. "What the hell!" Clary yelled.

"You do what I say, and pretty boy here gets to keep his pretty face." Raphael said and than punched me again. "You disobey me, and it just gets worse."

"Don't listen to him Clary." I said before he punched me again.

"You really don't want to be pretty anymore do you?" Raphael asked. I looked up and spit the blood that was pooling in my mouth at his feet.

"I just don't take too kindly to people threatening women." I said and Raphael laughed.

"You can do whatever you want pretty boy, just know that the more you speak the more you get hit." Raphael said.

"Much like you I grew up in the projects." I said. "I know how to take a hit." I said and than another one came and I heard Clary scream.

"Stop it Raphael!" Clary said and he turned around. I spit the rest of the blood that pooled in my mouth on the ground and looked over to Clary. "I'll do what you want, just don't hurt him anymore."

"I'm glad to hear you say that Clarissa." Raphael said. "I'll be back later and we'll start." He said and than he left the room.

"I'm so sorry." Clary said after he left and I just shook my head.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." I said. "This is all Raphael. If anything I should be the sorry one."

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong." She said.

"It's my job to protect you." I said. "And I failed."

"Raphael has had this in his mind since he got hired to be in my detail." She said. "Nobody could have stopped him."

"Yea but I probably just lost my job." I said and Clary laughed.

"I'm not going to let my dad fire you for something that was out of your control." Clary said and I nodded because I knew I wasn't going to win an argument against her. "What do you think he's going to make me do?" She asked after a moment.

"I have no idea, but who knows what he's capable of." I said and she simply nodded. The truth was, I had some idea of what Raphael was going to do, but I didn't want to worry Clary because we were getting out of here, I just had to think of a way first.

 **Bat POV:**

Everyone was in panic mode when Clary's car didn't make it back to the White House. Nobody knew what was going on because Jace, Raphael, and Clary all weren't picking up their phones, and that just made the panic even worse.

"My office now." President Morgenstern said to us and we all filed into his office without saying a word. "I want to know exactly what happened and why my daughter is currently missing." He said and I took a deep breath. Being the head of her detail made this was my fault.

"We got into our designated cars after the event and made our way back here. Julian noticed that Miss. Morgenstern's car wasn't in line and when we radioed Jace and Raphael nobody answered. We contacted your detail immediately." I said and he nodded.

"And nobody saw anything suspicious?" President Morgenstern asked.

"No sir. Everything was going as planned." I said and he nodded.

"Okay, I want you to secure Isabelle and Emma. Make sure they don't get in any danger. I will contact you immediately when I know what's going on." He said and we all nodded. "Bat, I want you to stay here for a moment." Everyone left the room, and it was just President Morgenstern and I left.

"I'm so sorry sir." I said before he spoke again.

"This isn't your fault Bat." He said which surprised me. "You did your job, and these are the risks of being the President." He said and I nodded because I had no idea what else to do. He was about to say something else when his phone started ringing. "Hello?" He answered and his mood immediately changed. "What have you done to my daughter you son of a bitch?" He yelled. "Listen, I don't take nicely to threats, especially when you use my daughter as bait." He said but than he threw his phone.

"Sir?" I asked and he looked at me.

"Raphael is one twisted son of a bitch." He said and my eyes widened.

"Raphael took her?" I asked and he nodded.

"I need to go talk to my staff." He said and than he left. I followed quickly behind and found my team standing in the foyer.

"What's going on?" Alec asked as soon as he saw me.

"Raphael is the one who took Clary." I said and they had the same reaction I did when I found out.

"What about Jace?" Julian asked.

"I can only assume he has him as well, but President Morgenstern made no indication of him being with them." I said.

"Do you think Jace is in on it too?" Simon asked.

"I highly doubt it." I said. "Jace might have just joined, but he was extremely loyal and dedicated to this job and the protection of Clary." I said. "Raphael always creeped me out."

"So what's going to happen?" Julian asked.

"I have no idea. President Morgenstern left right after he got the call." I said and they nodded. "How are Isabelle and Emma?" I asked.

"Pretty shaken up." Simon said. "I don't think they really understood that this was always a threat until it happened."

"Understandable." I said and they nodded. "We're going to do everything in our power to get her and Jace back." I said and they nodded once more. I knew the White House was going to be on high alert until we know exactly what was going on. I hope that everything works out, because if something happens to Clary, I don't think I'll ever forgive myself.

 **Clary POV:**

After Raphael left, Jace and I were just stuck there tied to chairs. I was super confused why he built up this much hatred towards my father. I understood that it must have been extremely hard for his family, but he clearly made our fairly well for himself, and carrying around all this anger couldn't be healthy.

"Are you okay?" I asked Jace after awhile.

"I'll be fine." He said. "I wasn't lying when I said I knew how to take a hit. I got into my fair share of fights when I was younger."

"So you grew up like him?" I asked.

"Maybe not exactly like him, but I have a younger sister, and my mom was as single mother. We grew up poor, and I did some things that I'm not proud of to survive." He said and I nodded.

"That must have been hard." I said.

"It was all I ever knew." He said. "Even now I'm not any better off than I was when I lived with them."

"But you have a good job." I said and he laughed.

"I put away half my paycheck to save for my sisters college fund." He said. "I know my mom doesn't have much money, and I know I can help her."

"That's really nice of you." I said and he just shrugged.

"I would hope that any sibling would be willing to do that for their brother or sister." He said and I laughed.

"Jonathan wouldn't do that for me." I said.

"Yea, he doesn't seem too invested in your life." He said and I laughed.

"The age gap certainly doesn't help." I said. "He's always done his thing, and I've always done mine. I don't really know any differently."

"I understand. I'm 9 years older than my sister, so we were always at two different stages in life." He said and I nodded.

"Yea, but you two seem to have it all together." I said and he smiled.

"I love my sister. More than anything." He said. "I'd do anything for her."

Just at that moment the doors opened and in walked Raphael. But this time he wasn't alone. Two more people walked in behind him. One holding a camera, and the other holding a knife. I had no idea what was going to happen, but it didn't look fun.

"I just spoke with your father." Raphael said. "He wasn't very happy, but than again, I didn't expect anything less."

"So what happens now?" I ask.

"Now, I record you telling your father exactly what I want for your safe return." Raphael said.

"And if I don't?" I said.

"Pretty boy gets a few tally's added to his body." He said and the other man went over to Jace and ripped his shirt off. He took the knife to his chest and added one slice. Jace hissed and I saw the blood drip down his chest.

"Okay, I'll do it." I said and Raphael just smiled.

"Excellent." He said and than he set up the camera. I looked over at Jace and he seemed to be handling the pain quiet well, but that was only one cut, I couldn't imagine him handling any more that well.

 **Valentine POV:**

"Sir, we have someone requesting video access to the safe room." My Secretary of Defense told me. I made a beeline for the safe room, followed by my detail and my daughters detail. We weren't going to stop until she was home safely. When we all got into the room I nodded and the Secretary of Defense clicked the accept button and there sat Clary, tied to a chair.

"My name is Clarissa Morgenstern." She started saying. "In order for my safe return, 7 million dollars must be sent to 1453 Eastwood Avenue, Brooklyn New York." She said. "If the money isn't there by 7 o'clock pm, the punishment will be painful."

"Anything else you'd like to say sweetheart?" There was a voice from behind camera, and I looked over at Bat to confirm it being Raphael and he simply nodded.

"You can rot in hell." She spat at him and I couldn't be prouder of the fighter in her.

"You just added another tally." He said and than there came a hiss from behind the camera.

"Why are you punishing him? Can't you just stop it already!" She yelled and I can only assume she's talking about Jace.

"You just never learn Clarissa." He said and someone started walking towards her a scream came, but not from Clary than the camera cut off.

"Damn it." I yelled and I looked around. "Is 7 million dollars possible?" I asked and someone started crunching numbers.

"Not by the time he wants it by." Someone said.

"It doesn't look like he's hurting her sir." Bat said and I looked at him.

"But he's hurting someone. Most likely Jace." I said and he nodded.

"It would appear he's torturing her, but hurting him." Bat explained.

"Why would he do that?" I asked.

"It seems that Miss. Morgenstern developed some feelings for Mr. Herondale." Bat said and I groaned.

"I hate to sound like a horrible person, but I'm glad he isn't physically torturing her." I said and Bat nodded.

"Understandable sir." He said.

"Well, we need to figure out a way to get that money to that address. I refuse to let Raphael take out a perfectly good secret service member." I said and everyone nodded and got back to work. I still couldn't believe that Raphael would do that to my daughter or to Jace, but I guess he had his reasons, and it was driving me crazy that I didn't know them.

 **Jace POV:**

My chest was burning from the tally marks that were being left. I won't lie and say that it doesn't hurt, but I've been in worse situations so it could be worse, but I wasn't looking forward to the next round of whatever he had planned.

"Don't feel bad." I said as I looked at Clary. "You couldn't have prevented this."

"I added three more tally's on your chest Jace." She said clearly upset with herself. "If I just kept my mouth shut and said what he wanted me to say you wouldn't be bleeding or in pain."

"He would have found a way to do it anyway. You were his scape goat." I said and she just sighed. "I don't blame you if that's what you're worried about."

"I just feel bad." She said and I laughed.

"Of course you do, because he wants you to feel like it's your fault, but it isn't, and I want you to know that." I said and she just nodded. "We're going to get you out of here."

"You too." She said and I just shook my head.

"My priority if you." I said. "I'm going to get you out of here, and than maybe I'll figure a way out myself."

"But…"

"Not buts. This is my job Clary." I said and she shut her mouth and nodded.

I've been trying to loosen the ties on my wrist since I've woken up, and I'm so close. I had no idea if there were cameras in here, but I could think about that later. I just wanted to get out of here, set Clary free, and than I would think of the hard parts. Finally one of my hands slipped from the rope and I silently cheered. I quickly got my other hand free and ran over to Clary and started untying her knot as well.

"I want you to run to a door. I don't care which one. I want you to run, and not look back." I said as I helped her stand. "Find a restaurant or a shop, anything really and call your dad."

"What about you?" She asked and I laughed.

"They can probably see this whole thing right now. I'm going to save you some time." I said and she looked conflicted. "I need you to listen to me Clary."

"I don't want to leave you." She said and I just took a chance. I cupped her face and pressed my lips to hers. "Now I really don't want to leave you." She said when we broke apart.

"I'll get out." I said and than we both heard yelling. "Run Clary." I said and she took a deep breath and ran towards the door opposite of where the noise was coming from. I turned towards the door just as I opened and revealed Raphael and the two others he was working with.

"You son of a bitch." Raphael said as he came charging me. I didn't even know if I stood a chance, but I wasn't going down without a fight.

 **Clary POV:**

I ran. Just like Jace told me too. I ran until my legs were on fire. I wanted to get as far away from that place as I possibly could before stopping to call my dad. Finally when I thought I reached a safe distance, I went into a small diner. There weren't many people, which wasn't surprising considering it was nighttime. I went right up to the counter.

"I need to use your phone." I said to the woman.

"Only paying customers can use our appliances." She said in a rude attitude.

"Than get me a cup of coffee, and your phone." I said and she rolled her eyes before getting me the coffee. Once I handed her a 10 she gave me the phone and I called my dad.

"Hello?" He answered rather quickly.

"Dad." I said.

"Oh my god Clary. Where are you?" He said frantically.

"I'm in this diner. I don't know where, but it's called Taki's." I said.

"Stay there. We're coming." He said and than the line went dead. I sipped on my coffee waiting for my dad to come get me. I didn't even know how far away I was from the White House at this point.

"Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" I asked the waitress after a moment of thinking about it.

"Brooklyn." She said and my eyes widened.

"Thanks." I said and she nodded before walking away.

I sat there and drank two cups of coffee before a swarm of secret service agents ran into the diner and secured the perimeter. I looked behind me and my family came running in.

"Oh my god Clary." My dad said and I got up and ran to him. "I'm so glad you're safe." He said as he pulled around and examined me. "Where is Jace?"

"He stayed behind to give me more time." I said as the tears finally filled my eyes and spilled over. "I just left him there."

"He was protecting you." My dad said. "He was doing his job."

"But he was being tortured because of me." I said and he pulled me into him. "I didn't help him."

"You couldn't do anything baby." My mother said and I looked at her for the first time before she pulled me into her. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Do you know why Raphael would do this?" My father asked after I was ushered out of the diner and into the car.

"The neighborhood you demolished right here in Brooklyn, the one that was made into that rec center. He lived there, and you made him and his family homeless." I explained.

"That was years ago." My dad said and I nodded.

"But he was angry." I said. "That anger can manifest into crazy things."

"Do you know where you were being held?" My father asked after a minute.

"Some building. I came from that way." I said as I pointed in the direction of where I ran from. "I don't really know where it was located. Jace told me to run, so I ran." I said.

"I want a team to retrace Clary's steps and find that building." My dad told his detail, which included Magnus. "We aren't leaving one of ours behind." He said and I felt good knowing that people were going to search for Jace, but I also had a horrible feeling in my gut knowing that something terrible could have happened to him.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Magnus POV:**

We have been searching for the place where Clary and Jace were being held for some time, but we were coming up empty. We brought the dogs along to follow her scent, but at some point they lost it. If they were being underground Clary would have told us that, but as of right now, we were completely lost, and not finding a single thing.

"Hey, I found something." I heard someone call. We all made our way over there. There was a door that was hidden rather well behind some trees. We all drew our guns and pointed them at the door.

"On the count of three." I said and everyone nodded. "One….two….three." I said and the front man pulled the door opened and we all made our way inside. The place was hollow. No windows, or furniture, it smelled like sawdust, and blood. We made our way further into the building when we came across two bodies. One was Raphael, and the other was Jace.

"There is a trail of blood leading this way!" Someone shouted.

"Follow it, I'm going to stay here." I said and they all nodded. I went over to Raphael first and checked his pulse. Dead. I went over to Jace after that. I checked his pulse and it was weak, but it was there. I pulled my phone out and called 911 immediately. "I need an ambulance at this location ASAP." I said and I put the phone down and put pressure on the wound on Jace's abdomen. He wasn't going to bleed out if I had anything to do about it.

 **Time Jump – Hospital**

 **Magnus POV:**

I was currently sitting in the waiting room of the hospital waiting on news about Jace. The rest of the team came here after finding a woman still alive but barely. She was bleeding out pretty badly as well.

"Jace Herondale?" I heard and I stood up and made my way over to the nurse.

"Is he alive?" I asked.

"It was touch and go there for awhile. He lost a lot of blood, but we finally stabilized him." She said and I sighed in relief. "He's resting now, but you can go see him." She said and I nodded.

"What about the woman who was brought in as well?" I asked.

"She's alive as well." She said.

"I'm going to be putting two men outside her room. She's currently in custody." I said and the nurse nodded. I made my way to his room. When I walked in he was extremely pale, and hooked up to a bunch of monitors. I was glad that he was alive. I decided to just let him rest. I walked back out and immediately called Bat.

"What's the news?" He asked without a greeting.

"He's alive." I said and I heard him sigh. "He's asleep right now. But the woman is alive as well."

"President Morgenstern wants you to stay so you can question her when she wakes up." Bat said.

"Of course." I said and I hung up. I made my way out to the team and they all stood up.

"I need three of you by the woman's room, and the others by Jace's. Nothing is going to go wrong this time." I said and they nodded and split up. I took a deep calming breath before going back to Jace's room. This was a long day, and I was glad it all worked out.

 **Clary POV:**

I was currently sitting in the living room with Izzy and Emma. They haven't let me go since I got back, but I didn't mind. I needed the comfort just as much as they did. My family was also sitting in the room. They weren't letting me leave their sight anytime soon. My whole detail was being detained and were to be questioned just to make sure none of them were going to do the same thing as Raphael. I knew that upset Izzy and Emma, but they understood the gravity of the situation, and that this was their job and they needed to be questioned.

"Sir?" We heard and Bat stood in the doorway.

"Come in." My father said and he walked over and leaned close to my father and whispered something in his ear. My father nodded and dismissed him. "Mr. Herondale is in stable condition." He said and I let out a sigh. "He'll be in the hospital in New York until he's allowed to travel."

"Thank you for going after him." I said and my dad smiled.

"I wasn't going to leave him behind. He's part of this team, and we don't leave our team out to dry." He said and I nodded. "I think you should get some sleep. It's been an emotional day, and I know you were waiting to hear the news about Herondale." He said. I nodded and stood up. Izzy and Emma followed. We got to my room but they still didn't leave.

"We figured we'd stay with you tonight." Emma said. "We don't want to be separated again." She said and I laughed.

"I'd love the company." I said and they smiled. We got ready for bed and all got under the covers. I wasn't really tired. I couldn't stop thinking about what happened in the last day. Everything seemed to go by in a blur, but so slow at the same time. "He kissed me." I said out of nowhere.

"What?" Izzy and Emma said at the same time.

"Jace. Before he told me to run, he kissed me." I said with a smile on my face. I just couldn't help but smile when thinking about it.

"What was it like?" Emma asked.

"Short." I said with a laugh. "Way too short."

"Was he a good kisser?" Izzy asked.

"Amazing." I said and we giggled like a bunch of teenage girls.

"I told you he would be yours by the end of the summer." Izzy said and I laughed.

"It was one kiss." I said.

"But he knew there was a possibility he wouldn't survive, and the last thing he wanted to do was kiss you." Emma said. "That has so much meaning to it."

"You think?" I asked.

"Trust me, if a guy kisses you before he goes into battle with the chance of not surviving, that means a lot!" Izzy said and that just made me smile more.

We talked for a couple more minutes before the exhaustion eventually won and I drifted off into sleep thinking about Jace and how I couldn't wait to see him again, and tell him that he's an idiot for doing that, but also throw my arms around his neck and never let him go.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was finally released from the hospital last week. I couldn't leave until I got doctors orders, and than my mom wanted me to stay with her for a few days because he was upset that I almost died and didn't let her know. I mean, that woman has some mixed up priorities, but it was nice to see her and my sister again. President Morgenstern was really accommodating, giving me as much time off as I needed. I finally got back the other night, and it was so nice being back in my own apartment. I missed my bed more than I thought was possible. Of course my mom was hesitant to letting me come back, but I knew my job was risky, and as much as she hated that she was proud of me for saving Clary. I was pulled out of the thoughts when there was a knock on the door. I slowly got up and when I opened the door there stood Clary with Alec and Julian.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"You boys can go." She said to Alec and Julian. They went to protest but she held her hand up. "I think Jace can protect me if need be." She said.

"He was shot. And stabbed like a month ago." Alec said. "He just got back. He is in no physical shape to protect you."

"Than you can wait downstairs. And make sure nobody comes up here." She said and they rolled their eyes before Clary shut the door and looked back at me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked again.

"I came to see you." She said. "My father refused to let me go to New York to visit you in the hospital."

"Completely understandable." I said and she laughed and made her way to the couch. "Can I get you anything?"

"No thank you. I'm good." She said and I took a place next to her on the couch.  
"How are you feeling?"

"I'm sore, but that's expected." I said and she nodded. "How are you?"

"You're the one who took a beating." She said. "I was just tied to a chair."

"That's still traumatic, and those knots were tight." I said and she laughed.

"I'm completely fine." She said. "You almost died."

"I took an oath." I said. "It's in my job description to lay down my life for this country."

"I don't think I like that job description." She said and I laughed. "You're an idiot. You know that?"

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you almost died." She said.

"I didn't mean for that to happen. I was very optimistic that I was going to make it out, but I underestimated his partners." I said and she nodded. "That one dude was crazy trained in some form of martial arts."

"How did you do it?" She asked.

"They shot me pretty early on." I said. "Some how I got the knife. I'm pretty hazy on the whole thing considering I was losing blood at an alarming rate. I embedded it in the guys chest, and he died pretty quickly, so that just left Raphael and the girl." I explained. "The girl was pretty easy. I cut her with a pipe I found on the ground and than Raphael and I went at it until I got the gun from him and shot him." I said. "Once the girl saw that Raphael was dead, she came over and stabbed me with the knife, but when she saw that I wasn't going to die anytime soon, she ran."

"I can't believe you did that." She said as she shook her head.

"I was doing my job Clary." I said.

"I don't like your job." She said and I laughed.

"Would you prefer that I was a bookstore owner?" I asked.

"At least you'd be safe." She said and I reached over and took her hand in mine.

"I can't promise you that this won't happen again." I said and I saw fear flicker in her eyes. "But I would die before I let anything happen to you."

"Why did you kiss me?" She asked out of nowhere.

"Because I could have died, and if I was going to die, I at least wanted to know what it felt like to kiss an incredibly gorgeous girl who somehow captured my attention from the moment I met her." I said honestly.

"Really?" She asked and I laughed.

"Absolutely." I said. "You're intriguing, and funny, and beautiful, and smart." I said. "Everything about you is intriguing to me, and has been since the very beginning of this summer."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked.

"Because I'm in your detail." I said. "I didn't want anyone to think I was getting distracted, or not doing my job correctly because of my feelings."

"I think that would only make you do your job better." She said and I laughed.

"Maybe so, but I think I would have been distracted." I said honestly. "Telling you about my feelings would have changed things between us. And I wanted to be fully focused on your safety."

"Things changed anyway." She said and I nodded.

"Yes they did." I said and she nodded. "Nothing has to change Clary. I can still be in your detail, and nothing has to change." I reassured her.

"What if I want them to change?" She said after a moment.

"You do?" I asked and she nodded her head.

"You aren't the only one who was captivated." She said. "I've had my eyes on you since the beginning of the summer as well. I just wasn't really sure what to do because nobody has ever made me feel the way you do."

"And how do I make you feel?" I asked.

"Like a teenage girl." She said with a laugh. "You make my stomach flip whenever we're in the same room as each other. Every time you flash that gorgeous smile I have to try and not have my knees buckle underneath me. And when we talk, you are so genuinely interested in what I'm saying. You listened to me talk about art for a 3 hour car ride one day. I mean, who does that?" She said and I laughed.

"You're interesting." I said. "And you seemed so passionate about art, that I couldn't help but listen to you talk. When people are passionate about something, it shows in everything they do, and I could see how passionate you were about it by the way your eyes lit up at the subject. How could I possibly not listen to you?" I asked.

"The way everyone else does. They put headphones in, or don't respond." She said and I smiled.

"I'm always up for listening to whatever you have to say." I told her. "I know nothing about art, and learning about it from you is interesting."

"Really?" She asked and I nodded.

"Music was always what I was good at. Art not so much." I admitted.

"You're a musician?" She asked.

"I wouldn't call myself a musician, but I play the piano." I said.

"I'd love to hear you play." She said.

"Once I'm fully healed, I'll make sure to give you a show." I said and she smiled.

She stayed with me for another hour or 2 until her father wanted her home. I walked her to the door but before I opened it I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her forehead. Her cheeks immediately flushed a light shade of red, and I couldn't help but smile at the affect I had on her.

"When are you coming back?" She asked.

"When I get the all clear from my doctor." I said.

"So it could be awhile?" She asked.

"I can barely walk without pain at this moment, so I'm gonna say it might be weeks." I said honestly. "But I'm normally a quick healer, so I'm optimistic that I'll be back sooner rather than later."

"Your optimism isn't always correct." She said and I laughed.

"True, but I know my body, and I might be sore now, but I'll be better fairly soon." I said and she nodded.

"Well, I trust you." She said and I smiled. "I could come over and keep you company while you're out." She suggested. "I would hate you being alone all the time."

"My mom and sister are actually coming down to spend a couple weeks with me." I said and I could see the slight disappointment cross her face. "But I'm always down for more company." I said and she smiled.

"Just let me know when you get lonely. I'm only a phone call away." She said and I nodded. When I opened the door Alec and Julian were standing there.

"She's all yours boys." I said and they laughed.

"Bye Jace." She said as she walked out of my apartment.

"Bye Clary." I said. The boys nodded and I closed my door. As much as I wished I could go back to work this instant, and be around Clary as much as I wanted, it was nice knowing that she was willing to come over here and spend some time with me.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"So you're just going to show up at his front door?" Izzy asked me.

"He's been really distant lately in his texts, and I just want to make sure he's okay." I said.

"He's probably just resting." Emma said. "That man took one hell of a beating for you."

"You don't need to remind me. I'm aware he almost died for me." I said.

"So that's why you are so on edge." Izzy said. "You're extremely turned on by the fact that he almost died for you." She said and my jaw dropped.

"I am not." I said and Emma and Izzy both laughed. "Him almost dying was the most terrifying thing I've ever experienced. I never want him to go through that again."

"But he will." Emma said. "All our men will because it's their job."

"He isn't my man." I said and they both looked at me. "Well he isn't."

"But you want him to be." Emma said.

"It doesn't matter what I want, because my father would never allow it." I said.

"Don't write your father off just yet. He's totally cool." Izzy said. "For all you know, he'd green light the relationship faster than a speeding bullet."

"Isabelle." I reprimanded.

"Too soon?" She asked.

"It will forever be too soon for bullet references, or knife references, or dying references." I said and they nodded. "Bat and Alec are on my detail today, so have fun with your men."

"Oh, we will." Emma said as she winked and I rolled my eyes and made my way to the foyer where they were meeting me.

We got into the car and they drove me to Jace's apartment. I told them to wait downstairs which they weren't happy about, but I didn't care. I wanted to see Jace, alone, and them being on my ass 24/7 was getting rather annoying, but I understood it, although that didn't mean I liked it. I knocked on the door and after a moment it opened but Jace wasn't the one behind it.

"Who are you?" The girl asked.

"I'm Clary. Is Jace here?" I asked.

"Jace. Some girl is here for you." She called as she walked away. A moment later Jace appeared looking better than he did the last time I saw him.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" He asked with a smile on his face.

"I came to check on you, but I didn't realize you had company." I said as I started walking away. "I'm sorry I interrupted."

"Not at all." He said. "Would you like to come in?" He asked and I was hesitant at first, but I did really want to see him. I nodded and he stepped aside and I walked in to find the girl who answered the door and an older woman sitting on the couch. "Mom, Cecilia, this is Clary. Clary this is my sister Cecilia, and my mom Celine."

"I totally forgot you said your family was coming to visit." I said and Jace laughed. "I'm so sorry."

"Nonsense." Celine said. "It's wonderful to meet you." I nodded and the sister looked less than thrilled that I was here.

"Don't mind Cecilia, she's going through her angsts filled teenage phase at the moment." Jace said and I laughed.

"Bite me Jonathan." She growled out.

"Pulling out the full name." Jace said. "You wound me."

"Stop baiting your sister Jonathan." Celine said and Jace held up his hands in a surrendering motion.

"I'm done." Jace said and his mother nodded. "So, who is with you today?" Jace asked.

"Bat and Alec." I said and he nodded.

"You get any more members?" He asked.

"My dad is in the process of replacing Raphael, but he's taking every precaution because he doesn't want anything to happen again." I explained.

"Makes sense." Jace said and I nodded.

"And don't worry, I went through my far share of angst as a teenager." I said and Jace laughed. "It got to the point where I wasn't trusted to go anywhere without my detail."

"What did you do?" Jace asked as he led me to the couch where we took a seat.

"I used to ditch my detail every chance I got." I said with a laugh. "At concerts, malls, theaters. I used to search for exits, so that I could get away."

"Why?" Cecilia asked, which surprised me cause I didn't think she cared about me being there.

"I was like 17, and I didn't want a bunch of men in suits following me around all the time. Plus it was really early into my father being elected, and I just wasn't used to that life. Of course I was used to him being in politics, but having that much security, was intense." I explained and she nodded.

"That sounds like it sucks." Cecilia said.

"You learn to deal with it." I said and she nodded. "He's done in 2 years, and I think transitioning out will be just as weird as transitioning in."

"What are you going to do after he's done?" Celine asked.

"Well, at the end of August I actually go back to school. I'm almost done though, and after graduation I'll get a job, and a place to live. So I won't be around as much." I said and than it hit me. Jace would probably be out of a job. "Oh shit."

"What?" Jace asked as he laughed.

"When I go back to school you won't have anyone to protect." I said and he shrugged.

"I'll get something." He said and I nodded. "What happens to the rest of your detail when you go to school?" He asked.

"They all had different jobs within the White House before they were assigned to me. So they just go back to that." I explained.

"I'm sure your dad has something for me, and if not, I'll find something else." He said and I just nodded. "Who wants dinner?" He asked after a minute.

"Make something good!" Cecilia said and Jace laughed before he left to go to the kitchen.

"He can cook?" I asked and his sister and mom laughed.

"He kinda had to learn. I worked a lot and he pretty much raised Cecilia when I wasn't around, and he needed to feed her, so he learned how to cook." Celine said and I nodded. "He's really good."

"We used to practice together." Cecilia said with a smile. "It was our nighttime ritual. We'd find a new recipe, and get the ingredients and cook. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn't." She said and I laughed. "It was always a lot of fun though."

"That sounds awesome." I said. "My brother and I were never close."

"Jace might be a pain in the ass, but I couldn't picture my life without him. When we heard he was in the hospital, my heart nearly broke." Cecilia said.

"I'm really sorry about that. If it weren't for me, he wouldn't have been in that position in the first place." I said.

"It wasn't your fault sweetie." Celine said. "Jace explained what happened. He would have done that for anyone. Its just the type of person he is." She said and I nodded. "But I know you mean more to him than a lot of other people, so I'm really not surprised he put himself in harms way." She said and I blushed. "You're way more than just a job to him, anyone with eyes can see that."

"I just wish he wasn't injured." I said and she smiled.

"We all wish he wasn't injured, but he's alive, and that's all that really matters to us." Celine said and I nodded. "Plus, he never was one to put his own safety before other."

"She's right." Cecilia said. "He pulled me out of a burning building when I was younger."

"He did what?" I nearly shouted which caused them both to laugh.

"I was 7. I was in the shed playing with my dolls. Somehow the shed caught fire. I was scared to death. I just shrunk on the floor and started crying. The next thing I remember was Jace picking me up and running out of the shed." Cecilia explained. "We found out later that some kids were playing with gasoline and matches next door and it seeped over to our yard." She said. "I'm still trying to pay him back for saving my life."

"You don't have to pay me back." Jace said as he suddenly appeared in the room. "I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"I know." She said and he leaned down and kissed her head.

"Dinner is ready." He said and we all made our way into the kitchen.

"Yum. Pasta." Cecilia said and ran over to the stove and scooped come into her bowl. Celine got hers next than Jace let me get some before he got his own. We all took a seat at the table and started eating and talking.

I was having a great time with his family. They were all really funny, and you could tell how much they all meant to each other. But I can't imagine what they went through. Hearing their stories about childhood kind of scared me. They went through a lot, and I can't believe they all turned out to be so amazing. If Raphael's experience was anything like Jace's, I can only imagine what Jace would be like if he let that anger manifest like Raphael did, but I'm glad he didn't. My phone started ringing and I would ignore it but it was my father.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Clarissa, you've been gone for hours. Where are you?" He said sternly into the other end.

"I'm with Jace." I said.

"But he isn't back yet." My dad said which made me laugh.

"No. Bat and Alec are here as well. I came to visit and see how he was doing." I said.

"Come home soon. We have some things to discuss." He said and I sighed.

"Okay." I said and I hung up the phone.

"You have to get back?" Jace asked and I nodded.

"Apparently there are some things he needs to discuss with me, and I can tell he's worried about me." I said as I stood up and grabbed my bowl.

"Don't worry. I'll clean that up." Jace said and I smiled.

"It was lovely meeting you, but I shouldn't make him worry any longer." I said and Celine and Cecilia both stood up and surprisingly gave me hugs.

"I hope we see each other again soon." Celine said.

"I hope so as well." I said.

"You're pretty cool." Cecilia said. "For a rich girl."

"Cecilia." Celine reprimanded but I just laughed.

"I appreciate the compliment. I have a lot of friends who keep me grounded." I said and she smiled and nodded.

"I'll walk you out." Jace said and I nodded. When we got to the door we both lingered. "Thanks for coming and checking up on me."

"You were being really distant in your texts." I admitted. "I thought something was wrong. I should have remembered that your family was coming in to visit."

"It's okay. I'm glad you got to meet them." Jace said and I smiled. He leaned down and kissed my cheek, and my stomach flipped. "Have a good night Clary."

"You too Jace." I said and he opened the door to find Alec and Bat standing there. They greeted Jace and I made my way out of his apartment. We got back to the car and I was staring out the window thinking about Jace. Leaving to go back to school was going to suck.

 **Jace POV:**

Once Clary left I made my way back into the kitchen where my sister and mother were speaking in hushed tones. I grabbed Clary's bowl and put it in the sink and when I turned around they were both staring at me.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I like her." Cecilia said, which caused me to laugh. "You would never think she was the president's daughter."

"Yea. She's pretty chill." I said as I took my seat.

"She's great." Cecilia said.

"Would you like her number? I can set you two up on a date if you'd like." I said and she smacked my arm.

"Don't be a jackass. I have a boyfriend." She said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"What?!" I yelled and she sighed.

"Cats out of the bag." She said. "And I was doing so well." Cecilia told my mom.

"He was bound to find out eventually sweetie." My mom said.

"You knew?" I asked and she laughed.

"Of course I knew. I'm not just going to let my daughter date anyone." My mom said and that made me feel a little better.

"And you approve?" I asked.

"He's a very nice boy." My mom said and I nodded.

"No more secrets." I told her and she rolled her eyes with a laugh.

"What's going on with you and Clary?" Cecilia asked clearly trying to get the topic off her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said and she scoffed.

"Please, she came over here to see if you were alright, and she stayed for hours." Cecilia pointed out. "She totally likes you."

"It's complicated." I said.

"So you do like her?" My mom asked.

"How can you not?" I said. "She's funny, and beautiful, and witty, and smart." I gushed. "She's the whole package. You'd be crazy not to like her."

"So why haven't you made a move?" Cecilia asked.

"It's not the simply." I said. "I'm her detail. She's my job, and I can't intertwine the two."

"That's a bullshit excuse and you know it." Cecilia said.

"Your language is out of hand today Cecilia." My mom said.

"I'm sorry mom, but it's true." Cecilia said. "He's making that reason up."

"Are you Jace?" My mom asked.

"She's leaving in less than a month." I said. "She'll be in California finishing her last year of college, and I'll be here. Long distance rarely ever works." I admitted.

"You will never know until you try Jonathan." My mom said.

"She's awesome, and she clearly cares about you." Cecilia said. "Don't throw that away because you're being a little bitch." She said and my mom shook her head. "Sorry mom."

"Maybe this boyfriend isn't a good influence on you." She said and I laughed.

"Who do you think taught me those words?" She said as she pointed to me. "Having a brother who is 9 years older than you exposes you to a lot of things at a young age."

"I always get the blame, don't I?" I said and Cecilia laughed.

"That's what big brothers are for." She said and I smiled.

"You're lucky I love you." I said.

"I am." She said and I smiled. We might not have always had it all together, but I couldn't be happier with my family, or the way I grew up. It made me into the person I am today, and they are the best family I could ever ask for.

 **Clary POV:**

When I got home I was directed to my fathers office. I had no idea what he was going to discuss with me, but if I was a betting woman, I'd say it had to do with my safety because that's what everything revolves around these days. When I walked in he was sitting at his desk. I made my way over and sat in the chair that faced him.

"Hi daddy." I said and he smiled.

"Hi Clare. How is Jace?" He asked.

"Doing really well. His mom and sister are visiting." I said and he nodded. "They're really nice."

"That's good, and I'm glad to hear that Jace is doing better." He said. "I called you in here because I wanted to let you know that I'm sending you back to school with a mini detail."

"Dad…."

"I'm not risking it Clarissa." He cut me off and I stopped talking. "Three men minimum, and they will blend in. I promise. I just can't risk anything happening to you ever again."

"Do you already have them planned?" I asked.

"Not yet. I'm in the process of getting everything together." He said and I nodded.

"Just make sure they aren't suspicious." I said and he laughed.

"They will blend in perfectly. I promise." He said and I stood up.

"I'm kinda tired. I'm going to head to bed." I said and he nodded. "Goodnight dad."

"Goodnight Clare." He said and I made my way up to my room. I knew something like this would happen, I just hope that my dad finds three people who can fit in on a college campus, and act like humans and not just agents. People knew I was the president's daughter, but they also knew I was a normal college kid, and I didn't want that compromised.

 **Valentine POV:**

I was sitting in my office waiting for the first agent to come in to let him know that I was reassigning him. I knew Clary didn't want this detail, but I also knew that I didn't care, because her safety meant more to me than her pride at this point. When the door opened I looked up and there he stood.

"You wanted to see me sir?" He said and I nodded and gestured for him to take a seat.

"I am reassigning you." I said and his eyes widened momentarily before his face went back to normal.

"Where too sir?" He asked.

"Stanford." I said and this time his eyes did widen but they stayed that way. "It has come to my attention that you have an ongoing relationship with Isabelle Lightwood, am I correct?"

"Yes sir." He said.

"I'm assigning Clarissa a three man detail, and they must blend into the surroundings." I explained. "I think you would be a perfect fit."

"Thank you sir." Simon said and I smiled.

"You are to tell no one of your reassignment. It must stay top secret for now." I said and he nodded. "Can you tell the next agent to come on?" I asked and he nodded before leaving. It was quiet for a moment before the next agent walked in. "Have a seat." I said and he nodded before taking the seat. "I'm going to tell you exactly what I told Simon Lewis." I said and he nodded. "I'm reassigning you."

"Where sir?" He asked.

"Stanford." I said and his eyes widened just like Simon's. "It has come to my attention that you are in a relationship with Emma Carstairs, is that correct?"

"Yes sir." He said.

"I'm assigning Clarissa a three man detail and they must blend into their surroundings." I explained. "I think you'd be a perfect fit."

"Thank you sir." Julian said and I nodded.

"You are to tell no one of your reassignment. It's top secret, and I'd like it to stay that way." I said and he nodded.

"Understandable sir." He said.

"Thank you for coming in today." I said and he nodded before walking out. I got my coat and grabbed my detail and made my way to my next destination. When I got to the right door I knocked, and a few moment later a woman answered.

"How can I help you Mr. President?" She said.

"I was wondering if Jace Herondale lived here?" I asked.

"Of course. Come on in." She said and I walked into the tiny, but homey apartment. "Jace, someone is here for you." She called and a moment later Jace walked out.

"President Morgenstern, what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked.

"I'm reassigning you." I said.

"But I'm not even back yet." He said and I laughed.

"I spoke with your doctor. He says that you'll be good to go by the end of the month." I said.

"That's the plan." He said and I nodded. "Where am I being reassigned?"

"Stanford." I said and yet again his eyes widened. "I'm assigning Clarissa three man detail. They have to blend into the surroundings, and I think you'd be a perfect fit."

"Thank you sir." He said and I shook his hand.

"This is top secret, and I'd like it if it stayed that way, so you aren't allowed to tell anyone." I said and he nodded. "I understand my daughter has some feelings for you." I said and I saw him tense.

"I'm not really sure what's going on to be perfectly honest President Morgenstern." He said honestly.

"I know my daughter. Normally at this point in the summer she can't wait to get back to school, and that excitement isn't there this time, and I'm assuming its because of you." I said. "She will always be my little girl, but that doesn't mean I haven't noticed her growing up."

"And you'd be okay with a member of your staff, dating her?" He asked and I laughed.

"Any man who is willing to take a beating the way you did for her, has my presidential stamp of approval." I said and he smiled.

"Thank you sir." He said and I nodded.

"Clarissa's plane leaves next Friday, coming into the office two days before that, and I'll have everything you need set up out there with the two other men in the detail. I want you out there before they leave." I said and he nodded.

"Who else am I with?" He asked and I gave him that look. "Top secret. I'll find out eventually." He said and I nodded.

"It was a pleasure Herondale. Keep getting better, and I'll see you in a week." I said and he nodded and I left the apartment. I knew Clary wasn't happy, but I think once she see's who is in her detail, she'll be more than thrilled.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"I'm going to miss you sweetheart." My mom said as she released me from the hug.

"It's my last year at Stanford." I said. "Soon, I'll be a big girl."

"You'll always be my little girl." My dad said and I hugged him.

"When will my detail be out there?" I asked.

"They are already there and settled into the house." He said. "I didn't want you out there without anyone, so I sent them a couple days ago."

"Okay. I'll call the minute we land." I said and they all nodded.

"We love you sweetie." My mom said.

"I love you guys too." I said and I got on the plane where Izzy and Emma already were. I got situated and the plane took off.

"I can't believe Simon didn't come say goodbye." Izzy said.

"He had to work Iz." I said.

"Julian too." Emma said. "It's shitty that the one day we wanted them to be off, they had to be three states away looking after Jonathan."

"They were getting reassigned the minute we stepped on this plane guys." I said. "I'm sorry, but they don't stop working when we leave."

"I know, it just sucks. I'm not going to see him until Christmas." Emma said, and Izzy nodded along.

"FaceTime and Skype exist for a reason." I said.

"Have you heard from your man yet?" Emma asked.

"I told you he isn't my man." I said and they rolled their eyes. "But to answer your question, no, I haven't."

"Our men suck sometimes." Izzy said and I laughed.

"I'm sure they wanted to be there." I said.

The rest of the plane ride was rather boring. Izzy was listening to music, Emma was reading a book, so I decided to sketch a little. Finally when we got to California, I just wanted my bed and a glass of wine. The car was already there to pick us up and take us to our destination. My father thought it would be safer to buy a house and update all the security features. I knew he wanted me safe, but with the 5 star alarm system plus the mini detail, I feel like I'm back in the White House again. When we pulled up to the house, there were three cars already in the driveway. We got out, and grabbed out bags and heading inside. I could hear the TV on, and I heard pans being moved in the kitchen.

"Man, these guys just make themselves at home quick." I said and Emma and Izzy laughed. I closed the door and locked it when I heard a scream. I ran into the room to see Simon and Julian sitting in the living room.

"Oh my god." Izzy yelled as she ran towards Simon. Emma made a beeline for Julian and I was happy to see my friends reunited with their significant other.

"Do I not get the same welcome?" I heard from behind me and I froze. I slowly turned around and there stood Jace. In the kitchen. Cooking.

"Oh my god." I said and all of my will left my body as I ran to him. He scooped me up into his arms and I felt him laugh into my hair.

"It's good to see you." He said and I broke the hug and looked at him.

"Are you three my detail?" I asked and he laughed and nodded.

"Your father thought it would be nice to give you a detail of people you liked, and who could blend in." Jace explained. "He knew about Izzy and Simon, and Emma and Julian, and thought it was the perfect opportunity to provide you with safety but also make you happy."

"And why did he choose you?" I asked and he laughed.

"Because he knows something is going on between us." He said with a laugh.

"How did he react to that?" I ask hesitantly.

"To quote the president of this United States, 'I have his president stamp of approval'." He said and my eyes got wide.

"He said that?" I asked and Jace laughed.

"He did. I was shocked myself." He said and I laughed.

"Told ya your dad was pretty cool." I heard Izzy say from behind me.

"I made dinner, who is hungry?" Jace asked and everyone made a beeline for the kitchen, which just left Jace and I.

"And do you think something is happening between us?" I asked and Jace grabbed my arm and pulled me into him.

"Absolutely." He said and I smiled. "Only if you think something is happening between us as well."

"Something is definitely happening between us." I said and he lowered his head and our lips touched and it as everything I remembered it being and more. When we broke apart, I was sad that it was over, but I could do it whenever I wanted, and I looked forward to that. Jace led me into the kitchen where we got dinner and joined the others at the table.

"So what are you guys going to do here exactly?" Emma asked.

"We all have jobs around campus." Julian explained.

"Which are?" Izzy asked.

"I'm actually a student, since I'm the youngest of us all." Simon said.

"What will you be studying?" I asked.

"Exactly what I actually studied in college." Simon said. "Chemical engineering."

"How the hell did you end up in the secret service?" Jace asked and we all laughed.

"College got way to boring for me, and I saw this program about becoming a secret service agent, and I thought it'd be cool. So I dropped out and here I am." Simon explained.

"How old are you exactly?" Julian asked.

"24." He answered.

"Really?" I asked.

"I graduated high school at 15, and went to college at 16. Dropped when I was 18. Here I am." He said.

"I got myself a nerd." Izzy said and we all laughed.

"What about you Julian?" I asked.

"I'll be working in admissions. Gives me a good profile of the people at this school, plus access to the teachers records." He said and I nodded. "Your father wants to be extra thorough."

"I can only imagine." I said and he laughed. "What about you Jace?" I asked.

"I'm going to be an adjunct." He said.

"For what?" Emma asked.

"I'll be taking over a chemistry class. The professor is out on maternity for this semester." He said.

"You can teach?" I asked.

"You're good with chemicals?" Izzy asked.

"I graduated early for a reason." He said. "And I was more into how to combine chemicals to make highly effective bombs." He said and my eyes widened. "Not to use on anyone, just to understand how they work." He said and I nodded. "I've never taught a class before, but I love chemistry, so it shouldn't be too hard."

"What level is it?" Simon asked.

"Chem 480." He said.

"Holy shit. Good luck with that." Julian said and we all laughed.

"I'm pretty smart. I think I can handle it." Jace said and we laughed.

"Looks like my father got everyone covered." I said. "Simon has the students, Jace has the professors, and Julian has the other employees."

"Did you really think your dad was going to leave any stone unturned?" Izzy asked and I shook my head with a laugh.

"Not at all." I said. I knew this year was going to be weird, with Jace, Simon and Julian not only doubling as secret service and our boyfriends, but just because it was my last year of college, and after this I was finally going to be in the real world, that was terrifying.

 **Time Jump – Graduation**

 **Clary POV:**

I couldn't believe it was finally here. I was graduating college, and this past year was just insane to say the least. Having Simon, Julian and Jace around was amazing. I knew they would protect me if they needed too, but it was also nice to just being with him as my boyfriend. Which was another strange concept in and of itself. Being with Jace felt so natural. It was like breathing. Falling asleep in his arms, and waking up the same way. People might think we moved really fast, but when something feels so right, everything just comes so naturally, and that's what happened with Jace. Being with him, was like being at home, and I loved that.

When the ceremony was over, Izzy, Emma and I went to find our families. I was so excited to have them here, and to show them my home away from home. There were so many kids that it felt like it took forever to spot them, but when I finally did, I couldn't contain my smile. I walked over and my dad enveloped me in a huge hug.

"I'm so proud of you Clarissa." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks dad." I said and than my mom hugged me.

"I can't believe you're all grown up." She said and I laughed.

"I'm only 23 mom. I have some more time before I'm all grown." I said and he laughed.

"Congrates little sis." Jonathan said and I smiled. I knew that was the most sincere thing I was going to get from him, and I was okay with that.

"Where is Jace?" My dad asked.

"He told me he was heading straight home after the ceremony to set everything up. Plus his mom and sister were coming, so he wanted to meet them there." I said and they nodded.

When we got everyone together we headed home, and when we walked in the whole house smelled amazing. We made our way into the living area, and Celine and Cecilia were sitting at the bar laughing along as Jace cooked. I loved seeing them together, they were a really loving group, and seeing them together was always really nice.

"Clary!" Cecilia shouted as she made her way over to me and gave me a huge hug. "I've missed you." She said as she pulled away.

"I missed you too." I said and Celine made her way over to me.

"Congratulations sweetheart." She said as she pulled me into a hug.

"Thanks Celine." I said and she smiled. Everyone began mingling, and getting drinks. I made my way into the kitchen to keep Jace company.

"Hi." I said as I snaked my arms around his waist.

"Hello." He said as he turned around and pressed his lips to mine. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you." I said. "I'm proud of you too." I said and he looked at me with a confused expression. "You made it through an entire year without teaching kids how to disarm an explosive. I'm really proud of that." I said and he laughed.

"I wanted to so many time." He said and I laughed. "But I knew I couldn't risk getting fired, although I'm fairly certain your father could have pulled a few strings, but I was only going to make that happen as a last resort." He said and I just shook my head.

"What are you making?" I asked as I looked at the stove.

"A little bit of everything. Go join the others. I'll be done soon." He said.

"You sure you won't be too lonely?" I asked and he smirked.

"I'll be out in 10 minutes." He said and I smiled, I gave him a kiss before gathering with the others in the living room.

"I can't believe I actually graduated college. It feels really anticlimactic." Simon said and everyone laughed.

"But now you have a degree to do whatever you want after you leave the secret service." Izzy said and Simon shrugged.

"It feels weird to have a college degree, but I finally fit in." Simon said and everyone laughed again.

"Welcome to the club Lewis." I said and he raised his glass to me.

We all sat around and talked for a little while longer until Jace informed us that the food was ready. Everyone started making their way over to the food, while Jace made his way over to me. I pulled me into a hug, and I melted against him.

"I love you." He whispered in my ear and I pulled back because I just couldn't believe it. "I love you so much." He said and tears pooled in my eyes.

"I love you too." I said and he pressed his lips to mine. When we broke apart I couldn't help but smile. Jace grabbed my hand and led me into the kitchen to get some food. We all sat around the living room and ate, and laughed, and talked about everything. I looked around and I couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. I might not have a conventional family, but I loved them all the same. I didn't know what the future held for me, but I knew it would be amazing simply because I had all these amazing people in my life, and I had Jace by my side, and with him, I felt like I could conquer the world, and that's exactly what I planned on doing.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I know, I totally SUCK! It's been a week since I updated, but I just haven't been inspired, and it's been bringing me down! But I finally got inspired by whoever suggested that Clary being the first daughter, and Jace be in the secret service, so congrates to whoever got my brain moving! I have no idea when I'll be updating with another one shot. I have a lot of school work that I needed to get done before I can write anymore! Thank you for all being incredibly patient with me, and always being supportive! It means a lot! :)**

 **Also, since I took so long to update, I'm going to let you in on a little secret, this one shot is over 17,000 words long, and it is without a doubt my longest one shot EVER! I felt so bad leaving you guys hanging for so long, I thought having an extra long one was a good way to make up for that!**

 **Also, for those who asked why I'm perpetually sad, there is no simple answer to that question, but I will give you a condensed version. Life sucks. Shits happens. Happiness is overrated. Okay, maybe happiness isn't overrated exactly, and I'm not saying things don't make me happy, but I'm generally a very negative and pessimistic person. I'm the type that looks at the glass half empty, not half full, and that just has to do with experiences that I've had in my life. Life isn't all butterflies and rainbows, sometimes it's eating disorders, and debilitating diseases that take your loved one. Everyone goes through shit, and it shapes them into the person that they are, and life just happened to give me a lot of shit, and I've been trying to figure out a way to navigate my way through life, but it's not as easy as it looks! Trust me.**

 **Okay, enough of the really deep and emotional stuff! Let me know what you think of this one shot, and leave a review! I'm always down for reading what you think and want to say! :)**


	73. Chapter 72 - Dead or?

**Seventy Second One Shot:**

 **Dead or...?**

 **Jace POV:**

"We have a homicide." Alec said as he approached my desk.

"Where?" I asked as I grabbed my gun and badge.

"Brooklyn." He said and I nodded and followed him out to the car. We got in and Alec drove us to the crime scene. It was already taped off, and officers were posted outside. Alec and I ducked under the police tape and made our way upstairs to the apartment. When we walked in there was a giant pool of blood on the ground, but no body.

"Where is the victim?" I asked the officers that were already in the room.

"We don't know." Santiago said. "We got a call that there was a domestic disturbance going on. When we got here we found this."

"So how can you definitively say this is a homicide without a body?" I asked.

"Have you ever seen someone lose this much blood and survive?" He asked and I looked at the pool of blood again, and shook my head. "The neighbor knows the girl who lives here pretty well." He said and I nodded before walking out of the apartment. I went to the neighbor's door and knocked. A moment later it opened.

"I'm Detective Herondale." I said as I showed her my badge. "I'd like to ask you a few questions about your neighbor."

"Such a sad outcome." She said as she welcomed me into her home. "She was a lovely girl, but caught up with the wrong people." She said as we took a seat in her living room.

"How well did you know her?" I asked.

"Clary moved in here about 6 years ago." She said. "Right out of college, and full of dreams. "

"What did she do for work?" I asked.

"She restored paintings." She said. "She was so talented. It's a shame that her boyfriend didn't care about her talent at all."

"Boyfriend?" I asked and she nodded. "Do you know his name?"

"I couldn't forget it if I wanted too." She said. "These walls are incredibly thin, and their fights got loud." She said and I nodded. "His name is Sebastian Verlac."

"What did they fight about?" I asked.

"Everything." She said. "He disapproved of her job. He hated that she lived here. He accused her of cheating all the time. Threats came every day, and I could hear her crying all the time. It was a toxic relationship. Anyone could see and hear that."

"Do you know why she never left him?" I asked.

"I didn't pry in her relationship. It wasn't my place." She said and I nodded.

"Was Sebastian here today?" I asked.

"They were fighting about an hour ago." She explained.

"Do you know what about?" I asked.

"He wanted to start a family, and she wasn't ready." She said and I wrote it down. "He said some horrible things to her."

"Like what?" I asked.

"He called her a whore, and that she didn't deserve the kindness he was giving to her." She said. "He told her that she would be dead without him, and that she was never going to find anyone who would treat her any better." She said as she shuddered. "There was a horrific scream. It sounded like she was screaming for her life. The next thing I heard was the door slamming and someone running away."

"Thank you for talking with me. You helped a lot." I said as I stood up.

"I hope you catch that bastard." She said as she opened her apartment door.

"I'll do everything I can to catch the person responsible." I said and she nodded. I made my way back over to the apartment where the crime was committed. "What do we have so far?" I asked.

"The blood all came from one person." Alec said. "We have a partial footprint, but that's about it." He said and I nodded. "You find anything out from the neighbor?"

"The victim's name is Clary, and her boyfriend is Sebastian Verlac." I said. "She said she heard fighting about an hour ago, than a blood curdling scream, the door slamming and the sound of running." I explained. "We have to go check him out."

"I'll take Santiago, you stay here." Alec said and I nodded. They left, and suddenly I was all-alone in a women's apartment. I wanted to get a feel of what this girl was like, so I started looking around. This girl obviously liked to read with how many books were left lying around. Thankfully the whole room was photographed so I didn't have to worry about disturbing the evidence. There were a couple balled up pieces of paper on the floor. I reached down and picked them up and when I opened them I was blown away. This girl had a natural talent, and she deserved to be doing more than just restoring paintings. In the bottom right hand corner there was a signature, Clary Fray, it said, and now I know the name of out victim.

I continued to look throughout the apartment. For as long as this girl lived here, she barely had any personal details in this place. Not one family photo, no pet, hell, she didn't even have a plant. It's like she didn't want to personalize it at all. I walked into her bedroom and it was a complete mess. Books scattered around the room, art supplies laid out all over the floor and desk, and her bed wasn't even made. I walked over to the desk to look at the single picture she had in this whole apartment. It was a picture of her and a boy, they looked like they were 7 or 8 years old. By the look on her face, he meant a lot to her. I can't imagine being the officer in charge of telling her family what happened.

I walked back out into the living room and the Crime Scene clean up crew was there mopping up the blood. Not that blood grossed me out or anything, but knowing that we didn't have a victim in view was freaking me out a little, I mean, we've had crimes that have only had partial bodies, but a crime that had no body at all? That was just uncharted territory for me, and I didn't like it because it made the case feel incomplete. I took one last look around the place before I made my way out to my car. When I got in my phone started ringing, I looked to see who was calling and answered.

"Find the boyfriend Alec?" I asked.

"Yea. We found him alright." Alec said and that didn't sound good.

"What's that mean?" I asked.

"We found him at his place, syringe in arm." Alec said and I cursed. "He's been dead for about 30 minutes."

"He was our only lead." I said and I heard Alec sigh.

"I know. I think this case might end up a cold case with him dead, and no body." Alec said.

"Doesn't seem fair." I said. "This girl deserves justice and to be laid to rest."

"I know that, but you know how these cases work." Alec said, and I hated how right he was. "Maybe something will happen, and we'll get another lead, but we have other cases that need our attention."

"I'll meet you back at the precinct." I said and Alec said goodbye and I hung up and started driving towards the station. I didn't know why this case was bothering me the way it was. This wasn't my first homicide case, far from it actually, so why was this girl's murder different from the others?

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The bodiless homicide had been moved to the back burner as other cases swamped the precinct but that didn't mean I hadn't stopped thinking about it. I didn't understand why it was bothering me so much, but it was a rather slow afternoon, so I decided to go down to the evidence locker and look over the stuff that was collected from her place. I opened the one box and found a journal that looked rather full. I pulled it out, signed it out, and went back to my desk. I didn't know if this would tell me anything, but it was worth a shot. I opened it up to the first page and began to read.

 _September 16_ _th_ _, 2008_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I don't understand why my parents don't get a divorce. They are constantly fighting, and they practically hate each others guts. I don't even understand why they got married in the first place. It sure as hell wasn't love. I can't wait to get out and never have to see them again._

The passage was short but it gave me a lot of information about her home life nearly 10 years ago. She wasn't from a happy and thriving house. She was surrounded by fighting her whole entire life, and it made sense that she entered a relationship that was a mirror image of her parents. It didn't make it right, but I understand why she was with a jackass like Verlac now. I flipped a couple pages and continued reading.

 _March 30_ _th_ _, 2009_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I never understood why things happen. Disease, genocide, famine. None of them ever made any sense to me. I feel like I should be upset. I should be crying and mourning, but I feel incredibly numb, and void of all emotion. I guess that's a valid way to experience grief as well. The priest told me the grief wouldn't hit me all at once. It might come in stages, or it could hit me like a ton of bricks years down the line. My parents died yesterday, and I sit here panning their funeral without a tear in my eye, or any type of emotion. Maybe that makes me a terrible daughter, or maybe it shows how terrible they were as parents. Either way, I had no family left, and I had to deal with that._

There are so many things that shouldn't happen to people, and losing your parents is one of them. When I lost both my parents I was devastated, but I also had such a great relationship with them, that losing them was one of the worst things that ever happened to me, and I lost it. I can't imagine what she went through, or how awful her parents really were for her to not feel anything in their deaths, but I couldn't judge her for the way she grieved. I took a deep breath and turned a couple more pages and continued reading.

 _October 28_ _th_ _, 2010_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I met this guy today, and he was really sweet, and hot. His name is Sebastian and I have a date with him tomorrow night. I haven't had a real serious boyfriend since high school, so this was new to me, but I was excited. I don't know if this will blossom into any type of relationship, but I couldn't wait to see where it went, or just have someone there for me. It's been a while since I've had anyone, and I could really use that again._

Damn, she and Sebastian went farther back than I thought, and now I understood extremely well why they were still together. I couldn't help but start to wonder who she was as a person. What she was interested in, what she laughed at, and what music she liked. I mean, she was dead, and I was completely captivated by her on so many levels. It was weird to be falling for a dead girl, but that's what I felt like was happening. I was falling for her words, and her artwork, and that simple picture of when she was a kid. I turned a couple more pages and continued reading.

 _April 4_ _th_ _, 2012_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Sebastian has been really distant lately. I don't know what's going on with him but whenever I confront him about it he just gets pissed, and starts yelling. I was lucky that the plate he threw at me last night missed my head. I don't know how I would tell people about that, so I was thankful that he missed. I wanted to talk to him but I didn't want him to be angry, so I'll just wait until he's a little drunk so that he's easier to talk to. I guess I'll just have to accept the distance until he's ready to talk._

It pissed me off that she thought this was a relationship that she thought she wanted to be in. I didn't even know her, and even I knew that she deserved better, and to think that he could be the reason she's dead, really pissed me off. I hated that these things happened. People deserved more, she deserved more, and I wish she had the opportunity to know that. I turned more pages and continued reading.

 _July 15_ _th_ _, 2014_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I think Sebastian has been cheating on me. I found a pair of panties in between his couch last night, and when I asked about it he hit me. I didn't know what else to do so I left, and he showed up at my place at 3 this morning, drunk out of his mind. He kept apologizing to me, and saying that she meant nothing to him, and when I went to close the door he got angry. He forced me into my room and….well it doesn't really matter what happened after that. I can't be with him like this. This isn't the man that I fell in love with. He's different, and I'm afraid that if I try and leave he'll kill me._

It took everything in me not to punch a whole in the wall. This jackass took advantage of her, and the worst part is that she knew that she would be hurt, or killed if she tried to leave. What kind of asshole does that to a woman? I didn't want to hear anything else that he did to her, but I couldn't stop reading either. I took a deep calming breath before flipping the pages and reading.

 _November 18_ _th_ _, 2016_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I want to leave. I want to leave and never come back. Sebastian is a nightmare, but I can't leave. He's so demanding. I caught him trying to install security cameras in my apartment yesterday. He thinks that I'm going to leave, and he wants to make sure he can watch me 24/7. I can't say I blame him for thinking that I'm going to leave, because I want to. I think about it everyday, but he is so violent that I think that leaving would be worse than staying._

This literally just happened. Not even 2 months ago, this girl feared for her life and thought that staying with that asshole was better than leaving. She was trapped, and alone, and probably scared out of her mind, and now she's dead. This all could have been avoided if she just reported that son of a bitch. She could be moving on, instead we are trying to solve her murder case without a body. I closed the book because I just couldn't read anymore. She was scared, and had nobody there for her.

"Jace, we got a homicide." Alec said as he made his way over to my cubical.

"Where?" I asked as I grabbed my gun and badge.

"Central Park." He said and I nodded. We made our way out to my car and started towards the park. The area was already secured and pictures were already being taken. Alec and I approached the closest officer once we got out of the car.

"What happened here?" I asked.

"Gun shot to the head." The officer said. "He died instantly."

"At least it was quick." Alec said and I nodded. Alec and I made our way over to the body. "Do we have an ID?" Alec asked as we looked at the man.

"Mark Blackthorn." The officer said. "He's known to affiliate with a local gang."

"Which gang?" I asked.

"The Seelie Court." The officer said.

"Still think it's a stupid name for a gang." I said and everyone laughed.

"Yea, well, this is probably a normal gang murder." The officer said.

"Our job is to find the truth, not assume Officer Santiago." I said and he nodded. "Get his body back to the autopsy." I said and the men nodded. Alec and I started walking away when someone called us.

"Excuse me!" We heard and we turned around to see someone running towards us.

"What can we help you with today ma'am?" I asked.

"You're the officers that worked that case with the murder of that girl last week without the body." She said and Alec and I looked at each other.

"How do you know about that?" I asked.

"I live in the apartment below her, and I swore I heard footsteps last night." She said.

"Are you sure?" Alec asked.

"Yea. They sounded frantic. Like they were looking for something, but couldn't find it." She said.

"How long did they spend up there?" I asked.

"Like 15 minutes." She said.

"Thank you for letting us know." Alec said and she nodded before walking away.

"Think it could be the real killer?" I asked after she was gone.

"I have no idea." Alec said honestly. "That whole case is so out of the ordinary."

"I'll set up some camera in case it happens again." I said and Alec nodded. "I'll meet you back at the precinct."

"Be careful." Alec said before I started walking the direction of the apartment building. I made my way up to the apartment and sure enough the police tape was broken. I drew my gun and opened the door. When I walked inside things were definitely out of place. I made my way through the apartment looking around every corner making sure I was the only one there. When I made it to her bedroom, it was even more thrown apart than it was the day I was here. Drawers were out of the dresser, and the end tables. The closet doors were opened, and the desk was practically cleared off. I made my way back out to the living room and pulled out my phone.

"Detective Herondale, what do I owe the pleasure?" Hodge said.

"I need security cameras." I said. "Someone broke into a crime scene looking for something."

"When would you like them by?" He asked.

"I want them at the crime scene in 1 hour." I said.

"Your wish is my command." He said and I hung up. I put my gun back into the holster and started to actually look around and see if anything was missing. I went back into her room and noticed that the picture of her and that boy was missing, but nothing else that I could definitively pick out that was missing.

Hodge showed up an hour later and installed all the cameras. After he left to go wait in the car for me, I just looked around at the place. I had no idea who would break into this house and steal that picture. Maybe it was the boy in that photo, because lets be real, who else would want that picture? I took a deep breath and walked out of the apartment. I sealed it off, and made my way downstairs where Hodge was waiting and got into the car. This whole case made no sense, and I was determined to solve this.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Nothing has happened in the apartment since the cameras installed and I was getting frustrated. Something wasn't adding up. This case was more puzzling than any other case that I've ever heard before, and it was driving me crazy. Of course this case was put on the back burner again because we had other cases that needed out attention first, but I wanted to solve this case more than anything. I keep looking at the pictures of her apartment to find out if anything else was taken, and I just kept stopping at the picture that was taken from her desk. I could only imagine what she looked like before she died. She was a very cute kid. The most vibrant red hair I've ever seen, and piercing green eyes. I tried to picture here a million times in my mind, but I just didn't think I'd ever do her justice.

"I'm meeting Izzy for lunch. She wants me to meet her new boyfriend. You wanna come?" Alec asked.

"Sure." I said and I got up and we made it to the restaurant. Izzy was never on time so Alec and I both weren't surprised that she was 15 minutes late. When she walked in the guy behind her looked incredibly familiar but I didn't know why.

"Alec, Jace. It's so good to see you again!" Izzy said as she hugged us both.

"You two Iz." Alec said. "Who is this?" Alec gestured to the guy.

"This is my boyfriend. Simon." Izzy said. "These are my brothers." Izzy said. "Alec is my actual brother, and Jace is my adoptive brother."

"It's nice to meet you." Simon said and I just couldn't stop staring at him.

"Have we met before?" I asked as we all took our seats.

"I don't think so. I don't live in New York anymore." Simon said.

"You look so familiar." I said and he just shrugged.

"Don't freak him out Jace." Izzy said.

"No, I'm serious. He looks really familiar." I said as I searched my pocket for the picture. I opened it up and looked at it and than at him. I turned it around and his eyes widened. "Is that you?"

"Where did you get this from?" He asked.

"I think the more important question is why were you carrying that picture around in your pocket." Alec said and Izzy laughed.

"That's not important." I said.

"But oh so interesting." Alec said ad I rolled my eyes and looked back to Simon.

"It's evidence in an on going homicide case." I said.

"Clary's dead?" He asked.

"Who is Clary?" Izzy asked looking a little hurt.

"We were best friends when we were little. I moved away before high school, and we tried to stay in touch as best we could, but distance got in the way, and than she got that awful boyfriend." Simon said. "I can't believe she's dead."

"That picture was stolen out of her apartment last week." I said. "Do you know who would want it?"

"I can't imagine anyone but Clary and I would want a picture of us in it." Simon said. "I can't believe she's dead."

"We don't have a body." Alec said. "When we got to her apartment there was a huge pool of blood but no body."

"Did that asshole kill her?" Simon asked.

"I wish we knew. He OD'd the same day." I said and he nodded.

"She might not be dead." Simon said. "You have no body."

"There was a lot of blood Simon." Alec said. "And we don't have a body, and she hasn't come to turn herself in or anything like that. What else are we supposed to think?"

"Clary had a terrible life." Simon said. "She had to learn how to survive in terrible ways, and I honestly wouldn't put it past her to do something drastic like faking her own death."

"She'd really do that?" I asked.

"I put nothing past her." Simon said. "She's done a lot of things in her life that aren't exactly law abiding, but she also wasn't a quitter. If someone was going to kill her, she'd go down with one hell of a fight."

"Sebastian could have stashed her body. The neighbor told me that was a piercing scream, the door slamming and the sound of someone running away. Before he died he could have dumped the body somewhere." I explained.

"All I'm saying is that you shouldn't underestimate Clary." Simon said and I nodded. "Can I keep this?" He asked as he held up the picture.

"Sure." I said and he smiled.

"Thank you." He said and I nodded.

Lunch went by well, and Simon seemed like a cool guy but I couldn't get over the fact that he was the boy in the picture. I wanted to solve this case, because now with the information that he provided, I wanted to find this girl if she did fake her own death. I wanted her to be alive, because I wanted to get to know her. I wanted her to know what it felt like to live in a world where she didn't have to be scared anymore. I wanted it since the case presented itself to me, and now I was more determined than ever.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Detective Herondale?" I said as I picked up the phone.

"Hello Detective, we talked briefly when you were investigating my neighbors murder." The woman said.

"Yes. How can I help you?" I asked.

"I thought I heard something coming from the apartment last night, and I didn't see any officers and thought you'd like to know." She said.

"Thank you for letting me know." I said and we hung up. I made my way to the room where the cameras were streaming. I took a look at the surveillance from last night and I saw the front door open, but the person was hooded, and I saw no face. "Damn it." I said and I stood up. I made my way back to my desk where I grabbed my gun and badge.

"Where are you going?" Alec asked.

"Someone broke into the apartment again. I'm going to go on a stake out, but in the apartment that way I can arrest them." I said and he nodded. I made my way to the apartment and the seal was broken yet again. I walked in and took a deep breath. This trespasser wasn't getting away this time, I was going to make sure of it.

 **Time Jump –A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

My OCD was getting out of control the more time I spent in this place so I just decided to clean up the mess the trespasser left. I felt so much better once everything was in a certain place and I felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I couldn't really do much, so I grabbed a book, and started reading. I had no idea if this person was going to come back, but I was going to be ready if they did.

I was half way through the book when I heard the door open. I put it down and drew my gun. The door closed quietly, and I got in my stance and waited for the intruder to present themselves. When I finally saw the person, I knew I had them.

"Freeze." I said and they froze. "Put your hands where I can see them." They raised their hands and showed nothing in them. "Turn around." I said and they slowly turned around. "Put your hood down." I said and the person slowly grabbed the hood and lowered it to reveal the girl that I had been thinking about for weeks. She was alive, and standing right in front of me. "Clary."

"How do you know my name?" She asked.

"I'm the detective assigned to your homicide case." I said as I put my gun away.

"So people believe I'm dead?" She asked with joy in her voice.

"Yes." I said and she let out a sigh.

"Good." She said and I looked at her with confusion. "Is there any way you let me go and keep pretending I'm dead? Mark my case as cold, and forget about me."

"You don't have to worry anymore." I said.

"He'll find me. He'll find me, and he'll kill me." She said frantically. "I messed up, and he is pissed."

"Clary, I need you to calm down." I said as I slowly approached her. "No body is going to hurt you anymore."

"You don't know what he's like." She said as tears spilled out of her eyes.

"He's dead Clary." I said and her eyes widened.

"He's what?" She asked. I guided her to her couch and sat her down.

"He OD'd the day we got the call and found blood in this place." I explained. "I talked to your neighbor who informed me of who he was. When my partner went to question him, he was dead with a syringe still in his arm."

"Oh thank god." She said as her head fell in to her hands. "You know how horrible it is to live on the streets?" She asked.

"Vaguely." I admitted honestly, and she looked at me. "Look, come to the precinct, and we'll close your case, and end this running game you're playing." I said and she took a deep breath and nodded. We stood up and she looked around her apartment.

"You cleaned it." She said and I laughed.

"OCD is a killer when it comes to messy places." I said and she laughed. We made our way out to my car and I immediately went to the precinct. I walked her in, and over to my desk where she took a seat. "Would you like anything to drink?" I asked and she smiled.

"Coffee would be great." She said.

"Cream or sugar?" I asked.

"Just black." She said and I nodded. I made my way over to the coffee pot and poured her a cup. When I got back I handed it to her and she smiled. "Thank you." She said and I took a seat.

"Can you tell me why you faked your own death?" I asked her after I got her coffee.

"I miscarried." She said after she took a seat. "It was after he…"

"He raped you didn't he?" I asked and she didn't make eye contact, but she nodded.

"He was so angry that I lost our baby." She said. "I knew that he was going to do something horrible. I needed to do something huge. Something that he would believe." She said. "I might regret telling you this, but I stole enough blood that would look like someone couldn't survive, and after our fight, I screamed bloody murder, slammed my front door and made it sound like someone was running. After that I ran."

"Were you ever planning on starting over?" I asked.

"Maybe. I would have to get enough money to leave the state, and start living as someone else. And not having a home made that pretty hard." She said and I nodded.

"Do you have anyone you could stay with?" I asked.

"No. I don't have any family left." She said and I nodded.

"Okay." I said. "We'll figure something out." I said and she nodded. I pulled out my phone and texted Izzy and told her to bring Simon to the precinct. "Just wait right here. I'll be back." I said and she nodded. I made my way over to Alec's desk and he was so engrossed in his work that I had to slam my hands on his desk to grab his attention.

"Fucking hell Jace." He said. "What do you want?"

"Clary is alive." I said and his eyes widened.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"She's currently sitting at my desk." I said and he looked over and saw the redhead sitting there drinking her coffee.

"Holy shit." He said. "So she faked her own death?"

"Yea. She was afraid Sebastian was going to kill her and she needed to get away." I said and he nodded.

"Simon!" We heard a high pitched voice and when we turned around Clary ran into his arms and he scooped her into a hug.

"Oh my god Clary. You're completely insane." He said and she laughed. Alec and I made our way over to the group.

"It was the only thing I could think of." She said ad Simon nodded.

"I asked you here because Clary needs a place to stay, and since you two are old friends, I thought you'd be the best bet." I said and Simon nodded.

"I would love too, but I'm leaving for a couple months to work in our abroad companies." Simon said. "I would love to help you out, but I sold my apartment because I didn't want to have to pay rent in two different places."

"It's okay." Clary said. "I can find somewhere to stay."

"Why don't you help her out Jace?" Izzy said. "You have enough guest rooms, and absolutely no friends."

"I have friends." I said and she laughed.

"Not good ones." Izzy said.

"So Alec isn't good enough?" I asked and she rolled her eyes.

"He's your brother, he doesn't count." Izzy said. "It was just a suggestion."

"I don't mind if you don't." I said towards Clary.

"Okay." Clary said and I nodded.

"Do you want to get some stuff from your place?" I asked and Clary nodded. "Okay, I'll take you back and we'll grab some things." She nodded again. "Mind telling the chief what's going on?" I asked Alec.

"Not at all." Alec said.

"Cool." I said. "Let's go." I said and Clary nodded. We got back into my car and went to her apartment again. When we got there, she started searching for everything that she needed. She grabbed some books, a lot of art supplies, clothes, and a few miscellaneous things before taking one last look at her place. "You ready?" I asked and she nodded.

We packed all her stuff in my car and we made it to my house in minutes. I grabbed half of her things, and she grabbed the other half, and I directed her into my house and to the room that she would be occupying. When I opened the door and put her stuff down I noticed that she was walking considerably slowly than a normal person.

"You okay?" I asked and her eyes made it back to mine.

"This house is beautiful." She said and I smiled.

"It's pretty nice." I said and she laughed.

"I would kill to live in a place like this." She said and I laughed.

"Well, you do now, so please don't kill anyone. I'd hate to arrest you." I said and she laughed. It was a beautiful laugh.

"It could use some color though." She said has she walked towards her new room.

"I'll tell you what, you pick the colors, I'll buy the paint, and you can go to town." I offered, which was so out of character for me, but I couldn't help myself but offer her that.

"You're seriously going to let me paint your house?" She asked.

"Why not. You want too, and I don't have anything against it." I said. "You're going to need something to do to occupy your time."

"Wow." She said and I laughed. "Okay, thanks. But are there any colors you don't like?" She asked.

"Nothing yellow." I said. "It reminds me of ducks, and I hate ducks." I said and she started laughing again. "It's not funny, they are blood thirsty beasts."

"I would have never pegged a macho detective to be afraid of furry little animals." She said once her laughter died down.

"Don't underestimate them because they look cute and cuddly." I said and she nodded.

"I'll take your word for it." She said and I smiled.

"I'll let you get settle." I said as I made my way out of her room. "Anything in particular you'd like for dinner?" I asked.

"Honestly, it's been weeks since I've had a decent meal." She said. "I'll eat anything." She said and I nodded and went to leave. "Accept eggs!" She called out and I turned to look at her. "I don't like eggs one bit."

"Noted." I said and I made my way into the kitchen. It was going to take me some time to get used to living with someone, but I could already tell that living with Clary was going to be easy and a lot of fun, and I couldn't wait to see if I was right.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had been spending the last month painting Jace's house and I was in my own little world every time I smelled the paint fumes. For the first time in years I didn't have to look over my shoulder. I was finally at peace and I just couldn't believe that I was actually living life without fear. It was nice, and I was thankful that everything turned out like this because I don't know how much longer I could live on the streets.

"Clary, I'm home." I heard Jace yelled as the door opened and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. Living with Jace was so natural.

"I'm in the living room!" I called back and I heard his footprints.

"Wow. It looks great." He said and I turned and looked at him and he started laughing.

"What?" I asked and he made his way over to me.

"You have paint on your forehead." He said as he ran a finger over the paint and I shivered.

"I get lost in my head when I paint." I said and he laughed. "How was work?" I asked after a moment.

"It was alright. We are up to our necks in the latest case, and everyone is frustrated, and pissy." He said and I nodded. "I'm lucky I got some time to take a break other wise I wouldn't be responsible for the damage that was caused to some of my colleagues." He said and I laughed.

"Want me to make you some dinner?" I asked as I put the paintbrush down. "This coat needs to dry."

"Why don't we go out?" He asked. "You've been painting all day, and I've been working. We could both use a break."

"Sounds good. Let me just go get changed." I said and he nodded. I went into my room and changed my clothes. When I was finally dressed I walked back out and Jace was leaning against the counter looking at something, and damn did he look good. For the past month I couldn't help but admire him whenever we were in the same room. He was handsome, and funny, and sarcastic, and smart, and sweet. He was everything you'd ever hope to find in a man, and I couldn't help but be attracted to that. "You ready?" I said and he stood up and smiled.

"Of course." He said and we made our way out of the house and into his car. We went to our favorite diner, and took our normal seat in our normal booth. Since living with Jace, this had been our favorite go to spot.

"Well if it isn't my favorite couple." The waitress said as she came over to us, which of course made me blush like an idiot. "It's been awhile since you two have been here." She said.

"I've been caught up in work, and Clary is painting the house." Jace said. "We've been pretty busy." He said and she nodded.

"You two want your usual?" She asked and we both nodded and she walked away.

"Why didn't you correct her?" I asked after she was gone.

"I didn't think you would mind." He said. "Do you want me to specify that we aren't together?" Jace said and I took a second to think about it.

"I don't mind." I finally said. "I was just curious." I said and he nodded.

She came back with our usual and Jace and I ate and talked like we always do. Our conversations were always really light and friendly, but I couldn't get the fact that people thought we were a couple, but I guess I couldn't blame them. We were always together when we're out in public, and everything, but it bothered me that we weren't together, but I don't really blame him. We've only known each other for a month, and he probably just thought of me as a wounded little animal. I mean, he investigated my life, so he knows how much of a basket case I am, who would want to deal with that? When we got back to the house, I hadn't spoken a word since we left and I think he noticed something was wrong.

"Are you okay?" He asked and I shrugged. "What's wrong?"

"I just can't stop thinking about what the waitress said." I admitted.

"About us being a couple?" He asked and I nodded. "Why is that bothering you so much?"

"I don't know." I said and I took a seat on the couch.

"I know when you're lying Clare." He said as he took a seat down next to me. "Why is her thinking we're a couple bothering you so much?" He asked again.

"I guess…..I don't know." I said. "It's stupid really."

"Nothing you think is stupid Clary." He said. "What's on your mind?"

"I've been living here for a month." I said and he nodded. "How come you haven't asked me to move out yet?" I asked.

"I like having you here." He said honestly.

"Why?" I asked.

"I never knew what I was missing by living alone until you showed up." He said. "It's nice to come home to someone at the end of the day."

"So get a girlfriend." I said. "We can still be friends if I moved out. I doubt we would never see each other again with Simon and Izzy dating. I mean, you could actually share this home with someone you like romantically."

"Isn't that what I'm already doing?" He said and my jaw dropped.

"W-what?" I asked and he laughed.

"I rarely open myself up to anyone because it's easier to remove emotions from the mix. It's a fool proof way of never getting hurt." He explained. "But with you, I don't feel like I need to hide behind the cold exterior. I can express myself with whatever emotion that I'm feeling because I know you won't judge me." He said and I nodded. "I never told you this, but I read through you're diary when I was investigating your case."

"Oh my god." I said and buried my head in my hands.

"Are you mad?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Just super embarrassed." I said and he laughed.

"Don't be." He said. "I was reading through some of the entries and there was just this incredibly pull I had towards you. I could tell how much you were suffering and how much you wanted to get away, but you were so trapped. I wanted to come sweep you off your feet and take you away and show you what it was like to be treated." He said and my eyes fill with tears. "It sucked because I was falling for a dead girl." He said and my jaw dropped. "Well, I was falling for what I thought was a dead girl. And than Simon told us he wouldn't be surprised if you faked your own death, and I got hope, and than you showed up." He said with a laugh. "It was like despite how awful the situation was, we were both getting a second chance at something."

"Oh." I said and the tears finally spilled.

"Please don't cry." He said and I wiped them away.

"They aren't bad tears." I said and he nodded. "I just can't believe you feel that way towards me."

"Why not?" He asked. "You're a beautiful woman."

"I'm a basket case Jace." I finally said. "I've never been loved a day in my life. My parents were jerks who didn't even want me half the time, than I entered a relationship that was purely physical for him." I said. "Simon was the only person in my life who actually wanted me around for who I was. And after all of that you still think I'm worthy of being loved? Hell even worthy of being liked? I think I was destined to be alone, or abused."

"Cut the shit Clary." He said and it caught me off guard. "What your parents did was horrible, and if Sebastian wasn't dead, I would kill him myself because you deserve so much more than what you were dealt." He said and although is words were laced with anger, his face was soft. "You have been through something nobody should ever have to deal with. I mean, you faked your own death just to get away from someone who earned your trust, and took advantage of that." He said and I lowered my head. "If you don't feel the same way about me as I do about you, I can live with that." He said and I looked into his beautiful gold eyes. "But I'll be damned if I ever let you get involved with someone who isn't worthy of all you have to offer."

"Jace." I whispered because I was still processing everything he said to me. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything Clary." He said. "Look, you are more than welcome to stay here as long as you like. I won't stop you from moving out, or staying. I like having you here, and even if you decide to move out, my door is always opened for you." He said as he got off the couch and began to walk away.

"I do." I said and that stopped him in his tracks, and he turned to face me. "I do like you."

"You don't have to say it just because I did Clary." He said.

"I'm not." I said. "I've loved living here, but the majority of the reason for that is because you're the first person to ever extend such kindness towards me. I love waking up in the morning and having coffee together. I love cooking for you when you get done work, and I love that earlier today you referred to this house as ours instead of just yours." I said and he smiled at me. "Being with you is one of the most natural thing in the world, and for the first time, I know what it feels like to truly be taken care of."

"I'll always take care of you Clary." Jace said and I stood up and walked over to where he was standing.

"I know you will." I said as I got closer. "You're the first person I have ever been able to trust with my whole heart." I said and he pushed a curl out of my face and tucked it behind my ear.

"I will never force you into anything you don't want to do." Jace said in a low tone.

"I know that." I said as I pushed myself up on my tippy toes. Our noses touched but our lips were still entirely too far apart. Our eyes locked and I thought he was going to pull away, but to my surprise he leaned forward and pressed our lips together, and I felt like I had finally come home. I don't know how long we stood there kissing, but I knew that I never wanted it to end. When we did finally pull apart I couldn't get the smile off my face.

"I've been imagining what kissing you would feel like since I started investigating your case." Jace said and I laughed.

"Did I live up to your expectations?" I asked and he shook his head.

"No." He said. "You exceeded them." He said and I smiled. He leaned forwards and simply pecked my lips with his, but it didn't matter because even a simple little peck was filled with more chemistry than anything I've ever felt before. Jace pulled me into a hug, and I melted into his embrace. For the first time in my life, everything seemed like it was going to be okay.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Jace, come on. We're going to be late!" I heard Clary yell from downstairs.

"I'm coming!" I yelled back, I looked in the mirror one last time and smiled. "This is the day." I said to myself. I grabbed my jacket off the chair in our room and ran down the stairs. Clary was standing in front of the mirror in the hallway and I couldn't stop the smile on my face.

"Aren't women supposed to take forever to get ready?" Clary asked as she turned towards me and I smiled.

"I know I'm stunningly attractive, but that doesn't mean I roll out of bed looking that way." I said as I pulled her into me.

"I can attest to the fact that you do roll out of bed looking stunningly attractive." She said and I gave her a quick kiss. "Izzy will have our heads if we are late to her wedding." She said and I laughed.

When we got to the venue, it was set up beautifully, but I expected nothing less from Izzy. She had been planning this day for a year now, and everything was done perfectly, thanks in large part to Alec's boyfriend Magnus. They are the most fashionably up to date people in the world, and this wedding was something that I've never seen before. Clary and I made our way over to the bride's side, and took a seat with the rest of my family and waited for the ceremony to start.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The wedding was beautiful and the reception was just a huge party that everyone was enjoying. Jace was currently talking to Alec, most likely about a case that they were in the middle of because god forbid those two stop talking about work for a day and actually enjoy normal conversation. I was siting at the table when Izzy made her way over to me.

"Why are you all alone?" She asked as she took a seat.

"Jace is currently discussing work with Alec, and my feet are killing me." I said and she laughed.

"I swear, it's like you can't take them anywhere without hearing about dead bodies, robberies and child prostitution." Izzy said and I laughed.

"You are so right." I said. "I've actually had to ban those topics form the dinner table. I can't tell you how many times I've lost my appetite when I ask about his day at work." I said and Izzy laughed.

"So everything between you two is good?" She asked and I looked over at Jace and smiled.

"Yea. Everything is perfect." I said and she smiled.

"Good. I'm about to throw my bouquet, come try and catch it!" Izzy said and she grabbed my hand and pulled them up.

"Isn't that only for single people?" I asked and she laughed.

"It's for anyone who isn't married." She said and I nodded. She grabbed the microphone and cleared her throat. "Can I have your attention, any single ladies, or not yet married ladies place swarm the dance floor, I'm about to throw my bouquet." The stampede of women that flooded the dance floor was outrageous, and I felt like a small little speak of lint floating through the air next to all of them. Izzy turned around and was about to throw it when the bouquet didn't leave her hands. She turned around and started walking to the crowed of us. She got to me and she handed me the bouquet and smiled.

"What are you doing?" I asked her and she had the biggest smile on her face. She turned me around and behind me, Jace was down on one knee and holding open a box with the most beautiful ring inside. My free hand immediately went over my mouth and my eyes began to pool.

"I love you more than I ever thought possible Clary." He said. "I don't want to spend another day without you being my wife." He said and the tears spilled over. "Would you make me the happiest man on the planet, and becoming my wife?" He asked and I let out a chocked sob.

"Yes." I managed to say, but I'm not quite sure how. He took the ring out and slid it onto my finger before scooping me up into his arms. I never thought that I would ever be in this position. I never though I would have the opportunity to marry that man of my dreams, but ever since I met Jace, he constantly surprises me more than I thought was possible, and I couldn't wait to spend the rest of my life with him.

 **Time Jump - Four Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was woken up from my sleep when I felt someone jumping on my bed. I opened my eyes to see my sweet little 3 year old daughter jumping up and down with the biggest smile on her face. I looked over and noticed that Clary wasn't in bed with me.

"Good morning daddy!" She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Good morning princess. Where is mommy?" I asked as I scooped her into my arms.

"She's downstairs. She told me to come wake you up!" She said and I nodded.

"Well, you did a very good job!" I said and she giggled. I got out of bed and picked her up into my arms and made my way downstairs. Clary was currently in the kitchen making breakfast, and feeding out 8 month old son.

"Mommy, I got him up!" Gwyn said and Clary smiled.

"That you did baby." Clary said and she smiled. I put her next to Blake and he smiled at his sister.

"What is all this for?" I asked as I kissed Blake and than kissed Clary.

"It's your birthday." She said and I laughed. I never really was one for celebrating, and even though we'd been together for 5 years, celebrating was still foreign to me. "You better get used to this babe. It's been 5 years, and we're always going to celebrate your birthday." Clary said and I smiled.

"I know." I said and Blake started to laugh. I looked over at him and he was hitting his hands on his highchair table with the biggest grin on his face.

"Mommy, can I have juice?" Gwyn asked and Clary laughed.

"Of course baby." Clary said. "Jace, her sippy cup is in the fridge, can you grab it?" She asked and I nodded. I grabbed the cup and handed it to Gwyn.

"Thanks daddy." Gwyn said and I kissed her head. I still couldn't believe that this was my life. My phone started ringing and I looked at it and it was Alec.

"I have to go babe." I said to Clary. "Huge break through in the case, and they need all hands on deck."

"Okay. We'll celebrate another time." Clary said and I smiled and kissed her before kissing Gwyn and Blake.

"I love you." I said and she smiled.

"I love you too." She said.

"I love you too daddy." Gwyn said and I smiled.

"I love you too baby." I said and I kissed her than kissed Blake. "I love you too little man." I said and even though he barely knew what was going on, I still couldn't stop telling him whenever I got the chance.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The case that Jace was working on was getting a lot of media attention, and I was nervous for him. I knew his line of work was dangerous and knowing that he puts his life on the line day after day was terrifying, but seeing this raid take place on the TV was worse than just knowing what he did, actually seeing it was horrible.

I was sitting in my room watching the TV when my door opened, and in walked Gwyn. She looked tired, but she also looked scared. I motioned for her to come and she ran to the bed and I picked her up.

"What's wrong baby?" I asked.

"I had a bad dream." She said and I nodded.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Daddy got hurt, and he didn't come home." She said and I pulled her into me.

"Daddy will always come home to us sweetheart." I said. "You know he promised us that he would always come home to us."

"I know, but he isn't back yet." She said and I kissed her head. She was such a brilliant 3 year old, and she knew the risks of Jace's job.

"He'll be back soon." I said and she nodded. "Would you like to sleep in here tonight?"

"Yes please." She said and I tucked her in. the TV was muted at this point but I couldn't turn it off. Gwyn was asleep super fast, and I was glad. She didn't need to worry about Jace the way she was. It had been about two hours since Gwyn came into my room when Blake started to cry. I walked into his nursery, and picked him up out of the crib. He instantly calmed down and I tried to put him back in the crib but he started crying again, so I just brought him into my room as well. I put him next to Gwyn and he fell asleep instantly. I continued to watch the news and hope that Jace made it back safely.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"That was insane." Alec said as we exited the raid.

"Who knew he was going to barricade himself in there for the majority of the day." I said and Alec laughed.

"I'm glad he finally cracked." Alec said and I nodded. "You good?"

"Just exhausted. Not really the way I wanted to celebrate my birthday." I said and he laughed.

"We can go out and catch a bite to eat, and celebrate." Alec said and I smiled.

"Thanks for the offer, but I really just want to get home to my kids." I said and Alec laughed.

"Another time than." Alec said and I nodded.

I got into my car and made my way home. Today was a super long and exhausting day, and I was glad to be coming home to see Clary and the kids. No matter what happened, they were always the best part of my day and I always smiled when I got to come home to those three wonderful people. I got home and I put my stuff down, and went into my office, and secured my gun in the safe before making my way up to my room. When I walked in Clary was still awake and reading something. I walked over and noticed that she wasn't the only one in our bed.

"What are they doing in here?" I asked in a low tone as I shut the bedroom door.

"Gwyn had a nightmare that you didn't come home, and Blake was crying, and wouldn't stop unless I was near him." She said and I nodded. I walked towards the bathroom and Clary followed. Once the door was closed I heard her take a deep breath.

"Are you okay?" I asked when I turned around to face her.

"Sometimes I hate your job." She said and I scooped her up into my arms.

"You know I'll always come home to you three." I said and I felt her nod.

"That doesn't mean I like it." She said as she pulled away. "I can't imagine life without you Jace."

"Clary, I don't care what happens out in the field, I will crawl through hell to get back to you three." I said and she nodded. "I'm going to take a shower, I'll be out soon." I said and she nodded. I kissed her before she left and I got into the shower. I didn't take a long shower, because I just wanted to be with my family. I got out of the shower and pulled on a pair of sweats and made my way over to the bed. I slipped into bed trying not to wake Gwyn, but I failed.

"Daddy?" She said and I smiled.

"Yes baby girl?" I said and she smiled.

"I love you." She said and I smiled. "And I'm glad you're home safely." She said and I kissed her cheek and she curled up on my chest and fell back asleep. I looked over at Clary and she just smiled.

"Told you she's a smart 3 year old." She said and I laughed. She curled under the blankets and rested her hand in Blake's little fingers, and I pulled the covers over Gwyn and I and I turned out the lights. Being here with my family was all I ever wanted, and I couldn't picture having a better life than that one I have right her with Clary. Being called in on the homicide was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I was thankful for it every single day.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I have no idea who suggested this one, but whoever you are, I hope that you enjoyed it because I think it's a really sweet story! Let me know what you all think and let me know what you think! I don't know when the next one will be done, but I already know what suggestion I'm going to go with but I don't really have the plot down right now, but stay tuned! Thank you for all the encouraging words, and keep them coming if you like! :)**


	74. Chapter 73 - Water Logged (Swimmer)

**Seventy Third One Shot:**

 **Water Logged (Swimmer)**

 **Clary POV:**

It was almost like there wasn't anything that I could do to get people to stop picking on me. If it wasn't for my red hair, it was for how short I was, and if it wasn't for either of those two reasons, it was either my intelligence, or that I was a swimmer. I didn't really understand why they did it, but it was annoying. I've learned to block out most of it, but there is this group of guys in my class that just can't seem to get past it. And of course they consisted of the most popular guys in the class. Their ringleader, Jace Herondale started it back in 7th grade when he moved here. And ever since than, it was like aright of passage for everyone to make fun of me. I was standing at my locker when I heard a hand slam next to mine and I jumped.

"Little Clare-Bear is scared of loud noises." Sebastian said and I rolled my eyes. The second in command in the jock world.

"I'm not scared of loud noises, but when they come out of nowhere, it's common for people to flinch." I said as I closed my locker.

"You're feisty." She said. "I never noticed that before." He said and I scoffed.

"Because you've never taken the time to get to know me Sebastian." I said as I tried to push past him but he blocked my way.

"How about we start over?" He said as he licked his lips. I leaned forward and when I saw that he was hooked I dipped under his arm and laughed.

"In your dreams Verlac. You can't make fun of me for 7 years, and expect me to fall at your feet the minute you see something you like." I said. I turned the corner and took a deep breath. I made a promise to myself a couple years ago that I would never let them affect me, and although I was getting better at it, standing up to them was always incredibly scary.

I got to class and sat in the back like I always did. I just tried to keep my head down the best I could during school, and avoid people at all costs. I was doodling in the margins of my notebook when I heard someone clear their throat. When I looked up, Isabelle Lightwood was standing in front of me smiling.

"Yes?" I asked and she placed an envelope on my desk.

"I'm having an end of the year pool party." She said. "I want you to come."

"Why?" I asked and she laughed.

"I understand you're friends with Simon Lewis." She said and I nodded. "And I assume you know we've been getting pretty close recently." She said and I nodded again. It still blew my mind that they were actually almost in a relationship. My nerdy little Simon was growing up. "You're his friend, and I'd like to extend the olive branch."

"Really?" I asked and she laughed.

"I think we could be really good friends Clary." She said. "We've just never had the opportunity to see if that is the case or not."

"When is it?" I asked.

"June 28th." She said. "All the details are in the invitation. I hope to see you there." She said and she walked away. I look at the invitation, and I knew there was no getting out of this, especially because Simon is going to beg me to go.

 **Time Jump – After School**

 **Clary POV:**

School ended and I was thankful because I got to spend as much time as I wanted in the water. Although swimming season had been over for a long time, I always spent a couple hours in the pool after school. It was the perfect escape, and the only other thing besides drawing that calmed me down. Thankfully the swim coach and I were tight, so she kept the door opened for me, and when I got in there, I locked it, blasted music and jumped into the pool.

I don't know how many laps I did, or how long I was in the water, but when I finally stopped my hands were incredibly pruny. I got out of the water, took off my swim cap and goggles and shook the water out of my ears. I walked over to the speaker and turned off my music. As much as I loved listening to music while I swam, the calmness and the peacefulness of an empty pool was something I absolutely loved. I tilted my head back to throw my hair up in a messy bun. When I looked up my eyes caught sight of something. Jace Herondale was sitting up in the bleachers just looking at the pool. After a moment or two our eyes locked, and he stood up and walked out. I had no idea what that was about, but it was weird, that's for sure. I grabbed my stuff and made my way into the locker room, changed and headed home.

I took a shower the moment I walked into my room to remove all the chlorine from my hair and body. When I changed, I took out my math homework and started working on it. I noticed that the sun started going down and I put my homework away and was about to make some dinner when I heard something bang against my window. Thinking it was nothing, I got off my bed and headed towards my door when I heard it again. I walked over to my window and opened it to find Simon standing at the bottom.

"But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief. That thou her maid art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green, And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love!" He said.

"Simon! Just because you were the lead in the play, doesn't mean you have to remember the lines once it's finished!" I yelled down and he laughed.

"I couldn't forget it even if I tried." He said.

"Why are you serenading me at my window?" I asked.

"I heard Izzy invited you to her party." He said.

"She did." I said.

"You're coming right?" He asked.

"I don't know Si." I said.

"Please Clare. I'd love for you to be there." He said.

"You're going to be with Isabelle the whole time. I'm going to be alone." I said.

"I promise I won't spend every moment with Izzy, plus she'll be busy mingling with everyone anyway." He said.

"Ugh. Fine." I said.

"Sweet." He said.

"Why didn't you knock on the front door?" I asked after a moment and he laughed.

"I always wanted to know what it would feel like to throw pebbles at someone's window and profess my undying love for them, plus I didn't know if your mom was home." He said and I sighed.

"And you couldn't do that with Isabelle?" I asked when I looked back at him.

"I don't know which window is hers, and I'd hate to pick Jace's window, or god forbid her parents." He said and I laughed.

"You want dinner?" I asked and he laughed.

"You know the way to my heart Fray." He said and I closed my window and made my way to the door. When I opened it, there stood Simon. "So, what are you making?"

"I was going to make pasta, but I'm really feeling pizza right now." I said and he laughed.

"How about you order, and I'll put on Star Wars." He said and I laughed.

"Now that sounds like the perfect way to my heart." I said and he laughed. "Mushrooms, and spinach on your side?" I asked and Simon nodded. I went over to the computer and ordered our pizza. I went into the living room and joined Simon on the couch.

25 minutes later the doorbell rang and when I opened the door it was Simon's friend Eric that was delivering the pizza. I laughed and handed him the money when Simon appeared behind me.

"Eric, you stooped so low to be a pizza delivery boy?" Simon said and he laughed.

"It's money dude. I don't care what I'm doing." Eric said and I laughed. "Have a good night you two." Eric said. We said out goodbyes and Simon brought the pizza into the living room.

"What do you want to drink?" I called from the kitchen.

"Do you have milk?" Simon shouted back and I laughed.

"What are you? A 6 year old boy who needs to build up his muscles?" I asked as I grabbed the milk jug out of the fridge and poured him a glass.

"Milk is a very important part of the day. I drink 4 cups a day. You know this Fray." He said as I handed him the glass.

"Doesn't mean I don't think it's weird." I said and he laughed. I grabbed a can of orange soda from the fridge and made my way to the couch. Simon started the movie and we sat and ate pizza until the movie was over. There was something about nerdy movie night with Simon that never failed to make me smile, and it sucked that they didn't happen as often as they used too, but I treasured them nonetheless.

 **Time Jump – Night Of Pool Party**

 **Jace POV:**

Izzy's party was in full swing and the kids from school are getting drunk off their asses. I didn't mind that people drank, but I wasn't going to touch a lick of alcohol. My friends always make fun of me for it, but I have my reasons, and I'm not going to go against what I believe just because a couple buddies of mine think I'm a little bitch for not drinking.

I was walking around the party when I caught a bright glimpse of red. I knew Izzy was thinking about inviting Clary, but I didn't think she actually did, and I'm even more impressed that she came. She was more of a homebody than a social butterfly, and she looked a little out of place at this party so I decided to make my way over to her.

"Well, if it isn't Little Red Riding Hood. Get lost going to grandma's house?" I said with a smirk and she rolled her eyes.

"I'd have to have a relationship with my grandma for me to get lost going to her house." She said back and I was slightly taken aback by her response.

"Oh." I said. "I didn't know." I said because I actually felt bad that I insulted her.

"Don't worry about it. I don't think I've ever been introduced to her, either of them really. Unless the day I was born counts, but I don't really think it does." She said, and I nodded. "Why aren't you participating in the lovely game of beer pong your wonderful friends are playing?" She asked and I laughed.

"I don't drink." I said.

"Really?" She asked and I nodded. "Why not?" She asked.

"That's kinda personal Red." I said and she nodded.

"I get it. I'm not going to pry." She said and I nodded.

"I'm a little surprised to see you here." I said after a moment.

"I didn't know if I wanted to come, but Simon showed up at my house, threw pebbles at my window, and serenaded me with Romeo and Juliet, and asked me to come." She said with a laugh. "How could I possibly say no to that?" She said.

"He's such a nerd." I said and I forgot whom I was talking to for a second and than realized that I insulted her best friend.

"Yes he is, but he's my favorite little nerd." She said with a laugh. "Has been since we were 6 years old."

"That's a long time to be friends with someone." I said and she shrugged.

"It doesn't feel that long when that person feels more like family than your actual one." She said and it made me extremely curious. I had stereotyped her so poorly when I first showed up here, and from that one sentence I learned more about her than I have in 5 years I've known her.

"I'm sorry." I said and she just shook her head and smiled.

"Doesn't really matter." She said and I went to open my mouth when I felt someone grab my arm.

"Yo bro, come do a keg stand!" Sebastian said and you could just tell that he was drunk.

"I don't drink Seb. You know that." I said and he laughed and slapped my back.

"We got ourselves a little bitch guys!" Sebastian yelled. "Grab him!" He yelled and before I could do anything, I was being lifted off the ground. They carried me over to the pool and I just got instantly scared. This wasn't going to end well, I knew it.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace was carried off, I was alone yet again. I wasn't paying attention to anything but Jace being carried off, because he looked absolutely terrified. I never pegged him to be the type to be scared. I mean sure he didn't want to drink, but being tossed in a pool didn't seem like a terrible thing, especially at a pool party. I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard someone curse beside me. When I looked to my right, Izzy stood there.

"Sebastian is such an idiot." She said.

"He's just being tossed in the pool." I said. "Doesn't seem that horrible."

"Jace can't swim." She said and I turned back when I heard a giant splash. They threw him in the deepest part of the pool, and I could see him struggling in the water. I didn't even have time to think I just ran and jumped into the pool. I swam under and grabbed his hand and pulled him to the surface. He started gasping for air and he put his arm around my neck. I pulled him to the side where he gripped the side of the pool for dear life. The atmosphere was completely quiet until Izzy yelled. "Everyone get out! NOW!" She yelled and everyone started shuffling out. Jace was still clinging to the edge of the pool gasping for air. I was treading water next to him, and holding loosely to the edge waiting for him to be okay. It seemed like something more was up about him and water than just not being able to swim, and I was really curious, but I wasn't going to bring it up now.

"Jace." I said after a few moments. He turned and looked at me. "Let's get you out of the water." I said and he nodded. "Just take my hand, and I'll get you out." I said and he nodded once again. He gripped my hand extremely tight, and I led him over to the small seat that was in the deep end. When we got there he sat for a few minutes catching his breath before getting out of the pool. I followed him out when Izzy came over and gave me a few towels. "Thanks."

"I'll give you a few minutes alone." She said as she grabbed Simon's arm and left the backyard. I walked over to where Jace was sitting and wrapped the towel around his shoulders.

"Thank you." He said and I smiled and nodded.

"It was no big deal." I said.

"It was a big deal." He said. "I don't know how to repay you." He said.

"You don't have to repay me." I said. "I did what anyone else would do."

"And yet, nobody else jumped in the water to help me." He said.

"They were also pretty intoxicated. I'm glad nobody else tried. I can only save one person at a time." I said and he laughed.

"I am still going to make it up to you." He said and I knew I wasn't going to win so I just nodded.

"Are you okay?" I asked after a few moments.

"I'll be fine." He said and I nodded as I wrapped my towel around myself. He didn't seem to want to talk, so I got up and started to walk away. "Can you stay?" I heard him say and I turned around. "I probably sound like such a girl right now, but I don't really want to be alone." He said and I laughed.

"Of course." I said and I sat back down. "And you don't sound like a girl." I said and he smiled at me. "If you want to talk about it, I'm all ears." I said and he sighed.

"It's not something I really like to talk about." He said and I nodded.

"I understand. I'm not a very open person either." I said and he nodded.

"But since you did save me, I'll give you a condensed version." He said and I nodded. "When I was 6 my parents and I were hit by a drunk driver, and our car flew off a bridge into the water." He said and I gasped. "That's why I don't drink, and why I'm afraid of water."

"That's terrible." I said and he nodded. "I'm really sorry."

"It was a long time ago." Jace said.

"Doesn't make it any less terrible." I said and he shrugged.

"Dinner." He said after a while. "I want to take you out to dinner." He clarified and I was taken aback.

"Okay." I said because I knew he wanted to do something for me. "Just let me know when."

"How about next week?" He asked. "We're going to vacation for the entire month of July." He said. "Well, almost, we leave after the 4th."

"Next week works." I said and he nodded. He handed me his phone.

"Give me your number and I'll text you." He said and I nodded and put my number in his phone and handed it back to him. "Thanks."

"Of course." I said. "I should probably head home." I said and he nodded.

"I'll walk you to your car." He said and I laughed cause I didn't bring my car tonight. We walked out to the front of his house and I navigated us over to where my bike was parked. "Holy shit." He said when we approached it. "I didn't know you road."

"Nobody's ever asked." I said as I grabbed my helmet. I handed him the towel and he took it but he was still admiring my bike.

"It's beautiful." He said.

"Yea. It was an apology gift." I said as I straddled the bike.

"From who?" He asked.

"My father." I said.

"Why was he apologizing?" He asked.

"For being an overall shitty excuse for a father." I said and he nodded. "I'll see you next week Jace." I said.

"See you Clary." Jace said. I put the visor down and kick started my bike. I drove home thinking about what happened tonight. I had saved Jace from drowning and now I was going out on a date with him. This night definitely took a turn in a direction that I wasn't expecting, but I also didn't mind where I went either, and I was looking forward to spending a night with Jace.

 **Time Jump – Date Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I had texted Clary and told her what night we were going out, and she texted me her address. It was weird because I was nervous to be going out with her tonight. I've never had that feeling before, but here I am, nervous about a date with Clary Fray. I walked up to her door and knocked and a few moments later Clary answered.

"Hey." She said and I couldn't help but smile. She looked breathtaking.

"You look great." I said and she blushed as she looked down at her bright white sundress.

"Thanks." She said as she shut her door. She locked it and we made our way down the stairs to my car.

I opened the door for her and she slid into the passenger seat. I took a deep breath before getting into the drivers side. We got to the restaurant and I opened Clary's door and helped her out of the car, and when our hands touched, I felt a serge of energy wash over me. I closed the car door, but I didn't let go of Clary's hand as we walked into the restaurant. It wasn't anything super fancy cause I didn't peg Clary as that type of girl. We walked over to a booth and Clary slid in, and I did the same.

"How are you?" Clary asked after a moment.

"I'm okay." I said. "And you?" I asked.

"I'm fine." She said.

"Really?" I asked and she just shrugged. "What's on your mind?"

"Just some family issues." She said. "It's been really tense around my house lately, and I just can't stand it."

"I'm sorry." I said.

"Like I said, I'm fine. It's nothing I haven't been dealing with for about 10 years." She said.

"That's a long time to be dealing with the same thing." I said and she nodded.

"You would think two adults would be mature, but they fight like a bunch of teenagers." She said with a humorless laugh.

"I can't imagine how much that must suck." I said and she nodded.

"I'm sorry for bringing the mood down." She said with a smile.

"I don't mind. I'd like to get to know you better." I said and she gave me this look. "What?" I asked.

"Why? You haven't necessarily been nice to me since you showed up here." She said and I hung my head.

"I know." I said. "And I'm so sorry for that." I admitted. "When you're in 7th grade, being cool and popular is the only thing that matters, and I absentmindedly made a joke about you at lunch one day, and everyone thought it was funny, and I figured why not keep going cause they seem to like it."

"Gee thanks." She said.

"It was wrong, and I can't tell you how stupid it was for me to do that." I said. "If I just took the time to get to know you, I would have never been cruel to you."

"You know, anyone else in my position would probably throw this drink in your face." She said as she pointed to her cup. "But lucky for you, I'm always up for giving people a second chance." She said and I smiled. "I've never given you a reason to be mean to me, and I don't have a reason to forgive you for what you've done." She said and I nodded. "But something tells me that I should, so I'm going to give you that second chance." She said and than smiled. "Don't fuck it up." She said and I laughed.

"Believe me." I said. "I won't."

"And get your douchebag friends to leave me alone too." She said and I laughed. "I can only say no to Sebastian so many times."

"He's come onto you?" I asked shocked.

"He likes to linger around until everyone is mostly in class than barricade me against the lockers." She said and I got annoyed and mad. "I don't think that he's ever been told no in his life." She said with a laugh.

"I'll make sure he stops." I said and she nodded.

"Thank you. I appreciate that." She said.

We sat there and ate dinner with lighter conversation. Clary had a way to make me laugh like nobody ever could. She was funny and just a breath of fresh air. I can't believe I never took the time to get to know her because I definitely like who she is. Everything with her just seems so new, and exciting. It was something that I never felt before, and I liked it. A lot. When we were finished I drove her home and when I parked in front of her build I got out and opened her door.

"I never pegged you as the type to be chivalrous." She said and I laughed. I was about to say something when a loud bang came and Clary and I both looked up and a man was coming out of her building.

"Fuck you Jocelyn." He yelled. "You're the reason this fucking family is broken." He yelled and Clary sighed.

"Oh yea? Well if you knew how to fucking love someone, I wouldn't have gone to get it on the side!" The woman yelled. I looked at Clary and she was shaking her head and resting it on her hand.

"You don't deserve to be loved you fucking whore!" He yelled. "I don't even know why the fuck I married you!"

"That makes two of us asshole! The worst 20 years of my life were spent married to you!" The woman yelled. The man continued to make his way down the steps. "And don't tell me how to raise my fucking child ever again you son of a bitch!" The woman yelled.

"Well maybe if you fucking paid attention to her she wouldn't be missing!" The man yelled.

"I'm right fucking here!" Clary yelled and the two turned around.

"Where the fuck were you?" The man yelled.

"I told mom last night I was going out with a friend today." Clary said. "It's not my fault she doesn't fucking listen."

"Do not speak to me that way." The woman yelled.

"Don't tell her what to do Jocelyn." The man yelled.

"Get the fuck out of here Valentine, and don't come back!" The woman yelled. The man grunted and walked across the street to his car before speeding away the woman stood at the stop of the stairs and just watched him leave. Once he was gone she looked down at us. "I'm going to Luke's." She said as she closed the door and walked to her car. Once the door was closed she sped away.

"Of course you are." Clary sighed. "I'll just be here, alone like always."

"That was intense." I said and Clary looked up at me.

"Yea. Welcome to my home." She said as she started walking.

"I could stay." I said out of nowhere. "If you don't want to be alone." I added trying not to sound creepy.

"I'm sure you have better things to do than keep me company." She said and I started following her up the stairs.

"I was just going to go home and chill for the rest of the night." I said and she turned around and smiled.

"If you're sure." She said and I smiled.

"I'm sure." I said and she smiled and opened the door to her apartment. We walked in and it was small but very homey. Not a lot of family photos around, but after what I just witnessed it made sense.

"Just make yourself at home." Clary said and I nodded and took a seat on the couch. "So, I was going to just binge watch something on Netflix for the rest of the night, or we could find a movie to watch." She said as she pulled sweats on under her dress and pulled it off and replaced it with a t-shirt.

"Netflix or a movie works for me." I said and she smiled and turned the TV on.

"What would you like to watch?" She asked.

"I'm down for anything." I said and she nodded.

"Okay, how about a thriller or horror." She said and I nodded. "I heard 'The Ring' is pretty intense. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect." I said and she nodded.

The movie she picked was no joke. It was pretty creepy, but Clary wasn't even flinching. Normally when girls suggest scary movies it's because they want a reason to cuddle, but not Clary. She was a rock, and I hated to admit it, but I was the one flinching. Once it was over she laughed and turned the lamp on.

"That was kinda lame." She said and I laughed.

"You are one of a kind Clary Fray." I said and she blushed.

"How so?" She asked.

"Normally girls pick scary movies with the intentions of using the male they are with as a human shield with the excuse that they were scared, but you didn't even flinch." I said and she laughed.

"I've never been afraid of horror films." She said. "It would have to be really realistic in order for me to get scared."

"And that's what makes you one of a kind." I said.

"It's nearly 11, do you have to get home by a certain time?" She asked and I sighed.

"I probably should. We are having a huge 4th of July party tomorrow." I said and she nodded. "You wanna come?"

"Talk about a last minute invite." She said and I laughed.

"You don't have too, it's just we're together right now, and I figured I'm going to be away for a month and I'd really like to see you again." I admitted.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yea. You're great Clary, and I really enjoy your company." I said. I don't know why, but I didn't want to admit that I was actually starting to like her. I felt like if I did that I would scare her away, and I didn't want to do that.

"What time should I be there?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"It starts at 1." I said and she nodded. She was about to say something when the front door opened and in stumbled her mother.

"Oh my god." Clary mumbled. "Mother, how much did you have to drink?" Clary yelled.

"Don't fucking yell at me. I'm the mother not you." She said and I stood up behind Clary.

"Did you drive home?" Clary asked.

"Luke dropped me off." She said and Clary nodded. "And don't judge me when you have a boy over." She slurred and I felt Clary tense.

"Because you left me alone like you do practically every day." Clary said.

"Oh please, you're almost 18. You can stay home alone for a few hours." She slurred as she knocked into a bookshelf.

"For the love of god mom, don't fucking drink yourself until you can't fucking walk. Have some dignity." Clary said.

"Whatever." Her mother said as she stumbled into her room and slammed her door.

"What the fuck. I shouldn't be the one taking care of her." Clary said and I took her hand in mine.

"I bet Izzy wouldn't mind having a sleepover tonight." I said and I saw her eyes widen. "If you don't want to stay here, I can take you back to my house." I said and I saw her thinking it over.

"I don't know Isabelle that well. The only reason she invited me to the pool party in the first place was because of Simon." She said.

"Izzy is really easy to talk too, and super friendly. You mean a lot to Simon, and Simon means a lot to her." I explained. "You don't have too, it was just an offer. You seem to be a little tired of being around your mother, so I thought I'd give you an escape."

"You know, you're right. She's going to be unhappy in the morning when she's hung over and I don't want to be the punching bag of her anger." She said and I nodded. "Just let me pack a bag." Clary said and I nodded. Once she was gone I called Izzy.

"Hello?" Izzy answered.

"Hey Iz, how would you like to have a sleepover tonight?" I asked.

"With who?" She asked excitedly.

"Clary." I said.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yea. She doesn't really want to be at home right now, and I invited her to the party tomorrow, so I thought it would be nice to let her just relax and not worry about her mom." I explained.

"Well of course!" Izzy said and I laughed.

"We'll be there shortly." I said and we hung up. Clary walked out with a small bag and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and started writing something before attaching it to the fridge.

"There, now she can't yell at me about not telling her where I went." Clary said and I nodded before walking out of the apartment. I don't know what came over me, or why I invited Clary to spend the night at my house, but something was drawing me to her, something strong, and I didn't want out night to end, and I found an opening and I took it. I can't wait to see where our friendship goes, and what happens with Clary.

 **Time Jump – Beginning of Senior Year**

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left for his vacation the summer was kinda boring. I spent a lot of time with Simon in the attempt to escape my mother and father. He clearly didn't get the 'get the fuck out' my mom told him because he still comes around frequently to 'check up on me' but I know that's just an excuse to fight with my mom. I swear, the minute I leave for college, is the day I do a happy dance that I don't have to deal with the yelling.

It was the first day of senior year and I was pretty pumped. I couldn't wait to leave this place, and not have to worry about fights, or being left alone or anything like that. I would be on my own, and I would only be responsible for myself, and I couldn't wait for that. I was at my locker getting my books ready when I hand slammed the locker next to me and I groaned.

"The summer did you good Clare-Bear." Sebastian said and I rolled my eyes.

"Can't you just leave me alone Sebastian?" I asked.

"Not until you agree to go on a date with me." He said.

"Why the hell would I agree to go on a date with you? I don't even like you." I said and he laughed.

"Who said a date as to involve feelings?" Sebastian said.

"Normal people who want to explore a relationship with the one their courting." I said and he looked confused.

"I'd like to explore something else if you know what I mean." He said as he licked his lips.

"Gross." I said and he leaned forward but before I knew it he was gone.

"I believe she said no Sebastian." Jace said and I was super glad to see him.

"Don't be a cockblock Jace." Sebastian said.

"Trust me, I wasn't. You were doing that all for yourself." Jace said and I laughed.

"Friday night, I have a football game. Be there." Sebastian said and I scoffed.

"You can't demand for me to go to something. I'm not a dog." I said and I could see something in his eyes that was kind of frightening.

"Leave Sebastian." Jace said before he could say anything else. Sebastian stomped off like a little girl throwing a tantrum and I was happy he left. "What a dick." Jace said and I laughed.

"He's your friend." I said and Jace shrugged.

"I've never really liked him all that much. He kinda latched onto me." Jace said and I laughed. "But you should come to the football game. You can watch Izzy cheer, and I'll be playing." He said and it sounded like he was a little embarrassed.

"Do you want me there?" I asked and Jace looked at me with those golden eyes.

"Yes." He said quietly and I smiled.

"Then I'll be there." I said and he smiled.

"Cool." He said.

"But I have one condition." I said and he looked at me.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Let me teach you how to swim." I said.

"I don't know Clary." He said and I grabbed his hand.

"If you need me to save your ass again I will." I said and he laughed. "I just think that you need to conquer your fear, and than maybe you can be at peace with what happened."

"How do you know I'm not at peace with it?" He asked.

"Because I saw it in your eyes that night you were thrown into the pool. You were terrified." I said and he looked down at his feet. I walked over to him and lifted his chin so that he was looking at me. "I won't let anything happen to you." I said,

"Okay." He finally said.

"Good." I said. "Now, we both have class to get too." I said and he laughed. We walked to my classroom where Jace said goodbye and I made it to my seat and I couldn't get the smile off my face. Things were different with Jace. They have been since the beginning of the summer, but I wasn't going to get my hopes up.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I had been relatively busy with our own things that the swimming lessons have been put on the back burner, but there is a small hiatus in seasons so today was our first lesson and I was freaking out. I've hated the water for almost 12 years, and I wasn't looking forward to getting into it today, but I trusted Clary, and I knew that she wouldn't let me drown.

I walked into the pool area and Clary was already there. She was in her swimsuit, and she was messing with the radio. I took a deep breath and made my way over to her. When she heard my footsteps she turned around and smiled.

"You ready?" She asked and I laughed.

"Not even close." I said and she smiled.

"What music calms you down the most?" She asked.

"You're totally going to make fun of me." I said.

"This is a judgment free zone." She said.

"Classical." I said and she nodded.

"Classical it is than." She said as she pressed play and classical piano music played throughout the whole swimming pool. "I always like to swim to music."

"I know." I said and she smiled.

"Right, you were here one day. I saw you." She said as she started making her way into the pool. "It's only 3 feet deep, so you can stand here." She said and I followed after her. "Why were you here that day?" She asked once I was fully in.

"It had been a particularly hard day, and for some reason I needed to be near water. Almost like it was calling me." I explained. "It sounds weird since I hate the water, but it just felt right being near it. I wasn't expecting you being here though." I said and she laughed.

"Nobody was supposed to be here. How did you get a key anyway?" I asked.

"I had a janitor open the balcony doors claiming I left my bag in here." I said and she nodded.

"Okay, give me your hands." She said and I reached out my hands. "You're natural response in water is to try and find a way to float." She explained. "You just have to remember that when you get to a point where you can't stand."

"Okay." I said.

"What freaks you out the most about the water?" She asked.

"When we went off the bridge, the pressure of the water made it impossible to open the doors, and windows, and my buckle was broken. My dad tried everything to break a window, while my mom tried everything to break my seatbelt." I explained. "Finally when my mom broke my seatbelt apart, and my father managed to break the window the car was completely filled with water. My father grabbed me and threw me out of the window. I thought they were right behind me, but they weren't." I said as she continued to lead me. "I was met halfway up by a scuba diver who saved me. I was taken to the hospital, and the next day I was told my parents didn't make it."

"Oh my god." She said.

"I haven't gotten into the water since." I said.

"That must have been terrible." She said. "What happened to you?" She asked.

"I went into the foster system for a few months before the Lightwood's were contacted. Maryse is my godmother, and was to take me in if anything happened to my parents. I've been with them ever since." I said.

"I can't even imagine going through that." She said.

"It's hard. To this day I still have nightmares, and panic attacks, but I'm learning to deal with them." I admitted and she nodded. "How has it been at home lately?" I asked.

"My dad still comes over once a week and starts a giant fight." She said. "My mom still copes by going over to Luke's and drinking." She said with a humorless laugh. "Same old same old."

"What caused all the hate between them?" I asked.

"My mom wanted me to have her maiden name." She explained. "I don't really know why to this day, but she didn't want me to be a Morgenstern." She said. "So they compromised. My mom got to give me her maiden name is my father chose my first name."

"That seems rather petty to fight over the way they do." I said and she laughed.

"Clarissa isn't my first name." She said.

"Than what is?" I asked.

"You have to promise me that you'll never repeat it to anyone." She said.

"Okay." I said.

"Pinky promise?" She said as she held out her pinky. I curled my pinky around it and she smiled.

"Pinky promise." I said. "Now what is your first name?"

"Seraphina." She said.

"What kind of name is that?" I asked and she laughed.

"An old family name." She said. "It was my grandmothers or my great grandmothers on my dads side, and he always wanted to keep it in the family but my mom hated it. But she agreed." Clary explained. "So, my full name is Seraphina Clarissa Adele Fray."

"That's a mouth full." I said and she laughed.

"Seraphina never caught on, and I've been Clary my whole life." She said.

"That doesn't explain the hatred between your parents." I said.

"It caused quite a family feud. My grandmother was upset that I had such a lovely and strong first name and wasn't using it." Clary said. "My mother told her to fuck off and keep her opinions to herself."

"I can't imagine that went well." I said and Clary laughed.

"Oh it didn't. My father than had to chose between my mom and his family, and he chose his family, and kinda just left my mom high and dry." Clary said.

"That's a dick move." I said.

"You've briefly encountered my dad." Clary said. "Enough said."

"And it just spiraled out from there?" I asked.

"Dad barely came home, mom got lonely, turned to alcohol before hooking up with a childhood friend." Clary said. "Dad caught them fucking on the couch one day, and it's been a shit show ever since."

"Holy shit." I said and she laughed.

"It hasn't been pretty. That's for sure." Clary said. "But you know what's pretty?"

"You?" I said without thinking and she blushed.

"No, we're in the deep end, and you're swimming." She said and I looked down and noticed that I was indeed swimming.

"Oh my god." I freaked slightly before composing myself. "How the hell did you get me here?"

"I just kept you talking, and you didn't even notice that I was still moving you." She said and I laughed.

"You're a miracle worker." I said and she laughed. I looked up into her green eyes. I meant what I said when I called her pretty. So I pulled her into me and it was like a natural reaction for her to wrap her legs around my waist. Our noses were inches away from each other and I could feel her heart beating fast. My eyes flickered down to her lips and I didn't really care about scaring her away, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers and she immediately responded. Kissing her felt like something I've never experienced before. It was everything I never knew I was missing and I never wanted to stop. Until I realized that we were in water, and my legs were giving out. I stopped moving them at first and we slipped under which caused Clary to laugh. We came above the surface and Clary had the biggest smile on her face.

"Why don't we try that on land next time?" She said and I smiled.

"Sounds good." I said.

"Come on, you've had enough water today." She said as we made our way back to the shallow end. "So, how was it?" Clary asked as we got out.

"Not as terrifying as I thought, but I did have an incredibly talented teacher, and she isn't half bad to look at either." I said and Clary blushed.

"Oh really?" She said and I laughed.

"She's a pretty distraction." I said and Clary laughed.

"Come on Romeo. I need to get home otherwise I face the wrath of Jocelyn." She said and I nodded.

I walked her out to her car, and we both lingered for a little. I couldn't take it anymore so I pulled her into me and pressed my lips to hers. I couldn't get over hoe incredible she made me feel, and I could get used to kissing her like this. When we broke apart we were both breathless and smiling like fools.

"You're right, it's better on land." I said and she smiled.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked and I nodded. I opened her car door for her and she slipped in.

"I want to take you out again." I said and she smiled. "On a proper date."

"Was what we went on before not a proper date?" She asked and I laughed.

"I just meant, a little more personal, and intimate." I said and she smiled.

"It's a date." She said.

"Yes it is." I said as I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. "I could get used to doing that." I said and she laughed.

"Me too." She said and I smiled and shut her door. She started the car up and waved as she backed out. I watched her drive away with the biggest smile on my face. I couldn't wait to see where things went with Clary, but I knew it was going to be good.

 **Clary POV:**

I got home with the biggest smile on my face. Kissing Jace felt like I was always meant to do it. Nothing about it felt wrong, or weird, or forced. It felt right, and warm, and perfect. I walked up and unlocked my door because I assumed I was going to be home alone tonight. When I walked in the whole house smelled like weed, and cheap alcohol. I mean, I knew my mom drank but I had no idea she smoked pot. I walked farther into the house and the living room was a disaster. The bathroom door was slightly cracked and when I pushed it opened my mom was passed out on the floor, vodka bottle in hand, and a lit joint in her hand.

"For fucks sake Jocelyn! Can't you act like a god damn parent for one fucking day!" I yelled and she shot up.

"What's with all the god damn yelling?" She said.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I asked and I grabbed the bottle.

"That's mine." She said but I held it out of reach.

"Is this bottle more important than me?" I asked.

"What are you talking about Clary?" She asked as she tried to stand up.

"Is this bottle of alcohol, and that joint more important than your own daughter?" I asked again.

"Don't be ridiculous." She said.

"No, I have ever right to be ridiculous because I'm supposed to have a mother, and all I have is an alcoholic druggie. She sure looks like my mom, but she sure as hell doesn't act like it." I spat back at her.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that." She said and I walked out of the bathroom and poured the alcohol down the drain.

"You little bitch!" She shouted as she reached for the bottle but it was too late. "How dare you ruin a good bottle of vodka!" She yelled.

"There is nothing good about that toxic drink!" I yelled and she threw the bottle at me and before I could duck it hit me in the head.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I heard and when I turned around my dad stood there.

"She poured my vodka down the drain that's what happened." My mom said.

"Good, that drink can turn even the most civilized people into barbarians." My dad said and my mom scoffed. "You know, I don't think I like our daughter being raised by an alcoholic."

"Oh please, like you could do any better." My mom said. And I couldn't believe they were just talking about me like I was a goldfish that needed to be watched 24/7.

"That's actually why I'm here." My dad said. "Come Seraphina, you're living with me." My dad said and my jaw dropped.

"You can't just take her out of my house. I have primary custody." My mother shouted.

"I have enough evidence to prove you're unfit to be a mother." My father said and I finally snapped out of my daze.

"Shut the fuck up." I said. "Both of you." I said and they both looked at me. "I'm not pet that you are splitting up and taking every other weekend. I'm a human being. A human being who has been on my own since I was practically 13." I said. "And I'm 18 years old, I can choose what I want to do."

"Exactly, that's why you choose me." My dad said.

"My god you're thick." I said. "If you two realized what complete and total assholes you both have been to me, you'd know that I wouldn't chose to live with either of you."

"What are you taking about Seraphina?" My dad asked.

"My name is not Seraphina. My name is Clary." I said. "And I don't want to live with either of you. You're both toxic." I said as I grabbed my backpack and ran out of the house. I hopped on my bike and went to the one place where I actually wanted to be.

 **Jace POV:**

I couldn't get the smile off my face the entire way home. I had an amazing time with Clary, and I couldn't believe that she felt the same way. When I got home I made my way into the kitchen to get a snack and Izzy was sitting at the island eating a cup of yogurt and reading the latest fashion magazine.

"Why do you look so happy?" Izzy asked.

"I just got back from hanging out with Clary." I said as I grabbed an apple out of the fridge.

"Oh really?" She asked as she closed her magazine. "What did you two do?" She asked.

"Believe it or not, we swam." I said and Izzy's eyes widened.

"Are you serious?" She asked.

"Yea. We made a deal at the beginning of school, and we've both been so busy that we never had the time, but today we did, and we got in the pool, and I didn't freak out Iz." I said incredibly proud of myself.

"That's amazing Jace." She said and I took a bite of my apple.

"And we kissed." I said spilling every detail of my afternoon.

"You are such a gossip." Izzy said and I smiled. "You seem incredibly happy." She said and I laughed.

"I don't know what it is about her, but she makes me happy." I said and Izzy smiled.

"Good. You deserve that much." Izzy said. There was a knock on the door and I looked at Izzy.

"You expecting Simon?" I asked.

"No." She said as she hopped off the stool. We made our way to the door and when I opened it, there stood Clary, freezing, with a gash on her head.

"I didn't know where else to go." She said and I pulled her into the house.

"What the hell happened to you?" I asked as I inspected her.

"Huge fight." She said. "I got home and my whole apartment smelled like cheap alcohol and weed." She explained.

"I can smell it." Izzy said.

"I poured my moms vodka down the sink, and she grabbed the bottle and threw it at me. I didn't have much of a reaction time, as you can clearly see." She said as she pointed to her head. "Than my dad came home and tried to get me to live with him, and they go into a fight and I left."

"Let's clean your head up." I said and she nodded. I walked her into the kitchen and sat her on the stool. I grabbed a washcloth and wet it with hot water before pressing it to the cut on her forehead. After the bleeding had fully stopped I pulled Clary into me and I felt her body start to move, and I heard quiet whimpers, and I knew she was crying. "I'm so sorry Clary." I said after a couple minutes.

"I can't stand them." She said as she pulled away. "Why can't they just fucking be civil and normal?"

"I have no idea why your parents act the way they do." I said. "But it's not right, and it's not fair to you."

"I can't wait to go to college." She said and I smiled.

"What do you need from me?" I asked.

"I would really love a shower." She said and I laughed. "I smell like weed, and it's giving me a headache."

"My bedroom is the second door on the right. Towels are in the closet in the bathroom. I'll get some clothes from Izzy and put them on my bed for you." I said and she nodded. She gave me a sweet kiss before disappearing upstairs. Once I heard my door close I turned towards Izzy.

"I would have never guessed that her life was horrible." Izzy said and I nodded.

"Her parents are a nightmare. I was there for one of their fights, and it was incredibly uncomfortable, and intense." I said. "Can you get some clothes for her? I don't know what would fit her, and it doesn't feel right for me to go through your clothes." I said and she laughed.

"You really like her don't you?" Izzy asked before she walked up stairs.

"I really do." I said and she smiled and disappeared. I looked back at my half eaten apple and couldn't help but smile at the thought of Clary. I was glad she came to me for comfort, and I wouldn't let anything happen to her for as long as I could help it.

I took a seat on the couch and waited for Clary to get done her shower. I flipped on the TV and started searching for something to watch when I heard footsteps behind me. I looked back and Clary was walking towards me in pink pajama bottoms and a t-shirt that said 'Victoria Secret Angel' on it and I smiled. She made her way over to me and curled onto the couch. I pulled her closer to me and she melted into me immediately.

"You okay?" I asked and I felt her shrug.

"I'm just so tired of being their mediator." She said. "They got married, and they hated it. They had me, and they fight about it constantly. I shouldn't be in charge of referring their cage fights." She said and I nodded. "They need to work their problems out on their own and leave me out of it."

"I know, and I wish they would realize how negatively their actions affect you, but at the end of the day, you can only do so much and tell them so many times, and at some point, I think you just need to do what's best for you, and not worry about them." I said and she nodded.

"I can't tell you the last time I was in a home with people who weren't fighting." She said and I laughed.

"We fight, but normally over stupid shit that doesn't matter." I said and she laughed.

"I'd take that over my parents any day." She said and as if on cue yelling started.

"Max! Give me back my mirror!" Izzy yelled and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Than take me to the comic book store!" Max yelled.

"We went last week!" Izzy yelled.

"But I didn't get the one I wanted!" Max said back.

"Give me my mirror you mutant!" Izzy yelled and hard footsteps sounded on the stairs as Max ran into the living room.

"Take me to the comic book store!" Max said. "Or I'll drop it."

"You wouldn't dare." Izzy said and he let it go but caught it before it hit the ground and you could physically see Izzy's heart stopped. "Fine, I'll take you to the comic book store." Izzy said and Max cheered. "But you have to sit through dinner with Simon and I." Izzy said and Max gave back her mirror.

"Deal." He said and he walked triumphantly out of the room followed by Izzy. I looked at Clary and she was smiling and laughing.

"Those are the kind of fights I wish I witnessed more often." Clary said and I laughed.

"That kid is very good at getting Izzy to comply to what he wants." I said.

"I didn't know you had a younger brother." She said.

"Max is only 10." I said. "He wasn't planned by a long shot, but he's a great kid."

"He seems like it." Clary said.

"He kinda reminds me of Simon in a way." I said. "Nerdy and a tad bit shy."

"I can totally see it." Clary said and I nodded.

"So, want to watch a movie?" I asked and she smiled.

"I think that's exactly what I need." She said and I smiled. I grabbed a blanket and put it over the both of us. Clary draped her legs over mine and snuggled into my side even more. I picked some random movie, and kinda paid attention, but my main focus was on Clary. I could see her eyes drooping closed, and eventually I felt her breathing even out. I closed my eyes and wasn't far behind her, but for the first time, falling asleep with Clary in my arms kept my nightmares away, and I was really grateful for that.

 **Time Jump – Graduation**

 **Clary POV:**

We were finally graduating high school today, and I couldn't wait to leave this place. Turns out Jace, Izzy, Simon and I were all going to the same school, and the Lightwoods thought it would be better for us all to share a house instead of living in the dorms and I wasn't complaining.

We were all standing in the gym waiting to be lined up and make our way out to the football field where the ceremony was taking place. I felt kinda bad because I told my parents the wrong date because I didn't want a fight breaking out during the ceremony, but I also didn't feel bad because my mom would most likely show up drunk, and my dad would get mad and it would be a whole thing, and I was not chancing the disturbance of the ceremony because my parents couldn't be civil.

"You ready for this?" I heard Jace and I looked over towards him.

"More ready than I've ever been." I said.

"Your parents coming?" He asked.

"I kinda told them graduation was tomorrow." I said and he laughed. "I didn't want them ruining it, and they totally would."

"I understand. Plus, it's just a piece of paper. It's not that the ceremony makes any more important." He said and I nodded in agreement.

We were all settled on the field and seated, and I couldn't wait for the ceremony to be over. Personally I just wanted to be done, and the ceremony was just a way to prolong high school, and I really wasn't feeling it. Once we started walking out I took my cap off and took a deep breath when I felt arms lock around, expecting Jace to be behind me, when I turned around and saw Sebastian.

"Jeez, you don't give up do you?" I said as I broke out of his arms.

"Not when I have my eyes set on something I want." He said and I scoffed.

"What part of no do you not understand? Or the fact that I'm not single?" I said and he laughed.

"Jace has never been one to settle down. You aren't any different than all the other girls he's hooked up." Sebastian said.

"And you want to be my knight in shining armor, and rescue me from heartbreak that you think Jace with inevitably cause me?" I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"You're aren't as stupid as you look." He said and out of everything he has every said to me, that was the most insulting.

"Wow. You really know how to win a girl over." I said.

"Leave her alone Sebastian." I heard and when I looked behind Sebastian, there stood Jace.

"Why don't you leave her alone, and make her available to those who actually want her?" Sebastian said.

"She isn't a piece of property." Jace said and I smiled. He knew how much I hated when people thought I belonged to them. "She can make her own decisions, and her decision is me." Jace said. "Now leave her alone, and stay away."

"What are you going to do about it pretty boy?" Sebastian said and I rolled my eyes and kneed him in the balls.

"I'm not a damsel in distress that needs rescuing." I said as he fell to the ground. "Stay the hell away from me." I said and I made my way over to Jace who put his arm around me and I felt at home.

"Way to handle him babe." He said and I laughed as we high fived.

"Thank god I never have to see him again." I said as we made our way over to the others. There was a get together back at the Lightwoods and I couldn't wait to just hang out with them and celebrate.

We got back and we were all gathered in the backyard eating and talking and having a great job when there was a crash in the front. We all made our way out to the front yard where my mother stood, clearly intoxicated.

"Jesus Christ." I said as I made my way over to her. "What the hell are you doing here?" I asked.

"You lied to me you little shit." She slurred.

"Can you blame me?" I asked. "Look at you, it's 3 in the afternoon and you're plastered." I said.

"Don't tell me how to live my life!" She yelled as she went to hit me, but she was so intoxicated that she was as slow as a snail.

"Than don't be involved in mine!" I yelled back. "I didn't invite you or dad for a reason. You do nothing but cause problems. I mean, look at you." I said as I motioned to her. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"You're my daughter." She said and I laughed.

"You've never acted like a mother to me." I said. "I mean, where am I going to college?" I asked.

"You're going to college?" She asked.

"I am." I simply said.

"How the hell can you afford that?" She asked.

"Well, you certainly aren't helping." I said.

"You went crawling back to your father didn't you?" She asked.

"No. I'm going on scholarship." I said.

"What the hell could you possibly get a scholarship in?" She asked.

"I've been swimming since middle school." I said. "You've been to a few of my meets. You were kicked out for causing a scene, but you were there." I explained. "Just leave me alone mom."

"You weren't the child I wanted." She said as she made her way back to her car. I ran after her and grabbed her keys. "Give those back!" She yelled.

"You aren't driving home." I said.

"Since when do you care what I do with my life?" She asked.

"One of us has always had to make sure things went smoothly, and it certainly wasn't going to be you." I said. "Call Luke. Ask him to pick you up. I refuse to have your death to be on my conscious." She pulled out her phone and tried to dial his number but she was clearly having trouble. I rolled my eyes and grabbed the phone out of her hand and called Luke.

"Jocelyn? Where the hell are you?" Luke said.

"Come get your girlfriend the hell off the Lightwood property, and hide the keys the next time she drinks." I said.

"Clary?" He asked.

"Who else would it be?" I said. "Come get her. She's causing a scene." I said and I hung up the phone and threw it at her. "Stand by your car and wait for Luke." I said as I started walking away.

"Rot in hell!" She yelled as I walked away.

"Meet you there Jocelyn." I yelled back and as I continued walking. When we were all back in the backyard I took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry about her. I didn't even think she knew where you lived." I said.

"You don't have to apologize for her actions Clary." Maryse said and I nodded.

"She's always been good at ruining things." I said with a humorless laugh.

"She didn't ruin anything." Izzy said. "So she's fucking nuts, who cares, we're still going to celebrate graduating high school and going to school together." Izzy said and I laughed and gave her a hug. "Now, how about we really get this party going with a dip in the pool?" She asked and I laughed. I looked over at Jace and he was smiling.

"You ready for this?" I asked and he smiled and pulled me into him.

"I know you'll save my ass if I start drowning." He said and I kissed him quickly. We ran towards the pool and cannon balled in splashing a ton of water out of the pool onto the other partygoers, who simply laughed and cheered us on. When I reached the surface Jace was treading water and smiling. I made my way over to him and wrapped my legs around his waist.

"I'm proud of you." I said and he pressed his lips to my nose.

"I had an excellent teacher." He said and I laughed. "I love you." He said and my jaw dropped but it was soon washed away with a smile.

"I love you too." I said and than he pressed his lips to mine. When we broke apart I looked around at the people in the pool, and those surrounding, the future was going to be amazing, I just knew it.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was suggested by Cmjmck, and I was instantly inspired when I read your review, and I hope that you liked what I did with your suggestion! I don't know much about the sport of swimming, so I didn't really add any competitions in this story, but I hope that doesn't bother you so much! I really like this story, and I think that it was really fun to write, and I hope it's equally as fun and enjoyable to read! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! :)**


	75. Chapter 74 - Life

**Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I'm putting the authors note up here because I want you all to know that this one shot has a lot of Alec, Magnus, Rafe and Max moments. Someone requested that I do one where they are just living their lives are normal shadowhunters, and I really wanted to do that because I realize that I don't do them as often, and than someone also asked if I'd include the other ships as well, and I did that a lot with Malec and I absolutely love this one shot. I understand that this isn't everyone's cup of tea, so I thought I'd warn you in the beginning instead of getting to the end and feeling like you've wasted your time. So if you have no interest in Malec and their family, this one shot might not be for you. Clace is mentioned a lot, but most of the conflict deals with Malec, and even if you all don't enjoy it, I do and I'm proud of this piece! Let me know what you think and leave a review! Although, if you're going to leave a nasty comment, I'd prefer you kept it to yourself! Let me know how you all feel! I promise my other one shots will be Clace centric but i felt like this one was needed! :)**

 **Seventy Fourth One Shot:**

 **Life**

 **Clary POV:**

I was walking around the Institute making sure everything was running smoothly when I heard grunting coming from the training room. I made my way over there and when I opened the door Jace and our daughter Whitney sparring. I stood in the doorway and just watched them. She was a truly gifted shadowhunter, but I expected nothing less from a girl who had more angel blood than normal and Jace as a father.

"Come on Whit, you can't get distracted." Jace said.

"I wouldn't get distracted if you were a little tougher to spar with." Whitney said and I could see even from where I was that it fueled Jace even more. She knew exactly what to say to get him to push her past her limits. Jace lunged at her and took her down in a heartbeat.

"Mamma!" I heard behind me and my little baby boy ran into my legs.

"What's up baby?" I asked.

"I want to play with daddy and Whitney." He said and I picked him up.

"They aren't playing baby. They're training." I explained.

"When do I get to train?" He asked.

"You can officially start training when you're 5." I said and he smiled.

"That's next week!" He cheered and I laughed.

"Yes it is." I said. Whitney and Kyle were almost 10 years apart, and he was unexpected, but Jace and I loved him more than anything and couldn't picture life without him or Whitney.

"Distractions don't train warriors!" I heard Jace yell and I looked over at him.

"You've been sparring for like 5 hours. You both need a break." I said as I set Kyle down.

"Breaks don't train warriors either mom." Whitney said and I rolled my eyes while Jace gave her a proud smile.

"Yea, well not eating doesn't train warriors either. Dinner is in the kitchen." I said and Whitney nodded.

"Come on Kyle, let's go eat." Whitney said as she grabbed Kyle's hand and they walked out of the training room.

"You two are going to ware yourselves out before you even take her on a hunt." I said and Jace laughed.

"She needs to be prepared." Jace said and I snaked my arms around his incredibly sweaty waist.

"She's a Herondale baby, she's prepared enough for like 6 shadowhunters." I said and he laughed.

"Doesn't mean I don't want her to be as prepared as possible." He said and I nodded. "I want her to be safe, I can't let anything happen to her."

"I know, but next week you're going to have to split your time between Kyle and Whitney." I reminded him.

"I can't believe he's almost 5." Jace said and I laughed. "It seems like yesterday we found out you were pregnant and having another child."

"I know what you mean. He's growing up so fast, and now he can start training. Its so weird." I said and Jace and I made our way out of the training room and down to the kitchen. Kyle and Whitney were sitting at the table eating when Jace and I joined them.

"When can you take me out dad?" Whitney asked.

"Uncle Alec and I have a patrol tomorrow night, you up for it?" Jace asked and I instantly got nervous.

"Hell yea." Whitney said.

"Young lady." I said and she blushed.

"Sorry mom, but this is my first hunt. I'm pumped!" Whitney said and I laughed.

"I know you are sweetie." I said. "But you have to listen to everything Uncle Alec and your father say. You will not come back to the Institute injured, dead or covered in demon blood." I said and she nodded. "You listen and watch your back."

"You honestly think dad would let anything happen to me mom? Plus if Uncle Alec is bringing Rafe I'll have two incredibly over protective parents watching my back as well." Whitney said.

"I know, I just worry." I said and she smiled.

"I'll be smart, just like you and dad taught me." Whitney said and it calmed my nerves a little. We finished dinner and Whitney cleared the table while Kyle ran into the other room to play. Once Whitney was done her job, Jace and I began to clean the dishes. Our lives would never be normal, and sometimes that sucks because the risk that comes with the job we were given, but I loved this life because it led me to Jace and for that I would always be grateful.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow Night**

 **Jace POV:**

"Remember Whit, listen to me or Alec." I said and she nodded. "We might not encounter any demons tonight, but that doesn't mean you should relax. Always be on your toes, and keep an eye open for anything remotely suspicious."

"You got it dad." She said and at that moment the Institute doors opened and in walked Alec and Rafe.

"You two ready?" Alec asked.

"Born ready." Whitney said and Rafe laughed.

"You are so right prima." Rafe said and Whitney smiled.

"Come on, lets go." I said and we headed towards the club. Tonight was going to be interesting but it would be a good learning experience for Whitney and Rafe.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Mommy, when are daddy and Whitney coming back?" Kyle asked as I tucked him into bed.

"I don't know baby." I said. "But it won't be until late."

"I wanted to say goodnight." Kyle said and I kissed his forehead.

"I'll have daddy come in here when he gets back." I said and he nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too mommy." Kyle said. I walked out and turned his light off and made it to my room. I would by lying if I said that I wasn't worried about Jace and Whitney, but she'd been training for years for this moment, and I knew Jace and Alec would protect Whitney and Rafe, but that didn't mean I didn't like them being gone until all hours of the night.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"That was awesome." Whitney said as we made our way back to the Institute.

"You kicked some serious demon ass Whit." Rafe said and I laughed.

"You two were great." Alec said. "Practically pros."

"But you still have some things to learn." I said as we got to the front of the institute.

"Yea we do, but this was fun, and I can't wait to do it again." Whitney said and I pulled her into a hug.

"We're going to head home. Max and Magnus are probably wondering where we are." Alec said and I nodded.

"Catch you on the next hunt." I said and they nodded before walking off. "Let's get to bed, I'm exhausted."

"You were amazing dad." Whitney said and I laughed. "I'm serious, I want to be that good one day."

"You'll get there Whit, but don't waste your life training either. I didn't have much of a choice the way I was raised, but you can be a normal girl too." I said as we walked through the halls.

"Being normal is so boring." She said and I laughed.

"Maybe so, but some of the most boring mundane things are my favorite things to do with mom." I said and she smiled. "Get washed off, and get to bed. Grandma and grandpa are coming over tomorrow."

"Night dad." Whitney said as she hugged.

"Night sweetheart." I said as I kissed her forehead. She walked into her room and I made it to Kyle's room. I opened the door and he was fast asleep. I walked over and kissed his forehead. Once I got to my room, I walked in and Clary was peacefully sleeping in our bed. I smiled to myself. I went into the bathroom and washed all the demon blood off me and just let the hot water relax me. When I finally got out, I changed into sweats and crawled into bed. I didn't realize how exhausted I was until I felt the comfiness of my bed. Clary rolled over and opened her eyes slightly.

"How'd it go?" She asked in a sleepy voice.

"Whitney and Rafe did amazing." I said. "Both killed at least 3 demons tonight."

"That's my girl." Clary said and I leaned over and kissed her head. "Night babe." She said as she rolled over and went back to sleep which caused me to laugh.

"Night." I said and I shut my eyes. Tonight was a long night, and tomorrow was going to be just as long, and I was in desperate need of sleep.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up and Jace was passed out next to me. I rubbed my eyes and sat up and smiled knowing that the hunt was a success and that my husband and my girl were safe inside the institute. I got out of bed and got in the shower and mentally prepared myself for the day. Maryse and Robert were coming today, and they try their hardest to be civil while in the same room as the kids, but I could still tell that it was tense when they were together. When I got out of the shower and walked back into my room, Jace was up and getting dressed.

"Hey, how'd you sleep?" I asked as he turned around.

"Wonderful. I didn't realize how exhausted I was after the hunt." He said and I smiled. I walked into the closet and grabbed my clothes.

"When are your parents coming exactly?" I yelled out into the main room.

"They said they would be here between 11 and 11:30." Jace called back.

"And what time is it now?" I yelled back.

"Almost 10:45." Jace called back. When I was dressed I made my way back into the bedroom and Jace was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Today should be interesting." I said and he laughed.

"I just hope they can pull it together and leave their issues behind so that Whitney and Kyle don't have to see that." Jace said.

"I hope so too." I said.

"And if it starts getting too awkward, I'll give Alec a call and they can come over." Jace said with a laugh.

"Oh, they already are." I said and he looked at me. "I talked to Magnus last night. Maryse and Robert haven't seen Rafe and Max in months, and I figured if they were here, they might as well see all their grandchildren." I said and than I thought about the other. "Except Izzy and Simon's." I said.

"It's not my fault they travel a lot." Jace said.

"I miss them." I said honestly. "I wish that they weren't so into the recruiting process, than maybe they'd come home and stay." I said and Jace laughed.

"It's very educational for their kids." Jace said. "Getting to see all the other institutes and mingling with other shadowhunters and meeting new downworlders. I personally think they do it mostly for that educational piece."

"I know, but that doesn't make me miss them any less." I said and Jace kissed my temple.

"Come on, let's get the kids up." He said and I smiled. We walked out of our room just as Whitney walked out of hers. "I thought I was going to have to pry you out of bed." Jace said and she looked over and smiled.

"I was so excited after I got home that falling asleep was tough, and I woke up at like 7 this morning just as excited." She said and I laughed.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that your first hunt was pretty fun?" I said and she laughed.

"I was the best mom. I can't believe you stopped hunting, cause I could never give it up." Whitney said.

"Someone had to raise you." I said and she smiled. "And once Kyle is ready to go on his first hunt, I'll get back in the game."

"Really?" Whitney asked excitedly.

"Of course. It's what we do, we can't just shut it off." I said.

"I just figured you slumped back into your mundane ways." Whitney said.

"I don't think that's even possible at this point. I've been around this world for far too long." I said and she nodded. "Come on, grandma and grandpa should be here soon, and I have to get Kyle ready."

"I'll get him. He wasn't awake when I went in last night, and I'd like to see him." Jace said and I nodded. He walked to his room and opened his door and Whitney and I made our way downstairs.

"How did it feel to kill your first demon?" I asked after a few moments.

"Awesome mom! It was so exciting, and thrilling." Whitney said with the biggest smile on her face. "I can't wait to do it again."

"You're growing up too fast." I said as I put my arm around her. "I wish you were 3 years old again." I said and she laughed.

"You knew this day was coming." Whitney said and I laughed.

"I know, but time really flies when you're a parent. I mean, Kyle is going to be 5 next week, I don't even know where those 5 years went." I said.

"He did grow fast, and by the time he's ten, he'll probably be taller than both of us." She said and I laughed.

"I wouldn't be surprised. He is your fathers son." I said as we made it to the kitchen when I heard the Institute doors open. I walked out into the foyer and there stood Alec, Magnus, Rafe and Max. "Glad you guys could make it."

"We wouldn't miss Maryse or Robert's visit for the world." Magnus said sarcastically and Alec elbowed him.

"It may not be pleasant, but it's beneficial to the kids." Alec reminded him and Magnus nodded.

"Whitney is in the kitchen boys." I said and Rafe and Max left the room. "They'll only be here for a day. I think we can all survive."

"Easy for you to say, they approve of your marriage. Robert still refuses to believe that Alexander and I are married with two children." Magnus said and I could hear the hurt in his voice. "And I know he loves his grandsons, but he doesn't like me, and that kinda sucks."

"He likes you Magnus." Alec tried to reassure him.

"No he doesn't Alec." Magnus said and Alec looked sad. "And I've come to terms with it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't suck when we're in the same room and he ignores my existence."

"I thought our conversation at Jocelyn's wedding was his turning point, and I'm sorry that it wasn't." Alec said. Magnus smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I'll be on my best behavior, but if he diminishes me or our family at any moment, I am not responsible for the magic that flies out of these hands." Magnus said as he raised his hands and Alec laughed.

"I'll look the other way." Alec said and Magnus smiled. The institute doors opened again and in walked Maryse and Robert, and it felt like the atmosphere dropped a few degrees.

"Glad you two could make it." I said and Maryse smiled.

"I would never miss the opportunity to see my grandkids." Maryse said.

"Well, prepare to have your ears talked off by Whitney and Rafe." Magnus said. "They went on their first hunt last night and it's all Rafe has been able to talk about."

"Whitney too." I said and Magnus smiled.

"Where are the kids?" Robert asked.

"Rafe, Max, and Whitney are in the kitchen. Kyle and Jace are still upstairs. Getting that boy out of bed is impossible." I said and they laughed and Robert left the room. "How have you been Maryse?" I asked after a moment.

"I've been okay. I've been spending a lot of time at the Paris Institute. I can't believe they were even functioning properly. They were a mess when I got there." She said and I nodded.

"Which Institute are you going to next?" Alec asked.

"I'll be heading to the Institute in LA actually." Maryse and I nodded.

"Let's head into the kitchen and wait for Jace and Kyle." I said and we made our way into the kitchen where the kids were talking to Robert with animated gestured.

"Seriously grandpa, it was so cool." Rafe said. "Dad and Uncle Jace let us take on our own demons, and Whit and I kicked ass."

"Language Rafe." Magnus said and Rafe nodded.

"It was awesome." Whitney added.

"What time did you get in?" Robert asked.

"At like 2 this morning." Rafe said. "Dad and I got home and Pops and Max were brewing a potion in the living room." He said with a laugh but Robert's face was stoic. "I didn't get to bed until around 4."

"Was the potion really that necessary?" Robert asked sounding uninterested, but you couldn't miss the judgmental tone he used.

"Of course grandpa." Max said. "Pops is teaching me a bunch of different healing potions. Like the ones he's uses on dad when he comes home injured." Max said and I could see Magnus smiling. "They are pretty tough, and the one we were working on last night was incredibly difficult. We had to restart it like 3 times before we got it right. That's why it took so long." Max explained and Robert simply nodded.

"Grandma!" We heard and we all turned and Kyle came running into the kitchen. Maryse bent down and scooped him into her arms and gave him a huge hug.

"You've gotten so big since the last time I saw you." Maryse said.

"I'll be 5 next week grandma! I'll be a whole hand!" He said as he held up his hand and everyone laughed. "And I get to train with Whitney and daddy!" He said.

"You're going to be an amazing shadowhunter. Just like your dad, your mom, your sister, you uncle and your cousin." Maryse said.

"Although Rafe would be better if he had two shadowhunter parents." Robert said and I saw Magnus take a deep breath.

"Kids, why don't you go into the living room and wait for us." Alec said. The kids nodded and left the kitchen. Alec walked over to the door and put a soundless rune on it before turning back to his father. "I've had enough of this passive aggressive attitude you have towards my family." Alec said and you could tell he was upset. "You don't agree with my lifestyle, fine, but keep your bigoted opinions to yourself because guess what dad, Magnus and I are MARRIED." He said as he put emphasis on the word. "We have been married for almost 18 years father, and unlike you, I don't plan on getting divorced any time soon."

"Alexander." Robert said.

"No, you don't get to try and berate me." Alec said. "You're barely around, and when you are, all you do is attack Magnus and Max."

"I would never attack Max." Robert said seemly offended that Alec would even think he would.

"Maybe not out loud." Alec said. "But you have no problem pointing out that Magnus is a warlock whenever we're together." Alec pointed out. "Well guess what? Magnus is a warlock, and so is Max, the blue skin is kind of a dead give away father, and the sooner you realize that we're a family. A real family that love each other, and would do absolutely anything for each other, than maybe we'd invite you around more often but I'm sick and tired of you disrespecting Magnus. He's my husband, and I'm always going to take his side."

"Seriously Robert, get over yourself." Maryse said. "The world is changing, and sooner you realize that same sex marriage, and marriage between shadowhunters and downworlders is more and more prevalent, the sooner maybe you'll fully accept your son and your grandson."

"I love Max." Robert simply said.

"We know you do." Magnus said. "We know you love all your grandchildren, but if this is how every family get together is going to be, I won't bring my children around." Magnus said. "You are Alec's father, and of course I would love for you to be in my sons lives. They love you, and they wish they could see you more, but I'm not going to subject them to your unfair treatment. Rafe is an amazing shadowhunter with a shadowhunter parent and a warlock parent, just like Max is an amazing warlock with a shadowhunter parent and a warlock parent." Magnus explained. "We're a family, and that is never going to change." Suddenly a portal opened up in the kitchen and in walked Max. "How many time have I told you not to open up random portals?" Magnus said and Max laughed.

"We're all super hungry, and this family argument is never going to be solved. Grandpa will never be happy with us, and Rafe and I accepted that a long time ago." Max said.

"Max." Alec said.

"I just thought I'd come let you know we're ready for lunch." Max said as he walked back through the portal and it closed.

"Does that make you happy dad?" Alec asked Robert. "They know you don't approve of us, and yet they still love you. Why can't you do the same?"

"Alexander." Robert said.

"The kids are hungry." Alec cut him off. "We should head to lunch." Alec said as he walked out of the kitchen. Magnus followed and so did Maryse, and all that were left were Jace, Robert and I.

"Get your shit together Robert." Jace said. "Those kids are amazing, and they don't deserve to feel that way about their own family." Jace grabbed my hand and led me out of the kitchen.

Lunch wasn't as awkward as I thought it was going to be since Robert pretty much stayed quiet unless he was asked a question. When we left the restaurant, Magnus, Alec, Rafe, and Max immediately left to go home, I didn't blame them though, being around Robert was frustrating, so I can't even imagine what it must be like for them. We got back to the institute and Robert stopped at the step.

"You coming?" Jace asked.

"I'm actually going to head back to Idris." Robert said and my jaw dropped.

"You've been here for 3 hours." I said.

"I'm needed there." Robert said.

"And you aren't needed here?" Whitney asked.

"Kids, go inside." I said.

"No." Whitney said.

"Whitney Celine Herondale. Go inside and take Kyle." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"Come on Kyle." Whitney said as they walked into the institute.

"You're really going to leave?" Jace asked.

"I'm clearly not wanted here." Robert said.

"Because you make Alec and his family feel like shit." Jace said. "Why is it so hard for you to just accept that he's incredibly happy, and those kids are thriving in their training and magic. Just because they aren't the ideal family in your eyes, doesn't make them any less of a family."

"Jace." Robert said but he wasn't finished.

"They are more of a family than we ever were growing up. Alec and Magnus make sure those kids are taken care of and showed that they are loved. Which is more than you ever did." Jace spat as he walked into the institute.

"Our kids love you guys." I said after a moment of silence. "They love telling you what they've learned and they love hearing stories about your fights, and the encounters you've had with demons. They look up to you, or at least they used too." I said as I shook my head. "Maryse, you're more than welcome to drop by whenever you want, but Robert, I'd prefer if you just stayed away until you're ready to treat Max and Magnus as a part of this family like everyone else does." Without another word Robert turned around and walked away. I had no idea where he was going, but he left.

"I can't believe him." Maryse said.

"Some people just can't adjust to new things." I said and she nodded. "Come on, lets just forget about him and you can enjoy your time with Whitney and Kyle." I said and she smiled as we made our way into the institute. Today was a long day, and I couldn't believe Robert, but there was only so much we could do and say before we gave up.

 **Alec POV:**

The walk back to the house was silent, but that was mostly because today had been an exhausting day. When we finally walked inside we all seemed to gravitate towards the living room. Max and Rafe took a seat on the couch and Magnus and I took a seat on the loveseat.

"How long have you known?" I finally asked.

"I was 10." Max said. "Grandpa was in town and we went to the institute to visit. You pulled him aside and I was on my way to the bathroom when I heard you two arguing. I was curious about what the fight was about until I heard him mention me and Pops." Max said. "Rafe noticed that I was acting weird so I told him what I heard, and we've just noticed his behavior around our family ever since."

"We're so sorry." Magnus said. "We've tried to hide it as much as we could."

"You can't do much about it Pops. Grandpa doesn't approve of our family, and that's his loss." Rafe said as he smiled and looked at Max. "Cause we're a pretty awesome family." He said which caused me to smile and Magnus to laugh.

"That we are." Magnus said.

"Don't get me wrong, it sucks that he doesn't approve, but we know that our family is unique and different within our world, and some people just aren't as open about it, but we love each other, and you two are the best parents anyone could ask for." Rafe said. "If grandpa can't see that, than oh well."

"We love you both." I said. "More than anything, and I'm sorry grandpa isn't more open to the idea, but that doesn't change how much you both are loved."

"We know." Max said. I smiled and Magnus put his arm around me and I leaned into him. My father was still stuck in the old ways, and nothing seemed to be able to pull him out, and if he wasn't willing to try, than I was done trying to force him. If he wanted to be in our life, than he'd have to change. Magnus and I have been through hell getting to where we are today, and we deserve to be happy, and that's what we were going to be.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Whitney was going through the parabatai ceremony today, and I couldn't be more proud of her for finding someone she wanted to fight with in battle and be bound to for the rest of her life. What was ever more amazing was that Rafe was the one she chose. They have been going through battles since the first hunt together and they really made quite a team. They always had each others backs, and were willing to do everything for each other. They were already parabatai; they just needed the runes to solidify it.

"When do I get to go through the ceremony?" Kyle asked as he stood next to me.

"When and if you find someone who you want to be linked too forever." I said.

"Do you think I'll ever find one?" He asked.

"You're only 7 buddy." I said. "You have plenty of time."

"But what if I don't find one?" He asked.

"Not everyone has a parabatai." I said.

"You have one, and mom has one, and now Whitney has one. I'll be the only one in the family without one." Kyle said.

"Aunt Izzy doesn't have one." I said and he looked at me.

"Really?" He asked and I nodded. "Why not?"

"She never found anyone worthy of her badass talent." I said and he laughed. "Finding a parabatai is a great thing Kyle. It's amazing having that kind of connection with someone you're fighting along side with, but it's not the end of the world. Aunt Izzy kicks demon ass all by herself and she does an amazing job doing it. Don't stress about finding a parabatai. Just focus on your training, and maybe one day you'll find that person and it'll just click." I said and he nodded.

When the ceremony was over everyone made their way back to the institute to celebrate the union between Rafe, and Whitney. Simon, and Izzy even came back for it and it was great to see Pace and Esme. Pace was a year younger than Kyle, and those two boys were inseparable when they were together and Esme was two years younger than Whitney, and they got along, but Esme was totally Izzy through and through and Whitney was more like me. She enjoyed getting down and dirty, but they were good friends and cousins nonetheless.

"Alright, what was your favorite part about the Sydney Institute?" Whitney asked Esme with the biggest smile on her face.

"The hot guys." Esme said.

"I don't need to hear this." Simon said and the room laughed.

"Seriously Whit, they were like gods." Esme said and Whitney laughed.

"You're so lucky you get to travel around to all the different institutes. I'd kill for that opportunity." Whitney said.

"Just say the word Whit, and I'll whip up a portal in a second." Max said as he snapped his fingers and a portal appeared.

"Maxwell, you will not enable her." Magnus said and the portal disappeared. "And if we find you've snuck off to some other country at any point, I'll put a spell on you and your magic will be baby proofed." Magnus said and I couldn't hold my laughter in.

"I'm 20 Pops, don't you think I'm too old to be punished?" Max said and Magnus smiled.

"You're still my kid." Magnus said. "Plus, I still have so many things to teach you."

"Speaking of teaching." I said. "Tell them what you learned last week Kyle." I said and he got the biggest smile on his face.

"I figured out what the extra angel blood did to me." Kyle said.

"And what is that?" Izzy asked.

"I have super hearing." Kyle said. "I heard dad coming even with a soundless rune on."

"That's dangerous." Alec said and I laughed.

"I'm at a total disadvantage now." I said and he laughed.

"What can Whitney do again?" Magnus asked.

"She can do everything I do. She has way more ability in fighting, and she can jump up at least 25 stories. We're testing it just to see how high she can get." I said and they nodded. The door rang and I looked at Clary. "You expecting anyone else?" I asked and she shook her head and walked out of the room. She came back in a moment later with Robert trailing behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Alec asked clearly not pleased that he was here.

"I heard that Rafe and Whitney had their parabatai ceremony today." Robert said.

"Yea, and you would have known that sooner if you were wanted here." Alec said.

"Alec, can we please talk?" Robert pleaded.

"Fine, but the minute you say something derogatory, or you start fighting with me, you're out of here." Alec said and Robert nodded. They exited the room and Max sighed.

"I just don't get why he won't give up." Max said.

"Robert has a lot of terrible qualities, but I really think he's trying to make things right." Clary said. "Some people just take a little longer to change."

"In my 20 years in this family, grandpa has never once been as interested in my life, or my magic as he is interested in Rafe and his training." Max explained. "I get if you need time, but 20 years is a long ass time."

"I'm not saying its right. I think he should have done this years ago, but sometimes it just takes longer." Clary said. The conversations moved on and I pulled Clary closer to me and kissed her head. I really hope that Robert came here to apologize, or Alec would never forgive him.

 **Alec POV:**

"What do you want?" I asked as soon as we got into the kitchen.

"I thought a lot about what you said the last time we saw each other." Robert said.

"You mean 2 years ago Robert?" I said and he sighed.

"I've been busy." He said.

"That's been your excuse since I was a kid." I said. "You can't keep blaming your duties as a shadowhunter for being absent."

"I know, but I didn't know how to talk to you." Robert confessed. "Everything is so different than I imagined it would be."

"You mean you didn't predict you'd be divorced, your youngest would die, your oldest would be gay and your grandchild would be a downworlder?" I said and Robert sighed.

"As you can see that's a lot to process." He said and I glared at him. "Losing Max was the hardest thing that's ever happened to our family. Divorcing your mother was second, and finally seeing the real you, the you that you worked so hard to hide for so long was shocking." Robert explained.

"I get that you're ashamed of me…"

"I never said I was ashamed." Robert cut me off. "I'm the farthest thing from ashamed."

"Than why do you treat my husband, and my son like the plague?" I asked. "Max has known you haven't approved of our family and him since he was 10 dad. Can you imagine how upsetting that was for him? For his own grandfather to not love him."

"I've always loved Max." Robert said.

"Than why the hell can't you show that?" I nearly yelled.

"I don't know." Robert said in a defeated tone.

"It isn't that hard to show your grandson that you love him, and that you're interested in what he's learning." I said. "Max is an amazing warlock. And he wishes that he could share that with you."

"He does?" Robert asked shocked.

"Of course. Max has always looked up to you." I said. "He's so incredibly proud that he is the grandson of Robert Lightwood, inquisitor of the counsel." I said with a smile. "He brags about it, or at least he used too. Don't push him away just because you don't understand the choices I've made in my life, the choices that have made me incredibly happy, and the father of two incredible boys."

"I have a lot to learn." Robert finally said. "I have a lot to learn about Max and about Rafe, hell even about Magnus." He said and I nodded. "But if you can forgive me, I'd really like to make it up to you. All four of you."

"Okay." I said. "Max and Rafe deserve to know their grandfather, considering you're the only one they have, and Magnus deserves to be accepted my his father-in-law." I said and he nodded.

"Thank you Alec. I promise. I won't disappoint you." Robert said as he pulled me into a hug.

"You better now dad. I don't want my kids to go through that." I said and he nodded. We made our way back out into the living room where everyone was sitting and I cleared my throat and they all looked at me. "Robert has something he would like to say." I said and they nodded. I made my way over to Magnus and sat next to him. Robert took a a deep breath and looked at the room.

"I've been a terrible father, grandfather, husband, in-law, hell I've been a terrible person." Robert said. "I could list so many things that paved the way for my terrible behavior but that would be me just making excuses instead of owning up to my actions." He said as he looked at Magnus. "I didn't understand your relationship with Alec in the beginning. To be honest, I thought it was a huge stunt. I thought Alec wanted to embarrass us and ruin us because of how absent we were when he was growing up." Robert said and I felt Magnus tense beside me. "But you've given my son something that nothing and nobody else could." Robert said and than he smiled. "You've given him a purpose, you've given him a family, you've given him happiness." Robert said with a smile. "It used to be impossible to get Alec to smile as a child. Unless he had a bow in his hands, a smile was almost unheard of." Robert said and I laughed. "But in the small amount of times I've seen you together, it's impossible to get the smile off his face, and I never realized how important that was until recently." He said with a smile. "I've been terrible to you, and so incredibly against your relationship with my son for absolutely no reason. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me Magnus, because anyone who makes my son happy, and makes my grandsons happy, is worthy enough to carry the Lightwood name."

"Apology accepted Robert." Magnus said almost immediately. "All I've ever wanted was for my kids to have you in their life."

"And I promise to be here more often." Robert said. "Rafe, there isn't much I can say to you, since I've always treated you better because you're a shadowhunter." Robert said and Rafe nodded. "I realize how incredibly immature and petty that was, and I hope that you can forgive me for always favoring you over your brother."

"Just make sure it doesn't happen anymore grandpa, and you're completely forgiven." Rafe said and Robert nodded.

"And Max." Robert said as he looked at the blue warlock in the corner with his arms crossed over his chest. "When Alec first told me your name I cried." Robert admitted. "Of course not in front of him, but once I got to an empty room I let it out." He said. "It had been years since our little Max had been murdered and to this day whenever I think about him I still get chocked up." Robert said and you could hear the strain in his voice. "But seeing you, and having you in our family felt like that void was semi healed." Robert said and I looked over at Max and he still had his guard up, but I understood why. "I'm ashamed to admit, but I was happy when we'd go out in public and you'd have to glamour your blue skin. For that amount of time I could pretend you were a normal shadowhunter, and I was proud of that." Robert said. "But looking back on that now, I'm incredibly ashamed that you have to hide who you are from the world when we go out." Robert said as he looked at Max. "Because you're an amazing kid. You always have been. When Magnus brought you home, I knew Alec was hesitant because he had no idea what it took to be a parent. Hell, none of us really get it right the first time." Robert said with a laugh. "But I could just tell how much love Magnus and Alec both had for you. Alec was incredibly proud of your magic and your blue skin and I used to think 'what the hell is wrong with Alec? And where did I go wrong?' and looking back at that now, makes me want to punch myself."

"You aren't out of the woods yet." Max muttered and Robert nodded.

"I know you have no reason to forgive me." Robert said. "I have been so cruel and harsh towards you for so many years that I know I deserve the cold shoulder from you." Robert said. "But you are my grandson, and this family wouldn't be the same without you in it." He said and Max lowered his arms. "I don't care how long it takes for me to make up for treating you the way that I did Max, but I will do whatever I can, to show you that you are a Lightwood, and you're a treasure in this family, and you are loved by me."

"I used to tell everyone that I was related to Robert Lightwood." Max said as he pushed himself off the wall. "I would brag because I was so proud and honored to carry that name. I used to get picked on by my downworld friends because I was a traitor to our kind, and I used to get picked on by my shadowhunter friends because 'Lightwood' should be reserved for real shadowhunters." Max said and I could tell Robert felt bad. "When I was little it really bothered me. I didn't really fit in anywhere. I wasn't a 'real' warlock because my dad is a shadowhunter, and I wasn't a shadowhunter." Max said. "I was a misfit everywhere. Everywhere accept when I was with my family. Being with dad, pops, Rafe, and everyone else was where I belonged. Nobody cared that I was blue, or that I was a warlock, or that I wasn't a shadowhunter but had a shadowhunter last name." Max said. "And than you'd show up and random family functions and ignored me. Or passive aggressively insulted me and pops." Max said and I was debating about stepping in but Magnus held me back. "I didn't know what I could do to make you like me, but I did notice when I was glamoured you were more willing to talk to me, to hold my hand when we crossed a street." He said. "I asked pops one night if I could permanently cover my blue skin because I wanted you to like me, but he told me I shouldn't be ashamed of my blue skin because it was who I am, and I should be proud of that." Max said. "I was 8 years old, and I had fully given up on your acceptance, and I don't want it now." Max said as he left the room.

"Max." Robert called but it was too late. He was already gone.

"Give him time Robert. He's had this built up for years." Magnus said.

"I've really screwed up haven't I?" Robert asked.

"Yes." Jace said honestly. "He's 20 years old Robert, were you expecting him to just forgive you for all those years right away?"

"I guess I sort of did." Robert said.

"He just needs time to process." Clary said. "Why don't we all call it a night? It's been a long an emotional day for everyone." She said and everyone nodded.

"Well, it was fun becoming parabatai Whit." Rafe said as he pulled her into a hug.

"Always a pleasure. Be here at 8 am to train." Whitney said and Rafe nodded.

"Come on, let's go home in case Max went there." I said and Magnus and Rafe nodded. "See you all soon." I said and we walked out of the institute. Magnus took my hand in his and I smiled at him. "Do you think I did the right thing? By letting him back into our lives?"

"I think it was." Magnus said honestly. "Max has just been getting a ton of shit for so long from him, I'm impressed he didn't turn him into a toad." He said and I laughed.

"I'm all for forgiving grandpa, but if he reverts back to his old ways, he's done." Rafe said and I nodded.

"I know. This was his last chance, and he knows that." I said and Magnus and Rafe both nodded. I knew Robert meant well, but I couldn't blame Max for reacting the way he did, and if he needed time, than he could take as much time as he needed.

 **Clary POV:**

Everyone got in bed and by the time I finally laid down in my bed I was exhausted. Tonight took an unexpected turn and I'm not entirely sure which direction this family would go in now, but I guess only time will tell. When Jace got into bed I immediately curled into his side.

"Tonight could have gone better." He said and I laughed.

"It also could have gone worse." I said and he nodded. "Max has a lot of pent up anger, I'm impressed he left without causing bodily harm."

"He knows better than to use his magic to cause harm, I just feel bad because all Max has ever wanted was for Robert to accept him, and now that Robert is trying he seems to have given that up, and I can't blame him for that. It's been so long, but doesn't make it suck any less." Jace said.

"They'll work it out eventually. You Lightwoods have a tough exterior, but on the inside you're all soft and mushy." I said as I poked his side and he laughed.

"I'll have you know I'm pretty cold and distant through to my core." Jace said and I smiled.

"Maybe to the rest of the world, but you're a big ol' softy when it comes to family. Especially your girls." I said and he squeezed me tighter.

"You've got that right." Jace said and I smiled as I felt him press his lips to my head. We might have our fair share of family drama, but I wouldn't want to be part of any other family. This one was amazing to the core, and despite how awful Robert has been, every single member knows how much they are loved and cared for, and that's what matters the most.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up relatively early, and made my way to the training room. I knew Rafe and Whitney were working out today. Their first workout as parabatai and they were going to feel a little different. I was getting out my daggers when I heard the door open and in walked Rafe and Whitney laughing about something.

"Welcome to your first training session as parabatai." I said and they smiled. "You two ready?"

"Born ready Uncle Jace." Rafe said and I tossed a seraph blade at him.

"How is Max?" I asked after a moment.

"Didn't come home last night." Rafe said. "I'm worried about him, but pops said that he can sense him and that he's not in any trouble so that makes me feel better." He explained.

"I can't imagine what he's going through." Whitney said. "I mean to not have someone's approval, for that long, and it be a member of our family must be incredibly hard to even process."

"Every family has that loose screw." I said. "Robert happens to be the Lightwood loose screw."

"Who was yours?" Rafe asked.

"Who wasn't mine?" I said and he laughed. "My father was killed, my mother killed herself, Valentine disguised himself as Michael Wayland and raised me for 10 years before shipping me to the Lightwoods." I said. "I don't even know where to start."

"I would say Valentine." Whitney said. "He seems to be you and mom's loose screw."

"Funny how her actual dad, was my pretend dad for so long and managed to mess up both of our lives pretty well." I said and they laughed. "But we're all here now, and we're all doing good, so I can't complain."

"I can't either." Whitney said. "I'm pretty lucky. I got great parents, an okay brother, and an awesome parabatai." She said as she looked at Rafe. "It can only go up from here right?"

"Right you are sweetheart. Now let's get to work." I said and they nodded and we started training. Before I knew it all the kids were in the training room. I looked around at my nieces and nephews and smiled to myself. I couldn't believe that I had a family, a real, loving and amazing family. At one point in my life I thought it was impossible, but looking at these kids now, I couldn't picture it any other way.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Alec POV:**

"Magnus, I'm worried. He's been gone for almost 3 days. Shouldn't be out looking for him?" I asked worriedly.

"I can feel him Alexander. He's not in trouble. He's just sad." Magnus said.

"But we can help him feel better." I said and Magnus shook his head.

"He needs to figure out his feelings towards Robert on his own." Magnus said. "He's an adult darling, if he wants Robert in his life, that's up to him."

"I just want to know he's safe." I said and Magnus walked over and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"The minute I feel something wrong with him, we'll do something." Magnus said and I nodded. I trusted Magnus, and I knew Max was just trying to figure out his emotions, but I'd rather him do it here, than out in the world where I didn't know where he is.

 **Max POV:**

I felt bad just disappearing on my family, but I was way too angry to be around them. Everything grandpa said made me feel like the way that he treated me was my fault. Being a warlock, having blue skin. Maybe if I had a warlock mark like pops it would be easier for him to accept me, but I can't change my skin, and if grandpa can't accept that than I don't need him in my life anyway.

I was currently sitting on a bench in a glamoured park that only shadowhunters and downworlders can see just watching the little vampire children play. It was currently almost midnight, so prime playtime I guess. They all looked so happy, and I wish that I could just take their happiness and use it to forgive grandpa but it just seemed impossible. I've been angry for so long that I don't even know how not to be.

"You're a new face." I heard. A woman was now sitting next to me. She smiled and her fangs showed.

"Just came to clear my head." I said and she nodded.

"You look like you need a friend to talk too." She said. "My name is Tulip."

"Like the flower?" I asked and she laughed.

"Yea. I'm of Turkish decent." She explained.

"How the hell did you end up in New York?" I asked and she glanced over at the kids on the swings.

"I traveled a lot. I never liked spending more than a couple years in the same place." She said. "But I fell in love." She said with the biggest smile on her face. "He lived here, his sisters were still alive and he wanted to stay close and I decided that I would move for him."

"That's brazen. For a nomad that is." I said and she smiled.

"You do the craziest things for love." She said and I nodded. "So, what species are you?" She asked after a moment. I totally forgot that I had glamoured myself to get here and I never took it away. I snapped my fingers and I was blue again.

"Warlock." I said and she nodded.

"Nice." She said and I gave her a sad smile. "Or not so nice."

"Just a lot of family issues that are really getting to me." I said and she nodded.

"I would kill to have family issues again." She said with a sadness in her voice. "My family has been dead for centuries."

"That must have sucked." I said. "Watching those you love the most get old and die."

"It's tough, but it's the way of our kind. Immortality can be disastrous, and cruel at some points, but we can't change that." Tulip said and I nodded.

"My dad and brother are both shadowhunters." I said randomly, not really knowing why I was opening up to her, but she was willing to listen and I needed that right now. "Every time they go out for a hunt I'm terrified they won't come back."

"Shadowhunters?" She asked and I nodded. "How did you end up in their care?"

"I was left on the stairs of the Shadowhunter Academy in Idris. My pops brought me back and convinced my dad to take care of me until they could place me with a warlock family that could raise me." I explained. "But my dad fell in love with me, and my pops is a warlock so they kept me. Fought The Clave tooth and nail to keep me, but they did it."

"Wait, you're the son of Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood?" She asked seeming shocked.

"You know them?" I asked also a little surprised.

"They paved the way for interspecies relationships, and also same sex relationships." Tulip said. "They are pretty revolutionary."

"Yea. They're amazing, and I'm thankful that pops found me and took me in." I said.

"So what's the problem exactly?" She asked.

"My grandfather hasn't always been the nicest when it comes to having a warlock grandson and son-in-law." I said and she nodded.

"I've heard things about Robert Lightwood." Tulip said. "Some good, others bad."

"Probably mostly bad." I said with a humorless laugh.

"Actually, for the past couple years I've heard he's been doing pretty insane stuff within the counsel." She said and I looked at her. "He's trying to diversify it more, and make it more downworlder friendly."

"That doesn't sound like grandpa at all." I said and she smiled.

"Sometimes people do rotten things, but that doesn't make them rotten people." Tulip said and I nodded. "Listen, you're going to live forever, and Robert Lightwood won't. It would be beneficial for the both of you to reconcile and move forward. It isn't fun when 500 years have passed and you realize how incredibly childish you were to some relative that you can never see again."

"Know that from personal experience?" I asked and she nodded.

"My mother threw me out when I was turned. She didn't want a monster living with her." Tulip said and I laughed.

"Same thing happened to my Uncle Simon when he was a vampire." I said and she looked confused. "That's a story for a different day." I said and she nodded.

"Anyway, I vowed to never speak to her ever again." Tulip said. "When she died, the only thing I felt was relief." She said. "The last couple hundred years I realize that I should have tried to reach out more, and tried to make amends. I regret that I didn't ever single day."

"I've been so angry with him for so long." I admitted.

"Once you let go of that anger, you'll feel so much better, and free." Tulip said and I nodded.

"Mama!" I heard there was a little girl grinning from ear to ear waving at Tulip. "Come play mama!" She called.

"Duty calls." Tulip said and I nodded.

"Thanks for the talk." I said as she stood up.

"I hope I helped." She said and I smiled.

"You did." I said and she made her way over to her daughter. I sighed and stood up. I snapped my fingers and a portal appeared. I stepped through and a moment later I was back at my house. Dad and pops were in the living room, and Rafe wasn't there at all.

"Max." I heard my dad say. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine. I just needed some time." I said and they both nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

"We understood why you needed time." Pops said. "Although, that didn't stop your father from worrying about you all day and night." He said with a laugh and I smiled.

"I want to talk to grandpa." I said and they both nodded.

"He's still at the institute. We'll go over tomorrow." Dad said and I nodded.

"Where is Rafe?" I asked noticing that he wasn't here.

"Uncle Jace, Whitney and him went out on a hunt." Dad said.

"And you stayed behind?" I asked.

"I knew Rafe was safe with Jace, I had another son to worry about in the mean time." Dad said and I smiled.

"I think I'm going to go to bed. It's been a long three days." I said and they nodded.

"We're glad you're home blueberry." Pops said and I laughed.

"Me too." I said.

"We love you." Dad said.

"I love you guys too." I said and I went to my room. I laid on my bed and thought back to what Tulip said and realized that I might not fully forgive him now, but I could get there, and all I've ever wanted was for him to be proud of me, and this was the first step to having that dream come true, and I would be foolish not to accept it.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

Everyone was in the kitchen eating breakfast when Alec, Magnus and Max walked in. Everything seemed to stop, and I could just see Robert tense, but I couldn't blame him, he knew he messed up and he didn't know how to act around Max.

"Good morning." Alec said and I smiled.

"Missed you hunting last night man." I said trying to break the tension. "It was wild."

"How did Rafe do?" Magnus asked and I looked over at an exhausted looking Rafe and laughed.

"Kids got a lot to learn, but he held his own." I said and they nodded.

"I'm so tired." Rafe said as he put his head on the table.

"Suck it up sport." I said as I ruffled his hair.

"It only gets worse form here." Clary said and I smiled. "Jace woke me up at 5 am every morning when I was training, even if we got back from a hunt at 4 am."

"Dad, that's torture." Whitney said and I laughed.

"But your mother is an amazing shadowhunter. It all paid off." I said.

"Mom could make a rune that could destroy anyone within a hundred feet. She doesn't even need to use a seraph blade." Whitney said and I laughed.

"Yes, but when she loses her stele, which happens more often than you'd think, she'll need to fight. And I refuse to lose my wife to a demon." I said and Whitney laughed and shook her head. "How are you three?" I asked as I looked back at Magnus, Alec, and Max.

"We're good." Alec said.

"Grandpa, can we talk?" Max said. "Alone."

"Of course." Robert said as he got up from the table. The both exited the kitchen and Magnus and Alec took a seat.

"What are the chances that Robert comes back with an missing limb?" Rafe asked and we all laughed.

"Slim considering he would than lose a limb for using his magic inappropriately." Magnus said.

"But you'd be doing the same thing!" Rafe said.

"But I'm the High Warlock of Brooklyn, I have that right." Magnus said and Rafe simply nodded and continued to eat.

The rest of breakfast went by normally. Clary and I were cleaning up and Max was still talking to Robert. I wish I could be a fly on the wall in that conversation.

"How long do you think they'll be?" Clary asked after a moment.

"Who knows. Max as a lot to work through, and I bet Robert will sit there and explain everything to him, no matter how long it takes." I said and she nodded.

"When does training start?" Clary asked.

"15 minutes. I figured I'd give them time to digest breakfast." I said and Clary laughed.

"So much nicer with the kids than you were with me." She said and I pulled her into me.

"Truthfully I did it so I could spend as much time as possible with you." I said as I pressed my lips to hers.

"Why didn't you just ask?" She said when we broke apart.

"You really think Jocelyn would have been okay with you coming over at ungodly hours of the morning if you weren't training?" I said and she laughed.

"I guess not." She said and I nodded. "It was still cruel of you to do." She said and I smiled.

"But effective." I said and she smiled.

"Come on, the kids are probably in the training room already." Clary said and I nodded. I grabbed her hand and we made our way to the training room where everyone was already waiting.

"About time you got here old man." Whitney said and I laughed and shook my head.

"I was just giving you all time to get ready for a total ass kicking." I said and everyone laughed.

"Please, we can take you." Rafe said.

"You've done it now." Alec said. "You all just signed your death wish kid."

"I have my parabatai, therefore we're stronger. "Whitney said.

"And I have mine." I said as I looked at Alec and he smiled.

"And I have mine." Clary said as her and Simon smiled at each other.

"Whoa, when did this become parents vs. kids?" Rafe asked.

"Since you declared war son." Alec said and he hung his head.

"Than we get the warlock." Whitney said.

"I'm staying out of this. Lightwood family wars never turn out well, trust me." Magnus said as he held his hands up in protest.

"Fine, we can take on the old folks." Rafe said and I laughed.

"Bring it on Raphael." I said and he glared at me. He hated his first name as much as I hated mine. The training room doors opened and in walked Max and Robert, both smiling and seeming to be in light conversation.

"I take it the talk went well." Alec said and Max and Robert both looked at him.

"We have a long way to go, but I think we can get there." Robert said and Max nodded in agreement.

"Good." Alec said and Max smiled.

"What going on here?" Max asked.

"Adults vs. kids. We need a warlock. You in?" Whitney asked and he held his hands up in the same manner as Magnus.

"I think I'll pass." Max said and everyone laughed.

"Smart move son." Magnus said. They slowly backed away from the ground and Pace and Kyle both backed away as well.

"This is so unfair." Whitney said. "Mom, dad, Uncle Simon, Aunt Izzy, and Uncle Alec against just Esme, Rafe and me."

"You aren't always going to have a fair fight sweetheart." Clary said. "Think of this as character building."

"How is this character building?" Rafe asked.

"No one ever challenges me and wins." I said and everyone laughed. "On the count of three." I said and everyone nodded. "One…..two…..three." I said and the training session began. Family might take a lot of practice and there will always be mistakes and feuds, but knowing that we were all making an effort to move past it and have a fresh start, shows that family might fight, but we're always willing to make amends and move on.


	76. Chapter 75 - Mermaid

**Seventy Fifth One Shot:**

 **Mermaid**

 **Clary POV:**

"Dad, I can't do this." I said as I looked at my father. "It's not right."

"You are the first in line to take over the sea when I die sweetheart." My father said. See, my father is King Valentine, king of the sea. The most powerful merman in the entire world, and I'm his eldest daughter, and when he dies, I'm next in line to take over, the only problem? I'm not married. And I don't want to marry just to take my rightful position; I want to marry for love.

"I know, but I can't marry him." I said.

"He's a great merman Clarissa. He's powerful, and strong, he comes from a good family." My dad said.

"I know all of that, but he just isn't it for me." I said. "I want a love like you and mom." I said and I saw him smile. "I want to tell my kids about how we met, and how we fell in love. I don't want to lie to them about that."

"I understand sweetheart." My dad finally said and swam over and hugged him.

"Thank you so much daddy." I said and I felt him laugh. "I have to go break it off with him." I said when I pulled back.

"Good luck." My dad said and I laughed and swam away to go find him. I swam through the kingdom before I found him sitting among some coral talking to a group of his friends. I swam over and he smiled as I got closer.

"Hey Clary." He said.

"Hey, can we talk?" I asked and he nodded and we swam over to somewhere private.

"What's on your mind Clary?" He asked.

"This isn't working Sebastian." I said and his face changed from concern to straight anger.

"What to you mean this isn't working?" He said in a deadly tone.

"I mean, I don't think we should continue seeing each other anymore." I explained thinking that I was pretty obvious before, but he didn't seem to be taking the news well.

"You're breaking up with me?" He said in the same deadly tone.

"Yes." I simply said.

"You can't break up with me." He nearly yelled.

"I just did." I said and I moved slowly away from him.

"Clarissa, you don't get to break up with me." He yelled.

"You don't control me." I said icily. "If I want to end this relationship, I'm going to end it."

"You'll pay for this Clarissa." He shouted as I swam away. I didn't expect him to get to angry, but that just solidified my reasons for breaking it off with him. I couldn't live with that, and I was thankful to be getting away from that.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Sebastian POV:**

Clarissa wasn't going to get away from me that easily. I was making my way to a dangerous part of the ocean but I was determined to make Clarissa pay. When I finally made my way to the cave I swam in to find Camille sitting on her thrown.

"To what do I owe the pleasure young merman?" She said.

"I've come to ask for a favor." I said as I bowed. Valentine might be the powerful king of the sea, but Camille had as much power all her own and normally used it only for her benefit.

"What do you seek from me that you couldn't get from Valentine?" She asked.

"It concerns his daughter, Clarissa." I said.

"What about her?" Camille asked.

"We have been together for some time now. I always assumed we'd get married and I take over when Valentine died." I explained. "She ended it a couple days ago, and I want revenge."

"Why should I help you?" She asked.

"I understand you were supposed to be the leading lady in Valentine's life until he met Jocelyn." I said and she scowled. "I want Clarissa to pay, and you want Valentine to pay." I said and she nodded. "I'd say it would be a win/win situation if you help me out."

"What kind of revenge are you seeking?" Camille asked.

"Kill her." I said and she smiled wickedly.

"How?" Camille asked. "Shark attack, tsunami, merpox?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Make her human." I said. "Let her drown in the sea that her fathers rules over." I said and her smiled got even more wicked.

"As you wish." She said. "By nightfall tomorrow, she will be dead." Camille said and I bowed my head again.

"Always a pleasure doing business Camille." I said.

"You as well Sebastian." Camille said and I swam away. Clarissa was getting what she deserved, and I couldn't wait to see it unfold.

 **Time Jump –Tomorrow Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I was taking my nightly swim just admiring everything the ocean has to offer. My father always warned me of the dangers that the ocean held but I saw nothing but beauty in it. The dark, the light, the easy ebbs of the ocean and the harsh currents. Everything about it was so incredibly magical and I wanted to see everything. I was bobbing my head up on the surface watching the sunset. It was always different, but always beautiful. Once it was done I started making my way home when I started feeling funny. I looked down at my tail and something was happening. Before I knew it my tail was being split in two and I started having trouble breathing. I looked up and noticed that I was farther than I should be from the surface but I could make it.

I started swimming the best I could but I didn't know how to swim with two sets of feet, and no tail. Not to mention I couldn't breath. When I got to the surface, I was hit was a huge wave. I tumbled into it and he thrashed me around violently. I was so disoriented when I reached the surface again barely breathing and doing everything I could to catch my breath. I thought I was out of the woods when another wave hit me. I was thrashed around more violently this time and I just couldn't stay awake any longer. Darkness consumed me and I couldn't help but wonder if this was the end for me.

 **Sebastian POV:**

I made my way back to Camille the day after Clarissa's death was supposed to happen. When I swam into her cave she was smiling to herself in the mirror.

"How did it go?" I asked the moment Camille spotted me.

"I threw in a very violent pounding by the waves." Camille said and I smiled. "It will be a miracle if she survives."

"Excellent." I said and she nodded.

"Please tell me how Valentine is handling the news?" Camille asked.

"He's worried because she hasn't returned home. He has sent out search parties." I said and she nodded. "I'll come tell you all the gory details after a body is found."

"Always a pleasure doing business Sebastian." Camille said.

"I look forward to more business endeavors in the future." I said and she nodded. I swam out of her cave feeling more victorious than I ever have before. Clarissa paid for her actions, and that was extremely satisfying.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was in the kitchen making breakfast for me and Angelina when I heard her calling for me.

"Daddy! Come quick!" She said and I ran towards her.

"What's wrong Angie?" I asked.

"There's something moving on the beach." She said as she pointed. I looked closer and there was something on the beach moving, but I couldn't tell what it was.

"Stay here, and I'll go look at it." I said and she nodded. I kissed her head and left the house. I started walking towards the thing on the beach when I noticed that it was a person. They were coughing, but she had the most vibrant red hair I've ever seen in my life. "Miss." I called and she looked up at me. "Are you okay?" I asked as I walked closer and than I noticed that she was completely naked. "Oh my god." I said and she looked down and covered herself and her face immediately blushed. Not knowing what to do, I pulled my shirt off my back and handed it to her. She slowly slid it on, and it was huge on her, which was a good thing. "I'm Jace by the way." I said and she simply nodded.

"Where am I?" She asked after a moment.

"You're on the very end of the Santa Monica Beach." I said and she nodded. "Are you okay?"

"I got a pretty unpleasant beating from the ocean." She said and I laughed and she smiled. "But I'm okay."

"Daddy!" I heard and when I turned around Angie was running towards me.

"I told you to wait in the house sweet pea." I said as I scooped her into my arms.

"You were taking too long." She said and I laughed. "Who are you?" She asked.

"My name is Clary." The girl, Clary, said. "What's your name?"

"Angelina, but daddy calls me Angie." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"That's a pretty name." Clary said.

"You're pretty. Isn't she pretty daddy?" Angie said and Clary blushed yet again which I found incredibly cute.

"Very pretty." I agreed honestly. "We were just about to have breakfast. Would you like to join?" I offered see how incredibly lost this girl looked.

"I guess. Could you possibly tell me what day it is?" Clary asked.

"It's Tuesday." I said and her eyes widened. "Why?"

"Because my parents are probably worried." She said and I nodded. "I left Saturday night."

"Oh god. How did you get in the ocean?" I asked.

"Long story." She said and I nodded.

"Well, follow me." I said and she nodded. We walked back to the house, and when we walked in Angie immediately went towards the table.

"Want to sit with me Clary?" Angie asked.

"I'd love too." Clary said as she sat next to Angie.

"Would you like to change into something more comfortable? That shirt probably isn't the article of clothing you want to wear." I said and she laughed.

"I don't really have any other clothes at my disposal." She said and I nodded.

"I might be extremely forward for this, but my sister is like obsessed with shopping. I could give her a call and she could take you to get some things to wear." I offered not knowing why, but I felt like there was this incredible pull towards her and I wanted to do anything to help her.

"Uh, okay." She said and I nodded.

"I'll be right back." I said and I left the room to call Izzy. After a few rings she finally picked up.

"You do realize it's like 7 in the morning Jace." Was the first thing she said and I laughed.

"Some of us have things to do during the day Iz." I said and she groaned. "I have a project for you."

"What's up?" She asked sounding more awake.

"You're going to think I'm mental, but I found a girl on the beach today." I said.

"How is that mental? You used to pick up chicks all the time." She said and I laughed.

"No. Like she was completely naked, and coughing up sea water." I said.

"What the hell." Izzy said.

"She said she took one hell of a beating from the ocean." I explained. "I brought her back to my place for some food, but she has no clothes Iz." I said. "I was wondering if you'd like to go and help her get some."

"You barely know her." Izzy said.

"I know, but there is something about her Izzy, something I can't explain, and something I've never felt anything like it before. Not even with Angie's mom." I said.

"Okay, but I'm taking your card." She said and I laughed.

"Of course. I would expect nothing less, and pick something up for yourself as well. My way of thanking you." I said and I heard her laugh.

"The day in the life of a millionaire." She said. "What I would do to have as much money has you."

"I'm just lucky Iz." I said.

"What time should I be over?" She asked.

"We're eating breakfast now. How about 9?" I said.

"9:30." She said ad I laughed.

"Deal. See you soon Iz." I said and I hung up. I walked back into the kitchen and Clary and Angie were both laughing. "What's so funny?" I asked as I took a seat.

"Clary told me a funny joke!" Angie said.

"What was the joke?" I asked.

"Tell him Clary!" Angie said and Clary smiled.

"What did the Pacific Ocean say to the Atlantic Ocean?" Clary asked and I looked at Angie and just shrugged.

"Nothing, it just waved." Clary said and Angie lost it. She was giggling up a storm and Clary was laughing as well. It was so great to see Angie bond so quickly with Clary, almost like she felt that same connection.

"So, my sister will be here at 9:30." I said and she nodded. "Would you like a shower, or a nap, or something before she gets here?" I asked.

"A nap would be great." She said and I laughed.

"Can she sleep in my room daddy? Please?" Angie begged and I smiled.

"Of course sweetheart." I said and she jumped off and grabbed Clary by the hand and dragged her back. She pushed open her door and Clary started looking around the room.

"Wow." Clary said.

"Mermaids are my favorite thing ever!" Angie explained. "Ariel is my favorite princess!"

"Who is Ariel?" Clary asked.

"You've never seen The Little Mermaid?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Can we watch it tonight daddy?" Angie asked.

"What do you say to a movie night?" I asked Clary and she just smiled.

"Sounds fun." Clary said and Angie cheered.

"We'll just give you space for your nap." I said and she nodded. I picked Angie up and we walked out of her room and I closed the door.

"I like her daddy." Angie said.

"You do?" I asked and she nodded. "Why is that?"

"She's funny, and pretty, and nice." Angie said.

"Yea she is. Now come on, its time for some swimming lessons." I said as I grabbed her bathing suit from the laundry room. I changed her and we made our way to the beach. I was finally teaching her how to swim in the ocean since she was a little scared, but she was convinced that she needed to learn so that she could swim with the mermaids, and I wasn't going to crush her heart.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up and started exploring the house a little. I'd never been in a human house before. I've seen them from a distance, and I have learned about them, but actually stepping foot in one was weird, but I enjoyed it. The living room was filled with adorable pictures of Jace and Angie, but I noticed that there were none with her mother. It made me curious because she wasn't here physically, and she wasn't in these pictures, so I wonder what happened to her. I heard a door open, and when I walked into the kitchen Angie and Jace were standing there dripping wet.

"Where did you two go?" I asked.

"Daddy is teaching me how to swim in the ocean so that I can swim with the mermaids one day." She said with the biggest smile on her face. A lot of people thought we were just a myth, and even if someone got a sighting of one of us by accident, nobody ever believed their story.

"What did I tell you Angie?" Jace said.

"Not to get my hopes up because we don't know if mermaids exist or not." Angie said in a sad voice. "But they totally do, and one day I'm going to swim with them!" She said as she skipped away.

"Kids man, they have active imaginations." Jace said and I laughed. Jace didn't know how right she was about mermaids being real, but I wasn't going to tell him that. He'd think I was crazy. There was a knock on another door and Jace smiled and walked out of the room and opened up another door and in walked the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She had long dark hair and piercing almost black eyes. She was a sight, and I imagine got a lot of attention for that.

"Glad you're here Iz." Jace said as he hugged her.

"You're lucky I love shopping." Iz said and she locked eyes with me. "This her?" She asked.

"Yea, Izzy this is Clary, Clary this is my sister Izzy." Jace said and I smiled.

"Nice to meet you." I said.

"So where are your clothes?" She asked. Clearly she wasn't the shy type.

"Probably floating in the ocean somewhere." I said vaguely and she nodded.

"Well, lets get going. I have plans at 6." Izzy said. "I brought you some clothes." She said as she handed me a back. "Jace told me he found you naked so I assumed you didn't have anything." She said and I blushed and took the bag.

"Bathroom is right around the corner." Jace said and I nodded. I got into the bathroom and looked at the clothes. I've never worn human clothes before, so this was going to be interesting.

After some trial and error, I finally figured out how every article of clothing fit, and when I looked in the mirror, I looked like an average human. I took a deep breath and walked back out to see Izzy holding Angie, and Jace and her in the middle of the conversation.

"Oh good, they fit." Izzy said as she put Angie down. "I've had them since high school. I don't know why I never threw them out, but it's a good thing you're tiny." I simply nodded wondering if that was meant as a compliment or not. "How old are you by they way?"

"25." I said and she seemed surprised by that. "I've always been told I look young."

"Well, lets go." Izzy said.

"See you when you get back." Jace said.

"Bye Clary!" Angie called as she waved to me. I waved back and followed Izzy. We got into her car and drove off. I thank my lucky stars everyday that I was also so interesting in the human world that I decided to learn as much as I could because I'd be so lost, and they'd think I was even more weird than they probably already do.

We got to the huge mall and Izzy clearly knew exactly where she was going. She walked into this one store and I was blown away by how many clothes were in there. I lived in a tail and a shell bra my entire life, and human had so many options. I ran after Izzy hoping that I wouldn't lose her and she started looking at clothes. It was quiet for some time before she decided to speak.

"Where are you from?" She asked.

"It's a long story." I said.

"But you obviously ran away." She said.

"Why would you say that?" I asked.

"You end up on a beach, naked, and have no idea where you are. Sounds like a run away that went wrong." She said.

"It's a lot more complicated than that." I said and she looked at me.

"Listen, Jace is the most generous person I know." She started saying. "He will literally do anything for anyone no matter what, and he's only got more generous since having Angie. Don't take advantage of that."

"Who said I was taking advantage of his generosity?" I questioned.

"You won't tell me where you're from, you show up naked on a beach in front of his house, and he's buying you an entirely new wardrobe." She said.

"I didn't plan this if that's what you're insinuating." I said. "I didn't run away. I was admiring the sunset one night, and I started feeling funny, the next thing I know is I'm being pulled under by some waves and I lost consciousness. I woke up on the beach with no clothes on when Jace found me." I said omitting the part about how I turned from mermaid to human.

"Oh wow. That sucks." She said and I nodded.

"Yea. It wasn't pleasant. Those waves can be brutal." I said.

"I'm sorry. I just assumed." She said. "People want Jace for his wealth, and I don't want him falling for you, just to find out you were using him." She said and it caught me off guard.

"Falling for me? I've known him for half a day." I said and she laughed.

"Jace had his heart guarded for years. He has always been super difficult to try and understand and he never let anyone in." She said. "Until Angie's mom."

"There aren't a lot of pictures of her around his house." I said and she nodded.

"She charmed her way into his heart, and he fell hard. I tried to warm him to slow down, and just get to know her first, and her true intentions. Of course, that caused a bit of a falling out between the two of us. He didn't like what I was insinuating about her, and thought I was being a bitch for accusing her of wanting him for his money." She said and I nodded. "They were together for a couple years. Jace was so blind to her manipulative ways, and one day she got pregnant, and the minute that baby was born she tried to get full custody. Claimed Jace raped her, and that she didn't feel her baby was safe in his care." She said and my eyes widened. "She tried suing him for over 2 million dollars."

"Oh my god." I said and she nodded.

"Of course Jace was innocent. They went to trail and it dragged on for months until someone came forward and told the jury and the judge of her planes. She was planning this for months. All for his money."

"That's horrible." I said and she nodded again.

"She was sent to jail, her maternity rights were taken away, and Jace got Angie all to himself." She said. "I don't want him going through that again. It broke him."

"I would never do that to him." I said. "I am really appreciative of Jace taking me in. I was an hour from becoming a nude tourist attraction." I said and she laughed. "He's a nice guy, and he's a great father. I would never do anything to hurt him or Angie. They don't deserve that."

"I'm glad we got that out of the way." She said and I nodded. "Now, try this on. I think it would look great with your hair." She said and I nodded and took it from her. Hearing what happened to Jace was really saddening, and I felt incredibly bad that someone would take advantage of how kind Jace is, and I would never do something to manipulate the kindness he's shown me.

 **Time Jump – A Week Later**

 **Sebastian POV:**

It had been a week since Camille said she would kill Clary and we still haven't found a body. I was starting to lose my mine. Valentine has been sending search parties out every day to try and cover all the oceans and so far nothing.

"Make sure you check every cave!" Valentine yelled and I was brought out of my thoughts. "She is somewhere in the ocean, find her!" He yelled. We all scattered and I immediately started swimming towards Camille's cave. I had to find out what was going on and I needed answers. When I swam in she was looking at herself in the mirror.

"What do I owe the pleasure Sebastian? Was her death not enough?" She asked.

"We don't have a body." I said and she turned around. "You said you would kill her. Well, where is her body?"

"Calm down. She probably washed up on a beach, or got eaten by some sharks." Camille said nonchalantly. "I tossed her around rather well. There is no way she's alive."

"Clary had the tendency to breach the surface to watch the sunset. What if you changed her and she was close enough to get to land?" I asked and she glared at me.

"Are you doubting my powers?" She hissed.

"No. I'm doubting that Clary is dead." I said. "She's a tough girl, she wouldn't go down without a fight."

"What do you propose I do than?" Camille asked.

"Change me." I said. "Make me human for a day, and I'll find her." I said and I could see her thinking it over.

"And what do I get if I do this?" Camille asked.

"Anything you want." I said.

"You." She said and I was caught off guard.

"What?" I asked.

"I want you. It gets lonely in this cave all alone. I don't get much visitors unless they want something from me." She explained. "I change you into a human for a day, and you stay with me forever."

"Deal." I said and she smiled wickedly.

"You must really want this girl dead." She said and I sighed.

"She made a fool out of me. She deserves to pay." I said and she smiled.

"8 o'clock tonight. Be at the surface and I'll change you." She said and I nodded. I swam out of her cave and ran into a couple other mermaids.

"You find anything over there?" Aline asked.

"Nope. It's empty." I said and she nodded and the group swam away. I waited until they were out of sight before swimming to the surface. She better be dead, and if she isn't, I was going to make sure she ended up that way.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

"You've been here for over a week Clary. If you don't start telling me information about where you came from, or the phone number of your family I'm going to have to ask you to leave." I said. Clary dodged the question every time I asked her, and I was getting a little impatient.

"Why can't you just accept that fact that I can't tell you?" She said obviously holding tears back.

"Because it's a bullshit excuse." I said, my anger rising.

"I can't tell you." She said and I took a deep breath.

"Was this all a ploy?" I finally asked and her head snapped up. "Did you look me up, and figure out this elaborate plan to get into my house, bond with my daughter, make me like you all for your own sick twisted joy?"

"I wouldn't do that Jace. Why would you even suggest that?" She said.

"Because it seems impossible to think of anything else. You literally won't tell me anything about yourself." I nearly yelled.

"Because you wouldn't believe me." She said and I closed my eyes. "You can think whatever you want about me, and speculate about my life, but the truth is, if I tell you the truth, you're just going to kick me out anyway." She said as she stood up. "I might as well leave on my own." She said as she walked out the back door. I went to protest but she was already walking down to the beach. I watched her go until she just sat down. I lowered my head and tried to calm down.

"Daddy?" I heard and I turned around and saw Angie standing in the doorway. "Why were you and Clary fighting?" She asked. I kneeled down and she ran into my arms.

"We have different opinions, and we were disagreeing." I explained.

"Where did she go?" Angie asked.

"She went to sit on the beach." I said as I pointed to Clary and she looked and nodded. "Come on princess, it's time for your nap." I said as I picked her up.

"I don't want Clary to leave daddy." Angie said as I put her in her bed.

"I don't either baby, but she has a life somewhere else." I said and she nodded.

"I wish she could stay here with us." Angie said as her eyes closed.

"I do too." I said as I kissed her forehead. I knew Angie was going to get attached, and I didn't want her getting her heartbroken, but I felt like that's what was going to happen, and it sucked.

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting on the beach watching the waves ebb and flow and wishing I could talk to my dad. He would know exactly what to say to help me figure out a way to explain to Jace that I'm not using him, I just can't tell him the truth because he wouldn't believe me. I shadow casted over me and I thought it might be Jace, but when the body sat next to me I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Sebastian?" I said and he smiled.

"The one and only." He said. "You're quite far away from home." He said.

"I know." I said. "I lost my tail, and that I got swept up in the waves. I woke up on this beach last week."

"I'm surprised you weren't killed." Sebastian said and when I looked into his black eyes I saw something that unnerved me. He looked upset that I wasn't dead.

"I'm a fighter Sebastian. I wasn't going to let the ocean kill me." I said and I didn't think it was possible, but his eyes got darker.

"Pity." He said and he started leaning closer to me.

 **Jace POV:**

After I put Angie down I made my way back to the kitchen to see if Clary was still sitting in the sand. I felt awful about yelling at her, but I needed to know something about her, and she wasn't telling me, and I need answers. When I looked out the window she wasn't alone. A man was sitting next to her, and I blinked and he started leaning in until his lips touched her. Pissed, I turned around and punched the wall. I know it had only been a week, but I really liked Clary, and I wanted something to come out if it, but I just didn't know where her head was, but I guess now I do. I took a couple deep calming breaths before I heard a piercing scream. I looked out the window and the man was now standing but Clary was doubled over on the sand. Without a second thought I ran towards her. The guy had sprinted off in the other direction, but I didn't care about him, all I cared about was Clary. I kneeled down next to her and she was crying and holding her side.

"Stay with me Clary, I'll call an ambulance right away. You're going to be fine." I said and she shook her head.

"Take me to the water." She chocked out.

"I know you like the ocean Clary, but you need medical assistance." I said and she laughed.

"Trust me. Take me to the water." She said and I obeyed. I picked her up and took her to the edge of the water. I set her down and waited for a wave to crash so the water would hit her. As soon as the water hit her I instantly saw her face morph from pain and fear to calmness, and relief. When the water receded I looked at Clary's stomach and the wound was completely gone.

"Clary." I said and she looked at me. "What's going on?" I asked.

"I promise, I will answer all your questions, but can you take me back to your house?" She asked and I nodded. I picked her up and walked back to my house. Once we were inside I pulled a blanket over her and took a seat next to her on the couch.

"Why did the water heal you Clary?" I asked.

"Because I'm not really a human." She said and I was utterly confused. "I'm a mermaid."

"Please don't make a joke out of this Clary." I said and she shook her head.

"I'm not lying." She said. "I often liked to breach the surface to watch the sunset." She said with a smile. "My father always told me I could get into a lot of trouble doing it, but I just couldn't resist all the colors." She said and I laughed. "Saturday night I was watching the sunset when I started to feel weird. I looked down and my tail was disappearing. I was so confused but before I could do anything I got caught in some brutal waves. I did the best I could to try and make it back to the surface, since I could no longer breath under water. But darkness took me over and than I woke up on that beach the day you found me."

"So your father is what, like King Triton?" I asked a little amused.

"Yea." She said. "That movie is pretty accurate as to how us merpeople operate. Except I didn't go looking to turn into a human. I'm not entirely sure how that happened but I have my suspicions." She said.

"That man who kissed you." I said and she let out a dry laugh.

"You saw that?" She asked and I nodded. "We dated for years." She admitted. "He was nice, and his family was great, but I never felt completely comfortable with him." She said and I nodded. "I broke it off with him because I wanted to find real love. Someone who made me happy, who appreciated everything about me, and who didn't want me just to inherit the sea from my father." She explained and I nodded. "He didn't take too kindly to the break up, and now I'm a human."

"You're right." I said. "I wouldn't believe you." I said and her face fell. "If I didn't see what the water did to you."

"So you believe me?" She asked and I laughed.

"I do. I don't have any doubt in my mind, or body that you're telling me the truth." I said and she leaped across the sofa and hugged me. When she backed away I didn't want to let her go. Our eyes locked and I didn't even care in that moment, I was taking a chance. I slammed my lips to hers and she eagerly kissed me back which caused me to smile. When we broke apart she had the biggest smile on her face, and so did I.

"Jace, I have to find my father. I have to let him know that I'm not dead." She said and I nodded.

"Where does he live?" I asked and she laughed.

"In the ocean." She said in a whisper and I shook my head.

"I mean what part of the ocean?" I asked and she laughed.

"A couple miles off the coast." She said and I nodded.

"I have a boat, we can sail out and see if he breaches the surface." I said and she nodded.

"Daddy?" I heard and I turned around to see Angie standing there rubbing her eyes.

"What's wrong sweet pea?" I asked.

"I had a bad dream." She said as she made her way over to me. I picked her up and seated her on my lap.

"About what?" I asked.

"That Clary left, and we were both really sad." She said and I looked at Clary who was smiling.

"I'm not going anywhere just yet." Clary said and Angie smiled and nodded. "But I have something I want to show you." Clary said. "Do you get sea sick?" She asked.

"Nope!" She said with a huge smile on her face.

"Good, cause your daddy promised me a ride on his boat." Clary said and Angie looked up at me.

"Really?" She asked.

"Really. Go get your swim suit and sun dress, and I'll get you dressed and we're go." I said and she hopped off my lap and ran to her room. "She's going to lose it when she sees a real mermaid." I said and Clary laughed.

"I know." She said and I laughed.

Angie came back out and I changed her and than Clary and I both got changed. We made our way to the dock and I got the boat ready. I haven't actually taken this out in a couple months, so my captain skills are a little rusty but I got the boat out far enough and when I looked at Clary she held up a thumb and I stopped the boat. I made my way over to Angie and Clary and I she was just staring at the water.

"Anything?" I asked and she shook her head. She reached her hand in the water and closed her eyes.

"Daddy, what is she doing?" Angie asked.

"You'll see sweetheart." I said as I picked her up. "Anything?" I asked again and Clary stood up.

"I can only assume that maybe the connection I had to the water before isn't as strong as before." She said and I nodded.

"What else can you do?" I asked.

"I don't know." She admitted looking incredibly defeated. I walked over and pulled her into me. Angie put an arm around her as well.

"We'll think of something Clare." I said and I felt her nod.

"Wait." She said as she pulled away.

"What?" I asked.

"I think I know a way, but no judging." She said and I smiled.

"No judgments here." I said and she smiled. She walked over to the edge again and leaned close to the water.

"Dad." She said. "Dad, if you can hear me please come to me." She said in a desperate voice. The water started to rock the boat slightly and I grabbed onto the railing so that Angie and I were secure. A couple moments later there was this huge water wall, and when I disappeared there was a bulky man who looked like he was on a murder mission.

"Clarissa." He said and the wave holding him up moved him towards her. She flung her arms around his neck and they hugged.

"Daddy." Angie said. "He's a mermaid." She said with such amazement in her voice.

"He is baby." I said and her eyes lit up.

"Wow." She said and I laughed.

"Clarissa, I thought you were dead." Her father said as they broke apart.

"I know. I was supposed to die. That was all part of the plan." Clary said.

"Who's?" Her father asked.

"Sebastian's." Clary said and her fathers eyes widened. "He wasn't happy that I broke up with him, and swore his revenge on me."

"I'll murder him." Her father said.

"He isn't worth it dad, plus he had help. How else do you think I lost my tail?" Clary asked.

"You're a mermaid too?" Angie asked and Clary looked back at her.

"I used to be." Clary said.

"Who are you?" Her father asked.

"Dad, this is Jace and his daughter Angie. They found me and took me in." Clary said.

"I can't thank you enough for looking after my daughter." He said as he held out his hand I took it and shook the man's hand.

"It was my pleasure sir." I said.

"Call me Valentine." He said and I nodded. "Let's see what we can do about this leg situation." Valentine said as he held his hand up to Clary. Part of me was incredibly worried that she was go back to being a mermaid, and I would lose her forever. "Oh my." He said after a few minutes.

"What is it dad?" Clary asked.

"Dark magic." He said. "Whoever did this, is powerful, and there is nothing I can do to reverse it. Whoever cast this, will have to reverse it." Valentine said.

"Oh." Clary said.

"But I will search the entire world, every ocean, ever cave, everything animal carcass. The person will be punished and you'll return home to us." Valentine said and my heart broke a little.

"Dad." Clary said as she smiled at him.

"You don't want to come back, do you?" Valentine asked before she said anything else.

"I'm really happy where I am." Clary said as she looked at me and Angie, and my heart swelled.

"I can see that. You have that same glimmer in your eyes that your mother has when she looks at me." Valentine said and Clary smiled. "You sure you want to stay?" He asked one more time and Clary looked back at Angie and I and walked over to us. I put my arm around her and brought her closer to me.

"I'm sure dad." Clary said and he smiled.

"Well, I should probably get the rest of the family and let them say goodbye." He said and Clary nodded. He dove back into the water and everything was silent.

"Are you sure this is what you want Clary?" I asked and she looked up at me and smiled.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." Clary said and I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her and Angie giggled.

"I can't believe you're a mermaid." Angie said when we broke apart and Clary laughed. "I knew they were real daddy, I told you!" She said and I laughed.

"You proved me wrong sweet pea." I said as I kissed her cheek.

"Does that mean Clary is going to be my mommy?" Angie asked and Clary blushed and I laughed.

"I don't know yet sweetie." I said honestly.

"I want her to be." Angie said and Clary smiled.

"I'll be whatever you want me to be sweetheart." Clary said and Angie laughed before pulling her into both of us.

"Clarissa." We heard and we broke apart and there were a bunch more mermaids now.

"Mom." Clary said as she ran over and hugged her.

"I'm so glad you're okay sweetie. I thought you were dead." She said and Clary pulled away from the hug.

"I'm fine. More than fine actually." She said as she pointed back to us.

"Your father told us that you didn't want to come home." Her mother said.

"Are you upset?" Clary asked.

"Not at all sweetie. You're old enough to make your own decisions. If you want to live the rest of your life on land, with him, I wouldn't stop that." She said and Clary smiled. "But I can't say this little one isn't going to miss you." She said as she pointed to the little mermaid who looked about Angie's age.

"My sweet little Emma." Clary said as she kissed the girls head.

"You aren't coming back Clary?" She asked in a sad yet innocent voice.

"No hun." Clary said.

"I'm gonna miss you." She said and Clary smiled.

"If it's okay with mom and dad, maybe we can work something out where we meet out here every so often?" Clary said and she perked up.

"Really?" She said and Clary nodded. "Can we mommy? Please daddy!" She said and Clary's parents laughed.

"Absolutely." They both said at the same time.

"Yes!" She cheered.

"Emma, there is someone I'd like you to meet." Clary said as she looked back at me. I walked over and put Angie down on the boat. "This is Angie, you two are the same age."

"Hi." Angie said.

"Hi, I'm Emma." She said enthusiastically.

"It's nice to meet you." Angie said.

"You too. Wanna swim with me?" Emma asked and Angie's eyes lit up.

"Can I daddy?" Angie asked.

"Put your floaties on." I said.

"She doesn't need them." Valentine said.

"She's only 4 years old, she's just been learning how to swim in the ocean." I said concerned.

"Nothing will touch her, and she won't drown. I'll make sure of it." Valentine said and I looked at Clary who nodded.

"Okay." I said. I picked Angie up and handed her to Valentine. He set her in the ocean and she stared swimming with Emma. They were having a blast and I pulled Clary into my side as we watched the two little girls swim and laugh. It may have only been like 2 weeks, not even, but everything with Clary felt right, and I was excited to see where it went.

 **Time Jump – Two Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Jace, we need to go now." I said as I held my precious little girl in my arms. Evangeline came into this world 2 months ago, and she was my pride and joy. Everything about her was perfect. Angie was the perfect big sister, and Jace was even a better father than I already knew he was.

"I'm coming." I heard Jace said. He walked out of Evangeline's room with a bag. "I just grabbed a few things.

"We're only going to be out on the boat for a few hours." I said and he laughed.

"Evangeline goes through clothes like it's her job." Jace said and I smiled. "That suit she has on right now, isn't going to be the one she comes home in." He said and I laughed.

"I guess." I said as I looked at the beautiful baby in my arms. She had my red hair, but Jace's gold eyes, and I absolutely loved it.

We got on the boat and I took a seat and put Evangeline over my shoulder and Angie came and sat next to me.

"Are we going to visit grandpa?" Angie asked and I laughed.

"We are. They haven't met Evangeline yet." I said.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Well, it's been pretty busy for daddy and I, and grandma and grandpa have a whole ocean to run." I said and she laughed. When Jace parked the boat in our normal spot, a moment later there was a water wall before it fell and my family appeared behind it.

"Emma!" Angie said as she made her way over to her. They hugged and than Angie jumped in the water to swim with her little merfriend.

"Is that my other grandbaby?" My mom said and I smiled.

"I'd like you to meet Evangeline Jocelyn Herondale." I said and her eyes watered.

"I'm honored." My mom said as she took Evangeline out of my arms. My parents looked down at Evangeline. I felt an arm snake around my waist and I looked up and Jace was smiling down on me. He kissed my forehead and we focused back on my family. Emma and Angie were having a blast in the water, and my mom and dad were admiring Evangeline. I leaned into Jace and sighed. I never knew how incredibly joyous life could be, but right here, right now, with Jace, and Evangeline, and Angie, and my family, everything was perfect, and I couldn't picture it any other way.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, a guest suggested Clary being a mermaid, and inspiration struck lat night and this was the end product! I know it moves fast, but I also like the pace and think it suits the story rather well, and I'm happy with it, and I'm sorry if you aren't but oh well! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	77. Chapter 76 - Pranking Jace

**Seventy Sixth One Shot:**

 **Pranking Jace**

 **Clary POV:**

I've been working at Java Jones since I was in high school, and I loved it. It was the perfect way to pass the breaks during school. Right now it's winter break and I'm working, but it's pretty dead. Since it had been snowing not a lot of people make it out, and if they do, they don't really waste time getting coffee, although I do have my regulars. Which include the Lightwood siblings. Java Jones was the only way I knew them. We went to different high schools, and I occasionally saw them when out schools played each other, but I really got to know them when they started coming here, and they stayed. When the bell rang I wasn't surprised to see them walk in. I smiled and they made their way over to me.

"Why am I not surprised that you guys are out in this weather?" I said and they all laughed.

"You know you couldn't survive a shift without us Red." Jace said and I just smiled and shook my head.

"You found me out." I said. "I live for you visits."

"You finally admit it." He said and my insides flipped. I would be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to Jace. He was hot, and he just got better looking with age, but his reputation was infamous. There wasn't a girl in this town that hadn't hooked up with him, so no matter how much he flirted, I never gave into my impulses, but it was fun to try and get his hopes up. He's actually asked me out a couple times, and I've always declined, but never told him why, and the truth was I never wanted to get my heartbroken by him because I knew that I wouldn't recover well.

"I'm assuming your usual?" I said and they all nodded and made their way over to the normal table. I mean, they were such regulars, that nobody sat there because they knew it was their table. I was in the middle of making their drinks when the bell rang again and when I looked up I nearly shit my pants. "Oh my god!" I said as I hopped over the counter and ran into Simon's arms.

"It's so good to see you Clare." He said as he scooped me into a hug.

"Why are you back? Aren't you supposed to be gone until May?" I asked and he laughed.

"We get a holiday break too Fray." He said and I laughed. "I wanted to spend Hanukkah with my family, and I couldn't do that in Portugal."

"How was it?" I asked and he smiled.

"Amazing. I want to take you there." He said and I bit my lip and nodded. I noticed that the Lightwoods were staring at me and I totally forgot their drinks.

"Shit. I was in the middle of making drinks." I said and Simon laughed.

"I'll grab a table, and you can bring me my favorite, and we'll talk." He said and I nodded. He kissed my forehead before I went back and finished the drinks. I walked over to their table and set them out.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Izzy asked and I looked back at Simon and had a brilliant idea.

"It's complicated." I said and I saw Jace shift in his chair. I was always curious if Jace was asking me out because he actually liked me, or if he was just doing it because I was one of the few girls he hasn't been with, and this seemed like a good way to test that theory.

"How so?" She asked.

"He's currently abroad studying, and we weren't sure how we'd handle the distance, so I'm not really sure what we are." I said trying to make it sound realistic.

"He's cute." She said and I looked back at Simon and laughed.

"He's nerdy cute, but it's pretty great." I said and she laughed. "Enjoy." I said and they nodded. I made my way over to Simon's table and put his tea down. "I just did something crazy, and you have to play along." I said and he looked at me confused.

"What did you do Fray?" He asked and I laughed.

"You know the Lightwood's have been regulars here since our high school days." I said and he nodded. "Well, you know how Jace has asked me out a couple times and I always said no because I was afraid of getting my heartbroken by him."

"Don't tell me you still have that school girl crush." He said and I threw a balled up napkin at him.

"Don't make fun of me." I said and he laughed. "Anyway, Izzy asked if we were dating and I told her it was complicated, and Jace seemed to go tense. I never knew his reasoning behind him asking me out, but I think if I pretend to date you, I might get a real reason."

"You do realize I'm only here until the middle of January right?" He asked.

"I know, but I don't think it will take long. Please Simon. You owe me for going to all your shitty concerts in high school." I said and he laughed.

"Deal, but this gets me out of buying you a Christmas present." He said and I laughed. "Oh, and we aren't kissing. It was weird in high school, and it will be weird now." He said and I laughed.

"Forehead and cheek kisses forever Si." I said and I kissed his cheek. "My shift is over in an hour. Wanna wait?" I asked.

"Sure. I have nothing else to do with my day." He said and I smiled.

"You're the best Si." I said and he nodded before pulling out his comic book and reading. I looked over at the Lightwood table and I saw Jace looking at Simon and than he looked at me and immediately looked away. I hope that this plan works because I've been dying to know the real reason behind Jace asking me out for years and I might finally get my answer.

 **Jace POV:**

It never hit me that Clary might have a boyfriend until today. I mean, I've always seen him around and they were friendly, but I never thought they were together, but now that I think about it, they were extra touchy feely and he was always making her laugh. It makes sense while she rejected me all those times I asked her out, but that didn't mean it sucked any less.

"You still aren't over her?" I heard Izzy asked and I looked at her.

"I don't think I ever will be." I said honestly.

"Than tell her that." Izzy said.

"You heard her. Her relationship with that guy is complicated." I said. "I never thought she was in a relationship, but I never asked either."

"She always never explained why she always denied you." Alec chimed in and I glared at him. "What? She didn't. She just said no, and left it at that."

"I don't really peg them as a couple." Izzy said.

"You heard her Iz." I said and she shrugged.

"I know what she said, I just don't buy it." She said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I don't know. Something just seems odd about it." Izzy said. "Let's call it female intuition."

"Your female intuition also told me that asking out Clary in high school was a sealed deal." I said and she laughed.

"I still think I'm right." Izzy said.

"It's been 5 years Iz. I think that ship sailed." I said honestly.

"And yet, you're still jealous." Izzy said and I looked at her. "Face it, this crush you got in high school is never going away."

"You don't know that." I said.

"Dude, it's been 5 years." Alec said. "You're stuck with it."

"Ugh." I said and they laughed.

"Come on, mom wants us home before the weather gets worse." Izzy said and I nodded. We stood up and started walking out.

"Have a great day!" Clary called from behind the counter. I turned around and smiled before leaving the coffee shop. There wasn't anything more that I wanted than to just go out on one date with Clary, and each year that passed my chances just kept dwindling, but my feelings were stronger than ever, and I hated it because I knew it was never going to happen.

 **Clary POV:**

Once the Lightwood's left I made my way over to Simon and took a seat at his table.

"You think it worked?" I asked and he laughed.

"I kept catching him staring at me, so maybe, but who knows Fray." Simon said and I nodded.

"I hope it did." I said and he laughed.

"He's just one guy. You're telling me you haven't found one at your school yet?" Simon asked and I laughed.

"There are plenty interested, but I'm not interested in them." I explained. "There is this one creep that won't leave me alone. I had to pretend I was a lesbian for him to finally back off."

"How did you manage that?" Simon asked.

"My roommate is a lesbian and we were out one night and she was trying to get the attention of this girl she's been crushing on since freshman year." I explained. "I decided to be her wingwoman, and talk her up, but the creep was there, and I saw him approaching so I told Aline about it, and she told me Helen was watching her so we started making out." I said and Simon laughed. "He never bothered me again, and Aline and Helen have been together ever since."

"Works like a charm." Simon said and I smiled.

"I was desperate." I said and he smiled.

"Are you done?" He asked.

"Yea. Rachel just clocked in." I said and he nodded. I grabbed my stuff and we walked out to the parking lot. "I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked.

"Of course. I need to head to the comic book store and pick up some new stuff, but how about we meet for lunch. Taki's, 12:30?"

"Sounds perfect." I said and Simon kissed my forehead. He was the brother I never had but always wanted.

"See ya Fray." Simon said as he got into his car. I made my way to my car and I had the biggest smile on my face. I got to catch up with Simon and figure out the mystery that is Jace Lightwood. This was going to be a good holiday break.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Simon POV:**

I was rummaging through the comic book store looking for something that grabbed my attention. Nothing was really popping out to me when I saw Isabelle Lightwood walk in. my heart immediately stopped, which was new for me. I mean, of course she was gorgeous, but knowing she gorgeous and feeling your heart physically stop just at the sight of someone were two totally different things.

"Izzy, this way." I heard a little voice say. That's when I realized she wasn't alone, which made sense, cause Isabelle Lightwood wouldn't be caught dead in a comic book store.

"I'm coming Max." Izzy said. I tried to focus on the comics in front of me, but my eyes kept involuntarily finding her.

"Excuse me." I heard and when I looked down there was this little boy. "Which one would you recommend?" He asked as he held up two comics.

"X-Men. Definitely." I said and he smiled.

"Thanks!" She said and he ran away.

"I'm sorry about that." I heard from the other direction and there stood Isabelle Lightwood. "He's way too friendly for his own good."

"I don't mind." I said a little flustered.

"I'm Izzy." She said as she held her hand out.

"Simon." I said as I took it.

"I remember you from Java Jones yesterday." She said.

"Right. I was there." I said and I immediately kicked myself. I probably sounded so stupid to her.

"I know. You're Clary's boyfriend right?" She asked and I know Clary wanted me to play along but there was something so wrong about lying to her.

"Can you keep a secret?" I asked and she looked intrigued. "Especially from Jace." I said and now she was super intrigued.

"Of course." She said.

"Clary and I are best friends." I said. "She wanted to pretend date me so that she could finally figure out the real mystery as to why Jace has asked her out so many times." I said and she smiled.

"Because he is totally in love with her." Izzy said without missing a beat.

"Really?" I asked.

"Totally." She said. "The first time we walked into Java Jones and he laid eyes on her, he was a goner."

"That is so hard to believe considering his reputation." I said.

"Half the girls in this town are lying." She said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Jace has had like 5 girlfriends tops. Everyone else just says they've hooked up with him because they think it makes them cool." She explained.

"Why hasn't he done anything about the rumors than?" I asked.

"Because Jace knows the truth, and those who matter to him know the truth. That's all that matters to him." She said and I nodded. "So, does Clary like him too?"

"She'd kill me for telling you." I said and Izzy laughed. "But she has since high school. She just didn't want to get involved because of his reputation. She has a big heart, and I don't think she wanted to give it away just for it to be broken."

"Understandable. Someone who doesn't know Jace very well is naturally going to believe the things they hear about them." She said and I nodded.

"Izzy I'm ready." Came the small voice again.

"Okay. Be right over." Izzy said. "So, is there a plan besides trying to make Jace jealous?" She asked and I smiled.

"Not really." I said. "We are going to lunch at Taki's at 12:30, maybe you could get him there and see how he handles it and we can go from there." I said.

"Sounds good." She said. "See you around Simon." She said and she walked away. Once she left the store I took a deep calming breath. Talking to her was surprising easy, and I liked it. I wish that I was more her type but if we only become friends, I'll be satisfied with that.

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in Taki's waiting for Simon to arrive when the Lightwoods walked in. My eyes locked with Izzy's first and she waved and made her way over to me.

"Hey." She said and I smiled.

"Hey." I said back.

"Simon not here yet?" She asked.

"How do you know I'm waiting for Simon?" I asked confused.

"I ran into him at the comic book store. My little brother had been begging me to take him. He told us you would be here." She said and I nodded. She took a seat in the booth while the rest of her party was seated at a different table and she smiled a wicked smiled at me. "Simon told me the truth."

"That little snitch." I hissed and she laughed.

"I think it's a brilliant plan." She said. "Jace is going crazy."

"He is?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yea. It's actually really weird to see him so jealous." She said.

"He's jealous of Simon?" I asked kinda shocked.

"He's been asking you out for 5 years Clary." She said and I thought about it, and it has been a long time.

"I know, I just figured he'd move on." I said honestly.

"Well, it's driving him crazy. He thinks you're really dating." She said and I smiled. The bell rang and in walked Simon and Izzy got out of the booth. "I'll let you two enjoy your date." She said as she winked and headed towards her table and Simon sat down.

"What were you and Izzy talking about?" Simon asked.

"Oh about how you told her the truth." I said and he sighed.

"I couldn't lie to her. It felt wrong." He said.

"Do I have to tell her about your little crush?" I said and his eyes widened.

"You wouldn't dare." He said and I nodded.

"Oh yes I would." I said.

"Look, my job is to make Jace jealous, and I'm doing a damn good job. Don't make me break up with you in public." He said and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Fine, but I'm still not happy you told her." I said and he nodded.

"I know, but if it makes you feel any better she told me he likes you. Like really likes you." He said.

"Really?" I asked as y attitude perked up a little.

"Yea. So he was asking you out because he really wanted too, and not just for a joke or a bet or anything like that." He said and I nodded.

"Good to know." I said and Simon nodded. We continued with out lunch catch up and I didn't realize how much I truly missed him until I got to have him back and it was going to suck when he left again, but I was thankful for the time we had now.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was shopping for Simon, and trying to figure out what I'd get him for helping me out. I know he's Jewish but I always got him something for Christmas because he likes to celebrate it with my mom and me. I was currently coming up extremely empty because he is doing so much for me and I feel like my gift needs to represent my gratitude. I was currently staring at watches, because Simon is always late, and he could use one but I didn't know what he would like.

"Fancy seeing you here Red." I heard and I knew exactly who it was. When I turned around there stood Jace and my heart started racing.

"You as well." I said and he smiled.

"Shopping for your boyfriend?" He asked and I could hear the jealously in his voice which made me cheer internally.

"Yea. I just don't know which one to get." I said as I looked back at the display.

"Well, what does he normally wear?" He asked as he stood next to me. I could literally feel the warmth radiating off his body and I just wanted to wrap his arms around me and bask in it.

"Nothing, which is why I want to get him one. He's always late for everything, and watches are kinda an inside joke between us so it'll be useful and hilarious." I explained and he nodded.

"Well, if it were me, I'd want something that I could wear with anything." He said and I nodded. "So I'd stick with maybe a silver or black watch." He said.

"Thanks." I said and he smiled. "I appreciate the advice."

"It helps to have some male advice on a gift for another male." He said and I smiled.

"What are you doing here?" I asked after a moment.

"Shopping for Izzy." He said. "I normally just get her whatever she sends me and says she wants, but this year I want to get her something that I picked."

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"I was thinking about getting her a necklace." He said and my heart melted at the sweetness.

"That's really sweet." I said.

"She might be a pain in the ass, but she's my sister and I love her." He said and I nodded. "I just don't know where to start." He said and I laughed.

"I think you should start with your own advice. Get her something that will go with anything." I said and he nodded.

"That's the problem with Izzy. She has so many things that go with so many different outfits that it's hard to figure out what she actually likes and what she wears simply for fashion." Jace said and I laughed.

"Sounds like Izzy. She is always dressed quite fashionably." I said and he nodded.

"Yea. So I might be shit out of a luck with gifts." He said.

"Well, you helped me, I can help you." I said.

"I don't want to take up your time." He said and I smiled.

"Don't worry about it. I don't have anywhere to be today." I said and he smiled.

"Okay." He said and he started walking towards the necklaces and I opened my phone to text Simon the progress.

 ** _To Simon:_**

 _Ran into Jace while shopping, and now I'm helping him pick a gift out for Izzy. I say this is progress!_

A few minutes later Simon replied.

 ** _From Simon:_**

 _Good luck!_

It was short but I knew Simon truly meant it. I went over to Jace and saw him looking at some necklaces and laughed.

"Izzy is not the type of girl that wants basic." I said as I took the infinity necklace out of his hand. "She's unique, and she needs something to match that unique aesthetic." I said and he nodded.

"Where do I start master?" He said and I laughed.

"Well, what's her birthstone?" I asked.

"Diamond." He said and I laughed.

"Of course it is." I said and he smiled.

"Whoever ends up marrying her is in for a lot of expensive gifts." He said and I laughed. I was looking through all the displays when a woman walked up to me.

"Looking for anything in particular?" She asked.

"Yes." I said as Jace walked up beside me and I saw her body language change as she saw Jace. I snaked my arm around his waist and smiled at her. "He wants to get his sister something for Christmas, and he's dreadful as picking out gifts. I mean, the last pair of earrings he got me turned my ears green, and lets not even talk about the ring." I said with a laugh. "Her birthstone is a diamond and she's really into unique pieces, do you have anything like that?"

"Of course. Give me a minute." She said and she walked away. I released Jace and he had a smile on his face.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"When women who sell jewelry see a single guy shopping for something, they automatically try and sell them something that they would want, and than proceed to try and get you to ask them out. I was cutting that out because you don't want to get Izzy something that someone else would ultimately wear." I explained.

"Very wise." He said and I laughed.

"I've seen it happen and I think it's rotten for them to try and sell people something they normally wouldn't get simply because they just want to get with you." I said and the woman came back and I linked my around his waist again, and I just loved being close to him.

"Is this something she would be interested in?" She asked as she handed it to me. It was beautiful diamond that was trapped inside a silver box. It was something you didn't see often, but extremely beautiful and different, just like Izzy.

"Oh babe, it's perfect. Izzy will love this." I said as I looked up at Jace. He put his arm back around my waist, and I couldn't help the chills that went through my body. "It's beautiful and different, just like her."

"I think it's a winner." Jace said and I smiled up at him.

"He'll take it." I said and she nodded and took it back from me. She went over to wrap it up and I looked up at Jace and he smiled.

"You know how to get the perfect gift." He said and I smiled.

"Sometimes you just need female advice for a female gift." I said with a wink and he laughed. After he purchased the necklace I went and got Simon's watch and we both walked out of the store together.

"Thank you for your help today." He said as we both stopped before getting to our cars.

"Thank you as well. I would still be lost in there looking." I said and he laughed.

"I would have probably gotten the first necklace I saw and probably ended up disappointing Izzy. You saved my ass." He said and I smiled.

"She would have been pleased with it no matter what because it's all about the thought." I said and he nodded.

"I'll see you around Clary." He said and I smiled.

"Bye Jace." I said and he started walking to his car. I got into mine and took a deep breath. I wish so badly that what happened in that store was real and not just pretend. It felt so right. So real, and hopefully I get to find that out.

 **Time Jump – Christmas**

 **Izzy POV:**

Christmas was today, and we had opened gifts early this morning and I was meeting Simon for coffee. It was weird, he wasn't the type I would normally go for, but he made me happy, and he made me feel things I've never felt before. We of course weren't going to Java Jones, because he was technically still 'dating' Clary so we were meeting at another coffee shop. I didn't mind sneaking around because I knew I wasn't hurting anyone's feelings, but I wish I could tell someone. When I walked into the coffee shop, I immediately saw Simon. I walked over and took a seat at the table.

"Merry Christmas." Simon said and I laughed.

"Aren't you Jewish?" I asked.

"I've been celebrating Christmas with Clary's family since we met. I appreciate the holiday." He said.

"Am I disrupting your tradition this year?" I asked.

"Nope. Clary is actually working, so they are celebrating later. My morning was completely free." He said and I nodded. "How was your Christmas?" He asked.

"It was really good. Jace got me this necklace, and I have to admit, I didn't think he had much taste for jewelry but he did a great job. I love it." I said as I showed him.

"It's beautiful." He said.

"What did you get Clary?" I asked.

"Nothing. Helping make Jace jealous was my present to her." He said and I laughed.

"You'd think they'd both do something about their obvious feelings for each other." I said and he laughed.

"They are both too stubborn to make the first move." He said and I laughed.

"Technically Jace has made the first 5 moves. I think he's waiting for Clary this time, and him thinking you're her boyfriend is slowing that process down." I said and he nodded.

"I guess we'll wait and see." He said and I nodded.

We sat there for a couple hours just talking. Nobody has ever made me smile and laugh the way Simon does, and I knew I was entering something that would ultimately be put on hold because he as still studying abroad but I didn't care because he made me really happy, and I've never had that before.

 **Jace POV:**

I don't know what possessed me to do so, but I was buying Clary a present for Christmas at this antique shop because she pegged me as the type to like oddities, and classic things. I was walking out of the shop when I saw Izzy walk out of the coffee shop across the street, and I thought it was weird, and I was about to call out to her when I saw Simon walk out behind her. It didn't make any sense and when he leaned in to kiss her all I saw was red. How could he do that to Clary? And with Izzy. I mean, I loved my sister, but that was a bitch move on her part. I rushed to my car and sped to Java Jones. I knew she was working today and I needed her to know. When I got there, I walked right in and over to the counter where she smiled at me.

"Your usual?" She asked.

"We need to talk." I said and she nodded.

"Rachel, I'm going on break." She said and she walked out from the counter and we sat at a table. "What's going on Jace?"

"I am in no way telling you this to ruin your day, but I just saw Izzy and Simon walking out of a coffee shop, and at first I was confused, but than they started kissing." I said and her eyes widened. "I came straight here to tell you because you don't deserve that to be hidden from you."

"I can't believe it." She said.

"I know. It's a horrible thing to do to someone, and I'm going to have a stern talking too with my sister later to tell her that what she's going is wrong." I said.

"He finally plucked up the courage." She said with a smile and that threw me off.

"Wait, what?" I asked and she laughed.

"Simon and I are best friend." She said. "We aren't dating."

"Wait, but what?" I asked and she laughed again.

"I wanted to find out your real intentions, and why you asked me out so many time." She said. "And when I saw you react to the way I acted with Simon, I asked him to play along so that I could see if you asking me out was a joke, or something or if it was genuinely real." She said and my jaw dropped.

"Why would I ever ask you out because of a joke?" I said and she shrugged.

"We may not have gone to the same high school, but we live in the same town. Your reputation travels." She said and I laughed.

"If you didn't hear it directly from my mouth, it's most likely a lie." I said and she looked confused. "Girls say they've hooked up with me all the time, and the majority of them are lying."

"Why would they do that?" She asked.

"Because they thought it would make them cooler." I said with a scoff. "I don't know. Girls will do crazy things to be popular. I haven't hooked up with this whole town. I haven't even hooked up with half this town. I have had 5 girlfriends. That's it."

"Really?" She asked sounding quite surprised.

"Really. I asked you out because I like you. I really like you." I said and she smiled.

"I really like you too." She said and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.

"So, will you finally go out with my Clary Fray?" I asked and she giggled.

"I'd love too." She said and I stood up and scooped her into my arms. I've been dying to do this again since the store, and just holding her in my arms made me feel something I've never felt with anyone before, and I couldn't wait to explore our relationship.

 **Time Jump - One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

How could I possibly describe this last year? I guess I would just have to say perfect. Jace and I realized that our colleges were actually pretty close to each other so being apart wasn't an issue for us. We constantly were grabbing coffee together, or getting dinner. It was something that I never knew I wanted, but with Jace it just made sense. He made me feel beautiful, and sexy, and intelligent, and everything any girl gets shit for, but Jace just builds me up. It was a normal Wednesday and I was just finished class and I was walking across the quad when I saw a group of girls giggling and hovered around something. Not thinking much of it, I continued to walk by when I heard someone laugh, and I recognized the laugh.

"You just going to walk right past me Red?" I heard and I turned around and there stood Jace.

"I didn't know it was you." I said and I made my way over to you. "You had a wall."

"Yea. I was waiting for you, and they all kinda flocked." He said and I leaned up and kissed him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked after we broke apart.

"My class got cancelled and I was wondering if you'd like to go out to dinner." He said.

"I'd love too." I said. He took my hand in his and we were about to walk away when someone started talking.

"You aren't going to introduce us?" I heard and when I turned around there stood Kaelie. I tried to avoid her as much as possible, but I guess that time has come.

"Not really." I said.

"That's kinda rude." She said.

"I don't care. My love life isn't your business or concern." I said and she scowled.

"When you get done with her handsome, come find me." She said as she winked at Jace who just scoffed.

"In your dreams." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. We turned around and continued to walk to his car. "So, where would you like to go?" He asked when we got into his car.

"Doesn't matter to me." I said and my stomach growled which caused him to laugh. "I'm just hungry."

"Panera?" He asked and I smiled.

"Sounds great." I said and he started driving. He reached his hand over and rested it on my leg as we drove in silence listening to the radio. It may have taken us years to get here, but I was incredibly thankful that we were here, and that we were together, and experience life together, because if this is how life was going to be with Jace, I was going to love every minute of it.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, this was requested a long time ago. I don't remember who it was, but they asked for CLary to pretend to be in a relationship with Simon to make Jace jealous, and I think this is a pretty cute one shot! I hope that I lived up to the expectations of the person who requested, and I'm sorry that it took me so long to get it done, but I read it and inspiration struck, and I wrote it! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	78. Chapter 77 - A Cinderella Like Story

**Authors Note: Okay, so you'll learn about this in the story, but I use the musical 'Spring Awakening' in this one shot, and there are two names that are mentioned that are weird, but thats because the musical takes place in the 19th century Germany, so I wanted to help you all out cause I know how frustrating it cane be when you can't pronounce a name or word!**

 **Wendla (Vend-la)**

 **Melchior (Mel-key-or)**

 **Okay, now that I got that out of the way enjoy! :)**

 **Seventy Seventh One Shot:**

 **A Cinderella Like Story**

 **Clary POV:**

There are a million things that could happen in life that just tear you apart. My particular incident? My mom died when I was a baby, and it was just me and my dad until I was about 9. He met a woman, and fell head over heels in love with her. She hated me, and claimed that I would never be her real daughter because she had two perfect princesses herself. Aline and Camille. God they were awful. But I sucked it up because my dad was happy, and that's all I cared about.

7 years ago was the worst day of my life. I was at school, and I was called to the office. I was confused thinking back to see if I did anything wrong. When I got there, Lilith was standing there with tear stricken cheeks, and mascara that was running. I had no idea what was going to happen but I wasn't prepared to hear that my father died in a car accident on his way to work that morning. Everything in me broke and I cried for a week. He was all I had left, and now I was stuck with Lilith, someone who didn't want me, didn't love me, and wasn't related to me. To say my life sunk to an ultimate low would be an understatement.

Thankfully, I'm a senior in high school, and I was getting out of this hellhole faster that I could even imagine. My dream school would be Cambridge University, and I was going to do everything in my power to go there. I wanted to write music, and have people sing them because I am just not outgoing enough to sing my own stuff.

"Clary!" I heard and I rolled my eyes and sat up in bed.

"Yes?" I yelled back.

"Breakfast won't cook itself!" Lilith called and I groaned but got out of bed. If I could pay my way through college, I wouldn't do a damn thing for her, but she was the primary holder of my college fund, so Slave Clary would have to suck it up until graduation. I got dressed and walked downstairs, and they were all sitting at the table looking like lost puppies.

"You know, it would be beneficial for your future to learn how to cook yourself." I said and they all looked at me.

"You aren't paid to insult us." Camille said and it worried me how much of an airhead she truly was.

"I don't get paid at all." I said as I grabbed the skillet.

"Really?" She said and I just shook my head and continued to cook them eggs. _9 months Clary, 9 months and you'll be on the other side of the ocean and not worrying about them ever again._ I told myself in my head as I scrambled the eggs.

"Jace Herondale is going to be at our school today, I need to make the best first impression." Aline said and it took everything in me not to roll my eyes.

"He can get you a contract with his music studio, and than all of America will be blessed with your amazing voice." Lilith said and I chuckled to myself. Aline couldn't hold a note to save her life, and no matter how many vocal lessons Lilith got her, she was never getting better. "How long is he staying?" Lilith asked.

"The whole year. He wanted to come and be a normal kid. His manager said he needed a break from his music." Aline said and I rolled my eyes. Must be hard being a pop sensation at the rip old age of 18. Poor guy.

"Breakfast is ready." I said as I put the plate of eggs down. They started digging in and I grabbed my toast, and my calculus book and sat in the living room until Simon texted me that he was out front. I grabbed my bag and made my way out to his hideous van and got in.

"Good morning." He said far too chipper for any sane person.

"Satan himself couldn't have a good morning in that house." I said as I pulled my seatbelt on.

"Rough morning?" Simon asked as he started making our way to school.

"I barely got 2 hours of sleep last night because Aline and Camille didn't do their summer reports." I said.

"You can say no Clary." Simon said and I shook my head.

"I can't. The minute I say no, is the minute they run to Lilith, and she withholds my college tuition money. I need that money. I need to get away." I said and Simon nodded. We pulled into the parking lot, and of course there was a huge crowd. I hopped out of Simon's van and I heard all the girls screaming Jace's name. Simon walked around and stood next to me.

"I wonder what women see in him." Simon said and I laughed.

"Who knows." I said. "But we can't worry about him being here. I need to get into Cambridge and you need to get into MIT. Nothing can distract us this year." I said and he nodded.

"Got it." He said. We started walking towards the building when I heard someone call.

"Hey Red. Can I get a name?" Jace Herondale called over to me and I turned around and he had his signature playboy smirk that made every woman swoon.

"Maybe when you act like a gentleman Blondie." I said and I turned and walked away. The crowd of screaming girls was now openly gaping at my comment towards Jace but I didn't care. They could all let their grades suffer in hopes of getting Jace Herondale's attention, but that wasn't going to be me.

 **Jace POV:**

Red walked away from me and I had to give her credit, she was fierce, and made me that much more intrigued by her. Of course I was already intrigued since she was the only girl not surrounding me right now. There was something about her that caught my attention and I was going to get to know her. That much I was sure of.

"Don't mind my step-sister. She can be a real bitch." The one girl said and the word step-sister caught my attention.

"Step-sister?" I asked and she nodded.

"She's kinda a loner. Doesn't have many friends." She said and I nodded. "I'm Aline by the way." She said with a smile that was pretty unappealing.

"I'm her twin Camille." The girl next to her said, and just by her voice I could tell she was ditzy.

"Never mind you." Aline said as she pushed Camille out of her way. "How about I show you around? Get you familiar with the school?" She said as she batted her eyelashes. I didn't really want too, but I needed to find my locker and she was offering.

"Sure." I said and she linked her arm around my and we started walking towards the school. I hadn't been in a school since I was 13, so this might be a little interesting.

 **Time Jump – Music Class**

 **Clary POV:**

"This year we are doing an original musical." Mr. Carstairs said. Music was my favorite class of the day, and I was so happy I got to end the day with it. The only thing is, Jace was in my class, and basically every girl in here wasn't paying the slightest attention to the teacher. "This years the play will be written by Julian Blackthorn." He said and Julian stood up and we all clapped. "Costumes will be done by Tessa Gray." He said and she stood up and we clapped again. "And the music, lyrics and melody will be written by Clary Fray." He said and I stood up and everyone clapped. I couldn't help but notice that seemed to get Jace's attention since his eyes were boring into me. I sat down embarrassed, hating being the center of attention. I turned my attention back to the teacher to hear what else he had to say. "Props and other stage activities will be announced when we figure out what the show is about, and auditions will be held at the beginning of December. The rest of the class will be free, so do what you would like, but don't break anything." He said and the class immediately started talking. I went over to Julian to start consulting on the play.

"Hey Jules, what is that brilliant mind thinking?" I said and he smiled. We've known each other since freshman year. He was a good guy, and I was thrilled to be collaborating with him on this project.

"Okay, Mr. Carstairs came to me at the end of the year and asked me to come up with an idea over the summer and I think I have a pretty great one." He said with the biggest smile on his face. You could really see his passion shine through.

"I'm sure it'll be brilliant." I said.

"I want to call it Spring Awakening." He said and I nodded. "It's a musical about teenagers in the 19th century trying to navigate and figure out the confusing ideas of teenage sexuality."

"Sounds deep." I said.

"I wanted something that had a message. Not something frilly and pointless you know?" He said and I nodded.

"I get it. What kind of music do you want in it?" I asked.

"How do you feel about rock?" He asked.

"Ask and you shall receive." I said and he laughed.

"Great. I'll email you the script, and you do your magic." He said and I smiled. I sat back and took out my sheet music and was playing with some notes when someone sat next to me. I looked up and Jace was sitting next to me.

"What do you want Blondie?" I said.

"Feisty." He said and I rolled my eyes. "And as much as I love our nicknames for each other, it hardly seems fair that you know my name, and I don't know yours." He said and I scoffed.

"What makes you think I know your name?" I asked.

"Please, everyone knows my name." He said in a cocky attitude.

"You see, I'd love to inflate that ego of yours like every other social climbing skank at this school, but I'd prefer if we never got this close again." I said as I packed my bag knowing the bell would ring any second.

"Your step-sister warned me about you." He said and I stood up.

"Oh yea?" I said and he nodded. "Good. So stay away." I said and the bell rang. I began walking to my locker when I noticed he was following.

"You're writing the music for the show." He said and I stopped at my locker.

"That is what Mr. Carstairs said." I told him as I twisted my combination into the lock.

"So you write music?" He asked.

"I thought that was obvious." I said as I opened my locker. "Are you done stalking me now?" I asked.

"I'm not stalking." He said confidently.

"You followed me to my locker." I said and he laughed before putting in the combination and opening the locker next to mine.

"Hello locker buddy." He said with a smirk and I rolled my eyes.

"Great." I said and he laughed.

"I'm not that bad Red." He said.

"I beg to differ." I said. "See ya later Blondie." I said as I made my way out of the school. Having to be next to him every day for the rest of the year was going to be interesting if our conversation today was any indication of how out interactions were going to go.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was in the music room and I was sitting at the piano playing with the keys. I had finished one song. I was really proud of this song, and I couldn't wait to fit it into the musical. I started playing and closed my eyes. I could see all the music in my head, and I took a deep breath and started singing.

 _Mama who bore me  
Mama who gave me  
No way to handle things  
Who made me so sad  
Mama, the weeping  
Mama, the angels  
No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem_

 _Some pray that, one day, Christ will come a-callin'  
They light a candle, and hope that it glows  
And some just lie there, crying for him to come and find them  
But when he comes, they don't know how to go_

 _Mama who bore me_  
 _Mama who gave me_  
 _No way to handle things_  
 _Who made me so bad_  
 _Mama, the weeping_  
 _Mama, the angels_  
 _No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem_

When I was finished, I smiled to myself and closed the lid of the piano. I was thankful that everyone was in an assembly right now so that no one was going to hear me. I grabbed my things and made my way out of the music room and over to my locker. The bell rang and the hall filled with kids, and before I knew it Jace was standing next to me.

"Didn't see you at the assembly." He said and I laughed.

"Yup." I said.

"It was mandatory." He said.

"So?" I asked as I grabbed my biology book.

"Do we have a little rule breaker on our hands?" He asked and I laughed.

"What's life without a little rebellion?" I said as I winked and walked away. He was a persistent guy, and took every opportunity he could to talk to me. I got to my classroom and took a seat and continued to work on the music for the show.

 **Jace POV:**

It took me 2 weeks before I figured Clary's name out, and to this day, she was still extremely guarded around me. I wasn't used to someone not giving me the time of day, and if it did happen, normally I wouldn't care, but with Clary it was different. I wanted her attention. More than I wanted attention from anyone before, and it was confusing that no matter what I did, she wouldn't give it to me.

I was walking to my car; ready to go home when I felt a hand on my arm. I turned around and there were Aline and Camille. They were rather annoying, but never seemed to get the hint that I wanted them to leave me alone.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I was wondering if you were trying out for the school play." Aline asked.

"I was thinking about it." I said honestly. I missed singing, but I didn't want to get back in the music word just yet. I still needed a break, and a play seemed to be the perfect place to get back into things.

"I'm trying out as well." She said as she batted her eyelashes. "I was going to try out as Wendla. Are you going to try out for Melchior?"

"Not sure yet." I said, because I definitely didn't want to be her love interest.

"Let me know when you figure it out." She said and I nodded.

"Will do." I said.

"Come on Camille, I have vocal lessons at 4, and I can't be late." She said almost like she was trying to brag about it in front of me.

"Bye Jace." Camille said as Aline pulled her away. That poor girl was always going to be in her sisters shadow, and she didn't even know it. I shook my head and got into my car. I was on my way home, and I just couldn't get Clary out of my head. There was something special about her, and I wanted to know what that was.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was yet again sitting at the piano playing with the keys. I was nearly done the music for the show, and I was pumped because it was all coming together amazingly, and I couldn't wait to see it on that stage. This last song, was probably the hardest one to write, but I finally got it together, and I needed to hear it out loud even if there were so many different parts to it. I started playing and took a deep breath and started singing.

 _[MELCHIOR]  
There's a moment you know  
You're fucked  
Not an inch more room  
To self destruct_

 _No more moves, oh, yeah  
The dead end zone  
Man, you just can't call  
Your soul your own_

 _SPOKEN:  
[OTTO]  
But the thing that makes you really jump  
Is that the weirdest shit is still to come  
You can ask yourself, "Hey what have I done?"  
You're just a fly, the little guys, they kill for fun_

 _[GEORG]  
Man, you're fucked if you just freeze up  
Can't do that thing, that keepin' still_

 _[HANSCHEN]  
But you're fucked if you speak your mind_

 _[OTTO,GEORG, AND HANSCHEN]  
And you know, uh huh, you will_

 _[ALL]  
Yeah, you're fucked all right and all for spite  
You can kiss your sorry ass goodbye  
Totally fucked, will they mess you up?  
Well, you know they're gonna try_

 _[MELCHIOR]  
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah  
[ALL]  
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah_

 _[MELCHIOR]  
Disappear, yeah, well, you wanna try  
Wanna bundle up into some big ass lie  
Long enough for them to all just quit  
Long enough for you to get out of it_

 _Yeah, you're fucked all right and all for spite  
You can kiss your sorry ass goodbye  
Totally fucked, will they mess you up?  
Well, you know they're gonna try_

 _[ALL]  
Yeah, you're fucked all right and all for spite  
You can kiss your sorry ass goodbye  
Totally fucked, will they mess you up?  
Well, you know they're gonna try_

 _Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah  
Blah blah blah blah blah  
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah  
Blah blah blah blah blah_

 _Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah  
Blah blah blah blah blah  
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah  
Blah blah blah blah blah_

 _Totally fucked_

When I was finished singing it I couldn't have been more proud of myself. Everything was just coming together perfectly, and I couldn't' wait to put the show together and show it to people. I closed the piano lid and grabbed my stuff and left. I couldn't get rid of the smile on my face and I didn't want too. I created an amazing playlist for this show, and I was proud of that.

 **Aline POV:**

I was standing outside the music room listening to someone sing, and I got instantly jealous. I hoped that they weren't auditioning for the part of Wendla, because that part was mine. When I heard the door open, I hid behind the wall, and looked at who left, and saw Clary leaving the room. My jaw literally hit the floor. She wasn't supposed to be good at anything. I followed her out of the school, and when she went to open her car door I slammed it shut.

"What the hell?" She yelled.

"You're going to pretend to be my voice for my audition for Spring Awakening, or I'm going to tell mom that you've been cheating off me and she'll give all your college tuition to me." I said and she sighed.

"You have to get that part on your own Aline." She said and I scoffed.

"No I don't. You're going to help, or it's bye bye Cambridge." I said.

"Fine." She said and I stood up and fixed my skirt.

"See you at home Clare-Bear." I said and I sashayed away. I was getting this role, and Clary was my ticket in.

 **Time Jump – Auditions**

 **Jace POV:**

It was time for the auditions, and I had to admit, I was nervous. Normally all the decisions were up to me, but this time it was up to someone else. There was a chance that I wasn't going to get the part, and that scared me.

I was sitting in the auditorium watching the girls audition for part after part. Some of them were good, and others not so much, and when Aline got up there, I was prepared for my ears to bleed. Her speaking voice was annoying enough, I can't imagine what her singing voice was going to be like.

"Welcome Aline." Mr. Carstairs said. "What part will you be auditioning for today?" He asked.

"Wendla." She said.

"Wonderful. What song will you be singing?" He asked.

"Whispering." She said.

"Can't wait. Begin when you're ready." He said and she nodded. She turned to the orchestra and nodded and the music started, and I nearly fell out of my seat when she began singing.

 _Whispering  
Hear the ghosts in the moonlight  
Sorrow doing a new dance  
Through their bones, through their skin_

 _Listening  
To the souls in the fools night  
Fumbling mutely with their rude hands  
And theres heartache without end_

 _See the father bent in grief  
The mother dressed in mourning  
Sister crumples and the neighbours grumble  
The preacher issues warnings_

 _History  
Little miss didn't do right  
Went and ruined all the true plans  
Such a shame, such a sin_

 _Mystery  
Home alone on a school night  
Harvest moon over the blue land  
Summer longing on the wind_

 _Had a sweetheart on his knees  
So faithful and adoring  
And he touched me and I let him love me  
So let that be my story_

 _Listening_  
 _For the hope, for the new life_  
 _Something beautiful, a new chance_  
 _Hear its whispering there again_

When she was finished the whole auditorium was silent. Her voice was completely captivating, and I couldn't believe that she was that good. After about a minute the whole place erupted in a huge applause. Everyone was standing including me, because what we just heard was nothing short of perfection, and one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.

"Wonderful Aline! You are truly a talent! Why haven't you auditioned before?" Mr. Carstairs asked.

"I have a bit of stage fright, and I wanted to conquer that, so here I am." She said and he nodded.

"Thank you." Mr. Carstairs said and she walked off stage. "Next will be Melchior auditions." He said and the boys started getting ready. Aline walked past me and stopped and smiled.

"Good luck Jace." She said.

"Thank you." I said. "You were great. Amazing really." I said.

"Thanks." She said with a wink and walked away. I made my way to backstage and waited for my turn. I walked to center stage.

"Welcome Jace, what are you going to be singing for us today?" Mr. Carstairs asked.

"All That's Known." I said and he nodded.

"When you're ready." He said. I looked at the orchestra and they started playing. I took a deep breath and started.

 _Litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto  
Vi superum, saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram  
Multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem  
Arma virumque cano, Troiae qui primus ab oris  
Italiam fato profugus Laviniaque venit_

 _All that's known  
In history, in science  
Overthrown  
At school, at home, by blind men_

 _You doubt them  
And soon they bark and hound you  
Till everything you say is just  
Another bad about you_

 _All they say  
Is 'Trust in what is written'  
Wars are made  
And somehow that is wisdom_

 _Thought is suspect  
And money is their idol  
And nothing is okay unless  
It's scripted in their Bible_

 _But I know  
There's so much more to find  
Just in lookin' through myself  
And not at them_

 _Still, I know  
To trust my own true mind  
And to say  
'There's a way through this'_

 _On I go  
To wonder and to learning  
Name the stars  
And know their dark returning_

 _I'm calling  
To know the world's true yearning  
The hunger that a child feels  
For everything they're shown_

 _You watch me  
Just watch me  
I'm calling  
And one day all will know_

 _You watch me_  
 _Just watch me_  
 _I'm calling_  
 _I'm calling_  
 _And one day all will know_

When I was finished, I felt incredible. The lyrics of this piece were so were incredibly thought out and I wish I was half as talented as Clary when it came to writing music. She was definitely going places in her life with music that I was sure of.

"Thank you Jace." Mr. Carstairs said. I nodded before walking off stage. I grabbed my things and started making my way through the school. I got to my locker and Clary was there getting her things together.

"Hey." I said and she looked up.

"Hey." She said. "You did really well." She said and it threw me off that she complemented me, but I liked it.

"Thank you. I had a pretty great piece of work to use." I said and she blushed. "Seriously, you might be more talented than my own team." I said and she laughed.

"I wouldn't go that far, but I'm glad you like it." She said.

"I can't wait to either hear, or be in the whole production. Your music is moving, and really tells a story. That's important in song writing." I said and she nodded. "I wasn't expecting Aline to be that good. I can't imagine what she needs vocal lessons for." I said and Clary laughed. "What?" I asked.

"Oh nothing. I just remembered something that was funny. But Aline just likes to be the very best, so any improvement is good in her eyes." She explained.

"Well, her voice is already perfection. She doesn't need any more help, what she needs is record deal." I said.

"You think?" She asked.

"A voice like that can't be ignored. The world needs to hear it. My manager will be at the show, so hopefully he hears it, and does something with it, because it'd be criminal for her to keep it to herself." I said and she simply nodded. "Well, I'll see you around."

"See you." She said and I walked away. I realized that best way to approach Clary was by not pushing myself on her. She seemed to respond better to that, and although I just wanted to ask her out and everything, she wouldn't respond well to that, and I didn't want her to cut off all forms of communication with me.

 **Time Jump – First Rehearsal**

 **Clary POV:**

It was the first rehearsal after all the parts were given out, and Aline got Wendla's part, and I was dreading it because I was going to have to be singing it now. I mean, I wrote the songs, why do I have to sing them too? Oh yea, I want my college tuition money. I was sitting in the auditorium listening to Mr. Carstairs give direction and when he announced the first song, I got up and said I was going to the bathroom. I made my way backstage, and grabbed a mic. I heard the music and took a deep breath and started singing.

 _Just too unreal, all this  
Watching the words fall from my lips  
Baiting some girl with hypotheses  
Haven't you heard the word of your body?_

 _Don't feel a thing you wish  
Grasping at pearls with my fingertips  
Holding her hand like some little tease  
Haven't you heard the word of my wanting?_

 _O, I'm gonna be wounded  
O, I'm gonna be your wound  
O, I'm gonna bruise you  
O, you're gonna be my bruise_

 _Just too unreal, all this_  
 _Watching his world slip though my fist_  
 _Playing with her in your fantasies_  
 _Haven't you heard a word, how I want you?_

I heard the applause from the auditorium and I put the mic down and made my way back to my seat. Mr. Carstairs was up on the stage praising Jace and Aline, and I took a deep breath. _Cambridge Clary. You're doing this to get into Cambridge._ I said to myself. I hated that Aline was getting praise from my voice, but I needed that money, and that was more important than recognition.

"Alright everyone, lets work on Melchior and the boys songs." Mr. Carstairs said and the girls got off the stage and Aline made her way over to me.

"Keep up the good work Clare-Bear and that money is all yours." She said in her vindictive voice and walked away. She was absolutely heartless, but I needed that money for college, and I was willing to do whatever I needed to in order to get that.

 **Time Jump – End of Rehearsal**

 **Jace POV:**

The rehearsal ended and I felt really confident in this cast, and that this show was going to be amazing. The play content, and the mastery of the music was something that was truly out of this world, and I was excited to be a part of it. I was walking out to my car when I heard someone talking in a hushed tones. I didn't want to disturb them but when I looked around the corner Aline was standing there talking on the phone.

"Mom, Clary is doing everything I asked her too. I'll get a record deal, and than they can use auto tune on my voice. No one will know I'm not really singing." She said and my eyes widened. "No mom, Clary wouldn't dare rat me out. She needs that money for Cambridge more than she wants the world to know she's the one singing for me." She said and I couldn't believe that the voice I'd been hearing was Clary. She was truly a talent and something that I haven't heard or seen in many singers these days. "Nobody knows mom. Everyone is playing into it. They all think it's me, and as long as I keep threatening Clary, she won't tell." Aline said and I was so angry that I didn't bother listening to the rest of the conversation, I just left.

I wasn't going to allow Aline to get all the recognition for something that Clary is doing. She wrote all the music and lyrics for this show, and she deserves to be recognized for both singing and composing, not just one thing. I immediately got my phone and called my manager.

"What's up Jace?" Alec said.

"You know how I am involved in the school play?" I asked.

"Yea." He said.

"And you know how I was raving about the girl who is the main character?" I asked.

"Yes, and I already agreed to come to the show and scout her." Alec said.

"No, it's all a lie." I said. "She isn't really singing. She's blackmailing her step-sister into singing for her, other wise she won't get money to pay for her college tuition." I explained.

"That's fucked up." Alec said.

"I know." I said. "But I want to show the world who Clary is. How amazing she is at writing music, and how amazing she is at singing, and I need your help." I said.

"What do you need from me?" Alec asked.

"Here's the plan…."

 **Time Jump – Opening Night**

 **Clary POV:**

It was opening night, and I was freaking out. I know I wasn't going to be out on that stage, but my voice was still going to be heard in front of an audience of people, and that was terrifying. I was pacing around backstage just working up the nerve to sing. I was scared, and my stomach was in knots, and I didn't want to mess up. Of course everyone would think Aline messed up, in my heart I know it would be me, and so would Aline, and I didn't want to open that can of worms.

I could hear the low murmur of the people in the audience. I went to the curtain and peaked out, and it was a stacked house. Spring Awakening was a little provocative for a high school show, and we had to go through a lot of channels to get it approved, and to get my lyrics approved, but it is the theater, and our school is known for the productions we put on, so that made the principle more than willing to green light it.

"You nervous?" I heard from behind me and when I turned around there stood Jace.

"Why would I be nervous? You're the one performing." I said.

"I know you're singing for Aline." He said and my jaw dropped.

"I…..I mean….what…..you don't know what you're talking about." I finally got out and he laughed and shook his head.

"I over heard her on the phone with her mom one day. She's threatening your college tuition if you don't sing for her." He said and I just looked at my feet. "That's a rotten thing to do."

"That's Aline. And Lilith for that matter." I said. "They never wanted me, but Lilith didn't get my dad without me, so she just ignored me as much as she could until my dad died, and started treating me like her own personal slave otherwise I would get to go to college."

"You don't deserve that." Jace said and I scoffed.

"Apparently I don't deserve anything." I said. "I don't deserve to go to college, I don't deserve to be treated fairly, I don't deserve the recognition that I knew should be mine, but won't be." I said as I couldn't stop all the pent up anger I've been holding in for so long.

"That's not true Clary." Jace said. "I have a plan, and if you want to show this whole audience that you are the one who is singing, and Aline isn't, hear me out." He said and I thought about it for a moment. I didn't want to be in their debt anymore. I wanted to be independent of them, and I wanted so badly to just stand up for myself.

"I can't risk my college tuition Jace." I said defeated knowing it was the best thing to do.

"You won't, and hell if they refuse to give it to you, I'll pay for your education." He said and I was so confused.

"Why would you do that?" I asked.

"I was a jackass the first time we met." Jace said and I laughed.

"You can say that again." I said and he smiled.

"You didn't deserve that but I was also getting used to be normal again. It had been so long since I'd been just plain Jace. Everyone these days wants something from me, but you never did." He said and I smiled. "I realized early on that you weren't like normal girls, you never saw my fame, you just saw me, or you saw through me, I'm not sure which." He said and I laughed. "You intrigued me, and the more I learned about you, the more you intrigued me. There is something about you Clary Fray that has me captivated." He said and I could feel my cheeks heat up. "You deserve to have your voice heard as your own, and you deserve to go to Cambridge, and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you get both of them."

"What's your plan?" I asked after a minute, and he smirked.

"You're going to sing the whole show like we rehearsed." He said and I nodded. "And during the last song, 'The Song of Purple Summer' before the last verse, the music is going to cut out, and everyone on stage is going to stop singing" He explained and I nodded. "When that happens, you're going to come out on stage and sing the last verse all by yourself without any instruments."

"I don't know Jace…" I said feeling even more nervous now.

"You can do this Clary. Show the world that your voice is the one being heard. Show them how talented you are, and god damn it shove it in your step families face that you are a treasure and they should have realized that a long time ago." He said and I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Okay." I said and he smiled. "Does the cast know?" I asked.

"Yes. I've talked to everyone. They all know the plan. Well, everyone accept Aline and Mr. Carstairs."

"You didn't tell Mr. Carstairs?" I nearly yelled.

"He's stressed." Jace said and I huffed out a breath and he laughed. "You can do this Clary. I promise you." He said and I nodded.

"5 minutes until curtain call!" Julian yelled.

"Just do everything we've rehearsed and you're do amazing. Just like you always do." He said and I nodded. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead and a jolt of electricity shot through me. "I have to get ready." He said and I nodded. "Good luck."

"Break a leg." I said and he smiled before disappearing onto the stage. I could do this. I can totally do this. I amped myself up and I heard the chatter slowly start to die down and I heard Mr. Carstairs introducing the play. I took on final deep breath before the music started. It was now or never.

 **Time Jump – End of Play**

It was nearing the end of the play and I was super excited to take this twist and for Clary to finally stand up to her stepfamily. She didn't deserve their cruel treatment, and tonight was her night to throw it back at them. The last number began to start and I took a deep breath and began singing with the rest of the cast.

 _And all shall fade  
The flowers of spring  
The world and all the sorrow  
At the heart of everything_

 _But still it stays  
The butterfly sings  
And opens purple summer  
With the flutter of its wings_

 _The earth will wave with corn  
The May flies rise then mourn  
And mares will neigh with  
Stallions that they mate, foals they've borne  
And all shall know the wonder of purple summer_

 _And yet I wait  
The swallow brings  
A song too hard to follow  
That no one else can sing_

 _The fences sway  
The porches swing  
The clouds begin to thunder  
Crickets wander, murmuring_

 _The earth will wave with corn_  
 _The gray-fly choir will mourn_  
 _And mares will neigh with_  
 _Stallions that they mate, foals they've borne_

Everything stopped and you could see the confusion on Mr. Carstairs and Aline's face, but I couldn't help but smile. The curtain opened and Clary walked on stage with the microphone and she looked at me and I smiled and she nodded and took us home.

 _And all shall know the wonder_  
 _I will sing the song of purple summer_  
 _All shall know the wonder_  
 _I will sing the song of purple summer_  
 _All shall know the wonder of purple summer_

When Clary was done singing the stage went black. It was quiet for a few moments before the whole auditorium erupted in applause. I looked to my right and Clary was standing there smiling and I couldn't help but smile back. I walked over to her and scooped her up into a huge hug. Aline walked over and was about to say something when they were calling for us to take our bows. Clary walked off stage and Aline plastered a fake smile on while we bowed.

When we got off stage Clary was waiting in the wings and I scooped her up again and swung her around. When I put her back on the ground I was about to say something when someone caught us off guard.

"What the hell was that?!" We heard and we turned around and there stood Aline, Camille and who I'm assuming was Lilith. "You made a fool out of Aline."

"I think she did that herself." I said because I could tell Clary was paralyzed. "Cheating her way into this play by threatening Clary, that's low."

"And who the hell are you?" Lilith said.

"Jace Herondale." I said and she still looked pissed, but less pissed.

"You had no right to butt into our family." She said.

"And your daughter had no right to blackmail Clary into getting her the lead role. Someone with talent should have gotten it, and no disrespect to Aline, but she's a few sandwiches short of a picnic if you know what I mean." I said and they looked confused.

"Why are we talking about food?" Camille said and it took everything in me not to slap my own forehead.

"You can kiss Cambridge goodbye." Lilith said and Aline stood next to her smiling like she'd won, but little did she know what I did.

"I'll be the judge of that." Came a voice and they all turned around and I smiled. "Hodge Starkweather, president of the University of Cambridge." He said and I heard Clary suck in a sharp breath. "I was moved by your performance Miss. Fray." He said and I nudged her and she snapped out of her daze.

"Thank you very much sir." Clary said as they shook hands.

"This young man also told me you wrote the music and lyrics for this show as well." He said and Clary simply nodded. "You have an amazing gift. Here is my card." He said as he handed it to Clary. "Email me next week and we'll talk scholarship."

"You want to give me a scholarship?" Clary asked in amazement.

"I want to give you a full ride." He said and I saw Clary's knees buckle and I put my arm around her to steady her. "I refuse to see you go anywhere else but Cambridge. You are a rare talent, and I want you to study under the best professors in England."

"Thank you so much sir." Clary said and you could hear the joy in her voice.

"Call me Hodge." He said and she nodded. "I look forward to hearing from you." He said and he walked away.

"Holy shit." Clary said and I laughed. "That just happened."

"That just happened." I said and she smiled and hugged me. I was lost in our embrace that I totally forgot her family was there.

"Don't bother coming home." Lilith said. "You aren't welcome in my home anymore."

"That hasn't been my home in years." Clary said. Lilith walked away and Camille and Aline lingered.

"Have fun living on the streets." Aline said and I laughed.

"She isn't living on the streets." I said. "She's living with me."

"What?" Aline shouted.

"You heard me." I said.

"I've literally done everything to get you to notice me this year. Why her?" Aline choked out and I looked at Clary.

"Because she's never tried to be something she wasn't." I said and Clary smiled. "I've had to deal with fakeness, and lies for years now. I don't have time for it. Clary is real, and far more interesting than you." I said honestly and she huffed, grabbed Camille by the arm and pulled her away.

"Bye Jace!" Camille called and I just simply waved.

"Did you mean that?" Clary asked. "I can stay with you?" She asked.

"If you want." I said. "I would never allow you to stay on the streets." I said and she wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Thank you. For everything." She said as she pulled away. "I was wrong about you in the beginning." She said. "I'm sorry I misjudged you."

"You had every right too." I said. "I was a jerk, but I'm glad you didn't shut me out."

"You didn't really give me much of a choice." She said and I laughed.

"And I'm glad I didn't." I said.

"So am I." She said and I smiled.

"Come on, I want you to meet someone." I said and I took her hand in mine and led her to Alec. "Alec, I'd like you to meet Clary." I said as I gestured to her. "Clary, this is Alec, my manager."

"It's nice to meet you." Clary said as she held out her hand.

"You as well." Alec said as he took it. "Jace told me you were great, but you blew me away tonight."

"Thank you." Clary said sheepishly.

"You wrote all the music as well?" Alec asked.

"I did." Clary said.

"I understand you want to go to college." Alec said and Clary nodded. "But would you be up for maybe collaborating with our writing team for some of our clients?"

"You're serious?" Clary asked and Alec laughed.

"Absolutely. You created some of the best and most moving works of music I've heard in a long time. I want to snatch you up before anyone else gets the opportunity." Alec said.

"Seems to be a trend tonight." Clary said and I laughed.

"I'll get your info from Jace, but I can't wait to see you in action and hear your work again." Alec said and Clary nodded. He walked away and Clary and I stood there.

"I can't believe this." Clary said. "Everything I've wanted in life is happening."

"You deserve it all." I said.

"It wouldn't be possible without you." She said and I shrugged.

"It was all you in the end." I said.

"But you got all my ducks in a row, and I can't begin to explain how thankful I am for that." She said and I smiled.

"Let me take you out." I finally said.

"Like on a date?" She asked and I laughed.

"Yes." I said and her cheeks turned rosy red.

"Okay." She said and I pulled her into me. Holding her felt right, and I couldn't wait to see what the future held for both of us.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

If you told me in high school that my life would be what it is today, I would laugh at you, and tell you that you were crazy, but I can't imagine myself anywhere else. I went to Cambridge, and collaborated with Jace's label. I even wrote a few songs for him, and I loved every minute of my life. Moving to England was the scariest thing I've ever done, but the upside? That's where Jace's label was. He was originally from England, so when we graduated college, and I moved, he moved with me.

Our first date led to many more, and we've been together ever since. When we first got to England the first thing he took me to do was meet his parents and I was a nervous wreck. I didn't want them to think I was some gold digging whore who was after his money, but they were so welcoming, and inviting that I just fit in really well. Everything has been perfect, and I couldn't ask for anything better.

Today I was going into the studio to work on a song for an up and coming girl group, and I was pretty pumped for their album. They were all about empowering women, so it was fun to write an anthem for women and hear them totally smash it in the recording stupid. When I got there, I went to my office, yes I had my own office, and I grabbed my music book and headed towards the recording studio where I found an unexpected pair. Jace was sitting on the floor playing with our daughter Sasha. She was almost a year old, and just a huge light in our lives. I stood in the doorway and just watched them play together.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and he looked up.

"I knew you were coming in to work on some music, and you know how I love to watch you work, and I figured Sasha would want to see mommy in action." He said as he scooped Sasha up and walked over to me. I gave him a kiss, and than her one.

"I thought your mom was watching her today." I said.

"Later, because I'm taking you out." He said and I laughed.

"Any special occasion?" I asked.

"Well, it is out 5 year anniversary." He said and I felt like an idiot for forgetting. "And my album just hit number 1."

"I'm so proud of you." I said as I gave him a kiss. "And I can't believe I forgot about our anniversary." I said and he laughed.

"You've been stressed with this new album. It's completely understandable." He said and I nodded. "But I just want to go out and have a blast and possibly get super drunk." He said and I laughed.

"That's how Sasha happened." I said as I stroked her little chubby cheek.

"You don't want another one?" He said with a fake surprised tone to his voice.

"Not right now." I said as I looked at Sasha. "I like just having this little peanut around."

"Me too." Jace said as he kissed her cheek, which caused her to giggle.

"Clary, we need to get this album done." Raphael said while he passed the doorway. I sighed and looked at Jace.

"Wanna watch mommy work?" He asked Sasha in his baby voice and she giggled. "Lead the way." He said and I smiled. We walked out of the room and into the recording room where the band was, and all the other writers. We sat at the table and started bouncing ideas off each other, and after 3 hours we had the last 2 songs written and the album was finally done. Now all it had to do was be recorded, but I wasn't part of that process, so Jace, Sasha and I left and made our way to his moms.

After we dropped her off, we went home to get dressed and made our way to the restaurant. I couldn't believe that this was my life, and that I was in a relationship with Jace was a perfect child living out my dreams. We were seated the minute we got to the restaurant, another perk of dating Jace, he didn't have to wait in line for anything. Our waiter poured us champing and Jace raised his glass, and I followed his lead.

"To you finishing the album." Jace said.

"To your album reaching number 1." I said and he smiled.

"To our perfect family." He continued.

"To our perfect life." I said and we clinked our glasses.

"I love you." Jace said and I smiled. No matter how long we were together I would never get tired of hearing it.

"I love you too." I said. Dinner was absolutely amazing, and I think I laughed the majority of the time. I never pictured my future being this perfect, but I couldn't picture it better than how it was right now.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so awhile ago, someone asked me to do one based one A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song, and when I started writing this, I didn't intend on it going in this direction, but I didn't want to do the same plot as the movies so I took it in my own direction, and I absolutely love it! I hope you all love it too, because I think it's one of my better ones!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Spring Awakening AT ALL, and all the songs that I use in this story are the product of Steven Sater, and Duncan Sheik, who I think are genius when it comes to this soundtrack!**

 **Music: Since I think the soundtrack is absolutely amazing, I thought I'd give it to you, and let you all determine if you'd like to hear them or not! The ones that are bolded are the songs that are used in the actual text! They aren't in order in the text like they are below! So here it goes:**

 _ **Act One**_

 _ **Mama Who Bore Me** **– Wendla**_

 _Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise) – Wendla and Girls_

 _ **All That's Known** **– Melchior**_

 _The Bitch of Living – Moritz, Melchior, and Boys_

 _My Junk – Girls and Boys_

 _Touch Me – Boys and Girls_

 _ **The Word of Your Body – Wendla and Melchior**_

 _The Dark I Know Well – Martha, Ilse, and Boys_

 _The Word of Your Body (Reprise 1) - Otto and Georg_

 _And Then There Were None – Moritz and Boys_

 _The Mirror-Blue Night – Melchior and Boys_

 _I Believe – Boys and Girls_

 _ **Act Two**_

 _The Guilty Ones– Wendla, Melchior, Boys, and Girls_

 _Don't Do Sadness – Moritz_

 _Blue Wind – Ilse_

 _Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind (Reprise) – Moritz and Ilse_

 _Left Behind – Melchior, Boys, and Girls_

 _ **Totally Fucked – Melchior and Full Company (except Moritz)**_

 _The Word of Your Body (Reprise 2) – Hanschen, Ernst, Boys, and Girls_

 _ **Whispering** **– Wendla**_

 _Those You've Known – Moritz, Wendla, and Melchior_

 _ **The Song of Purple Summer – Ilse and Full**_

 **(Fun fact: The song 'Whispering' is my favorite from this musical, and I don't know if it's because its hauntingly beautiful or because Lea Michele is singing it, or both, because I find her voice hauntingly beautiful as well! It's been on repeat for about 2 hours and I'm just loving it more and more as I listen!)**


	79. Chapter 78 - Adoption

**Seventy Eighth One Shot:**

 **Adoption**

 **Clary POV**

 ** _Flashback – Age 7_**

 _Luke was the only father I've ever known. He was there when I scrapped my knee, at every dance recital even though I hated dancing, and he loved me unconditionally despite being someone else's. And even though I called him Luke, he was still my dad, and nothing would ever change that._

 _My mom was supposed to pick me up at school, but when Luke pulled up in his car, I was confused but got in nonetheless. We drove home in silence, which wasn't unusual for us. When we got there, I walked inside and my mom was sitting at the kitchen table. I dropped my backpack and walked over and sat in the chair across from here._

 _"Why didn't you pick me up today?" I asked feeling slightly annoyed because she clearly wasn't busy._

 _"I asked Luke to because I had to pick something else up." My mom said._

 _"What did you have to get?" I asked as Luke took a seat next to mom. He grabbed her hand and she looked at him and smiled. "What's going on? Are we moving?" I asked because this was normally how they delivered bad news to me, like when my puppy died. That was a sad day._

 _"No sweetheart. We actually want to ask you something." Luke said and I nodded. "You know I love you."_

 _"I love you too Luke." I said and he smiled._

 _"And you know I'm always going to be here for you." He said and I nodded. "Your mom and I have only been married for a couple months, but I've known for awhile that this was something I wanted to do." He said and I was honestly a little confused. He grabbed something and slid it across the table until it was in front of me. I straightened up so that I could see, and when I looked at the papers, they read 'adoption'. I looked up at Luke and my mom who both looked nervous for my reaction._

 _"You want to adopt me?" I asked and Luke nodded._

 _"I want to make it official." He said._

 _"Make what official?" I asked._

 _"Being your father." He said and I couldn't help but smile._

 _"I thought you already were." I said and he got the biggest smile on his face and my mom started crying._

 _"You are so right." He said as he got up and kneeled down in front of me. "But these papers just prove that even more." He said and I smiled._

 _"Okay." I simply said and he hugged me. Soon my mom came over and hugged me too. Like Luke said, we were officially a family, and it did make a difference._

 **Jace POV:**

 ** _Flashback – Age 12_**

 _Watching your parents die was a terrible thing to see when you're a 10 year old kid. But what's even worse, is the foster system. I had spent a gran total of 5 months in the system before being placed with the Lightwoods, and at first I wasn't happy about it, but they never gave up on me, and I may only be 12, but I knew how important that was too me. They got this traumatized child, and gave him his space to grieve, but also gave him tough love when he needed it, and I was incredibly grateful for that._

 _I had just gotten home from school and I grabbed an apple out of the fridge. When I turned around I nearly peed my pants because the whole Lightwood family was standing behind me._

 _"You scared me." I said and they all smiled._

 _"Can you come into the living room please?" Maryse asked and I nodded but I feared that this was the talk I've been anxious about for 2 years._

 _"What's going on?" I asked when we all took a seat._

 _"There is something we want to discuss with you Jace." Robert said. "As you know, you've been with us for 2 years now." He said and I nodded. "And despite the bumps in the road with you, we all are incredibly grateful for our time together."_

 _"Is this the part where my social worker comes in and takes me away?" I asked and they all looked confused._

 _"Why would you think that?" Maryse asked._

 _"This is the part where you tell me 'its been a good run, but our time together has ended' right?" I asked and Maryse started shaking her head._

 _"No. This is the part where we ask if you wanted us to adopt you." She said and the apple fell out of my hand._

 _"You want to adopt me?" I asked a little stunned._

 _"Absolutely." Robert said. "You fit into this family incredibly well. You get along with Alec and Izzy like you have known them your whole life. This family wouldn't be the same without you, and we want to make it official."_

 _"I don't know what to say." I said and they smiled._

 _"We don't need an answer right away. You can think about it." Maryse said._

 _"No, I mean, I don't need time to think about it. I'd be honored to be adopted by you, I'm just stunned is all." I said._

 _"Why?" Robert asked._

 _"The people in the foster system said it would be a miracle if I got adopted." I said._

 _"Why is that?" Maryse asked._

 _"Something about an attitude problem." I said and they laughed._

 _"Well, you do have one." Maryse said. "But I think Alec and Izzy keep you in line." She said and I looked at them and smiled._

 _"They do an okay job." I said and Alec gave me a shove._

 _"But can I keep my last name?" I asked and Maryse and Robert smiled._

 _"Of course you can." Robert said and I smiled and looked around. I was glad that I got a second chance at a family, and I knew the void in my life would never go away, but I had another family, and I know most 12 year old in the foster system never that chance._

 **Clary POV:**

 ** _Flashback - Time Jump – Senior Year in High School_**

 _There was something about Jace Herondale that I just couldn't pinpoint. Something that he never showed to the world, but I got tiny glimpses of when I caught him at his house. Being best friends with his sister had it's perks and one of them gave me the chance to observe him in an environment that not many people got the perks of being in._

 _Jace was a cool, and cocky jock that had all the girls swooning at his feet, but also had incredibly grades, and looks any guy would kill for. He was like a 12 out of 10 on the hotness scale, but I could tell he was incredibly guarded. I wanted to figure that out, but I doubt he'd open up to me about it._

 _I was walking to my car at the end of the day when I noticed Jace sitting at a picnic table in the outside lunch area. Curiosity got the best of me, and I made my way over and sat down across from him. He looked up and seemed to surprised that I was there, but I smiled and than he smiled and there were no awkward feelings, which was good._

 _"Penny for your thoughts?" I asked and he laughed._

 _"I think I'm good." He said._

 _"Come on, something is going on up there." I said as I pointed to his head. "Sometimes talking it out gives you clarity."_

 _"I'm not really trying to figure something out. Just more of reminiscing." He said and I nodded._

 _"About?" I probed and he smiled._

 _"You don't give up do you?" He said and I shook my head._

 _"My mother says my worst quality is my stubbornness, but I guess I could have worse." I said and he laughed._

 _"Today is actually the anniversary of something, and I just keep thinking about how if it didn't happen, I wouldn't be here today." He said._

 _"Something good, or something bad?" I asked._

 _"Both." He said. He paused for a minute looking like he was debating on telling me, but eventually he let out a breath and gave in. "When I was 10 I witnessed my parents murder."_

 _"Holy shit." I said because I just couldn't believe it._

 _"I was in the foster system for 5 months before being placed with the Lightwoods." He said avoiding eye contact. "On this day when I was 12 they asked me if I would like to be adopted."_

 _"That's great." I said. "Well, the circumstances in which you ended up with the Lightwoods is rather shitty, but aftermath is pretty exciting." I said with a huge smile because I know how meaningful that is._

 _"Yea. I just don't know where I'd be without the Lightwoods. I was told I'd never get adopted let alone stay with a family for more than 6 months because of my attitude problem." He said and I nodded. "I owe them everything."_

 _"I know how you feel. My stepdad adopted me when I was 7, and to this day I still can't believe he took in another man's child and cared for me like I was his own." I said because it's always nice to know you aren't alone._

 _"I didn't know you were adopted." He said seeming a little shocked._

 _"Yea. According to my mom, my real father was a dead beat. My stepdad did more for me than he ever did, and I never really thought I would ever be a kid that was adopted because in my little kid mind, Luke was already my dad, but he wanted to make it official, and when the papers came, I felt like a hole I didn't even know existed was filled." I said and he nodded._

 _"I know what you mean. I came home from school one day and Maryse and Robert handed them to me, and I automatically felt lighter. I belonged to a family again, and I didn't realize how much that weighed on me until I held those papers in my hand." He said and I smiled._

 _"And look at you now." I said and he laughed._

 _"I've come a long way. I used to be unbearable." He said and I laughed._

 _"You? Nooooooo." I said and he smiled._

 _"Can I ask you something totally out of the blue." He said after a moment.  
"Of course." I said._

 _"Would you like to go out with me?" He asked and I think I was temporarily paralyzed from his question._

 _"Uh….what?" I said and he laughed._

 _"Would you like to go out with me?" He repeated._

 _"Like on a date?" I asked._

 _"Yes." He simply said._

 _"Why?" I asked and I immediately regretted it. Why was I questioning this?_

 _"Because I like you." He said honestly. "There is something about you Clary that drives me wild, and I've been wanting to ask you out since sophomore year, but I didn't know if you were interested."_

 _"If you just put a glass up to Izzy's door, this problem could have been solved years ago." I said and he laughed._

 _"So was that a yes?" He asked and I laughed._

 _"Yes." I said and he smiled._

 _"Great. Saturday night?" He asked._

 _"Sounds perfect." I said as I stood up. "I should head home." I said and he nodded._

 _"I'll get your number from Izzy and I'll text you." He said and I nodded._

 _"Sounds good. Bye Jace." I said._

 _"Bye Clary." He said and I walked to my car. It took everything in me not to jump for joy when he asked me out, but I was excited and I couldn't wait until Saturday night._

 **Time Jump – Present Time**

 **Jace POV:**

"Kids, if you don't hurry up, you'll be late to school!" I called up the stairs. A moment later footsteps started sounding and I heard them running down the stairs. Clary and I had been married for about 10 years now, and because of our strong feelings towards adoption, and the injustices of the foster system, we were foster parents to 7 kids, not including our own daughter, who was 5 and absolutely loved her siblings. Some people think we're crazy, but in our mind, there was nothing crazy about giving kids a home.

"Can I have money for lunch?" Mark asked and I reached into my pocket and handed him a 10.

"I expect change." I said and he nodded.

"Everyone in the car or I leave without you." Helen called, and all the kids filed out of the kitchen as Clary handed them their lunches. Once they were gone, the house was quiet.

"Peace and quiet." I said and as if on cue, Octavian stars crying.

"You jinxed us babe." Clary said as she went upstairs to retrieve the crying baby.

The Blackthorn children have been with us since Octavian was 4 months old. His second birthday was next week, and we were planning on asking the kids if they wouldn't mind us adopting them. Although Helen, the oldest of the siblings was going to be 18 soon, Clary and I still wanted to make it official. We wanted to give those kids a home. We loved them more than anything, and we couldn't picture life without them.

We were first introduced to the Blackthorn's when Livia and Tiberius were brought up in a conversation. We had been looking to foster, and the woman mention twins that were in need of a home. Clary and I took one look at each other, and knew immediately we wanted to take them in, and help them. When they showed up, they were scared. They were 9 years old, and terrified they would be split up, but Clary and I vowed that would never happen. It took them about 3 months to open up to us, and when we found out they had 5 more siblings, Clary and I knew we had to find them. We talked to the woman who introduced us to Livia and Tiberius, and she told us that she would track them down, and let us know as soon as she heard anything.

About a week after we got in contact with her, she called me back and told me that she had located all 5 of the siblings, and if we wanted to bring Livia and Tiberius to the group home that they were currently at to spend the afternoon with them we could, and of course Clary and I jumped at that opportunity. When we got there, we noticed that the oldest was in her teens and the youngest little boy was only a couple months old.

Helen, the oldest sister was only 15 at the time, and trying her hardest to keep her family together. I mean you could see it in her eyes that she just wanted to keep them all together, and it broke my heart that they weren't. Mark was the second oldest, at 14. He reminded me of myself when I was young, but I couldn't blame him at all. Julian was the next one and he was 12, almost 13, and he was a shy kid. Took 45 minutes into the visit for him to engage with Clary and I but we didn't push. Drusilla was the next one and she was 7. She was shy as well. Never leaving Helen's side, and when she was asked a question, she always looked to Helen for permission to answer. And Octavian, sweet little Octavian was only 4 months old, and just the cutest little thing. Our visit with them lasted hours and when it was time for us to leave, you could see how torn they were to be separated from Livia and Tiberius again, but they were thankful they had a home. When we got home, and got the kids in bed, Clary and instantly knew what we had to do, and I still remember it like yesterday.

 ** _Flashback – Operation Foster Blackthorn_**

 _We got to the group home and Clary and I were anxious to see the kids again. It had only been 3 days since our last visit, but Clary and I could tell Livia and Tiberius missed their siblings, and it only made our driving force to foster them that much greater. When we walked into the meeting area, Livia and Tiberius bolted to their siblings. Clary and I walked over hand in hand and took a seat as we listened to them talk._

 _"Thank you for bringing them back." Helen said and I smiled._

 _"It was our pleasure." I said._

 _"This means the world to us." Helen said and I smiled knowing that I was making a difference._

 _"Unfortunately this is the last visit we hope to make." I said and I saw her face fall. She was holding back tears, you could tell. "Clary and I talked about it, and we talked to Livia and Tiberius's social worker, and we were wondering if you and your siblings would like to come live with us." I said and her jaw dropped._

 _"You want to foster all 7 of us?" Helen asked completely stunned._

 _"Yea. We want you all together." I said and she broke down crying. Clary grabbed Octavian from her arms and I pulled her into me as she cried. After a few moments she settled down and we broke apart._

 _"This isn't a joke right?" She asked._

 _"No joke. We want all 7 of you to live with us." I said and she turned to her siblings._

 _"Did you hear that guys? We get to be a family again." She said and my heart swelled as the siblings embraced. I looked at Clary and I knew this was going to be one hell of a journey but it was going to be amazing._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

Clary came back down with only Octavian, and he had the biggest smile on his face. She sat down next me and put Octavian on the floor and he started playing with is blocks. Clary cuddled into my side as we watched Octavian play. Clary and I both knew fostering those kids was the best decision we've ever made, and wouldn't change it for the world.

 **Time Jump – Day of Octavian's Party**

 **Clary POV:**

I wasn't nervous about asking the kids about the adoption until today. I don't know why it was hitting me so hard, but I just couldn't stop pacing, or shaking, or eating honestly, and it was driving me crazy that we had to wait so long.

When everyone arrived at the house, Octavian's party was in full swing. Our families bonded with the kids immediately, and accepted them with open arms and that was something that proved even more that this was the right decision.

When the party was almost over, it was Jace and I's time to sit the kids down, and tell them what we wanted to do. They looked nervous, but I still think that I was more nervous because I didn't know how they were going to take it.

"Well, as you all know, you've been with us for almost 2 years now." Jace said and the kids nodded. "There isn't anything we wouldn't do for you, and I think you've figured that out by the looks of your Christmas lists every year." Jace said and the room laughed. "This year, we wanted to do something special for you." Jace said as he handed out all the boxes. "We hope you like it." He said and they started to open it. I stood there in anticipation trying to gauge their reaction.

"Are you serious?" Helen asked first as her eyes filled with tears.

"So serious." I said and she looked at her siblings who also looked shocked.

"What is it?" Maryse asked. Jace and I kept this a secret from everyone because we thought it would be more entertaining.

"Adoption papers." Helen said. "They want to adopt us. All of us."

"You 7 have been apart of this family for 2 years. We wouldn't be who we are without you." I explained. "And we know you're going to be 18 soon Helen, but nothing would make us happier if we made this official."

"I don't know what to say." Helen said and I smiled.

"That's okay." Jace said. "You can give us an answer in a few days if you need too."

"No, my answer is yes. 100% yes, I'm just shocked." Helen said.

"We both know that feeling." I said and Jace laughed.

"You've given us everything." Helen said. "You brought our family back together. You gave us a roof, food, love, support, encouragement, a future." She said and I smiled. "We can never repay you for that."

"You don't owe us a thing." Jace said. "Taking you 7 in, was the best decision we've ever made." He explained. "Never think that you owe us anything."

"I love you guys." Helen said and she walked over and hugged us. And pretty soon the rest of the kids joined in.

"We love you all. More than you possibly know." I said. When we broke apart I looked at them and couldn't help but smile.

"All you have to do is sign them, and we submit them and wait for it to be official." Jace said and they all smiled.

"Does anyone have a pen?" Helen asked and I handed them a pen. The handed it down the line and all signed their papers, accept Octavian. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome." Jace said as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

The rest of the day went by incredibly well. All the kids were smiling, and talking about how excited they were to finally be adopted. I leaned into Jace's side as he pressed his lips to my head. Adopting 7 kids is tough for anyone, but we were some of the lucky people who had the resources to make it possible without being burdened with the financial aspect and everything. Jace had everything from his parents, plus what the Lightwoods gave him when they adopted him, every kid had their own room, and the older ones even had their own bathroom. We made sure these kids were taken care of because Jace knew how terrible the system was, and we both knew the importance of family. Nothing was ever too much for them.

When the party was over, the family left and Jace and I were cleaning up the mess that they all left. We didn't mind, and Mark and Helen helped so it didn't take too long. The rest of the kids were sitting in the living room watching a movie when the doorbell rang. I looked at Jace and he was just as confused.

"Are you expecting anyone?" I asked.

"Not that I know of." Jace said.

"That's actually for me." Helen said. "I haven't told you this because I didn't know how you'd react but I've been seeing someone."

"That's wonderful." I said. "For how long?"

"A couple months." She said. "I'll go get the door." She said and she left the room. I heard the front door open and than close and a few moments later she walked back in the room with another girl, I was shocked but only for a second. "Jace, Clary, this is Aline, my girlfriend." Helen said sounding kinda scared.

"It's nice to meet you Aline." Jace said. "You just missed the party." He said with a laugh and she smiled.

"Helen wanted to introduce me to her parents first." Aline said and I sucked in a breath. It was something else to be called her parents even though that's how Jace and I felt.

"Well, we have cake left over, and the kids are in the living room watching a movie if you'd like to stay." I said and she smiled and I could tell Helen got more relaxed.

"I'd love too." Aline said.

"Come on, let's go introduce you to my siblings." Helen said and she took her hand in her and led her out of the kitchen. Jace and I followed after just to make sure the kids were behaving. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Aline. Aline these are my siblings." Helen said.

"You have a lot of siblings." She said and Helen laughed.

"Yea." Helen simply said as she named them all and Aline nodded as she took it all in.

"Can we have popcorn?" Drusilla asked and I smiled.

"Of course." I said and I went into the kitchen and popped a bag and got them all separate bowls and popped another bag because one was never enough. I walked back into the living room and handed them out and when I gave one to Aline she seemed surprised. "Welcome to the family." I simply said and she smiled and took the bowl. Helen had the biggest smile on her face and I looked at Jace and sat on his lap as we continued to watch whatever movie was playing. Looking around and seeing the kids smiling, eating popcorn, and talking about the events of the movie made my heart incredibly full. Adoption was something that impacted Jace and I immensely, and to see that we made that same impact on 7 other kids was something that would never get old. If there was anything Jace and I knew about adoption and family, it was that blood didn't make you family, love did, and Jace and I loved those kids, plus out own more than anything else in the world. Our family was huge, but complete and Jace and I would forever be grateful that they came into our lives and changed it for the better.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I am such a sap and was watching videos on youtube about kids asking their step parent or foster parent if they would adopt them, and I just had to write a one shot about adoption! Especially because in the actual series, Jace and Clary both had people who weren't family but treated them like family, and I thought that was important to incorporate that into this story! Plus, I also think that adoption and fostering is some of the most incredibly acts of kindness, and love that someone can show to a child who feels like they don't have anyone, and show them that was someones cares, and someone loves them, and thats what I wanted to portray that in this story! So let me know what you think, and leave a review! :)**


	80. Chapter 79 - Teachers

**Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I'm putting an A/N here because there is something you should know about this story, I took a request and I felt as though I couldn't write a decent story without having another relationship be mentioned just as much, if not slightly more, so if you aren't a fan of Emma and Julian, this fanfic isn't for you! But, if you're curious about it, and want to read, have at it!**

 **Seventy Ninth One Shot:**

 **Teachers**

 **Clary POV:**

Being a teacher was something that I always wanted to do. My mom used to tell me that I would hold lessons in our living room with all my stuff animals before I could even talk properly. I loved learning new things, and getting that information out, but I also loved being that person that could potentially kick-start a students future. That's what happened to me. I was in 10th grade, and my English teacher showed me the power that being a teacher held. Now, I was only in 10th grade, but I knew I had no idea what I wanted to do in life, but that year, I figured it out. And to this day, being a teacher has opened so many doors for me, and I couldn't be happier where I am in life.

Senior year of college I was freaking out because I was scared I wouldn't get a job. I mean, there were so many schools, but not a lot seemed to be hiring and it was freaking me out. I often found myself in Simon's apartment pacing and freaking out that I was going to end up as a bum on the street. It didn't matter what time of the day or night it was, I would just march right into his home and begin my freak out, until one time I did it, and I found Simon in a compromising position with his girlfriend, who I didn't know he had, and I'm still a little scared from the experience.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _I slammed Simon's apartment door and headed straight for the kitchen to grab a drink. When I turned around there stood Simon, but he wasn't alone. There was a girl with him, and she was half naked, and his shirt was inside out._

 _"Oh my god." I said as I dropped my drink._

 _"Who are you?" The girl said._

 _"Who are you?" I said back and Simon looked utterly embarrassed._

 _"I can't believe you have a girlfriend. I thought you were different Simon." The girl said as she started grabbing her clothes._

 _"Izzy wait. Let me explain." Simon said and I could hear in her voice how important she was to him._

 _"There is nothing to explain. Everything seems pretty self explanatory." She said as she tugged her shirt back on and I finally snapped out of my confusion._

 _"Nothing is self explanatory." I finally said and she looked at me. "I'm not his girlfriend."_

 _"Oh. Than why do you have a key?" She asked._

 _"Yea, why do you have a key?" Simon asked and I smiled._

 _"You remember when you asked me to get your mail when you went home to visit your family?" I asked and he nodded. "I may have made a copy of the key you gave me in case I needed you and you were asleep or something."_

 _"Way to be a stalker Clary." Simon said and I laughed._

 _"You know how I can get Simon." I said and he nodded. "Let's start over." I said and the girl nodded. "I'm Clary, Simon's best friend."_

 _"I'm Izzy. His girlfriend." Izzy said and I nodded._

 _"Which brings me to another point. Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend Simon Lewis?" I asked and he blushed._

 _"I was planning on telling you this weekend. I didn't want to jinx it. I mean look at her, and look at me." Simon said as he gestured to Izzy who smiled. I would never have pictured them together, but they looked good together and I was happy for my friend._

 _"Well, it's nice to meet you. How long as this been going on?" I asked._

 _"A couple weeks." Simon said. I nodded and picked my drink up off the ground. "What's wrong this time?" Simon asked and I had momentarily forgot why I was here._

 _"I'm gonna be a failure Simon." I said and he sighed._

 _"No you aren't." He reassured me for like the 245_ _th_ _time._

 _"Yes I am. I'm not going to get a job after I graduate. And that's in 5 months Simon!" I said and he walked over and put his hands on my shoulders._

 _"You will be an amazing teacher one day Clary. And don't forget, you're traveling for a year right after your graduation, so you technically don't have to worry about it for a little while." Simon said and I nodded._

 _"I have no back up Simon." I said and he pulled me into a hug._

 _"Stop worrying so much about the future, and focus on the right now." He said and I nodded. "Any school in this country would be lucky to have you on their staff, don't doubt that." He said and I pulled away._

 _"Thank Si." I said and he smiled. "I'm sorry I interrupted. I was just freaking out, and you know me." I said and he laughed._

 _"No problem, but knock next time." Simon said and I laughed._

 _"You don't want the key back?" I asked and he shook his head._

 _"It will be beneficial for you to have, but don't abuse it." He said and I laughed._

 _"I won't. Thank you for the pep talk. I needed it." I said._

 _"Any time Fray." He said._

 _"And it was nice meeting you. We should get some lunch together sometime. Get to know each other." I said and she smiled._

 _"I'd love too." She said._

 _"Great. Well, get back to whatever you were doing, and I'll see you late." I said and Simon nodded. I made my way out of his apartment and took a deep breath. Simon was right, I had to stop worrying about the future and focus on the present._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

Simon was completely right about focusing on the present instead of the future, because I would have drove myself mad if I didn't. After I spent a year traveling with my mom, I came back and was surprised to see Simon and Izzy still together, but incredibly happy because they complimented each other so well. We caught up over lunch and I learned that Izzy was a guidance counselor at the high school near by, and that Simon got his dream job as a video game designer. I was happy, and I couldn't believe that everything with them was going exactly has they wanted. But being back in reality just heightened my worries about not getting job again. Especially because now I needed a job. I couldn't rely on taking a year to travel as an excuse not to worry. I needed a job, and I didn't even know where to start, but Izzy came in clutch and I'll never forget her kindness, and saving my ass.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _"Simon, now I really am going to be a failure." I said._

 _"You really gotta stop doubting yourself." Simon said and I sighed._

 _"I need a job. I mean, my mom offered to help me stay afloat until I get one, but I don't want to use her for her money." I said and he nodded._

 _"It's okay to ask for help Clare." He said._

 _"I know that, but she supported me my whole life, paid my entire college tuition and made sure I didn't have any debt when I graduated. I don't want her shelling out anymore money for me." I said._

 _"Wait, you're rich?" Izzy asked and I laughed._

 _"I'm well off, but I don't consider any of that money mine. My mom earned it all on her own, and I hate taking it. I feel like I'm using her." I said and she nodded._

 _"I think I can help you get a job." She said and my eyes lit up._

 _"Really?" I asked and she nodded._

 _"My older brother words at IHS, he's actually how I got my job. I could see if they're hiring and put in a good word for you." She said and I jumped out of my seat and pulled her into a hug._

 _"Thank you thank you thank you. I can't tell you how much this means to me." I said and she laughed._

 _"No problem. It'll be nice to have another friend in the staff. I mean, I have my brother, but the other teachers are kinda petty, and annoying." She said and I laughed. The rest of the lunch went by perfectly, and I couldn't even begin to describe how much weight Izzy lifted off my shoulders, I just hoped her brother had good news, and that I get the job._

 ** _End Of Flashback_**

That was almost 4 years ago, and I've been at Idris High School ever since, and loving every minute of it. Idris gave me a lot more than just a job though. When I got the job I immediately called Izzy and we both freaked out together, and she told me that we would go out to celebrate, and she would bring her brother so that I knew another teacher there. I was stoked to have a job, and to be working with someone as friendly and amazing as Izzy. I knew it was going to be a great job, and I wasn't disappointed. Izzy told me to meet her at a local club, and at first I was skeptical, cause I'm not much of a clubber, but she said it would be fun, so I thought, why not? And again, it was another decision that I made that I wasn't disappointed in, and to this day, when I think back to that night, I still got butterflies.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I got to the club and immediately started looking for Izzy. She told me she would be by the bar, and I was squeezing my way through people, and being only 5 feet tall, made it a little bit of a challenge, but when I finally got there, I noticed that Izzy was standing with Simon, and than a tall guy, who literally spewed gorgeousness. I walked over and when Izzy saw me she pulled me into a hug._

 _"Clary, this is my brother Jace. He's a 12_ _th_ _grade AP calculus teacher at IHS." Izzy said a little louder than normal to be heard over the music._

 _"Wow. You must be smart!" I said to him and he smiled, and I swear I could have melted right than and there._

 _"I'm above average in math." He said trying to downplay his intelligence, but I took calc in high school, and I was miserable at it, so him being an AP calculus teacher was insanely impressive to me._

 _"Clary is going to be the 11_ _th_ _grade honors English teacher." Izzy told Jace as he nodded. "She's taking over for Starkweather."_

 _"Thank god. I was afraid he was going to die every single day last year. I never understood why he wouldn't retire." Jace said and I laughed._

 _"Sometimes people just want to work themselves to death." I said and Jace smiled and nodded._

 _"Simon and I are going to go dance order a drink and let loose. Tonight we celebrate you!" She said as she grabbed Simon and pulled him towards the dance floor._

 _"That poor guy." Jace said and I smiled and looked at him. "He's so far gone, Izzy could make him do whatever she wants."_

 _"He's always been that way." I said and Jace nodded._

 _"How long have you known him?" Jace asked._

 _"Since we were 7." I said. "I was always able to get him to dress up for my tea parties or get him to sit in my classes where I taught him how to draw. It's just the type of person he is." I explained and Jace laughed._

 _"What would you like to drink?" Jace asked. "Strawberry daiquiri?" He said and my nose scrunched which caused him to smile._

 _"I don't do fruity drinks. I'll stick to beer." I said and his smiled got bigger._

 _"My kind of woman." He said. "Two coronas!" Jace told the bartender who nodded and grabbed two bottles, popped the caps and handed them to us._

 _"Thank you. You didn't have to do that." I said._

 _"Didn't you hear Iz? Tonight we are celebrating you." He said as he raised his bottle. "To getting your first big girl job." He said and I laughed as I clinked out bottles together. Tonight was going to be a fun night, I knew it._

 ** _End Of Flashback_**

I didn't know it that night, but something blossomed between Jace and I. of course I was excited back than to feel like someone who was as handsome as him wanted someone average like me, was amazing, but I never imagined that it would grow into what it is today. I mean, I'm still at IHS, Jace and I have been together for 3 ½ years, and about 5 months ago we bought our first house. Everything seemed surreal, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

"Who is leaving first?" Jace asked as he walked out of the bathroom and back into our bedroom.

"I left first yesterday, so it's your turn." I said. He nodded, walked over to me, and peeked my cheek. We kept our love life out of the high school because we didn't want anyone knowing our business. Of course Izzy knew, but we were super professional at work, and sometimes it sucked, we'd sit together in the teachers lounge and eat lunch and keeping my hands to myself was tough, but we both agreed it would be for the best. I mean, we drove two cars to work, that's how dedicated we were to keeping our relationship out of the prying eyes of the faculty and the students.

"Sounds good." Jace said. I stood up and pressed my lips to his, and I felt him smile in the middle of it.

"See you at lunch?" I asked and he simply nodded. He grabbed his jacket, and I grabbed my heels and we both headed out to our cars. Jace got in his and pulled out of the driveway, and I waited about 5 minutes before pulling out myself. When I pulled up to the school Jace was getting out of his car. I parked a couple spots away and got out myself and Jace winked at me, which caused me to blush.

"Good morning Miss. Fray." Jace said.

"Good morning Mr. Herondale." I replied and we started walking together. Pretending to be friends with my boyfriend was strange, but we didn't have to avoid each other to keep our relationship private, other wise that would be weird.

We walked into the school and my classroom was first, which was nice because Jace loved walking me to my classroom. I stopped and Jace turned as he continued to walk backwards.

"See you later?" He asked. I nodded and he winked before turning back around and disappearing around the corner. I took a deep breath and walked into my classroom. I put my stuff down and waited for my homeroom to fill with the students.

 **Emma POV:**

I walked into school, got my books from my locker and made my way to my homeroom. Miss. Fray was my teacher, and she was a pretty chill homeroom teacher, which was nice. It always sucked getting stuck with a strict teacher who didn't even let you talk. I was reading a book when Julian sat next to me and I closed the book and smiled.

"How's it going?" Julian asked.

"It's been 2 days since I've seen you Jules. It's going to same as it was on Friday." I said and he laughed.

"Forgive me for caring about my best friend." He said and I rolled my eyes. The room started filling up more, we had a pretty tiny homeroom class, so there weren't many kids, which was nice. Once the bell rang Miss. Fray stood up.

"Welcome back everyone. Hope you all had a great weekend. I know Monday's suck, so I'm just going to take roll, and than talk amongst yourselves." She said. "Okay. Annabel Blackthorn?" She called.

"Here." She called.

"Ava Leigh?" Miss. Fray said.

"Here." She said.

"Belinda Belle?" She called.

"Here." She said.

"Cameron Ashdown?" Miss. Fray called.

"Here." He said.

"Casper Sterling?" Miss Fray said.

"Here." He said.

"Cristina Rosales?" Miss. Fray called.

"Here." She said.

"Diana Wrayburn?" Miss. Fray said.

"Emma Carstairs?" She called.

"Here." I said.

"Gwyn ap Nudd?" She called.

"Here." She said.

"Johnny Rook?" She called.

"Here." He said.

"Julian Blackthorn?" She called.

"Here." Jules said.

"Malcolm Fade?" Miss. Fray called.

"Here." He said.

"And last but not least, Stanley Wells?" She called.

"Here." He said. She nodded and marked off the last kid.

"I will never understand why this school alphabetizes based on first name." She said as she shook her had and sat back down. The class went back to talking and I turned towards Julian, Annabel, and Diana.

"You know who I totally ship?" Diana said.

"Who?" I asked.

"Miss. Fray and Mr. Herondale." She said.

"Why?" I asked.

"I don't know. I just think they would look super cute together. I mean, don't you see them walking in the hallway together? Their height difference it totally cute, and they always just seem to be smiling around each other." She explained. "I just think out of all the teachers here, they would be the cutest together."

"I don't know, I just get the friends vibe from them." Julian said.

"Why would anyone just be friends with Mr. Herondale?" Annabel said. "He's hot."

"Gross Anna." Julian said and she laughed.

"What? Half the school thinks so." Annabel said.

"He's like 30 years old." Julian said.

"He is not that old." I said.

"Wanna bet?" Julian said.

"I am a betting girl." I said, and he smiled a wicked smile.

"You have to buy me dinner if I'm right." Julian said.

"And if you're wrong?" I asked.

"Won't happen." Julian said in a cocky tone. "I have him next period. I'll ask."

"You're so on, and if you are wrong, you'll never hear the end of it." I said and Julian laughed.

"I know." He said and the bell rang. We all got up and started walking through the hallway. We got to Mr. Herondale's room and stopped momentarily. "See you ladies at lunch." Julian winked and than we continued walking.

"When are you going to grow some balls and ask my cousin out?" Annabel asked and I almost stopped dead in my tracks.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Please. The sexual tension between you two is so high." Annabel said.

"There is no sexual tension." I defended and she scoffed. "Plus, he might not even like me." I said.

"Julian is a guy, he's pretty oblivious to most things, and that includes his own feelings. Make the first move. It's the 21st century. Who says we have to wait for the men to make the first move?" She said and I smiled.

"I'll think about it." I said and she stopped in front of Mr. Morgenstern's classroom.

"That's all I'm asking." She said before she disappeared. I made my way to gym, which I dreaded having first period, and I couldn't stop thinking about what Annabel said, and I just wasn't sure what to do.

 **Julian POV:**

I walked into the room and took my normal seat in the front. Math wasn't my worst subject, since I was in AP calc, but if I wasn't sitting in the front, I would get distracted. Mr. Herondale was sitting in at his desk reading something over when I cleared my throat and he looked up.

"What can I do for you Julian?" He asked.

"I was just curious. How old are you?" I asked and he laughed.

"Trying to take my job?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I was just curious about who was the youngest teacher at this school." I said trying to make it sound less creepy.

"I'm 32." He said. "I believe the youngest teacher at this school is Miss. Fray." He said and I nodded.

"Do you know how old she is?" I asked trying to make it sound like I was interested but really I was just happy that I won the bet.

"She got this job after she got out of college, so she's around the age of 27." He said and I nodded.

"Thanks." I said and he nodded and more kids entered the room. I was pumped to get to lunch where I could tell Emma that she was completely wrong, and win that dinner.

When lunch rolled around I practically skipped into lunch and sat down at the table with Emma, Diana, and Annabel.

"Why do you look so happy?" Annabel asked.

"Because Miss. Emma here owes me a dinner." I said and her jaw dropped.

"No way." She said and I laughed.

"Mr. Herondale is 32 years old." I said and they all looked shocked.

"He doesn't look that old." Diana said.

"I'm just telling you what he said to me. And Emma owes me dinner." I said with a smile.

"Fine. Taki's. Friday night after the football game." She said and I smiled and nodded. I grabbed my apple out of my bag and started to eat while the girls were talking about something that I wasn't paying attention too. It was nice being right.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I got home and kicked off my shoes and made my way into the kitchen to start dinner. Clary got home a couple minutes after me and I heard her heels clicking until I felt arms wrap around my waist.

"How was your day?" I asked as I turned around.

"It was alright. My students aren't enjoying the poetry part of the class, but I expected that. Poetry is for a certain type of person." She said and I nodded. "How was your day?"

"It was alright. I had to tell 4 students that they were currently failing my class. They looked bummed but like they don't do their homework, and they don't do well on the tests, so I don't really know what they were expecting." I said and she laughed.

"That really sucks." She said and I nodded.

"I can only do so much. If they don't want to take the time to learn the differential equations, that's on them not me." I said and Clary laughed.

"Even after 4 years, I still don't know what that means." She said and I laughed.

"And I still don't hold it against you." I said and she smiled and I pressed my lips to hers.

"What's for dinner?" She asked.

"I was going to make stuffed peppers." I said and she smiled.

"Sounds good. I'm going to go take a shower." She said and I nodded. She left the kitchen and after a few moments I heard the water start running, and the music started. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. I loved every moment of life with Clary, and I was planning on asking her to marry me this weekend, and I couldn't wait.

 **Time Jump – Friday Night**

 **Emma POV:**

I was sitting in the bleachers freezing my ass off waiting for this game to start. Annabel was with me, and Diana was down on the field cheering. I enjoyed coming to the games because I loved supporting my friends, but sometimes it is just too cold for me, and it sucked. The team came running out lead by Julian. That kid was all jock, but not the stupid kid. It was kind of annoying that he was able to balance his school work, plus being an athlete.

"Oh shit, did you see that?" I heard Annabel say and I snapped out of my head.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Diana was dropped. Hard." She said and I looked at the cheerleaders and Diana was on the ground.

"I hope she's okay." I said and Annabel nodded.

"Ladies and gentleman, welcome to Idris High Schools rivalry game against Alicante High School." The announcer said and the crowd went wild. Football was pretty huge at this school, and I couldn't blame them for being so hype. I looked down at the field and Julian was talking to Mr. Herondale, who just so happened to be the defensive end coach. I mean, insanely smart, and athletic? Whoever gets him is one lucky lady. We stood for the national anthem, and than the captains took the field and the game was underway. I was excited to go out to dinner with Julian after this, but it wasn't going to be fun if they lost, and I was just praying that didn't happen.

 **Time Jump – End Of Game**

 **Jace POV:**

"Watch number 18!" I yelled at the defensively line got into their positions. There was 2 minutes left in the game and we were tied 27-27. This game was a huge deal for the school, and I'll be damned if I let number 18 get the better of my boys. He was headed to Army for football next year, and you could tell he was going somewhere.

The ball was snapped and quarterback got the ball and was looking around. Our defense was doing a great job as blocking, and making sure that nobody was left opened, but that didn't mean that we were out of the woods. It was the 4th down, so I knew they were going to try anything they could. He finally found an opening and threw the ball. The receiver was on the 35 yard line, and when he caught the football he was gone.

"Fuck." I muttered, because this wasn't good. When he got down to the 10 yard line I thought we were done for. But out of nowhere, Julian showed up and tackled him to the ground. The whole place went crazy and I took a huge breath. The other team called a time out and out boys made its way over to the sideline. "That's what I'm fucking talking about." I said as they made their way over to me. "Julian, you never disappoint." I said and they all got some water in them. When the timeout was over our defense got out there, but the other teams kicker was out there, and they were going for it.

They lined up and I held my breath. I was a competitive guy, and the last thing I wanted to do was lose to our rivals, but sometimes things happened, and I prayed that this wasn't that time. The kicker got ready, and the whistle blew. The ball was snapped, the kicker charged. He kicked the ball as hard as he could and I sucked in a breath, and the next thing I know it bounced out of goal post, and they missed. Our fans were going crazy, and our defensive line made their way over to the sideline.

The offense went out and was giving it their all. Everything about the way they were paying was amplified because this was their last chance to win. It was our 4th down, and we decided that we were going to go for that field goal. Our kicker made his way out to the field and yet again I held my breath. The ball was snapped, the kicker ran, and the ball was launched into the air, and went beautifully through the goal post, and the whole sideline and crowd went crazy. There was 15 seconds left that this point, and we knew we had won.

The other team came back out and my defensive line just pushed them father and father back until the game expired and the whole team rushed the field. We were hype. We shook hands with the team, and than huddled up and talked about next practice, and for them to stay out of trouble. Just because we had won, we didn't want them to go out and do something stupid.

By the time I got in the car and made my way home, I was exhausted. I didn't realize how emotionally draining this game was going to be, but I'm so thrilled that we won. When I walked in the house Clary was sitting in the living room, bundled under the blankets, with some hot tea watching a movie. She had come down with a cold, and didn't want to risk sitting in the cold. I made my way over to her and she smiled up at me, and I kissed her forehead.

"How was the game?" She asked and I took a seat next to her.

"We won. 30-27." I said.

"Damn. That was close." She said and I laughed.

"It was a nerve wracking game, but the boys pulled it out, and I'm super proud of them." I said and she nodded. "How are you feeling?"

"I have a headache, but that's about it." She said and I nodded.

"You take medicine?" I asked.

"Yea. I took some NyQuil about 30 minutes ago. I'm waiting for it to kick in." She said and I smiled.

"Does that mean I get the honor of carrying you to bed?" I asked.

"Potentially." She said and I put my arm around her and she leaned into me. People always said Clary and I were basically married already, but I couldn't wait to make it official. I couldn't wait to see her planning our wedding, and having a countdown until the day. It was all exciting to me, and something I have wanted since my first date with Clary.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow Night**

 **Emma POV:**

My family and I were going out to dinner tonight, and I had to dress extra nice. It was some fancy restaurant that I normally wouldn't ever be seen in, it was my parent's anniversary, and it had been 30 years so they wanted to make it special, which I thought was sweet.

When we walked in we were seated immediately. After a looked at the menu, I knew what I was getting immediately so I decided to just look around the restaurant and try and guess what everyone was doing there, and that's when Mrs. Lewis caught my eye. She was sitting at a table with her husband, but it seemed like they were waiting for someone else. I kept my eyes on them, because I'm just a curious child until two people walked in holding hands. My jaw immediately dropped when I noticed that it was Mr. Herondale, and Miss. Fray. I couldn't believe it. Annabel was actually right. They were a thing, and they did look cute together. Mrs. Lewis got up and hugged them both, and they took a seat and I excused myself and went to the bathroom where I called Annabel, and conferenced Diana in.

"What is this all about Emma?" Annabel asked. "Ew Julian get off me." She said and I laughed.

"I thought I heard you say Emma's name." I heard him say and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm on the phone with her right now dickhead." She said.

"Why didn't you call me?" Julian asked.

"This is kinda girl talk. You won't be interested." I said.

"How do you know?" He asked.

"Fine, you can stay." I said.

"Anyway, what's up Em? I thought you went out to dinner tonight." Diana said.

"I am. And I was looking around the restaurant when I spotted Mrs. Lewis." I explained.

"You mean the guidance counselor?" Annabel asked.

"Yes. She is with her husband but it looked like they were waiting for more people so I kept watching and guess who walked in?" I asked.

"I give up." Annabel said.

"Mr. Herondale, and Miss. Fray!" I said.

"You're shitting me?" Diana said.

"No! And they were holding hands! They are totally a couple. I mean, who comes to this fancy of a restaurant if they aren't dating?" I said.

"I knew they would look good together." Annabel said and I laughed.

"Keep us updated on the rest of the night!" Diana said.

"Will do! Now, I should get back before my parents think I fell in." I said and they all laughed.

"Of course. Let us know when you're done, and we'll come over and gossip." Annabel said and I laughed. I hung up the phone and made my way out to my table, and couldn't keep my eyes off Mr. Herondale and Miss. Fray.

 **Clary POV:**

We were sitting down and eating and talking and having an amazing time. I loved getting together with Izzy and Simon. We don't hang out as much as I'd like to, but we were all busy, but made sure we got together every now and than.

When dinner was done, it was on to desert. Jace had ordered Champaign for the table, which confused me because that's normally when someone is celebrating, and it's not like either of us got a promotion, or anything like that, but Jace knew what he was doing, so I just went along with it. Jace poured us all a glass and we all took a sip. Jace abruptly stood up and cleared his throat.

"There is something I've wanted to do for awhile." Jace said as he looked at me and reached out for my hands. I grabbed them and he pulled me up. "I love you more than I ever thought possible Clary." He said and my eyes began to tear. "You mean everything to me, and I don't know what I'd do without you in my life. I've know you were the one since our first date, and each day together just proves it again and again to me." He said. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a box before dropping to one knee. My hands flew over my mouth and he smiled. "You are everything to me, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me Clarissa Fray?" He asked and I started crying.

"Yes." I choked out. He slid the ring on my finger and scooped me into his arms. The people around us were clapping, and I looked at my ring, and couldn't help but smile. I looked up at Jace and slammed my lips to his. I couldn't wait to spend the rest of my life with this man, and starting our own family together.

 **Emma POV:**

I think my jaw hit the floor when I saw Mr. Herondale drop to one knee. I couldn't believe that they had been together long enough for them to be getting engaged, and I was completely stunned that I didn't even notice my parents looking at me with a weird expression.

"What's wrong Emma?" My mom asked.

"Those two people who just got engaged, they are teachers at my school." I said and they both looked behind them to look at Mr. Herondale and Miss. Fray embracing.

"That's lovely." My mom said. "Do you know how long they've been together?" She asked.

"I didn't even know they were together. At school they just act like colleagues." I said and she nodded.

"They are just probably keeping it professional." My dad said. I simply nodded because I really couldn't believe that they were engaged. Dinner went by slowly, and when we finally got home, I texted my friends to come over and hang out. Annabel and Diana were planning on staying the night but Julian was just coming over to hear what happened, and I couldn't wait to see their reactions.

My bedroom door opened and in walked Annabel, Diana and Julian. Annabel took her signature place on my chair, and Diana sat on the bed with me, while Julian leaned against the dresser.

"Spill." Diana said and I laughed.

"They got engaged." I said.

"What?" Diana, Annabel, and Julian all said at the same time.

"They got engaged. Mr. Herondale got down on one knee, and popped the question and Miss. Fray said yes." I said. "It was shocking."

"Wow. I didn't expect that." Julian said. "Explains why he knew Miss. Frays age."

"What do you mean?" Diana asked.

"Well, when I went to find out his age, I had to make something up, so I said I was trying to figure out the youngest teacher at the school." He said and we all nodded. "After he told me his age, I decided to ask who was the youngest to make my case more believable, and he said Miss. Fray, and when I asked her age, he told me."

"Wow. I can't believe they're getting married. It'll be harder for them to keep their relationship a secret now. Miss. Fray is going to be Mrs. Herondale soon and she can't hide that." Annabel said and we all laughed.

Julian stayed at my house until nearly 1 am when he decided that he needed to get home. Since Annabel drove him to my house, he was taking her care home with him and told her that she could call when she needed a ride back to her house. I offered to walk him to the door and when we got outside we both lingered on my porch for a little.

"Listen Julian, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometime." I said finally biting the bullet and putting myself out there.

"You mean like on a date?" He asked and I bit my lip but nodded anyway. I knew I could be rejected but Annabel was right, I needed to make this first move.

"Yes." I finally said and I could tell that he was shocked.

"I don't think it would be a good idea Em." He said and I shook my head.

"It's fine. I just thought I'd ask." I said a lot faster than intended.

"Emma….." He said but I held my hand up.

"I just thought it was time that I finally owned up to my feelings. I took a chance." I said and I gave him a sad smile. "Have a good night Julian." I said as I opened my front door.

"Emma." He said again and I turned around.

"Goodnight." I said again and closed the door. I stood there for a moment before I heard the car start and than the tears started. I walked back up to my room where Diana and Annabel were laughing until they saw me.

"What happened Emma?" Diana asked.

"I took your advice and asked him out." I said towards Annabel. "He doesn't think it's a good idea."

"Oh hun." Annabel said. "I'm so sorry. My cousin can be a real dick." She said and I laughed.

"It's okay. I put myself out there, and he didn't seem to want to do the same. I'll bounce back." I said and they both gave me a hug. They went back to talking as I sat on my bed and thought about how to accept that Julian didn't want to even try to see what could happen between us, but at the end of the night that was on him, not me, and I had to remember that.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Julian POV:**

Annabel texted me and asked me to pick her up at 2. I got in her car and made my way to Emma's and I couldn't get what she asked out of my head. I mean, she wanted to go on a date with me. I didn't see that coming. I pulled up to the house and Annabel and Diana were standing next to her car talking, while Emma was nowhere to be found. I got out of the car and stood up when I finally caught a glimpse of Emma. She was talking to her neighbor, a boy who was clearly flirting with her. He is 22. I didn't realize I was staring until I heard someone snap their fingers. I looked over and Annabel was standing at the car now. I was about to say something when I heard Emma laugh. I looked back over and she was smiling and laughing while her hand rested on her neighbors arm.

"Let's go." I said and Annabel got in the car and I pulled out of that driveway as fast as I could.

"I don't know why you're so upset. You turned her down." Annabel said after a moment and I looked at her.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Are you serious? Emma came back upstairs crying after you left." She said and I felt awful. "She put herself out there, and all you had to say was you didn't think it was going to work?" She asked and I shrugged. "Well guess what cuz, you never know what will work unless you test it out."

"I don't need relationship advice from you." I hissed and she laughed.

"Evidently you do if you can't even see how much you mean to Emma, and how crushed she was when you rejected her." She said.

"I didn't reject her." I said defensively.

"Than what did you do exactly?" Annabel asked.

"I was caught off guard." I said. "I wasn't expecting her to ask me out."

"So why not just say 'wow this is unexpected, but sure Em, let's go out'?" She asked.

"I don't know okay?" I said honestly.

"Well, get used to that. Cause I don't know how observant you are, but Emma has a lot of suitors at school, and she has only had eyes for you for so long. Don't get pissed off because she finally decided to move on." Annabel said and I turned up the radio because I didn't want to hear anymore. When we got back to my house, I got out and Annabel moved to the drivers side drove away. I thought about what she said and sighed. I had to talk to Emma tomorrow.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Julian POV:**

I walked into homeroom prepared to talk to Emma. When I got there though she wasn't in the room and I took my seat and waited. The class started filling up, but Emma was nowhere to be seen. Annabel and Diana walked in and took their normal seats.

"Where is Emma?" I asked.

"Why do you care?" Annabel shot back.

"I need to talk to her." I said impatiently.

"I haven't talked to her since yesterday. She isn't answering my calls." Diana said. I took my phone out and texted Emma.

 ** _To Emma:_**

 _We really need to talk Em. Please._

I was staring at my phone so intensely, waiting for her to text me back but she never did. The announcements started, but they didn't sound the same as they normally do.

"Attention all students, and faculty. There will be a mandatory assembly now. Please make your way down to the gymnasium." He said.

"Alright students, let's go." Miss. Fray said and we all made our way to the gym. When we got there everyone was extremely confused because this wasn't scheduled. After everyone got settled the principal made his way to the middle of the floor and turned the mic on.

"Thank you all for meeting me here on such short notice." He said. "As you all know, there has been a string of home invasions in the past month, and everyone has been put on high alert to suspicious activity, and to make sure all security systems are updated." He said. "Last night, another home invasion took place, and two lives were taken." He said and the ambiance changed in the gym. "Last night, at around 3 in the morning, the Carstairs residence was broken into." He said and my heart broke. I only had one person on my mind. Emma. "There was nothing anyone could do. Mr. and Mrs. Carstairs were found in their living room, unresponsive and Emma was found covered in their blood. I'm told there will be a memorial service later this week. Details will be provided when I know more. Thank you." He said and everyone started moving accept Annabel, Diana and I. the gym was empty, but we continued to sit there until Miss. Fray came up.

"Kids, I think it would be beneficial to go to Mrs. Lewis's office and wait for your parents. They've been called." She said. Annabel and Diana stood up and started walking but I was frozen.

"Come on Jules, we have to go." Annabel said.

"I need to see Emma." I said. "I need to see her right now."

"And you will." I heard and my parents were standing in the gym. "We'll take you to the police station right now." They said and I nodded. I gave my keys to my mom and got in the car with my dad. The drive was silent, but I didn't have any words. My best friend just lost her parents, and all I wanted to do with hold her in my arms and never let her go.

When we got there I ran inside to see Officer Lightwood talking to Emma. She looked completely void of emotion, and I couldn't blame her. I knew I shouldn't interrupt them, but I needed Emma to know that I was there for her.

"Emma." I said and she looked over and me and her eyes filled with tears. I took a step forward and she was running towards me. She flung herself and me and I caught her and I just felt her let go. She was sobbing and I just held her tighter. I don't know how long I stood there with her in my arms, but I never wanted to let her go. Finally, I put her back on her feet and I looked into her chocolate brown eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"They're gone Jules." She sobbed and I pulled her into me.

"I know." I said and I just wanted to do so much for her, but I was helpless, and it was the worst feeling in the world.

"Excuse me Officer Lightwood." I heard my dad ask. "What's going to happen to her?"

"Since she's only 17, she will be sent to her closest living relatives." Officer Lightwood said.

"And where is that?" I asked.

"Nebraska." Emma said.

"No. They can't take you away. We were supposed to graduate together." I said.

"I don't turn 18 until the end of the year. They can't turn a blind eye to that." Emma said.

"Please Officer Lightwood. She's a senior. Her friends are here. Don't make her become the new kid halfway through the year." I pleaded.

"My hands are tied son." Officer Lightwood said. "It would be up to her relatives."

"When do they get in?" I asked. And the door of the police station opened.

"Now." Emma said and I looked behind me and there stood two people. "Hi Uncle Jem and Aunt Tessa." Emma said and they walked over to her and hugged her.

"We are so sorry sweetheart." Her aunt said.

"Thanks." Emma said.

"Come on, we'll pack and get on the next flight to Nebraska." Her uncle said and I just couldn't let her leave.

"Please don't take her." I said and they looked at me. "Please. She's a senior in high school. All her friends are here. Don't take that away from her, she's already lost so much."

"I think the best thing for Emma would be to come with us." Her aunt said.

"The best thing for Emma is to be here with me." I said confidently. "She needs to be surrounded by her friends."

"We can't just leave our homes in Nebraska." Her uncle said.

"You don't have too." I said. "My older sister just moved in with her girlfriend." I said. "Emma can have her old room."

"Jules." Emma said.

"No Em. I refuse to lose you before I even got the chance to have you." I said and her eyes widened. "I can't lose you Emma. You haven't talked to me in like 24 hours, and I was already starting to panic. I don't know why I was so blind before but I'm not anymore." I said. "Yes, I will go out on that date with you. I should have just said that in the beginning."

"Please don't be saying this just because you feel sorry for me." Emma said as her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm not. I swear on the angel I'm not Em." I said as I walked over to her and caressed her cheek. I put our foreheads together and I heard her laugh, and it was music to my ears.

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with my niece staying with someone she's romantically involved with." He aunt said.

"I have a solution for that." My dad stepped in before I could. "My sister lives near by. Her daughter goes to school with Emma and Julian. Emma and her are actually great friends. Their oldest just moved out as well, they have a spare room that Emma is more than welcome too."

"Are you serious?" Emma said and my dad smiled.

"You are a staple in this family. Nobody would be the same without you here." He said and Emma walked over and hugged him.

"Thank you Mr. Blackthorn." She said and my dad smiled.

"You really want to stay here Emma?" Her aunt asked.

"I love you Aunt Tessa, and I love you Uncle Jem, but I think this is right where I need to be." Emma said and they smiled.

"Of course sweetheart." Her aunt said, and I could have jumped for joy. "We'll stay for a week, or so to get everything worked out, and sign papers for you to stay or whatever."

"Thank you guys. For coming all this way and respecting my decision." Emma said.

"No matter what sweetie, your opinions, and what you think is best for you is the most important to us. If you needed to just get away, we'd put you on the first plane out of this town, but you want, and need to stay, and we respect that." Her uncle said.

"What do we have to sign?" Her aunt said and Officer Lightwood started talking, but I simply pulled Emma close and kissed the top of her head. I knew she was going to have a rocky grieving period, but I was going to be there every step of the way.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I were walking into Java Jones when I spotted Emma and Julian in the corner. I looked up and Jace and pressed my lips to his cheek.

"I'll be right back." I said as I pointed to Emma and Julian. "You know what I like?" I asked he laughed.

"I better after 4 years together." He said and I smiled before walking towards Emma and Julian.

"Hi guys." I said and they looked up at me.

"Hi Miss. Fray." They both said.

"How are you two doing?" I asked.

"Getting by." Emma said and I nodded.

"Given our circumstances, we're doing okay." Julian said as he reached his hand across the table and took Emma's hand in his.

"That's really good to hear. I never got the chance to talk to you at your parents memorial, and I know you haven't been in school." I said and she nodded. "It sucks now, but I promise you, lean on your friends, and don't be afraid to show weakness. You're vulnerable right now, and that's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I think that might be the single most honest and helpful response I've gotten throughout this whole process." Emma said and I laughed.

"Saying 'I'm sorry' only goes so far. It doesn't replace the hurt, and it certainly doesn't make things any easier." I said and she nodded. At that moment Jace walked up with my coffee and handed to me as he snaked his arm around my waist.

"Hey kids." Jace said.

"Hey coach." Julian said.

"Listen Em, I know what you're going through." Jace said and I leaned into him. "I lost my parents when I was really young. I know the emotions you're feeling, and if you ever need to talk, I'm here to listen and help in anyway I can." Jace offered.

"Thanks Mr. Herondale." Emma said. "Also, congratulations on the engagement." Emma said and my jaw dropped.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"Well, you are wearing a pretty nice rock on your finger." She said and I blushed. "Plus, I was at the restaurant when you popped the question."

"How did I do?" Jace asked and I playfully slapped his chest.

"Very well. Once I got over the initial shock of you two being together, let alone getting engaged, I was very impressed." She said and I smiled.

"Good to know." Jace said.

"Yea, cause the applause wasn't approval enough." I said and he laughed.

"It was very romantic, and beautifully executed. I can't imagine anyone saying no to a declaration of love that's handled as well as you handled it." Emma said and I smiled.

"You have a way with your words." I said. "You're going to make an excellent English major in college."

"You want to be an English major?" Julian asked.

"I kinda just decided at the beginning of this year." Emma admitted. "Miss. Fray made me fall in love with the subject, and I want to become an author."

"That's amazing." Julian said and I just couldn't help but smile.

"Well, it's great seeing you two." I said. "But we must get going. I'll see you two in homeroom on Monday."

"See you Miss. Fray, Mr. Herondale." Emma said.

"Later coach." Julian said and Jace grabbed my hand and we walked out of the coffee shop and too our car.

"You think they'll be okay?" I asked once we got settled and drove away.

"I think they'll have a tough road ahead of them. Emma is going to be grieving for years, and sometimes it's going to hit her and it's going to hit her hard, but as long as she doesn't shut herself off from everyone, I think she'll get through it just fine." Jace explained. "Especially with Julian's help."

"Why do you say that?" I asked curiously.

"Because that look in his eyes when he looks at Emma, means he'd do anything in the world for her." Jace said.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Because it's the same way I look at you." He said and I got the biggest smile on my face. I leaned over the counsel and gave Jace and kiss on the cheek. I held onto his hand the entire way home, and couldn't stop thinking about the amazing future we had ahead of us.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so this one was requested by TMIShips4LIfe, and I really enjoyed writing this one shot. I loved writing with another couple, but also making Clary and Jace a focal point as well! I know people might not be a family of Emma and Julian, but I felt like this story couldn't be created without another couple simply because the request was about students at the high school shipping them. Please let me know what you think and leave a review! I hope that I lived up to the expectations, and made you happy! :)**

 **(Also, there is another fanfic that I wrote that titled 'Teacher' but this one is titled 'Teachers' with and S because they are both teachers! Just wanted to clarify that! Anyway, enjoy!)**


	81. Chapter 80 - Wisdom Teeth

**Eightieth One Shot:**

 **Wisdom Teeth**

 **Clary POV:**

"I don't want to do this Clare." Jace said as we sat on the swing set in my backyard.

"It's not that scary Jace. I got mine out last year, and I was fine." I said as I looked at him and saw how worried he was.

"But you've had surgery before. I never have." Jace said.

"First, an emergency appendectomy isn't something I was really prepared for." I said and he laughed. "So I may have had experience but that didn't mean I wasn't slightly freaked out."

"I just don't like the idea of being knocked out." Jace said.

"They aren't going to punch you in the face Jace. You get anesthesia. You can barely even register anything. It knocks you out in like 3 seconds." I said.

"You aren't making me feel any better." Jace said and I reached my hand out and touched his arm, which sent through shocks through my body just like it always did.

"You will get through this. Come on, you're Jace Herondale. You're the guy who fears nothing but ducks." I said and he glared at me, which caused me to laugh.

"Will you be there with me?" Jace asked and I was slightly taken aback, but it felt nice that he wanted me there.

"Absolutely." I said and he smiled. "When is it again?"

"Wednesday morning. 9 am." Jace said and I nodded. "You can just spend the night." He said and I nodded once again. His phone went off and he checked it and sighed. "I have to get home. My mom wants me back."

"Of course." I said and he stood up.

"Later Fray." He said and then he was gone. I took a deep breath before heading inside. My mom was sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea. When she heard the back door open she looked up and smiled at me.

"Where is Jace?" She asked.

"He needed to get home." I said and she nodded. "Jace asked me to go with him to get his wisdom teeth out this week. Do you mind if I go?" I asked.

"When would it be?" She asked.

"Wednesday morning. 9 am." I said.

"It's a school day Clary." My mom said.

"It's one day. I mean, Jace missed 2 days of school when I was rushed to get my appendix removed because he was scared to leave me alone. He's scared, although he won't admit that to anyone but me, and he wants me there." I explained and I saw her eyes soften.

"Okay. I'll let the school know." She said.

"Thanks mom." I said as I gave her a hug. "I'm gonna spend the night Tuesday, so that they don't have to go out of there way to get me."

"Okay, but for now, it's bed time. It's a school night." She said and I smiled.

"Goodnight mom." I said.

"Goodnight sweetie." She said and I went up to my room.

I got ready for bed but I wasn't tired. I stared at the picture of Jace and I that I had on my nightstand. We were about 13, and his family invited me to go on vacation with them. It was my first vacation, and I was so pumped. I made Jace document the whole thing, even though he was too cool for that. My crush started that summer, and it just continued to grow as we got older. Now I'm 18 years old, and in love with my best friend. It sucked, because I knew nothing was ever going to happen, but I can't control my feelings. I watched him flirt, and make out with numerous girls at school, and parties, and dances, and it killed me but I wanted him to be happy, and if that was what made him happy. Than I just kept my mouth shut, but it sucked, hard core. My eyes drifted shut and I dreamed about the life that I wanted with Jace, a life I knew I'd never get, but there was no shame in dreaming about it.

 **Time Jump – Wednesday Morning**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up to the smell of coffee and I smiled to myself. I got out of bed and pulled a shirt on and headed downstairs. I heard laughing and when I turned the corner my mom and Clary were in the kitchen talking. I made my way over to the coffee pot before Clary slapped my hand away.

"Sorry buddy, no coffee." Clary said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"You aren't allowed to have food of liquid before the surgery." Clary explained.

"This sucks." I said and she laughed.

"You can eat when you get home today." Clary said.

"First off, I remember when you got out of surgery. You drank smoothies for a week before you could consume solid food. I'm a growing boy. I need my food." I said and Clary just laughed.

"I'll make you a nice smoothie when we get back, but for right now, you must starve." She said and my mom laughed.

We got in the car and made our way to the doctors office, and I really wasn't looking forward to this surgery. I knew that Clary was right, and that it wasn't going to be that bad, but that still didn't stop the nerves. When we got there my mom went to the window to sign the papers and I took a seat next to Clary.

"You're going to be okay." Clary said and I grabbed her hand. My mom came back and sat on the other side, and I just waited for my name to be called.

"Jonathan Herondale?" I heard and I looked up and saw a nurse standing there. "We're ready for you." Clary squeezed my hand and I looked at her.

"We'll be here when you're done." She said and I nodded. My mom kissed my cheek and I stood up and followed the nurse back. I sat in the chair as they got me ready. The minute I felt the anesthesia enter my body I felt like I was about to pass out. I closed my eyes and images of the gorgeous redhead in the lobby flooded my memory. She was the last thing I remembered before darkness took me over.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Celine and I were waiting patiently for Jace to make it out of surgery, and it felt like forever, but when the nurse finally came out and said he was going to be waking up from the anesthesia soon, we made our way back to where he was resting. We walked in and Jace looked like an angel. He looked peaceful, and relaxed, something that Jace often isn't. we took the two seats that were there and waited.

"Are you ever going to tell Jace how you feel about him?" Celine said out of nowhere.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said trying to act cool but she just laughed.

"Oh sweetie. You can't hide your feelings from me." She said and I sighed.

"Am I that obvious?" I asked and she smiled.

"No. But I could spot it from a million miles away." She said.

"How?" I asked.

"You are the only person on this planet who has ever been truly invested in Jace's well being. You care about him, and you don't do it for the gratification, and you don't do it so that he'll recognize you."

"Clearly." I said and she smiled.

"You just really care about him, and having that much care for a person was bound to turn into something more." She said.

"He's my best friend." I simply said. "I'd do anything for him."

"So why not tell him about your feelings?" She asked.

"Because I can't lose our friendship. I don't want to make it awkward. What we have is special, and I can't risk that." I admitted.

"What about your feelings?" She asked.

"Being in Jace's life, whether it be as a friend, or more is something that I need. So, if keeping my feelings a secret is what I need to do, than that's what I'm going to do." I said and she nodded. Jace started to stir but my phone started to ring, and I looked at Celine. "I should take this." I said and she nodded. I walked out of the room and took a deep breath before answering my phone.

 **Celine POV:**

Clary left the room and I looked back at Jace who was looking around the room like it was foreign.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"You're in the doctors office. You just had your wisdom teeth out." I explained.

"They took my wisdom teeth? Where am I supposed to get my wisdom from now?" He asked seeming extremely concerned. I took out my phone and started recording. This was prime embarrassment material.

"Sweetheart, that's not where wisdom comes from." I said.

"Not anymore. They took it." He said and I had to try and hide my laughter.

"I guarantee you're going to get your wisdom back." I said and he nodded. He was looking around the room and I thought he was looking for Clary. "Clary should be back soon. She got a phone call she needed to take."

"Who is Clary?" He asked.

"Your best friend. Short, red hair, green eyes." I described her.

"Oh, the really pretty one. I dreamed about her while I was asleep." He said and I figured why not probe while he is nothing but honest.

"You think she's pretty?" I asked and he got this goofy grin on his face.

"Naw." He said. "She's gorgeous." He said and I couldn't help but smile. My son never ever said that about anyone before.

"Have you told her that?" I asked.

"No." He said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I'm not right for her." He said.

"Why is that?" I wondered.

"She deserves someone who is worthy of everything she has to offer. I'll never be worthy of anything of her's." He explained. "She's perfect, and she deserves someone perfect. And that's not me."

"Why are you selling yourself short sweetheart?" I asked.

"I'm not. I just know that she deserves someone better than me." He said.

"And what about her? What if she doesn't feel that way?" I asked and he started shaking his head.

"I'm not going to push my feelings on her. She my bestie, and I want that to never change." He said and I was about to say something when the door opened and in walked Clary. "Ohhhh, hi pretty lady." Jace said and Clary blushed.

"Anesthesia is doing wonders for you." Clary said and he laughed. I stopped recording and put my phone away.

"Everything okay?" I asked because she looked a little down.

"Yea. Just some family stuff." She said and I nodded. Jace only told me snippets of what goes on in Clary's life. It was sad, but Clary handled it remarkably well. "How is he?"

"Very loopy." I said and she laughed. There was a knock on the door and a nurse walked in.

"He should be ready to go home soon. I just need you to sign some papers." She said and I nodded and got up leaving Clary and Jace alone.

 **Clary POV:**

After Celine left it was just Jace and I and he had the biggest smile on his face while he looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Can't I just admire the view?" He said and I couldn't stop the blush.

"Always the charmer. Even while on drugs." I said and his face turned from happy to scared.

"I'm on drugs?!" He yelled. "I am so sorry Clary. You know I would never do drugs. You have to believe me." I stood up and kneeled next to him and took his hand in mine which seemed to calm him down.

"Hey, it's okay. I know that. These drugs were prescribed so you wouldn't feel anything during surgery." I reassured him.

"You mean when they stole my wisdom." He said angrily and I was confused.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"My mom told me I got my wisdom teeth taken out. They stole my wisdom." He said and I laughed.

"No, that's not what it means." I said as I brushed the hair out of his eyes. "You still have all your wisdom. I assure you." I said and he smiled. Celine walked back in and smiled at me.

"He's ready to go." She said and I nodded. I helped Jace off the cot he was laying on and he draped his arm around my shoulders and we walked out of there. I helped him in the back of the car before joining Celine in the front.

"I'd love to come and stay with Jace, but I actually need to get home." I said and Celine nodded.

"I'll drop you off." She said and I nodded. The rest of the car ride Jace was talking nonsense and Celine and I couldn't help but laugh. When Celine dropped me off I took a deep breath before walking into my house. When I closed the door I saw my dad sitting on the couch with my mom. I clenched my fists but released them immediately.

"Clarissa." He said.

"Father." I replied.

"It's good to see you again." He said.

"How was your stay in prison this time?" I asked.

"Clary." My mom chastised me.

"No, it's okay." My father said. "Prison is never fun. I'm just glad to be out on good behavior." He responded.

"You gonna bail on your parole again this time?" I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I had my reasons Clarissa." He said.

"Yea. You were seen affiliating with your old gang, and ran like the coward you are." I hissed.

"I'm not proud of my past Clarissa." He said and I let out a dry laugh.

"Really? Because that's not how I've seen it the past 18 years. You care more about your brothers, than you do about us." I said.

"That's not true." He said.

"It isn't? Than why did you used to bail for months on end? Why did you never call and tell us where you were? Why did you get Jonathan involved in that life? If it weren't for you he'd still be alive." I shouted.

"I'm not proud of that Clarissa. Losing your brother was the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. I've had a lot of time to think in prison." He said and I shook my head.

"You've been gone for the past 5 years. I don't want you in my life." I said. "And frankly, I don't know why mom still puts up with you. All you've done with disappoint us, and break her heart." I said and I looked at my mom. "Is he staying here?" I asked.

"Yes." She said. "He's still your father, and he's still my husband."

"Than I'm not staying here." I said as I grabbed my bag.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Anywhere but here." I said. I grabbed my keys and got in my car and headed towards the Lightwood house, I knew there might be a slime chance she was home, but I was willing to take that risk. I needed to get away, and since Jace was still loopy on drugs, Izzy was the next best thing, plus it's been awhile since we've had a girls night.

I got to Izzy's and my cheeks were tear stricken. She pulled me into a hug and I sighed and cried for a minute before pulling myself together. Jace was the only one who knew the extent of my troubled family, but Izzy knew a few things, and she was always there if I needed her, and I was grateful for that. We went up to her room and I laid out o her bed.

"How was Jace's surgery?" She finally asked.

"It went well." I said. "He was really loopy afterwards." I said and she laughed. "Wait, why aren't you at school?" I asked realizing that it was only 11:30.

"I bet. I watch those videos all the time. I can't help but laugh my ass off." She said. "And I woke up with a bad headache, so my mom let me stay home." She said and I nodded. It was quiet for a moment before I spoke.

"Celine knows." I said and she looked at me. "About my feelings for Jace."

"You're shitting me?" She asked and I shook my head. "How do you know?"

"She called me out on it." I said and she laughed.

"Damn." She said and I nodded. "What did she say?"

"She asked if I was ever going to tell him." I said. "I told her that I couldn't lose Jace, and telling him was risky."

"It's risky, but what if that risk paid off?" Izzy asked and I looked at her.

"I don't want to find out, and potentially lose him forever." I said. "Plus, he doesn't even look at me like that."

"You never know Clare. He might just need a kick in the ass." She said and I laughed. "Seriously, he treats you completely different than anyone else in the world, you can't tell me he doesn't feel anything towards you."

"That could just be familial affections." I said.

"I guess we'll never know will we." She said and I sighed. Things were complicated, and only getting more complicated as the night progressed. Eventually I fell asleep and allowed images of Jace to flood my mind in hopes of keeping my father out.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up on the couch and my mouth hurt. There were pills and a glass of water on the coffee table. I took them and stood up and made my way into the kitchen where my mom was sitting reading a magazine.

"How are you feeling?" She asked when I walked in.

"I'm sore, but I thought it would be worse." I said and she nodded. "Where is Clary?" I asked.

"She needed to be home. Said she had some family stuff to take care of." She said and I nodded. The phone rang and my mom picked it up. "Hello?" She asked. "I'm sorry Jocelyn, but Clary isn't here." She said and that immediately caught my attention. "I dropped her off after Jace's surgery, and that was at 11." She said. "Oh, hello Valentine." My mom said and I felt my anger rise. I didn't know he was out of jail. "I really wish I could help you, but I don't know where Clary is." She said and she looked up at me and I just shook my head. "And neither does Jace." She said. "Of course. If I hear anything I'll let you know." She hung up.

"Valentine's home?" I asked.

"Yea. I thought he was supposed to be in jail for another 4 years." She said.

"He was." I said. "I can't believe he's out." I said and my mom nodded.

"Do you know where Clary is?" She asked.

"Probably with Izzy. That's the second place she'd go if she couldn't come here." I said and my mom nodded.

"Maybe you should give her a call. Make sure she's okay." My mom said and I nodded.

"I will." I said. I made my way back to the living room and picked my phone up and dialed Clary.

"Hello?" She answered and she sounded drained.

"Hey Clare." I said.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" She asked sounding more alert.

"I think I should be asking you that. Your mom called." I said and I heard her sigh. "Your dads out."

"Yea. I got home and he was in my living room." She said.

"How is he out?" I asked.

"Good behavior apparently." She said. "He tried to apologize."

"How did that go?" I asked.

"How do you think?" She said and I laughed. "He's staying there, and I didn't want to be under the same roof, so I left and went to Izzy."

"Does she know?" I asked.

"I just told her I got into a fight with my mom." She said. "I don't want to advertise that my father, a convicted felon is out on parole for good behavior. Not the best news someone could hear."

"I'm really sorry Clare." I said.

"Nothing I can really do about it." She said. I heard some yelling in the background and Clary groaned. "Just pick something Izzy. You know I'm not picky when it comes to ice cream!" She called back and I laughed.

"What are you ladies up to tonight?" I asked.

"Movies, and junk food." She said.

"Sounds fun." I said.

"We'll see. I'm sorry I wasn't there to make you a smoothie." She said and I smiled.

"No worries. You'll just have to make me one another time." I said.

"Deal." She said. "Izzy is calling me downstairs. We'll talk later?" She asked.

"Of course." I said.

"Bye Jace." She said.

"Bye Clare." I said and we hung up. I put my phone down on the coffee table and put my head in my hands.

"When are you going to admit you like her?" I heard form behind me and there stood my mom.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Clary. When are you going to admit your feelings for her?" She asked.

"She has too much going on right now mom." I said. "It wouldn't be the right time, and I don't even know if she feels the same way."

"You two are so blind." She said as she took a seat next to me. "She said the same thing about you."

"She did?" I asked.

"Yea. I asked her while you were in surgery today." She said.

"Wow. Are you trying to be cupid right now?" I asked and she laughed.

"I'm trying to give you both some happiness that you rightfully deserve." She said.

"Mom." I said.

"I know you're unhappy Jace. And I don't blame you. It's been a tough year." She said and I sighed. "After your father left us, I thought we were doomed. But we're doing so great." She said and I smiled. "I know you wish he stuck around, and I wish he did too, but in the end he couldn't give us his all, and you know what, that's his problem. Not ours." She said. "Clary is the only person who truly makes you happy. Don't punish yourself by keeping those feelings to yourself."

"I'll think about it." I said.

"Well, maybe you need a kick in the ass." She said as she pulled her phone out and started texting.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"There is something you should see." She said and my phone went off. "Watch that, and than tell me that she doesn't make you truly happy." She said. She kissed my temple before leaving.

I watched the video and I couldn't help but smile at how I was talking about Clary. But I agreed with myself. Everything I said while loopy was exactly how I felt now, and I wasn't ashamed of it, but that didn't mean telling Clary was a good idea. Especially with everything she's dealing with right now. She needed some time to get over this bump, and than I could confront her.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

My father was still at home, and I tried to avoid him as much as possible. He's told me he's changed, but I don't believe him. Once a criminal, always a criminal. I was woken up from my sleep to a huge bang. I looked at my clock and it was nearly 4 in the morning. I got out of bed and made my way downstairs to see my dad stumbling around knocking shit over.

"You're kidding me right?" I said and he turned around. "Isn't staying sober a part of you parole?"

"I won't tell if you won't." He slurred and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm gonna tell, and send your ass right back to prison." I said as I walked over to the house phone, but before I got there Valentine grabbed. "Ouch, let me go."

"Not until you promise not to tell me. I can't go back to prison." He said.

"Why? Piss too many people off?" I asked and his grip tightened.

"Don't talk back to me little girl. I'm still your father." He hissed at me.

"First off, my name is not little girl. Second, you've been in and out of prison my whole life. And when you weren't in prison, you were flaking on us left and right. You're barely a dad." I said and his hand slapped me across the face and I fell to the ground. I put my hand to my face and my lip was bleeding.

"You will show me respect." He yelled.

"To get respect you have to give it, and hitting your daughter doesn't earn you respect." I said as I stood up. He walked over and grabbed me by the neck and forced me up against the wall.

"I can do whatever I want to you. You're my daughter." He said as out faces were touching.

"Get your hands off me Valentine." I said as I felt his hand grip me tighter.

"What are you going to do about it?" He said with so much pride in his voice. Before I could respond his body went limp and I saw my mom standing behind him with a frying pan.

"I'm an idiot." She said and I stood there catching my breath.

"You think?" I said.

"He's not staying here." She said. "This was the last straw."

"You can call his parole officer, and I'm going to get out of here." I said.

"The police will need your statement." She said as I grabbed my keys.

"Tell them to meet me at the Herondales. I'm not staying in the same house as him, even while he's unconscious." I said and I left. When I got in my car I let the tears flow. I can't believe she let it get this bad.

 **Jace POV:**

I was woken up when I heard a lot of movements downstairs. I looked at my clock and it was nearly 5 in the morning, and my mom shouldn't be up at this hour. I got a shirt and pulled it over my head as I headed downstairs. The light was on in the kitchen and when I walked in I saw Clary sitting at the counter.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and she turned around and her lip was bleeding and her neck was bruised. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Valentine." She said and I walked over and pulled her into me and she melted into me instantly.

"What happened?" I asked.

"He came home about an hour ago wasted. It's against his parole to get drunk, so I told him I was going to call his parole officer and get him sent back to prison where he belonged." She said. "He did not like that."

"So he hit you?" I asked.

"Yea, and then choked me. My mom hit him in the head with a frying pan and he was out cold. I didn't stick around for the police to come. I couldn't stay there." She said and I nodded. "So, if they come by, they are looking for me."

"Of course. Do you need anything else from me?" My mom asked Clary.

"No thank you." Clary said. "I'm okay."

"You're hardly okay Clary. That man put his hands on you." I said.

"He could have done worse." She simply said.

"He could have done nothing like a decent human being." I said.

"In all the years that you've known me, when has my father ever been decent?" She asked. "I mean, you've only met him once in the 13 years we've been friends because he's either in prison or running from the cops." She said. "Decency isn't in his nature."

"Still." I said.

"I'm going to head back to bed." My mom said. "I have work tomorrow, but you're more than welcome to stay here Clary, and Jace you don't have to go to school tomorrow." She said and I nodded.

"Thank you Celine." Clary said. My mom walked over and kissed her on the forehead and kissed me on the cheek and whispered.

"Take care of her." She said and I nodded before he left the kitchen.

"Tell me what I can do, and it's yours." I said and she smiled.

"I just want to go to sleep honestly." She said and I nodded. I reached my hand out and she took it. She hopped off the bar stool and we made our way up to my room. When we got in, she immediately snuggled into the comforter. I smiled and joined her, and I just couldn't resist, I pulled her into me and she melted right into my side and everything in that moment seemed perfect.

 **Time Jump – Next Morning**

 **Clary POV:**

The door of Jace's room opened and I opened my eyes to see Celine standing there. I sat up and rubbed my eyes and she smiled.

"There are a few officers downstairs. They are here to take your statement." She said. I yawned and nodded.

"Thanks." I said and she smiled.

"I have to go to work, but if you need anything just give me a call." She said.

"Thanks Celine." I said.

"No problem sweetie." She said as she closed the door. I looked back at Jace and he was still sleeping. Normally I wouldn't wake him up but I didn't want to go through this alone. I started rubbing his back until he started to stir.

"What's up?" He asked in a super groggy voice.

"Your mom told me there were some police officers here for my statement. I didn't want to do it alone." I said and he sat up.

"Okay." He said. "Let's go." He said as he reached his hand out. I grabbed it and we made our way downstairs.

"Miss. Fray, thank you for speaking with us." The one officer said and I nodded before taking a seat on the couch opposite of them with Jace right by my side holding my hand. "We'd like to ask you a few questions about your father."

"Okay." I said.

"Is this the first time he's ever gotten physical with you?" The one officer asked.

"This is the first time he's ever laid a hand on me. But he has thrown things at me before." I said.

"What types of things?" The officer asked.

"Anything within grabbing distance. Books, vases, remotes, stuff like that." I said.

"Has he ever been physical with your mom?" The officer asked.

"Yes, but she always denied it." I said.

"What do you mean?" The officer asked.

"I would find bruises on her all the time, and when I asked about them she scrambled to find an excuse." I explained. "Every time there was a new bruise he was already gone."

"Your father does have a history of disappearing." The one officer pointed out. "Has he been staying with you since his release?"

"Yes." I said.

"And was this the first time he's come home intoxicated?" The officer asked.

"I'm not sure. This is the only time I've caught him." I said.

"Do you mind if we take pictures of your injuries?" The officer asked. I shook my head and stood up. They took a picture of my lip, and my neck.

"I think I have a few more on my back from when he slammed me against the wall." I said and they nodded.

"Would you mind removing your shirt?" The officer asked. I shook my head and took my shirt off and turned around where I heard a gasp.

"Is it bad?" I asked.

"This looks painful. Can you feel it?" The officer asked.

"A little." I said. Honestly, I wasn't paying attention to the pain much. I was just trying to forget. After a few moments they were done.

"You can put your shirt back on." He said and Jace handed me the shirt and I got redressed. "We'll be in touch if we need anything more from you."

"Thank you." I said and Jace showed them out while I sat on the couch. When Jace came back he sat on the coffee table in front of me.

"What do you need right now?" He asked.

"I have no idea." I said honestly.

"Seriously, anything you want Clare, and it's yours." He said and I thought about it, and I just needed him.

"You." I said honestly. "All I need is you right now." I said and he smiled.

"You got it." He said as he sat next to me and pulled me into his side. I melted into him right away and closed my eyes. The last 24 hours have been a nightmare and I just wanted Valentine out of my life for good.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary was asleep on the couch and my mom was in the kitchen making dinner. I took a seat on the bar stool and sighed.

"What's wrong hun?" My mom asked.

"I can't do anything for her." I admitted. "I feel helpless."

"Sucks being in love doesn't it?" She said and I glared at her. "What? Love isn't all rainbows and butterflies. You have to deal with their family problems just as much as they do."

"You aren't helping mom." I said and she walked over to me.

"And you aren't helping by keeping your feelings from Clary." She said. "I get you don't want to complicate her life any more than it already is, but what if just admitting your feelings to her uncomplicates one part of her life? Isn't that worth it?" She asked.

"I don't know okay? She needs me. I don't want to throw something else at her." I said honestly.

"Okay. I'll drop it. For now." She said and I smiled. There was a knock at the door and I went to answer it and when I opened the door there stood Jocelyn.

"Is Clary here?" She asked. "I've been calling but she hasn't picked up." She said.

"She's asleep." I said and she nodded. "Would you like to come in and wait? My mom is almost done with dinner, and she'll be awake." I said and she nodded and walked in. She went into the kitchen. My mom turned around and smiled.

"It's good to see you Jocelyn." She said as she gave her a hug.

"Thank you for taking in my little girl." Jocelyn said and I could hear the strain in her voice.

"Clary is like another child to me. I'd do anything for her." My mom said. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Coffee would be great." She said and I smiled. Clary got her addiction to coffee from Jocelyn and it was always the first thing Clary got when she came over.

"Jace, can you go wake Clary up. Dinner will be ready soon." My mom said and I nodded. I walked into the living room and started rubbing Clary's back. She woke up slowly but she was incredibly beautiful when she was just woken up.

"Hey, dinner is ready." I said and she nodded. "Oh, and your mom is here." I said and her eyes widened slightly.

"Okay." She said as she sat up. I pulled her off the couch and she walked into the kitchen where our moms were. "Mom." She said and Jocelyn turned around.

"Baby, I am so sorry." She said. "I was so stupid thinking he was going to change."

"You were. I told you when I was 12 that he was never going to turn his life around, but you kept insisting that he would." Clary said. "It took him hitting me for you to finally open your eyes."

"If I could take it back I would Clary." Jocelyn said.

"I don't think you would mom." Clary said. "You still want to see the man you married. You want to see that guy who brought you flowers, and lavished you in stolen gifts. You want the dangerous guy who kept you on edge." Clary said. "Well congratulations mom. You got him."

"He isn't coming back Clary." She said with tear filled eyes. "He's gone."

"I don't believe you." Clary said. "You will always take him back because you believe he will change. I gave up on him a long time ago. You should start doing the same."

"I have." Jocelyn said.

"Oh really? Than why did it take you so long to come here? Why did it take you so long to check up on me?" Clary asked.

"I…." Jocelyn said.

"You were at the police station with him weren't you? You were by his side the whole time." Clary said and Jocelyn hung her head.

"He's my husband Clary." She said.

"And I'm your daughter." Clary said. "I'm your blood. Not him."

"It's not that simple Clary." Jocelyn said.

"It never is with you two. You will always be attracted to his dangerous side, and he'll always take advantage of your kindness." Clary said. "And I don't want to be apart of that anymore. I'm tired of the uncertainty that he brings into our lives. You might be able to live like that, but I can't."

"Please Clary." Jocelyn pleaded.

"Maybe one day I can forgive you mom. But I can't right now. The reason we're in this situation right now is because you refused to see the bad in him even when I pointed it out." Clary said.

"I understand." Jocelyn said as she stood up. "I just came to see if you were okay."

"I appreciate that mom." Clary said. Jocelyn nodded and looked at my mom.

"Thank you for the coffee, but I think I'm going to head home." Jocelyn said.

"Okay." My mom said.

"I'll see you later." She said to Clary before leaving. It was quiet until we heard the car pull out of the driveway.

"You can stay here as long as you want sweetie." My mom finally said.

"Thank you Celine." Clary said.

"Dinner is on the stove. Help yourselves." She said and I nodded.

"You hungry?" I asked Clary.

"A little." She said. I grabbed a plate but didn't put much on it. Clary was the type of person who needed to finish everything on her plate, and if she wasn't very hungry, I wasn't going to fill her plate up with a lot of food. She sat at the table and I put the plate down in front of her. "Thank you."

"Drink?" I asked.

"Coffee." She said and I smiled. I grabbed a mug and poured her a cup of black coffee and handed it to her. I went over to grab myself a plate when my mom came up next to me.

"Tell her sweetheart." My mom said and I looked at her. "It will be beneficial for both of you." I simply nodded and finished getting my food before joining Clary at the table. I was going to tell Clary tonight. I had made up my mind.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

It was late, and Jace and I were on the couch watching TV. I wasn't really paying attention to it. My mind was on a different planet these days, and nothing seemed to distract me enough.

"Clary." I heard and I looked over at Jace.

"Mmm?" I said.

"We need to talk." Jace said and he sounded nervous.

"What's up?" I asked and he muted the TV, and I sat up so that we were facing each other.

"I've been holding this in for so long, and I wasn't sure if I should tell you, but I just can't keep it to myself anymore." He said.

"What are you talking about Jace?" I asked confused.

"I like you Clary. I really really like you." He said and my jaw dropped. "I have for a long time but I never wanted to ruin our friendship, and after everything that's happened, I just can't keep it to myself anymore. You deserve to know what it feels like to be loved, and I want to be the one to give you that."

"Love?" I asked because I wasn't expecting that and by the look on his face, he didn't mean to admit it.

"Yes Clary. I love you. I've loved you for years, and I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you." He said and after the shock wore off I smiled.

"I love you too." I finally said and his eyes widened.

"You do?" He asked.

"I've loved you for so long, but just like you I didn't want to ruin our friendship." I admitted.

"My mom has been trying to get me to tell you for months, but everything just wasn't the right time." He said and I nodded.

"Your mom's been busy because she confronted me about my feelings for you as well." I said and he laughed.

"Yea well, I don't think she knew about mine until I got my wisdom teeth out." He said.

"How is that?" I asked. He pulled out his cellphone and handed it to me. A video was up and I clicked play. Watching the video I couldn't believe what he was saying about me. Once it was over I looked at him.

"I may have been under the influence while saying all of that, but I completely agree being 100% sober right now. Everything I said was how I've been feeling for so long, but too scared to admit." He said and I smiled.

"Better late than never right?" I said and he laughed. His eyes flickered down to my lips and I leaned over and pressed mine to his, and man hid my body awaken. I had pictured kissing him for so long, and this completely exceeded my expectations. When I pulled away he had the biggest grin on his face.

"Wow." He said and I laughed.

"My thoughts exactly." I said and we just looked into each others eyes.

"Told ya." We heard and when we turned around Celine was standing in the doorway and my cheeks instantly burned. "A mother is never wrong. You should have listened to me months ago." She said and I laughed.

"Could have taken us longer." I said and she laughed.

"You two should have been dating since like 7th grade." She said and Jace laughed. "But I guess it is better late than never. I'm going to go take a relaxing bath." She said. "You are still more than welcome to stay here sweetie, but I'd really like to make it to my 60's at least before I'm a grandma." She said and my jaw dropped.

"Mother!" Jace said and she laughed.

"I'm just saying. Keep it safe." She said and she left the room.

"Man, she's blunt." Jace said and I laughed.

"We already knew that." I said and he smiled.

"So Clary, how would you like to be my girlfriend?" He asked and I smiled.

"I'd love too." I said and he leaned forward and kissed me. Despite everything going on in my life, this was a huge bright spot, and I was thankful for that.

 **Time Jump – End Of College**

 **Clary POV:**

College was different than I expected. Jace and I didn't go to the same place, which made things hard on our relationship. He was so busy with his schoolwork, plus balancing being an athlete, and I was so focused on my schoolwork that we'd go days, if not a couple weeks without talking, and it really strained us. We though when summer rolled around things would get easier again, and they did but they got worse when summer ended, and we called it quits. We just weren't working, and we both thought it would be beneficial for both of us, emotionally and academically if we just took a break.

A lot of people find clarity when they focus on themselves and their future, and at first I thought maybe I'd get that as well. Boy was I wrong. I was completely miserable. Because even though Jace and I weren't talking, I still knew he was mine, and that I was his. My friends at school tried to help me move on, but the thing was I didn't want to move on. I wanted Jace. I wanted his support, and his love, and his encouragement. I wanted my best friend, and the love of my life back. I still remember coming home the summer leading into my junior year and seeing him for the first time.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I fought again for the 18_ _th_ _time with my mother. She visited my father weekly and I just couldn't believe she was still involved with him. But it wasn't entirely my fathers fault. She was so invested and dependent on him that she couldn't leave, and I realized that was never going to change, and that bringing it up was going to do nothing but cause arguments._

 _I was walking around at like midnight just trying to cool off when I found myself standing in front of a familiar house. I looked up at saw that Jace's light was still on. I took a deep breath and made my way up to the house. I knocked and a moment later Celine answered._

 _"Oh my god. It's so good to see you." She said as she pulled me into a hug._

 _"It's good to see you too Celine." I said and we pulled apart. "Is Jace here?"_

 _"Yea. Jace! You have a visitor!" Celine yelled and she seemed to chipper to be awake at this hour but she was a night owl. I heard the footsteps and than there was Jace, in his gorgeous glory._

 _"Clary." He said._

 _"Hey, I was wondering if we could talk." I said and he nodded. He walked out and we started walking. We didn't know where we were going, but that didn't matter._

 _"How are you?" He asked after a few moments._

 _"I've been better. You?" I asked._

 _"Hanging in there." He said. "How's everything at home?" He asked._

 _"A nightmare." I said. "She's so dependent on him. Like without his love she can't breath." I said. "She visits him every week. She bakes cookies, and writes him letters. I just, I can't imagine what she still sees in him."_

 _"I'm sorry Clare." He said._

 _"The worst part is, I can't even blame is entirely on my father." I said. "She chose to stay by his side even when she had plenty of opportunities to leave."_

 _"Doesn't make it suck any less." He said and I nodded._

 _"How did your sophomore year go?" I asked after a moment of silence._

 _"It was tough, but I got through." He said and I nodded. "What about you?"_

 _"It was insane honestly." I said. "Especially studying abroad last semester."_

 _"Oh yea, how was that?" He asked._

 _"I could live in Ireland. I really could." I said and he laughed. How I've missed that laugh._

 _"I'm glad you had a good time." He said. "I bet it's going to be weird going back to a normal semester."_

 _"Definitely. I left a piece of my heart in Ireland. That's for sure." I said._

 _"With someone?" He asked hesitantly._

 _"Nope. Just with the land, and culture, and the history." I explained and he nodded. "Are you seeing anyone?" I asked._

 _"Nope. Took the year to focus on myself." He said and I nodded. I tried not to jump for joy._

 _"That's good." I said because I didn't know what to say to that honestly. We found ourselves at the old pond that we used to ice skate on when we were kids. There was a gazebo, and we went in and I leaned on the railings. "Things were so much simpler when we were younger."_

 _"It couldn't last forever." Jace said and I nodded._

 _"Doesn't mean I don't wish I could go back and relive it." I said. "Not worrying about my dad because I was too young to know what was going on. Seeing the good in my mom instead of the dependent person she truly is." I said with a humorless laugh. "When we were best friends."_

 _"Clary." Jace said but I turned to face him and he saw my tears._

 _"I miss you Jace." I finally said as my voice cracked. "It hurt so much that I couldn't come to you when I needed you this past year."_

 _"You can always come to me Clary." Jace said._

 _"I felt like I couldn't. I was no long just your best friend, but I was your ex." I said. "It didn't feel like I had that right."_

 _"Listen to me Clary, I don't care what happens between us. We could have ended things with guns blazing, and I still would answer every call, and text, and be there for you no matter what." He said._

 _"I almost called you so many times." I admitted. "When I got called to testify, I wanted to call and cry to you so many nights. I wanted you to hold me and tell me everything was going to be alright. I just needed my best friend and I didn't have you anymore." I said and he pulled me into him, and damn did I miss his arms._

 _"You will always be one of the most important people in my life. Doesn't matter what happens between us. You Clarissa Fray are my best friend. Never doubt that." He said and I nodded against his chest. After some time I pulled away and looked at him._

 _"I never did thank you for coming to the trial." I said._

 _"I wasn't missing it for the world." He said and I nodded. "Can I be honest with you?" He said and I nodded. "Agreeing to end things was the stupidest thing we've ever done." He said and I laughed. "And that's saying something considering the stupid shit we used to get ourselves into." He said and I smiled. "Do you agree?" He asked._

 _"This past year has been miserable." I said and he smiled. "I'd much rather be with you, and fight every now and than, then be apart and not even talk."_

 _"I can't live without you Clary." He said. "And I don't want too. I want you by my side forever. And not just as my best friend." He said and tears filled my eyes but this time the good ones._

 _"This sounds an awful lot like a proposal." I said and he laughed._

 _"Not yet, but eventually." He said as he pulled me closer to him. "What do you say Clarissa Fray, let's forget this whole year apart, and continue this amazing relationship." He said and I laughed._

 _"Nothing would make me happier." I said and than he kissed me. I forgot how much I missed his lips on mine, and I knew that I was never letting this go ever again._

 ** _End Of Flashback_**

We've been together since, and we have our fair share of fights, but we'd rather fight, than call it quits. We were meant for each other, and we knew that. Things weren't always going to be perfect, but they didn't need to be. We had each other, and that's what made everything worth it.

I was sitting on the couch when Jace got home and he immediately joined me. He put his arm around me and I leaned into him instinctually. I kissed the top of my head and I closed my eyes and smiled.

"My mom is expecting us at 7 for dinner." Jace said.

"Why so late?" I complained and Jace laughed.

"Her new boyfriend works until 6:30." Jace said.

"I can't wait to meet him." I said and Jace groaned. "What?"

"It's weird that my mom is dating." He said and I laughed.

"Is she happy?" I asked.

"She sounds super happy." He said and I smiled.

"That's all that matters. And if he's s douche, we can take care of him." I said and he pressed his lips to mine.

"Come on, it'll take us at least 25 minutes to get there, and I don't want to get stuck in traffic." Jace said as he pulled me off the couch.

When we got to Celine's house, we walked in and everything smelled amazing. She was in the kitchen whistling to whatever song was on the radio. I haven't seen her this happy in a long time and it was amazing to see her just letting loose.

"Mom." Jace said and she turned around and smiled.

"I'm so glad you two are here." She said as she hugged us both.

"Of course." I said. "We wouldn't miss this for the world." I said and she smiled.

"He should be here soon. Jace would you mind setting the table?" Celine asked and he shook his head and grabbed the plates. "How do you think Jace will react?" Celine asked when he was gone.

"He's skeptical, but you're happy, and that makes him happy." I said and she smiled. The doorbell rang and Celine got the biggest smile on her face. She went to answer it and I went to Jace and grabbed his face. "Be nice." I said and he laughed and kissed my nose.

"Kids, this is Luke." She said as she gestured to the man next to her. "Luke, this is my son Jace and his girlfriend Clary."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Luke." I said and he smiled.

"You as well. Celine talks about you two often." He said and I smiled.

"Hope she hasn't damaged our characters too badly for you." I said and he laughed.

"On the contrary. You two sounded like pretty entertaining kids." He said.

"They were a handful, but they were always good for getting a laugh out of." Celine said. "Why don't we take a seat at the table?" Celine said and we all made our way into the table. Jace had yet to speak, but I knew it was being he was trying to get a feeling for Luke. After our plates were full Luke spoke again.

"So, Celine says you two have known each other for quite some time." He said and I nodded. "How did your friendship grow into something more?" He asked and I looked at Jace who was smiling at me.

"Oh, you should ask cupid herself." Jace said as he pointed to his mother. "She was actually a huge contributing factor."

"Oh really?" Luke asked.

"I may have given them a little push, but Jace kick started me." Celine said. "He got his wisdom teeth out his senior year of high school." Celine explained. "And he spilled his guts about his feelings for Clary, and I could spot Clary's feelings from a mile away." Celine said and I blushed as Jace rested his hand on my thigh and smiled at me. "They were both finding any reason to not tell each other, so someone needed to help them along."

"She never was good at minding her own business." Jace said and Luke and Celine laughed.

"And look at you two now." Celine said. She gestured to us and I couldn't help but smile. The rest of dinner went by smoothly. Jace seemed to really warm up to Luke by the end. They were laughing and joking and I could tell Celine was happy about it.

By the time we left, I was over the moon happy that Jace approved of Luke, and that they actually got along. When Jace and I settled into bed that night, I was curled into his side, and he was racing circles into my lower back.

"You know, if I never got my wisdom teeth out, I don't think I would have confessed my feelings to my mom." Jace said after a long silence.

"So you're glad you got the surgery?" I asked.

"In some ways, not in others though." He said.

"What ways aren't you glad you got it?" I asked curiously.

"I though they stole my wisdom. How embarrassing is that?" He said and I laughed.

"It was pretty funny." I said. "You were so angry and upset with them."

"I thought I was going to be stupid." He said. "And you wouldn't be with a stupid guy."

"You are one of the brightest men I know." I said as I kissed his cheek.

"Well, you are the wisest decision I've ever made, so…" He said and I smiled.

"I love you." I said.

"I love you too." He said and he pressed his lips to mine. And to think, our whole relationship started off with Jace getting his wisdom teeth out. I've never been so thankful for a surgery in my whole entire life.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by WaitingForAHerondale, and they requested one about wisdom teeth, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to write a decent one shot, with just that idea, so I took it in my own direction but still making the wisdom teeth surgery a focal point, and major turning event in their lives, and I hope that you are happy with what I did! Please let me know what you think and leave a review! I also realize that I've been kinda slacking on my other stories, but my creative juices are simply oozing for these one shots, and just not for those stories, but I haven't given up! I assure you that! So be patient and enjoy this next installment. We've reached 80 one shots, and thats absolutely bonkers! Seems like just yesterday I started these, and I can't believe how many I've written, but I just want to thank you all for continuing to read, even when they aren't even that good! You all rock! :)**


	82. Chapter 81 - Alec's Date

**Eighty First One Shot:**

 **Alec's Date**

 **Clary POV:**

"Please Clary, I've never asked you for anything in my whole life." Alec pleaded.

"What about in college when you asked me to do that English report because you totally spaced? Or that time that you go so drunk at that party, that you woke me up at 3 am to pick you up? Or when that time….." I started to rattle off.

"Okay, so I've asked for your help before. But this is totally different." Alec said.

"Why can't you find a date that you actually like?" I asked.

"Because nobody in my home town knows I'm gay." He said.

"That seems awfully lonely." I pointed out.

"Hence why I live in New York." He said and I laughed. "Please Clary. I'm so desperate. My mom thinks I'm dating someone because every single time she brought up the fact that I have a plus one for this wedding I'd get flustered." Alec said.

"I have to talk to my boss." I finally said and he cheered. "When is it again?"

"April 14th is the wedding, but we'd have to be there like April 10th. And we'd stay until April 17th." He explained.

"I'll talk to my boss today. I have a late shoot." I said and he hugged me.

"You're the best Clare." He said.

"I hope you know, I'm getting wasted at this wedding." I said and he laughed.

"You can literally have anything you want. You got it." He said and I smiled.

We parted ways and I made it back to my apartment and grabbed my cameras and headed towards the office. Being a professional photographer was amazing, and I absolutely loved it, but it was a lot of pressure, and that was disregarding the fact that I work for Vogue. Making sure people look absolutely brilliant is very challenging, but doing it under the scope of a huge magazine, and empire for fashion, was a whole new level. But I loved what I did, and I got to keep my privacy by using a different name. it was helpful, and lessoned the pressure. When I got to the office, I made a beeline for the bosses office. I knocked on the door and she told me to come in.

"Hey Camille." I said.

"Clary, what can I do for you?" She asked.

"I was wondering if I could schedule some time off." I said.

"What for?" She asked.

"I'm going to a wedding, and I'll be out of town." I said.

"Ah, who is getting married?" She asked.

"A family friend." I said because it technically wasn't a complete lie.

"Just write down the dates and you got it." She said as she handed me a sticky note. She was a chill boss, and always willing to help you out, and since I was giving her enough notice, finding another photographer wasn't going to be hard. I wrote it down and handed it to me. "You got yourself a week Fray." She said.

"Thanks Camille. I appreciate it." I said.

"No problem. You have Aline today, and you know how….uptight she can be." She said and I laughed.

"I'll get there an hour early than." I said and Camille laughed. As much as I loved my job, divas were a true downfall, and something I hated dealing with.

 **Time Jump – Wedding Time**

 **Izzy POV:**

"I can't wait to see Alec." I said as Jace and I waited at the airport for him and his girlfriend. "And I can't wait to meet this girl. Apparently Alec is being super secretive about her."

"Can you blame him? He didn't want an interrogation from you." Jace said and I elbowed him. I finally caught the familiar look of my brother and a extremely small girl next to him holding onto his arm.

"She's short." I said as I looked at Jace who seemed captivated.

"She's beautiful." He said and I looked at him.

"She's Alec's." I said and he looked at me. "Don't even think about it."

"Iz…."

"No. Don't. I know you've calmed down with the ladies in recent years, but if you ruin Alec's relationship, I will castrate you." I said.

"Don't punish my future offspring." He said and I laughed.

"Don't ruin Alec's love life." I said.

"It's so good to see you two again." I hear and Alec was now standing in front of me. I threw my arms around him and he hugged me tightly back.

"I missed you so much big brother." I said.

"You too." Alec said. "Jace, it's been awhile." Alec said as he gave him a hug,

"Too long my man." Jace said.

"I'd like to introduce you two to Clary." Alec gestured towards the redhead.

"It's so nice to finally meet you." I said. "Alec has been keeping you a secret. The whole town is curious about you."

"How big is your town exactly?" Clary asked.

"About 100 people, give or take." I said and her eyes widened. "I know. We're pretty tight knit."

"I didn't realize I was going to be the talk of the town." She said and Alec put his arm around her and she visibly relaxed.

"Don't worry about them." Alec said as he kissed her head and she nodded. They were cute, but something was off.

"Well, we should get home. Mom is dying to see you." I said and they nodded. Clary linked her arm around Alec's and we walked out of the airport together. I kept seeing Jace glance back at Clary and I could see the gears turning in his head, and I was going to do everything in my power to keep him away from Clary.

 **Alec POV:**

Clary and I slid into the back seat and I should have warned her that my town was so tiny but I didn't want to freak her out, and I could tell she as freaking out. I leaned over and put my lips to her ear.

"I'm sorry I didn't warn you." I whispered.

"It would have been nice to know." She whispered back.

"I thought it would freak you out." I admitted.

"It would have." She said. "But I still would have come." She said as she rested her hand on my leg. I put my hand on top of hers and we interlocked out fingers. Clary was basically a little sister to me. I'd do anything for her, and considering I'm gay, all of our interactions were strictly platonic, but we've been told multiple times by friends that we can sometimes be touchy feely with each other, but since I wasn't interested in her, and she wasn't interested in me, we didn't see a reason to stop. I looked up and I saw Jace looking in the review mirror at me. He was being extra attentive towards Clary and me which I thought was weird, but it is Jace, and he's a weird dude sometimes.

"So Jace, who is your plus one?" I asked trying to snap him out of his stare.

"Don't have one." He said.

"What happened to that girl you were seeing? Kaelie or Kaylee?" I asked.

"Kaelie, and we broke up a couple months ago." He said.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"She got a job in Japan, and I wasn't moving." He said. "My work is here right now."

"That sucks." I said. "How long were you two together?" I asked.

"If you called every now and than you'd know the answer to that." Jace said an di smiled knowing I didn't keep in touch as much as I promised. "But we were only together for a little less than year."

"That blows." I said.

"Well she certainly didn't." He said and Clary burst out laughing. She's always had a secret dirty mind. She thought sexual humor was the funniest.

"Jace." Izzy groaned.

"Someone appreciated my humor." He said as he winked at Clary in the mirror and I saw Clary's ears turn a light shade of pink. She was attracted to him. I could tell.

"Well, Clary finds sexual humor incredibly hilarious." I explained.

"Finally. Someone who gets me." Jace cheers.

"Don't get her started on her jokes." I said and Clary smiled.

"Now I gotta hear them." Jace said. It was weird how seeing them together I didn't realize that Clary had the same sense of humor Jace did. Maybe that's why we were such good friends.

"Okay, I'll tell you a couple, but only a couple. I don't want to torture the others." Clary said and Jace nodded. "They are kinda cheesy, so bare with me."

"I'm all for cheesy jokes." Jace said.

"Why was the guitar teacher arrested?" Clary asked.

"I don't know." Jace said.

"For fingering a minor." Clary said and Jace laughed.

"Oh my god. That's disgusting." Izzy said.

"It's sexual humor Iz. It's not supposed to be clean." Jace said. "Let's hear another."

"Okay. "Clary said. "What did the vibrator say to the banana?"

"I don't know, what?" Jace asked.

"Why are _you_ shaking? She's going to _eat_ me." Clary said and Jace laughed and so did Clary. Not matter how many times she heard these jokes, she laughed.

"Another." Jace asked.

"God, I hate that this is a 30 minute car ride." Izzy said and I smiled.

"Okay." Clary said. "What's the difference between anal sex, and oral sex?"

"No idea." Jace said.

"Oral sex makes your day great. Anal sex makes your hole weak." Clary said.

"You're good at these. Got anymore?" Jace asked after he was done laugh.

"Plenty." Clary said.

"Let's hear em." Jace said.

"Let me think." Clary said. "I'm using my best material on you."

"Better get it out now, my parents won't like hearing these. Especially around Max." Izzy said and Clary nodded.

"Okay. How is sex like a game of bridge?" Clary asked.

"No idea."

"If you have a great hand, you don't need a partner." Clary said and Jace laughed. "That's all for now."

"I'm gonna enjoy having you around Red." Jace said.

"Red?" Clary asked.

"You know, because you have red hair." He explained.

"I get that. I'm just not used to hearing it." Clary explained.

"Really? It's a common nickname for redheads." Jace said.

"See, I already have a nickname." Clary said.

"What is it?" Jace asked.

"Clary." She said.

"What's your real name than?" Izzy asked.

"Clarissa. But I hate that name." Clary explained. Jace turned around and looked at her.

"You don't look like a Clarissa." He said.

"Thank you." Clary said with a smile, a smile she normally reserved for people she found attractive. Oh we were so talking when we were alone.

"I never got to ask, what do you do for a living Clary?" Izzy asked after a moment.

"I'm a photographer." Clary said.

"Cool. Like freelance, or wedding photographer?" Izzy asked.

"No. I am a photographer for a magazine." Clary said.

"That's awesome. What magazine?" Izzy asked. Clary looked at me and I just nodded. She hated giving out her professional name. People could become stalkers, but my family wasn't like that. Well Jace might be, but I'd keep him in check.

"Vogue." Clary said and the car swerved for a second due to Izzy's shocked expression.

"You're shitting me?" She asked.

"Nope." Clary said.

"But I know every photographer in those magazines, and I've never seen your name." Izzy said.

"That's because I don't use Clary Fray when I work." Clary said. "I have a professional name."

"What is it?" Jace asked. She looked at me and I nodded again.

"Clarissa Morgenstern."

"Holy shit." Izzy said. "Your work is some of my favorite." She said.

"Thank you." Clary said.

"Why don't you use your actual name?" Izzy asked. She looked at me and I nodded.

"In college Clary had a bit of a stalker problem." I explained. "She was the photographer for the fashion department, and the one kid would follow her around. After I found her locked in her closet one day, we reported him. When they searched his room, he had found every picture Clary had ever published under to name and pinned it to his wall." I said. "He was obsessed, and Clary vowed to never let that happen again. Using a professional name allows her to be anonymous, and keeps the admirers away."

"That's awful." Izzy said.

"It wasn't fun. It took me some time to get back on my feet. If it weren't for Alec, I would still be in that closet." She said and I kissed her head.

"You know I'd do anything for you." I said and she leaned into me. The rest of the car ride was silent, and we listened to the radio until we pulled up to my childhood home. We got out and I grabbed Clary's bag and we walked into my house. It felt the same as it always did, and I have to admit, it was good to be home.

"Alec, is that you?" I heard my mom said and I turned around and there she stood.

"Hi mom." I said and she ran and gave me a hug.

"It's so good to see you." She said. "And you must be the girlfriend."

"I'm Clary." She said as she stuck her hand out, but southern hospitality compelled my mom to pull her into a hug.

"I'm so glad you're here." She said and Clary laughed.

"I'm glad to be here as well." Clary said.

"Well, show her to your room Alec. Dinner should be ready soon." My mom said and she left.

"Well, I have to get home." Jace said. "My dog needs food."

"You have a dog?" I asked.

"Again, if you called more often, you'd know this." Jace said.

"What kind of dog is it?" I asked.

"A pug." Jace said.

"Aww. They are the cutest." Clary said.

"Before you leave, stop by and meet her." Jace said.

"What's her name?" Clary asked.

"Birdie." Jace said.

"How southern of you." I said and he laughed.

"Well, I gotta get home to my girl." Jace said. "Pleasure to meet you Clary."

"You as well." Clary said and than he was gone.

"Are you leaving too?" I asked Izzy.

"Nope. I still live here." Izzy said.

"I thought you would have moved in with Simon." I said.

"Not before we got married." She said and I forgot where we were for a second.

"Right. Well, let me show you to my room Clary." I said and she nodded. We walked to my room and I shut the door and locked it before looking back at Clary.

"What?" She asked.

"What do you mean 'what?' you totally were flirting with Jace." I called her out on it.

"What – I wasn't – you were imagining – was I that obvious?" She finally admitted and I laughed.

"Only because I know you Clary Fray." I said. "But keep it together, and I promise I'll give you his number when we get back to New York."

"I didn't come here to meet a guy, no matter how hot said guy is." She said and I laughed. "I came to help my best friend out."

"And I appreciate this more that anything Clary." I said and she smiled.

"I know." She said. "Which is why when we get back to New York, you're going to let me set you up on a date."

"Oh god." I said and she laughed. She leaned up and kissed my cheek.

"Love you Alec." She said as she opened the door.

"Love you too." I said as I heard her walking away. Her dates never worked out and I was truly dreading it this time.

 **Time Jump – Day Before Wedding**

 **Clary POV:**

It has been an interesting couple days in this small town, and Alec wasn't lying. Everyone knew who I was, and seemed to love to gossip about my arrival. It was a bit intimidating to be quite honest. I was used to large cities, with lots of people, and I thought that was tough, but small towns were much worse. Since it was the day before the wedding, the Lightwood house seemed to be insanely chaotic. It was one of the nicer days here, not scorching hot, so I decided to take a nice walk. I remembered a lake when we arrived, and I thought I'd go and find it.

It was absolutely beautiful, and part of me whished I had my camera to document it, but since I didn't, I would have to suffice with just sitting on the bench and committing it to memory. What was wasn't expecting was Jace to sit right beside me with his cute little dog. I would be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to Jace. He was gorgeous, and funny, and well educated. But I was here for Alec, and I was going to fulfill my promise to him.

"What brings you here?" Jace asked.

"Your families house is rather chaotic." I said and he laughed.

"I assumed as much. Izzy likes everything to be perfect." He said.

"I gathered that when she noticed the napkins were eggshell, and not ecru." I said and he laughed.

"See means well. She's been planning this day since we were teenagers." He said.

"When did her and Simon meet?" I asked.

"He moved here when we were in high school." Jace explained. "They officially started dating their senior year."

"That's really sweet." I said.

"What about you and Alec? I feel like your relationship has been overshadowed by Izzy." He said and I laughed.

"Well, she is the bride here." I said and he smiled.

"I know, but I've known Izzy practically my whole life. You're new." He said.

"So the whole town knows." I said and he laughed.

"Living, in a small town can be a bitch sometimes." He said. Birdie was small enough to sit on the bench with us, and her head was resting on Jace's lap while he pet her.

"We met in college. Our roommates were both nightmares, and fucking each other. We often found each other sharing one of our dorm rooms while they used the other to have sex." I explained.

"Sounds so enjoyable." Jace said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"It clearly wasn't all bad." I said. "I don't know what I'd do without him."

"He is great." Jace said.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked.

"Of course." He said.

"Alec refers to you as his brother, but you just said you've known him practically your whole life. Which means you aren't related." I said.

"No. That's kinda a scandal in and of itself in this town." He said with a dry laugh.

"My father grew up here, met his first wife here." Jace explained. "My dad went on a business trip, met my mom, got her pregnant. With me." He said and I just nodded. "He came back with my mom, told his wife what happened and she left him."

"That's awful." I said.

"My dad was pretty much shunned from the whole town. My mom was looked down on and was even labeled the town whore." He said.

"That's terrible." I said.

"Yea, but she knew that was coming. She was focusing on me, and making sure I was healthy." He said and I nodded. "After I was born, my parents decided it would be best to send me to a boarding school, they knew I would be bullied at school." He said. "And so I went to boarding school until I was 12."

"Why not through high school?" I asked.

"Summer going into my middle school years, my dads first wife came back." He said. "She was seeking revenge on my father and my mother for ruining her life." Jace said and I could tell this was tough for him. I reached over and took his hand in mine and I felt something shoot through my body and I knew he felt it too. "She killed them and than killed herself."

"Oh my god." I said and he just continued to look at Birdie.

"It was the worst thing I've ever witnessed." He said.

"You saw it?" I asked.

"Every shot." He said. "The Lightwoods took me in, and I've been with them ever since. They are my family."

"I'm so sorry about that." I said. "That must have sucked."

"It was a pretty low point in my life." He said.

"I can imagine." I said. Birdie got up and was wagging her tail pretty urgently.

"I should probably walk her now." He said and I laughed.

"Yea. She seems impatient." I laughed as I petted the cute doggie.

"I spoil her." He said and I smiled.

"I can tell." I said and he stood up.

"I can't help it. She's the only girl in the world who has never let me down." He said and I gave him a sad smile. "I'll see you at the wedding?" He asked.

"Yes." I said. He smiled and walked away with Birdie. I watched him go, and sat there for a few more minutes thinking about everything. This trip was eye opening to say the least. I thought I knew what I wanted but coming here was just conflicted. But I really couldn't do anything about it. I was here for Alec, and I was going to make sure that everything runs smoothly for him.

 **Alec POV:**

Izzy had been running around like a mad woman all morning trying to fix mistakes that weren't even noticeable. I mean, who cares if the napkins weren't the right shade of white, or some of the forks weren't the same? They were all minor details that she could let slide, but no, Izzy needed everything perfect no matter how stressed she made everyone.

"Darling, I'm here." I heard and when I turned around there stood a man, decked out in sparkles, thick eye liner surrounding his eyes, and the most piercing shade of green and gold swirls staring at me.

"Magnus!" Izzy cheered as she greeted the man. "Thank god you're here! And I'm so sorry you had to come back. I thought everything was perfect and than it all started falling apart."

"What's a wedding planner for? Averting a crisis is in my job description." He said and his smiled light up the room.

"Izzy, I would hardly say having the wrong napkins is a crisis." I said and she looked at me. "All people will use them for us to wipe their mouths."

"It matters Alec." Izzy said seeming like she was distraught.

"Deep breaths." Magnus told her. "Having the wrong shade of white can throw off the whole color scheme of the wedding darling." Magnus told me and my insides flipped. What the hell was happening to me?

"But it's just white." I said.

"Maybe to you, but not to Izzy." He said and I nodded. "Come on, lets go get this problem fixed." He said to Izzy. She nodded and he led her back towards the kitchen. I didn't have an use being here so I just went to the backyard and sat on a swing. Eventually I heard footsteps and when I looked up, there stood Clary.

"You escaping the madness to?" She asked.

"Yea. Where'd you go?" I asked as she took a seat on the swing next to me.

"The lake." She said. "I ran into Jace there." She admitted.

"What's going on between you too?" I asked.

"Nothing." She said and I gave her that look. "Honestly nothing Alec."

"That's not what your eyes are telling me." I said.

"I held his hand today, and my whole body felt like it was on fire, but the good kind." She said.

"Why were you holding hands exactly?" I asked and she looked sad.

"He told me about his parents." She said.

"He did?" I asked incredibly shocked.

"Is that weird?" She asked.

"For Jace, extremely." I said. "The whole town knows what happened, but nobody talks about it. Especially not Jace."

"I can't imagine going through that." She said.

"For about 5 years everyone referred to Jace as the orphan." I said. "It really really damaged him. He started partying, experimenting with drugs, hanging with the wrong people." I said.

"He didn't tell me that." Clary said.

"I know, which is why I am." I said. "Jace is not only my brother, but my best friend. If you're going to start something with him, you should know everything."

"Who said anything about starting something?" She said. "I'm here as your girlfriend."

"But after." I said.

"Are we gonna break up and than I go running into his arms?" She asked and I laughed.

"No. I guess not." I said and she smiled. "All I'm saying is, Jace's teenage years weren't his greatest. But he's a great person, and if something were to happen, don't judge him based off the way he coped with things." I said and she nodded. "Also I need to tell you something."

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

"Izzy's wedding planner is here." I said.

"That normally happens at a wedding." She said.

"He's hot Clare. Like, my brain stopped functioning not." I said and she giggled.

"Is he gay?" She asked in a low voice.

"I don't know, but I could tell he isn't fully straight. No straight man would wear that much glitter or eyeliner." I said.

"This is so exciting!" Clary said and I laughed.

"Nothing is going to happen Clare." I said.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Because everyone in town thinks I'm straight, and dating you." I reminded her.

"You shouldn't have to hide who you are because this town just doesn't get it." She said. "Closeting yourself is so much more harmful than being know has the town gay." She said.

"I think I'd be labeled much worse than that." I said and she took my hands in hers.

"Well fuck them." She said and I smiled.

 **Jace POV:**

Maryse asked me to come over and keep Max occupied while they handle some wedding disaster. I was standing at the bay window watching Clary and Alec on the swings. When her hand touched me at the park earlier, something went through me. Something electric and I couldn't stop thinking about it.

"That is one fine specimen." I heard from behind me.

"Yea she is." I said without thinking.

"I meant tall, dark and handsome. Black hair and blue eyes. My weakness." He said and I turned around.

"Magnus. I thought you couldn't make the wedding." I said.

"Izzy called me crying her eyes out, I came back from vacation early to help." He said.

"And tall, dark and handsome is the brother, and that's his girlfriend." I said.

"There is no way he's straight." Magnus said.

"How could you possibly know that?" I asked.

"Because I'm not straight. We can spot our own kind." He said.

"But Clary." I said and Magnus laughed.

"It's called being in the closet Jace." Magnus said. "And what I wouldn't give to drag him out." He aids before walking away. I looked back at the couple and they were holding hands. It didn't make sense, but I hoped for Clary's sake that she wasn't being used.

 **Time Jump - Wedding**

 **Clary POV:**

The ceremony was absolutely wonderful. It was elegant, and over the top, but Alec warned me about that. The sweetest part of the ceremony was when Birdie walked down the aisle with the flower girl. That dog was the sweetest thing in the world, and I was going to miss her wen Alec and I headed back to New York.

I was currently sitting at the reception while Izzy danced with her father. It made me wish that I still had mine, although he wasn't the nicest, I still won't ever get those things that ever girl drams of, and that part kinda sucks.

"Mind if I sit?" I heard and I looked up and saw Jace.

"Not at all." I said. He pulled out the chair and sat.

"Where is Alec?" He asked.

"I'm not sure." I said honestly. "He told me he'd be right back, and that was like 20 minutes ago."

"He's still secretive I see." Jace said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"In high school he was always closed off." He explained. "I tried to get him to open up, but that's just not how he is." I nodded and downed the rest of my Champaign. Being around him was making me nervous. And I needed some help. "You want another?" He asked and I simply nodded. He grabbed my glass and got up, but was back a few moments later.

"Thank you." I said and he nodded.

"How many have you had?" He asked.

"This is like my 4th glass." I said and he laughed.

"You a drinker?" He asked.

"Not normally. But events like these aren't really my thing." I admitted.

"I understand. You were thrown into a world full of strangers, and your date left you to fend for yourself." He said and I laughed.

"I don't blame him. He's probably catching up with an old friend somewhere." I said thinking that was a possibly solution.

"Who knows with Alec." He said and I nodded. I finished my Champaign and stood up.

"I think I'm going to take a walk." I said.

"I'll go with you." He said.

"You don't have too." I said.

"Please, rescue me. Miss. Dorothea has been trying to dance with me, and set me up with her daughter." He said and I laughed.

"Okay." I said and he stood up. We were walking away from the reception and I was about to turn the corner of the house when I saw Alec and the wedding planner making out. Not wanted Jace to see, because Alec would have told him if he wanted him to know. Jace was about to continue walking when I grabbed him hand and pulled him back.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine." I said and he nodded and started walking again. I didn't know what else to do so I pinned him against the wall and kissed him. He was shocked but gave in, and man did this guy know how to kiss. We were lost in our own little world when he pushed me away.

"What the hell are you doing?" He said. Shit I was in trouble.

 **Alec POV:**

I was making out with Magnus on the side of the house. Nothing felt as good as this right now, and I never wanted it to end. Things were getting heated fast, and who knows where this night would take us, but we were broken apart when I heard Clary.

"Jace wait, it's not what you think!" I heard and Magnus and I broke apart and I saw Jace walking away with Clary running behind him.

"What do you mean? You're dating my brother. How could you do that to him?' Jace said.

"Oh shit." I muttered.

"I don't want to hear it Clary." Jace said.

"I'll be right back." I said to Magnus and I ran after the two.

"Just let me explain." Clary said and I could hear it in her voice that she was upset.

"There is nothing to explain." Jace said. "I can't believe you'd do that to Alec. He's the greatest person I know, and you clearly don't care about that."

"Jace." I said and he turned towards me.

"Alec, I swear, I didn't mean for it to happen. She pinned me against the house and kissed me. You know that I would never hurt you that way." He said and I just could hear the hurt in his voice. He felt bad, which made me feel worse.

"I know that Jace." I said. "But don't blame Clary."

"Don't blame Clary? She cheated on you. She kissed me." Jace said and I looked at Clary.

"Please, just don't blame Clary." I said again. She looked hurt, and I just wanted to protect them both.

"Alec, you deserve so much better than her." Jace said and I knew that he was angry, and he had every right to be, he didn't know the truth.

"If you'd just let me explain." Clary said and I could hear it in her voice that she was about to cry.

"Do enlighten me on why you kissed me when you're dating my brother?" Jace asked almost sarcastically.

"I – I…." Clary stuttered, but hung her head. "I can't."

"Exactly." Jace said. "Do yourself a favor Alec, and break up with her. Now." Jace said and he stormed away. Once he was gone, I turned to Clary and she started crying.

"What happened Clary?" I asked as I pulled him into a hug.

"I saw you making out with Magnus." She said and I tensed. "I was going on a walk to get away from the people. And Jace insisted he come with so I said sure, and we were about to turn and I saw you so I pushed him back, and when he asked if I was fine." She explained. "When he started to move again I did the only thing I could think of, and I kissed him."

"Oh Clare." I said and she continued to cry.

"I figured he'd be mad, but I thought that was better than him finding out." She sobbed.

"Clary, I'm so sorry that I put you in this situation." I said.

"It isn't your fault." She said.

"Yes it is. If I wasn't so scared to come out, he would know, and you wouldn't have to suppress your feelings for him." I said.

"I'm not here to ruin anything for you Alec." She said. "If and when you're ready to come out is up to you. I'm not going to force that on you because I have feelings for your brother."

"You do have feelings for him?" I asked. It was the first time I heard her say it.

"I do." She said quietly and I just hugged her tightly.

"Oh Clary." I said. This was the first time she's opened herself up since her last boyfriend, and I was so proud of her.

"I think I should go back to the city." She said.

"Clary." I said and she pulled away.

"I don't want to cause conflict. I've done enough damage." She said.

"You want me to drive you to the airport?" I asked.

"That'd be great." She said and I put my arm around her shoulders and walked her to the house. I felt incredibly guilty for being so selfish. I didn't even think Clary would get feelings for anyone in my hometown. I was just thinking about myself, and it was the worst thing I've ever done.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

Izzy and Simon were leaving for their honeymoon today so I was going over to say goodbye. I wasn't going to let my negative feelings towards Clary for Izzy, and if I saw her, I would simply pay her no mind. I walked into the house and Izzy's luggage was all over the place. I went father in and everyone was in the living room, everyone but the redhead.

"Hey." I said and everyone turned to me.

"Glad you're here, now we can leave." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Have a great time Iz." I said as she gave me a hug.

"I plan on it." Izzy said and I laughed. The family started loading the car with bags, and I hated that my curiosity was getting the better of me. I walked over to Alec when everyone was gone.

"Where is Clary?" I asked and he had a sadness in her eyes.

"I took her to the airport last night. She's back in New York." He said and I nodded. "Look, I know you don't like her right now, but don't hate her."

"Alec." I said but he cut me off.

"You don't know the whole story." He said. "And that isn't Clary's fault. It's mine."

"What does that mean?" I asked confused.

"I want to tell you, but I'm just not ready." He said and I nodded. I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to tell me, but I wasn't going to push.

After Izzy was all packed, we said our final goodbyes and Alec and I watched Maryse pull out of the driveway and head to the airport. Alec and I went back in to the house and he picked up another bag.

"Don't tell me she forgot something." I said and Alec laughed.

"No. This is mine." He said.

"I thought you were here until the 17th." I said.

"I was supposed to be, but I need to get home." He said.

"To Clary." I said not hiding the annoyance in my voice.

"Yes, and amongst other things. I have a life, and a job in New York." He said.

"You need to break up with her dude. She isn't right for you. A cheater will always be a cheater. I know from personal experience." I said.

"I know you mean well, but you don't know anything about her Jace. Just trust my judgment." He said.

"I trust you. I don't trust her, and I have a good reason not too." I said and he sighed.

"I know." Alec said.

"Look, let me take you to the airport." I said. "I won't say anything about Clary anymore, just let me spend a little more time with you."

"I'd like that." He said and we got into my car.

"You need to start coming around more often." I said and he smiled.

"I'll be back in two months for Max's birthday." He said.

"Without Clary." I said.

"You promised." Alec said.

"That was the last one." I said.

"And yes, without Clary." Alec said and I nodded. I just wanted what was best for him and Clary wasn't it.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"When are you leaving?" I asked as I sat across from Alec.

"My flight leaves at 9 tonight." He said.

"That's late." I said.

"I didn't want to have to answer all the questions when I got there. Jace is still upset, and my family is wondering why he has such negative feelings towards you." He said and I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about everything Clary."

"It's not your fault." I said.

"I should have come clean." Alec said.

"You're happy aren't you?" I asked.

"Very." He said and I saw him smile like he's never smiled before.

"Than it was all worth it." I said.

"I just hate that you're unhappy." Alec said.

"The world is unfair Alec. Everyone can't always be happy." I said. "Look, I have a shoot tonight, so I have to run. Text me when you land."

"Will do Clare." He said.

"I'm happy for you Alec." I said and he smiled. We parted ways and I made my way to the building I was doing the photo shoot in. It had been a long two months, and as happy as I was for Alec, that didn't mean I wasn't a little upset myself.

 **Time Jump – After Flight**

 **Alec POV:**

I got to the airport and started making my way to the entrance when I saw Jace. I made my way over to him and gave him a hug.

"Good flight?" Jace asked.

"Yea." I said. I pulled my phone out and texted Clary.

"You good?" He asked.

"Just promised Clary I'd text her when I landed." I said.

"You're still with her?" He asked.

"Jace. I get that you're mad, but don't take it out on her." I said.

"Whatever dude. It's your life." He said and he walked away. I grabbed my bags and followed him out. We got back to the house and I went inside and he pulled out of the driveway without a word. I needed to tell him. I was going to tell him.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was taking Birdie out for a walk and I was going back towards the pond where I found Alec sitting. I made my way over to him and joined him on the bench. I grabbed Birdie and put her on my lap where she rested her head. We sat in silence until I heard Alec sigh.

"Jace." He said and I looked at him but he kept his eyes on the lake. "I'm gay." He said and I was shocked.

"What?" I said because it was the only thing I could think of.

"I'm gay." He said again as he looked me in the eye. "That's why you shouldn't hate Clary."

"Does she know?" I asked.

"Yea." He said. "She came as my pretend girlfriend so mom would stop asking questions."

"But…." I said and he shook his head.

"The reason Clary kissed you was because when you were about to turn that corner, you would have seen Magnus and I making out." He said.

"The wedding planner?" I asked and Alec smiled.

"Yea." He simply said.

"So Clary was what, covering for you?" I asked.

"Yea." He said. "I told her that I was scared to come out to my town, and she understood that. She agreed to be my girlfriend in exchange for setting me up on a date." He laughed. "But she kinda got screwed out of both deals."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, she didn't get to set me up on a date, and the first guy she's had feelings for in years hates her." He said. I sat there and took in all the information.

"Why wouldn't you tell me sooner?" I asked.

"I was scared." He said. "From the day I figured it out myself, I knew that I was going to be ridiculed for it. This is a tiny town. People talk." He said and I nodded in agreement. "When I left for college, and ended up at NYU, everything just clicked. I met Clary, and told her and she accepted me with arms wide opened. She was even my wingman at a bunch of gay bars all over the city when I decided that I wanted to start dating." He said and I laughed. "She's one of my best friends Jace. She was protecting me. She just didn't expect you."

"I didn't expect her either." I said honestly. "When I saw her at the airport I was captivated. Izzy told me I couldn't mess it up for you. But the more I got to know her, the more my feelings grew. I don't know what it is about her, but she's different."

"She's guarded." Alec said. "Things that have happened in the past have made her cautious, but I've never seen her so open like how she is with you." He said.

"I'm an idiot." I said and Alec laughed.

"Only a little." He said. "Clary mostly blames herself for how everything happened."

"She shouldn't." I said. "Everything just got misunderstood."

"I told her that it wasn't her fault, but she keeps insisting that life isn't meant to be fair for everyone." He said. "That girl is convinced she is going to be alone forever. She even started looking into buying a cat for companionship."

"She doesn't peg me as a cat lady." I said and he laughed.

"So what are you going to do about it?" He asked and I looked at him.

"I don't know man." I said.

"Look, I know I've never seen Clary like this, but I've also never seen you this way about a girl." He said. "That means something."

"We live in two different states." I said. "Long distance hurts relationships."

"It doesn't have too, and who says either of your have roots planted?" He said. "Things change."

"She's a photographer for a major magazine." I said. "I doubt she's moving. She's amazing."

"You've read Vogue?" He asked and I felt my cheek heat up.

"I wanted to see her work, so I stole some of Izzy's." I said and he laughed.

"See, you would never read a Vogue magazine if it weren't for Clary." Alec said.

"This weekend Clary has this huge shoot. She's been pretty nervous and excited for it, and I know it would mean a lot of you were there." Alec said.

"You just want me to show up at her doorstep?" I asked.

"Romantic gestures are always a hit with the ladies." He said and I laughed.

"How would you know? You're gay." I said and he smiled.

"Doesn't mean I don't know what they like. If anything, I'm more in tuned because I am gay." He said and I laughed.

"I'm glad you told me man." I said. "I feel like that wall between us is finally gone."

"I'm sorry about that. I was just nervous." He said. "It as a huge step. One that I wasn't ready to take. Moving to a new city gave me the opportunity."

"And now?" I asked.

"I have someone. Someone who means a lot to me. Someone I'm not ashamed to tell the world I'm dating." He said. "It means all the difference when you have that kind of support."

"Well, you always have my support." I said.

"Thanks man." Alec said. "I don't know if I'm ready to tell anyone else yet."

"So why tell me?" I asked.

"Because unlike everyone else, you were suffering because of it." He said. "And so was Clary."

"Alec." I said but he shook his head again.

"And before you get mad that she forced me to come out, she actually said the opposite. This was my way of apologizing to her." He said. "This was my decision."

"Well, my threats still extend to Magnus. If he hurts you, I hurt him." I said and Alec laughed.

"And if you hurt Clary, you won't be able to have sex for the rest of you life, and you'll be the butt of her sexual jokes." He said and I laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind." I said and he smiled. "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me."

"You're my brother, and my best friend. I've hated keeping it from you, I was just scared."

"I know." I said. "And it's okay to be scared." He nodded and than stood up.

"I should head back." Alec said and I nodded. "You going to accompany back to New York?"

"I think I will." I said and he smiled. He waved and than it was just Birdie and I. things were definitely different now, and I wasn't going to ruin it.

 **Time Jump – Weekend**

 **Clary POV:**

I was lugging my bags around all day, and I was exhausted, but it was completely worth it. I couldn't believe that I was involved in this amazing project, with all these incredibly people, and equally incredibly photographers. It was a dream, and I couldn't wait to wake up and do it all again tomorrow. I was walking to my car and I felt something run into my legs. I looked down and there stood a dog.

"Birdie?" I questioned and her tail kept wagging. I put my bag down and started petting her. "What are you doing here?" I asked fully knowing she wouldn't answer.

"To apologize." I heard and I looked up and there stood Jace.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and he smiled.

"Alec told me everything when he came back for Max's birthday." He said and I nodded. "That was really cool of you to do for him."

"He's one of my best friends." I said. "I'd do anything for him. He's been there countless times for me, it was the least I could do."

"I'm sorry I blew up at you." He said.

"You had every right too." I said. "You were taking the information you had, and formulated your own opinion on what I did." I said. "I don't blame you one bit."

"You might not, but that doesn't mean I don't feel bad about it." He said. "I was rude and mean to you. For doing something for my brother when he was terrified."

"Like I said, I'd do anything for him." I said.

"Let me make it up for you." He said.

"How so?" I asked.

"Let me take you out." He said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Really. I know you felt something." He said. "We deserve to see where it goes."

"Okay, but I'm pretty busy this weekend." I said and he laughed.

"Alec told me." He said. "I'm here until Tuesday. Monday night work for you?" He asked.

"Monday is perfect." I said.

"Can I take you home?" He asked.

"My car is right over there." I said and he smiled.

"Than how about you take me home." He said and I laughed.

"How did you get here?" I asked as we started walking.

"Alec dropped me off." He said and I nodded.

"You staying with him?" I asked and he nodded. We got into the car and Birdie was propped up on Jace's lap taking in the New York scenery. The drive to Alec's was short, and silent, but we didn't need to talk. I hummed to the song on the radio, and he help tight to Birdie so she didn't fly out the window, and everything finally felt right.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Last one." I shouted and than snapped the last picture of the night. It was another late shift, and all I wanted was get home.

"Thank you so much for the patients everyone!" Camille yelled. All the models walked away and I started taking down my equipment. "Thanks for staying late Clare. We were in desperate need to get these photos done and I didn't want to push it until tomorrow."

"It's not a problem Camille." I said. "It's my job."

"Yes, but as a reward, I don't need you in until noon tomorrow." She said.

"Thanks Camille." I said and she smiled.

"Get some much needed sleep." She said and I nodded.

When I finished packing my stuff, I headed towards my car. When I sat down, I felt like I haven't been off my feet in years. I mean, I was standing for like 9 hours, so that was pretty close to years. I made my way home and was so thrilled when I stuck that key into the door. I walked in expecting to enter a dark home, but there was a light on. I followed it and found Jace sleeping on the couch with Birdie cuddled into his side. I put my stuff down and she lifted her head and ran over to me.

"Hi Birdie." I said as I picked her off the ground. I made my way over to the couch and took a seat, but Jace didn't stir. "How about a nice wake up lick?" I said to Birdie. I put her up to his face and she started licking him.

"What the hell?" Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Why aren't you in bed?" I asked when he woke up.

"I was watching a movie." He said. "I guess I was more tired than I thought."

"Was it as least a good movie?" I asked.

"Not really." He said and I laughed. "How was the shoot?"

"Long, but I don't have to go in until noon tomorrow. So that's a bonus." I said and he smiled.

"Come on, lets go to bed." He said and he took my hand and we made our way to our room. Jace brushed his teeth and crawled into bed while I got dressed. Birdie was curled next to him and Jace was sleepily petting her. After I was finished, I turned the light out and crawled in bed with him. Birdie made her way to the bottom of the bed, and I curled into Jace's side.

"I love you." I said and I felt him smile.

"I love you too." Jace said. I closed my eyes with the biggest smile on my face. Everything was perfect, and I had absolutely nothing to complain about. Birdie started barking loudly and Jace groaned.

"Birdie." Jace said. "Be quiet." She continued to bark, so Jace got up and picked her up and put her outside out door. He got back into bed and we could still hear her barking. Dogs have a tendency to know when things are changing, and I think she sensed the changes in me. "Jeez, what's gotten into her?"

"I think she knows something's up." I said.

"What do you mean?" He asked seeming more alert.

"I'm pregnant." I said and he shot up.

"You're what?" He said.

"I'm pregnant." I said again and even in the dark I could see the joy in his golden eyes.

"We're having a baby?" He asked and I laughed.

"Yea." I said and he tackled me on to the bed, but immediately stopped.

"Did I hurt the baby?" He asked.

"I'm only like a month along." I said. "The baby didn't feel anything." I assured him. "Which means I have a whole new sea of jokes I can explore."

"Oh my god." He said and I laughed.

"Wanna hear my favorite?" I asked.

"Always." He said.

"What's the difference between a pregnant woman and a light bulb?" I asked.

"No idea." He said.

"You can unscrew the light bulb." I said and Jace laughed.

"I wouldn't dare unscrew you." He said as he pressed his lips to my forehead. His hand rested on my flat stomach and I could tell he was smiling. I closed my eyes and thought about what our future was going to be like, and nothing made me happier.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I have no idea if someone requested a story like this, but I thought about it last night, and I got really excited, and now here we are! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! :)**


	83. Chapter 82 - Superpowers

**Eighty Second One Shot:**

 **Superpowers**

 **Clary POV:**

Being a teenager was hard enough, but adding abilities on top of that just makes it down right impossible to try and be normal. Nobody knows why I am the way that I am, and nobody understand why it took me 5 years to even show any signs of my powers, but here I am, 18 years old and I can influence the elements. It seems strange, but it's just how I've been for so long, its normal for me. I remember the day that I unleashed them. My parents were concerned, I was in awe, and the government, well the government kept an eye on me.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _"But mommy, I want to stay up." I said as she tried to put me to bed._

 _"It's late baby. You need to sleep." She said and I crossed my arms over my chest._

 _"But I'm not sleepy." I said._

 _"This isn't negotiable Clarissa. It's your bed time." She said and I narrowed my eyes at her. I knew I couldn't do anything, but maybe the look would work. After a few minutes the temperature dropped instantly. "What are you doing Clarissa?" I heard her ask and when I looked around it was snowing. In our house._

 _"I'm not doing anything." I said._

 _"Well it's not snowing in here by itself." She said._

 _"I didn't mean too." I said and she kneeled down in front of me._

 _"It's okay sweetie. But please, get ready for bed. Mommy needs to make a phone call." She said and I figured I messed up enough tonight that I'd just listen. I went into my room, changed, got in bed and waited. I could hear her whispering down the hallway. I didn't know what was going to happen to me now, but I was scared._

 ** _End OF Flashback_**

After that night I've been making monthly trips to a government building and getting evaluated. It was annoying, but they couldn't really let me loose on the streets, but I've been learning how to control it, and that was something I was really thankful for. Now if it's too hot outside, or too cold I can't do something about it, and that was always extremely helpful.

It was my senior year, and I was dreading it. I was called away to help with a natural disaster last night, and didn't get back until almost 2, and I was drained. But I saved a lot of people, and that's what really matters. I got dressed, looked at myself in the mirror and sighed. _This is as good as it's going to get._ I thought and grabbed my bag and went downstairs.

"Good morning honey." My mom said. "How was your night?"

"Long." I said. "I didn't get back until 2." I said.

"Where were you?" My dad asked.

"Japan. There was a tsunami warning, and they wanted me to stop it." I said.

"And did you?" My dad asked.

"Have you heard about it on the news?" I asked and he smiled.

"That's my girl." He said as he kissed my forehead.

"Do you have anything to do tonight?" My mom asked.

"I have my evaluation with Luke." I said and they nodded. "He's meeting me at school, and than leading me to the building."

"Why can't he just give you directions?" My dad asked.

"You know how the government works." I said. "They want to keep me top secret. They can't just go handing out directions to a secret location. I mean, imagine if that's what they did with Area 51? It would be a tourist attraction in 45 minutes. I don't want to be a tourist attraction."

"I get it sweetheart." My mom said. "Just text us when you're on your way home."

"Will do." I said. "I have to go. I can't be late on my first day."

"Have a great first day sweetie!" My mom called. I waved and got into my car. Just one more year. One more year of blending in, and drawing absolutely no attention to myself, and than I'm free.

I pulled up to school and parked in the back of the parking lot just like I always did. I grabbed my stuff and looked at the school building. I took a deep breath before making my way to it. I looked around at all the kids in the parking lots catching up. Most likely talking about their summer vacations, and their college plans, the first party they are going to addend during school. Everything was so simply in their lives. They could tell people their darkest secrets. About their crushes, or losing their virginity, or taking drugs. Me? I could create a tornado with the snap of my fingers, I can make it thunder and lightening in a second, I can grow crops when a country is in a famine. But I couldn't tell anyone that.

I looked to my left and saw the Lightwoods. Normally that isn't unusual, but what was unusual was that my eyes locked with Jace Herondale. Captain of the soccer team. Student body president. Most likely our homecoming king, and prom king. Going to a D1 school, and doing extraordinary things with his mundane life. He seemed to be watching me intently, so I looked away and continued to walk. I got to my locker, grabbed my books and went to my homeroom. It started filling up but I didn't pay it any mind. This was going to be another invisible year for me, and all I had to do is get through it.

 **Jace POV:**

When Clary got out of her car she took my breath away. I have always been captivated by her. She was different. A loner, and shy, and kept mostly to herself unless she absolutely needed to speak to someone, but that just made me all the more interested in her. She was a mystery. To every single person in this school, and I wanted to be the person to solve her, but not for anyone else, for myself.

"You still not over that crush?" I heard and I turned and looked at Izzy. "It's been like 3 years Jace. She gives nobody the time of day at this school. You aren't any different."

"It's a new year." I said. "Things could change."

"Clarissa Morgenstern has been an enigma since the first grade Jace." Alec said. "I doubt this year is the year she starts opening up."

"I can't get her out of my head." I said. "I haven't been able to since I was 15."

"I just don't want to see you invest so much energy and time into her and her not invest back." Izzy said.

"Iz I'm not fragile." I said.

"No, but she might be." She said. "You don't know her story. Nobody in this town, hell this city does. Her parents don't talk about her, she doesn't talk, well at all, and her brother left for college and doesn't come around." She pointed out. "The Morgenstern family is a paradox. They always have been, and they always will be."

"You don't know that." I said. "That's just how it's been up until now."

"Don't pull that bullshit about you being the one to change that." Alec said and I laughed and grabbed my bag as we started walking into the school.

"I'm not saying the moment we start talking she'll spill all her secrets, but building a friendship is a good place to start." I said.

"You don't even know if you have any classes with her this year." Izzy said.

"I guess I'll find out first period." I said and they sighed. "I know what I'm doing guys. I promise."

"Okay." Alec said.

"See you at lunch?" I asked.

"Yea. See you." Izzy said and I went to my homeroom. I took my seat and waited for the bell to ring to dismiss us to class, and I was anxious to see if I had any classes with Clary this year.

 **Time Jump – Fifth Period**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in my physics class when none other than Jace Herondale walks through the doors and takes a seat next to me. I look up and he smiles at me, and I smiled back being polite but focusing on my little doodle. When the bell rang the teacher walked in, closed the door and started.

"Okay class, the person to your left will be your partner for the rest of the year." He said and when I looked to my left, there sat Jace.

"Hello partner." He said.

"Wonderful." I said and he laughed and the teacher started talking. I took some notes, but really he was saying everything I already knew so I tuned him out until I heard the word project.

"I will assign each group a project, and you will have exactly 10 days to work on it." He said. "I have a fish bowl of ideas, and will pick at random." He said and he started picking projects and giving them to kids. It took some time, but eventually he got to us. "Clary and Jace, you will have….." He said as he fished around the bowl. "You two will be investigating the Mpemba Effect." He said and I sighed. Of course my project would have to do with determining if hot water freezes fast than cold water. I mean, I could freeze this whole classroom. He continued to assign projects until he was finally done. "Okay, I'm giving you 4 days to research your projects if you don't know what yours is about, but your projects will be due September 13th." He said. "The rest of this class you can discuss with your partner."

"So, you know anything about the Mpemba Effect?" He asked.

"I do." I said.

"Care to enlighten me?" He asked.

"It's the effect that shows hot water freezing faster than cold water." I said and he nodded.

"So, when are you free?" He asked.

"I'm busy today, and tomorrow, but I'm good on Thursdays, and Fridays." I said and he nodded.

"I have practice Monday, Wednesday, Fridays, and games on Tuesdays and Thursdays mostly." He said. "Are you free weekends?" He asked.

"Depends." I said because a mission could happen at any time. "I'm not very good at planning, and a lot of things tend to pop up last minute for me." It was the best way I could describe it.

"That's okay." He said. "Practice ends at 5, so maybe we could meet somewhere for dinner, and talk than?" He asked.

"Uh yea. Sounds good." I said.

"Cool." He said as he wrote something down and handed it to me. "Here's my number. Text me when you're free, and we'll get together. I don't think we'll need all four days to prep, but I'd like at least one or two."

"I will let you know the minute I do." I said and he nodded. The bell rang and everyone started packing up to either head to class or lunch. I went to my locker and got the apple and soda out and headed to my secluded table in the cafeteria. I sat down and looked around. The Lightwoods were sitting at their normal table, and I just looked at Jace. He was smiling brightly and talking about something he was clearly happy about. It must be nice to be normal, and cool. I took a bite of my apple and sighed.

 **Time Jump – A Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I were meeting again to work on the project. This time we were meeting at my house. I texted the address to her and was kinda a nervous wreck. The more time I actually spent with her, the more I liked her. She was funny, and smart, and beautiful, and man could I listen to her laugh all day long.

The doorbell rang and it took everything in me not to run down the stairs too it. I was playing it cool, and walking down the stairs when I heard someone else answer the door. When I got to the bottom I saw Max standing there talking to Clary.

"Jace your friend is here." Max said and I walked over and ruffled his hair.

"Thanks man." I said and he walked away.

"He is very adorable." Clary said and I smiled.

"Yea, he's pretty great." I said. "Would you like anything to drink?" I asked as I led her into the kitchen.

"Coffee would be great." She said and I nodded. I started the pot and grabbed her a mug. I turned around and Clary had her head resting on the table.

"You okay?" I asked.

"I'm really tired." She said. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"That sucks." I said. I poured the coffee and handed her the mug. "Do you want anything in it?"

"No thank you. I like it black." She said and I nodded.

"Okay, lets get started." I said as I pulled my physics book out and our project. We started working on our project and I didn't think it was possible to enjoy homework until I was doing it with Clary.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

"Jace!" I heard someone shout and in ran Max.

"What's up dude?" Jace said.

"Mom called. She won't be home for dinner. Neither will dad." He said.

"Where are Alec and Izzy?" Jace asked.

"Alec said he was meeting a friend, and Izzy is at the mall." Max explained.

"Okay. What would you like for dinner?" Jace asked.

"Can you make that really good meal with the vegetables?" He asked and Jace laughed.

"Of course." Jace said and Max smiled before running away. Jace smiled and looked back at me. "What?" He asked.

"You can cook?" I asked kinda surprised.

"Yea." He said. "Maryse and Robert work a lot, and Izzy once gave Alec food poisoning from her cooking. I figured I was the best bet to keep us all alive, so I learned." He explained.

"Can Alec cook?" I asked.

"A little. He doesn't have the patience for it." He said and I nodded. "Would you like to join?" He asked and my phone buzzed. I looked at it, and duty calls.

"I'd love too, but I actually have to head home." I said as I stood up. "Maybe another time." I said and he smiled.

"Sure." He said. I packed my bag and he walked me too the door. "I have a game tomorrow night, but maybe we could meet up after a try to finish this thing."

"Sounds good. Text me when its over." I said.

"Why don't you come." He said. "I mean, if you aren't busy." He said and I couldn't help but smile. Spending time with Jace was easily becoming one of my favorite things to do, even if we were doing physics homework. He made me feel normal, and I desperately needed that.

"Okay." I said and he smiled.

"Really?" He asked sounding surprised.

"Really. I don't have any plans tomorrow, and I've never been to a game for the school." I admitted.

"Well, you'll be at a good one. We're playing our rivals." He said.

"Who would that be?" I asked and he laughed.

"Alicante." He said. "How have you been attending high school for four years and not know that?" He said with a laugh.

"I don't really do social events." I said. "I blend into the background." I said and he smiled.

"You don't blend in too well." He said and I was confused.

"How do I not? I have no friends." I said and he laughed.

"Because no matter what room you walk into, you always stand out to me." He said and I couldn't help but blush. Never in a million years did I think Jace would be flirting with me, and although I wasn't used to it, I kinda liked it. A lot.

"Well, thank you." I said and he smiled. "I have to go. See you tomorrow?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yea. See you." He said. I walked out of his house and got into my car. I made my way to the government facility with the biggest smile on my face. Today had been a good day, I hope it stayed that way.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"You look drained sweetheart." My mom said and I smiled.

"It's been a long couple weeks." I said.

"I know baby, but you're doing so well." My mom said and I sighed.

"I just wish I was normal." I said. "There is so much pressure on me, and I feel like if I don't save the next country, or group of people in danger than I'm letting everyone down."

"Sweetheart, you were blessed with a gift." My mom said. "You don't always have to save the world. Doing your best is all we can ask."

"I don't want to have the weight of someone's life on my conscious. Especially if I couldn't save them." I said and she rubbed my back.

"My best advice would be not to bottle it up. Talk about it." My mom said. "That is the best thing you can do." And I nodded. After a minute I decided to tell her one of my biggest insecurities.

"Mom." I said and she looked at me. "Do you think my abilities will prevent me from getting married?" I asked and she gave me that look.

"Whoever you marry, will be proud of you abilities." She said.

"I can't even talk about it now. How am I supposed to be with someone who doesn't even know who I really am?" I asked.

"I know the government has rules." My mom said. "But don't put your own happiness aside because you have this gift."

"I don't want to scare them away. Whoever they might be." I said as I thought about Jace.

"Is there someone you have in mind?" She asked.

"Why would you say that?" I asked.

"Because I saw that look in your eyes." She said. "You thought about someone."

"Maybe." I said and she smiled.

"Who is he?" She asked with the biggest smile on her face.

"Jace Herondale." I said.

"The Lightwoods son?" She asked.

"Yea." I said. "We're partners in physics, and we've been getting close." I said with a smile.

"You like him?" She asked.

"Yea." I said shyly. "He's so different than I thought. He's really nice, and sweet, and he makes me feel normal." I said with a smile, and she smiled back.

"At the end of the day baby, you can save hundreds of people, but it will mean nothing if you let yourself die in the process." She said and I looked at her. "You need to do what's best for you."

"I love you mom." I said and she hugged me.

"I love you too sweetie." She said. "Why don't you take the day to recover? You've been getting called away almost every other night. You need a day."

"Thanks mom." I said and she smiled. I went to my room and got back into bed. I closed my eyes, and I didn't realize how tired I was, and I welcomed sleep like a long lost friend.

 **Jace POV:**

Clary didn't come to school today, and I was worried about her. She looked tired the past couple days but she just kept telling me she wasn't sleeping well. Something was bothering me about it. She didn't seem to be telling me the truth, but she also didn't seem like she was lying. It was weird, and I didn't know how to interpret it, but if she wanted to tell me she would, and I just kept telling myself that.

I took the liberty of gathering her schoolwork and taking it to her house. The Morgenstern house was known around the town so I knew where it was. When I got there, I stood there for a moment feeling like a stalker. I took a deep breath and walked to the door and knocked. After a minute it opened revealing an older version of Clary.

"How can I help you?" She asked.

"I came to give Clary the work she missed today." I said. "I noticed she wasn't in school, and I know she likes to stay on top of her work."

"You're Jace aren't you?" She asked and I nodded. "Clary is in her room, why don't you go up and give it to her." She said and I was a little surprised. "She might be asleep, but I was planning on waking her up anyway." She said. "Her door is the second one on the right."

"Thanks." I said and she nodded. I made my way up the stairs and found her door. I opened it, and there was Clary, fast asleep in her bed, looking incredibly peaceful. I walked in and put her stuff down on the desk, and knelt at the side of her bed. "Clary." I whispered, but she didn't stir. "Clary." I said again and this time she moved. "Its time to get up."

"I wanna sleep forever." She said and I couldn't help but smile at how cute she it.

"Come on, you have to get up." I said and she opened her eyes, and I could tell that she was surprised to see me.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as she sat up.

"I grabbed your schoolwork." I said. "I know you like to keep on top of that."

"We only have three classes together." She said. "You went to all my teachers?" She asked.

"Yea." I said and she smiled.

"That was really sweet of you." She said.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I was just exhausted and my mom let me catch up on my sleep." She said and I nodded.

"You look well rested." I said and she smiled.

"Thanks." She said.

"I'd love to stay and chat." I said as I stood up. "But I have practice today, and I can't miss."

"You shouldn't have come. I could have gotten my schoolwork another day." She said and I smiled.

"Is it lame to say that I just wanted to see you?" I said and she blushed.

"A little, but I don't mind." She said and I smiled.

"Well, see you tomorrow?" I asked.

"Tomorrow is Saturday." She said.

"I know." I said.

"Is this your way of asking me on a date?" She asked and I smiled.

"That depends." I said. "Are you going to turn me down?" I asked and she laughed.

"I wasn't planning on it, but I think I need to be properly asked." She said.

"Clary Morgenstern, would like to go out with me tomorrow night?" I asked and she smiled.

"I'd love too." She said.

"Cool. I'll text you the time." I said and she nodded. She got out of bed and walked me to the door. "I'm glad your feeling better."

"Thanks." She said and I turned and went to my car. I was finally going out with Clary Morgenstern, and I couldn't be more pumped.

 **Clary POV:**

I closed the front door and couldn't get that stupid smile off my face. I walked into the kitchen where my mom was and when she saw me she smiled as well.

"Why are you so happy?" She asked.

"He asked me out." I said and she looked really happy.

"That's great." My mom said. "I'm assuming you said yes."

"I did, and I can't wait." I said and she laughed.

"Curfew is at 11. I'll let Luke know you have a previous engagement so he doesn't call." She said and I smiled.

"Thanks mom." I said and she smiled. "I'm going to go catch up on my homework."

"Glad you're feeling better." She said and I smiled before walking up the stairs. Today was a great day, and I hoped this feeling lasted.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I was on my way to pick Clary up and I was nervous, which was a new experience for me. I was never nervous around girls, but this was Clary, and she was special. I got to her house and knocked on her door and a man answered. He looked intimidating, but I tried not to be intimidated.

"You must be Jace." He said.

"Yes sir." I said.

"Clary should be down soon." He said as he welcomed me into the house. "I hear you're on the soccer and baseball team."

"I am." I said.

"Plan on going anywhere with that?" He asked.

"That's the dream." I said. "I'm currently speaking to a few coaches for baseball."

"Where?" He asked.

"LSU, North Carolina, Louisville." I said and his eyes lit up.

"I'm a Louisville alumni." He said.

"That's cool." I said. And at that moment Clary entered the room.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey, you look great." I said and she blushed.

"Thanks." She said.

"Remember Clarissa, curfew is at 11." Her dad said and she nodded.

"Got it." She said. "You ready?" She asked and I nodded.

"It was good speaking with you Mr. Morgenstern." I said and he nodded. Clary and I made out way out to my car and I started driving to the restaurant. It wasn't anything super fancy, cause she didn't peg me as that type of girl, but it was nice, and the ambiance was relaxing. We walked in and were seated and I was really looking forward to this night.

 **Time Jump – An Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Having dinner with Jace was really relaxing. It was like it was familiar and normal for me, which was nice. It wasn't awkward, or strange. And I liked that. He didn't make me feel awkward, sure slightly nervous, but that was normal on dates, or what I can imagine since I've never been on one before. Jace and I were talking when I heard someone say something that caught my attention.

"I can't believe it happened." The man said.

"I know. So many dead." The other man said.

"That blizzard took out the whole town." The man said. "Can't imagine anyone survived." He said and I started having a panic attack.

"Clary?" Jace asked. "Are you okay?"

"I need to leave." I said and he nodded.

"Why don't you go sit in the car, and I'll pay and take you home." He said and I nodded. I took his keys and went to the car. I was trying so hard not to cry, or lose it completely. He got in and didn't say a word and drove me home. He walked me to the door and kissed my head. "I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you uncomfortable." He said. Before I could tell him it wasn't anything he did, he was gone. I walked inside and my parents were in the living room.

"You're home early." My mom said and I lost it. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"What did that boy do?" My father said in a low and angry tone.

"It wasn't Jace." I managed to say. "Did you hear?"

"About what?" My mom asked.

"The blizzard in Russia. It killed a whole town." I said and my mom hugged her tighter.

"Oh sweetheart." She said.

"I could have saved them." I said as I continued to cry.

"You can't save the world sweet pea." My mom said. "Sometimes, you have to sacrifice in order to fully live."

"I could have saved them." I said again.

"And sacrificed your date with Jace?" She asked.

"I could have rescheduled." I said.

"But how many times?" She asked. "How many times are you willing to give up your happiness for the world?"

"It would have been for the greater good." I said.

"Maybe, but this gift wasn't meant to restrain you, and make you chose one path over another." She said. "This was given to you to help the world, but it wasn't meant to destroy yours." She said. "I saw how happy you were when he asked you out." She said. "Don't forget that."

"He thought he did something wrong." I said. "He looked so upset."

"You kind of had a panic attack sweetheart." She said. "Just explain it to him, and maybe you can have another chance."

"You know the rules." I said.

"Screw the rules." She said. "I want you to be happy." She said. "Your happiness means everything to me."

"I need to sleep." I said and she nodded.

"We love you sweetheart." My dad said. "This isn't your fault." He said. I nodded and made my way to my room. I felt horrible that Jace thought he did something wrong, but I didn't know how to explain it without giving my abilities away.

 **Time Jump – A Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I still haven't explained myself to Jace, and he was giving me my space, which was nice, but I just wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault. I just needed to figure out how to explain my self to him. After school I was free, so I took a walk, and ended up in a park. I was sitting on a bench watching kids play with their families, and I just wished I was that carefree and not responsible for anything.

"Can we talk?" I heard from behind me and there stood Jace.

"Sure." I said and he sat down next to me.

"How are you?" He asked.

"I'm good." I said. "You?" I asked.

"I've been better." He said. "This really pretty girl has been avoiding me since our date, and I don't know how to make it better." He said and I looked at the ground.

"You didn't do anything wrong." I said. "I just need you to know that."

"You went from laughing to having a panic attack Clary." He said. "I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what I said or did to do that."

"I wish I could tell you, but I can't." I said. "Just know it wasn't you."

"I'm gonna need more than that." He said. I opened my mouth and before I could speak thunder cracked, and I knew there was going to be a huge storm. I looked around and saw the people in the park leaving. There was this little girl who was running considerably in front of her mother. She was holding a cute little umbrella, and I could feel the lightening coming, and it didn't look good. Everything slowed down. I saw the lightening making it's way to her, and I just couldn't let her get struck. I stuck my hand out and manipulated the lightening. He went into my hand and diverted to an area in the park completely vacant. Once she was safe, her mother picked her up and ran her to the car. I looked back at Jace and his jaw was on the ground, and I knew I was going to have to tell him.

 **Jace POV:**

"Holy shit." I said. "What just happened?"

"I'll tell you, but not in public." She said and I nodded.

"I think I have the perfect spot." I said. "Follow me?" I asked and she nodded.

We got into our cars and I drove to my house. When I parked in the driveway and looked at Clary I knew she was confused.

"Why are we at your house?" She asked.

"Because it's the perfect spot." I said. She nodded and started following me. I led her to the greenhouse. Once we entered I heard her gasp.

"This place is beautiful." She said and I turned around and looked at her. She was taking this place in. Every single detail.

"I like to come here and think." I said.

"I don't blame you. It's peaceful." She said.

"Okay, so I need some answer because you basically absorbed lightening back there, and it was fucking awesome but totally supernatural." I said and she laughed. "Does that happen often?" I asked.

"I can control it you know." She said.

"How long have you been..." I was searching for a word.

"A freak?" She asked.

"No. A total badass. I liked you before but man that just blew my mind." I said and she blushed.

"I've been a badass since I was 5." She said.

"How do you even discover something like that?" I asked as we took a seat on the bench.

"I was mad at my mom. She was trying to get me to go to bed, and I refused. Pretty soon it was snowing in my house." She said. "I thought I was going to be in so much trouble, but my mom just asked me to get changed and she had to call a friend."

"What friend would know what to do in that situation?" I asked and she laughed.

"I'm not the only one in the world who is different." She said.

"There are more of you?" I asked.

"Well, I'm the only one who can influence the elements. But there are others with different gifts. Some that are way cooler than mine."

"Have you ever met any of them?" I asked.

"Some. But not for very long. I had a conversation with the one girl when I was 11, but other times i normally see them in passing." She explained.

"So, how did your mom know who to call?" I asked.

"My mom used to work in the private sector." She said.

"Wicked." I said.

"The girl I actually talked too, was the first girl my mom observed." She said.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Her name is Tessa. She's from England. When she was little she would constantly talk to herself. At first her parents thought it was a phase. Than she started answering questions people never asked." She explained. "They thought she was crazy. So they sent her to a mental hospital."

"That's harsh." I said.

"Yea. She was only 6. A doctor there said she had no signs of dissociative identity disorder. She wasn't schizophrenic, and she didn't show signs of being mentally ill in anyway." She said. "That sparked the interest of the our government. My mom was in the team that went to evaluate her."

"And what did they find?" I asked.

"Exactly what they said. She wasn't crazy, and she wasn't hearing voices or talking to herself." She said.

"Than what was she doing?" I asked.

"Reading people's minds." She said. "She was answering questions, just questions that weren't verbalized. When my mom explain what was going on to her parents, they signed a deal with our government to take Tessa and teacher her how to control her abilities." She explained. "They brought her back here for 6 years. And once she got a hold of them, she went back to her family, and has been living as normally as possible ever since."

"I have a hard time believing our government healed her wounds and than set her free." I said and she laughed.

"Not at all. They just weren't going to keep her." She said. "You have to get evaluated every month from the time your ability is discovered until your 26."

"Why 26?" I asked.

"I'm not really sure." She laughed. "That's just the rule."

"Interesting. So what does she do now?" I asked.

"She actually helps our governments. She's really good when it comes to hostage situations, or interrogations. She gets the truth." She said.

"Isn't that a violation of the constitution?" I asked and she laughed.

"There are amendments for us. They just don't show them to the public." She said and I nodded.

"This is insane." I said. "How many of there are you exactly?"

"A hand full." She said. "I'm not sure about the exact number."

"Are you the only one in New York?" I asked.

"I'm the only one in the United States." She said.

"Really?" I asked and she laughed.

"Really. The most came out of England, and that's only capped at 2." She said.

"Where are the others from?" I asked.

"There's a boy from Denmark. One from Brazil. Japan, and I think Thailand. Something like that." She said.

"Do you know what they can do?" I asked.

"One of them can fly. Don't remember which one. I'm pretty sure one of them is like a techno path. But I'm not 100% sure. I only know about Tessa because of my mom and the fact that I interacted with her." She said.

"That's still pretty cool. You don't have like super hero meetings?" I asked and she laughed.

"We aren't super hero's." She said.

"You saved that little girl back there. That's being a super hero." I said.

"I do more than that. I'm often asked to help stop natural disasters." I confessed because now that he knew, I was free to tell.

"See, super hero." I said and she laughed.

"You wanna see it?" She asked and I smiled and nodded. She took my hand and she led me to a flower that hadn't blossomed yet. She spun her hand around it and there it was. Blooming right in front of my eyes.

"That's amazing." I said and she smiled.

"You don't know how good it feels to tell someone." She said.

"You had to keep that to yourself?" I asked.

"Technically we're too secret." She said. "But you witnessed it. And I don't have the power to erase minds. So it was either try and lie, and say I'm Zeus reincarnate, or tell you the truth." She said with a laugh. "I figured the truth was easier to believe."

"Do your powers have anything to do with why you freak out on our date?" I asked and she sighed.

"Yea." She answered. "I heard about a blizzard that happened in Russia. It wiped out a whole town."

"I'm guessing no one survived." I said.

"Nope." She said and I pulled her into a hug. She melted into my embrace and let out a sigh.

"That wasn't your fault." I said.

" I could have stopped the blizzard." She said.

"Natural disasters happen Clary." I said. "You can't protect the whole world every single day."

"Than what's the point of my abilities if I can't save people?" She asked.

"To save those who you can, and to make the world a better place." I said. "The world can't expect you to come at their beck and call every time something happens." I said. "You have to live for you as well."

"My mom said the same thing." She said with a laugh.

"Smart woman." I said and she smiled. "How about we try that date again."

"You still want to go out with me?" She asked and I smiled.

"Of course." I said. "Did you think I wouldn't?"

"Well, I thought my abilities would get in the way." She said.

"They just make you way cooler in my book." I said and she laughed.

"That date sounds good to me." She said and I smiled. Learning the truth about why Clary was so closed off was nice, and I felt like we could finally give whatever was happening between us a chance.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was having dinner with Clary's family tonight, including her brother, and I was pretty nervous. I know that I've met them before, but this was different. Clary and I were in a relationship, and now I was meeting my girlfriend's family. That was intimidating. I walked up to the house and knocked and a minute later her mom answered.

"Glad you could make it Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Thanks for having me Mrs. Morgenstern." I said.

"Call me Jocelyn." She said and I smiled. "Clary, Jace is here!" She called up the stairs. I heard the footsteps coming down there stairs and there she stood. In all her beautiful glory.

"Hey." She said and I couldn't' help but smile.

"Hey." I said and she walked over and kissed me.

"Dinner is ready." Her mom said and Clary nodded. She grabbed my hand and led me to the kitchen. Her father and brother were in there talking, but stopped the minute I walked in.

"Jace. Its good to see you again." Mr. Morgenstern said.

"You as well Mr. Morgenstern." I said.

"Call me Valentine." He said. "And this is Jonathan." He said as he pointed to the guy next to him.

"Nice to meet you as well." I said.

"We'll see about that." He said and I just nodded.

"Well, why don't we all take a seat." Jocelyn said and everyone agreed and I took a seat next to Clary. I was looking around the kitchen, and there was this really cute picture of Clary in the first grade with a plant and she had the biggest smile on her face.

"Remember how we had to grow lima beans in first grade?" I heard her ask and I nodded. "That was mine."

"Mine failed miserably." I said and she laughed. "Did you use your abilities to grow it?" I asked and the whole room fell silent. I looked around and everyone was staring at me. "Was it something I said?" I asked.

"No. I just didn't tell them I told you." Clary said.

"He knows?" Jonathan asked.

"Yes." Clary said. "He found out a couple weeks ago."

"What possessed you to tell him?" Valentine asked.

"I was in the park, and he found me and we started talking. A storm was coming, and this little girl was about to be struck by lightning and I couldn't let that happen, so I diverted the strike to an empty area." She explained. "I couldn't let it hit her, so I thought it was worth exposing."

"And he's cool with it?" Jonathan asked.

"Very cool." I said and they nodded.

"Well, than that makes this dinner conversation easier." Jocelyn said. "How well did your mission go last night?" She asked and Clary laughed.

"Rather well. I stopped the flood." Clary said and I couldn't even begin to tell you how proud I was of her. I rested my hand on her knee under the table and she smiled at me. Navigating life with Clary was going to be fun, I just knew it.

 **Time Jump – Fifteen Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was late, and I was in my room catching up on some reading when the door opened. I looked up and there stood my two beautiful kids. They looked scared. I motioned for them to join me on the bed. They ran and jumped and snuggled into my side.

"What's wrong kids?" I asked.

"The thunder is really loud." Elijah said.

"Yea, it woke us up." Ella said.

"It's okay kids. It won't hurt you." I said. These two came into the world almost 5 years ago, and they were the best kids anyone could ask for. Of course Clary and I were stunned when we were told she was having twins, but we couldn't picture our lives without them.

"When it mommy coming home?" Ella asked.

"You know she's out there helping other people." I said and they nodded. "So she needs to stay there until everyone is safe."

"I miss her." Elijah said and I kissed his head.

"I miss her too. But she'll be back by tomorrow." I said and they nodded.

They stayed with me because they were too scared by the thunder to be alone. I didn't mind though. This phase would end eventually, and I was going to soak up every minute that I possibly could. They were fast asleep and I got up and was getting ready to get some sleep when the bedroom door opened. Clary was standing there with a smile on her face. I walked over and gave her a kiss.

"What are they doing in here?" She asked.

"The thunder scared them." I said and she nodded. She held her hand up and the thunder stopped. I smiled and pulled her into me. "How was it?" I asked.

"It was fine. It would have been better if it was only one volcano that erupted, but sometimes even mother nature is more powerful than me." She said and I laughed.

"Save everyone?" I asked and she smiled and nodded. "That's my girl."

"I'm going to shower, and than I'll be in bed." She said and I nodded. She went to the bathroom, and I went to the bed. Our bed was big, but having 4 people in it, didn't give a lot of room to spread out. Ella was on my side, and Elijah was on Clary's. I got in bed and Ella snuggled into my side and I kissed her head. Soon enough Clary came out of the bathroom and got into bed where Elijah snuggled into her side. She kissed his head and he stirred.

"I love you mommy." He said and Clary smiled.

"I love you too baby." Clary said and he smiled and fell back asleep. I looked up at Clary and she smiled at me and I smiled back. I turned the light on and we got comfortable. Her hand made her way over to mine and out fingers interlocked. Our lives were definitely abnormal, but at the end of the day, I couldn't imagine our lives being any other way. Clary was doing amazing things, and our kids were thriving. Everything worked out perfectly. I loved my life with Clary, and it made all the pining after her in high school worth it. I knew she was different, and I knew that she was special and she proved that to me day after day, and it just made me fall in love with her all over again.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This story was requested awhile ago by HorribleLittleDucks, and I reread this request and it just hit me! I loved the idea because I haven't done one like this, and I thought it was the perfect opportunity! I took some inspiration from Sky High, and that one dude in the Twilight movies who can influence the elements and I just knew I had to write something like that! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! I really hope the wait was worth it! I think this story is pretty cute, and different, and I hope you do too! :)**


	84. Chapter 83 - Mechanic

**Eighty Third One Shot:**

 **Mechanic**

 **Jace POV:**

I was on my way to school when my car broke down. Of all the things that could happen, this was the last thing I wanted. It was raining, and I was late, and I didn't know what was wrong. I was looking under the hood, and trying to start the car but it wouldn't work. I take off my stupid blazer that I hated so much and got out of the car and looked back under the hood.

"Excuse me." I heard and I looked up and there stood the most beautiful redhead I've ever seen. "Do you need any help?" She asked.

"My car won't start and I don't know why." I said.

"Do you want some help?" She asked.

"No disrespect sweetheart, but I doubt you could help." I said and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You don't even know me." She said and I looked at her.

"Look, I don't want to play any games." I said. "I need to get to school, and my car won't start." I said. "I don't need some girl coming here trying to impress me with her knowledge of cars, but in realty her not knowing shit about cars." She clearly didn't like that answer because she walked over and pushed me out of the way. She looked under the hood, and after about 5 minutes she looked at me.

"Your fuel filter is clogged." She said. "It needs to be taken out, cleaned with carburetor cleaner." She said. "After that, tap it against a hard surface to knock all the shit out. Let it dry, and in an hour reinstall it."

"I don't know what that means." I said and she laughed. She looked me up and down and than back at my face.

"You rich?" She asked. "I mean, you're wearing a uniform from Alicante Prep, so I'm assuming you're rich."

"I got to Alicante Prep." I answered. She took out a pen and paper and wrote something down and handed it to me.

"Meet me here when you get a tow truck. I'll show you how to fix this so that if it happens again, you aren't a shit out of luck." She said and I looked at the piece of paper.

"You got to Idris?" I asked.

"Yup." She said. "In the mornings I work on cars, in the afternoon I attend class."

"Aren't you late than?" I asked.

"I might get credit for this." She said as she opened her car door. "If you come by, tell Hodge you're looking for Clary." She said and I nodded and she drove away. I took my phone out and called Maryse.

"What's up Jace?" She said.

"My car broke down." I said. "I just wanted to let you know in case the school calls and wonders where I am."

"Thanks. Look I have to go, talk later." She said and I hung up. I than called the tow company.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hey Michael. I need a lift." I said.

"Sure thing Jace. Where are you?" He asked.

"Off of Angel Ave." I said.

"Be there soon." He said and he hung up. I got back into the car and waited for Michael to get here and hooked my car up to his tow and I gave him the address. He was confused at first, but I told him I'd explain later and he took me to the place. They took my car in and I got out and waved goodbye to Michael before walking into the shop. I saw an older gentleman amongst younger ones, and I figured that was Hodge. I walked over and cleared my throat and he looked at me.

"I'm looking for Clary." I said and he nodded.

"Yo Fray, you got a customer!" He shouted and her head popped up from under the hood of another car. I walked over and she smiled at me as she wiped grease on her forehead.

"You came pretty boy." She said with a smile and got down from the truck.

"You told me you could fix it." I said. "And it's either learn or pay for it to be fixed." I said and she laughed.

"You go to Alicante Prep, and that's a BMW." She said. "I doubt fixing a clogged fuel filter would put a dent in your wallet." She said as she grabbed a rag and started walking towards my car. She opened the hood and than looked at me. "So, your parents upset you aren't in school?" She asked.

"I called my adopted mom. She didn't really seem phased." I said and I don't know why I just spilled such vital information about my home life.

"Adopted huh?" She said as she dug around under the hood. "That must have been hard."

"It's kinda personal." I said because I already opened the can of worms, and I didn't feel like spilling it as well.

"Totally cool. I don't like talking about my personal life either." She said and I nodded.

She showed me what to do, and than she let the piece sit for an hour. I was leaning against my car on my phone, avoiding Kaelie, telling Alec and Izzy what happened, ignoring Sebastian when I heard something crash. I looked up and Clary is caught under the hood of the car. I run over and lift it off of her and pull her out.

"Thanks." She said a little breathlessly.

"What the hell happened?" I asked.

"I think I kicked the rod that holds the hood up." She said. "Trucks aren't meant for small girls." She said and I laughed.

"What are you even doing to it?" I asked.

"Fixing the engine." She said. "It's a dummy car. It has every problem in the book, and if you can solve it, you get a prize."

"What kind of prize?" I asked.

"No idea. Nobody has ever won it." She said. "I've been working on it since freshman year. Most kids get too fed up that they don't make it past the first week, but I'm finding out what that prize it." She said and I laughed.

"What if it's a lame prize?" I asked.

"Than I get the satisfaction of fixing the impossible." She said with a smile.

"Yo Fray, throw me the monkey wrench!" I heard a man call. Clary dug in her toolbox, picked up a wrench and threw it at he guy. "Thanks."

"Are you the only girl here?' I asked as we made our way back to my car.

"Yea. Most girls do co-op with the cosmetology school, but I have no interest in hair or make up." She said.

"Clearly." I said without thinking and when I looked at her she was glaring at me. "I mean, not that you need it." I tried to recover. "I – I didn't mean for it to sound harsh." I said. "The girls I'm used to cake their make up on. It's refreshing to see a girl naturally pretty without it." I said and she blushed

"Thank you. I think." She said and I laughed.

"It was a compliment. Really." I said and she nodded.

"Okay, let's get you out of here and on your way to school." She said and she showed me how to reinstall the piece. I went to the front seat and started it up and it purred like the beauty it is. When I got out Clary had the biggest smile on her face.

"I can't thank you enough." I said and she smiled.

"Don't mention it. Except to your friends. We are always looking for cars to fix around here, and we might be students but we're all pretty good here." She said and I nodded.

"In that case I might just keep you my little secret." I said with a wink and she laughed. "That way my car gets the best treatment."

"Whatever you want pretty boy." She said.

"Jace." I said. "My name is Jace."

"Well Jace, it was nice meeting you, but I have an engine to fix, and you have school to get too." She said and I nodded.

"Maybe I'll see you around." I said.

"Unlikely." She said and a part of me dreaded that she thought we wouldn't see each other again. "But have a good day."

"Hard to have a good day when it started so poorly, plus it's raining." I said and she laughed.

"Rain is a blessing." She said. "It's one of my favorite things." She added and I nodded. I got in my car and drove out of the garage thinking about Clary. She could easily become one of my favorite things, and something about that felt so right.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was still working on this engine, and I felt like I was so close to getting this car running. I refused to graduate without getting this thing working. I didn't care how long it took me. This was going to run. Most of the guys were already gone, but I was in the middle of fixing a part and I knew Hodge would call the school and tell them that I was hung up and I'd be there as soon as I was done. I heard footsteps and thought it was Hodge coming to kick me out.

"Hodge, I promise I'm almost done." I yelled from underneath the hood.

"I'm wounded." Someone said and I knew it wasn't Hodge. I looked up and there stood Jace with two other people.

"Pretty boy, what do I owe the pleasure?" I asked as I got off the truck and wiped my hands off. He smiled and man was it a gorgeous smile.

"My sisters car won't stop, and since you're like a master at the engine with that hunk of junk, I figured you'd know the reason." He said.

"First, she is not a hunk of junk. She's just struggling right now." I said and he laughed. "Second, is the car here?" I asked.

"Yea. It's outside." Jace said and I nodded. I made my way outside and there sat a beautiful Range Rover. Yup, these people were plenty rich.

"Has it had problems before?" I asked as I lifted the hood.

"This is like her 5th car." The black haired boy said.

"Shut up." The girl said.

"No. You can't keep a car longer than 7 months." The boy said. "I just can't believe mom and dad keep buying you another one."

"Would you two just chill?" Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" The girl asked in a condescending tone.

"You guys are really fighting over cars." I said. I looked up from the hood and looked at the trio. "You drive a Range Rover." I stated. "And who knows what other cars before this one." I said as I pointed to it. "I would kill for a nice car, and you guys treat them like a pile of shit." I said with a laugh. "I guess it is true what they say. Rich people don't care about material objects because money can replace everything."

"You don't know a thing about us." The girl said.

"And I don't need too." I said. "You need to jump start your car." I said. "It will work after that." I said and I started walking away.

"Aren't you going to do it?" The girl asked.

"Why should I?" I said.

"Jace said you would." She said and I looked at Jace.

"He did, did he?" I asked and Jace just smiled.

"You're really good, and you said you always needed more cars to practice on." He said and I shook my head.

"I'm gonna need one of your cars." I said and the other boy nodded before walking to another car and bringing it over to where I was. "Alright, just stay back." I said and they all took a couple steps back. I got everything ready and than asked the boy to start his engine. Once he did that for a few minutes I asked the girl to start hers, and it started right up. I took the cables off the engine and shut both hoods.

"You're good." The girl said once she got out of her car.

"Jumping a car is one of the simplest things to do." I said. They nodded and I made my way back into the garage.

"Hey." I heard and Jace was behind me.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I'm sorry about them." He said. "They grew up around money, and they don't really know what it feels like to not have it." He explained. "That's why they come off as snobby."

"And you don't because…..?" I asked.

"Adopted remember." He said and I nodded. "I was fortunate enough to be adopted into their family, but I know what it feels like to have nothing." He said.

"Well, don't worry about it." I said. "I started her car, so she doesn't have to hang around with us poor folks anymore." I said and he smiled.

"It was good seeing you again." He said with a smile and I couldn't help but smile back. "Hopefully Alec has a problem next."

"You know, you don't just have to have car trouble to come around here." I said.

"But won't it look suspicious?" He asked. "A rich kid, hanging out at a public school co-op?" He asked.

"That depends." I said.

"On what?" He asked.

"Whether you really care or not." I said and he nodded.

"Well, than I guess maybe I'll see you around." He said and I smiled.

"Have a good day." I said and he smiled.

"It's already a good one." He said before walking out of the garage. I went back to my truck and continued working on it, but this time I couldn't get the smile off my face.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I decided to just bite the bullet and go see Clary. I didn't know what it was about her, but there was something about her that was drawing me to her, and having these hiatus's from her was actually killing me. Every girl that went to Alicante Prep was meaningless to me now. She was so down to earth, and her smile made me smile.

When I pulled up to garage, there were people walking in an out, and working on all types of cars. I'm not going to lie, this was intimidating. She was a girl who knew so much about something I knew nothing about. I got out of my car, took a deep breath and walked into the garage. I didn't see Hodge or Clary anywhere so I found another kid, and decided to ask him.

"Excuse me." I said and he looked up at me. "Do you know where Clary is?" I asked.

"Yo Fray!" He called and her head popped up from under a hood. "There you go man." He said and I nodded. I made my way over to her and she climbed off the car and wiped grease on her head.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. "Don't tell me your car is in more trouble." She said with a laugh.

"No." I said. "You told me my car didn't need to be broken in order for me to hang out with you."

"Wow. I didn't think you had it in you." She said with a smirk.

"Don't judge book by its cover." I said and she laughed. "I'm really not that shallow."

"I'll just take your word for it." She said. "So, how have you been?" She asked as she made her way back to the car.

"I've been good." I said. "And you?" I asked.

"I could complain, but it would get me nowhere." She said as she grabbed a wrench. "Just trying to get through each day as they come."

"Wanna talk about it?" I offered as I leaned against the car.

"I don't know." She said and I put my hand over hers and she stopped twisting the wrench, and something jolted through my body.

"I promise, whatever you say to me, will stay between us." I told her and she looked at me with those vibrant green eyes.

"My dad is back in my life." She said. "He left when I was 9, and has come around before but only for short stints." She explained. "This time he doesn't seem to be leaving, and it's causing a lot of tension in my house."

"Are they still married?" I asked.

"No. They got divorced when he left." She said. "My mom got remarried a couple years ago. My fathers reappearance is causing quite the rift between my mom and stepdad."

"How so?" I asked.

"They just keep fighting." She said. "Luke is pissed that she won't get a restraining order. My mom is pissed that Luke doesn't trust her enough to let her do what she thinks is right. My dad is getting a lot of pleasure to see them fighting."

"And you?" I asked.

"And I spend most of my time at the garage or with Simon so that I don't have to deal with their shit." She said. "It wasn't my fault they couldn't make their marriage work."

"And Simon is your boyfriend?" I asked trying not to sound disappointed, and she just laughed.

"Oh god no." She said. "Simon and I have been best friend since we were little." She explained. "Love the kid, and we tried dating freshman year of high school, but it was too weird. He's like my brother."

"Oh." I said and she looked at me and smiled.

"Jealous?" She asked and it caught off guard.

"What – me – jealous?" I stammered and she just giggled. "I don't get jealous." I tried to convince her but I was failing miserably.

"Sure pretty boy." She said. "It's kinda cute seeing you jealous." She said and I smiled at her. "People don't get jealous over me, it's kinda flattering."

"Are the boys at your school blind?" I asked and she blushed but continued to work on the engine.

"No. They all have the capability of sight." She said. "Most guys just don't like girls who know more about cars than them." She explained.

"That's a stupid reason. They should be happy to know that if you broke down somewhere, you could most likely fix the problem and not have to pay hundreds of dollars in towing fees." I said and she smiled and shrugged.

"I can't change the males mind. They are complex creatures." She said and I laughed.

"I'm not that complex." I said and she looked at me. "I'm not."

"I wouldn't know. I don't know much about you except that you're adopted." She said and I nodded.

"My parents died when I was 12." I said.

"You don't have to tell me." She said. "I get if it's too personal."

"You shared something personal with me. I want to return the favor." I said and she nodded. "I was in foster care for a year before I met the Lightwoods." I explained. "The first night in their house I was pretty much stunned silent. It got to a point that they thought I couldn't talk." I said and she laughed.

"It clearly worked out for you." She said and I nodded.

"I bonded with Alec. The boy I was in here with last month." I said and she nodded. "There was something about him that drew me to him."

"What was it?" She asked.

"We were both suffering." I said.

"How was he suffering?" She asked.

"He's gay." I said. "And he was keeping it to himself because he didn't want to disappoint his family." I explained. "About a year ago he came out, and I could just tell he felt lighter."

"How did his parents take it?" She asked.

"Robert seems to be ignoring it, and Maryse just doesn't address it." I said. "It sucks, I mean they should accept Alec for who he is because he's there son. It doesn't matter if he's gay or not, but I know Alec is happy it's out in the public."

"How did you find out?" She asked.

"That's actually a funny story." I said with a laugh. "He had a crush on me."

"Really?" She asked and I smiled.

"Don't sound too surprised. I'm a hot commodity." I said and she laughed. "When I confronted him about it he was super embarrassed, and I told him not to worry about it. He thought he liked me because I was the safe option."

"Did he get over it?" She asked.

"Once I kissed him, and he realized how weird it was, he was over it faster than a speeding bullet." I said and her eyes widened.

"You kissed him?" She asked.

"He needed to be sure, and I'm secure in my sexuality to help him out." I said and she nodded.

"That's really cool of you." She said.

"He's my best friend, and I refused to lose that because he thought that he was in love with me." I said and she nodded. "Plus, he helped me a lot as well. We could confide in each other about our sufferings, and help each other through it."

"What else were you suffering from?" She asked. "I can't imagine it was just the adoption."

"It wasn't." I said. "I saw my parents die." I explained. "They were murdered right in front of me."

"That's awful." She said and I nodded.

"It wasn't pleasant, I'll tell you that much." I said. "But time heals all wounds." I said. She looked up from the engine and put her hand on top of mine and I felt that feeling again.

"I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm glad you got a happy ending." She said and I smiled. I was about to say something when her phone started ringing. " One sec." she said and she picked up her phone and groaned. "Hey mom." She said. "I'm at the garage." She said and than hung her head. "I'm not doing it." She said a little angrier. "I don't care mom. I'm 18 years old. I can refuse to go to court and testify against my own father." She said. "No, I won't do it. You should have taken care of this problem a long time ago." She said and than hung up.

"Everything okay?" I asked and she looked at me and gave me a sad smile.

"Same old shit." She said as she started to fix the engine a little too aggressively. I grabbed the wrench from her hand and she looked at me confused.

"Come with me." I said.

"But I'm working on this engine." She said and I laughed.

"Look around Clary." I said and she did. "People left long ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked.

"We were having a good conversation." I said and she nodded. "Come with me, I'll get your mind off everything."

"What do you have in mind?" She asked as she stepped down from the truck.

"Lunch?" I asked and she smiled.

"Sounds good. Let me just change out of these overalls." She said and I nodded.

"I'll be at my car." I said and she nodded and disappeared into the bathroom. I went out to my car and waited for her. Thankfully she was out in 5 minutes, which was nice. We got in my car and I looked at her.

"What? Is there still grease on my face?" She asked and I laughed.

"No. I'm just not used to it taking a girl less than an hour to get ready." I said.

"An hour?" She asked and I nodded and started my car up. "Who needs that long to get ready?"

"Izzy." I said. "My sister. And an hour is short for her."

"What could she possibly be doing for that long?" She asked.

"Making sure everything is perfect. Her outfit, her hair, her outfit." I said. "Even with the uniform at Alicante Prep, she still takes forever to get ready."

"I couldn't even imagine. I roll out of bed and put on jeans and a hoodie, and I'm ready for the day." She said and I smiled.

"Which is an amazing change of pace for me. Even my past girlfriends took forever to get ready." I said and she nodded.

"Clearly it didn't bother you that much if you dated them." She said.

"I'll admit, I'm used to a certain type of girl." I said as I parked in front of the diner. "Snobby, pampered, and dependent." I admitted. "But after my last girlfriend, I realized that I just couldn't take it anymore." I said.

"Was she a nightmare?" She asked as we entered the diner.

"Completely." I said as we took a seat in the booth.

"Jacey?" I heard and I hung my head. She wasn't supposed to be working today. "Why haven't you called me back?" She asked as she made her way over to me.

"We broke up Kaelie." I said.

"But we always get back together." She whined and I looked at Clary and she was hiding a smile.

"We got back together once. That hardly constitutes as 'always'. " I said and she started to pout.

"But Jacey…."

"You know I hate when you call me that." I cut her off and she looked over at Clary.

"So is this your newest conquest?" She asked and I looked over at Clary who didn't look pleased at being called that. "Listen here sweetheart, he'll always be mine. You're just his flavor of the week."

"Kaelie." I stopped her and she looked at me. "Leave."

"You'll come back to me Jace." She said. "We were meant to be." She said as she strutted away.

"You weren't kidding." Clary said and I looked at her. "Total nightmare."

"If I knew she was working today, I wouldn't have brought you here." I said.

"Isn't it a school day anyway for you?" She asked.

"In-service day." I said and she nodded.

"If she still works here, why do you come?" She asked.

"This place has the best food in New York." I said. "I normally try to come when I know she isn't working."

"Today was not your lucky day." She said and I laughed.

"Evidently not." I said. "You're not my latest conquest." I finally said. "I just want you to know that."

"But she said it for a reason." Clary said. "Is it normal for you to hook up with a lot of girls?"

"I wish I could tell you no." I said. "But I had a reputation before Kaelie and it's not the greatest." I said and she nodded. "But I left all of that in the past."

"How do I know you're not lying?" She asked.

"I'm not a liar." I said. "I have never cheated on a girlfriend, or even a girl who I hooked up with. I always made sure that they knew it was over before moving on."

"How noble of you." She said.

"Listen Clary." I said. "I like you." I said and her jaw dropped. "You're so incredibly different, and so easy to talk to. Hanging out with you today has been one of the best days I've had in awhile and all we did was talk and I watched you work on an engine." I said and she laughed. "It's a change of pace, and I like that."

"Jace." She said but I had to cut her off.

"When I touched your hand." I started. "Did you feel something?" I asked and her cheeks turned red. "You did." I said and she nodded. "I've never felt that before." I told her.

"Really?" She asked.

"Really." I said. "I wish I could sit here and tell you that I wasn't a player before. I wish I could sit here and tell you that I'm a novice when it comes to women, but I'm not. I've had my fair share of hook ups, and girlfriends." I said. "But I can sit here and tell you the way I feel about you is different than anything I've felt before."

"I believe you." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Does that mean you'll go out with me this weekend?" I asked and she laughed.

"I'd like that." She said. "But if I get burned, I will kill cut your brakes, and make it look like an accident."

"Wow." I said. "I've never been threatened by a girl before." I said and she laughed. "It was kinda hot."

"Having your brakes cut is a turn on for you?" She asked and I laughed.

"Not normally, but coming from you, hell yes." I said and she smiled.

"Glad threats about cars are a turn on for you." She said and I smirked at her.

"Only coming from you." I said and she laughed.

We spent another hour sitting there, eating and talking. Clary was incredibly different than any other girl I've ever met. Especially since she ordered a burger and fries, with a milkshake, and not a salad. She was real, and not afraid to show off her skills in the garage, or eat when she's hungry. When we were both finished I paid and we left the diner. We got into my car and I started driving. Her phone rang again and she looked at it, groaned and than shut it off.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

"Just my mom." She said. "I don't really want to go home and deal with her and my father, and my stepdad. I'm always being asked to take a side, and it's exhausting." She admitted and I nodded.

"Wanna go back to my place?" I asked.

"Uh, I don't know if that's a good idea." She said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I don't fit into your world." She said.

"It's just a house." I said. "Albeit a big one, but a house nonetheless." I said as I looked at her.

"Okay." She finally said and I started making my way to my house. When we pulled into the driveway and I entered the passcode I looked at her and she looked in awe. "This place is insane."

"It is rather extravagant." I said as we got out of the car. "But it isn't as great as it looks."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked.

"Just because we live in a nice house, doesn't mean it's all warm and fuzzy." I said and she nodded. I opened the door and the music was blaring. "That's Izzy."

"She sounds pissed off." She said and I laughed.

"This is her way of rebellion." I said. "She's currently getting ready for a date with some guy that her parents won't approve of."

"Does she do that often?" She asked.

"Every weekend." I said. I guided her into the living room where Alec was making out with some guy. "And there is another form of rebellion." I whispered to her and we walked out of the living room trying not to disturb them. "We'll just go to the basement." I said and she nodded. I led her to the basement where I heard a movie playing and there was Max sitting on the couch. "Max, why are you home?" I asked and he looked at me.

"I threw up this morning so mom said I could stay home." He said. "Who is that?" he said as he pointed to Clary.

"This is Clary." I said. "Clary, this is my younger brother Max."

"It's nice to meet you Max." Clary said and he smiled.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Max asked and I looked at Clary and she blushed.

"Not yet buddy." I said which caused Clary to blush even more.

"What's taking you so long?" He asked.

"We haven't had a proper first date yet." I said and he nodded.

"Do you want to watch this movie with me?" He asked. "I'm kinda lonely but Alec and Izzy were too busy."

"Of course." I said and Clary and I took our place on the couch. "What are we watching?" I asked.

"The Avengers." He said and I nodded. He was bundled under blankets, and I looked over at Clary and smiled. I put my hand around her shoulder and pulled her into me. She smiled and leaned into me as we watched the movie. When the movie was over I saw that Max was asleep. I looked back at Clary and noticed that she was slowly drifting off. It was the afternoon, and I didn't need to be anywhere. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes and drifted off myself holding a girl that meant more to me than any girl ever had before, and loving every minute of it.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I didn't even know I fell asleep, but when I woke up, Jace was asleep next to me. I had to use the bathroom so I moved Jace's arm and started my journey around the house for a bathroom. Since this wasn't a public place, the bathrooms weren't labeled so I was on a hunt. The first couple doors I opened were closets, and it was amazing how much storage this house had. I was walking down a hallway when I heard someone crying. The door was cracked and when I looked in, Izzy was on her bed crying. My better judgment told me to walk away. It wasn't my place to pry into their lives, but me being me decided she needed someone. I knocked on the door and I heard her yell.

"Go away." She said and I knocked again. This time she didn't say anything but the door shot opened. "Oh. I wasn't expecting you." She said.

"I was looking for a bathroom when I heard you crying." I said and she wiped her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you care?" She said. "You're just here to fuck my brother."

"Whoa." I said as I raised my hands. "Who said I wanted to fuck Jace?"

"Please. He's never brought a girl home." She said. "So you're either really making it a challenge, or he's serious about you, and Jace has never been serious about a girl in his life."

"Well, I didn't want to go home after we had lunch together, so he offered his." I said and she looked confused. "We were in the basement watching a movie with Max and we all ended up falling asleep." I confessed. "I woke up needing to pee, and now I'm here."

"Oh." She said. "So he really brought you back here just to hang out?" She asked.

"Yes." I said. Her door remained opened and she walked back to her bed, and I took that as an invitation to join. I walked in and closed her door behind me. "You wanna talk about what you were crying about?" I asked and she looked up at me.

"I don't know." She said. "You probably won't understand."

"Because I'm below you?" I said and she looked at me.

"No. Because you've never dated a dick." She said and I laughed.

"Oh, I have." I said and she looked at me. "Not all guys who are dicks go to private schools. Some of them do go to public school." I said and she nodded. "We can share stories." I said trying to get her to talk. I know how frustrating it is to keep something like that inside.

"This guy, Meliorn, he asked me out earlier this week, and I was pretty excited about it." She said. "Which is rare for me. Normally guys don't give me butterflies, but he did. Anyway, he picked me up, took me out to a restaurant and we took a walk in Central Park."

"Sounds romantic." I said and she smiled and nodded.

"It was. More romantic than any other date I've ever been on." She said. "We got to this beautiful spot in the park. You could see the stars, and you could smell fire burning. It was perfect." She said and I could tell she was so happy something did something that special for her.

"What happened?" I asked.

"There was a blanket. He had set it up earlier, and there was a fire going. His friend set that up." She said with a sad smile. "We sat down and we started making out. His hand was trailing up my leg and made it to my waist and than up my shirt. Normally I wouldn't mind, but we were outside, so I stopped him." She said. "He didn't like that and tried to continue, but I stopped him again. He got upset and I asked him why he was so upset." She said and let out a humorless laugh. "You know why he asked me out?" She asked.

"Because you're beautiful?" I said and she smiled.

"No. There is a bet going around Alicante. 'Who can get to at least third base with Isabelle Lightwood in a public area' I mean, who makes that kind of thing?"

"Douchebags?" I said and she laughed.

"I mean, I'm not a slut, but I like to have fun." She said and I nodded.

"I totally get it. They were taking advantage of you're free spirit. It's fucked up." I said and she smiled.

"I didn't expect you to understand." She said.

"We aren't so different Isabelle." I said.

"Izzy. Call me Izzy." She said and I nodded. "So, what douchebags have you dated?" She asked.

"Ugh, his name was Raphael." I said. "He sweet talked me for a couple weeks, and took me out on dates." I explained. "He was really nice to me, and I thought I finally found someone who liked me."

"How could no one like you?" She interrupted. "You're hot."

"Thank you." I said and she laughed. "We had been talking for some time and I was wondering if we were ever going to define the relationship." I said. "We were in the middle of making out. I thought maybe kissing would distract him and he'd just ask me out."

"Makes sense." She said. "Guys tend to think with their other head." She said and I laughed.

"Well, that back fired." I said. "Now, I don't really announce it but I'm fluent in Spanish, and he happened to be Hispanic. So when I asked, he said 'nunca' which means never." I said. "Confused I pulled away and asked why. He tried to say it in Spanish to distract me and continue making out, but he didn't know I knew what he was saying."

"What was his reason?" She asked.

"He said to me 'Esto nunca iba a ser nada más que una conexión', which means 'this was never going to be anything but a hookup'." I said.

"Wow. What a dick." She said.

"So I asked him why he would lead me on for so long if it wasn't going to become anything." I said. "And he was surprised that I understood what he said."

"What did he do?" She asked.

"He told me that there was a bet going on about me." I said. "Everyone considered me prude. So they had a bet about who could deflower me first."

"On my god." She said. "That's sick."

"Yea. That was my sophomore year, and I kinda gave up dating after that." I said. "Trusting guys isn't really easy for me."

"I can't even imagine." She said. "I mean, taking someone virginity because of a bet is so much worse than just getting to third base." She said and I nodded. "So why are you pursing a relationship with Jace? I mean, I love the guy, but he's not a relationship kind of guy."

"He's different." I said and she laughed. "And I know what you're going to say, but he told me about his past, and everything and he told me he'd changed." I explained. "And he told me he wasn't a liar."

"That is true. Jace is many things, but a liar isn't one of them." She said and I nodded. "I like you. You could be good for Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Thanks. I think he could be good for me too." I said and she laughed.

"Have you two kissed yet?" She asked and I blushed.

"He just asked me out today." I said.

"So?" She asked.

"Well, the answer is no. We haven't kissed yet." I said.

"I've heard he's a pretty good kisser. I've always wanted to know, but he's my brother so I can't test out the hypothesis. You have to let me know how it is." She asked and I couldn't help but laugh and nod. I felt like I was going to enjoy hanging out with Izzy.

 **Jace POV:**

When I woke up Clary was gone. I looked around but she wasn't in the basement. I looked over and Max was asleep so I figured that 'd take him upstairs. I picked him up and made my way upstairs and put him in bed. When I was walking down the hall I heard giggling coming from Izzy's room, and at first I just thought she brought her date back, but than came another giggle and it wasn't Izzy's. I made my way over to her door that was slightly cracked and looked in. Clary was sitting on her bed and they were laughing. Normally I don't eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it.

"Have you two kissed yet?" Izzy asked and I just shook my head and tried not to laugh.

"He just asked me out today." Clary said.

"So?" She said like it was uncommon, which for me it kinda was, but Clary was different.

"Well, the answer is no. We haven't kissed yet." She said.

"I've heard he's a pretty good kisser. I've always wanted to know, but he's my brother so I can't test out the hypothesis. You have to let me know how it is." She said and Clary broke into a fit of laughter, and Izzy soon followed. I decided that it was my time to knock. When I did the laughter stopped.

"Come in." I heard Izzy call. I opened the door and they both smiled at me.

"Hey." Clary said.

"Hey. Sorry to interrupt. I just didn't expect to lose you." I said and she laughed.

"Yea. I woke up needing to pee, and heard Izzy….." She trailed off and looked at Izzy. I looked at her closer, and I noticed that her mascara was running.

"Have you been crying?" I asked and she gave me a sad smile. "Just tell me who I need to beat up." I said and Clary and Izzy laughed.

"I'm fine. Clary and I talked about it, and I feel so much better." Izzy said and I looked at Clary and she smiled.

"Oh." I said. "I'm glad you're feeling better." I said and she smiled.

"Me too." Izzy said.

"I can leave you two alone if you want to continue talking." I said and Clary got up.

"Actually, I think I should be getting home." Clary said. "It's late, and I turned my phone off, so my mom is probably wondering where I am, and why I'm not answering."

"Oh yea. I'll give you a ride." I said and she nodded and turned back to Izzy.

"Thanks for the talk." She said and Izzy got up and hugged her.

"No, thank you." She said and Clary smiled. Clary walked over to me and smiled.

"I'll be down in a minute." I said and Clary nodded before heading towards the stairs. I watched her go and than felt Izzy put her arm around me. I looked at her and she smiled.

"I like her." She said and I laughed.

"Yea, I like her too." I said.

"Don't fuck it up." She said.

"I'll try my best not too." I said and she smiled. I made my way downstairs and found Clary standing by the door. She was looking at her phone. "How many missed calls?" I asked and she looked at me.

"75 missed called, and 120 texts." She said.

"Wow." I said and she laughed.

"Not all are from my mom. Some are from Luke." She clarified and I nodded.

"Well, I should get you home than." I said and she nodded. We got into my car and I let her direct me to her house. When we got there, I put the car in park and turned towards her. "I had a good time today."

"So did I." She said and I smiled.

"So, tomorrow I'll pick you up at 6?" I asked and she smiled.

"6 sounds great." She said. I leaned over and pressed my lips to her cheek and she smiled.

"See you tomorrow Clary." I said.

"Bye Jace." She said and she got out of my car. I watched her enter her house before driving away. I couldn't get the smile off my face.

 **Clary POV:**

I walked into my house knowing that I was in for a yelling. I should have texted my mom and told her I was fine, but I was just so tired of the fighting that I just wanted it to stop. I closed the door behind me and when I turned around there stood my mother, and she did not look very happy.

"Where the hell have you been Clarissa Adele Fray!" She yelled and I covered my ears. "I called you how many times, and you didn't answer a single one!" She yelled. "You can't just disappear like that for hours! You scared me half to death Clarissa!"

"Well maybe I wouldn't have disappeared if you would just stop fighting with dad for 5 minutes!" I yelled back and her eyes widened. "I get that you hate him. I get that you regret marrying him. I get that him coming around all of the sudden is throwing you off." I said. "But I didn't do that! I didn't make you two get married, and I sure as hell didn't invite him back into our lives." I said. "I would like to come home and just relax, but you are making that impossible."

"You will not raise your voice at me Clarissa." She said.

"I have every right to raise my voice." I said. "If you aren't fighting with dad, you're fighting with Luke, and if you aren't fighting with Luke you're yelling at me." I said. "Do you know how terrible it is coming home just to be yelled at for something I can't control?" I asked. "No? Well, it's shit." I said. "Why don't you just listen to Luke and get that god damn restraining order and make our lives a little less hellish!" I yelled.

"I thought you wouldn't want me to get one." She said and I looked at her.

"Why would you think that?" I asked.

"He's your dad." She simply said.

"He left when I was 9 mom." I said. "Seeing him once every couple years doesn't make him my dad. As far as I'm concerned., he gave me some DNA, but that's about it."

"So, you wouldn't mind if he couldn't be within 500 feet of you?" She asked.

"I would prefer it." I said. "He's caused enough problems for us mom. I'm so tired of the yelling and the fighting."

"I'm so sorry Clary." She said. "I should have listened to Luke. I should have just gotten the restraining order when it started to affect us, but I just thought you shouldn't have to grow up without you dad." She said.

"I already grew up without him mom." I said. "I'm 18."

"And growing up too fast." She said as she opened her arms. I walked into them and she gave me a very tight hug. "I love you Clary."

"I love you too mom." I said and she released me. "Oh, and I have a date tomorrow night."

"A date? I wasn't aware you were seeing anyone. After what happened with Raphael you swore off dating?" She asked.

"I did, but this guy is different." I said.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"His name is Jace Herondale." I said.

"Does he go to your school?" She asked.

"No. She goes to Alicante Prep." I said and her eyes widened.

"Oh wow. How did you two even meet?" She asked.

"His car broke down, and I saw him on the side of the road a couple months ago." I explained. "I fixed his car, and than a couple weeks after his sisters car broke down and he brought it to the garage." I said. "He told me that he hopes that his brothers car breaks down so he could see me again, but I told him that he didn't have to wait, he could just come and visit. And that's what he did today."

"He seems very sweet." She said.

"He is. I went to his house after he took me out to lunch." I said. "I didn't want to deal with the fighting today, and I figured it was a break. We were watching a movie with his little brother, and fell asleep." I said and she nodded.

"I'm sorry about all this fighting Clary." She said.

"It's okay mom." I said and she nodded. "I'm kinda tired still, so I think I'm going to go to bed." I said and she smiled.

"Goodnight sweetie." She said.

"Night mom." I said and I went to my room. I got ready for bed thinking about Jace and I couldn't help but smile.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

My first date with Jace lead to many others, and after the third one he asked me out, and I said yes before he was even finished asking the question. These past couple months have been amazing, and I honestly was happier than I've ever been before. I was getting in my car after school when my phone started ringing. I looked at it and saw that it was Jace.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey babe, I need your help." He said.

"What's up?" I asked.

"My car won't start." He said and I laughed. "Can you come check it out?"

"Of course. I'll be right there." I said.

"Thank you. You're the best." He said. I laughed and hung up and made my way to his school. Pulling up to the building was intimidating. It was huge, and very well maintained. You could tell kids with money went here. When I pulled into the parking lot there were lots of expensive cars, and mine stuck out like a sore thumb. I immediately spotted Jace, and made my way over to him. I parked next to Izzy and got out of the car.

"Hey." I said and before I even greeted Jace, Izzy pulled me into a hug.

"Hi!" She said enthusiastically. "I've missed you." She said.

"I've missed you too." I said and I turned to Jace who gave me a quick kiss. "So, what seems to be the problem?" I asked.

"I don't know, that's why I called the expert." He said and I laughed. I lifted the hood and started to look around.

"Yo Jace, who is that fine piece of ass you got looking under your hood?" I heard a guy say. "And when she's done, can she look under mine?" He said and I didn't even dignify that with my attention, I just kept looking for a problem, but Jace wasn't having it.

"Speak like that about her again, and you'll be sorry." Jace said in a rather calm and dangerous tone.

"Come on Jace, in a week or two you won't want her anymore." The guy said. "And than she's free game."

"Watch it Verlac." Jace said.

"Clam down Herondale, I'm just stating facts." He said.

"You know I can hear you." I finally said.

"Oh, so doll face talks?" The guy said and I looked up from the engine.

"Doll face?" I said. "Is that really a hit with the ladies?" I asked and he laughed.

"Normally. Why? Not working on you?" He asked with a smirk that was kinda revolting.

"Not even close." I said.

"Too bad." He said. "I'm way more entertaining than Herondale here. I could show you if you want." He said as he made his way closer to me before Jace stepped in the middle.

"She's not interested." Jace said through gritted teeth.

"Why don't you let her speak for herself." The guy said. "So what do you say sweetheart?"

"First, enough with the pet names." I said. "Second, I'm not interested, like he said." I said and his smile faltered as I rejected him.

"Whatever." He said and he walked away.

"Sorry about him." Jace said.

"Not your fault." I said.

"So, what's the problem?" He asked.

"Your engine is frozen." I said.

"Oh great. How do I fix that?" He asked.

"You need to store it in a shed or garage until it thaws." I said.

"Great." He said and I smiled.

"Sorry. I wish it was something I could fix." I said.

"Not your fault." He said. "I'll call Michael and have him tow it back to my house." He said as he pulled out his phone. I went back to my car and started it. It was pretty cold outside, and the warmer my car, the better.

"Clarissa." I heard and I froze myself. I turned around and there was my father.

"You're violating your restraining order." I said.

"I'm your father." He said. "I am allowed near you."

"Not according to the courts." I said. "You need to be 500 feet away from me." I said.

"How could you let her do this to our family Clarissa?" He asked.

"You're going to blame this on mom?" I nearly yelled and I knew that I now had an audience. I felt someone standing behind me and I just knew it was Jace. "You're the one that left us."

"You have no idea why I left." He said.

"And I don't care." I said. "You left. That's the problem."

"Clarissa." He said.

"No. 500 feet dad. You aren't allowed within 500 feet of me." I said. "I won't call the police this time, but next time your ass if going to jail." I said and he huffed and stormed away. Once he was gone I turned around and looked at Jace. He pulled me into him and I melted against him.

"You okay?" He asked and I simply nodded. "Good, Michael should be here soon."

"Wanna wait in my car? The heat is on." I said and he laughed and nodded. We got in the car and turned up the heat.

"You sure you're okay?" He asked and I looked at him.

"I'm fine." I said. "Not the first time he's been angry at me, and I kinda expected it. I mean, what sane person would be okay with a restraining order against them?" I said and he laughed.

"He doesn't seem too sane." He said.

"I guess not." I said.

When Michael showed up, he towed Jace's car to his house and I followed. When we got there, they put it in their garage, and Michael left. I was about to get back in my car when Jace stopped me.

"Wanna come in for a little?" He asked.

"Sure." I said. I texted my mom and told her that I was hanging with Jace and she was cool with it. Her and Luke were going out anyway.

Jace and I were in the living room watching TV and warming up. It was frigid outside, and I was a naturally cold person, and needed to be warmed. It was nearing dinnertime when my phone went off. I thought it was just my mom so I ignored it until it started again. I checked my phone and noticed it was Simon.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey." Simon said.

"Simon, what's wrong?" I asked because something was off.

"Can I come over?" He asked.

"I'm actually not home. I'm with Jace." I said.

"Oh. Okay." He said and I looked at Jace.

"Do you mind if he comes over? He seems really out of it." I whisper asked and he nodded. "Simon, I'm going to text you an address. Come to it."

"I don't know Clary." He said.

"Simon, something is wrong, and Jace said it was fine." I said.

"Alright." He said. We hung up and I texted him the address.

"Is he okay?" Jace asked.

"I don't know, but something sounds off." I said and he nodded.

We cuddled on the couch until the doorbell rang. Jace got up to answer it, and after a few moments Jace walked back in with Simon following him. Jace took his seat on the couch and Simon sat in the chair.

"What's up Simon?" I asked.

"You're going to think it's stupid." He said.

"You're upset Simon." I said. "That automatically makes it important."

"My mom has a date tonight." He said.

"Oh Simon." I said. "You knew this day was coming."

"Yea, but I didn't expect it to come so soon." He said. "I especially didn't think she'd meet him at a support group."

"Maybe that's a good thing. They know what each other is going through." I said.

"But it's too soon." Simon said.

"For who? You or her?" I asked him and he looked down at his hands. "Simon, I know you miss your dad." I said. "I was at his funeral. I know how much his death affected your family. But maybe your mom is ready to move on."

"She should have consulted with me." He said.

"She's an adult Si. She doesn't need to consult with you." I said. I moved close to him and took his hands in mine. "It's one date. They aren't getting married, and who knows, maybe your mom won't enjoy it and it'll be their only date." I said and he looked at me. "She deserves to be happy. Just like you and Rebecca do." I said. "Did she seem happy?"

"Yea." He said.

"Than why are you so upset?" I asked.

"I don't know. You think your parents are going to be together forever you know? You never think you'll see them with someone else." He said and Jace and I both laughed a little.

"You're preaching to the wrong choir here Si." I said and he looked at me and than at Jace.

"Your parents divorced?" He asked.

"Naw. Dead." Jace said.

"Oh god. I'm so sorry." Simon said.

"Don't worry about it. It was a long time ago." Jace said and Simon simply nodded.

"Look Si, you can either sulk around and be upset at your mom for moving on, or you can be happy for her." I said. "You've been through a lot. Happiness is something you all deserve."

"I guess you're right. I mean, you said it yourself, it's one date." Simon said. "Nothing serious will happen."

"That's the spirit." I said and he smiled.

"Thanks Fray. You always know what to say." Simon said.

"It's a gift." I said and he laughed.

"Jace! Clary! I'm going to order food you want something?" Izzy yelled as she made her way into the living room and her eyes stopped on Simon. "I didn't realize we had more company."

"Izzy, this is my best friend Simon. Simon this is Jace's sister, Izzy." I said and Simon was looking at her like she was the 8th wonder of the world.

"It's nice to meet you." Izzy said and Simon snapped out of it.

"You too." Simon said.

"Anyway, I was going to order food from Taki's. You want anything?" Izzy asked.

"You know my order." Jace said.

"I'll just have a burger and fries." I said.

"Simon, you want anything?" Izzy asked.

"Mind if I come with?" Simon asked. "I could use some fresh air to clear my head." He explained.

"Sure. I'd love some company." Izzy said and Simon stood up.

"Thanks for the talk Fray." He said.

"No problem." I said and Izzy and Simon left. I leaned back into Jace and smiled.

"He was looking at Izzy a little longer than I like." Jace said and I laughed.

"Simon is harmless." I said.

"Oh, I'm not worried about Izzy, I'm worried about Simon." Jace clarified. "Izzy is a heartbreaker."

"They will both be fine. They're picking up food, not going out on a date." I said.

"I don't know. The look in his eyes said a whole lot to me." Jace said.

"I guess we'll just wait and see." I said and I leaned in closer to him. Simon would be fine, at least I hoped.

 **Izzy POV:**

We got to Taki's and we walked to the front door and Simon opened it for me. I wasn't used to guys being chivalrous, but it was a nice change. We walked up to the counter and I ordered the food and we stood off to the side and waited for my name to be called.

"Oh shit." I heard Simon say.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"There is a girl here who has been like stalking me for the past year." He said.

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm in a band with a couple friends from school." He explained. "His cousin is our biggest fame. And she's like in love with me."

"Is that so bad?" I asked.

"She's 14." He said.

"Oh wow." I said and he nodded.

"Yea. She comes to all our gigs, and stands in the front and just makes goo-goo eyes at me." He said and I laughed.

"Simon!" I heard.

"Oh god." Simon said as he turned around. "Maureen. What a surprise."

"That it is. What are you doing here?" She asked and my name was called. I went and got the food and made my way back to where he was and the girls eyes were sparkling, and Simon seemed to nice to reject her. I decided to help him out a little.

"Babe, it's time to go." I said as I walked up to Simon. He looked at me and I just smiled.

"Who are you?" The girl asked clearly not liking me being around Simon.

"My name is Isabelle Lightwood. Nice to meet you." I said as I extended my hand but she didn't take it. I put my arm down and linked it with Simons. "We should get home, everyone will be waiting for their food."

"Of course." Simon said. "It was nice seeing you Maureen." Simon said and we walked out of the restaurant and in my car. Once the doors were shut he laughed. "Thanks for that."

"I saw that you were in a jam." I said.

"She would have talked to me for hours if she could." He said and I laughed.

We got back to my house and yet again Simon opened the door for me. We walked in the house and I went into the living room to tell Jace and Clary the food was here and they were making out on the couch.

"Yuck." I said and they broke apart. "You heard the door open."

"No we didn't." Jace said.

"Right, too busy sucking face." I said and Simon laughed. "Food is here." I said as I went into the kitchen and put it all on the counter. Jace and Clary walked in a couple moments later.

"Ran into Maureen at Taki's." Simon said.

"How did you escape?" Clary asked with a laugh.

"Izzy actually helped me out." Simon said.

"How?" Jace asked.

"I called him babe, linked our arms, and we walked out." I said.

"Nice." Clary said and I nodded. Jace and Clary ended up taking their food out to the living room and Simon and I took a seat at the table. We ate in silence but it wasn't a weird silence, it was pretty comfortable.

"Izzy!" I heard and than Max came running into the room.

"Max, I thought you were at a friends house." I said.

"Nope. Mom said no." Max said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"I don't know." Max said. "I'm hungry." He said and I felt horrible that I didn't get him anything. I looked at my food and knew he wouldn't eat it.

"You can have the other half of mine." Simon said.

"Really?" Max asked.

"Of course." Simon said. Max took a seat and Simon slid his food over to Max and he started eating.

"Thank you." I mouthed to Simon and he nodded. When Max was done he skipped off and didn't even clean up. I shook my head and went to grab his trash when Simon stood.

"I'll clean that up." He said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Of course. It was half mine anywhere." He said and I smiled. He went and cleaned up the mess and I couldn't help but watch him. Being around Clary and Jace the past couple months really opened my eyes. I realized how a guy should treat a girl, and I realized that I just didn't choose guys who were like that, and I decided that I deserved that. So I've been just focusing on me the past couple months, but being around Simon was comforting, and easy. Something I've never experienced and I had only met him today. When he got back to the table he smiled. "I should probably head home." He said and I got a little sad.

"Oh. Okay." I said as I stood up.

"It's okay." He said. "I can walk myself out. Finish your dinner." He said and I sat down. "Thank you for helping me out, and being good company." He said and I smiled.

"Of course." I said. "Don't be stranger." He smiled and than left the kitchen. I heard the front door open and than close and it was just me. A few moments later Clary walked in.

"Did Simon leave?" She asked.

"Yea. He said he needed to get home." I said.

"You okay?" She asked as she got a drink from the fridge.

"Yea." I said and Clary walked over and took seat.

"Doesn't sound it." She said and I just shrugged. "Come on, what's bothering you?" She asked.

"Is Simon seeing anyone?" I asked bluntly and her eyes widened.

"Nerdy Simon? Simon who just walked out of here?" She asked and I laughed.

"Yea." I said.

"Uh, no." Clary said. "He's kinda awkward around girls. Why?"

"He just didn't respond when I called him babe, or linked our arms together. I mean, he opened doors for me, he gave half his food to my little brother, and he cleaned it up." I said.

"That's just how Simon is." Clary said. "He's a true gentleman." She said and I nodded. "Why? Do you like him?"

"I just met this kid, but he's really nice." I said. "And I feel comfortable around him."

"Simon has that affect on people." She said with a smile.

"How do I know if he's into me?" I asked.

"You want to pursue something with Simon?" She asked almost surprised.

"I think so." I said and she smiled.

"Simon won't outwardly say he's into you." Clary said. "He's a pretty shy guy around girls, but he's also too polite to be rude, or make thing uncomfortable."

"I noticed that tonight. He didn't want to talk to Maureen, but he did it anyway." I said and Clary laughed.

"Yea. He never wants to make anyone upset, or uncomfortable." Clary said. "I mean, you could literally talk to him about the most uncomfortable topic in the world, and he'd sit there and help you through it even if he had no idea what to say."

"He seems like a really nice guy." I said.

"He's the best. I'm lucky to have him as my best friend." Clary said and I smiled. "Look, if you want to start something with Simon, I'd make the first move."

"But that's so uncommon." I said and she laughed.

"You are a strong, beautiful, and independent woman." She said. "You can do anything."

"Thanks Clary." I said and she smiled and made her way back into the living room. I went to my room and laid on my bed and thought about Simon. There was something so natural about hanging out with him, and I owed it to myself to see where that went. I've always gone for the bad boys, and I always get burned. Maybe I need to reevaluate my taste in men, and Simon was the first guy in a long time who truly made me feel comfortable, and I wanted to see where that went.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was in the garage working on that engine when I heard the frantic yelling.

"Clary! Clary, where are you?" I heard and when I looked up Simon was running looking like chicken with his head cut off.

"Yo, over here." I said and he looked at me and ran towards me. "What is wrong?"

"Izzy just asked me out." He said through labored breaths.

"That's great!" I said and he looked at me. "Or not?" I questioned.

"Why in the world would she ask me out?" He asked.

"Because she likes you?" I questioned. I really didn't get why he was so confused.

"Isabelle Lightwood does NOT go for the Simon Lewis's of the world." He said and I laughed.

"You don't know that." I said as I put my wrench down.

"Yes I do." Simon said. "I'm a nerd. I'm in a shitty ass band, I have glasses. I read comic books." He stated. "Isabelle Lightwood drives a fancy car, she lives in a mansion, and she's drop dead gorgeous."

"I fail to see any of the problems here." I said with a laugh.

"The problem is, why the hell did she ask me out?" He asked.

"Look, Izzy's been burned in the past." I said. "After her last guy, she decided to just try and focus on herself because he really hurt her." I explained. "We talked a few months ago, and she was interested in you."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He yelled.

"Because it wasn't my news to tell." I said. "She likes you, take it and run!"

"I don't just want to be a fling for her." Simon admitted. "I could end up falling for her." He said. "And I don't think I could handle that heartbreak."

"What if it doesn't end in heartbreak?" I asked. "What if you two really hit it off, and have a great relationship."

"There are so many things that could go wrong." He said.

"That's how I felt with Jace." I said. "We are in two totally different social classes in life. But we work." I explained. "I really don't know how we do, but we work, and I've never been happier in my life. That could happen with you and Izzy."

"But what if it doesn't?" He asked.

"Don't think about the future." I said. "Do you want to take Isabelle Lightwood out on a date?"

"Yes." He said.

"Than focus on that, and worry about the future when it happens." I said. "Be happy Simon. You deserve that. And so does she."

"Okay." He said and I smiled. "Okay, I'll tell her yes." He said.

"Good." I said. I got back in the trust and continued working and Simon was still standing there. "What are you waiting for?" I asked.

"What if she's over it already?" He asked.

"Seriously you need to stop overthinking." I looked over him and saw Jace walking towards me and I couldn't help but smile. "Jace." I said and Simon turned to face him. "Tell Simon he's overthinking." I said.

"You're overthinking." Jace said and I smiled. I leaned down from the car and pressed my lips to his.

"You don't even know what I'm overthinking about." Simon said back to Jace.

"It's about Izzy isn't it?" Jace said and Simon's jaw dropped.

"How did you know?" Simon asked.

"Izzy is currently freaking out about it as well." Jace said.

"She is?" Simon asked.

"She took a leap of faith asking you out." Jace said. "She feels kinda rejected."

"But I didn't give her an answer." Simon said.

"But you didn't say yes." I said. "Izzy's going to assume you aren't interested."

"But…..I am." Simon said.

"Than go and tell her that." Jace said, and without another word Simon ran out of the garage. "Those two man." Jace said and I laughed.

"I think it's kinda cute." I said and Jace smiled.

"How's it coming?" He asked.

"I think I've almost cracked it." I said.

"That's my girl." He said as he leaned against the truck. "So, I was thinking." He said. "We've been together for almost 6 months." He said and I looked at him and smiled.

"We have." I said.

"And I want to do something extra special for it." He said.

"Why?" I asked.

"To be completely honest, this is my longest relationship." He said. "It's a milestone for me, and for our relationship, and I want to celebrate it right."

"That's so sweet." I said and he smiled.

"We have a cabin in the Poconos." He said. "I was thinking we go up there for a weekend."

"Oh. Wow." I said not expecting him to say that.

"You can say no if you aren't comfortable, but I thought it would be perfect." He said. "I was torn between that and our vacation home in Mexico, but that requires a passport, and I didn't know if you had one, plus its in another country and I didn't know if your mom was cool with you leaving the country for a weekend." He said and I laughed.

"The Poconos sounds great." I said and he got the biggest smile on his face.

"Really?" He asked.

"Of course." I said. "This is my longest relationship too." I added. "Not because I couldn't commit to someone before, but because no one wanted to commit to me." I said with a nervous laugh. "But it sounds nice."

"Great." He said. "How does this weekend sound?"

"Sounds perfect." I said.

"I was thinking we could go up Thursday after school and just skip Friday." He said.

"I actually don't have school Friday. So that works perfectly." I said.

"Cool." He said.

"I'll talk to my mom tonight." I said and he smiled.

"Perfect." He said. "I should probably get home." He said. "But text me and let me know what your mom says."

"I will." I said. He leaned up and pressed his lips against mine.

"Bye babe." He said and I smiled.

"Bye." I called after him and he walked out of the garage. I was going for a long weekend with Jace. To the Poconos. This was going to an experience.

When I got home I was actually really nervous to tell my mom about Jace's plans. She liked Jace. She thought he was really nice, and polite, and she knew how happy he made me, and that's something that was really important to her, but asking her if I could spend a weekend in the Poconos with my boyfriend was always going to be new territory.

"Mom?" I called when I got home.

"In the kitchen sweetie!" I heard and I walked into the kitchen. She was sitting at the kitchen table looking through a magazine.

"Hey." I said hesitantly. "Can we talk about something?" I asked.

"Of course." She said as she closed her magazine.

"So Jace stopped by the garage today, and he asked if we could do something special for our 6 month anniversary." I explained. "It's the longest relationship either of us have been in, and he wanted to do something special."

"That's really sweet of him." She said and I smiled.

"I thought so too." I said. "His family has a vacation home in the Poconos, and he asked if I'd like to go for a long weekend with him."

"When?" She asked and I wasn't expecting that to be her first question but I looked at that being a good sign.

"This weekend. We'd drive up there after school on Thursday." I said.

"Friday is a school day sweetheart." She said.

"In-service day." I said. "I don't have school."

"And it will be just the two of you?" She asked.

"As far as I know, yes." I said.

"I don't know Clary. Going away with your boyfriend for a long weekend. Makes a lot of temptations." She said.

"If you're worried about sex. We aren't having it." I said and her eyes widened.

"But being along in a cabin, cuddling by the fire to keep each other warm can really get you in the mood." She said.

"Ew mom." I said and she laughed.

"I'm just saying, there is another activity that can keep you warm while in a cabin covered in snow." She said.

"Okay, gross." I said. "And Jace and I aren't at that stage in our relationship." I said. "I mean, I always imagined I'd do it with someone I love, and Jace and I haven't told each other that yet."

"But do you feel it?" She asked and I looked down. "You do don't you?" She asked and I looked back at her.

"I think so." I said. She reached across the table and took my hands in hers.

"Loving someone isn't anything to be embarrassed about Clary." She said.

"But what if he doesn't feel it back?" I asked.

"Than he's a fool." She said and I laughed. "You've told me about Jace's history with women." She said and I nodded. "You told me that he said you were different." She said and I nodded again. "I've seen you two together. That boy, worships the ground you walk on, and treats you like a princess." She said and I couldn't help but smile. "If he treats you like that and doesn't love you, I'll have a few words to share with him."

"You think he feels it?" I asked.

"I'm sure he does." She said and I smiled. "Look, I trust you, and I trust him to take your feelings into consideration and respect your decisions." She said. "You can go away for the weekend."

"Thank you so much mom." I jumped up and gave her a huge hug.

"Just make sure you text me when you leave school, and when you get there, and when you're on your way home on Sunday." She said.

"Of course." I said. "Thank you so much mom." I said.

"And if you do…..engage in other activities besides snowboarding and snowball fights." She said. "Please be careful."

"I got it." I said trying to stop this conversation.

"Okay. Well, Luke and I are going out to dinner tonight. Our anniversary is coming up as well, and tonight is the first free night we've both had off in awhile, and we're taking advantage of it." She said and I laughed.

"Of course. Have fun." I said. She smiled and I went into my room and called Jace.

"Hey." He answered rather quickly.

"Hey, just talked to my mom." I said. "She said I could go."

"That's awesome." He said. I could tell he was really excited.

"Yea, and I was wondering, my mom and Luke are going out tonight to celebrate their own anniversary, and I'll be home alone." I said. "Would you mind keeping me company?" I asked and he laughed.

"Of course. Be there at 6?" He asked.

"6 is perfect. Oh and bring some dinner!" I said and he laughed.

"Of course. See you later." He said.

"Bye." I said and I hung up. I was going away with my boyfriend for the weekend, and I could barely contain my excitement.

 **Time Jump – Long Weekend**

 **Clary POV:**

Simon gave me a ride to school today because Jace was picking me up after to take me to the Poconos, and I couldn't stop fidgeting the whole day. I was nervous but anxious to go away with him, but I couldn't wait. When the final bell rang I could get to my locker fast enough. I grabbed my backpack and made my way out to Simon's van to grab my suitcase. I knew Jace was here because there was a flock of people hanging around him and his fancy car. I closed the door to Simon's van and he looked at me.

"Have a great time." He said and I smiled.

"Have a great time with Izzy." I said.

"I'm so nervous." He said and I laughed.

"Just be yourself." I said. "That's who she likes." I said and he nodded.

"I have band practice in 30. Safe trip." He said as he got in his van and drove away. I made my way over to the crowd of people and shoved my way through. When I finally got to the front and I saw him, I couldn't help but smile.

"Back of the line freak. I was here first." Aline said and I rolled my eyes.

"I don't need to go to the back of the line to see my own boyfriend." I said.

"He's your boyfriend?" She asked as she pointed to Jace.

"Yea." I simply said and I made my way over to him. He grabbed my bag and threw it in the back seat.

"You ready?" He asked.

"Yes." I said and he laughed I got in the passenger seat and he got in the driver side. The crowd just stood there. He honked his horn and they parted like the red sea, and we left.

"Wow. It's like they've never seen a BMW before." He said and I laughed.

"I think it has more to do with the driver." I said and he looked over at me and smirked.

"You think?" He said.

"Don't be so cocky." I said and he laughed. I took out my phone and texted my mom.

 ** _To Jocelyn:_**

 _Just left school. Headed towards the Poconos. I'll text you when we get there._

 ** _From Jocelyn:_**

 _Okay sweetie. Have a great weekend! And remember what I said. Be safe. Love you._

 ** _To Jocelyn:_**

 _Love you too._

I sighed and put my head against the headrest.

"Everything okay?" Jace asked.

"Yea. When I asked my mom about this weekend she decided to give me the safe sex talk." I said and he laughed. "It's not funny. I was horrified."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because my mom was like setting the scene." I said as I shuttered as I remembered.

"How so?" He asked.

"She started talking about how we would be cuddling in front of the fire, and trying to keep each other warm." I said and he laughed. "Than she proceeded to tell me that there is another activity that would keep us warm."

"That does sound horrifying." He said through his laughs.

"It was." I said. "And than she told me to be safe."

"At least that's helpful advice." He said and my eyes widened and I think he saw my surprise. "I didn't mean that we would be having….." He trailed off. "I just meant, it's important, you know, to be safe."

"Oh." I said.

"I would never force you to do anything you weren't ready for Clary. Just know that." He said and I smiled.

"I know that." I said and he seemed to be relaxing.

The rest of the ride was filled with music and light conversation. I didn't realize how worried I was about the possibility of having sex, until we talked about it. It was nice knowing that he wasn't expecting anything from this weekend alone, and that was extremely calming, and made me more excited about these next couple days.

 **Time Jump – Saturday Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I had a masseuse brought in for Clary because I felt like she needed something relaxing. She was always on the go and someone like that would benefit from taking some time for themselves, and that's what I wanted Clary to do. It also gave me enough time to get the living room set up the way that I envisioned it. Tonight was a pretty nerve wracking night. I was finally going to tell Clary that I loved her, and I was so scared. It was the first time I've ever told a girl that before, and it was terrifying. She could not say it back, she could run, she could start crying, literally anything could happen, and not knowing was the scariest part.

I had put an outfit in the room we were staying at. She would go there to get changed and see it laid out on our bed. Tonight was all about her, and us, and she deserved to feel rested, relaxed, and sexy tonight, and that's what she would feel like. I looked at the time, and her massage was over, so I started getting the table set, and the food set up. Knowing Clary the way that I do, I knew she wasn't going to take forever to get ready, so she would be done shortly, and I was so ready to see her. I was putting the finishing touches on the table, when I heard the clicking of the heels. I turned around and I literally lost my breath. Clary was the most stunning woman I've ever met.

"Wow." I said. "You look incredible."

"Thanks." She said with a blush. "I think my boyfriend picked it out."

"With a little help." I said and she laughed. "But I did have a vision, and Izzy helped me, but I had the final say."

"You did a good job." She said.

"I'm glad you think so." I said. "Dinner is waiting." I said and she smiled and I led her towards the table.

"You weren't kidding about going all out." She said as I pulled her chair out and she sat.

"You deserve to be treated right." I said. "And this is how I treat people right."

"It's quite glamorous." She said and I smiled.

Dinner went by amazingly, but every moment I spend with Clary does. We talked, and laughed, and enjoyed each other's company just like we always did. There wasn't a shadow of a doubt that I loved this girl more than anything, and I couldn't wait to tell her. When dinner was finished, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the jewelry box. I reached across the table and set it in front of her and she gasped and our eyes locked.

"Jace." She said and I shook my head.

"Open it." I said. She smiled, picked it up and opened the lid. She pulled out a gold chain, with a gold 'C' dangling from it. It was simply, but when I saw it, I immediately thought of Clary and had to get it for her.

"It's beautiful." She said. "Can you help me put it on?" She asked and I nodded. I got up and made my way over to her. I took the necklace in my hands, and she lifted her hair. Once it was secure on her neck, she let her hair fall and she turned in her chair so that we could see each other. "I love it."

"I'm glad." I said. I kneeled down in front of her and rested my hands on her knees. "There's more." I said.

"What more could I possibly get?" She asked as she gestured to the cabin.

"Don't worry, I spent absolutely nothing on this gift." I said and she smiled. I took a deep breath, and looked into her eyes. "I love you." I said and her eyes went wide, and instantly filled with tears. I couldn't distinguish if they were happy or sad tears, so I waited. She put her hand on my face and pressed her lips to mine, and as much as I loved kissing her, and I really did, I wanted to know how she was taking the news. When she pulled apart, our eyes locked again and she smiled.

"I love you too." She said and I scooped her into my arms and she squealed. When I put her down I couldn't get the dopey grin off my face.

"God I could just sit here for hours and tell you how much I love you." I said and she giggled.

"So could I." She said and I just smiled even wider, and I didn't think that was possible. Forgetting our dirty dishes, I made a fire, and we sat in front of that thing for the rest of the night, kissed, and told each other hoe much we loved each other, and I couldn't picture a more perfect way to spend our 6 month anniversary. And the best part is, we get to spend many more anniversaries doing this, because I was never letting her go. That was a promise.

 **Time Jump – End Of Senior Year**

 **Jace POV:**

Graduation was about a week and a half away, and with Clary and I both being seniors, we barely had to go to school, but Clary spent most of the time in the garage trying ti fix that engine. She was so close, and I knew it was frustrating her that she hadn't solved it yet, but I knew she could do it.

I had been spending a majority of the time in the garage with her. I loved watching her work on cars, not only because it was a turn on, but because she was really passionate about it. And she was damn good at it, but also because I liked keeping her company. I walked in to the garage and there were some guys there working on cars, and I was looking for Clary when I saw her emerge from under the hood wearing nothing but some jean shorts and a cut off t-shirt. My jaw hit the floor, because damn could that girl, _my girl,_ pull off any outfit she was in. I made my way over to her and whistled.

"Damn." I said and she looked at me. "Can I take you home with me?" I asked and she laughed.

"You know, if I didn't have a boyfriend, that might have worked on me." She said and I made my way over to her.

"Oh really?" I asked and with a smirk.

"Totally." She said and I pressed my lips to her. When we broke apart she grabbed another tool and made her way back to the truck. "Did you even go to school today?" She asked.

"No. There was no need." I said.

"But wasn't it like your yearbook day or something? I remember Simon telling me Izzy was going in to get her yearbook signed. It was like a day for all the seniors." She said.

"It was, but I didn't really care for people there. Plus, that would give Kaelie a reason to talk to me, and I'd rather avoid that as much as possible." I said and she laughed.

"Understandable." She said. It was quiet for a few moments. "Oh my god." I heard Clary said.

"What?" I asked.

"I did it." She said as she got out from under the hood. "I fucking did it." She said again and I laughed. "Hodge!" She yelled.

"Yes?" He said as he came around the truck.

"I did it." She said.

"Let's try and start her up." Hodge said as he pulled out a set of keys. He got in the car and started the car up and it sounded amazing.

"Oh my god!" Clary shouted. "I did it!" She said and I watched her jump up and down and couldn't even tell you how proud I was of her. The whole garage was cheering, and just seeing the look on her face, was so rewarding for me, I couldn't imagine how rewarding it was for her. "What's the prize?" Clary asked when she settled down a bit.

"This." Hodge said as he they the keys at her.

"I get the truck?" She asked.

"That tuck has been sitting here for year." Hodge said. "I thought it would never leave, but you fixed her, and she sounds great. You can do what you want with her. Use her, sell her, trade her in." Hodge said. "But she's yours."

"Thank you Hodge." Clary said. "For teaching me everything I needed to know about cars."

"You're a rare talent Clary. It was an honor to teach you." Hodge said before walking away. Clary turned towards me with the biggest smile on her face.

"I did it." She said again and I scooped her into a hug.

"I knew you could." I said.

"And I got the truck." She said and I laughed.

"You got the truck." I said.

"What am I going to do with it?" She asked.

"That's up to you." I said and she smiled. I pulled her into me and pressed my lips to hers. "You are truly talented Clary."

"You're only saying that because I fix your car for free." She said and I laughed.

"That's a bonus." I said. "You're a natural, and I couldn't be more proud of you." I said.

"I love you." She said and I kissed her again.

"I love you too my little grease monkey." I said as I ran a finger over the grease mark on her forehead. She smiled and laughed and I pulled her into me. I rested my check on the top of her head and smiled to myself. Life with Clary was always going to be an adventure, but no matter where life takes us, I know two things for sure. 1. I was going to love Clary until my very last breath. And 2. No matter where we were, I was always going to have a mechanic there to fix whatever problems we got into.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, another long one for you here! I was trying so hard to think of a good story for another one shot, and than a guest requested one where Clary repairs things, and this one shot just hit me in the face, and I had to write it. Now, I know nothing about cars, so I googled half of that shit, so I'm sorry if I got some things wrong, I'm a very uneducated person when it comes to cars. But I hope that this one shot lived up to that guests expectations, and I hope you all loved reading it because I enjoyed writing it. Hence why at 3:30 in the morning, I'm updating. I just had to finish it before I went to bed! Please let me know what you think, and leave a review! :)**


	85. Chapter 84 - Birth Defect

**Eighty Fourth One Shot:**

 **Birth Defect**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting at home when the mail was dropped off. I went to get it and when I was looking through the bills I noticed the familiar penmanship. I groaned as I opened the envelop.

 _Dear Jonathan Herondale and guest,_

 _You are formally invited to the annual Herondale family dinner this Friday night. Cocktails start at 5:30, followed by dinner at 6. If you're running late, don't even bother coming. We look forward to seeing you at this years annual dinner._

 _Celine and Stephan Herondale_

I rolled my eyes at this letter. We get one every year and Celine refuses to acknowledge that I was married to Jace, or that we had a daughter. Forget about me being the 'wrong match' for Jace according to Celine. Ava was born without a left leg. When Celine for saw her, she walked right out of the room and never said a thing about her ever again, but I'd take that over her talking shit about Ava any day.

"Babe, I'm home." I heard Jace call.

"In the living room." I called back.

"What's up?" He asked.

"We got the letter." I said and he laughed.

"Oh great. Its that time of year again." He said. "I would think they would just stop inviting us." He said and I laughed.

"Oh please. This is Celine's time to insult me as much as she wants and I don't get to retaliate because I'd be tarnishing the Herondale name." I said.

"You could never tarnish the Herondale name. If anything, you make it even better." Jace said as he pressed his lips to my head. "How is my baby doing?" He asked as he looked at a sleeping Ava on the couch.

"She's exhausted. She ate like 3 bites and than threw up. I gave her some medicine and she fell asleep." I said.

"My poor baby." Jace said as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "She still feels warm."

"Yea. I took her temperature before she fell asleep. It was still the same. I'm just waiting for it to break." I said.

"At least she doesn't have to go to this dinner." He said.

"I know. For the first time since she got sick I'm actually glad she is so that she can miss it." I said.

"If only we were that lucky." He said and I laughed.

"I think we're pretty lucky." I said. "We have a great house, and an amazing daughter, and I have a pretty sexy husband." I said.

"Is that right?" He said and I nodded as I bit my lip. "You can't do this to me. Ava is right there." He growled out and I giggled.

"I know." I said.

"You're evil." He said and I smiled and nodded. "What would you like for dinner?" He finally asked.

"Spaghetti." I said and he laughed and nodded. Jace went into the kitchen and I took a seat and started rubbing Ava's back. Ava looked peaceful sleeping, and I hoped that she would get back on her feet as soon as this flu went away. I hated seeing her sick.

 **Time Jump – Dinner**

 **Clary POV:**

I finished getting ready and I made my way downstairs to see Jace talking to Izzy. Thankfully she could watch Ava tonight because she knew what to do and how to work everything to help Ava and that was such a relief.

"Okay, we should be home before 10." Jace told her. "We don't normally stay as long as we should."

"I totally get it." Izzy said. "Just try and have a little fun." She said and I laughed.

"Good on Iz." I said. "There is no way to have fun in that house."

"I can attest to that. Even as a kid there wasn't any fun being held in that house." Jace said and Izzy nodded. Jace and I walked over to Ava who was sitting on the couch.

"Hey baby." I said and she looked at me. "Mommy and daddy have to get going, but you be good for Aunt Izzy."

"Otay mommy." She said and I kissed her forehead. And Jace did the same. "I love you." She said to us.

"We love you too sweetie." Jace said and she smiled. We grabbed out coats and made our way to his car. The drive to his parents house was silent, but I think we were both preparing ourselves for what was to come. It was always different, but always condescending, so we were just trying to get through it.

When we pulled into his driveway, there were a lot of cars there. We walked up to the front door and rang the bell. A moment later a waiter opened it and ushered us in. he took our coats, and we made our way into the foyer. The Herondale family was gathered around and talking to each other. Jace grabbed my hand and he led me to the bar. We got out drinks and when we turned around there stood Celine and Stephan.

"Mom, dad." Jace said. "Good to see you."

"Jonathan, Clarissa." Celine said. "Where is the other one?" She asked referring to Ava, and it took everything in me not to snap.

"Ava came down with the flu earlier this week." I explained. "She is still under the weather. We didn't want her out."

"Ah. I see." Celine said. "Well, we'll be around." She said and they walked away.

"Wow." I said. "If she was any colder, she's be an ice cube." I said to Jace.

"Just a couple hours. Than we don't have to see them for another year." He said and I nodded.

Dinner was called and we all took our seat as the food was brought out. Imogen, Jace's grandmother, was one of the sweeter ones towards me. She sat next to me, and she had the biggest smile on her face.

"How is the little one?" She asked and I smiled.

"She is currently sick with the flu." I told her. "She's at home with my friend."

"Oh dear." She said. "That's awful."

"It's tough to see your child sick." I said and she nodded.

"That it is." She said. "Stephan was always getting sick as a child. Every spring he would get bronchitis. Eventually I would start taking him before he even got symptoms just because I knew it was coming." She said and I laughed.

"I can't even imagine that." I said and she smiled and nodded. I turned when I heard Ava's name, and I was confused but when I saw Celine talking I just knew it was her. I stopped listening to everything else and focused on her so that I could hear what she was saying.

"I'm so glad she didn't bring the kid. It was a hassle getting that stupid wheelchair in and out of here. You'd think they would teach her how to use her stupid fake leg." Celine said and that was my breaking point.

"That's it." I said as I slammed my hands on the table. "I've had enough of this."

"This is incredibly rude Clarissa." Celine said. "We invited you into our home, and this is how you behave?" She said, but I was way to furious to stop now.

"You invited me into your home to humiliate me in front of the whole family." I said as I looked around. "I know you don't like it, but I'm a Herondale too."

"Not by blood." Celine said.

"And neither are you." I spit back which caught her off guard. "You don't know the first thing about me. And you've never taken the time to get to know me."

"Why would I take the time to know a gold digger?" Celine said. "I can't even believe you last this long, especially with that deformed child of yours."

"You leave Ava the hell out of this." I seethed. "She's your granddaughter. Your family. And you don't even acknowledge her existence. You know how horrible it feels when your 4 year old daughter knows she isn't loved by her grandparents?" I asked and everyone was silent. "It fucking sucks."

"Language." Celine chastised.

"No. I'm going to be as candid as I want because this is the last time I ever step foot in this house." I said. "For the last 7 years you've invited me to family events, dinners, celebrations. In the beginning I would get so excited because I finally thought that it was going to be the day you accepted me in your life." I admitted. "Eventually that faded. But the day we came to tell you about our engagement was probably the most eye opening experiences." I said. "I was thrilled. I couldn't contain my happiness or my tears. I was going to be spending the rest of my life with the man who saved my life." I said as I looked at Jace and he smiled. "Nothing made me happier. We got here and I showed you my ring and you were just stoic. The whole time. Stephan asked Jace to step away momentarily to talk business, and you offered me 1 million dollars to run away and never contact Jace again." I heard a gasp and I looked over and saw Jace's shocked expression. I never told him this. "You told me that I was ruining his life, and that he could find someone much more suited to this lifestyle." I said. I was trying to gauge her reaction but she was emotionless. "When I refused you told me that you were going to make my life a living hell until one day I cracked." I said. "Well guess what? That day has come but I'm not letting you get off that easily." I said. "You have been a complete and utter bitch to me since the day I met you, and truth be told, if it were up to me, I'd never ever speak to you ever again. But you're Jace's mom, and I respect that. I respect what you've provided him with. I respect how you've raised him. I respect the life you've built for yourself." I said. "You've created an empire. I mean, look at this house." I said and the guests chuckled. "I could dream up a house and it still wouldn't compare to this one." I explained. "But coming from money myself, I can't ever imagine it making me as cold and heartless as it's made you."

"Coming from money?" Celine scoffed. "Jace found you on the street." She said.

"It's true. I was currently unemployed, and didn't have a place to live when I met Jace but you don't know why." I said.

"Jace never told us." Stephan cut in.

"Because I asked him not too." I said. "My family wasn't known in this world for being one of the good families. Mostly we were known as being crooks. Thieves." I explained. "My mother knew early on that she didn't want me to be known the way they were. I was kept out of the public's eye, and than sent off to boarding school under a different name. My mothers maiden name. That way no one could find me."

"That doesn't explain why you were homeless." Stephan said.

"Once I finished college I went home. I hadn't been there in years, but I felt it was time." I said. "My father tried to marry me off to one of his friends. He was twice my age, and in the same line of business. I refused." I said. "That night I was beaten within an inch of my life. I had been home for one day, and I almost died. I knew I had to leave. So I did." I said. "Jace found me about a week later in an ally. My family faked my murder and I haven't spoken to them since."

"We had no idea." Stephan said.

"I didn't expect you too. It normally takes some conversation to get to know a person." I said bitterly.

"Who are your parents?" Celine finally asked.

"That doesn't matter." I said. "The point is. You call me a gold digger. You call me a slut. Hell, you've called me a bad mother when you don't even care about her. You don't know the first thing about me, and now you never will." I said. I pushed my chair out and than back in because I still had manners. "Goodbye Stephan, Celine." I said and I walked out feeling lighter than I have in years.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary walked out the room was silent. I took this as my cue to leave and I stood up. My parents still said nothing so I turned around and looked at them.

"I only have three things to say to you." I started. "1. You ever say anything about my daughter like that again, you will be incredibly sorry 2. You ever say anything about my wife again, you will also be incredibly sorry 3. You've never approved of my relationship with Clary, and I knew that." I said. "You've made it painstakingly clear these past 7 years. But I decided to go against your hundreds of protests because I was doing what made me happy. Marrying her, and starting a family with her is the best thing I've ever done." I said. "And if you can't see that. Than I don't want to see you again."

"We will cut you inheritance of Jonathan." My mother said but I just rolled my eyes.

"I don't care mother." I said. "I know I've never done it but I'm sure I can survive without money. You know why?" I asked but she was silent. "Because I have Clary, and my amazing daughter by my side no matter what. We're a family, and we are all each other needs." I said. I pushed my chair in and straightened my tie. "Goodbye mother, father." I said and I walked away. I got outside and went to my car where Clary was waiting. When I got in I looked over at my beautiful wife.

"I'm sorry I blew up like that, but I had too." She said.

"I don't blame you one bit. They heard what they needed too." I said and she nodded. "Now, lets go home to our baby girl." I said and Clary smiled.

"You're an amazing father." She said and I looked at her.

"And you're an amazing mother." I said and she laughed. I reached my hand over and she interlocked our fingers. Tonight was much needed after all and I'm glad we finally said what was on our minds and I could tell Clary felt lighter, and so did I.

We drove home and all I wanted to do was see my little girl. When we got there, we walked in and Izzy was sitting on the couch. She looked up confused because we weren't supposed to be back so soon.

"You're back early." She said.

"Yea, and we probably won't be invited back there ever again." I said.

"What happened?" Izzy asked.

"Clary finally had enough, and frankly so did I." I explained.

"I can handle the shit talking, but the minute she brings Ava into it, I just can't control it anymore. My mama bear comes out, and I get protective." Clary said.

"How is she?" I asked Izzy.

"She at half of her dinner, which was more than I was expecting. She drank her juice, took her medicine without complaint, and she went to bed about an hour ago." Izzy said.

"I can't wait until she's over this flu. I hate when she's sick." Clary said and I nodded in agreement.

"Thanks for watching her Iz." I said.

"Of course. She's my favorite little girl to babysit." Izzy said. "But remember, you're watching Caden next weekend so Simon and I can go out." She said and I laughed.

"Of course." I said and she smiled.

"I'll see you guys later. Tell Ava I had a great time with her tonight." Izzy said.

"Of course." Clary said and Izzy left. Clary turned back towards me and I smiled. "I know she's sick, but how would you feel about waking her up?" She asked.

"I think you read my mind." I said and she laughed. I took her hand in mine and we made our way to Ava's room. When I opened the door, there was my precious little girl sleeping soundly in her bed. Clary and I made our way to the bed and got in and she woke up.

"Mommy? Daddy?" She questioned.

"We're here baby." I said.

"I missed you tonight." She said with a yawn.

"We missed you two sweet pea." Clary said as she kissed her forehead.

"How were grandma and grandpa?" She asked. She was honestly the sweetest little girl who just wanted to be loved by her grandparents, and it hurt that she wasn't.

"Not very good baby." Clary said.

"Were they mean to you?" She asked.

"Yes they were, but they aren't going to be mean ever again." Clary explained. "If they don't want to get to know me, or you baby, they don't deserve our time."

"Otay mommy." Ava said. "I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart." Clary said.

"I love you daddy." She said and my heart melted.

"I love you too baby girl." I said as I kissed her. She curled against my side, and I pulled Clary towards me. I put my arms protectively around my girls and Ava and Clary fell asleep. I knew blowing up at my parents was a terrible idea, I mean, without their money, I wouldn't have been able to accommodate this house for Ava, and I was grateful that I was able to do it. But they were way out of line, and I didn't want my wife and daughter to be subject to my mothers brutal words. They didn't deserve it.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was currently sitting in the living room with Ava putting a puzzle together. Jace was in the kitchen making lunch when the doorbell rang. Jace said he would get it and I continued to work on the puzzle when I heard a throat clear behind us. I looked back and there stood Jace and Stephan.

"Stephan." I said as I stood up. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to apologize." He said which caught me off guard. "Celine was totally out of line the other night, and you didn't deserve that."

"Why now?" I asked. "Why not 7 years ago? Or even 4 years ago?" I asked as I gestured to Ava.

"I wish I had a better reason, but I was a coward." He said.

"Hey Ava." Jace said.

"Yes daddy?" She said.

"Mommy and daddy have to talk to grandpa about grown up stuff. Can you go to your room to play?" He asked.

"Otay daddy." She said and Jace picked her up and put her in the carrier. He handed her the remote and she pushed the button and it started moving. Before it carried her out of the room she stopped it. "Hi grandpa." She said.

"Hi sweetie." Stephan said. Ava smiled and continued to be carried upstairs. When we heard the door close, we knew we were in the clear. "You have a nice set up here."

"Ava isn't very mobile on her new prosthetic yet, which happens when she gets a new one." I explained. "And we didn't want her to feel confined, or when she simply didn't want to wear it." I said. "So Jace had the amazing idea of building her a machine that could help her around so she wasn't so dependent on us."

"She's 4." Stephan said. "She's supposed to be dependent."

"Not when she wants to go from the living room to her bedroom." Jace said. "Clary and I would be more than willing to carry her up and down the stairs whenever she needed us too, but we want her to know that she's just the same as every other kid out there, she just has a little extra hardware." Jace explained and Stephan nodded.

"What are you really doing here?" I finally asked.

"I wanted to come and tell you that I have no intention of cutting your inheritance Jace." Stephan said. "I told Celine to go spend a week at our home in Spain and collect herself and think about her actions in the past." He said. "Last night was really eye opening to me, and to the rest of our family. To put it nicely, they were all very unhappy with the way she treated you. Especially Imogen."

"Grandmom was mad?" Jace asked surprised.

"Oh, she had some nasty words to share after you two left." Stephan said. "It made me realize that because of her narrow mind, she was keeping me away from my son, and my daughter-in-law and my granddaughter." He said. "I don't even know her middle name. What kind of grandfather does that make me?"

"Jean." I said, and he looked at me. "Her middle name is Jean."

"Ava Jean Herondale." Stephan said. "It's beautiful. She's beautiful."

"She has the Herondale charm." I said with a laugh. "Blonde hair, and gold eyes. She's going to be a force to be reckoned with."

"That she is." Jace agreed. "Thank you for coming by dad. It means a lot to us."

"I will do whatever I can to make up for how I've been in the past." He said to me. "I was letting Celine speak for me, and I should have stood up for myself because I in no way agree with her." He explained. "You, my dear, are the best thing that's ever happened to Jace." He said and I blushed. "Anyone who knew him before you, knows how good you've been for and to him."

"I'd do anything for him Stephan." I said.

"Please, call me dad." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I walked over and hugged him and he hugged me back tighter.

"Thank you for coming dad." I whispered and I felt him laugh, and I couldn't even begin to explain how good it felt to have a father again.

"You're welcome here anytime you want dad." Jace said when Stephan and I broke apart. "But we won't be coming over."

"I understand that." Stephan said. "I wouldn't expect you to come back after everything that went down."

"Would you like to stay for lunch?" Jace asked. "I was just making some for Ava, Clary and myself."

"Sounds lovely." Stephan said. Jace nodded and went to the intercom and clicked the button.

"AJ, you can come back down baby." He said and I smiled. I have my suspicions that he wanted her middle name to start with a J simply because his name started with a J, and it gave her a cool nickname, but he wouldn't explain his reasoning, and I was just going to have to live with that.

"Otay daddy." She answered. Before we knew it the chair was making it's way downstairs and back to the puzzle. I made my way over to her, and I lifted her out of the chair and put her back on the floor. After a few moments she looked up at Stephan.

"You wanna join grandpa?" She asked. The best part about 4 year olds. They don't hold grudges for too long.

"I would love too." Stephan said and he sat on the ground and started putting the puzzle together. I made my way into the kitchen where Jace was and he smiled at me.

"Do you think Celine will ever come around?" I asked and his smile fell a little.

"My mom has always been set in her ways." He said. "Even when I was a kid she never deviated from her norm. I can't imagine her changing much. I mean, she's kicked friends out of the house if she didn't like them."

"How does your dad do it?" I asked.

"He loves her." He simply said. "He sees something in her that not many people do, and he loves that part of her." He explained. "Like how I love the way you wrinkle your nose when you don't like something, or the way you arch your back when you brush your hair." He said as he walked closer to me. "Or how in the middle of the night, you snuggle closer to me and sniff my shirt while you're sleeping."

"I do that?" I asked shocked and he laughed.

"Yea. All the time." He said and I blushed in embarrassment. "But I love that about you. I love all the little things that you don't even know you do." He said. "I think my dad fell in love with the little things my mom does, that she doesn't show the world."

"You make that sound so romantic." I said and he smiled.

"In a way it is." He said. "I know my mom can be a pain in the ass, but there is more to her than meets the eye, and I think my dad is the only one who has ever seen that side."

"I wouldn't be surprised." I said and he laughed.

"My mom is the only one who knows what she's going to do." He said. "We have to accept that."

"I know, and as much as I don't like her, or like what she's done to me the last 7 years, Ava deserves to know her grandparents. They are the only two she has." I confessed.

"I know, but only she can change her mind." He said. I nodded and he kissed my forehead. "Lunch is ready." He said. I nodded again and he handed me two bowls and I made my way out to the living room.

"Chicken noddle soup is ready." I said as I set it on the table in front of Stephan and Ava.

"Yummy. Thanks mommy!" Ava said. I kissed her head and smiled.

"No problem baby." I said. I went back into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl myself. Jace and I sat at the breakfast bar as we watched Stephan and Ava play with the puzzle. This was a step in the right direction, and I was proud of Stephan for coming over here and taking a positive step to be in his granddaughter's life. That's all I ever wanted for her, and I felt like I was finally getting that.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I don't know if I read a review about Clary and Jace having a child with a birth defect, or if this was purely** **from my imagination, but I felt really inspired when writing this, and I think that it's a really sweet and adorable one shot, and I hope you feel the same! Let me know what you think, and leave a review! I'm also currently working on another one shot that I just don't know how to end, so I should be updating** **with another one relatively soon, so be on the look out! :)**

 **Also, I can't believe how different the lengths of my one shots are! I know people think that even getting to 3K works is long, but if I'm being honest, most of my one shots range from 6K - 9K easily. I mean, I can bang an 11K word one shot out like it's my job, and when I do a one shot thats completely done and under 5K, I always think it's so short, but it's complete, and it just shocks me that I can get an entire idea completed in that amount of words! Anyway, I just noticed that and thought I'd share my discovery with you because I thought it was so weird how all over the place my one shots can be! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! :)**


	86. Chapter 85 - Juvie

**Eighty Fifth One Shot:**

 **Juvie**

 **Clary POV:**

Life wasn't fair by a long shot. And more often than not, I was on the shitty side of receiving life's punishments, but I guess I only have myself to blame for that. Being in foster care was tough. Especially when you're older. Everyone wants to adopt a cute little kid, but it's the older ones that are gipped out of getting a family too. That was me. I entered the foster system when I was 8 years old, and way past my peak for anyone to be interested in me. I had a friend, a good friend in the system, and I thought we'd make it through together, but when we were both 12, he actually got adopted, and as happy as I was for him, it sucked being alone.

That's when the trouble started. I would get fostered for a couple weeks but eventually I was sent back because of my terrible attitude. But who would have a good attitude in foster care? It wasn't a happy place. We were all here because our parents died, they didn't want us, or they were over all shitty people. It's hard to overcome that when you're a kid. Sure the little ones didn't know what it felt like to be abused, but I sure as hell did, and I had a chip on my shoulder about it. Who wouldn't?

When I got to high school, I really started spiraling, and when I was 15 I was sent to juvie for fighting, but in my defense the girl deserved to have her ass kicked. I was cuffed, and taking down to the precinct and arraigned. I was sent for a juvenile detention center for troubled youths. I was supposed to be there until my 21st birthday, but I was let out a couple months ago due to over crowding. Now I was just trying to navigate my life as a 19 year old with a record.

My social worker agreed to help me get a job, and than I was on my own, and her friend worked at a diner and needed some more hands, so I'm a waitress. It's not the most glamorous job, but I get money, and soon enough I'll have enough money to buy my own place and get out of that halfway house. The only problem with this diner was the kids that came in here were the kids I went to school with up until I was sent to juvie, and they all knew about it, so the stares and the whispers were constant. It was a normal day when the bell rang and in walked a face I never thought I'd see again.

"Jace, over here." The bitchy girl in the corner said, and it took everything in me to roll my eyes. Him and the two people he was with made their way over to the corner and took a seat. They always sat in my section just to poke fun at me, and I hated it, not only because they make jokes about me, but they didn't leave tips, and those were the customers I hated the most. I took a deep breath and made my over to them, wishing for the first time that I got a day off.

 **Jace POV:**

We had just moved back to New York because Izzy, Alec and I were all attending NYU, and Maryse and Robert thought it would be nice to come back home. Ever since I was adopted by them life had been amazing. We went on vacations every summer to a different place, I was sent to the same private school that Alec and Izzy went too, and they paid for my college tuition. I couldn't have asked for a better family to adopt me, and I was one of the lucky ones that got out of the system.

We were invited to this diner by some kids were knew from college. I don't remember this place being here before, but it had been years since I've been back. I took a seat and the girls started talking about shopping or something, and the guys were talking about sports. I was looking around when I caught the sight of a redhead. But not just any redhead, the redhead that I spent time with in the foster system. A redhead that I never thought I'd see again. She made her way over to the table and put on a fake smile.

"Welcome to Taki's, my name is Clary and I'll be your server today. Can I start you off with something to drink?" She asked.

"I'll have a water with lemon." Aline said. "But make sure the lemon doesn't have any seeds in it. I nearly choked on one last time, and I'd hate for you to get fired from your low life job and have to live on the streets where you belong." She said and I was actually stunned by the way she talked to Clary. I looked at her, and she looked like she wanted to retaliate but she didn't.

"Of course." Clary said. The others ordered and than she got to me and I looked in those big green eyes, and I could tell she'd been through some shit, and that she was forever changed because of it. "And you?" She asked.

"Coke." I said and she nodded.

"Those will be out soon." She said and she walked away.

"Why were you so mean to her?" Izzy asked before I got the chance.

"She deserves it. That girl is batshit crazy." Aline said.

"How so?" Alec asked.

"Our freshman year of high school she beat up my friend and got 5 years in juvie for it." Aline said and my jaw dropped.

"You went to high school with her?" Izzy asked.

"Yea. She was crazy." Aline said. "She actually just got out a couple months ago. Her social worker had to beg the owner to give her a job."

I looked over at Clary and she was talking to another waitress and she had a smile on her face. Not the radiant smile that I was used to as a kid, but a smile nonetheless, and I was curious about why she was in juvie, and what happened to her there.

She came back over and handed us out drinks. When she put mine down I looked up at her and smiled, and she smiled back, but I wasn't sure if it was politely, or because she knew who I was.

"Are all ready to order?" She asked.

"Can we just get an order of fries for the table?" Aline asked. "And this time, make sure they aren't burnt."

"I will do my best." Clary said as she walked away. It took everything in me not to walk up to the counter and talk to Clary, but I didn't want to scare her, and I didn't know what to say.

When she walked back over she put the fries down on the table. Aline gave her a bitchy smile and Clary walked away and took car of other customers she had. We were there for about an hour and a half before everyone was finished. Aline snapped her fingers in the air and Clary made her way over to us.

"What can I get for you?" Clary asked.

"The check." Aline said. Clary reached in her apron and pulled out the book and handed the check to Aline. "And don't expect a tip."

"You never give me one Aline." Clary said. "I didn't expect that to change." Clary said and she walked away.

"Why not give her a tip?" I said. "She got you everything you wanted, even down to the stupid seedless lemon."

"You don't get it. She doesn't deserve my hard earned money." Aline said as she signed the check.

"You mean daddy's hard earned money?" I asked and she looked at me shocked.

"You better watch how you talk to me." Aline said. "I can make you the laughing stock of NYU in a second." She said.

"I've never been one to care about my reputation." I said. She scoffed and stood up followed by her posse. Alec and Izzy stayed behind as we watched them go. Clary made her way back to the table. This was my chance.

"It's good to see you again Clary." I said and she looked at me.

"You remember me." She said a little surprised.

"How could I forget my little leprechaun?" I asked and she laughed.

"I've grown since my 8th birthday." She said.

"But you're still short." I said and she smiled.

"How have you been?" She asked as she started to clean up the table.

"I've been great." I said honestly. "You?"

"I'm sure Aline told you all about me." She said with a humorless laugh.

"She told us the basics." I said. "Juvie?" I questioned.

"Yea. Not my proudest moment, although my father would be thrilled. In jail at 15. I broke his record." She said with a laugh.

"Clary." I said and she looked at me. "Don't go there."

"I'm over it." She said but I knew she wasn't. "Anyway, I have to get back to work. It was good seeing you again Jace."

"You too Clary." I said and she walked away. I looked back towards Izzy and Alec and their jaws were dropped. "What?"

"You know her?" Izzy asked.

"We were in foster care together." I said. "We showed up around the same time. We bonded because we were close in age, and most of the kids there were way older, or way younger." I said and they nodded. We got up and Alec and Izzy started walking away when I looked at the table. I took out my wallet and out a 20 down, and walked away. When I got to my car, I looked in the window and saw Clary make her way back over to the table we were sitting at. She picked up the bill and smiled and looked out the window. Out eyes locked and I smiled before getting in. Clary has always been a puzzle, but I was going to finally figure her out.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was cleaning up the counters for like the 8th time today. It had been a slow day for me, which sucked because that meant very little tips, and that was basically a bust for me. Without tips, I barely made anything, and I needed those tips. Most of the people in this place right now were just waiting out the rain and working on their 5th cup of coffee. It had been down pouring for a sold two hours now, and I didn't blame them for not wanting to leave.

When the bell rang I was surprised. It had the been the first time that bell rang since the rain started, and when I looked up, there stood Jace, drenched and smiling at me. He made his way over to the counter and took as seat right in front of me.

"What can I get for you?" I asked automatically.

"Do you happen to have an extra towel?" He asked and I laughed. I reached under the counted and pulled out a clean one. "Thanks." He said once I handed it to him.

"Are you insane?" I asked. "It's pouring outside."

"I am well aware of that." He said as he gestured towards himself.

"What are you doing out in this weather?" I asked.

"I got caught." He said. "I could barely see the road, and I decided to just pull into the next parking lot, and it happened to be this one. I figured I might as well get something to drink while I wait out the storm." He explained.

"What will it be?" I asked.

"Coffee please." He said and I grabbed a mug and the pot at poured him a cup. "Thanks." He said and I nodded. I went to go top the others off and when I got back to Jace he was almost finished.

"Wow. You must have been thirsty." I said as I poured him more.

"It's really cold outside." He said. "I needed something warm."

"I never got a chance to thank you for your tip last week." I finally said.

"You deserved it." He said. "I could never be a waiter, people can be so demanding." He said and I laughed.

"It takes a lot for me not to say something sarcastic back." I said and he smiled. "But I need the tips, so I have to be on my best behavior. Plus I don't want to get fired."

"The joys of being in customer service." He said and I nodded.

"Not my first choice, but really my only choice." I explained.

"Not a lot of people like to hire people with juvie records?" He asked.

"Surprisingly no. They think I'm 'a loose cannon'." I said as I put that in air quotes and he laughed.

"You were rather hot heated as a child." He said and I smiled.

"Can you really blame me?" I asked.

"No." He said. "You went through a lot of shit. I can't imagine not having a lot of pent up anger."

"Yea. That got me into a lot of trouble though." I said with a humorless laugh.

"So what's the real reason you beat that girl up?" He asked.

"She was the type that thought she was above everyone." I explained. "She loved to poke fun at me about being in foster care, or not having parents." I said. "She loved bring up the fact that my mother was dead, and my father was in jail for child abuse."

"When did that become public knowledge?" He asked.

"Since her daddy worked in law enforcement." I said.

"I hate when officers talk about their cases at home." Jace said and I nodded.

"It didn't bother me at first." I said. "I knew my dad was fucked up, and I lost my mom so young that I don't really remember her." I explained. "It wasn't until she started shoving and tripping me. I could handle her shit talking, but once she started physically assaulting me, I lost it. I went a little over board I'll admit, and I was charged with aggravated assault and sent to juvie. I was supposed to be there until I was 21, but I was let out due to over crowding."

"I can't blame you for hitting her." He said. "She was doing some pretty fucked up shit."

"The principle, and the police didn't see it that way." I said. "I was hauled out of that school, and sent right to juvie."

"Were you terrified?" He asked.

"A part of me was, but a part of me was actually pretty relieved that for the first time since I had been in the system, I was going to be at a place for more than a couple weeks." I said and I looked at him and he gave me a sad smile.

"I'm so sorry you went through that." He said.

"My actions were all my own. Nobody told me to beat her up, and I had to take full responsibility for that." I said and he nodded. "You seem like you made our pretty well." I pointed out.

"I did." He said. "The Lightwoods have been truly amazing to me."

"I'm really happy you got out Jace." I said and he smiled.

"I wish I could have taken you with me." He said. "You don't know how upset I was that I was leaving you there."

"You had an opportunity to get the hell out of there." I said. "I'm glad you took it."

"It's done good things for me." He said.

"I'm glad." I said and he smiled at me.

"Miss, can I have more coffee please." I heard and I broke out of whatever spell I was under and looked over in that direction.

"Of course. One moment." I said. I grabbed the pot and walked over and refilled his cup. I got back to where Jace was sitting and refilled his cup as well. He sat there until the rain let up and than told me he was needed home. He paid for his cup, and walked out of the diner. I watched him go and looked down and noticed another 20 on the table. I looked up and he was standing at his car. He smiled before he got in and I smiled back. I never thought I was ever going to see him again, but I was happy that he was back in my life in some way.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"You have to leave Clary." Hodge said and I couldn't believe it.

"I don't have enough money to afford my own place Hodge." I pleaded.

"You've been here for way longer than the normal person is Clary." Hodge said.

"Because kids who come out of juvie normally have family to rely on." I said. "I don't have anyone Hodge. Please." I pleaded again.

"This isn't my decision Clary." He said. "I'm just following the rules." I nodded and gathered my things and walked out of the house. I had nowhere to go, and no one to lean on. I walked until I found bench and just took a seat. I was going to be living on the streets at this point. I don't know how long I sat there and cried, but I couldn't force the tears not to come this time. I was devastated, and I think my body finally decided it was time to let all my anger and sadness out.

"Clary?" I heard and when I turned around there stood Jace. "It's freezing out here."

"I'm aware." I simply said.

"Are you okay?" He asked. He walked over to me and I knew he could tell something was wrong. "Have you been crying?" He asked and I wiped my eyes.

"No." I said and he laughed and took a seat next to me.

"What's going on Clary?" He asked.

"I was just kicked out of my halfway house." I said. "I'll tell you, overcrowding is a son of a bitch."

"Where are you going to go?" He asked.

"Maybe over there." I pointed towards a tree. "Maybe in that ally." I said as I pointed to the sketchy ally to my right.

"You're homeless?" He asked.

"Yea. I can't afford my own place." I said. "And I don't have family to rely on."

"Come with me." Jace said.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm not going to let you freeze out here Clary." He said. "Come with me."

"I'm not going to mooch off you." I said and he laughed.

"You aren't." He said.

"Staying in your house for free is mooching." I explained. He stood up and grabbed my things.

"We're old friends." He said. "We've been through some shit that nobody understands. I got lucky, you didn't. This is me helping you turn that bad luck around." He said and I sighed and stood up.

"Okay." I said. "But only because I'm fucking cold." I said and he laughed. We got to his car and I got in and he followed and than he was off. When we got to his place it was pretty spectacular, and it made me wonder just how well off this family was. He got my stuff and I followed him in and the place was absolutely beautiful. Something that I could only dream about when I was younger. "Wow." I said and he looked at me. "You lucked out."

"I really did." He said as we made our way farther into the house. "Izzy, Alec, Clary is going to be staying with us for a little."

"Why?" Alec asked, but not in a rude way, just in a curious way, which is understandable.

"I got kicked out of my halfway house." I said and they nodded.

"I'll show you to the guest room." Jace said.

"You have a guest room?" I asked and Jace laughed.

"Maryse and Robert wanted our house to be accommodating just in case." He said and I nodded. We walked into the guest room and it was amazing. I mean, I barely got a bed at the halfway house, so this was something else. "I hope it's alright."

"Alright?" I asked. "I barely had a bed at my halfway house." I said. "This is more than alright."

"Well, there is a bathroom over there." He said as he pointed. "Everything is in there, and if there is something you need, just let me know. Extra blankets are in the cabinet to the left." He pointed. "And closet is over there." He said as he pointed in the other direction.

"Thank you Jace." I said and he smiled. "For everything."

"I wasn't going to let you freeze." He said with a smile. "Dinner is kinda a free for all here, so raid the fridge for whatever."

"Can I make something for everyone?" I asked. "I feel kinda bad just crashing here without doing something." I explained.

"If you want, go for it." He said and I nodded.

He left and I took my limited amount of clothes out and put them away. I went downstairs and they were all sitting in the living room watching TV. I made my way into the kitchen and started searching for things to make. There wasn't much to make a full meal, but I knew how to improvise. This was the least I could do for them taking my sorry ass in off the streets, and I was going to prove that I wasn't good for nothing.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I had a rather good schedule. He normally dropped me off at work when I worked the morning shift, and when I told him it wasn't necessary, he told me that he didn't mind plus it gave him time to get his much needed coffee fix in the morning. I knew I wasn't going to win the argument, so I just let it happen. When I worked the night shift though, Jace didn't drop me off or pick me up. I was normally done around midnight, and he didn't need to stay up that late for me. I normally caught the bus back to his place, which was normally fine, but for some reason tonight felt different, and I was just trying to keep my head down until I got to the house.

"Hey baby." I heard once I stepped off the bus. I ignored it and just kept walking. Jace's house was just up the street, and I just wanted to get there and be safe. "Hey bitch, I'm talking to you." I heard him yell and I didn't respond until I felt him yank my arm. "I don't appreciate your attitude." He said. "Give me all your money." He said.

"I don't have any." I said honestly. Tips were scarce during the night shift.

"Don't fucking lie to me." He said as he punched me in the face and I fell to the ground. Normally I would stand my ground but I was tired, it had been a long night, and I didn't have the energy.

"I'm not lying." I said as I was on the ground. "I'm just a waitress. Tips aren't a thing during the nightshift." I said.

"Than give me your cell phone." He said.

"I don't have one of those either." I said honestly, but I felt a kick come to my ribs. I screamed in pain as my head hit the pavement.

"Don't fucking lie to me." He said again.

"I'm not. I can't afford one." I said. He took my bag, grabbed my by the neck and smiled at me. I could smell the tobacco on his breath, and I was repulsed.

"I'm just gonna take this than sweetheart." He said. He left go of me and ran off. I stayed there for a couple minutes trying to get my composure so that I could make it back to Jace's house. When I finally stood up, I was in pain but I couldn't stay out here all night. I needed to move.

 **Jace POV:**

I was woken up when I heard a crash in the kitchen. I got out of bed and at the moment I opened by door, Alec and Izzy emerged from theirs as well.

"What's going on?" Izzy asked.

"No idea." I said. We made our way to the kitchen and Clary was standing there, her back facing us, and she was looking down at the ground. "Clary?" I said and she turned around and I gasped. "What the hell happened to you?" I asked as I saw the swollen eye, the blood dripping from her lip, her damp hair, and the tears that were streaming down her face.

"I was just trying to get a glass of water." She said.

"Forget about the glass." I said as I made my way over to her. "What happened to you? Who did this?" I asked.

"I was getting off the bus and some guy approached me. He asked for my money but I didn't have any and he didn't like that." She said. "He punched me and I fell. Than he asked for my cell phone, and I don't have one of those either, and he wasn't buying it, so he kicked me." She said and her hands went to her torso. "Than he just took my whole bag and ran."

"Did you get a good look at him?" I asked.

"No. It was dark." She said and I nodded. "I just wanted some water. I'm thirsty." She said again.

"Why don't you take a seat on the couch?" I said. "Izzy will take you, and I'll get you some water." I suggested and she nodded. Izzy came over and held her up and guided her to the couch. I stepped over the broken glass and grabbed another one and filled it with water while Alec started cleaning up the broken glass. I went over to her and handed it to her. She took it and started drinking. I went to help Alec clean the glass up when Izzy joined us.

"She's asleep." Izzy said. "She finished her water, and than laid down and was out like a light."

"Thanks for helping her." I said and she nodded.

"I have an early class tomorrow, so I'm going to head to bed." She said and I nodded. She left the kitchen and I looked back at Alec.

"You can go to sleep too." I said. "I don't have class until 1, so I don't mind staying up to clean this."

"Okay." He said. He left the kitchen and I continued to clean it up until I heard whimpering. I put the broom down and made my way over to Clary and I heard her talking.

"Please daddy." She said. "Please stop. It hurts." She said as she tossed and turned. "Please, I promise I won't do it again." She said and I bent down and touched her leg and she started crying.

"Clary. Wake up." I said as I shook her lightly.

"Stop daddy." She whimpered again.

"Clary its Jace." I said as I shook her harder and she shot up and was gasping for air. I didn't even say anything. I just grabbed her and pulled her into me. She didn't say anything either, but she clung to me for dear life as she tried to control her breathing. When she was calm she pulled away from me but I didn't move. "Are you okay?"

"Yea. Just a nightmare." She said.

"Clary, you don't have to pretend to be strong around me." I said. "It's okay to have your weak moments."

"It's nothing Jace." She said. "I've been dealing with them for years."

"That doesn't make it right." I said.

"I've been through worse." She said. "Shit happens, maybe more to me than to you, but you know what it's like. You move on quickly."

"You were beat up and mugged tonight Clary." I reminded her. "That's not something you get over quickly." I said and she just shrugged.

"I'm going to take a shower." She said. Without another word she got up and walked away. I knew Clary was a tough girl. How could you not be in her situation? But that didn't mean she had to go through it alone. When I walked upstairs. I heard the water running, and when I peaked in her room she was not there. I opened her door, walked in and closed it. I got in her bed and waited for her to come out. I wasn't letting her be alone tonight.

 **Clary POV:**

When I was finished in the shower I opened the bathroom door and was surprised to see Jace on my bed.

"What are you doing in here?" I asked and he looked at me.

"You went through something traumatic Clary." He said. "I'm not leaving you alone to deal with it by yourself."

"I've been doing it alone for years." I said.

"And now you don't have too." He said. It was late, and I was exhausted, and I just didn't want to fight anymore.

"Fine." I said and I got into bed. I got comfy and when I closed my eyes, the darkness took me over faster than I expected.

I woke up the next day and I was incredibly warm. I went to sit up and realized that something was stopping me. I looked to my left and noticed that Jace was sleeping next to me. But that wasn't all. His arms were wrapped protectively around me, I didn't even mean too, but I smiled more than I thought I was able too at this moment, and than I realized that I didn't have any nightmares last night.

"What time is it?" I heard Jace ask and I looked at the clock.

"8." I said.

"I don't have class until 1, and you don't work until later. Come back to bed." He said in a super sexy sleepy voice.

"Okay." I said and he pulled me into him. I fell against him, and my head was resting on his chest. He was asleep in a second and I listed to the sound of his steady heartbeat until I lulled me to sleep.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I had asked a co-worker to drive me home tonight. After explaining to my boss about what happened, he told me that he would give me dayshifts until I felt comfortable enough to come back and work the nights, and I was really thankful for that.

When I got into the house I took a deep breath and headed to my room. I got a shower, and got ready for bed, and when I got under the covers, I instantly hated how big this bed felt without Jace in it. I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep, but I couldn't. Every time my eyes were closed I could see my dad, or I was reliving that attack, or my many horrible nights in juvie, and when I looked at the clock it was nearly 2 in the morning. I thought about disturbing Jace, but I just felt so bad about waking him up. I convinced myself that I didn't need him to feel safe, but I was just deluding myself. Of course I needed him, and I hated that I felt that dependent on someone.

I walked out of my room and walked down the hall to where Jace's room was. I stood in front of it for who knows how long just debating if this was the right move. I didn't want to interrupt his sleep, but I also knew that I slept better with him by my self, and at this point, I was afraid to sleep alone, and he only shared my bed for one night. I took a deep breath and knocked on his door. A few moments later Jace opened it looking incredibly tired.

"What's up?" He asked in his groggy voice.

"I'm sorry. This was a mistake." I said as I backed away, but he grabbed my hand.

"I know you Clary. You wouldn't be here if you didn't need something." He said.

"I can't sleep." I said. "I've been trying since I got home from work, but every time I close my eyes I just see horrible things that have happened to me." I explained.

"What can I do?" He asked.

"Can I stay with you?" I asked shyly. Jace was still holding onto my hand, and he pulled my gently into his room and shut the door behind me. He guided me to his bed and motioned for me to climb in. When I did, Jace wasn't far behind. We both got comfy before he pulled me towards him and I rest my head on his chest. He was asleep the second he got comfortable and I laid there and drew circles into his chest until my eyes got heavy. I was lulled to sleep by the sound of his heartbeat yet again and no nightmares flooded my dreams for the second night in a row, and I wouldn't believe he was having this affect on me, but I didn't mind it.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I was working the day shift and when the doors opened in walked Aline and her click of dicks. I rolled my eyes and they took a seat in their normal booth. I hated that they always sat in my section. Like, annoy someone else, and leave me alone. I grab my note pad and made my way over to them.

"Welcome to Taki's, what can I get for you?" I said in my customer service voice.

"You'd think that they'd find someone more qualified for your job by now." She said and I resisted rolling my eyes.

"Well, if you sat in another section, you wouldn't have to deal with me." I said and she just laughed.

"But this booth is so comfy." She said and her posse laughed.

"I have other tables, so what can I get your to drink?" I asked.

"I'll have a water with a lime this time. But no seeds." She said and I nodded. The rest of the group ordered and I went to go get them filled. I was walking with a tray of drinks back to the table when someone bumped into me and the all 6 glassed covered me in liquid.

"Oh my god." I said as I dropped the tray.

"Oops. My bad." Aline said and I balled my fists but bit back my anger. I couldn't get fired. Not over her.

"It's okay." I got out. "I'll be right back with your refills." I said. I grabbed the cups, and the tray from off the ground and went back to the kitchen. I grabbed more cups and filled them with their order and safely made it to their table with no spills. "What would you like to eat?" I asked.

"Fries for the whole table, and some carrot stick. I'm trying to maintain my figure." Aline said and I wrote it down and walked away.

"Figure my ass." I whispered to myself as I put in the order. I was wiping myself down with towels when the bell rang and in walked Jace. He went to open his mouth but before he had the opportunity someone else spoke.

"Jacey." The voice came and there stood Aline. "There is a spot open at out table so you don't have to hang around with this low life." She said as she pointed towards me.

"I'm good." Jace said.

"Are you sure?" Aline asked again.

"Positive. I'm just here to pick up Clary." Jace said.

"You're an hour early." I cut in.

"I know, but I didn't want to go home alone. I thought I'd come and hang out here, and wait until your shift was over that way when we get home, I won't be alone." He said as he took a seat.

"Wait, you live together?" Aline asked shocked.

"Isn't that what most couples do?" Jace asked, which caused Aline's jaw to drop, and me to choke on my own spit. Aline was so shocked that she cut walked away. Jace turned his attention back towards me with a smile on his face. "Maybe that will be the last time she hits on me." He said with a laugh and than notices my expression. "What?"

"That just shocked me." I admitted.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because you told Aline we were a couple?" I questioned and he laughed. "Why is that funny?" I asked.

"We sleep in the same bed at night Clary." He pointed out.

"That's happened twice." I stated.

"And what are the odds it would happen again tonight?" He asked and I went to open my mouth but nothing came out. "See, even you can't deny that it's a couply thing to do."

"I never said it wasn't a couply thing to do." I said back because I had nothing else to say. "I was just pointing out that we aren't a couple."

"And why is that?" He asked.

"Because we aren't." I said.

"That's a very juvenile answer Clary." He said.

"We aren't a couple for a couple reasons." I said. "1. You didn't ask me out 2. We don't do anything else couply besides share a bed and 3. We wouldn't work."

"Why wouldn't we work?" He asked, and when I looked at him he seemed genuinely curious.

"We're from two different worlds." I said and than wanted to take it back immediately.

"Have you forgotten where we met Clary?" Jace said. "I remember sitting in a living room when a tiny and terrified 8 year old girl came walking in." He explained and I totally forgot about that day until he started talking. "You sat on the couch, hugged your knees to your chest, and rocked yourself back and forth because you refused to cry." He said and I laughed. "That night I heard your whimpers, and I went to go see if you were okay. When I kneeled by your bed you were crying and I slipped under the covers and held you until you were sleeping peacefully."

"I can't believe you remember that." I said and he smiled.

"It was the night I met one of my best friends." He said and my eyes watered, but I didn't cry. "I wasn't lying when I said I was upset when I had to leave you behind. We helped each other through that place, and I felt like I was abandoning you when I got adopted."

"I was thrilled when you got out." I said honestly. "It was terrible there, and the fact that you got out was amazing to me."

"Still. I never forgot about you." He said.

"And I never forgot about you." I said and he smiled.

"Um, excuse me. Where is our food?" I heard Aline yell.

"Go out with me." Jace said. The bell dinged, and Aline snapped her fingers. I looked back and their food was ready.

"Hold on." I said. I grabbed the food and ran it to their table and than made my way back to Jace. "Yes." I finally said.

"Really?" He asked sounding surprised.

"Why are you surprised? You asked me." I said and he laughed.

"I don't know. I guess I just figured it would take some convincing." He said with a laugh. I looked at the clock and I was thrilled to know that I only had 30 minutes left.

"Would you like anything to drink while you wait?" I finally asked.

"Coffee sounds great." He said. I poured him a cup and I continued on with my shift.

Thankfully Aline and her posse left so I could enjoy the last 10 minutes of my shift. I was cleaning off a table and when I turned around Jace was gone. I looked back and he was sitting in his car warming it up. I made my way over to his empty coffee cup and there sat a 20 dollar bill. Coffee was 2.40 here, and it was free refills, so a 20 was insane, but he insisted that I keep the change as the tips I don't rightfully earn, and he won't let me even give him back a little so I just accept it, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't need it. I took my apron off and grabbed my things and headed out towards Jace's car. When I got in Jace just smiled at me and than started the car and drove us home. I honestly couldn't wait to sit down. Well, take a shower and than sit down.

"I'm going to shower." I said to Jace and he nodded.

"Probably a good idea for our date tonight." He said and I stopped dead in my tracks.

"We're going out tonight?" I said and he laughed.

"The sooner the better." He said.

"But I'm not prepared." I said and he laughed.

"Don't worry. I texted Izzy. She's pumped to help you get ready." He said. "Now, I'd get in the shower before she comes home other wise she'll shower with you."

"You're joking." I said and he shook his head. "Oh dear god." I said. I heard him laugh as I made my way to my room to shower. I turned the water on and got in and than it hit me. I was going out with Jace Herondale tonight, and that's when the freak out started.

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting on the couch when Izzy walked in with the biggest smile on her face. She was holding two bags and singing to herself.

"Why are you so happy?" I asked.

"It's not every day I get to dress someone." She said.

"What's in the bags?" I asked.

"Outfits for her." She said.

"You don't even know her size." I said.

"I'm good at guessing." She said. "Now, where is she?"

"Shower." I said and she nodded.

"Perfect. Gives me time to set everything up in her room." She said as she made her way to the stairs. "And Jace." She said and I turned around. "Don't fuck this up."

"Do you have no faith in me?" I asked faking shock.

"I have faith that you can get a girl with one simple smile, I don't have faith in you keeping said girl." She said.

"I know my history is a little scandalous, but Clary is different." I said.

"I know she is, that's why I don't want you to fuck it up." She said and I laughed.

"I'll do my best." I said and she nodded.

"Oh! The water is off! I have less time than I thought!" She said as she ran up the stairs and I laughed. I wasn't going to ruin things between Clary and I. That was a promise.

 **Time Jump – Date**

I was pacing in the living room waiting for Clary to come down. Izzy had basically banned me from the second floor except to get dressed, so I had no idea what Clary looked like, although I knew she would look beautiful. She always did. When I heard the heels I turned around and there stood Clary, looking better than I ever could have pictured.

"Wow." I said as she walked over to me. "You look stunning."

"Thanks. Izzy really went to town." She said as she blushed.

"She had a great canvas." I said and she smiled. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." She said and I held out my arm and she linked hers with it.

"Don't be too late!" We heard Izzy shout. "It's a work and school night for both of you!" She said before I closed the door.

"Well, if you ever wondered what it was like to have a mom, that was it." I said and she laughed. I opened her door and she got in. I took a deep breath before making it to the drivers side where I got in.

"So, where are we going?" She asked.

"That my dear, is a surprise." I said and she groaned.

"I hate surprises." She said and I laughed. "And you know that."

"Come on, what 10 year old doesn't like a surprise party?" I said remembering what she was referring too.

"This 10 year old." She said and I laughed. "You scared the shit out of me that day." She said.

"I just wanted you to experience a real birthday." I said honestly and she smiled.

"And I would have denied it back than, but it was the best present anyone, well the only present anyone ever got me." She said. I reached my hand over and took hers in mine.

"It was the least I could do." I said. "We both might have lost our parents, but mine at least treated me like a human. You on the other hand never got that, and I wanted to know that not everyone is shitty." I explained and she laughed.

"You were the only person who ever showed me that kindness." She said. "Amatis was a nice enough social worker, but she never showed compassion. She just did her job." She explained. "I never found anyone else like you after you left."

"I am one of kind." I said and she smiled and laughed. "You have an amazing laugh." I said and she blushed.

"Thanks." She said shyly. The rest of the drive was quiet, but I didn't mind. Clary was playing with my fingers, and I couldn't get the smile off my face. I pulled up to the restaurant and we got out of the car. I took her hand in mine and walked her to the entrance. We were seated and I couldn't stop looking at Clary. "Is something wrong? Is my make up running?" She asked and I smiled.

"No. Everything is perfect, I just can't stop staring because you're so beautiful." I said and she blushed which I absolutely loved.

"You're such a sweet talker." She said and I laughed.

"But nothing I've said was a lie." I pointed out and she nodded.

The rest of dinner went by amazingly. Clary and I had a history, so we talked about our old memories, and some of the trouble we got into. It was great to talk about this again. I never really did open up to the Lightwoods when I was adopted. It didn't seem right too considering they wouldn't understand, but Clary got it. She understood what it was like to have nothing, and it was nice to be able to connect to someone on that level.

"So, you know how I spent my high school life." Clary said. "How did you spend yours?" She asked.

"In a boarding school in England." I said.

"Sounds fancy." She said and smiled.

"It was. Just think of Hogwarts, but without the magic." I said.

"That doesn't sound half as fun." She said with a laugh.

"It wasn't." I said honestly. "But I did have Alec with me, and Izzy was at the boarding school down the road since having a co-ed boarding school was unheard of. So I had family with me."

"That's always nice." She said. "Unfortunately I didn't have family in juvie. I had an admirer, but no family."

"An admirer?" I questioned and she nodded. "What was she like?"

"She was actually pretty sweet." She said. "Her name is Helen. She was in there for the same reason I was, but she was defending her brothers and sisters instead of just beating people up." She said with a laugh.

"Is she still there?" I asked.

"No. We were both released to due to over crowding. Believe it or not, we weren't the most dangerous ones in there." She said and I laughed.

"I believe it." I said. "Do you keep in touch?" I asked.

"No." She said. "She went home to her family, and I was stuck in a halfway house."

"That kinda sucks." I said.

"Yea, but I was lucky enough to have her friendship in juvie." She said and I nodded. "So did you play any sports at this fancy boarding school? You were a pretty active child." She said and I laughed.

"I did." I said. "I played soccer, and lacrosse."

"Impressive." She said and I smiled.

"Not as impressive as you think. I didn't go anywhere with it, but our school was pretty good. My freshman year and junior year we won the championship." I explained.

"Damn. That is impressive." She said and I smiled.

"We had a great group of guys." I said.

We were finished and I paid and Clary and I made our way back to my car. We got in and the atmosphere was really chill and comfortable. I loved hanging out with Clary, and getting to reknow her. When we got back to my house we walked to the front door, but I knew behind it Izzy was waiting to steal Clary away and gossip about the whole night so I stopped us before I opened the door.

"So, will there be a second date?" I asked and Clary smiled.

"There will most definitely be a second date." She said and I couldn't help but smile. I took this opportunity and leaned forward and pressed my lips to Clary's and I don't think I could possibly kiss anyone else after this. Kissing her was something I've never experienced before. When we broke apart, all I wanted to do was kiss her again. Before we could both talk the front door opened and there stood Izzy.

"Don't hog her!" She said as she grabbed Clary's hand.

"Sorry I was hogging her on our date." I said sarcastically. "Next time I'll share more."

"There's going to be a next time?" She said with so much happiness in her voice.

"That is the plan." I said.

"Oh now we need to talk!" She said as she pulled Clary into the house.

"Okay, goodnight!" I called after her. Clary looked back and waved before disappearing upstairs. I made my way inside and into the kitchen to get a drink when Alec came up behind me.

"How'd it go?" Alec asked.

"Great." I said. "It was nice because we knew each other so it wasn't awkward. We talked about out time together in the foster home, and caught up when I left. It was really nice."

"I'm glad you had a good time." Alec said.

"Thanks." I said. "Izzy stole her away from me." I said with a laugh and Alec laughed as well.

"Doesn't surprise me in the slightest." Alec said and I smiled.

"Me either." I said. Alec soon left and I made my way to my room. I got ready for bed and just laid there thinking about the night. I don't know how long I was staring at my ceiling but I was taken out of my mind when I heard my door open, and there stood Clary.

"Hey." She said and I sat up.

"Hey. How was your talk with Izzy?" I asked. She walked in and closed the door behind her.

"Long." She said with a laugh. "That girl can talk." She said.

"Don't I know it." I said. I pulled the covers back and Clary made her way over to me and got in bed. I curled into my side and I couldn't help but smile with her being this close to me. I kissed the top of her head before I felt her breathing evened out, and I wasn't far behind, dreaming about the girl in my arms, and the one I'd never let go.

 **Time Jump – Graduation**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace was graduating college today, and I was super proud of him. The things that he's been able to accomplish already is truly amazing, and I couldn't wait to see where he went in life. I was excited to actually start our lives together. I mean, we already lived together, and were together, and planned on staying together, but everything was different now. He was finished school, and starting his real career, and although that was pretty intimidating, I was super excited to experience it with him.

The ceremony was long. Way longer than I thought it was going to take, but there were a lot of kids. I was standing in the grass with the Lightwoods, waiting for Alec, Izzy and Jace to come find us. His family was very nice, and extremely kind to me, and the more I talked to them, the more grateful I am that they got Jace out of that terrible environment. I wasn't expecting it, but two arms picked me up off the ground and I couldn't help but scream. When I was placed on the ground I turned around and there was Jace laughed.

"You're such a jerk." I said as I slapped his arm.

"But would you want me any other way?" He asked with his signature smirk.

"Not at all." I said and he pulled me into him and I gave him a sweet kiss. "I'm really proud of you." I said when we broke apart.

"Thanks." He said.

"We're proud of all of you." Maryse said.

"How about dinner?" Robert asked. Everyone nodded and we started walking towards the parking lot. Jace was holding onto my hand and we were walking in sync just like we always do. I felt someone looking at me, and when I turned to my right Jace's eyes were burning into me.

"What?" I asked and he simply smiled.

"I just love you so much." He said and my jaw practically hit the ground and started dragging. That was the first time he told me.

"I love you too." I finally said when I collected myself. He squeezed my hand a little tighter and we continued to his car. We were told what restaurant we were meeting at and everyone got into their respected cars. He closed the door and started the car and we were on our way. He reached over and intertwined our fingers like he always does when we drive somewhere. I couldn't take my eyes off of the boy who has saved my life countless times, and now the boy who was my life, and I was his. If there was anything about the foster care system that I was thankful for it was bringing us into each others lives. I don't know what I'd do without him.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Someone requested one about them being in foster care, Jace being adopted, and Clary going to juvie, and this is the finished product! I hope you enjoy it whoever you are who requested it, and to all my fellow readers, i hope you enjoy it as well! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	87. Chapter 86 - Soccer

**Eighty Sixth One Shot:**

 **Soccer**

 **Clary POV:**

Soccer has been the thing that Jon and I bonded over the most in this world. Since we are so close in age, we were always messing around on the soccer field together, and it was something that we were both super competitive over. At first people just thought it was a phase. Something I was doing because I wanted to prove that I was better than my brother, and something that my brother wanted to do to prove that he could beat me. But as we got older our competitiveness towards each other not only grew, but our competiveness against others grew as well. More often than not were we teaming up and playing a two on two game with kids from our street, and just annihilating them. Jon and I were good, and we just made each other better. Eventually, the kids in on our street stopped playing us because we were just too good. Until the Lightwoods moved in across the street. When I was in 7th grade, and Jon was in 8th, three kids moved in across from us. Alec and Jace were both Jon's age, and the girl Izzy was my age. Alec didn't play, but Jace and Izzy did. And damn were they good.

Since our street was divided between two school districts, we weren't in the same school. Jace, Alec and Izzy went to Alicante, and Jon, and I went to Idris. We were rivals, but we were also friends. My best friend Simon lived next to me, and he didn't play either, so when we got a pick up game of two on two going Simon and Alec were both the refs, and we would spend hours playing soccer at the field down the street from our house. Sometimes it would be Jon and me against Izzy and Jace. Other times it would be Izzy and I against Jon and Jace, and sometimes it would be Jace and I against Izzy and Jon. It made it interesting considering Jon and I knew each others every move, and Jace and Izzy were really good at reading each other as well. We always made impossible expectations, like the first one to 30 goals wins, although we played with an open net, it still took hours. But we were having fun, bonding, and kicking each others asses. Simon and Alec got to call all the fouls, but normally they didn't call much because we all liked to play dirty.

It was my junior year in high school, and we were facing Alicante today. Our rival, and it was on their turf. I was excited to play Izzy, and just excited in general to be playing. Playing soccer was one of my favorite things to do. It calmed me down, and cleared my mind. We got to their field and their stands were packed. We lived in an area where football wasn't the main sport, soccer was. Our high school didn't even have a football team, that's how much it wasn't favored. I strapped my cleats up, slipped the captain band on my arm and made my way over to the refs, and I looked across the field and Izzy was doing the same thing. When we got to the circle Izzy and I were eyeing each other up, but in a purely friendly competitive way.

"Alright ladies, we want a clean game today. I know you two are rivals, but I'd prefer no broken bones this time around." The first ref said. Izzy and I smiled because we knew what he was talking about. Last time we played each other, I broke my finger, and a girl on her team broke her leg. It got intense.

"Of course." Izzy and I answered in unison.

"Okay, Idris since you're the away team you call it." He said and He flipped a coin.

"Heads." I said and it landed in his hand and he flipped it into his other palm.

"Heads it is." The ref said.

"We'll stay." I said and he nodded.

"Shake hands." He said and Izzy and I both reach for each other.

"Good luck Clare." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"We don't need luck." I said. "You might though." I said and she laughed and we walked back to our benches.

Every player made their way out to the field. I got to the ball and waited for Izzy to get there as well. We stood across from each other just staring waiting for the whistle to blow. Once it did, the game was on.

 **Time Jump – End of Game**

We were tied: 2-2. There was only 3 minutes left plus whatever the ref decided to add on, and I've never been more stressed in my life. The crowed was going crazy, and I was sweating like I've never sweat before. I was exhausted, and I was sore, but I couldn't stop now. Winning on their turf would be huge for us and I wasn't going to let them just have it.

I had the ball, and I was making my way to the goal, I was passing every girl, they were tired as well. I got inside the 18 when I felt someone take out my legs. A second later I heard the whistle, I knew I got a penalty kick.

"What the hell Kaelie!" I heard Izzy yell.

"She was getting too close." The girl said. "I didn't want her to score.

"You just gave up a PK." Izzy shouted. "Are you fucking stupid?!" She yelled. She wasn't pleased, and I couldn't blame her. I'd be pissed too.

I got the ball situated and took my place behind it. I waited for the whistle to blow. I could hear some girls shit talking behind me, but I blocked it out as much as I could. I wasn't missing this goal, I couldn't. I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. The whistle blew, and did what I do best. I kicked the ball in the upper left, and the minute I saw the goalie go right, I knew it was a beautiful shot. It went in and I had never felt so light in my whole life. I celebrated a little because we lined back up for a kick off.

The sideline ref held up the sign that told us how much time was added on. 2 minutes. All we had to do was hold them off for 2 minutes and this game was ours. Thankfully our defense was as tight as leather pants. They were holding their offense off extremely well, and I was just waiting for the ref to call the game at this point. Our goalie kicked the ball down the field and than the whistle blew. We won the game, and my team stormed the field. We were celebrating like crazy, and when the put me down on the ground I went over to find Izzy.

"Great game." I said and she smiled.

"You had a better one." She said and I laughed.

"I did, didn't I?" I said and she playfully hit me.

"You won't get off so easily next time." She said.

"Easy? You guys are the toughest team we play all year. My legs are Jell-O and I can barely breath." I explained and she smiled and nodded.

"So are mine." She said.

"Can't wait to play you again." I said.

"You are so on." She said. We hugged and than made it back to our teams. Tonight turned out better than expected and I was super proud of my team.

When I grabbed my stuff and got off the field Jon was waiting there for me. He pulled me in a giant hug and I couldn't help but laugh. He grabbed my stuff for me and we headed towards his car.

"Great game sis." He said and I smiled.

"It was pretty intense." I said and he laughed.

"That it was. You're lucky that girl gave up the PK." He said.

"Seriously, but you should have heard Izzy on the field. She was pissed." I said.

"I could tell from the sidelines. That girl made a stupid play." He said and I nodded in agreement. We made it home and I couldn't wait to get a shower. When we walked in the house my mom and Luke were sitting on the couch.

"How are you feeling guys?" I asked as I put my bag down. Her and Luke got food poisoning from a really strange restaurant the other night and they looked rough.

"Terrible." My mom said. "Luke is getting better faster than I am."

"You ate more than me." Luke said and Jon and I laughed.

"Want me to make you something? Hot tea? Chicken broth?" I asked.

"Hot tea sounds perfect." My mom said and I nodded. I went into the kitchen and started the water and got their mugs ready. When they were finished I brought them out to the pair. "How was your game?" She asked.

"Great. We won." I said and she smiled.

"That's wonderful. You score any goals?" She asked.

"A PK." I said. "Their one defender completely took me out. Izzy wasn't happy."

"I bet she wasn't. I didn't think I'd find a girl as competitive as you, but she comes close." My mom said and I laughed.

"I'm going to go take a shower." I said.

"Thank you for the tea sweetie." My mom said and I nodded and made my way upstairs. This year was turning out to be better than I expected, and I couldn't wait to see what else was in store for me.

 **Time Jump – Spring Semester**

 **Jace POV:**

Baseball season was in full swing. I loved soccer more, but I loved being able to get out on that field and play with Alec. It sucked that he didn't play soccer with me, but he just didn't enjoy it and I respected that. We just got done practice and we were getting our gear out of the truck when I heard a door slam and shouting. Alec and I looked up and Clary was running out of her house, and Simon was following.

"Don't you dare get in that fucking car Clarissa!" Simon yelled, and Alec and I both looked at each other. This was not how they normally acted.

"What are you going to do about it Simon?" She yelled back. She sounded hurt, and broken.

"I'll pop your tires!" He yelled and Clary just laughed. "I'm not fucking around Clary. Don't get in that car."

"Why not?" She asked.

"Because you're not stable enough. You're hurt, and sad, and acting on your emotions. You aren't thinking rationally." He said.

"I'm done thinking rationally. Nothing makes any fucking sense anymore." She yelled. She got in her car and sped away. Simon screamed and kicked the mailbox.

"Motherfucker!" He shouted and Alec and I decided to investigate. This wasn't like them, and I couldn't even imagine what happened that made them act so out of character.

"Simon." I called and he looked in our direction. He looked tired, and upset. "What's going on man?" I asked.

"You didn't hear?" Simon asked almost shocked.

"We heard the yelling." Alec said. "But the whole street probably heard that."

"Jon died last night." Simon said and my jaw hit the ground.

"What the fuck. How?" I asked.

"He was at a friends house doing a project, and he stayed until he finished it. It was late and he was stopped at a red light. Once it turned green he started driving." Simon explained. "An 18 wheeler decided to run his red light and t-boned Jon's car. He flipped a couple times before the car burst into flames. There was nothing the paramedics could do."

"Why did the truck driver run the light?" Alec asked.

"He was asleep. He was in the middle of a long night. He should have stopped at a rest stop, but he just wanted to get through the night." Simon said.

"I can't believe it." Alec said and I nodded in agreement.

"How's Clary doing?" I asked.

"She won't show any emotion." Simon said. "She hasn't even cried yet."

"Clary has always been secretive with her emotions. I mean, she didn't even cry when she broke her wrist a couple years ago. She just pretended that it didn't hurt." I said.

"I know, but this is different than a broken wrist. She lost her brother." Simon said.

"Do you know where she went?" I asked.

"The last place her and Jon were together." Simon said. "The soccer field at Idris." I nodded and made my way back to the car and unlocked it.

"What are you doing?" Alec asked.

"I'm going to go talk to her." I said.

"I don't know man." Simon said. "She's pretty unstable."

"I know what it's like to lose someone." I said. "I just want to make sure she's okay." I explained. They nodded and I got in my car. I couldn't believe Jon was gone, but I needed to make sure Clary was okay.

 **Clary POV:**

I was standing on the field just looking at the goal. I kept replaying the last moments of Jon and I together. I couldn't believe he was gone. It didn't feel real, and I didn't want to accept it. I saw the body, and I still didn't believe it.

"Clary?" I heard and when I turned around there stood Sebastian.

"What?" I asked not caring how angry I sounded.

"I just saw you here, and I wanted to make sure you were okay." He asked.

"I'm fine." I hissed back.

"Clary, Jon was one of my best friends." Sebastian said. "Its okay to be sad."

"You don't know what I fucking feel." I said back. I didn't really want to talk feelings with his dude.

"I know you feel angry." He said and I looked at him. "How about this weekend we go out, and I can get your mind off it." He said and my jaw dropped. Was he really doing this right now?

"Are you fucking serious?" I asked.

"Of course. I've wanted to ask you out for some time, but Jon is your brother, and he isn't a problem anymore…." He trialed off and I walked right up to him and slapped him across the face.

"How fucking dare you." I said. "My brother died last night and you're asking me out on a fucking date because Jon isn't in the way anymore." I said, I was livid at this point. "I asked Jon personally to keep the team away from me because I wasn't fucking interested. Jon wasn't the problem, it was always me. I wouldn't say yes when he was alive, and I sure as hell won't say yes in his death." I said by.

"Clary." He started. "Just think about it." He said and I just couldn't believe what he was saying right now.

"I will not fucking think about it." I yelled. "The answer is no. It will always be fucking NO!" I continued to yell. Sebastian started to back away but I just matched his steps. I was angry, and he was my target.

"Clary!" I heard someone yell and I turned around and there stood Jace.

"What are you fucking doing here?" Sebastian said and I turned back towards him.

"Who fucking cares what he's doing here." I yelled. I turned back towards Jace and for some reason, seeing him, I couldn't hold it in anymore. He walked up to me, he looked into my eyes and the tears welled.

"Oh Clary." He said and he scooped me into his arms. My arms went around his neck and my legs wrapped around his torso, and I just let it out. "Let's go somewhere more private." He whispered and I just nodded but he didn't let me go. He carried me to his car, which was parked right next to mine. He leaned against his hood and he continued to hold me. I don't know how long we were there, but when I pulled away, something in me felt lighter.

"How did you find me?" I finally asked.

"Alec and I just got home from baseball practice when you ran out of your house. We heard you and Simon. After you left we decided to investigate. We had no idea." He said.

"It's been kept under wraps. No names were given out in respect to us." I said and he nodded. "The school knows, but other than that it hasn't been on the news or in the paper."

"How are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm broken Jace." I said honestly. "He was my brother."

"I know how hard it is to lose someone." He said. "Not letting it affect you, and bottling it up isn't healthy. It'll drive you mad." He said and I just nodded. "How are your mom and Luke doing?"

"My mom hasn't spoken since." I said. "Luke and Simon have been planning his funeral, and everything. My mom and I just can't look at caskets and flowers and headstones. It makes it real."

"It is real Clary." He said. "The minute you accept that, the minute you can start to properly grieve."

"I don't want to accept it." I said as I started crying again. Jace pulled me into his again and started to rub my back, which was incredibly calming. "I can't accept it."

"Yes you can." He said. "I know it's hard. I didn't want to accept my parents deaths either." He admitted. "I spent years with so much pent up anger, and eventually I just had to realize that it wasn't healthy, and that my parents wouldn't want me living my life angry." He explained. "Once I came to accept the truth, I felt a lot lighter, and I was finally able to grieve."

"He had so many plans." I said. "He was going to go to Florida State. He got his acceptance last week. He was so thrilled." I said. "He was going to study accounting there."

"His death can't stop you from living Clary." Jace said. "Do it for Jon. Make him proud." I didn't know what to say so I just nodded. He kissed my forehead and I leaned back into him. He continued to rub my back, and I felt so much better. Now that I wasn't holding it all inside, maybe I could lay to rest my amazing brother, and give him the proper send off.

"His funeral is next week." I eventually said as I pulled away from Jace. "Will you come?"

"You don't even have to ask Clare." Jace said. "Jon and I were friends. Great friends. I wouldn't miss it for the world." He said and I nodded. "Want me to call Alec, and have him bring Simon so you don't have to drive home. I don't want anything happening to you."

"Okay." I said. I got in the car and Jace called Alec. 15 minutes later Alec and Simon pulled up. I hugged Simon and Alec and gave Simon my keys. He got in my car and drove it back to my house and I got into Jace's car. When we started heading in the opposite direction of our houses I got confused. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"The place I go to on the anniversary of my parents death." He said, and I nodded. "Which actually happens to be today."

"Oh my god." I said. "I'm so sorry." Here he was dealing with my problems, when he has his own personal business to tend too.

"It's okay. It gets easier over the years, but it's the place I feel closest to them. I figured it was worth a shot to see if it does the same for you." He said and I nodded. When we got there, we walked in and I was blown away. It was a beautiful greenhouse with so many flowers, and colors.

"Wow." I said as I looked around.

"My mom and dad brought me here when I was little." Jace said and I looked at him. "I was so confused why they would bring me to a place with flowers. I mean we had a garden at home." He said with a laugh. "But we spent hours here." He said. "Looking and learning about all the different flowers. When it was time for it to close I didn't want to leave." He expressed. "We came back for the next 4 years. And I found myself at the door steps every year on their anniversary."

"How old were you?" I asked realizing I didn't know much about Jace's past.

"I was 12 when the were killed." He said. "Home invasion."

"Where were you?" I asked.

"With Alec." He said. "We had a game the next day and we always alternated houses so our parents could carpool."

"That was lucky for you and Alec." I said and he nodded.

"I was super happy that they decided to keep me." Jace said with a smile. "Maryse and Robert decided when I was in 8th grade that we couldn't stay in our town anymore because of all the pity I was receiving. They knew I didn't want it. So we moved across from you guys and the rest if history."

"I'm really sorry you went through all of that." I said.

"It was tough. You knew me back than." He said. "You knew how closed off I was and how terrible my attitude was." He said and I laughed. "It was sophomore year when I finally turned it all around."

"I did notice a difference, but I could never tell what it was." I said and he smiled.

"I come here on the day it happened, and I visit them their graves the day after." He said. "It's a tradition that I really enjoy having because it makes me feel like they're with me."

"I hope I get that." I said.

"I think you already found it." He said.

"How so?" I asked.

"You went back to the last place you were together." He said. "This was the last place my parents and I went too as a family, and I never once hesitated to come back after they were gone." He explained. "You went to the field, you went to get closer to your brother."

"I thought it would work." I admitted.

"Did it?" He asked.

"It made me miss him more." I said.

"I felt the same way." He said. "But eventually I started smiling as I remembered all the memories we made in here." He said as we looked around. "I fell in that rose bush over there." He said as he pointed and I laughed. "My mom spent 15 minutes getting thorns out of my arm, but to this day I can't help but smile at that memory." He said and I looked at him and he had the biggest smile on his face. "And over there is where my dad knocked over a pot and broke it, than was yelled at that he had to clean it up." He said and I laughed. "And over there…" He said as he pointed to some beautiful lilies. "Is where we made the promise to come back every year, no matter how old I got, no matter how busy things got, no matter how far away I went for college, we'd always come back here as a family."

"So why bring me to your special spot?" I asked after a moment. "Why share such an intimate detail of your life with me?"

"One reason is because I wanted you to know you aren't alone." He said. "And another is because sharing intimate details of my life with you just feels right." He said and my jaw slightly dropped.

"Why?" I asked.

"I don't know." He admitted as he started looking at the flowers. "There has always been something different about you." He said as he started walking around, and after he disappeared but I still heard his voice, I figured I should follow. "You're athletic. Funny. Smart. Beautiful. Sarcastic. Down to earth." He rattled off. "Everything about you is absolutely perfect." He said. "It's been so hard to keep that to myself all these years."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I found myself asking.

"I liked our friendship." He said. "We always had a good time together, and I never wanted to ruin that with adding feelings. I didn't want to lose you because of them. Plus I was respecting Jon." He added. "He was a great friend. One of my best friends. I didn't want to over step my place in both of your lives."

"Is this the part where you tell me you can finally declare your love for me because he's no long in the way? Because Sebastian tried that, and I slapped him rather hard for it." I said a little annoyed and I heard him laugh. I didn't realize I stopped walking and he had continued.

"Not at all." He said. "I just confessed to Alec about two weeks ago about my feelings." He said. "I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure whether I should tell you or not, or ask Jon's permission to take you out." He said with a laugh. "I didn't know the proper protocol for that type of thing. I've never liked one of my friend's sisters before. It was new territory for me." He explained. "Alec kept telling me that I should just man up and tell you because I was dragging it out. And he was right, but baseball got so busy so fast, and I barely saw you around except for the occasional wave in the morning."

"Oh." I simply said and he laughed again. I looked up and he was nowhere to be found. I started walking when he came around the bend with a simple white rose.

"Do you know the meaning of a white rose?" He asked and I shook my head. "White roses are the purest of colors." He said. "They are often used in weddings as a symbol of new beginnings." He said and I reached up and took it in my hands. "A sign of remembrance." He said. I closed my eyes and they filled with tears yet again. I lifted the rose to my nose and sniffed and the tears escaped. When I opened them again Jace was gone. I looked around and started walking in a direction, not knowing where I was going. When I turned the corner he was standing there with three red roses in his hands. I made my way over to him and he handed one to me.

"What do res roses mean?" I asked.

"Love. Romance. Beauty. Perfection." He said and I just had no words I was completely speechless.

"Who are the other two for?" I asked.

"I have an idea." He said. "Are you in?" He asked.

"Uh…." I said and he smiled.

"It'll be worth it." He said.

"Okay." I said. He reached his hand out and I took it without a second thought. Our hands fit so perfectly together. We walked back to the door and an older man was standing there sweeping.

"Good evening Hodge." Jace said and the man looked up and smiled.

"Jace." He said. "I was wondering when you were coming in." He said.

"I was just showing my friend here your beautiful garden." Jace said.

"Ah." He smiled. "And how did this young lady like it?" He asked.

"Its absolutely beautiful." I said.

"I keep it together for my wife. May she rest in peace." He said and I smiled and nodded. "I see you got some flowers there." He said as he gestured to my hand. I smiled and nodded again. "My wife always loved the roses I grew." He said. "I think that's why this place is filled with them."

"They are really beautiful." I said and he smiled.

"My wife's favorite color rose was lavender." He said. "Do you know what lavender roses mean?" He asked and I shook my head. "Love at first sight." He said with a smile on his face. "I gave them to her on our first date, and that's what sealed the deal for us."

"That's really romantic." I said and he smiled.

"I put a dozen on her grave every year to let her know that my love hasn't faded since she's been gone." He said and I just couldn't get over how sweet it was. "Just because she's gone, doesn't mean my love died." He said.

"That's really sweet." I said and he smiled.

"You've got yourself a good one." He said as he gestured to Jace. "One of the best kids I've ever met in my life." He said and my cheeks started burning.

"It was good to see you Hodge." Jace said. "Same time next year?" He asked.

"I'm always here." He said and Jace laughed. I forgot for a second that we were holding hands until I felt him gently pull me towards the door.

We got to his car and he started driving. I didn't know where we were going until we pulled into a cemetery. He parked the car and we both got out. He reached his hand out again, and like before I took it without a second thought. He led us to a headstone. We stood in front of it and I read.

 _Stephan and Celine Herondale_

 _Beloved mother, father, son, daughter, husband, and wife_

 _Ave Atque Vale_

"What does it mean?" I asked as I looked at the headstone.

"Hail and farewell." He said. "My dad and I liked to learn Latin together." He explained. "When Maryse and Robert asked me if there was something I wanted to put on their headstone, I wanted something that was meaningful, and it really spoke to me."

"That's beautiful." I said. He bent down and put on rose on top of it. Kissed his fingertips and pressed it to the marble. He stood back next to me. I snaked my arm around his waist and he put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into him. I felt him press his lips to my head. I closed my eyes and soaked in the moment.

"Come on." He said and I was confused.

"Where are we going?" I asked. He took my hand in his and led me away from his parents grave.

"You'll see." He said. We got back in his car and started driving yet again. We got to stop light, and it was red. I didn't think anything of it until it turned green, and Jace went but soon pulled over to the side of the road. He got out and I followed.

"What are we doing here?" I asked.

"This is where it happened." He said and I looked around. My eyes instantly filled with tears. Jace walked over to me, wiped the ones that escaped and handed me the last red rose. "This is your turn." He said and I took it and nodded. There was a railing because the road ended and the forest began. I walked over to it, and placed the single red rose on top of it. I tried my hardest to be strong but I just broke. I felt an arm wrap about my waist and I leaned into Jace. We stood there, and I cried and Jace rubbed my back and held me up. When I noticed that the sun was starting to set I pulled away from Jace. He smiled at me and I smiled back. We made our way back to his car and without another word he drove us home. He parked his car in front of his house but neither of us moved. I finally turned towards him and leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for today Jace." I said and he smiled.

"You can get through this Clary." He said. "I have nothing but faith in you." He said and I smiled.

"I'll see you around." I said and he nodded. I got out of his car and made my way to my house. I walked inside and my mom, Luke, and Simon were all sitting there.

"Oh Clary." My mom said when she saw me. She got up and pulled me into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry for running off mom." I said. "I just needed some time."

"I understand sweetheart." She said. "Where did you go?"

"I went to the school. I just stood on the field." I said and she nodded. "Sebastian tried asking me out and I flipped, but than Jace found me." I said.

"Simon told us he went after you." She said and I nodded.

"He calmed me down, and took me to this greenhouse. It was beautiful." I said.

"I was wondering where the roses came from." He said and I blushed as I looked down at my hands.

"Yea. He gave them to me." I said. "Than he told me a story about his parents." I said. "We went to their grave, and he placed a single rose on it, and than he took me to the place where Jon was hit." I said. "I placed a single red rose on the guard railing and just cried."

"Oh baby." My mom said.

"It's okay." I said. "I needed it." I told her and she nodded. "Plus, I had Jace with me. He really helped." I said and she smiled.

"We picked a day." She said. "His funeral will be on Tuesday." She said and I nodded.

"I know I've been gone all day, but I just really need sleep." I said.

"Oh of course sweetheart. I'm glad you'd okay." She said.

"I don't think I'll be okay for awhile, but I'll get there." I said and she smiled and nodded. I made my way up to my room and just laid in my bed in the clothes I was wearing. Today had been an emotionally exhausting day. But I had also learned a lot today. About m feelings, about Jace, and about life. And even though I didn't understand why Jon of all people had to leave, and I might never understand why, but I knew one thing for sure, I could over come it, and I could keep living.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was a huge game, and not just because we were playing Idris, but because of something I had been planning for my team, and the team of Idris as well. Jon played baseball as well, and seeing all those people at the funeral for him, I just couldn't do nothing. I talked to Maryse and Robert about my idea, and both the athletic directors of the schools, and they thought it was a great way to honor Jon and that's something that I really wanted to do. Especially when I'm still in high school.

"Hey Iz." I said while I was about to leave for the game.

"Yea?" She asked.

"You remember what to do?" I asked and she rolled her eyes.

"I have to get her to the field. It's a pretty simple plan." She said and I laughed.

"I know, I'm just making sure." I said and she smiled.

"She'll be there." Izzy said and I nodded.

Alec and I got into the car and got to the field. The game was at Alicante today, so no need for a bus. When we pulled up, Alec and I grabbed out gear and the two boxes for each team. We made our way to the field where everyone was waiting. Alec and I put the boxes down and everyone gathered around.

"I know we're rivals, but I figured today we could put that past us." I said and everyone just stared at me. "As we all know, Idris lost a crucial member to their team a couple months ago." I said and I could tell that the Idris team was upset. "Jonathan Fray was more than just a rival to me. We were neighbors, and he was truly one of my best friends." I said. "I couldn't leave this school without honoring him in some way." I said. I reached in the box of jerseys for my team and lifted it up. "Today, we aren't rivals. Today we come together to celebrate a person who meant a lot to me, and a lot to so many other people." I held the jersey up. "Today we play for Jon." I said.

"Wow." The Idris coach said, emotions clearly in his voice. "This means a lot." He said.

"That box is yours." I said as I pointed to it. "Today we are all number 15, and we are all J. Fray." I said.

"Thank you." The coach said. "This is more than I could have ever done."

"Today is about Jon." I said. He nodded and handed the box of jerseys to his team and they started handing them out. Today was going to be a good game, I could feel it.

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in my living room when I heard a knock on my front door. When I got up and opened it, there stood Izzy with a big smile on her face.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I'm getting you out of this house." She said.

"I don't really want to go anywhere Iz." I said.

"I know, but that's why you need too." She said. "Alicante is playing Idris in their rivalry baseball game. Come with me." She said.

"Izzy…." I said.

"No." She said. "Jon would want you to be there." She said and I sighed. "Come watch Jace and Alec with me. Watch them kick Sebastian's ass."

"Hey, that's my team!" I protested and she laughed.

"Please Clare." She said and I groaned.

"Okay." I said and she cheered. "Just let me change." I said and she nodded. She came in and I went to my room and put jeans and a t-shirt on. I got downstairs and motioned for Izzy to lead the way. We got to her car and we were off. We got to Alicante and we made our way to the field. The teams were warming up, but I noticed something strange. Every single player was wearing the same number. Number 15. Jon's old number. When we got even closer I noticed they all had names on the back on them, but not different names. The same name. J. Fray. I have become such a sap that I immediately started crying. When I felt a hand on my wrist, I looked up and there stood Jace.

"Surprised?" He asked.

"You did this?" I asked and he wiped the tears off my face and smiled.

"I wanted to do something for Jon." Jace explained. "Jon meant a lot to me, and a lot to Idris." He explained. "I wanted to honor him before I graduate."

"I don't know what to say." I told him and he laughed. he held up a jersey and I smiled.

"This is for you." He said. I grabbed it and put it over my t-shirt. In that moment, I could feel Jon with me.

"Thank you." I said.

"It was the least I could do." He said. And in that moment I knew what I needed to do. I pressed myself up on my tippy toes and pressed my lips to his. He was shocked but I felt him smile after a minute and he kissed me back. When we broke apart we were both smiling.

"You've done more than enough." I said and he smiled.

"I'll see you after?" He asked and I nodded. He jogged back towards his team and Izzy pulled me into a huge hug.

"You two are perfect together." She said and I laughed. "Now, which side do you want to sit on?" She asked.

"There are no sides today." I said as I looked at all the players wearing Jon's jersey. Izzy smiled and linked our arms and we made our way to the bleachers. We sat down and I locked eyes with Jace. She winked at me and I couldn't help but smile. Today was the perfect day.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was now a senior in college, and I honestly couldn't tell you where the time went. It feels like just yesterday I was in high school, and now in a couple months I'm about to graduate. I've loved everything about college. I ended up going to NYU on a soccer scholarship. I made sure that I got number 15, in honor of Jon.

I don't know really what I expected to come out of me kissing Jace, but the outcome that happened was something that I couldn't be more thrilled about. Since he was a year older than I was, he left to go to college, and it was a pretty hard year for me. Not because we broke up or anything, but because not seeing him every day was tough. I still have Simon and Izzy, but not seeing him getting in his car every morning, or seeing him at my school when our teams played each other. It was something I was used too because now we weren't just friends, we were together and that just made it tougher.

But the next year Jace and I were reunited at NYU. And I know it may seem like I chose it because he was there, but the truth was, I always wanted to attend NYU, and so did Jace. It was close to home, which was something we both wanted. We were both offered scholarships for soccer, which again, we both wanted. It had exactly what we wanted to study, and we were both city kids. Leaving the city wasn't an option for either of us, and when looking at schools that had everything we both wanted, NYU was the perfect fit. It just so happened that it was what we chose, and we also got to stay together, not that we would have broke up if we went to different colleges, but going to the same one made it easier.

Now, as I stand here, with a singe red rose in my hand, and I looked down at my brothers headstone I think of everything I've accomplished and I don't think I would have been able to do it without Jace, or without Jon looking over me.

 _Jonathan Fray_

 _Beloved brother, son, friend_

 _Pulvis Et Umbra Sumas_

As I stared at the stone, I felt an arm snake around my waist. I looked up and there stood Jace. He smiled down at me and pressed his lips to my forehead. I leaned into him and sighed.

"Can you believe it's been 5 years?" I said and I felt Jace laugh.

"No." He said. "Seems so much shorter."

"We are but dust and shadows." Jace said and I nodded. "It's a beautiful saying." He pointed out. "Where did you find it again?"

"English class freshman year." I told him. "I called my mom immediately and told her that I knew what I wanted to put on Jon's headstone." I explained. "We had been fighting over something to put on it for over a year and we both wanted it finalized, and when I saw it, it just stuck."

"Latin makes everything sound more romantic." He said and I smiled.

"It really does." I said. I stepped forward, put the rose on his headstone and than made my way back to Jace. He took my hand in his and we made our way back to his car. Since Jace had graduated, and I was a senior, we moved into an apartment together and it was absolutely perfect. I loved living with him, and it was the kick start to our future together after I graduated.

We got home, and Jace grabbed the mail. I made my way to the kitchen to start dinner and when Jace walked in he looked stunned. He was staring at something and I made my way over to him. He was silent. He took a seat at the table, and continued to stare at the mail.

"Jace?" I asked and he looked at me. "What is it?"

"It's from Hodge's attorney." He said.

"Why would his attorney be sending you something?" I asked.

"Hodge died a couple days ago." He said and I gasped.

"What does that have to do with his attorney?" I asked still a little confused, but also sad.

"He left his greenhouse to me." Jace said and my eyes widened. I looked over his shoulder at the mail to read it. "He said there wasn't a person on earth the he would rather have that greenhouse than me."

"That's beautiful." I said.

"I don't know how to garden Clary." He said frantically and I laughed.

"I do." I said. "I can teach you."

"I don't want to mess that greenhouse up." He admitted. "It means a lot to me."

"Which is why Hodge left it to you." I said. I took the mail and sat on his lap. "That greenhouse is apart of you. Hodge knew that. He wanted you to keep it."

"How am I possibly supposed to keep it running? I don't know how to do that." He said and I laughed.

"You do realize I am a business major right?" I asked and he looked at me. "I can run it for you."

"You'd do that for me?" He asked seeming like that was a surprise.

"I'd do anything for you." I said. "You should know that."

"I do. I just guess I'm still stunned that he left me the greenhouse." He said and I laughed.

"We'll call the lawyer tomorrow, and get everything together, and than take a look at it this weekend." I said and he nodded. "Now, what would you like for dinner?" I asked.

"Anything really." Jace said.

"Easy enough." I said and he smiled.

"I love you Clary." He said and I smiled.

"I love you too Jace." I said and he smiled before going back to opening the mail. I looked back and just smiled at Jace. Our life together was perfect. We had our fair share of fights, and shed tears, but at the end of the day, we were always there for each other, and nothing was ever going to change that. I started cooking before I took a deep breath and looked up to the ceiling. I closed my eyes and I felt Jon there with me. He's been my guardian angel since the day he left this earth, and I knew that no matter what happened in life, he was always going to look out for me. Just like Jace's parents were always going to be looking out for him. It wasn't ideal, but it was enough for us to know that we were always going to be taken care of, one way or another. Sometimes that's all you needed to know to get through.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so this story was originally supposed to focus on soccer, and it started that way, but it seriously went into it's own story, and I liked the outcome and where it was going, so I didn't change it. I hope whoever requested a one shot about soccer is pleased with it, and I'm sorry it was very soccer oriented. I really tried but my fingers just went to town and this was the end result! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	88. Chapter 87 - Jon's BFF

**Eighty Seventh One Shot:**

 **Jon's BFF**

 **Jace POV:**

I don't know when it exactly started. I've known the Morgenstern family since I was 10 years old. My family moved into their school district and Jon and I clicked immediately. He was like the brother I never had, but always wanted. We played the same sports, were into the same music, liked the same video games, always had the same taste in girls but never went after an ex. Everything about our friendship was brotherly and great. I truly cherished our friendship no matter how girly that sounded.

What I didn't expect was his sister. Clarissa Morgenstern, or as she preferred to be called, Clary. She was 4 years younger than us. When we met, she was 6 and I always just thought of her as a little sister. Jon and I protected her when we felt she needed it, and made sure she always felt safe. That's what brothers did, and I took that role over when Jon and I got close. What I wasn't expecting was coming home after Jon and I were finished our sophomore year of college, and her looking grown up. And not just because I knew she was going to be a junior in high school, but because she looked older.

Clary has always been shy. Not because she was unable to make friends, or scared of being rejected but simply because she didn't really have much to say so she kept to herself. Once you got to know her and she opened up to you she was actually really funny, and witty, and sarcastic. When I dropped Jon off at his house when we were coming home for the summer and I saw her in their front yard in cut off jean shorts, and a cut off t-shirt, with her hair in a messy bun, and wearing make up, but it wasn't overbearing, something in me changed. It was like I was seeing Clary in a new light, and it scared me. This was Jon's sister. My best friends little sister. Someone who I looked at like a sister until that moment. Jon asked if I wanted to stay for dinner but I made up an excuse about my mom needing me and left. I wanted to stay, but I was afraid Clary would be freaked out if I kept staring at her.

It took me a couple days before I went back to the Morgenstern house. I needed some time to process Clary, and figure out what I was feeling towards her. But I couldn't put it off inevitably because Jon would start to get suspicious so when Isabelle Lightwood, Clary's best friend, invited us over to her house to swim, and since it was like 100 degrees outside, we all took advantage of that. When I got there, I took a deep breath and opened the gate. I walked in and didn't see Clary at first so I thought I had some time, but I knew that wasn't the case when I saw Jon.

"Hey man, glad you made time for me." Jon said and I laughed.

"Sorry, I was just busy at home." I said, which wasn't a complete lie, but not exactly the truth.

"All good." He said as he tossed me a beer. "Any big plans for the summer?" He asked.

"Family vacation in the middle of July." I said. "Although, I don't really know if it could be considered a vacation."

"Why not?" He asked.

"My grandmother is ill." I explained. "My parents want to go back to England and visit incase she doesn't make it much longer."

"That sucks man." He said.

"Yea. But she's like 98." I said with a laugh. "I'm impressed she's still alive, and up until she got sick, was still gardening."

"The Herondale Gene is strong." Jon said and I laughed.

"You ain't lying." I said. "Where are the girls?" I asked realizing that Izzy wasn't around either.

"Inside." Jon said. "You know Izzy, they need to look perfect before they are allowed to leave the house." He said and I nodded. I heard the back door open, and out walked Izzy followed by two girls that I vaguely remember, and than out walked an angel. Clary was wearing a dark green bikini. She had the perfect curves and her assets fit her body perfectly. "Keep staring at my sister and she might catch on." I heard Jon whisper and I choked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I stammered out and he laughed.

"Please, I saw the way you looked at her when you dropped me off at my house a couple days ago." Jon said. "And I know Celine wasn't even home the past couple days since you told me the day before we came home that her and your father were in California on business. Which is why I invited you for dinner."

"I – I should have thought that one through." I admitted and he laughed.

"Yea, but I didn't say anything because you looked extremely out of your element." He said.

"Was I that obvious?" I asked and he laughed.

"Let's just say, it's a good thing you were in your car, and Clary was 75 feet away at best." Jon explained and I groaned and hung my head. "But she's my little sister, and 4 years younger, so you aren't getting off so easily."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means, I was at every party with you this year, and have been since junior year of high school." Jon said. "I know how you treat girls. That will not happen with my sister."

"Even you have to admit I've calmed down a little." I said and Jon nodded.

"That doesn't mean you don't have a reputation." Jon said and I opened my mouth to speak when someone else did.

"What are you two talking about?" I heard and when I looked up there stood Clary in all her gorgeous glory.

"Jace's big plans for the summer." Jon said before I could even think.

"Oh yea?" Clary asked. "What are they?" She asked with a smile on her face. Clary was always super interested in what you were doing with you life. When I was confused about what I wanted to major in at NYU, she sat there and listened for 2 hours about my pros and cons of both majors, and I finally worked it out.

"My grandmother is ill, so my family and I will be spending the last two weeks of July in England with them."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Clary said.

"It's okay. Like I told Jon, she's like 98 years old." I told her.

"Bless her." Clary said with a laugh.

"Yea, but I'll be nice to go back to my homeland for a few weeks. Catch up with some old friends." I explained.

"Sounds nice." She said.

"What about you?" I asked being polite.

"I'm actually going to Turks and Caicos with the Lightwoods." She said.

"Why wasn't I invited?" Jon said before I could say anything, which made me laugh.

"Because dad wants to show you the ropes of the family business this summer. You're going to be a junior in college, he wants to get you as familiarized as possible before you graduate." Clary said and Jon groaned.

"I've been working for him since I was 15. I think I know the business." Jon said.

"Not the administrative side." Clary further explained. "He was waiting until you got more brain cells, but he'll take what he can get at this point." She said with a smirk and I laughed.

"Funny sis. Real funny." Jon said.

"It was a good one Jon." I said and Clary smiled, clearly proud of herself. "How long will you be on vacation?"

"We're leaving July 6th, and aren't coming back until August 1st. So it'll be a nice long vacation." She explained.

"That sounds nice." I said and she smiled.

"Clary!" We heard and Izzy was waving her over. "Come here!"

"I should go." Clary said. "When Izzy calls, you can't ignore." She said and I laughed.

"Of course." I said. She smiled before making her way over to Izzy and the other girls. I watched her go before Jon slapped me.

"Keep you eyes to yourself Herondale." Jon said and I laughed. I would try, but it was clearly going to be impossible this summer.

 **Clary POV:**

"Jace is totally into you." Izzy said when I took a seat.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Oh please. You can't tell me you haven't noticed him staring at you?" Izzy asked and I just shook my head because I hadn't noticed at all. "Well, it's written all over his face. He's totally into you, or wants to be in you." She said as she wiggled her eyebrows.

"Gross Iz." I said as I pushed her lightly. "He thinks of me as a little sister. That's all." I said.

"I don't think so Clare." Maia said.

"Maybe he used too, but something in the way he looks at you is different." Izzy explained. "I don't want to sound rude, but you have filled out the last couple years, and you've started wearing make up and not caring what people think and wearing what you want. You're being you, and I think it's changing something in him."

"I really doubt it guys." I said as I looked back at Jace. He was laughing with Jon and Alec.

"You still like him." Izzy said and I turned my attention back to her. "I can see it. That school girl crush you had when we were in 7th grade isn't gone."

"So? He's Jon's best friend. Nothing can happen." I said.

"And why not?" Maia asked.

"Isn't it like bro code to not go after your best friends sisters?" I asked with a laugh.

"Jon broke girl code." Izzy said and I glared at her.

"I think you broke girl code." I pointed out. "You made out with him."

"I was drunk." Izzy said. "Not as drunk as I probably should have been to do that, but still. I don't have feelings for Jon like you have feelings for Jace."

"I'm telling you, he doesn't have those type of feelings for me." I said again. "He's going to be a junior in college, and I'm going to be a junior in high school." I said. "No 21 year old wants to be with a 17 year old."

"You'll be 18 at the end of this summer." Maia said. "And age is just a number. Don't let it get in the way of your happiness."

"I don't really want to think about boys right now." I said honestly. "Sebastian and I broke up like three weeks ago. I just want to be single, and enjoy my summer without any obligations to anyone." I said and they laughed.

"I get that, but just know, not all boys are as controlling as Sebastian was." Izzy said and I nodded. You know, some people are so good at hiding who they really are, and it makes it impossible to weed out the rotten ones before it's too late, and that's what Sebastian did. He liked to control every aspect of my life. It was an incredibly long 9 months together, but when I finally decided I was worth more than what he deserved, it felt freeing to break that connection and finally be able to enjoy my life again.

The rest of the time at the Lightwoods was spent swimming, eating and laughing while listening to amazing music. It felt great to just enjoy life again and not be miserable every single day. This was going to be the greatest summer of my life and I was so incredibly happy that I got to spend it with the people who meant the most to me.

 **Time Jump – 4** **th** **of July**

 **Jace POV:**

The Lightwoods were having a huge Fourth of July party, and we went every year. So far this summer has been just like every other summer. My parents worked a lot like always and I worked with them but I didn't spent 15 hours a day in the office like them. And I spent the majority of my time with Jon when we both weren't working. We both kinda had our careers laid out in front of us with out fathers both owning their own companies, and sometimes I wish I had a choice of my future career, but it wasn't a bad one, and at least I had job security after college, so I couldn't complain too much.

I walked into the Lightwoods backyard, and my eyes immediately found Clary. She was wearing a lavender colored dress, and her hair was curled perfectly with light make up. I honestly haven't been able to keep my eyes off her when we ended up in the same room together. She could literally pull off any outfit she wore, and look absolutely breath taking while doing it. I don't know why I never saw it before, but I was seeing it now, and I liked it a lot.

"Still staring I see." I heard from behind me and there stood Izzy.

"I need to start being more discrete." I said and she laughed.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. You aren't the only guy who stares at her." Izzy said and I glared at her. "What? I'm just telling you the truth."

"Not exactly what I wanted to hear." I said and she laughed.

"Hey, you're the one who only looked at her as a sister since you've met her." She said.

"I'm well aware." I said to her.

"Other guys are allowed to find her attractive." She said.

"I get it Izzy." I said. "She's allowed to date whoever she wants, I have no claim over her what so ever." I said.

"Nope, but that could change." She said and I looked at her.

"What are you getting at?" I asked.

"Clary told me that she wants to enjoy this summer without having to answer to anyone. She wants no obligations. Her and her last boyfriend broke up right before the school year ended and he was a complete dick to her."

"How so?" I asked a little angry. No one should ever be mean to Clary.

"He was just controlling, but I'm not going into any other details because it's Clary's story to tell." She said and now I was curious. "But when we get back from vacation, explore it."

"You're a lot more supportive than Jon." I said and she laughed.

"That's his little sister. He's supposed to protect her. She's my best friend, and I'm supposed to give her a kick in the ass for her to follow her heart." She said and I nodded. "I'm just saying, don't let this summer end without you at least letting her know how you feel."

"I'll take you advice into consideration." I said and she smiled.

"That's all I ask." She said before walking away. I looked at Clary and she was smiling and laughing. I couldn't believe that any guy in this world would ever treat Clary horribly. It wasn't acceptable, and definitely something I would never do.

 **Time Jump – Vacation**

 **Clary POV:**

I was leaving for Turks and Caicos, and I'll admit, I was going to miss my family, but I was also super thrilled to be getting away to an island for this summer. Hanging out with my best friend on the beach, and drinking, what a better way to celebrate the summer time? We were all at the airport and I was saying goodbye to my family, and Jace. I don't know why Jon invited him but I didn't mind.

"Let us know when you get there." My mom said and I smiled.

"Of course mom." I said.

"And take lots of pictures of hot girls." Jon added and I slapped his arm before he pulled me into a hug. "I have to live vicariously through you this summer Clare. I need all the help I can get." He said and I laughed.

"We'll see." I said and he smiled.

"That's all I'm asking for." He said and than I turned to Jace, and surprisingly he pulled me into a hug. Before we pulled apart he whispered in my ear and it caused me to shiver.

"Just take a bunch of pictures of yourself. I guarantee you'll be the hottest girl on the island." He said and I was in complete shock. He pulled away and smiled at me. "Have a great time."

"Thanks." I finally managed to say before our flight boarded.

I was in complete shock until I sat in my seat. Jace Herondale just said I'd be the hottest girl on the entire island, and I literally couldn't comprehend that he just said that about me. I mean me, Clary Morgenstern, of all people.

"Why do you look so perplexed?" Izzy asked as she took her seat next to me.

"Jace whispered something in my ear when he hugged me and I stunned me. Like honestly I'm not sure it was even real." I said honestly.

"What did he say?" She asked.

"He told me to take a bunch of pictures of myself on the beach because I'd be the hottest one on the whole island." I said and she laughed.

"Told you he was into you." She simply said with her signature Izzy smirk.

"I'm literally shocked right now Iz." I said and she smiled.

"Well, we're going to be gone for almost a month. That's plenty of time to forget about it and have fun, but also enough time to figure out what you want to do when we get back." She said.

"And you think that's a wise idea?" I asked.

"Jace is a great guy Clary." She said. "His reputation in high school was risky, but he was still one of the nicest guys at that school." He said and I nodded. Despite the fact that Jace was a huge flirt, and had a different girl on his arm every other week, he was an incredibly nice guy and no one could fault him for that.

"I still don't know." I said honestly

"Well, we have a month to just get drunk and have fun." She said.

"Iz, I'm not 18 yet." I said pointing out that I'm still underage.

"But I am, and I can get you as many drinks as you want." She said and I laughed.

We were instructed to buckle up because we were going to be taking off soon and I just stared out the window and thinking about what might happen when I get back from vacation. It was definitely something I wanted to think about, and I was glad that I had this time away from everything to clear my head and figure out what I wanted to do. I felt like I needed that.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was currently sitting in the basement of the Morgenstern house. Jon and I finished work and needed to distress. It has been crazy at my dads business because we were going away soon and he wanted to have everything in order before that day and he's been running me around like a mad man.

Jon went upstairs to get some drinks and I was scrolling through my social media killing time. I was scrolling through Instagram when I noticed that Clary posted a picture. I went back and noticed that it was her sitting in the sand with a cocktail in her hand with her shades slightly falling off her face with her eyes closed as she took a sip from the drink. The caption read _'and she dreamed of paradise every time she closed her eyes.'_ She looked absolutely stunning and it made me want to be right there next to her soaking her in.

I closed out Instagram after liking her picture and went on Snapchat. I looked through all the stories when I got to Clary's. I clicked on it and Clary was in a club, with another drink in her hand dancing to the music that was playing in the background. She was wearing a fun floral dress and she was in heels. She looked picture perfect, and just hearing her laugh was everything to me.

Jon walked back down to the basement with a soda and reclaimed his seat on the couch. I was still watching the video and when Clary started talking he looked over at me.

"Is that Clary?" He asked.

"Yea. It's her Snapchat story." I explained. "She looks like she's having the time of her life." I said.

"Yea. You see that scandalous picture she put on Instagram?" He asked and I laughed.

"I think she looked great." I said honestly.

"Of course you would." He said. "I on the other hand don't want to see my sister like that."

"She's just in a bathing suit." I pointed out.

"A bathing suit picked out by Isabelle Lightwood is never just a bathing suit, it's a statement. A statement that screams 'look at me', not normally something Clary is about. She likes to blend in. You know that." Jon explained.

"I know, but maybe she's finally feeling comfortable enough in her own skin." I said. "You know how she was really self-conscious about her body in middle school."

"I know, and I'm glad she's finally embracing everything about herself. She's a great person. Personality, looks, and character wise, but that doesn't mean I want her showing off her goods to the world." He said and I laughed.

"It's hardly showing off her goods." I said and he rolled his eyes.

"Whatever man, just grab the controller and start playing." He said and I did as I was told and we continued with our game. He might not like the outfits Clary was wearing, but I certainly did, and I was happy to know that Clary was embracing her sexy side. It suited her, and she looked carefree and happy and that's all I could ask for.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I've been in England for a couple days now, and even though I haven't seen my grandmom in a couple years, I wasn't prepared for how ill she truly looked. She's always been incredibly strong, and independent and just seeing her this frail and dependent was really tough.

I could tell it was tearing my dad apart. I've never seen him show so much emotion in my whole life, but in the last few days, I've seen him cry at least 3 times, and just look dead on the outside staying up all night with his mom making sure she was comfortable. Even my mom was worried about my dad, and I just couldn't imagine what he was going to be like when she dies. It was going to be tough that was for sure. It was raining today, so I figured that I'd just stay at home and sit with my grandmom and spend some time with her before she goes. I knocked softly on the door and opened it to see her sitting in bed.

"Gran?" I asked and she looked over at me.

"Jonathan." She said. "So lovely to see you again." She said. I made my way over to her bedside and took a seat. She was the only person in this world allowed to call me Jonathan without a lecture coming right after it.

"It's good to see you too Gran." I said. "How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I've seen better days." She said with a smile. "How have you been enjoying your time in England?" She asked.

"I've enjoyed it a lot. I've missed it." I admitted.

"I've missed having you guys around." She said. "You kept me young." She said and I laughed.

"You're looking better today." I said and she smiled.

"I still have some good days." She said. "The rain definitely helps." She said as she looked out the giant bay window. It was opened and you could hear the calming sound of the rain. "So, we haven't had the time to catch up." She said. "Anything new in your life?"

"Not really." I admitted.

"No special someone?" She asked and I smiled and looked down. "Who is she?"

"Believe it or not, my best friends younger sister." I admitted. "We aren't together or anything, but I like her. A lot." I said honestly.

"What's she like?" She asked.

"Well, she's going to be a junior in high school this upcoming year." I said and her eyes widened. "I know, she's young, but only by 4 years." I said and she simply nodded. "She's exceptionally short. She has the most vibrant red hair, the most adorable freckles, and the most mesmerizing green eyes I've ever seen." I said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Do you have a picture of her?" She asked. I nodded and pulled my phone out. I found a good picture, well amongst the other good pictures of her, and showed it to her. "Oh my, she is gorgeous."

"I know." I simply said. "And she's so kind, and down to earth, she's funny, and witty, and smart." I rambled on about her.

"You sound really taken with her." Gran said.

"I am." I said honestly.

"So, why aren't you together?" She asked.

"Well, she went on vacation with her best friend for nearly a month, and I came here for a couple weeks. I haven't exactly been able to express my feelings towards her." I said.

"What are you waiting for?" She asked.

"The right time I guess." I admitted.

"Oh sweetheart, there is no such thing as the right or wrong time." She said. "Take it from an old soul like myself." She smiled. "When you know, every time is the proper time to express those feelings. Other wise you might miss out, and it sucks to be on your death bed with regrets."

"Is that personal experience seeping through Gran?" I asked.

"I have regrets, yes. And I've never regretted them as much as I do right now." She said.

"Like what?" I asked curiously.

"I had the chance to tour the world with my amateur band in college." She said.

"No way!" I said and she laughed.

"Way." She smiled. "We were so thrilled to get that call."

"Why didn't you do it?" I asked.

"Your Pa thought it was a waste of time." She admitted. "He told me that if I went, he might not be there when I got back."

"That's horrible." I said.

"I don't regret choosing him." She said. "Otherwise I wouldn't have you." She reached her hand out, and I took it in mine. "But I regret not standing my ground and fighting for what I wanted."

"Do you think that would have worked?" I asked.

"Not to sound full of myself, but your grandfather was head over heels in love with me." She said and I laughed. "He would have waited, when he saw how much it meant to me, he would have supported me."

"Anything else?" I asked. I realized in this moment that I didn't really know that much about her past.

"Little things here and there." She said. "Letting your father and mother move to America. Not attending all your extra curricular activities. Not having more kids. Not learning another hobby." She smiled. "Little things that don't seem important at the time that really add up in the end."

"I admire you Gran." I said.

"You do?" She asked sounding shocked.

"Of course." I said. "You've lived a life. You've achieved your dreams. You've overcome so much." I explained. "I can only hope that I accomplish half as much as you do in my life time."

"I just have one piece of advice." She said and I nodded. "Don't take life too seriously." She said. "Have fun. Don't throw yourself into work. Take vacations. Explore. Be there for your future kids. Make it home for dinner. Stay home when someone is sick. Build forts in the living room. Pretend the floor is lava." She said and I laughed. "Have fun Jonathan. You only get one life. Don't waste it trying to achieve something that ultimately won't make you happy."

"I will Gran." I said and she smiled. The door opened and in walked her nurse.

"It's time for your nap Imogen." She said.

"Oh, and don't get a nurse when you're my age." She said. "All they do is give you medicine and make you sleep." She said and I laughed.

"Understood." I said. I stood up and kissed her cheek before walking out of the room. Gran was right, I had to tell Clary, and I would do that as soon as I got back. That's for sure.

 **Time Jump – End of July**

 **Clary POV:**

I couldn't believe that tonight was our last night in Turks and Caicos. It seemed like we just got here yesterday. I've had the best time of my life here, and I truly will never forget it. Well the parts I remember at least. It was wild ride, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my summer. Unfortunately it was raining here today, so I was simply sitting on the porch with a book and taking in the last moments on this island.

My eyes were starting to get tired of reading the book so I decided to check my social media. It truly was such a great mindless activity. I started with Twitter, and than Facebook, and than Instagram. Nothing was catching my attention until I saw that Jace posted a photo. It was an old photo, and I thought maybe he was doing s throwback, until I read the caption.

 _Saying goodbye to you was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I cherished the last two weeks we spent together. Learning about who you were in your youth, and getting to know dirty secrets about my father I would have never known before. It is a privilege to be your one and only grandson, and I am so thankful for the past two weeks. You may have been 98, but you sure didn't look or act a day over 75. I love you Gran._

I looked at the picture and Jace looked no older than 5. He was sitting in his grandmother's lap, and he had the most adorable grin on his face. He looked like the definition of true happiness in that picture, and my heart went out to him. I didn't have any grandparents. They all died before I was born, so I didn't know what it was like to lose someone, but I can't imagine its fun.

"Hey. I've been looking for you." I heard and in the doorway, there stood Izzy.

"I've been here." I said. "Did you see Jace's Instagram post?" I asked as she took a seat.

"Yea. Very sweet." She said.

"It's so sad." I said.

"He did say she was 98." Izzy pointed out. "She lived one hell of a long life." She said and I laughed.

"I know. I've just never lost someone. I can't imagine how he feels." I said.

"He's probably upset." Izzy said. "We're going out to dinner. Come get ready with me." She said and I nodded. I grabbed my book and went inside. The whole night I couldn't get Jace out of my head. Something about that picture, that caption, and him in general was stuck in my mind, and I couldn't seem to shake it, but I also didn't want too.

 **Time Jump – Beginning of August**

 **Jace POV:**

When I got back from England I basically spent all my time with Jon. My dad gave me time off to heal, and I was grateful for that. Losing my Pa was hard, but losing my Gran was definitely harder. I was sitting in Jon's living room by myself. They were all at work, but let me stay here anyway. I was flipping through the channels when the front door opened and in walked Clary.

"Not the face I was prepared to see." She said with a laugh.

"Sorry to disappoint." I said. "Do you need some help?" I offered.

"That'd be great." She said. I got up and grabbed her giant suitcase. "I didn't realize how heavy that would be."

"Where would you like it?" I asked.

"Laundry room please." She said and I nodded. I walked it into the laundry room and placed it next to the washer. When I got back to the living room Clary was sitting on the couch.

"Tired?" I asked as I retook my seat.

"It's only a 3 and a half hour flight, but traveling is so exhausting." She said and I laughed.

"Yea, I'm still adjusting from the time difference from England to here." I said and she nodded.

"I'm sorry about your grandmother Jace." She said and I looked at her.

"Thanks." I said. "It was tough, but she lived a life. Can't think of a better age to go than 2 years short of 100." I said and she laughed.

"Your grandmother seemed like quite a character." She said.

"She was." I admitted. "She told you how it was, and never sugar coated anything." I said. "Sometimes it was pretty harsh, but that's just how she was, and I loved her for that. Plus, if I was sucking at something, or getting bad marks in school, or just being an overall piece of shit, she always let me hear it, and I took it and learned from it."

"I wish I could have met her." She said and I was shocked.

"Really?" I asked.

"I feel like I would have liked her." She said as he cheeks flushed red.

"You would have. And she would have liked you too." I said honestly and she smiled.

"Well, I feel like I smell like airport and seaweed." She said and I laughed. "I'm going to go shower."

"You smell great." I muttered as she got off the couch.

"What was that?" She asked and I wish I just stuck to saying it in my head.

"I said you smell great." I said honestly. "Like sun tan lotion, and sea salt." I admitted and she blushed.

"Well, I'm glad you think so." She said before she disappeared upstairs. I sat back on the couch and took a deep breath. That could have gone worse, so that was a positive sign.

 **Clary POV:**

I got upstairs and when I got into the bathroom I immediately dialed Izzy.

"It's been like 30 minutes. I know you missed me, but this is just reaching stage 4 clinger." She said with a laugh.

"I just had the weirdest conversation with Jace." I said.

"Tell me everything." She said.

I went into our conversation that I just had. I turned the water on making sure that he couldn't hear me from downstairs, although I knew he most likely couldn't.

"I told you he liked you." She said.

"What do I do?" I asked.

"Go with it." She said. "You have a month before school starts. See where things go with Jace. Have fun."

"But he goes back to school at the end of August. I don't want to be some stupid summer fling for him, and than him get back to his college girls." I admitted.

"Is that what you're really scared of Clare?" She asked.

"Yes." I barely said but she heard me.

"Clarissa Adele Morgenstern, it's been almost 2 months since I've noticed the signs, if he wasn't truly interested, he would have moved on." She said and I sighed.

"I guess you're right." I admitted and she laughed.

"When am I ever wrong?" She asked.

"When you gave me that drink last week that blacked me out after 2 sips." I said with a laugh. "Worst hangover of my life."

"But you had fun. That's all that matters." She said.

"Okay, well I'm going to take a shower. Thanks for the advice Iz." I said.

"It's what I'm here for." She said. We hung up and I got in the shower and thought about what the hell I was going to do. I had a month to figure things out with Jace, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about the whole thing.

When I got out of the shower and changed, I walked downstairs to see Jace sitting in the same exact position that I left him in. I laughed and made my way over to the couch and took a seat.

"Are you waiting for Jon?" I asked.

"I was, but he just texted me and told me that him and your dad are working late tonight." He said. "So I guess I'll just leave." He said as he got up and I instantly felt empty knowing he was leaving.

"Do you know if my mom's coming home?" I asked out of nowhere hoping to delay his departure.

"She's working late tonight as well." Jace said and I nodded.

"Guess I'm on my own for dinner." I said.

"We could go out." He said and I looked up at him. "My parents threw themselves into work even more after we got back so I'm on my own as well." He explained. "And I don't know about you, but it's been a long time since I've had Taki's." He said and I laughed.

"Oh how I've missed Taki's." I said as I stood up. We walked out of my house and got into his car and headed over to the familiar diner that everyone in this town went too. We got in and made our way to the booth we normally sat in. it was weird not being crammed in there with friends, but I liked just seeing Jace's face across from mine.

"Jace." We both heard and turned to see where it came from. The only downside of this place: Kaelie. "It's been a long time."

"That it has Kaelie." Jace said. "How are you?" He asked. He may have hooked up with the girl all throughout high school, and she kind of turned into a nightmare when he decided to end their casual relationship but he was always incredibly polite.

"I've been good." She said. "And time has been good to you. Damn you just get better looking every year." She said and she eyed him up.

"I appreciate the compliment." Jace said and than Kaelie realized that I was there as well.

"You're Jon's sister right?" She asked, and I simply nodded. "Another eye candy that I miss seeing around here." She said. "What can I get for you?" She asked.

"I'll have a burger and fries, and a vanilla milkshake." I said and she nodded.

"And you Jace?" She asked.

"Coconut pancakes with orange juice and a cup of coffee." He said and she nodded before taking our menus and leaving.

"In the breakfast mood?" I asked and he smiled.

"It's been awhile since I've been here, and you know they're my favorite on the menu." He simply said and I nodded.

We sat there and just talked about everything and anything. There wasn't a topic that I couldn't discuss with Jace. Since I've known him practically my whole life, there wasn't much he didn't know about me except for what I decided to keep from Jon, and for good reasons as well.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked when we finished our food.

"Of course." I said not knowing where this was going.

"At the Lightwood Fourth of July party, Izzy told me something I haven't been able to forget about." He said and I just nodded. "She told me that you were looking forward to go to Turks and Caicos because you just wanted to be free and have no obligations to anyone." He explained and I nodded again. "She said it was because you had a controlling boyfriend."

"Oh god." I said as I hung my head until I felt a hand rest on top of mine.

"How come Jon or I didn't know you had a boyfriend?" He simply asked.

"Didn't seem important at the time." I said honestly. "You two are in a different part of life than I am and what two college guys want to know about high school relationships?" I asked.

"It would have been nice to know." He said. "Especially if he was a dick."

"That was more of a reason not to tell you." I said. "I know you and Jon. Rather well, and you would have come home and beat the shit out of him."

"Because you are worth so much more than any man trying to control you." He said. "How bad did it get?" He asked and I really didn't want to tell him. "How bad Clary?" He asked after a few minutes of my silence.

"He hit me a few times." I finally admitted.

"What the fuck." Jace said and I could tell he was mad. "Why?" He asked.

"Because I wasn't listening to him." I said.

"Do I know him?" He asked and I shook my head.

"He transferred in the beginning of sophomore year." I explained. "I was the person who was showing him around." I said as I remembered the beginning of the relationship. "He was kind, and smart, and charming." I said. "Every girl at school wanted him, and some how he wanted me? I was shocked."

"Why is that so shocking?" Jace asked, and when I looked at him he seemed genuinely confused.

"Because nobody wants me." I said honestly. "I'm always known as Isabelle Lightwood's best friend. When guys talk to me, it's because they want to know more about Izzy." I said. "And I was okay with that. I had accepted it, but than he came along, and suddenly I was the girl that others wanted to me. I have to admit, it felt good. Empowering even."

"When did he change?" Jace asked.

"A couple months into the relationship. I noticed that he had been lying to me." I said. "And it wasn't even about anything important. It was all dumb shit."

"Like what?" Jace asked.

"He would lie about why he was late to class, or when he used to pick me up in the morning and he'd be a couple minutes late he'd lie about where he was." I said. "I didn't think anything of it because who really cares why he was a few minutes late."

"Did you ever find out the real reason?" Jace asked.

"Yea." I said. "It turned out he was sneaking around with other girls." I said with a humorless laugh. "I confronted him about it, and when he told me to be quiet, I just got louder. That was the first time he hit me."

"Why didn't you leave?" Jace asked.

"He would apologize profusely." I said. "Tell me that he didn't mean it, and that he can't believe he let his anger get the best of him. He would buy me gifts, and take me out to really romantic dinners, and dates. I thought he was being sincere."

"How long were you with him?" Jace asked.

"9 months." I said. "We started dating at the end of September, and it was about a week before school ended and I decided that I couldn't take it anymore. It needed to end."

"What was the final thing that happened to make you realize that?" Jace asked.

"Izzy found out." I said. "I missed school for two days because my ribs were bruised and I had a black eye. I texted her and told her I was sick." I explained. "Izzy being the most kind hearted person I've ever met, grabbed my homework, and showed up with my favorite soup." I said with a smile. "She took one look at me, and flipped. The next day she confronted him, and he didn't take that well. He threatened to hurt Izzy if she ever told anyone, and I couldn't let her be one of his victims as well." I said. "Once I healed I told him it was over, and that was that."

"He just gave up?" Jace asked. "I'm not very knowledgeable on abusive men, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say they normally don't just give up."

"He tried to talk to me the last week, but I ignored him. Turns out he was just here for one school year. So after the year was over, he went back to his country, and I haven't heard from him since." I said and he nodded.

"You know you're worth more than that, don't you?" Jace said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I do now." I said with a smile. "It also helped that I had Izzy helping me through the whole thing." I said. "I don't think I would have been able to get through it without her."

"I'm glad you had her." Jace said and I nodded. "So, I have another thing I want to talk to you about." He said and I nodded. "How would you like to go out with me?" He asked and my jaw dropped.

"You're serious?" I asked and he laughed.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He asked.

"Because you're Jon's best friend, and you could do so much better than a junior in high school." I said and he smiled.

"None of that matters to me." He said. " I like you. A lot Clary, and I'm hoping that we could see where this goes. That is, if you like me as well."

"I can't believe it." I said as I laughed.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I just can't believe you like me. I thought it was impossible." I said with a laugh.

"Can I consider that a yes?" He asked and I smiled.

"Yes." I said and he smiled.

"Tomorrow night." He said. "I'll pick you up at 6?" He asked.

"Sounds perfect." I said.

He paid for our food and than he drove me home. I said goodbye and went inside and ran to my room. I laid down on my bed and finally processed what happened. I had a date with Jace tomorrow night, and I had nothing to wear. I immediately picked up my phone and called Izzy.

"Twice in one day, this must be important." Izzy said when she answered.

"I have a date with Jace tomorrow night." I blurted out.

"Oh my god!" She squealed.

"I don't know what to wear." I admitted.

"Well, do you have any idea what he's planning?" She asked.

"Not a clue. He asked me out over dinner tonight, and I was so shocked that I didn't even think to ask." I explained.

"Wait, you had dinner with him tonight?" She asked.

"Yea. He was here when I got home, and he was waiting for Jon but apparently him and my dad had to work late and my mom was working late as well, so I was going to be home alone for dinner. He than told me that he was going to be alone for dinner, and we went to Taki's together." I explained.

"So you've already been on a date with him." She said.

"But that wasn't labeled so it was really chill. This is going to be an actual date." I said and I heard her laugh.

"Just be yourself Clare." She said.

"Okay, but that still doesn't help me out with the clothing what so ever." I said and she laughed again.

"When is he picking you up?" Izzy asked.

"6." I said.

"Okay. I'll be over at 3 to figure it all out." She said.

"You're a life saver Iz." I said.

"I know." She said and we hung up. I couldn't get the smile off my face the rest of the night. I finally had a date with the guy I've liked for a couple years now.

 **Time Jump – Date**

 **Jace POV:**

I got to the Morgenstern house and since I was so familiar and welcomed, I didn't knock on the front door, I just walked in. Jon was sitting in the living room and was surprised to see me.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I guess I should have told you." I said. "I have a date with Clary tonight." I explained.

"Explains why Izzy has been here all afternoon." Jon said and I simply nodded and joined him on the couch. "What are you doing with her tonight? And I swear if you answer with anything relating to something sexual, I'll kick you in the dick." Jon said and I laughed.

"Nothing sexual." I said. "But I don't want to explain it to you because you're going to call me a little bitch." I said and he laughed.

"Pulling out all the stops huh?" Jon asked.

"She means a lot to me." I said. "She deserves all the stops."

"Treat her right man." Jon said. "Like I told you, I'm her brother first, your friend second."

"I understand." I said. We sat there in silence waiting for Clary to come downstairs, and I couldn't even begin to explain how nervous I was, which didn't happen often, which goes to show that this meant more to me than I thought.

 **Clary POV:**

"Do I look okay?" I asked Izzy as I stared at myself in the mirror.

"You can't possibly look any better." Izzy reassured me for the 9th time. "He's going to be drooling over you."

"That's kinda gross." I laughed and she smiled.

"It's almost 6, I'm going to get going. Good luck, have fun, make out, and tell me all about it tomorrow." She said and I laughed.

"Thank you so much Izzy." I said and she smiled.

"What are best friends for?" She said before leaving my room. I looked in the mirror once more to see if everything was perfect. Since it was a summer night, and I didn't know what we were doing, Izzy decided that I would wear something casual but also something cute that way it could go either way. We decided on a black romper, which was short enough to be pretty sexy, but long enough so that I didn't look like a skank. It had spaghetti straps but also sleeves that hung off my shoulders, and I was wearing cute sandals. Izzy curled my hair and my make up wasn't over bearing but noticeable enough. I took a deep breath before heading downstairs.

Thankfully Izzy hadn't tried to strong arm me into heels because knowing my luck, I would trip down the stairs and just embarrass the living hell out of myself in front of Jace, and than my chances with him would disappear all together. I walked down the stairs and there was Jace and Jon sitting on the couch. I guess they both heard the creaking of the stairs and both of them looked in my direction. Jace looked stunned and Jon didn't look too pleased.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Jon said first, which kinda ruined the moment, but I figured Jon would say something like that.

"Do you not like it?" I asked as I looked down at myself seconding guessing Izzy's choice.

"Don't listen to him Clare." Jace said. "You look absolutely beautiful." He said when he got off the couch. He wasn't very fancy either, so I figured this would be causal which was nice. I liked causal, plus it helped with my nerves.

"Of course you think she looks good." Jon said. "But you're opening it up for all those pervs to gawk at you."

"You really think I'd let anyone gawk at her?" Jace said to Jon, which caused me to blush.

"You better keep the creeps away." Jon said in his big brother voice.

"Nothing will happen to her." Jace reassured him. Jon simply nodded and Jace turned his attention back to me. "Are you ready?"

"Yea." I said and he reached his hand out and I took it happily.

"You have a curfew Clarissa." Jon said. "Be back by midnight."

"Yes father." I said sarcastically as I saluted him, which caused Jace to laugh.

We walked out to his car and he opened the door for me. When we were all settled he started driving, and I was really curious as to where we were going. It felt like we were in the car for hours before he pulled up to a park. I looked at Jace very confused, but she simply smiled. He got out and before I could even blink he was opening my door. He reached his hand out, and I took it and he helped me out of the car.

"What are we doing here?" I asked as he popped his truck and pulled out a picnic basket. "A picnic?" I asked.

"I hope that's okay." He said. He sounded so nervous it was endearing.

"It's perfect." I said. He took my hand in his again, and I think he just liked holding my hand but I didn't mind. They fit perfectly together.

He set out the blanket and we took out seat on the blanket. He pulled the food out, and it was a simple meal. Grilled cheese for both of us, and some raspberry iced tea. One of my favorites.

"You remembered." I said and he smiled.

"I was going to make classic peanut butter and jelly, but than I remembered you're allergic to peanuts, and you hate jelly, so that went out the window." Jace explained and I laughed. "I remembered when you were in middle school, you were obsessed with my grilled cheeses." He said and I laughed again. "I figured it was perfect."

"It's absolutely perfect." I said and he smiled and we began eating.

This picnic with Jace just reminded why I liked him so much. He was funny, and charming, and handsome, and sweet, and kind, and everything any girl would be happy to have in a man. He was the total package, and I still couldn't get over the fact that he was on a date with me. That he asked me on a date. It seemed surreal. When we were finished dinner, the sun began to set. Jace removed everything from the blanket and laid down. He held his arm out and I curled next to him. Once the sun fully set the stars came out. We laid there together just star gazing, and I was honestly on cloud 9.

"Tell me something I don't know about yourself." Jace said out of nowhere.

"You know pretty much everything about me." I said honestly. "You've known me since I was 6, there isn't much else to me than what you already know."

"Clearly not. I didn't know you had a boyfriend." He said.

"One bad boyfriend isn't huge." I said.

"So you've had more than one?" He asked.

"Yes." I said.

"How many are we talking?" He asked, and he sounded a little jealous which caused me to laugh.

"3." I said honestly.

"Do I know them?" Jace asked.

"Uh, well you didn't know Sebastian." I said. "Do you remember Bat Velasquez?" I asked.

"Uh, kinda. He was a year younger than me right?" He asked.

"Yea. And the third was Matt Charlton."

"Don't know him." Jace said.

"Yea. He was in my grade. First boyfriend. We dated for like 3 months."

"How long were you with Bat?" He asked.

"After Matt and I broke up, I was single for a couple months. I met Bat in detention believe it or not, and we both liked talking to each other and getting to know each other. We dated until the end of my freshman year, and realized it was going to work with him going to college. It was a mutual break up. No hard feelings between us." I explained.

"That's not a time length." Jace said with a laugh.

"We were together for about 5 months maybe 6." I said.

"You don't even remember?" He laughed and I smiled.

"It was more of a friends with benefits kinda thing, but we didn't cheat. It was exclusive." I said.

"So didn't need to know that." Jace said.

"It came in handy." I said. "I was kinda an amateur before him."

"La la la." He said as he plugged his ears, which caused me to get closer to him and I laughed.

"What? I didn't have much experience kissing people. Matt and I barely kissed, and when we did it was a simple peck." I explained.

"I guess I'll have to see how much Bat taught you." He said and I smiled.

"I guess you will. But I'll have you know, I haven't had any complaints thus far in my life." I said and he shook his head and laughed.

"Can I ask you something a little more personal?" He asked and I nodded. "Are you a virgin?" He asked and it caught me off guard. And never in my life had I wished I could say yes.

"No." I said honestly, and he turned to look at me.

"Sebastian?" He asked and I nodded. "At least tell me it was consensual." He said and I sighed. "No fucking way."

"It wasn't forced." I explained because he needed to know every detail to understand. "The first time we almost had sex, I stopped him because I wasn't ready. The second time we got super close but my mom came home early, and we stopped." I said. "The third time though, this got heated fast, and I went to stop him because I wasn't ready but I was too late. He was in me and I just remember crying my eyes out." I said. "I wasn't prepared for the pain in the slightest."

"I can't believe he did that." Jace said.

"I just wanted you to know that I wasn't forced, but I also had no time to say yes verbally." I admitted. "We were in a very compromising position and naked."

"It might not have been rape Clary, but it wasn't your choice." Jace said.

"I know, and I wish I could take it back, but I can't." I said.

"I'm really sorry." Jace said and I shrugged. He put his finger under my chin and lifted it up so that our eyes were locked. "Your first time shouldn't have been like that. It should have been special, because you deserve nothing but the best."

"Thank you." I simply said.

"Is there anything else I should know?" He asked.

"I've had the biggest crush on you for years." I openly admitted.

"Really?" He asked seeming shocked.

"Yea. It started in like 7th grade." I said with a laugh. "It's hard not to when you were constantly over my house. Plus you actually talked to me. Not a lot of Jon's friends did that."

"You were always really easy to talk too." Jace admitted. "Plus I felt like I was apart of the family. And that meant you."

"Yea, but you only viewed me as a sister." I said.

"That is true." Jace said.

"So what changed?" I asked curiously.

"Dropping Jon off at the beginning of the summer. I saw you on your front lawn and something in me changed. It was like everything I knew about you, and about our friendship was completely different. That's why I kept my distance for a few days." HE said honestly.

"I had that much of an affect on you?" I asked, now it was my turn to be shocked.

"Yea." He said. "I've never had that before. It was like I was finally enlightened to this whole knew world that I didn't even know existed."

"Wow." I simply said and he laughed.

"Wow what?" He asked.

"I didn't know I could do that." I said and he smiled.

"You Clarissa Morgenstern are one of a kind." He said. "I can't believe it's taken me so long to notice."

"Well, in your defense, I am 4 years younger than you." I said. "If you saw me in that way when I was 12 and you were 16, it would be a little creepy." I laughed and so did he.

"I guess you're right." He said. "So Clary, will there be a second date?" He asked and I smiled.

"There most certainly will be." I said. Jace propped himself up on his one elbow which caused him to hover over me slightly. His eyes flickered down to my lips and he hesitated for a moment before he leaned down and pressed them together. Kissing him was something that I never thought I'd get to experience but now that I have, I never wanted to stop.

We laid there kissing for who knows how long. My lips were getting chapped, and my breathing became labored but I didn't care. I didn't want to stop, and it didn't seem like Jace did either. My hands were cupping the sides of his head, while his one arm continued to prop him up while the other was resting on my hip. This moment right here was perfect, and I couldn't wait for many more like this.

When we finally did break apart, Jace had the biggest smile on his face and so did I. He leaned forward again and pressed his lips to mine, but this time it was a sweet and simple peck. Our eyes locked, and they were such a beautiful shade of gold, that seemed to be burning brighter than I ever saw them before.

"We should head home." Jace finally said.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"11:45." He said.

"We've been here for that long?" I asked shocked and Jace laughed.

"Well, we were making out for a long time." He said and my cheeks started to burn. "I love it when you blush." He whispered as he ran his fingers over my cheeks.

"I hate it." I admitted.

"It lets me know I'm doing something right." He said in such a sweet and sincere voice.

"I think the make out session should have been your sign you were doing something right." I said and he laughed.

"That too." He said. "But you can fake that, you can't fake a blush."

"I'm not that experienced where I can fake that mush passion in a kiss." I said.

"Come on. I don't want Jon to ban me from taking you out again." He said as he stood up. He pulled me up and right into his chest.

"Jon wouldn't do that." I said.

"And why wouldn't he?" He asked.

"Because banning you from me is like banning you from him, and you two can't survive without each other." I said and Jace laughed.

"He'd take your side over mine every day of the week." Jace said and I smiled.

"Do you mind keeping what we talked about tonight to yourself?" I asked. "It happened so long ago, and I'm over it. I don't want Jon to go on a murderous quest to find Sebastian."

"If that's what you want, I won't tell a soul." Jace said and I smiled.

We got in the car and he drove back to my house. The entire way there Jace's hand was rested on my side. I couldn't get the smile off my face. Tonight was absolutely perfect and I couldn't wait for another date just like this one, and not because we spent hours making out, but because for the first time, I felt like I was complete, as cliché as that sounds. He parked in front of my house and turned towards me.

"I had a great time tonight." He said.

"So did I." I said.

"We'll have to do it again soon." Jace said and I simply nodded. He leaned over and pressed his lips to mine. "Goodnight Clary."

"Night Jace." I said. I got out of the car and made my way to the house. I opened the door and closed it before leaning on it and taking a deep breath before the light went on. "Holy shit Jon." I whisper yelled as my heart nearly pounded out of my chest.

"11:59. Herondale is cutting it close." Jon said.

"Seriously? Isn't this dad's job?" I asked.

"How was it?" He asked ignoring my question.

"Perfect." I simply said. Jon stood up and nodded.

"I'm glad you had a good time." Jon said before heading upstairs. Once I controlled myself I shut the light off and headed up to my room. I kept replaying the night in my head, and when I fell asleep I dreamed of Jace, and everything was right.

 **Time Jump – One and a Half Years Later – Prom**

 **Clary POV:**

"You seriously aren't going to prom Clary?" Izzy asked me.

"Jace can't go. He's over 21." I simply said.

"So? Go without a date. That's what we're doing." Maia said.

"I don't know. Dresses just aren't my thing, and heels certainly aren't. It seems like a waste of time." I admitted.

"It's our senior year Clary. We talked about prom all the time when we were younger." Izzy said.

"Because I thought that maybe we'd have dates that could go." I said.

"It's not our fault you're dating a guy that's 23." Maia said. I hated being so old in high school. 19 was pretty high to still be in high school but I was slow on the learning curve, and my parents thought holding me back a year in 1st grade would be beneficial. I wasn't complaining though, I wouldn't be such great friends with Izzy if I wasn't in her grade.

"Dances just aren't my thing." I said and on cue my bedroom door opened and reveled Jace and Jon.

"What are you ladies talking about?" Jon asked.

"I'm trying to convince Clary to come to prom." Izzy said.

"You don't want to go?" Jon asked.

"Dances aren't my thing." I said.

"Prom was a blast." Jace said.

"Maybe because you had a date." I painted out. "My first choice isn't allowed to go." I said and he smiled.

"I didn't have a date." Jace said. "I just went to have fun."

"But you took pictures with Aline." I said. "I remember being there because Kaelie wouldn't shut up the entire time."

"Worst mistake of my life asking her." Jon said with a laugh.

"I was doing her a favor." Jace said. "She wanted to go with Helen but you know how that school is really old school. So I went with her, and Helen went with Raphael. When we got to prom I didn't see her the rest of the night." Jace explained.

"Oh." I simply said. "I still don't want to go."

"You only get one senior prom Clare." Jon said. "Don't miss out on that."

"Ugh." I said and Izzy cheered.

"Perfect. We'll go dress shopping this weekend!" She said and skipped out of my room followed by Maia. Than Jon left which just left Jace and I.

"What's the real reason you don't want to go to prom?" Jace asked as he made his way over to me.

"I can't dance." I said honestly.

"I can teach you." Jace said.

"You can dance?" I asked quite surprised.

"I dabble." He said and I laughed. "And if you're going with Izzy and Maia, the dirty forms of dance are off the table." He said.

"Dirty forms of dace?" I said with a laugh. "You clearly haven't met Izzy."

"Plus, if I remember correctly, that summer you went to Turks and Caicos, you were dancing in those clubs." He said.

"I had alcohol in me. I can't show up to prom drunk." I said and he laughed.

"Just have fun Clare." He said and I nodded. "Wanna go grab some dinner?" He asked and I nodded. We got to Taki's and order our food.

"How was work today?" I asked as I took a huge sip of my iced tea.

"Stressful." He said. "You remember that investigation that was going on?" He asked and I nodded. "We found the mole, and my dad isn't happy."

"I can't imagine anyone would be with someone leaking company secrets to competitors." I said and he nodded.

"I'm lead on the interviews, and stuff since I minored in law at NYU, and people aren't being very forthcoming with information." He said.

"Beat it out of them." I said and he laughed.

"I'd like to keep my job Clary." He said and I shrugged.

"Just one suggestion." I said.

"I'll keep it in mind." He said and I nodded. "I just can't wait to take my vacation days."

"I can't either. I'm super excited." I said and he smiled. Jace had promised to take me on a road trip after my graduation and I was super excited to be spending two weeks with just him.

"You get your acceptance letter yet?" Jace asked and I shook my head.

"I don't think I'm getting in." I said honestly.

"Why would you say that?" He asked.

"Because I'm not that good." I said.

"You're one of the best artists I know Clary. Don't sell yourself short." He said.

"I just don't know where else I'd go if I didn't get in." I admitted.

"NYU would be stupid to not accept you." He said and I took a deep breath. "Have I told you how much I love you today?" He asked and I laughed.

"No." I said with a smile.

"I love you. More than anything. You're going to get in. I just know." He said. I leaned across the table and gave him a kiss.

"I love you too." I said and he smiled. Jace was right. I just had to be patient and everything would work out. I just knew it.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks**

 **Clary POV:**

I got home from school and immediately checked the mail like I do every day. I figured I was just going to be disappointed like I have been since I applied but when I saw that big white envelope, with the NYU logo on it I practically fainted. I ran inside and sat on the couch just staring at it. I wasn't prepared either way. If I got in I might actually faint, and if I got denied, I might pass out from crying so much. I took a deep breath and started opening it. I pulled it out and closed my eyes, took another calming breath before reading.

 _Dear Clarissa Morgenstern,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the art program here at New York University….._

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" I screamed. "Oh my god! Yes yes yes yes yes!" I started shouting thanking the lord that nobody was home. "Oh thank you sweet baby Jesus!"

I grabbed my keys and ran to my car. There was one person I wanted to share this with, and I couldn't wait until he was done work. Now I knew where his father's company was located, I've just never been inside the building before, but my adrenaline was so high from the letter that I didn't have time to be nervous. I parked my car and ran inside, before stopping and admiring the beautiful design of the building.

"Excuse me miss." I heard and I turned around. "How can I help you today?" She asked.

"I'm looking for Jace Herondale." I said. "I had a meeting and I think I'm running late." I said politely. I figured that if they had a receptionist, they aren't just going to let me up without a reason.

"Jace Herondale's office is on the 2nd floor." She said.

"Thank you much." I said as I walked to the elevator. I got in and pressed the 2 button. It felt like I was in that elevator forever, but once it stopped and the doors opened, I walked out and started looking around. I saw Stephan standing in the office space talking to someone, and I continued to look around, I was getting slightly discouraged, as I didn't see Jace anywhere.

"Clary?" I heard from behind me. I turned around and there he stood. "What are you doing here?"

"I got in!" I said with the biggest smile on my face.

"Oh my god!" He said as he scooped me into his arms. "I knew you would."

"The wait was killing me." I said and he laughed.

"Is that it?" He asked as he pointed to the envelope in my hand.

"Yea." I said as I handed it to him.

"What's it say?" He asked as he took the papers out of the envelope.

"I don't know. I read the first line and than started screaming with pure joy." I said and he laughed.

"Well, lets go to my office and read through it." He said as he took my hand in his. We walked through the office, and I could feel the people's eyes digging into my back. I knew people were skeptical of our relationship, but I didn't let that get to me much. We got into the office and he shut his door.

"Wow." I said as I looked around his office.

"What?" He asked.

"It's so clean." I said and he laughed.

"You know my OCD would never allow it to get dirty." He said as he made his way over to his chair. I walked over and he pulled me into his lap. I looked at the desk and I got the biggest smile on my face when I saw the picture of us.

"I can't believe you have that in your office." I said as I pointed to the picture.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I don't know. I guess it never occurred to me that you would decorate your office with pictures of us." I said and he smiled.

"I don't get to look at you for like 8 hours a day." He said. "That's all I get, and I absolutely love that picture of us." He said. I looked at it again and I smiled. It was taken at one of the Lightwood's Fourth of July parties. Jace had dragged me out into the middle of the yard and started dancing with me. I couldn't get the smile off my face, and the picture was absolutely perfect.

"You're very sweet." I said and he smiled. He was reading the rest of my acceptance level when he gasped. "What?"

"Holy shit." He said and now I was confused.

"What is it?" I asked.

"They want to give you a scholarship. I huge scholarship." He said.

"Really?" I asked as I looked at the letter.

"Really." He said.

"Holy shit." I said and he laughed.

"I'm so proud of you babe." He said and I smiled.

"Thank you." I said and he kissed my shoulder. "When are you done today?" I asked.

"I actually don't have much going on at the moment. I was thinking about asking my dad to let me leave early." He said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Really, plus we need to celebrate." He said and I laughed.

"Sounds good." I said. I stood up and Jace followed as we walked out of his office and over to his father.

"Hey dad." Jace said and Stephan turned around.

"Clary, what a surprise." He said and I smiled.

"I don't have anything else going on today, and I was wondering if I could take the rest of the day off." Jace said.

"Uh, sure. Will you be home for dinner?" Stephan asked.

"No. I'm going to take Clary out. She just got her acceptance letter from NYU." Jace said proudly.

"Congratulations." Stephan said.

"Thanks." I said.

"I'll be home later." Jace said and Stephan nodded and went back to talking to people. Jace and I made our way outside and he walked me to my car. "Meet you at your place?"

"Sounds good." I said. He gave me a sweet kiss and I got in my car and headed home. I finally felt secure in my future, and I couldn't wait to experience it and see where it takes me.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was making my way to the Morgenstern house, but not to see Clary. I was going to see Valentine and Jon to ask for their permission to move in with Clary when she started to attend NYU. I felt like it was something we were both ready for. She was going to be in college, and I was thriving at my fathers company. It seemed right, and even if they don't say yes, I could wait because Clary was it for me.

I knocked on the door and Valentine answered and he seemed rather shocked that it was me, but than again I don't normally knock on the door. I just walk in, but today it felt wrong to just walk into the house when I wanted to ask them if I could move into a house with his daughter.

"Jace, you knocked." He said and I laughed.

"I thought it was appropriate." I said as I walked into the house.

"Clary is still in school. What brings you here?" He asked as we sat on the couch.

"I was actually hoping to talk to you and Jon." I said.

"Of course." Valentine said. "Jon! Get in here!" He yelled.

"Coming!" I heard Jon yelled and than I heard the footsteps coming down the stairs. "Jace, what brings you here man?" Jon asked.

"He wants to talk to us." Valentine said.

"Oh no, you aren't here to ask for my sisters hand in marriage are you?" He asked and my eyes widened.

"What? No." I said frantically.

"What? Is she not good enough to marry?" Jon asked seeming annoyed.

"I never said that. You're putting words into my mouth." I said defensively. "Clary is still in high school. Don't you think that's a little young to be getting married?" I said and Jon seemed to loosen up.

"Than what could you possibly be here to ask?" Jon asked.

"It does involve Clary." I said. "As you know we've been together for a couple years now and I don't plan on ever letting her go." I explained. "She's going to NYU next year, and as much fun as Jon and I had living on campus and making a bunch of friends in the dorms, I know Clary is pretty shy when it comes to meeting new people, and I never want to her to be uncomfortable…." I trailed off.

"Just get to the point Jace." Jon said.

"I was wondering if you would be okay with Clary and I moving in together." I said and they both just sat there. Looking at me. I've never been more nervous in my life.

"Like you want to buy a house?" Valentine asked.

"I was thinking more of an apartment. Somewhere in between here and NYU." I explained.

"You're serious?" Jon asked.

"Completely." I said. "Clary means everything to me. There isn't another person on this planet that I want to spend the rest of my life with, and yes marriage is on my mind, but not until Clary is finished with college." I said. "I think this is the next step on our relationship, but I wasn't going to bring it up and ask her, or even start looking for places until I knew you two were okay with it." I explained and they both nodded but stayed silent. "I was kinda looking for a verbal answer." I said and they both laughed.

"You think you're ready to be with Clary day and night?" Valentine asked. "You're exposed to everything when you start living with a person. You can't just go home when you get in an argument or don't like what the other person is doing. Not saying you're stuck, but you have to learn to cohabitate, and sometimes that takes years."

"There isn't anything I want more than to come home after work and Clary be there." I said. "I don't care how much we argue, or disagree, because I know that's going to happen. I mean, her messiness alone is enough to make me want to rip my hair out, but I wouldn't want her any other way." I explained and they laughed. "Yea we have a lot to learn about each other still, and it won't be an easy road by a long shot, but I'm ready for it all. The good, the bad, the laughs, the tears, the joy and the fights."

"You seem to have thought about this a lot." Valentine said.

"I have." I said honestly. "I'll be 24 next year. I think its time that I moved out of my parents house." I said and they nodded. "And I'm ready to start the next chapter of my life with Clary."

"That better not mean kids." Jon said and my eyes widened again.

"Kids?" I reiterated. "I'm not ready for kids."

"That's very reassuring to hear." Valentine said.

"Listen, Clary is in some ways still a kid." I said. "She's mature for her age, and I'm sure that she will be an amazing mother one day, but not until the distant future. I mean, I want her to graduate college first. I don't think kids is anywhere on either of our minds right now, and won't be for years."

"I knew my baby girl would grow up, but I didn't think it would be so soon." Valentine said.

"I promise to protect her with my life." I tried to reassure him. "I will make sure she knows how much she is loved, and respected, and worthy of everything I know she is." I said. "But I'll respect your decision either way." I told them.

"I know you'll protect her." Jon said. "You've been doing it since we were 10 years old." He said and I smiled. "If she isn't living here, I wouldn't want her living with anyone else but you." Jon said and I smiled even bigger. "You have my permission."

"Thank you Jon. It means a lot." I said and he nodded.

"I expect you to come home every Sunday for dinner." Valentine said. "I knew college was going to be hard. I've never been good at letting go, but knowing that she's growing up and living with her boyfriend is an entirely new step that I wasn't expecting." He explained. "But I know you. I've watched you grow up, and I know how you treat my girl, and I couldn't picture anyone treating her better."

"We will be here every Sunday." I said and he smiled.

"You have my permission." Valentine finally said.

"Thank you. So much." I said. "Now I just have to ask her." I laughed and they smiled.

"When are you going to do it?" Jon asked.

"I was planning on doing it tonight." I said and they nodded.

"Well, good luck." Jon said.

"Thanks." I said as I stood up.

"Thank you both for this." I said. "I should head home."

"Take care of her Jace." Valentine said.

"She has to say yes first." I said and they laughed.

"She will." They said in unison and I nodded. I walked out of the house and got in my car and took a deep breath. Step one was finished, now for step two, the most nerve wracking part, asking Clary.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace was taking me out to dinner tonight, and he said he had something to ask me, but I wasn't sure what it would be about, so I was incredibly nervous. I heard the door open downstairs and looked at myself one more time in the mirror, and was satisfied with my look. I walked down the stairs and there stood Jace and Jon talking about something. The stairs creaked and they both looked at me, and Jace smiled.

"You look beautiful." He said and I blushed.

"Thank you." I said and he smiled.

"Midnight young lady." Jon said and I rolled my eyes.

"I don't have a curfew anymore dumbass." I said and Jace laughed.

"Since when?" Jon asked.

"Since dad said I was old enough to make my own decisions." I said proudly and he rolled his eyes.

"Just make sure you're home before sunrise." He said.

"I have work tomorrow Jon." Jace said. "I will not keep her out all hours of the night." He said and Jon nodded. "You ready?" He asked and I nodded. He took my hand in his and lead me out to his car.

We got in and headed towards whatever destination that Jace chose. It was rather nice outside, so I wasn't sure if it was going to be indoors or outdoors, but it didn't matter as long as Jace and I were together. He pulled up to the park that he took me to on our first date, and the nostalgia was real. He pulled out a picnic basket and I couldn't help but smile. We made our way over to roughly the same spot and he got everything ready before we took a seat.

"How romantic of you to recreate our first date." I said and he smiled.

"I thought it was appropriate." He said.

"For what?" I asked curious about what he wanted to talk about.

"I want to ask you something." He said and my mind started racing about all the possibilities.

"Okay." I simply said.

"We've been together for a couple years now, and I feel like with you going to college in the fall, and me doing so well at my fathers company that it was time for us to take the next step in our relationship." He said and my eyes widened. Was he really going to ask me to marry him? "I see that fear in your eyes." He said and I looked at him, trying to show him that I wasn't afraid, but shocked. "I'm not asking you to marry you." He said and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and he laughed. "We are far too young for that at this point." He said and I nodded. "What I wanted to ask you was, how would you like to move in together?" He asked and my eyes widened.

"You want us to buy a house?" I asked and he smiled.

"Your father said the same thing." He said. " I was thinking more of an apartment to start out."

"You're serious?" I asked.

"Absolutely." He said. "There isn't anything I want more than to come home to you after a long day at work. I want to fall asleep and wake up with you every day." He said and my eyes started to well with tears. "I talked to Jon and your dad and they both gave me their permission." He explained. "Now it's all up to you."

"You really want this? Me, forever?" I asked and he smiled.

"I want you forever Clarissa Morgenstern." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"In that case, I would love to move in with you." I said and he pulled me into him.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." I said before I pressed my lips to him. "Can we start looking soon?" I asked excitedly.

"Whenever you want." He said. "I figured we'd get something in between my office, and NYU." He explained.

"Sounds perfect." I said.

"No. Spending my life with you sounds perfect." He said and I blushed.

"Aren't you glad you don't see me as a sister anymore?" I teased and he smiled.

"Most definitely." He said before he captured my lips with his. Everything I've ever wanted was coming true. I was in a happy and healthy relationship with a man that I've always wanted to be with, but never thought I could. I was going to my dream school to study my passion, and we were going to be moving in together and starting our lives together. I couldn't have pictured my future any better than its mapped out to be, and I couldn't wait to explore it with Jace.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, someone requested one where Jace is Jon's best friend, and that he was super protective over Clary, and I just felt like I've read so many of those, and i wanted to give it my own twist, and I really hope you like it and that i fulfilled your request. I think this is a really sweet one shot, and I'm pretty proud of it! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Also, I just want to let you know that when Clary is talking about her having sex with Sebastian, I do not think it isn't considered rape. Just because things are getting heated, and you are well on your way to having sex, if there wasn't a clear yes or no, it's still wrong and shouldn't be taken lightly! Rape is wrong, and the fact that we still have to say that in this day and age is disgusting, but necessary.**


	89. Chapter 88 - Professional Life

**Eighty Eighth One Shot:**

 **Professional Life**

 **Clary POV:**

If you'd tell me when I was 16 years old, that accepting a date with Jace Herondale would lead me to the life that I live now, I would have thought you were crazy. But here I am, 32 years old, and raising my family while Jace is out there living his biggest dream and I couldn't be any prouder of him.

Our journey wasn't easy though. When I was 17 I got pregnant, and I thought my life was ending. I was terrified to tell Jace. I didn't want to get in the way of his dreams. He was getting scouting by major soccer teams, and he had so much potential and talent, and I didn't want to be the reason that he gave that up. I hid it until I no longer could, and I thought that I had some time, but I was growing exceptionally fast, and when I went to get a regular sonogram, I was told that I was having twins. I was floored, and I cried in my moms arms for hours because I didn't know what I was going to do. She eventually convinced me to tell Jace and I knew that I needed too. He needed to know, and I still get butterflies when I think about that day.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was walking up to the Herondale house trying to calm my breathing. I knew he needed to know, but I also didn't want him to feel obligated to give up everything for me. I wanted him to live his dreams, and if that didn't include being with me, I understood that. I knocked on the door and there stood Jace, with a huge smile on his face._

 _"You sounded distant on the phone." Jace said._

 _"I'm sorry." I simply said._

 _"You've been distant for a little while." He pointed out. "Is everything okay?"_

 _"I don't really know." I said honestly._

 _"Did I do something wrong?" He asked. "Cause whatever I did, I'm really sorry, and I'll change." He said and I couldn't help but smile because he really really cared about me._

 _"You did nothing wrong." I reassured him. "I promise."_

 _"Okay. Want to go to the back?" He asked and I nodded. He took my hand in his and led me to the back deck swing. We took a seat and he put his arm around me and I leaned into him like I always do. I knew I needed to say it now; otherwise I'd lose all my courage._

 _"We need to talk." I finally said._

 _"Oh no." He said. "That's never good."_

 _"I guess we'll see." I said._

 _"You aren't breaking up with me are you?" He asked._

 _"No." I said. "That's going to be left up to you."_

 _"What do you mean?" He asked._

 _"I don't know an easy way to say this, so I'm just going to come right out and say it." I said and I took a breath and looked him in the eyes. "I'm pregnant." I said and his eyes widened and his jaw dropped._

 _"When did you find out?" Was the first thing he said, which was kinda of calming in a sense, but I still couldn't read what he was really feeling._

 _"About 3 weeks ago." I said honestly. "I didn't know how to tell you."_

 _"How are you feeling?" He asked next, and that actually made me feel incredibly good._

 _"I'm tired, and just the smell and sight of food makes me sick." I said honestly. "But that isn't even the biggest news."_

 _"What could be bigger than you being pregnant?" He asked._

 _"It's twins." I said and he gasped, like actually gasped._

 _"You're shitting me?" He asked._

 _"Nope." I said as I pulled out the sonogram and handed it to him. "Blob one and blob two." I pointed at them. "The doctor has a strong feeling their identical."_

 _"We're having twins?" He asked and I was super shocked._

 _"You still want to be with me?" I asked and he looked at me._

 _"Why would you think I didn't?" He asked._

 _"Because you have such a huge future Jace. You're being scouted by so many colleges, and even some professional teams. You are achieving your dreams, I didn't want to ruin that." I explained._

 _"Clarissa Fray, I love you more than anything. And I'll love our kids just as much." He said and my eyes welled. "I can still achieve my dreams, I just get to have three people supporting me along the way."_

 _"You want this?" I asked. "Me and two children, at 17?" I asked._

 _"I plan on spending the rest of my life with you Clary." He said. "No matter what."_

 _"I love you so much." I said and he pressed his lips to mine. "I can't tell you how terrified I was to tell you."_

 _"I understand you were scared, but you aren't alone baby." He said and his hand rested on my belly. "We're in this together."_

 _"Thank you." I said and he rested his forehead against mine._

 _"No, thank you." He said. "For giving me something that is a little bit of me, and a little bit of you." He smiled and I laughed. I knew we were going to have to tell his parents, but that could happen another day. Right now, I was basking in the fact that Jace was supportive, and ready to become a family._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

And here we are, 15 years later, and I couldn't picture a world without my boys. That's right, we had twin boys, identical, just like my doctor thought, and they couldn't be any more like Jace even if they tried. Both of them had beautiful blonde hair, and his unique golden eyes. They inherited his athletic gene, and his intellect. I was so proud of them, and couldn't wait to see them grow even more.

"Mason, Dean, the game is about to start!" I yelled up the stairs and a second later I heard footsteps. They ran into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"Who are we playing today?" Mason asked.

"Canada." I said.

"Ugh. I hate Canada." Dean said.

"Me too." Mason agreed. I put down a bowl of chips, and they dug in.

"Mommy!" I heard and I turned around and saw my little mini me, which was funny because her nickname was Minnie, but not just because she looked like me, but because Jace was so set on naming her Minerva. It just happened that she started to grow up to look like me.

"What is it baby?" I asked.

"Lacey won't let me play with her dolls." She said.

"Why don't you go join your brothers and watch daddy play, and I'll talk to Lacey." She nodded and ran to the living room and I went upstairs to talk to Lacey. I knocked on the door and walked in. She was sitting on the floor playing with her dollhouse. "Lacey?" I asked and she looked up.

"Hi mommy." She said with a smile.

"Minnie just came downstairs really upset." I said as I made my way over to her. "Why won't you let her play with your dolls?"

"Because she's a baby." She said.

"She's 3 years old sweetheart." I said. "She's only 2 years younger than you."

"She's still a baby." She said. "She messes up their hair."

"Than tell her not to mess up the hair and let her play." I said. "Or let her play with your old dolls. The ones that sit in that bucket that you don't play with anymore." I said as I pointed to the bucket in the corner.

"But mommy." She whined.

"She's your sister baby." I said. "One day she's going to want to share more than just dolls, and you have to learn to pick you battles. Let her play with some dolls, and she won't bother you again." I said.

"Okay." She said and I smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Daddy's game is starting. You wanna come down and watch?" I asked and she smiled and nodded. She picked up two dolls and we made our way downstairs. Lacey took a seat on the couch and handed the doll to Minnie, and she got the biggest smile on her face. The national anthem started and I made myself comfy on the little couch. I loved watching Jace play, and as I looked at my beautiful four kids, and the one I'm currently growing, I couldn't be more thrilled with my life.

 **Time Jump – End Of Game**

 **Jace POV:**

After the game was over, I couldn't wait to get back to California. I missed my kids, and I missed my wife, and it had been a long couple days, and I just needed some rest. I grabbed my bags and made my way onto our plane and took a seat, when my buddy sat next to me.

"Are you just as excited to get home as I am?" Alec asked and I laughed.

"You have no idea." I said with a laugh.

"It's weird being the only fathers on this team. Everyone is either so young, or just not settling down." Alec said and I nodded.

"I mean I can't really talk. I had my boys when I was 17 years old, so I've always been an outlier on this team and my college team." I said and he nodded.

"My husband and I adopted young as well." Alec said.

"Ay yo pops!" I heard and Alec and I both turned around to see Raphael smiling. We had been labeled the 'dads' of the team, and they loved to call us pops.

"Yes son?" I asked and he laughed.

"Nothing. I just like calling you pops." He said and I laughed. I turned around and Alec smiled.

"You ever think you'd get more children on this team?" He asked and I laughed.

"I thought 5 kids was enough." I said with a smile. "But if they need a father figure, I'm more than willing to be that for them." I explained Alec nodded. I knew he felt the same way.

The plane ride home was pretty short, and when we got off the plane we were mobbed by some fans, which was nice, but I didn't feel like stopping for autograph after autograph. I just wanted to get home to Clary and the kids. I hated leaving Clary there to take care of them while she was nearly 7 months pregnant. I wanted to be there to help her out, and make sure she was okay. I knew the twins would take care of her, but there was something about being there myself that was really reassuring to me, but I had a job to do, and I couldn't neglect it, even if it was for a good reason.

I got into my car and headed home. It was late in the afternoon, and I was exhausted. It might have been a short flight, but traveling was always hard on the body. Especially after playing a whole game. When I finally pulled into my driveway I took a deep breath. It felt good to be home. I grabbed my stuff and walked into the house where I heard fighting.

"Knock it off Dean!" I heard someone, who I can assume is Mason, yell. "Can't you see she's tired. Why can't you just do the damn dishes?"

"I have plans tonight." Dean yelled back.

"You can't just go after you do the dishes?" Mason yelled back.

"I'm already late as it is because dinner was late." Dean said.

"Well maybe if you helped out a little, dinner would have been on time!" Mason yelled, and now I was standing in the doorway watching. Clary was sitting at the table with her head in her hands.

"It's not my job to make dinner!" Dean yelled.

"Mom is 7 months pregnant, and dad is out of town. That means some of the responsibility falls on us." Mason yelled, and I could see Dean was ready to explode.

"Cut it out." I finally said and everyone looked at me.

"Dad." Dean said.

"I don't want to hear it." I said. "You're grounded."

"For what?" Dean asked.

"For not helping out." I said. "I asked you both to help your mother out around the house while I was gone." I explained.

"I cleaned up Minnie's toys." Dean said like it was a good argument.

"Minnie should clean up her own toys. She's 3 years old, not an infant." I said. "Helping your mother out means doing the dishes, shoveling snow, mowing the grass, taking out the trash, not being a dick."

"Jace." Clary scolded me but I didn't care at the moment. Dean was being a huge pain.

"No Clary." I said. "Doing the dishes isn't the end of the world." I said and I looked at Dean. "You're going to do the dishes for the next week, that's your punishment." I said.

"Can I still go out tonight?" Dean asked.

"Fine, but your curfew is an hour earlier, and you can't leave until the dishes are done." I said and he groaned but nodded and started cleaning the table up.

"Great game by the way dad." Mason said. "Your goal was beautiful."

"Thank you." I said and he left the kitchen. "How are you feeling?" I asked as I made my way over to Clary.

"I'm so tired." She said and I nodded. "Also, my doctor let the sex of the baby slip at my appointment yesterday." She said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yup." She said.

"And….?" I asked.

"You really want to know?" She asked.

"I do." I said.

"We're having another girl." She said and I smiled.

"We are outnumbered now." I said and she laughed.

"Girls rule." She simply said and I kissed her belly and than her lips.

"You girls certainly do." I said. "Come on, you're going to get comfy on the couch, and not move for the rest of the night." I said and she laughed. I brought her into the living room where Minnie and Lacey were playing.

"Daddy!" Minnie shouted as she ran into me.

"Hi baby." I said as I kissed her head followed by Lacey.

"You did really good in your game daddy." Lacey said.

"Thank you sweetheart." I said and she smiled. "Now, for the rest of the night mommy is off duty. If you need something, or you have a problem, just ask me."

"What's wrong with mommy?" Minnie asked.

"Your sibling is making her really sleepy." I said and they both nodded. "So she going to rest as much as she wants tonight."

"Otay daddy." Minnie said before going to back to playing with her toys.

"I need a shower, but I'll send Mason down to watch them so you can sleep." I said as I leaned forward and kissed her.

"You're the best." She said and I laughed. I made my way upstairs and knocked on Mason's door before opening it.

"Can I come in?" I asked and he looked at me.

"Of course. What's up?" He asked.

"I'm giving your mother the night off." I said. "I need a shower, so I need you to go downstairs and watch Minnie and Lacey so she can close her eyes and relax."

"Of course dad." He said as he stood up.

"I want to thank you for helping out so much when I'm gone." I said. "I know it's not ideal for a 15 year old to watch his two younger siblings, but I appreciate it a lot."

"You don't have to thank me dad." He said. "I'd do anything for mom, and I love Minnie and Lacey."

"I just wish Dean was as understanding." I said with a sigh.

"Something is going on with him." Mason said. "He's been really weird lately, and call it a twin thing, but I can feel it."

"What do you mean by weird?" I asked.

"Random outbursts. Not doing his homework. Skipping school. Getting detention." Mason rattled off. "I tried to talk to him, but he won't listen to me."

"How long has it been going on?" I asked.

"A couple months." Mason said. "I haven't told mom because I don't want her to stress."

"I'll talk to him." I said. "Or follow him tonight. He's never been one to open up."

"I've tried everything." Mason said.

"I know. That means I need you to babysit tonight." I said.

"Understandable. Anything to figure out what Dean's been doing." Mason said and I nodded. We walked out of his room and he went downstairs, and I went my room to shower. I got in the shower and thought about Dean. I wonder what was going on, and why this started, and the only way that I could figure it out was to follow him, and I always promised I'd never be that parent, but that's who I was being tonight, and I didn't care.

When I was done I went downstairs and Minnie and Lacey were playing with Mason while Clary was asleep on the couch. I kissed her forehead before heading into the kitchen where Dean as still doing the dishes.

"What are your plans tonight?" I asked.

"Going over to Devon's. We have a project due this week that we really need to finish." He said and I nodded.

"Curfew is 9 now." I said and he sighed and nodded after putting the last plate in the dishwasher and starting in. his phone went off and he looked at me.

"My ride is here." He said and I nodded. He walked out and once I heard the door close I went to the window and looked at the car. It was a beat up old car. After it felt the driveway I got into my car and followed it. Now, I don't know all his friends, but I can guarantee that he wasn't going to someone's house.

The car pulled up to an old abandoned church. I saw Dean get out first followed by 4 other guys. All older than him. I parked my car right where I was, and got out. I followed behind them slowly, and they stopped so I got behind a wall and watched. I felt like a complete stalker, but if he wasn't going to be forthcoming, I was getting this information one way or another.

It looked like someone lit a cigarette, which I wasn't happy about, but than I noticed that it wasn't as long, or as uniform, than came the smell. Weed. The boy handed it to Dean and he took it, took a hit, and handed it back. My anger was through the roof. Next, another boy handed Dean a brown paper bag, and I wasn't born yesterday. I knew what he was drinking. I had enough. My son wasn't going to be hanging out with delinquents.

"Dean Michael Herondale." I called and they all looked over at me.

"Oh shit." I heard Dean say.

"Oh shit is right." I said as I walked over to them. I grabbed the joint, and stomped on it, and took the brown paper bag and threw it. "We're leaving." I said as I grabbed his arm.

"Let go of me." Dean struggled in my grip.

"Not a chance." I said as I threw him in the passenger seat and I drove us home. I was pissed, and he was going to see a side of me I normally don't show.

 **Clary POV:**

I just woke up and found Mason playing with Minnie and Lacey right in front of me. He was so sweet with them, and I couldn't wait to add another little girl into the mix. There was something about Jace and his girls that was incredibly special, and Dean and Mason absolutely adored them. I heard the door open, which confused me because I didn't even know anyone left, but Jace walked in, holding Dean by the shirt before throwing him to the ground.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Jace yelled.

"Mason, take the girls upstairs." I said and he nodded. He scooped them up and ran up the stairs. They didn't need to hear whatever was going to happen.

"I wasn't doing anything wrong." Dean said.

"You're 15 years old!" Jace yelled. "You don't think smoking weed and drinking is wrong?"

"Dean Herondale." I said and he looked at me. "You did not." I said.

"Oh he did." Jace said.

"Stop acting like you care." Dean spit at Jace.

"Of course I care Dean." Jace said.

"Yea right. You're barely around." Dean yelled. "You travel like every other week, and leave mom to fend for herself." He said. "You can't just be a part time father. That's not how it works."

"Watch your mouth Dean." I said. Jace was a very involved and dedicated father.

"Don't defend him mom." Dean said. "How can you even sit there and tell me that he's a good dad?" He asked. "Just because he didn't dump your ass when he knocked you up at 17 doesn't mean he's father of the year." He said and I was shocked. Apparently so was Jace because the next thing I knew, Jace slapped Dean across the face. Hard.

"You have no right to speak to her like that." Jace said in a deadly calm voice. "Apologize."

"I'm sorry mom." Dean said.

"I didn't stay with your mother out of pure obligation." Jace explained. "I love her more than I've ever loved anyone else in this whole world. She is my life." Jace said. "Don't ever doubt that ever again."

"Why were you drinking and smoking tonight Dean?" I finally asked. "And why did you lie about it?"

"Who cares?" Dean said. "Dads gone half the year, and you have other kids to worry about. Who cares what I do?" He asked.

"Don't use my career and your siblings as a scapegoat." Jace said. "Tell us the truth. Now." Jace demanded.

"Because I wanted too." Dean said, but it didn't sound so convincing. "They're my friends, and I like hanging out with them."

"Those boys are like 4 years older than you Dean." Jace said. "How did you even meet?"

"I skipped school one day, and found them smoking in an ally. I decided to join." He said.

"What the hell is going on with you Dean?" We heard from behind us and there stood Mason. "I've been trying to get to the bottom of your personality change for months."

"You knew?" I asked.

"I didn't want to worry you. Stress isn't good for the baby." He said and I smiled. He was so sweet. "You on the other hand haven't been doing shit around the house."

"Don't start with me Mason." Dean said.

"No." Mason said. "I know something is wrong. I can feel it Dean." He explained. "I just want to help. I can help."

"You can't fix anything because it can't be fixed." Dean said.

"What does that mean?" Jace asked. "Are you having trouble in school? Relationship issues? Are you being bullied? Because we can work through it Dean. We're here to help you and support you."

"You can't fix it." Dean said.

"We don't know what that means sweetheart." I said.

"It can't be fixed because there's nothing wrong." He said and he sounded so angry.

"Can you stop being so cryptic and tell us what the hell that means." Mason asked.

"I'm gay!" He yelled. "I'm gay, are you happy now?" To say I was surprised would be an understatement, but I didn't care.

"Who the hell cares?" Jace said. "That's no reason to be lashing out at your mother and your brother." He said. "I get my career is demanding, and I was willing to give it up for you guys. But your mom told me it would be waste of my talent, so I kept with it. But just because I'm not home every weekend, doesn't mean I don't care, and it doesn't give you the right to skip school, or start smoking, and drinking Dean."

"You don't care?" Dean asked and he sounded so relieved but also vulnerable.

"Why the hell would I care about you being gay?" Jace asked. "I don't care who you love, as long as they love you back that's all I care about. Unless it's one of those delinquents you were with tonight, than I care. You aren't allowed to date one of them." He added and Dean actually laughed.

"No. I'm dating one of them, or anyone at the moment." Dead clarified.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mason asked.

"I thought you'd disown me or something. I thought you wouldn't want to be my twin anymore." He said.

"Look dude, I don't care if you're gay, straight, or asexual." Mason said. "You're my brother. My twin. I love you no matter what."

"I'm sorry I've been so moody." Dean said. "It's been such a huge secret to keep, and the longer I held it in, the more angsty I got."

"You know you never have to hide anything from us right?" I asked. "We love you no matter what."

"I know that now." Dean said and I gave him the best hug I could with my belly. "I didn't mean what I said." Dean than said to Jace. "I know you care. I know you hate leaving, especially with mom being pregnant, and I know how much you love her. Anyone with eyes can see it."

"Listen kid, you two may have been born when we were just 17, but I wouldn't take it back for anything." Jace said. "We were young, but we were in love, and we still are. I loved having you three at my college soccer games, and I loved having you there to cheer me on even when I was out on the bench with an injury." He said. "Having you two was a blessing, and I just keep getting more blessed with each baby you mother and I create."

"Eww. Gross." Mason said and I laughed.

"I'm sorry." Dean said again. Jace walked over and pulled him into a hug before kissing his head.

"We love you kid." Jace said. "And one of my really good friends on the team is gay. I have nothing against it. Just make sure your boyfriend is respectful and likes soccer. Those are my only requirements." Jace said and Dean laughed.

"I don't think I could date anyone who didn't like soccer." Dean said and for the first time in a long time, even though I might not have always known it, the atmosphere in the house was lighter.

"Can we come down yet?" We heard a little voice yell from upstairs.

"Yes baby!" I yelled and they came running down the stairs.

"Is the yelling over?" Minnie asked.

"Yes it is baby." Jace said as he picked her up. "And since we're finally all together as a family, how about a movie night?"

"Yes!" Minnie cheered. Jace out her down and her and Lacey ran into the living room.

"What do you two say? Movie? Or are you two too cool for family movie nights?" I asked and they laughed.

"I think a family movie night is exactly what we all need." Dean said. We all made our way into the living room. Minnie and Lacey wanted to watch and animated movie, and since the boys always wanted to make their sisters happy, they agreed. Minnie crawled into Dean's lap, and Lacey sat with Mason, while I curled into Jace. I missed having him here so much and I was thankful that we were together again, even if he was only gone for a few days.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Our third little girl was 3 months old today, and the most precious little girl in the world, but I said that about all my kids, although, that didn't make it any less true. Emmeline was the perfect combination of Clary and I, which was something we didn't have yet, which was pretty surprising with 4 kids, but still true.

Minnie and Lacey loved her so much, and couldn't wait until she was old enough to play with them. Dean and Mason were pretty protective of her already. But they were like that with all of the girls in this family. Something they picked up from me, but I wasn't complaining.

The twins just recently turned 16, and they were both begging at any chance they could to go out driving, and Clary and I were so busy with the girls, and my games, that we just hired a guy to teach them, and it might have been the smartest investment I've ever put money into because I know I'd get annoyed with them after 5 minutes in the car. They both have terrible back seat driver syndrome and I drown them out with music half the time because it's so bad.

I was getting ready to hit the road again. We had a friendly in France this weekend and we leave tomorrow, and I really didn't want too, but this was my job, and it paid the bills, rather nicely I might add, and Clary knows that, but it doesn't make leaving suck any less. I'm thankful that she has the boys to help with the kids because I would truly feel awful leaving her with a 5 year old, a 3 year old and a 6 month old.

I walked downstairs into the living room where Minnie was passed out on the floor, Lacey was sleeping on a pile of pillows, Emmeline was in her little swing snoring like the little baby she was, and Clary was curled up on the couch barely keeping her eyes opened. I walked over to her and kneeled down in front of her.

"Take a nap babe." I said. "I'll watch over the kids and make dinner."

"But you're leaving tomorrow and you need to be rested for the game." She slurred out. That's how I knew she was truly tired.

"Even wonder woman needs a rest Clare." I said and she gave ma a sleepy smile. "I've got everything covered, and the boys should be home soon anyway. You just sleep and I'll take care of everything."

"You're the best." She said and I kissed her lips.

"That's all you baby." I said. I pulled a blanket over her and she finally closed her eyes, and not even 30 seconds later was she asleep.

Since it was still too early to start dinner, I started cleaning up the toys that were scattered around the house. I didn't think anyone but Clary could make my OCD skyrocket, but once we had kids, oh my god was I constantly on edge when they were playing. Toys were everywhere, and they rarely got cleaned up until the very end of the day, it drove me crazy. I finished putting the blocks away when I heard the front door open and in walked Mason, Dean, and a random face I didn't know.

"Shhhh." I said before they even got a chance to speak. "The girls are asleep."

"All of them?" Mason asked.

"Yes." I said and they nodded. "If you want to hang out, I suggest the basement." I said and they nodded. They started walking past me but I still didn't know who the third kid was. "Hold up." I said and they turned around. "Now, I knew I had twin sons, but I wasn't aware of the black haired boy. Did I adopt you and forget?" I asked and they all laughed.

"Dad, this is Charlie." Dean said. "My boyfriend."

"Oh." I said. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jace."

"I know who you are." Charlie said. "I'm a huge fan."

"Good to know." I said. "How did you two meet?" I asked since I didn't know Dean was interested in anyone.

"I just moved into the Idris school district." Charlie said. "Our schools played each other in soccer, and Dean was there watching." He explained. "At first I didn't notice him, because he was kinda hidden under the bleachers, but Mason came up to me after the game and was admiring my skill, and Dean came over and it just kinda took off from there."

"How long have you two been seeing each other?" I asked.

"2 months." Dean said. "Is the interrogation over?" He asked and I laughed.

"If you think this is bad, wait until your mother wakes up." I said and he groaned. "Get out of here. I'll get you when dinner is ready." I said and they all nodded before making their way down to the basement.

I started making dinner when I heard a whimper. I made my way out to the living room and Emmeline was awake and crying. I picked her up softly and started bouncing her around until she calmed down. I made my way back in to the kitchen, Emmeline resting on my shoulder, while I continued to cook dinner. I was going to miss this sweet chubby face when I was in France, but I was only going to be gone a couple days, and that's why I was reminding myself.

Dinner was finally done, and I went into the living room and kneeled in front of Clary and started rubbing her leg. Eventually she stirred awake and sat up. She rubbed her eyes and smiled and me and I gave her a sweet kiss.

"I think this little munchkin is hungry." I said and she nodded. I handed Emmeline to her, and she unbuttoned her shirt and started feeding her. I took this opportunity to wake the others up. "Minnie, Lacey, it's dinner time." I said and they both started to stir. They sat up, rubbed their eyes just like Clary and yawned. "Let's get you two into the kitchen." I said and they both stood up and started walking. I made my way to the basement and opened the door. "Dinner!" I called down and walked away. Clary was still feeding Emmeline, and Minnie and Lacey were now in the kitchen waiting for everyone.

"Oh my god!" I heard from behind me and there stood the three boys. "Warn a guy next time." He said and I looked at Clary.

"This isn't the first time she's breast fed in front of you." I reminded them.

"Yea, but we were younger at the time. We didn't really get it. Plus we have company." Mason said as he gestured to Charlie

"It's cool I have a 8 months old brother. I'm used to it." Charlie said.

I walked over to Clary and gave her a small blanket and she covered herself up nonetheless to make the boys more comfortable. The boys went into the kitchen and took their seats, and a few moments later Clary joined us, with a very happy Emmeline in her arms.

"So, you're new." Clary said as she looked at Charlie.

"Yes ma'am." He said and Clary smiled.

"Please, call me Clary." She said and he smiled and nodded. "Are you a friend of the boys?" She asked.

"Mom, this is my boyfriend." Dean said. "His name is Charlie."

"Oh. It's nice to meet you." She said with a smiled.

"You as well." Charlie said.

"Wait, he's your boyfriend?" Lacey asked Dean.

"Yes." Dean said.

"But aren't boys supposed to have girlfriends?" She asked.

"Not all boys like girls sweetheart." I said.

"Oh." She said. "Does that mean I can have a girlfriend?" She asked. "Boys are gross." She said and everyone laughed.

"You aren't allowed to date anyone until you're older." I said and she sighed.

"Okay." She said and I smiled. I looked at Dean and he seemed really relieved, which made my happy.

Like I predicted, Clary had a million questions for Charlie, and Dean just sat there and shook his head the entire time, but that didn't stop Clary one bit. Despite all the questions though, dinner went really well, and the conversation flowed nicely. I hated that I had to leave tomorrow, but like I kept reminding myself. It's only for a few days. When dinner was over, Emmeline was really fussy, so Clary went to go change her diaper and give her a bath. Minnie and Lacey went into the living room for their nightly movie, and since I cooked, I wasn't cleaning up.

"You two are on dish duty." I said as I pointed to Mason and Dean.

"I can't dad." Mason said. "I have to go FaceTime my partner in biology to get this stupid project done, and he can only use his computer from 7 until 7:35." Mason said.

"That's odd, but okay." I said and Mason ran up stairs.

"You're really going to make me do the dishes when I have a guest over?" Dean asked.

"I'll help you." Charlie said.

"You don't have to do the dishes. You're my guest." Dean said.

"I don't mind. My mom is a single mother now, so I do the dishes all the time at home." Charlie said and I smiled.

"I like him. Keep him around." I said and Dean blushed.

"Come on, the sooner we start, the sooner we finish." Charlie said. I made my way into the living room to set up the movie for the girls, which of course was Cinderella, like it is every other night. They were currently obsessed. After I got them settled in, I made my way upstairs to where Clary was. I walked into the girls bathroom, where Emmeline was splashing around in the tub and Clary was singing along to the song. I bent down next to her and kissed her cheek.

"Everything settled?" She asked.

"Yup. Cinderella is playing, Dean and Charlie are doing the dishes, and Mason is working on his homework." I explained.

"Charlie is doing the dishes?" She asked.

"Yup. He offered." I said.

"I like him." She said. "He's nice."

"He is, and Dean seems really happy." I said.

"You noticed that too?" She asked and I nodded. I looked over at Emmeline and gasped. "What's wrong?" Clary asked.

"Why is my daughter holding a blood thirsty beast?" I asked and Clary laughed.

"She loves her rubber ducky!" Clary said.

"It's horrifying." I said and she laughed, which caused Emmeline to giggle. "Ugh, she's so cute I just can't be mad at her."

"It's impossible isn't it?" Clary asked and I nodded. Clary finished her bath off, and picked her up out of the tub and put the towel around her and dried her off. I brought her into our room and laid her down on the bed and changed her. I put her I the little soccer onsie that I absolutely loved, and Clary and I made our way down to the living room with the girls.

Clary curled next to the girls, and I cuddled Emmeline close to me because I was going to miss her like crazy when I left, just like I was going to miss all my girls. We sat there and watched Cinderella until Dean and Charlie came out to the living room but they didn't sit down.

"It's time for me to head home, but I just wanted to say goodbye." Charlie said.

"It was nice meeting you." Clary said.

"You as well." Charlie smiled.

"We hope you come around more often." I said and he nodded.

"I'd like that, and good luck in your friendly this week." He said and I smiled even more.

"Now you really can't get rid of him Dean, or I'm going to be forced to adopt him. There is no other option." I said and Charlie laughed.

"Come on." Dean asked and he took Charlie's hand in his and led him from the room.

"I love embarrassing my kids." I said and Clary laughed.

"Take it easy on him." Clary said. "He's still adjusting to be out to us."

"But he's the first one to bring a boyfriend home." I said. "What fun is it if I can't make him uncomfortable every now and than?" I asked and she laughed.

"God help the boys these three bring home." Clary said and I glared at her.

"They aren't allowed to date until they're 30." I said and Clary laughed. "I'm serious Clare. I'm not allowing it."

"You say that now. But when they get older it'll be a whole different ball game." She said and I sighed and held Emmeline closer to me. I wasn't looking forward to my babies growing up. I wanted them to stay this young forever.

 **Time Jump – Game Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace's game was tonight, and although it was late, I allowed the kids to stay up. Since the game was in France, the time zones were all messed up for us, but I know the kids loved watching Jace play, and I couldn't deny them to watch this game. Charlie also joined us, and it was just so great to see Dean so happy, and it helped that Charlie and Mason were also really good friends.

Everyone was sitting in the living room and I was rocking Emmeline to sleep. She didn't know what was going on at all, since she's only 6 months old, I expected nothing less. Minnie and Lacey were sitting close to the TV watching Jace, and cheering him on. It was the cutest thing in the world. They loved watching him play, and I couldn't wait until they were older so we could take them to his games. They would be so incredibly happy when we got to do that.

"Oh shit." I heard and I was pulled out of my thoughts. I focused back on the TV where the game had stopped due to injury.

"Lets take another look at that." The announcer said, and a reply started.

"Jace." I said as I watched the replay. He was taken down roughly, and not getting back up.

"Mom, let me take Emmeline" Mason said and I handed her off to him. I sat on the edge of the couch waiting to see what was going to happen. It felt like forever before the medical team came out onto the field and carted Jace off. Jace has been hurt before in matches, but he normally got up afterwards, him not getting up was a sign that it was serious, and that scared the shit out of me. "Minnie, Lacey, I think it's time to go to bed."

"But daddy isn't done playing." Minnie said.

"Yes he is." Dean said. "He's hurt so he won't be playing anymore tonight."

"Is he going to be okay?" Lacey asked.

"Of course he is." Dean said. "Come on, lets go upstairs." Dean said and I saw Minnie and Lacey nod. Dean picked up Lacey, and Charlie grabbed Minnie and they headed upstairs.

"Mom?" I heard and I turned towards Mason. "He's going to be okay."

"I know honey." I said, but I didn't sound convincing.

"Mom, you know dad." He said. "Nothing can keep him off his feet."

"Thanks." I said. "I needed that pep talk." I said and he smiled.

"I'm going to go put her to bed." Mason said and I nodded. He kissed my cheek and headed upstairs to put Emmeline to bed. I just sat on the couch. I knew Jace was tough, but it looked really serious, and I don't think that I would sleep well until I heard from him, and as if he heard me, my phone started to ring. I picked it up immediately.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey babe." I heard Jace say.

"Oh my god, how are you?" I said feeling relieved.

"I've been better." He said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I tore my ACL." He said. "I was hit wrong, and it just snapped."

"I'm so sorry babe." I said and he sighed.

"It hurt like a bitch." He said.

"It looked painful." I said. "I was so worried."

"I'm sorry baby. I tried to suck it up, but I just couldn't." He said.

"What's going to happen now?" I asked.

"I'm coming home." He said. "I should be back sometime tomorrow, and than the team doctor is going to come over and evaluate and give his opinion on if I need surgery or just therapy." He explained.

"Okay." I said. "I'm glad I heard from you, I wouldn't have been able to sleep without hearing your voice." I told him and I heard him smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow baby. They gave me some pain medicine that's making me really tired." He said.

"Of course. I love you Jace." I said.

"I love you too Clary. Give the kids my love." He said.

"I will." I said.

"Bye baby." He said.

"Bye." I said and I hung up.

"Mom?" I heard and I turned around and there stood Charlie and Dean.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Was that dad?" He asked.

"Yea. He tore his ACL, and he's coming home tomorrow." I explained.

"That really sucks." Dean said. It was quiet for a minute before Charlie spoke.

"Mrs. Herondale, I know I'm still kinda new around here, considering I just met you the other day, but I just heard from my parents, and they can't pick me up tonight." He said and he sounded nervous.

"That's not a problem." I said. "Thank you for helping Dean with the kids."

"No problem." He said as he sounded more relaxed.

"Sleep well boys." I said and they nodded before heading back upstairs. i got up, turned the lights on, locked the front door and made my way up to my room. I got in bed and took a deep breath. Jace would be okay, he bounced back fast, and this wasn't the end. I kept repeating that in my head until I finally fell asleep.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

The kids wanted to stay home from school today so that they could be here when Jace got back, and I didn't have a problem with it. I knew they were worried about him, and them missing one school day wasn't going to kill their grades. It was actually really helpful too because Mason and Dean were in the living room watching over Minnie, Lacey, and Emmeline while I made lunch. It was nice not having to juggle everything by myself. Not that I minded, but it was also nice to be able to not panic when I heard something fall because I knew the boys would take care of it.

I heard the front door open, and when I walked out of the kitchen, I saw Jace crutching in. but he wasn't alone. Another man walked behind him, holding all of his things. He made his way over to the couch, and the other man placed his stuff down on the ground and turned towards me and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Alec." He said and I smiled.

"Nice to meet you Alec. I'm Clary." I said.

"The doctor said he would be over at about 1 to evaluate him, but for now he should ice his knee, and take some medicine so it doesn't inflame." He said and I nodded.

"Thanks for the instructions." I said and he smiled.

"It was the least I could do." Alec said. "I'm gonna head home Jace." Alec said and Jace turned his head.

"Of course. Thanks for the help man." Jace said. Alec smiled once more before walking out of the house. I went into the living room and Jace gave me a sad smile. I knew this was killing him, and it sucked that I couldn't do anything about it.

"Kids, lunch is in the kitchen." I said and they all nodded. Mason and Dean got the girls and made their way into the kitchen, so Jace, Emmeline and I were the only ones left in the living room. "Can I do anything for you?" I asked.

"A glass of water so I can take my medicine, a kiss because I missed you so much, and my little baby because I just need a good cuddle right now." He said and I smiled. I picked up Emmeline and handed her to Jace and pressed my lips to his.

"I love you." I said and he smiled.

"I love you too." He said and I smiled before heading into the kitchen to get him some water. The kids were at the table eating, and it was so nice that I didn't have to sit there and watch the girls because I had my boys there to help. I made it back into the living room where Jace was playing with Emmeline. She had the biggest smile on her face, and she was giggling like crazy.

"Here babe." I said and he grabbed the glass, and I handed him his medicine. For the first time in a long time, I didn't need to do anything. The boys were eating with the girls, Jace was taking care of Emmeline, and I was left with nothing. It was amazing. I just took a seat and sighed in happiness, which caused Jace to laugh.

It didn't last long though, because the doorbell rang and I had to get up. I groaned but pushed myself off the couch to go answer it. When I opened the door, behind it stood a rather tall man, who had a smirk on his face as he looked me up and down, something I didn't like one bit.

"I'm Sebastian. You must be Mrs. Herondale?" He asked.

"That's me. How can I help you?" I asked.

"I'm the teams doctor. I'm here to evaluate Jace." He said and I nodded. I motioned for him to come in and than closed the door. I led him into the living room where Jace was sitting.

"Jace. The doctor is here." I said and he turned around.

"Hey man." Jace said.

"How are you feeling?" Sebastian asked.

"I've been better. It's sore, but the medicine is really helping." Jace explained and Sebastian nodded.

"Well, let's take a look, and as cute as the kid is, I think you should hand her over to the equally, if not cuter, mother." Sebastian said with a smirk on his face as he winked at me, which I really didn't like now.

"I'll just be in the kitchen." I said as I took Emmeline from Jace.

"Pity." Sebastian said and I left before he could say anything else. I walked in and Dean and Mason were cleaning up and Minnie and Lacey were sitting quietly on the chairs.

"Girls, daddy is getting looked at by the doctor, so if you want to play you have to go to your room okay?" I said and they nodded.

"Can we be excused?" Lacey asked.

"Of course." I said. "Dean, will you go up and watch them?" I asked and he nodded before they all left the kitchen. Emmeline was starting to fuss, and I knew it was probably because she was tired, but I knew that Jace was going to want her to be with him no matter what when the doctor left. Mason and I made our way into the living room where I put Emmeline in her swing and turned it on. It lulled her to sleep in a heartbeat.

"Well Jace, I hate to be the barer of bad news, but it's not looking good." Sebastian said and my heart broke. "As much as I'd love for you to just go into PT, I think surgery is a better option if you ever want to play again."

"When can I get it done?" Jace asked.

"Find a surgeon, and schedule it." Sebastian said. "The sooner the better." He said and Jace nodded. Sebastian than looked at me and smiled. "But make sure you continue to take the medicine so it doesn't inflame even more, you'll make sure he stays on top of it won't you sweetheart?" He said to me and I was about to say something when Mason stopped me.

"She's married." He said which almost caused me to laugh. "You did your job, now leave."

"Protective." Sebastian said as he packed his medical bag up. "Let us know when you decide to get the surgery, and we'll start getting your PT schedule worked out." He said and he left.

"I'll walk you out." Mason said, and I was thankful for that because I certainly didn't want to do it.

"I hate that guy." Jace said once he left the room. I laughed and sat next to him.

"He's gone now." I said and Jace nodded. "Should we start looking for surgeons?" I asked and Jace sighed.

"Yea. The sooner I get it fixed, the sooner I can get back out there." He said and I nodded. "On the bright side, I can help out a lot more around here without having to leave to play."

"But we both know that you'd rather be out on the pitch playing." I said.

"I'm not going to lie. Soccer is my job, and it sucks that I have to sit out from it for who knows how long, but I'll be nice to just take a back seat, heal, and bond with my kids. Especially that little princess over there." Jace said as he motioned towards Emmeline.

"Do you want her?" I asked and Jace nodded. I went over to her and picked her up. Thankfully she was a really good sleeper, so I didn't wake her up. I handed her to Jace and once he had her in his arms, she curled into his chest and continued sleeping.

"Man that guy is a jerk." Mason said as he came back into the living room.

"I can always ask if I can have the other team doctor." Jace said. "I've never been a fan of his."

"Well, I kinda don't want him to come back to the house." I admitted. "He creeped me out."

"That's because he's a creep." Mason said. "Flirting with you in your own home, right in front of your husband. Who does that?"

"He's gone, so we don't need to worry about it now." I said. "Now, you have practice today, are you going to go?" I asked Mason.

"I probably should." He said.

"Okay. I'm going to put Minnie down for her nap, and tell Lacey to come down here." I said. "You should probably start getting ready." I told Mason and he nodded. I went upstairs and surprisingly I saw Dean putting Minnie in her bed, and that caused me to smile. "Pssst!" I said and Lacey looked at me. "Go downstairs and join daddy, but be quiet because Emmeline is sleeping." I said and she nodded and ran downstairs. I walked out of her room and Dean followed. "Do you have anything going on today that you need to be somewhere for?" I asked him.

"No. I was going to hang out with Charlie after he got done practice but that won't be until like 5." He said and I nodded.

"Okay. In the mean time, can you, you know never mind. Just relax." I said.

"Are you sure? Cause I'll do whatever you need me to do." He said and I smiled.

"I'm sure. Just relax." I said and he nodded. I made my way downstairs where Lacey was sitting next to Jace with her head resting on his arm. "Cinderella?" I asked her and she nodded so I put it on for her. I'm impressed I couldn't recite this whole movie by heart by now, that's how much we watch it.

"Mom." I heard and Mason was standing there. "I need to go. Coach needs to talk to me before practice."

"What did you do?" I asked and he laughed.

"Nothing." He said. "At least, I don't think I did anything." He explained and I nodded.

"Okay. Go out to the car. I'll be right there." I said and he walked out of the house. "I'll be back soon." I said to Jace as I kissed him.

"Love you." He said.

"Love you too." I said as I walked out to the car to take Mason to practice. Having Jace home would be amazing, but I was hoping that this surgery worked and he got back out on that pitch sooner rather than later.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Post Surgery**

 **Jace POV:**

My PT was going really well, and I was getting my strength back relatively easily. Thankfully it was a complete tear, and I was ready to get back in to playing full games, and just continuing on in the career that I love. Don't get me wrong, I've loved being home, and hanging out with my kids and Clary, but a part of my heart will always belong to soccer. I would never be able to change that.

I was coming home from my check up with the team doctor, and they were impressed with my recovery so far, and that was really encouraging to hear. It was the middle of the after noon, so I knew the girls would mostly likely be sleeping, and that Dean would be home. Mason would still be at practice. I walked in the house and when I made my way to the living room Dean and Charlie were making out on the couch.

"At least pay attention to the noises around you." I said and they broke apart. "No father wants to see their child making out with their significant other."

"Sorry dad." Dean said and I laughed.

"At least you can't get anyone pregnant." I said and Dean looked horrified. "Mason on the other hand I have to keep an eye out for." I said and Charlie laughed, but Dean just looked embarrassed. "Where is your mother?"

"Minnie threw up and when mom checked her temperature it was like 103." Dean said. "She took her right to the hospital."

"Where is Emmeline and Lacey?" I asked.

"Emmeline is sleeping, and Lacey is in her room." Dean said.

"Okay, I'm going to go to the hospital." I said and Dean nodded. "Call or text me if you need anything."

"Will do." Dean said. I grabbed my keys and got back in my car and headed towards the hospital. I walked in and went to the nurses station since I had no idea where they were.

"How can I help you?" She asked.

"I'm looking for Minerva Herondale." I said.

"Relationship?" She asked.

"Father." I said.

"Minerva Herondale is in room 110." She said. I nodded and started making my way to the room, and when I walked in Minerva was asleep and Clary was sitting in the chair next to her looking upset.

"Clary." I said and she looked back towards me.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Dean told me Minnie got really sick. I drove right here." I said as I walked into the room. "How is she?"

"The doctor gave her some medicine to help lower the fever, and they had to put an IV in to hydrate her. Thankfully the medicine made her sleepy. She's been asleep for about an hour." She explained.

"Why didn't you call?" I asked.

"I was going too, but everything was just happening so fast, and I was worried about her. I guess it just slipped my mind." She said honestly.

"How are you doing?" I asked her.

"I hate when my babies are sick." She said and I could tell that she was upset.

"She's going to be okay babe." I said and she nodded. I picked her up and sat in her chair while I put her on my lap.

"She's just so helpless." Clary said. "I can't do anything for her."

"You brought her here. That was the best thing you could do for her." I said.

"I guess." She said.

"Trust me babe, she's right where she needs to be, and that's all thanks to you." I said as I kissed her forehead and she nodded before resting her head on my shoulder. We sat there and watched our daughter sleep. I eventually felt Clary fall asleep, and when the doctor walked in, I didn't bother to wake her up.

"I'm assuming you're the father?" She asked and I nodded. "Minerva can be released after we remove the IV which will happen when that bag is empty." She said. "I'm going to give you some medicine that should really help lower that fever quicker. But make sure she stays hydrated until that fever breaks."

"Of course. Thank you." I said and she smiled and nodded before leaving the room. I looked at the bag and it was half full still so we were going to be here for a little while longer so I decided to call Dean.

"Hello?" He said after a few rings.

"Hey, we might be here for another hour or so." I said. "You're on your own for dinner. There is breast milk in the freezer for Emmeline, just thaw it and warm it up, and make sure Lacey eats everything on her plate. She's been avoiding her veggies lately." I explained.

"Of course." Dean said. "How is Minnie?" He asked.

"She's asleep. They're hydrating her, and giving us some medicine that should help lower her fever." I said.

"That's good." Dean said.

"Yea. So we'll see you when we get home." I said.

"Okay. Bye dad." Dean said.

"Bye." I said and I hung up.

"Who was that?" I heard Clary ask as she stirred in my lap.

"Dean. I told him he was on his own for dinner." I said. "We get to leave once the IV is out." I said and she nodded. "I'll stop and pick us up something for dinner once we leave here so you don't have to cook when we get home."

"You're the best." She said and I kissed her forehead.

"I still think that's you." I said and I felt her smile.

When Minnie was finally released, I was so happy that she got to go home and lay in her own bed, or at least be in her own home. She was incredibly tired still, so Clary carried her out of the car. She strapped her in and closed the door and turned back to me.

"I'll meet you at home. I'm just going to pick up some Taki's for us." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you for coming here." She said and I kissed her.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." I said. She got in her car and drive around. I made my way to Taki's and picked up the usual for Clary and I. when I got home, Minnie was cuddled on the couch sleeping, Dean was sitting on the couch rubbing her back, Lacey was playing with her dollhouse, Emmeline was in her swing sleeping, and Mason wasn't around. "Dinner is served." I said as I placed it on the kitchen table.

"You're the best." Clary said as she started grabbing the food out of the bag.

The rest of the night was pretty calm. Minnie was pretty mellow after she woke up, and didn't move from the couch, which was understandable. Lacey wanted to watch Cinderella yet again, so we did. Emmeline spent the rest of the night in my arms, and Mason and Dean went out to hang with some friends. It was a pretty chill night, and something that I was really going to miss when I got back to work, but I was going to soak as much as it up as I could before that happened.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was naptime in the house. Minnie and Emmeline were asleep, Mason and Dean were out with friends, and Lacey was at a birthday party, so I had some down time. I took advantage of that, curled up on the couch and continued to read a book that I should have been done months ago but never had the time.

When the front door opened, I looked up to see Jace make his way over to me with the biggest smile on his face. He gave me a kiss and took a seat next to him. I closed my book and faced him with an equal smile on my face.

"Good news?" I asked because I knew he just got done with a check up from the team doctor.

"I can start playing again." He said. "I won't be playing the full 90 minutes, but it's a step in the right direction."

"I'm so proud of you." I said and he smiled.

"Before I get back to the national level, I'm going to try to play a couple games with my club team." He said. "I figured it was better to test the waters with the Galaxy than with the national team."

"I'm still proud of you." I said.

"I feel like I'm ready, but I haven't been in a game yet, so we'll see." He said.

"I believe in you." I said and he pulled me into his lap.

"That's all I'll ever need." He said before he kissed me. Since we were the only ones home, we took advantage of alone time. But of course, all good things must come to an end, and that was what kids were for.

"Gross." We heard and we turned around to see Mason and Dean standing there with their friends.

"What?" Jace asked.

"Nobody, and I mean absolutely nobody wants to see their parents making out. It's just disgusting." Mason said.

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Jace said.

"Especially in front of guests." Dean added.

"I think it would be weirder if they were older." One of their friends said and Mason and Dean looked at him.

"Not helping dude." They said in unison, and he held his hands up in surrender.

"What's up boys?" I asked.

"Well, a girl from our school invited us to a get together tonight." Mason said.

"We weren't born yesterday you know." Jace said. "You can say party."

"Okay, she invited us to a party, and we were wondering if we could go." Dean said.

"Sure. Curfew is midnight." I said.

"Wait, seriously?" Mason said and I laughed.

"If you thought we'd say no, why'd you ask?" Jace said.

"I guess we were hoping." Dean said.

"Look, if we said no, I can guess with like 99% accuracy that you'd sneak out of this house and go anyway." Jace explained. "At least this way, we know where you're going."

"Cool." Mason said.

"One condition though." I said.

"Whatever you want." Dean and Mason said in unison.

"You have to pick Lacey up from the Hanson's house at 4:30." I said.

"Done." Mason said.

"And will you be here for dinner?" I asked.

"We don't have to be if you don't want to cook for that many people." Dean said.

"I was honestly just going to order pizza tonight. I'm too lazy to cook today." I said and everyone laughed.

"Than we'll be here." Dean said. I nodded and than I heard Emmeline crying through the baby monitor.

"I was hoping naptime would last longer." I sighed.

"I'll get her." Jace said as he picked me up and put me down on the couch.

"Thank you." I said and he kissed me once again.

"Come on boys, lets go to the basement." Mason said and the boys nodded and disappeared. When Jace returned with Emmeline, she was nothing but smiles, but she was always that way with Jace. No matter what. He took a seat on the couch and I continued to read my book. It felt nice not having to be super mom all the time, although I did love my title.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today Jace was being honored for his 100th cap for the national team. To say I was proud would be an understatement. He came back from his injury stronger than ever, and has been dominating the world of men's soccer. I knew a torn ACL wouldn't get him down, and I saw how much work he put in to become an even better athlete. He was extremely determined and dedicated, and for that alone I was super proud.

Since he was being honored, we were all at the field to accompany him. Emmeline was now a year and a half old, so she was still pretty clueless, but happy simply because Jace was there. out of the three girls, she has been the biggest daddy's girl, but Jace was so wrapped around her little finger, I couldn't blame her. He spoiled her the most, and she knew it.

We were currently standing off to the side waiting to be asked to make our way onto the field. I was holding Emmeline in my arms, Dean was holding onto Minnie, and Mason was holding onto Lacey. Jace was standing at center field, and his jersey was being displayed while the coach of the national team stood with him.

"Today we celebrate the incredibly accomplishment of Jace Herondale making his 100th cap in his international career." The announcer said and the stadium started to roar. "Jace is accompanied here today with his family." He said and we were cued to make our way over to him. "Wife Clary, his twin sons Dean and Mason, and his three daughters Minnie, Lacey, and Emmeline." He announced and we got over to Jace who gave me a kiss. "Well folks, that's one good looking family." The announcer said and I couldn't help but laugh. "Congratulations on your 100th cap Jace, and we look forward to your future in the game of soccer." The announcer finished and Jace waved to the fans and the crowd went crazy. We were instructed that our picture was going to be taken, so Dean and Mason stood by Jace's side, and Jace put his arms around them, I stood in front of him with Emmeline still in my arms, while Minnie stood in front of Dean, and Lacey standing in front of Mason. We stood there and smiled as they snapped our pictures. When it was over, we were told to make our way back to our seats, which were in the front at center field. I gave Jace a kiss, and he kissed his girls before we were ushered off the field. We sat there and watched Jace do what he loves doing the most, and I couldn't get the smile off my face. I was incredibly proud of everything he's achieved, and everything we've achieved together. Our life together was surreal, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So this was a one shot that popped into my head and I just needed to write it. I've been having a hard time coming up with a story that I want to write from your requests, although they are all wonderful! But I wanted to give you something, and I hope you all enjoy it! I am also working on another one that popped into my head, but after that I promise I'll get back to writing from your suggestions! Please let me know what you think and keep requesting! :)**

 **Also, I'm still not sure if I should stop at 100 stories! Let me know what you think! And if I should! :)**


	90. Chapter 89 - Dirty Dancing

**Eighty Ninth One Shot:**

 **Dirty Dancing**

 **Jace POV:**

It has been a couple years since I've been back to this place. And to tell you the truth, I wasn't looking forward to coming back. I've been coming here for as long as I can remember, it was something my parents loved doing, but something I had loathed since I was about 14 years old. I wanted to spend my summer vacation with my friends, not stuck in a tacky 80's adult summer camp place. Okay, summer camp wasn't this elite, but still. We spent the whole summer here, my parents got together with a lot of their rich friends here, and got to drink and golf as much as they wanted, but there were rarely any kids here my age. Since the summer before my freshman year in high school I ended up getting out of it by getting a job, one that wouldn't let me take any vacation time. When I got to college, I found a job in America, where I went to school, and just decided to spend my summers there with some friends. But this year, I wasn't as lucky. My parents really wanted me to come this year, claiming that they had really done wonders for the place, there are more youths, and there are many doctors here that I could speak with, and potentially get a job when I graduate school. Don't get me wrong, studying medicine was fascinating, but it was always going to be my future, my dad was a doctor, so I was going to be a doctor, and there was no discussing it.

Which brings me to where I am now. In a car with my parents, on our way to Alicante Resorts. I was actually dreading this summer, but there was nothing that I could do about it. I needed my parents help with paying for my education, we may be well off, but I couldn't pay for college myself, and once I start my own career and have to do my internship, I won't have the time to come back here, so I might as well appease them now.

We pulled up to the cabin we'd be staying in and I had to admit, they did do a lot of redecorating, which made it a lot easier to look at. We grabbed our bags and headed inside. Everything was updated, which was nice, I couldn't stand sitting on another leather couch, and smelling soap that my grandmother would use. I went straight to my room, and started unpacking. I was lost in my own head until I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." I said and in walked my dad.

"Dinner is in 30 minutes. Since it's the first night, there is a whole production. I think you'll like it." He said with a smile.

"I'll be out in a minute." I said.

"It's casual, but no white shirt and leather jacket. Wear a nice shirt, and pants without holes please." He said and I nodded. I looked down at my dark jeans that had a bunch of holes and sighed. I liked my look, and I hated dressing like I was something else, but these people had expectations, and I was supposed to follow them, and I wasn't particularly thrilled about it.

I got changed and walked out to join my parents. They were dressed to the nines, but than again, they always were. We headed over to the dinning hall, and all I wanted was some alcohol and some good food and I'd be pleased. When we got in there, we took a seat at the table with another couple. They were about my parent age, and they had a son about my age. He was the typical rich boy who wore polo and expensive shoes. Someone who I never wanted to be, and was glad my parents didn't push that on me.

The lights kinda dimmed, and music started and I guess this was the show my father was talking about. I turned in my chair slightly and the most beautiful redhead caught my eyes. She was incredibly short, and not insanely filled out, but her proportions were perfect to her body, and everything about her was captivating. She met in the middle of the floor with another boy. He was much taller than her, and they started dancing. After some time, others joined in but I was solely focused on her. She was amazing, and beautiful, and alluring. She looked young, but not necessarily innocent, which only made me want to know her more.

When the show was over, they all bowed and made their way out of the dinning hall, and I wasn't going to lie, I was upset that she was leaving. I turned my attention back towards the table where the adults started talking.

"I'm so glad they started the dancing lessons here." The older woman said. "It brings a fresh and youthful vibe to this place. Don't you think?" She asked.

"Completely." My mom agreed. "Especially for someone like me who has two left feet." She laughed and so did everyone else.

"And Clary is absolutely gifted at making those two left feet look like they know what they're doing." The woman said. Clary, even her name was beautiful.

"That she does, but I wish they looked into dancers who weren't as rough around the edges. She's good at her craft, but just isn't up to the sophistication of an establishment like this." My mom said and everyone nodded in agreement, but I couldn't disagree more. I didn't even know her, but I knew she wasn't trailer trash like my mom made her out to sound.

We ate dinner with light conversation, and thankfully when the other couple asked about what I'm studying in college, my father went off explaining what I wanted to do, and what area of specialty I was going to focus in, and where I was going to do my residency at. He was in full doctor mentor mode, but I didn't mind because I wasn't even sure what I wanted to do in the field, and what my dad was saying wasn't set in stone, but he definitely sounded sure of himself, which was something I wouldn't be able to do.

When we were finished dinner, I told them that I wanted to take a walk to familiarize myself with the grounds since I haven't been here in years, and they were all for. I was walking silently, I felt an arm drape over my shoulder.

"Can I help you?" I asked in an unenthusiastic tone.

"We didn't get to talk much at dinner." He said. "I'm Simon."

"Jace." I said.

"Your parents talked about you often, but I never thought you'd ever come around here." He said.

"It has been a few years." I said. "I thought I'd please my parents and come back."

"Understandable. When they redecorated it brought more youthfuls here." He said. "It really helped with the attendance."

"You mean young kids didn't want to play badminton and bridge in their free time?" I said and he laughed.

"It's shocking I know, but once they updated, and added the dance class, people were more willing to bring their kids." He said and I just nodded not knowing what to say. "So, your dad said you were going to school to be a doctor."

"Yup." I said. I really wanted to walk around alone.

"He said you wanted to specialize in plastics. Is that true?" He asked.

"That's what my dad changed his specialty to after about 15 years in trauma." I said. "I guess he has this idea that he wants me to follow in his footsteps."

"And you don't want to do plastics?" He asked.

"I still have time to declare a specialty. I'm waiting to dip my toes in everything to see what I like." I said because it was the best excuse I could come up with.

"Makes sense. I'm studying to be a lawyer. But I don't know what type of law I want to specialize in." He said and I just nodded.

"Look, I don't want to come off as rude, but I took this walk because I wanted to be alone." I said.

"Totally get it." He said and I nodded. I looked in front of me and there was Clary walking with the black haired boy she was dancing with earlier. They were laughing and walking up a path through the woods. "Fine piece of ass she is." Simon said. "I've been trying to get with her since she started here, but she's playing hard to get."

"Maybe if you didn't refer to her as a 'fine piece of ass' she'd be more willing to give you the time of day." I suggested. I knew his method wasn't going to work considering I used to have the same mindset before. Lots of hook ups, but never serious relationships.

"She's used to it." He said, and it really pissed me off that he was just dismissing how sexist he sounded. I looked back up and they had disappeared into the woods fully now, but I wanted to see where they were going.

"Well, nice talking, but I'm going to continue my walk." I said and Simon turned around and left. I sighed, shook my head and made my way up the hill that I had just saw Clary go up. It was pretty quiet, and there was nothing as I walked up this path, until I saw a cabin, but it was a lot bigger than the cabins that we stayed in, and I could hear music. I made my way over to it, and when I got to the door, I opened it and there were a ton of people dancing.

I looked around, and tried to find the redheaded beauty that caught my attention so effortlessly. I hadn't found her yet, but in between looking for her, I was watching the people dance. They were bumping and grinding, but not like you find at a high school prom. Their movements were deliberate, and practiced. Something only professionals really did. They moved to the rhythm of the music perfectly, and I had to admit, I was mesmerized.

"This cabin is for employees only." I heard and when I turned around there stood a tall man, maybe an inch shorter than me, with eyeliner thicker than most of my ex's, and cat like eyes, which I assumed were contacts.

"I'm sorry. I was taking a walk, and I heard the music." I said because I really didn't want to get in trouble and annoy my parents. I want to make it through this vacation without getting lectured.

"Amazing isn't it?" He said, the fact that I was not an employee completely forgotten.

"They're all really good." I said as my eyes finally landed on the redhead I was searching for.

"I see you have eyes for our fearless leader." He said and I looked at him. "She's the best dancer I've ever seen, and I've been around the dance world since I was 15."

"How did you end up here?" I asked.

"When I was 23 I tore a tendon in my leg." He said. "I had surgery, and when I was finished with rehab I wasn't up to my previous standards. I was touring with Selena Gomez at the time, and I didn't want to be a burden, so I told her that it was my time to hang up my dancing shoes."

"And now you're here?" I asked.

"I can't seem to give it up." He said. "It's in my blood. I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't dancing."

"There are plenty of careers out there that you could explore." I said. "A lot of other creative options."

"I know, I dabble in photography, which is what I do part time here." He said and I nodded. "But dance will always be my true passion." He explained and I nodded. "I'm Magnus by the way."

"Jace." I said and he nodded.

"Well, feel free to hang out and learn a thing or two about our world." He said and I laughed.

"I thought this cabin was for employees only?" I asked and he smiled and winked at me.

"I won't tell if you won't." He said and than he disappeared in to the crowd. I went back to looking for the redhead but she was no longer on the dance floor. I looked around for a moment to see if I could find her, but she was nowhere in my line of vision.

"You lost pretty boy?" I heard from behind me and when I turned around there she was, and I had to say, she was even more gorgeous up close.

"Nope. Just thought I'd follow the music." I said and she smiled.

"I've never seen you around here before." She said.

"Yea, I stopped coming a couple years ago, but my parents have been asking me for almost a year to come this summer, so I thought I'd let them have their way." I explained. "How long have you been here?" I asked.

"This is my 3rd summer here." She said. "I started right after high school." She explained.

"That's a nice summer job. Gives you a nice break between school." I said.

"I don't go to school anymore." She said. "I do this in the summers, and I take up other forms of dance the rest of the seasons to get by."

"Other forms?" I asked as I raised my eyebrow and she laughed.

"I teach a hip hop class at the local dance studio where I live." She said and I nodded. "And I've done a few burlesque shows in the past." She said and I had to admit, I was impressed. "And I've even gotten desperate that I've turned to pole dancing, which started out as me doing it as a workout, but I got really good, and hell if I can make money, why not?" She said and I laughed.

"Sounds like you live an entertaining life." I said.

"Most would go with unstable, but I like entertaining more." She said with a smile. "Makes it sound intentional."

"I'm Jace by the way." I said and she smiled.

"Clary." She said. "So, you look around my age, you in college?" She asked and I smiled.

"Oh yea." I said. "It would have been a great sin if I didn't attend college."

"Sounds terrible." She said. "Not getting a choice."

"I knew I always wanted to go to college. I love learning." I explained. "I just wish I could have picked my own major."

"Let me guess." She said. "Following in your fathers footsteps?" She asked and I nodded.

"I'll be the fifth generation to be Dr. Herondale." I said.

"Wow." She said. "That sounds like a lot of pressure." She said.

"It's not all bad." I admitted. "I actually do find medicine a fascinating subject, and I enjoy learning all about it." I said. "But having a choice would have been nice as well."

"Choices are always nice." She said and I nodded.

"So, you and your partner are really good." I finally said and she smiled.

"He's an absolutely brilliant dancer." She said. "I'm lucky he came here. My first partner here was an absolutely nightmare."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Let's just say he liked to…..cop a feel during our performances, and I couldn't react." She said.

"And you don't have a problem with your new partner?" I asked.

"Nope. But I think that as more to do with he isn't attracted to me in the slightest." She said.

"How can he not be? You're beautiful." I said involuntarily. I looked at her and she smiled and blushed.

"Let's just say women in general aren't his type." She further explained and than it got it. "Plus, he's too much of gentleman to do that anyway. My first partner was a perv, Alec is the sweetest guy I've ever met, plus he's happily in love already."

"Good for him." I said and she nodded.

"It really is. According to his sister, he was scared to death to come out, and he thought his parents would disown him, which he wasn't wrong about, but Izzy took a stand with him, and they both left." She explained. "They saw that we were looking for dancers, and I was blown away by their talent that I couldn't not request them to be put on board. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made."

"That's awesome." I said.

"Plus, Izzy and I are best friends, roommates even, and Alec found Magnus and fell head over heels in love with him." She said.

"Wait, eyeliner guy with cat eyes?" I asked.

"You know him?" She asked surprised.

"Just met him tonight." I said. "Seems really nice."

"He's fabulous too." She said. "We have incredible dancers here."

"I can see that." I said as I gestured to the room.

"Wanna learn a few moves?" She asked and I looked at her.

"I don't know." I said honestly. "I'm not much of a dancer."

"Come on." She said as she took my hand and a spark ran through me. "I'd really simple." She said and I just let her drag me onto the dance floor. She pressed our bodies together, and she started swaying. At first I was thrown off, because I've never danced like this before, but after a minute of two I started getting the hang of it, and I realized that I didn't want that moment to end, but when the song finally stopped, and people started to leave I realized that it was late, and that I should probably head home.

"Thanks for the lesson." I said to Clary and she smiled.

"You aren't bad." She said. "Just takes you a little time to get comfortable."

"Will I see you around?" I asked.

"Dance classes are every day at 3 o'clock." She said. "Stop by sometime."

"I might have to do that." I said and she smiled. I left the cabin and couldn't get the smile off my face the whole walk back. Maybe coming this summer was the smartest move I've ever done, because getting to know Clary, was going to be a great thing. I knew it.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

This summer has definitely been different than the others. Jace actually took me up on my offer, and has been showing up to some of the dance classes, with his mother, which I thought was sweet. He might not have been that good of a dancer, but his mother was definitely worse, but it was really sweet to see them doing something together. Made me wish I still had parents so I could do things like that.

After our dinner show, we were all heading back towards the cabin to let loose. We didn't do it every night, simply because that would be tiring, but we made sure we did it at least once a week. We weren't allowed to dance the way we wanted to when it came to the classes, so this was our time to test out the new dance move that's been stuck in your head, or try that song out and see how much you could do with it. It was something every dancer needed to do, and I loved doing it with the people who meant the most to me. I was getting my stuff together to leave when I heard a throat clear behind me.

"What's up?" I asked and he smiled.

"I was wondering if we could hang out tonight." He said, and he sounded nervous which was something I didn't associate him with.

"Well, all the dancers are getting together again tonight." I said. "You wanna join?" I asked and he smiled.

"I'd love to." He said and I smiled. I slung my bag over my shoulder and we walked out of the dinning hall. He was incredibly easy to talk to, and just an overall nice guy. Everything felt natural, and I liked that.

 **Simon POV:**

I watched as Jace and Clary walked up the hill. I mean, what does she even see in that prick? He isn't even that nice, and he looks like he's trying to be something he's not. He isn't right for her, I am. By the end of this summer she was going to see that. I didn't know how exactly, but she was going to see it. I was walking back to my cabin when I felt someone's hand on my arm, when I turned around, there stood Izzy.

"What do you want?" I spat at her.

"We need to talk." She said.

"About?" I asked.

"I told you I was pregnant a week ago." She said and I rolled my eyes. "Are you ever going to own up to it?"

"You're a whore Isabelle." I simply said. "I don't even know if that things mine." I said and her eyes widened.

"You're kidding right?" She asked. "I haven't had sex with anyone else since we started hooking up at the beginning of the summer."

"How do I know that's true?" I asked. "Look, I want nothing to do with that thing." I said. "Leave me alone." I said and she gave me an unpleasant look, but walked away. Thank god. I continued walking back to my cabin when something hit me. Jace would certainly be kicked out of this resort if he broke in and stole someone's property. But how was I going to convince them that he was the one who did it. That was the hard part, but I could figure it out. I know I can.

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I were dancing when Izzy broke through the doors with tears streaming down her face. Izzy rarely cried, so seeing her like that was hard. She ran to the back, but I couldn't not do anything so I followed her. When I finally caught up to her, she was balled up on the floor crying her eyes out. I kneeled in front of her and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Izzy, what happened?" I asked in a calming voice.

"I'm – I -…" She stuttered as she wiped her eyes. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh Iz." I said.

"He wants nothing to do with the baby." She said. "I confronted him, and he called me a whore."

"You know that's not true." I reassured her.

"Doesn't make it hurt any less." She said. "I'm in no place to raise a baby."

"I think the best thing to do right now would be to get evaluated by a doctor." I said and she nodded.

"I don't have that kind of money." She said.

"My dad's a doctor." Jace said from behind us, and I momentarily forgot that he was here. "He can examine you."

"I don't want this whole place finding out." Izzy said.

"Confidentiality if a huge role in being a doctor." Jace explained. "If he wants to keep his credibility, he won't breath a word to anyone."

"Do you think he could come here now?" I asked.

"Let me go get him." Jace said before running out. I looked back at Izzy and smiled.

"You're going to be okay." I said. "But you have to tell Alec."

"He's going to be so disappointed in me." Izzy said and I hugged her.

"No he won't. He's going to support you, just like you supported him." I said and she nodded. We sat there, and I rocked her back and forth trying to calm her down until I heard the door open again and in walked Jace and his father.

"This the girl?" He asked as he gestured towards me.

"No sir." I said. "This is her." I said as I pointed to Izzy.

"Okay. I'm going to have you two step out of the room so we can talk." He said and I nodded. I kissed Izzy's on the temple and Jace and I left the room together.

"Thank you." I said to Jace and he pulled me into a hug. I guess he could tell I needed it.

"It was no problem." He said and I nodded into his chest. His arms were the only thing keeping me sane right now. I wasn't a very empathetic person by nature, and maybe that had to do with the way I was raised, and the environment I grew up in, but when it came to my friends, what they felt, I felt. And I knew Izzy was scared, and that made me scared.

 **Time Jump – An Hour Later**

 **Jace POV:**

When my dad finally came out of the room, I was thrilled. He spent a long time in there, and I thought Clary was going to lose her mind if she didn't get to see Izzy soon. We both stood up in front of my dad and he looked at me first, with disappointment, and than at Clary.

"Your friend is progressing quite well in her pregnancy. She'll need a proper appointment to get more information, but as far as I can tell, she's healthy." He said and Clary nodded. "You can go in now." He said. Clary looked back at me and smiled.

"Thank you." She said. "Both of you." She said and I nodded and so did my father before disappearing in the room to see Izzy. My father started walking away, and I followed. The walk was silent until he stopped in front of our cabin and looked at me.

"I don't want you associating yourself with them Jonathan." He said.

"But dad…."

"No buts Jonathan." He cut me off. "You have a promising future. I don't want you getting involved with that riff raff." He said.

"Just because they're different, doesn't mean they're below us." I said and he glared at me.

"You're going to be an amazing plastic surgeon Jonathan. That girl and her friends are going to single mothers with no college education." He said.

"I don't want to specialize in plastics dad." I finally said.

"Why not?" He asked seeming upset.

"Because I'm not going to walk in your shadow." I said. "I'm only studying medicine because you want me too." I admitted. "And if I stick with it, I won't also be forced into a specialty by you too."

" _If_ you stick with it?" He asked.

"Yes." He said. "I've been thinking lately, maybe I'm more passionate about something else."

"And what might that be?" He asked in a judgmental tone. "You want to be a deviant creative like those goons in there?" He asked as he pointed in the direction of the cabin.

"I don't know dad." I said honestly. "But coming here has opened my eyes to a lot of things. I'm 21 years old. I can think for myself."

He simply shook his head and walked away. I knew he was disappointed in that, but I didn't care. I have done everything he's always wanted me to do. I played sports in high school, I was on the debate team, I was in the student counsel, I volunteered on weekends when I could, I went to church with my mother every Sunday. But I'm my own person, and I needed to start standing up for myself.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"You still haven't told Alec?" I asked Izzy.

"I can't do it Clare. He's going to be so disappointed in me." She said.

"You won't know until you tell him." I pointed out. "Alec deserves to know."

"What do I deserve to know?" We heard and when we turned around there stood Alec. We just started at him. "Uh guys, what do I deserve to know?" He asked again.

"Uh…." I said as I looked at Izzy. I wasn't going to be the one to tell him. That was Izzy's responsibility.

"I've been looking for other jobs." Izzy said and I rolled my eyes. "I don't want to work here anymore."

"Why not? You love dancing, and this place is perfect for that." Alec said.

"Just not my scene anymore." Izzy said.

"I swear Isabelle Lightwood." I said and she looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Will someone please tell me the truth?" Alec asked.

"If you don't Izzy, I will." I said and she sighed and hung her head.

"I'm pregnant." Izzy finally said.

"I'm sorry, I thought I just heard you say you were pregnant." Alec said and Izzy just nodded her head. "Oh Iz." Alec said as he walked over and hugged her.

"You aren't disappointed in me?" She asked and I saw Alec smile.

"I'm shocked that's for sure, but you know I'll always love you no matter what." Alec said and I felt like I could literally see the anxiety released from Izzy's body.

"It's so good to hear you say that." Izzy said.

"Who is the father?" Alec asked.

"Uh, just some guy who is a guest here." Izzy said. She was really reluctant to telling anyone who the father was.

"There you all are." We heard from behind us and there stood Magnus. "I was getting worried."

"Sorry Mags." Alec said and he smiled and walked over and kissed his cheek.

"No problem darling. Is everything okay?" He asked.

"I'm pregnant." Izzy blurted out.

"Oh." Magnus said. "You know, you did look different recently, but I didn't know what it was."

"You can tell?" I asked and Magnus laughed.

"You know people say pregnant women have a glow?" He asked and everyone nodded. "I thought I saw it, but wasn't sure. What are you going to do?" He asked.

"I haven't thought about it yet." Izzy said. "I know for sure I'm not getting an abortion, but I don't know if I'm stable enough to raise him or her. I mean, I can't even afford a proper doctors appointment."

"I have some money stashed away for a rainy day." Magnus said. "You are more than welcomed to it."

"That's your money Magnus." Izzy said.

"Oh darling, I only put it away because I thought that maybe one day I'd like to travel, but I'm perfectly content with my life here, with Alexander." Magnus said and Alec smiled. "Plus, that little one is going to be my niece or nephew, I want to help."

"You're the best." Izzy said as she hugged him.

"I'd like you to move in with us." Alec said and Izzy looked confused. "I want to be there for everything, and I want to take care of you. Both of you."

"But Clary." Izzy said and I laughed.

"I'm a big girl Iz." I said. "I can handle living alone."

"Do you have enough room for me?" Izzy asked.

"Of course we do." Magnus said. "You two will be taken care of."

"That is if you want to keep it." Alec said. Izzy looked down at her belly and put her hands over her growing baby, and smiled.

"I have an amazing support system." She said as she looked at all of us. "I think raising him or her with all this love and support will be enough to raise them right." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you Iz." Alec said as he pulled her into another hug.

"I love you too." She said and I leaned into Magnus as he put his arm around my shoulder. I knew Izzy was going to be an amazing mom, she had that natural motherly instinct.

"Clary." Alec said once they broke apart. "I hate to do this to you, but I'm going to have to cut my time here." He said and I nodded. I understood he wanted to there for Izzy.

"I get it." I said.

"I'm so sorry." He said as he pulled me into a hug.

"It's okay." I said. "I can always find another partner." I said and he kissed my temple.

"Love you kiddo." He said and I smiled.

"Love you too." I said and he smiled.

I decided that I needed to take a walk to clear my head. I knew Alec wanted to be there for Izzy for anything, and that would be tough if he was here all the time like he normally is, and I totally support him and admire him for picking up the slack for the dead beat who got Izzy pregnant, but that didn't mean it didn't suck.

"You okay?" I heard and when I turned around there stood Jace.

"Yea." I said and he made his way over to me. I was watching the water make it's way down stream, and trying to focus on the good of today, and not the sucky.

"You don't seem it." He said.

"Izzy finally told Alec about her pregnancy." I said.

"That's a good thing right?" He asked.

"Very good." I said.

"So, why the long face?" He asked.

"He's going to cut back on his time here, which means I'm going to need to find a new partner." I said.

"That sucks." He said.

"Yea it does. I'm so used to being with Alec, and we know how each other dances really well. I mean, I can get another partner, but I wish I didn't have too." I explained. "But I know why Alec is doing it, and I want the best for Iz and the baby." I said as I looked at him. "She's planning on keeping it."

"That's great." He said.

"Yea. I can't wait to meet him or her. I know that baby is going to be incredibly spoiled, or well as spoiled as one can get with our professions." I said and he nodded.

"You know, I may not be as good as Alec, but maybe I could be your partner." Jace said and I looked at him with wide eyes. "I mean, it was just a suggestion. In case you didn't want a perv groping you."

"You're saying you wouldn't grope me?" I asked.

"God no." He said and I raised my eyebrows at him. "I didn't mean that in a negative way." He explained. "You're beautiful, I'm pretty sure I've expressed that already, but I don't cross boundaries unless I'm told that I can." He said and I nodded.

"You know." I said. "By the looks of you, I wouldn't peg you as the type to be a gentleman."

"I didn't always used to be that way." He admitted. "I knew in high school that my looks were a hit with the ladies, and I used it to my advantage, but a friend, or should I say, an ex-friend of mine in high school took advantage of his girlfriend, and I saw how much it destroyed her. I vowed that I'd never use my looks to lure women in. I was going to make sure that whatever woman I pursued knew she was respected, and that things were on her terms. Not mine."

"Wow." I said. "That's incredibly impressive." I admitted.

"No, it's just the right thing to do." He said and I smiled.

"There is an end of the summer show." I said. "We'd have to work extra to get you ready for it."

"You mean, you're going to take me up on my offer?" He asked, sounding extremely surprised.

"You did offer, and I'd prefer not to be groped." I said and he laughed.

"I can't wait." He said and I smiled.

"Meet me at the cabin after dinner. We'll start working on your moves." I said and he smiled and nodded.

"I have to get back. My parents have been wondering where I'm sneaking off too, and getting incredibly annoyed with me." He said and I laughed.

"I'll see you tomorrow night than." I said and he nodded before walking away. I looked back at the river. This was going to be a challenge, but I'm always up for a challenge.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Simon POV:**

I finally figured out the perfect way to frame Jace, and tonight was going to be the night that I put my plan into action. He was going to be out of this resort once and for all, and there was nothing anyone could do about it, and I was finally going to get the girl that I deserve. It was a little after 10 pm, and my parents were asleep. I grabbed the brick, and chucked it at the window that was in my bedroom. It shattered the glass immediately, and I took the latex glove off, and now my plan was being put to action.

"What the hell!" I yelled and my parents came running out.

"What happened Simon?" My mom asked.

"That jackass Jace just threw a brick through my window." I said.

"Are you sure it was him?" My father asked.

"I'm sure." I said. "I saw him, but I think we could get finger prints or DNA off the brick if we wanted too." I suggested, wink wink, and they nodded.

"We'll report it tomorrow." My father said and I nodded. I went to the room, picked the brick up and put it down on my desk. Jace was going to be out of here in no time, and than I can start my quest.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

There was a pounding on the door that woke me up. I was just going to ignore it when I heard shouting. This wasn't good. I got out of bed and made my way to the front where my father and mother were speaking to the man in charge of the place. I was still waking up, but I knew this wasn't a friendly visit.

"We have evidence." The man said. "Your son needs to leave the premises immediately."

"Wait, what?" I asked and they all turned towards me. "What did I do?" I asked.

"You know what you did." The man said. "We do not tolerate destruction of property."

"Destruction of property? I didn't destroy any property." I defended.

"We have your finger prints Jonathan Herondale." He said. "You are to leave today, and you aren't welcome back."

"But I didn't do it." I said.

"Well, than where else were you at 10 pm if it wasn't throwing this bring into someone's cabin?" He asked and I looked at my parents.

"I – I can't tell you." I said.

"Jonathan, this is no time for you to be secretive." My mother said. "Just tell him where you were." She said. I wanted to, but as far as this place knows, Alec is still a full time dancer, and I wasn't going to cut his pay because he was helping Izzy.

"I can't." I simply said.

"Out by noon." He said and he left. The door closed and I hung my head.

"Jonathan, where the hell were you?" My father said.

"I can't tell you dad." I said. "Please respect that."

"You're tarnishing our name." My mother said. "Unless you did throw that brick into the Lewis's cabin."

"You mean like Simon Lewis?" I asked.

"Yes. It went through his window." My mom said.

"I didn't do that." I said. "I may not particularly like the kid, but I have no reason to throw a brick into his room."

"They have your fingerprints." My dad said.

"I don't know how they got those." I said honestly.

"This is going to go on your record and your career as a doctor is going to be shot." My dad said.

"You always told me to do what is right." I said. "I'm doing what is right by not telling you where I was." I said. "Now, I'm going out for an hour. I'll be back to pack my things." I said and I left before they had the chance to stop me. I made my way to Clary's cabin and knocked. I knew it was early, and she might not be awake, but I had to say goodbye and apologize.

"Do you know what time it is?" She asked as she opened the door.

"A little after 6." I said.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I'm being asked to leave the premises." I said and that seemed to wake her up.

"What? Why?" She asked. I walked into her cabin and took a seat.

"Apparently my fingerprints were found on a brick that made it's way into Simon Lewis's room last night, and they don't tolerate destruction of property." I explained.

"That's ridiculous." She said.

"I know, especially because I was here, with you, last night at 10." I said and her cheeks turned a rosy shade of red. Clary and I have been getting close, and by close, I think you can deduct what I mean. We rolled around in these sheets until almost 1 in the morning last night, and I didn't want to leave, but I had too.

"Did you tell them that?" She asked.

"I couldn't." I said. "If I did, they'd find out Alec isn't a full time dancer anymore, and they'd punish him, and he needs the money for Iz." I explained. "I'd rather take the hit, than Alec's paycheck take the hit."

"Jace, this could end up on your record." She said.

"I know. My father said the same thing." I said. "I may never be a doctor, but at least I know I did the right thing."

"We just have to find out who really did it." She said.

"I have to leave by noon Clary." I said. "6 hours isn't enough time to conduct your own investigation."

"Don't doubt me." She said with a smile. "You aren't taking the hit for this Jace." She said and I just hung my head. She pushed my shoulders back and climbed into my lap. "Look, I know you want to protect Alec, and I appreciate that more than you know, and I know he does as well, but you're sacrificing your entire career here Jace. Alec can find another job, you can't replan your whole future with a record. Trust me, I know." She said and I looked at her.

"You got a job." I pointed out.

"I have a bunch of part time jobs." She said. "Once someone sees my record, no matter how trivial it is, they automatically don't trust me." She explained. "And they don't want to have a untrustworthy person on the job." She said and I nodded. "Look, go pack or whatever you have to do, and I'll start snooping."

"Okay." I simply said because I knew Clary was determined, and I wasn't going to stand in her way. I picked her up and stood up from the chair and put her down. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers.

"I'm not letting you go down for this." She said and I nodded. When I walked back to my cabin, I ran into someone I really didn't want to deal with.

"I knew you didn't like me, but throwing a brick in my window isn't a way to solve the problem." Simon teased.

"I didn't throw that brick." I said.

"Than who did?" He asked. "A ghost?"

"I don't know." I said honestly. "But I didn't do it."

"Guess we'll never find out." He said and than he walked away. I hated that kid, and as much as I wish people believed me that I didn't throw that brick, I'm not sorry it happened.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left I called Alec. I knew he would want to help since Jace has been covering for him and all, and I figured he should know what was going on cause it affected him as well.

"It's early Clary, can't this wait?" He asked.

"Jace is being kicked out of the resort for destruction of property." I said.

"What?" Alec asked.

"Someone threw a brick into Simon Lewis's cabin last night and the brick had Jace's fingerprints on it." I explained. "But Jace was with me when it happened."

"So tell Jace to tell them that." Alec said.

"He doesn't want to because that means you'll get your pay cut, and he knows you need the money." I said.

"Oh shit." He muttered.

"Alec, who's on the phone?" I heard Izzy asked.

"It's Clary." He said.

"Put it on speaker." Izzy asked and so he did. "What's up Clare?"

"Jace is being kicked off the property for destruction of property but he didn't do it because when it happened, he was with me." I explained.

"Were you two getting kinky?" She asked.

"I wouldn't label it as kinky." I said honestly.

"You naughty girl." Izzy said with a laugh. "So if it wasn't Jace, who was it?" She asked.

"I don't know. Someone who hates Simon Lewis apparently." I said.

"Wait, Simon Lewis?" She asked.

"Yea. Why?" I asked.

"I didn't ever want to tell you guys this, but he's the father." She said and my jaw dropped.

"Seriously?" Alec questioned. "That prick?"

"He was there, and we were having fun." She said. "If I knew he was going to be such a dick about the pregnancy, I wouldn't have let him fuck me."

"Too much information Iz." Alec said and I laughed.

"Well, it wasn't you, and it wasn't Jace. Who else here hates him?" I asked.

"You." Izzy said.

"Put I was occupied as well." I pointed out.

"Is it possible that he saw you and Jace together?" Izzy asked. "He did have that intense crush on you since you started working there." Izzy explained. "Maybe he did it himself and framed Jace."

"Izzy, you're a freaking genius." I said and she laughed.

"I guess this baby is making me smarter." She said and I smiled.

"Alright, I'm going to go talk to some other staff members, maybe they know something." I said.

"Keep us in the loop." Alec said.

"Will do." I said and I hung up. I got dressed and ran towards the dinning hall. The biggest problem I had was how Simon would get Jace's fingerprints. That seemed like what they are basing their whole case on.

When I got there, I went straight to the kitchen and found my favorite busboy. He was currently cleaning dishes. The cups were still sitting there form yesterday not cleaned. I walked over to him and he smiled at me.

"What do I owe this visit for?" He asked.

"How long do the dishes sit here without getting cleaned?" I asked as I gestured to the glasses.

"The plates and silverware get washed after each day, but the glasses normally sit until the next morning." He explained.

"And they're all here when you get back in the morning?" I asked.

"Who would want to steal glasses Clary?" He asked and I laughed.

"I don't know. Maybe a kid getting a thrill out of it?" I asked and he laughed.

"A couple glasses have gone missing in the past week, but I haven't really thought much about it until you brought it up." I admitted.

"Thanks." I said as I ran out. I ran right to Jace's cabin because I needed him to know what I think happened. I got to the door and knocked, and Jace's mother answered.

"What do you want?" She asked in an angry tone.

"Is Jace here?" I asked.

"He's packing." She said. "I'm assuming you're who he went to go see this morning." She said and I nodded. "I knew him hanging out with you would only bring him down." She said.

"Look, I didn't come here to hear your opinion of me. I need to speak with Jace." I said.

"You need to leave." She said. "Now." She started shutting the door but I stopped her with my foot.

"Not until I speak to Jace." I said.

"What's going on?" I heard and I pushed the door open to see Jace standing there. "Clary, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I think I know how they got your prints." I said.

"Really?" He asked.

"I went to the dinning hall to speak with anyone who might know anything. I found a friend and asked him about the dishes." I said.

"How would dishes help?" His mother asked.

"Well, they were all still dirty." I explained. "So I asked if they normally just sit around all night. He said the glasses do, but the silverware and plates get washed at the end of every day."

"I still don't get it." His mother interrupted again.

"I than asked if all the glasses were still there in the morning, and at first he laughed because who would want to steal glasses right?" I asked and Jace nodded. "And than he mentioned that a few glasses have gone missing this week."

"Okay?" Jace asked.

"You didn't do it but whoever did has your prints." I said and I looked at him and it clicked.

"They stole the glasses I used. That's how they got my prints." He said and I nodded.

"And you figured this out on your own?" His mother asked.

"I actually had some help. My friend brought up the possibility that Simon threw the brick into his own window and blamed Jace." I said.

"Why would he do that?" She asked.

"He's been obsessed with me since I started working here, but he's a pig and I've tried to stay away from him as much as possible." I said.

"So why frame Jace?" She asked.

"Well….." I trailed off. I didn't know how to talk about this to his mother.

"You two are seeing each other aren't you?" She asked.

"Yes." Jace said before I could speak.

"Jonathan." She said.

"I've done everything you've ever wanted me to do mom." Jace said. "Why can't I have one thing that makes me happy?" He asked.

"It's not how things are done in our world." She said. Jace went to respond when someone else started talking.

"What's going on here?" I turned around and there stood his father. "What's she doing here?" He pointed at me, and Jace made his way over to me, almost like he was protecting me.

"Clary figured out how my prints got on that brick." Jace said.

"Oh really?" His father asked. "And how did she do that?"

"She talked to some kitchen workers who told her that a couple glasses have gone missing this week." Jace said. "I certainly didn't do it, and that's the only other explanation."

"Are you finally going to tell us where you were than?" His father asked.

"I was with Clary last night." Jace said honestly. "From after dinner until about 1 am." He explained.

"And what were you two doing?" He inquired.

"Dancing." Jace said, and it wasn't a total lie, we did dance for a couple hours.

"Horizontal or vertical?" he asked and my jaw dropped.

"Both if you must know." Jace said and I could just feel my face turned bright red.

"Jonathan, what did I tell you about not hanging out with that riff raff?" He said. I knew I should be offended, but I've been called worse.

"And I decided not to listen." Jace said. "Look, I've been thinking a lot lately, and I have a compromise for you." Jace said to his father.

"And what is this compromise?" He asked.

"I continue to see Clary, and we figure out where this relationship goes, and if we have a future, and I'll continue studying medicine." Jace said and I knew that caught his fathers attention. "But I stand by my statement about not specializing in plastics." He further explained.

"All of this for her?" His father asked. "Why?" He asked and I couldn't find a trace of belittlement, but sheer curiosity.

"Because when I'm with her, I feel like I've finally found my place in this world." He said as he looked at me. "When we're together I feel whole, and I didn't even know something was missing until I met her."

"And you're not in this for his wealth?" His father asked me.

"If I was looking for a man with money, there are plenty of men here, over the age of 65 who would make great sugar daddy's." I said with a laugh, but he didn't find it as amusing. "Money has never mattered to me. I've survived this long without it, and I could survive the rest of my life without it as well." I said. "But something I can't live without is Jace." I said as I slipped my hand in his. "I lost my family when I was young. I bounced from foster home to foster home until I was 18 and kicked out of the system." I explained. "I haven't had a home in a decade." I said. "But I've found one with Jace." I said and he pressed his lips to my temple and I leaned into him. "I don't want to lose it."

"That was the sweetest thing I've ever heard." His mom said and I smiled.

"But how do we get Simon to admit he did it?" His father said and I knew I got through to them, and that was amazing.

"Well, like I said, he's been obsessed with me for years, maybe I can try and seduce him into telling the truth." I suggested.

"How what would this seduction act entail?" Jace asked.

"Nothing more than flirting." I said. "I don't want that guy to touch me, and I don't want to touch him." I said as I shivered at the mere thought. "I'll have my phone recording our conversation, we'll show it to Hodge, and clear your name." I said and he nodded.

"Sounds good to me." Jace said.

"Great. Well, I'm going to go get ready, and go find him." I said and Jace nodded. He leaned down and kissed me, and I ran out of the cabin. This was going to work and I was ready to see that creep get his ass tossed out of here.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left I turned back towards my parents. They didn't come out and say they accepted my deal, but I think that's what that conversation meant. It was quiet for a little before I had to get the verbal answer.

"So, is that a yes to the deal?" I asked my father.

"You're serious about her?" He asked.

"Very." I said.

"Than I won't stand in the way of your happiness." He said and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.

"You'll love her once you get to know her." I said. "I promise you."

"I'll take your word for it Jonathan." My father said. I went back into my room and started to unpack my things. I was on cloud 9 right now, and I can't wait to see where my relationship with Clary goes, but I was excited about it.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was pacing around the living room. It was 10 minutes until noon, and Clary still hasn't come to tell me she had the evidence. It was nerve wracking waiting until the last minute, but I trusted Clary, and I knew that she was going to come through for me with this, and that was really the only thing that was keeping me sane.

There was a knock on the door, and I took a deep breath before going to open the door. I figured it wasn't Clary considering her knock would probably be more frantic, and when I opened the door, there stood Hodge, not looking very happy.

"I came to see you off." He said.

"I'm not leaving." I said. "I didn't throw that brick, and I can prove it." I said.

"How?" He asked.

"A confession." I said.

"From?" He asked.

"Simon Lewis." I said.

"Do you think I was born yesterday Jonathan?" He asked.

"No sir." I said.

"If you can't give me a real person, or a location of your whereabouts that night, than my hands are tied." He said and I was about to protest but was cut off.

"I got it!" I heard and Clary came running up to me and slammed her lips to mine. Not that I minded her kissing me, but it seemed a little inappropriate considering the situation. "Sorry, I had to kiss that prick, and I needed to get the feeling of his lips off mine." She said and a wave of anger washed over me, but I knew it was for the sake of me, so I let it go.

"Clarissa, you have no business here." Hodge said.

"Look, Jace didn't throw that brick." Clary said. "I just got proof that Simon threw that brick in the window himself." Clary said.

"May I hear this proof?" Hodge asked. Clary nodded and gave him her phone. He put the headphones in and started listening. It felt like the conversation went on forever, but when Hodge finally pulled the headphones out and he looked at me. "I'm sorry for the accusation." He said.

"Thank you." I said and he nodded before leaving. I scooped Clary into my arms and spun her around. "You did amazing."

"You didn't deserve to be treated like a delinquent." She said. "Leave that to me." She said and I laughed.

"So, you're free?" We heard and when I turned around there stood my parents.

"Yup, Hodge apologized, and than left." I said and they smiled.

"Thank you Clary." My mom said and Clary smiled.

"Anything for Jace." She said and I pulled her into me. I finally felt like we were moving forward. Clary and I were going to explore our relationship, my parents were on board, and I was fully committed to my education and becoming a doctor. The future looked bright, and I couldn't wait for it.

 **Time Jump – Six Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The last six years have been insane. Turns out that Jace and I were in love before the summer we got together was over. It was a world wind summer, and I wouldn't change a damn thing. The more I got to know about him, the more I fell in love with him. And once Stephan and Celine opened their minds up, I fell in love with them as well. They were incredible people, and having a mother and father figure in my life again was something I needed, but didn't know until I had it with them.

About 2 years ago Jace and I actually got married. It was absolutely perfect. Small, and simple, but amazing nonetheless. Everyone was doing amazing. Magnus and Alec adopted the cutest little boy in the world 3 years ago. He was so friendly, and smiley. Izzy was a fantastic mother, but I already knew she would be. Her daughter, Leilani, was the spitting image of her. When she first told us what she wanted to name her we were all a little confused. I mean, we lived in England, that wasn't a very popular name, but she said when she was looking up baby names it really stuck out to her, and she seemed so excited to name her that, so we were all on board, and she was just the sweetest little girl.

Jace was still in the middle of his residency. I knew it took awhile to get to be a doctor, but I didn't realize just how long until Jace and I got together. I was incredibly proud of him and all his hard work, and I knew he was going to be an amazing doctor, in whatever specialty he chose, which he refused to tell any of us until he had to decided. It was driving me crazy, and Stephan, Celine and I even have a bet going on as to what he chooses. Celine thinks he'll go nero, Stephan things he'll go cardio, and I think he's going to oncology. But we wouldn't know until Jace told us, and I was going crazy because today was the day he had to declare one, and I couldn't wait to see what he was going to be doing for the rest of his life.

I made my way to his parent's house. We were having dinner with them tonight, and Jace was planning on telling us. I pulled into their driveway and struggled to get out of the car. Being as tiny as I was, and almost 6 months pregnant was tough, but I couldn't wait until our son was here, and I knew Jace couldn't wait either. I walked in the house without knocking, and made my way into the kitchen where Celine was making dinner.

"Clary dear, glad you're here." She said.

"Can I help with anything?" I asked and she smiled.

"Just relax sweetheart." She said.

"I'm pregnant Celine, not crippled." I laughed. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll sit down while doing it." I said and she laughed.

"I need some veggies chopped." She said and I nodded. I grabbed a knife, and cutting board while she put all the vegetables on the table. I took a seat and started chopping. Celine put on some music and we both hummed and she was dancing around while we cooked dinner. Stephan got home a little while after and gave me a kiss on the top of the head.

"No Jace yet?" He asked.

"No. He texted me earlier saying that he might be a little late." I said and he nodded.

"So, who is ready to lose the bet?" Stephan asked and we laughed.

"Honestly, call it a gut feeling, but I think we're all wrong." I said.

"Really?" Celine asked. "Why do you think that?"

"I don't know. I've been trying to get information out of him this past week, and every time I bring up different specialties, he just laughs. And not just a normal laugh, like that laugh he has when he knows he's lying but doesn't want to say he's lying." I explained. "I just think he's picking something different."

"And what might that be my dear wife?" I heard and when I turned around there stood Jace, and I blushed and he laughed. "You guys really bet on what specialty I would chose?"

"You weren't telling, and we thought it would be entertaining to see who was right." Stephan said.

"But the wait is over." Celine said. "What did you pick?" She asked and we all looked at him. He was dragging it on as long as he could because he knew we were anxious to find out.

"You are looking at Dr. Jonathan Herondale, Pediatric Surgeon, or soon to be Pediatric Surgeon." He said and I smiled.

"Pediatrics?" Stephan questioned and Jace nodded. "Why peds?" He asked.

"It was the one specialty that I felt like I made the most difference." Jace said. "I was the reason that many families got a chance to watch their children grow up." He said. "It was the most rewarding experience I've ever felt in a hospital and I just wanted to keep doing it."

"I'm proud of you." I said and Jace made his way over to me and kissed me.

"Dance with me." He whispered and I looked at him confused and he smiled. "It's our song." He said and I totally forgot music was playing. When I started listening, our wedding song was playing. I stood up and he pulled me into him and we started swaying back and forth. My belly got in our way, but that didn't stop us from getting as close as possible. I listened to his steady heartbeat as I heard him singing to me, I closed my eyes and soaked up this moment. I would have never imagined my life turning out this way. I personally didn't think it was possible to ever find a home again, but dancing here with Jace, feeling my baby kick, and knowing that this was truly only the beginning was something I cherished more than I could possibly express, and I couldn't wait to see what the future held. Who knew all of this would be started by one dirty dancing lesson, but I wasn't complaining, that's for sure.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so this is another one shot thought of by me. I've been having trouble coming up with good stories with the requests I've been getting, and they are some awesome requests, I just feel like I can't do them justice quiet yet, but I'm getting there! I still don't know whether I'm going to stop at 100 or not yet, but I'm thinking hard about it, and really considering what you all would like best.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Dirty Dancing one bit! It's one of my all time favorite movies, and I thought about it one night, and wanted to do my own version of it, but this time with Jace being in the role of "Baby" and Clary being "Johnny". I didn't follow the movie all that much, but I put some elements in there that are similar, and the rest is my own little twist, and I hope you like it as much as I do! I think it's pretty sweet and very Clace, which I know you all love! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	91. Chapter 90 - Summer Fling or More?

**Ninetieth One Shot:**

 **Summer Fling or More?**

 **Clary POV:**

Izzy and I couldn't be more different. She was bubbly, and charismatic, she was fashionable and brilliant, and athletic. She had so many different sides to her, sometimes I think she was a Rubik's cube in a previous life. She was hard to figure out, but she purposely made herself out to be that way to avoid getting hurt, and I understood that. We met when we were in 5th grade, and our friendship just bloomed every single day. I was still shy, and awkward, and socially inept in almost every aspect, but Izzy didn't care about that. She didn't care that I wasn't a very talkative person, or that I didn't handle large crowds well. She knew I'd much rather stay home on a Friday night and sketch than go out and party, of course that didn't stop her from asking me a million times. She lived to have a good time, and I didn't, but that's what made us such good friends. I grounded her when she needed to be grounded, and she was slowly getting me out of the intense shell I used to protect myself with. It hasn't been a easy process, but she was incredibly patient, when it came to me anyway.

We graduated high school in June, and we were just hanging out this summer before college separated us. I was going to NYU to study art and Izzy was going to UCLA to study fashion. I was going to miss her life crazy, and that's why we've spent every single day together since school ended. I was going to soak up as much time with Isabelle Lightwood as I possibly could before we have to leave each other. Izzy asked me to come over today to talk about a huge surprise that she's been planning since last summer, and she wouldn't breath a word to anyone, so I was pretty excited to finally find out, but also a little terrified that she was going to make me go bungee jumping of swimming with sharks. I trusted Izzy though, and I knew she wouldn't put me in those types of situations. At least I hope she wouldn't.

"So glad you're here." She said when she opened the door. "I can't wait to share the exciting news with you!" She said as she grabbed my arm and lead me towards the living room. When we got there, Mr. and Mrs. Lightwood were sitting there already.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Lightwood." I said and they smiled at me.

"Hi Clary, how are you?" Mrs. Lightwood asked.

"I'm good. You?" I asked.

"Doing quite well." Mr. Lightwood said. I nodded and took a seat.

"So, as you know, each child gets a graduation gift after they've finished high school." Mrs. Lightwood said, and I nodded. I remember that with Alec. "Izzy approached us last summer to start planning her perfect trip, and we finally have everything organized and we're ready to share." She said and I nodded once more.

"You ready for this Clare?" Izzy asked and I nodded. "We're going to Europe!" She cheered and my jaw dropped.

"Seriously?" I asked and she nodded excitedly.

"You know that band you introduced me to and fell head over heels in love with?" She asked and I nodded yet again. "Well, they are touring all over Europe this summer, and I got us tickets to their show in London."

"That's amazing Iz." I said because I knew how much she wanted to see them live, but they weren't big enough to fill out huge arenas yet, and have a world wide tour, but they were good, and I can only imagine how big they're going to get one day.

"That's not all thought! We're going to be flying out at the end of July, and spending the rest of August over there. we'll come back August 25th, which gives us time to regroup before moving into college." She said with so much enthusiasm.

"That sounds like so much fun!" I said and she smiled.

"That's still not it! After we go see them in London, we'll stay for a couple more days before heading over to France and spending the majority of our time there." She said.

"No way!" I cheered.

"Way!" She said. "I know it's always been your dream to visit, and see the Eiffel Tower and go to the museums, and we'll already be over there, so why not do it all." She said and I couldn't believe it.

"You are my personal genie Isabelle!" I said as I pulled her into a hug.

"This is our last hoorah! We need to make it a good one." She said and I laughed. I couldn't believe I was finally going to Europe, with my best friend. What more could I possibly ask for?

 **Time Jump – Middle Of Concert**

 **Clary POV:**

The band had said that they were going to be taking a quick break and letting everyone cool off. It was really hot in there, but it was filled to max capacity, and it was a pretty hot night, so that shouldn't have surprised me. The place was split level, and while Izzy was down on the floor most likely elbowing her way to the front, I decided to take the aerial view, and go to the top deck, it also helped that it was less crowded up there. I found a chair and sat at the railing and started drawing. it was something that really passed the time, and it was a really good distraction, which I needed in order to keep my body from having a panic attack. I was looking around, and noticed a ladder, that most likely led to the roof. I needed some good fresh air so I decided to climb it. When I got up there London was in full view, and it took my breath away.

I was staring out at the city. London was truly beautiful at night, and it was almost a great reason to come to this concert tonight. It's not that I disliked the band, I actually really enjoyed the band, but people weren't my thing. And at this rate, I might just text Izzy and tell her that I'm going to stay on the roof and for her to let me know when the concert ended so I could meet her outside.

"Beautiful isn't it?" I heard from behind me, and there stood the lead singer of the band.

"Yea. It's something else." I said as I turned my attention back towards the city lights.

"Is this your first time in London?" He asked, which kind of surprised me. I didn't peg him as the type to start small talk.

"Uh, yea." I said. "My best friend is downstairs immensely enjoying your show." I said and he smiled.

"And you're up here because you aren't enjoying the show?" He asked.

"I think you're putting on a brilliant show." I said. "Crowds just aren't my thing." I said and he nodded.

"So, what brings you to London, if it wasn't my show?" He asked.

"It's the summer before we go to college." I said. "This was Izzy's dream, to see you live."

"And you?" He asked.

"It's my dream to visit France." I said.

"Beautiful country as well." He said. "We have a show there in a couple weeks." He explained and I nodded.

"Must be nice." I said. "Following your dreams, and actually achieving them." I don't know why I said that, maybe because I knew my future aspirations weren't plausible.

"It wasn't always nice." He admitted. "We've been together since high school, and we've only just started getting a following in the last couple years."

"But look at you now, your...?" I asked as I looked at him.

"25." He said.

"You're 25 and touring all over Europe. That's an accomplishment, no matter how long it took you to get there."

"It's definitely a dream come true." He said and I nodded. "I'm Jace by the way." He said and I smiled.

"Clary." I responded and he nodded.

"So, where are you from Clary?" He asked.

"A small town in Oregon." I said. "Nobody's ever heard of it, so when people ask I normally just say right outside of Portland." I explained and he nodded.

"I know what you mean. The boys and I grew up in a tiny country that people barely know exists." He said with a laugh. "They all assume we're from England, because of our accents, so we just go with it now."

"What country?" I asked curiously. Geography has always been a strong subject for me, although I don't know why.

"Idris." He said and I nodded.

"Between Germany, France and Switzerland right?" I asked.

"You know it?" He asked surprised.

"Yea. In 9th grade, I had to do a geography project. We had to pick countries out of a bowl, but they weren't well known countries, and I got Idris. I'd never heard of it before, and when I started researching it, I came across your music. Izzy was instantly hooked, and after about a year of her listening to nothing but your music, I started to take a liking to it as well." I explained.

"Wow." He said. "That's actually pretty wicked." He said with a smile. I nodded and in that moment his phone went off. "The concert is starting back up. You coming back in?" He asked.

"Maybe in a little. It's peaceful out here, and less crowded." I said and he laughed.

"Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of the show if you decide to come back in, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your time in London, and I hope France is everything you've ever dreamed it would be." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Good luck with the rest of you show Jace." I said. He smiled one last time before scaling back down the ladder. I looked back at the city lights and took a deep breath. Once I was done admiring the view I figured I'd go back in and listen and watch the rest of the concert. When I took my seat again, I couldn't take my eyes off Jace. He wasn't anything like I'd imagined him to be, but it was a surprisingly good thing, and I'm glad I had the privilege of meeting him

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Izzy, you've made me spend 6 hours shopping one day." I said. "6 fucking hours. My feet hurt for a week. You can handle a museum, and than the Eiffel Tower." I said as we grabbed our coffee.

"But we were shopping for you as well! I'm not getting anything out of this!" She whined and we walked out of the coffee shop when I ran into someone. I spilled my coffee and nearly fell. I was prepared to hit pavement, when arms stopped me. I opened my eyes and was greeted with a pair that I thought I'd never see again.

"You know, I'm used to women falling for me, but this is just too much Clary." Jace said and I laughed.

"I'm sorry about that. I wasn't paying attention." I said as I stood up and he released me.

"Enjoying your time in Paris?" He asked.

"Very much." I said.

"Is it everything you've dreamed of?" He asked.

"Even better." I said and he smiled.

"What are your plans for today?" He asked. It truly surprised me how interested he was when we talked. I figured he'd just get the general questions out of the way and move on.

"We're going to the Musee du Louvre, and than the Eiffel Tower." I said and he smiled.

"Well, before you continue on with your day, how about I buy you another coffee, you're in for a long day, and I feel bad that I spilled yours." He said and I smiled.

"That'd be really nice." I admitted. I was pretty tired and I was banking on that coffee to wake me up.

"What did you have?" He asked.

"Just plain black coffee." I said. He nodded, and made his way into the cafe with his friends.

"What the fuck. How do you know him?" Izzy finally asked.

"I met him at the concert." I said. "I told you that, when I went to get some fresh air on the roof."

"Oh. I guess I wasn't really paying attention." She said and I laughed.

"You were too busy drooling over Simon." I said and she laughed.

"Can't help it. He's hot." She said and I smiled. "Invite them to join us!" She said after a moment.

"They have better things to do than hang out with us today." I said.

"You don't know that for sure." Izzy said.

"You invite them." I said. "You know I'm not good with people."

"I don't know, you're pretty calm around him." She said. "You weren't fidgeting, or stuttering, or bouncing back on forth. You seemed relaxed."

"I was." I simply said. She had a point I was unnaturally calm around him. It was weird, but nice.

 **Jace POV:**

The band and I walked into the coffee shop so I could get Clary's coffee. I was stunned to see her again, but also extremely glad that we ran into each other, literally.

"Is that the girl you were telling us about?" Simon asked.

"Yea." I said.

"She's hot." He said and I punched him. "What? She's not my type, but I can appreciate her good looks." He said and I just continued to look at him. "Her friend on the other hand, she's my type." He said and I laughed.

"Want me to set you up?" I asked with a laugh.

"That'd be dope." He said seriously.

"I was kidding." I said.

"But I'm not." Simon said. "They're spending the whole day doing touristy stuff. Why don't we ask to join?" He said.

"You want me to invite us along on their day?" I asked. "That's a little invasive, don't you think?"

"When are you going to get the chance to do it again?" Simon asked. "You said it yourself, you felt something on that roof. Something that was so natural. That doesn't happen often."

"I hate it when you're right." I said and he smiled. I grabbed Clary's coffee and went back outside to give it to her. When we walked out, Clary looked utterly board at what her friend was talking about. "Here you go." I said and she smiled at took it.

"Thank you." She said.

"So, Clary and I were talking, and we were wondering if you'd guys like to join us today." Her friend said. "If you aren't too busy." She added with a smiled.

"We'd love too." Simon said rather quickly. "We never get a chance to check out the sights when we're here. Normally we have a show and than we leave but we built in an extra day." He said.

"That's great! Isn't it Clary?" She asked and Clary just smiled and shook her head laughing.

"I'm Simon by the way." Simon said. "And the other two are Jordan and Bat."

"I'm Izzy, it's very nice to meet you." She said. "I'm a big fan." She said and Clary snorted with a laugh. I knew Izzy was kinda a die-hard fan, but it was flattering really, especially because she wasn't fangirling right now. "Well, we should get going. Clary here is going to make use visit every exhibition in this museum, and I don't think there are enough hours in this day to complete it."

"It's not my fault. Blame the artist in me." Clary said with a laugh. We started walking towards the museum. Izzy grabbed Simon, and linked her arm in his and started talking about who knows what.

"So, you're an artist?" I asked wanting to know more about her.

"I'm aspiring to be one." She said. "I don't know how far I'll get with it."

"How good are you?" I asked.

"I could be better. I'll just say that." She said and I simply nodded.

"So, if I have an questions, I can ask you?" I asked and she laughed, she had a beautiful laugh.

"Of course. I will try my best to answer but I'm no da Vinci, but I think I know enough." She said and I smiled.

We got to the museum and I paid for Clary, and Simon ended up paying for Izzy. Bat and Jordan ended up ditching and going to a concert that was being held in the square. The wanted to pick up chicks, and Simon and I didn't mind one bit.

"Okay, so there is an exhibit that features fashion! I want to go to that one!" Izzy cheered.

"I told you there would be something here for you." Clary said to Izzy who just smiled. She pulled Simon in the direction of the exhibit and by the look on Simon's face, he would have gone anywhere she wanted too.

Clary and I made our way to some other exhibit. I didn't know where we were going, but Clary seemed to know where she wanted to go, so I just followed. The place we ended up was a garden exhibit. It was actually extremely beautiful. The whole place was a greenhouse, but with paintings of flowers, landscapes, wildlife everywhere. It was truly beautiful.

"Wow." I said and Clary turned towards me.

"I've been dreaming of visiting this exhibit since I was 7." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"Than lets look around." I said. I reached my hand out and she smiled and took it. Her hand fit perfectly in mine and I couldn't wait to spend the day with her.

 **Time Jump - A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

This museum was everything I dreamed it would be and more. Every exhibit was beautiful and unique. But I think the best part about the whole thing was holding Jace's hand. I don't know why it felt so right. I literally just met him a couple weeks ago, and for some reason this felt normal, natural, right.

"There you two are!" I heard Izzy shout. Jace and I turned around. "You were right Clary, this place was so cool!" She said and I laughed.

"You should listen to me more often." I said and she laughed.

"Well, your fashion sense is enough to make me distrust you." She laughed.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" I asked.

"Girl, you wear jeans and t-shirts all the time. Would it kill you to wear a fitted shirt?" Izzy said and I rolled my eyes.

"If I have to hear this lecture again, I'm going to burn your favorite shirt." I said and she gasped.

"You wouldn't dare!" She said.

"Remember your favorite pair of jeans?" I said and her eyes darkened.

"That wasn't funny." She said and I laughed.

"Maybe not to you, but I found it hilarious. Liberating even." I said and she growled.

"What happened exactly?" Simon asked.

"My dear sweet Isabelle here thought I needed a make over. She spent 3 hours doing my hair, makeup, clothes. Everything. I thought it was just for fun, but she dragged me to a party. I was super embarrassed." I explained.

"You looked hot, and a certain someone thought so as well." She winked.

"Sebastian is a pig." I said. "And I was never interested in him." I explained. "Anyway, the next week I burned her favorite pair of jeans and she hasn't tortured me since." I said proudly.

"I like the way you dress." Jace said and I blushed.

"If you two are done flirting, we need to get some dinner before we go to the Eiffel Tower." Izzy said which just made me blush more. Jace's hand was still holding onto me, and we made our way out of the museum.

We got to a small cafe, that had outdoor seating. The weather was perfect, and the sun was setting. It was truly a beautiful sight and my hands itched to draw it. I dug around in my bag and found my sketchbook. I took out my pastels, and started to recreate the sunset. Jace and Simon were inside getting us food. Simon spoke French, so it was easier for him to do all the talking. I was so engrossed in my drawing I didn't even realize they had returned.

"Holy shit." I heard and Jace was sitting next to me looking at my drawing. "You're amazing."

"That is nothing compared to what she can do." Izzy said which caused me to blush.

"It's nothing compared to the work we just looked at." I said as I closed the sketchbook.

"You're incredibly talented Clary." Jace said and I smiled at him.

"Thank you." I said as I put my art supply away.

We sat there and ate our food and talked. It was weird knowing that they were in a band that was well known around Europe and here Izzy and I were talking to them. It was so easy and felt like we've been friends forever. It was weird but I loved it. Once we were done, I was shocked that Jace and Simon paid. They really were incredibly kind, which people don't associate with people in punk rock bands, but it was nice.

"Come on." Izzy said. "I want to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower before it gets too dark." She said as she stood.

"And to think that you didn't want o have this fun day." I said and she smiled.

"That was when it was just the two of us. But now we have two incredibly kind gentleman to escort us around. Who wouldn't like that?" She said and I laughed.

We made our way to the Eiffel Tower. Jace took my hand again, and Izzy linked her arm with Simon's. Every time I saw them together, they would make a pretty cute couple. But they would probably be leaving soon, and Izzy and I were only here until August 25th, so this might be our only night, but I was actually really okay with that. We were having a great time, and I was going to enjoy that.

 **Time Jump - Top of the Eiffel Tower**

 **Jace POV:**

We finally got the top, and it was more beautiful than I thought it was going to be. I don't know if it was the view, or the girl standing next to me, but I felt like everything I've ever been missing was here, and that scared the shit out of me, but I also liked it. I liked being around her. I liked doing these things with her. I liked holding her hand, hearing her laugh, seeing her smile.

"It crazy you know." She said and turned my attention towards her. "There are so many people out there who are just living their lives, and going about their business down there. They don't even know I exist." She said.

"And that's a problem?" I asked confused by what she meant.

"I want to be an artist." She said. "I want to creates works of art that will last long after I'm gone." She said. "I want to be the next Picasso or da Vinci. I want to create something that's moving." She said as she looked out on the city. "I'm terrified that I'll leave this earth with no legacy."

"You can't think like that." I said.

"You already started your legacy." She said. "Your music will live on."

"And so will your art." I said and she laughed.

"I'll never be that good. Looking at all those works of art. They're amazing. I'll never be that good." She said.

"You're incredibly talented." I said. "That sunset you drew today was breathtaking. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen." I said and she just kept looking into the night.

"I don't want to be a failure." She said and I grabbed her hand in mine.

"And you won't be." I said. She was quiet for sometime before I saw her wipe her cheek with her free hand.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dump my biggest fears on you." She said.

"I don't mind. Following your dreams is terrifying." I said. "I was scared shitless trying to make it in the music world. I didn't know what the hell I was doing. Sometimes I still don't know what I'm doing. We're not as famous as I'd like to be, but we're getting there, and it's still terrifying."

"But you have support." She said.

"We have the support, but when we release a new song or a new album there is a huge chance it could flop." I told her. "But that doesn't stop us."

"You have 3 other guys there to be with when you succeed or fail. I'm alone." She said.

"You don't always have to be." I said. "You have Izzy. She seems like a really good friend of yours."

"She's great. And I'm incredibly glad to have her by my side, but we're going to two different colleges, and making friends isn't really a strong suit of mine." She said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Uh, where to start?" She laughed. "Shy, socially awkward, anxious, the list could go on." She said.

"You don't seem like that to me." I said.

"It surprises me as much as it surprises you." She said. "I'm normally a stuttering mess around people." She laughed and I smiled. "For some reason you make me calm, and I don't know why."

"I'm glad I can do that for you." I said and she smiled and looked back out into the night.

We stood there, quietly, not saying a single word to each other, but we didn't need to. It was comfortable, which was nice.

"Can I ask you something?" I finally said out of nowhere working on my nerve.

"Of course." She said.

"Can I kiss you?" I asked and she turned towards me, eyes wide. She looked shocked and I couldn't blame her. It was out of the blue. I was getting worried when she didn't answer but than I saw her nod her head. I leaned forward and lowered my lips to hers. The moment our lips touched, I was a goner, and I knew that. Nothing would ever be the same now. I just knew it.

When we broke apart we were both breathless. My heart was racing, and I can only assume hers was too. Our bodies were pressed together, and her hands were intertwined in my hair. My hands were resting on her hips. She was so tiny, nearly a foot shorter than me, but everything about the way our bodies fit together was perfect.

"Wow." She said and I smiled.

"Wow is right." I said and she smiled. "Come to our show tomorrow night." I finally said.

"Okay." She said and I pressed my lips to her lips.

"I'll tell our manager that you have VIP access. You can get in the back door and hang out backstage. No large crowds." I said and she smiled.

"Sounds good." She said. "Can Izzy come?"

"You two are a package deal." I said and she laughed. "Plus, look to your left." I said. Clary looked to the left and she saw Izzy and Simon kissing. She giggled and turned back towards me.

"I guess that answers that question." She said with a smile. "Thank you for an incredible day." She said.

"Thank you for inviting me along. I had fun." I said.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." She said.

We stayed at the top of the Eiffel Tower for a little while longer, my arm draped over Clary's shoulders pulling her into me. She leaned her head on my chest and I kissed the top of her head. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I was enjoying this moment a lot.

 **Time Jump - Concert**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was the night of the concert, and I was actually slightly nervous. It didn't help that today was my birthday, and Izzy had been dragging me around making sure that I experienced everything I could to make it the perfect birthday, and I loved her for it, but I was exhausted. It was a long day, and this concert was at 9, and would probably go until midnight. Thankfully Izzy and I stopped for coffee before getting to the venue. It was one reason I was still standing at this moment, so I was thankful for that.

We got in relatively easily, and we escorted back to where we would watch the concert. The place was filling up, and I didn't know where the band was, so it was just Izzy and I for a few moments talking.

"Glad you two made it." I heard and when I turned around there stood Jace and the rest of the band.

"We wouldn't miss this for the world! I've been dreaming of seeing you guys in concert since we were freshman in high school, and now I've seen you twice, we got backstage passes, and we're all friends." Izzy gushed and I couldn't help but laugh. "It's like a dream come true." She said with the biggest smile. "Plus, I was trying to think of the best birthday gift for this girl, and you giving us backstage passes to your show was like something I could never do, so thank you." Izzy said.

"When's your birthday?" Jace asked with a smile.

"Today." I simply said and his eyes widened.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jace asked.

"It didn't seem important." I said honestly. "I never celebrated my birthday, so to me it's just another day." I said.

"Well today, it is not just a normal day." Jace said with a smirk.

"Ladies and gentleman! I welcome, _The Mortal Instruments_!" the announcer said and I smiled at Jace.

"Your screaming fans call." I said and he laughed.

"I'm taking you out to celebrate after the show." Jace said, and I blushed. "We need to celebrate…..?" He questioned.

"19." I said.

"We need to celebrate 19 the correct way." He said and I laughed. the band ran on stage and the place went crazy. Izzy linked her arm in mine, and smiled.

"Does it bother you that he's 25?" She asked.

"No, because nothing is happening." I said.

"Please, I saw that lip lock action on top of the Eiffel Tower." She said as she wiggled her eyebrows.

"I saw you too." I pointed out and she laughed.

"So?" Izzy asked. "Something is happening." She pointed out. "Go with it, he's hot, and he's in a band. That's like the best combination." She said and I laughed.

"I should go for it because he's hot and in band? Really Iz?" I asked and she laughed.

"You also like his company, and you aren't shy, or awkward, or anxious around him. I've never seen that happen before. I love you Clary, you're my best friend, hell you're my sister." She said. "I know you inside and out, I know how you act around people, especially guys." She said and I took a deep breath. "That doesn't happen with him."

"I know that Iz." I said. "Something about him is different, but it can't be anything more than a few kisses, and holding hands."

"Why not?" She asked. "You deserve something good, and happy in your life."

"He lives here." I said. "He is touring around Europe, and I'm going to college." I explained. "Long distance, especially with his career, would suck and everything would be strained."

"But it could be incredibly worth it." Izzy said.

"Can we talk about my nonexistent love life another time?" I asked and she nodded. "I want to know what's going on with you and Simon."

"I liked him originally for his looks, but man is he the sweetest guy I've ever met. And you know the assholes I've dated." She said and I laughed.

"You two seemed to hit it off really well." I said.

"He was just so nice." She said. "He was so interested in everything that I was talking about, he engaged in conversation even though I knew he had no idea what I was talking about but he still made an effort. He gave me his jacket when I was cold. He helped me up the stairs, and he bought my dinner, and museum ticket." She said with a laugh. "I've never experienced that before."

"But is it because of Simon, or his actions?" I asked.

"Call me crazy, but I think it's purely Simon." She said. "If anyone else treated me the same way, I would appreciate it but it wouldn't make as much of an impact as it being Simon."

"What are you two going to do?" I asked.

"No idea." She said. "We haven't talked about anything. But I'll make sure to find out before we leave."

"You always were the type of person to be blunt about everything." I said and she laughed.

"I want to be happy." She said. "I haven't been through as many shitty situations as you have, but I also haven't been happy recently." She said and I nodded. I knew what she meant. "I deserve to be happy, and so do you."

"I guess we'll see what happens than." I said and she nodded. The music ripped through the air and we focused on the concert that was taking place in front of us. Jace looked over and winked at me, which caused me to blush. I didn't want to say goodbye, I wanted to continue to get to know him, and seeing what other feelings grew, but we were both going different things, and for the first time in my life, I prayed that they weren't too different.

 **Time Jump – End Of Concert**

 **Clary POV:**

The show ended, and it was just as amazing as the last show I went too. They were true performers, and you could tell that they loved what they did. I hope that I get the chance to experience that feeling. To be able to show off my work and be proud of that. I knew my dreams were crazy, but seeing Jace accomplish his, and seeing how happy it makes him, makes me want mine so much more, and I'll do everything to get there.

"So, there is this club that we frequent when we're here." Jace said as they all walked off the stage. "It's great. The music is always good, and the atmosphere is really chill." He explained. "I think we should go and check it out."

"Oh hell yea!" Jordan cheered as he high fived Bat. "Bring on the ladies." He said and I laughed.

"Is that alright with you ladies?" Jace asked.

"Of course." Izzy said. "I've been trying to get this girl into a club for years." She said.

"I don't like crowds Iz, you know that." I said and she nodded before linking her arm with Simon's and walking away.

"I'll protect you." Jace said. I didn't know what to do so I just simply nodded. He took my hand in his and we started towards the back of the venue.

We pulled up to the club 20 minutes later, and there was a huge line outside. Thinking I wasn't fond of having to wait so long, I reluctantly got out of the car, when I realized who we were with, and we granted entrance into the club the moment our feet hit the pavement. The music was loud, the lights were bright, the smoke was heavy, and the bodies on the dance floor were close. Jace guided us over to the bar where he asked me what I'd like to drink.

"I'm not much of a drinker." I admitted. "Considering I'm underage." I said and he smiled.

"The drinking age in France is 16." He told me. "You don't have to go crazy, just have one to loosen up. I know this isn't your scene, but I promise it'll be fun." He said and I knew that he was right. I was uncomfortable here, and having one drink might help with that.

"I'll just have a beer than." I said and he nodded. He gave it to me, and I started to drink. It wasn't bad, but I've definitely tasted better drinks. Once I was finished it though, I could feel it hitting me. Call me a lightweight, but I knew this was a good way to lighten up. I asked for a second one, and Jace happily ordered me another. I felt more confident after that one. I grabbed Jace's hand and led him to the dance floor. He laughed but followed. I didn't necessarily know what I was doing, but it didn't matter. Our bodies were pressed up against each other, and I was enjoying the night.

I don't know how long we were dancing, but it was the most fun I've ever heard. His hands were on my body, and I don't know even know how we started to grind on each other, but we were. We were kissing, and smiling, and he was whispering seductive things in my ear that just made me melt into him even more. I was in a daze of Jace Herondale when I felt other hands on my body that I didn't like.

"How would you like to dance baby?" He said and I froze. Jace's eyes were closed until he felt my body go stiff. When he opened them his eyes locked on the other body around me.

"Get the fuck away." Jace said and the man just smirked.

"You can share man." He said and Jace didn't like that. He pushed me behind him and I don't know how he did it, but he made himself look even taller than he normally was.

"I said, back off." Jace said in a deadly calm voice.

"What are you going to do about it man?" The guy said. "I've seen at least 35 women in this club look at you. You can spare that one." He said as he pointed to me.

"One last chance man. Walk away, before I do something you'll regret." Jace said and the mans eyes darkened. He started walking away when he turned around and punched Jace right in the face. I screamed but Jace just turned around and punched him back. Now, this guy clearly wasn't prepared for Jace's strength. If he didn't catch him off guard, he wouldn't have landed the first punch. The crowed had dispersed while these two men fought, and I was frozen until I felt arms around me. I looked up and there stood Izzy. I looked back at Jace and Simon, Jordan and Bat were pulling the two apart. Jace's lip was bleeding, and there was a gash on his forehead, but the other guy was way worse.

"Knock it the fuck off." The bouncer said as he got through the crowd. "You two." He said as he pointed to Jace and the guy. "Get out." He said. Jace ripped himself out of the grips of Simon and Jordan and made his way over to me. He took my hand in his and led us out of the club.

"What the fuck man?" Simon said once we were out.

"Don't start with me Simon." Jace said, clearly angry.

"You start a fight in a club, and we don't get any type of explanation?" Jordan asked.

"It was me." I said. "Some guy came over and started dancing on my asking me to dance with him, and Jace tried to get him to leave me alone, but he didn't leave."

"Oh." Simon said. "Than alright. Where too next?" Simon asked.

"I think that we should just call it a night." I said. "Jace needs to be cleaned up, and it's nearly midnight."

"I'm sorry I ruined your birthday." Jace said and I smiled.

"I had an amazing day." I said and he smiled. "Thank you for everything."

"Well, you guys can head back. Bat and I are going to find another club." Jordan said as they two walked away laughing.

"Those two can't go one night without getting laid." Simon said and we all laughed.

"Well, thank you boys for a fun night." Izzy said. "We should head back to the hotel Clare." She said and I nodded.

"You guys can come back with us." Simon offered. "I mean, if you want." He said and Izzy looked at me and I knew she didn't want to leave him just yet.

"Sure." I said and she smiled. She linked her arm with Simon's yet again, and started walking. "Are you okay?" I finally asked Jace.

"I'm completely okay." He said. "I'm sorry I let my anger get the best of me."

"It's okay." I said. "Thank you for defending me." I said and he took my hand in his and smiled.

"It was my pleasure." He said.

"I'm leaving in a few days." I finally said and he looked at me. "I just wanted to tell you that I hope this isn't the end of our friendship." I said.

"Friendship?" He asked.

"Yea. I've really loved getting to know you." I said. "And I know you're all famous, and on tour and stuff, and we might never see each other again, but I'd really like to keep our friendship if that is possible."

"Clary, I don't want a friendship with you." He said and my heart broke.

"Oh." I said. "Okay." I tried to pull my hand out of his but he just held it tighter.

"I don't want a friendship because I want more than that." He said and my jaw dropped.

"Really?" I asked and he laughed.

"I've loved getting to know you as well, and I don't want that to stop, but I don't think I could be just be your friend. Not after the night we just had." He said and I blushed, and I was thankful that it was dark.

"But you're touring, and I'm going to college." I said. "That's going to make things extremely hard."

"Hard doesn't mean impossible." He said.

"You don't care that I'm 19?" I asked.

"Do you care that I'm 25?" He asked.

"No." I said.

"It doesn't bother me either. We're both adults." He said. "Look, I'm not some creep who prays on little girls, I like you. A lot. Your age doesn't matter to me." He explained. "Although, it's a good think you're over 18." He said and I laughed.

"You really want to see where this goes?" I asked.

"I do." He said and I smiled.

"Okay." I said.

"So Clary…..?" He said and I realized he didn't know my last name.

"Fray. Clary Fray." I said as I held out my hand and he laughed and shook it.

"So Clary Fray, would you like to be my girlfriend?" He asked and I smiled.

"I'd love too." I said and he kissed my temple, forgetting that he had a bloody lip, and smeared it on me, but I couldn't find it in me to care. Jace Herondale, Jace freaking Herondale was my boyfriend. I couldn't believe it.

 **Time Jump – Leaving Europe**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and Izzy were leaving today, and I had to admit, I was really upset. Simon and I didn't have to be in Spain until the show tomorrow night, so we were seeing the girls off, and this was the first time in a long time that I've truly cared about someone this much. We were at the airport, and their flight was leaving relatively soonish and I was just holding her in my arms and rubbing her back while her head rested on my chest. It was going to suck being away from her, but I was serious about seeing where things went, and I knew she was too, so it might be tough, but we were both committed, so that was reassuring.

"Flight 475 from Paris France to Portland Oregon now boarding." The announcer said.

"That's us." Clary said as she broke away from the hug.

"Call me when you land?" I asked and she laughed.

"We don't get in until 5. It'll be 1 am in Spain." She said.

"I don't care. I'll answer." I said and she smiled.

"Than I'll call you when we land." She said and I smiled. I kissed her quick and I saw Simon do the same with Izzy. Their section was called and they said their goodbyes and boarded the plane. I stood there and watched her leave, and I hated it. Simon stood next to me and sighed.

"How the hell did we fall so quickly?" Simon said and I laughed.

"Beats me." I said and he smiled. "Come one, we have to get to Spain other wise our manager, and Bat and Jordan are going to flip shit." I said and he nodded. We headed to our terminal and waited for our plane to board. It was a quicker flight so we made sure we got one after the girls left. We sat down and I picked up my phone and looked at the photos of Clary and I. This was going to suck, but I wanted it and that was going to make all the difference.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I've never been in a proper relationship. I've been on a few dates, and I've gone to functions, albeit, against my will at the protest of Izzy with a blind date or two, but a proper relationship was never in my wheelhouse. Too awkward for that, and some guys didn't like that I didn't 'put out' and refused to even see where things went with me. I'm not saying I would have liked more experience, but this was still new territory for me, and we hit the 6 month mark, and all we've done is call each other, text each other, or FaceTime when we had the time. It was hard. He was touring all over Europe, and I was busy with school. And since it was the end of the tour, it was even crazier. I missed his everyday, and one of the worst parts is, I didn't have Izzy to rely on.

Meeting people was tough at NYU at first, but I met this really sweet girl Maia, who reminded me of a less feminine version of Izzy, and we got along great. Turns out she lives in California, so when she was going home for winter break, I flew out with her to surprise Izzy so we could go back to Oregon together. Izzy was surprised and nearly fainted, and it turns out Izzy and Maia got along great as well. We all became fast friends, and that was always really helpful, especially for someone like me.

It was February 14th. Valentine's Day. Now, I don't particularly favor this holiday over the rest like many girls in relationships, mainly because my deadbeat dad's name is Valentine and I always associate it with him, and I hate that. But when I received the most beautiful text this morning, I couldn't get the smile off my face as I read it over and over again.

 ** _From Jace:_**

 _Your hair is red, your eyes are green, we make a fucking great ass team. -_- In all seriousness though Clare, Happy Valentine's Day babe! I have truly cherish the last 6 months we've been together even though we've spent it apart. I know it's not normal, but I appreciate your incredibly patient attitude when it comes to my career. I would have loved to spend every last second of the last 6 months with you in my arms, but unfortunately that couldn't happen, but I promise when the tour is over, you will be seeing a lot more of me. That's for sure. I hope you have such a great day, and when you're finished class text me and we'll FaceTime._

 _P.S. There is something being delivered to you some time tonight. I hope you like it. We'll talk soon Clary 3_

I was so anxious to find out what he got me, that I just sat in my dorm building waiting for either a text or a call saying something was here for me. Jace and I had talked earlier, but he had somewhere to be tonight so our talk was brief but so meaningful. I got a text from a random number saying that they were outside my building with a package for me. I pulled on some sweats, threw my boots on and practically ran outside. There stood a man with a huge bundle of flowers.

"Delivery for Clary Fray." I heard and my jaw dropped.

"No fucking way." I said and the flowers were lowered and there, in all his beautifulness was Jace. He was here. I took off and ran and jumped into his arms. "You're here." I said and he laughed.

"I'm here." He said. I pulled back and slammed my lips to his. It had been a long 6 months, and I couldn't believe he was here with me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Don't you have a show tonight?"

"I kinda lied about that." He said and I laughed. "Our tour finished last week. I was planning on surprising you this whole time."

"You suck." I said and he laughed.

"Do I really though?" He asked and I shook my head and kissed him again. "God I've missed you."

"I missed you too. So much." I said and he smiled.

"Well, lets put these in your room, and than I'm kidnapping you for the weekend." He said and I nodded and led him into the building. I got to my room where my insufferable roommate was painting her nails and talking on the phone.

"Oh my god Aline, I have to call you back." She said the moment Jace entered the room. "You're the lead singer for _The Mortal Instruments._ " She said.

"I am." Jace said politely. "I'm Jace."

"I know who you are." She said. "What are you doing here?" She squealed.

"Came to take my girlfriend out for an amazing Valentine's Day weekend." He said as he pulled me into him.

"You're serious?" She asked.

"Why would I lie about that?" Jace asked.

"Because I thought Clary was lying when she said she had a boyfriend." She said and I laughed.

"Well, I wasn't." I said. "Now, I'm not going to be here at all this weekend, but please, don't touch my stuff." I said as I pulled Jace out of the room.

"Uh, don't you need clothes?" He asked and I groaned.

"Damn it. Hold on." I said as I walked back into my room where Kaelie was still standing there with her jaw practically hitting the floor. "Might want to close your mouth, you'll catch flies that way."

"How the hell did you land him?" She finally asked. "Isn't he like 26?" She asked.

"Yes." I said. "We met at one of his concerts, and than we ran into each other again in Paris. We hung out, got to know each other, and that is basically it."

"You must teach me your ways." She said and I laughed.

"Be nice. Don't sleep around. Don't be a bitch." I said. "That's really all it takes." I grabbed my bag and walked out.

"Ready?" He asked as he reached his hand out for mine. I grabbed it and smiled realizing that I just came home.

"More than ready." I said and he smiled. We walked out to his car and got in. he drove back to which ever hotel we were going to be staying at that night. I didn't plan on taking this weekend for granted because I didn't know how long he was going to be in America for.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I were laying in bed cuddling after a long and eventful day. Now I'm not normally one for cuddling, but it feels incredibly right with Clary. Having her body molded perfectly to mine was something I don't think I'd ever get tired of. I know we've only been together for 6 months, but I was never letting this girl go, that was for sure.

"How long are you here for?" She asked as she rubbed circles into my chest.

"I haven't decided yet." I said honestly.

"What do you mean?" She asked as she propped herself up on her elbows.

"I haven't decided how long I'm going to be here for. Simon is out in California visiting Izzy, and Bat wanted to take a long vacation in Australia, and Jordan, well he came here with me because he's always wanted to see Time Square, but right now we have nothing planned. It's kinda just going with the flow." I explained.

"So I get to spent more than just this weekend with you?" She asked and I smiled.

"Yea." I said. "We just got in, which is why we are currently in a hotel, but our manager got us an apartment to rent so after this weekend we'll be staying there for however long we decide to stay."

"I don't mean to sound rude, but how can you afford that?" She asked and I laughed.

"I come from a rather wealthy family." I explained. "I just never used them as a tool to get famous. I wanted to do that on my own."

"Oh." She said. "Okay." She lowered her head back down to my chest and continued to draw circles.

I don't know how long we laid in that bed until we both fell asleep. But going to be holding Clary in my arms, and waking up next to her was something that I could get used too, and I know now more than ever that this is going to last.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Why do I have to come along again?" Maia asked as I drove her to the apartment that Jace and Jordan were sharing.

"Because I need to get something I left there, but if I go there alone, I won't leave." I said and she laughed. "You're going to be the one to pull me out of there when I started getting sucked in."

"Okay, but you so owe me coffee." She said and I laughed and nodded. We pulled up to the apartment, and both cars were there, which meant Jace and Jordan were both home. I just used the key that Jace gave me and let myself in, which I kinda wished I hadn't since they were both sitting on the couch in nothing but their underwear playing video games.

"This is what rockstars do in their time off?" I asked with a laugh.

"Technically we aren't rockstars." Jordan said. "We're in a punk rock band, so we're punk rockers." He elaborated and I rolled my eyes.

"Put a blanket on or something, my friend doesn't need to be scared by this image for the rest of her life." I said and than they noticed Maia's presence.

"Oh." Jordan said as he grabbed a blanket. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I had a brother once. I got used to it." She said.

"Used too?" Jace asked, and Maia nodded.

"Yea. He was killed in a car accident a couple years ago." She said.

"I'm so sorry." Jordan said.

"It's okay." Maia said and they nodded. "What are you two playing?"

"Legend of Zelda." Jordan said. "In all my life, I've never been able to beat it, and I figured in our time off I was finally going to do it."

"I know what you mean. It took me 3 years before I finally finished that game." Maia said.

"You're a gamer?" Jordan asked.

"She's a total video game nerd." I said.

"I'm in college for video game design. Am I supposed to be anything but a video game nerd?" Maia asked with a laugh.

"That's awesome. What do you want to do with that?" Jordan asked.

"I want to basically build my own Nintendo." Maia said. "Or something close."

"That's pretty wicked." Jordan said. I eyed Jace and motioned for him to follow me upstairs so we could give them their space. We got to his room and shut the door.

"What are you doing here exactly?" Jace asked.

"I left my sketchbook here and I need it for class tomorrow." I said.

"And you brought Maia because?" He asked.

"I thought that if I came here alone, you' find some way to make me stay, and as much as I love staying here with you, I never get any work done. Maia was going to be my common sense, but I think I just lost her to Jordan." I said and Jace laughed.

"You just might have." He said. "They seemed to get along really well."

"Maybe something will come out of it." I said.

"Are you trying to set up my band mate with you friend?" Jace asked.

"That wasn't my intention, but who knows what could happen at this rate." I said and he kissed me. I grabbed my book off the dresser and made my way back downstairs where Jordan and Maia were still talking. "Come on girl, we both have a massive amount of homework to do."

"Of course. Well it was great talking Jordan, and remember what I said. When you get to Lake Hylia and you're trying to get blue candle, burn the fifth bush from the right." Maia said and Jordan nodded.

"You two don't be strangers now." Jace said. "Come over anytime." He said and Jordan was nodding in agreement.

"We might just take you up on that." I said before exiting the house. We got in the car and started driving back to campus. "So you and Jordan huh?" I asked and she laughed.

"He was really nice." She said. "Not what I was expecting from a boy in a punk rock band."

"I know what you mean. Izzy and I felt the same way when we first met the boys." I said and she nodded. I knew for sure this wasn't going to be the last time those two met. You can believe that.

 **Time Jump – Seven Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

If you told me before I got on that plane to Europe at 18 that I would fall in love with the most amazing man I've ever met, graduate college with a 4.0 GPA, get married to that man, move to Europe, and be standing where I am with my 9 month old child, I would have asked what drugs you were taking, and than asked for some because you sounded ridiculous. But living that exact life right now, was something that I would forever be grateful for.

Jace and I got married a year after I graduated college. He proposed the day of my college graduation, and I was in shock but so thrilled to be spending the rest of my life with him, and that I get to continue to grow our family together.

Which brings us to present time. The band had a show in London, and I was having a pretty good day. I wasn't exhausted, and my feet didn't hurt, well not yet, and I really wanted Emery to see Jace in action, even if she wasn't really sure what was going on.

I was meeting up with Izzy and Maia before the show because I'm a complete genius and totally hooked Jordan and Maia up. It was weird at first, seeing Jordan so committed, but they were a great couple, and I loved that we had each other to help each other through this insane lifestyle that we live. I got to the restaurant and Izzy and Maia were already there.

"About time you two got here." Izzy said as I sat Emery down.

"She decided to have a little accident before we left. There was shit everywhere. I had to give her an emergency bath." I said and they laughed.

"I know what you mean. Riker did that last week right before Simon and I were going to go out for dinner. I felt so bad, that I gave him a bath so the babysitter didn't have too." Izzy said.

"I appreciate that so much." Maia said and Izzy smiled.

"You'll be dealing with this soon enough." I said as she rubbed her belly. "And it'll be twice as worse." I said and she laughed.

"I can't imagine the amount of shit these two will produce." Maia said and I laughed.

"A lot." I said and she laughed. "But I'll be right there with you, but my babies will just be different ages." I said as my hand rested on my belly. Jace and I apparently wasted no time getting pregnant again. Emery was only 5 months when I found out I was pregnant again. We were shocked, but oh so excited.

"I can't believe you're pregnant again." Izzy said. "It took Simon and I almost a year to get pregnant with Riker, and here you are with a 9 month old, and 4 months pregnant again." She said and I laughed.

"What can I say? I'm fertile. And Jace and I have a lot of sex." I said and they groaned but I laughed.

"Gross Clary. TMI." Maia said and I continued to laugh.

"You both know how babies are made." I said and they just shook their heads.

We ate dinner and continued to have an amazing time. Thankfully Emery and Riker were well rested from their extra long naps today, so they wouldn't be cranky for the show tonight.

We got the venue and were let in immediately and made our way back to the room where the band was going to be waiting. We heard them before we saw them, and no matter how old they got, they were still the boys from high school that formed a band to have fun, and I don't think that would ever change.

"Alright, censor yourselves. The babies are here." I said as I entered the room. They all looked over, and Simon and Jace got that look on their faces. The one they got every time they saw their babies.

"There is my little princess." Jace said as he took Emery out of my arms. She was a daddy's girl through and through. It was really sweet. "And my baby." He said as he kissed me, while his hand rested on my belly. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm good today. I took a nice long nap with Emery today, and I barely got off the couch until absolutely necessary." I said and he laughed.

"Good. You work too hard anyway." He said and I smiled.

"I work from home Jace." I said and he laughed.

"That stool can't be comfortable to sit on all day though." He pointed out and I couldn't help but laugh.

"It's not, but I can take as many breaks as I can." I said. He laughed and kissed Emery again which caused her to giggle.

"10 minutes fellas!" The manager called into the room.

"Okay, give her back." I said and Jace pouted. "Come on ya big baby." I said and he laughed.

"Fine, but just so you know, she's sleeping in our bed tonight." He said and I smiled.

"She sleeps more in our bed than her own crib." I said and he nodded.

"I travel a lot. I miss her, and you. Excuse me for wanted my whole family in my bed." He said and I kissed Emery's cheek.

"I didn't say that I minded." I said and he kissed me one more time.

"Okay, we should head towards the stage." Jace said to the band and they all nodded. "See you after." He said and I nodded. They all left, which just left the wives.

"Those men are putty now." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Such saps when it comes to these babies." I said as I tickled Emery's belly.

"I can't even imagine what Jordan is going to be like when these two are born." Maia said and I laughed.

"Even worse." I said and she nodded. I grabbed the nose cancelling headphones for Emery and put them on. Jace insisted that we get customized headphones for her. I didn't really get why but he was adamant and when they came in I understood why. On one side it said _The Mortal Instruments_ and on the other side it said Daddy's Princess with a JH underneath it. Simon had done the same thing for Riker, accept the other side said Future member of _The Mortal Instruments_ with and SL under it. Those boys were all about marking their territory, and Izzy and I thought it was utterly adorable how protective they were of their children.

We got to the side stage just as the band made their way on stage. Emery was clapping her hands like a loon while Jace was playing. He kept looking over and our eyes would lock. He'd wink and I'd blush cause even after being married for almost 5 years, I couldn't help how much of a reaction he had on me.

The show went on until about midnight like I knew it would. Emery was fast asleep in my arms back stage as we waited for the boys to get back. I was slowly falling asleep myself, because this little one inside of me was kicking my ass, and being a night owl just wasn't a think for me anymore.

"Clary." I heard and I opened my eyes and once they focused I saw Jace. "Hey, you ready to get out of here?" He asked.

"Yea." I said in a sleepy voice. He grabbed Emery and she didn't even stir. I grabbed the diaper bag, said goodbye to the girls, and band and Jace and I headed towards my car. When we got home I went straight to our room, put on sweats and got in bed. I was exhausted, and couldn't wait to sleep. Jace joined me after getting Emery changed and than him changing himself. He put her right in the middle of the bed, and he climbed in. I kissed Emery on the forehead at the same time Jace kissed my forehead.

"I love you." He said and I smiled.

"I love you too." I said as my eyes closed.

"Thank you." He said so quietly I almost missed it.

"For what?" I asked.

"My family." He said and I smiled. I reached over Emery and linked our fingers together.

"Thank you for giving me a real one." I said and I could hear him smile. I drifted off and dreamed about our future together, and I probably had a smile on my face the whole night, but I didn't care. I was happy, and it was about damn time.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I'm not entirely sure where this idea came from. I don't know if someone requested it or if I thought about it myself, but I wrote it, so here it is! Please let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **WOW 90 one shots, and I'm still conflicted about whether I want to continue after 100, but I am taking your feelings into consideration, but I'm still debating, but you will have an answer soon!**

 **Also, if anyone wanted any back story on Clary's home life, I'm sorry I didn't address it in the actual story, but in my head I just made her father a regular deadbeat. Someone who left when she was young, and refuses to pay child support, and her mother who kinda just gave up and left Clary to fend for herself from a young age. There wasn't much too it, but I thought it was appropriate to add it to the story.**


	92. Chapter 91 - A Better Walk to Remember

**Ninety First One Shot:**

 **A Better Walk to Remember**

 **Jace POV:**

I've never spent longer than 2 years in a specific place. My parents loved moving. I didn't get it, and I thought moving was such an inconvenience, but they loved it and like clock work, every two years we'd move. As you probably understand, that was really hard for me as a kid. Constantly having to make new friends, and than leaving those friends. When I was about 13 I gave us making them. I became the 'emo' kid in the corner that wasn't friendly, and didn't socialize. It was easier to just leave that place without having to leave anyone behind, and ever since I just kept that image up.

Thankfully I was a senior in high school, so when I got to college I'd stay at that same college for four years, but being the new kid senior year kinda really sucked. More than being the new kid at every other school I've been too. All these kids mostly likely grew up together, and were just having the time of their lives senior year, and here I was, new, I knew nobody, and probably going to be even more outcasted than I normally would be. I didn't dwell on it for too long though, because I was used to this, and I learned how to cope.

"Jace honey!" My mom called. "You don't want to be late for your first day of school!" She said and I groaned. I grabbed my jacket and headed downstairs.

"I doubt they'll care that I'm late mom." I said and she smiled.

"But I do." She said. "Here is some lunch money." She said as she handed me some money. "I hope you have a great first day." She said as she grabbed her phone.

"Please no pictures mom." I said and she laughed.

"It's a tradition Jace." She said. "And I am going to get a picture of you on your last first day of high school. Now smile." She said and I appeased her. I smiled and she snapped the photo. "Thank you."

"I'll be home after school." I said and she nodded.

"I'm working until 6, so I'll see you at dinner." She said and I walked over and kissed her cheek. "I love you Jace."

"Love you too mom." I said and I went outside, got on my motorcycle and went to my new school.

When I pulled up to the parking lot, all eyes were on me. I took my helmet off, put the kickstand down, and grabbed my bag. I didn't care much for the stares, I just went straight to the office to get my schedule. I walked in and went over to the desk and waited for the woman behind it got off the phone.

"Hi sweetie, what can I do for you?" She asked as she hung up.

"My name is Jonathan Herondale, I'm new here." I said.

"Yes. Let me get your schedule." She said as she typed on the computer. After a few minutes she printed it out. "Okay, your locker is purple, and it'll upstairs on the third floor. Your homeroom is number 324." She said and I nodded as I took the schedule. "Welcome to Idris." She said and I smiled and left the office.

I walked up to the third floor and found the purple lockers. It was so weird how they color coordinated this school, but I guess it did make it a little easier than just looking for a number. I found my locker and opened it, I didn't have much to put in it, so I just put my helmet in it, and than closed it and made my way to my homeroom. I took a seat in the back, just like I always did, put my headphones in and waited for the day to begin.

As the class started to fill up, I could already see the clicks forming. The 'cheerleader' types were all in the front right, the 'jocks' were all in the far left corner, and the 'nerds' were all up in the front left. They were all talking about most likely their summer or what the school year was going to be like. I didn't even realize that someone had sat next to me in the back. I looked over and she was drawing something in a book. The teacher walked in and I took my headphones out.

"Alright class, I'm just going to take role, because I know you all aren't going to listen to me anyway, so just raise your hand when I call your name, and if you prefer to be called something else just let me know, than you may return to your conversations." She said and the class nodded. She started rambling off names.

"Clarissa Fray?" She called and I noticed the girl next to me raise her hand. So here name was Clarissa, it didn't seem to fit her.

"I prefer to be called Clary." She said and the teacher nodded. Clary suited her much better.

"Jonathan Herondale?" She called and I raised my hand.

"I prefer Jace." I said and she nodded and she continued down the list.

I got to the first class and took my normal seat in the back. None of the classes were particularly interesting. They were all just the same boring classes that I've always had to take. English, math, history, science, health, gym. Nothing much different than other high schools. What I wasn't looking forward to this year was my photography class. I had to take an art class, and I can't draw, I can't paint, I wasn't doing any type of theater shit, and I had no interest in jewelry making, so photography was my last choice. I was sitting in the back of the class naturally, and in walked that redhead from homeroom. I haven't seen her all day, not even during lunch. She took a seat next to me in the back and continued to draw when the teacher walked in.

"Okay class, I'm going to start with a long project right off the bat. I'll assign you a partner and you'll have until the end of the semester to complete this project." He said and I internally groaned. I hated group work. "Okay, let's get started." He said and he started calling off names. "And that leaves two people, Clarissa and Jonathan. You'll be partners." He said and I nodded.

"Please call me Clary." She said and the teacher nods.

"I prefer to be called Jace." I said realizing that he would call me Jonathan unless I corrected him.

"Looks like you two are already a good pair, you both want to be called something different." He said with a laugh and Clary and I just nodded. "Okay, so this project is going to be a huge portfolio. You must picture a topic to capture. Whether it be people, landscapes, animals, architecture, flowers, anything. But the portfolio must have a theme." He said. "You may take the rest of the class to discuss with your partner and than come up and tell me." Everyone split up and I looked over at Clary.

"Hi." She said. "I'm Clary."

"Jace." I said.

"So, I have an idea, but you can totally tell me if it's complete shit and we can start over." She said and I laughed.

"Let's here it." I said.

"Well, I think it would be awesome to just photograph people in their everyday lives. Just a huge portfolio of candid's." She explained.

"I like it." I said and she smiled and got off the stool and went to the teacher. She told him, he nodded and that was that. She came back to her seat.

"So, when would you like to start?" She asked.

"Whenever you're free." I said honestly. I didn't do much that would conflict with times.

"Okay, I'm busy today and tomorrow, but how about we meet up on Wednesday, and start with the basics." She said.

"Sounds good to me." I said. She started writing something down before handing it to me.

"That's my number." She said. "Where would you like to meet?" She asked.

"We could meet at my house first, and figure out where we want to go to take the pictures." I offered.

"Sounds great. Just text me your address and I'll be there." She said and I nodded. We didn't have anything else to discuss so she went back to drawing and I put my headphones in and continued to listen to music.

 **Time Jump – Wednesday**

 **Clary POV:**

I was getting my stuff together to head over to Jace's house after school. I was really looking forward to this project because I loved taking candid pictures of people. It showed there natural side, and I loved that about people. Anyone can take pictures of animals, or buildings, or whatnot, but capturing people is so much more personal, something that's raw, and I loved that.

I pulled up to his house and rang his doorbell. A few moments later a woman answered, and she had the biggest smile on her face. I smiled back politely and she gestured for me to come in.

"You must be here for Jace." She said. "He told me a friend from school was coming over to work on a project."

"Yea. I'm Clary." I said.

"I'm Celine." She said. "Jace is in the living room." She pointed and I nodded before heading in. He was sitting on the couch reading a book. I dropped my bag and took a seat on the opposite couch.

"Hi." I said and he looked up.

"Hey." He said. He closed the book and put it on the coffee table. "So, where would you like to take these pictures?" He asked.

"I was thinking about it, and I realized that people might be a little weirded out that we're just taking pictures of them." I said and he laughed. "So we might have to be stealthy." I said and he smiled.

"We can do stealthy." He said.

"Cool. So the most obvious place for me would be the park. Lots of demographics there people wise. Families, teens, elderly. There is just a wide variety that will be good for us." I said and he nodded. "So we might have to climb a few trees, or hide behind a few bushes, but that's not a problem." I said and he nodded again.

"What about if we go to like restaurants, or clubs on the weekend?" He suggested. "At least in clubs people are less aware of things, so we might not need to sneak into stealth mode." He offered.

"I like it." I said. "I was also thinking that we could also go to those movies in the park, since they don't end until like the end of September, and we could even go to the homecoming dance, and the winter ball to get some of our classmates." I said.

"Sounds good to me." He said.

"Cool." I said. That was all I really wanted to talk about, and it was quiet before I decided to get to know him a little more. "So, how shitty is it being the new kid senior year?" I asked and I could tell I caught him off guard.

"Not uncommon for me." He said.

"So you've been a senior for some time now?" I said and he laughed.

"No. I meant the new kid part." He explained. "My parents have a love for moving." He said. "We never stayed anywhere longer than 2 years."

"That must suck." I said and he laughed.

"I got used to it." He simply said.

"Where were you before you moved here?" I asked.

"Maine." He said.

"What was it like?" I wondered.

"Cold in the winter, but it wasn't too bad." He said.

"I've never been out of New York." I admitted. "I grew up here."

"That's nice." He said.

"Sometimes it is, sometimes I wish I was more cultured." I said and he nodded.

It was quiet for another couple minutes before I felt something dripping down my face. I put my hand to my nose and when I took it away, and there was blood on my fingers. And all I could think about was that this couldn't be happening again.

"Are you okay?" Jace asked.

"Yea. This happens when I'm dehydrated. Can I have a tissue?" I asked and he nodded. He got up, grabbed one and handed it to me. I put it up against my nose and tilted my head back. They normally only lasted for a couple minutes, but I knew this wasn't a good sign. Once I felt like it was over, I removed the tissue and looked at Jace. "Where is the trashcan?" I asked.

"In the kitchen." He said and I got up and went into the kitchen where his mom was.

"Will you be staying for dinner Clary?" She asked.

"No thank you. I actually have to get home." I said and she nodded. "Maybe another time."

"Of course sweetheart. It was lovely meeting you." She said.

"You as well." I said as I made my way into the other room. "I should probably head home." I said and Jace looked at me.

"Oh. Yea. Of course." He said.

"Maybe we can start taking pictures on Friday." I said and he smiled.

"Sounds good." He said. He walked me to the door and opened it.

"See you tomorrow Jace." I said.

"See ya." He said. I walked to my car, got in and drove home in silence. When I opened the door, my mom was sitting in the living room sketching something.

"How did your meeting go sweetie?" She asked.

"Mom." I said, my voice was shaky.

"What's wrong Clary?" She asked.

"My nose is bleeding again." I said and she got up.

"I'll make an appointment for Tomorrow." She said and I nodded. "Go lay down until dinner." She said and I just nodded again. I got into my room and laid on my bed. It had been 4 years since I've been in remission, this couldn't be happening again.

 **Time Jump – Three Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I've been in an out of the hospital getting tested to see if it came back or not. Turns out it wasn't as easy to detect as it was before, which meant a lot of blood being taken, a lot of scans, and a lot of tired days.

Jace and I were still working on our project, and surprisingly it wasn't hard at all to build a huge portfolio, and we were 2/3's done already, which was really promising, but people were so fascinating to capture in a picture, that we would spend hours at the park just taking pictures. Once day, I got home and we had taken nearly 300. Now, they weren't all good enough to use, but we had a wide variety.

I got to school, and I was just exhausted. I could barely keep my eyes opened the majority of the time, and I just wanted to take a nap. I got to photography class and I put my head down on the table. I was nearly asleep when someone nudged my shoulder. I looked up and there stood Jace.

"You okay?" He asked. "You look like you've barely been sleeping."

"How did you know?" I joked but he didn't look amused. "I just don't seem to be sleeping through the night. I only sleep for like 2 hours at a time."

"That sucks." He said and I simply nodded. "Well, we don't have to meet today if you're too tired."

"No, it's okay." I said. "I'll be okay."

"Alright." He said. He didn't sound convinced, but he also didn't question it at all. Which was nice.

We got back to his house after school, and I didn't even realize how tired I was going to be. I sat on his couch and just curled up with a pillow. Before I knew it, my eyes were closing and I was falling asleep. I didn't even have the energy to wake myself up, I just let the darkness consume me.

 **Jace POV:**

I went to the kitchen to get something to drink for Clary and I and when I went back to the living room she was fast asleep on the couch. I laughed, grabbed a blanket and put it over her. I put the water down on the coffee table, picked up my book, and continued to read it. She clearly needed to sleep, and I wasn't going to wake her up when she finally got to actually sleep. My mom came home a lot sooner than I was expected.

"Jace!" She called.

"Shhh." I hushed as she walked into the living room. She looked confused but I just pointed at Clary and she smiled and motioned for me to follow her into the kitchen. I put my book down and obeyed. "What's up?" I asked when I walked into the kitchen.

"Why is Clary sleeping on the couch?" She asked.

"We were supposed to work on our project today, but she looked like she hasn't been sleeping in weeks, and when I told her we could reschedule she said she was fine, but when I came in here to get her something to drink, she was fast asleep by the time I got back." I explained.

"Oh. Why hasn't she been sleeping?" My mom asked.

"No idea. She just said she only sleeps for like 2 hours at a time." I said and she nodded.

"Maybe she's stressed. That really messes with your sleep schedule." My mom said and I nodded. I wasn't going to argue with a nurse.

"Maybe. But I wasn't going to wake her up." I said and she nodded.

"Will she be staying for dinner?" She asked.

"I guess. I don't want to wake her up anytime soon." I said and she nodded but she had that look in her eyes. "Don't start with me mom."

"I didn't say anything." She said and I glared at her.

"But you have that look in your eyes." I said. "I told you before, we're only hanging out because of this project."

"If you say so." She said and I walked out of the kitchen and go back into the living room. I looked at Clary and she looked so peaceful, but incredibly tired. I picked my book back up and continued to read as she continued to sleep.

I don't know how long it was, but when my mom came in to tell me that dinner was ready, I knew I had to wake her up, and I really didn't want too. I wanted her to continue sleeping. I kneeled down in front of her and started to rub her leg. She started to stir a little bit, and when her eyes finally opened she looked incredibly confused until it clicked and her eyes widened.

"Oh my god. I fell asleep. I'm so sorry." She said as she sat up. "We can start working now."

"I woke you up because it's dinner time." I said and her eyes got even bigger.

"It's dinner time?" She asked and I nodded. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"

"You looked tired, and if you were finally sleeping I wasn't going to interrupt that." I explained.

"I did sleep a lot better than I normally do." She said and I smiled before standing up. I extended my hand and she took it and I pulled her off the couch. We walked in the kitchen, and my dad was sitting at the table already and my mom was getting everything together.

"How are you feeling Clary?" My mom asked.

"Better." She said as she took her seat.

"Do you know why you aren't sleeping well?" My mom asked.

"I'm not sure. I just know I don't sleep for long periods of a time anymore. That was actually the longest I've slept in a single duration in weeks." She said.

"You should drink warm milk, or chamomile tea before bed. It's supposed to be extremely soothing." My mom recommended and Clary nodded.

"I'll try that tonight." Clary said and my mom smiled.

Dinner went by normally. It was like Clary was always there for dinner. She fit into the conversation easily, and she was just so comfortable talking to my parents, and everything. It was weird, this is what it was supposed to be like to have friends, or even a girlfriend. They were supposed to fit seamlessly into your family, just like Clary. I was actually laughing, and smiling at some of the things she said, or I would actually get embarrassed when my mom brought up things that I normally didn't like the world knowing, but I didn't mind Clary knowing them about me. I didn't mind Clary knowing _me_ and I thought that would never happen.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Turns out the process this time, was seriously way longer than before, but everything was sorted out, and I was going to start chemo next week, and I was going to be homeschooled for the duration of my senior year. I actually felt incredibly horrible that I was leaving Jace to do that project all alone, so once day when I was waiting around for the doctor to get everything settled, I decided to finish the presentation, and the photo album that we were putting the pictures in plus all the film so that Jace could develop them. I was also writing him a note, to let him know that I truly felt sorry but this was what happened to be better for me, and that I hoped her understood. It truly sucked having to go through this again, but I was a fighter, and that's what I was going to do.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary wasn't in homeroom today, and that was a little alarming. We were supposed to meet this weekend to do some of the project but she cancelled last minute and that wasn't like her at all. I went through my entire day hoping that I would see Clary in photography class, but when the bell rang, and everyone was in the room, and Clary wasn't there, I got slightly worried.

"Jace, could you come up here for a moment?" The teacher asked and I made my way to the desk. "I have some bad news." He said. "Clary is no longer continuing her senior year here, so looks like you're going to be flying solo for the rest of the semester." He said and my jaw dropped. Clary never told me she wasn't going to be finishing the year here. "But this was dropped off in my office addressed to you." He said as he gave me a package. I took it and went back to my seat. I opened it up and inside was a letter. I opened it and began to read.

 _Dear Jace,_

 _I couldn't think of a proper way to tell you, so I thought a letter was more personal than a simple text. I will no longer be continuing going to Idris this year. I've decided to finish out my senior year being homeschooled. I just think it's the best thing for me, and I truly hope you understand. I didn't intend on leaving you high and dry with this project, which is why I've taken it upon myself to do the rest of the work so that you weren't too burdened by it. Inside this box is the photo album for our pictures, the film, and the final presentation. All you have to do is develop the film, and fill the album. I hope that it looks as beautiful as we always thought it would. I am again so incredibly sorry that this came out of thin air Jace, but I hope you can forgive me._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Clary._

I looked in the box and sure enough there was the album, the film, and I just stared at it. None of this made any sense. She just left right before winter break and started getting homeschooled? Who does that? I didn't understand it, and I was a little annoyed that she just up and left, but she did finish her part of the project, so I guess I can't be too mad at her.

When I got home I put my bag down, went into the kitchen, grabbed an orange and headed towards the living room. I sat down and began to peel it when my mom walked in, scrubs and all.

"Hey mom." I said and she looked at me and gave me a sad smile.

"Hi baby. How are you doing?" She asked as she sat next to me.

"I'm fine." I said. "How was work?"

"Depressing." She said and I looked at her confused. "I'm so sorry Jace. She was such a lovely girl."

"Who was a lovely girl?" I asked even more confused.

"Clary." She said as if she was the one who was supposed to be confused.

"What about Clary?" I asked.

"Oh sweetie. You don't know?" She asked.

"Know what mom?" I asked.

"Clary started chemo this week." She said and I literally felt my heart break.

"Chemo?" I asked.

"She didn't tell you?" My mom asked.

"No. She didn't." I said annoyed but than I realized, I was annoyed at a girl who I just met, who had cancer.

"Oh baby. I'm so sorry." She said.

"What kind does she have?" I asked dumbfounded.

"Leukemia." My mom said. "I thought she would have told you."

"We were just partners mom. Why would she tell me that?" I said.

"You two were more than partners. There was something between you sweetheart. I saw it." She said.

"You know I don't believe in that whole connection bullshit mom." I said and she laughed.

"You can not believe in it all you want. I know what I saw." She said as she got off the couch. "Dinner at 5." She said as she started to leave.

"Mom." I called and she turned around. "What are her chances? Of beating this?" I asked and she gave me that sad smile.

"Survival rates for AML is 26%." She said and my jaw dropped. "But there are so many factors baby that it's hard to tell who will make it." She said.

"But it doesn't look good." I said.

"She beat it before. She can beat it again." My mom said.

"Wait, this isn't her first diagnosis?" I asked and she shook her head. "When was the first?" I asked.

"She was 13 the first time." She said. "You should visit her. I think she'd like it."

"I can't just show up and be like 'hey Clare, my mom told me you were sick, let's chill. By the way I really like you'." I rattled than instantly kicked myself.

"I knew it!" My mom cheered and I hung my head. "You two will make a beautiful couple."

"Nothing is going to happen mom." I said.

"And why not?" She asked.

"Because I doubt she wants to be in a relationship. Especially if she might...you know." I said. I didn't want to say the word.

"Life is too short to not go after what you want. Whether Clary has 3 months to live or 40 more years." She said. "Don't let that stop you from going after what you want." She said and I sighed. "I know you Jace. You don't let anyone in, and maybe that's our fault. Maybe constantly moving made you shut off your emotions, and guard yourself from truly making life long friends, but Clary is different. I heard you two laughing together, I saw the smile she brought to your face. Don't give that up because she's battling cancer."

"I'll think about it mom." I said and she nodded.

"Clary will be in the hospital for the rest of the week." She said. "In case you change your mind." I nodded and she left the room. I didn't know what to do, and truth me told, I was heartbroken, and that was something I never thought I'd feel.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in the hospital trying to rest. The chemo they gave me this time around was extra strong, so strong that I had to be in the hospital for a week. I was getting nowhere with my sleep when I heard the door open. I turned in my bed to see a nurse but instead there stood Jace.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I tried to sit up.

"My mom told me." He said. "She's a nurse here."

"I've never seen her around." I said.

"She delivers babies." He said. "She normally doesn't visit this side of the hospital."

"So how did she know about me?" I asked.

"They were short staffed this week so nurses were all over the place." He said, and I nodded.

"Would you like to sit?" I asked as I gestured to the chair. He nodded slightly and made his way to the chair, almost like he was scared to be near me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I've been better." I said with a dry laugh. "It's really just this new chemo. It's really strong."

"That sucks." He said.

"That it does." I said. "Did you get my package?" I asked.

"I did. You didn't need to do all that work. I could have done some." He said but I waved him off.

"I felt awful just up and leaving you to finish it alone." I said. "I didn't want to leave school, but I'm going to be in and out of this hospital until I beat this or die. It would have been pointless to stay. But I felt awful leaving you, I just had to do something."

"I appreciate it, and I'm going to miss having you around." He said with a smile.

"If you'd smile more, take the headphones out, and participate in society, you could make a friend or two." I said and he laughed.

"It's not really my thing to make friends." He said.

"So what does that make me?" I asked curiously.

"An exception. Always an exception." He said. It was quiet than because I didn't know what to say. "I can go of you want." He said out of nowhere and stood up.

"No." I said. "I'd really like the company." I said and he smiled and sat down. "So, how is school?" I asked.

"Boring." He said and I laughed. "Honestly, I just want to graduate."

"I bet. What are your plans after college?" I asked.

"NYU." He said. "Its local, although I don't know how long my parents will stay in our house now."

"They really do love moving." I said and Jace laughed.

"Yea. I don't know why. I think it's such a hassle. I've learned to not collect excessive things because you just have to constantly move them." He said.

"Makes sense." I said and he nodded. "You know, we've known each other for a couple months, and I don't know that much about you." I pointed out.

"You don't?" He sarcastically asked. "But I'm an open book." He said and I laughed.

"You're about as open as I am." I said he smiled. "Question for question?" I asked and he nodded. "Okay, we'll start easy. Favorite color?"

"Black." He said. "What's yours?"

"Silver." I said. "Favorite hobby?" I asked.

"Playing the piano." He said.

"You play?" I asked surprised.

"I do, very well in fact." He said.

"Cool." I said.

"What's yours?" He asked.

"Sketching." I said.

"Should have known. Your head was always buried in a book." He said and I laughed.

"Favorite food?" I asked.

"Red apples." He said and I scrunched my nose. "Not a fan?" He asked.

"No. I prefer green apples." I said and he laughed.

"To each their own." He said and I nodded. "What's yours?" He asked.

"Well, before chemo starts it's a toss up between Oreos or tastey cakes. But after chemo it's either peanuts or Cheerios." I say.

"Chemo ruins your appetite?" He asked.

"Immensely. I lose my taste buds most times or sometimes sweet tastes salty, which ruins everything so I try and stick with bland food." I explain.

"That sounds horrible." He said.

"Really? Cause I think this whole process is really glamorous." I say as I gesture to my bed. He gives me a small smile so I decide to stop joking about it.

"Biggest fear?" He asked after a moment.

"It might sound utterly stupid to you, considering I'm currently in the hospital get chemo because I have cancer, but losing my hair is a big fear of mine." I said.

"That doesn't sound stupid." He said. "Why is that a big fear?" He asked.

"Because I look ugly without hair." I said so quietly that I hoped he wouldn't hear. I was looking at my hands avoiding eye contact when I felt my bed dip, and when I looked up, he was sitting in front of me.

"You could never look ugly Clary." He said softly.

"You haven't seen me without my hair yet." I said.

"I guarantee I'll still say the same thing. You know why?" He asked and I shook my head. "Because of course you're beautiful on the outside." He said and I blushed. "But you're also incredibly beautiful on the inside as well, and no amount of hair loss will change that beautiful side of you."

"Thank you." I simply said because I didn't know how to respond to such a beautiful compliment.

"When do you get out of here?" He asked after a moment.

"Hopefully Friday." I said. "This chemo is incredibly strong, and if I have a bad reaction it's better for me to be here than at home." I said and he nodded.

"I know you probably don't want to talk about my homework." He said and I laughed. "But would you like to see the final product once I'm done?" He asked.

"I'd love that." I said and he smiled.

"Just text me where you are, whether it be here, or at your house, and I'll come over and let you see all our hard work." He said and I smiled.

"Sounds great." I said. "I get chemo every week this time, so I'll be in the hospital a couple days a week, so your best bet is to find me here."

"Still text me." He said. "If you want to see the photos, or you want some company, or you need me to pick up some more bland food. All you have to do is ask."

"Why?" I simply asked. "Why would you do that for me?"

"Because since we got paired together, you're the first person in a long time that I consider a friend." He said. "And I know I can't do much to help you, I wish I could, but I can't, and if you need more cheerios because you ran out, I will be more than willing to go get you some more because it would be the least I could do."

"That's really sweet of you." I said and he smiled.

"You're the last person on this planet that should be going through this." He said and I just shrugged. He took my hand in his and a serge of sparks ran through me. "Trust me on this one." He said and I simply nodded. I could tell he was telling me the absolutely truth, and it gave me a little hope.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The project was finally finished, and I was going to Clary's house to show her the final product. She had her chemo a couple days ago and got released this morning, so I didn't have to meet her in the hospital like I normally had to do. Walking up to her front door, I was crazy nervous. Something about Clary was different. Different than anything else I've ever experienced. It was new, and it kinda freaked me out, but not in a bad way. I knocked on the door and a moment later it opened.

"Jace." Jocelyn said. "It's good to see you."

"You as well Jocelyn." I said as I walked inside.

"Clary is in her room." She said. "She's kind of having a bad day, so I would just be cautious." She said and I nodded. I walked to her room, and knocked on the door. I heard a faint come in, and when I opened the door, Clary was in her bed. She looked fragile, and tired. I could tell the chemo was draining her.

"I totally forgot you were coming." She said faintly.

"I can come back another day." I said. "When you're feeling up to it."

"Don't be silly." She laughed. "You came all this way." She lifted her hand up and motioned for me to come join her.

"How are you feeling?" I asked and I immediately wanted to kick myself. What a stupid question.

"I've had better days." She laughed, and than started to violently cough. She removed her hand and it was covered in blood.

"Clary." I said and she looked.

"Can you hand me a tissue?" She asked and I looked on her nightstand and there was a box of tissues there. I grabbed one and handed it to her.

"Does that happen a lot?" I asked.

"No." She said.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.

"I told my doctor." She said. "I'm going in tomorrow for observations."

"Didn't you just get home today?" I asked and she nodded slightly. "So why not just stay there?" I asked.

"I wanted to sleep in my own bed." She said and I nodded. I looked at her, really looked at her and noticed no stray curls falling around her face.

"Your hair." I said and she gave me a sad smile.

"It started falling out last week." She said. "I didn't want to wait so I had my mom shave it off." She explained. "I know, I look even more disgusting than I would with my hair. It's okay." I put my finger under her chin and lifted her head so our eyes were locked.

"You're still just as beautiful as you were before." I said and she let out a dry laugh.

"You don't have to lie to me Jace." She said. "I know I'm not a knockout, I never was. This certainly didn't make me more attractive."

"You're wrong." I said.

"About which part?" She asked.

"All of it." I said. "I've always thought you were a knockout, and that hasn't changed."

"You don't need to pity the cancer patient Jace." She said. "I can handle the truth."

"Than there is one thing you should know about me." I said. "I've never been a liar." I said and she looked at me.

"I'm just going to have to believe you aren't I?" She asked and I nodded. "Okay. Well, let me see our finished project?" She asked changing the subject. I grabbed the photo album and handed it to her. She scooted over on her bed and patted the spot next to her. I looked at her hesitantly. "You aren't going to make me look at it by myself are you?" She asked and I shook my head. I took a seat next to her and my arm instinctually went around her shoulders and she leaned into me.

She started flipping through the book. I was trying to gauge her reaction, but she just kept the same awestruck look on her face the entire time. After what felt like an eternity she finally closed the book and looked up at me with a smile on her face.

"It was absolutely beautiful. You have to let me know how we did on it." She said and I smiled.

"Of course." I said and just then her door opened.

"Clary." Jocelyn said. "It's time for you medicine."

"Okay." Clary said.

"I should get going." I said as I got off her bed.

"That's probably for the best. This medicine knocks me out anyway." Clary said and I nodded. I leaned over to grab the book, and I was so close to her, so I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her forehead.

"Let me know how the observation goes." I said when I pulled back.

"You really want to know?" She asked.

"Of course." I said and she smiled.

"Okay." She said. "I'll text you when I know."

"Bye Clare." I said.

"Bye Jace." She said.

I shut her door and said goodbye to Jocelyn, got on my bike and headed home. I managed to get home in one piece and still holding myself together. Seeing Clary like that was absolutely heartbreaking. I got inside and my parents were sitting in the living room. My father was watching some game, and my mom was knitting.

"Hi sweetie." My mom said. I sniffed and she looked back and I just lost it. She ran towards me and pulled me into her arms. "Oh sweetie, what happened?" She asked.

"She's getting worse mom." I managed to get out. "She was coughing up blood today mom. She's so tiny, tinier than normal, and she looks exhausted. Like she's ready to give up at any moment."

"That's what cancer does sweetheart." My mom said. "It's a debilitating disease."

"It hurts." I said and she continued to rub my back.

"You really care about her don't you?" She asked, and I didn't trust myself to speak so I just nodded. "Oh baby."

"And it seems so selfish to be feeling this way when she's the one going through it." I said. "But I can't help it. I can't do anything about it, and it's killing me."

"The best thing you can do Jace is be there for her." She said. "I know I don't work in the oncology department, but with any patient, the more interaction with people they have, the longer they last and the more willing they are to fight their illness." She said. "Don't give up on her, because than she might give up on herself." She said and I just nodded. When I finally calmed down I stood up.

"Thanks for the talk mom." I said.

"Anytime sweetheart." She said. "Dinner should be ready by 6."

"I think I'm just going to go to bed." I said. "I'm exhausted, and I just don't have an appetite right now." I said honestly.

"Okay sweetie. I'll make you a plate anyway, and put it in the fridge in case you get hungry later." She said and I nodded.

"Thanks mom." I said.

"I love you Jace." She said and I kissed her cheek.

"I love you too mom." I said than I headed upstairs. I laid on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I was going to make sure Clary kept fighting, no matter what I had to do.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"I'm afraid we're going to have to up your dosage." The doctor said.

"Will that increase my chances of beating this?" I asked.

"I don't know, but it's the best solution I have at the moment." He said.

"And if I don't want to continue with chemo? How long will I have?" I asked.

"6 months at the most." He said and I sighed.

"Thanks." I said. He nodded and walked out of the room. The atmosphere was deadly. My mom was standing in the corner. Her face was void of emotion. I couldn't read her at all. "Mom?" I asked and she looked at me.

"I'm going to go get some coffee." She said as she walked out of the room. I laid back against the pillows and thought about the options. I didn't want to die, but I hated getting chemo. It was a double edged sword, one outcome was death, and the other options didn't guarantee life. How does someone choose between those two choices?

 **Celine POV:**

I have been having a terrible shift. I was in the cafeteria getting some coffee to try and wake me up. These 12 hours aren't as easy as they used to be for me. I was standing making my coffee when someone came up next to me. They tried to grab a cup but ended up knocking it over.

"Shit." She said and I looked up to see a woman who looked just like Clary.

"Are you Clary's mom?" I asked without a second thought and she looked at me.

"How do you know my daughter?" She asked. "I've never seen you on her floor."

"I am in labor and delivery." I said. "I'm Jace's mom." I said and she nodded.

"Such a nice boy." She said and I smiled.

"Thank you." I said. "How is Clary doing?" I asked and clearly it wasn't the right thing to do.

"The chemo isn't working, and if she stops taking it she only has 6 months to live." She said and I gasped. "What am I supposed to do without her? She's all I have left."

"I'm so sorry." I said as I put my hand on her back.

"It's not fair." She said and I nodded.

"No. It isn't." I said. She took a deep breath and finally grabbed a cup.

"Sorry, but I should get back. It was nice meeting you…..?" She said.

"Celine." I said.

"I'm Jocelyn." She said. "It was nice meeting you."

"You as well." I said and she walked away. I couldn't believe how cruel the world could be. Clary didn't deserve this. Nobody ever did.

I got home that night and was dreading telling Jace, but I felt like he needed to hear it from me, and not in front of Clary. He was so emotional the last time we talked about her, and I can only imagine that this will be so much worse. I walked into the living room where Jace was sitting.

"Hey." I said and he looked up.

"Hey mom. How was work?" He asked.

"Not too great." I said as I took a seat. "I ran into Clary's mom in the cafeteria." I said and that grabbed his attention.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Nothing good sweetheart." I said and I could hear his heartbreaking.

"Just tell me mom." He said.

"The chemo isn't working so they want to up the dosage." I started. "But that isn't a guarantee. Clary asked the doctor how long she'd have if she stopped taking chemo."

"No." He said and I nodded. "How long?" He asked and I sighed. "How long mom?" He asked again.

"6 months baby." I said and he sunk back into the couch. "I don't know what she decided to do, but either option doesn't guarantee she'll beat it."

"This can't be happening." He said.

"It's not fair." I said. "Not fair at all." I said and he nodded.

"I – I need to go on a ride." He said as he stood up and grabbed his helmet.

"Be safe." I said. "Don't do anything stupid Jonathan."

"I'm always careful mom." He said before leaving the house. I heard him pull out of the driveway and I sank back into the couch. This was the worst thing I've ever had to watch him go through, and I hated it.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had made up my mind about what I wanted to do. It took me a couple days to figure it out, but I was sure that this was the right decision. I didn't consult with anyone else. I didn't talk to my mom about it, and I didn't speak with the doctor. This was something I needed to figure out on my own, and that's what I did. I heard the door to my room open. I expected it to by my doctor, but in the doorway, there stood Jace.

"What are you doing here?" I said faintly.

"My mom told me what's going on." He said.

"How does she know?" I wondered.

"She ran into your mom in the cafeteria a couple days ago." He said and I nodded the best I could. "Have you figured it out? What you're going to do?" He asked and I simply nodded. He made his way over to me, sat in the chair and took my hand in his. "Can I say something to try and change your mind if you've decided to stop taking the chemo?" He asked. Curiously, I just nodded my head. "Please don't give up Clary." He said and he sounded so hurt. "Please fight this. Fight like hell, and when you're healthy, and cancer free, I can finally take you on that date that I've been wanting to go on with you since I met you." He said and my eyes widened.

"You want to go out with me?" I asked and he smiled.

"More than anything." He said. "But I want you to fight for so much more than just a date with me." He said.

"Like what?" I asked.

"I want you to fight for you mom. I know you're all she has left. I know this is destroying her. I want you to fight for yourself. I want you to kick cancer's ass and show it that it can't defeat you. I want you to fight for your life Clary." He said and I sighed. "Please tell me you didn't decide to stop getting chemo." He asked in a broken voice.

"I thought about it." I started. "So much." He looked up at me. "I'm so tired of feeling like this, I'm so tired of hospitals, and I'm so tired of drugs, and needles." I said. "But I couldn't do that to my mom. I know she has hope. I know she prays every night for me to get better. I hear her." I said. "Deciding to stop chemo would be selfish, and if I still die, at least I put up one hell of a fight." I said and he smiled. He leaned up to me and kissed my forehead like he did before.

"I'll be here every step of the way. For you and your mom." He said and I smiled the best I could.

"Thank you." I said and he kissed my hand as his response. Deciding to continue chemo was a hard decision, but in the end it was something I wanted to do. I wanted to live, for more than one reason, and I was going to give it my all. No matter what.

 **Time Jump – A Few Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had been told that it would be beneficial if she just stayed at the hospital at this point. She needed to be constantly monitored, and as much as Clary wanted to be in her own bed, it just wasn't plausible. She was so frail and sick that being at home would be impossible.

It was a Friday, and just like every Friday I was going to spend the rest of the day with Clary.

I walked through the halls of the hospital until I got to her room. I knocked on the door before opening it. Clary was laying in her bed like she always was, with her feeding tube in. She hasn't been eating in a couple days, so the feeding tube was the only way to get nutrition into her body. I walked over to her and sat down in the chair next to her bed and I picked her hand up, kissed and placed it back on the bed but didn't let go.

"Hi." She said and I smiled at her.

"Hey. How are you feeling today?" I asked and she gave me a small smile.

"I've been better, but I've also been worse. So today is an improvement." She said and I smiled.

"I'll take it." I said and she laughed a little. "So, we got assigned our own individual project in photography today, but we weren't allowed to pick our own topics." I said.

"What did you get stuck with?" She asked.

"Flowers." I said and she laughed. "I know nothing about flowers."

"I'm sure whatever pictures you take will be beautiful." She said and I shrugged.

"My mom and I are going to visit this greenhouse tomorrow. Maybe it'll inspire me." I said and she nodded.

"Will you show me the pictures?" She asked.

"Absolutely." I said and she smiled. "So, what would you like to do today?" I asked.

"We could watch some movies." She said. "But I doubt I'll be able to make it through them. I'm really tired." She said.

"That's okay." I said. I grabbed my laptop out of my bag and plugged it in. she moved over on the bed, and I took my place. She leaned into me and I got onto Netflix and picked some random movie that we had put in my list a couple days before. The movie wasn't even 45 minutes in before Clary fell asleep. I honestly didn't expect her to last that long, but I let her sleep as long as she wanted. I continued to watch the movie until the door opened and in walked Jocelyn.

"Hey Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Hey. How are you?" I asked.

"I'm good. How is she?" She asked as she gestured to Clary.

"Tired." I said. "She fell asleep like and hour ago."

"I'm glad she's sleeping." Jocelyn said. "She's been looking so incredibly tired lately." She said and I nodded. "I had some news for her, but it can wait until she's awake." She said and I nodded again.

"Is it good news at least?" I asked and Jocelyn smiled.

"I think it's pretty good news, but I know Clary is tired of fighting, and going through all this medical shit. I don't know if she'll view it as good news."

"Will it save her?" I asked.

"Yea." Jocelyn said. "It could save her."

"Than it's amazing news." I said and she smiled.

"I rushed over here to see if she needed anything, and I forgot dinner." She said. "So I'll be back after I get something to eat."

"Sounds good. I'll be here." I said and she nodded before slipping out of the room. I looked down at Clary and noticed that for the first time in weeks she looked incredibly peaceful. And after hearing Jocelyn's news, I was incredibly thrilled that there was something out there that could save her.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"And you're sure this will work?" I asked the doctor.

"Your donor is a perfect match." He said. "If your body rejected it, I'd be incredibly confused." He said and I nodded.

"When would I start?" I asked.

"Next week." He said and I nodded. "So this is what you want to do?" He asked.

"Yes." I said and he nodded.

"I'll have a nurse come in and check your vitals every hour until the stem cell transplant. I know it will get annoying but it's necessary." He said.

"I understand." I said. He nodded, and walked out of the room. I laid back on my bed and thought about this procedure. It was truly my last option, and I was going to pray that it worked.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had been going through stem cell transplant and today was her scan to see if it worked or not, and I was anxiously waiting for the text from here to tell me if it worked or not. I was pacing the living room. I couldn't sit down, I was too wired for that, and I couldn't occupy myself with anything else because my hands were shaking and my legs were bouncing. Pacing was the only thing that I could do, and I honestly thought I would leave imprints in the carpet.

My mom was sitting in the living room as well. She got home and saw me pacing and when I told her what was happening today, she took a seat and didn't move. It was nice having her around for this because at least I had someone to celebrate with or lose my mind with when I got that text. My volume was on full blast, and my phone was sitting on the coffee table. I couldn't stare at it because it felt like it was taking longer that way. It dinged and I stopped dead in my tracks and just looked at my phone.

"Well, are you going to answer it?" I heard my mom say and I broke out of my trance. I walked over to my phone picked it up and saw the message was from Clary. I took a deep breath before for opening it.

 ** _From Clary:_**

 _I'm free._

They were the only two words in the text, but I swear to god my heart couldn't have been any fuller. The stem cell transplant was a success and she was going to beat this. I looked over at my mom who was anxiously waiting for the news as well, and I just smiled. She smiled back, jumped up from the couch and hugged me.

"It worked?" She asked and I nodded and she laughed. "Oh thank god!" She said and I smiled.

"My thoughts exactly." I said as we broke apart.

"What are you going to do now?" She asked and I smiled.

"Once she gets her strength back I'm going to take her out, and see where it goes from there." I said and she smiled.

"See, aren't you glad we move a lot?" She winked and I just laughed.

"For once I'm glad we move a lot." I said and she laughed.

"Dinner at 5." She said and I nodded. I took a seat on the couch and smiled to myself. I realized I didn't text Clary back so I opened up her message and started typing.

 ** _To Clary:_**

 _I knew you could beat it._

It was a simple text, but I meant every word so incredibly much. She was finally going to get healthy, and this was going to be the last time she ever had to face this battle again. I mean, I don't know what the chances of her getting it again are, but for right now that wasn't going to being down my mood. Things were looking up, and I was incredibly grateful for that.

 **Time Jump – Four Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the 4 year anniversary of me beating cancer for the second time and apparently there was going to be a huge party for me. Jace only told me about it last night, although him and my mom were planning it for the past couple weeks. Thankfully Jace knows I hate surprises so he told me when it was necessary for me to know, and I was really happy about that.

I was getting dressed when Jace walked into our room. Yes, our room. We were both seniors in college, and it made sense that we'd get an apartment together at this point. He walked over to me and pressed his lips to the top of my head.

"You almost ready?" He asked.

"Almost." I said as I grabbed my necklace, and my three rings. I put them all on, took one last look in the mirror and was satisfied with my look. "Not I'm ready."

"You look gorgeous." He said and I blushed.

"Thank you." I said. He reached his hand out and I took it. We got in his car and made our way the venue, which was still a mystery to me. When we pulled up, we were in front of a restaurant, a restaurant that I've never been too. When Jace opened my door, he reached his hand out to me, and I took it and he helped me out of the car. We walked into the restaurant and in there, were a bunch of people. My family, his family, and a bunch of our friends from college. "Wow. You two really went to town." I said and he laughed.

"You deserve it." He said as he kissed my temple. I walked over and hugged my mom, and than hugged Celine.

"You feeling good sweetie?" My mom asked.

"I feel better than ever mom." I said and she smiled.

"Well, let's get this party started." Jace said and I laughed. There was music playing, and there were drinks. Everyone was mingling, and I tried my best to talk to everyone there. Jace of course was by my side the entire time. I knew he had the capacity to make friends, he just liked being guarded.

I didn't let go of his hand the whole time. He has truly been my rock through everything. Not just the cancer, but life in general. College was tough, but he was always there to lift me up when I was feeling down. He took extra care of me when I came down with a cold, or a stomach bug. Most likely annoying the doctors 24/7 making sure that it was just a stomach bug and not other symptoms of AML. He listened to me, he respected me, and he loved me and that's all I've ever wanted in a guy. Someone who was not only my boyfriend, but my best friend and that's what Jace was to me. The party was dying down and I was sitting in a chair because standing for a couple hours made my feet incredibly sore. Jace sat down next to me and grabbed my hand.

"Are you just as tired as I am?" He asked and I laughed.

"Yes, and my feet are killing me." I said and he smiled.

"Our parents agreed to clean up the decorations for us, so we can go home." He said and I just nodded. I went to stand up but Jace scooped me up into his arms before I got the chance. I squealed and laughed as he started walking us to his car.

"I am capable of walking you know." I said and he smiled.

"I'm trying to minimize the pain in your feet." He said as he placed me in the passenger side. When he got in the drivers side I just looked at him. "What?" He asked as he started the car.

"I love you." I simply said and he smiled and pressed his lips to mine.

"I love you too." He said. He pulled out of the parking lot and we made our way home. My hand was securely in mine the whole time, just like it always is. I didn't know what the future held, but I knew that it was all going to be okay with Jace by my side, and that's all I could ever ask for in life.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, I know I haven't updated in some time, but I've been really uninspired recently. I don't know what's up, but I just open the story, but nothing is coming to me, and so I just shut it and kinda give up. But bare with me and I'll get something out there for you all. This one shot took me almost a week to finish which is really rare for me, but like I said, I don't know what's going on with me. I have no idea if someone requested this, or I just love A Walk to Remember so much, that I decided to create a better and different version for myself, regardless, I hope that you all enjoy it! Let me know what you all think and leave a review!**

 **Disclaimer: I used the whole leukemia plot line from A Walk to Remember, but other than that it's completely different, but I just wanted you all to know I don't own A Walk to Remember, but I highly recommend the movie. It's one of my favorites.**


	93. Chapter 92 - Witness Protection

**Ninety Second One Shot:**

 **Witness Protection**

 **Clary POV:**

"Due to what you both have witnessed, you will be placed in witness protection and moved to a safe house until your fathers trial." The man said.

"But we won't be split up right?" I asked. "We'll still be together?"

"There is a family that has enough room for the two of you." He said. "You'll be on a flight next week to New York."

"What do we have to do in the mean time?" Jon asked.

"Get new identities." He simply said. "Since we don't know how many people your father was in business with, but I would advise you to get rid of Morgenstern as soon as possible." He said and we both nodded. We never wanted the burden of that name to begin with. "Come back in tomorrow, and we'll start the process."

"I don't want to stray too far away from my name." I said.

"It's better if you have no connection with anything similar to your original name." He suggested.

"My father called me Clarissa and nothing else." I said. "I refuse to give up a variation of my name simply because he's a murderer."

"Very well." He said. "But it still has to be something that can stand alone. No nicknames." He said and I nodded.

"I can work with that." I said and he nodded.

"We'll see you tomorrow." He said and Jon and I walked out of the building and got into the car.

"So, who do you want to be?" He asked as he turned on the car. How To Save A Life by The Fray was on.

"How about Fray?" I asked and he looked at me.

"Fray works." He smiled and we continued to listen to the song. Our lives were completely different now, and we were going to have to adjust to that, but as long as Jon and I were together, I think we can overcome anything.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

We were standing in the driveway of our new house and I think my jaw was on the pavement. It was a huge house. Almost like something you see out of the movies with kings and queens. It was Victorian, and elegant. Something I never thought I'd ever be living in, but here we are.

"You ready for the start of our new lives Clare?" Jon asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be J." I said and he smiled. We walked up to the front door and Jon knocked. A moment later, it opened.

"Oh good. You're here." The woman said. "I'm Maryse, welcome to the Lightwood Estate."

"You have a lovely home." I said.

"Thank you. Come on in, and I'll introduce you to the family." She said and we nodded. We made our way into the living room where there were 5 other people. "Everyone, these are the Fray's."

"Like the band?" The girl said and I laughed.

"Exactly like the band." Jon said.

"This is Clare and J." Maryse said. "This is my family. My husband Robert, my oldest Alec, my daughter Isabelle, and my youngest Max." She said. "And that over there is Jace." She said as she pointed to the blonde in the corner. "Isabelle why don't you show Clare to her room, and Alec you can show J to his room. Dinner is at 5:30." She said and Jon and I nodded.

"This way you two." Isabelle said. We followed them up the stairs.

"So, why did you two need to be fostered?" Alec asked. I looked at Jon and he just nodded.

"We got tired of the system always splitting us up. It happened like 6 times, and J refuses to leave the system without me, and your mom was kind enough to take us both on." I said. It was vague enough to get away with.

"How old are you exactly?" Isabelle asked.

"I'm 16, and J is almost 18, so you can see why we never got a adopted." I said.

"How long were you in the system?" Alec asked.

"Since I was 12." I said. Thankfully Jon and I figured out our story before we got here.

"That really sucks." Isabelle said.

"It's not the funnest." I said.

"We're notorious for fostering. Jace is a foster kid too." Izzy said. "We have enough rooms, and my parents think it's the right thing to do." She explained.

"That's very kind of them." Jon said.

"Alright J, this is your room." Alec said.

"Thanks man." Jon said.

"You play any sports?" Alec asked.

"Yea. Football." Jon replied.

"You going to try out for the team?" Alec asked.

"Of course. Might as well get to hit people without getting in trouble while I'm forced to be in school." Jon said and Alec laughed.

"My thoughts exactly man." Alec said.

"Boys." Isabelle muttered and I laughed. They made their way into Jon's room and Isabelle continued down the hall and showed me mine. "This is your room." She said.

"Thank you Isabelle." I said.

"Please, call me Izzy." She said and I smiled. "So, do you play any sports?" She asked.

"Nope. I'm really uncoordinated." I said.

"Why don't you try out for the cheerleading team! It's pretty simple to pick up! Plus we get to wear cute uniforms and do our make up and hair." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"I'm not really into skirts and make up and all that stuff." I said.

"Oh." She said. "Alright." She said and than she left without another word. I knew by the one conversation we weren't going to have a lot in common. Which was going to suck.

I got my things situated in my room and when I walked out I thought I was going to get lost. This place was huge, and I wasn't the best at remembering where I was going. I heard the faint sound of music and decided to check it out. I started following the sound when I got to the room that it was coming from. I opened the door slightly and there the blonde was, playing the piano masterfully.

"Wow." I said and the music stopped, and he turned around. "Sorry, I got lost and I heard the music." I stammered out. He didn't say anything, he just got up and closed the lid. "You don't have to stop. I can leave." I said as I backed out of the room.

"I was done anyway." He said and I nodded before he brushed by me. He disappeared around the corner, and I heard a door slam. I let out a deep breath and started to try and navigate my way around. I finally found the living room where Jon and Alec were in the middle of a deep conversation. I knew they were going to get alone well, I could already tell. I took a seat next to Jon and let out a sigh.

"You good Clare?" He asked and I nodded, but he didn't look convinced. "What's wrong?" He whispered.

"I don't think I'm ever going to fit in here J." I said and he put his arm around my shoulder.

"You have me Clare." He said and I nodded. "We'll get through this. Together." He said and I nodded again. Jon was right, we had each other, and that's really all I needed in my life at this moment, and I was okay with that.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It had been a week since we moved in and everything was going well. Jon and Alec bonded immediately, and Izzy and I, well we didn't have much in common but we were the only two girls in a house full of boys, so we bonded over that. Since we had some of the same classes, it was a regular Tuesday night and we were in Izzy's room doing homework when I decided to bite the bullet and ask a question that's been on my mind since I got here.

"So, what's up with Jace?" I asked and she looked at me.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well, the first night I got here, I kinda got lost and I heard music." I explained. "When I followed it and found the room I saw him playing, but when I made my presence known, he got up and left."

"Jace is an extremely private person. He doesn't really talk to people, and he keeps everything to himself." She explained. "His music is private to him, he doesn't let anyone listen."

"But it fills the hallways." I said and she laughed.

"Well yes, but he doesn't let anyone watch him play." He further explained. "You know how girls have a diary to express how they're feeling?" She asked and I nodded. "Well that's what the piano is to Jace." She said. "Whatever he is playing reflects his mood. It's normally pretty depressing stuff if you ask me."

"It was haunting, but incredibly beautiful." I said. "He plays so well."

"Yea. It's always nice to hear. When he first got here my mom asked him if there was anything that calmed him down. He told her that he played the piano, and she had one delivered the next day. He plays it religiously." She said and I nodded.

"How long has he been here?" I asked.

"Since we were 11." She said and I nodded. "Look, none of us really know who Jace is." She said. "Sure he's lived here for years but he doesn't open up. So don't expect him to open up to you."

"I wasn't looking for that." I said. "I was just curious." I said and she nodded. We went back to doing our work and I couldn't help but think about what she said to me. I've been here a week, and I've barely heard Jace say a full sentence to most people. I didn't expect him to be my friend, but at the same time I'm curious about who he is under that whole façade that he puts up. He was intriguing, and I hated how curious I could be.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

School was absolutely dreadful. I have always hated it, although you'd never be able to tell by my 4.0 GPA, but that was mainly because I didn't want to get beat by my father. I was a try hard because of him, and it made me dislike school so much, but it was ingrained in me to try hard, so even though I hated school, I still got good marks because it was all I knew.

I was rounding the corner when I saw a huge group of students gathering around something, most likely a fight. It was like people got a thrill out of two people kicking each other's asses. I would never understand it. I made my way to the front to see who was being a jackass and fighting when I recognized a familiar face. Jace. He was beating the shit out of this kid who was clearly not fighting back. Nobody was doing anything, and Jace really didn't need to go to jail for this.

"Jace." I said and he looked up and saw me. "Enough." I said and he dropped the kid. His knuckles were bloody and the kid was bleeding. Jace barreled through the crowed and I went running after him. "Hold up." I called after him up he didn't stop. "Would you just stop running Jace?" I asked and he turned around.

"What do you want Clare?" He asked and I saw the damage on his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked even though that's not originally what I wanted to know.

"I'm fine." He said and I took a step closer to her and put my hand on his cheek and rubbed the blood off.

"You're bleeding." I said.

"That's normally what happened when a kid decides to pick a fight." He said.

"So you didn't start that?" I asked.

"I don't start senseless fights." He spat at me. "I do however, finish them."

"I got that part." I said with a laugh and I swore I got a little smile out of him, but he quickly went back to scowling. He quickly turned around and continued out of the school. I knew that was all I was going to get out of him right now, so I just let him walk.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I ended up staying extra late after school helping a bunch of kids study for our upcoming biology test. By the time I got home, I was nearly 8 o'clock. I was exhausted, but not because my day was so long, but because I haven't been sleeping well. I kept having nightmares, and waking up in cold sweats. Normally I just find myself wandering around the house at odd hours trying to exhaust myself, but normally I find myself watching the sunrise on the front porch and beginning my day.

When I walked into the house I put my coat on the hook, and took my shoes off. I was walking upstairs when I saw a huge hole in the wall, covered with blood. I knew only one person who would cause that hole. As I was walking upstairs I made the decision that I was going to get some answers out of Jace. Figure out why he lashed out that badly today and why he is the biggest loner I've ever met, even when I see kids trying to befriend him. I got to the front of his door and didn't bother knocking. I walking in but he wasn't in his room, that's when I felt the draft from the window. I noticed Jace sitting on the roof outside and I started making my way over to the window.

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting on the roof when I heard my window open. I looked up and Clare crawled out of the window and sat down next to me. At first we didn't talk, we just stared at the sky. It was weird how comfortable I was around her. She was the first person to ever enter my life that I felt this comfort with.

"You wanna talk about it?" She finally said.

"Talk about what?" I asked.

"Why you punched that kid in school, and than why you punched a hole in the wall downstairs." She said.

"There really isn't much to say Clare." I said. "I was angry. I lashed out. It happens."

"You nearly beat that kid into unconsciousness." She said. "And your blood is smeared all over the wall downstairs." She fitted pointed out. "That's not normal anger. That's anger that's been manifesting for a long time Jace."

"So?" I asked.

"There are healthier ways to release your anger Jace." She said.

"What would you suggest?" I asked sarcastically.

"Kickboxing class. Working out. Talking to someone." She said.

"You expect me to talk to a therapist?" I asked. "I don't do shrinks shortcake."

"It was just a suggestion." She said. "And it doesn't have to be a shrink you green bean." She said and I couldn't help but smile at that. "Just talking to someone you trust is better than nothing."

"I don't trust anyone sweetheart. That's just not me." I said.

"Do you trust me?" She said and I looked at her.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you trust me?" She repeated.

"I don't really know you." I said honestly.

"Why don't we change that?" She said. "Look, I don't trust a lot of people either. J is the only person in my life who I've been able to trust after all the shit that's gone on in my life." She said. "But I trust you Jace."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you've never given me a reason not to trust you." She said. "Because despite the cold and calculated front you put up for everyone, I see you when you let your guard down." She said. "You're nice, and kind, and sweet." She said. "And I trust that you trust me enough to show me that side of you, even if you don't really mean to do it."

"So what if I do?" I asked. "Trust you that is." I clarified.

"Than talk to me." She said as she rested her hand on my knee.

"I can't talk about it Clare." I said as I hung my head. "I wish I could but I'm not allowed."

"What do you meant you're not allowed?" She asked.

"I mean, I'm legally not allowed to talk about it." I said. "It's why I haven't talked to anyone, or why I've let the anger manifest into what it's become. I have to keep it to myself."

"I won't tell anyone." She said. "I cross my heart whatever we talk about will stay between us."

"I know I normally say I don't care about getting in trouble, but I could get in a shit ton of trouble for talking about it." I said.

"Jace, whatever it is, is safe with me. You don't even have to flat out tell me. Make it a riddle, I'll figure it out. I'm pretty good at puzzles." She said and I laughed.

"I'm not who I used to be." I eventually said. "I can never be that person again. I'll never have my old life back, and I've been stuck in this alternate universe where I don't even feel like a real person anymore." I admitted. "I'm living a different life, and it's killing me slowly."

"You're in witness protection aren't you?" Clare said and I snapped my head up to look at her.

"How the hell did you figure that out?" I asked.

"Because I'm in the same position you are." She said and my jaw dropped.

"Really?" I asked and she nodded. "Holy shit."

"Crazy right?" She asked and I nodded.

"Who were you before you were Clare Fray?" I asked.

"Clarissa Morgenstern." She said.

"No way." I said.

"Way." She said. "I am a Morgenstern."

"That's insane." I said and she nodded.

"Who were you before you were Jace Herondale?" She asked.

"Jonathan Wayland." I said.

"You don't look like a Jonathan." She said and I laughed.

"You don't look like a Clarissa." I said back.

"I used to go by Clary." She said. "Only Valentine called me Clarissa. I hated it."

"When do you have to testify?" I asked.

"His trial is in March." She said. "But Jon and I have to meet with the lawyers way before than."

"Jon?" I asked.

"Oh sorry. My brother. His name is Jonathan." She said.

"You two kept pretty similar names." I pointed out.

"Yea. We didn't want to stray too far because it didn't feel right. So they settled for Clare and J Fray." She said and I nodded. "When do you testify?" She asked.

"Don't know yet. He's in the middle of appealing for like the 5th time." I said.

"How long have you been Jace Herondale?" She asked.

"Almost 6 years." I said.

"Oh wait, I knew that. Izzy told me you came here when you were 11." She said and I nodded.

"I like being Jace Herondale way more than I ever liked being Jonathan Wayland but I don't feel like it's real since he's still trying to get out you know?" I asked.

"I know what you mean." She said. "You feel trapped. It's understandable."

"I just want to put Jonathan Wayland to rest and start living again." I said.

"And why can't you?" She asked.

"Because his trial is still looming over my head." I said. "You know what it's like, being the star witness is draining. I can't move on until he's sentenced and I don't have to be summoned to trial anymore."

"I get it. My dads only been in jail a couple months and I'm over the meetings with the lawyers. It's exhausting. I can't imagine what it's been like after 6 years." She said.

"It doesn't get easier." I said. "The longer it drags on, the more exhausting it gets."

"Thanks for the pep talk." She said and I laughed.

"I don't want to get your hopes up." I said. "I wish I had someone would have told my 11 year old self it wouldn't get easier."

"I can't imagine going through this that young." She said.

"It was hard." I admitted. "I just lost the only man I ever considered a father, and told that I had to leave and become a whole knew person. I was confused, and angry, and that caused me to withdrawal." I said.

"And you never got lonely?" Clare asked me.

"Oh, I got lonely." I said. "I still am lonely." I admit.

"You have me now." She said as she placed her hand on my knee. "And Jon."

"I can't promise I'll open up like this all the time." I said. "But I'll try." I said because it felt good to have someone to talk too, and I did trust Clary, more than I've ever trusted anyone in my life before.

"That's all I ask." She said and I smiled.

"It's late." I said and she looked at her phone.

"Shit its nearly 1 am." She laughed.

"We have been talking for a long time." I said. "You should get some sleep."

"Are you tired?" She asked.

"I've never been more awake." I admitted.

"So why end the night?" She asked as she laid against the roof. I laid back to join her and we stared at the stars. I don't know when I happened, but at some point our fingers linked together. Neither of us said a word when it happened, but I didn't mind it at all.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Ever since that night on the roof Jace and I got close. I mean, we weren't in a secret relationship or anything, but he smiled at me in the hallway at school, he talked to me when we would be at home. Sometimes he even opened up to me, but I knew that would be something he had to work towards. I also didn't expect him to bare his deepest darkest secrets to me after one conversation, but part of me wanted him to trust me enough to want to spill his darkest secrets.

I was walking through the halls when I heard the music again. I made my way to the room where it was coming from and there sat Jace at the piano bench. I opened the door slowly so it wouldn't creak and made my way over to him. I took a seat next to him, and he stopped playing and looked up at me.

"Please don't stop." I said. "It's beautiful."

"I don't normally play for people." He said and I smiled.

"Than teach me how to play." I said and he smiled, a genuine Jace smile.

"Okay." He said and he started teaching me how to play the piano. I didn't know anything about playing an instrument, but that didn't matter to me. I would learn how to play anything as long as Jace was teaching me.

 **Jon POV:**

Izzy and I were walking through the hallway when I heard the music, but it wasn't what I was used to hearing. It was as clean as it normally is, and when I looked at Izzy she looked just as confused as I was. She started leading me to the music room and when we got there we heard laughing. We peaked our head into the room where we saw Jace and Clary sitting on the bench.

"God Clare, you're awful." Jace said and she just laughed.

"I have no rhythm, or sense of rhythm." Clary said with a laugh.

"I little heads up would have been nice." Jace said. "Here, come here." Jace said as he moved Clary in front of him. I was about to walk in when Izzy stopped me.

"Let them go. Clare is a big girl." Izzy said and I nodded.

"Now, put your hands on top of mine." Jace said and Clary did so. He started playing like he normally did. I was mesmerized until I felt Izzy grab my arm and pull me away.

"I was listening to that." I said and she laughed as she slid her hand in mine.

"That was a personal moment. Intimate." She said and I cringed at the word. "We weren't meant to intrude on it, so I pulled us away."

"That's my baby sister in there." I said and she laughed.

"Yes, and she's capable of handling herself." Izzy said. "Plus, I've never see Jace so careful with anything in all the time that he's been here. Clare isn't in any danger."

"She could get her heart broken." I said and Izzy gave me a small smile.

"Jace may break walls, and break other people's bones, but he's never seemed like the type of person to break someone's heart. And after seeing them together, I highly doubt her heart would be the first one he'd break."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

"Did you see them together?" She asked and I nodded. "They fit together. You don't break someone's heart if you fit together." She simply said and I nodded. We continued to walk through the halls until we got to the living room. I hope that Izzy was right, and that Jace wouldn't break Clary's heart, other wise I'd be breaking a few bones on him.

 **Time Jump – Valentine's Trial**

 **Clary POV:**

Jon and I were getting ready to testify, so we were leaving for Colorado tonight. Since that's where the crime happened, that's where his trial is taking place. I didn't want to leave, but I had no choice. I grabbed my bag and walked downstairs where Jon was talking to Alec and Jace.

"You ready Clare?" Jon asked.

"As I'll ever be." I said.

"If you two have family back in Colorado, why didn't you stay with them?" Alec asked.

"They aren't in the position to take on two more kids. Money is tight, they have a daughter with Down Syndrome, and my uncle is dealing with his ill mother. They apologized like crazy when they couldn't take us in, but we understood why they couldn't. Clare and I weren't upset but they do want to see us, and it'll be nice to get away. Go back home." Jon said and I just nodded in agreement. Alec bought it, but I knew Jace knew the reason. And he looked like he wanted to talk about it.

"Hey J, I'm going to grab something to drink. Can you take my bags to the car?" I asked. He nodded and I put it down. I walked into the kitchen and a moment later Jace joined me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm scared." I said honestly. "The lawyers have prepared us the best we could, but I still don't know I'm going to feel when I see him again."

"I thought when I got the chance to see my father for the first time, all I would want to do is strangle him for doing this to me." He said. "But the second time I actually saw him, I was just extremely disappointed in him."

"But he didn't kill your mom." I pointed out and he nodded.

"You're right. I don't know how I would handle that situation, but what I'm trying to say is, your feelings towards him will change. What you feel the first time you see him, will change the second time you see him." He said. "Just don't let him see how much you're hurting, or how pissed you are at him. Be stone cold."

"So just be a bitch?" I asked and he laughed.

"If that's how you interpreted it, than yes." He laughed and I smiled. "He's clearly deranged, so he will most likely get pleasure out of you hurting. Don't let him have that." He said and I nodded. "Come here." He said as he pulled me into him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and I felt him press his lips to my head. We stood like that for a few moments before I sighed.

"I should go." I said as I pulled away.

"Text me when you get there." He said and I smiled.

"Look at you, showing your caring side." I said and he smiled.

"Only for you." He said and I leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"See you later Jace." I said and he smiled.

"Bye Clary." He said and I blushed. He got in the habit of calling me Clary when nobody was around. And I knew I wasn't supposed to go by that for right now, but I couldn't help but love it. It made me feel like the old me, but way better.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The trial had been a nightmare. Valentine kept eyes Jon and I up like we were suddenly going to change our minds and not testify against him. He was trying to intimidate us from across the room. I didn't make any eye contact. I faced the judge the entire time. I wanted this to be over, and I wanted this part of my life behind me. Jon and I deserved to move on, and after this trial was over, we finally could.

This was the third day for Jon and I to testify, and I was exhausted. They asked us the same exact questions over and over again like they didn't just hear Jon and I say it 20 minutes beforehand. It was annoying, but they were trying to wear us down, and I had to admit. It was working.

"Clarissa Morgenstern to the stand." Valentine's lawyer said and I stood up and made my way to the stand.

"Do you swear to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you god?" The man asked.

"I do." I said.

"You may be seated." I took my seat and Valentine's lawyer approached me.

"Clarissa, your father tells me you are an A student." He said.

"I am." I simply said.

"Valentine tells me that every time you ended the school year with a 4.0 you got a present." He said.

"That's correct." I said.

"When you were 12 you got to go to a prestigious art school for the summer, when you were 14 you got to backpack around Europe for the summer, and when you were 16 you got a beautiful new car." He said.

"All of that is true." I said.

"Seems like your father provided you with everything you ever could have asked for." He said.

"Every material thing, sure." I said. "But that doesn't take away from the fact that he killed my mother."

"That's speculation." His lawyer said.

"And you believe that?" I asked. "You believe a man, who up until he was arrested would beat his children? Starve them? And scare them into doing whatever he wanted just so they wouldn't have to feel that cigar or that hot piece of metal burn their skin?"

"Clarissa, please stick to the questions I ask." He said.

"No." I said. "We're here to testify against a man who killed our mother. A man who strangled her, as she clawed at him, as he watched the life leave her eyes, as he took the one person, the one person he was supposed to protect with his life, and was the reason for her death." I said. "You expect me to sit here and defend him because he gave me a car, and a plane ticket, and a piece of plastic to buy whatever I wanted just so I would get out of his hair. You want me to defend that?" I asked and the lawyer looked annoyed. "Well, I'm not going to sit here and defend a murderer. I saw him take my mothers life, and he deserves to pay for that."

"You may step down Clarissa." The judge said. I got up and walked down and I didn't stop walking. I walked out of the courtroom and went straight to the bathroom and cried. I didn't want him to see me cry, but there was no way I was holding it any longer.

 **Time Jump – End Of Trial**

 **Jace POV:**

Clare and J were coming home today, and I couldn't stop pacing in my room. She wasn't allowed to tell me anything about the case, which I understood. And she texted me every once in awhile but she was busy with everything so I understood, but that didn't make it suck any less.

I was so lost in my head that I didn't hear my door open. But I heard the floor boards creek and when I looked up, there stood Clare.

"You're back." I said and she smiled.

"I'm back." She said, but she sounded so drained.

"How was it?" I asked.

"Well, you were right about how I would feel." She said. "I expected to feel rage, disappointment, hell even fear." She said.

"How did you feel?" I asked.

"After I was done testifying I went to the bathroom and cried for 20 minutes." She said with a dry laugh. "The minute he walked into that courtroom I realized everything that I lost. He killed my mother, he's in jail, and Jon and I are alone." She said. "Part of it doesn't feel real. Like any moment I'll wake up from this nightmare."

"I hate to break it to you, but that might never go away." I said and she nodded.

"I know that." She said. "Even after the verdict was read it still didn't feel real."

"At least it's over." I said. "He'll be in jail for the rest of his life. You don't have to be Clare Fray anymore."

"I don't mind the last name." She said. "But I would love to go back to Clary."

"Well than Clary Fray, how would you like to go on a date with me?" I asked and she smiled.

"I'd love too." She said and I pulled her into a hug. Having her back in my arms was something I truly missed, even if she was only gone for two weeks.

"Tomorrow night." I said. "Be ready by 7." I pulled away and I instantly missed her warmth.

"Is this your way of kicking me out of your room?" She asked and I laughed.

"You don't have to go anywhere." I said and she smiled.

"Good, because I could really use a good nights sleep, and that only happens when I'm with you." She said and I smiled. There had been times where Clary and I fell asleep on the couch, or in the piano room or even on the roof she always said she felt well rested after those night, and it made me feel important.

"After you." I said and she smiled and made her way to the bed. We both got in my bed and I pulled her into my arms. Laying here with Clary felt so incredibly right, and I was never going to let her go.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

How do I describe the last five years? Honestly, compared to the first 16 years of my life, the past five have been heavenly. Jon and I were free from the madness that was the Morgenstern name, and after the trial we moved out and got our own apartment, but it was still close to the Lightwood's. There was no way in hell we were going to separate from them. Especially since Jace and I were together at that point, and Jon and Izzy were trying to figure out their feelings for each other.

There were many times in the past five years that felt like a new beginning for me. After three years in jail, some of the inmates found out what Valentine was in jail for and he was killed in a prison riot. I wish a part of me was sad, I mean I lost my mother and father within three years, but I couldn't find it in me to even cry. He made our lives miserable and he got what he deserved.

A year after Valentine was sentenced, Michael Wayland was sentenced to life in prison, and I could literally see all of that weight lifted off of Jace's shoulders. He smiled a lot more. He was more willing to talk to people, and he didn't have a chip on his shoulder anymore. Turns our, Jon, Alec and him had a lot in common and they became best friends, which was something Jace would never have allowed himself to have before. Everything was turning around for us, and in order for all three of us to finally be at peace, there was one last thing we had to do. Tell Alec and Izzy the real reason for our visit. I was dreading it, but to this day, I couldn't believe how well they took it.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _Jace, Jon and I were sitting in the living room just staring at Alec and Izzy. We needed to tell them so that we could finally move on from the past and have no secrets between us. After all, Jon and Alec were best friends, and Jon and Izzy were trying to figure out their feelings for each other. They deserved to know, and since there was no longer a threat to us, we were given the okay to tell them._

 _"Why did you call us here if you're just going to stare?" Izzy asked and I broke out of my daze._

 _"We need to tell you something." I said. "All of us."_

 _"So what is it?" Alec asked._

 _"The reason we came here in the first place." Jon started. "Wasn't because we were in foster care." He said._

 _"Okay?" Izzy asked._

 _"My name isn't J." He said. "It's Jonathan. Jonathan Morgenstern."_

 _"Is that supposed to mean something to us?" Alec asked._

 _"Probably not." I said. "Unless you've been involved in crime, Morgenstern is just a name to you, but to us, it was a target on our backs."_

 _"So what's your real name?" Izzy asked me._

 _"Clarissa Morgenstern." I said._

 _"And why did you lie?" Alec asked._

 _"To protect you, and us." Jon said. "Clary and I were put into witness protection." He continued. "We were given new identities so nobody could find us."_

 _"Witness protection?" Izzy questioned and I nodded. "Why?"_

 _"Clary and I witnessed our father murder our mother." Jon said and Alec and Izzy both gasped. "If it weren't for a neighbor who called 911, he would have most likely killed us as well."_

 _"But you're his children." Izzy said._

 _"That didn't matter to Valentine." I said. "Valentine had it in his mind that Jon would take over the family business one day. He was training him, and the more Jon didn't listen, the more he got punished."_

 _"You mean he beat you?" Alec asked._

 _"It depended on the day." Jon said. "Some days he just hit me, and those were the mild days. Other times he would whip me, and sometimes he even burned me." Jon said as he lifted up his shirt to show the burn marks on his torso. "He was ruthless, and it didn't matter how much blood we shared. If we disobeyed, he got mean."_

 _"What did he do to you?" Izzy asked me._

 _"He took different measures when it came to me." I said. "He never whipped me, or burned me. But I got hit occasionally. Thrown into my room and locked up for days without food or water. When his colleagues would come around for meetings, I would be the one in charge of getting drinks, and waiting on them hand and foot, which often came with a little ass grabbing." I said and Jace squeezed my hand tighter._

 _"That's sadistic." Izzy said._

 _"Which is why we were put in witness protection." I said. "So that we would get a chance at a new life."_

 _"And you?" Alec looked at Jace. "What's your story?"_

 _"I was also in witness protection." Jace said. "My father, Michael Wayland was a known associate of a known gang where I lived. He was mean, and deadly, and a true gang banger through and through." He explained. "One night, it was late, way later than he normally came home. I was supposed to be asleep but I couldn't help but worry about what happened to him. I was young, but I knew he wasn't involved in a good crowd."_

 _"How young?" Izzy asked._

 _"I was 11." Jace said. "I heard the door open, and when I got to the top of the stairs, I peaked through the railings, and I saw him arguing with some man. I didn't know what they were saying. Everything they did was done in codes that I never understood." He explained. "Things got heated, and my father pulled out a knife and stabbed him 23 times." Jace said. "I counted."_

 _"Oh my god." Izzy said._

 _"I ran to my room and got in bed and pretended like I was asleep. The next morning I'm being woken up by the government, and told that I needed to pack everything I could and I would be on the next plane to New York." Jace explained. "I was placed with you guys that week, and I've been here ever since."_

 _"Who did your father kill?" Alec asked._

 _"The leader of the gang." Jace said. "I had a huge target on my back. To make my father pay for what he did, I would most likely be the pawn." He said. "They got me out as fast as possible, and I've been Jace Herondale ever since."_

 _"What was your name before that?" Izzy asked._

 _"Jonathan Wayland." He said and they nodded._

 _"Look, we know this is a lot for you guys to take in." I said. "We understand that, but you guys are our friends, and we felt like it was time for you to know the truth."_

 _"Are you guys safe now?" Alec asked._

 _"Yes." Jon said. "Our father was sentenced a year ago, and Michael Wayland was just sentenced a couple years ago to life in prison. We're free." He said and I finally felt free._

 _"Than, alright." Izzy said._

 _"That's it?" Jace asked. "You're just okay with it?"_

 _"Why wouldn't we be?" Izzy asked. "You guys didn't get to choose your family. You were stuck with it, and that's really shitty for you guys, but you're out now, and you can finally have a life." She said and I smiled._

 _"Thank you for being so understanding." I said and she smiled._

 _"What are friends for?" She asked. I stood up and gave her a hug. Finally having that off my chest felt like another new beginning for me._

 ** _End Of Flashback_**

Of course that wasn't the only new beginning for us. Izzy and Jon didn't end up working out, and they both parted civilly and still hang out as friends. Jon started dating this girl Bailey almost a year ago, and Izzy started dating this guy Simon a couple months ago. Both seem incredibly happy, and that's all I could ever ask for. But he biggest news I've ever received came to be almost a year and a half ago, and to this day, I'm still incredibly shocked that everything turned out the way that it did.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was sitting in the bathroom waiting for the timer to go off. I couldn't believe that at 19 I was taking a pregnancy test, but sometimes life happens, and this is me figuring out what to do. If it was positive, I didn't know how I was possibly going to tell Jace, or Jon for that matter. And if it was negative I think a small part of me would honestly be disappointed. I've always wanted to be a mom, I had one of the best role models growing up and I always wanted to be a mom, but I didn't think it would happen so soon. When the timer went off, I took a deep breath and looked. Positive. Now, it was time for the hard part. I walked out of my bathroom and into the living room where Jon was sitting._

 _"Jon." I said and he turned around._

 _"What's up Clary?" He asked._

 _"I need to tell you something." I said as I took a seat._

 _"Is everything okay?" He asked._

 _"I don't really know." I said honestly._

 _"You can tell me anything. You know that Clare." He said and I nodded._

 _"I'm pregnant." I said but I avoided looking him in the eye._

 _"Okay." He said. "Okay, we can work with that." He said and I finally looked at him._

 _"You aren't disappointed in me?" I asked._

 _"I mean, it's not an ideal situation. Nobody want's their baby sister to be pregnant at 19, but you are my baby sister, and I will be there every step of the way to support you." He said and I got up and hugged him._

 _"Thank you Jon." I said and he smiled._

 _"Does Jace know yet?" He asked and I shook my head. "You should tell him soon."_

 _"I will." I said. "I just found out 15 minutes ago." I said and he nodded._

 _"And if he starts being a dick, let me know and I'll kick his ass." Jon said and I laughed._

 _"I love you Jon." I said and he kissed my head._

 _"I love you too Clare." He said and I smiled. Knowing that I had one person in my corner was more helpful than I can express, but now I need to tell Jace, and that was terrifying me._

 ** _End Of Flashback_**

Now, if I thought telling Jon was terrifying, telling Jace was even more terrifying. I kept thinking of all the possibly ways that he would react, and let me tell you, none of them were him cheering and picked me up in his arms. They were all horrible. It was either him telling me I ruined his life, or that he didn't want our baby, or that I should just abort the mistake. It was horrible, and I lost many nights of sleep because of it.

When I was walking up to the Lightwood Estate, my nerves were at an all time high. My palms were sweating, and my heart was racing. Everything in me was yelling at me to run away and never tell him, but he deserved to know the truth, and I was going to give it to him weather he liked it or not. I can still remember that day like it was yesterday, and it still gives me butterflies.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I knocked on the front door and Maryse opened it a moment later. Since Jace didn't have a sibling like me, Maryse let him stay with them until he got out of college, which I thought was extremely kind of them. She motioned for me to come in and I gave her a hug._

 _"How are you sweetie?" She asked._

 _"I'm good. And you?" I asked._

 _"Doing alright." She said. "Jace is up in his room." She said and I nodded. I made my way upstairs, knocked but didn't wait for an answer. I walked right in to see Jace sitting shirtless on his bed reading._

 _"What are you doing here?" He asked as he put the book down._

 _"Do I need a reason to visit my boyfriend?" I asked with a laugh and he shook his head._

 _"Never. You're always welcome here." He said and I smiled and made my way over to him. I got in and he pulled me closer to him. "What is the occasion though?" He asked._

 _"I need to tell you something." I said._

 _"What's on your mind?" He asked and I took a deep breath. It's now or never._

 _"I'm pregnant." I said and I felt him freeze. I looked up and his jaw was dropped._

 _"With my baby?" He asked and I snorted, rather unattractively, I might add._

 _"Of course with your baby." I said and he laughed._

 _"That was a pretty stupid question, wasn't it?" He asked._

 _"You think?" I said and he smiled._

 _"When did you find out?" He asked._

 _"Last week. I've been building up the courage to come tell you." I said and he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me into him._

 _"I can't believe we're going to have a baby." He said with a laugh and that just made me feel so much better._

 _"You want this?" I asked._

 _"More than you could possibly understand Clary." He said. "I never told you this, but Michael Wayland isn't my biological father. I was left on the stairs of a church when I was a week old, and when he found me, he immediately started the adoption process." Jace said. "As much as I hate when he put me through, he also gave me a home, and that's something I'll be forever grateful for."_

 _"Why didn't you tell me this before?" I asked._

 _"It's not something I like talking about." He said. "I wasn't good enough for my real parents to keep me around, and the only father I ever knew abandoned me because he was too into the gang life to think about the consequences that would trickle down to me." He said. "This is my chance to prove to everyone that I can be a better man, and a better father than they ever were." He said. I smiled, and pressed my lips to hers._

 _"You're going to be an amazing father." I said and he smiled._

 _"I hope so." He said._

 _"I talked to Jon earlier this week. He said that if you want to be there for me and the baby 24/7 you're more than welcomed to move into our apartment." I said and he looked shocked._

 _"Jon's actually going to allow your boyfriend to move in?" He asked and I laughed._

 _"I'm already pregnant. The deed is already done." I said and he laughed as well._

 _"I would love to move in with you." He said and I kissed him again. Everything was working out, and I was pretty happy that I was going to have such a great support system by my side through all of this._

 ** _End Of Flashback_**

And here we are, Dalton was born June 18th, and he was the light of everyone's life. Jon couldn't wait to be an uncle, Izzy was thrilled to be an aunt, and Alec just prayed the kid didn't turn out as cocky as Jace, which made us all laugh.

As for Jace, he was the most amazing father to our little boy. Dalton was a mini Jace. He had his adorable blonde hair, with a hint of my curls, and his golden eyes that I loved so much. They were best friends, and I knew the moment that Jace held him for the first time that he wouldn't let anything happen to that little boy. He was completely in love, and so was I.

"Mama!" Dalton said and I looked at him playing with the blocks on the floor.

"Hi baby." I cooed at him and he just giggled. He was getting better with talking. Although sometimes he doesn't make any sense. "What are you building baby?" I asked.

"Towa." He said and I smiled.

"You're building a tower?" I asked and he nodded. "How would my little builder like some lunch?" I asked.

"Yea!" He cheered and I smiled. I got off the couch and went into the kitchen and made him something to eat. When I got back to him, I put his sandwich in front of him and he began eating while I put on his favorite movie. Once he was finished with his food, he climbed on the couch and cuddled into my side. As much as Dalton looked like Jace, he was totally a Mama's boy, and I loved every minute of it. When he passed out, I laid him down on the couch and covered him with a blanket as I began to clean up his lunch mess. The front door opened and in walked Jace, which surprised me since he was supposed to be at work.

"What are you doing home?" I asked and he smiled.

"I got a half day." He said. "There was nothing I needed to do, and it's a Friday, I didn't want to be there longer than I needed to be." He said as he made his way over to me and kissed me.

"How sweet of you." I said when we broke apart.

"Where is my little man? Normally he's attached to my leg when the door opens." He said and I laughed.

"He's currently napping." I said and he nodded.

"Which means mommy and daddy can have some alone time." He said as he pulled me into him and I couldn't help but blush.

"We had some alone time last night." I reminded him and he just smirked at me.

"Can't I want more alone time with my girlfriend?" He asked and I laughed.

"You can have as much as you want." I said and he kissed me. Kissing Jace would never get old, and it would never get boring. He still made me feel like that 16 year old girl every time he pressed his lips to mine.

"I was thinking, Jon offered to watch Dalton tonight so we could go out." Jace said.

"What's the occasion?" I asked knowing no anniversaries are coming up.

"Just simply to take my girlfriend out for a night to ourselves." He said. "You rarely get to get out of mommy mode. I want you to have a night where you aren't worrying about Dalton."

"That's who I am Jace." I said. "I'm a mom. It's my job to worry." I said and he smiled.

"But not all the time." He said. "Dalton loves Jon, and he'll be thrilled the spend the night with his uncle." He said.

"I guess one night off won't be that bad." I said and he laughed.

"That's the spirit." He said and I smiled.

"When should I be ready by?" I asked.

"Jon is picking Dalton up at 6, and our reservations are at 7." He said and I nodded.

"Well, than I'm going to join Dalton for a nap because he woke me up extra early today, and I'm exhausted." I said and he laughed.

"Go nap. I'll finish cleaning up." He said and I kissed him once again.

"Love you." I said and he smacked my ass when I walked by which caused me to squeal and blush at the same time.

"Love you too baby." He winked and I couldn't help but smile. I made my way in to the living room and took a place behind Dalton. He curled into me immediately and I fell asleep thinking about how amazing my life was.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

"You be good for Uncle Jon okay Dalton?" Clary said for the 9th time.

"Otay mommy." He said yet again. Clary was such a mamma bear, and I couldn't blame her for it. With her and I as parents, nothing was ever going to happen to him.

"I think he understands Clary." I said as I scooped Dalton up in my arms. "You're gonna be good right little man?" I asked.

"Right daddy!" He cheered and I smiled. I gave him a kiss and than put him down right as the doorbell rang. Clary walked over and opened it and there stood Jon and Bailey.

"Where is my favorite nephew?" Jon said and Dalton went running the best he could.

"Unle Ja!" Dalton cheered as Jon picked him up.

"You ready for a fun filled time with Uncle Jon and Bailey?" Jon asked and Dalton just nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Okay, we should probably get going." I said. "Drop him off anytime after 11 tomorrow." I said and Jon nodded.

"He's in this weird phase where he likes to wake up at 5 am." Clary said. "Be prepared."

"You aren't going to do that to us are you buddy?" Jon asked and Dalton just smirked like I did.

"You're in trouble dude." I said and Jon laughed.

"He is your son after all." Jon said and I smiled proudly.

We all made our way out to our cars. Clary gave Jon his car seat, and they pulled out of the driveway, Dalton waving energetically from the backseat. Clary and I got into the car and we made our way to the restaurant. Tonight was a special night. Tonight was _the_ night, and I was so incredibly nervous but also so incredibly excited.

We parked and went in and were seated straight away. My job was a pretty elite job if I do say so myself, (thankfully I graduated college early, and was able to actually provide for my family the way I always wanted to do) which also gives Clary to chance to stay home and raise Dalton, apparently she never wanted to go to college, and after she got pregnant, I supported her fully. College wasn't for everyone, and I knew that. We got to our table and the waiter brought us their finest bottle of wine.

"To you." I said as I raised my glass.

"Why to me?" She asked and I smiled.

"For raising our kickass son." I said and she laughed.

"And here's to you." She said as she clinked our glasses. "For supporting me and our kickass son." She said and I laughed.

"I love you." I said and she smiled.

"I love you too." She said and than our night began. I was excited for what was going to happen, and couldn't stop my heart from racing.

The night went by wonderfully. Everything with Clary was wonderful though. I could never complain when I was with her. Everything was perfect, and I couldn't wait to make it even more perfect. There was a dance floor and elegant music was playing. Once Clary and I were finished with our meals, I got up and reached my hand out.

"May I have this dance?" I asked and she blushed.

"Always." She said and I took her hand in mine and led her to the middle of the dance floor. We swayed back and forth to the soft sweet melody playing behind us when I realized it was time. I stopped dancing and took her hands in mine. "What's going on Jace?" She asked and I smiled. I reached into my pocket and got down on one knee.

"I have loved you for so long Clary." I said. "For so long I thought that love with a fairytale, something that only existed in our mind, and wasn't really tangible. But you came along, and completely blew me away. You stole my heart, and gave me something that I never thought I'd ever get because I was so cynical and mad at the world, but than you showed up, and completely changed the way I viewed the world." I said and she started crying. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, raising our kickass son, and having as many children as we can because there isn't anything else I want in the world than you and our kids." I said and she laughed. "So Clary Fray, will you marry me?" I asked and she smiled.

"Yes." She said and I slipped the ring on her finger and slammed our lips together. When we pulled apart I couldn't get the smile off my face knowing that she wanted to spend forever with me too. "I love you."

"I love you too." I said as I scooped her up in my arms. Everything about tonight was perfect, and I couldn't wait to spend forever with my best friend, my other half, my better half, my soulmate.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one shot was requested by a guest, and I immediately got inspired, which really helped with the funk I've been in! I really hope that whoever requested this is satisfied with how I took your suggestion! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Also, I've finally decided and I decided that I WOULD continue after 100 one shots. You all love reading them, and I couldn't possibly stop with all your devotion, continuing to write them would be my pleasure and I hope that I can continue for as long as I possibly can because with such great readers like you, I never want to stop because you keep my inspiration and motivation up! I hope I've made some of you happy with my decision! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	94. Chapter 93 - Dancer

**Ninety Third One Shot:**

 **Dancer**

 **Jace POV:**

I was in the waiting room waiting for Brooklyn's dance class to end. Naturally I'm the only father in the room and the other moms just sit there and stare at me. I've gotten used to it but to this day I'm still not sure if the stares are because I'm the only dad, or because of my stunningly good looks, which I obviously know about.

I tried Brooklyn in a couple different things. Soccer, softball, gymnastics, but she loved dancing, and I wasn't going to deny her the chance to do what she loves. The class starting filing out but I didn't see Brooklyn anywhere. I walked into the dance studio and she was talking with her teacher. I stood off to the side until she was done. When she looked up and saw me she immediately ran over to me.

"Daddy!" She said and I scooped her into my arms.

"Hi princess, how was dance?" I asked as I walked us to my car.

"Great! Guess what's happening next week?" She said excitedly.

"What's happening?" I asked as I put her in the car.

"A famous dancer is coming in to teach us for the week!" She said and I smiled.

"That's great baby." I said and she nodded. I closed the door and walked to the front. "How about we go and get some celebratory ice cream?" I asked.

"Yes!" She cheered and I smiled. I made my way to the ice cream parlor. We walked in and of course Brooklyn wanted cookies and cream, and I got my normal chocolate. We sat in a booth and Brooklyn told me all about her class, and how much fun she was having. Just seeing the light in her eyes when she talked about dance made me feel like I was doing alright as a father. I may be doing this all on my own, but Brooklyn was happy, and that's all I could ever hope for.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Brooklyn, we're going to be late if you don't get down here right now!" I yelled and I heard the soft sounds of running feet front upstairs.

"I'm sorry daddy. I wanted to look my best." She said and I looked at her and she was wearing her favorite pink tutu, and I couldn't help but smile.

"You look beautiful baby." I said and she ran into my legs. "But let's go. I don't want Miss. Aline to yell at me again for making you late." I said and she giggled.

We got to the studio in record time and we ran in and everyone was already there. I walked her into the studio and put her bag against the back wall, when I spotted the most beautiful redhead I've ever seen in my life. She was talking to Aline and a couple of the other students. Brooklyn was standing by the mirror looking at her in awe, and I realized that she was the professional dancer Brooklyn was talking about. I walked over and kneeled down in front of her and gave her a kiss.

"I'll be back before it's over. I just have to run a few errands." I said and she nodded.

"Can you do my hair before you leave?" She asked and I noticed that it wasn't done at all.

"Of course baby." I said but I didn't have a hair tie. "Uh, give me a second." I said and I went to Aline. "Aline." I said and the two women stopped talking. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but while rushing to get Brooklyn here, I forgot a hair tie. Do you have an extra one?" I asked.

"I do." The redhead said. She slipped one off her wrist and gave it to me. "I can do her hair if you want me too." She said and I smiled.

"It's okay. I've mastered it over the years." I said and she smiled. I walked back over to Brooklyn and kneeled in front of her. "What will it be today princess?" I asked and she smiled.

"French braid!" She said.

"Your wish is my command." I said and she turned around and sat on the floor and I started braiding her hair. Thank god for YouTube videos because without them, I wouldn't even be able to do a ponytail, but the moment I knew I was having a daughter, I knew I was going to have to do some research.

 **Clary POV:**

After I handed the hair tie to the man, he went back over to his daughter and started French braiding her hair. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty impressed. Most men couldn't even put a girls hair into a ponytail. I was in a daze when I felt someone tap my arm. I looked over and Aline was smiling.

"Impressed?" She asked and I nodded. "He's the most dedicated parent here." She said. "Comes to ever recital, fixes costumes when they need some fixing, bakes for our bake sales, and never misses a deadline, and always makes sure Brooklyn is here." She said.

"That's amazing." I said. "I wish my dad was that involved. My mom always took me to everything." I said.

"Being a single parent doesn't give you that kind of leeway." She said and I looked back over at the man. He was finished French braiding her hair and he was hugging her. They kissed and than he left. I smiled at the interaction between the two. You could tell they were close.

"Alright kids, lets get ready for some hip hop!" Aline said and all the kids cheered. "I'd like to introduce you to a very special guest." She said as she pointed to me. "This is Clary Fray, and she's going to be here all week teaching you a hip hop routine, and at the end of the week we're going to perform it for your parents." Aline said and all the kids started cheering. "Take it away Clary." She said and I smiled.

"Hello kids!" I said. "Like Miss. Aline said, my name is Clary and I'm going to teach you a hip hop routine today!" I said and they smiled. "Who loves hip hop?" I asked and they all raised their hands. "Who do you think is the best hip hop dancer in this group?" I asked, and they all pointed to the same little girl who I was just watching earlier. "What's your name sweetie?" I asked.

"Brooklyn Herondale!" She said and I smiled.

"And can anyone tell me why they think Brooklyn is the best hip hop dancer?" I asked and a few kids raised their hands. "Yes, what's your name sweetie?" I asked a little girl.

"My name is Kimmy!" She said and I smiled.

"Well Kimmy, why do you think Brooklyn is the best hip hop dancer?" I asked.

"She always picks up the dance before everyone else." She said and I smiled.

"Brooklyn, why do you think you friends think you're the best hip hop dancer?" I asked and she smiled.

"I don't know. I do pick up the dances pretty quickly, but I go home and practice with my daddy after class!" She said and I couldn't help but picture what that must look like. "But I think we're all really good! Some people are just better at different styles. Like I can't tap dance to save my life, but Suzzie is a really good tap dancer!" She said as she pointed to a girl, whom I'm assuming is Suzzie and she smiled.

"Thanks Brookie!" She said and Brooklyn smiled.

"Such a diplomat." I smiled and clearly they didn't know what they meant, so I just moved on. "Okay, why don't you all stand up and spread out and we'll start learning this dance!" I said and they all stood up and spread out. I started teaching them the dance moves, and I was impressed. Normally 4 and 5 year olds need to be shown a move over and over again in order to remember it but this class was pretty good with that aspect which was cool because that meant that I could get through this dance and than we could practice. And I now knew why all the kids pointed to Brooklyn when I asked that question. She was a natural, and I could tell she loved it.

 **Time Jump – After Class**

 **Jace POV:**

I made it back just in time to pick Brooklyn up from class. I was running around like crazy all day because I was planning a surprise party for Brooklyn this weekend. Her birthday was Saturday, and she was going to be 5, and she was super excited to be a whole hand. Most of the kids were already leaving the studio when I walked in but Brooklyn, yet again, was nowhere to be found. I walked into the studio and her and the redhead were sitting on the ground talking. I went to the wall, and grabbed her bag and made my way over to them and took a seat behind Brooklyn, scooped her into my lap and she started laughing.

"Hi daddy." She said and I kissed her.

"Hi princess." I said and she smiled. "I'm Jace." I said as I extended my hand. "I borrowed your hair tie and never introduced myself." I said and she laughed.

"I'm Clary." She said as she took my hand in hers and electricity surged through my body. "You're daughter is really talented." She said and I smiled.

"She's a dancer at heart." I said and Brooklyn laughed.

"My daddy is a great dancer too." Brooklyn said and I laughed.

"Hardly baby, but thank you for the compliment." I said and she kissed my cheek.

"You're very welcome daddy." She said and I hugged her close to me.

"She is also very polite." Clary said and I smiled.

"Politeness can change the world." I said and she smiled.

"That's a great motto to live by." She said and I nodded.

"It works for us." I said. "Now, princess and I have a date to get too don't we baby?" I said and she laughed.

"Would you like to come along Clary? We get ice cream after every practice!" She said and I laughed.

"I don't want to intrude on a daddy daughter date." She said and I smiled.

"You're more than welcome to join." I said and she smiled.

"Than I'd love too." She said and Brooklyn cheered.

"We go to the ice cream parlor right down the street. It's called Carmallot." I said and she laughed.

"Clever." She said and I smiled.

"We thought so too." I said as I strapped Brooklyn in.

"See you soon Clary." Brooklyn said as I closed the door.

"Like Brooklyn said, see you soon." I said and she nodded. I got in the car and made our way to the ice cream parlor and a moment later Clary pulled up. We made our way inside and took our normal seat.

"Picked up a stray this time." Luke said and I laughed.

"You know how warm and welcoming Brooklyn can be." I said and he laughed.

"Will it be the usual for you two?" He asked and I nodded. "And what will this pretty lady have?" He asked.

"What's your best flavor?" She asked.

"Cookie and cream!" Brooklyn cheered and Clary laughed.

"How could I possibly say no to that?" Clary said and Luke laughed and walked away.

Brooklyn sat there and colored as Clary and I just watched. There wasn't really a lot for us to talk about, I mean we just met today, and Brooklyn was in her own little coloring world so she wasn't talking about how class was. I decided that we had too much silence so I thought I'd ask some general questions.

"So, how long have you been dancing?" I asked.

"Since I was 4." She said. "My mom tried me in other sports, but I just loved dancing, and I had so much energy that it worked."

"That's what I did with Brooklyn." I said. "I tried her in a bunch of things, but she was always dancing around the house, so I put her in dance and she loves it."

"She's very good." Clary said. "And she's so great with the other kids. She's always helping out."

"She loves helping." I said. "Doesn't really matter what the task is, if she can help she will."

"That's a great quality to have." She said and I nodded.

"She's going to change the world one day." I said as I smiled at my beautiful daughter.

"I have no doubt." Clary said.

"So, what made you come to California and teach my daughters class for a week?" I asked.

"Well, I have a pretty well known dance studio in Florida." She said. "And I created a pretty popular dancing competition show, and I'm a back up dancer for a bunch of different artist." She explained.

"Wow." I said and she smiled.

"I've gotten a lot of opportunities with my success, and I love giving back." She said. "So I go around to different studios and lend a hand, and hopefully inspire young dancers to continue to follow their dreams."

"That's great." I said and she nodded.

"I was told no a lot when I started trying to become a professional dancer." She said. "I almost quit, but I kept going because it was my dream to make it as a dancer, and I got there. I don't want other kids to give up because one person told them no."

"That's really inspirational." I said and she smiled.

"I like to think so." She said and Luke brought over our ice cream.

"Thanks Luke." Brooklyn said and he smiled.

"Any time kiddo." Luke said and he walked away. Clary took a bite of her ice cream and smiled.

"How is it Clary?" Brooklyn asked.

"Delicious!" She said and Brooklyn giggled.

"I keep telling daddy that he needs to start eating it but he sticks with his boring chocolate." She said as she shoveled a scoop of ice cream in her mouth.

"I happen to like chocolate." I said as I took a bite and she giggled.

The rest of the afternoon was comfortable. Brooklyn really loved talking to Clary about dance, and I was just happy that she could have a real conversation about dance with someone. I tried my best but sometimes I didn't know what she was talking about. Clary could answer every question, and actually respond with personal stories, and Brooklyn was enjoying herself a lot.

When we were finished we walked out to our car and Brooklyn gave Clary a huge hug before climbing into the car. I buckled her in and she smiled back at Clary.

"Thank you for coming Clary." She said and Clary smiled.

"Thank you for inviting me." Clary said.

"See you tomorrow!" She said and I shut the door.

"So, I don't know how long you're going to be in California for, but on Saturday I'm throwing a surprise party for Brooklyn. She'll be 5, and the whole studio is in on it, I think she'd love for you to be there." I said and she smiled.

"I think I can stay one more day for Brooklyn's birthday." She said and I smiled.

"Great." I said and she laughed. "Well, I should get her home, and cleaned up. Thank you for coming today. I know Brooklyn loved having you around."

"Thank you for the invite. I haven't had ice cream in a long time, so it was nice." She said and I smiled.

"Bye Clary." I said and she waved as I got in my car. We drove home and when I picked Brooklyn up out of her car seat she rested her head on my shoulder. I took her right up to her room where I changed her and got her into some comfy clothes. We went downstairs and I put on a movie for us to watch. Brooklyn was asleep within 20 minutes and I just cuddled into her even more.

 **Clary POV:**

I got in my car and headed back to the hotel after an amazing day with Jace and Brooklyn. Being in their company was comfortable. Brooklyn was the sweetest little girl I've ever met, and Jace was the most involved father I've ever met. Just seeing their relationship up close and personal was truly amazing. My phone started ringing and I picked it up without looking.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey babe." I heard and I had totally forgot about him while I was with Jace and Brooklyn.

"Oh hey, what's up?" I asked.

"You said you'd call after your class ended, and I was beginning to think you were kidnapped." He laughed and I laughed as well.

"I'm sorry. I got preoccupied with a student." I said because it wasn't a lie, although I don't know why I felt like I had to lie in the first place.

"How is it going out there?" He asked.

"The class I'm working with right now is really good." I said. "They may only be 4 or 5 but they got rhythm and moves." I said and he laughed.

"I miss being on tour with you." Sebastian said. "It isn't as fun without sneaking off after a show to put on a show of our own." He said and I could literally hear the smirk in his voice.

"It's not my fault you chose to go on tour with a performer who wanted an all boy backup crew." I pointed out.

"I know, but you could have come and just followed me around." He said.

"I have a life too you know." I said.

"But you're volunteering." He said. "There easily could have been a job around here for you, and you would be getting paid."

"I don't care about the money Sebastian. I like giving back." I said. "You know that."

"I'm just saying." He said.

"Well, I'm almost at my hotel. I'm exhausted. We'll talk tomorrow." I said.

"Okay, night babe. Love you." He said.

"You too." I said before I hung up. I've been with Sebastian for almost 6 years, and in the beginning it was scandalous. Back up dancers normally weren't allowed to get involved with each other, let alone enter a relationship with each other, but Sebastian and I loved the thrill of the secrecy, but he wasn't looking to settle down any time soon, and I have been thinking about it the more and more I teach these little kids. It was something I wanted, but I don't think he did, and that was a huge deal breaker.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day of the dance recital, and I was super proud of all the work these young ladies put into this routine. They really took it seriously, and they were really pumped to show their parents it.

The parents were lined around the room and the kids were in the middle in their positions. I pushed the button and the music started. The kids started dancing and they just lit up the whole room. They were smiling, and being sassy, and hitting every move perfectly. I was super proud and when the music ended all the parents erupted in a loud applause. The kids than ran to their parents and gave them all hugs.

I went to the middle of the room and waited for everyone to quiet down. It took some time but I wasn't complaining. Their kids just rocked that routine and they were proud parents. But once they didn't quiet down I started to speak.

"I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to come in here and teach your children for this week." I said and they all smiled. "I had a blast working with them, and I have no doubt in my mind that these kids will be some rockstars later in life. They blew me away, and I can only imagine them getting better as they get older." I said and everyone clapped.

"Kids, what do we say to Clary?" Aline said.

"Thank you for teaching us Clary." They all said and unison and I nodded. I saw Brooklyn wiggle out of Jace's arms. Once he put her down she ran towards me, followed by every other kid. And I was involved in a massive group hug and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Thank you all for being such amazing students." I said and they broke the hug. They all went back to there parents. I was cleaning my stuff up when I heard a throat clear behind me and there stood Jace and Brooklyn. "Hey guys."

"Hey." Jace said. "Brooklyn wanted to give you something." He said and I looked at Brooklyn.

"I drew this for you Clary." She said as she handed me a picture. I looked at it and there was Brooklyn, Jace and I, sitting in the ice cream parlor eating ice cream together.

"It's beautiful Brooklyn." I said and I reached my arms out and she came running into them.

"I'm gonna miss you Clary." She said and I smiled as I kissed the top of her head.

"I'll miss you too Brooklyn." I said. "Maybe when I'm out here again we can hang out." I said and she smiled.

"Okay!" She cheered and I looked up at Jace who smiled at me.

"Maybe we'll see you soon Clary." He said with a wink and my stomach slipped.

"You can count on it." I said and he grabbed Brooklyn's hand and they walked out of the studio. I looked back at the picture and it was something that kids drew when they had a family, and Brooklyn had made it for me, and that gave me a smile for the rest of the day.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

"But daddy, I don't have dance class today." She said as we walked up to the studio.

"I know that princess, but I left something here the other day, and I need it." I said. She simply nodded and I opened the door. She walked in and that's when the lights flipped on.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone yelled and Brooklyn jumped first but that cheered.

"Is this for me daddy?" She asked and I picked her up.

"This is all for you baby. Happy birthday." I said and she threw her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. I put her down after the hug and she ran to her friends and they started playing. The parents were all around mingling and talking. I heard the ring of the door and when I looked back there was Clary. I walked over to her and smiled. "You made it."

"I told you I'd be here." She said and I smiled.

"I know it'll mean a lot to Brooklyn." I said and she nodded. She walked over and covered Brooklyn's eyes. When she uncovered them Brooklyn had the biggest smile on her face and brought her into a huge hug. I grabbed myself a drink and leaned against the back wall watching my baby play. A few moments later Clary joined me.

"So, this is something else." She said.

"She deserves the best." I said. "I don't want her to think that just because she doesn't have a mom, she has to be deprived of everything she wants." I explained.

"What happened to her? If you don't mind me asking." She said.

"She got pregnant, and didn't want a baby." He said. "I was terrified that she was going to abort her so I made a deal with her."

"What kind of deal?" She asked.

"She would carry Brooklyn full term, and once she was born she never had to see her again." I said remembering that day. "She gave up her maternity rights, and when Brooklyn and I left the hospital that was the last time we ever saw her."

"That's horrible." Clary said.

"She wasn't the type of person who wanted to be a mother." I said. "I get that. Some people just don't want to be parents, but when she told me she was pregnant, all I wanted to do was be a father." I said with a smile. "She's my everything."

"You two have a special bond." She said and I smiled.

"I moved us out here so that there was no way to ever run into her mother again, and as far as Brooklyn is concerned, her mother is dead." I said and she nodded.

"Where are you originally from?" She asked.

"Brooklyn." I said and she laughed.

"How appropriate." She said and I smiled.

"I thought it was a good homage to where she was born, and where I grew up." I said. "Brooklyn, New York will always be my home, just like Brooklyn will always be my home. Wherever she is, that's my home."

"That's really sweet." She said and I smiled at her. She looked up at me and neither of us looked away. I saw her eyes flicker to my lips and before I could stop myself I leaned forward and kissed her. It was something that I've never experienced before, and I was basking in it, but it was over all to quickly. "I shouldn't have done that." She said as she backed away.

"Clary." I said but she shook her head.

"I should probably get going. I'm going to go say goodbye to Brooklyn." She said and than she walked away. I saw her kneel in front of Brooklyn and start talking. Brooklyn gave her the biggest hug ever and than Clary stood up and walked right past me and left. I wanted to talk about what happened, but I was probably never going to see her again, and that sucked.

"Daddy!" I heard Brooklyn call. "Come play with us!" She said. I put a smile on my face and went over to play with my daughter, while I thought about the kiss with the redhead that knocked me off my feet.

 **Clary POV:**

I'm so stupid. Why did I let that happen? I questioned myself. I got in the car and called the one person that I knew would tell me what he really though and I needed that right now. After a few rings he picked up.

"What's up Clary?" He said.

"Simon, I did something really stupid and I need your expert advice." I said.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I've been in California this week teaching this dance class, and I got really close with this one little girl, and her dad." I started. "He threw her a surprise birthday party today and he invited me. So I went being nice, and wanting to be there for his daughter, and we were talking about why the mother wasn't in the picture anymore and than we kissed."

"You're still with Sebastian right?" He asked.

"Yes, but this week I basically forgot about him." I said. "I think we're on different pages, and I don't know what to do about it."

"Well, what was the kiss with this guy like?" He asked.

"Out of this world Simon." I said and he laughed. "I've never experienced that before, and it freaked me out slightly, but the majority of me wanted to do it again."

"Look, you need to do what's best for you Clary." He said. "If you and Sebastian are diverting on two different paths, you need to end it." He said. "And if you feel that strongly towards this new guy, than you owe it to yourself to be happy."

"How do I break up with a guy of 6 years?" I asked.

"You'll figure it out Fray." He said. "You always do." He said.

"Thanks Simon." I said.

"Anytime. Now, it's pretty early here, and Noah loves waking up at the crack of dawn and Izzy is at a conference this week, so I'm being super dad." He said and I laughed.

"Sorry for waking you up." I said.

"It's okay." He said. "But I need sleep."

"Night Si." I said.

"Night Clare." He said and than he hung up. I made it to the airport and I just sat there waiting for my plane to board and thinking about what the hell to do. I was confused, but Simon was right. I needed to do what was best for me, and that's what I planned on doing.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Sebastian just got back from tour a week ago and I haven't been able to bring up the whole break up yet. I was sitting at home watching some trashy TV when he walked in.

"What's this?" He asked and I looked back and he had the picture Brooklyn drew for me, and I smiled.

"One of the students back in California drew that for me before I left." I said.

"Who is this guy?" He asked as he pointed to Jace.

"Her father." I said.

"Why are you three eating ice cream together?" He nearly yelled. I knew he was angry.

"She invited me to join them for ice cream, and I figured it had been awhile since I had ice cream, so I went with them." I said.

"You went on a date with this guy and his daughter." He said, and it wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"I wouldn't call it a date." I said. "We went out to ice cream, and I talked to his daughter mostly."

"That's inexcusable behavior Clarissa." He said and I stood up.

"I'm not your child. You can't reprimand me." I said and his eyes got darker.

"You're my girlfriend. If I don't want you hanging out with someone, I have the right to say that." He spit back.

"I'm 25 years old." I said. "I can make my own decisions." I said and apparently that was the wrong thing to say because he grabbed my arm violently, something he's never done before.

"You're mine Clarissa." He said alarmingly.

"Not anymore." I said as I tried to rip my arm out of his grasp.

"What does that mean?" He said.

"It means, this isn't working out Sebastian." I said. "We want different things in life, and I think we both owe it to ourselves to explore what we really want in life."

"You're breaking up with me for this?" He said as she held the drawing up.

"No." I said. "I'm breaking up with you because we don't work anymore." I said. He released me finally and he took the picture Brooklyn drew me and tore it to pieces, and my heart broke.

"Get out of my house." He said and than he walked away. "I'm going out for an hour. When I get back, you better be gone." He slammed the front door and I picked up the pieces of the ripped up picture. I grabbed my suitcases and began packing my things. This was the start of my new life.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was picking up Brooklyn from school so I could take her to dance class. She was moved up a age group because she was so good and I was super proud of her. She got into the car and I reached back and made sure she was secure. We made our way to the studio where I dropped her off.

I made my way to the grocery store to grab the groceries that we needed this time. I went home and put them all away before I realized that Brooklyn's class was almost over. I made my way back to the studio just as they were wrapping up. Brooklyn came running out and latched onto my leg. I picked her up and made our way over to Carmallot. We took our normal seat and Luke brought us our usual. Brooklyn was coloring a picture while telling me about her day when I heard a throat clear. I looked up and there stood Clary.

"Is this seat taken?" She asked and Brooklyn looked up and beamed.

"Clary!" She cheered as she jumped up and gave her a hug.

"Hey pretty lady." Clary said as she gave her a huge hug in return. "Can I join?" She asked and I nodded. She took a seat and before I could ask why she was here Brooklyn started talking about how much she's done since she last saw Clary. Clary was listening intently and I couldn't stop staring at her. Why was she here? And why was there a bruise on her arm in the shape of fingerprints?

When we were done eating, I put Brooklyn in the car and shut the door. I turned and faced Clary who had a sad smile on her face.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came here to apologize." She said.

"You came all the way to California to apologize?" I asked and she nodded.

"I shouldn't have run away." She said. "I just – I had a boyfriend, and I couldn't believe that I kissed you while in a relationship. I've never been a cheater, and it freaked me out that I did that."

"Had?" I questioned and her hand went to her arm. "He's the reason for that bruise?" I asked and she nodded.

"He found the picture Brooklyn drew for me." She said. "He was angry that we got ice cream together and when I told him it just wasn't working out he grabbed me." She said. "I ended it after that. We were together for so long but we weren't heading in the same direction." She said and I nodded. "I called my best friend and asked him for some advice and he told me that I needed to do what made me happy."

"You could have written me a letter." I said with a laugh and that got her to smile.

"A letter isn't as personal as face to face." She said and I smiled.

"How would you like to come over for dinner?" I asked and she smiled.

"I'd love too." She said.

"Follow me." I said and she nodded. I got in the car and started driving home. I pulled into my drive way and got Brooklyn out when she spotted Clary.

"Are you staying for dinner?" She asked excitedly and Clary nodded. "Cool!" She said and I laughed. I opened the door and Brooklyn booked it for her room to change into comfier clothes.

"So, I don't know what you like, but I was planning on having hamburgers for dinner." I said.

"Hamburgers are great." She said and I smiled.

"Clary!" Brooklyn called from upstairs. "Come up and see my room!" She said and Clary laughed.

"I'm being summoned." She said and I smiled.

"I'll call when dinner is ready." I said and she nodded. She made her way over to the stairs and disappeared. Who ever said second chances didn't happen?

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

After dinner Brooklyn wanted to watch a movie, but 45 minutes into it she was passed out on the couch. Jace picked her up and put her in her room and than came back down and joined me on the couch.

"So, how long are you here for?" He asked.

"Permanently." I said and he looked shocked. "After I ended my relationship, he kicked me out, and I decided that I needed a change. I lived in Florida for years, I needed a change of scenery." I said and he nodded.

"What about your studio in Florida?" He asked.

"It is in good hands, and I'm actually opening another location here." I said and he nodded. "Any way I could recruit your daughter to come learn from me?" I asked and he laughed.

"I think she will be thrilled to have you as a teacher." He said and I laughed.

"I was thinking." I said. "Our last kiss ended pretty abruptly." I said and his eyes got wide. "Do you think we can try again?" I asked and a smirk appeared on his lips before he leaned forward and I felt that feeling I didn't the first time we kissed. He pulled me into his lap and we continued to kiss. It was a feeling I knew I'd never get used too. When we broke apart we both were smiling like fools and breathing heavy.

"Would you like to go out with me?" He asked and I nodded and kissed his once again. This was something that I could get used to, something that I knew I'd never get tired of, something that would be everlasting.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Brooklyn, you're going to be late!" I yelled up to my 6 year old. I swear, she just gets worse with time as she gets older.

"I'm coming daddy!" She called and I couldn't help but laugh. She ran downstairs in her dance outfit.

"You ready princess?" I asked and she nodded. We got in the car and headed towards the studio. When we got there, she hoped out and ran inside before I even got out of the car. I walked in and went straight to the back office. Clary was sitting at her desk working on something. I walked over and kissed her on the head.

"Hey." She said and I smiled.

"Hey yourself." I said. "I have a late session with one of my clients tonight." I told her and she nodded. "I should be home by 6, but just start dinner without me."

"Sounds good. Anything you want in particular?" She asked and I shook my head when her office door opened.

"Stop hogging mom." Brooklyn said and I smiled. "Everyone is here, and we need our teacher." She said before leaving.

"She has gotten so sassy in her old age." I said and Clary laughed.

"She isn't wrong though. I have a class to teach." She said as she got up and kissed me. "See you at home."

"Love you." I said and she smiled.

"Love you too." She said as she walked out of the office. I walked past the room where she was teaching and just couldn't help but smile. We may have only been together for a year, but Clary and I knew that this was going to last forever. She moved in 6 months ago, and after the first 2 months of dating Brooklyn asked if she could call Clary mom, and Clary was so touched she just nodded, and that's been our life ever since. It happened quickly, but it was all so right. We were a family, and we were always supposed to be a family. It didn't matter what obstacles we went through to get here, we found each other, and we were never letting each other go.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, it's about time I got back to doing the requested ideas! Sorry it took me so long, but I finally finished one! This one was requested by TMIShips4Life. You requested a dancer one, and I have delivered a dancer one! I hope that it lived up to your expectations! Let me know what you think and leave a review! Thank you all for being so patient, and understand when it came to my writers block! Means a lot! :)**


	95. Chapter 94 - Inner Demons

**Ninety Fourth Story:**

 **Inner Demons**

 **Jace POV:**

Everything in my life is fake. The way I act around the kids at school, the way my parents acted in public, and the whole appearance of our own home was fake. But everyone believed it at face value. They saw a huge house, and automatically thought I had it all, so that's how I acted. I was rude, and arrogant, and a jerk to people and apparently that's what they wanted. Every guy wanted to be my friend, and I got asked out religiously by every girl at my school. According to everyone, I had it all, but nobody knew that I was drowning in loneliness.

You see, both of my parents are amazing business people. They were extremely gifted at what they did, and pretty much every business in the world wanted them to consult with them. They had it all. They were living their dreams, and getting everything they wanted, and I was just on the side. A couple years ago my father took a pretty hard hit, nothing too detrimental, but enough to send him spiraling into an alcoholic vortex. He found comfort in drinking, and sometimes I got the short end of the stick with his anger.

I wouldn't be classified with kids who get abused on a daily basis. Sure my father got physical, but I didn't happen daily. Normally if he had a bad day, or a business deal that went south, or if him and my mom got into a horrible fight, he'd drink, and I'd get hit. I might be athletic, but my father was a pretty built, and if I tried to fight back it would just get worse, and I learned that pretty shortly after his first alcoholic fit.

My mom on the other hand, has never been very nurturing. I don't think she really has it in her to be caring and compassionate life most mothers out in the world. I think she just had me because my father wanted our family name to live on, and since I'm a boy, and the first born, they never even tried to have another kid, which made it even lonelier around here. At least with a sibling we could sulk together. It was just me here, and I hated the feeling of being alone, and not wanted, but I'd never tell anyone else that. I would go around with my normal cocky attitude, and acting like my life was absolutely perfect like everyone thought. I'd never let anyone see how truly sad, depressed, and lonely I am. I didn't want to sympathy, or the pity, especially because who would pity the rich kid?

I pulled up to school like I do everyday in my jag. One of the many things my parents gave me so that I would stop asking them. When I turned 16 I asked for a car, and I guess I asked one too many times (which in all reality, I only asked for a car once, but apparently that was pushing it) and my dad came home with a jag the next day. That's how it worked in my house. If I wanted something, my parents just gave it to me so that I'd shut up. So caring right? It sucked.

I walked to my locker avoiding most of the people in the hallway. I still wasn't awake enough to start faking my happiness, and I just wanted to get through the day, get to football practice, and hit a few people. Maybe that would help my suppressed feelings. But who really knows.

"Yo Jace." I heard a 'friend' of mine call. I turned around and there stood Sebastian.

"What's up man?" I asked as I grabbed my books.

"Party at my house after the game this Friday." He said.

"I'll be there." I said and he clapped me on the shoulder.

"Do you think your parents could provide some alcohol?" He asked and I wanted so desperately to roll my eyes.

"I can ask." I said and he nodded.

"Sweet. See you 8th period." He said and I nodded before he walked away. Oh yea, did I also not mention that they literally don't care what I ask them for? I'm almost 18 years old, under the legal drinking age, but they don't really seem to care about that. These two definitely should have kept reproducing (not).

I walked to my first period class and took my normal seat in the back. My first class was English and the moment the teacher started talking I kind of tuned her out. I looked at all the students in the room, and wondered how many of them came from loving and stable homes. I wondered what it would be like to be someone else, or to not be anyone at all. If I wasn't around anymore, would the world still continue? Of course it would. The kids at this school would keep on living, the teachers would keep on teaching, my coach would keep on coaching, and my parents, well, they would keep on working. Like I never even existed, and sometimes I think I not existing would just be easier.

 **Clary POV:**

I wouldn't classify myself as a creep. Being an artist, a writer for the school paper, and a photographer, I people watch a lot. Whether it be for a good art project, or for a good article to publish, or a cool candid photo. It didn't matter to me, people were so fascinating, I couldn't help but watch.

There was one person in particular that caught my eye the moment I moved to this town. It was my first day here, and I was lost getting to my class and I saw him through a window. Everything about him was golden. His hair, his skin, even his eyes. He was every artists dream model and every photographers favorite subject. Jace Herondale. Captain of the football team, most popular guy in school, ladies man, and from what I hear he's actually wicked smart. Something that I wouldn't normally expect, but I also wasn't surprised when I learned that fact about him. He could do anything, be anything he wanted to be, and that's what everyone thought, but I had a gut feeling that there was more to him than meets the eyes.

I was staying later today to help the art teacher clean up the room. I was standing at the sink cleaning brushes when he caught my eye. The art room had a lot of windows, and the windows that were in front of the sink faced the football field. He was standing there taking a long drink of water and I couldn't help but stare. There was something about him, something about the way he carried himself that told me it wasn't real. That there was more to him than meets the eye, and I was intrigued.

When I was finished with the paint brushes, I packed my stuff up and made my way to my car. The whole football team was in a huddle, listening to the couch. I got in and drove away with Jace Herondale on my mind. He was a complex person, even if he didn't let that show to everyone. I knew there was more than just the jock and ladies man that he let on, and even though I'd probably never get to the bottom of it, I couldn't help but think about what it was that made me think that Jace Herondale was so much more than just the surface he portrays.

I got home and when I walked inside I threw my bag on the floor. I went into the kitchen where my mom was cooking dinner. I grabbed a soda, and took a seat at the breakfast bar.

"How was school sweetie?" She asked without turning around.

"Boring as always." I said. "There is a football game Friday that I'm taking pictures for, so I'll be out that night."

"Remember your curfew is midnight." She said and I laughed.

"You make it sound like I'm going to hang out with people after the game." I said and she looked at me.

"We moved here over a year ago sweet pea." She said. "I understand you like to keep to yourself, but you need to get some friends kid." She said and my jaw dropped.

"My own mother calling me a friendless loser. I'm hurt." I faked sadness and she laughed.

"I'm just saying, having a friend over once in a while, or going out with a friend every now and than wouldn't hurt." She said and I smiled.

"I like my lack of social life." I said honestly. "I've never been the type of person to need a lot of friends."

"I know that sweetheart, but it wouldn't hurt." She said and I nodded.

"Need any help?" I asked trying to get the subject away from me.

"You could peel the potatoes." She said and I nodded. I grabbed the peeler and the potatoes, turned on some music and we continued to make dinner, singing, dancing, and laughing like we always did. I had the best life, despite not having many friends.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

My dad went out to a bar tonight, so I knew it wasn't going to be a good night. My mom was working late, and I was all alone in the house like I normally am. They got into a huge fight and plates were thrown, and that's when my dad stormed out. They can't even survive one night without arguing about something, normally money, cause god forbid my dad spends a little of my moms, and vice versa. It's not like we're a family or anything. Separate bank accounts, and everything. It was a nightmare.

I decided that I needed to get out and clear my mind. I couldn't just sit in my room and listen to the quiet anymore. It was more deafening than the yelling. It was a nice night, so I just started walking down the street. I had no idea where I was going, but anywhere was better than my house. I walked through the neighborhood and I saw a bunch of families sitting in their living rooms having a normal family night. Some were laughing, some were playing a game, and some were just sitting in the same room reading. They were bonding as a family, something I'd never get.

Now don't think I just stare into people's windows for fun. I normally do, but tonight I couldn't help it. It was like they were all just shoving their family life in my face. They were taunting me, and I hated it. Halfway through my walk it started to downpour but I couldn't find it in me to care. It was a warm rain, so I wasn't cold, or annoyed by it.

I found myself in a neighborhood that I wasn't really familiar with. I was just walking at this point, not knowing where I was when I saw a house with a huge bay window that was opened. I looked in and the family was laughing, and they just seemed to be having the best time. I couldn't stop myself, and I started walking closer to the house. I don't know how long I was standing in front of that window but I was brought out of my head when I heard my name.

"Jace?" The girl questioned and I looked at her.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"We go to the same school." She said.

"Oh." I simply said.

"My name is Clary." She said. "I transferred here last year."

"Nice to meet you." I said. And it sounded so stupid considering I was just being a creepy peeping Tom and staring into her house, but she still laughed.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked. "It's pouring."

"I just needed some fresh air." I said vaguely and she nodded.

"Would you like to come in?" She asked and I was a little taken aback. "It's a Saturday night which means my parents and I sit in front of the TV and watch Wipeout for hours. It's pretty fun." She said and I thought about it. "I'll throw in dry clothes, and some popcorn." She said with a smile.

"Okay." I said and she motioned for me to follow her. We walked inside and her parents turned around.

"Mom, Luke, this is my friend Jace. He got caught taking a walk in the rain so I offered him some shelter." She explained.

"Of course. The more the merrier." The woman said. "Go grab some of Jon's clothes from the attic. They look like they would have been the same size." She said and Clary nodded.

"Follow me." She said and I obeyed. We walked upstairs and she pulled the ladder down. She disappeared into the ceiling for a few moments before climbing back down. "It isn't much, but I figured I'd just toss your stuff in the laundry and dry it out for you."

"Thanks." I said as I took the clothes.

"The bathroom is over there." Said pointed and I nodded. I walked in and stripped my soaked clothes off. I put the dry ones off and emerged from the bathroom. "My mom was right. You are the same size."

"Who is Jon?" I asked as she took my wet clothes.

"He was my brother." She said as we walked down the stairs and into her laundry room. "He was 7 years older than me."

"What happened to him?" I asked.

"He was killed in action 2 years ago." She said.

"That must have been hard." I said as she dropped my clothes and a few towels into the washer.

"It was. He was my best friend growing up. We did everything together." She said with a smile. "But it was his dream to serve this country, and I proud of him for that."

"How did he die?" I asked.

"Saving civilians from an air strike." She said. "He went out a hero, and I'm proud of him for that as well."

"Sounds like a great guy." I said and she smiled and faced me.

"You two would have gotten along well." She said.

"Why is that?" I asked curiously as we walked out of the laundry room.

"You have the same ego he did." She said with a laugh and that made me smile. "Would you like anything to drink?" She asked.

"Sure. What do you have?" I asked.

"Water, juice, soda, coffee." She said.

"Soda would be great." I said and she opens the fridge.

"Pick your poison." She said.

"Do you have enough options?" I asked and she laughed.

"We all like different things so Luke just buys a variety." She laughed. "My mom likes Pepsi products. I like Coke products. And for some reason Luke likes the store brand." She said.

"Now it makes complete sense." I reached in and grabbed a Coke.

"Thank god." She said and I looked at her.

"What?" I asked.

"I was afraid I'd have to kick you out for liking Pepsi or store brand." She said as she closed the fridge.

"I've always been a Coke guy." I said as we made our way to the living room.

"I got another one sucker." Clary said to her mother who looked at the drink in my hand.

"People just don't appreciate Pepsi enough." She said with a huff, which caused Clary to laugh.

"You're just a sore loser. Admit it." Clary laughed and so did Luke.

"Am not." She said.

"Are too Jocelyn." Luke said.

"Oh hush. Nobody ever picks your soda." She said and Clary laughed as she sat down on the couch and I followed. She handed me some blanket and I got comfortable.

"That's because I think I'm the only person on this planet who likes store brand soda." Luke said.

"Got that right." Clary and her mom said at the same time. "Jinx you owe me a soda!" They said again.

"You know the rules ladies." Luke said.

"Ready?" Clary asked and her mother nodded. "Rock, paper, scissors shoot!" Clary said and they both drew. Clary had rock and Jocelyn has scissors. "Ha! Loser, go grab me a Diet Coke!" Clary said.

"You're lucky I love you kid." Her mom said as she got off the couch and went into the kitchen.

"Is this normal?" I asked Luke and he laughed.

"Oh yea." He said and Jocelyn came back with two Diet Cokes.

"Why two?" I asked.

"Loser has to drink the winners chose of their soda." Clary said. The both popped the tabs and clinks cans. "Cheers mama."

"Cheers baby." Jocelyn said and they took a sip. Jocelyn clearly wasn't a fan and Clary just laughed at her disgusted face. Everyone turned back towards the TV to watch the show and it was strange being in a house that a family actually got along, but I liked it.

We sat there and watched TV and I couldn't remember the last time I laughed with other people and genuinely meant it. They were just a happy normal family, something I wished that I had. Something buzzed and Clary jumped off the couch and walked away, leaving me with her parents.

"So Jace, do you play any sports at the high school?" Luke asked.

"I do." I said. "I'm the captain of the football team."

"Are you guys any good this year?" Jocelyn asked.

"We won the first four games of the season." I said. "It's looking pretty good."

"We might just have to make an appearance than." Luke said and my eyes widened.

"Why?" I said immediately without thinking.

"I'm a big football guy." Luke said. "But since I don't have a kid on the team it never really occurred to me to go, but Clary takes the pictures at all the games, and you are on the team, so at least I know one person playing and I don't look like a creep just watching high school players." He said and I laughed.

"We have a game on Friday." I said. "It's against Idris, our rival."

"Than it must be a nail bitter." Luke said and I laughed.

"They're pretty good, but I think we're better." I said confidently.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Luke said and in that moment Clary came back.

"What were you all talking about?" She asked as she retook her seat.

"Jace was telling us about the football team." Luke said. "Jocelyn and I are going to go check them out next Friday." He said and it felt nice that someone was going to come watch me play since my parents couldn't be bothered to do it.

"You're going to check out high school boys Luke?" Clary asked. "Talking about perverted." Luke picked up a pillow and threw it at her and she started laughing. "Loser.

"Dork." Luke counter responded, and Clary just smiled. I enjoyed being around them. A lot.

 **Time Jump – One Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace's clothes just finished in the laundry and I grabbed them and brought them back out to him as he sat in the living room and continued to talk to my parents. I waked over and handed him the folded clothes and he smiled at me, a gorgeous smile.

"They are fresh out of the dryer." I said and he took them from my hands.

"Thank you." He said.

"No problem." I told him and he stood up.

"Where is your bathroom?" He asked.

"Well, it's just around the corner, but you can just keep Jon's clothes." I said. "We have no use for them here, which is why they were up in the attic."

"You sure?" He asked.

"Of course." I said and he nodded.

"I should probably get home." He said and I nodded. "Thanks for letting me hang out with you tonight. I kinda needed it." He said and I smiled.

"We do this every Saturday night, so if you ever just need another night to chill, you're more than welcome to come and hang out with us." I offered. "Although, you probably have better things to do on a Saturday night, but that offer is always available."

"I might just take you up on that." He said and I walked him to the door. I opened it and realized that he walked here.

"Do you want a ride home?" I offered and he looked at me.

"That would probably be for the best." He said and I laughed.

"Mom, Luke, I'm taking Jace home!" I yelled as I grabbed my keys.

"Get me some ice cream!" I heard my mom yell back and I laughed.

"Mint chocolate chip?" I shouted back.

"Obviously!" She said and I walked out side and got in my car.

"You and your mom have a strange relationship." He said with a laugh.

"It's definitely not a normal mother/daughter relationship." I admitted. "But I don't know any other way. We've always been close."

"I like it." He said. "It's nice to see a relationship that isn't all about rules and punishment. You actually get along."

"We have our moments. She's still my parent regardless of how close we are." I said. "We fight, but at the end of the day, I love her more than anything."

"That must be nice." He muttered, and I figured if he wanted to talk about it, he would have said it a little louder so I just let it go. He directed me to his house and I pulled into the driveway, and parked my car.

"Here we go. Door to door service. Tips are appreciated." I said sarcastically and he laughed.

"Thank you for all the hospitality tonight Clary." He said and I smiled.

"What are friends for?" She asked.

"I didn't even know your name before tonight, so it was more than a friendly gesture, and I appreciate it." He explained.

"Well, you're welcome." I said and he smiled.

"See you at school on Monday?" He asked.

"I'll be around." I said. "Just look for the bright red hair." I said and he laughed.

"Goodnight." He said as he got out of the car and walked away. I waited for him to get into the house before pulling out of the driveway and making my way to get my mom some ice cream. Tonight took an unexpected turn, but oddly enough, it was incredibly fun, and easy to be around Jace and acting like we had been friends for years. It was natural, and I liked it.

 **Time Jump – Friday Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I was incredibly nervous for tonight's game, which never happens, but I also never had people coming to see me play specifically. Sure all those girls show up to gawk at me, but Luke and Jocelyn were coming to just watch me play because they wanted too. I wasn't used to that. I wasn't used to parental attention and it was incredibly weird, but it felt nice to have a mother and father figure who wanted to watch me play the game that I love.

I was pacing on the sidelines when Alec came up to me and gently rested his hand on my shoulder which caused me to flinch, which was also very rare for me. I didn't startle. Ever.

"You good man?" He asked. "You're all twitchy and shit."

"I'm fine." I said quickly.

"You don't seem fine." He pointed out. "Now, there aren't any scouts at this game, so something is throwing you off." He said. "Is it a girl?" He asked.

"You know I don't do girlfriends Alec." I said and he laughed.

"You never know." He said and I shook my head and laughed. "What's freaking Jace Herondale out?" He asked.

"There are just people here to watch me play tonight and I've never really had that before." I admitted.

"A lot of people come to watch you play Jace." He said.

"No, they come to watch the team, and stuff." I said. "These people are actually here to watch me."

"Well, you betting get your shit together and give them something to watch." He said and I laughed. I looked over to the crowded bleachers, and spotted Jocelyn's red hair. She must have saw me because her and Luke started waving. I waved back before putting my helmet on. I made my way out onto the field prepared to play my heart out for the two people who willingly came to watch me play for the first time in my life.

 **Time Jump – Right After Halftime**

 **Clary POV:**

I was taking a ton of pictures tonight. This was our rival game, and we were currently kicking their ass, so I wanted to document almost everything I possibly could. I was standing at the apposing teams goal and I was adjusting my camera when I heard yelling. I looked up just in time to see a player running full force at me. I didn't have any time to react. I was knocked over and slammed my head on the grass. Everything went dark.

 **Jace POV:**

I saw Clary get hit and when she landed on the ground, she wasn't moving. I ran over and threw my helmet off and kneeled down next to her. She was breathing, so that was a good sign, but who knows if anything happened to her head. She looked like she hit it pretty hard.

"Clary?" I questioned and I didn't get a response. The medical staff came over, but unfortunately there wasn't anything they could do for her until she woke up. It was dead quiet in the stadium, you could literally hear a pin drop. I looked up to see Jocelyn and Luke standing at the fence looking worried.

"Ouch." I heard and I looked at Clary who now had her eyes slightly open.

"Don't move too fast." I warned her. "You hit your head pretty hard."

"What happened?" She questioned.

"You were hit by a player." I said and she laughed.

"Ah. Don't make me laugh. It hurts." She said and I smiled.

"My apologies." I said. "Do you want to try and sit up?" I asked and she nodded. I grabbed her hand and lifted her up slightly and situated my body behind her so that she had something to lean against.

"Can you tell me your name?" The one trainer asked.

"Clarissa Fray." She said.

"Do you know where you are?" He asked.

"Alicante vs. Idris football game." She said.

"What's the date?" He asked.

"October 8th." She said.

"Very good." He said. "I'm going to shine this in your eyes. I want you to follow the light with just your eyes." He said and Clary nodded. She did what he asked and than turned the light off. "Everything looks normal, but you're going to have one killer headache for the rest of the night."

"Wonderful." Clary said and everyone backed up. I stood up and helped Clary up and she nearly fell over when I caught her.

"Yo Hodge." I called and the trainer came back over. "Her parents are over there by the fence. Let them in so they can take her home." I said and he nodded. Jocelyn and Luke made their way over to us and Luke scooped Clary into his arms.

"Thanks for making sure she was okay." Jocelyn said as she hugged me.

"No problem." I said and they made their way off the field. The game resumed, and we ended up winning, but I couldn't stop thinking about Clary. I hope that she's okay, and tomorrow I was going to stop by and see how she was doing.

 **Time Jump – Next Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I just showered, and I was making my way downstairs to head over to Clary's and make sure that she was okay. I walked past the dinning room where my parents were sitting at the table eating dinner like they actually liked each other.

"Jonathan, dinner was called 15 minutes ago." My mother said.

"I know. I'm not eating with you tonight." I said trying to get out of there with minimal damage.

"And why not?" My father asked.

"A friend of mine was hit really hard at the football game last night. I'm going over to her house to make sure that she's okay." I explained.

"Who let's girls on the football team?" My father questioned.

"She is the school photographer. She was taking pictures, not playing." I clarified.

"We have dinner with your grandmother tomorrow night Jonathan. I expect you to be there, on time, and dressed appropriately." My mother said.

"Yes mother." I said. I walked away and grabbed my keys and got in my car. I took a deep breath. If it were possible for them to be any colder, I'd probably be frozen at this point.

I made my way to Clary's house, thankfully I still remembered where it was. I walked up to the front door, took a breath, and knocked. A few moments alter, Luke answered it.

"Jace, what a surprise." He said and I smiled.

"I was just coming to see how Clary was feeling." I said as I walked into the house.

"She's had a pretty bad headache all day." Luke said.

"I can't imagine. Number 45 was tearing through people left and right last night." I said. "Even I felt a little shaken after a hit."

"She's already tiny enough, you know? That player was like a foot and a half taller than her." He said and I smiled.

"I hear ya." I said.

"Her room is the one with the orange door." He said and I nodded. I walked up the stairs and found the door that was orange. I knocked lightly and opened the door a little. Clary was lying down and when she heard the door open she opened her eyes.

"Hey." She said and I walked in and closed the door behind me.

"Hey." I said. "How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I've been better." She said and I smiled and made my way over to the side of her bed and kneeled down. "Did you guys win?" She asked and I laughed.

"Yes. We kicked ass." I said and she laughed.

"Well, I certainly got my ass kicked at that game." She said with a smile.

"I saw the whole thing coming, and I can't believe you don't have a concussion or anything." I said and she laughed.

"I have a pretty terrible headache, so I didn't make it out scotch free." She said and I nodded. "What are you going here?" She asked.

"I came to make sure you were okay." I said honestly.

"How sweet of you." She said.

"Trust me, I'm not always this caring." I said. "But you opened your home up to me last week, and I thought that I owed it to you to make sure you were okay."

"I appreciate it." She said and I nodded. Her door opened a minute later.

"Hey Jace." Jocelyn said.

"Hey." I said.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" She asked.

"I'd love too." I said.

"It'll be ready in 10 minutes." She said and I nodded. She closed the door and I turned my attention back to Clary.

"Did you and the team celebrate after your victory?" She asked and I smiled.

"Yea. Sebastian Verlac threw a party." I said and she nodded.

"Was it fun?" She asked.

"It was like every other party." I said honestly.

"I've never been to a party." She said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Don't really have any friends." She said as she slowly sat up. "I've always been kinda a loner."

"Why don't you come to next one with me?" I offered before I could even stop to think, but I don't think I needed to think about asking her to come. It would be nice to have her with me.

"I don't know Jace." She said hesitantly.

"Give me one reason why you're hesitant." I asked.

"I don't want to be ditched." She said. "I have no friends, you have many." She said and I laughed. "I don't want to get there, and you disappear into the crowd to leave me to fend for myself."

"I promise, I won't." I said and I saw her thinking about it.

"Okay. But not until I feel 100% better. I don't think I can handle a party any time soon." She laughed and I smiled.

"Just let me know, and we'll go." I said and she smiled and nodded.

We sat there and talked for a couple more minutes until her mom called us down to dinner. I helped her out of her bed and down the stairs, and than into her seat. This was the type of family dinner that I always dreamed of having. It was chill, and fun, and we laughed and joked and everything my parents never did. I have only known Clary for a week, and already her family showed me more of what a family is supposed to look like than my parents did.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It's been a whole month since I was slammed by that football player, and the headaches finally went away. I even went back to the trainer to see if I actually did have a concussion because of how much my head really hurt, but he assured me that I didn't have any other symptoms, which was good, but also sucked.

So here I stand, on the field where I was slammed taking pictures of the current game. I was taking precaution and being extra alert so that I could move out of the way of the big giant guys running full speed a head. The game was a blow out, and we won 47-7. We were predicted to win, but that was just insane. I was gathering my camera gear up when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. When I turned around, there stood Jace.

"Hey." I said and he smiled.

"Hey, so how about that party?" He asked and I laughed.

"You know what, I think that sounds like a lot of fun." I said and he smiled.

"I'll pick you up in an hour?" He asked and I nodded. He ran towards the locker room and I went to my car and drive home. My parents were in the living room watching a movie like they do every Friday night. They couldn't afford to have date night every week, so this was their version, and I thought it was absolutely adorable.

"Hey mom, Luke." I said and they turned around.

"Hey kiddo. How was the game?" Luke asked. "Avoid getting trampled this time?"

"Ha. Ha. You're hilarious." I said as I took a seat. "The game was good. We won by a milestone." I said and they nodded. "So, Jace asked me if I wanted to go to a victory party with him tonight, and I think it could be fun." I said. "Can I go?" I asked.

"Sure sweetie. Curfew is still midnight." My mom said.

"Thanks mom." I said as I ran upstairs to get a quick shower. Once I got out I started looking through my closet, when I realized I have nothing to wear. I ran to the top of the steps, and yelled. "Mom!"

"What?" He called back.

"Fashion emergency! I need your help!" I called.

"Coming!" She said and I went back into my room. She was there a moment later. "Okay, what's the emergency?" She asked.

"I have nothing to wear." I said and she laughed.

"Okay, well it's pretty chilly out, so go with something that can keep you warm if you end up outside because you need some fresh air." She said and I nodded. "I would stick with some jeans." She said as she threw a pair at me. "And, ohh this sweater always compliments your hair and eyes when you wear it." She said as she tossed a sweater in my direction. "And…." She said as she walked out of my room and than back in a few moments later. "Every girl needs a fashionable pair of boots and a kickass leather jacket." She said as she tossed them to me.

"You're the best mom." I said as I gave her a hug.

"I want you to have fun Clary." She said. "High school is going to be over before you know it, and since we moved here, Jace is the first friend I've ever met." She said as she tucked a stray hair behind my ear. "I want you to soak it all in while you can."

"Thanks mom." I said and she left the room for me to get changed. I put all the pieces on and together they actually looked really good. I was trying to get my hair just right when I heard the knock on the door. I heard talking downstairs and I took one last look in the mirror before heading back down. I walked into the living room where Jace was sitting and talking to Luke and my mom.

"Have her back before midnight." Luke said to Jace.

"Of course." Jace said and I smiled. "You ready?"

"Of course." I said. "See you two later. Have a good rest of your date night." I said as Jace and I walked outside.

"I interrupted date night?" He asked and I laughed.

"They have movie night every Friday." I said. "They can't afford to have a real date night, but I think it's pretty adorable that they make the time for each other once a week."

"I think it's pretty great too." He said and we got in his car.

We drove to the house that the party was being held at. We got out of the car and I took a deep breath before we started walking up to the front of the house.

"I never got the chance to tell you, but you look great." He said and I blushed, and I was thankful that it was dark.

"Thank you." I said. "You look great too."

"This is my everyday attire." He said. "I've never seen you dress like this before." He said. "I like it." I smiled and we made our way into the party, and I felt like everything stopped and started at Jace and I. He took my hand in his and started making our way through the crowd, and that seemed to make everyone stop paying attention. "What would you like to drink?"

"I don't know. I've never had alcohol before." I said honestly.

"Do you like fruity drinks?" He asked.

"Not really." I said honestly.

"Okay, we can start you off with something that I know you'll enjoy." He said and I just nodded. He started making a drink and than he handed it to me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Rum and coke." He said and I nodded. I took a sip and all I could taste was the coke, so it wasn't that bad.

"What are you having?" I asked.

"I'm going to be the sober one tonight. I'm not going to risk drinking and driving when I have you in the car." He said.

"But you would risk it if I wasn't here?" I asked.

"Most nights I do." He said and I just nodded. I didn't know what to say, so I just decided to say nothing. "Look, let loose tonight Clary. I'll look out for you." He said and I nodded as I sipped on my drink. I could have fun, as long as I don't embarrass myself.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I turned my back for a split second and Clary was gone. She was extremely friendly and carefree after a couple drinks in her, and it was nice to see her, but I didn't want anyone to take advantage of her, and I didn't want something to happen to her so I wanted to keep her in my line of sight for the majority of the night, but man was she quick.

I was walking around the house when I caught a flash of red. I pushed people aside to see Sebastian talking Clary up in the corner. She was giggling and talking with her hands. She was having a blast, and I didn't want to ruin her mood, but I knew Sebastian wasn't going to let her get away without something he wanted.

"Clary." I said and she turned and smiled.

"Jace!" She said and I smiled.

"You can't just run away from me like that." I said jokingly but I was completely serious.

"I'm sorry. Sebastian offered me another drink, and mine was empty so I took him up on the offer, and we started talking." She said with the biggest smile.

"Yea Jace, you didn't tell me little miss Red over here was so funny, and charming." He said as he stroked her cheek, and Clary blushed.

"Yea, douchebag didn't seem like her type." I said to him and he glared at me. "Clary, it's nearly midnight. I should probably take you home." I said and she nodded.

"Here you go Sebastian." She handed him her drink and he looked at her confused. "I may be a little drunk but I saw you put that drug in my drink!" She chanted as she walked away causing a couple people to stare at him. I laughed and followed her through the crowd. When we got outside she sighed. "That was fun!" She said as she stumbled and I caught here.

"How did you possibly pick up in the fact that he drugged your drink in this state?" I asked and her arm went around my waist.

"Well I knew he wasn't putting a fun dip in my drink!" She said and I nodded. I put her in the car and 5 minutes into driving she was out like a light. I got to her house and scooped her into my arms and walked to the door and knocked Jocelyn opened the door and looked at Clary.

"I didn't know she would drink so much." I said trying to defend myself and Jocelyn just laughed.

"I did worse in high school." She said as she welcomed me in.

"She gets very outgoing when she lets loose." I said and she smiled.

"If she just put herself out there more, everyone would see how great she is." Jocelyn said and I smiled. "After Jon died she shut down a little. Became more of a recluse. I understood why, Jon and her were close, best friends. And she grieved, and she's gotten better, but I think having friends is a vital part of being a teenager." She said. "I wish she had that."

"Well, she always has me." I said and she smiled.

"And I'm thankful for your friendship." She said. "Why don't you go put her in her room?" She said and I nodded and made my way upstairs. I put her in her bed and decided to take off her shoes.

"Jace?" She asked and I laughed.

"Yea. I'm just taking your shoes off." I said and she nodded and laid her head back down.

"Thanks for looking out for me." She said and I smiled.

"It was my pleasure." I said. "Thank you for coming with me."

"It was my pleasure." She said with a giggle. I got her shoes off and tucked her into bed.

"Goodnight Clary." I said.

"Night." She mumbled and I walked out of her room and went back downstairs.

"Goodnight Luke, Jocelyn." I said and they smiled.

"Thanks for taking care of her." Luke said.

"Always." I said as I walked out.

I got home and everything was dark and quiet. It was Friday, so this wasn't unusual. I made my way into the kitchen to get something to drink when I heard the front door slam open. I knew it was my drunk father immediately and groaned because I just didn't want to deal with him.

"Honestly Stephan, you need to get your shit together." My mom yelled at him.

"Oh shut the hell up Celine. You don't control me." He spat back, and I made my way into the hallway.

"Someone has too. You clearly can't control yourself." She said as she walked over to him. "What cheap tramp did you have on your arm tonight?" She asked as she looked at the hickey's on his neck.

"Someone who actually appreciates my status. Unlike you, you ungrateful bitch." He slurred with pride.

"And you wonder why we sleep in different rooms. You're embarrassing yourself Stephan." My mom said and I sighed, and apparently my father didn't like that.

"What are you sighing at?" He yelled at me. "You're just as ungrateful as your mother." He spat and I just let him keep going. "Using me for my money. Always taking but never giving anything back to this family." He spat and I just took it because there wasn't much else I could do. "Say something you bastard!" He yelled.

"What do you want me to say?" I asked.

"How about a thank you for everything I've ever provided for you?" He yelled.

"Thank you." I said.

"You little prick." He said as he ran, or waddled, over to me as she punched me across the face. "You will respect me." I stood up and whipped the blood from my lips.

"Why should I respect a man who hits his child?" I yelled back.

"You're my son. I can punish you in whatever way I seem fit." He spat as he got in my face. "If I want to punch you, I can." He said. "If I want to grab you by the throat and squeeze." He said as he demonstrated. "I will." I was gasping for air and he just stood there and smiled at the fact that I was suffocating. He finally let go and I fell to the ground and gasping for air. "Get out of my sight." He said as he walked past me, but not missing the opportunity to kick me before he left. I looked up and my mother just huffed and went back upstairs. After I got my breath back I went up to my room. I laid on my bed and thought about my life. I hated it. I hated this house, and I hated my parents. Everything sucked, and I wish my life was different.

 **Time Jump – Christmas Time**

 **Jace POV:**

I hated the holidays. I hated everything about them. My parents always threw this huge Christmas party and acted like we were some big happy family when in all reality, we were the farthest thing from happy, or a family. It was the week before the party and I was miserable. I didn't have football to occupy my time with anymore, and I just kinda pulled away from everything.

I decided that I needed to take a drive. School was out for winter break, and I couldn't be in this house anymore. I got in my car and just started driving and listening to depressing music. I was so caught in my own head that I didn't even realize that the sun had set. I parked my car and leaned my head against the steering wheel. I was so miserable. I took a deep breath and tried to keep the dark thoughts away. They have been plaguing my mind more and more these past few weeks. Someone tapped on my window and I jumped nearly 10 feet in the air.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you." I heard and when I focused I noticed Clary standing here. I opened my window and there she was. "You know, you have this weird habit of showing up at my house." She laughed.

"I didn't even know where I was. I just parked my car and closed my eyes." I said honestly.

"Everything okay?" She asked.

"Of course. Why wouldn't it be?" I said.

"People don't just randomly drive unless they are trying to escape something." She said.

"My house got lonely. I'm an only child, and I figured a drive would do me good." I said and she nodded.

"It's game night." She said with a smile. "And I could really use a partner." She said and I laughed.

"Let's kick some ass." I said as I turned my car off and got out. We walked into the house where Jocelyn and Luke were sitting on the couch setting a game up.

"Look who I found yet again." Clary said and they looked up.

"Jace. It's been awhile." Jocelyn said. "How are you?"

"I'm good. You?" I asked.

"Pretty amazing." She smiled and I smiled back.

"Okay, I'm going to get some drinks. What are the orders?" Clary asked.

"Diet Pepsi!" Jocelyn said.

"Cream Soda!" Luke said.

"Do you have sprit?" I asked and she smiled.

"Of course." She said before walking into the kitchen.

"So Jace, any plans for the holidays?" Luke asked.

"My parents throw this Christmas party every year." I said. "But other than that, nothing really. What about you guys?" I asked.

"Just hanging around here." Jocelyn said. "Christmas day for us is spending the entire day in our pajamas and baking cookies and listening to Christmas music."

"That sounds fun." I said and Clary walked back in.

"It is until our neighbors call to complain about the noise." She laughed as she handed out the drinks.

"That's happened?" I asked.

"Last Christmas the cops showed up." She said. "We were just told to keep it down, and than we gave them a box of cookies."

"Nice. Bribe the police." I smirked and she laughed.

"We make enough to feed this whole town." She said.

"Why so many?" I asked.

"It's a nice mother/daughter bonding experience." She said and I nodded. "Now, I don't know about you old people, but Jace and I are ready to kick ass." She said and they laughed.

"Bring it on loser." Jocelyn said as she dealt out the cards.

We sat there playing games for hours. We were playing double Go Fish and it was actually really fun to play in teams. Something I never thought of before, hell I don't think I've ever played Go Fish, but with Clary's family, I absolutely loved it.

"Do you have any Kings?" I asked.

"God Fish." Luke and Jocelyn said at the same time. "Jinx you owe me a soda!" They said again.

"You know the rules." Clary said and they put down their cards.

"Ready?" Luke asked. Jocelyn nodded. "Rock, paper, scissors shoot!" Luke said. Jocelyn threw scissors, Luke threw paper.

"Ha! Sucker! Get me a Pepsi lime!" Jocelyn said and Luke rolled his eyes and got up and went into the kitchen.

"You guys are so serious with your soda." I laughed, it still amazed me how much they took it seriously, but I enjoyed it.

"It's a serious competition here." Clary said and I smiled. Luke came back with two Pepsi Limes.

"Drink up babe." Jocelyn said as they popped their tabs.

"You're lucky I love you." Luke said before they both took a sip. "God this is awful." He said and we all laughed.

It was nearly midnight when we finished our last game. Jocelyn and Luke decided to call it a night, and Clary walked me out to my car. When we got to the drivers side I turned around and and faced her.

"Thank you for distracting me yet again." I said and she smiled.

"It seems to be my specialty." She smiled and I laughed.

"It really does." I said.

"Get home safely." She said and I nodded. I opened my car door and she started walking away when I stopped.

"Clary." I said and she turned around. "My parents are throwing this Christmas party next weekend." I said. "Would you like to come?" I asked and she smiled.

"I'd love to." She said, and I let out a breath.

"Great. I'll drop off an invitation tomorrow." I said and she nodded.

"Is it going to be fancy?" She asked.

"Pretty fancy." I admitted.

"Okay." She said. "I'll see you around Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Goodnight Clary." I said and I got in my car and headed home. I was excited for Clary to be attending the party with me, hopefully it will be more bearable.

I got home and expected everyone to be asleep. I walked into the kitchen to get a snack when I saw my mom sitting at the table with hot tea.

"Mom." I said and she looked up. "What are you doing up?" I asked.

"Couldn't sleep." She said. "Where were you?" She asked, not that she cared about my life, but she was just nosey.

"With a friend." I said. I grabbed an apple from the fridge and turned to her. "I invited her to our Christmas party this weekend." I said.

"Very well. Put her name on the guest list." She said. I nodded and headed towards my room. Just a little care would go along way, but I wasn't getting that anytime soon.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was staring at myself in the mirror. I've never dressed this fancy before in my whole life. When Jace said it was going to be pretty fancy, I immediately told my mom the next day about it and we started looking for something appropriate to wear.

So as I stare at myself in the mirror, I can't believe I pulled it off. I was wearing a black dress. It was in two pieces but it was elegant. The top was lacey, and the skirt was flowy and had a nice slit, something that was sexy but still classy. I had red heels on that matched my red lipstick, my hair was perfectly curled and I had a smokey eye. There was a knock at my door and my mom walked in.

"Oh sweetie, you look spectacular." She said and I smiled.

"You sure it's not over the top?" I asked. "The whole midriff showing isn't trashy right?" I asked.

"Not at all sweetheart." She said. "That is an elegant dress. You look like a million bucks." She said and I smiled.

"Thanks mom." I said and she hugged me.

"Jace is downstairs." She said and I nodded. I grabbed my clutch and made my way downstairs. Before I turned the corner I took a deep breath. I walked out and seeing Jace in a tux was something that I'd like to see more often. He looked gorgeous, and it fit him perfectly.

"Hey." He said and it broke me out of my head.

"Hey." I said.

"Okay, no curfew tonight since I don't really know what goes on, but make sure she gets home safely Jace." My mom said.

"You have my word Jocelyn." Jace said and I smiled. I grabbed my coat and put it on.

"I'll see you tomorrow mom." I said and she kissed my cheek.

"Have a great time honey!" She said and I nodded. Jace and I walked out to his car and I got in. I was incredibly nervous now, and I didn't know if it was because I was about to enter a home with a bunch of incredibly rich people who were completely out of my social class or if it was because of Jace, but I was nervous for sure.

We got to his house, and the place was packed. He parked his car and we got out. He walked over to me and held out his arm. I took it and we walked up to the front door. We walked in and my coat was immediately taken from me. I looked around and the place was absolutely incredibly.

"Wow." I said and Jace smiled. "This is something else." I said.

"My parents like to make a statement." He said.

"This is some statement." I said.

"Come on, let's get something to drink." He said.

'Okay, but no alcohol. I do not want another hang over." I said and he laughed.

"No alcohol tonight." He said as we made our way over to the bar. "Diet Coke and a regular Coke please." Jace asked the bartender and he nodded. The glasses were out in a second and we took them and walked away. We were walking around the ballroom, or what was a step down from a ballroom, regardless, it's a huge room, when we stopped in front of two people. "Mom, Dad, this is Clary." He said and the two people looked at me.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I held out my hand but they didn't take it. "You have a magnificent home." I said.

"Yes we do." The woman said and everything in me ran cold.

"Thank you for inviting me." I said with a smile.

"Jonathan invited you." His father said. "This party is for the elite, and you certainly aren't elite." He said as they walked away.

"Okay." I said once they were gone.

"I'm sorry about them." He said.

"Talk about frigid." I said. "No wonder you ended up outside my window." I said. "Are they always like that?" I asked.

"Yup." He simply said. "Come on, let's forget about them." He said and I simply nodded. I wanted to forget about the ice queen and king. I wanted to enjoy my night with Jace, and that's what I was going to do.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace had left to go speak with his father nearly 30 minutes ago. I was starting worry about where he got too. I was waiting until he got back to ask him where the bathroom was, but since he didn't seem to be getting back anytime soon, I figured I'd go explore for myself. I was walking down a hallway when I heard a harsh hushed tone. I stopped at the end and peaked around the corner to see Jace and his father talking, but it certainly wasn't a friendly conversation. His dad had him pinned up against the wall and I focused my hearing.

"You will obey me Jonathan." His father said harshly. "This party has all my clients and potential clients. I don't need you ruining that with your little rebellious flirtation with that girl." He said and I had to admit, that stung a little.

"We aren't doing anything to embarrass you father." Jace said.

"Just the fact that she's here is embarrassing enough." His father said and that he did something I never expected. He put his hand around Jace's throats and shoved him against the wall. "She is never to come here again Jonathan." He hissed. "Understand me?" He asked harshly and all Jace could do was nod seeing as his oxygen was being cut off. After nearly a minute of him chocking Jace he let go and Jace stared gasping for air. "Compose yourself and get back in there." His father said before walking. Once he was gone I walked around the corner.

"Jace?" I asked and he looked at me.

"How much did you hear?" He asked as he rubbed his throat.

"Enough." I said. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine." He said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I'm fine Clary." He said harshly.

"I was just making sure Jace. You don't need to snap at me." I said back defensively.

"Why did you even come this way to begin with?" He asked.

"I needed a bathroom and I didn't know where one was so I just started looking." I explained. "That's when I saw it all."

"The bathroom is on the opposite side." He said in a dead tone.

"You don't deserve that Jace." I said and he looked at me with emotionless eyes.

"You don't know what you're talking about Clary." He said harshly. "Not every person can live in your perfect little world of family game night and soda competitions." He said and I winced at his harshness. "Everyone has a dark side Clary, one day you'll figure that out." He said.

"I think I just did." I said as I turned around and walked away. I wanted to be there for Jace, but I didn't deserve to be attacked.

 **Jace POV:**

I watched Clary walk away and I felt awful. I snapped at her because I'm just so tired of being treated like shit by my family, but she was trying to make sure I was okay, and I was a huge dick to her.

I walked back into the room where the party was held, and I saw Clary in the corner. She was talking to some girl who I've never seen before. Our eyes locked but she immediately looked away. I hated how harsh I was to her. She was too good a person to get that kind of treatment. I walked over to the bar to get another drink when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around and there stood Clary.

"I'd like to go home." She said. I knew she was upset so I just nodded and we made our way to the coatroom. She got her belongings and we went to my car. The drive to her house was silent, but I expected that. I pulled into her driveway and cut the engine.

"I'm so sorry Clary." I said and she looked at me.

"I don't appreciate being treated that way Jace." She said. "I was just trying to see if you were okay, and forgive me for not believing the bullshit excuse you've probably been reciting for years." She said. "You deserve more than that. I always knew there was something you were hiding from the world." She said and I was shocked that she paid that much attention. "I knew there was more to you than that player and jerk you portrayed yourself to be in school. I just didn't know behind that facade was a truly harsh guy." She said and that hurt. "Have a good Christmas Jace." She said as she got out of the car.

"I'm not a harsh guy." I said as I got out of the car and she turned around. "You caught me in a vulnerable moment. I was just chocked by my father, I was feeling angry." I said.

"That's when the truth comes out Jace." She said. "I'll see you when school starts back up." She said and than she disappeared into the house. I got in my car and headed home dreading the shit I was going to get from my parents. I basically just lost the safe haven that I've created for myself with Clary's family. And that sucked.

 **Time Jump - Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

My father was on another alcoholic stampede. My mother was out of town on business, so he took that as an excuse to get belligerently drunk.

I walked downstairs one night to get something to eat but before I got to the kitchen, a hand wrapped around my arm and shoved me against a wall. This wasn't going to end well.

"You're such a disappointment." He slurred. "I don't even know why I had you." He said and I could smell the putrid smell on his breath. "I thought we'd have the perfect son. A mini me. But I couldn't have been more wrong." He said as his hand made its way to my throat. "You're worthless." He said as he began to squeeze. I clawed at his hand trying to get him to let go. All he was doing was laughing. I broke skin on his hand and he flinched. "You bastard." He said as he threw me down, but on the way to the floor I hit a table, and smashed a vase, causeing glass shards to go everywhere, cutting my hands, arms and face. Instead of getting up I just crawled away. My father could barely walk so I had the upper hand. I grabbed my keys and ran to my car. I didn't know where I was going but I couldn't stay here.

Before I knew it, I was on a bridge. I parked my car and stood on the ledge. I looked down at the water and just took a deep breath. The fall would knock me out, the water would cause me to freeze, and I'd drown. As simple as that. I wouldn't even feel it. All the pain and agony would be gone. This life would stop. The pain would stop. The torture would stop. Everything would stop. I'd be free.

A smile appeared across my face as the thought of being free. No more workaholic parents. No more drunk father. No more uncaring mother. It would all be gone. Everything seemed set, until a certain redhead popped into my head. I'd never see her smile again, or hear her laugh. I'd never go over on a Saturday night and hang out with her family again. I looked at the water one more time before getting off the ledge and heading to the one place I knew I needed to be.

 **Clary POV:**

It was late but I wasn't tired at all. I curled up on the couch, with a cup of hot tea and my favorite romantic movie. There was snow falling outside, and I had the fireplace on. It was so calming, and I was basking in the peacefulness until a frantic knock came at the door. I got up and opened the door and found Jace there, shivering with dry blood all over his face.

"Can I come in?" He asked.

"What happened?" I asked as he walked into the house.

"My dad was really drunk." He said. "Way worse than he normally gets. And he just wasn't happy with me tonight."

"What did he do?" I asked.

"First he started choking me, than he threw me to the ground, but a table was on my way, and I shattered a vase, glass shards went everywhere." He said. "I ran. I got in my car and I just drove." He said. "I got to a bridge. I was thinking about jumping." He said and I gasped. "It seemed like I made up my mind. I wanted to be free. I didn't want to deal with him anymore. I wanted it to stop."

"Why didn't you jump than?" I asked.

"Because if I died I wouldn't have to see my parents again, but I also wouldn't see you again either." He said and my eyes filled with tears. "I would never see you smile, or I wouldn't hear you laugh, and I'd never get to spend my Saturday nights having game night with your family." He said and I laughed. "So I got off the ledge and I drove here."

"Jace." I said but apparently he wasn't done.

"I am so sorry about what I said to you the night of the Christmas party. I was upset and I took it out on you. I shouldn't have done that." He said. "These last two weeks without talking or seeing you have been torture." He said and I smiled. "I'll do anything to earn your forgiveness because I need you in my life Clary."

"You have me Jace." I said as I put my hand over his. "I'll never stop being your friend. We both just needed to cool off from that night."

"I cooled off. I'm ice cold." He said and I laughed.

"Lets clean you up, get you some different clothes, and than we can watch the rest of this movie together." I said and he nodded. I was never going to stop being Jace's friend. His friendship meant the world to me, and just because we had a little argument doesn't mean I was going to throw that away.

After I cleaned him up and gave him some more of Jon's clothes, we got situated on the couch to finish out the movie. I don't know when I happened, but I felt my eyes drooping. I leaned my head on his shoulder and before I knew it was fast asleep.

 **Jocelyn POV:**

I got up early this morning because I wanted to make breakfast for Clary and Luke. I yawned as I made my way downstairs, but when I walked past the living room, I was incredibly surprised. Jace and Clary were on the couch asleep. Jace had his arms protectively around her and her head was resting peacefully on his chest. They looked so calm, and happy. Clary even had a small smile on her face.

I walked into the kitchen and started making breakfast like I planned. I had a full plate of pancakes and eggs done when Luke walked in and joined me.

"Did you see that out there?" He asked and I laughed.

"I did." I said. "I was pleasantly surprised."

"When did he get here?" Luke asked.

"No idea. But we can interrogate them at breakfast." I said and he nodded.

When breakfast was done I have Luke the job of setting the table. I made my way out into the living room to wake up Clary and Jace. I rubbed Clary's cheek lightly until she opened he eyes.

"Wakey wakey sleepy head." I said and she looked confused. She sat up and when she saw the Jace was her pillow her eyes widened.

"I can explain." She said and I laughed.

"Good. That gives us a good story for breakfast." I said and she rolled her eye. "It's ready. So wake him up and join us in the kitchen." I said and she nodded. I smiled at walked away. They'd be a cute couple.

 **Clary POV:**

I nudged Jace and he groaned. I nudged him again and he swallowed and got a look of annoyance on his face, and I nudged him one more time.

"10 more minutes." He said and I laughed.

"Breakfast is ready." I said and his eyes started to open.

"Clary?" He questioned and I nodded. "Shit we fell asleep."

"That we did." I said.

"Did your parents find us?" He asked and I laughed and nodded.

"They expect a full report at breakfast." I said. "Which I can smell, and I'm starving. Let's go." I said as I dragged him off the couch and into the kitchen. We took our seats and my mom and Luke smiled at us.

"How was your night?" Luke asked and I rolled my eyes.

"It was fine." I said and they just kept looking at me, until they focused their attention on Jace.

"When did you get here Jace?" My mom asked.

"Late." He said. "I don't remember what time specifically."

"Did she find you in our yard again?" Luke asked and I groaned but Jace laughed.

"No." He said. "I got into a fight with my dad last night and I needed to get away. This was the first place I thought of." He said. I looked at him because I knew it wasn't the total truth, but it wasn't my story to tell.

"Did you fall in some thorn bushes?" My mom asked and Jace traced the cuts on his face.

"No." He said honestly. "My face made it's way into a table, and a broken vase."

"Oh my." My mom said. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yea. Clary cleaned them last night, and I can barely feel them." He said.

"I'm guessing that fight was more than just a verbal one." Luke said and Jace just nodded. "Well, you're always welcome to come here when you need to get away."

"Thank you. That means a lot to me." Jace said and my mom and Luke smiled at him and nodded.

We ate breakfast together just like we were one big happy family. Just the way meals always worked when Jace was around. I couldn't even imagine being in a situation where my father or mother physically attacked me. There was so much more to Jace than what was on the surface. I always knew that, but I never knew just how horrible what he went through was. But this house would always be a safe haven for him. No matter what time of day or day of the year.

We finished breakfast and my mom and Luke told us to relax while they cleaned up. Jace and I made our way back into the living room where we took a seat on the couch. We were quiet. I didn't know if he wanted to talk about it, and I wasn't going to force him, so I was just leaving the conversation up to him.

"What you saw the night of the party." He started. "Isn't rare, but it hasn't been happening my whole life." He said. "My dad started drinking when I was about 14." He said and I knew it was hard for him to talk about so I put my hand in his and he squeezed. "My parents have never been nurturing. They've always been rather cold, but I had friends, and that's how I got through it. But then they all started wanting something from me, and using me for my parents money, and when I got old enough I started using my parents money to keep those friends around." He said. "My parents have given me everything I've ever wanted, but not because they are generous people. They just gave me whatever I asked for because they wanted to get me out of their hair." He said and my heart broke for him. "That's when I decided that nobody was ever going to see how lonely and depressed I was. I put on a front that personified this perfect like that everyone thought I had." He said. "And that's how I've been ever since."

"That must have really sucked." I said and he nodded.

"It was easier to lie to everyone than let someone in." He said. "Plus, people already had an imagine of who I was and what my life was life. I just let them keep thinking it and suppressed all the emotions I was feeling."

"Well, like Luke said, you're always welcome here." I said and he smiled.

"I appreciate that." He said. "After the party I honestly thought I had lost you forever." He said and I smiled. "This is the first place where I've never had to hide behind a façade."

"And you can always use it as a safe haven." I said and he nodded as he continued to rub his thumbs over my knuckles.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked after a couple minutes.

"Of course." I said.

"Would you like to go out with me?" He asked hesitantly. As long as I've known Jace, he's never been the type of be unsure of what he wanted. He's always been confident.

"Like on a date?" I asked and he laughed.

"Yes." He said and I smiled.

"I'd love too." I said and he got the biggest smile on his face. I leaned over and hooked my arms around his neck and gave him a nice long, and very needed hug. He held me close to him and I knew that he needed this hug. We didn't let go until I heard a throat clear behind us. We broke apart and there stood my mom and Luke.

"Luke and I are going out to get a few things." My mom said.

"Do you two need anything?" Luke asked.

"Snickers!" I said and my mom laughed.

"Anything for you Jace?" My mom asked.

"I'm fine Jocelyn." He said and she gave me that look. "But I could go for a Butterfinger right about now." I said and she smiled.

"We'll be back in a couple hours." She said and I nodded. The grabbed their things and headed outside.

"What would you like to do?" I asked Jace once we were alone.

"I could actually really use a shower." He said. "Is that okay?"

"Absolutely." I said. "You know where the bathroom is." I said and she stood up. "Towels are in the closet in the bathroom."

"Thanks." He said as he went upstairs. I decided that once he was finished with his shower we'd just watch movies all day. He didn't take long in the shower. He was done after about 15 minutes. He made his way back to the couch where he took a seat. I gave him the blanket and we sat there and watched movies. I leaned into him and he put his arm around my shoulders. I knew that I was going to enjoy wherever this relationship went.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Before Prom**

 **Clary POV:**

I was standing at my locker getting my books for my next class when Jace walked up and leaned against them. I looked up and smiled at him. He smiled back before leaning down and giving me a sweet kiss. Our first date was perfect, and by the end of the night he asked me to be his girlfriend, and it's been amazing ever since.

"Hey." I said when he leaned away.

"What class do you have next?" He asked.

"History." I said. "You should know this by now." I laughed as I closed my locker.

"You would think, but for some reason I just get distracted by a pretty girl." He smirked and I couldn't help but blush. He draped his arm around my shoulders and walked me to my next class.

When we got back to school and we walked into the building all eyes were on us. Jace wasn't known to have girlfriends, and nobody even knew who I was. There were rumors going around, and constant stares, and whispers, but Jace and I couldn't do anything about it. They were going to talk and stare as much as they wanted too. Jace and I were going to go about our business, and ignore them the best we could.

"So, I was wondering." Jace said as we reached my classroom. "How would you like to go to prom with me?" He asked and I laughed.

"Let me think about it." I said sarcastically and he gasped. And I couldn't help but laugh. "I'd love too."

"Thank god that anxiety is over." He said and I laughed.

"See you at lunch?" I asked and he nodded. I got on my tippy toes and gave him a kiss. I walked into the classroom and he walked to whatever class he had now. I was happy, and Jace seemed happy, and that's all that mattered to me.

 **Time Jump – Lunch**

 **Clary POV:**

I was putting my books in my locker getting ready for lunch when someone slammed my locker shut. I looked up and there stood a group of girls who the whole school would classify as 'popular' but I preferred to call them 'attention seeking whores'.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"It's been months." The one girl said, I believe her name is Kaelie. "When is he going to dump your loser ass?"

"I'm assuming we're talking about Jace correct?" I asked.

"Who else would I be talking about freak?" She said. "I've been planning what we'd wear to prom together since freshman year. All he has to do is dump you sorry ass and than our plans can be put into motion." She said and I laughed.

"That's going to be kind of awkward since he asked me to prom this morning." I said and her jaw dropped. "Face it, he doesn't want to date you otherwise he would have by now." I said. "Now, I'm trying to get to lunch." I said as I pushed my way past them. I got to the cafeteria and found Jace sitting at our normal table. I took a seat and passed him the apple and soda I always bring him.

"What took you so long?" He asked.

"Kaelie and her posse cornered me against my locker." I said. "She wanted to know when we were going to break up so they you could ask her to prom." I said and he laughed.

"You would think after 3 years of denying her she'd give up." He said and I smiled.

"Persistence is an admirable quality." I said as I took a bite of my sandwich. We sat there and ate like we did every day. We laughed, and joked and enjoyed each others company. It didn't matter that the kids at school didn't understand our relationship, or that they were jealous. We were happy, and that was the important thing.

 **Time Jump – Prom**

 **Jace POV:**

I knocked on the front door of Clary's house and I couldn't stop being nervous. It was just something about her that made me nervous. I wanted everything to be perfect for her. I want to show her the best possible time, and give her everything she deserves. The door opened and there stood Jocelyn.

"You look great Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Thank you." I said as I walked into the house.

"Let me go get Clary." She said and I nodded. She went upstairs and Luke walked into the room.

"Looking sharp kid." He said and I smiled.

"Thanks Luke." I said and than Jocelyn made her way back down the stairs with the biggest smile on her face. A moment later Clary emerged and my jaw literally dropped. She was wearing a deep red dress that really brought out her beautiful red hair. Her make up looked amazing, she was a vision and I couldn't believe that she was my date. "You look amazing." I said and she blushed.

"You don't look bad yourself." She said. "I like the entire black look." She said.

"I didn't want out reds to be different shades. I thought all black was a safer bet." I explained and she nodded. I took her hand in my and twirled her around and saw the whole dress. "You're stunning." I said and she laughed.

"Thank you." She said.

"Picture time!" Jocelyn said and I laughed. we stood together and smiled for Jocelyn and when she was satisfied my cheeks actually hurt from smiling so much, but I wasn't going to complain, they cared about prom. That was more than my parents did. "You two have an amazing time."

"Thanks mom." Clary said as she gave her a hug. We walked out of the house and got to my car. I opened the door and Clary got in. I couldn't get the smile off my face. I had the most beautiful, and stunning girl as my date, and girlfriend. Tonight was going to be a blast, I knew it.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Prom had been amazing so far. I was having the best time and if it weren't for Jace, I probably wouldn't have even come, and experiencing it, and how much fun it is, I'm so thankful that I did, and had such an amazing date as Jace.

It was a slow song, and Jace and I were swaying back and forth to the music. My head was resting on his chest as I smiled about the entire night. Jace's hand was running up and down my exposed back and this moment was truly perfect.

"Clary." I heard Jace whisper and I lifted my head up to look into his eyes. He smiled, tucked a stray curl behind my ear. "I love you." He whispered and I sucked in a breath.

"I love you too." I said back after a second, and he got the biggest smile on his face. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. Tonight couldn't have been any more perfect.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Where do I even begin with the last five years? I graduated from NYU with a bachelors in Art History, and a minor in photography. Jace graduated from Columbia with a bachelors in law. He is currently at New York Law School and I seriously couldn't be prouder of him. Everything in our lives was perfect, except for Jace's parents. They were less than thrilled when they found out we were dating, but Jace kept me away from them at all costs. They also weren't happy that he decided to peruse law and not business, but at the end of the day it was all about what Jace wanted, and he had me, my mom and Luke backing him up, and that made all the difference for him.

Even though his parents weren't happy with his choice of career, and his choice of girlfriend, he still went over every Sunday for dinner. It was something that he felt obligated to do since they paid for his education, and everything. When he got home from his visits he was in a pretty dark place. The first few times he got home, he locked himself in his room for the entire night, and I would end up sleeping on the couch. I understood he needed a night alone, and the next night we would talk about it. He would apologize profusely about locking me out of our bedroom, but I understood. He had nothing to apologize for, and I made sure that he knew that.

I didn't think that Jace and his parents would ever get along. Jace put up that front that it didn't bother him, but I knew that he wished his parents would take some interest in what he was interested in, or show that they cared, but I wasn't convinced that they even cared about him in the first place, and that broke my heart. Jace deserved to be loved by his parents, and for so long I wished there could be something that would open their eyes to how amazing Jace was, and almost a year ago I think my wish was granted.

Kennedy Grace Herondale was born 3 months ago, and was a light in our lives. She had my red hair but she got Jace's beautiful gold eyes, and I could just see the love that Jace had for his little girl. We were nervous as hell when I found out I was pregnant, but having my mom and Luke there for us was a huge saving grace. They were so supportive of us even though we were young. They knew we loved each other, and they knew we'd love Kennedy no matter what.

Today was the day that we were taking her to meet Jace's parents. At first he was completely against it. He didn't want her to be exposed to their negativity, but I reminded him that he would never let anything happen to her, and that if today went bad, we didn't have to bring her back, which seemed to make him a little more comfortable with the idea. We pulled up to their mansion, took Kennedy from her car seat and made our way to the front door. Jace rung the bell and a moment later it opened with the maid. She took our coats and directed us towards the living room. It was empty at the moment, so Jace and I just took a seat on the sofa. Kennedy reached for Jace, who gladly took her and gave her the biggest kiss, which caused her to giggle her head off. They had such a special bond, one that I hope would never go away. We both heard the clicking before we saw his parents and I saw Jace take a deep breath.

"Remember, we can leave whenever we want if you think something nasty is coming." I reminded Jace and he nodded. The clicking got closer and when we looked up, there stood Celine and Stephan Herondale is all their cold and disgruntled glory.

"Jonathan, Clarissa." Celine said and I stood up from the couch.

"Hello Mrs. Herondale." I said. "Mr. Herondale." Neither of them acknowledged my hello, so I moved on. "Jace and I would like to introduce you to your granddaughter." I said as Jace stood up. "This is Kennedy." I said and they both were looking at the cutie in Jace's arms.

"Kennedy what?" Stephan asked.

"Kennedy Herondale." Jace said.

"Powerful name." He said.

"We thought so too." I said as I took her hand in mine and kissed it, which caused her to giggle. They took a seat in the two chairs that were facing the couch that Jace and I were on. I put out her blanket with all her toys and Jace laid her down and she started playing with them all, the room was being filled with kid songs and giggles. I couldn't help but smile at her. She really was my pride and joy. "How are you two doing?" I asked trying to make this less awkward.

"We're well." Celine said, and I nodded. "How is school Jonathan?" She asked and I think Jace literally gasped when she asked.

"Are you genuinely curious, or are you just trying to seem interesting in what I'm doing with my life?" He asked harshly.

"Does it really matter?" Stephan asked. Jace balled his fists, and I put my hand over his and he relaxed. At that moment something hit Kennedy on the head and she started crying. Jace scooped her into his arms and started bouncing her around the room. I smiled at his interactions with her, and when I focused back onto his parents they seemed shocked at how loving of a man he was.

"He's an excellent father." I said and that seemed to pull their attention away from him and back to me. "Whatever she needs, he makes sure she has it. When she wakes up crying in the middle of the night, he's the first one out of bed, and unless she's hungry, he doesn't wake me up, even if he has class the next day, or a test." I further explained. "Despite what he's been through in his life, he is the most loving and compassionate man I've ever met, and our daughter is lucky to have him as a father."

"I've never seen him like this." Celine said as she looked back at Jace who was now cooing at our daughter.

"You never cared." I said honestly. "There were some complications when she was born." I admitted. "The umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and she couldn't breath." I said. "I don't think I've ever seen Jace cry, but there was no stopping him that day. He loves her more than anything in this world." I said as Celine looked back at me. "When we were in the hospital, and Kennedy was nearly a day old, my mom and stepdad were there visiting, and my mom wouldn't let Kennedy leave her arms." I said with a laugh. "She couldn't believe that her little girl just had a little girl of her own. She was so proud of me." I said. "And even though Jace never said it, I knew he wished you two were there to see his daughter. To maybe show you two cared enough to make that effort." I finished and they didn't say anything.

"I knew you two wouldn't come." Jace said from the other side of the room while he continued to look at Kennedy. "Nothing I did was ever good enough for you two, why should having a kid be any different?" He asked, but he didn't look over. "Part of me hoped that maybe this important and life changing event would make you two realize how awful you've been to me." He said. This time he looked away from Kennedy and at his parents. "But deep down I knew it was false hope." He said as he walked back over to me and took a seat next to me with Kennedy on his lap. "Clary convinced me to come here today." He said. "I didn't want Kennedy to ever know who you two were, but Clary thought you two deserved to at least meet her." He explained while he looked at me and I smiled in encouragement. "But I guarantee we won't be coming back anytime soon."

"Jonathan, be reasonable." Stephan said.

"This is me being reasonable." Jace said. "I could easily come in here, flip over a few tables, destroyed a few paintings." He said and I gasped as he laughed a little. "But I came in here civilly. With my daughter, and my girlfriend to let you two see your granddaughter at least once in her lifetime."

"Thank you for bringing her over." Celine said, and I had to admit, that was the nicest thing she's ever said around me.

"You're welcome, but we have somewhere else we need to be soon." Jace said as he stood up. I grabbed her blanket and gathered her toys and stuffed them back in the bag. "I'll see you Sunday night for dinner." Jace said as he started to walk away. His parents said nothing, and I just couldn't believe it.

"Have a good evening." I said as I ran after Jace. He was already at the car getting Kennedy strapped in. I got in the passenger side and waited for him to get in. once the door was closed he took a deep breath. "That could have gone worse." I said and he laughed.

"That it could have." He said as he started the car. "Let's get to your parents. We don't want to be late for dinner." He said as he pulled out of the driveway. We made our way to my parents house, and walked right in like we always did. I put all of Kennedy's stuff down in the living room before going into the kitchen to greet m parents.

"There my grandbaby is. I was in Kennedy withdrawal." My mom said as she scooped Kennedy from Jace's arms.

"She isn't lying. She hasn't been able to stop talking about her for about 25 minutes." Luke said and I laughed.

"How was the meeting with your parents?" My mom asked Jace.

"Not great." Jace said honestly. "When Kennedy is old enough to make her own decisions, she can decide if she wants to reach out to them, but I'm not going to take her to that house and subject her to my parents harsh exterior. Spunk and personality never really had a place in that house, and I have a feeling this kid is going to be jumping off the walls when she gains the ability to walk." He said with a laugh.

"Most children do." My mom said. "I'm going to have some quality bonding time with my grandbaby, Luke why don't you finish getting the table set." She said and Luke just nodded.

"Need any help Luke?" I asked and he smiled.

"Can you get the stuff off the stove and into bowls?" He asked and I nodded.

"I'll get the drinks. What would you like Luke?" Jace asked.

"Cream soda please." Luke said. Jace went over to the fridge and got out what we all liked and put them around the table while he got the chair ready for Kennedy. She wasn't going to be eating until we were done, but that didn't mean we wanted to exclude her. I was facing away from everyone getting the food ready when I heard my mom.

"I got the cutest outfit for Kennedy the other day." She said and I turned around to see it, but what I saw was not what I was expecting. My mom was holding up Kennedy with a shirt that said 'will you marry me?' and Jace was down on one knee holding a ring, while Luke was recording.

"I love you more than anything else in this entire world. There isn't another day that I want to pass without you being my fiancé, and I can't wait for the day where you become my wife." He said and my eyes started to water. "You've given me the greatest gift on this planet, and I can't wait to experience the rest of my life with you." He said. "Will you marry me Clarissa Fray?" He asked.

"Yes." I barely managed to get out. He stood up and slid the ring on my finger before slamming our lips together. When we broke apart I couldn't help but smile. "I love you."

"I love you too." He said and than I heard Kennedy giggle. Jace took her out of my mom's arms and brought her over to me.

"Let's get a picture!" Luke said and I smiled. Jace help Kennedy up so that you could read the shirt and I held my left hand up and Luke snapped away. "Alright, dinner time!" He said and we all sat around the table.

"Pass the peas." Luke and I said at the same time. "Jinx you owe me a soda!" We shouted together.

"You know the rules." Jace said and I looked at Luke.

"You ready?" I asked and he nodded. "Rock, paper, scissors shoot!" I said. I threw a rock, and Luke threw a paper.

"Put that Diet Coke back and grab a cream soda loser!" Luke said and I groaned.

"I really hope you like Coke when you grow up." I heard Jace coo at Kennedy, which she just giggled at and we all laughed. I sat back down and Luke and I popped the tabs of our soda.

"Cheers kiddo." Luke said, and I clinked our cans.

"Cheers old man." I said as we took a sit. "Ah, this is disgusting." I said and Luke just laughed. I put the soda down and we all continued to eat. I looked around the table and couldn't believe how lucky I was. I had the most amazing parents in the world, I had the best baby on this planet, and a smoking hot fiancé. I was on top of the world, and nothing could bring me down. I linked my fingers in Jace's hand and he smiled at me. There wasn't a day that I didn't thank whoever brought Jace into my life because I couldn't imagine life without him and our beautiful baby. Life was good, despite all the shit people go through, and that's what Jace and I liked to focus on.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Addy42 requested a story about Jace having problems and Clary helping him through them, and this is what I came up with! I loved writing this story, and I really hope that you do as well! I hope that it lived up to your expectations, and that you all like it! Please let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Also, I wanted to give you guys pictures of the dresses, but every time I pasted the link, they wouldn't work! So I guess you all can just picture what the dresses look like, but I'll give some more description below!**

 **First Dress:**

 **The first dress is all black, and it's a two piece dress! The top is lacey and the bottom is just a normal black fabric! there is a slight right up to the middle of the thigh thats not trashy. It's still elegant! If you search 'black two piece prom dresses' in google, and click on images, it will be the third line down (the second line without counting the line that gives prices) and it'll be the fourth one in from the left! That's the dress I was picturing!**

 **Second Dress:**

 **This dress is a deep red! It has a deep cut out back and is embroidered with sequence! If you search 'red backless dress' on google, than when it gives you different options in the top, click evening gown. The fifth row down (fourth line without counting the line that gives prices) and it'll be the third one in from the left! That was the dress I pictured her going to prom in! And if you can't seem to find the one I'm talking about, feel free to think about a dress that you would like to see her in!**

 **Thanks again, and I hope you all enjoy! :)**


	96. Chapter 95 - Second Chances

**Ninety Fifth One Shot:**

 **Second Chances**

 **Clary POV:**

My life didn't turn out the way that I always imagined it was going to be. I always thought that I would get married, start a family, finish college, and get my dream job. But getting pregnant at 17 doesn't leave a lot of room to achieve all of that. Don't get me wrong, I love my boys. They are my entire world, and they are truly my strength and I wouldn't be where I am today. I'd probably still be in that toxic relationship, and I will forever be indebted to my boys for giving me the strength to leave.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was sitting in the living room reading a book when I heard the front door open. The boys were back from baseball practice. They put their bags down and stood in front of me like they really wanted to talk to me. I set my book down and gestured for them to tell me whatever was on their minds. They look at each other and than back at me._

 _"I think we need to move." Isaac said first._

 _"Why?" I asked. "Are you not happy with your school?"_

 _"No." Oliver chimed in. "We love our school."_

 _"So what's the problem?" I asked._

 _"You need to leave dad." Isaac said, and I had to admit, that wasn't what I was expecting._

 _"Why?" I asked._

 _"We know he hits you." Oliver said and I flinched. "We see the bruises, and we know how much of a temper he has. You're so much better than that."_

 _"Boys." I said as I gestured for them to sit in front of me and they did. I grabbed one of each other their hands and sighed. "What your father does to me isn't right. I will never condone his behavior, but you two need a stable home. You need that security."_

 _"No we don't." Isaac said. "We can survive together. We can make it work." He said. "You deserve so much more than him mom._

 _"We don't care if we have to stop playing sports, and help more, and start working when we turn 16." Oliver said. "We will sacrifice all of that for you. For your happiness, and your safety mom." He said and I started to cry._

 _"We love you mom. You've been playing mom and dad since we were born. Dad is never home, and barely even acknowledges us. You come to every game, and every school event. Everyone thinks you're a single mom, that's how little dad comes around." Isaac said. "We love you mom. More than anything, and we will be okay without him."_

 _"You two are sure?" I asked and the both nodded. "Okay, I'll start looking for apartments for us tomorrow." I said and the stood up, and kissed my cheek. "I love you boys."_

 _"We love you too mom." Oliver and Isaac said at the same time before leaving the living room. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I could do this. I could leave him, and that was empowering._

 ** _End Of Flashback:_**

That was almost 3 years ago, and Oliver and Isaac were right. We were completely okay without Sebastian. When I told him the boys and I were leaving, he laughed. He told me that he wouldn't be surprised if we ended up on the streets, and that the boys came crawling back to him because of how poor we were. We packed up out stuff, and left, and we've been thriving ever since.

Oliver and Isaac kept true to their word and started working when they turned 16. With three incomes we were doing perfectly fine. Throughout the course of the boys life I had gotten my college degree online, and when I put myself out there, I got a great job at an art gallery and I've been loving working there.

The boys were approaching their 17th birthday, and although they don't really want to do anything for it, I was still going to make it special. Having them young taught me a lot, and than them giving me the strength to walk away from a man that wasn't a good person was something that I never thought I'd have the strength to do. It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was sitting in the living room working on a sketch that I've been struggling with recently when I heard the boys coming down the stars.

"Hey mom." Isaac said as they took a seat around me.

"What can I help you with boys?" I asked.

"We were thinking, and we're almost out of high school, and you've been living the single life for almost 3 years, and we thought it was time that you started dating again." Oliver said and my jaw dropped.

"Really?" I asked and they both nodded. "Why is that?"

"Because we want you to be happy." Isaac said.

"I am happy." I said firmly. "Plus dating was never a strong suit for me when I was a teenager, and I doubt it'll be any different at 34."

"Mom, you'll never know unless you put yourself out there." Oliver said to me.

"I have my two favorite boys already, why do I need a man?" I questioned and they laughed.

"Because as much as we love you, and you love us. You deserve to have someone fall in love with you, and you deserve to fall in love." Isaac said. "Dad was a dick, excuse my language, but he didn't love you, and he didn't seem to really care much for us either. You deserve flowers, and romantic gestures, and all that shit." He said. "Again sorry." He said and I laughed.

"And god damn it mom, you deserve a wedding. The wedding you always wanted but dad never wanted to give you." Oliver chimed in.

"When did you two get so wise?" I asked and Isaac handed me the computer.

"We get it from our mom." Isaac said and I could help but smile.

"Okay, I'll make a profile and see what happens." I said and they nodded.

"But they have to meet us before your first date." Oliver said. "We need to size him up."

"I trust your judgment way more than I trust mine." I said honestly and they nodded. "Go play outside or something while I do this, than go get us a pizza." I said and they both laughed. The each kissed my cheek and ran outside acting like the boys they were.

I sat there for almost an hour getting my profile ready, and once I was done I actually felt really good about it. This was new for me. I was with Sebastian since high school, and my entire focus was on the boys after they were born. I assumed I'd be with Sebastian for the rest of my life so I never even thought about dating.

"Pizza is here!" I heard as I closed the laptop. I looked back and Oliver had a large pizza in his hands.

"Good. I'm starving." I said as I got up.

"How's the profile looking?" Isaac asked.

"I actually feel pretty good about it. Now all I have to do is wait for a match." I said and they nodded. As much as I was now excited about this whole dating thing, if it didn't work out, I always had Oliver and Isaac there for me, and if that's how my life turned out. I would be a happy mom.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I got my first match today, and I was pretty nervous. His profile wasn't too specific, so it kinda made me a little weary of him, but I tried not to judge a book by it's cover, and get to know the person without any bias. I prided myself on my ability to not make preconceived notions of people, I was pretty good at it, so I had an open mind tonight.

"Mom, your date's here." I heard Isaac yelled and I started making my way downstairs. He told me that he wanted to take me to his favorite restaurant, so I was wearing nice enough clothing. When I rounded the corner and there he stood.

"Hey. You must be George." I said and he nodded.

"And you're Clarissa." He said and I just nodded. "We should head out, our reservation is soon."

"Sounds good." I said. "I'll be back later boys." I said and they nodded. "Love you."

"Love you too mom." They said and George and I made our way outside.

We got to the restaurant and it was a lovely place. The atmosphere was nice, and it wasn't super romantic, but it wasn't causal. It was actually really nice and casual and comfortable, and that gave me some hope that this date wouldn't be so bad.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Wrong. I was so incredibly wrong. This date was worse than anything I could possibly imagine. The conversation started out normally, but than it took a weird turn when I asked him about his hobbies, and he's been talking about taxidermy the rest of the night. I was horrified, and slightly disturbed at how much joy he got out of stuffing dead animals.

"That's the story of my first dog Tolly." He said. "She was the reason that I got into taxidermy. She's still in my bedroom as a matter of fact." He said and I don't know why he thought that would impress me.

"Oh." I said and he nodded. I literally couldn't think of anything else to say.

"What are your hobbies?" He asked.

"I like to draw." I said. "Sketching is pretty much the only thing that completely relaxes me." I said and he nodded.

"Maybe one day you can come over and sketch Tolly." He suggested and I tried my best to control my reactions.

"It's getting pretty late." I said trying to get him to take me home.

"Great Scott you're right." He said and that just killed this date even more. He paid for our dinner and he drove me home. He walked me to my door, and I had to admit, he was a nice guy, but we just didn't click. "I know what you're thinking." He said when we reached the door. "This isn't going to work."

"You don't feel anything either?" I asked and he laughed.

"Honestly, I felt like I was catching up with my long lost sister or something." He said and I laughed.

"No hard feelings." I said and he nodded. "I hope you find someone who is every bit as enthused as you are about pretty much everything in your life." I said and he laughed.

"Goodnight Clarissa." He said before walking away. I walked into the house to find Oliver and Isaac in the living room watching TV.

"How did it go?" Oliver asked.

"Horrible." I said with a laugh. "There will not be a second date."

"I'm sorry mom." Isaac said.

"Not everyone can be a winner. I wasn't expecting to find my prince charming on the first match I got on this website, but after that guy, I think I'm going to just lay low for a few weeks. Maybe see if the matches pile up and than I can have my own choice." I explained.

"Sounds like a plan mom." Oliver said.

"It was a long night, so I'm going to head to bed." I said and they nodded. "Don't stay up too late boys."

"We won't mom." They said in unison, and at first it always kinda freaked me out at how they knew exactly what each other was going to say but I've gotten used to it.

I got ready for bed and crawled under my covers. The one thing I do miss about having someone in my life was the warmth that they brought to the bed at night. I didn't need it to survive, but that didn't mean I didn't miss it every now and than.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Life can be incredibly cruel sometimes. Which sucks because it makes the good moments get completely washed over in some situations. My life was going so well. I married my high school sweetheart when we were both 21 years old, and by the time I was 22 she was pregnant with our son. Everything seemed to be going incredibly well. We were happy, and in love and blessed with out lives. But all good things but come to an end.

When Owen, my son, was 10, Naomi was killed in a car accident. It was the worst news I've ever received, and it devastated Owen and I. she was everything to both of us, and knowing that she was no longer with us, was something that took us a long time to come to terms with.

But last year Owen told me that it was time that I start focusing on myself. He was nearly 16, and now was the time to get back out there. So I created a profile online and decided to try it out. It was different than what I normally did, and if I didn't like it I could always cancel the subscription. It wasn't the greatest thing in the world, but I guess I was holding out hope that a match would come around that would actually spark my interest, and that's why after so many bad dates, I haven't canceled it yet.

I decided to check my online profile to see if I've been matched with anyone in the last couple weeks. The last match that I got was a nightmare. She was 24 years old, and incredibly ditzy. I mean, I am 38 years old with a 15 year old kid, I can't be dating someone who didn't understand that he always came first in my life. I was a father first and foremost, and the person who I decided to start a relationship with had to understand that.

Since I haven't checked it for some time, I had a lot of messages, and matches. I was scrolling through and declining a bunch of them when something caught my eye. I clicked on her profile and started to read through it.

 ** _Name:_** _Clarissa Fray_

 ** _Age:_** _34_

 ** _Job:_** _I work as a curator at an art gallery in the city._

 ** _Relationship Status:_** _Single._

 ** _Hobbies:_** _Love art, and am totally down to try something new. Also apart from my full time job, I'm a full time mom._

 ** _A Fun Fact About Yourself:_** _I have twin boys. That is probably the most interesting thing about myself._

I couldn't help but laugh at her fun fact. There was something about these few details about her that made me want to know her more. It was the first match that I had that I actually felt good about, so I decided to send her a message, and see where it went.

 **Clary POV:**

I was a little bored at work today, so I decided to check my profile. Since my terrible date with the taxidermy enthusiast, I've just been focusing on work and the boys. I knew they wanted me to put myself out there, and everything, but sometimes that didn't always work. I was clicking through the potential matches when a message popped up.

 **From Jonathan Herondale:**

~Hey, so I was looking through some of my matches and your profile caught my eye. As you can see my name is Jonathan, but I prefer to be called Jace. How are you doing today?~

I couldn't help but smile at the message. Before I answered his message I decided that I was going to take a look at his profile and see if it was even worth responding too.

 ** _Name:_** _Jonathan Herondale_

 ** _Age:_** _38_

 ** _Job:_** _I am a personal trainer at a gym_

 ** _Relationship Status:_** _Widowed_

 ** _Hobbies:_** _I love playing the piano, and trying new things. My son and I are pretty adventurous so we love trying anything different and unique._

 ** _A Fun Fact About Yourself:_** _You wouldn't believe it even if I told you._

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped my lips. It was refreshing to read a profile that wasn't so serious. I could tell this guy had a sense of humor and a great personality simply from the little things I read about him, plus he was insanely attractive. I was intrigued by this profile, so I decided to answer his message.

 **To Jonathan Herondale:**

~Hey Jace, as you can also read my name is Clarissa, but I prefer to be called Clary. I'm doing well today. A little bored at work, but not everyday can be riveting. How are you doing?~

I was nervous about his reply. I mean would he even reply in the first place? I think he would since he was the one who messaged me first. I minimized my profile to continue doing work and trying not to overthink it too much when I heard a ding come from my computer. Like a teenager, I instantly clicked it to read the message.

 **From Jonathan Herondale:**

~I know what you mean. I have no clients today, so I'm just chillin in my office waiting for the day to end. Other than that I'm doing very well. And we already have something in common, I'd say that is a pretty good start.~

I smiled at the message and waited a couple minutes before responding. I didn't want it to look like I was desperate to talk to him. I was independent, and my one rule for myself was not to ever become so dependent on a man ever again.

 **To Jonathan Herondale:**

~I guess it's a good thing out parents named us something we both dislike being called, other wise what ever would we talk about? Although I am curious, how does Jace come from Jonathan?~

This time I didn't minimize the screen because the minute I sent the message, it told me that he had seen it. That made me feel really good, although we did tell each other we were both bored and sitting in our offices, so being quick to respond wasn't bad.

 **From Jonathan Herondale:**

~My full name is Jonathan Christopher Herondale, and when I was adopted my adoptive mom started calling me Jace as a nickname. It kinda stuck.~

There was a little more that I knew about him. But of course there were so many more questions that I couldn't wait to find out about him.

 **To Jonathan Herondale:**

~Makes sense. So why not just go by Jace Herondale on here than? Why put Jonathan?~

He read it.

 **From Jonathan Herondale:**

~I wanted to be honest. I'm at an age where there is no reason to keep things from others, especially tiny things like my real name. When I was a teenager I refused to acknowledge Jonathan as my name. I was really petty about it, and got pissed off when someone called me Jonathan. It's my name, and if I'm going to meet people, I want them to know the truth. Why did you put Clarissa instead of Clary?~

Touché my friend.

 **To Jonathan Herondale:**

~The same reasons you just explained actually. Every time I introduce myself as Clary, they always ask me if it's short for anything, and than I have to explain, but if I introduce myself as Clarissa, and than say that I like to be called Clary, it cuts out an explanation.~

 **From Jonathan Herondale:**

~I totally get what you mean, you aren't the first one to be confused as to how I got my nickname. So, as much as I like messaging you, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometime.~

I read that message and my jaw dropped. We have been talking for 10 minutes and he's already asking me out. I couldn't believe it, but even I had to admit that it felt right.

 **To Jonathan Herondale:**

~What did you have in mind?~

I was on this sight for this exact reason, so why not just take a chance.

 **From Jonathan Herondale:**

~Well, I read in your profile that you're always up for new things. And since we live so close to the beach, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go jet skiing with me. I've always wanted to go, but for some reason I never have. You in?~

I was a little terrified at his date suggestion. But he wasn't wrong. I was always up for trying new things, and I have never been jet skiing before, and it could potentially be a really fun date.

 **To Jonathan Herondale:**

~I think that could be really fun. Just let me know when.~

 **From Jonathan Herondale:**

~I don't work next weekend. How does Saturday sound?~

I checked my calendar to see if I was working and thankfully I wasn't.

 **To Jonathan Herondale:**

~Saturday works for me.~

 **From Jonathan Herondale:**

~I'm normally not this forward, but here is my number, 215 – 555 – 9874. Once I figure out everything, I'll text you.~

 **To Jonathan Herondale:**

~Sounds like a plan.~

 **From Jonathan Herondale:**

~I'd love to stay and talk, but I just got a new client, so I must go. Talk soon Clary.~

 **To Jonathan Herondale:**

~Have a great rest of your day Jace.~

I put his number in his phone and simply sent my name letting him know it was me. He replied back with a smiley face emoji, and I couldn't help but smile. When it was the end of the day I went home happier than I have in some time, and the moment the boys saw me, they knew something was different.

"What happened at work today?" Oliver asked.

"A bunch of office work today." I said.

"So why are you smiling like a loon?" Isaac asked.

"Well, I decided to check my profile because I had nothing else to do, and I got a message from this guy, and we're going out this weekend." I told them.

"What are you two doing?" Oliver asked.

"He asked if I would like to go jet skiing with him." I said with a laugh.

"No fair, you never let us go jet skiing." Isaac said.

"Well, after I try it first, I might just change my mind." I said and they just laughed at my mom logic.

"Gotta love mom logic." Oliver said and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm gonna start dinner. Hope pasta works for you." I said as I made my way into the kitchen.

"Works for us." They answered in unison. I couldn't get the smile off my face as I cooked dinner. I felt optimistic about this date.

 **Time Jump – Date Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I was staring at myself in the mirror contemplating if I looked alright. Jace and I had been texting back and forth getting ready for our first date, and I was a nervous wreck. I put in my profile that I was always up for trying new things for a reason, and now I was going jet skiing. I guess part of me thought everyone would choose dinner for the first date, but not Jace.

"Mom. Your date is here!" I heard Oliver call. It was now or never. I walked downstairs and Jace was talking to Oliver and Isaac. He was even better looking than his picture, and a lot taller than I expected.

"Hey." I said and my boys turned around.

"Hey." He said back.

"Wow. You two are acting like you're in high school." Isaac said and I slapped him in the torso. "Jeez woman, you may be tiny but you're lethal." He joked and Jace laughed.

"I see you've met my sons." I said and he nodded.

"They are pretty intimidating when they want to be." He said and I laughed.

"Kids these days think they are unstoppable." I said and he laughed.

"My son is the same way. He thinks he's invincible." He said.

"What's your sons name?" Isaac asked.

"Owen." Jace replied.

"How old is he?" Oliver asked.

"He'll be 16 next month." Jace said. "You ready to go?" He asked.

"Yes. There is money in the kitchen for food boys. Don't you dare try to cook, and no parties!" I said and Jace laughed.

"Love you!" They called in unison and I smiled.

"Love you boys too!" I called out before closing the front door. "You laugh now, but this house would be burned to the ground if they tried to boil water." I said and he smiled.

"One thing my son is very good at is cooking, so I don't have to worry about that." He said.

"Lucky you." I said as he opened the car door. I got in and he followed.

"Are you as pumped for jet skiing as I am?" He asked as he started the car.

"I'm a little terrified, but it sounds fun, and people always look like they're having fun on them." I said and he laughed.

"Let's hope so." He said.

The rest of the car ride was spent having small talk. We talked about the little things we wanted to know about each other. Favorite color, favorite food, favorite movie, favorite animal. Stuff like that. It was easy to talk and laugh with Jace. So far this date was going well, and I was happy about that.

 **Time Jump – After Jet Skiing : Dinner**

 **Jace POV:**

Jet skiing had been awesome, and it seemed like Clary had a great time. After we were done we were both starving and decided to get some dinner at a near by restaurant. Nothing too fancy, it was actually super casual, and where a lot of the surfers ate, so it was the perfect setting just to talk and get to know each other.

"So, why did you choose online dating?" Clary asked after we ordered.

"When Owen was 10, my wife was killed a car accident." I said. "We were both devastated. I kinda threw myself into parenting to avoid the void I felt without her. But about a year ago Owen told me it was time to focus on me again." I said and she nodded. "What about you?"

"Kinda the same reason you did it." She said. "The twins father wasn't the nicest man around. But I tried to stay for the boys. They needed their father, or I thought they needed him. When they were 14 they gave me the strength to leave the toxic relationship." She said and I nodded. "A couple months ago they told me to get back out there and try again." I totally understood that. "The first couple matches weren't great."

"I know what you mean. I've never gone out on more than one date with the women I've been matched with." I laughed and so did she.

"So should I be prepared for the whole 'it was great meeting you, but this isn't working out?' Speech at the end of the night?" She asked with a smile and that in turn made me smile. She had a great personality.

"I think I'd like to take you out on a second date." I said honestly and she blushed.

"As long as I get to pick the activity." She said and I laughed.

"Deal." I said and our food was brought out.

We continued talking about random stuff and I felt like a teenager around her. She had a great laugh, and a beautiful smile, and a great sense of humor. This date turned out to be pretty amazing, and I was glad I took a chance to message her that day.

By the time I was walking her back to her house I was over the moon that we were going out again. This was the first date that I actually felt something with someone. She knew what it was like to be a parent. She loved her kids, and they came firsts. She was funny, and kind and beautiful. I haven't felt anything like this since Naomi died, and I didn't realize how much I missed this feeling.

"I had a great time tonight." I said when we reached the door.

"So did I." She said and I smiled. "I'll let you know when I come up with the next date extravaganza." She said and I laughed.

"I look forward too it." I said. We lingered for a little longer, and I was about to say something when the door opened, and there stood Oliver and Isaac. "That's my cue." I said and she laughed. "I look forward to hearing from you Clary."

"Me too." She said and her sons were just standing there staring.

"Night boys." I said.

"Goodnight Jace." They said in unison. I made my way back to the car and headed home.

When I got inside I expected Owen to be in bed, but he was chilling in the living room watching TV with Roxy sitting beside him. When he heard me he turned around and muted the TV.

"Was she another dud?" He asked and I laughed.

"Actually no." I said. "We are going to go out again."

"That's impressive." He said and I laughed. "I'm proud of you dad."

"Thanks man." I said and he smiled. "Now, get to bed. It's late."

"It's not even 11:30." He complained.

"And your 15 years old." I went back at him.

"Fine, I'll go upstairs, but I'm not going to sleep yet." He said as he turned off the TV. Roxy followed him to the stairs just like she always did.

"Goodnight Owen." I said and he smiled.

"Night dad." He said than he disappeared upstairs. I grabbed a glass of water and went to my room thinking about my night. I had an amazing time and I couldn't wait to do it again.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I have been seeing each other regularly since our first date, and tonight we were finally meeting each others kids, and introducing the kids. Oliver and Isaac have been begging me to meet Jace's son, and apparently Jace's son has been extremely curious about my boys, and since we have been enjoying each others company, we thought it was the right time.

We were meeting at a diner that was in between where we both lived. I was nervous because I really hoped that his son would like me. Jace talks so highly of him, and I know he's met my boys, and they like him, and it would really suck if Owen didn't like me. But I know it's going to be a little awkward in the beginning, and I was prepared for that.

"You ready mom?" I heard Isaac call from downstairs.

"Be right down!" I called back. I took one last look in the mirror and headed downstairs. I grabbed my keys and we all headed towards the car.

We got to the restaurant and Jace and Owen weren't there yet. We got a table that was able to fit two more people and we ordered our drinks and waited for them to arrive. Every time the bell rang I would glance at the door hoping that it was them.

"You gotta chill mom." Isaac said. "You are looking a little manic. And not in a good way." He said and I hit him in the head with my menu.

"Don't talk to me like that." I said and he laughed. "I can look manic if I want too."

"I'm just saying, it's not a good look on most women. Isn't that right Oliver?" Isaac said.

"What does he mean Oliver?" I asked.

"There is this girl at school who is like obsessed with me. And in a very unhealthy way." Oliver explained. "I tried to let her down easy, I told her that she was a great person but I was just interested in being her friend, but she wasn't having it."

"She gets this look in her eyes when she sees him mom." Isaac interrupted. "It's creepy."

"Well, I don't look like that." I said and they simply laughed. "I can ground you two. I'm still your mother." I said and they stopped laughing. "That's what I thought."

"Mind if we sit?" I heard and when I looked up there stood Jace. I guess I tuned out the bell when talking to the boys.

"Not at all." I said and they pulled the chairs out. "Glad you made it."

"We would have been here sooner, but Roxy decided to rip a pillow open, and I couldn't leave the room looking that messy." Jace explained.

"His OCD was at an all time high." Owen said with a laugh. "I'm Owen, it's nice to meet you." He said as he reached his hand out, and I took it.

"It's nice to meet you as well. I'm Clary, and these are my boys. Isaac and Oliver." I said and the boys nodded.

"How will I be able to tell you apart?" Owen asked and the boys laughed.

"Figure it out." Isaac said.

"Oliver is left handed." Jace said. "Isaac is right handed."

"Normally it takes people a couple years of knowing us to pick something like that up." Oliver said and Jace laughed.

"He's very perceptive." Owen said. "Trust me, I can't get away with anything." Everyone laughed and we ordered out food. "So, have you two ever switched places?" Owen asked when the waitress left.

"All the time." Isaac said proudly. "Mostly when we had a test in a subject the other one was better at."

"And you just let them do it?" Owen asked me.

"I didn't know they did it until I went to a parent teacher conference and was told that she didn't understand why Oliver was so good at test taking when his homework wasn't up to that level." I explained. "She gave me the test to look over, and I noticed that the writing wasn't smudged like it normally is when Oliver writes. But I can't stop them when they are at school. They are just hurting themselves in the end."

"Am I really ever going to need biology ever again?" Oliver asked.

"We'll find out eventually won't we?" I asked and the boys just laughed.

Dinner went by really well. Owen, Oliver and Isaac seemed to get along really well. It helped that they were close in age, and they were both sports guys. They all played baseball for their high schools, and it was a nice that they had that in common. Just hearing my sons talk about baseball again was nice in general. Since I had a pretty good job, the boys got to work part time, because they still didn't want to leave me to make all the money on my own, and I appreciated that a lot.

"We must do that again." Jace said as we walked out of the diner.

"Maybe we can all go to a baseball game together." Owen suggested. "The Dodgers are pretty good this year."

"Sounds great." Isaac said. "We haven't been to a game in like 2 years."

"Same here." Owen said.

"Well, we'll get right on that." Jace said and I laughed. "Owen, go to the car."

"Why?" Owen asked.

"Because I said so."

"I'd do it dude. They're going to get all lovey, and it's pretty sickening." Isaac said.

"You two, car, now." I said and they laughed and headed towards the car, and Owen saw Jace pull me into him, and decided to listen to Isaac's warning.

"Kids." Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"But we couldn't live without them." I said and he smiled before pressing his lips to mine. I was lost in our own little happy bubble until a certain voice popped it and I went frigid.

"Clarissa." I heard and I froze. Jace sensed my shift and looked up at the voice. "Funny running into you here."

"What do you want Sebastian?" I asked and Jace immediately shifted me behind him.

"I was just out on a stroll with my girlfriend." He said but he was alone. "I thought I recognized the clown hair." He smirked and I hated that he was still so condescending.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I heard Oliver say and when Sebastian turned to look at them, he just laughed.

"I can't just come and talk to an old friend?" He questioned. Isaac and Oliver were immediately next to Jace completely blocking Sebastian's view of me. "Sons, is this any way to treat your father?" Sebastian asked.

"You've never cared about us _daddy._ Please forgive us for not being more enthused about your unexpected and unwanted visit." Isaac hissed.

"What's going on here?" Owen asked and I turned around.

"Nothing." I said. "He was just leaving, right Sebastian?" I said and he laughed.

"Right. My girlfriend is probably wondering where I've snuck off too." He said before turning around and disappearing into a shop.

"Man I hate that guy." Isaac said through gritted teeth.

"Come on boys, let's go home." I said and they nodded. "We'll talk later?" I asked Jace and he nodded. I gave him one more kiss before heading towards the car with Isaac and Oliver. Isaac took the keys away from me and I got in the passenger seat. The ride home was silent, and I just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep this feeling off.

 **Jace POV:**

Owen and I watched Clary, Isaac and Oliver drive away and I sighed. First off, that dude was huge. We were roughly the same height, but he looked like he had taken steroids in his life at some point, although I wouldn't hesitate to deck him if he tried to hurt Clary.

"Who was that dad?" Owen finally asked.

"That was Isaac and Oliver's father." I said.

"So Clary's ex-husband." He said.

"Nope. They never got married." I said. "Apparently he didn't believe in it."

"What did he want?" He asked.

"I think he just wanted to scare her." I said. "According to Clary, she left him 4 years ago, and he never made any type of effort to contact them, or anything like that. I find it very strange, but according to all three of them, family just wasn't his style." I explained. "When he saw her I think he just wanted to see if he could still scare her and intimate her like he used too."

"Why did they split?" He asked.

"He used to hit her." I said and his jaw dropped. "Come on, lets get home." I said and he nodded. We got in the car and started heading home before Owen decided to talk again.

"You're serious about her aren't you?" He asked and I smiled.

"I really am." I said. "I know it's only been a couple months, but I feel like we've known each other forever, and we just connect really well."

"I'm happy for you dad." He said.

"Do you like her?" I asked, nervous for his response.

"She seems really cool." He said. "And you seem happy, and that's what really matters to me. You deserve happiness."

"So do you." I said to him. "I know she'll never be able to replace your mother." I said and I saw him sadden a little. "She was a special woman, and I loved her with all my heart. Always remember that."

"I know dad." He said. "But that doesn't mean you can't love someone else." He said and I laughed. I was happy that Owen was so open to me finding love again. A lot of kids get resentful when their parents start dating again, they feel like they are trying to replace the person we lost, but Owen understood how much I loved his mom, and he knows that I'm not trying to replace her, and that means a lot to me.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Do you think they'll freak?" I asked Jace as we were heading to the baseball field to watch Owen play. Isaac and Oliver were meeting us there as well.

"I think it will be shocking, but I don't think they're going to freak out." He said.

"I just don't want to ruin a good thing." I said.

"And we won't. Moving in together isn't a relationship ender, it might be a game changer, but that's expected." He said reassuring me. I simply nodded because I knew he was right, but that didn't make my nerves go away.

We got to the field and the teams were still warming up. Jace and I did everything we could to make it to every game for Owen, this was his senior year, and we wanted to show our support the best way we could, without embarrassing him that is.

"Mom." I heard and I turned around to see Isaac and Oliver but what I wasn't expecting was to see a girl with them.

"Hey boys." I said as they got closer. They each gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Who did you bring with you?" I asked.

"This is Milly, my girlfriend. Milly, this is my mom and her boyfriend Jace." Oliver said.

"It's wonderful to meet you Milly." I said and she smiled.

"You as well." She said.

"I normally pride myself in never asking this, but I have to know. What is Milly short for?" I asked and she laughed.

"Mildred." She said. "It's terrible, I absolutely hate my name." She said and I laughed.

"You're in great company than." Jace said. "We aren't too fond of our real names either."

"I think we'll get along just fine than." She said and I laughed.

They joined us on the bleachers and we waited for the game to start. Owen's school team was exceptionally good, and it was always incredibly fun to watch him play. You could tell ho passionate these kids were about the game.

When the game was over, we won by a landslide. Owen was gathering his things and we were all heading out to dinner so that Jace and I could tell them what was going on. It would affect Owen more than it would affect Isaac and Oliver, considering they are in college now, but they still would need a place to stay when they came home for breaks.

We got to the diner, and got a usual. Jace and I decided to just wait until we were almost finished to talk about our big news. The boys were all engaged in a conversation where Isaac and Owen were telling Milly embarrassing stories about Oliver, and he was blushing like crazy. I couldn't help but smile at that because it meant that he really liked Milly, and I was happy for him.

Naturally when we were all finished dinner, Isaac and Oliver had to get dessert. It was like dinner wasn't over without a cookie, or cake, or brownie. Wherever we went, dessert was a must, and I know they didn't pick up their sweet tooth from me, considering I really don't like dessert all that much.

"Boys, we wanted you all together today because we wanted to tell you something." Jace said and that got their attention.

"What's up?" Isaac asked.

"As you know, your mom and I have been together for a little over a year, and we wanted to take the next step in our relationship." Jace explained.

"You're getting married?" All three boys said at the same time. Now I expected it from Isaac and Oliver, but Owen was picking up on the twin telepathy, and it was freaky.

"Does it look like I have a ring on my finger?" I asked as I held up my left hand.

"And do you think I would ask her to marry me without getting your permission first?" Jace asked them. They all shook their heads. "Clary and I have decided to move in together."

"Really?" They all asked in unison again.

"Really." I said. "Are you three okay with that?" I asked.

"Do I have to switch schools?" Owen asked.

"Of course not." I said. "We've been talking about this for some time, and trying to figure out if I'd just move into your place, or if we'd buy a new place altogether, but the one requirement is that we stay in your school district." I said and he nodded.

"In that case, I think we should move." Owen said.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Because I've lived in that house my entire life." Owen said. "You're uniting our families, and I don't think the house where I grew up in with my mom and dad is the best place to do that." He said and than I understood. "Don't get me wrong, I am totally on board with this whole moving in together. I think it's great, and your relationship is clearly getting more and more serious by the day, but I think we need to have our own house for that fresh start."

"I honestly didn't even take that into consideration." Jace said and it was true. He never mentioned that being a reason to move completely.

"Than I guess the next step is to find a place." I said.

"I have a suggestion." Owen said.

"What is it?" Jace asked.

"You know that house that's been abandoned for years?" Owen asked and Jace nodded, although I knew nothing of what he was talking about. "Well, I think it could be a nice fixer upper, and isn't Aunt Izzy like an interior designer? I bet she would love that project."

"How come Owen knows more about house hunting than you?" I asked Jace and he laughed.

"I guess I just never really thought about it because it's pretty big. When I was a kid I referred to it as the Institute." Jace said. "I guess I always forgot that it was a house."

"Call Aunt Izzy, and ask her to come out and check it out." Owen asked.

"She lives in New York Owen. And she's really busy, I mean I haven't seen her in years." Jace said.

"Simply asking won't kill you dad." Owen said and I laughed.

"I'll call her tomorrow than." Jace said and Owen just nodded.

All of my nerves were finally gone and I couldn't wait to start the new chapter of my life. I couldn't wait to move in with Jace and Owen, and having our relationship just grow even more. Of course moving in together will bring it's own trials and tribulations, but I was super excited to experience them all with Jace, Owen, Olive, and Isaac. It was going to be amazing I just knew it.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Life was perfect. Clary and I got married a year ago, and for the first time in a long time, I felt more complete than I ever have. It was weird because Clary was everything I never knew I needed, but now that I had her, I was never going to let her go. Of course there was still that void that was in me that would never fully go away, but things happen for a reason, and I had to keep believing that no matter what.

But onto the biggest news yet, Clary is pregnant. The day we found out, we were over the moon happy, and the day we found out the gender was even more shocking. The boys wanted to come with us to learn what their sibling was going to be and I can still see their faces in my mind every day, and I can't help but smile.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _Clary, the boys, and I were waiting at the hospital for them to call us back. We were finding out the gender of our baby today and I was a nervous wreck. I don't know why, I've gone through this before, but for some reason it didn't prepare me for going through it for a second time._

 _"Clarissa Herondale?" I heard and the nurse was standing here. "The doctor will see you know." I helped Clary out of the chair and we made our way back to the room where we would wait to find out._

 _"This place is creepy." Oliver said and I laughed._

 _"It's a little clammy but what hospital isn't?" I said and they nodded._

 _"Clary, Jace, and company, it's great to see you again. Are we ready to find out the sex of the baby?" She asked._

 _"More than ready." I said and she nodded._

 _"Lift your shirt Clary." The doctor said and Clary nodded, laid back on the table and lifted her shirt. The doctor applied the gel and started looking. After a few moments she smiled. "Looks like you two are going to be the proud parents of a little girl."_

 _"A girl?" Clary asked and the doctor nodded._

 _"I'll see you in a couple weeks." The doctor said before leaving the room._

 _"We need a plan of action boys." Isaac said and Clary and I turned towards them._

 _"Okay, we should start with dating. She isn't allowed to date until she's like 24." Owen said._

 _"I agree, and she isn't allowed to wear short skirts, or crop tops." Oliver chimed in._

 _"That's a good one." Owen said._

 _"And she isn't allowed to play sports either. We keep her in a bubble." Isaac said._

 _"Boys." Clary said and they all looked at her. "You will not restrict her in any way."_

 _"But mom…." Isaac said._

 _"No buts." Clary said. "She is a girl yes, but she is allowed to play sports, she is allowed to date at a reasonable age, and she is allowed to wear whatever clothes she feels confident in." She explained._

 _"But mom, it's our job to protect her." Oliver said._

 _"Actually, that's my job." I said and they looked at me. "Look fellas, yes she is a girl, but you three and me will teach her how to defend herself, and show her how she is supposed to be treated. No guy in this world will ever take advantage of her, and she will also know that she is loved more than anything in this world. We will make sure she is always happy, and she will always feel worthy." I said. "It's okay to protect her, but it's not okay to restrict her."_

 _"What he said." Clary said and I smiled as I helped her off the table. The boys nodded and we headed out of the hospital home. I couldn't believe I was having a little girl, but I was so excited._

 ** _End Of Flashback:_**

We were now currently in the hospital waiting for our princess to get here. The boys have been bugging us about names, but Clary and I knew what we were naming her, but we wanted to keep it a surprise. I walked back into the room with more ice chips for Clary. She was in pain, but she was handling it like a champ.

"Come on mom, why can't you just tell us the name?" I heard Isaac ask.

"Because it's going to be a surprise for the last damn time!" Clary shouted and all three boys held their hands up in a surrendering motion.

"That's my cue." Oliver said as he walked over to Clary. "I'll be back in about an hour. I'm picking Milly up from work."

"Of course baby." Clary said and he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Alright boys, why don't you go to the caf and get something to eat. You've been here for hours." I said and they nodded before walking out of the room, and than it was just Clary and I. "Hey baby, how are you feeling?" I asked as I made my way over to her side.

"I just want her to be here already." She whined and I handed her an ice chip, which she eagerly took.

"I know you do, and so do I, but she's a stubborn little one." I said and Clary laughed. "She'll be here soon." I reassured her and she nodded as I continued to feed her ice chips. I was just as anxious as Clary was to meet our daughter, but Clary was the one in pain so I knew she wanted her here faster.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Alright Clary, you're ready to push." The doctor said and suddenly everything became real.

"Thank god!" Clary said and I took her hand in mine.

"Next contraction, push." The doctor said and Clary nodded.

About 10 minutes later a contraction hit and Clary pushed with everything in her. Jace forgot what the miracle of birth looked like, and he was just as amazed as he was the first time. Clary pushed until her face was the color of her hair, and than I heard the cries. The doctor whisked our baby away, and I just looked at Clary.

"I love you." I said and she smiled.

"I love you too." She said and I pressed my lips to hers. A few moments later, the nurse came over with a pink bundle and handed her to Clary. "I can't believe she's ours."

"I can't believe I have a daughter." I said and Clary laughed.

"Wanna invite the boys in?" She asked and I pulled my phone out and texted them. A moment later the door opened and in walked Owen, Oliver, and Isaac.

"Is that her?" Isaac asked.

"This is her." Clary said. "Boys, I'd like you to meet your sister, Ivy Herondale." She said with a big smile.

"Ivy. It's cute." Oliver said.

"Why did you choose that name?" Owen asked.

"Well, we already have two kids with 'O' names, so we felt like it was time for another 'I' child." I explained and they laughed.

"Finally, I have a teammate." Isaac said and I laughed.

"Who wants to hold her?" I asked. The boys looked nervous, and I picked her up out of Clary's arms and walked over to Isaac. "I think it seems only fitting that her 'I' buddy gets the first hold." I said as I put her in his arms. She whimpered for a moment which seemed to freak Isaac out, but she soon calmed down and the smile wouldn't leave his face.

"She's so tiny." Isaac said.

"She was born 30 minutes ago." Clary said. "Of course she's tiny." They all laughed and I took a seat on the bed with Clary. She leaned into my arms and we watched the boys coo over their little sister. She was going to be spoiled, I knew that much.

 **Time Jump – Four Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was Christmas and I was snuggled into Jace's chest. I didn't want to get out the warm bed. I just wanted to stay here in his arms for the rest of the day. I was drifting off into more sleep when I heard our door slam open.

"Mommy, daddy! It's Christmas! Get up!" I heard Ivy say as she jumped on the bed and woke Jace and I both up.

"Sweetheart, it's only 7 in the morning." Jace said in his groggy voice as he picked her up. "The boys aren't even awake yet." We always spent the holidays together no matter what. The boys would come the night before the holiday and than spend the night so that we could spend as much time together as possible. It was one tradition that we would never break.

"Yes they are! Ollie got up first, and Owen is making breakfast!" She said happily.

"What's Isaac doing?" I asked as I sat up.

"We ran out of eggs, so he went out to buy more! My job was to wake you guys up!" She said as she pulled at Jace's hands. "Come on daddy, I can't let the boys down!" She said and I smiled.

"Mommy and I will be down in a minute. Let us get changed first." Jace said and she nodded. Jace gave her a kiss and she hopped off the bed and ran out of our room.

"I forgot how excited kids get on Christmas." I said and Jace laughed.

"Owen was never that excited." Jace said. "Normally Naomi and I had to wake him up that morning for him to open presents." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Oliver and Isaac loved this holiday, and would wake me up at 5 am." I said. "Christmas was over by 7, and than they were tired."

"Kids." Jace said and I laughed.

We got out of bed, put on our Christmas pajamas and headed downstairs. Owen was in the kitchen cooking, Oliver and Ivy were dancing around to Christmas music and in that moment Isaac came back with a carton of eggs. Jace and I took a seat at the breakfast bar and Owen handed us coffee before getting back to making breakfast. Owen asked Oliver and Isaac to set the table, and Ivy came over and Jace picked her up and sat her on his lap. She was singing her heart out to 'Baby All I Want For Christmas Is You' and Jace and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Breakfast is served!" We heard Owen call and we got up and made our way to the table. We all took out seats before Isaac and Oliver stood up.

"Before we start, us boys really wanted to say something." Isaac said.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Well, you guys have been together for nearly 8 years, and in all those 8 years I don't think Isaac and I have every really told you how much it means to us that you came into our lives." Oliver said as they looked at Jace. "She hid it well, but we knew after she left our father that she was a little lonely. She always tried to hide it behind a smile, but Isaac and I knew better."

"Yea, and we wanted her to find someone who was going to show her what love really was." Isaac said. "We just wanted to say thank you for coming into our lives, and showing us what a real father looks like, and for loving her unconditionally." Isaac said, and I started to cry. "And for giving us the best little sister anyone could ever ask for." He asked as he bopped Ivy on the nose and she giggled.

"It's my pleasure to love you mother." Jace said and he took my hand in his.

"I also want to thank Clary for coming into our lives." Owen said as he stood up and Oliver and Isaac sat down. "I always knew my dad was hiding his real feelings. We lost my mom so suddenly, and as much as we grieved together, he wasn't the same guy he was before the accident." Owen said. "But than he met you, and it was like something inside of him woke up. He was smiling more, and laughing, and he was back to his old self." He said and I smiled. "There was a period of time where I thought he was never going to find someone. He would come back from those dates more discouraged than the time before, and than you came along and gave him a piece of himself back." He said and I couldn't help it, this meant so much to me. "You have me two brothers, and the greatest little sister I've ever known." He said and Ivy giggled again. "So, this Christmas, the boys and I wanted to give you something that you both deserved."

The boys left the room, and I looked at Jace and he was equally as confused. A few moments later they came back with an envelope. Isaac handed it to me. I looked at Jace and he nodded, and I started to open it. I pulled out the contents, and I noticed they were plane tickets. I started reading them closer and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"You're kidding?" I asked and they laughed.

"Nope." They all said in unison. "You two didn't get a chance to go on a honeymoon. Having three kids in college was pretty much sucking you dry. So this Christmas we are giving you the honeymoon that you never got." Isaac explained.

"Oliver got off work, and is going to stay here with Ivy while you're away, and the place is all inclusive. So you can go, and just enjoy the time without having to worry about anything." Owen said.

"Where are we going?" Jace asked.

"We're going to the Bahamas." I said. "You guys are the best."

"We know how much you guys like the beach, and there is also a great art gallery there that I thought you'd love." Oliver said. "You guys deserve to have this vacation."

"You three are the sweetest." I said as I got up and hugged them all. "Thank you."

"Anything for you mom." Isaac said. Jace came over and hugged them all as well.

"How long are we staying?" Jace asked.

"8 day." I said and he nodded. "Best Christmas ever." I said and everyone laughed.

We retook our seats and started eating. Everyone was in such a good mood, and I couldn't even begin to describe how amazing my life was. I never thought I would ever get to have this. But here I am, listening to my boys talking and my little girl laughing and my amazing husband providing and loving me and truly making me feel like the most important person on the planet. I always dreamed my life would be like this one day, and now that I'm actually living it, seemed so surreal. The greatest thing I've ever done was creating that profile, and accepting that message from Jace. I don't know where I would be if I didn't.

"Mommy, you're doing that weird staring thing." I heard Ivy said and I looked at her. The beautiful strawberry blonde curly haired little girl, with her bright golden eyes looking at me.

"I'm sorry baby. What were you saying?" I asked.

"I was saying that Santa got us a lot of gifts this year! Can we go open them now?" She asked and I smiled.

"Why don't you go out into the living room and have Ollie put all of your gifts together." I said and she jumped out of her seat.

"Come on Ollie!" She cheered as she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the living room. The other boys followed and I looked at Jace who was already smiling at me.

"Merry Christmas babe." I said and he pressed his lips to mine.

"Merry Christmas love." He said and I smiled. Yup, like was pretty damn perfect.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Someone suggested that Clary and Jace are older, and both have kids, and than meet. So this was my take on that suggestion! Let me know what you think! I find this one shot absolutely adorable, and I'm not just saying hat because I wrote it, I think the suggestion was great, and I really hope that I lived up to whoever's expectations and delivered a one shot that you wanted to read! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Okay, here are the description of what the kids look like:**

 **Oliver - Brown hair, green eyes. 6 feet tall. (17 at beginning of story)**

 **Isaac - Brown hair, green eyes. 6 feet tall. (17 at beginning of story)**

 **Owen - Dirty blonde hair, gold eyes. 6"1' (15 at beginning of story)**

 **Ivy - Strawberry blonde hair, curly, gold eyes.**

 **Also, when writing this story I realized that you would probably think that Sebastian would have wanted to name one of the twins after himself. Give him a Sebastian Verlac Jr. But in order for that to happen, Clary had an ultimatum - if he wanted one of them to be named after him, they had to get married. Sebastian doesn't believe in marriage, so naturally Clary got to name the kids, because Sebastian didn't really care at that point since they weren't going to be named after him. Sebastian also never really wanted kids, but kept Clary around because of the power he had over her (the abuse) so when she eventually left him, he wasn't too worried about it since he never really cared anyway. Oliver and Isaac's last name is Fray, and later in life they actually wanted to change it to Herondale because Jace was more of a father to them than Sebastian was. That's all I really wanted to say about that, I knew it was a question for me, and I was the one who wrote the story!**

 **And as for Milly, she got a job on the other side of the country, so they decided to split, and not have to worry about long distance. Oliver was hurt, but soon that was healed.**

 **One more thing, they live in California. Okay, that's really all I have! Hope you enjoyed it! :)**


	97. Chapter 96 - Stolen

**Ninety Sixth One Shot:**

 **Stolen**

 **Jace POV:**

It was no secret that when I was performing in concert that I kept a small figurine with me at all times. It was always placed right at the base of my microphone stand, and that's where I kept it the whole concert. It was a ritual for me, and everyone knew about it. Besides my autograph, that was the most common thing for people to ask me about. I have never given the real reason why I keep it with me, I normally just stick with the generic 'it brings me good luck' or something similar just to give everyone an answer, and it turns out, they really don't care what I tell them because it will always be brought up. Even interviewers ask about it every time they interview the band.

Truth be told, there are only three people in the world who know the real reason why I keep that figurine next to me during every show. My father knew, because he was the one who gave it to me, Clary, my ex-girlfriend knew, because we were together when I was picked up by the label I'm with now, and I knew. I liked to keep it that way because it was so incredibly personal to me that I didn't want to share that with the world. It was actually Clary's idea that I keep it with me always. When my father first gave it to me, I didn't really understand why he would do it, but once he explained it to me, everything clicked.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _My dad told me that we were having dinner together tonight, and I had no idea why. He worked most nights, and we rarely ate dinner together, so this was either a good thing or a bad thing, and with past experiences, I was going to go with bad. Thankfully he told me that Clary could come along as well, so that eased my nerves a lot. I figured if he was inviting my girlfriend to join in the conversation, it couldn't be too horrible._

 _We were sitting at the table eating together, and I could tell my dad wanted to say whatever was on his mind, but he just kept eating his food. This in turn kind of made the meal a little awkward. I didn't know what to say, he wasn't talking, and Clary had only met him once before and it was only for about 10 minutes. Clary wasn't socially awkward, or anything like this, but there was no way she was going to try and salvage this awkward dinner with a conversation. It was inevitable. When we were done, my dad cleaned up the kitchen and asked us to join him in the living room. We sat there in silence for about 5 minutes before he spoke._

 _"The reason I wanted to have dinner with you tonight was because I have something to give you." He said and I nodded. He pulled out a small figurine. "Your mom collected these." He said as he handed it to me. "That one was your favorite." He said and I inspected it. It was a small glass figurine of a bear. "She used to have an entire china cabinet of them, and when you were upset she would show you it, and when you saw the bear you calmed down." He explained. "She in turn started calling you her little bear, and it always brought a smile to your face."_

 _"Why are you just telling me about this now?" I asked as I looked at him. "Why not years ago when I first brought her up again?"_

 _"I guess part of me was still trying to bury what happened." He said. "You were a little over a year old. You didn't know what was happening, but I had just lost my wife. My partner since I was 17 years old. I was devastated." He explained. "When you brought it up, it was like I was reliving her death all over again. I kind of just shut down."_

 _"I know." I simply said._

 _"Since you're trying to pursue music, and everything, I thought it was time that you had something of hers. Something that connected you two." He said. I clutched Clary's hand in mine as I looked back at the small figurine._

 _"You know, I'm almost 23 years old dad, and you still refuse to tell me how she died." I pointed out. We didn't have much extended family, and those that were still alive didn't reach out to talk to us, and whenever I brought it up, he avoided the question._

 _"There is a reason for that." He said._

 _"I'm not a kid anymore dad." I said. "I can handle the truth."_

 _"It's not a pretty truth." He said._

 _"Why not?" I asked._

 _"Because you witnessed it." He said and my jaw dropped. "Your mother killed herself Jace." He said and the minute the words left his mouth my heart broke. "She put you in your crib, walked over to the closet, tired a rope around her neck, stood on a chair, and hung herself from one of the rods in the closet." He said. "I came home to you crying your eyes out, and when I followed where you were looking I found her. It was already too late. It had been hours since she did it."_

 _"Why would she do that?" I asked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper._

 _"This is what she left behind." He said and I couldn't bring myself to grab it so Clary took it from him. "I don't expect you to read it right now. I just dumped a lot of information on you. Just know, that when you're ready, you have it."_

 _"Thank you Mr. Herondale." Clary said for me and my dad simply nodded._

 _"I have to get back to work." He said as he stood. "Thank you for taking the time our of your schedule to meet with me." He said and than he left._

 _"No, thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to have dinner with your son." I muttered sarcastically._

 _"I love you." I heard from beside me, and when I turned there sat Clary._

 _"I love you too." I said and she gave me a sweet kiss._

 _"Come on, let's go home." Clary said and I nodded. We stood up and walked out to the car. Clary took the keys and took us back to our apartment. Everything that I was told tonight was not what I was expecting, and I didn't really know what to do about it._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

That was nearly 5 years ago, and I'm still not entirely sure how to comprehend what happened with my mother. But I can tell you one thing, my music really helped with the grieving process. Some people have journals, well I had sheet music, and some of our most popular songs were written when I was trying to figure out the mystery that was Celine Herondale, and why she chose to kill herself. Of course, nobody knew that.

But my moms death wasn't the only thing I grieved through with my music. About 2 years after I found out the truth, Clary and I ended up breaking up. I wish I could say the outcome of the relationship wasn't a break up, but she seemed pretty set in her decision, and the only thing I could do was agree, and we went our separate ways. I was gaining fame, and she was getting a lot of flak from paparazzi, and fans. One time she was even cornered in a Starbucks and screamed at. I felt terrible about it. She didn't deserve any of that, and in the end, she couldn't and didn't want to deal with it anymore. She had so many haters, simply because she was dating me, and I wasn't going to try and pressure her into staying in a relationship where the consequences were her being harassed. So I sucked it up, and let her end it. No matter how much it killed me to see her walk away.

Music was more than just a job to me. It helped me in so many different ways, and although it has helped my career, I will always appreciate the lessons it taught me, and the ability to help me work through problems, and situations that I probably wouldn't be able to cope with any other way.

"Yo man, 7 minutes until show time!" I heard as I was brought out of my thoughts. I nodded at my manager and grabbed Little Bear, yes that's what I named him, and made my way to the back stage. I was super pumped to be performing in Australia tonight. It was one of my favorite countries to play in, and the fans were super intense, but it was great.

I took a deep breath, grabbed my guitar and headed out onto the stage with the rest of the band. Of course the fans started going crazy, and it gave me that insane adrenaline rush that I loved so much. I got to the mic and couldn't help but laugh at some of the posters that I saw people holding up.

"Thank you all for coming tonight. Who is ready to see one wicked show?" I said and everyone cheered. Now, the venue we were playing at wasn't as big as we could have played, but the band and I loved playing small shows has much as we loved playing big shows. There was something about a small show that just felt so intimate. I put Little Bear next to the microphone and we started with out first song. Tonight was going to be a good night.

 **Time Jump – End Of Show**

 **Jace POV:**

The show has been insane, and we made our way off the stage, and than I remembered my figurine. Normally I didn't forget it, but this show was so incredibly nuts, that we were kind of rushed off the stage. I made my way back to the stage and my figurine was gone. I started to have a panic attack. Maybe stage crew picked it up for me, so I went to go find them.

"Hey man." I said and the guy looked at me. "You didn't happen to see a small figurine next to my mic did you?" I asked.

"Sorry man. I didn't see anything like that on the stage at all." He said and he walked away. I took a deep breath. The only logical thing I can think of is that somehow a fan got their hands on it. I made my way back into the back room, grabbed my jacket and decided to take a walk. If I let myself sit still and think about it being gone, I was going to go into a full panic attack, and I didn't need that right now.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

This week has been incredibly frustrating for me. My art collection has been rejected by two galleries, and I was honestly thinking about giving up. I was told by many art critiques that my work was spectacular, but apparently the galleries didn't think the same, and it was really discouraging.

When I got back to my place, there was a box on the front porch. I don't remember ordering anything, but I forget a lot, so I might have. I walked in, threw my keys and the mail on the table and made my way into the living room. I put the box down, and went into the kitchen and grabbed a drink. I grabbed my scissors as well, and went back over to the box. I ripped the tap, and started opening it. My jaw dropped when I saw what was in the packaging, and my eyes filled with tears. A piece of paper fell out, and I picked it up and read it.

 _Dear Clary,_

 _I stole this for you._

 _Love you always,_

 _Your biggest fan._

My eyes nearly popped out of my head when I read that. I couldn't believe that someone would still this from Jace and mail it to me. And the fact that this person knows me, and my address was alarming as well. They clearly knew about Jace and I when we were together, but it's been almost 5 years. I can't imagine why this is just happening now, and the fact that there was someone out there who actually liked me, because lets me real, none of his fans were happy that he was in a relationship. But there was only one thing I could do in this situation. Call Alec. I dialed the number and after a few rings he answered.

"If it isn't Clary Fray." He said and I laughed. "What can I do for you?" He asked.

"I have the strangest favor to ask of you." I said and I heard him laugh.

"Bring it on." He said and I started explaining.

 **Jace POV:**

I was still bummed about my missing figurine. I reached out over social media, but so far nobody has come forward knowing anything about it. Without it, I felt like a piece of me was missing on stage.

We were all sitting around getting ready for a sound check and I just let out a huge sigh. I wanted my figurine back, and I wanted an explanation as to why they stole it in the first place.

"You've been mopping for a week Jace." Raphael said. "I get that it meant a lot to you, but people are assholes. It's been a month."

"You don't get it." I said. "It meant more to me than I've ever led on, and the fact that someone would disrespect me that way and take it from me isn't sitting well with me."

"We get it Jace. We can literally see a difference in you." Mark said. "Your music is different, your personality is different, and you're a lot angrier at little shit." He pointed out. "But Raphael is right, it's been a month. If the person who took it had a conscious, they would have returned it by now." He said and I knew he was right, but that didn't make it suck any less.

"Jace, you're getting a call." I heard as our manager held my phone up from the booth.

"Put it on speaker." I said and he nodded, put it on speaker and projected it. "Hello?" I answered.

"Jace, it's Alec." I heard.

"Alec, it's been awhile. Everything okay?" I asked. We haven't spoken in maybe a year, so this was out of the blue for us.

"Everything is fine, can't I just call the person who was my best friend all throughout school?" He asked and I laughed.

"I mean you can, but it's been like a year man." I said and he laughed.

"I know. We both got busy." He said.

"Ain't that the truth." I said.

"Right, so back to why I called." He said. "I'm conferencing someone into this call." He said and I was confused. "You're on Clary." He said and my heart skipped a beat.

"Clary?" I questioned.

"Hey Jace." He said, and even her voice sounded beautiful. I missed it so much.

"Alright, well my job is done, talk soon guys!" He said and than he hung up.

"This is unexpected." I said and Clary laughed.

"Very." She said. "But I didn't have your number anymore, and I figured Alec still did, and it was the only way I could contact you."

"Why did you need to contact me in the first place?" I asked curiously.

"Something came in the mail for me." She said and I was confused.

"What does that have to do with me?" I asked.

"Because I received your figurine." She said and my eyes popped out of your head.

"You have it?" I asked.

"Yea. Someone mailed it to me, with a note, that said they stole it for me, and that they were my biggest fan." She explained. "So now I have to move because they know where I live, and that's creepy."

"I can't believe you have it." I said knowing it was in good hands.

"Neither can I." She said. "I was just wondering where I can mail it so that you get it back." She said.

"We are spending next week in Poland." I said. "I'll text you the address of the hotel we'll be arriving at in the next few days, and I'll pick it up with the concierge guy."

"Sounds good." She said. "And I'll give you a question that I know you'll know the answer to so that he knows you're actually who you say you are and not trying to steal someone else's mail." And I couldn't help but laugh.

"Thank you so much Clary. This means a lot to me." I said.

"I know it does." She said. I was about to say something when I heard another voice.

"Who are you on the phone with babe?" I heard a deep voice and something in me reacted poorly, but she had ever right to move on.

"My senile old grandma, you know she's been doing poorly lately and I'm just trying to talk to her as much as I can before she dies." Clary said without hesitation, which raised a lot of questions, but I had no business asking.

"Oh." He said. "Okay, I have a business meeting all day, so I won't be home for dinner." He said.

"Bye." She said and than groaned. "Okay, so just text me that address, and I'll mail it as soon as I can."

"Thank you." I said again.

"Of course. Well I have to go. I have to go beg and potentially sell my body to get my artwork in a gallery." She said and I laughed. She still had the same amazing sense of humor.

"Just remember, prostitution is illegal, but being a stripper isn't." I said and she laughed.

"Always such wise words from Jace Herondale." She said and I smiled. "Bye Jace."

"Bye Clary." I said and the phone went dead.

"Isn't that your ex?" Mark asked.

"Yup." I simply said.

"She's feistier than I remember." Julian said and I rolled my eyes. "Too bad she isn't single."

"Let's get back to playing gentlemen." I said and they all nodded. Clary and I haven't spoken in 5 years, yet that conversation was as normal and fluid as ever. Everything with Clary always felt right, and that conversation just made me realize how much of an idiot I was for letting her go all those years ago.

 **Clary POV:**

After I hung up with Jace I took a deep breath. Sebastian and I have been together for almost 3 years, and I couldn't take it anymore. I knew he was cheating on me, and I knew that his 'business trips' were to some all-inclusive resort with whatever skank he was banging at the time. I should have left the minute I found out, but I was struggling to become an artist, and I wasn't making enough to keep myself afloat and he offered his place, and since we were dating it seemed like the perfect idea. Now I was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to completely and totally destroy him. It's normally not my style, but nobody gets away with thinking I'm too foolish to see what he's doing to me. I want him to know that I know.

I took another look at the figurine in my hand and smiled to myself. I remember when Stephan gave this to Jace. That day will forever be ingrained in my mind. But what stays with me even more, is the night that Jace finally decided to read the note that Stephan gave to him. I remember because I had to read it to him, and it was the first time I ever saw Jace cry.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I came home to find Jace sitting on the couch with the letter in his hand. He was just staring at it, not moving, breathing shallowly, and I don't even think he was blinking. I sat next to him and put my hand in his arm and that seemed to break him out of whatever trance that he was under._

 _"Have you read it?" I asked._

 _"No." Jace said. "I've just been staring at it."_

 _"For how long?" I asked._

 _"What time is it?" He asked._

 _"Almost 4." I said._

 _"A couple hours." He said and I nodded._

 _"Do you want to read it?" I asked._

 _"I want to know if it explains why she did it. I want to know the reason why she couldn't stay, why she killed herself right in front of me, why I wasn't enough." He said and I could hear the break in his voice._

 _"What's stopping you?" I asked._

 _"The fact that I will finally know why she killed herself." He said. I reached over and took the note from his hand and he looked at me._

 _"Why don't I read it to you?" I asked and after a few moments he nodded his head. I opened the letter and began reading._

 _~My dearest Jonathan,_

 _There is no easy way to explain why I am about to do what I am. I have been so lost and sad and lonely for so many years. It bubbles inside me on a daily basis, and no matter what I do, it won't go away. Marrying your father didn't give me a home, having you didn't give me the happiness I thought it would, getting my dream job didn't give me the achievement that I thought it would. Getting everything I've ever wanted didn't make me feel any better about myself, and I can't go on living like this._

 _But despite how I'm feeling, I want you to know that this has nothing to do with you. You are such a beautiful little boy. My beautiful little boy. You are growing up exceptionally every single day, and I couldn't be prouder of you. You are truly a gift from god, and I cherish you more than you will ever know. I love you Jonathan, so much. So incredibly much. But I am not happy. I wake up every single morning and wish that I hadn't. I see you laughing and giggling, and starting to walk, and I can't help but faking my smile because I know that you need to see it. I know you need me to be happy, but I'm just not. I wish I could be what you need, and I wish there was something in this world that would help me fight this, but there isn't._

 _I have no idea when your father will give you this letter. I'm assuming it'll be when you're completely grown, and this will be my only chance to tell you: I want you to know that you are an exceptional person. You are going to grow up and change the world in your own way. You are going to find someone who you will spend the rest of your life with. You are going to start a family. You are going to make it, and you are going to enjoy every aspect of your life. I can see it in your beautiful golden eyes. You my dear son are going to be a beacon, you are going to be a lighthouse for someone, you are going to be extraordinary._

 _You're probably angry, and upset with me. I don't blame you. But I want you to know that what I did, had nothing to do with you. I love you Jonathan, and I will be watching over you every single day. I will be your guardian angel, and I will love you until your very last breath, just as I know you loved me until mine._

 _Love you always,_

 _Mom~_

 _When I was finished reading the letter, I looked at Jace and he was crying. I put my hand on his shoulder and he broke. I pulled him into me and I just let him cry. I can't even begin to understand the emotions that were running through his mind. My heart was broken after reading that, I can only imagine how his is feeling._

 ** _End Of Flashback:_**

It was an emotional night for us to say the least. Jace was a mess for about a week. It started with pure sadness, and manifested in violent anger, and than somewhere along the line, it became understanding. He had forgiven her for leaving him. He had forgiven her for not being there to watch him grow up, and he had forgiven himself for not being enough to keep her around.

I wish I could sit here and say it was all because of me. That I was the reason that he made it through that terrible experience. That I was his shoulder to cry on, and his biggest confidant, but I wasn't. I was certainly a part of that, but music was a bigger part. He would grieve through his music, and he created some of the best songs I've ever heard because of that pain.

I took the figurine still in hand and put it back in the box and sealed it. I looked at my phone, wrote the address down and wrote the question that he was going to answer in order to actually answer in order to get it back and I couldn't help but smile. I knew he would laugh at this question as well, and he would without a doubt no the answer. I put it in my mailbox and went off to beg to get my work in a gallery.

I was annoyed that someone stole his figurine. I was annoyed that someone knew where I lived and mailed it to me. I was annoyed that people could be so heartless and obsessive. But it gave me a reason to speak with Jace again, and I was happy about that.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We finally made it to the hotel in Poland and I couldn't even begin to express how happy I was that I was going to be getting my figurine back. Playing the shows without it was absolutely horrible. I felt like a piece of me was missing, and I needed it back. We got in late, and walked towards the concierge desk.

"Welcome, how may I help you?" The man asked.

"We're checking in." I said. "We're The Mortal Instruments." I said and he smiled.

"Right. Thank you for choosing our hotel." He said and I smiled.

"Of course. And I was wondering, I was supposed to receive a package, has it arrive?" I asked.

"Just today in fact." He said as he pulled it up form behind the desk. "It came with some weird instructions." He said and I laughed. "Okay, I'm supposed to ask you a question, and if you answer it right, it's all yours."

"Bring it on." I said and he laughed.

"Okay, so it says, 'simply because you are the only person who could possibly answer this question right, and with the proper amount of sarcasm: what is my favorite color?'" He finished and he looked up at me.

"She would." I said with a laugh. "She doesn't have a favorite color. Being an artist, she can't simply choose because it would be betraying the entire spectrum of colors, and she doesn't like picking favorites, or excluding them." I said.

"Wow. You answered that exceptionally well." He said as he handed me the box.

"I know her very well." I said as I picked it up.

"Well, let us know if you need anything. Have a good night boys." He said and we headed upstairs. I couldn't stop smiling because of the question Clary asked. She was right, I did know that answer, and I couldn't forget it even if I tried.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had reached out to a few galleries over in Europe in hopes that I would get luckier than I have been in California. After a month of no news, I figured it was a bust, until one day I got a phone call saying that my work was exactly what they were looking for. To say I was excited would be an understatement, and they asked me to be in London as soon as I could, so I started packing.

I was planning on moving to London as soon as I could, because I had nothing else here. I was getting my work in a gallery. I didn't care where it was, I was going to move and start my life as an artist. It's all I've ever wanted, and I was going to take it while I had it.

I haven't told Sebastian yet. He thinks I'm spending the night in San Diego talking to a gallery about my work. Little does he know that I'm actually still in LA, and I was leaving him and never coming back.

I went out for a little celebration drink by myself. I was proud of myself, and I deserved a celebratory drink! It was nearly 10 at night when I went home. I wasn't drunk or anything, but I was ready to let Sebastian have it. I got back to the house and the lights were on. I opened the door and there Sebastian was, fucking some girl on the couch.

"Why am I not surprised?" I asked and they broke apart.

"Clary, what are you doing home?" Sebastian yelled.

"Came to catch you in the act of course." I said as I closed the front door. "Don't mind me though, I won't be staying long."

"What the hell does that mean?" He asked.

"I'm moving." I simply said.

"Moving? Where?" He asked, clearly mad.

"It doesn't concern you." I said. "This relationship isn't working out. I think we both know that." I said as I gestured to the naked girl on the couch.

"You can't just leave me!" He yelled.

"Too bad Sebastian. I'm already gone." I said. "There will be movers in here tomorrow to collect the rest of my things." I informed him. I went into our room and grabbed the bag of clothes, and the box that I needed. I went back into the living room where the girl was still naked and Sebastian was still confused. "Have a great live Sebastian." I said as I walked out of the house. I felt lighter than I have in years, and I was ready to start living my life again.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We were in England for the next week with our shows, and this was the way we were ending. It had been an amazing tour, and I was really upset that it was ending, but I was looking forward to having some down time, and than starting a new album. This life never ends, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

The show was tonight, and I was on energy drink duty. Our shows are always crazy packed and full of energy, and we need to keep that energy up for our fans. It was a beautiful day in London, and I was taking in the city that I missed so much. I went into the store and stocked up on all the energy drinks that I could before walking back through the town square. I was looking down at my feet and I looked up for a second when I spotted red hair. But not any red hair, the red hair that's haunted my dreams since the last time I saw her.

"Clary?" I said and she stopped walking and looked up at me.

"Jace." She said and I made my way over to her.

"What are you doing in London?" I asked and she put her sunglasses on top of her head.

"I live here now." She said and my jaw dropped.

"Really?" I asked and she smiled and nodded.

"Yea. I got my big break a couple months ago, and I didn't have anything holding me back, so I packed up and left." She said.

"What about your boyfriend?" I couldn't help but ask and she scoffed.

"We met and I needed a stable place to live while I tried to get my feet wet in the industry. Things with us ended, and for two years I really struggled trying to make it, and than Sebastian showed up, took interest, had a house, and I thought I'd be an idiot if I didn't get something out of the relationship." She explained. "He was cheating on me practically the whole time. But I had a roof over my head, and food in my mouth."

"Sounds like you aren't too broken up about it." I said and she shook her head.

"He was an asshole." She said. "Like I said, I needed a place to live."

"Well, how has London been treating you?" I asked wanting to get away from the subject of her ex-boyfriend.

"Amazingly!" She said with the biggest smile on her face. "My work is really being admired and taken seriously. I get paid enough to have my own place, and I've meet a few friends since moving here. I'm loving it."

"That's really good." I said and she smiled. "Well, we have a show tonight, and I was on energy drink duty, and if I'm not back soon, the guys will start going crazy."

"Good luck tonight." She said.

"Thanks." I said and we both parted ways. My heart was racing after that conversation and for the rest of the night, I couldn't get her out of my head.

 **Clary POV:**

After talking with Jace I couldn't get him out of my head. He's grown up a lot in the last 5 years. I didn't even know it was possible, but he looked even better than he did before. Like, he was gorgeous when we started dating, and he has only gotten even more attractive. Literally, I didn't think it was possible, but I am disproven yet again.

I got back to my place and kicked my shoes off and clicked the button to see if I had any messages on my home phone. Yes I got one, yes I love it, no I will never get rid of it.

"You have 3 new messages." The voice said. "Message one: 'hey Clare, it's Simon, just wanted to let you know that Izzy and I are planning a party for Audrey's birthday. It's in a couple months, so just call me back and let me know'. Second message: 'hey Clare, it's Tessa, Jem and I were going to grab some dinner tonight and we wanted to know if you would join! Call me back.' Third message: 'it's me, Simon again, Izzy wanted me to tell you that she loves you and she misses you, and that she hopes London is giving you….wait, what did you hope London is giving her Izzy? Sexy sexy men! Right, she hopes London is giving you sexy sexy man. Alright, call me back. Bye'." I couldn't help but laugh at the messages. I decide that I'm going to call Tessa first.

"Hello?" She answers on the second ring.

"Hey girl, what's up?" I asked.

"Hey, Jem and I were wondering if you'd like to catch up for dinner. Jem's best friend is in for some business and we're all hanging out." She said.

"Sounds fun." I said.

"Cool. Meet at our favorite restaurant at 6." She said.

"You got it." I said and we hun up. I looked at the clock and it was only 1 in the afternoon, and I was up late last night working on a painting, so I was going to take a nap before I went out tonight. When I laid down and closed my eyes, Jace flooded my memory, just like he used too, and this time, I never wanted it to stop.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I got the restaurant and saw Tessa and Jem immediately. I made my way over to them and gave them both hugs before taking my seat.

"Clary, this is Will, my best friend." Jem said. "Will, this is Clary. She just moved here a couple months ago."

"How are you liking London so far Clary?" He asked.

"It's amazing. I never want to leave." I said with a smile.

"I know what you mean. Traveling all the time sucks, plus it takes me away from my family." He said and I nodded.

"What do you do for work?" I asked.

"I run the family company." He said.

"That sounds prestigious." I said.

"Well you know Herondale Inc. is the biggest company in Europe." He said and my jaw dropped.

"Wait, Herondale?" I asked and he nodded.

"You've heard of us?" He asked.

"I used to date a Herondale." I said.

"Really? I don't remember you at any family functions." He said.

"I didn't even know he had any family left." I said honestly because Jace never talked about it.

"Who was it?" He asked.

"Jace Herondale." I said. "The son of Stephan and Celine Herondale."

"Makes sense." He said. "Stephan was disowned for marrying Celine." Will explained. "Apparently she wasn't worthy enough to dear old Imogen Herondale."

"That's awful." I said.

"I haven't even met Jace, although I thought his name was Jonathan." He said and I laughed.

"He hates the name Jonathan." I said. "He prefers to be called Jace."

"Good to know you know my own cousin better than I do." He said.

"We dated for years." I said honestly.

"You know, I think I vaguely remember Imogen talking about Jonathan one time." He said and he looked like he was remembering a distant memory. "I guess Stephan tried to reach out and mend the broken relationship. He told her that Jonathan, or Jace was doing extremely well, and that he was thinking about marrying this girl." He said and I sucked in a breath. "Stephan asked Imogen for the family ring. Jace really wanted to give it to his girlfriend. You." He said and my eyes immediately filled with tears. "But Imogen refused. She never approved of Celine, and that kinda made Jace dead to her."

"That's awful." I said, even though it wasn't the first thing I wanted to ask about.

"She's not a very nurturing woman." He admitted. "She's very cold, and very stuck in her ways."

"Did your side of the family even go to Celine's funeral?" I asked and he looked down.

"No." He said. "Imogen threatened to cut everyone off if they went."

"How can someone be such a heartless bitch?" I asked.

"I have no idea. I see her once a year." He said. "She might still consider me a Herondale, but I've disappointed her enough as it is."

"How so?" I asked.

"I'm not married with kids." He said and I saw the quick look he gave to Tessa and Jem.

"Is there…..?" I questioned as I pointed between the three of them.

"There is no love triangle." Will said. "If that was what you were asking." I simply nodded. "Jem and I simply fell in love with the same woman." He said and I saw Tessa bow her head. "Jem knew her first. It wasn't my place to try and steal her away."

"Will." Tessa said but he held his hand up.

"You need to stop apologizing for this Tessa." Will said. "I've accepted it. And I've moved on."

"Really?" She said as her eyes light up.

"Yea. Her name is Sophia." He said. "I met her when I was on business in Denmark." He explained. "I'd love for you two to come out and visit and meet her."

"We'd love too!" Tessa said with the biggest smile on her face. I couldn't help but get what he said about Jace's grandmother out of my head, and I thought I'd try something insane.

"Will, do you think you could do me a favor?" I asked.

"Depends on what it is." He said.

"I want to speak with Imogen." I said and his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Why on earth would you want to do that?" He asked.

"What happened with Celine, destroyed Jace." I said. "It took him years to grieve a mother he never knew." I explained. "It really tore his relationship up with his dad, and he didn't have any family there for him because nobody would talk to him." I said. "I want to speak with her personally and just figure out why."

"I can try, but she's pretty stubborn." He said and I smiled.

"You don't know me very well." I simply said.

"Clary is the most stubborn person I've ever met." Tessa said with a laugh.

"I'll do my best." He said and I smiled. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for Jace. Even 5 years later, he means a lot to me, and I needed to do this.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Will called me last night and said that he set up a meeting with Imogen. I was nervous as hell considering I'm going in there for an 'art consultation' but I'm not leaving until I get some answers.

The place was huge, and I couldn't help but be intimated by it. I knocked on the door and waited for it to open, which only increase my anxiety. I took a deep breath and it finally opened and behind it stood a maid.

"My name is Clarissa Fray, I'm here to speak with Imogen Herondale." I said and she nodded and let me in. She took my coat and than left me alone in the foyer.

"Miss. Fray." I heard and I looked up to see a man standing at the top of the stairs. "If you'll follow me." I nodded and made my way up to him. We walked down a hallway before he stopped in front of a door. "Mrs. Herondale will see you now." He said and I opened the door. A woman sat at a desk, with a cup of hot tea ready for me. I made my way in and sat down.

"My grandson says you're a fairly new artist, but you're promising." She said. No introductions, and I felt a chill go straight to my bones.

"Yes Mrs. Herondale." I said. "I just moved to London a few months ago to pursue my dream of being an artist." I explained and she nodded.

We sat there for an hour talking about what she wanted, and honestly it seemed incredibly reasonable, and something I could certainly do. I was surprised because I thought she was going to want some Victorian piece that might have been impossible for me, but this I could handle.

"Let me know what it's finished." She said and I nodded but I didn't get up. "Are you waiting for something?" She asked.

"I came here for another reason as well." I simply said.

"And what might that be?" She asked.

"Stephan Herondale." I said and her body stiffened.

"What about my son?" She asked.

"I used to date his son. Jonathan." I said.

"And?" She asked.

"I just want to know why you didn't go to Celine's funeral." I said.

"That's none of your business." She said curtly.

"That's where you're wrong." I said. "I watched Jace beat himself up for years over his mothers death. After Stephan told him what really happened, he was devastated. He nearly fell into a black hole of depression. I was lucky to get him out and the help that he needed." I said.

"And that has to do with me how?" She asked.

"He's your grandson." I said.

"He might carry the Herondale name, but he is no grandson of mine." She said venomously.

"Did you even care about him?" I asked. "Did you ever wonder how he was doing, or how your son was doing after he lost the one person who meant the world to him?" I asked but she was stoic. "Celine killed herself. She hung herself in the closet, right in front of Jace. He was a year old and he witnessed his mothers suicide." I said. "Did you ever wonder how Stephan was coping with finding his son crying as he stared at his dead mothers body?"

"Enough." She yelled.

"No." I yelled back as I stood up. "Jace is the most amazing man I've ever met." I said. "And Stephan is pretty spectacular too, but you wouldn't know who Jace even was if I brought him in here with me." I said. "Have you ever lost someone unexpectedly Imogen?" I asked and she just stared at me.

"My husband." She finally said. "Dropped dead of a heart attack while we were at church one Sunday."

"And how did you feel?" I asked.

"Like my entire world fell apart." She said honestly.

"How did you grieve your husband?" I asked.

"My family stayed for a couple weeks to make sure everything was taken care of." She said.

"Imagine how Stephan felt." I said. "His wife just killed herself, and he was left with a one year old little boy, and he didn't have anyone there for him." I explained. "He was devastated, and it ruined both of them."

"What do you mean?" She asked, and I could tell I was getting to her.

"Stephan rarely came home." I said. "Jace was lucky if he ate one meal a month with his father. He never went to his sporting events, wasn't there when Jace went to prom, he didn't even drop him off at college." I explained. "Jace might as well of been living on his own. They barely had a relationship for a very long time."

"What changed?" She asked.

"Jace realized that despite how distant his father is, that he was his only family left." I said. "Jace had Stephan, and Stephan had Jace, and in the end, it didn't matter how many meals they shared, or how many football games he made it too. They were family, and they were never going to turn their backs on each other." I said.

"Why are you here?" She asked, and it was not what I was expecting to hear. "You said you used to date Jonathan, if you two aren't together anymore, why are you here fighting his battles?" She asked.

"Because I would do anything for Jace." I said. "We may not be together anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't still care about him." I said. it was quiet for quite some time before she spoke.

"Do you think you could get him here?" She asked.

"I can try." I said. "As long as you don't say a single mean thing to him." I said. "He can blow a gasket at you, but you can't retaliate."

"I won't be yelled at in my home." She demanded.

"You let me do it." I said. "Why not your own grandson?" I asked. There was no answer. "Jace has never been the type of person to blow up."

"Next week. Wednesday, noon. We'll have tea." She said.

"I'll make it happen." I said as I got up and left the room. This might take some strategizing, but I was going to make it work.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was out again, but this time I was simply just enjoying out time off. The tour ended and it was insane, and of course I was sad that it ended, but I was so stoked that it went as well as it did.

"Jace!" I heard and when I turned around there stood Clary.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked as she made her way over to me.

"I was wondering, since we're both in London now, and we haven't really seen each other in years, that maybe we could catch up." She said.

"Uh, sure. When?" I asked.

"Wednesday." She said. "Noon."

"I think I can make it." I said and she smiled. "Where should I meet you?" I asked. She pulled out a piece of paper and started writing, before handing it to me.

"Meet me here." She said and I smiled.

"Sounds good." I said.

"Great. See you next week Jace." She said before walking off. After she was gone it dawned on me. I had a lunch date with Clary. After years of thinking about what have happened if we stayed together, this was happening. I was shocked, and slightly terrified.

 **Time Jump – Wednesday**

 **Clary POV:**

There was a knock on my door and I might have opened it a little too soon, but I was pretty excited for today. I didn't know how Jace was going to react, but I was still pretty excited nonetheless.

"Glad you made it." I said and he smiled. "Let's go." I said as I pushed him out of the doorway and over to my car.

"Where are we going?" He asked as we got in.

"You'll see." I said as I started driving.

The car ride was filled with light conversation, and I had to admit, this was everything I thought it was going to be and I never wanted it to come to an end. Part of me thought about skipping Imogen and just driving around with him, but we needed to do this.

I pulled up to the house and I could tell that Jace was confused, but he didn't ask any questions, which was nice. We walked up to the door and I knocked. It opened, our coats were gone and we were being escorted to the back patio for tea. When we got back there, Imogen was sitting in a chair with her tea already made. I walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Is this him?" She asked as she pointed to Jace.

"Yes." I simply said.

"What's going on here?" Jace asked.

"My name is Imogen Herondale." She said and I heard her suck in a deep breath. "And I'm your grandmother."

"What the hell." He said. "Why did you bring me here?" He asked me, and I knew he wasn't very happy.

"Because I think you need to clear the air." I said.

"That isn't your decision to make." Jace said. "She should have come to me. Come to us." Jace said. "Not the other way around." He said.

"But I brought you two together." I said.

"Which brings me to another question. How do you two know each other?" He asked.

"I met you cousin, Will Herondale, a few weeks ago." I said. "I asked him to introduce us."

"Why?" Jace asked.

"Because there is bad blood in this family, and you have the opportunity to make it right." I said. "Take that chance."

"Clary." Jace said.

"Look, my family was torn apart because of a family feud as well." I reminded him. "I can't ever try and make amends with them. You can." I said. "Don't take that for granted." Jace huffed but took a seat nonetheless. "I'll be back later."

"Wait, you're leaving me here?" I heard Jace shout.

"This isn't my family feud." I said before leaving the room. This was the right thing to do, I hope Jace saw that.

 **Jace POV:**

I couldn't believe that Clary did this. She had no reason to bring me here, and put me in this position. Especially with a topic that is still extremely sensitive to me.

"Jonathan."

"Jace." I cut her off. "I prefer to be called Jace."

"Fine, Jace." She corrected herself. "I'm sure you're extremely unhappy with me at the moment."

"Try pissed grandmother." I said with as much malice as I could muster.

"Fine, you're pissed." She said and I could tell she didn't like the word. "And you have every right to be."

"Damn right I do." I said.

"Please Jonathan, your language is atrocious." She said. "There are so many things that I've done wrong in my life. Cutting your father out was one of them, but it was too late to repair the damage when I finally figured it out."

"No it wasn't." I said. "Who cares how much time went by. He's your son, and as pissed off as he is with you, he would have listened, because that's the kind of man he is."

"I know that. I did raise him." She said.

"I wouldn't know." I said honestly. "He doesn't talk about you. Ever." I pointed out. "I didn't even know I had any family until I found out the real reason my mother died."

"I've done a lot of thinking." She said. "Every since Clarissa came to visit, I've had a lot of time to rethink my decisions." She said and just the fact that she called Clary Clarissa threw me off.

"About what?" I asked.

"I can't control everything." She said. "I tried, and I failed miserably. I wanted the Herondale name to live on forever, and be a powerful name, and now I have your moronic cousin running the company, and he's keeping it running, but he should be more qualified, and I think he just likes to use the private jet to go places that aren't work related." She said and I couldn't help but laugh at that. "Clarissa told me you're in a band, and you're quite popular. Tell me about it?" She asked.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Very." She said. "You said it yourself, if I would have just come and talked to your father, he would have heard me out." She said. "I'm here to hear you out, and get to know you Jace." She said. "I'm trying to mend this broken bridge with you first."

"Why not my dad?" I asked.

"I have 29 years to catch up with you." She said. "I have 34 years to fix with him." She said and I just nodded.

We sat there and talked for nearly two hours before I was finished telling her about my band. It was weird knowing that she was my grandmother, when for the 29 years I've been on this planet I never knew who she was. I knew we had a long way to go, but this was a start, and I couldn't believe Clary was right, yet again, about what I needed.

"I should probably go and find Clary." I said as I stood up.

"Hold on." She said and I retook my seat. She reached inside a drawer and picked something up. "Years ago your father reached out to me." She said. "He said that you were very serious about your girlfriend at the time, who I'm assuming was Clarissa." She said and I nodded. "We have a tradition in this family that the son gets the family ring and gives it to his future bride." She explained as she handed me the ring. "I never gave it to your father because I disproved of his choice of brides." She said. "But you have yourself a good one out there."

"We aren't together anymore." I said.

"Than change that." She said.

"Grandmother, we were together for awhile, and we've been apart for nearly 6 years." I said. "There is a lot of time lost."

"You don't want to wake up and realize you've spent 34 years away from the ones you love." She said. "You have a chance, a really good chance, at making it up to her, and mending that relationship. Take that chance Jace." She said and I nodded.

"Thank you for talking to me grandmother." I said as I stood up.

"No, thank you for taking the time to talk to me." She said.

"Maybe we can get together another time." I said.

"I'd like that." She said and at that moment, a knock came at the door, and when it opened there stood Clary.

"I was getting ready to call the police. I thought one of you killed the other with how long that talk lasted." She said and I laughed.

"Nope. Just catching up." I said.

"So, I'm not in trouble?" She asked and I smiled and shook my head.

"Quite the opposite." I said and she looked confused. "I'll see you soon grandmother." I said and she smiled.

"Absolutely, and I can't wait to see that painting Clarissa!" She said and Clary smiled.

"It's almost done!" She called back before we left the house. We got in the car and started driving.

"Can you pull over?" I asked her and she nodded before pulling the car over.

"Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Yes." I said. "I want to thank you for doing this." I said and she looked at me. "I don't know how you do it, but you always know what I need. It's amazing."

"I know you Jace." She said. "Better than anyone does." She said and I nodded because it was true. "I couldn't let this opportunity pass by without trying to do something."

"Why are you so perfect?" I asked and she blushed. "Seriously Clary, breaking up was the stupidest thing we've ever done." I said and her eyes widened. "And I know you know it's true."

"We were at two different places in life Jace." She said. "It made sense at the time."

"But it doesn't make sense now." I said.

"What are you saying?" She asked.

"I'm saying I want you back." I said bluntly. "More than I've ever wanted anything." I explained. "I don't know if you knew this, but I was planning on proposing to you a couple months before we broke up." I said and her cheeks turned red immediately. "I wanted it so badly, and than it just went sideways." I admitted. "These 6 years have been lonely, and now that I have you back in my life somewhat, I don't want to let you go."

"Jace." She said and I pulled out the ring that my grandmother just gave me.

"I want you Clary. I wanted you 6 years ago, and I still want you." I said before she could say anything else. "I love you, I've always loved you, I'll always love you, and I'll love you after I die." I rambled. "Please."

"Are you done yet?" She asked and I nodded. "I've been waiting for the day for you to ask me to marry you." She said and my heart nearly stopped. "Breaking up was tough, but not having you in my life at all was tougher." She said. "I never stopped loving you Jace."

"We should have never broken up." I said and she laughed.

"We needed to at the time." She said. "It was better for both of us, but that didn't mean it was over forever, just for a period of time."

"Well, I'm never letting you go for another period of time ever again." I said and she laughed. she gave me her left hand and I slipped the ring on.

"You have yourself a deal Herondale." She said as she leaned over and kissed me. Kissing Clary was like coming home after a long vacation. Sweet, and welcoming. Something I was never going to get tired of.

 **Time Jump – Eight Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I were on our way to Imogen's house to have a cup of tea. I was so incredibly happy that their relationship mended the way that it did, and that they have their family back together again. It took a few weeks for Stephan to come around, but when he finally did, I could tell that this was the family's time to mend, and I was super happy they got that chance.

A lot has changed in the last 8 years. Jace and I got married like 6 months after he asked. It was long overdue and we didn't want to wait any longer. We wanted, and needed to be married more than anyone knew, and a huge ceremony just wasn't what we wanted. Friends, family, and that was it. Everything was perfect, and I still get butterflies thinking about that day.

But the most insane news is that Jace and I have 5 incredibly rambunctious kids now. Now, we were planning on having two to three. It seemed plausible, and reasonable. We had out first one, Caleb, and he was just perfect. He was the happiest baby I've ever seen, and Jace and I were completely and totally in love with him.

When we went to have kid number two, Caleb was almost 2 years old, and we thought the age gap would be perfect. They would grow up together, and be the best of friends. Yea, well what Jace and I weren't expecting was quadruplets. To say we were shocked at the ultrasound would be an understatement. Lane, Penn, Tate, and Valen were born and our lives got hectic.

Having a 7 year old, and than four 5 year olds was insane. I don't know how Jace and I did it most days, but somehow everything got accomplished and when we got to bed each night, we were exhausted. It also didn't help that I was completely outnumbered in the gender department. Having 4 sons, and 1 daughter was tough. Valen was my little shadow. She followed my everywhere, and always listened to me. Caleb was a pretty chill child. Normally wanting to do whatever Jace was doing, but Lane, Penn, and Tate were monsters, and more often than not, didn't listen to a word I said, and I prayed that they would grow out of it.

"Grandmom Imogen!" I heard Caleb call, which pulled me from my mind.

"How is my little grandson doing?" Imogen said as she hugged him.

"I'm not little anymore grandmom." Caleb said and Imogen smiled.

"Hi grandmom." Jace said as he gave her a kiss, and I followed.

"How are you two doing?" She asked.

"Stressed." I said honestly. "I'm about to pull my hair out."

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Just the kids and the paintings are not letting me get enough sleep." I said.

"I keep telling her to just take a break from the work for a little while and rest." Jace said.

"I like that idea." Imogen said.

"I need to work." I said.

"I can support the family Clary." Jace said as he took my hand in his. "You work so hard, you need a break."

"I can step away from being a painter, I can't however step away from being a mom." I said. "I'll always have that title."

"That doesn't mean you can't go on a vacation." Jace said.

"You really want to watch our five kids without me?" I asked and he laughed.

"You do it everyday, giving you a week off, and giving me all the responsibility won't kill them." He said and I laughed.

"Okay, I'll take you up on the offer, but you can't call me when you have a question." I said and he laughed.

"I got this Clare." He said with his signature smirk.

"MOM!" I heard. "Tate bit me!" Valen yelled.

"No I didn't!" Tate called back.

"Yes you did!" Valen snapped back.

"Did not!" Tate yelled.

"Did too!" She yelled.

"What are you staring at?" I said to Jace. "They need a mediator."

"Dad to the rescue." He said as he got up and went over to the arguing children. I grabbed my tea and started sipping.

"It should be one interesting week." I heard Imogen say and I laughed. I looked back at Jace who was settling the dispute and couldn't help but smile. It may have taken a while to get to this point, but we were here and that's all that mattered. So much time was stolen from us, but we got it back, and I couldn't be happier with my life.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I have no idea where this one came from. It was either requested, or from my head and I just don't remember, but I hope that you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **PS: Sorry it took me so long to update with another story, life just got in the way, but I'm back now, so I will try to get back in the swing of things! :)**


	98. Chapter 97 - Closed Off

**Ninety Seventh One Shot:**

 **Closed Off**

 **Jace POV:**

We finally moved out of that god forsaken town where nothing good ever happens. Maryse wanted to move us sooner, but I had to stay in town for the trials, and that alone took nearly 3 years. But now we are moving into out new home, and for the first time, I finally felt like I might be safe.

Nobody really knows what happened to me. I've asked to keep it completely under wraps because I didn't want anyone knowing my personal business. Everyone understood that, and even Maryse and Robert didn't know the true extent of my history, and I planned on keeping it that way.

Maryse still knew that being in that town was a detriment to my recovery, and when she asked the rest of the family if it was okay if we moved and they were all on board, and I was thankful that they were so willing to move. Even if they knew it wasn't because of me. We were in a new town, and new state, and it was time for a fresh start.

I was getting the boxes out of the back of the moving truck when I heard more voices, voices that I knew didn't belong to my family. When I emerged from the truck there were people coming out of the house next door to us. My new neighbors.

"Vanessa slow down!" I heard a girl say, and when I saw her, she looked about my age, and she had the brightest red hair I've ever seen.

"But Clary, you promised we'd go to the movies!" The little girl said.

"I'm well aware, but the movie doesn't start until 3 baby girl, and it's currently only 1." The girl, Clary, said. "We don't want to have to sit around waiting until it starts."

"Jonny promised we'd go get ice cream before hand!" The little girl whined.

"Of course Jonny did." Clary said and I could imagine she was rolling her eyes.

"Come on!" The girl ran back and started pulling her hand towards the car.

"Why don't we go say hello to our new neighbors?" Clary said and that's when I realized I was just standing there watching them. Then I felt a hand on my leg.

"Hi, I'm Vanessa Morgenstern, what's your name?" The little girl asked and she was so cute, I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm Jace." I said.

"This is my big sister Clary." She said as she pointed to the redhead.

"It's very nice to meet you Clary." I said and she blushed, and I found it incredibly adorable.

"You as well Jace." She said. "I'm guessing you just got in?" She asked.

"Yea. About two hours ago." I said. "We are just finishing unpacking."

"Where did you move from?" She asked.

"Indiana." I said.

"That's quite the change." She said and I nodded.

"It was necessary." I said and she nodded.

"Alright Morgenclan, let's go!" I heard a deep voice say.

"That's my brother, Jonathan." She said with a smile. "Your family should come over for dinner sometime as a welcome to the neighborhood." She said.

"I'll ask them." I said and she nodded.

"Come on baby girl, let's go get you that ice cream." Clary said as she scooped Vanessa up into her arms and she giggled.

"Bye Jacey!" She said as she waved, and I waved back. They got in the car and were off, and the Lightwood's walked back out of the house.

"Who were you talking to?" Izzy asked.

"Our new neighbors." I said.

"Are they friendly?" Maryse asked.

"I only met the children, but they seemed nice enough." I told her. "They want to have us over for dinner this week as a welcome to the neighborhood."

"That's very sweet of them." Maryse said and I nodded. "But that doesn't get you out of unpacking this truck. I would like to be done by dinner time people!" She said and everyone went back to work. I think living here could be good for me, but I just hope that I wasn't wrong.

 **Time Jump – New Neighbor Dinner**

 **Clary POV:**

My mom and the women next door, Maryse, hit it off very well when they talked for the first time. It was nice that they got along. Having bad neighbors sucks, and when the old ones moved out, we were thrilled. They were coming over for dinner tonight and I couldn't wait to get to know them better. It's been awhile since we had kids our own age around here, and I think that Vanessa would benefit from that, even if they weren't close to her age per say.

The door bell rang indicating that they were here, and since my parents were still cooking, and Jon was entertaining Vanessa, it was my job to get the door. I walked over, and opened it and was surprised to see how many people were there. They had been spending the majority of their time in doors, so I have gotten the best view of them, and I certainly didn't know they had such a big family.

"Welcome." I said as I gestured for them to come in. "Glad you could make it."

"Thank you for having us. You must be Clary. Your mother spoke very highly of you." Maryse said.

"I am." I said. "And she's always hyping me up to people, I promise, I'm not as interesting as she makes me out to be." I said and they all laughed. "Everyone is in the back." I said and Maryse started to make her way outside.

"I'm Izzy." The other girl of the family said. "We haven't really had time to make introductions."

"Completely understandable." I said. "It's nice to meet you Izzy."

"I can't tell you how nice it is to finally know another girl. I'm surrounded by boys all day." She said and I laughed.

"Didn't you have any girlfriends back home?" I asked as we walked to the back.

"Nope. They were all bitches." She said and I laughed.

"Well, I don't know how fantastic I'll be at being a friend, I don't really get out much, I babysit my sister a lot, but being neighbors is all a good start." I said and she nodded in excitement.

We got out back and Jace and the other boy were talking to Jon, while the smaller boy was sitting with the adults looking bored. It must suck being so much younger than your siblings. I think that's one reason why I like spending so much time with Vanessa, it gives her to attention that she needs in order to grow up without becoming socially awkward.

"What's your little brothers name?" I asked Izzy.

"That's Max. He's 9." She said and I nodded. I walked over and kneeled in front of him.

"I'm about to take my little sister to our tree house, you wanna tag along?" I asked and his eyes lit up.

"Can I mom?" Max asked.

"Where is this tree house?" She asked.

"It's in the woods. I take Vanessa there all the time." I said and she looked at my parents who nodded in agreement.

"Okay." She said and Max jumped up. He grabbed my hand and we walked over to the older boys, since Vanessa was still clinging to Jon.

"Come on baby girl, we're going to go our new friend the tree house." I said and she unattached herself from Jon and grabbed my hand. "Text me when dinner's ready."

"Will do." Jon said and I started walking to the tree house with the little ones.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left with the kids Izzy came over and joined in the conversation. It was mostly Alec and Jon talking about sports, since they were in the same year, Jon was talking all about what school was going to be life for seniors and stuff. I wasn't really interested.

"Yo Jace, do you play any sports?" Jon asked.

"Not really." I admitted.

"Really? You look like you do." Jon pointed out.

"I like to work out, but I don't particularly like sports." I said and he nodded.

"Your brother here tells me he plays soccer. He any good?" Jon asked.

"He was the best player at our old high school." I said. "He was being scouted as a sophomore."

"That's impressive." Jon said and I nodded. "You have to try out for the team."

"I was planning on it." Alec said. "I want to go to college on a soccer scholarship." He explained.

"Me too." Jon said. "What are your top choices?" He asked.

"Syracuse, Duke, and Notre Dame." Alec said.

"No way, Notre Dame is one of my top picks too." Jon said.

"Nice." Alec said and I pretty much tuned the conversation out, until I realized I had to pee.

"Jon, where is your bathroom?" I asked.

"Second floor, 3rd door on the left." He said and I nodded.

I made my way into the house and up the stairs. I was heading towards the bathroom when a bright color caught my eye. Normally I'm not one to pry, but I couldn't help but wonder what it was. I walked into the room, and the whole place was a hot mess. It took everything in me not to start cleaning it. What really caught my eye though was all the drawings on the walls. Mainly pictures of the family, but some were of people I clearly wasn't going to recognize. They were incredibly well done, and so realistic. I saw a picture on the dresser and that's how I figured out I was in Clary's room. She had some serious talent, and when Maryse told us about what Jocelyn said about Clary, I could tell she wasn't exaggerating, Clary was just being modest.

I finally decided that I probably should in fact pee, like I was planning on doing so they wouldn't send a search party for me. I went to the bathroom, and by the time I got back downstairs, Clary was emerging from the woods with Max and Vanessa, and everyone was gathering at the table to eat dinner. I took my seat next to Jon and than Clary sat in the seat next to me.

"Mom, you have to go see that tree house. It's awesome." Max said.

"Maybe another time sweetheart." Maryse said and Max nodded.

I pretty much tuned out the whole dinner conversation. Small talk wasn't really for me, and if I was asked a question, I would answer, but since I was a pretty uninteresting person, the questions were few and far between. When dinner was over we all made our way inside and took a seat in the living room. I couldn't help but notice that this family, was literally the perfect family.

Jon was the oldest. Star athlete, great grades, was going to take over the Morgenstern family company when he graduated from whatever college he was going to go to and study business. He had everything in the palm of his hand.

Clary was the spitting image of her mother. And she had a talent that was out of this world. She was kind, and intelligent, and beautiful, and an over all good girl that was raised right, and knew how to act and treat others respectfully, not to mention that she was amazing with kids. The world was her oyster, and all she had to do was set her mind to something, and she could achieve it.

Vanessa, she was only 5 I think, but she still had everything going for her. She had two amazing parents, and amazing siblings to raise her the right way. She had Jon to protect her if anything went wrong, she had Clary to teach her everything she needed to know, and she had parents who provided for her, no matter what. She never had to worry about being alone, or unloved, or anything like that.

Just being around them made me jealous. I wish I was raised like them. I wish my father gave me the world, or hell just tried to give me what he could and loved me unconditionally. I would never get that. I would never truly have a family. The Lightwood's have been remarkable. They've treated me right, they've helped me through a lot, and they've provided for me. I don't know where I'd be without them, but that doesn't replace the fact that I didn't have a family, or the fact that the family that I did have, wasn't a good one. I was deprived of my childhood, and that was something I'd have to live with forever.

"Jace." I heard and I looked at Maryse. "Max is sleepy, do you mind taking him home and getting him ready for bed?" She asked.

"Of course not." I stood up and Max did as well. "Come on dude, let's get you to bed." I said and he nodded.

"Goodnight Clary, thank you for showing me the tree house today." She said in a sleepy voice as he gave her a hug.

"You're welcome to come alone with Vanessa and I any time you want." Clary said and Max smiled a sleepy smile and nodded. We walked back over to the house where Max got ready for bed in zombie form. I got him into bed, and pulled the covers over him.

"Night Max." I said and he nodded and fell asleep. I walked out of his room and made my way to mine. I got ready for bed in the same manor that Max did, but unlike him, that was my normal routine. I always walked around like this. I knew that being here was supposed to improve my attitude and everything, but there were so many years of damage so undo, that it might take the rest of my life to get to a place that isn't dark, and depressing.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

School had been going fine. I was so annoyed that I had two more years of high school, but I had to suffer just like every other teenager does, and I could live with that, but that didn't mean I had to like it.

Alec, and Izzy seemed to be adjusting well to school. Alec made the soccer team, and got along great with all the guys on the team, him and Jon were becoming really good friends, and I was happy for him. Izzy was on the field hockey team, and she liked some of the girls. She always had a dozen stories to tell me when we got home from school, and I welcomed them all in, and laughed along with her while we were on babysitting duty. Jace on the other hand, he was a mystery. The first day of school I couldn't go one period without hearing about the 'hot new kid'. He barely gave anyone the time of day, but he wasn't rude about it. He just liked to keep to himself.

Izzy and I were watching Vanessa and Max today, so we decided to take them to the park. It was nice that Max liked playing with Vanessa. Even though he was nearly 4 years older than her, if she asked to play in the sandbox, he always said yes. It was really pretty sweet.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked Izzy as we sat on the bench.

"Of course." She said.

"What's up with Jace?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" She questioned.

"I don't know. He just seems really introverted, but plenty of people at school want to be his friend. So it's not like he has a hard time with that." I said.

"That's just how he is." She said. "He came to us when he was 12." She said. "He's adopted." She further explained, but I kinda already picked up on that. "He was pretty freaked out for about 2 years with us. He was paranoid that he was going to be removed again, and that he was never going to find a family." She said and my heart broke for him. "When my parents sat him down and asked if he would be okay with them adopting him, everyone thought he was going to be jumping for joy, but he kinda just sat there and nodded." She said. "Almost like he was indifferent to the idea, but we learned later on that that's just how he is." She said. "He's not very interested in anything. He's never had a girlfriend, he's never played sports, never joined a club, never went to a school dance." She explained. "He's just a loner, but a polite loner."

"That's so odd to me." I said. "He seems like he would be a social butterfly with how many people beg for his attention at school." I said and she laughed.

"That's what we thought too, but Jace is just the type of person that likes to keep to himself. He's been that way since we've met him." I nodded because clearly the only person that I would ever get information out of about Jace was Jace and I didn't think that was a possibility that this moment. We've talked occasionally here and there, but never about anything important. Just the causal stuff that people asked when in passing, and hearing what Izzy said, it made sense. He was polite, but he kept to himself, and I wanted to know why.

 **Time Jump – Christmas Time**

 **Jace POV:**

Christmas was the worst time of the year. I hated it more than anything, but the worst part is, the Lightwood's were Christmas fanatics. They went all out with decorations, and I just sat there and bit my tongue. They didn't have to take me in, and give me a home, so in turn I wasn't going to tell them how much I hated the holidays and ruin it for them. They were normally down right after the new year anyway, so I sucked it up.

Today, I just couldn't stand the Christmas songs, so I decided to just take a nice long break outside and smoke. It was a nasty habit really, but one that I couldn't break no matter how hard I tried. It was calming, and it kept my anxiety at bay, so that was helpful. Everything was so quiet in the snow, and I felt like I was the only person in the world, something that made me feel invincible, until I remembered that I wasn't.

"You okay?" I heard from behind me and when I turned around, Clary was standing on her deck.

"Yea. Just needed a smoke." I said as I held up the cigarette.

"Those things will kill you." She said with a laugh as I took another puff.

"Not if my anxiety gets me first." I said as I let the smoke out of my mouth.

"Is smoking a remedy for anxiety?" She asked as she made her way over to me.

"It is for me." I said.

"Christmas overload in your house too?" She asked and I nodded. "I've never been a fan of this holiday. But my family loves it, and it kinda drives me crazy." She said.

"Me either." I said.

"What is your favorite holiday?" She asked, and it was weird talking to her like this, but she made it really easy, and it was a nice distraction.

"I don't think I really have one if I'm being honest." I said and she nodded. "What about you?" I asked, wanting to know what it was.

"Halloween." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"Why Halloween?" I wondered.

"I just love the scary movies, the costumes, the whole mythology of Halloween, and the ghost stories." She said. "Plus, I love taking Vanessa out trick or treating because I get all the candy that she isn't allowed to have." She said with a laugh.

"I do the same thing with Max." I said. "Alec and Izzy normally have party plans on Halloween, and since I'm not much of a partier, I take Max out."

"Yea, Jon goes nuts on Halloween, but I prefer to take Vanessa out." She said. "Next year we should go together. We can coordinate costumes so we look real official." She said and I laughed.

"If you think of a cool idea, I'm all for it." I said without even thinking about it, but it made her so happy, that I was actually willing to do it.

"Oh, it'll be the best costume you've ever worn." She said and I had no doubt that she was right. "What was your favorite costume growing up?" She asked and I involuntarily froze, I knew this might come up.

"Uh…" I said trying to find the right thing to say.

"It's okay, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want too." She said and I nodded. I couldn't really find the words to say, so I just didn't say anything.

"Claaaaaary!" I heard Vanessa say in a song voice. "It's time to decorate the treeeeee!" She said and Clary groaned.

"Well, I'm back to torture." She said and I smiled. "I'll see you around Jace."

"See ya." I said and she ran to the deck.

"Come on baby girl, let's get that tree decorated." She said and Vanessa giggled. I put out my cigarette and went back in the house. It smelled like cookies and pine needles, and I knew this was going to be a long Christmas.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Before Christmas**

 **Clary POV:**

Vanessa and my mom went to visit my grandmother today, and my dad and Jon were at the office doing something that I didn't really understand and I was alone for the first time in a long time, and I didn't know what to do with myself.

I decided that I was going to go to the tree house and sketch a little bit. It was one of my favorite spots to sketch, and in the snow it would be perfect, and since I had the alone time to do it, I figured I'd take advantage of that.

It was a little chilly, but I had a heated blanket with me, and I was bundled so I was pretty content. I had some music playing softly when I heard a branch break from down below me. I put my sketchbook down and looked through the hole to see Jace walking around.

"Hey!" I called, and I think I startled him because he nearly jumped 4 feet in the air. "Why are you wondering the woods?" I asked.

"Don't scare me like that Clary." He said while he caught his breath.

"You wanna join?" I offered and he looked around before climbing up. "I feel like whenever I see you, you're like constantly fighting an inner battle."

"What kind of inner battle?" He asked.

"One that tells you to run as far away from me as possible so we don't have to talk, but the other side is telling you to stay and talk." I said. "I feel like you're always conflicted, because getting you to talk about something is like pulling teeth, but you always do it anyway."

"I don't normally talk to people." He said. "It's just how I am."

"So am I the only one that witnesses this inner battle?" I asked.

"Yea." He simply said.

"Soooooo…." I said after a moment. "What brings you to the woods?" I asked.

"Just needed some air." He said.

"Does your house lack oxygen or something? You always need air." I said with a laugh, and he chuckled but I knew it was forced.

"I don't like being cooped up." He said.

"Is something going on Jace?" I finally asked. "You've been on edge for the past couple weeks."

"I told you. I don't like this holiday." He said.

"You can talk to me Jace." I said. "I know we barely know each other, but I'm always open to listening if you need to get something off your chest."

"You wouldn't understand." He said.

"I don't have too." I said. "Just having someone there to listen is more helpful than bottling it all up."

"I don't like talking about it Clary." He said in a sad tone. "It's something I want to keep buried, and if I talk about it, I just dig it right back up." He hung his hand. I reached over and placed my hand in his and at first he flinched, but than he relaxed.

"Jace." I said in a reassuring tone, and he looked up at me. Sadness evident in his golden eyes. "What is it about this holiday that has you so worked up?" I asked and he just hung his head again, I figured I wasn't going to get an answer, but I was going to let him know I was there for him, but than he started speaking.

"My father." He said. "My real father. I was taken out of his care when I was 5 years old." He said. "He liked to hit me." He said and my heart nearly shattered. "And when he wasn't beating me, I was locked in the basement." He further explained, and that's when my heart shattered. "It was around this time that I was removed from the house. That's why I don't like this holiday."

"I'm so sorry Jace." I said.

"I hate when people do that." He said.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Apologize for something they didn't do." He said.

"But it's true. I'm sorry that it happened to you." I said. "Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me." I said and he nodded.

"You're very easy to talk too." He said with a laugh. "You should be a therapist."

"I kinda want to do that." I admitted.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yea. I want to be an art therapist." I said.

"That's a thing?" He asked and I laughed and nodded.

"Yea. It combines my two favorite things. Art and helping people." I said and he nodded.

"You're really talented." He said.

"How do you know that?" I asked curiously.

"When we came over for the first time for dinner, I needed the bathroom and I passed your room and it blew me away." He said. "Not just the art work, but how messy you are." He said and I laughed. "Honestly woman, you could get lost in there."

"I can't help it. I've never been very clean." I said and he laughed. "But if you think I'm good, you should see my mom. She's amazing. I hope to be as talented as she is one day."

"I think you can do it." He said and I smiled.

"Well, if you ever feel the need to get away, my tree house is always available for you." I told him. "I understand the need to get away sometimes, and this just seems like the perfect place."

"Thank you Clary." He said and I nodded and at that moment my phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Clary, Vanessa and I are headed home. We're picking up something for dinner, have any opinion?" My mom asked.

"Not really mom." I said. "You know I'm not a picky eater." I said and she laughed.

"Okay. See you in a little." She said as we hung up.

"I should head home." I said. "But feel free to chill up here for as long as you like." I said.

"Thanks." He said. "For listening and sharing your tree house."

"What are friends for?" I asked but before he could answer I was climbing down the ladder and heading home. I couldn't get the smile off my face after talking with Jace. I knew there was more going on with him, and I wanted to peel those layers back, but I would do it on his time, but I liked the direction our friendship was going.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I was finally going home after spending the whole day in the tree house. It was weird. It actually made me feel at some level like I was at home. Which was something that I never had before. I didn't know if it was because of the tree house or because of Clary. There was something about her that was different. Yea we're completely different people, I've been through shit in my life that no one should ever have to deal with, and she's never experienced a painful experience ever, but I felt comfortable around her. Almost like my past didn't matter, and I liked that feeling.

I thought everyone would be in bed by the time that I got back, but the second I walked into the kitchen the lights flickered on and there sat Alec and Izzy. I wanted to avoid the interrogation, but evidently that wasn't going to happen with these two in the house.

"Where the hell have you been?" Izzy said.

"Out walking." I said.

"Jace, you left at like 2 this afternoon." Alec said.

"I'm well aware." I said.

"Mom was worried sick about you." Izzy said.

"Look, next time I'll leave a note." I said.

"If it weren't for Clary, we would have thought you were dead." Alec said.

"You talked to Clary?" I asked.

"Not really." Izzy said. "Mom saw her outside, and asked if she saw you. Clary said she saw you walking not to long ago, and that you were fine." She explained. "Mom was still worried though."

"I'll leave a note." I said. "I didn't mean to worry anyone. I just needed some air." I explained and they nodded. "I'm going to go to bed." I said and left the kitchen before they could say anything. I just wanted this day, hell this season to end.

 **Time Jump – Middle of April**

 **Clary POV:**

Izzy was going on and on about junior prom. I was starting to lose brain cells. Don't get me wrong, I loved Izzy, she's become one of my really good friends, but dances weren't for me, and she was trying to convince me to go for about two weeks now, and I was tired.

I saw Jace sitting at his normal table, alone like always, and decided to make a split second decision. I grabbed my stuff and headed over to him. When I put all my books down he looked up at me with a confused expression, and I smiled back at him.

"Izzy is slowly killing me with prom talk." I said and he laughed. "Mind if I sit here?" I asked.

"Not at all." He said and I pulled the chair out. "So prom, not your thing?" He asked.

"Dances in general aren't my thing." I admitted. "I have two left feet." I said and he laughed.

"Yea, dances aren't my thing either." He said. "Izzy's tried to force me to go to every one that our old high school offered, and surprisingly they offered a lot." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Did you ever just give in? Cause I'm at the point where I'm about to give up and go just so she stops talking." I admitted.

"Bad idea." He assured me.

"I'll take your word for it." I said and he nodded. "Plus, I don't even have a date, and it's kinda lame to go alone."

"I'm sure someone would ask you." He said. "What about your friend Simon?" He asked.

"He has his eyes set on your dear sister." I said and he looked confused. "You don't know?" I asked and he shook his head. "They have a date this weekend."

"That's shocking." He said.

"Why is that?" I asked curiously.

"Izzy doesn't normally do the whole dating thing." He said. "She's always just kinda been a one night stand kind of girl."

"Well, she ran over to my house yesterday freaking out because Simon asked her out, and she seemed genuinely nervous about it." I said.

"That's because it's new to her." He said. "She isn't used to being taken out, and talked to by someone who genuinely is interested in her."

"That's horrible." I said, Izzy was a great girl, I can't imagine people not wanting to know her.

"The guys she usually goes after are dicks." He said. "Hopefully Simon will be eye opening for her." He said and I nodded.

"So everyone has a date, and I don't want to third wheel it." I said and he nodded.

"I'm on Max duty prom night." He said. "Maryse and Robert are going to visit Notre Dame with Alec that weekend, so even if I wanted to go to prom, I probably wouldn't."

"Maybe we could do something together." I suggested. "I'm going to be watching Vanessa as well. My parents and my brother are visiting Duke. Max and Vanessa can hang out again."

"Sounds great. After we see my sister off, we can have like a insane movie night." He said and I smiled.

"Can't wait." I said and the bell rang signaling lunch was over. We gathered our things and headed in opposite directions. I got to my next class and Izzy made a beeline for me.

"What were you and Jace laughing at during lunch?" She asked.

"We were just talking." I said. "We are both on babysitting duty the night of prom, so we're going to have a movie night with Max and Vanessa."

"Really?" She asked seeming surprised.

"Yea. It was his idea." I said.

"That's surprising." She said.

"Why?" I asked.

"He isn't really a people person." She said. "But for some reason he just accepts your company like he's known you your whole life."

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.

"Not at all." She said. "I think it's a great thing. He needs more friends." She said and I smiled. The teacher walked in and started teaching, so Izzy turned around. I couldn't get over what Izzy said. I see how reserved Jace is during school, but when it comes to just us, and talking without anyone around, he much more open than he normally is, and I liked that I had that affect on him.

 **Time Jump – Junior Prom**

 **Jace POV:**

Simon was standing our living room waiting for Izzy, and he looked nervous as hell. He couldn't stand still, and he was constantly fixing his suit. I knew Izzy could be intimidating, but he was making me tired, and I was sitting on the sofa. I got up and walked over to him and grabbed him by the jacket.

"You're going to faint if you don't start breathing regularly." I said and he looked at me.

"I'm nervous." He said.

"I gathered that much." I said. "Look, you wouldn't be going to prom with Izzy if she didn't want to go with you." I said. "You already landed the girl, do not make her dump your ass on the dance floor."

"She wouldn't do that would she?" He asked nervously.

"Izzy is a heartbreaker." I said. "She'll stomp all over your heart with her high heeled boots." I said and he gulped. "But she likes you, otherwise she wouldn't have put so much time, effort, and energy into tonight. So calm down, take a few deep breathes, and enjoy the night."

"Thanks Jace." He said and I let him go.

"Don't mention it." I said. "Like to anyone."

"Got it." He said and that's when I heard the clicking. I took my seat back on the couch when Izzy came down the stairs. She looked amazing, but Izzy always knew how to dress for the occasion.

Maryse of course had me take a million pictures of the pair. I could tell that Simon was still nervous, but he was getting better, and I hoped that they had a great time. I really did. I finished taking the pictures, and sent a few to Maryse to get her approval.

"They look great together." I heard and Clary was making her way over to me with Vanessa.

"They match really well." I said and she laughed. "Vanessa, Max is in the living room picking out movies, why don't you go join him." I said. She nodded and skipped up the stairs. "I figured we'd just order pizza for dinner. It's easy, and something I think everyone likes."

"Sounds great." She said. "Vanessa isn't a picky eater." She said and I nodded.

"You sure you don't want to come Clare?" Izzy asked before they got into the car.

"I'm on babysitting duty." She said.

"Jace can watch Vanessa." She offered and as much as I didn't mind, I wanted to spend time with Clary.

"I'm good Iz. Have a great time, and we can talk all about it tomorrow." Clary said and Izzy nodded before getting in. Simon looked back at us, and Clary gave him two thumbs up. He nodded and made his way to the drivers side and they were off.

Clary and I made our way into my house and Max and Vanessa were on the floor looking through all the movie options. He had asked me beforehand if I would make him a fort, so I got to work on that, while Clary went and ordered the pizzas. Tonight was going to be a fun night, and I was looking forward to having one of those after all this time.

 **Time Jump – One Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace had finally finished the fort, Max and Vanessa finally decided on all the movies that we were going to watch, and the doorbell finally ran, indicating that the pizza was here. I grabbed the money and headed towards the door. I opened it up and there stood the delivery boy, and the minute he looked at me, he got this look in his eyes.

"Good evening." He said. "What's your name?"

"Does it really matter?" I asked. "I just want my pizza." I said. I reached out for it but he pulled it back.

"Not until I get a name." He smirked.

"My name has nothing to do with your job of giving me my pizza." I said.

"Three pizza's is a little much for one little girl." He said.

"My name is not little girl." I said back, and the annoyance in my voice clearly brought him joy.

"Well, if I knew your real name, I wouldn't need pet names." He said in a cocky attitude. I was about to open my mouth when I was cut off.

"Mommy!" I heard and I was shocked as I turned around and saw Vanessa running towards me. "Is that our dinner?" She asked.

"It is baby girl." I asked as I picked her up and a moment later Jace walked in and put his arm around me.

"I got this babe, why don't you go get the kids ready." He said and I was so shocked, that I just nodded and walked back into the living room. I put Vanessa down and a moment later Jace walked back in.

"You did good kid." He said to Vanessa and he gave her a high five.

"You two are sneaky." I said and Vanessa giggled.

"I could hear him from here, so Vanessa and I decided to do something about it." Jace said and Vanessa had the biggest smile on her face. "Now it is dinner time." He said and Max and Vanessa cheered.

We got them ready and put in the first movie. Max and Vanessa were all snug in the fort, while Jace and I sat on the couch off to the side.

"Thank you." I said. "For doing that. He was being a creep." I said and Jace smiled.

"Of course." He said. "Plus, withholding food is a crime according to me." He said and I laughed.

"Why do guys have to be such pigs?" I asked and he shrugged.

"Not all of us are that way." He said.

"I know, but it's still annoying." I said.

"What he did was wrong, I agree, but he probably isn't used to your feisty attitude." He said and I blushed.

"Yea well, he wouldn't give me my pizza." I said and he laughed. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. I had to bring out the sass."

"The sass was much appreciated on this end." He said.

"Clary." I heard Vanessa say.

"What is it baby girl?" I asked.

"Can I have another piece?" She asked.

"Absolutely." I said as I got up and went into the kitchen to get her another slice. I walked back out and gave it to her. I sat back down next to Jace on the couch and we continued to watch the movie. Tonight was already a good night.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was in the kitchen eating a snack when my phone rang. When I looked to see who it was, I was shocked to see her calling me after all this time.

"Hello?" I answered it.

"Hey Jace." She said. "How are you doing?"

"Amatis, why are you calling me?" I asked ignoring her question.

"I have bad news Jace." She said. "Michael Wayland is getting a hearing." She said. "He's trying to get parole."

"He's what?" I yelled and that seemed to get everyone's attention.

"Apparently he's up because of good behavior." She said.

"This can't be happening Amatis." I said as I shook my head.

"I'm so sorry Jace, but the lawyers are going to call and ask you if you want to testify to keep him in jail." She said. "I thought you should have a heads up."

"Thanks Amatis." I said and I hung up before slamming my hands on the table. "Fucking hell!" I yelled.

"Jace, what's wrong?" Maryse asked and I just look at them and ran. I couldn't be here right now. I needed to leave.

 **Clary POV:**

It was a beautiful day out, so we were having a barbecue outside. It was nice having these days with my family. Especially since Jon was off to college this fall, and we wouldn't get chances like this all that often. Everything was going great until this loud bang came and Jace ran out of his house and disappeared into the woods. The rest of the Lightwood family ran outside but stopped when he disappeared.

"What's going on?" My dad asked.

"We have no idea. He got a phone call, and just lost it." Maryse said.

"Where did he go?" My mom asked.

"Probably to our tree house." I said and everyone looked at me. "I told him he could go there whenever he needed some space, or some air."

"That's probably where he's sneaking off to in the middle of the night." Izzy said.

"Why would he be going into the woods in the middle of the night?" Jon asked.

"He has insomnia." Alec said. "He barely sleeps."

"I don't mean to sound rude, or anything. But is he like all there? In the head?" Jon asked. "Or is he like on the spectrum?" I slapped his arm. "What? I'm just curious."

"Just because he doesn't really like people don't be he's autistic." I said.

"I was just asking." Jon said and I rolled my eyes.

"He's not autistic." Maryse said. "We don't know why he got so mad all of the sudden, but he generally doesn't get mad, so it must have been bad."

"I can go after him if you want." Alec said.

"I think Clary should go." Izzy said.

"Why me?" I asked.

"Because Jace is willing to open up to you about things he won't talk about with us." She said.

"I think you put a little too much faith in me." I said.

"You know why he was in the foster system right?" She asked and I was taken aback as to how she knew that.

"Yes but..."

"No buts. We don't even know why he was in the system." Izzy said. "You're the first person he ever told that too." She said. "He'll talk to you."

"I'm not making any promises. If he wants to be left alone, I'm going to leave him alone." I said and they all nodded. I started making my way to the tree house trying to figure out what the hell i was going to say to him.

When I got closer I could hear grunting. When Jace came into my sight he was punching a tree. Hard. I thought he was going to break a couple knuckles if I didn't step in quick.

"Jace." I said and he froze.

"What are you doing here?" He asked breathlessly.

"Your family is worried about you." I said. "They wanted to make sure you were okay so they asked if I'd come talk to you."

"Family." He laughed. "I don't have a family."

"Yes you do Jace. The Lightwoods are your family." I said.

"No they aren't Clary." He nearly yelled. "The only two people I ever considered family betrayed me. Hurt me. Violated me." He said and his voice was filled with pain. "I'm an orphan. I have no family." His words echoed in my head.

"Talk to me Jace." I said and he turned around.

"Why should I?" He asked. "You don't know a damn thing about anything terrible." He spat. "You literally have the picture perfect life." He said to me. "Your parents love each other. You have two great siblings. You have great grades, lots of friends, you can do anything you want. You're innocent, pure, whole." He said. "I'm broken, used, and unworthy of anything."

"No you aren't Jace." I said as I took a step closer. "You aren't unworthy of anything. Just because your father was a piece of shit doesn't mean you aren't worthy of everything life has to offer." I said.

"You think that's the only reason I am the way that I am?" He asked and I was silent. I didn't know what to say. "News flash sweetheart, worse things have happened to me than being hit. Actually, I would have preferred being hit."

"Who called you?" I asked. "Was it your dad?" I asked.

"My father was killed in prison when I was 14." He said. "Plus, he never tried to contact me."

"So who was it?" I asked. I stepped closer to him again, and this time he didn't step away. I slowly reached my hand out and took his in mine. "Jace, what happened to you?" I asked and he sniffed. Something Jace didn't do.

"After I was removed from my fathers custody, they sent me to my closest relative." He said. "We weren't related but apparently he was my god father. I'd never met him." He said. "I got there, and I was pretty reserved for the first few weeks. He was very accommodating. He got me new clothes, new toys. He took me to the park, out to eat, to the movies. He did everything I always thought a father should do." He said. "I loved it. I was finally being treated like a kid. Like I mattered." He said and I moved us closer together. "It was about 6 months after I moved into his house when it started." He said as he shook his head.

"When what started Jace?" I asked in a small voice.

"I didn't know what was happening at first." He said. His voice strained from trying not to cry. "He walked into my room, and got into bed with me." He said my eyes started watering. "He told me that I owed him that much for everything he bought for me." He said. "I didn't want it." He said as he shook his head. "I didn't want him to touch me but I was only 6. I couldn't stop him."

"Oh Jace." I said and he wiped the tears from his face.

"It didn't stop there." He said, his voice dead, no emotions evident. "He continued to buy me things, and the more expensive things got, the worse the payments got." He said. "When I was 9 he bought me a bike." He said. "I was so happy. I always wanted one, and he got me the one I wanted." He said. "That was the first time he raped me." Jace said and I started crying. "When I was 11, my teacher reported to the school that she thought something was going on at home. CPS came, I told them everything, and I was removed that night." He said. "I was placed with the Lightwood's like 8 months later, and I've been with them ever since."

"That went out for 5 years?" I asked.

"He told me that nobody would believe a kid. That we had too active of imaginations to ever be taken seriously." He said. "If I threatened to tell, the punishments just got worse." He told me. "So I kept my mouth shut, until I had the opportunity to tell my truth. It was the worst thing I've ever been through, and I've never been the same."

"You are the most incredible guy I've ever met." I said and I think I caught him off guard.

"What?" He questioned. "I just told you about how I was sexually abused for 5 years and you think I'm incredible?" He asked.

"Jace, I've known you for almost a year." I said. "You are incredibly kind, you're a great brother to Max, you're smart, and you don't walk around blaming the world for your short comings." I said. "You may still be suffering, but you're also not an asshole to everyone around you in the process. You're still a great guy despite what you've been through." I said. "That makes you incredible."

"I never told anyone that before." He said as he took a deep breath.

"How does it feel?" I asked.

"Like a thousand pound boulder was lifted off my chest." He said and I smiled.

"I'm always down to listen to whatever is on your mind." I said and he nodded.

"My social worker was on the phone." He said. "I clearly don't need her anymore since I was adopted but she wanted to let me know that the man who raped me, is up for parole this year."

"He's being released?" I nearly yelled.

"Yea. Apparently good behavior." He said with air quotes.

"They can't be serious." I said.

"I can go to his hearing and testify against him to keep him in jail, but I don't want to go back there." He said.

"Jace, think about this. You could go and get him sent back to jail, and not have to be paranoid, or live in fear." I said.

"Clary, I can't see him again." Jace said. "I can't."

"You aren't that scared little boy anymore Jace." I said as I cupped his face in my hands. "You're stronger now. You can go shove it in his face that he didn't ruin you completely."

"Everything is still so fresh." He said. "It may have been 6 years ago, but it's still fresh to me."

"I'll go with you." I said out of the blue. "I'll be there every step of the way."

"You'd do that for me?" He asked.

"Of course." I said. He stared at me and I thought that I had just done a very bad thing. I shouldn't be pressuring him into seeing that pervert again. He probably hates me now. Before I know it, his lips are on mine. I'm shocked, but only for a minute before I start kissing back.

I don't know how long I've waited for this moment, but now that we're in it, I never wanted it to end. I knew that he never had a girlfriend before, but damn was he a great kisser. My hand snaked behind his head, and his hand rested on my hips. Everything was perfect in this moment. Than he pulled away.

"I don't have much practice in this department." He finally said. "But would you like to go out with me?" He asked and I laughed.

"I'd love too." I said and he smiled.

"I'll think about your suggestion. His hearing isn't until next month, so I have time to think." He said and I nodded.

"Just tell me if you need me, and I'm there." I said and he nodded. I intertwined our fingers and we started to head back towards the houses.

 **Izzy POV:**

"They've been gone for so long." Alec said.

"They better not be sucking face." Jon said just as Clary and Jace emerged from the forest. Holding hands.

"I totally called it." I said. "I knew they were getting close."

"How are it always so good at that?" Alec asked.

"It's a girl thing." I simply said and he rolled his eyes at me.

Clary and Jace made their way over to us and I could tell Jace had been crying with how red and puffy his eyes were. It was weird to me that he had been crying, and that he let Clary witness it.

"I'm sorry I ran." He said after a moment. Clary clung to his arm, giving him reassurance that he wasn't alone. "I just got some news I wasn't expecting and it freaked me out."

"It's okay Jace." My mom said. "You don't have to explain yourself to us." She said and he nodded.

"You've been incredibly kind to me since I came into your life." He said. "I'm not ready to spill everything, but I want you to know how grateful I am that I was placed with you." He said and my mom smiled.

"Not as grateful as we are." She said as she pulled him into a hug. He melted into her as returned it.

I knew there was something very serious going on, but for now, we just had to be there and support Jace. We couldn't pry, and as much as prying was my specialty; I was going to respect his decision. I'm just glad he had Clary by his sides they made a cute couple.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Things have been different with Jace since our kiss. He was so much more talkative around me, and always had some form of contact when we were in the same place, which I actually really loved. If he wasn't holding my hand, he was rubbing my back, or his hand was resting on my leg. It was like I was tethering him to the earth, and it made me feel important.

School was ending in two weeks, and I couldn't wait to summer vacation. We were going to have so much fun this summer since Jon was leaving. I was going to miss him, but I was proud of him for everything he's accomplished and ready to see what he accomplished in the future.

"Oh my god I got in!" I heard and when I looked Jon was walking behind me with a letting in his hand.

"Where?" I asked.

"Notre Dame." He said. "I got in! I can't believe I got in!" He yelled and I gave him a huge hug.

"I'm so proud of you Jon." I said and he smiled.

"I was worried that I wasn't going to get in. They were taking longer than normal." He said.

"But you got in." I said and he nodded.

"I have to go tell Alec. We'll be playing together!" He said as he ran out of the house and I couldn't help but laugh.

I've never really seen Jon get this excited about anything in his life, so seeing him so passionate about something was weird, but he was so excited, and I was excited for him. He wanted to go to Notre Dame so badly after his visit, and when Alec got in, it only heightened his want to go there. I was in the kitchen getting a snack when I felt arms snack around my waist. I jumped and than heard Jace's laughter.

"Not funny Jace." I said and he smiled.

"How did you not hear me?" He asked and I laughed.

"I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention." I said. "What are you doing over here?" I asked.

"Do I need a reason to come visit?" He asked and I laughed.

"No, I was just curious." I said.

"Alec and Jon are currently talking like a bunch of teenage girls about college, and I couldn't take it anymore. So I left." He said and I nodded. "You busy tonight?" He asked.

"Not that I'm aware of." I said.

"Wanna go out to dinner?" He asked.

"I'd love too." I said and he smiled.

He stayed for about 15 minutes until my parents came home with Vanessa. He said he would see me later, and than escaped out the back door. Vanessa came running into the kitchen for her afternoon snack followed by my parents.

"Mom, dad, can I go out tonight?" I asked.

"With who sweetie?" My mom asked.

"Jace." I said.

"Of course." She said with a smile. I nodded and ran upstairs to find out what I was going to wear, when I realized I was hopeless. I called the one girl I knew would have a solution. I dialed her number and she picked up immediately.

"Jace just told me you two were going out tonight." She said without even saying hello.

"Yes, and I need help." I said and she laughed.

"Be over in 3." She said as she hung up. The doorbell rang, I heard the door open, and than the footsteps coming up the stairs, and than she was in my room. "I have the perfect idea."

She really knew what she was doing, and got the perfect outfit, and did my hair, and my makeup. She was a pro and I felt really confident in this date tonight. When she was finally done, I looked in the mirror and couldn't believe I was looking at myself. It was a transformation.

"Izzy, you're my own fairy godmother." I said and she laughed.

"Have fun tonight." She said and I nodded and she left my room. I heard another knock on the door and I took a deep breath before heading downstairs. I opened the door and there stood Jace.

"You look beautiful." He said and I blushed. "You ready?"

"Yes." I said before walking out of the house and to his car. Tonight was going to be amazing. I could feel it.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

There were multiple reasons for this date tonight. One because I really wanted to take Clary out, two I really wanted to make thing between us official even if it was our first date, I knew this was right, and I wanted her to know that I was serious, and three I was going to ask her if she would come to Indiana with me when I testify against Michael Wayland. I don't want him on the streets. I want him in jail forever, and if I can put him there, I'll feel better.

The food was amazing, and now we were taking a walk in the park. Our hands were firmly intertwined and I couldn't stop looking at Clary all night. She was a literal angel, and I couldn't believe she saw the good in me. Hell, I didn't even see the good in me, but I wanted to be the best for her. We made it to this gazebo and we looked over the lake that was there. it was beautifully illuminated, and looked picture perfect.

"There are a few reasons I asked you out tonight." I finally said. She turned towards me and smiled. "One because I really wanted to go out with you. Two because I know it's only our first date, but I intend on there being many more, so I thought we could talk about what this was exactly. And three." I said and I took a deep breath. She took my hand in hers and I couldn't help but feel more confident. "I was wondering if you'd accompany me to Indiana to testify against Michael Wayland."

"Jace." She said as she stepped closer to me. "I will be there for you every step of the way." She said and I felt like my whole life was lighter. "And I know its our first date, but I'd like to know what this is exactly as well." She said.

"You're the only girl I want. The only girl I've ever wanted really." I admitted. "You're the first person that I've ever allowed into my life fully." I said as I rubbed my fingers over her knuckles. "And I know it might be soon, but I don't think I can walk around without knowing you're mine. I mean we can totally go on more dates before I officially ask you, but I was just thinking, I know I want to ask regardless so why should it matter if I ask now or after 4 dates you know?" I rambled.

"Jace." Clary said and I looked into her beautiful green eyes. "Ask me." She said and I smiled.

"Clary, will you be my girlfriend?" I asked.

"I've love too." She said and I pulled her into me and kissed her. Tonight was perfect, and I couldn't wait to see where the future went with Clary.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Do you have everything you need?" My mom asked.

"Mom, I'm literally only going to be gone for a week and a half. If I forget something, I can survive without it." I told her for the hundredth time.

"I know, but you've never gone away by yourself before." She said.

"I won't be alone mom." I said.

"Okay, this is the first time you'll be going away with a boyfriend." She said. "I just want to make sure you're prepared."

"I know mom." I said and she put her hands on my shoulders and looked directly into my eyes.

"Being on the road with your boyfriend is going to cause a lot of temptations." She started.

"Oh god, this isn't the sex talk is it?" I asked.

"I trust you, and I know you won't do anything that you aren't ready for, but if something does happen, just be safe okay? And when you aren't comfortable say something." She said, and all I could think about was the fact that sex was probably the last thing Jace and I thought about. He was still recovering, and if anything, it would be me pressuring him, and I want him to be comfortable enough and to trust me enough to take it that far.

"I promise you mom, Jace and I aren't ready to have sex, and I doubt being on the road together will get us all hot and bothered." I said. "Road head isn't something I'm interested in participating in."

"What the hell did I just walk into?" Jon asked from the doorway.

"Mom is giving me the safe sex lecture." I told him.

"My little sister is talking about giving her boyfriend road head? This is just the most disturbing conversation I could possibly imagine." Jon said and I laughed.

"Humor me Clarissa." My mom said and I nodded.

"I promise mom, we'll be safe." I said and she nodded.

"Thank you." She gave me one more hug, and than the doorbell rang. I walked over and opened the door and there stood Jace.

"You ready?" He asked and I nodded. He grabbed my bags and we walked out to the car.

"Call me when you get there." My mom said.

"Of course mom." I said as I gave her one more hug. Maryse came out and hugged Jace and than we got in the car. He pulled out of the driveway, and put his hand on my thigh. I rested my hand on top of his and turned the radio up. Although the reason we were going to Indiana was a unpleasant reason, I was excited for the time we were going to spend together.

 **Time Jump – Hearing**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day that Jace was dreading. He was going in to testify against the man who sexually abused him for years, and I could feel the tension radiating off his body. I tried my best to calm him down, but I knew I could only do so much. This man took advantage of Jace, and violated him in one of the worst ways. I couldn't even imagine how he felt.

We got to the courthouse and Jace was holding tightly onto my hand. We walked into the building and made our way to the courtroom that we were going to be in. when we go in there, the lawyers were there, but Michael Wayland was nowhere to be found yet. We went to the front and Jace started to have a conversation with the attorney that was going to be asking him questions as to why Michael Wayland shouldn't be paroled.

I was looking around the room to see the people there were there. The people that were going to be hearing Jace's story. Jace hasn't told me the details that happened to him, but he warned me that I was going to hear them today, and I was mentally preparing myself for that. I was pulled out of my head when I heard doors open, and in walked a man in cuffs, I'm assuming it is Michael Wayland by the way Jace tensed, and they way he smirked at Jace.

Jace took his seat next to me as Michael Wayland was led to the bench. I took his hand in mine and tried to reassure him that I was there for him, but when he looked at me, he was a million miles away. This must have been torture for him, and I couldn't wait for it to be over so he never had to go through this again. I wasn't focused on anything but Jace until his name was called.

"Jonathan Herondale." The attorney called. He looked at me, and I smiled and nodding, letting him know he could do this. Jace got up and made his way to the stand. "Jonathan, what is your relationship to the defendant?" He asked.

"I was told that he was my godfather." Jace said.

"You didn't know beforehand?" The attorney asked.

"I was 5 when I was placed in his custody, and before that I never saw him before in my life." Jace said.

"Mr. Wayland is up for parole." He said and Jace nodded. "Is there any reason why he shouldn't be released?"

"I'm assuming you know what he did to me?" Jace asked and the attorney nodded. "Letting a man like that out on the streets is further endangering the lives of other children. He raped me, what says he won't prey on another little boy once he's out of jail?" Jace asked.

"According to prison records, Mr. Wayland is an excellent inmate." The attorney said.

"Just listen to what you're saying." Jace said. "The _prison_ shows that he's an excellent _inmate._ " Jace said. "He wouldn't be in jail if he wasn't guilty of a crime."

"Do you feel as though Mr. Wayland is a danger to society?" The attorney asked.

"Absolutely." Jace said. "I've barely been holding it together for the past 6 years. Just ask my girlfriend." He said and Michael Wayland looked directly into my eyes, and I felt a bone chilling coldness run through me. "With him behind bars I'm still paranoid that he's going to find me. If he walks free, I'd be even more of a mess. I have nightmares, panic attacks, PTSD, I was depressed for a long time." Jace admitted. "All because of that man." He said as he pointed to Michael Wayland. "Letting him out would endanger more children, and create even more problems for me."

"What if he couldn't leave the state of Indiana?" The attorney asked.

"Do you have kids?" Jace asked.

"Yes." The attorney asked.

"And if one of them was being sexually abused, for years, and that person was up for parole, how would you feel?" Jace asked.

"Pissed." The attorney simply said.

"Now imagine how your child would feel." He said. "They would wake up in the middle of the night screaming, and crying. Asking you to get rid of the monster. Asking to protect them from the scary person who hurts them." Jace was painting a morbid imagine but it was working. "Imagine that child growing up constantly fearing that their worse nightmare was one day going to return and start sexually abusing them all over again." Jace said. "They would be constantly victimized by the mere thought of their predator." He said. "Sir, I was 6 years old when Michael Wayland started sexually abusing me. I'm 17 years old now, and I'm still not completely healed from the actions that man committed." He said. "I don't care how much jail as changed him, he's still a threat."

"Thank you Mr. Herondale." The attorney said and he stepped down and made his way over to me. He took a seat and I took his hand in mine and kissed his cheek.

"I'm so proud of you." I whispered in his ear and he squeezed my hand a little tighter.

"The court will go over the evidence and the victim statement and we'll get back to you with the verdict." The judge said as he banged his gavel. Jace and I stood up and Michael Wayland turned around.

"You'll always be mine." He whispered and Jace shut down. He had a dead look in his eyes, and he ran out of the courthouse. I ran after him, and when I found him he was hunched over by the car hyperventilating. I kneeled down next to him, and put my hands on his knees.

"Jace, I need you to focus on my voice." I said. "Just listen to me okay?" I asked and I thought I saw him nod so I continued. "He doesn't own you." I said. "He will never own you. You are your own person, and you are stronger than him. He will never hurt you ever again, I promise you Jace." I said and his breathing started to calm but he was still very much in his panic attack. "Jace, I love you." I said. Even though we've only been dating for a short time, I knew it. "I love you so much Jace, and I don't care what happens I will never let him touch you again. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me. You make me happy, and you make me feel beautiful, and you make me feel worthy of something." I said. "You do that. You are so incredible, and kind, and smart, and gorgeous, and respectful, and genuinely good." I said. "He didn't destroy you. He may have damaged you, but you are stronger now, you are the most amazing man I've ever met." I didn't realize I was rambling until I saw his golden eyes look into mine.

"You love me?" He asked and I smiled.

"I do." I said. "I really do."

"I love you too." He said. I leaned in and pressed my lips to his.

"He won't hurt you anymore Jace." I said and he nodded. We spent a few more minutes on the ground. "Do you want to head back to the hotel and get some rest?" I asked.

"I think that would be for the best." He said and I nodded. I helped him up and he pulled me into his arms. "Thank you Clary." He said. "For being the rock I needed."

"Anything for you Jace." I said and he kissed my head.

We got in the car and headed back to the hotel. When we got there, Jace went straight to the bed, and took a nap. I knew today was trying, and I wanted him to rest. I was sitting on the couch reading a book when his phone started to vibrate. I went over and noticed the attorney was calling.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Is Jace Herondale there?" He asked.

"He's asleep at the moment, but this is his girlfriend. How can I help you?" I asked.

"I just wanted to call and let Jace know that the verdict came back, and Michael Wayland is heading back to prison, forever." He said and I could have jumped for joy.

"Thank you so much for calling." I said. We hung up and I went into the room and crawled onto the bed where Jace stirred awake.

"Hey, how long have I been asleep?" He asked.

"Almost an hour." I said. "The attorney called." I said and that seemed to wake him up a bit. "Michael Wayland is going back to prison, forever." I said and he let out a sigh.

"Thank god." He said and I brushed his hair out of his face.

"You're free Jace." I said and he smiled.

"I can move on." He said and I nodded. He pulled me into his embrace and I let him hold me. Jace could finally move on and start living.

 **Time Jump – Six Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I think the craziest thing that happened to Jace and I in the last six years was that we both were accepted into Dartmouth University. Which was insane because the acceptance rate is like 10%. The day I got my acceptance letter I was in tears, and when I told Jace we basically screamed like little girls because we both got accepted into the same college.

I graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology, with a minor in art, just like I wanted. I am an art therapist, and loved every minute of it. Jace graduated with a bachelors degree in psychology as well, and counsels youths who were in the same situations that he was in. He is really making a difference in the world, and I knew it made him feel good, plus it was also a way for him to grieve.

After college, Jace and I decided to stay in New Hampshire, and we absolutely loved it. Of course it sucked being so far away from our families, but we sucked up the 4 hour car ride when we wanted to go visit, and as long as we visited once a month, we were both happy.

Today was one of the days we were going to visit. My parents think that we're coming in to celebrate Jace and I's 3 year wedding anniversary, but in all reality, we have bigger news for them. I was super excited, and couldn't wait to tell everyone. Keeping it a secret was killing me.

We got to my parents house, and the barbecue was already on. Everyone was gathered in the backyard laughing and drinking. I missed being around them like this, and I was glad that we were still just as close as we were when I lived here. Despite us all being in different places in life, we always knew where we met, and where our home was.

"If it isn't the tardy Herondales." Jon said as he gave me a hug.

"We can't control traffic." Jace said as he gave Jon a hug.

"No worries. Dad started dinner later since we ran out of propane." Jon rolled his eyes and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Seems to be a Morgenstern specialty." I said as I remembered the countless times this same exact problem happened before.

"Seems to be." Jon said.

"Happy anniversary baby." My mom said as he hugged me.

"Thanks mom." I said.

"How is New Hampshire?" She asked as we took a seat.

"Wonderful." I said with a smile.

"I'm glad to hear it, although New York is pretty nice as well." She winked and I laughed. She wants us to move back, but she also knows how much we love where we live.

"Trust me, I know." I said and she laughed.

Jace was talking to Alec and Magnus, Alec's husband for the past year, and he was also catching up with Simon. Izzy was talking about something but I was only half listening because I realized that Vanessa and Max were here.

"Mom, where is Vanessa?" I asked.

"Her and Max went to the tree house. They were tired of waiting for you." She laughed and I smiled. I looked back over at Jace and he looked at me and winked. I couldn't wait to share the news with our families. It was gonna be epic.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I have been anxious all day about telling our families. As per Clary's request we waited until the evening was nearly over so that she wasn't bombarded with questions for the rest of the night. I looked at Clary and she gave me a slight nod and I nodded back.

"So, Clary and I got gifts for everyone." I said and everyone looked at me.

"Really?" Izzy asked and I laughed.

"Really." I said as I got up and grabbed the box. "But there are rules." I said as I handed them out. "You must all open them together." I handed the last bag to Vanessa and took my seat.

"On the count of three." Clary said. "One, two three." They began opening like mad men.

"Shut up!" Izzy yelled first! "You're kidding me!"

"You're for real?" Alec asked.

"I'm going to be a grandmother?" Jocelyn asked.

"So am I!" Maryse said.

"This is insane." Jon said.

"That little one is gonna call me Pappy!" Valentine said.

"That means I get to be Pa!" Robert said.

"I love babies!" Vanessa said.

"I guess it's cool." Max said. That kid has always been too cool for school.

Clary and I sat there listening to our family soak in the fact that we were having a baby. I mean, I was still soaking it in and we've known for a couple months, so I can only imagine what's running through their minds.

"How far along are you?" Jocelyn asked Clary.

"Three months as of yesterday." Clary said.

"I can't believe you aren't showing yet." Izzy said.

"I wore a baggy shirt for a reason." Clary said as she flattened it over her stomach and you could see the small baby bump.

"Oh my god! There is a human in there!" Izzy shouted and Clary just laughed. "Ew, Jace is going to be a father." She said and I laughed.

"This should be interesting." Alec said and I smiled.

"I for one thing Jace will make an excellent father." Maryse said and I smiled.

"Thanks Maryse." I said and she smiled at me.

The rest of the night everyone was talking about the baby. Izzy was already planning a baby shower, Maryse and Jocelyn were already splitting up who was buy what for the nursery, they were making a schedule about when they would come up to decorate that nursery, and everything in between. I pulled Clary into my side as we watched our family get excited about the life that Clary and I were bringing into this world.

"I love you." Clary said and I smiled down at her as I kissed her head.

"I love you more." I said and she smiled.

"I know you're worried." She said. "But you're going to be an amazing father." She said. It was kinda freaky how well she could read me.

"As long as you have faith in me, I think I can do it." I said and she laughed.

"I have nothing but absolute faith in you." She said and I leaned my head on top of hers. And that's all we needed. Faith, and enough trust to know that we were always going to be there for each other. It didn't matter how shitty of a childhood I had, and it didn't matter how perfect of a childhood Clary had. Parenthood was going to be scary no matter what, but as long as we had each other, our kids was going to turn out okay. At least I hope.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so this is one of mine yet again. I'm currently working on a suggestion but I haven't found the right direction to take it in, but I wanted to give you all something, and this was something that I knew probably no body wrote about, at least I've never read something like that before. So I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think! :)**

 **Also, I just wanted to say thank you so much for over 1,000 reviews! I was literally blown away when I saw that! I mean, I was pretty pumped when I had over 100 reviews, but to have over 1,000 is pretty insane! So thank you to everyone who has reviewed, and favorited, and followed! Truly means a lot to me!**


	99. Chapter 98 - Flirty

**Ninety Eighth One Shot:**

 **Flirty**

 **Clary POV:**

It was supposed to be my senior year at St. Mary's All Girl Catholic High School. I've been at this school since freshman year, and now it was closing. It absolutely sucked. Since it was a Catholic school, it didn't matter what school district you were in, you could attend, so most of my friends, I wouldn't be going through senior year with them, and I think that hurt worse than anything else.

It was the last day, and I was walking out to my car with my girls. We were silent, most likely knowing this was the last time we were going to be going to school together. We all had so many plans for our senior year together, and now it was all gone. We understood why the school was closing. There weren't enough kids enrolling, and if we didn't get a certain number of freshman enrolling for the upcoming year, they had to close. My history teacher told my class we were 25 kids shy of the number needed. That meant this was the end of my time at St. Mary's, and that sucked.

"I can't believe we won't be graduating together." Tessa said.

"I know. It's so unfair that we couldn't just graduate and be the last senior class." Maia said.

"We had a good three years ladies." I said. "At least we all have someone to come with us to our new schools."

"True. I can't imagine going to a new place without at least one other person." Tessa said as she looked at Jessamine.

"Exactly. We will always have St. Mary's with us." I said and they nodded.

"Have a great summer ladies." Maia said. "We should definitely get together at some point before school starts and have one last night."

"Definitely." I said and the others nodded.

We said out goodbyes, and I got in my car and headed home. When I walked in my mom wasn't there as usual. If she isn't at the studio, she's out with her new boyfriend. I didn't mind that she was dating again. I mean, her and my dad divorced when I was 10, but she gives almost all of her free attention to him, and that didn't really make me feel good at all, but I just keep repeating what my father said to me, and that's what I live by.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _My dad was leaving today with my brother. He didn't really get along with my mom, and I didn't really get along with my dad, so in the divorce, they each got one of us. I wasn't going to miss the fighting, or how cold and distant my father could be, but I was going to miss my brother. We were in this together for so long, and now we wouldn't be just down the hall from each other, and that was going to suck._

 _"I'll see you soon Clare-Bear." Jon said as he hugged me._

 _"I'm going to miss you Jonny." I said into his chest. "It isn't going to be the same without you."_

 _"But this is for the best." He said when we broke apart. "You aren't happy around dad, and I'm not happy around mom. We just get along better with one of our parents, and I think living with the one we enjoy being around will be more beneficial in the long run."_

 _"I hope you're right." I said and he smiled at me._

 _"When have I ever been wrong Clare-Bear?" He asked and I laughed. He may be a couple years older than me, but he didn't know everything. I was about to say something when my father entered the room._

 _"Come Jonathan." He said. "We're leaving."_

 _"Bye Clare." He said as he walked out of the room, which just left my father and me._

 _"Clarissa." My father said and I looked at him, but didn't say anything. "I only have one thing to say before I head out." He said and I nodded to let him know I understood. "To love is to destroy, and to be loved is to be destroyed." He said and than walked out of the house. I heard them pull out of the driveway, and I was just standing there confused. What did he mean?_

 ** _End Of Flashback_**

I soon figured out what he meant by his last statement. Love destroyed my parents marriage, and love was destroying my relationship with my mom. Every time you loved someone, it just ended up going wrong, or making something worse than it already was. I never wanted to end up in that situation, so I never got close enough to anyone to allow it to happen. I flirt, and hook up occasionally, but relationships weren't for me. I knew that, and I was sticking to that.

 **Jace POV:**

It was the last day of junior year, and I was excited for the summer. Parties, girls, alcohol, and no responsibility. It was going to be a great summer before being a senior in high school, and I couldn't wait to just enjoy it.

My friend Sebastian was throwing a party tonight to kick start the summer, and I was totally on board. There was nothing better than a Sebastian Verlac party. He knows how to throw them, and the best part is, his parents don't even care. They go away for the weekend so that Sebastian can do whatever he wants. It's pretty awesome, and we make sure to take full advantage of it.

I was walking to my car after the final bell rang when someone latched themselves onto my arm. I looked over and there stood Kaelie. I rolled my eyes and kept walking hoping that she would understand that I didn't want to talk to her. I opened my door and she pushed me up against it before I could get in, and started kissing me. I detached herself from me and she looked annoyed.

"What are you doing Kaelie?" I asked.

"Kissing my boyfriend goodbye." She said.

"I'm not your boyfriend." I said.

"What do you mean you're not my boyfriend?" She asked. "The last couple months we've been hooking up all the time."

"Just because we make out doesn't mean we're together." I said.

"You're an asshole Jace Herondale." She spat.

"You aren't the first person to tell me that, and I guarantee you won't be the last." I said and she turned and walked away. I got in my car and sighed. Some girls just didn't understand the concept of hooking up. They assumed it meant a relationship, but I wasn't a relationship kind of guy. I saw how much it destroys people, and I wasn't going to end up the way my parents did. I refused to be like them.

 **Time Jump – First Day Of Senior Year**

 **Clary POV:**

I was picking Maia up today for our first day of school, and I was a little nervous. I didn't know the teachers, and I didn't know anyone besides Maia, and that was intimidating for a senior in high school. We were supposed to rule the school, and now we were going to be at the bottom of the social ladder of the senior class.

I got to Maia's house and honked my horn and waited for her to make her way to the car. Maia was always slow to getting ready for school. I was used to it by now, so I picked up a little hand held game of Yahtzee and started playing it. When the car door opened, I looked up and smiled at Maia.

"Did you have a hard time getting dressed this morning?" She asked. "I haven't had to wear normal clothes to school since I was in 5th grade. This is weird."

"I took about 45 minutes last night deciding on an outfit for today." I said as I pulled away from her house. "It's definitely weird not having to wear a skirt and sweater, but maybe I'll finally be warm in class." I said and she laughed.

We got to the school and parked a decent way back. We didn't want to draw attention to ourselves even more than we probably were going to already. We got out of the car, and started making our way to the office to get our schedules. Some people were looking and whispering about us. I'm guessing it was mostly about how they've never seen us before, and I expected that was going to happen.

We got in the office and talked to the receptionist. She was a very nice woman, and gave us the schedules, and helped us find our lockers. Maia and I weren't in the same homeroom, and that really sucked, but we couldn't expect to be together the whole day.

I walked into my homeroom and took a seat in the back. My red hair was a flag in and of itself so I was going to stick out regardless, and I was just going to try my best to make the most of my senior year of high school. I was doodling in my notebook when something golden caught my eye. I looked up and in walked the most beautiful boy I've ever seen. I've never seen a boy look that good, but damn did he look gorgeous.

"I don't remember you Red." He said as he took a seat next to me. "You must be new." He said with a smirk, he was one of those boys, two could play this game.

"I'm offended Blondie. You think you'd remember me." I said and eh looked confused and I laughed. "I'm just kidding. I am new."

"Where are you new from?" He asked.

"Not new to the area. New to the school." I said and he nodded.

"Where did you go before here?" He asked.

"St. Mary's All Girl Catholic High School." I said and I saw something in his eyes get dark with lust.

"A Catholic girl eh?" He said and I smiled and nodded. "You know, it's always been a fantasy of mine to sneak off to a janitor closet with a Catholic school girl." He said and I smiled.

"Is that so?" I asked in a low seductive voice, that I knew was getting to him. He nodded as he eyes looked at my lips. I leaned over and I saw the lust turn to anticipation. The bell rang and I smirked. "Looks like today isn't your lucky day." I said as I stood up and he looked disappointed. "See you around Blondie." I said as I walked out with a smile on my face. This was going to be fun.

 **Jace POV:**

I sat there completely dumbfounded. She was the perfect combination of sexy, mysterious, and sarcastic. I was determined to get to know her as much as I could. Senior year just got a little more interesting.

I didn't see her for my next 4 classes, and I was heading to lunch to meet Alec and Izzy. I couldn't get the redhead out of my mind. I walked into the caf and I immediately saw her vibrant read hair. She was sitting with another girl that I've never seen but they seemed to know each other really well, so I was assuming they both came from the same school that closed. I got the table and took a seat and listened to Alec and Izzy talking about their classes.

"Hey, did you two have any classes with the new girl?" I asked and they both looked at me.

"I had a class with Maia." Alec said. "She was really nice, but not the other one."

"I had class with the other one." Izzy said. "Her name is Clary." She said. Clary, it suited her rather well. "Why?"

"We have homeroom together." I said. "I was just curious."

"I know what you're thinking Jace. Leave the poor girl alone. Don't go hook up with her and than leave her hanging like you normally do." Izzy said.

"I don't think that's going to be an issue." I said honestly. "This morning, she was baiting me."

"Is that so?" Alec asked and I nodded. "Looks like we have a female counterpart of Jace." He said and Izzy laughed and I just rolled my eyes. The continued to laugh but I looked over at the small redhead. As much as I didn't really take the time to get to know anyone, I wanted to get to know her.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Things have been good since coming to this school. I mean, the people were nice enough, and Maia and I were having fun together. It was no St. Mary's, but I was thankful that I had Maia to lean on, and the girls when we got together on weekends. It was nice to still have them in my life, and hearing about their new experiences at their new schools. Tessa met a guy named James, or as she calls him Jem. And Jessamine met a guy named Nate. They both seemed really happy, and I was happy for them.

My art teacher informed me about an art exhibit that NYU was hosting for high school students who wanted to pursue art as a career, and she told me that I should definitely consider submitting a portfolio of work. It was something that I always wanted to do. Show my work to people who knew about art and had advice on how to make it better, but it was also incredibly nerve wracking to show people my art. But I wanted this, and I was going to give it my all.

I was trying to figure out a concept of what my portfolio was going to be like. I didn't want something ordinary. I wanted to stand out from the others, and I was at a standstill when it came to inspiration. I was sitting in the caf when I started looking around. Jace was sitting at a table with his siblings like he always was. Than I looked at the other corner where this guy Sebastian was. He was a huge creep, and pretty sexist, and every time he tried to talk to me I felt like my brain cells were dying.

Looking at the two totally different boys made a light bulb go off in my head. Jace was light, and Sebastian was dark. Like two different sides of the after life. Angels. Light and dark. And that's when inspiration struck. I finally had my inspiration and I was going to kill it. I grabbed my new sketchbook, one that I got especially for this portfolio and started my first sketch. I was so lost in though that I didn't even realize that the bell rang until someone snapped their fingers in front of me.

"Day dreaming about me Red?" Jace said and I looked up and smiled.

"You wish Blondie." I said and he smiled.

"Seriously though, we're 5 minutes late to class." He said and I sighed. I closed my book and stood up.

"Why did you stay behind if you were going to be late?" I asked as we walked out of the room.

"You know I like living on the edge Red." He said and I laughed. "And I have study hall right now." He said and I nodded.

"Well, I'm late for bio, so I need to get going." I said and he nodded.

"Keep day dreaming about me Red." He winked and I smiled and walked closer to him.

"And you keep day dreaming about me Blondie." I said as I lowered my voice. "In my Catholic school girl uniform." I said and I heard him groan. "In that janitors closet." I added and I could feel his breathing change. "Have a good day Blondie." I said before walking away. He stood there shocked, and I couldn't help the smile.

 **Jace POV:**

I don't know what's going on, but there was something about Clary that just did something to me. It's been a couple months since Clary showed up at this school, and I couldn't seem to get her out of my head. I never believed in these typed of feelings. They were foreign to me, and just being around Clary was making me reevaluate my philosophy of life. She was changing the way I viewed things, and that terrified me, but I couldn't help it. There was something about Clary that made me want to believe in relationships and love and all of that stuff. I was falling, and no matter what I did, I couldn't stop myself.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting alone at lunch because I just needed some space. Coming to this school was a whole new experience and I know I've been having fun, but I actually really missed St. Mary's and all the crazy nuns there. It was a home away from home. And this place certainly didn't live up to the hype of co-ed public schools. I felt the table shake and I heard a bang and when I looked up, there stood Izzy.

"Got a minute?" She asked.

"I have a feeling you're going to talk to me regardless of my answer. So please, have a seat." I said and she sat down.

"You need to stop this little mind game you're playing on my brother." She said bluntly.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said.

"Yea you do." She said. "You and Jace play this cat and mouse game every damn day. Why don't you just end the chase? Or finally get together?" She asked.

"Izzy, we flirt but nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing was going to come out of it in the end." I said honestly. "We're having some fun, isn't that allowed?"

"You really don't see it do you?" She asked.

"See what?" I asked curiously.

"He's falling in love with you." She said and my jaw hit the table.

"No he isn't." I said. "He's hooked up with the whole female population in this school. He doesn't do relationships." I said.

"You're so naïve, you know that?" She said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked defensively.

"Have you ever just asked Jace if what those girls talk about is true?" She asked.

"Why would I?" I asked. "We don't talk about that kind of thing."

"Jace hasn't hooked up with this whole school." She said. "He's made out with a few girls at some parties, and he flirts religiously as you know, but when it comes to other things, all the sexual things, it's all made up."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"Because Jace isn't a man whore, or a player, or a womanizer." She said. "He's actually an amazing guy, who is falling in love with you Clary. And I'm here to tell you that if you're just stringing him along, back off and let him find someone who is going to take the time to get to know him, and appreciate everything he has to offer." She finished and walked away before I could even reply. I didn't have feelings for Jace, I couldn't. Right?

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I felt like Clary was avoiding me, which was unusual. Normally she had a snarky remark for me, or an insult. And I've grown to enjoy our little back and forth, it's become an everyday routine of ours, but she's been distant lately and I didn't know why.

When I saw her sitting under a tree sketching, I decided it was now or never. Everyone was preoccupied with lunch, so it was public enough she couldn't make a scene, but private enough for us to have a serious conversation.

"Hey Red, long time no see." I said as I took a seat.

"Oh, hey Blondie." She said, but not in her normal tone. "Sorry about that, I've been super busy lately."

"Are you okay?" I asked. "You don't seem like your normal self."

"To be fair, I'm always myself. I mean, who else would be Clary Fray?" She asked and I laughed.

"There she is. There is my sparky redhead." I said and she laughed. "Seriously though, is everything okay?"

"It will be." She said. "This art exhibit is making me want to pull my hair out." She said. "I'm not even halfway done and everything is due in a week and a half. I've been pulling some all nighters but there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day." She explained. It seemed like there was more to it but I wasn't going to push.

"I think you can do it." I said. "You're one of the most determined people I know. You're a solid second place." I said and she laughed. "You got this."

"Who is number one?" She asked.

"Isabelle." I said. "No matter what that girl burns, poisons, or simply barely cooks it. She doesn't give up." I said. "Although her cooking is hazardous on many different levels, I have to admire her determination in the kitchen."

"Has she really poisoned someone?" Clary asked, and I laughed.

"It was New Years, 2013. Alec was in the hospital for 3 days." I said. "He had to get his stomach pumped."

"Holy shit." She said.

"Needless to say, he hasn't eaten Izzy's cooking since." I said.

"I can't imagine why." She said and I laughed. "Why not take up some cooking classes?"

"She tried. Multiple times. She's been kindly asked to leave each one." I explained.

"I can't believe she's that bad." She said and I shrugged.

"I've been wondering the same thing for years." I said and she nodded. It was quiet after that. It was a comfortable silence though. Being around Clary was really comfortable being around Clary. Something about it just felt right. And I've never had that before. It was different, but I liked it.

"I have to go." She said as she closed her sketchbook. "I have to talk to the art teacher."

"Oh. Okay. I guess I'll see you around?" I asked.

"Uh, yea." She said as she stood up. "See ya later Blondie." She said as she walked away. I watched her go, and I just couldn't stop looking. There was something about Clary, something different, something permanent.

 **Clary POV:**

I walked to the art classroom and the moment I closed the door, and took a deep breath. Izzy's lecture was still fresh in my mind, and seeing the actual caring side of Jace just confused me even more. She was right, he clearly cared more about me than I originally thought, and that kinda scared me. I've never had that before, and it was terrifying.

"Clary." I heard and I looked up at the art teacher. "What can I do for you?"

"I know my portfolio is due soon, but I was just wondering if you'd take a look at my work and see how it's coming." I said and she smiled.

"Of course." She said. I handed her my book and waited anxiously for her opinion. After what felt like forever she looked up at me and smiled. "You are truly the most talented student I've ever had." She said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Really Clary." She said. "These are amazing, and I can't wait for them to be displayed."

"Thank you so much." I said and she handed me back my sketchbook.

"You're going to do amazing Clary. Trust me." She said and I nodded. The bell rang and I made my way to my next class feeling lighter about my portfolio, but not feeling any lighter about my conflicting feelings for Jace.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was running out of options. Clary wasn't giving me the cold shoulder, but she was definitely different around me and I had no idea why. I didn't know why this changed suddenly happened, but I didn't know what to do about it. I decided to go for my last resort. Izzy. I walked to her room and knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Can we talk?" I asked.

"Sure. Come in." She said and I walked into her room and sat on her bed. "What's going on?"

"It's Clary." I said and she rolled her eyes. "What was that reaction for?" I asked.

"Give up on her Jace. It's been months. She is clearly not interested." Izzy said.

"I've never felt like this before Iz." I said. "There is something about her that I can't seem to stop thinking about her."

"She isn't the type of girl to get into a relationship." Izzy said.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"We may have talked a little." She said.

"Oh god Iz, what did you say to her?" I asked.

"I told her to either cut the shit with this whole cat and mouse game or you two should just be in a relationship." She said. "She said that a relationship was never going to happen between you two, and that you were just having a little fun." She said and my heart nearly broke. "You don't deserve to be played like that Jace."

"She feels something for me." I said confidently. "I know she does. She's just burying it, and I don't know why."

"How could you possibly know that?" Izzy asked.

"Because I feel it." I said. "Whenever I'm near her, I just feel a sense of belonging. Like she's filling a void." I said. "I've never had that before."

"I don't want you to get hurt Jace." Izzy said.

"I'm not fragile Iz." I said. "I can handle myself. I just can't seem to get her to open up." I said.

"Prove to her that this is more than just flirting for you." She said. "You have to do something to show that you care."

"How do I do that?" I asked.

"She's in that art exhibition for NYU right?" She asked and I nodded. "Go to it. Support her. Be there for her." She said.

"Okay." I said. "I'll do it."

"Be careful Jace." She said and I stood up.

"Always Iz." I said and I left her room. The art exhibit was in a week, and I was going to be there to support Clary and show her that I want something more. Something with her.

 **Time Jump – Art Exhibit**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day of the art exhibit, and I was freaking out. I invited Jon and my mom but I didn't know if they would even show up. Jon has been acting more and more like my father these days, and I hated it, but I still wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. And my mom, well, she was a shot in the dark. She spend more time with her boyfriend than with me, so who knows if she would show up.

The exhibit started about 10 minutes ago, and they still weren't here. I decided that I wasn't going to pout about it anymore. My work is being looked at my art professors, and art critics. Today was about me, and I was going to enjoy that. I was too nervous to go hear what they had to say about my work, so I tried to stay as far away as possible. I was looking at some other works of art that was so amazing. It kinda made me feels small. I didn't know if I stood a chance against these artists.

"This one yours Red?" I heard and I froze. What was he doing here? I turned around and there stood Jace, looking incredibly good in his entirely black outfit.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and he smiled.

"You've been working on these things for months." He said. "I wanted to see the finished product." He said and a part of me was incredibly touched.

"That was really sweet." I said and he smiled.

"So, is this one of yours?" He asked and I shook my head.

"I didn't want to hear what people were saying about them." I said nervously.

"Why? You think they won't like it?" He asked.

"They could hate it, not understand it, misunderstand it, or anything else." I said.

"They could also love it, admire it, want to buy it." He said and I shrugged. "Why don't we go over together?" He said and I was slightly taken aback. "Come on Red, I'm going to go over there with or without you."

"Okay, but you can't make fun of me." I said and he smiled, and actual genuine smile.

"Deal." He said. We walked over to my part of the exhibit, and there were still a ton of people standing around talking about it. "Wow." Jace said. "You're really good."

"Thank you." I said as he walked over to the one painting. I followed him and I could hear bits of conversations.

"The contrast is striking." I heard on person say.

"It seems personal, but that just makes it even better." I heard another person say.

"I can't believe this was done by a senior in high school." I heard someone else say before I made it to Jace.

"Okay, I feel a little better now." I said and Jace looked at me.

"Good." He said and I nodded. "These are really beautiful Clary."

"Thanks." I said. "I worked hard on them."

"I can tell." He said. We stood there, and made our way through the paintings. We didn't really talk, but we also didn't need too. Everything was comfortable with Jace. We got to the last one, and I started walking away, I felt someone grab my hand and pull me down a hallway.

"Jace, what are you doing?" I asked but instead of talking, he slammed his lips to mine. I was stunned for a moment before I gave in, and damn was he a good kisser. I don't know how long we stood there kissing, but when he finally pulled away, I realized what just happened. "Why would you do that Jace?" I asked a little annoyed.

"I can't keep pretending Clary." He said. "I want you." He said. "More than I've ever wanted anyone before. I can't get you out of my head, and when we're in the same room, I just want to put my arm around you and pull you into my side." He said and my jaw dropped. "I like you Clary. Actually I'm pretty sure I'm falling in love with you." He said.

 _To love is to destroy, and to be loved is to be destroyed._

I couldn't get the saying out of my head. I lived by it since I was 15 years old. It was true. I saw what love could do. His golden eyes were staring at me and everything in me froze. What was I supposed to say to that? I didn't believe in love. I couldn't, right?

"I have to go." I finally said and I ran away from him. I didn't want to leave, but I couldn't stay with him in that empty hallway. When I reached outside, I realized it was raining, but I didn't care I needed to go.

"Clary!" I heard behind me but I didn't turn around. I just kept running. "Clary wait!" I heard again and this time I did turn, and Jace was running after me.

"Leave me alone Jace." I said as I continued walking.

"Can you please tell me why you're running from me?" He asked.

"You just told me you think you're falling in love with me." I said. "What did you expect me to do? Tell you that I was falling in love with you too?" I asked. "Well, I'm not Jace. I don't even like you."

"That's not true." He said. "I know you like me, you're just suppressing it."

"What makes you say that?" I asked as I followed my arms over my chest. "You barely even know me."

"When you're focusing really hard you stick your tongue out." He said. "You always sit in your chairs with your left leg tucked under you." He said. "You don't eat green grapes, and you squint when you look at the board because you need glasses, but you refuse to get them." He said and my jaw dropped. "I'm very perceptive Clary. I know you. What I don't know is why you're denying your feelings for me."

"You don't get it Jace." I said. "You don't understand."

"Than tell me, and maybe I can try." He said and I laughed.

"You wouldn't understand anything." I said. "I don't believe in love Jace." I said. "I never have."

"You think I don't know how that feels?" He asked. "I used to not believe in love either, and I thought it was complete bullshit. Until I met you." He said as he started walking towards me. "I grew up seeing my parents fight constantly." He further explained. "My father would beat my mother every single night, but he claimed her loved her. That's what I thought love was. I thought love was sacrificing your own happiness, and safety for the person causing you harm, and I promised I would never fall in love because it wasn't worth it." He said and my heart broke for him. "Eventually, my father killed my mother, and sent to jail." He said and my jaw dropped. "I was put in foster care until I was placed with the Lightwood's and adopted." He said. "So yea, I understand not believing in love, but what I do believe in is that I would never treat you like that. Because what I feel in my heart is love. And I would never harm you, or betray you, or disrespect you." He said and I didn't know when I started crying, but I was crying. He walked over and cupped my face in his hands. "What I didn't know until I met you was how incredible it felt to find someone who made you feel love. Not just on a physical level, but on an emotional and a mental level too. Love is a gift. I know that now, and I plan on proving to you that its real and it could be amazing." He said and I looked into his golden eyes and saw nothing but the truth.

"Jace." I finally said.

"Please Clary, take a chance." He said. "If you aren't feeling it, I will understand, but give me a shot." He said and I just – it was impossible to deny him because I knew he was right.

"My parents destroyed my belief in marriage and love." I said. "My parents divorced when I was 10 and the last thing my father told me was 'to love is to destroy, and to be loved is to be destroyed' and I didn't know what he meant." I explained. "Until I was 14 or 15 and I realized what he meant. It ruined my parents marriage, and than it ruined my relationship with my brother. And now it's ruining my relationship with my mom." I said as my eyes watered. "I watched being loved by someone else destroy the very sanction that is marriage, and other relationships."

"Clary, we aren't our parents." He said. "I know for a fact that I would never hit you, I would never belittle you, and I would never make you feel unworthy." He explained. "And love wouldn't break us, it would only make us stronger. I can stand here right now and declare that I love you so much. I don't have a shred of doubt in my mind that I love you. It's the truth, and if you don't feel the same I can live with that. It will suck, but I can learn to live with it." He said and I just wanted to shut him up so I slammed my lips to his. He was shocked, but started kissing me back, and I realized, this was something that I needed. Wanted. Craved. I didn't know it because I wasn't allowing myself to fully accept it. But now I don't have to restrict myself from it. I could do this because he wants it and so do I. When we broke apart he had the biggest smile on his face.

"I trust you Jace." I finally said. "I don't have the best models when it comes to relationships, but I'm willing to try and see where this goes because I do want this, and I don't want to regret not giving this a try in the future." I said and he smiled and tightened his grip on me.

"I promise, you won't regret it." He said and I laughed. "Do you want to go back into the gallery?" He asked and I thought about it.

"I don't think they would appreciate two incredibly soaking wet kids trailing rain water through their establishment." I said and he laughed.

"Don't you want to find out if you got the scholarship?" He asked.

"They have my number." I said. "They can call me."

"So what do you want to do than?" He asked.

"Get into comfy clothes and chill. I've been so stressed lately, that I don't even remember what it felt like to just watch TV and relax." I said and he laughed.

"Let's go back to my place than." He said and I nodded. He walked me over to my car and I opened the door. "Just follow me okay?" He asked and I nodded. I got in my car, and he got into his and I started following him to the Lightwood's house. This house was huge, and when I got out of my car I just kept staring at is. "You gonna stare all day, or do you want to go inside and change?" He asked and I laughed. I walked over, he took my hand in his, and we made our way into his house.

The place was absolutely insane. It was just as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside. I couldn't even imagine living in a place like this. Jace lead me to his room, which was incredibly clean, like neat freak clean, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"It's so clean." I said.

"I have OCD." He said.

"I never would have guessed that." I said.

"You have a lot to learn Red." He said and I smiled. "I don't have much that would fit you, but I have some clothes that don't fit me anymore." He said and I laughed.

"Just give me whatever, and I'll wear it." I said and he nodded. He handed me a pair of sweat pants, and a long sleeve t-shirt. I went into his bathroom and quickly changed as I left my clothes in his tub so they would dry out. I walked out and he was putting a new shirt on and hot damn was his body perfect.

"It doesn't look bad on you." He said and I looked at him.

"I'm comfy, I'll give you that." I said and he smiled.

"So, I was thinking, movie and blankets." He said and I nodded. "Get comfy on my bed, and I'll get a movie." He said and I nodded. I got in his bed, which was super comfy, and pulled the blankets around me until I started getting warm. When he came back, he shut the lights off, and he got in bed with me. He put his arm up, and I snuggled closer to him. I rested my head on his chest, and we watched the movie. I'm still a little worried that this might blow up in my face, but I also never felt more at home than I did in his arms, so I was also pretty excited to see what the future held for us.

 **Time Jump – Summer**

 **Jace POV:**

Since it was the summer before college and my family and I were going on vacation, but Clary was also coming with us, and I was pretty excited. Clary ended up winning that contest and got a full ride to NYU. They were so incredibly impressed by her portfolio, and couldn't think of a better person to give the scholarship to, and I was super proud of her. I got a scholarship for soccer to NYU, so we didn't have to worry about being far apart. It was the perfect situation, and I was excited for it to happen. The future looked bright, and I was happy.

I pulled up in front of Clary's house and she came running out with her bag. She threw it in the back seat and got in the front where I gave her a sweet kiss. I pulled away and we headed back to my house so we could all leave together. When I pulled up they were still packing the car. Clary and I got out and I grabbed her things and handed them to Robert so that he could pack them along with the rest of the stuff.

"It's about time you got here." Izzy said as she pulled Clary into a hug.

"You're still packing." I said. "We aren't late."

"I wanted to leave like 3 hours ago, but apparently we 'weren't ready'." She put in air quotes and Clary laughed.

"I barely slept last night because I am so excited. This is my first family vacation." Clary said and Izzy smiled.

"We are going to have a blast." She said and Clary smiled and nodded. The car was finished soon after, and we all got into the respected cars and headed to our destination. This was going to be a fun vacation. I already knew it.

 **Time Jump – Eight Hours Into Car Ride**

 **Clary POV:**

The car broke down, so we were currently waiting on the side of the road waiting for triple A to come and help us out. Even though it was the summer it was pretty chilly at this time of night. I had on Jace's hoodie and he was currently warming me up with his arms. He was like a human heater, I didn't understand it.

We were standing out there for about an hour before a truck pulled up. We all got out of the way so that Robert could talk to the man. I was getting tired, and I couldn't wait to get back in the car and fall asleep. I leaned into Jace and started using him as a leaning pole which caused him to laugh, and kiss the top of my head.

"Tired?" He asked.

"Extremely." I said and he found a random tree stump and sat down and gestured for me to join him. I walked over and took a seat on his lap and rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes.

Before I knew it I felt like I was being lifted up. I opened my eyes and noticed that I was being carried to the car. When Jace placed me in the car I was slightly awake but still incredibly tired. He got in and I rested my head on his shoulder and let my eyes flutter closed. Jace laced our fingers together and kissed the top of my head.

"I love you." I whispered so quietly that I wasn't even sure that he heard me.

"I love you too." He whispered in my ear and I couldn't help but smile. This is what love felt like. It was a horrible thing, but one of the greatest things I've ever experienced. Taking a chance on Jace was the greatest thing I've ever done, and I was thankful every single day.

"God damn it." I heard and I opened my eyes to see what was happening. Through the front window I could see a bunch of cows just standing in the middle of the road. "This couldn't possibly get any worse." I heard Robert say and in that moment it started to torrentially down pour. The cows started a stamped and Robert groaned and slammed his head on the horn, which spooked the cows even more. The whole car started to laugh uncontrollably at the events that were occurring. I settled my head back on Jace's shoulder. I listened to the laughter of the Lightwood family and slowly fell asleep loving life.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This was requested by Lou Fairchild, and I hope that it lived up to your expectations! I enjoy this little one shot, and I'm sorry that it took me a little longer to write! I've been busy! Let me know what you think and leave a review!**

 **Also, I got a review that said my endings are repetitive, and I know they are, but that's because I like happy endings. I have too much sadness in my own life to make these stories sad. Just like I don't ever kill anyone in my stories that are main characters. I don't like creating sad things because I'm always sad, I don't need to be any sadder! So be prepared for the endings to be pretty similar, but if you don't like it, don't read it!**


	100. Chapter 99 - Millionaire Mayhem

**Ninety Ninth One Shot:**

 **Millionaire Mayhem**

 **Clary POV:**

Being a struggling artist is not fun. I had to take up two other part time jobs to just stay afloat. It was horrible, but that's what I get for picking a career that wasn't practical, and why my parents refuse to help me out. Which is why I'm working at Starbucks at 27 years old. It was the farthest thing from what I wanted to do, but here I was, making lattes, and Frappuccino's, and serving with a smile, and I hated it, but it paid so I sucked it up.

It was a rather slow Thursday and I was just cleaning the counters when the bell rang. I looked up and there stood the most beautiful man I've ever seen. He was golden from head to toe, and he was wearing a suit that hugged his body in all the right places. He walked up to the counter and I snapped out of my daze.

"Welcome to Starbucks. What can I get for you?" I asked with my signature smile.

"Can I get a venti white chocolate mocha with two shots of espresso." He said and I grabbed a cut.

"Of course. What's your name?" I asked.

"Isabelle." He said and I looked up at him. "It's for my sister." He said and I nodded. He gave me a 20 and than walked away. I started making his drink. The radio was playing in the back and I was casually singing along. It was an old song, Obsessed by Mariah Carey. When I finished the drink and turned around he was standing there smirking at me.

"Have a good day." I said as I handed it to him.

"You too…." He said as he looked at my nametag. "Clary." He said and the way that my name just rolled off his tongue perfectly. He walked out the door and once he was gone I practically swooned. It didn't last long, since more people walked in and I tried to forget about the gorgeous man who was no longer in the store, but for some reason he was there, in the back of my mind, for the rest of the day.

Once I clocked out, I ran to my car and headed to my second job. By day, a barista, by night, a bartender. Bartending was a lot more entertaining than being a barista, so I didn't mind it as much, but I still wish I could pursue my dream. I changed quickly in the parking lot and ran towards the club. I walked past the bouncer, Bat, and got behind the bar and prepared for the crazy night ahead of me.

Thankfully I wasn't on the floor tonight, because I wasn't in the mood to be struggling to get through the crowd. I was behind the bar, getting drinks, and waiting for my shift to end. I nearly dropped the drink I was making when the golden man walked up to the bar. I've never seen this man before today, and now I've seen him twice in the same day, and I've served him. I walked over after finishing the drink to see what he needed.

"How can I help you?" I asked and he looked at me and smirked.

"What are the chances you'd make my coffee, and my long island iced tea?" He said and I laughed.

"Very slime considering I've never seen you a day in my life before." I said as I grabbed the necessary things to make a long island iced tea.

"I just moved back after living on the West Coast for many years." He said and I nodded.

"How did you like the West Coast?" I asked.

"It was alright." He said. "I missed New York though, and I'm glad to be back with my family." He said and I nodded.

"How did your sister like her coffee this morning?" I asked and he laughed.

"She said it was the best one she's ever had, so I'll be in there way more now." He said and I laughed.

"Well, I work five days a week. From open until about 4 most days." I said and he nodded.

"Than I guess I'll be a regular from now on." He said and I laughed.

"Here you go, one long island iced tea." I said and he took it from me. "Have a great time…." I said but I realized I didn't know his name.

"I'm Jace." He said as he reached his hand over the bar.

"Have a good night Jace." I said and he nodded before disappearing into the crowd. He seemed like he would be such a cocky guy, but from the couple interactions I felt like there was so much more to him and I was excited to see him more often.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was board out of my mind at work. It was storming out so people generally didn't go out much when the weather was this bad. I didn't blame them, I wouldn't be out if I didn't have to work. I just wish I wasn't board.

I was cleaning the counters to pass time when I heard the bell ring. I looked up and Jace was standing there, drenched, and he looked really freaked out. I put my rag down and walked out from behind the counter to see if he was alright.

"Jace, are you alright?" I asked and he looked at me.

"I'll give you 10,000 dollars to use your car." He said and my jaw dropped.

"Why can you just use your own car?" I asked.

"Because I can't." He hissed. "15,000 dollars." He said.

"Tell me why, and you can have it." I said and he sighed.

"I can't." He said.

"Jace, what happened?" I asked as I stepped closer. He opened his mouth to say something when I heard a lot of sirens. And he freaked out.

"Come with me." He said and before I could even comprehend what was happening, he was pulling my arm to the back of the store. He reached over the counter and grabbed my bag and we walked out of the back. "Where is your car?" He asked and I pointed. We walked over to it, and opened the passenger side and I got in. He got in the drivers side and he drove away. That's when I got a good look at his hands.

"Is that blood?" I asked and he looked at his hands.

"I'll explain when we're in a private location." He said and I just stopped talking. Something bad happened, and I'm not going to lie, I was kinda freaking out.

We were in the car for hours before he finally pulled over to a motel that looked abandoned. We parked the car and turned towards me.

"Here is 200 dollars." He said as he handed it to me. "Go in there and book a room for 2 nights. Don't use your real name, and don't say you're with a guest." He said and I simply nodded and got out of the car and went into the motel. A girl was working at the counter, and she looked so uninterested.

"Hi, I'd like a room for two nights please." I said and she looked up at me.

"Name?" She asked.

"Pamela Stevens." I said and she nodded. I handed her the cash and she didn't ask anymore questions. She handed me the keys and I walked out. Jace was leaning against the side of the motel. "We're in room 8." I said and he nodded. He took the keys from me and started walking. I followed him because I clearly had no other options. We walked into the room and he sat on the edge of the bed and I stood by the door. "Can you tell me what's going on now?" I finally asked.

"Something bad happened, and people think I was responsible." He said.

"Does it have something to do with the blood?" I asked and he nodded. "What happened?" I asked.

"My adopted father was murdered, and they think I did it." He said and my jaw hit the ground.

"Jace, you're a fugitive, and you roped me into it!" I nearly yelled but than I remembered where I was.

"I didn't do it Clary." He said. "I would never do that."

"So why run? Why not tell them that?" I asked.

"Because I had a motive, and I was the last person to talk or see him." He said.

"What was your motive?" I asked hesitantly.

"He owed me some money, and he wasn't paying it back." He said. "But I was okay with that. He was my adopted father, I knew he was good for his word, but people always assume millionaires are stingy with their money, but not when it comes to family." He said and my jaw dropped.

"Did you just say millionaire?" I asked and he looked at me.

"Yea." He said. "My name is Jonathan Herondale. I'm the CEO of Herondale Industries, and the only living relative left of some very old money and powerful people."

"Holy shit." I said as I took a seat next to him.

"I'm sorry I dragged you along, but I needed to leave. I didn't kill Robert, but whoever did clearly wants something from me." He said.

"Why do you say that?" I asked. He handed me a note.

 _Dear Robert,_

 _We've given you enough time. We want our money. If you don't have our money by Monday, you're dead meat. Tell anyone about this, and your precious little daughter will be your payment, and I can't tell you how long it's been since we've had such a fine piece of ass around here._

 _You know who we are._

I finished reading the note and than looked at Jace. He looked distraught. I reached my hand over to his and didn't even care that there was blood on them.

"Why didn't you tell the police Jace?" I asked.

"Izzy would be in danger." He said. "I have to protect her."

"Jace, she probably thinks you murdered her father." I said.

"I'm going to find whoever killed Robert. But I need to be away from them right now. Away from everyone right now." He said.

"Well, I'm going to go shower." I said as I stood up. "I'm freezing."

"I'll drop you off at a bus station tomorrow morning, and just pretend you never saw me and your car was stolen." He said.

"No." I simply said and he looked at me.

"What do you mean no?" He asked.

"I mean, you kidnapped me, and stole my car." I said. "But now I'm invested, and I want to help you."

"Why would you want to do that?" He asked.

"Excuse my bluntness, and I don't expect you to say anything back, but I like you." I admitted and his eyes widened. "I've enjoyed your visits every single day for the past couple months. And you don't deserve to go through this, and maybe I could be helpful."

"Clary." He said and I held my hand up.

"Once this is all taken care of, we'll go back to daily coffee visits, and the occasionally club visits, but I want to help." I said and he simply nodded. I walked into the bathroom and started the shower. This was going to be a mess, but I was prepared. At least I hope that I was.

 **Jace POV:**

Clary closed the bathroom door and I took a deep breath. I kidnapped her. I really fucking kidnapped her. She didn't seem too torn up about it, but I still committed a crime, and that wasn't sitting well with me, but I was also focusing on the fact that she just admitted to liking me. I mean, Izzy only asks me for coffee like 2 times a week, but I went in there everyday getting her coffee because I wanted to see Clary. I wanted to talk to her, and see her smile, and hear her laugh, and just start my morning off right, and Clary was the only way I knew how to do that these last couple months. I was pulled out of my thoughts when the bathroom door opened and Clary stood there in a towel.

"I don't have any clothes, and mine are soaked." She said and I laughed.

"Since I'm still dressed, I'll go out and buy us something to wear. You wait here." I said as I got up.

"Jace." She said and I turned around. "You might want to wash your hands." She said and I looked down and saw the blood on my hands.

"Right." I said. "Good idea." I said and I walked into the bathroom. Her clothes were sitting the counter and I caught sight of her black lace panties and I had to look away. Impure thoughts clouded my mind. When I was done washing my hands I went back into the room and she was sitting on the bed. "I'll be back." I said and I rushed out of there. Clary in nothing but a towel was tempting, and if I was going to get anything accomplished right now, I couldn't just stare at her.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left, I figured I'd just turn on the TV and watch something. I realized that if I didn't show up to work tomorrow, I was going to be reported missing, and Jace didn't need that. I picked up my phone and texted both of my bosses. I told them that I got a big break in Europe and that I was leaving tonight. They both replied and said that they hope that everything works out. After that, I turned my phone off, and took the battery out so nobody could track me, and by the time they realized I was here, Jace and I would be gone.

About an hour or so later, Jace walked back into the room. He had bags with him and he set them down at the bottom of the bed and looked at me but didn't say a word. He walked into the bathroom and closed the door, and the water started.

I got off the bed and looked in the bag. I grabbed a pair of yoga pants, underwear, and a t-shirt. I got dressed and I felt better, but I was still cold so I climbed back into the bed and pulled the comforter over me and waited for Jace to get out of the shower. Once I heard the water turn off, the nerves hit me. I told this guy that I liked him, and now I was going to have to face the consequences.

"We need to talk." He said and I nodded and he joined me on the bed, and he looked nervous.

"If this has something to do with what I said earlier, we can just forget it." I said and he shook his head.

"I do want to talk about it, but I don't want to forget about it." He said and I simply nodded. "I'm sorry that I kinda just dismissed it earlier when you told me. I was surprised, and didn't really know what to say. My head clearly isn't in the right head space to be thinking rationally." He said and I laughed. "But I calmed down a lot in the last hour or so, and I think we should have an adult conversation about it."

"Okay." I said and he nodded.

"I'd like to start off by saying that I like you as well." He said and my jaw dropped, which caused him to laugh. "My sister only asked me to get her coffee twice a week, but I wanted to see you every day, so I got her coffee everyday." He said and I simply nodded. "I also want to apologize for dragging you into my mess." He said. "I was frantic, and not thinking clearly, and my car is easily recognizable, and I needed something that wouldn't be connected to me." He explained.

"I get it." I said. "I'm sorry this is happening to you, and I promise I'll try my best to help in any way that I can." I explained and he nodded.

"Thank you." He said.

"I should warn you, I texted my bosses. I told them that I got an opportunity to pursue art is Europe and that I was moving there to take it." I said. "I turned my phone off and removed the battery, but I thought they were the only ones who would report me missing, and I didn't want that so I took the risk."

"It's okay." He said. "That was probably the best move you could have made." He said. "Did you call your parents as well?' He asked and I let out a dry laugh.

"I haven't spoken to my parents since I was 22." I said.

"Why not?" He asked.

"They didn't agree with my career choice." I said. "My father wanted me to be a business major, and work for him, but I want to be an artist. I don't want to be stuck in a cubicle all day doing something I hate. So my family cut me off."

"I'm so sorry." He said and I shrugged.

"It's been 5 years." I said. "I'm kinda over it."

"So you're 27?" He asked and I laughed.

"Yup." I said and he nodded. "What about you?" I asked.

"I'm 30." He said and I nodded. It was quiet for a moment before I decided to just take a plunge.

"It's kinda late, and it's pretty cold in here." I said. "Want to watch some movies, and just try and forget why we're here?" I asked and he smiled.

"I think that sounds perfect." He said. I moved over on the bed and he joined me and got under the covers.

"I was searching the channels earlier, and we don't have much, but I saw an Iron Man movie on one of the channels, if that's okay with you." I said and he laughed.

"My little brother is really into all those types of movies." He said and I nodded. I turned the channel and the movie filled the room. Being in his presence like this seemed natural, and despite why we were in this situation, I couldn't help but smile when Jace and I causally started moving closer and closer to each other.

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up and there was pressure on my chest. I opened my eyes to see what it was, and when I looked down, there was a sea of red, and it hit me. _Clary._ She was laying on my chest, our legs were tangled together, and my hand was resting on her lower back. Waking up with her like this, cuddled into my side, was something I could definitely get used too.

I closed my eyes and just let myself drink in this moment. Things were going to start getting tough after this. I knew that I was going to be searched for. I had taken my stash of emergency cash before I ran and it was more than enough to keep Clary and I settled for as long as I took us to get the answers that we need to prove my innocence. I felt Clary stir and I opened my eyes.

"Good morning." I said and she rubbed her eyes.

"Morning." She said as she yawned, which I found incredibly cute.

"How did you sleep?" I asked.

"Better than I have in a long time." She said and I smiled.

"Me too." I said and she looked around.

"So, what's the plan today?" She asked and I sighed.

"I haven't figured it out yet." I said honestly. "I was just trying to enjoy the moment we were having this morning." I said and she blushed and turned around. I put my finger under her chin and turned her head back towards me. "Don't hide your blush. I like it." I said and that just caused her to blush even more.

"I think the first thing we need is food." She said and I realized how hungry I was.

"Food sounds like a good start." I said and she smiled.

"Are we going to stay here for the two nights you paid for?" She asked.

"I don't think we should." I said. "I have a house, a house that nobody knows about, considering it's not in any of my families names, up in the mountains. I was thinking we use that as a base while we try and figure this whole thing out." I said and she nodded.

"Okay. You pack our things, I'll go return the key." She said. "Meet me at the car, and we'll head out." She said and I nodded. We got out of bed and she turned around to walk out of the room when I decided to just take a chance. I grabbed her hand and pulled her into me. "What's wrong?" She asked but I didn't answer. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers, and damn, was this something I'd never get tired of. After the initial shock wore off, she kissed me back. When we broke apart, she had a small smile on her face.

"Nothing is wrong." I said. "Far from it actually." I said and she blushed.

"Well, why don't we get food, and to that house of yours, and than maybe we can do that again." She said and I smirked.

"Deal." I said and she walked out of the room. I packed our things, which didn't take long, and headed towards her car. She was already standing there with the trunk opened. I put all of our things in there and Clary handed me the keys. We got into her car and headed towards the house.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

We pulled up to a house, and it was basically like a little cottage. I thought it was going to be some big mansion, but it wasn't. It was actually really cute, and I couldn't wait to see the inside. I got out of the car and Jace grabbed our things and we headed towards the front door. He grabbed a key from the flowerpot and unlocked it.

"How original." I said and he laughed.

"Do you see any neighbors?" He asked and I shook my head. "Plus, nobody even knows this place exists, unless you know about it."

"Who lived here before?" I asked and he looked at me.

"My god father." He said. "But the name on the property isn't his real name. They wanted it to be kept secretive so that nobody could find you if you needed some time away from everything."

"I guess that's something only millionaires can do." I said and he laughed.

"He wasn't a millionaire." He said. "He just wanted a quiet space where he could relax." He said and I nodded.

"I'm going to go get some groceries." I said and Jace nodded and took out his wallet. He handed me a stack of money.

"Go crazy." He said.

"I've never held this much money before." I said and he laughed. He took out more money and handed it to me.

"Guess how much you're holding." He said and I looked at him.

"10 thousand?" I asked and he smiled.

"50 thousand." He said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. "But I think you're only going to need 300 for groceries." He said as he took the stack back.

"That's still a lot." I said.

"I'd rather get enough so we don't have to go out as often." He said and I nodded.

"Anything in particular you want?" I asked.

"Mangos." He said and I smiled.

"Mangos it is." I said. "I'll be back in like an hour or two." I said and he nodded. He walked over to me and pressed his lips to mine sweetly.

"Be safe." He said and I nodded. I walked out and got into my car and took a deep breath. Kissing him would never get old, I knew that.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I had decided to do some laundry while Clary was gone since no one's been here for some time, and our clothes were still cold from the other day. I didn't know how I was going to prove that it wasn't me who killed Robert, but I had to do everything in my power to prove that it wasn't me. I already lost my family once, I wasn't going to do it again.

I heard the door open, and I made my way to it to see Clary carrying in a lot of groceries. I've known this girl for two months, and seeing her grocery shop for us, and spending the night together made everything seem so domestic, and despite the fact that I did kidnap her, and we were on the run now, I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face.

"You gonna stand there and stare, or help me with the groceries?" I heard Clary say and I laughed.

"I'd love to stand and stare, but I'll help." I said and she laughed. I went out to the car and got more stuff. It took us about 20 minutes to get everything organized and stuff, but once it was done, I felt at home, and that was something I didn't think I'd ever truly find with someone else.

"So, have you figured out how to start looking for who killed Robert?" She asked and I shook my head.

"I'm not a police officer." I said. "I don't really even know where to begin."

"Well, I may have gotten my degree in art, but there were some elective courses that I took that had to do with criminal justice." She said.

"Really?" I asked and she nodded her head. "Why?"

"I thought it would be interesting. I'd rather take an interesting class than a boring one." She said and I nodded.

"So, where do we start detective?" I asked and she laughed.

"Well, we're going to be at a slight disadvantage considering we don't have all the resources police do, but I guess the first thing to do would be for you to think about who Robert could have possibly owed money too." She said. "He borrowed money from you, do you know why?" She asked and I started thinking about it.

"When I asked he gave me a really shady answer. Like he didn't want to me to know, but like he didn't want to lie to me." I said. "It was so long ago though." I admitted.

"That's okay. Take your time." She said. "When did he first ask for money?" She asked.

"I was 24." I said as I tried my best to remember. "Robert called me and he sounded a little frantic." I recalled. "When I asked what he needed the money for he said he needed to buy something and it was just way too expensive." I said. "Not really thinking anything of it, I gave him the money. He's my adoptive father, I wasn't going to deny him if he really needed it." I said.

"How much did you lend him?" She asked.

"It was somewhere between 6 and 8 grand." I said. "But that wasn't the first time I loaned him money."

"When did he ask for more?" She asked.

"He asked for more about 2 years later." I said. "It was less that time. Maybe closer to 3 grand."

"Well, I only know a couple reasons why people need that much cash." She said. "Gambling is a huge reason. Maybe he was involved in a gang, or an organized crime ring. I don't know what Robert did for work, but he could have embezzled money, and needed to pay it back." She said. "I don't know him, so I can't really judge his character."

"Organized crime? You really think that could be a thing?" I asked.

"It's an option." She said. "They are huge in New York. I mean, you ever hear about La Famiglia?"

"La what?" I asked.

"La Famiglia, is an organized crime ring in New York. You don't know about the five crime families in New York?" She asked.

"No. I've never heard of them." I admitted.

"It's not important who they are, but it's not a good thing if you get involved with them. Especially if you can't pay your debt." She explained.

"But how do we prove that?" I asked.

"That's what I don't know." She said. "I don't know how to figure it out without talking to Robert, and that's tough since he's dead."

"I wish I stayed in contact more." I said. "Maybe I would have picked up on the signs." I said as I took a seat on the couch. She came over and sat next to me and rested her hand on my leg.

"Why don't you tell me about him?" She asked and I looked up at her.

"He wasn't the friendliest man." I said. "He was a very strict guy who wanted things a certain way." I said. "My brother, Alec, came out to his family when we were seniors in high school, and Robert shunned him for almost 2 years."

"That's horrible." She said, and I nodded in agreement.

"It was tough, but Alec got through it." I said. I leaned back against the couch and I pulled her closer to me. "Him and Maryse, my adoptive mom, had a rocky relationship but stayed together because of Max, who is only 15 now."

"Wow. He's young." She said and I nodded.

"And not planned by a long shot." I said with a laugh. "But he's a great addition to the family. I couldn't picture life without him."

"He sounds great." She said and I smiled.

"Once we get this whole thing cleared up, I'd really like you to meet them." I said and I saw her jaw drop slightly. "If that's okay with you."

"Of course it is. It just caught me off guard." She said.

"Why is that?" I asked curiously.

"Because we didn't even label or talk about what we are, or want to be." She said and I nodded.

"Well, I'll have you know I don't just go around kissing people randomly." I said and she laughed. "I like you Clary. I really do, and as much as I wish I could take you out on a proper date, I'm just going to have to settle for cooking you dinner." I said and she smiled

"You can cook?" She asked and I smiled.

"Quite well actually." I said. "I could afford a chef, but there is just something so rewarding about making your own food."

"I'll take your word for it." She said. "I'm not that great of a cook." She said and I laughed.

"I'll teach you." I said and she simply nodded. "Speaking of dinner, what would you like to eat?" I asked.

"How about you surprise me." She said and I smiled and nodded.

"Deal." I said as I started to get off the couch.

"Is there a computer here that we can use?" She asked.

"There is a study. It's upstairs. It's the 4th door on the right." I said and she nodded.

"I'm going to start looking into anything I can find, or try and see if the police have done any more investigating on Robert's murder." She said and I nodded. She got off the couch, pressed herself up on her tippy toes and kissed me. "We're going to figure this out Jace."

"I'm just worried." I admitted. "I'm worried about my family, and I'm worried about my future. They are probably hurting so much right now, and they probably think I did it, and I can't even call them and tell them the truth otherwise that puts them in danger." I said and she cupped my face.

"After we clear your name, you can explain everything to them." She said and I nodded.

"Thank you." I said. "For being so understanding throughout everything. The kidnapping, the running, the uncertainty of the future." I said and she smiled.

"I was due for a little adventure in my life." She said with a smile. "And this is certainly adventurous." I laughed and she turned around and headed upstairs, and I went into the kitchen to start dinner. I needed to clear my name and get back to my family. I wanted to be there for them, but I wasn't going home until I knew the truth.

 **Clary POV:**

I got to the study and went straight to the internet and started looking at anything that related to Robert Lightwood's murder. There were a few articles about it, and most of them were pointing fingers at Jace, and since he ran away, he is looking more and more guilty, but I didn't pay much attention to them since I knew the truth. Although, and article did stick out to me, and it was one where Isabelle gave a statement.

 ** _Interviewer:_**

 _~Do you believe your adoptive brother, Jonathan Herondale, is responsible for your fathers murder?~_

 ** _Isabelle:_**

 _~Absolutely not. These allegations against him are completely falsified, and the minute we find out who actually killed my father, you'll all know that Jace would never do that to our family.~_

 ** _Interviewer:_**

 _~Than where is he?~_

 ** _Isabelle:_**

 _~I don't know. But I do know that Jace wouldn't kill my father. He isn't that kind of person.~_

 ** _Interviewer:_**

 _~My sources tell me that your father owed a great deal of money to Mr. Herondale. Can you explain that?~_

 ** _Isabelle:_**

 _~I had no idea my brother was lending my father money. But it wasn't any of my business. What Jace decides to do with his money is his business. And if my dad needed some, Jace was more than willing to help him out. That's the kind of person Jace is.~_

 ** _Interviewer:_**

 _~But it's the perfect motive.~_

 ** _Isabelle:_**

 _~Jace is a multimillionaire, do you really think that the money my father borrowed left a dent in his wallet? I can tell you right now, it probably didn't. And even if Jace did want that money back, he would never resort to violence in order to get it. My dad was his family, and in our world, you help out family no matter what. If my dad took some time paying Jace back, than Jace was okay with that.~_

 ** _Interviewer:_**

 _~But Robert Lightwood isn't his father, or your family.~_

 ** _Isabelle:_**

 _~Yes he is. We may have adopted Jace when he was 14 years old, but he has and always will be apart of our family. It didn't matter that he wasn't blood, we love him and he loves us. That's what makes him part of our family. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to be with my family.~_

The interview was finished and I felt a little lighter after reading that she didn't think that Jace was responsible at all. I knew he was worried about his family, but as long as they all had the same mindset as Isabelle, I think that when this investigation comes to a close, they will open their arms back to him without a shred of a doubt.

I continued to look for anything else relating to Robert Lightwood when I heard the door open. I looked back and Jace was standing in the doorway with a smile on his face, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Dinner is ready." He said and I nodded. I got up and made my way over to him. "Find anything?" He asked as we made our way to the kitchen.

"Isabelle wholeheartedly believes you're innocent." I said.

"She does?" He asked.

"Very much so." I continued. "She doesn't think you'd ever murder Robert because of money that he owed you, and that once the real killer was found, everyone would know that you were innocent all along."

"I can't tell you how much of a relief that is." He said as we took our seats for dinner.

"There wasn't much else that I could find. Just that you're a suspect at large, and that if anyone has any information on you to contact the police immediately." I said and he nodded. "I was thinking, maybe if we trolled through his email we might find something."

"Isn't that illegal?" He asked and I laughed.

"You're currently a fugitive." I reminded him. "And technically you kidnapped me, and committed grand theft auto. I think peaking into his emails is the least of your worries." I said and his face fell a little. "Don't worry, I don't plan on reporting you at all, just trying to make you see the big picture."

"I know, but I still feel bad about snatching you away from work." He said and I reached my hand over the table.

"It was one of the best things that's ever happened." I said and he smiled.

"I think I might know his email and password, but I don't know if he's changed it recently or not." He said.

"It's worth a shot." I said and he nodded. We were going to figure this out. We had too.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I have been trying to crack this case as much as we could. I've been trolling the news, and Jace was still a suspect but they were now looking into other leads. Of course I was worried about what happened after they caught the real killers. Could Jace go to jail for running from the law? It was a real concern of mine, and I was scared of going back to reality and facing that fear.

We barely left the house unless absolutely necessary, and if it was necessary, I was always the one leaving. I wasn't wanted, as far as anyone knew, I was in Europe chasing my dreams of being an artist. Nobody was looking for me, so I was always the one getting groceries, or take out.

It was a very rainy Saturday, and I was spending the majority of my day looking into leads, and trying my best to figure out something the police didn't know. I didn't doubt the police officers skills in solving this case, but I felt as if they had tunnel vision. They were pretty sure Jace killed Robert, and I knew that wasn't the case, and I wanted to prove them wrong.

I was causally looking through other murders that had happened in the area in the last couple years. If it was gang or mafia affiliated, maybe he wasn't the only victim they've taken care of, and maybe his case was similar to another case and the police were just overlooking it.

I was starting to get discouraged when I came across a string of murders that happened nearly 6 years ago. Two guys were seen associating with a crime family in New York. One day, they were both found dead. Each was in their home when their families were gone, and there was a note left at each crime scene. I could help but think about the similarities to Robert's case.

"Jace! Get in here, I think I found something!" I called, and a moment later the door flung opened.

"What's up?" He asked as he made his way over to me.

"So I was getting nowhere with new information on Robert's murder, so I decided to look at other homicides that happened in the last couple years. Nothing was popping out to me until this came across my search." I said as I pointed to the article. "These two men were seen affiliating with a crime family, and one day, when both theirs families were out, they were killed. A note was left behind at each scene." I said. "Sound familiar?" I asked.

"Holy shit." He said and I looked at him. "How come the cops didn't put this together?" He asked.

"You took the note." I reminded him. "They didn't have that signature for them to connect it to these two cases."

"Oh my god." He said and he hung his head. "I'm an idiot."

"No you aren't." I told him as I lifted his head up so our eyes locked. "You were protecting your sister. Thanks to you, she isn't a target of theirs. She's safe."

"I can't believe you found something." He said and I smiled.

"You doubting my detective work?" I asked and he smiled.

"Not at all. You could put those skills to work when we get out of this predicament." He said.

"How so?" I asked curiously. Working for the police never crossed my mind.

"You could be their sketch artist. You're insanely talented Clary. And you also have a knack for crime solving. I mean, you literally figured out something huge without any resources but the news and your brain. Don't let that go to waist." He said and I couldn't help but agree with his points.

"I'll think about it." I said. "Right now my focus is on proving your innocence and getting the real killers." I said and he nodded.

"I agree, but you deserve a break." He said.

"I didn't do that much work." I said and he laughed.

"Clary, its nearly 6. You've been in here for almost 7 hours." He said and I looked at the clock.

"Well damn." I said and he laughed.

"I was just about to make dinner. Why don't you come down and help me?" He asked and I smiled.

"I'd love too." I said. He reached his hand out and I took it and we walked to the kitchen together. I took a seat at the counter as Jace began to cook. He placed a cutting bored and knife in front of me with a bell pepper.

"Can you cut those up for me?" He asked and I smiled.

"How would you like them?" I asked as I grabbed the knife.

"I was thinking tiny squares." He said.

"As you wish chef." I said as I saluted him and he laughed. Jace and I have become very domestic in the couple months we've been here. And I know this can't last forever, but I was enjoying it in the moment.

 **Time Jump - One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"I don't like this Clary." I said as she packed a bag.

"Jace, I'm not going to give any details about you." She said. "I'm just going to go and tell them I was interested in the case, and that I may have found a lead and they could use."

"But you're still going to the police." I said.

"We have proof Jace." She said. "You are innocent, and I'm not going to rest until its proven."

"Just be careful." I said and she walked over to me and snaked her arms around my neck.

"Always." She said and I leaned down and pressed my lips to her.

"When do you think you'll be back?" I asked.

"Probably tomorrow." She said. "It's a long drive back."

"I would say text me when you get there, but that's not possible, so just be careful, and come home to me." I said and I felt her shiver.

"Of course." She said and I kissed her once more.

Clary walked out of the house and I took a deep breath. I still didn't have a good feeling about this, but I was just going to trust Clary, and hopefully that would clear my name and we could finally start living the life that I so desperately wanted with Clary. I was scared, but when this was finally over, Clary and I could start living and I couldn't wait for that day.

 **Clary POV:**

I got to the precinct and I was a nervous wreck. I wasn't going to disclose my relationship with Jace, but that didn't calm my nerves at all. I walked in and went over to the nearest officer and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hi, I'd like to talk to the officer in charge of the Lightwood murder." I said.

"That would be me. My name if Detective Verlac. How can I help you?" He said.

"It's kind of a long story." I said. "I don't know the Lightwood's at all, but I have been following the case and I think I found something." I said.

"Why don't we take a seat at my desk." He said and I nodded. We got to his desk and took a seat. "What do you think you found?" He asked.

"Well, I've been following the news, and trying to figure it out myself." I laughed. "I'm a sucker for a good old fashioned crime story, and this one just seemed so upsetting."

"I know. It's hard when the adopted son kills the man who gave you a shot at a life you didn't have before." He said and I tried not to react.

"I saw that, but I don't think Jonathan is responsible." I said, and it felt weird calling him that.

"Is that right?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Being a curious person my nature, I looked into other murders in the past couple years to see if there were any similarities. And I think I found a connections." I said as I set the articles down. "Nearly 6 years ago two men were murdered in the same way Robert Lightwood was. They were seen affiliating with crime families and they ended up dead." I said. "I don't really know what to do next, but I thought it was something that you should explore."

"Well Miss…..?" He asked and I smiled.

"Fray." I said.

"Well Miss. Fray, I will take this into consideration and see where it leads, but I'm not going to promise anything. We have a pretty solid case against the adopted son." He said and I just smiled and sweet, innocent, but effective smile.

"It would mean the world to me if you looked into this." I said.

"I will." He said and I stood up.

"Thank you Detective Verlac." I said.

"Please, call me Sebastian." He said and I smiled and walked out of the station. I got into my car and headed towards the motel I was going to stay in that night. I hope that whatever I gave them was something that would clear Jace's name.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I was doing everything I could think of trying to distract myself until Clary got back. It felt like she had been gone forever, when it hasn't even been 24 hours yet. I was in the kitchen cooking dinner when I heard the front door open. I stopped cooking, and walked out into the living room where Clary was standing. I walked right over to her and scooped her up into my arms.

"God I missed you." I said and I felt her laugh.

"I wasn't even gone a full day." She said as I put her down.

"We've been together non-stop for months." I said. "It's weird when you're not here."

"Well, I'm back now, and I smell food, and I'm starving." She said and I laughed. I grabbed her hand and led her to the kitchen. I got her a plate and she sat at the table.

"How did it go?" I asked as I took a seat.

"I gave them the article, and asked them to look into it." She simply said.

"Just like that?" I asked.

"Well, I may have had to give the detective in charge a nice flirtatious smile." She said and I instantly got jealous.

"Oh." I said.

"Oh babe, don't worry." She said. "It was just to get him to consider the evidence." She said and I nodded. "It's cute that you're jealous though." She smiled.

"I've never been jealous before." I admitted and she laughed.

"Really?" She asked and I nodded.

"I've never cared enough to get jealous. If a girl I was seeing was flirting with another guy, I simply cut her loose." I explained.

"Well, you don't have to worry about me." She said. "I've never been a hit with guys, and I doubt that's changed."

"You must be kidding." I said. "Look at you." I said and she blushed. "You're gorgeous, and intelligent. There isn't a better combination in my opinion."

"I think you give me too much credit." She said.

"And you're modest." I added. "That's a rare thing for women these days. They all assume they are the cream of the crop, and the minute someone tells them other wise, they start complaining." I said and she laughed.

"I grew up knowing that I had to earn my place." She said. "I had to earn my grades, my spot on a team, the respect of other, the attention of other, but always to do it in a kind way." She explained. "Nobody likes someone who has their head so far up their ass they can't see when they are fucking up." She said and I laughed.

"And yet you like me." I said and she smiled.

"You've been nothing but sweet and respectful of me." She said. "What's not to like?"

"I just know I've been told for more than half my life that I can be a little too much to handle." I admitted. "In high school I was a cocky bastard, and that's putting it lightly." I said and she laughed. "I had a terrible reputation and never had a real steady girlfriend because I just thought everyone was below me." I said and she nodded. "But I've learned a lot since those days, and hope that I've mellowed out a little."

"I think you're the perfect gentleman." She said. "And I can't imagine you any other way."

"Well, you never have to because there isn't anything in this world I wouldn't do for you." I said and she smiled.

We continued eating dinner and talking about random stuff. The best thing about Clary was how comfortable we were with each other. It was like we've known each other for years, not just months. She was easy to talk to and she had the most infectious smile. I knew that I would do anything for this girl no matter what.

 **Time Jump – Three Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting on the couch one night flipping through the channels. Jace had gone to bed an hour ago, but for some reason I couldn't sleep. I was snuggled under a blanket when I saw something about Robert Lightwoods case pop up and I immediately put the remote down so that I could hear what was being said.

"After a lengthy investigation, today the murders of Robert Lightwood have been apprehended." The news anchor said and I weight was lifted off my shoulders. "Sources tell me that a lead was given to the police about possible organized crime involvement, and today, three members of the Blackthorn family were arrested when the shell casing that was left on scene was matched to their guns. The man hunt for one Jonathan Herondale has been called off, and the family hopes that he comes home soon so they can finally lay their father to rest with the whole family." I got right off the couch and ran upstairs and jumped on the bed.

"Jace, wake up!" I shook him and he rolled over.

"What's wrong?" He asked in a super groggy sexy voice.

"They caught the guys who killed Robert." I said and she shot up. "I just heard it on the news."

"Holy shit." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"He said the man hunt for you was called off, and that your family really wants you home to lay to rest Robert." I said.

"I can go home?" He asked and I nodded enthusiastically. "We can go home Clary." He said as he pulled me into a hug. "Thank you." He said. "I don't think I would have been able to do any of this without you."

"You would have proven your innocence once way or another." I said. "But it's always nice not having to do it alone."

"We'll head home tomorrow." He said and I nodded. "You finally coming to bed?" He asked and I laughed.

"Yea." I said and he pulled me into his side. I rested my head on his chest and I couldn't get the smile off my face. This was everything I ever wanted in life, and it only took being kidnapped by a suspected murderer to get it, but hey, sometimes life worked in mysterious ways.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I got back to the city last night, and the minute I walked into my penthouse, cops swarmed. I knew that I was going to be in trouble somehow, but what I wasn't expecting was having to leave Clary for 6 months. Although I was innocent of the crime, running from the law is still a crime, and I had to pay the consequences of my actions.

They gave me a few days so that I could get my things, and attend Robert's funeral. It was a beautiful service, and I was thankful that the murderers were behind bars. As for my punishment, I was going to be held in a private institution where I was pretty much going to be by myself and a guard for the next 6 months. It was going to suck, but it was being kept under wraps, and it wouldn't be released to the public. But today was the day that I was leaving, and it was going to suck.

I walked out of the bedroom and Clary was standing in the living room. I put my bag down and walked over to her and scooped her up into a hug. She sighed into my neck and I tightened my grip on her. This was going to be suck, and I wasn't looking forward to it.

"I'm going to miss you." She said and I sighed.

"I'm going to miss you too." I said. "But we both knew that I couldn't just come back without some type of consequence." I said and she nodded.

"Doesn't mean it isn't going to suck." She said and I laughed.

"I'll be back before you know it." I said and she nodded. I handed her a key to the penthouse and she looked up at me. "I can't wait to come home to you Clary."

"Is this your way of asking me to move in?" She asked and I laughed.

"If you'll have me." I said. "I'd be honored to live with you."

"Nothing would make me happier." She said and I pressed my lips to hers.

"Come on Romeo." The officer said. "We have to leave." I nodded and turned back to Clary.

"I love you." I said to her, for the first time.

"I love you too Jace." She said and I kissed her once more. I grabbed my back and followed the officer out, leaving Clary behind.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Where do I even begin? After Jace left, I was pretty depressed. I was barely getting out of bed, and I couldn't go 20 minutes without crying. I wasn't allowed to have any contact while he was away, and that was the hardest part.

Apparently he told his sister to come check on me, and we've actually gotten really close. She was the polar opposite of me, but we got along so well and complimented each other so much. It was nice having a friend in the same type of situation. She knew what I was going through on some level, and that was a huge help.

Although, about a month ago I got the biggest news of my life. Izzy and I were out to lunch, and the minute I put the first fork full of food in my mouth, I threw it all up. I had no idea why, and I got back to the house and just decided to get some sleep, and try and sleep the sickness away. When it was a month later, and I still felt like shit, I asked Izzy to accompany me to the doctor, and that's when I found out I was pregnant. To say I was shocked would be an understatement, but here I am, almost 4 months pregnant, with twins nonetheless, and just waiting for Jace to be released so that I could tell him. I mean, we had sex the night before he left, but I had no idea I'd get pregnant, but honestly, I couldn't wait to meet them both and start raising them.

"Hello!?" I heard and I knew that it was Izzy.

"Upstairs!" I shouted back and than I head the clicking of the heels before the door opened.

"Hey, you ready to go?" She asked and I nodded. I got up from the rocking chair in the nursery and walked out behind her. "You nervous?" She asked.

"A little." I said. "I mean, what if he reacts badly?" I asked.

"Although I've never heard Jace ever talking about settling down, I saw you two together." She said. "He's more serious about you than he's ever been about anything in his whole life. Once he finds out, he is going to be thrilled."

"I hope so." I said.

We made it to the studio where I was getting ready to get pictures taken for the surprise of Jace's life. The nursery was nearly done, but I feel like a lot of people do that as a pregnancy announcement, and I wanted to do something different. Izzy suggested that I get a sexy maternity photo shoot down to show Jace my bump. This is the third photo shoot I've done, and I plane on getting three more done before he gets home. I'm going to set up the hallway and living room like a mini gallery for when he comes home, and he's going to see them before he sees me. I was really excited about it, but also super nervous. I just hope he takes the news well.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was finally going home today, and I couldn't tell you how relieved I am. Being away from Clary for 6 months was hard. Especially because we were going together for 4 months before I had to leave. But I knew deep in my heart that she was the one for me, and I couldn't wait to finally start living our lives together. I still didn't have a phone so I couldn't tell her when I was coming home, but she was given a general time.

When I walked up to the door of my penthouse I took a deep breath. It had been a long 6 months, and I couldn't wait to sleep in my own bed, and with the love of my life. I opened the front door, and was surprised that there was a huge picture of Clary, barely clothed facing me. Not that I was complaining, but it was shocking. I put my stuff down and realized that there were more pictures. I was looking at them, and I couldn't deny, Clary was sexy as hell and the fact that she did this for me, made me smile.

I continued to look at the pictures when I noticed something change. I went back to look at the one picture and than I looked back at the others. Clary looked bigger, but I didn't know why. I continued to look through the pictures until I saw the one. My eyes popped out of my head, and my jaw dropped. Clary was bigger, but that's because she was pregnant. Like really pregnant. I started walking a little faster through the penthouse when I got to the final picture. She was huge.

"Clary!" I called through the house.

"Yes?" She said and I whipped around to see Clary standing there, her belly was huge, and she looked terrified.

"You're pregnant." I said and she laughed.

"I'm pregnant." She said again.

"Holy shit." I said and she laughed.

"With twins." She said and now my jaw fully dropped to the ground.

"Oh my god." I said and she smiled.

"Are you mad?" She asked.

"Mad? Why would I be mad?" I asked.

"Because we've only been together for like 4 months before this happened." She said as she gestured to her belly.

"But we've been together for 10 months officially." I reminded her.

"And in three months we'll be parents." She said.

"Oh my god." I said again and she laughed. "I love you Clary, and maybe this all happened unconventionally, and quick, but I know you're it for me. I knew that after a week we spent in that cottage." I said and she smiled.

"You ready for this?" She asked.

"Probably not." I said honestly. And she laughed. "But we've overcome worse." I said and she laughed.

"You are so right." She said and I walked over and put my hands on her tummy.

"I love you." I said. "And these 6 months apart have been torture." I said and she laughed.

"I love you too." She said and I kissed her. Being back with Clary was like coming home, and now I was going to be a father. I never though about it before, but it was something I wanted with Clary, and it might be scary as all hell, but I was totally ready.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The twins were 9 months old day, and man were they a lot of work. Jace and I talked about a lot of different things before the babies were born, and we agreed that I would be a stay at home mom, and raise them, and if I wanted to get a job when they were older, I could, but Jace was fully capable of supporting us no matter what.

I was skeptical at first. I've never not had to work, but after staying home with these two, I never wanted to go back to work. I wanted to be there for every event, and every milestone, and just bond with them as much as I could. I didn't want to miss a single thing, and Jace was totally on bored with it.

Hailey and Morgan were the two happiest babies you'll ever meet in your life. They were so personable, and giggly, and really just grabbed your attention and brought a smile to your face. They were my pride and joy, and I couldn't picture life without them.

I was sitting on the couch while Hailey and Morgan were sitting in their little playpen. They were getting ready to take their nap, but weren't fully there yet. I heard the front door open, and I was confused considering that Jace was supposed to be at work. I looked up and he walked in and smiled at me.

"What are you doing home?" I asked as I got off the couch.

"There wasn't much for me to do, and I missed you three." He said and I laughed.

"You became a softy with those two." I said and he laughed.

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for my girls." He said and I gave him a kiss.

"They're currently almost napping, so your timing is a little poor." I said and he laughed.

"Not really. That gives me more time with my other girl." He said as he pulled me into him. "I love you." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said and he kissed my forehead.

"Thank you for giving me this life." He said and I smiled.

"It was my pleasure." I said and he laughed.

"Clarissa." He said and I looked into those golden eyes that I loved so much.

"Yes?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"Marry me." He said and my breath hitched. "Marry me and make me the happiest man in the world." He further said and I started to cry.

"Yes." I managed to get out and before I could even comprehend it, he slipped something onto my hand. I looked at it, and than back up at Jace. Yup, getting basically kidnapped was definitely the best thing that ever happened to me.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This was requested by fangirl101, and the moment I read it, i knew that I wanted to do it! I hope that it lived up to your expectations, and that you love it, because I took a couple days on this story trying to make it right!**

 **Now, I have no idea what the jail time for a fugitive running for the law is, so I just made up my own punishment. Also, the 'La Famiglia' means 'The Family' in Italian, and I thought it was appropriate considering the crimes families in New York, are Italian. Anyway, let me know what you think and leave a review!**

 **ONE more one shot until I reach 100, and I can't tell you how thankful I am that you've all been so receptive to these stories. It really means a lot to me, and it inspires me to keep going! Also, I am finishing a lot of my stories, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm going to update this one more frequently. School is winding down, so I might not have as much time, but I'll try my best! :)**


	101. Chapter 100 - Ghost Stories

**ONE HUNDREDTH ONE SHOT:**

 **Ghost Stories**

 **Clary POV:**

I was normal at one point in my life. I was the art girl and I lived a pretty average life in the city. There was nothing particularly special about me, but that didn't matter to me. I was content with my life, and just ready to live it the best I could.

When I was 15, that's when everything changed. I was approached by a spirit, and my life changed dramatically. Of course, I kept it to myself for some time, scared that I would be institutionalized, or ridiculed. I was terrified, but it was also hard to keep it to myself.

That's when I decided to tell my parents. They were concerned at first, but when a spirit presented themselves to me, and it was my Nanna that I didn't even know came and told me to tell my dad a story of when he was young, they believed me. I didn't feel so alone anymore, and the burden was lifted.

Of course it still slightly freaked me out considering the spirits always chose the worst timing to show up and ask me something, and tonight was no different. I was startled awake when I felt someone caressing my cheek. When I shot out of bed I saw two spirits in my room.

"Can I help you?" I asked trying to wake up.

"You can." The woman said. "My name is Celine Herondale, and this is my husband Stephen." She said. "We need your help."

"It's the middle of the night, couldn't you have waiting until tomorrow?" I asked and she laughed.

"Ghosts don't run on a time schedule. We never sleep." She said and I nodded.

"What do you need from me?" I asked.

"Our son." She said. "He carries around this huge amount of guilt in regards to our deaths, and we can't stand to see him so sad anymore." Celine said. "We need you to tell him that it's not his fault."

"Did you get to tell him this before you died?" I asked.

"No." Stephen said. "We were murdered when our son was 13."

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry." I said and they nodded.

"He's 27 now, and he is the most miserable guy ever." Celine said. "He deserves to be happy, and not carrying this around with him, and we need your help with that."

"Okay. Where is he?" I asked.

"He lives in England. There is this little town called Idris, and he goes to this coffee shop, Java Jones religiously." Celine said.

"I guess I'll be on a plane as soon as I can." I said.

"Thank you." Celine said. "So much."

"This is what my abilities are for." I said. "To help." They nodded and than disappeared. No doubt going back to look over their son. I wanted to help them so bad, because I couldn't imagine carrying that guilt around with me for that long.

 **Jace POV:**

It was another average day. Going through life since my parent's death has just been so sorrowful. Nothing made me truly happy, and the all-consuming guilt was intense. I never got a break, but I deserved that. I could have done more, and I didn't. I deserved this guilt, and as much as it caused so many sleepless nights, and unsuccessful relationships, I knew that I deserved this deep down. My parents were dead because of me, and that was something I was going to have to live with for the rest of my life.

I got home from work, and made myself dinner and sat mindlessly in front of the TV waiting for an acceptable time for a 27 year old to go to bed and start my day all over again. Trying to get that family aspect back with the Lightwood's was something I tried for years but it just wanted the same. I love Alec, Izzy and Max more than anything, but Maryse and Robert were never going to be my parents. I appreciated everything they did for me, and taking me in, but I just wanted my parents back, and it sucked that I couldn't even give them a proper goodbye.

I went to bed at like 10, and stared at the ceiling until my eyes started to burn from exhaustion. This happened every night. I tried to escape the nightmares, and the worst day of my life, but just like every night for the past 14 years, the screams, and the gunshots filled my mind as I restlessly tossed and turned for the whole night. My life was a never ending play by play of the worst night of my life, and I could never escape.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It took me some time before I could find Jace. Celine and Stephen told me what he looked like, and I felt a little creepy watching him for a couple days, but I had a job to do, and I was going to deliver that message. When I finally worked up the courage I walked into the coffee shop and took a deep breath. I walked over to the table and sat down. He looked up at me with those beautiful golden eyes and smiled.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"My name is Clary." I said. "You have no idea who I am, but I felt compelled to talk to you." I said.

"I'm Jace." He said and I smiled.

"How has your day been?" I asked and he laughed.

"It's been alright." He said. "How about yours?"

"Pretty great if I'm being honest." I said. "This is my first time in England."

"How are you enjoying it?" He asked.

"It's way better than I anticipated." I said and he smiled. For some reason it was really easy to talk to him.

"I'm glad my country is treating you well." He said and I smiled.

"Me too." I said.

"How long are you here for?" He asked.

"That all depends." I said.

"On what?" He asked.

"On how you react to what I'm about to say next." I said and he looked confused. "You're Jonathan Herondale. Your parents Celine and Stephen Herondale."

"Who are you?" He asked and I could tell he was angry.

"I told you who I am." I said. "Your parents came to me, and asked me to track you down."

"This isn't funny." He said.

"I'm not trying to be funny." I said.

"Than what are you trying to be?" He nearly yelled. "My parents have been dead for 14 years. And I can tell you, the police stopped investigating." He said.

"I'm not with the police." I said. "I can speak to those who have passed."

"Listen little girl, I'm not buying into this sixth sense bullshit." He said. "You want to mock the pain that I go through every single day? You want to bring up the worst day or my life for your own twisted fun? My life was ruined that day. And here you are making a mockery of it." He yelled and stood up. "Come near me again, I'll have you arrested." He said as he stormed out of the coffee shop. I knew people were staring but I didn't care. I needed him to know I wasn't making fun of him. But I didn't know how to do that now.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I got back to the hotel and collapsed on my bed. That went how I honestly expected it would go, but that didn't mean I was ready for it. He was so angry, and he thought I was making fun of him, which wasn't it at all. He looked so hurt, and I hardly knew the guy, but I felt so incredibly sorry for drudging that day back up.

"We're so sorry." I heard and when I looked up and there was Celine and Stephen.

"I kind of expected him to explode, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt slightly." I explained and they nodded.

"We knew he might be skeptical. He's never really been a believer in much, and after we died, he kinda just gave up everything." Celine said. "It's been so hard seeing him coping the way that he has."

"Why don't you tell me about him? Maybe when I approach him again with facts about himself he might be more willing to listen." I said.

"You're going to try again?" Stephen asked.

"Of course." I said. "You two need him to know that he needs to let go of the guilt and start living. And I think he needs that just as much." I said. "I'm not giving up."

"Okay, where should be start?" Celine asked Stephen.

"How about from the beginning." He said. "Jace was a week early. He was born on January 23rd, and spent three days in the hospital." He said.

We sat there talking for hours. And I was learning so much about Jace. Some of the stories that they had about him just made me laugh my ass off so much. It was crazy, but he seemed like such an awesome person, and I caught a glimpse of that before he blew up at me. Learning about him, just made me want to help him so much more. He deserved to be happy, and let this guilt go, and I wasn't leaving England until he heard me out.

 **Time Jump – Three Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was walking through the park just trying to clear my head. It was the 15th anniversary of my parents death and I was miserable. There was so much I could have done to save them, but I did nothing. I was a coward, and I let them die. When I turned around to head back Clary was standing there. And I nearly lost it.

"I thought I told you that if you came near me again I'd call the police." I said angrily.

"You were born January 23rd." She said. "You were a week early, and stayed in the hospital for 3 days. When you were 3, you were at the park and broke your arm sliding down the slide." She said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. "Your favorite color is gold, you played lacrosse at the boarding school you went too, your mom would sing to you every night before bed, and your father would always stand in the doorframe, but you never knew why." She said. "You're terrified of ducks, because one chased you when you were 4 and you thought it wanted to eat you." She laughed. "You studied business in college because you wanted to take over your fathers business in memory of him. You had a girlfriend in college, her name was Kaelie, but you caught her cheating on you with a close friend of yours and you swore off love because of it." She said and my jaw dropped. "You spend every Sunday night with Max because you feel like he gets forgotten too often because he's so much younger." She said as she let out a breath. "And I wasn't mocking you. Your parents have been looking over you since the day they were murdered and they came to me to deliver a message." She said and I nodded. "They what you to know that it wasn't your fault. They were protecting you because that's what parents do. They protect their children at all costs. You staying in that closet saved your life and that's what they wanted." She said. "Your mom wants you to forgive yourself, and to forgive them and finally start living a life that makes you happy." She finished and I was stunned speechless.

"How did you...?" I asked.

"I told you." She said as she stepped closer. "I can communicate with those who have crossed over. Your parents came and found me because they wanted me to deliver a message to you, and I did that." She said. "I'll leave you alone now." She started walking away when I finally decided to move. I grabbed her hand and she turned around. And I couldn't explain exactly what I did when we touched, but I liked it. A lot.

"Are they...okay?" I asked and she smiled.

"They're okay." She said and I sighed. "They've been following you around, and Celine is not happy about some of your behavior." She said and I laughed.

"I figured as much." I said and she smiled.

"Can I show you something?" She asked and I nodded. She took my hands in hers and then closed her eyes. I had no idea what she was doing but soon I saw my parents. Standing beside her.

"Mom, dad?" I questioned and they smiled.

"Hi sweetheart." My mom said.

"How are you here?" I asked.

"We went and found Clary hoping that she would find you." My mom said. "We know the guilt you've been carrying around with you, and we couldn't stand to see you suffer anymore."

"This isn't your fault son." My father said. "This happened because we were protecting you. Which is how it was supposed to be."

"I could have done something. I could have fought them off, and saved one of you, or both of you. You could have survived if I wasn't such a coward." I said.

"Jonathan, you were 13 years old. You couldn't have stopped them." My mom said. "You need to know that what we did, we did because we love you and we wanted you to have a chance at life." She said. "We know you've been harboring this guilt since that day. Sweetheart, it's time to open your heart up, and start living."

"How?" I asked. "Every night I'm haunted with images, and during the day I just think about things I could have done to save you." I said.

"You're going to be living a long and lonely life if you keep doing that Jace." My dad said. "It's been 15 years son, you are allowed to smile, and laugh, and fall in love."

"And this girl right here, is a good place to start." My mom winked and I laughed.

"Are you seriously trying to set me up with her from the other side?" I asked and she smiled, and laughed. Something I never thought I'd hear again.

"I'm just saying, she has been here for nearly a month doing something for us, and for you." She said. "You screamed at her, and she was still determined to delivered our message." She explained. "She's persistent, and kind, and beautiful." She said and I looked at this girl. "Give it a shot."

"Can she hear us?" I asked.

"Nope." My dad said. "She's using everything in her to project us to someone who can't see us normally." He said and I nodded.

"I can't tell you how good it is to see you guys." I said and they smiled.

"We love you Jace." My mom said.

"I love you both too." I said. "More than you've ever know."

"We know. We can feel it." She said as her hand went over her heart. "We'll always be looking over you Jace. No matter what."

"You're the best guardian angels I could ever hope for." I said and they nodded. My mom blew me a kiss and then they were both gone. Clary collapsed and I kneeled down in front of her. I scooped her up into my arms and just decided to take her back to my place.

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up and I was exhausted. I looked around and realized that I wasn't in my hotel, but in a very nice apartment. I stood up and nearly fell over with how dizzy I got.

"Whoa there." I heard and I turned around and there stood Jace.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"My place." He said. "You passed out cold after projecting my parents." He said and I nodded. "Which, was insanely cool, and I can't thank you enough for that."

"I know it's hard to believe." I said. "Nobody knows about it except my parents, and my best friend Simon." I explained. "I didn't want to be a freak or anything, but I felt incredibly compelled to find you and help Celine and Stephen."

"I'm so sorry that I yelled at you." He said. "I just – I have such a hard time as it is, and you bringing it up just really got to me."

"I understand." I said. "I expected some sort of outburst, but I wasn't going anywhere until you got the message."

"Thank you, so much for letting me see and talk to them again." He said.

"It was my pleasure." I said and he smiled.

"I made dinner, you hungry?" He asked.

"Starving." I said and he stood up. He reached his hand out and I took it and he lifted me off the sofa. "I didn't realize how much that was going to drain me."

"You were out cold once they left." He said and I nodded. I took a seat at the table and he gave me the food and than he sat down. "So, when did you figure out you could do what you do?" He asked and I laughed.

"When I was 15." I said. "I was in my living room writing a paper for school when my best friend, Simon, his dad came to me. He had died a couple months before, and wanted me to talk to Simon about taking care of his mom and sister for him."

"How did he react when you told him?" He asked.

"He was pretty shocked, but I did the same thing I did with you, for him." I said. "Of course I didn't know what the hell I was doing, so it was all luck that it worked, but that's how it's been ever since."

"So can you see every ghost, or just ones that present themselves to you?" He asked.

"Just ones that present themselves to me, but I can feel a spiritual presences when one is around." I said. "If I saw every ghost that followed people around, I'd probably be in a mental institution." I said and he laughed.

"So you can't see my parents right now?" He asked.

"They're around, but I can't see them." I said and he nodded.

"I'd like to make it up to you." He said.

"You don't have too Jace." I said. "I did my job."

"But I _want_ to make it up to you." He said.

"Okay. What do you have in mind?" I asked.

"Dinner. Tomorrow night." He said and I smiled.

"I'd love too." I said and he smiled.

The rest of the dinned we talked about random things, and I couldn't deny how natural everything felt with Jace. He was so open with me, and he was so willing to talk about anything and everything, and I was the same way. When he had a question about my abilities or something I answered it honestly. Now that he knew, I didn't have to hide, and I couldn't tell you how great it felt to not have to hide. And the best part was, he seemed to just accept it. Which was also something that was really nice. He didn't think I was a freak, he was amazed by my abilities, and that was nice.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Jace, we have to go! Max is expecting us!" I yelled from the living room ready to head to the Lightwood house.

After Jace took me out on our first date, I knew that there was no way I was going to be able to be away from him. We got along so well, and I just always wanted to be around him and grow with him. I called my parents and Simon and told them that I met someone and that on a chance I was moving to England to be closer to him. Of course they were shocked but they supported by decision, and here we are, three years later, and we live together and even have a cat. My life was perfect, and I was insanely happy

"I'm coming!" I heard Jace yell. A moment later he was walking down the steps.

"Max is so excited to see us. I don't want to make him wait." I said and Jace kissed me.

"I know." He said. "Let's go." He said and I nodded.

We got to the Lightwood's and Max was super excited to see us. I understood why Jace took the time to spend time with him every week. It wasn't that Alec and Izzy neglected him or pretended he wasn't there, they were just super busy and unfortunately that meant they had to sacrifice something, and it sucked that it was time with Max, but Jace being the incredibly kind and amazing man that he is, always took time.

"Come on, I got a new movie last week, and I've been saving it for our movie nights!" Max said and I smiled.

"What is it?" Jace asked.

"The newest Wolverine movie!" He said with so much enthusiasm in his voice.

"Sounds dope little man." Jace said and I laughed. We got settled on the couch and Max jumped right between us and pressed play. Max was practically siting on the edge of his seat watching this movie and I couldn't help but smile at him.

When the movie was over, Max was asleep. Jace grabbed him and went to put him in his room. I turned the TV off and went upstairs to wait for Jace so that we could go home. I was standing in the foyer looking at the family pictures yet again.

"Hey." I heard and when I turned around there stood Izzy.

"Hey what's up?" I asked.

"Nothing. Just getting ready for a business trip." She said.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"New York." She said. "I'm meeting with the office there." She explained.

"Cool. I love that city." I said.

"I've never been." She said.

"Let me set you up with my best friend Simon. He's pretty nerdy, but he knows New York better than anyone. He can take you on a personal tour!" I offered and she smiled.

"Sounds great!" She said and I smiled. I quick texted Simon and told him about Izzy's visit and he happily agreed to show her around.

"Alright, you're all set." I said and she laughed.

"That was quick." She said and I smiled.

"It's kind of an agreement between the two of us. If we're awake, and we see that the other one has texted, we answer. No matter what." I said and she nodded.

"You ready?" Jace asked the minute he walked into the living room.

"Of course." I said. "I'll text you details Iz." I said and she nodded and we walked out of the house.

"Details about what?" Jace asked.

"She's going to New York on business and since she's never been, I'm having Simon give her the grand tour!" I said.

"Sounds….interesting." He said and I laughed.

"Why is that?" I asked as we got into the car.

"Izzy is intense, and from what you've told me about Simon, I'm worried about his ability to function around her." He said and I laughed.

"He'll be fine." I said. "I hope anyway." I said and Jace laughed.

We got home and we got ready for bed. We were seriously like an elderly couple. We barely made it past 10:30 these days. We snuggled in bed and I rested my head on his chest. These moment right here made me incredibly glad that his parents came to me. I was also so incredibly glad that they respected our privacy. They knew I was always going to look out for Jace, so they weren't a constant presence anymore, but they showed up from time to time, and I knew it brought Jace comfort. I was nearly asleep when I heard Jace whisper.

"Marry me." He said and my eyes shot opened. I looked up at him and he smiled.

"You're serious?" I asked and he laughed.

"More serious than I've ever been," He said and I laughed.

"Of course." I said and he smiled. He reached over to the bedside table and pulled out a box. I opened it up and there sat a beautiful ring, but I knew it was old.

"This belonged to my mom." He said and that's when I felt the presence. "It's always been a tradition in the Herondale family to pass this ring down to the next generation." He explained as he slid it on my finger.

"I'm honored to wear it." I said as I pressed my lips to his. "Thank you."

"No, thank you. For agreeing." He said and I laughed. I saw his parents in the corner smiling before they left. This was going to be a good life.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was the day that Clary and I were finally getting married, and to say I was nervous would be an understatement. I knew this was what I wanted, but marriage was scary, and I just hope that I don't screw it up too badly. There was a knock on my door, and a moment alter Alec walked in.

"Hey man, you ready?" He asked and I gave him a nervous laugh.

"As I'll ever be." I said and he clapped me on the back.

"I know you're nervous, but this is the right thing." He said. "Once you see her, those nerves will be long gone."

"I know." I said. "I'm not getting cold feet, I just – I don't know. I never thought this would happen." I admitted. "After what happened in college, I just kinda gave up, but than Clary came into my life, and things just seemed to make more sense."

"I know what you mean." He said. "So let's go out there, and get you married." He said and I laughed and we made our way out to the ceremony space. This was it.

 **Clary POV:**

I was looking at myself in the mirror and I had to admit, I looked pretty good. I was absolutely in love with my dress, Izzy did an amazing job with my hair and make up, and I was just ready to go out there and marry Jace. There was a knock on the door, and a minute later Izzy entered.

"You ready to get married?" She asked and I smiled.

"More than ready." I said and she walked over and stood behind me to fix my veil.

"I'm so happy Jace found you." She said and I laughed.

"More like I found him." I said and she smiled.

"I'm glad you found each other, and I can't wait for you to become my sister-in-law!" She said excitedly and I smiled.

"Me either." I said. I turned around and gave her a big hug. "Let's go." We walked out to the back of the church where my dad was waiting for me."

"You ready?" He asked as I linked my arm in his.

"Yes." I said and he smiled. The music started and Izzy walked out. A moment later, it was my turn. I was a bundle of nerves, but the minute I saw him standing at the alter, waiting for me, it took everything in me not to run to him. I finally got there, gave my dad a kiss, handled my bouquet to Izzy, and joined hands with Jace.

"Ladies and gentleman, we are gathered here today to join in holy matrimony, Jonathan Herondale, and Clarissa Morgenstern." He said. "The couple has wished to keep the ceremony short, and decided to start off strong and share their own vows." He said. "Jonathan?" He asked.

"We got off on the wrong foot." He started and I couldn't help but laugh. "But you being the most stubborn woman on the planet, didn't give up." He rubbed his thumbs over his knuckles and I couldn't help but smile. "There was a time in my life that I thought I'd never be happy again." He admitted. "Nothing ever seemed to go my way, and I accepted that. But you showed up, and for the first time in years, everything felt right." He said and the tears pooled in my eyes. "I love you more than I ever thought possible Clary, and I can't wait to continue to grow in our relationship, and just see what the future has in store for us, because I know that no matter what it is, it's going to be amazing, because it'll be with you." He said and the tears spilled out of my eyes.

"Clarissa?" The priest asked.

"You sure know how to make a girl cry." I said and everyone laughed. "I took a chance, and got on a plane and came to England." I said. "Little did I know what exactly would come out of it, although I can say this, not even in my wildest dreams did I think something like this would happen." I admitted. "I've always been kinda content with my life. Nothing really exciting happened, I was just strolling through and wondering if I was ever going to find that person who made my heart skip a beat, or made every day an adventure no matter what." I said with a smile. "It wasn't until we met, and actually got off on the right foot that I realized that the adventure could start with you." I said and he gave my hands a little squeeze. "Our life together has been nothing short of amazing, and I can't wait for it to continue to be just as amazing in the future. I love you Jace, more than I could possibly put into words." I finished.

"Now Jonathan, repeat after me." He said and Alec handed Jace the ring. "I Jonathan."

"I Jonathan." Jace repeated.

"Take you Clarissa."

"Take you Clarissa." Jace said with the biggest smile on his face, he knows how much I hate my first name.

"To be my lawful wedded wife." The priest said.

"To me my lawful wedded wife." Jace said.

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold." Jace said as his golden eyes were locked with my green ones.

"In sickness and in health."

"In sickness and in health." Jace repeated.

"For better or worse." The priest said.

"For better or worse." Jace said.

"As long as we both shall live." The priest said.

"As long as we both shall live." Jace said as he slid the ring on my finger.

"Now Clarissa." The priest said as Izzy handed me the rings. "I, Clarissa."

"I Clarissa." I said.

"Take you Jonathan." The priest said.

"Take you Jonathan." I said.

"As my lawful wedded husband."

"As my lawful wedded husband." I repeated.

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold." I said.

"In sickness, and in health."

"In sickness and in health." I said as the tears threatened to fill my eyes again.

"For better or worse."

"For better or worse." I said and my voice slightly cracked.

"As long as we both shall live."

"As long as we both shall live." I finished as I slid the ring onto his finger.

"Ladies, and gentleman, may I present you Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Herondale." The priest said. "You may kiss the bride." Jace leaned forward and our lips pressed together. The kiss wasn't short, but it wasn't long either. It was simply perfect. When we broke apart, Jace rested his forehead against mine and smiled.

"Are they here?" He asked in a low whisper. I looked over to the two empty seat that we reserved for Celine and Stephen and I couldn't help but smile.

"Yea, they're here."

 **Authors Note:**

 **ONE HUNDRED ONE SHOTS! I can't tell you all how amazing it feels to have written 100 of these and you still love them just as much as you did when I only had 2 written. Thank you for the constant love and support you all give me, and the inspiration and the motivation that keeps me going! I love all types of feedback, and your words truly mean the world to me!**

 **On another note, I wasn't planning on updating until the weekend was over. I was seriously lacking motivation, and I just thought I'd give myself the weekend off, and regroup, but than WaitingForAHerondale sent me a request and I just - inspiration struck like during the California Gold Mine! Writing this was honestly so easy because the plot was so great! So thank you WaitingForAHerondale for giving me a great idea to work with, and letting me run with it! I hope that I lived up to your expectations, and that this was everything you wanted an more! :)**

 **Again, I can't thank you enough, every single one of you who favorite, follow, request, and just always have something positive to say, even when I'm not in a very positive place! Means a lot! Let me know what you think and leave another stellar review! :)**


	102. Chapter 101 - Biker Gang

**One Hundred & One One Shot:**

 **Biker Gang**

 **Jace POV:**

I've grown up around the Brotherhood. There was nothing I ever questioned about it because it was the norm for me. When I was 16, I was officially made a member, and there was something so incredibly rewarding about being part of something that meant so much to so many people.

The Demon Syndicate was the best thing that's every happened to me, I met some of my best friends there and we were the biggest family you'd ever come in contact with. We would do everything for each other: fight, steal, kill. It didn't matter. They were my brothers, and I would ride and die for them any day of the week.

What I didn't expect to happen in my life was falling in love with someone who was not affiliated with my lifestyle whatsoever. See, when you're involved in the type of lifestyle that I am, you get with a girl who knows the ins and outs of the lifestyle. It was easier that way. They knew what it was like being involved with a member, but the moment I met Clary, everything changed.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was walking into the local coffee shop like I always do. I was normally in charge of getting the morning pick me up since I could normally charm Kaelie into giving us the drinks for free. She was a biker gang whore, willing to put out for anyone in the club no matter what. She liked that status it came with, and I didn't mind if it meant I didn't have to pay for coffee._

 _I walked in expecting to see the normal bottle blonde, but instead, there was a redhead behind the counter and I kid you not, everything stopped. Now I normally don't believe in love at first sight bullshit, but man, there was something there, and I didn't even know her name._

 _"Can I help you?" She asked and I was drawn out of the spell she casted on me, and even her voice was angelic._

 _"Uh yea, I have quite a big order." I said and she laughed, damn, I was a goner._

 _"I think I can handle it." She said and I smiled._

 _"Okay, I need 5 medium plain black coffee's with room for cream and sugar, 3 large plain black coffee's with 4 shots of espresso, 3 caramel lattes, 4 vanilla lattes, and 1 Columbian dark roast." I said._

 _"Wow. You weren't kidding." She said and I laughed._

 _"I never kid about coffee." I said and she smiled. She went about making the drinks, but she was making small talk with me, which I thoroughly enjoyed. She was easy to talk too, and I loved the sound of her laugh. After what normally feels like a lifetime, but only felt like 5 minutes with Clary, my order was ready._

 _"I hope whoever is getting these coffees enjoys them, and you generous offer to get them all." She said and I smiled._

 _"I can assure you that they will all be pleased." I said and she smiled. "I don't mean to be intrusive, but Kaelie normally works this shift, where is she?" I asked._

 _"No idea." She said. "I was called in last minute because she failed to show for her shift."_

 _"And what shift do you normally work?" I asked._

 _"I normally work last shift. I close the shop a lot." She said and I nodded. No wonder I never saw her before. "But I'm relatively new to the area. I've only been here about a month."_

 _"Explains why I've never seen you before." I said and she nodded._

 _"Well, have a great day." She said and I smiled._

 _"You too." I said and I walked out, feeling like I was going to enjoy my trip to the coffee shop a lot more now._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

That was almost a year ago, and after that day, I knew that I had to get to know her. So I asked her out, and we've been together ever since. Our relationship was heaven, and I loved every minute of it. Of course Clary didn't know everything about The Demon Syndicate. I liked to keep her out of the lifestyle as much as I possibly could. I didn't want her to be involved, so she new the basics, and that was enough for her.

Getting the Brotherhood behind me was a little trickier. They didn't think it was wise to date a girl who wasn't used to our lifestyle. Living a life of unconventionally means wasn't for everyone, and I knew that. Clary made an honest living, and I would never ask her to give that up for me, but I was totally in love with her, and I wasn't letting her go. Once they all saw how serious I was about her, they decided that if I was happy, it was okay, and having their support meant the world to me.

About 3 months ago Clary and I actually decided to get a place together. We found a place that was close enough to her work, and within decent proximity to the club, and we were happy. There wasn't anything that I could complain about. I had the girl of my dreams next to me every single night, and I planned on spending the rest of my life with her. The Demon Syndicate was currently under new management, so things have been rocky in the Brotherhood, but coming home to Clary every night was the one thing that calmed me down no matter what and I treasured our connection, and our relationship.

It was late, and the meeting with the Brotherhood ran way later than expected, and the minute I walked into the apartment I instantly felt at ease. It smelled like Clary, and that alone calmed me down. I put my stuff down, hung up my cut and walked into the living room. Clary was peacefully asleep on the couch, which I thought was extremely cute. I walked over, turned the TV off, and scooped her up into my arms. I walked her to our room and put her in bed when she stated to stir.

"Jace?" She questioned.

"Yea baby. I'm here." I said.

"You took so long." She said and I smiled.

"I know. The meeting went way longer than expected." I told her.

"Did you get everything sorted out?" She asked.

"Yea. Everything is good." I said and she nodded. "Get some sleep. I'm going to shower and than join you."

"Okay. Love you." She said and I kissed her head.

"I love you too." I said and she curled into the comforter and fell back asleep.

After my shower, I got dressed and joined Clary in bed. She immediately curled into my side and rested her head on my chest. I kissed the top of her head yet again, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up and Jace wasn't in bed. This wasn't a rare occurrence. Most mornings I found the bed empty, but I knew that he had other obligations that he needed to take care of, so I never got mad, as long as he always came home at night, that's all I cared out. I knew very little of what Jace did with his friends. I knew that he was a part of some organization that wasn't exactly law abiding, but as for any other details, I was pretty in the dark.

The Demon Syndicate was something that I never even knew about until I met Jace. The day that he asked me out was a crazy day, and than when we were at dinner, and he explained the basics of what he was involved in, I was in complete shock.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was nervous for my date tonight, but I was also really excited. I couldn't wait to find out more about him than what we talk about when he comes into the coffee shop to order his usual. There was a knock at my apartment and I took a deep breath before going to enter it. When I opened it, there stood Jace, in black skinny jeans, a plain white tee, and a leather jacket. He looked better than any male model I've ever seen, and I was going out with him._

 _"You look great." He said and I smiled._

 _"So do you." I said._

 _"You ready?" He asked and I simply nodded. I locked my apartment and we headed towards the restaurant. Being in Jace's company was really calming, and I couldn't really explain how he did that to me._

 _We got the restaurant and we were seated immediately. We were back in the corner away from prying eyes, and it just seemed like it was only Jace and I in the restaurant. We ordered our food, and Jace got us a bottle of wine. The evening was perfect. When our food arrived, the conversation shifted from light, to more serious._

 _"There is something you need to know about me Clary." He said. "Before we start progressing in this relationship, or whatever it becomes." He said and I nodded. I didn't know where this was going. "So, the biggest thing you should know about me is that I'm involved in a organization that doesn't exactly deal with conventional ways of earning a living."_

 _"You mean you don't have a normal job?" I asked a little confused._

 _"I mean, I do have a normal job but that's more of a side thing. The main way I make money isn't normal." He said with a little laugh. "I guess there isn't a way to work around it so I'm just going to just say it out right." He said and I laughed. "I'm a member of the motorcycle gang called The Demon Syndicate." He said and my jaw dropped._

 _"A gang?" I asked._

 _"It's more of a brotherhood, but that doesn't mean that if someone wrongs us, we won't take revenge." He said and I just nodded. He reached over the table and took my hands in his. "I don't plan on getting you involved at all. I just wanted you to know what I do." He said and I nodded. "I just like you so much, and I feel such a strong connection that I needed to see where it went." He said._

 _"Have you killed anyone?" I asked without even thinking._

 _"Don't ask me that Clary." He said._

 _"So you have?" I asked._

 _"I'm not some homicidal maniac who just kills anyone I see. I would go more along the lines of a vigilante killer." He said and I nodded._

 _"So you do it when you feel the law isn't doing their job right?" I asked and he nodded. "Okay." I said as I tried to process everything. "Okay, is there anything else I should know?" I asked._

 _"You won't come anywhere near the Brotherhood. I don't plan on introducing you to any other members. I don't want our rival to see you affiliating with us." He said and I nodded. "I want you to go about living the normal life you're used to, just with me in it."_

 _"Why aren't you dating someone who is involved with your life?" I asked._

 _"Because I feel something with you that I've never felt before." He said and I nodded._

 _"Okay. I think I can handle that." I said and he smiled._

 _The rest of the night was normal, but I couldn't get the information that Jace told me tonight. Of course it was shocking, but he was right, I did feel something I've never felt before, and it doesn't matter what he does for a living, I wanted to explore what that feeling was._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

It was a normal day for me and I was getting ready for work. Although working at a coffee shop wasn't the dream job I wanted, it was something that made money, and I needed that. I walked to the coffee shop considering that it was right down the block. When I got in, I started my shift. I wasn't feeling great today, I've been battling a cold for a few days, and I didn't really want to do anything, but I needed the money, so I had to suffer through the cold. It was going to be a long day. I knew it.

 **Jace POV:**

We had a meeting today about a lot of brotherhood administration. Since we were under new management, things were still getting worked out. Today was the day that we were finally moving up in the ranks and getting everyone in their respected positions.

"Okay, so we need to discuss who is going to be moved up, and who is not." Robert, the new head, said.

"I think we should just move everyone up one position from what they were before." Alec, his son and my best friend, said.

"Does that work with everyone?" He asked and everyone gave a nod. And Robert turned to me. "Welcome to the VP role." He said and we shook hands. I'm not going to lie, it felt good being at the top of the hierarchy. I felt powerful, and needed. My time in this brotherhood wasn't wasted, and I was planning on taking my new position seriously.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I got home at the same time Clary did. She looked exhausted, and I couldn't blame her. She's been feeling a little under the weather lately, and constantly working wasn't good for her healing process. She took her shoes off and plopped down on the couch.

"You want something to eat?" I asked.

"Do we have any soup?" She asked and I looked through the cabinet.

"We have tomato soup." I said.

"That works." She said.

"And I'll through in a grilled cheese too." I said and I heard her laugh.

"You're the best." I heard her say so I started cooking. 10 minutes later, everything was done and I brought it out to Clary. She was curled under some blankets, nearly asleep.

"Baby, the food is ready." I said and she opened her eyes.

"Thank you." She said as she sat up.

"So, I know I don't like bringing the brotherhood home, but I have to share this with you." I said and she nodded. "You're looking at the new VP of The Demon Syndicate."

"Oh my god!" She said as she put the soup down and threw her arms around me. "I'm so proud of you." She said and I hugged her back. "Although I feel like that's not the right thing to see considering The Demon Syndicate isn't like a major cooperation, but a gang, I'm still proud of you nonetheless because you've worked for it." She said and I laughed.

"I appreciate it. I've been with the brotherhood since I was 16, legitimately. I was around it from the moment I was born since my dad was the pres, but I feel like I've finally made my own name within the group, and that feels good." I explained. She tangled her hands into my hair and smiled at me.

"I'm really proud of you." She said and I leaned forward and kissed her.

"Finish your soup, and than take some medicine, and get some sleep." I said and she nodded.

It didn't take her long at all to finish the food. She came into the kitchen, gave me the dirty dishes, kissed me goodnight and than disappeared into the bedroom. I opened the file that I had Alec get me. It was a couple weeks ago, I felt like someone was following Clary and I. I told Alec about it, and he promised to look into it. He's been secretly following Clary around for a few weeks now, and I just got the pictures that he's been taking.

Just as I suspected, she was being followed, and I didn't like it. The three men in the picture belong to the Night Children. Our rival gang. They do most of their dealings at night, but have taken an interest in Clary, and that didn't sit well with me at all. I texted Alec and said that we needed to meet right now. I grabbed my cut, and headed out to my bike. We met at our usual spot. I was anxious, so I grabbed my cigs and started smoking as Alec pulled up.

"You take a good look at the pictures?" He asked as I gave him a cig.

"Yea. It's those fucking Night Children." I said.

"I don't know how well you studied them, but they alternate between three members." He said.

"Who?" I asked.

"Sebastian, Raphael, and Meliorn." He said.

"Fucking pricks." I muttered.

"Is there anything else you'd like me to do?" Alec asked.

"Keep an eye out for Clary." I said. "Set up shifts or something, but make sure she is never truly alone." I said and he nodded.

"I'll talk to Simon and Max." Alec said. "We'll set something up."

"Thanks man." I said. "I know you knew that her not being affiliated might cause some trouble, but I appreciate you doing this for me."

"She means a lot to you." Alec said. "And that means she is one of us and we protect our own." He said and I nodded. I stomped my cigarette out and sighed.

"I better get back. Clary is asleep, and I don't want her waking up and her needing me and me not being there." I said.

"Understandable." He said and I got back on my bike and headed home. Nothing was going to happen to Clary, that was a fact.

 **Time Jump – Three Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was closing the shop and Jace was at a meeting. I was extremely exhausted, and I just wanted to be in my bed. I was walking home when I felt a presence behind me. When I turned around I didn't see anything, but that didn't make me feel any better. I continued walking when I felt someone grab my wrist and pull me into a near by ally. I was pinned against the brick wall, and I didn't have a good feeling about this.

"Hey baby, why don't you join the Night Children for a fun little night?" He whispered in my ear as his hand started to move up my body.

"Yea sweetheart, we can show you a better time than The Demon Syndicate." The other one said. I didn't have a voice in me, I was so scared at what might happen. His hands started roaming my body, and I felt like I was going to puke. The one held my wrists against the brick wall, while the others lips were on my neck. I closed my eyes and started crying. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I wasn't prepared. I tried to disappear so that it would end, and suddenly I was no longer restrained. I fell to the ground as my legs turned numb. I looked up and there was a man I've never seen before.

"Thanks." I finally mustered up.

"You're with Jace, that makes you one of us." He said and I nodded. He extended his hand and I took it, knowing that if Jace trusted them, and they were in the brotherhood, they could be trusted. "We'll walk you home, and than you should call Jace. Let him know what happened." He said and I nodded. He walked next to me, and than two other followed. One on each side, and one behind me. The walk to the apartment was silent, but I felt incredibly safe. When we got there, I walked in and they disappeared. I got to the apartment and took a seat on the couch. I took my phone out and dialed Jace's number.

"Hey baby, now isn't really a good time." He said without even answering and that's when everything hit me.

"Jace." I cried out.

"Clary, what's wrong?" He asked sounding more alert and concerned.

"I – need – you." I said between sobs.

"I'll be right there." He said as he hung up. I put my phone down, pulled my knees to my chest and started crying. I was lost in my emotions that I didn't even hear the door open, but I felt Jace's hands on my arms, hands that felt like home, and felt warm. "What happened?" He asked.

"Night – Children." I said and I felt him stiffen.

"What did they do?" He asked in a deadly calm tone. I opened my mouth but just started crying again. He lifted me up and put me on his lap and just let me cry. When I was finally done. I sat up but I didn't get out of his lap. "What did they do baby?" He asked in a different calm voice, but he was still angry, I could tell.

"They dragged me into an ally." I finally said. "The one started feeling me up and telling me that I should join them for a night of fun." I shivered as I remembered. "Another one said that they could give me more than what The Demon Syndicate ever could." I said. "Than he started kissing my neck, and the other one held my wrists against the wall so I couldn't fight."

"I'm going to fucking murder them." Jace said through gritted teeth. He shifted me off his lap and started to get up but I grabbed his hand.

"I know you want to go out there and teach them a lesson or whatever it is that you do, but can you please stay? I need you right now." I pleaded and I could see his eyes go soft.

"Just let me make a quick phone call." He said and I nodded. He left the room but was back in a matter of minutes.

"Who were the three guys who saved me?" I asked as he took a seat next to me.

"That was Alec, Max and Simon." He said. "Alec is my best friend. We kinda went through the process together. His father is actually the pres of the club now. Simon is a guy who came around maybe 8 years ago. Got close to Alec's sister Isabelle, he's a good guy, and when he showed interest in joining, we had no problem bringing him along. And Max is Alec's younger brother. He's only 18, but he's showing a lot of promise."

"I think that's the most you've ever talked about the brotherhood since we started dating." I laughed and he smiled.

"I didn't ever want you to get involved." He said. "But now you are."

"I'm sorry." I said in a small voice.

"You have nothing to apologize for Clary." He said. "If anything, this is my fault. I shouldn't have brought you into this life."

"I would go through Hell for you Jace." I said as he looked at me.

"You don't deserve this." He said.

"But I deserve you. And you deserve me." I said. "I love you Jace. More than I've ever loved anyone in my life. I moved here because I wanted to start a new life after mine was violently ripped away from me. I wanted a fresh start, and I got that with you. I finally have a family again, don't take that away from me."

"I couldn't even if I wanted too." He said. "I'm too selfish to let you go and be with someone else."

"And I don't want to be with anyone else." I said. "Look, I get this life you live is dangerous. I got that the moment you told me that you were in The Demon Syndicate, but I didn't care, and I still don't. I love you. And I want you." I told him. "That's all that matters to me."

"I love you too." He said than he kissed me.

"I need a shower." I finally said. "I need to wash everything off of me, but I want to know who the Night Children are when I'm done." I said.

"I'm not keeping you in the dark any longer." He said and I nodded. I went to the shower and was prepared to wash this evening off of me.

 **Jace POV:**

Once Clary left I called Alec back immediately.

"Tell me you have something." I said.

"We found Meliorn." Alec told me. "He isn't talking though."

"I don't care what you have to do Alec. Make him talk." I said.

"We'll do our best." Alec said.

"And if you find Sebastian, I want to take care of him myself." I said.

"Got it." Alec said.

"Oh, and I plan on tell Clary whatever she wants to know tonight." I said. "I'm not keeping her in the dark any longer after tonight."

"I figured that would happen eventually. It sucks that it took an event like this to make it happen." Alec said.

"Let me know if you get that prick talking." I said.

"Got it." Alec said and we hung up. Perfect timing too because Clary walked out in leggings and one of my shirts. She joined me on the couch and I put my arm around her.

"Okay, what do you want to know?" I asked.

"Who are the Night Children?" She asked.

"The Night Children are our rival gang." I explained. "Some shit went down between my dad and the pres of their club a while back and it's been bad blood ever since."

"Do they do the same things you guys do?" She asked.

"No. They make our club look like saints." I said with a laugh. "The Night Children have been around longer than The Demon Syndicate." I explained. "The guy who started the Night Children had severe insomnia, and he would get his best ideas in the middle of the night. That's when they strike. Hence, the Night Children." I said and she nodded.

"So what they did to me tonight, is that common?" She asked and I nodded.

"They don't really stick to a set of rules." I said. "We have crimes that we commit and then there are crimes that we stay away from at all costs."

"Like what?" She asked.

"Rape is something that nobody in The Demon Syndicate would partake in. If we find out someone sexually assaulted anyone, they would be out faster than you could blink." I said. "We don't deal much in trafficking weapons." I said. "Or anything with smuggling children, or child prostitution."

"And the Night Children do?" She asked.

"They do whatever they want." I said. "Like I said, there is nothing they don't do. If it can make them money, or just get them off in any type of way; sexually, or for their pure sadistic way, they do it."

"So The Demon Syndicate, how many members are there?" She asked.

"In New York, there are about 45 of us." I said. "But we're in about 5 different cities."

"Where else?" She asked.

"We have a branch in LA, Las Vegas, Miami, Chicago, and a smaller one in Atlanta." I explained.

"Is this like the main branch though?" She asked.

"Yea, this is where it started." I said and she nodded.

"How many girls are involved in the club?" She asked.

"There are plenty of girls around." I said. "But there are only a couple who are part of the club."

"Who are they?" She asked.

"Izzy, but that's because her family is a huge part of the club. Maryse, who is Robert's old lady, and Emma. The other girls want to apart of the club, but they aren't really club material." I explained.

"And am I?" She asked. "Club material?" I pulled her closer to me and kissed her lips.

"You're way better than club material baby." I said against her lips. "And I still don't know how you're with me."

"It's the gold eyes." She said and I laughed. "And the sexy tattoos." She said as she pushed her hand under my shirt. "A girl can't resist a man with sexy ass tattoos and a body as good as yours." She said and I couldn't help the groan escaped my lips.

"Don't tease me baby." I said and she giggled, and I all but lost it. I picked her up in my arms and her legs wrapped around my waist. I walked us to the bedroom, and laid her on the bed.

"You gonna punish me for teasing you?" She asked and I smirked.

"You're a naughty girl." I said and she smiled at me.

"I have many sides to me Mr. Herondale." She said and I groaned.

"Do I get to see these many sides?" I asked and she bit her lower lip and nodded. I slammed my lips onto hers. Maybe there was more to Clary than the pure angel that I've always known her to be. Maybe she could handle the club life, and that was something that I was excited to explore.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was chillin at the club with the brothers, just shooting the shit, but Sebastian was still on the back of my mind. He hasn't been found, but the guys were still looking.

"Yo Jace, when are we going to meet this old lady of yours?" Robert asked me.

"I don't know. I still don't want her seen affiliating with the club after what the Night Children did to her." I told him.

"She's already affiliated." Robert said. "I think it's time to introduce her to the club. Show her that she has a whole brotherhood behind her."

"You mean that?" I asked.

"She's your old lady Jace." Robert said. "She's part of this club now."

"I'll invite her to the bar tonight." I said. "Introduce her to the guys there."

"Sounds good." Robert said. I had to admit, it felt good knowing that they saw Clary as part of the club now. I got up and walked outside to give Clary a call.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey, so I need you to meet me somewhere." I said.

"Okay, where?" She asked.

"Hunters Moon." I said. "It's a bar."

"I've heard of it, but never been." She said.

"It's one of our businesses." I said. "I want to introduce you to the club."

"Really?" She asked.

"You're part of the club, and they won't get off my ass about you." I said and she laughed.

"Okay. I work until 7, but I'll be there after?" She said.

"Sounds great. Just text me when you're on your way." I said.

"I will. I have to get back to work." She said.

"Okay. Love you baby." I said and she laughed.

"Love you too." She said and we hung up. I was excited to introduce Clary to the club, it'll be amazing to finally be able to mix my two families.

 **Time Jump – Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I texted Jace and said that I was on my way to the Hunters Moon. I was nervous to meet his brotherhood. It was intimidating, but I think that after a year and a half together, I was glad that I was finally going to meet his other family. I walked up to the Hunters Moon and looked at it for a moment, I started a step when I heard the voices.

"I wouldn't go in there sweetheart." One girl said and I turned around.

"Why not?" I asked.

"This bar isn't for your type of people." The other one said.

"And what type of people is this bar for?" I asked.

"If you have to ask, you really don't belong here." She said and I was about to say something, but was cut off.

"Hey baby, you made it." Jace said as he walked over to me and gave me a kiss.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." I said with a smile.

"Maureen, Aline." Jace greeted them as he slung his arm over my shoulder.

"Nice talking to you ladies." I said and their jaws dropped and Jace and I walked away.

"What happened back there?" Jace asked as we walked into the bar.

"They told me that this wasn't my scene." I said and he laughed. The doors opened and I was greeted with nearly 30 members, all in cuts and drinking beer.

"Fellas, I'd like to introduce you to Clary, Clary meet the brotherhood." Jace said.

"Boys." I said and they all looked around before they started laughing.

"Welcome to the brotherhood old lady." The one guy said as he raised his glass.

"Ahhhh!" The rest of them said as they raised their glasses.

"I'm guessing that's a good thing?" I whispered to Jace and he laughed.

"The best greeting you could get." He said and I smiled. "What would you like?" He asked.

"Whatever is on tap." I said as I took a seat.

"What a woman." Someone said and I turned towards the voice. "Robert Lightwood. President of The Demon Syndicate." He reached his hand out and I shook it.

"Clary Fray, his old lady." I said as I pointed over the bar.

"Pleasure to meet you." He said.

"You as well." I said and he smiled.

"You picked a good one kid. Don't fuck it up." Robert said to Jace and he smiled as he handed me my beer.

"I try my best every single day not to fuck it up pres." Jace said.

"He's the perfect gentleman." I told Robert and than I leaned in and so did he. "Accept in the bedroom, but I like it rough." I said and he burst into a fit of laughter. The whole bar went silent as they looked at the two of us.

"Okay, someone got Robert Lightwood to laugh." Someone said and I turned around to see one of the guys who saved me. "Someone get a fucking camera and document this shit." He said and everyone started laughing.

"Already done man." Someone else said and I turned around to see another guy that saved me. "I gotta say pops, I didn't think you had it in you anymore." He said as he sat next to Robert.

"Little Red here is a feisty one." Robert said.

"Little Red huh?" I asked and he turned towards me. Everything got quiet again. Something told me not many people questioned him.

"Yea, being part of this club means getting some type of nickname." Robert said.

"Well, I've been called worse." I said and he cracked another smile.

"You'll fit in just fine here Little Red." Robert said and I raised my glass, and he did the same. I looked at Jace and winked and he smiled and shook his head. I had a good feeling this brotherhood was going to be a huge part of my life now, and that felt really comforting.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"So Robert, you said people have nicknames." I said and he nodded. "What are some other nicknames?" I asked.

"Well, Max here probably has the sweetest." He said as he pinched his cheeks.

"Come on pops, it's an embarrassing nickname." Max said and I smiled.

"I'd like to introduce you to Blueberry." Robert said and I smiled.

"How did you end up with that nickname?" I asked.

"He had the bluest eyes when he was young. Even more blue than Alec's." Robert explained and I nodded. "And Simon over here, well let's just say, he got his nickname when he was a prospect so it isn't really pleasant but it stuck."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Rat Boy." Jace said from behind the counter. "Picked specially, by me." He winked and Simon rolled his eyes.

"Yea yea." Simon said. "Could be worse."

"Any other ones?" I asked.

"Little Red, if I took you through the whole club, we'd be here for hours." He said and I laughed.

"Than just one more." I said and he nodded. "What's Jace's nickname?" I asked and he smiled.

"He has a bunch." Robert said.

"Really?" I asked and he smiled.

"Well, the girls have one for him, and the boys call him some pretty nasty things behind his back, but I have one for him that he's had since he was a youngster." Robert said.

"And that is?" I asked.

"Golden Angel." He said and I looked at Jace. He was down the bar serving some people and I couldn't help but smile.

"It's fitting." I said and Robert nodded in agreement. Jace walked back over and smiled at me.

"You ready to get out of here baby?" He asked.

"I'm ready if you are." I said and he nodded. I got off the stool and looked at Robert. "It was really good to meet you Robert." I said and he smiled.

"You too Little Red, and don't be a stranger. You're always welcome here. With or without Jace." He said and he opened his arms. I walked over and he gave me a hug.

"Thank you Robert." I said and he smiled.

"Jace, you should hook her up with Isabelle. I think they'd get along rather well." He said and Jace nodded.

"That'll be the next mission. You know how Izzy can be." He said and Robert laughed.

"She is my daughter." Robert said. "She's a carbon copy of her mother." He said and Jace smiled.

"See you around pres." Jace said and Robert nodded. He took my hand in his and we walked out of the bar. The girls were still around talking and they glared at me all the way to Jace's bike. I got on the back and Jace kick started it and we were off. I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist. This was a new beginning to our relationship and our life together and it was a damn good start.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was a lazy day for me. I didn't have anything planned, and Clary and I were going to stay in bed as long as we possibly could and just enjoy each others company. Clary was currently in the shower and my phone started to blare. I reached over and saw that it was Alec.

"Hello?" I answered.

"We found him." Alec said and I knew what he was talking about immediately.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"You know the old place we go." He said.

"Of course." I said.

"We're there." He said. I hung up and went into the bathroom and I groaned when I saw Clary in the shower. It took everything in me not to join her but I had business to attend too.

"Clary baby." I said.

"Yes?" She answered.

"I have something to do real quick but I'll be back later." I said as she stuck her head out of the shower.

"Today is our lazy day." She said.

"I know baby, and I promise it'll be quick. I just have some club business to deal with." I said.

"You have 2 hours." She said. I walked over and kissed her.

"I'll be back in 2 hours." I said and she smiled. "And you better be naked and waiting for me." I said and she smiled.

"Aren't I always?" She asked and I smirked.

"And I love every minute of it baby." I said as she went back into the shower. I grabbed my cut and headed to my bike. The drive was shorter since I was weaving in and out of traffic. I got there and I saw a couple of the boys standing there. I walked over and Sebastian was on his knees.

"He's all yours." Simon said and I nodded.

I walked over to him grabbed him by the shirt and punched him right in the face. He went down, and I kicked him in the gut.

"You ever go near my old lady again, you're fucking dead." I spat at him. I lifted him up again and punched him another time. "You so much as think of her, or if one of my guys catches you within 100 feet of her, you're dead." I said. I looked back at Simon. "Knife." I said and he handed it to me. I grabbed his wrist and cut in a single line. He screamed but bit it back. "You're going to get the fuck out of this city and never return." I punched him once more for good measure. I walked away and got on my bike to head back to my girl.

When I walked in to the apartment I didn't see her anywhere. I got to the bedroom, and I think I nearly had a heart attack.

"Holy fuck." I said and she smirked. A habit she picked up from me.

"You like?" She asked and I honestly couldn't form any words. "Wow, speechless. That's a new one."

"Where did you find that?" I asked as I grabbed old cut of mine.

"We share a closet baby." She said as she made her way over to me. "I knew you got a new one when you made VP." She said as she snaked her arms around neck. "You sounded stressed when you were leaving, and I thought this would be a good stress reliever."

"Oh baby you have no idea." I said and she smiled.

"Than what are you waiting for?" She smirked and she didn't have to tell me twice. I pulled her into my arms and slammed my lips to hers.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was nervous as hell for today because I was going to ask Clary to marry me. We've been together for 3 years now, and it was time to make that official. It was going to be weird to be married, but I was ready for it. There was nobody else I wanted more than Clary, and it still surprised me to this day that she chose me, even after she learned about my world. She had a lot of different sides to her. She could hang with the club, be a real sexy lady in the bedroom, and one of the kindest most selfless people I've ever met. She was perfect, and all mine.

"There is only one thing to say now." Robert said in our meeting. "Here's to Jace. May you and Little Red have an amazing life together." He said and I nodded.

"Means a lot to have the support of the brotherhood." I said.

"She's a great addition to this family." Robert said. "She fits in seamlessly, and that was something I never expected."

"You and me both, but I love her. More than anything." I said and he smiled.

"There will be a huge party back here tonight." Robert said. "Demon Syndicate style." He said and the boys went crazy.

"Well, I'm going to go propose. Let's hope she says yes." I said and they all laughed.

I went back to the house to pick up Clary. Izzy kicked me out so that she could get Clary ready. I knocked on the door, which was ridiculous because it was my place, but I waited for Izzy to open it. She had the biggest smile on her face.

"She looks perfect!" She said.

"She always does." I said and Izzy continued to smile.

"Well, I'll see you at the bar later." She said as she walked out. I walked in and there stood Clary, and she looked stunning.

"Shit." I said and she laughed.

"You like?" She asked.

"You need to stop asking me that question. I always _love._ " I said as I pulled her into me. "Give me 3 minutes, and I'll be ready." I said and she nodded.

I ran into our room and got dressed. Since I knew Izzy was kicking me out for the day, I got my outfit together the night before and put it all together. I got dressed, looked in the mirror and I looked pretty well put together. I walked back in to the living room and Clary smiled at me.

"Damn you look good." She said and I smirked.

"Don't I always?" I asked and she laughed.

"You do." She said and I took her hand.

We made it to the restaurant where we had our first date. I was feeling nostalgic tonight, and I thought it was perfect. We were seated at our same table and Clary looked like she was remembering.

"You got us the same table and everything." She said and I smiled.

"It's a special night." I said and she looked at me. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring and her hands flew over her mouth. "I honestly wanted to do this last year, but I never felt like it was right." I said. "But nothing has ever felt more right. This is the Herondale ring." I said as she looked at it. "It's a tradition in our family to pass it down. I want you to wear it. I want you to be mine forever Clary."

"I thought I already was." She said and I laughed. "I mean, everyone in the club knows me as your old lady."

"But I want you to be Mrs. Herondale." I said. "I want you to wear my ring, and I want to wear a ring to show every god damn girl in this city that I'm taken to the most beautiful and badass girl New York City has."

"Yes." She said and I slid the ring on her finger. I slammed my lips to her and I felt good to know she was mine. Forever.

 **Time Jump – One Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

After dinner Jace said there was going to be a party at the bar. We walked hand in hand into the Hunters Moon. The minute we walked in, all eyes were on us. I looked at Jace and he looked at me before we turned towards the boys. I held up my left hand and the whole place to went crazy.

"Welcome to The Demon Syndicate Little Red!" Robert shouted and I couldn't help but laugh. "I think it's time we get her a cut." He said. "What do you boys think?" He asked the club. They all raised their glasses, which was their sign of approval.

"You're serious?" I asked and he smiled.

"I wouldn't joke about a cut." He said. "You're one of us. You are Jace's old lady, it's time you started representing yourself as one." He said. "So, what do you say?"

"Hell yea." I said and he smiled. He handed Jace and I both a beer and we toasted to the future, cause damn was it bright.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I have been married for three years and damn has it been a great three years. Everything was the same for the most part, accept now she introduces herself as Mrs. Herondale, and I think she gets so much satisfaction at seeing other peoples reactions. She gets killer respect from the boys and our ally gangs. She may not look like she belongs in the club life, but hell she fits in perfectly.

The club life was amazing. I honestly couldn't complain about anything. We were thriving, Clary and I's relationship was thriving, and I was a father. Something I never thought would happen. Lincoln was born 2 years ago, and man was he the best thing that's ever happened to Clary and I. He was perfect, and such a positive thing. I walked into the bar and started working like I always do. I love my life, and I couldn't wait to continue living it.

 **Clary POV:**

Lincoln and I were heading to the bar to meet Jace. We spent the morning with Izzy and Celine and it was a really great day. When Lincoln was born Celine reemerged from her solitude life. Jace told me that after Stephan was killed, she kinda checked out, and I couldn't blame her. I would probably do the same if it were Jace. But now that she has a grandchild, Jace wants her to be apart of her life, and I do too since she's the only grandparent he has left and I wanted him to know her.

I was holding tightly to Lincoln's hand as we walked down the New York sidewalk. I knew Jace always had two guys in close proximity to me at all times, and when he first brought up the idea, I was pretty hesitant, but when Lincoln came into the picture, I was all for it. Nothing was going to happen to him, I was sure of that. I opened the door to the Hunters Moon and Lincoln went running.

"Dada!" He said as he ran the best he could to him. Jace bent down and scooped him up into his arms.

"Hey little man. You have a good day with mommy, Aunt Iz, and Grandma?" He asked and Lincoln smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Good." I walked over to him and he pulled me into him. "Hey baby." He said as he pressed his lips to mine.

"Hey." I said and he smiled.

"You have a good day?" He asked.

"I always have a good day." I said. "How can I not with the life we have?" I asked and he looked at Lincoln and than back at me.

"You are so right." He said and I leaned into him. Lincoln laid his head on Jace's shoulder, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Little Linc!" Robert yelled from across the bar and Lincoln's headshot up! "Who is your favorite?" He asked and I couldn't help but laugh. Ever since Lincoln started talking he's been asking him the same question hoping for a different answer.

"Dada!" Lincoln shouted and he hugged Jace tightly.

"You'll never win old man." Jace said and Robert rolled his eyes and flipped him off.

The greatest thing I've ever done was joining The Demon Syndicate. I knew that they would never let me down, and I knew they would never let anything happen to my family.

"Yo, we got a new prospect." I heard and when I turned around there stood Simon with a young boy.

"What's your name man?" Jace asked and the kid looked at him with a cocky smirk, one I knew wouldn't last long in this brotherhood.

"Mark. Mark Blackthorn." The kids said. The boys looked around at each other before Jace looked back at Mark.

"Come on faerie, grab a cold one." Jace said and the boy looked confused.

"Faerie?" He questioned.

"Don't question it, just go with it." Simon said and the whole bar laughed.

"Faerie." I said to Jace. "Fitting."

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, someone requested a one shot about Jace being in a biker gang, and this came to me last night, and I just ran with it! I hope that whoever requested it loves it because I really enjoy this story! Now, I am updating this at a very late hour for myself because it's crunch week for me, and this is the last one shot I am going to be updating for at least a week, maybe longer! I'm drowning in school work, so I really need to focus. But I really wanted to give you something so I didn't leave you all high and dry! Thank you for being so understanding, and I hope you enjoy! :)**


	103. Chapter 102 - It's Complicated

**One Hundred and Two One Shot:**

 **It's Complicated**

 **Clary POV:**

"We're going to be late to this wedding if you don't hurry up Jace!" I yelled as I walked into his apartment. I swear he takes longer than a girl to get ready.

"I'm almost done." He said as he walked out of his bedroom. "I can't make this happen in an hour Clare. I need time." He gestured to his body and I just laughed.

"Well, you look fine. Let's go." I said but he didn't move.

"Fine? Just fine? I was going for stunningly attractive." He said and I laughed.

"Wait until we get there, I'm sure you'll get enough compliments." I said and he smirked and followed me out. He locked his door and we got in my car and I drove us to the venue.

My co-worker Aline was marrying her long term girlfriend today and I couldn't be more thrilled to be sharing this special day with both of them. I knew it was going to be a good time considering Jace was going, and we always ended up having a blast wherever we went. If you needed a party, we could bring a party. It was one of the things I loved most about our complicated relationship. We always had fun, and that a something we both really valued. Life is too short not to have fun, so we took advantage of the fun while we could.

When we got there, we followed the path to the ceremony space. Everything was set up to perfection, but with Izzy has her wedding planner, I expected nothing less. It was my one contribution to their big day. I introduced Izzy and Aline, and from there it was a match made in Heaven. I knew Izzy was going to give her everything she wanted, and Aline deserved that with how much backlash she got from her family for coming out to them.

We walked down the aisle to get to our seats when I heard the whispers. I knew Jace was going to attract attention. He did wherever we went, it was inevitable, and we both knew it. He was a good looking guy, anyone with eyes could see it. We took our seats and Jace put his arm around my shoulders and I laughed.

"I am not getting stuck dancing with anyone at this wedding Clare. No chance." He whispered which made me laugh even more.

"I thought you wanted people to compliment you on how 'stunningly attractive' you are?" I mocked and he glared at me.

"But these women look like they've been out on the hunt for years." He said. "I mean, look at the blonde to your left. She's giving me crazy eyes." He said and I looked over and recognized her immediately.

"That's Kaelie. Aline's childhood best friend." I told him. "I've been told to avoid at all costs."

"And that's what I'm going to do." He said. "You're my date, and I'm not leaving your side."

"But what if I find a hot guy?" I pouted and he smirked and leaned into my ear.

"You know nobody else can satisfy you the way I can baby." He whispered and my insides were on fire. It was no secret to anyone that Jace and I had a complicated relationship. We've known each other since we were children, and when we got to high school, hormones got involved, and our close relationship got even closer, and that's just how we've been ever since. It was familiar to us, and we were fine with it.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I were dancing when I couldn't take it any longer. She has been teasing me since the reception started and it was time to take it to the next level. I grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the guests. Thankfully the reception was in a hotel that Clary and I booked a room for, knowing full well that we wouldn't be sober enough to drive home. I opened the door and pushed her in, and when I turned around she pinned me against the door and we started making out.

The amazing thing about Clary I's relationship was that it was fun, and electric, and erotic. We weren't afraid to try new things because we were so comfortable with each other. There was never a dull moment with Clary, and I liked that. She was stable, and she was the only constant in my life, and I was happy that would never change.

 **Time Jump – Next Morning**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up with a killer headache. I opened my eyes and was greeted with a bright light. In the middle of our intense make out last night we forgot to close the curtains. I groaned and sat up in bed as Jace was passed out next to me. I grabbed his shirt off the ground and threw it on and went to pee. When I came out of the bathroom Jace was still asleep. I walked over and took the blankets off him.

"Rise and shine." I said and he groaned.

"Don't be a bitch." He groaned. "Give me the blankets back." He moaned and I laughed.

"Get up, we need to get home." She said.

"We both took today off. We can sleep a little longer." He groaned.

"It's 1 in the afternoon." I said. "We need to get home."

"Ugh." He said as he got up.

"Get dressed sex god, we had to check out at 1, so we're a little late." I said and he rubbed his eyes.

"Did I really call myself a sex god last night?" He asked as he got dressed.

"Many times." I said and he groaned.

"I'm gonna need my shirt back to get dressed Clare." He said and I smirked as I stripped out of his shirt and threw it at him. "You're such a tease."

"I learn from the best." I winked as I grabbed a near by robe and put it on. "Come on, let's go."

We checked out and headed home like nothing ever happened. Just like always. It's not that we pretended that we didn't have wild and crazy sex, it's just we didn't get weird about it. I knew that Jace ate me out last night, and he knew I sucked his dick. I knew there were claw marks on his back, and he knew there were hickey's on my thighs. But that was normal for us, and there was no need for anything to get weird. And that's how we liked it.

 **Time Jump – Couple Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I've been feeling really lousy lately and I decided to just suck it up and go to the doctor and see if I was getting the flu or something. I didn't get sick often, but when I did, man was it bad. If there was a chance that I could kick this sickness in the ass before it was full blown, I was all for it.

I was waiting in the room for the doctor to come in and looking out the window. When the door opened Dr. Carstairs walked in with a huge smile on his face.

"What brings you in today Clarissa?" He asked as he took a seat.

"I've been feeling like shit lately, and I don't know why." I said. "You know I rarely get sick, so I decided to figure it out before everything hit the fan."

"Makes sense." He said. "Let's take a listen." He said and I nodded. He listened to my heart and made me take deep breathes. Everything that normally happens during a check up. "Uh, Clarissa, can you tell me when you're supposed to get your next period?" He asked.

"December 8th." I said.

"Do you know what today is?" He asked. I looked at my phone and all the blood rushed from cheeks.

"December 19th." I said.

"Have you ever been this late before?" He asked.

"Never. I'm like a tightly run army platoon." I said. "I've never been late before."

"When was the last time you had sex?" He asked.

"Late October." I said.

"Would you like me to take some blood to confirm?" He asked and I nodded.

For the next 30 minutes I got my blood taken and was anxiously waiting for the results. I was pacing in the room just waiting for the doctor to come back in and tell me if I was pregnant or not. I was freaking out. When the door opened I looked up.

"It was positive Clarissa." He said and my heart sank, but not from sadness, from pure shock.

"Thanks Dr. Carstairs." I said and he nodded.

"Come back in sometime after the New Year and we'll get you properly checked out." He said and I nodded.

I made my way back to the apartment and I was so thankful Izzy was busy with a client. I didn't want to tell anyone until I told Jace, but since he was coming up on a big anniversary that was one of the worst times of the year for him, I wasn't going to bother him until after the New Year. Maybe after I get checked for real I'll talk to him. That sounded like the best idea, and that's what I was going to do.

 **Time Jump – New Years**

 **Clary POV:**

I was at the Lightwood's annual New Year party and I was trying to stay away from all the alcohol. I volunteered to be the DD tonight, which Izzy was thrilled about because she used this time to get fucking wasted.

The night was moving along, but I saw a flash of Jace and I was insanely confused. I managed my way through the crowd to follow him. He had a girl on his arm and he walked up the stairs. I saw Izzy and Alec at the bottom looking just as confused as I was.

"What's he doing here?" Izzy asked.

"I don't know. I thought he left yesterday." I said.

"I'm going to go talk to him." Alec said as he ran upstairs. He wasn't gone longer than 5 minutes, but when he came down, he didn't look happy. "I'm not speaking to him."

"I'll try." Izzy said as she ran upstairs.

"You okay?" I asked Alec.

"Just Jace being a fucking prick like always." He said. "I need a drink, and some drugs." Alec said.

"No hard drugs. Go get a joint from Magnus. Chill out." I said and he nodded and walked away. Izzy walked down and she looked pretty pissed as well.

"That asshole up there deserves to get beat in the head." She seethed.

"What did he do?" I asked.

"He's just talking out of his ass." She said.

"I'll try to talk some sense into him." I said.

"Be careful Clare." Izzy said and I nodded.

I walked upstairs slowly when I saw Jace and some random girl making out. I cleared my throat and they broke apart.

"Can't you see we're busy?" The girl slurred.

"Can I talk to you Jace?" I asked.

"I'm busy Clare. We can talk tomorrow." He said as he took the girl's hand in his, but I wasn't finished. I grabbed his arm and apparently that was the wrong thing to do because the next thing I know he's pushing me. I trip over my feet and go tumbling down the stairs. I slam my head on the ground and darkness consumes me.

 **Izzy POV:**

"Holy shit! Clary!" I yelled when I see her body fall down the stairs. I run over to her and she's knocked out cold. "Someone call 911!" I yelled and Alec was by my side in a moment.

The ambulance got there and they took Clary away. Magnus agreed to drive us to the hospital to make sure she was okay. I had no idea what happened but I had a feeling that I wasn't going to be happy when I found out. We sat in the waiting room for nearly an hour before someone came out to talk to us.

"Are you here for Clarissa Morgenstern?" He asked.

"Yes." I said. "Is she okay?"

"Clarissa suffered a really bad concussion that will keep her here for observations, but unfortunately the baby didn't make it." He said and my jaw dropped.

"She was pregnant?" I asked.

"She didn't tell you?" He asked and I shook my head. "Clarissa came to me in the middle of December claiming she felt sick." He said and I just couldn't believe it.

"Thank you." I said. "Can we see her?" I asked.

"Room 117." He said and I nodded. We got to her room and she was sleeping. I couldn't believe that she was pregnant, and I couldn't believe that she didn't tell me.

"Think it was Jace's?" Alec asked.

"Clary doesn't really sleep with anyone else." I said honestly.

"This is going to kill him." Alec said. I nodded in agreement because I just couldn't find the right words. I was dreading telling Clary about this.

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up and I was insanely confused. I looked around and Izzy was sleeping in a chair. I used my foot and kicked her feet off the bed, which caused her to jump awake.

"What the hell!" She yelled and I laughed, which hurt a lot.

"Good morning." I said and she looked at me.

"You're awake." She said and I nodded.

"How long have I been out?" I asked.

"Just the night. You have a wicked concussion." She said and I nodded. "And there's more." She said and I just looked at her. "The baby." She said and my hands went to my stomach. "It didn't make it Clare." In that moment, I lost it. I just started crying and nothing was going to stop me. "I'll go get you some things from home." She said and she left me alone to grieve.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I got back to the apartment feeling like compete and utter shit. I walked in and Alec was sitting in the living room. He looked at me, and I knew something was very very wrong.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Why did you do it?" He asked. "You normally disappear this time of year. Why get shit faced?" He asked.

"Because it's the 20th anniversary and it hit me harder than before I guess." I admitted.

"Why not tell us?" Alec asked.

"I don't know man." I said. "I was leaving when I was stopped at a red light and I saw a bar, and I just acted on impulse. When I stumbled out I vaguely remember giving your address to the cabbie. That's the last thing I remember." I said honestly.

"Yea, well you were a real dick." He said and I hung my head.

"I'm sorry man." I said.

"You're going to have to do a lot better than that." He said. "Forget about all the shit you said to me, and Iz. Clary deserves an apology."

"What happened?" I asked, scared of what he was about to tell me.

"You pushed her down a flight of stairs." He said and my jaw dropped.

"I couldn't have done that." I said.

"You did. She's in the hospital currently getting observed for a wicked concussion you gave her." He explained and I felt like such an asshole.

"Oh god." I said. "Look, I'm going to go see her." I said as I stood up.

"She's at Alicante." He said. "But don't expect a warm welcome. You pissed everyone off last night." He said.

"Oh god." I said. "What can I do to make it up to you?" I asked.

"I don't know man. You said some pretty fucked up shit." He said.

"Rent, I'll pay for the next two months." I said and he looked at me.

"Fine, but I'm still pissed." He said.

"I know, and this is just the beginning." I said and he nodded.

I got on my bike and made a beeline for the hospital. I couldn't believe what I did last night. Everything was a huge black hole. I don't remember anything, and I think that made me feel even worse about what happened.

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in my room alone. Izzy still hadn't come back and I stopped crying about 15 minutes ago. I just felt numb at this point. I was so furious at Jace, and angry at the fact that I lost the baby. Everything was so painstakingly numb throughout my whole body and I didn't know what to do. The door opened and I expected to see Izzy, but when Jace walked into the room I just got more pissed.

"Clary." He said but I knew exactly where this was going, and I needed to yell at him otherwise I might explode.

"Save it Jace. I don't want your apology." I yelled. Even though it hurt my head, I was too angry to stop. "Every fucking year we give you these couple days because we know you need it. Forget whatever shit is going on in our lives, we continue to let you have these days, but this year you pushed too far. Literally." I said.

"Clary." He said but I wasn't done.

"You pushed me down a flight of stairs Jace. Hard wood stairs I might add." I said and he looked horrified. "I hope you satisfied your needs with that whore other wise my tumble was all for nothing right? I mean, that is why you pushed me. I was trying to talk to you but you were too busy trying to fuck some random girl." I said. "Well congratulations Jace. You finally pushed me over the edge." I laid back down because now I couldn't deny the headache I had. "I'm tired Jace. Please leave." He didn't say anything else as he walked out of the room. The tears fell from my eyes once I heard the door close. I didn't want to be crying over Jace, but I couldn't help it this time. He truly hurt me and I didn't know how to forgive him for that.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I haven't spoken to Clary in two weeks and I was freaking out. She had every right to be pissed, and it was completely my fault, but that didn't mean it didn't suck not being able to talk to her.

It was no secret that Clary and I had a complicated relationship. We have since high school but it was normal for us. Everyone got used to it eventually and just accepted it. We'd fight, laugh, have sex, make fun of each other, protect each other, and be there for one another. That's how we were, and I liked the dynamic between us, but I ruined that. And I don't ever think I can get that back.

I decided to call it a day and leave work early. I wasn't getting anything accomplished and I needed to leave. When I walked into my house I saw Izzy. She has been avoiding me as well, and I couldn't blame her. She started walking out when I blocked the door.

"Get out of my way." She said.

"Not until we talk." I said.

"Or what? You'll push me down a flight of stairs too?" She said and I had to admit, it stung.

"I deserved that." I said.

"You deserve a whole lot more than that." She said. "You're such an asshole Jace, I don't even know where to begin."

"How about you tell me how Clary is doing?" I asked and she glared at me. "Come on Iz. Not talking to her is killing me."

"You nearly killed her." She shouted. "Did you know you knocked her unconscious?" She asked and my heart broke. "She came tumbling down those stairs so hard that I honestly thought she died. We called 911 and the ambulance rushed her to the hospital." She explained. "Was it worth it? The alcohol and the quick fuck Jace?"

"I don't even remember Iz." I said honestly. "I can't remember that night to save my life." I said.

"You were pretty fucked up. And you said some pretty fucked up shit. I'm surprised Alec is still talking to you." She said.

"We talked about it. I apologized and I'm paying rent for the next 2 months as a start to my apology and forgiveness." I said and she nodded.

"Clary isn't that great by the way." She finally said. "She's been getting terrible headaches since, and she's been getting MRI's to figure out why but they don't know anything yet." She said.

"I'm such a fucking idiot." I said.

"Yea. You are. You potentially damaged Clary forever." She said. "And here I thought you would emotionally damage her. But hey, that'll happen next right? Get the physical damage out of the way first than move on. You planning on mentally damaging her too?" She hissed.

"You know I would never intentionally hurt Clary. Physically, emotionally, or mentally." I spat back.

"You could have fooled me." Izzy said.

"You've known me since we were 8 Iz. You know that's not me." I said.

"Than who was that guy I saw that night? The guy who called me a slut?" She asked and I hung my head. "Because if that's who you truly are, I never want to speak to you again." She pushed by me.

"Just tell Clary I'm thinking about her, and that I hope she figures out what's going on with her headaches." I said.

"I'll think about it." She said. "She doesn't need any more drama in her life right now." She said.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I saw the sadness fill her eyes.

"You don't deserve to know." She said as she slammed the door. I hung my head and sighed. God this was fucked up, and I didn't even know how to try to fix it.

 **Clary POV:**

I finally emerged from my cave after three days of the worst migraine of my life. I had to quit my job because of them and I absolutely hated it. I couldn't do anything until I figured out what was going on, and at this rate that was going to take the rest of my life. I was in the kitchen when I heard the front door open.

"Oh good, you're alive." Izzy said when she walked into the kitchen. "I thought I was going to have to send a search party in there for you." She laughed.

"I could have used one more day in there, but the pain is dulling so I thought it was safe." I said and she nodded. "Did you get what you needed from Alec?" I asked.

"Yup, and I ran into Jace." She said and my heart clenched. As pissed as I was at him, I did miss him, but I wasn't giving in.

"How did that go?" I asked.

"I yelled, he looked sad. It felt kinda nice to see him suffering." She said and I nodded. "He said he hopes you figure out these headaches."

"You told him?" I asked.

"Not the extent." She said. "I didn't tell him you had to quit your job, and that you could barely function for more than a few days without a searing headache pounding in your skull." She said and I nodded. That push really fucked me up and I hated it. "He doesn't know what's going on Clare, but he probably has the right to know."

"Why?" I asked. "He did this to me. He pushed me down those stairs."

"I'm not saying what he did was right." She said. "Far from it actually, but he should probably know you lost the baby."

"That would destroy him." I said as I tried not to cry. "He lost so much and he blames himself. This would only cause him more grief."

"It isn't healthy for you to be carrying this all on your own either Clary." She said. "As much as I'm willing to listen to all your fears, and your sadness, and your anger. You two could grieve together, and sometimes that's the best way to do it." She explained.

"I can't Iz. Not yet anyway." I said and she nodded.

"I back you whatever you decided." She said and I pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you." I said. "For being everything I need no matter what."

"What are best friends for?" She asked and I laughed. "Okay, so Alec let me have all 8 movies. You ready to binge?" She asked and I smiled and nodded. A Harry Potter marathon is exactly what I needed.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I were finally going to talk today and I was a nervous wreck. She's been avoiding me for months and I couldn't wait to just grovel at her feet and profusely apologize for all the pain and suffering I've caused her. When I saw her walking over to the bench, she looked nervous as well. She took a seat and looked at me and gave me a sad smile.

"Thank you for taking the time to talk to me." I said and she nodded.

"We both have to get things off our chest. I think it's about time we do that." She said and I nodded.

"How are the headaches doing?" I asked.

"Could be better, but have been worse." She said and I nodded.

"I don't even know where to begin with apologizing Clary." I said. "I think I could apologize for years and it still wouldn't make up for what I did to you." I said and I saw her eyes fill with tears.

"I'm over it Jace." She said as her voice cracked. "I forgave you for pushing me down the stairs weeks ago. I don't need your apologies." She said.

"But I thought that's why we were finally talking." I said.

"You don't know the whole truth about that night." She said as she sniffed. "There was more than just a concussion that happened."

"Oh god." I said. This couldn't be good. "What happened Clary?" I asked.

"There is no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to be blunt about it." She said and I nodded. "I lost our baby that night." She said and everything in me went numb.

"You were pregnant?" I asked astonished.

"Yea." She said. "It happened after Aline and Helen got married. We were wasted and not thinking clearly." She said and I remembered. "I found out in the middle of December and was planning on telling you after the New Year."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I asked.

"Because I know how tough New Years is for you." She said. "I wasn't going to add something on top of that. I was waiting until the New Year was over. I thought once you came back for your disappearance we would talk, but than you showed up at the Lightwood's party and just drank until you could barely stand." She said.

"Oh my god. I killed my baby, our child." I said as the tears started. I haven't cried since my parents funeral but I couldn't stop them. "I'm a monster."

"We all make mistakes Jace." She said.

"You don't get it. I killed an innocent life. I endangered an innocent life." I said. "I've always prided myself on wanting to protect lives, not harm them. And I did just that." I said. "I killed a life and harmed another one." I said out loud trying to process it. "Oh my god." I said again. "How far along were you?" I asked.

"I was a little over 2 months." She said and my heart just broke more.

"Clary. I'm – I'm so disgusted in myself." I said as I stood up. " I'm sorry but I need to leave." I practically ran away from her and got back to my bike. I didn't know where I was going but I had to leave.

 **Clary POV:**

I got back to my place and threw myself on the couch. I felt horrible about telling Jace, but he needed to know, and now he does.

"How did it go?" I heard and when I sat up there stood Izzy.

"He blames himself. Called himself a monster, cried, and ran away." I said. "Pretty much what I expected him to do."

"He needed to know." She said. "No matter how shitty of a thing he did to you. That was something he needed to grieve. Give him time, he'll get there." She said. It was quiet before I decided to speak.

"Do you think I'm stupid for forgiving him?" I asked.

"I think it shows a lot of maturity on your end." She said as she joined me on the couch. "Why?" She asked.

"He started apologizing about pushing me down the stairs, but I already forgave him for that." I said. "Weeks ago actually. I know Jace. Better than anyone. He's not violent. He can be a little angry but he's never violent. That night, that night was bad. We all saw it. But we've never seen him during that time. He's always disappearing before and when he comes back it's like New Years never happened." I said. "I never imagined it would get that bad, but it did, and unfortunately I was on the receiving end of that violent outburst, but I know Jace. And I know that's not him."

"Than no. I don't think it's stupid for you to forgive him." She said. "Jace can be a real asshole, but your right. He isn't violent. He had a weak moment. We all get them. If you want to forgive him, that's totally up to you."

"I'm scared Iz." I admitted.

"Why?" She asked.

"He hopped on his bike and sped out of there." I said. "What if something happens to him?" I asked.

"Jace is a big boy Clary." She said. "He can handle himself."

"You didn't see him Izzy. He was a wreck. He gets reckless when he's sad. And the way I saw him, scares me."

"We just have to trust that he's going to be okay, and when he gets back maybe you two can talk again." She said and I nodded. "I hate to leave you here, but Simon and I are going to get lunch."

"Of course. Tell the nerd I said hi." I said and she laughed.

"Will do." She said as she left the apartment. I laid back on the couch and thought about the consequences of telling Jace, and none of them ended well.

 **Time Jump - One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace still hasn't come back and I was really worried now. Especially after Alec got a phone call from his job concerned that he hadn't called to take a couple days off. That wasn't like Jace at all, and that terrified me.

I was in the kitchen making dinner for everyone when my phone rang. I walked over and blindly answered it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Is this Clarissa Morgenstern?" The man on the other end asked.

"Yes. Who is asking?" I asked.

"You're listed for the emergency contact of Jonathan Herondale." He said and my heart sank.

"Is he okay?" I asked.

"He got into a bad motorcycle accident three days ago." He said. "We just ID'd the body. He's been in a coma since." He said.

"Oh my god. What hospital?" I asked.

"St. Elizabeth's. In Baltimore Maryland." He said and my jaw dropped.

"He's in Maryland?!" I shouted.

"Yes ma'am." He said.

"Thank you. I'll be there soon." I hung up and went out into the living room where everyone was laughing and talking. "Guys." I said and they all looked at me. "I just got a call. Jace was in a motorcycle accident three days ago." I said.

"What happened?" Alec asked.

"Um, he's in a coma currently. In a hospital down in Maryland." I said.

"He got to Maryland?" Izzy asked and I nodded.

"Come on, I'll drive." Magnus said. I was pretty numb at this point. Jace and I might have been divided by an ocean in our relationship at this moment, but that didn't mean I didn't care. I could lose him, and that wasn't sitting well with me.

 **Time Jump - Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I haven't moved from this seat in Jace's room. Everyone else had to go back home to work, and since I didn't have a job anymore, I could stay. I had to tell the staff that I was his wife in order to stay, but I didn't care. I wasn't leaving until Jace was awake. I wanted to be mad at Jace for this, but I couldn't be. He was hit by a car. He didn't do anything wrong, but he was hurt, I hated that I couldn't do anything to help him.

"Mrs. Herondale?" I heard and I turned around. It was weird answering to that, but I oddly liked it.

"Yea?" I asked.

"The tests look good." He said and I let out a sigh in relief. "He should be waking up soon."

"Thank you so much." I said. He nodded and than left the room. I took my seat and just looked at this beautiful boy who has been through so much in the past couple months. We both have, and after this we were going to sit down and talk it out, really talk it out and move on. We can grieve together, and laugh together, but no matter what, it was going to be together.

 **Time Jump - Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up confused. I feel like I was just in a dream for a really long time. When I opened my eyes I knew I wasn't in my room. I was used to a clean room, but this was sterile. _Hospital._ I started looking around when I saw a nurse.

"Your wife just went to the cafeteria to grab some coffee." She said. "She should be back soon." She said as she left. _My wife?_ Now I was even more confused. The door opened again and in walked Clary.

"You're awake." She said.

"I am." I said as she took a seat. "And you're my wife?" I questioned and she laughed.

"I wasn't allowed to stay if I wasn't family." She said. "It was the best I could do. It was either that or be your sister."

"We definitely don't have a sibling relationship." I said and she laughed.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm a little sore, but that's about it." I said. "What happened?" I asked.

"You took off after we talked, and you were hit by a car." She said and I nodded.

"That sucks." I said and she smiled and nodded in agreement. "Look, I'm sorry about running away. That was just a lot to process." I admitted and she nodded.

"I know, but I want to continue to talk about it." She said.

"Clary."

"No Jace. We need to talk about. Or at least _I_ do. I've been keeping it to myself for too long. I need to grieve with someone." She said and I nodded.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked. It was quiet for a moment before she spoke.

"Do you even want kids?" She asked.

"I never really thought about it honestly." I said. "I always thought I'd make a lousy parent." I wanted to continue but I couldn't.

"You want to say more." She said. "I can tell. Say whatever you want Jace."

"But when you said _our_ baby, it got me thinking." I admitted.

"About having kids?" She asked.

"About you having my kids." I said honestly.

"Jace."

"Hear me out." I cut her off and she nodded. "We've never had a normal relationship." I said and she nodded. "I don't know why, but we never took things to the next level."

"We got comfortable." She said. "At least I did. What we had, it was safe, and fool proof. We weren't together, so if one of us messed up it didn't hurt as bad as it would have if we were together."

"The thing is Clary, I would never risk messing anything up with you." I said. "You're the most solid thing in my life. You always have been. Since we were kids, you've always been my rock. When our hormones kicked in things got a little more complicated, but it's always been you that I've wanted to experience things with." I said honestly. "I mean, we have been each other first for everything Clary."

"I know that Jace. You're the only person I ever trusted to take all those steps with." She said.

"So why haven't we taken that step Clary?" I asked. "I mean, when we go out to clubs, we're always all over each other and there are plenty of other people there for us to mingle with but we don't. Whenever one of us has a work function, we're always each other's dates, same goes for weddings. And we clearly know we have sex. Other wise this conversation wouldn't be happening." I said, and she blushed. "9 times out of 10 Clary, we go home together. And 10 times out of 10, we wake up naked." I said. "I guess this whole thing has me thinking. Why can't we take it there?" I ask.

"Because you don't do relationships Jace." She said in a defeated tone.

"Correct." I said. "I don't do relationships. With other people. I'd do a relationship with _you_ though."

"Why me?" She asked. "You literally attract bomb shells Jace. Like Victoria Secret Model hot women. I'm not them." She said.

"Precisely." I said. "You're real Clary. You're funny, and smart, and insanely hot and you don't even know it." I said. "You know me. The parts that nobody knows, and you are through the act I always put up for others. When we're together, it's right. I know you feel that, and when we're together nothing else matters to me."

"Can we switch the topic for a second?" She asked and I nodded. "You aren't a monster." She said and I hung my head.

"How can you sit there and say that Clary?" I asked. "I'm the reason you aren't pregnant anymore. All because I was an asshole."

"What you did was fucked up." She said. "But you also weren't thinking clearly, and you weren't alright. Sure, you pushed me down the stairs." She said and I flinched. I hated that I caused her pain. "But you didn't know I was pregnant, and you couldn't have known that I would go through all of that from a fall." She said. "I hate what happened Jace. But I also forgive you for it because it happened, and we can't take it back. We need to move forward, and that journey starts with forgiveness."

"I'm never going to be able to forgive myself Clare." I said.

"You'll get there." She put her hand on mine and I felt at home.

"You feel that?" I asked and she looked at our hands. She went to pull it away but I grabbed it. "I've been feeling that since we were in high school, and I know it's never going away."

"Why didn't you act on it back than?" She asked.

"Fear. Stubbornness. Stupidity." I listed and she laughed. "We were having fun, and I guess I thought ignoring those feelings was for the better."

"So what do we do now?" She asked.

"Let's start easy." I said. "Would you like to go out with me?"

"I would love too." She said and I smiled. I moved over on my bed and patted the spot next to me. "That's not taking things slow." She said and I laughed.

"Humor me." I said. "It's been months, I miss you." I said honestly and her eyes softened. She stood up and joined me on the bed. I put my arm around her and pulled her into my side. This was home, I knew that.

 **Time Jump - Date Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I was going out with Jace tonight and I was actually really nervous for it. This was the first time we were going out as more than friends, and that was pretty intimidating. Of course we've gone out before but that was on a no labels basis, and now there was a potential label hanging over our heads and I had no idea how to react to that. I walked out into the living room where Izzy and Simon were cuddled on the couch.

"You sure this is a good idea Clary?" Simon asked.

"I'm gonna find out one way or another." I said. "We both talked about it, and we are kinda shocked that our relationship never made it to the next level. This is us seeing if there is a future for us."

"If he starts being a dick, you better take care of it." Izzy said and I laughed.

"You know I can wrap him around my finger if need be." I said and she laughed.

"You were always good at that." Izzy said and I smiled. There was a knock on the door.

"Wish us luck." I said as I walked to the door. I opened it up and there stood Jace in all his gorgeousness.

"You look great." He said and I smiled.

"You don't look so bad yourself." I said and he faked a hurt look.

"I was going for stunningly attractive." He mocked himself and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I think we both know how attractive you are." I said as we walked to his car. "Otherwise I wouldn't have to get so many women off your back."

"You really are perfect in that area." He said and I smiled.

"I've had a lot of practice." I said and we were off. Because I know Jace so well, I knew he wasn't going to take me anywhere that I wouldn't life, which is how we ended up outside the abandoned drive in Movie Theater. We often snuck out and met each other here in high school when we needed to get away. It was extremely nostalgic, but at the same time extremely romantic. "The old drive in." I said and he laughed. "I thought they would have done something with this land already."

"I don't think anyone's bought it yet." He said. "So until someone has an idea, it's just going to sit here."

"Such a shame. I have so many great memories here. From when it was a drive in, and when it shut down." I said as we took a seat on the blanket set out. "It makes me sad to know that one day it might not be here anymore."

"I know what you mean." He said. "This was the last place I was with my parents." He said and I looked at him.

"You never told me that." I said.

"I didn't want to remember." He said.

"But we used to come here all the time in high school. This was our go to spot." I said. "If you weren't comfortable coming here, why didn't you say something?" I asked.

"Because I was comfortable coming here." He said. "I was comfortable with you." He admitted, and I had to admit, that felt really good. "I wasn't lying when I said I feel at home with you Clary."

"You never said that." I cut him off and he looked at me. "You never said that to me before."

"Oh, well I was thinking it." He said and I laughed. "I feel at home with you, and I always have. You've always been my rock. When my parent died you were by my side the entire time, and what 7 year old does that? You were there for me through the process of finding a foster home, you were there for me when I started acting out, and you were always there to listen to my fears and my struggles." He explained. "You've always been there for me Clary, and you've never ever held it over my head, or looked down on me for how I was feeling. You have constantly supported me."

"Of course Jace." I said. "What are friends for?" I asked. "I wasn't going to let you go through all of that alone."

"You've always been protecting me." He said. "And I did the complete opposite of that to you, and to our baby." He chokes out the last word. "I can't believe I was going to be a father, and I fucked that up."

"Jace." I said as I turned his head to look at me. "There isn't a right way to grieve this." I told him. "But we need each other. I can't do this alone, and as much as I have loved Izzy's support, it's you that I need."

"Why?" He asked. "I'm just going to cause you more pain and suffering."

"Damn it Jace." I said. "This isn't a one way friendship." I said. "You were my rock too." I said. "When my parents divorced. When my brother died. When abusive prick in high school hit me. You've always been there protecting me no matter what." I reminded him. "You lost it, and now we have to deal with the consequences." I said. "You shouldn't have pushed me." I said and he nodded. "And I should have told you the moment I found out I was pregnant. But I didn't, and you did and now we're here."

"I'm sorry Clary. From the bottom of my heart I am deeply sorry." He said and I just heard nothing but sincerity from his voice.

"I know you are Jace." I said as I cupped his face and our eyes locked. "And I forgive you. And once you forgive yourself, we can move on."

"Were you going to keep it?" He asked. "The baby."

"Yea." I said as I nodded. "After the initial shock wore off, I was actually pretty excited about it." I said honestly. "I mean, I'm 27. I'm not getting any younger, and you know how much I love kids." I said and he nodded. "Would you have helped?" I asked without thinking. "I mean, I didn't expect anything from you, I'm just curious." I stammered out.

"Clary." He said as he took my hand in his. "I would have been at every single soccer game, ballet recital, parent teacher conference, and science fair for our child." He said and I started crying. He pulled me into him and I let the tears flow. Something I've been avoiding since I found out. "I'm so sorry baby." He whispered into my hair. "I'm so sorry I did this to you and our baby."

"I would have loved him or her." I said as I sniffed.

"I know you would have." He said. "And I would have loved both of you more than anything." He said and I pulled away and looked at him in the eyes and saw that he was telling the whole truth.

"Jace." I said, but I didn't really have much of after that.

"This is our first official date, but if you really look back on it, we've been on plenty of dates." He said and I laughed. "The only difference, is that I'm going to do this one right."

"I know what that means." I laughed and he smiled. "No erotic sex." I said and he nodded. "Damn I've been horny for months now. Way to kill the mood." I said and he laughed.

"How about we have a good old fashioned cuddle session?" He asked and I thought about it.

"I think that sounds perfect." I said and he smiled.

The rest of the date went by just like they all did. We ate, and laughed, and talked about random things. Being with Jace was natural, and something that I never thought would happen. I thought we had our special and weird relationship, but actually exploring one was going to be different, but a good different.

We got back to the apartment and when I unlocked the door I noticed that Izzy and Simon were passed out on the couch. I didn't want to wake them so I quietly closed the door and guided Jace to my bedroom. We both stripped down in to pajamas and got into my bed. I melted into Jace's arms, just like I always did, and he was right. This felt like home, and I couldn't wait to see where this went.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I got a call from my doctor today and asked if I could come in to discuss something he found on one of my MRI's. I was hoping that this would finally be the reason as to why I keep getting these headaches. Although they haven't been as bad lately, they were still there and I could still feel them.

"Clarissa Morgenstern?" I heard and I looked up and there stood Dr. Carstairs. I stood up and followed him to his office. I took a seat and he looked at me. "After multiple experts looked at your scans, we finally found the reason behind your headaches."

"That's great." I said with a lot of enthusiasm but he clearly didn't share it. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's a tumor Clarissa." He said and my heart dropped into my stomach.

"A tumor?" I asked.

"Yes. We need to get in there and take a biopsy to see if it's benign or not." He said.

"To see if I have cancer or not." I said and he nodded.

"The sooner the better." He said. "My colleague says he has an opening this week, if you want it, it's yours."

"I'll take it." I said without thinking.

"Thursday morning. You should be here at 6 am." He said and I nodded.

"Thank you Dr. Carstairs." I said and I left his office.

I drove home in a daze. How was I going to tell everyone? This wasn't something you drop in a casual conversation. This was something that could potentially alter my entire life, and these past three months have been amazing. Things with Jace have been progressing wonderfully. I really felt like our relationship was going in a extremely positive direction, but how will he take this news? How will Izzy take it? Things have been good, and this just shatters our string of good luck.

I walked into the apartment and I was shocked to see everyone there. Jace, Simon, Alec, Magnus and Izzy were all hanging out in the living room and laughing. Something I didn't want to ruin with my terrible news. They were having a good time, everyone was back on good terms. I didn't want to spoil that.

"What's everyone doing here?" I asked as I put my stuff down and joined Jace on the chair.

"Everyone had a free afternoon/night so we decided to just hang out. Like old times." Izzy said and I nodded. "How was the doctors appointment?" She asked.

"You had an appointment today?" Jace asked.

"It was last minute." I said. "I got a call. Dr. Carstairs said he wanted to discuss something with me."

"And what was it?" Izzy asked.

"He was having some experts look at my MRI's to see if they could find anything, and one of them did." I said. "Uh, there is no easy way to say this, but they found a tumor."

"Like a brain tumor?" Izzy asked.

"Yea." I said. "I have brain surgery on Thursday to see if it's cancerous or not." I said. "Just my luck right?" I laughed and I felt Jace hold me tighter.

"I guess the fall wasn't all bad." Izzy said and I looked at her. "Without it you would have never known."

"I'm gonna have to shave part of my head." I said and Izzy gasped.

"Not your beautiful red curls." She said and I nodded.

"You'll look beautiful no matter what." Jace said to me and I gave him a sad smile. "You're going to be okay Clare." He whispered in my ear.

"How do you know that?" I asked. "This could be life threatening."

"Because your story doesn't end like this." He said confidently. "Our story doesn't end this way." He said and I didn't realize that I was crying until I saw the drops on his shirt. He scooped me up into his arms and I just buried my head in his neck. "We'll be right back." I heard Jace say.

"Take your time." I heard Izzy said and than Jace was walking. Before I knew it I was being laid down on my bed.

"I'm sorry." I said and he looked at me.

"For what?" He asked.

"For crying." I said.

"You never have to apologize for crying." He said. "This is terrifying Clary, you're allowed to cry."

"Will you be there with me?" I asked hesitantly.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world Clary." He said.

"But you've been in court all week." I said.

"Being in court, or being with my girlfriend while she's getting brain surgery?" He questioned. "That's a no brainer." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay." I said in a small voice.

"I know you're worried Clary." He said. "But we're going to get through this, like everything else."

"I've never had so many things go wrong in such a short period of time. You know?" I asked and he nodded. "Normally the shitty stuff is spaced out. But in the past 6 months I've lost our baby, I have a tumor, I still don't have a job because I can't work. Everything is just shitty."

"But here we are." He said. "Getting through it together. Lean on me when you need to."

I nodded, and we stayed in my bed for a few more minutes until I was ready to face the music of our friends. Jace and I headed back towards the living room. Everyone was laughing but the moment that we walked in they stopped. Jace and I took our seats again and I looked at all their sad expressions.

"I won't know if I have cancer until after the surgery." I said. "So I want to go back to normal." I said.

"You sure?" Izzy asked.

"Positive." I said. "I want Simon to tell Jace that I'm too good for him, and I want Magnus to try and get Alec to wear something other than black sweaters. I want you and Simon to start making out and everyone starts gagging because it's gross, and I want to sit here and just look at you all and remember this as a happy time. I don't want my impending disease cloud this moment. We need happy moments, and I want this to be one of them." I said and they all nodded.

"Well, if that's what you want, I saw this amazing blue button up that matched your eyes amazingly Alexander. I think you should wear it." Magnus said and everyone laughed.

"You bought it didn't you?" Alec asked.

"Of course darling." He said and Alec smiled and shook his head.

"Than I'll try it and see what it's like." Alec said and Magnus smiled and kissed his cheek. Now that I was in a relationship with Jace, I wasn't envious of Alec, and Magnus, or Izzy, and Simon's relationship because I had my own. I was happy to see them loving each other, and as I snuggled into Jace's arms and listened to our friends laugh. I was going to worry about this tumor when there was something to worry about. I wanted to enjoy life right now, and that's what I was going to do.

 **Time Jump – Surgery**

 **Jace POV:**

We had gotten to the hospital at midnight last night. Since her surgery was at 6 am, she needed to be here super early. I was exhausted but I wasn't going to get sleep until Clary was taken into surgery. I was sitting a chair reading a book when Clary looked at me.

"What's up?" I asked as I set my book down.

"It's time." She said. "It's time to shave my head." She said and I nodded. We went into the bathroom and I took the shavers.

"You ready?" I asked.

"I think so." She said and I turned them on and she closed her eyes. I shaved the side of her head that they said they would be going in on and when it was over I looked at Clary.

"You look hot." I said and she opened her eyes. "It's like that new trend going around where girls shave one side of their head."

"Don't get used to it. If I don't have cancer, I'm letting it grow out." She said and I smiled.

"I love you regardless." I said and I saw her eyes widen and she froze, and that's when I realized what I said. "Cats out of the bag I guess."

"You love me?" She asked.

"Come on Clary, you know I've always loved you." I said.

"But not this way." She said.

"Well yes, I love you. More than I've ever loved anything in my whole life." I said.

"Like, you're in love with me?" She asked. "That's what you're saying?" I couldn't help but laugh and scoop her into my arms and take her back to her hospital bed.

"I am insanely in love with you." I said and she smiled.

"I love you too." She said and I slammed my lips to hers. The future was definitely blurry but in this moment, this was all I could ever ask for. Clary loved me, and I loved Clary and I was going to hold onto that for as long as I could.

When the time came for Clary to be wheeled down to the ER I knew she was scared. I could see it in her eyes. I walked over to her and pressed my lips to hers. When I pulled away her eyes were filled with tears. When one fell I wiped it away and gave her a smile.

"I love you, and everything is going to be okay." I said and she nodded.

"I love you too." She said. They took her bed and wheeled her out and I watched her go. I didn't know what else to do so I looked up at the ceiling.

"You've taken so much from me already." I said. "Please don't take her too."

I waited in her room and took a well needed nap. I woke up when I heard the door open, and in they wheeled Clary. They set her up with machines and stuff and she continued to sleep. I took her hand in mine and rested my head on the bed as I went back to sleep.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was getting the results back of my biopsy and I was scared shitless. I didn't want anyone here with me. I wanted to do this by myself, and I was one second away from having to handcuff Jace to a cement pole, but he finally understood that this is what I needed to do alone, and he respected that. They were all meeting at my apartment right now to wait for the results, and I didn't know how I would tell them if it happened to be cancerous. The doctor walked in and my heart started racing.

"Clarissa." He said and I nodded. "It's benign." He said and I let out a sigh of relief. "We want to get in there and take the rest of it out so that your headaches will go away, but I am happy to say that it isn't cancerous."

"Thank you so much Dr. Carstairs." I said. "For everything."

"It was my pleasure Clarissa." He said and I nodded.

I got on my car and just took everything in. I didn't have cancer. This was probably the best news I've ever gotten. The potential of having cancer had been looming over my head since I found out and everyone could tell. I just wasn't myself, and to know that I don't have cancer was an amazing feeling.

I walked in the apartment and I heard everyone talking. I walked into the living room and the moment I saw all their anxious faces is the moment I broke down in tears. I was about to fall to the ground when I felt arms wrap around me. I looked up and there stood a worried and concerned Jace.

"What happened?" He asked. "Is it cancerous?"

"No." I said as I shook my head. "It's not." I said and he scooped me into his arms.

"That's amazing Clary." He said and I nodded. "Why are your crying?" He asked.

"Happy tears." I said and he laughed. "I guess it didn't hit me until I saw all of you. It's such a relief. I still need brain surgery. They want to take the whole thing out so my headaches stop, but other than that, I'm fine."

"Oh thank god!" Izzy said as he ran over and hugged me. "Not that I would have been annoyed at you for having cancerous, but you deserve a damn break girl." She said and I laughed.

"Thanks guys." I said as I looked around the room. "Seriously, I don't think I would have been able to get through this year without you all."

"What are friends for?" Izzy said and I smiled. "Now, tonight I say we celebrate." She said and everyone agreed.

"I could use a night out." I said and she smiled.

The rest of the day we hung out and talked and when night rolled around, Izzy went to town on me. She got me so dressed up I barely recognized myself after she was finished. The rest of the night was amazing though. Jace and I danced the entire night away among other things, and I was just enjoying the time I had with my friends knowing that I was going to be okay. After all the shitty things I've been through, I needed this, I deserved this. And I was taking it all in.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was the anniversary of Clary's brain surgery. It was huge milestone that we needed to celebrate because it was the start of the new future for Clary. She could finally lay to rest the horrible things that happened to her, and finally move on to a happy future, and a happy future was exactly what she was going to get. I made sure of that.

Clary thinks that we're going out to celebrate with the whole group like we normally do, but what she doesn't know is that I plan on purposing to her tonight. Izzy and I have been searching for the perfect ring for weeks, and when I finally found it, I was ready. I would have proposed to her the minute I got my hands on it, but Izzy said I had to make it perfect, so we planned this whole night out, and I was pretty excited about it.

But that's not all that's changed. Everyone in our group ended up moving in with their significant others within the same year. Simon and Izzy were first, than Clary and I followed, than Magnus and Alec got a place. We were all still pretty close, but I had to admit, living with Clary was so much more enjoyable than living with Alec. I walked into the apartment after a long day at work just ready to get the night going.

"Clary I'm home!" I called and she emerged from the bedroom.

"How long do you need to get ready?" She asked and when I looked back she looked stunning.

"15 minutes tops. I want to shower." I said and she nodded. I walked towards the bedroom and stopped and pressed my lips to hers. "You look stunning by the way love." I said and she blushed.

"Thank you." She said and I hopped in the shower.

I took the fastest shower of my life, and than got ready and joined Clary in the living room. I couldn't believe that I was going to be able to spend the rest of my life with her. It seems like it took us forever to get to this point, but now that we're here, and I was more in love with Clary than the day before, I couldn't picture my life without her.

"You gonna stare all night?" She asked and I was brought out of my head and I smiled.

"As a matter of fact, I plan on staring a lot tonight." I said and she laughed.

"Let's go Romeo. We have to meet everyone at the club." She said and I nodded.

We got the club and I was nervous as hell. Izzy set up the place where I planned on purposing earlier so for now I just had to let loose but I was so nervous about proposing it seemed really hard, and I think Clary picked up on how stiff I was being because she got that look in her eyes, and damn did she turn it up after that. It was hard to be stiff when she was being so incredibly sexy all night. Eventually I just let go of everything and we started having the best time together, like we always do.

When the night was nearing an end we walked out of the club alone. Everyone else 'left' before us, but in all reality they were lying in wait for the proposal. Clary started walking towards the car when I pulled her back and she looked confused.

"It's a beautiful night." I said and she smiled. "Let's go on a walk." I said and she nodded. We started walking around and we got to Central Park. I knew this was one of Clary's favorite places, so I knew she was going to love it.

We got there and I looked at Clary and she was just taking in the scenery. We got to the place where Izzy set everything up, and once she saw it, she gasped.

"What's this?" She asked.

"This is for you." I said and she looked at me.

"For what?" She asked.

"Two years ago you got brain surgery, and I thought it was appropriate to celebrate that milestone." I said and she laughed.

"You're such a romantic." She said and I pulled her into me.

"Only for you." I pressed my lips to hers before I dropped down to one knee and her hands flew over her mouth. "This has been a long time coming." I said and she laughed. "There is nobody else on this earth that I would rather spend the rest of my life with. I love you more than anything Clarissa. Would you do the honor of marrying me?" I asked and she smiled.

"Yes." She said. I slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her into me. I kissed her like I've never kissed her before and that's when everyone made themselves known with claps and whistles. When we pulled away Clary blushed. "What are you all doing here?" She asked.

"We wouldn't miss the opportunity to see our two best friends get married." Izzy said as she pulled Clary into a hug.

"You planned this." She said to me and I smiled.

"With Izzy's help of course." I said and she smiled.

"You're perfect." She said and I pulled her into me and kissed her temple.

"You deserve perfection." I whispered in her ear. The rest of the night was spent celebrating. Everything was perfect and I couldn't wait to start our lives together.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The last two years have been nothing short of amazing. Married life was absolutely amazing, and each day just got better and better. I never knew what life could be so wonderful, but I guess it wouldn't be if I was married to anyone but Jace. He was perfect, and I couldn't believe that we had finally made it to this point in life. Looking back at how this whole thing started, it kinda seemed bleak, but with the way my life is now, I was grateful for all the obstacles because it just made Jace and I's relationship stronger.

It was a long day at the office, or gallery, and I was so happy to be getting home. I was four months pregnant, so being out all day was exhausting. When I got home I plopped down on the couch and put my feet up. I didn't do anything until I heard the door opened and in walked Jace. He made his way over to me and gave me a kiss.

"What would you like for dinner?" He asked.

"I'm craving a cheese burger." I said and he laughed.

"Cheese burger coming right up." He said.

"Actually." I said and he turned back around. "I'm craving a cheese burger from Taki's." I said and he smiled.

"You wouldn't be interested in going out would you?" He asked and I thought about it.

"Can I wear sweats and my slippers?" I asked and he laughed.

"Wear whatever you want babe." He said and I nodded. I got ready and we headed out to Taki's. we were seated at a booth and I was looking over the menu when the waitress came over.

"What can I get for you?" She asked.

"I'll have coconut pancakes and a coffee please." Jace said and she wrote it down.

"And for you?" She asked me.

"I'll have a cheese burger without the onion, and with extra tomato and can you put cheddar cheese on it instead of American?" I asked and she nodded. "Can I also get some chicken nuggets, and a side of curly fries, with a vanilla milkshake." I said and she nodded and I looked back at Jace who had the biggest smile on his face.

"I'll be right back with your drinks." She said as she left. I looked at Jace and smiled.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. That's just a lot of food." He said and I smiled because this was the perfect time.

"I can't help it." I said as my hands rubbed my belly. "I'm eating for three." I said and his eyes popped out of his head.

"Twins?" He shouted and I just smirked and nodded, which followed by him smiling from ear to ear. "Well shit."

 **Authors Note:**

 **I'm back! Hello my faithful readers, I know it's been over a week but finals have been kicking my ass! But I have this one shot that I don't know if it was requested or if I thought about it myself but here it is! Now, since it's been awhile, this is an extra long one and I hope you all enjoy it! I still might be sorta slow with my one shots and other stories but I felt like you all deserved a one shot, and that's what I wanted to give it to you! So, I hope the wait was worth it and I'd love to hear your opinions! :)**


	104. Chapter 103 - Recordings

**One Hundred and Three One Shot:**

 **Recordings**

 **Clary POV:**

"What is going to happen now?" I ask the doctor as the tears stream down my face.

"His hearing and sight are completely gone. They will come back, there is no sign that they are gone forever, but he's going to need a lot of attention and care to handle his life until they come back fully." The doctor said.

"And how long until that happens?" I ask.

"It's different for every patient." He said. "I've seen patients who only need a couple months to recover, and someone have taken years." He explains. "It's all up to Jace, and how well he's being taken care of."

"Thank you so much." I said and he nodded before walking away.

I sat in the waiting room, because I'm not family, and waited for his parents to come back out. I couldn't believe this happened, especially to Jace. The kid has been luckier than anyone I've ever met, and unfortunately this time he wasn't so lucky. Stupid slippery roads. I was sitting there waiting when I saw his bottle blonde girl friend running into the hospital in her stripper heels and short dress.

"Where is he?" She demanded.

"He's resting." I said. "Only family is allowed in right now."

"What are you still doing here?" She asked as she folded her arms around her obvious fake chest.

"I wanted to speak to his parents before I left." I said and she huffed and sat down and start filing her nails and popping her gun. I couldn't believe he had been in a relationship with her for nearly 2 years. It was disgusting how blind he was to her obvious flaws and manipulative ways. No pun intended. After about 20 minutes I see Celine and Stephen walking down the hallway. I stood up and Kaelie followed.

"How is he?" I asked.

"Sleeping for now." Celine said.

"Can I see him?" Kaelie whined. Celine fought the urge to roll her eyes and nodded.

"Room 140." She said, and Kaelie went running off.

"I can't wait until Jace gets a brain and dumps her." She said and I laughed. "Are you caught up?" She asked.

"Yea. I talked to his doctor." I said and she nodded. I was trying to pull myself together but I just couldn't anymore, and my eyes filled with tears. "Oh sweetie." She said as she pulled me into her and I just sobbed. "He's going to be okay. Jace is a fighter, and he will overcome this."

"I just hate seeing him vulnerable." I admitted. "He's always the strong one."

"But now you have to be the strong one." She said.

"I'm sure Kaelie will want to be the strong one." I said and she laughed.

"We all know after 5 minutes she's going to get board." She said and I laughed. "Stephen and I hate to do this, considering he's our baby boy, but we have to be home by tomorrow." She said and I nodded. "We have a redeye out of here tonight, but keep us in the loop."

"Of course Celine. I'll give you daily progress reports." I said she smiled.

"We should go pack and everything." She told Stephen and he nodded.

"Text us when he gets out." Celine said and I nodded. She kissed my forehead, and Stephen kissed the top of my head and they left the hospital. Figures the weekend they come into visit, shit happens. I walked down the hallway and into the room where Kaelie was sitting next to Jace. I just stood in the doorway for a couple minutes before I walked over to the nurses station.

"Excuse me." I said and the nurse looked up. "I have a few questions and I was hoping that you could answer them."

"Sure thing sweetie. What's on your mind?" She asked.

"My friend, the one who is currently deaf and blind." I said and she nodded. "How do I communicate with him?" I asked.

"Well, he can still talk, so unfortunately you're going to have to be doing all the work." She said and I nodded. "What we like to do is introduce a sort of palm reading." She said and I nodded. "You write on his palm and he figures it out that way. Two taps in the center of the palm means yes, and one tap means no. It might take him some time to get used to it, but he'll get the hang of it."

"Thank you." I said and she nodded.

"No problem sweetie." She said and I made my way back into the room where Kaelie was talking to the doctor.

"But like, he can't hear me at all?" She asked.

"No." The doctor said. "Tomorrow we are going to start teaching him out to communicate with palm reading. You're more than welcome to sit in and try it with him."

"Okay." She said in a unenthusiastic attitude. The doctor left and I walked in. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"His parents asked if I would stay with him for tonight." I said, even though it wasn't technically true.

"Whatever. I have to go." She said as she grabbed her purse and sashayed out of the room. I rolled my eyes and took a seat in the chair and closed my eyes.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up in the early morning when the doctor came in because Jace woke up. He looked utterly confused, and I've never seen his beautiful gold eyes look so vacant. The doctor started writing something on his palm and he seemed to calm down a little.

"Hospital?" Jace said. The doctor tapped twice in the center of his palm. "That means yes?" The doctor tapped twice, and continued writing. "I'm blind and deaf?" He asked and the doctor tapped twice. "For how long?" He asked. In that moment Kaelie came walking in. The doctor started writing. "Kaelie?" He asked and the doctor tapped twice.

This went on for about 15 minutes. The doctor taught Kaelie how to do it considering she can't even write her own name half the time. Jace seemed happy that she was there, and I would never understand how he found her attractive, and good company to be. I could barely tolerate the girl, but than again she was dating my biggest crush, and she didn't particularly like it.

When everything got sorted, Jace was actually allowed to leave today, and Kaelie apparently told him that she was going to be staying with him and taking care of him, which I thought was a bunch of bullshit. I left and called Celine immediately.

"Hello?" She answered.

"He's being released today." I said.

"Thank god." She said.

"Kaelie offered to stay with him and take care of him, but I trust her as far as I can throw her and with her fake tits, I don't think I can lift her." I said and she burst out laughing.

"You've always been too good for my son." She said and I laughed.

"I'll look after him. Don't worry." I said.

"I never do when you're with him." She said. "We'll talk later."

"Bye Celine." I said and we hung up. I took a deep calming breath before going back into his room. They were giving him the papers that he needed so that he could be released from the hospital, and I didn't care if it pissed Kaelie off, I was going to follow them back to his place, although we did live in the same building, on the same floor, right across the hall from each other. So technically I would just be 'going home' but I knew she knew that wasn't true.

As I suspected, the moment she realized that I was following her, she tried to ditch me. Lucky for me, she wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, so I could keep up relatively easily. When we pulled into the parking garage we got out and Kaelie glared at me.

"What's your problem stalker?" She hissed.

"Me?" I faked shock. "I was just coming home." I said in a fake sweet voice and she growled like the gremlin she is, and helped Jace out of the car. I followed them up to our floor and I watched as she led him into her place. I walked into mine and sighed as I leaned against the door. I didn't trust Jace in her care, and I was going to be keeping an eye on here for the entirety of his blind and deaf life.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I heard Jace's door slam, and when I walked out I saw Kaelie practically sprinting down the hallway with her bag.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" I yelled after her.

"I have a life you know. I can't be his babysitter." She said.

"That's exactly what he needs right now." I said.

"I'm 23 years old." She said.

"Try 26. You aren't fooling anyone sweetheart." I said and she scoffed.

"It doesn't matter, I'm too young for this." She said.

"You're just going to leave him?" I asked. "He seemed really happy that you were going to be taking care of him."

"He won't know. It's not like he can see or hear me." She said.

"You're a real bitch. You know that right?" I said and she laughed, flipped me off, and kept walking. I walked back into my apartment, and grabbed some things and headed over to his apartment. When I opened the door, he was sitting on the couch looking around.

"Kaelie?" He called. "Is that you? I felt a vibration." He said. I walked over and took his hand in mine.

"A-R-E / Y-O-U / O-K-A-Y?" I wrote on his hand.

"Yea, I'm a little hungry though." He said.

"P-A-N-C-A-K-E-S?" I wrote.

"You can make pancakes?" He asked with a laugh. I tapped twice. "Pancakes it is than."

I got up and walked to the kitchen. I wanted to tell him that Kaelie was a bitch and flaked but he didn't need that on top of everything that was going on, so I was going to take care of him, and if he thought I was Kaelie, he could. I just wanted him to get better, and finding out your girlfriend is an ungrateful bitch wasn't going to help the healing process. I was going to do this for Jace, no matter what.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I've been living with Jace since the day Kaelie walked out, and I had to say. I loved it. It was everything I ever imagined it would be and more. I got to cuddle him at night, and take care of him. It was amazing. I hated that he thought I was Kaelie, but the doctors said that he is making progress, and that his attitude is a huge contributing factor for that, so I was going to keep doing what I'm doing, and hope that he gets better.

I decided about a week after I started looking after Jace that I was going to keep a recorded diary for him so that when he gets his hearing and sight back he can relive the time he was deaf and blind in case he wanted too. It was also kinda a way to prove to him that I was the one looking after him. I don't know if it was more for him or me, but I liked doing it.

"S-O / W-H-A-T / W-O-U-L-D / Y-O-U / L-I-K-E / T-O / D-O / T-O-D-A-Y?" I wrote as I spoke so the recording could pick it up.

"I'd really like to go to the park. Is that plausible?" He asked.

"A-L-W-A-Y-S." I said and he smiled. We got dressed and we headed towards the park. I led him to a park bench and we sat there and Jace breathed in the fresh air. It was chilly out, but neither of us minded.

"Excuse me." I heard and I turned around and saw a lady standing there. "Are you Clary Fray?" She asked.

"I am." I said a little shocked that she knew my name.

"I'm a huge fan of your work." She said and my jaw dropped.

"You've seen my work?" I asked.

"Yes." She said with so much excitement in her eyes. "I go to all the galleries that feature unknown talent. You're one of my favorites, and frankly I don't think you get enough recognition for your work." She said and I was truly flattered.

"Thank you so much." I said and she smiled.

"Would you mind signing something for me?" She asked.

"I'd be honored." I said. She dug in her bag and pulled out a pamphlet from one of the galleries that my work is featured in. I signed the front, and since it was my first signing, I decided to give her something extra special. I flipped to the page where my work was shown. "What's your name?" I asked.

"I'm Maureen." She said.

 _Dear Maureen,_

 _Thanks for being a fan and the recipient of my first ever autograph._

 _Clary Fray._

I handed it back to her and she squealed.

"Thank you so much." She said as she skipped away.

I had to admit. That felt amazing. It's everything I've ever wanted. People to appreciate and connect with my art, and I might not be in a major gallery now, but that wasn't stopping people from viewing my art, and that's what I wanted. I wanted people to feel it with me, and if that one girl is the only one who does, I'll be satisfied (although being a huge gallery would be nice too).

"I'm a little hungry." Jace said out of nowhere.

"W-H-E-R-E / W-O-U-L-D / Y-O-U / L-I-K-E / T-O / G-O?" I asked as I wrote.

"Taki's." He said and I laughed.

"T-A-K-I-S / I-T / I-S." I said and he smiled we got up and I made our way to Taki's. thankfully it was close to the park, and when we got there, I noticed that Kaelie wasn't working, thank god. We took our seats and the waitress came over.

"What can I get for you?" She asked.

"W-H-A-T / W-O-U-L-D / Y-O-U / L-I-K-E?" I asked.

"Coconut pancakes with an orange juice and coffee." He said and I smiled.

"And for you?" She asked me.

"Can I just have some chicken noodle soup with a side of bread and iced tea please?" I asked.

"Sweetened or unsweetened?" She asked.

"Sweetened please." She took our menus and left.

"I / D-O-N-T / K-N-O-W / H-O-W / T-H-E-S-E / P-E-O-P-L-E / D-O-N-T / K-N-O-W / Y-O-U-R / O-R-D-E-R / B-Y / H-E-A-R-T / Y-E-T." I said and he laughed.

"Beats me." He said. "You work here, you should ask." He said and I sighed.

"If only you knew it was me, and not Kaelie." I said. "I-L-L / G-E-T / O-N / T-H-A-T." I wrote and he laughed.

"You'll have to let me know what they say." He says.

"I / W-I-L-L." I wrote and he smiled.

We ate and had a casual conversation. I wanted so badly to tell him it was me, but I just couldn't. It was nice though, this weekend his parents were coming in, and I would going out on a much needed night with Izzy. Not that I minded taking care of Jace, I actually really loved it, but I needed some girl time, and some major advice.

 **Time Jump – Weekend**

 **Clary POV:**

"Thank you for looking after him Clary." Celine said. "I knew that girlfriend of his was a dud."

"Jace doesn't know its me." I said. "He still thinks its Kaelie taking care of him."

"Why haven't you told him yet?" She asked.

"The doctor said that he was progressing and his attitude is a huge part of that, and I want him to get better, and if him thinking I'm Kaelie is helping, that's what I'm going to do."

"Oh sweetie." She said and I smiled. "Wait, so you do everything that Kaelie would do?" She asked.

"If you're asking is he's wanted sex, he hasn't." I said and she laughed. "I do sleep in the same bed as him though."

"He's going to find out eventually." She said.

"But not from you." I said and she laughed. "Now, he comes with a few instructions." I said and she laughed.

"I feel like I'm taking him home from the hospital for the first time all over again." She said and I laughed.

"He spends most of his time sitting in the living room, but every couple hours he has to move other wise his muscles get stiff. Normally what I do is give him a 30 minutes back and shoulder massage to keep them loose every 2 hours." I said.

"Well shit." She said and I laughed.

"Also, I make him get up every 2 hours and take a lap around the apartment, but I alternate that with the back massages. So if he get s back massage at 2, he walks at 3, and than massage at 4, and he walks at 5." I explained.

"You've got this down to science." She said and I smiled.

"It took some trial and error that's for sure." I said. "He eats dinner at 6, but he stands at the breakfast bar for that, just to keep him loose. Shower is at 9, so that he can be asleep by 11." I said. "He should have no problems with the shower since I've labeled everything with different textures so he can feel them out, all you have to do is go in and help him sit, and than help him when he's done."

"Damn girl. You should be a nurse." She said and I laughed.

"If he wants to shave, you have to do that yourself." I said. "I don't trust that blind man with a razor." I said and she laughed. "Since he can't hear anymore, and he can't use the sound of rain to calm him down at night, there is a homemade blanket under his mattress that vibrates the bed."

"Did you make it?" She asks.

"Yea. I found that it lulls him to sleep." I explained. "Turn it on low and if that's not working, medium normally does the trick."

"You are too good to be true Clary Fray." She said and I smiled.

"I should be home around 2 or 3. Who knows with Izzy. It's been awhile since we've gotten together." I said.

"Go out and have fun sweetheart. You deserve it." She said and I hugged her. I went over to Jace and kneeled down next to him.

"I-M / G-O-I-N-G / O-U-T / F-O-R / A / F-E-W / H-O-U-R-S /B-U-T / I / G-A-V-E / Y-O-U-R / M-O-M / A-L-L / T-H-E / I-N-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-O-N-S." I paused so that he could comprehend it all and he nodded. "I / S-H-O-U-L-D / B-E / B-A-C-K / L-A-T-E-R / T-O-N-I-G-H-T."

"Okay, have a great time." He said. "I love you." He said and I sighed.

"I / L-O-V-E / Y-O-U / T-O-O." I said and I looked at Celine. "What? It's true. I do love him."

"I know you do sweetie." She said. I stood up and pressed my lips to his forehead before walking out of the apartment and over to mine. I took a deep breath and started getting ready for my night.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

"I think you should just tell him." Izzy said as we stood at the bar waiting for our drinks.

"I don't want to hinder his progress." I said.

"I think you're using that as an excuse." She said. "You've liked him for how long? It's time you own up to your feelings and let him know what you've been doing for him these past few months." She said and I looked past her for a split second and my jaw dropped.

"No fucking way." I said.

"I'm serious Clare….."

"That whore." I cut Izzy off.

"Who?" She asked.

"Jace's girlfriend." I said as I turned her around and pointed her out. "Tonguing Sebastian."

"Ew." She said and I walked right over to them and split them apart.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I yelled.

"I think the more appropriate question is what the fuck is wrong with you." Kaelie said.

"Your boyfriend is currently battling his way back to health and you're cheating on him?" I asked.

"I needed to live a little." She said. "I'll go back when he gets his hearing and sight back." She said.

"Un fucking believable." I said. "You're a despicable human being, you know that right?" I said.

"And yet Jace still picked me over you." She said in a snide voice. "How does that feel? Constantly getting friend zoned? Must suck."

"You are so fucking done once Jace gets his hearing and sight back." I said.

"Who is he going to believe? The devoted girlfriend who nursed him back to health, or you?" She asked.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"One of my co-workers saw you two together at Taki's and said that he was talking to you like it was me." She said. "You didn't tell him that I left, who is the stupid bitch now?"

"I don't want to hinder his progress." I said.

"Whatever shortcake. The point is, he thinks its me, and that's all that matters." She said and smirked at me.

"Come on Clare." Izzy said. "Let's go." She said.

"No." I said as I turned back towards her. "Let's get fucking wasted."

"You don't need to tell me twice." She said and we took shots and started going hard.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Celine POV:**

I heard someone fumbling with the keys to the door and it woke me up. I got up just as the door opened and in walked a very drunk Clary, and a somewhat drunk Izzy.

"What the hell happened?" I asked.

"Clary saw Kaelie making out with some dick we all went to high school with and just lost it." Izzy explained.

"What a bitch." I said as Izzy put Clary on the couch.

"She just wanted to let go, and she got wasted." Izzy said. "I finally managed to drag her out of the bar."

"Thanks for getting her back here safely." I said.

"Of course." She said. "I should be heading home."

"You can't drive like this sweetheart." I said.

"My boyfriend is picking me up." She said and I nodded.

When Izzy left I went over and got medicine and some water and than went over to Clary. I sat her up and handed them to her.

"Why doesn't he see me?" She asked. "I've always been there. No matter what." She slurred and I brushed her hair away from her eyes.

"Boys can be dense." I said.

"I've been in love with him since high school." She said and I sighed.

"I think you should tell him." I said, she started crying. She took her medicine and than laid down on the couch without saying another word. I let her sleep and made a make shift bed on the ground. I always knew she loved my son, and I always thought she would be good for him, but I wasn't going to interfere. This was their business, and I was going to let them figure it out themselves.

 **Time Jump – Next Morning**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up with a killer headache, and I was confused. I sat up and noticed that I was in the living room of Jace's apartment. I looked around and Celine was in the kitchen making food. I got up and walked over to her, and she handed me a cup of black coffee.

"Thanks." I said and she smiled.

"Of course sweetie." She said and I took a seat.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Long story short, you caught Kaelie cheating on my son, you lost it, got wasted." She said.

"Shit." I said.

"Stephen and I are leaving soon, please don't let that tramp back into his life." She said and I smiled.

"I'll let Jace decide for himself. He's a big boy." I said and she nodded.

"At least tell him the truth." She said.

"I'll think about it." I said. In that moment Jace walked into the kitchen.

"I smell bacon." He said and I laughed. I walked over to him and took his hand in mine.

"I-L-L / G-R-A-B / Y-O-U / A / P-L-A-T-E." I said.

"Thanks. How was your night?" He asked. I got his plate and set it in front of him and took his hand again.

"I-T / W-A-S / F-I-N-E / J-U-S-T / C-A-T-C-H-I-N-G / U-P / W-I-T-H / O-L-D / F-R-I-E-N-D-S." I said.

"Good. You deserve it after all you do for me." He said and I smiled.

"You don't know the half of it." I said. He started eating his food and Celine looked at me. "It's not the right move Celine."

"It's better than no move at all." She said. I sat back down and continued to drink my coffee. I knew she was right, but Jace's health came first.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I were enjoying a rainy day inside. He was playing with some texture thing that I bought him, and I was reading a book. It was peaceful until he broke the silence.

"Has your hair always smelled like strawberries?" He asked. I put my book down and grabbed his hand.

"W-H-A-T?" I asked.

"Your hair. It smells like strawberries. I never noticed that before." He said.

"M-U-S-T / B-E / Y-O-U-R / H-E-I-G-H-T-E-N-E-D / S-E-N-S-E / O-F / S-M-E-L-L." I said.

"I like it." He said. "A lot. It makes me feel at home."

"T-H-A-T-S / G-O-O-D." I said.

"Don't ever change." He said. "You're perfect just the way you are. Especially these last four months. I know I must be a burden, but I appreciate you so much for sticking with it." He said and I started crying. "I love you."

"I / L-O-V-E / Y-O-U / T-O-O." I said and he smiled and went back to playing with his toy. I got up and walked into the kitchen, and just cried. After about 15 minutes, I composed myself and made my way back into the living room. I took a seat and picked my book back up like nothing had happened.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I went to get groceries for Jace and I, and when I was on my way back to his place, I wasn't prepared to see what I did. I walked in and Kaelie and Jace were in the living room. Jace was looking at her, like really looking at her. I took a deep breath and walked in.

"Clary, I can see." He said and I smiled. I gave him a thumbs up as well, and he did it back. Kaelie handed him a notebook and that's how they started talking. Kaelie recommended that they go to the doctor to get evaluated and Jace couldn't agree faster. They sped out of there faster than a speeding bullet and left me to put the groceries away. After I did that, I gathered my things and went back to my place. He didn't need me anymore, and clearly Kaelie was going to take all the credit, and I couldn't stop her without possibly hindering Jace'e progress. So I was going to stay silent, and watch him heal from a distance.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

My sight has come back, and my hearing was getting there. So far I could hear out of my left ear, but my right ear still made everything sound muffled but the doctors were very optimistic about my recovery, and that just made me feel better. Kaelie and I were cuddled on the couch watching TV. I didn't realize how much I missed it, but she did such a good job at keeping me busy those 6 months I was handicapped and that just solidified my love for her.

"Hey babe, can you give me one of those back massages you do?" I asked and she looked at me with confusion.

"I just got my nails done." She said. "I don't want to ruin them."

"Okay." I said and she curled back into my side. I kissed the top of her head and we continued to watch TV.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Are you sure you want to do this man?" Alec asked as I looked for rings.

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life Alec." I said. "She took care of me for months on end when I was deaf and blind. That kind of love is something that eternal. I know it." I explained.

"Hey man, if you're happy, than I'm happy for you." He said and I smiled. I wanted to get Kaelie the biggest ring I could afford because she deserved it.

 **Alec POV:**

After Jace and I left the jewelers I had 5 missed calls from Izzy. I got in my car and decided to call her back.

"What took you so long?" She answered.

"I was helping Jace pick out an engagement ring for Kaelie." I said.

"He's asking her to marry him?!" She shouted.

"Yea. He said that what she did for him when he was blind and deaf was the definition of eternal love." I explained.

"That lying whore." She said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Clary took care of him." She said. "Kaelie bolted after 4 days, and Clary took it upon herself to take care of him."

"Why didn't she tell him that?" I asked.

"Clary didn't want to hinder his progress. The doctor said his attitude was everything, and Clary thought is she told him that Kaelie bolted, he was sink into a depression. And you know how much Clary loves him. She didn't want that for him, so she pretended." She explains.

"Holy shit." I said.

"You can't tell him though." She said.

"Why not? He's about to ask the wrong person to marry him." I said.

"It's Clary's business to tell. Not ours. I've tried to convince her, but you know how stubborn she is." She said.

"Ugh. This couldn't be worse." I said.

"Tell me about it." She said. "Okay, well I was just going to invite you and Magnus out to dinner with Simon and I."

"We'd love too." I said.

"Great. 7 o'clock." She said.

"See you there." I said and we hung up. I rested my head on my steering wheel and thought about what Jace was about to do. He was about to make the biggest mistake of his life, and he didn't even know it.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was getting my apartment all set up for proposing to Kaelie. I was super nervous, but I knew this was the right move. Everything was perfect, and than I heard the knock on the door. I fixed my tie and headed over to the door. I took a deep breath before opening it, but only to see Clary standing there.

"Clary, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Your mom tried calling, but you didn't answer so she called me." She said.

"What about?" I asked.

"She left something here when she was visiting last." She said. "She needs it ASAP." She said.

"Do you know where she left it?" I asked.

"She said that it would probably be between the couch cushions." She said and I laughed.

"Sounds like mom." I said and she laughed. "Go have a look." I said. She passed by me and something smelled familiar.

"What's the special occasion?" She asked as she looked.

"I'm going to ask Kaelie to marry me tonight." I said and her whole body froze.

"Really?" She asked.

"Really. After everything she did for me, she deserves a rock." I laughed and Clary just nodded.

"Found it." She said as she straightened up. "I'll leave you too it." She said as she walked past me again. The smell lingered in my nose for a few seconds.

"Strawberries." I whispered.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing." I said. "Tell my mom I'm sorry I didn't pick up."

"Of course." She said. "Have a nice night." She said before disappearing into her room. I closed my front door and thought about that smell. It was so familiar. So normal. Like I've been smelling it for so long. There was another knock on the door, and I pushed the thought out of my head and opened it and this time, there stood Kaelie. She walked in and gave me a kiss, and she smelled like tanning spray, and hairspray.

"Wow. You went all out." She said and I smiled.

"My girl deserves it." I said as I pulled her chair out.

"You're the best." She said and I served our dinner.

We sat there and talked, but there was something nagging me in the back of my mind. Something that I literally couldn't escape. When I asked Kaelie to give me that back massage she looked confused, and that smell, I remember it so vividly but no from Kaelie. Once we were done our dinner, I decided to test a theory.

"Kaelie, I know this might sound like a weird request, but I kinda miss it." I said.

"The mind blowing sex?" She asked with a devilish smirk on her lips.

"No." I said as I held my hand out. "Can you just write on my hand again?" I asked.

"What for? You can see and hear again." She said.

"Please humor me." I said and she took my hand as she rolled her eyes and wrote on my palm. I closed my eyes, but all I could feel was the plastic of her fake nails. It wasn't what I had been used too.

"Is that it?" She asked and I opened my eyes.

"Yea. That's all I needed." I said and she gave me that smirk again.

"So, how about we take this evening to the bedroom?" She asked.

"There was a reason for this dinner." I said. "I don't think this is going to work out Kaelie." I said and her jaw dropped.

"You're breaking up with me?" She practically yelled.

"I am. I've done a lot of thinking, and I think it's the right move." I said and she pushed her chair out roughly, causing it to crash.

"I can't believe this. After all I've done for you." She said. She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the apartment. I heard her heels clicking all the way down the hall. I leaned my hands in my head and shook my head. How could I have been so wrong?

"Don't tell me she didn't accept?" I heard and when I looked up there stood Clary with suitcases.

"I backed out." I said honestly. "It didn't feel right after all."

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Where are you going?" I asked as I stood up.

"I'm going to visit my parents for a few days." She said. "I miss them, and I kinda just need to get out of the city for a few days. Get my inspiration back." She said and I nodded.

"Safe travels." I said.

"Thanks." She said as she walked down the hallway. I walked back into the apartment and blew out the candles and made my way to my room. I laid on my bed and just thought about the last six months. I needed a long shower.

I went into the bathroom and turned the water on and started to strip. When I stepped in I just let the hot water take all my stress away. I didn't even know why I was so stressed, I guess it was more confusion. It didn't add up and I hated that. When I got out I went into my dresser and grabbed a pair of shorts and when I went to close it, I kinda slammed it and I heard something crash. I went to the bottom drawer that I didn't use, I opened it, and there sat CD's. There were labeled. I picked them up and sat on my bed. I picked my laptop up and put the one that had a '1' on it and hit play.

 ** _Recording 1:_**

 _"I can't do anything."_ I heard myself say. _"I'm so fucking useless."_

 _"You aren't useless."_ I heard a voice say, a familiar voice. It was Clary. _"You're just adjusting to your new life."_

 _"Well, I don't like it."_ I complained. _"It's pointless."_

 _"No it isn't."_ Clary said. _"You're adjusting. Give it time."_

 _"I'm sorry if I'm such a burden."_ I said.

 _"You could never be a burden to me Jace."_ Clary said. _"What would you like to do today?"_ She asked.

 _"Honestly, I just want to sit by the window, and smell the rain."_ I said.

 _"That is something we can do."_ Clary said.

 _"I love the rain. I wish I could hear it."_ I said.

 _"You'll be able to again."_ Clary said.

 _"How are you optimistic?"_ I asked.

 _"I guess I just have a lot of faith in you."_ Clary said.

 _"Or you're delusional."_ I said and she laughed.

 _"Optimistic, delusional, what's the difference?"_ She asked and I laughed.

 _"Absolutely nothing if you ask me."_ I said and we seemed to fall into a comfortable silence.

The tape continued on like that for the rest of the day, until I heard her say goodnight to me. My jaw was practically on the bed by now. It was Clary. I had been Clary who had been there for me for all those months nurturing me, and giving me the hope that I needed. I'm so stupid.

When that tape was done, I popped in the next one. There were a lot of CD's. She made one for every single day. I was deaf and blind for 6 months. That's roughly like 180 some days. I couldn't believe she did this for me.

 **Time Jump – Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

 ** _Recording 61:_**

 _"So, what would you like to do today?"_ Clary asked.

 _"I'd really like to go to the park. Is that plausible?"_ I asked.

 _"Always."_ Clary said. We didn't talk the entire time we went to the park, probably because she was guiding me and that would have been a huge challenge to try and talk to me while walking me through a park.

 _"Excuse me."_ A small voice said. _"Are you Clary Fray?"_ She asked.

 _"I am."_ Clary said, she sounded pretty shocked.

 _"I'm a huge fan of your work."_ She said and it made me proud that Clary was getting recognized.

 _"You've seen my work?"_ Clary asked a little dumbfounded.

 _"Yes."_ She said with so much excitement in her voice. _"I go to all the galleries that feature unknown talent. You're one of my favorites, and frankly I don't think you get enough recognition for your work."_ She said.

 _"Thank you so much."_ Clary said and I could hear how much it meant to her in her voice.

 _"Would you mind signing something for me?"_ She asked.

 _"I'd be honored."_ Clary said. There was noise in the background, something I couldn't really pick up from the CD. _"What's your name?"_ Clary asked.

 _"I'm Maureen."_ She said. _"Thank you so much."_ She said as she squealed.

I couldn't be prouder of Clary. I always knew that her work deserved to be featured, and to know that she was getting recognized for it, made me incredibly proud of all her hard work, and dedication to the craft that she loved so much.

 ** _Recording 64:_**

 _"Thank you for looking after him Clary."_ My mom said. _"I knew that girlfriend of his was a dud."_

 _"Jace doesn't know its me."_ Clary said. _"He still thinks its Kaelie taking care of him."_

 _"Why haven't you told him yet?"_ My mom asked.

 _"The doctor said that he was progressing and his attitude is a huge part of that, and I want him to get better, and if him thinking I'm Kaelie is helping, that's what I'm going to do."_ Clary said and I shook my head. She was always super selfless. Always putting others first.

 _"Oh sweetie."_ My mom said. _"Wait, so you do everything that Kaelie would do?"_ She asked, and that was something I never even thought of.

 _"If you're asking is he's wanted sex, he hasn't."_ Clary said and my mom laughed. _"I do sleep in the same bed as him though."_

 _"He's going to find out eventually."_ My mom said.

 _"But not from you."_ Clary said and my mom laughed again. _"Now, he comes with a few instructions."_ Clary said and I couldn't help but laugh along with my mom.

 _"I feel like I'm taking him home from the hospital for the first time all over again."_ My mom said and Clary laughed.

 _"He spends most of his time sitting in the living room, but every couple hours he has to move other wise his muscles get stiff. Normally what I do is give him a 30 minutes back and shoulder massage to keep them loose every 2 hours."_ Clary explained and it shocked me.

 _"Well shit."_ My mom said. Clearly she was shocked just like me.

 _"Also, I make him get up every 2 hours and take a lap around the apartment, but I alternate that with the back massages. So if he get s back massage at 2, he walks at 3, and than massage at 4, and he walks at 5."_ She explained, which explains why Kaelie looked at me with confusion about the back massage, that was all Clary.

 _"You've got this down to science."_ My mom commented.

 _"It took some trial and error that's for sure."_ Clary said. _"He eats dinner at 6, but he stands at the breakfast bar for that, just to keep him loose. Shower is at 9, so that he can be asleep by 11."_ Clary further said. _"He should have no problems with the shower since I've labeled everything with different textures so he can feel them out, all you have to do is go in and help him sit, and than help him when he's done."_

 _"Damn girl. You should be a nurse."_ My mom said and Clary laughed.

 _"If he wants to shave, you have to do that yourself."_ Clary said. _"I don't trust that blind man with a razor."_ She said and my mom laughed and I couldn't stop the smile that speak across my face. _"Since he can't hear anymore, and he can't use the sound of rain to calm him down at night, there is a homemade blanket under his mattress that vibrates the bed."_

 _"Did you make it?"_ My mom asks.

 _"Yea. I found that it lulls him to sleep."_ Clary explained, and I was truly amazed. _"Turn it on low and if that's not working, medium normally does the trick."_

 _"You are too good to be true Clary Fray."_ My mom said, and I wholeheartedly agreed with her.

 _"I should be home around 2 or 3. Who knows with Izzy. It's been awhile since we've gotten together."_ Clary said.

 _"Go out and have fun sweetheart. You deserve it."_ My mom said ad I agreed 100%, Clary had been putting so much effort into me.

 _"I'm going out for a few hours, but I gave your mom all the instructions."_ Clary said and she paused. _"I should be back later tonight."_ She said.

 _"Okay, have a great time."_ I heard myself say. _"I love you."_ I said and she sighed.

" _I love you too."_ Clary said. _"What? It's true. I do love him."_ She said, I assumed she was talking to my mom.

 _"I know you do sweetie."_ My mom said and that's where it ends.

I couldn't believe Clary had been doing all that for me. Everything I thought during that period was a lie. Clary had basically gone from my best friend to my caregiver and here I am about to propose to Kaelie thinking she did all that stuff for me. I should have known it wasn't her, she's never been that compassionate.

I was about to put the other disk in, when there was a knock on my door. I got up, stretched out, and wen to open it. When I did, Izzy and Alec ran into my apartment.

"You need to break it off with Kaelie." Izzy shouted. "Clary was the one taking care of you. Kaelie bolted after four days, and Clary didn't want to tell you because she didn't ant ti hinder your progress." She said in one breath.

"Izzy." I said calmly. "I know."

"What?" She asked. "How?"

"There was something off the other night when I was planning on asking her." I said. "So I asked her if she would write on my palms again, like she did for those 6 months, but when she did, it wasn't the hands that I was used too." I explained. "So I broke it off. I didn't even propose. After she stormed after here, I took a shower. I accidently slammed my dressed drawer, and I heard a small crash. I looked at the bottom drawer, and there were CD's. Clary documented the whole 6 months of our conversations."

"Have you told her you know?" Alec asked.

"She went to visit her parents." I said. "And I've kinda been binge listening to them."

"Damn that girl is smart." Izzy said and I nodded. "So, what are you going to do?" She asked.

"I don't really know." I said honestly.

"You told me when you were looking at rings, that what Kaelie did for you those 6 months was eternal love." Alec said. "Now that you know it was Clary, does that change?" He asked.

"No." I simply said.

"Than I think you already know what to do." He said.

"But how do I just break that barrier?" I asked.

"Please, Clary has been waiting for you to make a move since high school." Izzy said. "All you have to do is say, 'hey Clare, lets do this' and I guarantee she'll know what you mean, and jump into your arms." Izzy explained.

"I don't even know when she gets back." I said and in that moment I heard the keys across the hall.

"Great timing." Izzy said and suddenly everything felt real. "Go get your girl." She said and I took a deep breath and walked over and out of my apartment and into hers.

"Jace." Clary said as I closed her front door. Izzy was a creep, and I needed this to be between us. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I found the CD's." I said and she took a deep breath and nodded. "I can't believe you did that for me."

"You're my best friend Jace." She said. "I wanted you to get better."

"And you're in love with me." I said and her cheeks flared.

"And I'm in love with you." She said. I walked over to her and cupped her face.

"I'm in love with you too Clary." I said and her eyes filled with tears. "I don't know why it took me so long to see it, but I'm in love with you Clarissa Fray." I didn't wait for her to respond. I slammed my lips to hers and everything now felt right. When I pulled away I couldn't help but smile. "Thank you. For being there for me always."

"Anything for you Jace." She said and I breathed in and that sweet scent of strawberries filled my head.

"Strawberries." I said and she laughed. "I can't believe I never picked up on that scent before."

"You didn't have ears or eyes for 6 months. You could smell like a basset hound after about 2 weeks." She said.

"Really?" I asked and she laughed and nodded.

"Every morning I made you something different, just to keep it interesting. The days I made French toast, you were in the kitchen before I could even help you through the hallways. It was like clock work too." She said and I laughed.

"I love you Clary Fray." I said and she smiled.

"I love you too Jace Herondale." She said and my lips were back on her immediately. I had come home, and I loved it.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

After we confessed out love for each other, Jace and I kind moved at warp speed. It had been a long time coming anyway, so we didn't feel the need to prolong it. We basically had a shotgun wedding, just without the pregnancy. I had Izzy set it up in 3 months, and it was absolutely perfect. Family and friends, and Jace. What more could I have asked for?

After our wedding, I moved all my stuff into Jace's apartment. Simply for the fact that it was bigger. We were planning on moving, but while we were looking, we wanted to live together like most married couples. We found a place like 6 months after we got married, and got it, and moved. Everything in our relationship has been fast, but neither of us cared. We knew this was a forever kind of love, and with all the build up, it was time we got the ball rolling.

And with the speedy wedding, and speedy move, comes a speedy pregnancy. It was everything Jace and I ever wanted, and we were completely blissed out in happiness. Our beautiful baby girl was a year old, and just the happiest baby ever. We kept the gender a secret from our family, which killed them. We told them the name, but we had picked a unisex name which really pissed them off. Of course, it wasn't exactly intentional, but found the name and fell in love with it, it just so happened it could be for a boy or girl.

Reed Lynn Herondale was born August 28th, and Jace and I truly couldn't be more in love with her even if we tried. It was impossible not to be in love with that redheaded, golden eyed, baby. And it wasn't just us, but it was everyone. We were all taken by her, and damn did she know it.

We were meeting everyone today at Taki's to celebrate her first birthday. Jace's parents were coming in and so were mine. We were all coming together to celebrate this perfect baby's birthday and I couldn't wait to have the whole family together. Everyone was already there when we got there. My mom immediately reached for Reed, and I happily handed her over. I knew her and Celine were going to be holding her the majority of the time since they didn't get to see her as often as they would like. I didn't mind. I loved that they loved her so much.

Jace and I took our seats, and we were talking when the one waitress I didn't want to see came over to take our orders. She scowled at me the entire time and I just couldn't help but smile the whole time. When she got to me, I smiled and I knew she wanted to say something but couldn't.

"I'll have a burger and fries with a vanilla milkshake, and _our_ little girl will have a cup of applesauce." I said, making sure I enunciated the word 'out' making it known that Jace and I had a baby.

"I'll be right back out with your order." She said with gritted teeth. I smiled to myself as I watched her walk away.

"Territorial." I heard Jace whisper in my ear and I couldn't help but laugh. "I like it." He said with a growl and I couldn't stop the blush that crept across my face.

"Mama!" I heard and I turned to see Reed reaching for me. "Mama!" She said and I and I reached out and took her out of Celine's arms.

"Your first words." I said as I hugged her tightly. Kaelie came back over with our drinks and while she was handing them out Reed looked at Jace.

"Dada!" She said and Jace got the biggest smile on her face.

"I'll take second place to you any day." He said to me and he kissed my cheek. I looked up to Kaelie and got a wicked smile on my face.

"By the way." I said to her and she looked at me. I covered Reed's ears and smirked at Kaelie. "I got out of the fucking friend zone. But how's it feel to still be a whore?" I asked. She huffed and stomped away like a preteen not getting their way.

"What was that about?" Jace asked. I looked at him and cupped his face and smiled. I took his hand in mine and he smiled.

"T-H-A-T-S / A / S-T-O-R-Y / F-O-R / A / D-I-F-F-E-R-E-N-T /D-A-Y."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so a guest requested this last night at 11:30, and I got so inspired that I stopped writing the one host I am currently writing and wrote this one. I can't tell you how great this prompt was because I literally just sat down and wrote it within hours, and I haven't had that happen in sometime! So, here is to you 'guest'! I hope that it was everything you wanted and more!**

 **Also, I got the idea about palm reading because of Emma and Julian talk in the books! If anyone was curious. Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	105. Chapter 104 - Boarding School

**Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so before you get into this one shot, there are a few things that I want you all to know so that you aren't confused! So, this takes place in Europe, and there are 6 families that are listed as the richest families throughout Europe:**

 **Morgenstern - Ireland**

 **Herondale - Greece**

 **Lightwood - England**

 **Verlac - France**

 **Penhallow - Poland**

 **Whitewillow - Germany**

 **(Clary, Izzy, Jace, Kaelie and Aline are all going to be juniors [17]. Sebastian, Jon and Alec are all going to be seniors. [18])**

 **So, when I was writing this, I kept thinking about them talking with a slight accent because as you'll read, they all attend the same boarding school, and since it gathers kids from all over Europe, they all speak English, so they are fluent in it. Among many other languages because that's just what rich people like to do, learn a bunch of different languages, at least in this story that is! Okay, so that's all I think I wanted to say, and I'll let you enjoy the one shot!**

 **One Hundred and Four One Shot:**

 **Boarding School**

 **Clary POV:**

"Can you believe we still have another two years left?" I asked Izzy as we sun bathed on Jace's yacht. We had a system. Every summer, this was how it began, and it was perfect.

"It won't be that bad. Plus, after this year we won't have to deal with Sebastian anymore." Izzy said.

"Yea, but we still have Kaelie and Aline to deal with." I said.

"Don't get me started." Jace chimed in. "Last week, Aline literally followed me into the bathroom." He said and everyone laughed. "It's not funny. She's gone to boarder line stalker now."

"Jacey, can we like go on a date? Like together? Right now?" I mocked the typical Kaelie approach to asking Jace out, everyone lost it.

"Keep talking Clare, and you'll end up in the Aegean Sea." Jace threatened and I just stuck my tongue out at him.

"The two witless wonders." Jon said. "It's amazing that they get the grades to pass."

"I think the teachers just pass them along because they don't want them again." Izzy said.

"Yea, they don't seem to have much going on up there." Alec said as he pointed to his head.

"They barely half a brain between the two of them." I said and everyone laughed.

"Clary Morgenstern is on fire today." Jace said and everyone laughed.

"They give me the best material. I can't take all the credit." I bowed and everyone continued to laugh.

"So, Paris, when is that again?" Izzy asked when the laughter died down.

"Do you ever pay attention?" Jon asked and Izzy glared at him.

"Meet at our house on July 1st." I told her. "We leave that night and spent the next two weeks there."

"This is so excited. You would think I've been to Paris by now, but I haven't and I'm so excited!" Izzy cheered and I laughed.

"I know. Out of all the places we've been, you'd think Paris would be one of them." I said and she nodded in agreement.

Having the amount of money that our families did, we got to do whatever we wanted, and this summer, since Jon and Alec were 18, our parents were more willing to let us go about and have our own adventure, which we planned on taking advantage of.

 **Time Jump - Paris**

 **Clary POV:**

We got to Paris and I couldn't wait to start exploring. Everything about this city screamed artist and love. One day I hope to come back here with the love of my life and experience it together. We got to the house we rented for two weeks and started unpacking.

"Think we'll find hot guys to show us around the city?" Izzy asked and I laughed.

"Who knows." I said.

"I hope so. It's been too long." Izzy said and I laughed.

"You and Meliorn broke up right before school let out." I pointed out.

"Yea, but he only had one foot in the relationship to begin with." She said. "And this could be a hot summer fling."

"Always looking for something quick Iz." I said and she scoffed.

"You make me sound easy." She said and I smiled.

"No easy. You're just a free spirit." I said and she smiled at me.

"The freest!" She said and I laughed. This was gonna be a great two weeks.

 **Time Jump - Three Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

We were all out shopping and Izzy and I decided to stop at a local coffee shop. She was inside getting our drinks and I was sketching the scenery. A little boy ran up to me and handed me a piece of paper. I smiled at him and he ran away. I put my sketchbook down opened the letter.

 _Dear Clarissa,_

 _You have been looking absolutely stunning the last couple days. The city of love makes me fall in love with you all over again. Those green eyes and that bright red hair. Mixed together with that lovely dress you wore last night. It took everything in me not to take you off that dance floor and have my way with you. Hope you have a lovely rest of your visit. I'll be watching._

 _V._

When I finished reading it, my blood ran cold. Who the hell was V? When Izzy came back out and stuffed the letter in my bag and smiled at her. She gave me my coffee and we started talking. I tried to act like the letter didn't bother me, but it did. A lot.

 **Time Jump - End of Paris Vacation**

 **Clary POV:**

Since I got the first letter, I've received 3 more letters, and a couple gifts. So far this stalker has dropped flowers off at the doorstep of the place we rented. I still haven't told anyone. Hopefully leaving will stop these creepy declarations of love.

We packed last night and we loading the plane up now. I was excited to be heading back to Ireland. We'd have a couple days to recuperate, than it was over to England to spend some girly time with Iz, while Alec and Jace came back to the Morgenstern household. I loved the dynamic between us. We all got along well, and it was nice to have them in my life.

I was the last one to get on the plane but before I could board one of the grounds crew members stopped me.

"Excuse me miss." He said and I looked at him. "This was dropped off for you." He said. He handed me a box and I gulped as I took it from him.

"Thanks." I quickly said before I got on the plane. I shoved the box into my pocket and tried to forget about it.

The whole plane ride was fine. Everyone was laughing and having a great time but I couldn't enjoy it the way that I wanted too. This stalker was persistent and it kinda scared me.

When we landed in Ireland, Izzy, Alec and Jace's jets were all waiting for them. We said our quick goodbyes before heading into our home. I ran straight to my room and locked the door behind me. I walked over and sat on my bed and pulled the box out of my pocket. I took a deep breath before opening it. When I did, inside sat a ring. But not just any ring. This ring was in the shape of an emerald snake, with beady black eyes. A note fell out and I picked it up and started reading.

 _Dear Clarissa,_

 _Your time in Paris was too short. I didn't get to see you accomplish as much as I would have liked. Here is a gift from me to you, something you'll always remember me by. It goes perfectly with your next gift, but you must be patient for that. Keep an eye out for a package that will be arriving on your 17_ _th_ _birthday. Although we no longer cohabitate in the same country, that doesn't mean I'm gone. Safe travels Clarissa._

 _V._

I took the ring box and threw it at the wall. This was starting to really freak me out. How does this person know so much about me? We don't even live in the same country, and he know more about me than people I've been friends with for years. A knock on the door forced me to compose myself. I walked over and unlocked it to see Jon standing there.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Mom and dad are going to some gala tonight so it's just us." He said. "I was thinking a good old fashioned brother/sister movie night in the theater. You in?" He asked and I smiled.

"Hell yea I'm in." I said. "Just let me change, and I'll meet you there." I said and he nodded. I shut my door and took another calming breath.

After I composed myself completely, I got changed and headed towards out home theater. Jon was already there with a bunch of food, and drinks. I took my seat and curled under the blanket while he put in the first movie. I tried to forget as best as I could, but I couldn't. those beady eyes were haunting my thoughts. I didn't know what to expect next, but I wasn't looking forward to it.

 **Time Jump – Clary's Birthday**

 **Jon POV:**

Everyone was coming in to celebrate Clary's birthday, and I was happy that they were coming because Clary seems different to me. I don't know what it is, but for some reason she seems extra jumpy lately. I was waiting by the runway, when I saw the Herondale jet land. I waited for him to exit before walking over to him.

"Glad you could make it." I said and he smiled.

"Wouldn't miss Clary's birthday for the world." He said and I nodded.

"Speaking of Clary, have you noticed anything different about her this summer?" I asked.

"Different how?" He asked.

"I don't know. She seems extra jumpy." I said. "Last week, I found her in the kitchen at like 2 am getting a snack and when I approached her, she nearly jumped 3 feet in the air and almost started crying."

"That's odd." He said and I nodded.

"She won't talk about it." I said. "When I asked her, she said she had a bad nightmare, and that I startled her."

"What do you want me to do about it?" Jace asked.

"Just keep an eye out for her." I said. "Something spooked her, and I don't want her walking around paranoid."

"You got it dude." He said and I smiled.

"Go get settled. I'm going to wait for the Lightwood's." I said and he nodded. He walked away and went back to the runway. I hope that whatever is spooking Clary isn't permanent.

 **Jace POV:**

I'm walking through the Morgenstern mansion getting to my room when I hear the music. I decide to follow it and when I get to the room where its coming from, I see that it's Clary. I make my way over to her. She just sitting in a chair looking out a window. I sit next to her and she nearly falls off the chair.

"Jon wasn't kidding when he said you were jumpy." I said.

"Jon said I was jumpy?" She asked.

"Yea, and you clearly are." I said.

"You startled me." She said.

"You never were this easily startled before." I pointed out and she shrugged. "Is something going on?" I asked.

"What would possibly be going on?" She asked.

"I don't know, just seems like the logical explanation for your sudden paranoia." I said.

"I'm not paranoid." She said defensively.

"Whatever you say Clare." I said as I stood up. "I'll see you around." I said. She nodded and I walked out of the room. Jon was right, something was going on with her, but she was pretty set on keeping it to herself. But I wasn't going to ignore it. I was going to keep my promise to Jon and keep an eye out on her.

 **Clary POV:**

The minute Jace left the room I picked the black box up that had arrived for me this morning. I've been trying to open it for hours but I haven't been able to find the nerve, but I needed to see it. I took a deep breath and opened the box, and there sat a necklace, that matched the ring I received perfectly, and along came another note.

 _Dear Clarissa,_

 _Happy 17_ _th_ _Birthday. If only I could have shipped myself to you instead, but what fun would that of been? Instead, I have given you a necklace to match the ring. I hope you love the gifts, I picked them out especially for you. Hope you have a fun celebration, don't forget to keep me in mind._

 _V._

I crinkled the note up and jammed them both back in the box, and the tears spilled over my eyes. I don't understand why this is happening to me. What did I ever do to this person that makes him think it's okay to stalk me? Send me gifts? Make me afraid? And now Jon and Jace knew that something was up. I had to hide this from them. I couldn't let them know what was going on. They don't need to be paranoid for me. That wasn't fair to them. When I saw the Lightwood jet land, I grabbed the box and went to my room to throw it in the drawer with all the other things he's given me. I made my way downstairs to meet our guests and forget about the stalker and enjoy my birthday with my friends.

 **Time Jump – Beginning of the School Year**

 **Clary POV:**

We just got back to school and Izzy and I were currently unpacking. The best part about going to a boarding school with your best friend? We got to room together. It was the best. I loved living with Izzy, especially because we didn't live in the same country, even though we could use the private jet to visit, it wasn't the same as being neighbors or living together.

I was taking things out of my bag when a note fell out. Curiously I picked it up and opened it and my blood ran cold. How the hell did he get this in my bag? I excused myself to the bathroom, locked the door and started to read.

 _Dear Clarissa,_

 _I can't wait for the next year filled with many memories together. I can't tell you how amazing it is to be with you for this upcoming year. It will be amazing, I have no doubt about it. Have a good year, I'll be watching._

 _V._

There was a knock on the door and nearly jumped out of my skin. I unlocked it and there stood Izzy who was smiling.

"The boys want to go out to dinner. You in?" She asked.

"Of course." I managed to get out.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yea, why wouldn't I be?" I asked.

"You just seem out of breath." She said.

"No, I'm fine." I said as I made my way out of the bathroom. "Where are we going for dinner?" I asked.

"Taki's." She said and I smiled.

"Oh how I've missed Taki's." I said and she laughed.

We got ready and met the boys out in the square and made our way to Taki's. It was one of the best restaurants around the boarding school, and we came here as much as we possibly could during the school year. I wish there was one back home, but since there isn't, we have to stock up while we still could.

"So, how do you like your roommate Jace?" Izzy asked with a smirk.

"Don't get me started." Jace said. "He's a weirdo."

"Who did you get stuck with?" I asked.

"This new kid." Jace said. "You know how our school is hosting like a string of Americans this year?" He asked and I nodded. "Well, I have one of them."

"Hey, at least you get accustomed to a new culture." I said and he scowled at me.

"I don't think this kid ever leaves his parents basement." Jace said and everyone laughed.

"What's his name?" Izzy asked.

"Simon Lewis." Jace said. "Can't get more American than that." He said and I smiled.

"Give him a chance, you two might actually get along." I offered and he shook his head and didn't say another thing.

We got to Taki's and sat in our normal booth. Things were easy here, and I loved not having to worry about anything. I could forget about the stupid stalker who now haunts my dreams, and focus on my friends and the up coming school year. It was something that I desperately needed.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Since I had that talk with Jon, I've noticed the slow change in Clary, even more than what changed during the summer, and I didn't like it. Something was going on in her life, and she refused to tell anyone about it. Jon was concerned, and so was I. I can't imagine what is going on that's making her so paranoid, but there was something, and it was eating away at her.

We were all going to go to this party that was being thrown today, and nobody has seen Clary. I volunteered to go look for her because I simply didn't want to be in my with my roommate any longer, so they had no problem sending me on a quest. I figured the best place to be was the art rooms. More often than not she lost track of time there and someone would have to break her out of her spell.

I walked into the art room but I didn't see Clary anywhere, I was about to leave when a canvas caught my attention. It looked like Clary's work, but instead of her signature CM scribbled in the corner, a giant V was there, and I didn't know why. That's when I noticed Clary's bag and jacket on the floor. She was here, but where?

"Clary?" I called out but I didn't get a response. "Clary, I know you're in here, I can see your jacket and backpack." I said again. I was walking around the room when I heard a sniffle. I walked towards it and opened the supply closet door and Clary was on the floor hugging her knees, and her face was glistening with tears. "Clary, what's wrong?" I asked as I kneeled in front of her. She shook her head as she continued to cry. "Does this have anything to do with why you've been so jumpy lately?" I asked and she nodded her head. "Will you finally tell me?" I asked.

"I can't." She said. I was about to protest when she continued. "But I can show you." She said and I nodded. I reached my hands out and she took them and I helped her up. She walked over and picked up her stuff and I took my phone out and texted Izzy.

 ** _To Izzy:_**

 _Go without Clary and I. We'll meet up with you all later._

 ** _From Izzy:_**

 _Okay. Is everything okay?_

 ** _To Izzy:_**

 _Everything is fine. Clary just got caught up in her art again, and she doesn't want you guys to wait on her, and I volunteered to stay behind so we can head over together._

 ** _From Izzy:_**

 _Okay. Just text one of us when you're on your way over!_

 ** _To Izzy:_**

 _Will do._

I put my phone away and walked over to Clary. I grabbed her bag from her and put my arm around her shoulders. She leaned into me and we made our way to her room. I knew Izzy was probably gone by now anyway. When we got there, I put her stuff down and Clary took a seat on her bed before opening a drawer to her nightstand. I joined her and she turned around and she had a box in her hand.

"What's going on Clary?" I asked.

"When we were in Paris, a little boy came up to me one day and handed me a letter. I thought maybe it was a drawing he made because he saw me sketching. When I opened it, I was very wrong." She handed me the letter and I opened it and started reading.

"Holy shit Clary." I said and she nodded.

"It didn't stop after that." She said as she handed the box to me. I looked through it and read the notes.

"Clary, who the hell is V?" I asked.

"I have no idea." She admitted. "I thought it was going to stop after we left Paris, but it hasn't. He's following me, and I'm terrified Jace." She choked out and I pulled her into my lap.

"I'm not going to let this sick twisted bastard do anything to you Clary." I said. "You hear me? You're going to be safe." I said and I felt her nod. "I don't care what I have to do, I'm walking you to every class, and if you aren't in this room, you're with me. Got it?" I said and she nodded.

"We can't tell Jon." She said. "He can't know about this."

"He knows something is going on Clary. He can tell in your behavior." I pointed out.

"Still. I don't want him finding out." She said.

"Okay, this can stay between us for now, but if it gets worse, we have to tell him." I said and she nodded. "Do you want to go to this party tonight? I can tell Izzy you threw up and I stayed to keep you company or something."

"No." She said. "I think a night out would be good for me. Plus, you'll be there. I'll be safe." She said.

"Damn right you will be." I said.

"Let me just shower, and than I'll be ready." She hopped off my lap and I instantly felt cold. She shut the bathroom door and a moment later the water turned on. I laid out on her bed and continued to look at the notes. I don't know who this sick fucker is, but when I find out, I'm going to murder him.

 **Time Jump – Later The Night**

 **'** **V' POV:**

Clary has been attached to Jace's hip the entire night. It made me furious. We were meant to be together. I've known that since we were in middle school. We were supposed to start our own empire, but as I watch them dance together, and her smile growing bigger and bigger as the night goes on, I can't help but fume. She was going to pay for this, and so was he.

I left the party and made my way back to her room. I grabbed the knife in my pocket and picked the lock. I walked over to her bed and sat down and inhaled her sweet strawberry scent. I took my knife and carved a V into her nightstand, that way I would always be there when she went to sleep and when she woke up. Just like how our future was going to be.

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I decided to leave the party earlier than everyone else. It was late, and I was pretty tired but apparently everyone had lots of energy, and I just needed sleep. We walked back to my room together in complete silence but we didn't need conversation to make the atmosphere comfortable, it already was, and for the first time in months, I actually felt at peace.

I walked into my room and turned the lights on and set my stuff down so that I could take my shoes off. Heels are okay for a certain period of time, but after a couple hours, my feet were in dire need of a break. I sat on my bed and turned on the light on my nightstand when it caught my eye. There was a V etched into my nightstand.

"Jace." I said pretty hesitantly, and he walked into the room and over to me.

"What's wrong?" He asked. I didn't trust my voice, so I just pointed. "That son of a bitch." Jace said. "Come on, you're sleeping with me tonight."

"No." I said. "No, if I do that, he wins." I said.

"Clary, this psycho broke into your room." He said.

"I know, but I refuse to let him win." I said.

"Fine, but I'm staying here." He said and I sighed.

"Deal." I said.

"Get ready for bed. You deserve a decent night's sleep tonight." He said and I nodded. He got up and started walking away.

"Jace." I said and he turned around. "Thank you."

"Anything for you Clary." He said and I smiled. I got dressed and curled up into my bed.

I laid there for hours trying to sleep. I heard Izzy get in around 2 am, and than leave again at 3. No matter what I did, I couldn't close my eyes without this faceless man chasing me. I felt like I wasn't safe anywhere despite knowing that Jace wasn't going to let anything happen to me. It was a terrifying feeling. Knowing that he knew where I lived, and that he could brake in whenever he wanted. I got out of bed and went into the sitting area and saw Jace asleep on the couch. I walked over to him and poked him but he didn't stir. I tried again, but nothing. I started running my nails along his side and I heard him let out a moan. I stopped and he scrunched his face.

"Don't stop." He said and I laughed.

"I won't if you wake up." I said and he opened his eyes.

"Is everything okay?" He asked and I shrugged. "What's wrong?"

"I can't sleep." I told him. "Every time I close my eyes, this faceless creature just keeps chasing me and I can't escape." I said honestly.

"Come here." He opened his arms and I was skeptical at first, but gave in after only a few seconds. His warmth embraced me like long lost companion, and I couldn't help but feel extra safe now. "Nothing is going to happen to you." He said and I nodded. "Sleep." I closed my immediately and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up and I felt someone lying on top of me. When I opened my eyes, Clary's head was resting on my chest. I smiled to myself as I started rubbing her back. She stirred a little bit and when I stopped she groaned.

"Don't stop." She said and I laughed.

"I won't if you wake up." I said, as I remembered that's what she said last night when waking me up. She shifted her weight and sat up. "Good morning." I said.

"Morning." She said. "What time is it?" She asked.

"A little after 11." I said and she nodded. "How did you sleep?" I asked.

"Very well after I fell asleep." She said and I nodded. "Thanks for helping with that."

"No problem." I said and she smiled. I was about to say something when there was a knock on the door. Clary got up and opened the door, and in walked the guys.

"What the hell happened between you two last night?" Alec asked.

"Nothing." I said. "I walked Clary back and I really didn't want to deal with my roommate, so Clary and I just started talking and I crashed on the couch."

"It's probably for the better you didn't go back to your room." Jon said.

"Why is that?" Clary asked.

"Izzy and your roommate got together last night." He said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head.

"Izzy and Rat Boy?" I asked and everyone laughed.

"We were just as surprised as you." Alec said. "He showed up to the party right after you two left and they just really hit it off." He said. "It was weird."

"I did not see that coming." I said and they all laughed.

"Well, we came to see if you guys wanted to catch some lunch with us." Jon said.

"Sure. Give me a few minutes to change." Clary said as she walked to her room and shut the door.

"So, what really happened between you two last night?" Jon asked.

"I told you the truth." I said. "We didn't hook up, if that's what you're ultimately asking."

"Just watching my little sisters back." Jon said and I nodded. "And we grabbed some clothes for you as well." He said as he handed me the bag.

"Thanks." I said and they nodded. Alec walked out but I grabbed Jon before he could leave.

"I'm watching her back too." I said. "Just like you asked." I said and he nodded before leaving. I got dressed in like 30 seconds flat, and than Clary walked out of her room.

"You ready?" She asked.

"Yup." I said and we made our way out to the group.

The rest of the day went on like all our days pretty much do. But this time I wasn't looking at Clary because Jon asked me to keep an eye on her, I was looking at her because I wanted too. Because I couldn't seem to keep my eyes off of her, and every time she laughed and smiled I couldn't help but smile and laugh as well. Everything about her was infectious, and I can't believe that I never saw it before.

 **Time Jump – Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I haven't gotten anything recently, but I wasn't going to count this creep out just yet. I knew something was coming, and I was just holding my breath until it happened. It was a pretty nice day out, and we were all just sitting in the quad soaking in the sun and I was having a good time. Jace was leaning up against a tree, and I was laying on his lap. Since he's taken the job of 'protector' we've spent a lot of time together, and I had to admit, I actually really loved it. Jace and I always got along, but we never really spent time alone because the group was always around. But since this whole stalker thing, he sits in the art room when I need to get away, when I'm in the library studying for a test, he's right across from me, when I'm up late and I can't sleep and I need to go for a walk, he's right next to me. It's hard not to get feelings for someone who is so concerned about your well being, but also enjoys being around you. We have a good time together, and I never thought that was even a possibility before.

Izzy and I had Roman History right now, and we didn't really want to go. We always waited until the last possible minute to get to that class because Starkweather was a real drag. When the warning bell rang, we knew that we had to get going. I got off Jace's lap and Izzy stood up as well.

"See you guys later." Izzy said and I waved and we walked towards the classroom. "So, are you finally going to tell me what's going on between you and Jace?" She asked.

"I already told you Iz." I said. "Nothing is going on between us. We just enjoy each other's company."

"He's basically your lap dog Clary." She said and I laughed. "Wherever you go, he goes."

"It's not that bad." I said and she gave me that look. "What? He isn't walking with us right now." I pointed out.

"Because he had to get to his class, and it's on the other side of the campus." She said.

"Oh please." I laughed. "You know he didn't go to Madame Dorothea's class." I said and she laughed. "That woman loves him so much, he could pass the class even if he wasn't in it."

"You are so right." She agreed and I smiled. "But something is going on, and I'm going to figure it out."

"Don't be upset when you come up empty handed." I said and she smirked.

"You like him." She flat out said and as much as I wanted to deny it, my cheeks betrayed me. "Ha! I knew it."

"Okay, so I like him. Is that a crime?" I asked and she laughed.

"No, but you should do something about it." She encouraged.

"Do what Iz?" I asked. "He's like a 15 on the hotness scale, and it only goes to 10."

"And the problem with liking a hot guy?" She asked.

"Is that hot guy not liking me back." I said. "If he's a 15, I'm a solid 3."

"You sell yourself too short Clare." She said and I scoffed. "You are." She said and I just kept quiet. "Also, I think he likes you too."

"What?" I asked.

"I've never seen Jace so interested in someone before." She said. "And we've known him for some time now. He listens to you all the time, he watches you paint, and he studies with you." She said. "If he wasn't somewhat interested, he wouldn't do that."

"I don't know Iz." I said.

"Let's test it out." She said.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked and she smirked.

"There is a party this weekend. Lets make you smoking hot, and see his reaction." She said and I laughed.

"You can try and work your magic, but I don't know how well it will work." I said.

"Oh trust me babe, you'll have him drooling all night long." She said as we took our seats in the classroom. Class started and I thought about what Izzy said, could he possibly like me?

 **Time Jump – Party**

 **Jace POV:**

There was a party tonight, and the boys and I were just waiting for the girls to come down. It was no secret that Izzy took forever to get ready, but she was giving Clary a make over as well, and I was kinda nervous to see the outcome. When we heard the clicking of the heels, I looked up and I think I lost all function on my body. Clary looked stunning, and I knew tonight I was going to need to keep her as close as possible.

"Might want to close your mouth Jace." Izzy said. "You'll catch flies." She smirked and I shook myself out of the daze. Clary walked over to me and she had a shy smile on her face.

"You look…..hot." I said honestly and she blushed.

"Thank you." She said.

"Well, if you two are done flirting, we have a party to get too." Jon said and I glared at him. We made our way out of the building and over to the party. Thankfully it was just down the street, so it wasn't too far. A breeze came by and I saw Clary shiver. I took my leather jacket off and draped it around her shoulders.

"Thank you." She said and I smiled at her.

We got to the party, and it was wild. Clary handed me my jacket back and immediately I saw eyes on her, I put my arm around her shoulder and led her through the crowd. I knew Clary didn't really like big crowds, and with this stalker around, I didn't trust anyone to get within two feet of her. I got Clary and I something to drink, and that seemed to loosen her up a bit. I also knew she was pretty stressed, so she needed tonight, and I was going to make sure she had fun.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I felt funny. Very funny, and I didn't like it. I made my way towards the bathroom, thinking I was going to throw up, but when I got there, nothing. I rested my hands on the sink to balance myself when I heard the door open, and when I looked up black eyes stared into my soul, and my blood ran cold.

"Clarissa, glad I got you alone." He hissed and he started backing me into a corner. His hands made his way to my hips and I tried to push him off but I wasn't strong enough. I felt hold liquid on my throat and everything in me warned me to scream, but with the loud music I doubt I would be heard.

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had gone to the bathroom almost 15 minutes ago, and I was starting to get worried. I made my way over there and tried to open it but it was locked. I knocked a few times but there was no answer.

"Clary, it's Jace. Is everything okay?" I asked through the door.

"We're busy man." I heard from inside, and everything about the situation felt wrong.

"Who is that?" I asked angrily.

"None of your business." He shouted back.

"If it involves Clary, it is my business." I shouted back.

"She's a big girl, she can make her own decision. Right baby?" He said and my blood started to boil. I stepped back and kicked the door open, and what I saw: infuriated me. Clary was unconscious half naked and Sebastian fucking Verlac was on top of her.

"You son of bitch." I yelled as I lunged at him. I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and threw him out of the bathroom and just let him have it. I don't know how long I was like that until someone pulled me off.

"Jace, calm down man." I heard and when I looked up there stood Alec.

"Let me go." I struggled. "He deserves to die." I spit at him.

"What's going on?" Jon asked as he walked around the corner. I nodded towards the bathroom. He looked in and I can assume all he saw was red. He than stepped in and started beating the shit out of Sebastian. Alec than let me go, and looked back.

"What the hell." He said. I walked on to the bathroom and took my leather jacket off and draped it over her. I scooped her into my arms and left the bathroom.

"I'm taking her back." I said and Alec nodded. Jon was still beating Sebastian up, but I didn't care. He deserved it.

I got back to my room and when I walked in, nobody was there. Thank god. I put Clary in my bed and took my phone out to text Izzy and told her to take Simon back to her room, and that Clary was staying with me. I didn't even bother reading her response, knowing that she was most likely really drunk and not thinking straight. I tucked her into my bed, and made my way into the living room to cool down. I made some coffee and took a seat on the couch. I couldn't believe that this happened, but at least I knew who V was, and he was going to pay for this.

 **Time Jump – An Hour Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting in the living room when I heard the door open. I looked back in out walked Clary. She looked confused, and over all drained. I put my book down and stood up.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I'm pretty sure you were drugged." I said and her eyes went wide. "But I know who V is."

"Who?" She asked.

"Sebastian Verlac." I said. "I found him in the bathroom with you. You were half naked, and he was on top of you."

"Did he…did he rape me?" She asked as she choked up.

"I don't think so." I said honestly. "You still had your pants on."

"Oh god." She stumbled and I ran over to her and scooped her into my arms.

"Shhh. It's okay Clary. I've got you." I said as she continued to cry. I brought her back to the couch and she sat on my lap and I just let her have this moment.

After awhile she finally calmed down and pulled away from me, and her vibrant green eyes were duller, and her normally rosy cheeks, were pale. I wiped the tears from her cheeks and she gave me a sad smile.

"Do you want to stay here tonight?" I asked and she nodded. "Okay good, cause I already told Izzy that you were." I said and she laughed.

"Of course you did." She said and I smiled.

"What would you like?" I asked. "Food, a shower, more sleep?"

"Food and a shower would be great." She said.

"How about you hop in the shower, and I'll make you something." I said and she nodded. I lifted her off my lap and set her feet down on the ground.

"Thank you." She said and I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her forehead.

"Anything for you Clary." I said and she smiled before disappearing into my room again. I took a deep breath and started making her a grilled cheese.

 **Clary POV:**

After I felt like I washed all the grossness off of me I got out and wrapped the towel around me, than I remembered that I don't have any clothes. I walked out of Jace's room and into the living room where he was standing. I cleared my throat and he turned around and dropped the apple in his hand, which made me smile.

"I don't have any clothes." I said and he nodded.

"I have some clothes that are too small for me if you want them." He offered.

"Yes please." I said and he smiled. I walked back in his room and he followed. He went over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of sweats and a long sleeve t.

"This is the smallest thing I own." He said and I laughed.

"Anything you gave me would be huge." I said as I took them. "Thank you."

"I made you grilled cheese. It'll be waiting for you when you're done." He said than he left the room. I put on his clothes and instantly felt safer. I dried my hair a little before making my way out into the living room. I took a seat next to Jace on the couch and grabbed my grilled cheese and started eating it.

"What time is it?" I asked after a few bites.

"Close to 3." He said.

"In the morning?" I nearly yelled and he laughed.

"Yes." He simply said.

"And you've been awake this whole time?" I asked, and he simply nodded. "You should get some sleep."

"You come first Clary." He said.

"But I'm safe here." I said and he looked at me.

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you sit here by yourself until you fall back asleep." He explained.

"You're not going to go to bed no matter what I say are you?" I asked and he smiled.

"Nope." He said and I shook my head and continued to eat my grilled cheese.

Once I was done, Jace took my plate and put it in the kitchen. I grabbed a blanket that was close by and got myself comfy on the couch when Jace walked back out.

"You can sleep in my bed if you're tired." He said.

"I'm not that tired, but I thought we could watch a movie or something." I said and he smiled.

"Anything in particular you want to watch?" He asked.

"Something funny. I could use a good laugh right now." I said and he nodded. He got up and put some random comedy movie on and joined me on the couch. I took this opportunity to curl into his side and drape the blanket over him as well. I rested my head on his chest as I listened to his steady heartbeat lull me to sleep. I felt safe in his arms, it was the safest place I think I ever would feel.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jon POV:**

I had a meeting with the headmaster of the school, and I wasn't happy about it. What Sebastian did to my sister should get him expelled and put in jail, and I wasn't going to rest until he was there. I was sitting in the waiting room tapping my foot when she walked out.

"You may go in now." The receptionist said and I nodded. I got up and made my way into the headmasters office and took my seat.

"Jonathan Morgenstern, do you know why you're here today?" He asked.

"I'm assuming it's because I beat up another student sir." I answered.

"That is correct." He said. "Would you mind telling me why you beat him up?" He asked.

"We were all at a party, and my friend went to go check on my little sister, and when he found them, Sebastian was on top of my half naked unconscious little sister, and he lost it. Someone pulled him off before he could do any real damage, but I couldn't control myself." I explained. "I just let my emotions take the better of me."

"I had no idea. Clarissa didn't report anything." He said.

"She's been recuperating with Jace until she feels better." I explained.

"Well, when she's ready, have her come into the office." He said and I stood up.

"I should warn you, you won't get Clary in here without Jace." I said. "And she won't come in here without him."

"Thank you for the heads up." He said and I nodded. I made my way over to Jace's room to make sure that she was okay. I knocked on his door, and after a few moments Jace answered the door. "How is she?" I asked.

"She's okay." He said. "She slept, showered, and ate."

"Is she awake now?" I asked.

"Yea. We were just watching some movies." He said as he let me in. Clary was curled on the couch wearing Jace's clothes and under a lot of blankets.

"Clary." I said and she looked up at me.

"I'm fine Jon." She said.

"Like hell. That bastard tried to take advantage of you." I said.

"But he didn't." She said. "Jace found me first."

"Which I never properly thanked you for. Since I was too busy beating Sebastian up." I said and Jace laughed.

"It was no problem man." He said.

"And thank you for taking such good care of her." I said and he smiled.

"Again, not a problem." He said. I walked over to him and pulled him into a hug, something I never did.

"And if you're looking for my permission, you got it." I whispered in his ear. When I broke away I saw him smile and nod. "So, I had to speak with the headmaster, and he wants your side of the story."

"Oh god." Clary said.

"I already warned him though that he wasn't getting you without Jace. So he's prepared for the both of you." I said and they nodded. "Well, I'm gonna get something to eat. See you two later." I said as I walked away.

"Jon, wait." I heard Jace say and he walked out of his room and closed the door. "I figured out what was bothering Clary."

"What was it?" I asked.

"Sebastian had been stalking her. Like hard core." He said.

"When did this start?" I asked fuming.

"When we went to Paris." He said and my jaw hit the floor. "I only found out recently, but after last night, I figured out it was him."

"That son of a bitch." I said.

"Clary didn't want me to tell you, and I promised I wouldn't unless something happened, and something happened. So I thought you deserved to know." He said and I nodded.

"I appreciate that man." I said and he nodded. "And I have been instructed by Izzy, or a very intoxicated Izzy, that you need to grow a pair and ask Clary out so she can make her look super hot for you again." I said and Jace laughed.

"You'd really be okay with that?" He asked. "Clary and I dating?"

"Look, I never wanted my little sister to grow up, but she was going too. And I trust her with you more than I trust her with anyone else." I explained. "If you two have feelings for each other, I wouldn't ban that because we're friends. I want her happy."

"Thanks Jon. That means a lot." He said and I nodded.

"But hurt her, and I'll kick your ass." I said and he laughed.

"I think we know by now that I'd never do anything to hurt Clary." He said and I nodded.

"Keep it that way." I said. He nodded and than went back into his room and I went to grab something to eat. The idea of Clary dating anyone was too much for me, but I knew Jace was take care of her, so that was really comforting.

 **Time Jump – A Few Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since the meeting with the headmaster, things have been progressing with pressing charges against Sebastian. Truthfully I was so over it, I just wanted him to get punished, but since he is basically as rich as I am, the appealing process is taking forever. He deserves to be punished for what he did to me, and the fact that he's trying to get out of it is appalling.

It was a normal day, and I was in the art room painting while Jace was at a bench reading. I couldn't stop from looking at him every now and than, although that was mostly because I was painting him, but I liked to get a few extra looks in there because I liked looking at him. When things started to die down with Sebastian and everything he actually asked me out, and I was stunned but thrilled. Every since then, things between us haven't changed that much, accept we are a lot more affectionate towards each other, and we now had a label.

"You're staring." I heard and I was brought out of my mind and saw that he was still reading.

"How do you know? You have your face so far buried in that book." I retorted.

"I can feel it Clary." He said with the cockiness in his voice.

"Oh yea?" I asked. "Can you feel this?" I asked and I threw a little blob of paint at him and at that very moment he looked up and it hit him right in the face, and I couldn't contain my laughed.

"Oh, you are so going to pay for that." He said as he made his way over to me. He grabbed the paintbrush out of my hand faster than I could process and painted a streak of gold across my face.

"Jace!" I yelled and he laughed. I grabbed the tub of red paint and squirted it at him.

We were in a full on paint war at this point. We were slipping all over the art room, and tubs of paint were being squeezed in every direction. At one point I slipped badly, and went to catch myself when Jace caught me and I fell on top of him. I pushed myself up a little to look at him, and even covered in paint he was beautiful.

"That wasn't very nice Clarissa." He said and I smiled.

"You twisted my arm." I said. "I had no other option." He laughed and I smiled.

"Is that so?" He asked and I nodded. He cupped my face and pulled me down to him. I don't know how long we were in that moment until someone cleared their throat and interrupted us. When I looked up there stood Jon, Alec, Izzy, and Simon.

"Hey guys." I said.

"What the hell happened here?" Izzy asked.

"Paint war?" Jace offered and I laughed.

"But why?" Jon asked.

"Clary threw first." Jace said. I slapped his chest and got up.

"Well get cleaned up. We're going out." Izzy said.

"Why exactly?" I asked. Since Jace and I started seeing each other, my ideal night was spent curled on his bed with him and watching a movie.

"Because you two hermits spend most of your free time trapped in Jace's room." Izzy reprimanded. "You need to party, and we're not taking no for an answer."

"Okay." I said.

"Really? It was that easy?" Izzy asked.

"Jace and I didn't shut ourselves in for no reason. I wasn't ready to go back to another party after what happened with Sebastian." I explained and Izzy looked down at her shoes, almost embarrassed that she thought we just wanted to be alone. "But I feel better, and I feel like I'm ready to face it again."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jon asked. "We would have understood."

"You all would have gotten weird." I said. "I love you guys, but you were walking on eggshells around me after it happened. I didn't want you guys treating me like a PTSD patient every time we went to a different party. Yes it was traumatic, but I don't remember it. I was unconscious." I said and they all flinched. "But Jace and I talked about it, and I told him that I didn't want to go to a party until I felt ready, and he supported my decision, but I think I'm ready now." Jon walked over and went to pull me into a hug before realizing I was covered in paint. He patted me on the head and I laughed.

"I'm proud of you, and with Sebastian on temporary suspension pending investigation, nothing is going to happen to you. We all will make sure." He said and Jace pulled me into his side.

"I know that. And I appreciate that more than you know." I said and he smiled.

"Alright, the party is at 9, and it's currently almost 4, and that's just not enough time." Izzy said. "Let's go Clary. We need to start getting ready." She said and I laughed.

"I'll see you later?" I asked Jace and he nodded. He kissed me and I followed Izzy out of the room. Halfway to our room she smiled at me. "What?"

"You two are perfect together." She said and I laughed.

"I like where it's going." I admitted.

"This is so exciting! Did you ever think this was possible?" She asked and I laughed.

"Honestly, no. I didn't think of him in that way at all. I mean, I knew he was hot, and that he was nice since we hung out as a group a lot, but I started to get to know a different side of him when he started to look out for me. And I know that was because of Jon at first, but he took it really seriously after that, and we just got along so well." I admitted. "Sure, we have drastic differences in things, but it's always good to compliment each other, and introduce your significant other to new things."

"You two." She said. "Are literally perfect."

"We fight." I admitted. "Every couple does, but the good times are always better than the bad." I said and she nodded. "Speaking of couples, have you and Simon done anything about your impending relationship status?" I asked.

"I don't know." She said. "I mean, I want to make things more permanent, but he's so worried that I'm going to bail the moment I find someone else."

"And will you?" I asked.

"No." She said. "I really like Simon. He's the first guy I've ever met to actually be interested in me, and not my body."

"So make the move. Start that conversation." I said.

"I don't want to scare him away." She admitted.

"He is currently hanging out with my brother, your brother, and Jace." I pointed out. "That poor boy is probably still scared shitless of them, but he's doing it because he likes you."

"I know, but then there is the whole country difference, and money difference." She said.

"Wait, that matters to him?" I asked confused.

"No. Well, the country thing does. Him living in America and me living in England isn't exactly ideal, but he also thinks that I should have a man in my life who fits into my world. He doesn't want to impose on my rich life." She said.

"He said that?" I asked.

"I may have adlibbed a little." She said and I laughed. "He said that he didn't want to feel inadequate as a boyfriend because he couldn't get me anything that I didn't already have." She said.

"Poor guy." I said. "He's so intimidated."

"I know, and I don't know how to get him past that." She said.

"It's simple really." I said.

"How so?" She asked.

"Prove it to him." I said. "Prove that he does give you something you've never had before."

"And what's that?" She asked.

"He's giving you his heart." I said. "And that's something no other guy I've seen you with has ever done. They give you their dick, but the minute they get it, they're gone. Simon isn't like that." I pointed out. "You got the dick, and in the morning, he made you breakfast. Guys like that don't come around very often."

"Okay." She said. "I'll do it." She said and I laughed. "Now, in the shower, and get all that paint off. I am making you look hot tonight." She said and I smiled as I walked towards the bathroom. This was probably going to be a long night.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Yet again us guys were waiting in the quad for the girls. It was like time wasn't a thing to them. The party started at 9, it was currently 10:15. Izzy refused to let Clary leave the room until she was perfect, and according to Izzy, that was going to take some time with the trouble getting the paint out of her hair.

Once we heard the clicking the guys let out a sigh of relief. I looked up and Izzy walked down first, and she looked like she normally does, which meant that Clary probably looked about the same, just with red hair. Clary appeared behind her and I had to admit, Izzy went into a completely opposite direction this time around, and I absolutely loved it. Clary was rocking a punk look. She had tight dark maroon skinny jeans that were ripped all over the place, a black shirt and a black leather jacket with black high heel boots, and her make up was dark. It was a look that I normally didn't see, but I had to admit she looked great.

"What did you do to my sister Izzy?" Jon said first.

"I'm letting her inner punk out." Izzy said and Clary laughed.

"You look hot." I said and she smiled.

"Dude, gross." Jon said and he punched my shoulder.

"What? She does." I said. "And being her boyfriend, I can say that kind of thing."

"But not around her brother." Jon said. "It's just weird."

"Get over it." Izzy said as she linked arms with Simon. "Come on, we have a party to get to." She said as she started walking.

I put my arm around Clary's shoulders and we followed the group. When we got in front of the house Clary and I both froze. This was the house where Sebastian almost raped Clary. I looked over at her and her eyes were wide.

"We can leave now Clary." I said.

"No." She said. "No, I think I need to over come this fear."

"Okay. Just tell me when you're ready, and we'll walk in." I said and she nodded. We stood there in silence for about 5 minutes until she took a deep breath.

"I'm ready." She said. I held my hand out and she took it and I led her up the stairs. We walked into the house and the party was in full swing. I looked at Clary and she looked like she was taking it all in.

"You good?" I asked. She looked over at me and smiled.

"I'm good." She said and I nodded.

The rest of the night went by without any incidents, unless you call Jon getting so drunk he started dancing onto of a table and incident, but other than that, Clary seemed like she was enjoying herself, and I couldn't be happier that she didn't have to worry about Sebastian stalking her, or getting drugged. She looked carefree for the first time in a long time, and I couldn't be happier about that.

 **Time Jump – Graduation**

 **Clary POV:**

"It's not going to be the same without you two here." I said as we all sat in the quad. My head resting on Jace's lap as he played with my hair like always.

"It's not like we're leaving you alone." Jon said. "You still have Izzy and Jace."

"I know, but it's not like middle school. At least in middle school I knew we were all going to the same high school. You two are literally going to the other side of the world." I pointed out.

"It's our time Clare." Jon said. "You can visit whenever you want."

"America isn't that bad." Simon chimed in, and everyone laughed. Alec and Jon were going to Ivy League colleges in the United States and it was weird knowing that we wouldn't be in the same county as them anymore.

"I've never not had you Alec." Izzy said and Alec gave her a warm smile.

"You'll always have me." Alec reassured her.

"But it's not the same." She said.

"I know, and I'm going to miss you like crazy, but we still have the summer, and you can always take the jet anytime and come see me." Alec said. "Especially in the winter, because I'm not coming back for Holiday."

"Why not?" Izzy nearly shouted.

"I've always wanted to experience a really white Christmas, and Simon says it snows a lot in New York." Alec explained.

"Ugh." Izzy said and Simon pulled her into his side and she relaxed.

"But that means the responsibility falls on you Jace." Jon said and Jace looked over at him. "Look after our sisters, and if anything happens to them, you're dead." He threatened and I kicked his leg.

"Don't be rude." I said and he laughed.

"Don't worry Jon." Jace said. "Nothing is going to happen to them. I swear."

"You swear on what?" Jon asked.

"I swear on the Angel." Jace said as he lifted his hand. The Angel that was the emblem of our school, a weird looking statue that stood in the middle of the campus, that apparently everyone swore on if they truly meant it.

"Good." Jon said and Jace put his hand back in the middle of my unruly curls.

"Okay, enough depressing stuff." Izzy said. "What are we doing this summer?" She asked.

"Well, we're going to start in Greece on my yacht of course." Jace said because we couldn't break tradition.

"Well yes, but after that. Which country or city are we going too?" She asked.

"Seriously, do you ever pay attention?" Jon asked and everyone laughed. Izzy flipped him off and turned her attention back to me.

"Well, since Simon is coming along we decided that we would all experience a new place together. And a little birdie told me that Simon has always wanted to visit Boko, Montenegro." I said and his eyes nearly fell out of his head.

"How did you know?" He asked sounding floored.

"Dude, you did our world geography project on it, and basically talked about it nonstop for months." Jace said. "I connected the dots."

"So, meet at the Morgenstern residence on July 5th, and we will be spending the next 2 weeks in Boko." I said and Simon smiled.

"This might be the coolest vacation I've ever been on." Simon said.

"Where else have you been?" Izzy asked.

"Florida." He said and everyone nearly pissed themselves laughing.

"You've never been to another country?" Jon asked when he could finally control himself.

"Does here count?" He asked.

"No. This isn't a vacation. This is school." Alec said.

"Than no, I've never been outside of the United States." He said.

"Oh boy." Jon said. "You know what this means."

"Don't do it to the poor boy Jon." I said and Jon got that evil look in his eyes.

"Do what?" Simon asked, fear evident in his voice.

"You are in for one rude awakening." Jace muttered and Simon just looked around the group. The gears were turning in Jon's head, you could see it.

"Guys, what is he talking about?" Simon asked fearfully.

"The blue drink." Jon said and we all groaned.

"What's the blue drink?" Simon asked.

"You'll see." Jon said.

"I have a feeling I'm not going to like this very much." Simon said which caused us all to laugh.

"Trust us, you won't." I warned him and he hung his head.

We sat there talking about our trip and Izzy tried to reassure Simon that it really isn't as bad as Jon was making it out to be, but let's be real, it's pretty bad. We all knew it. I felt Jace playing with my hair as he hummed low enough for just me to hear it. I loved when he hummed, it always made me relaxed and calm. I had closed my eyes to listen to his humming when it stopped, I opened my eyes and looked up at him. His gold eyes were burning brighter than I've ever seen, and he smiled at me.

"I love you." He said and I'm pretty sure the entire world just stopped. My eyes were as big as they could be, and my jaw was slightly dropped, until a smile spread across my face.

"I love you too." I said and he leaned forward, pressed a kiss to my forehead, continued to play with my hair and hum. I closed my eyes again, and listened as he hummed and our friends talked about all the things they wanted to do this summer.

"So, after Boko, I was thinking we could all go to Australia and visit our home on the Gold Coast." Jon said. "Sound good to everyone?"

"You have a home in Australia?" Simon asked.

"We have many homes all over the world." Jon said. "It's a perk of being one of the richest families in Europe."

"You guys live like the perfect life." Simon said and everyone laughed.

"Yea." Jace said as he looked down at me and than up to everyone else. "Our lives are kinda perfect." He looked back down at me and I couldn't help but smile. "And only getting better."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I don't have that much to say, but this one shot was thought of by me, because I realized I don't have one that revolves around boarding school, and I really wanted to make one, so I did! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! These next couple days are going to be really chaotic! So bare with me, and be patient! Thank you for understanding! :)**


	106. Chapter 105 - Stardom

**One Hundred and Five One Shot:**

 **Stardom**

 **Clary POV:**

I grew up in a small town outside of New York City, and until I was about 17 years old, nothing really seemed to be in my favor. School was alright, but I just didn't fit in. My home life was a nightmare and I hated being in the house. I wasn't athletic, and I wasn't the smartest kid in my class. I was constantly made fun of for being too short, having red hair, being a vegetarian. You name it, I was made fun of or it.

Everything changed though when I was 16. I didn't know it was going to happen, I was just simply trying to have a good night with a person that I never really thought would ever strike up a conversation with me, but it happened, and at this point in my life, when I look back on that memory, I can't help but smile.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _It was summer, and I was out taking a walk like I normally do. My dad has been on a drinking binge and hasn't been sober for 12 days. It was nearly midnight, and I just couldn't stand being home anymore. That's why I was currently sitting on the swings of the park near my house. It was quiet, and peaceful, something I wasn't really used to, but loved it nonetheless. I was taking in the warm breeze when I heard leaves start to crunch. I looked behind me to see none other than Jace Herondale walking towards me._

 _"You're out late." He said as he took the swing next to me._

 _"So are you." I said back._

 _"Touché." He said. "What brings you out here?" He asked._

 _"Personal reasons." I said vaguely. "You?" I asked._

 _"You ever hear your parents fucking?" He asked and I shook my head. "Yea, lucky you. They've been going at it for at least an hour, and I had to get out of there." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. "It's not funny. It's traumatizing." He said._

 _"I'm sorry." I said when I could control myself. "That's just not something I'm used to hearing about."_

 _"It's shocking that I'm an only child with how horny they are. And they're grown ass adults." He said and I smiled._

 _"At least they still love each other." I pointed out._

 _"I guess." He said._

 _"Trust me, you're lucky." I said._

 _"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that your parents aren't together anymore." He said and I nodded._

 _"My mom bailed when I was 8." I admitted. Not sure why, but he was here, and it was probably going to be beneficial to talk it out. "It destroyed my dad, but I never knew a point in my life where they were a happy couple. There was always tension in the house, and fighting for the stupidest reasons."_

 _"That blows." He said._

 _"Yea. And it didn't help that my brother was 15 at the time." I said. "Not only was there a drastic age difference, but we were never close emotionally either. Sometimes I forgot I had a brother if I'm being honest."_

 _"I didn't even know you had one." He said honestly.  
"When he graduated high school he went to college and never came back." I explained._

 _"Damn." He said._

 _"So I was stuck to deal with my father self destructing." I said._

 _"That couldn't have been easy for a kid to deal with." He said._

 _"I think it was worse when he started using me to take his aggression out." I admitted._

 _"He hit you?" He asked, shock evident in his voice._

 _"Yea." I said honestly. It hadn't happened in almost a year now, but it was still difficult to wrap my head around. "Now that I'm older, when I see his behavior shifting, I just leave so he doesn't have the opportunity to get in a hit."_

 _"I'm so sorry Clary." He said. "I had no idea."_

 _"Nobody does. You're the first person I've told." I admitted._

 _"I'm flattered, but why me?" He asked._

 _"It's been a long 12 days. I guess I needed to talk it out. Here you are, so I decided, what the hell." I said and he laughed._

 _"Why has it been a long 12 days? If you don't mind me asking." He said._

 _"My father hasn't been sober in 12 days." I said._

 _"Holy shit." He said._

 _"That isn't even his record." I said with a humorless laugh._

 _"What is?" He asked cautiously._

 _"When I was 14, he was drunk for a record breaking 21 days." I said._

 _"How is he not dead?" He asked._

 _"Have you ever seen my father?" I asked. "He's like 6 foot 4, and built like a body builder. He has an incredibly high tolerance."_

 _"What caused him to get that bad?" He asked._

 _"My mom got remarried." I said. "I thought it couldn't get worse, but it did. Big time."_

 _"Have you spoken to her since she left?" He asked._

 _"Nope." I said bitterly. "I'm about to get real pissed off while I talk about this, but bare with me. I'll calm down once I'm finished." I warned him and he nodded. "I woke up one day, and she just decided she didn't want us anymore." I said. "I mean, you got married to this man when you were 20 years old, you have 2 children with him, you moved across the country for him. How the hell do you just up and leave all those life changing decisions?" I said. "One of the worst parts about it too, was she ran off with my fathers best friend. I mean, the fucking nerve of that woman." I spat. "It's one thing to not be in love with your husband anymore. I mean, love sucks, and shouldn't be a thing, but to go behind his back and do that? What a fucking low life she is." I said aggressively. "She tried to reach out to me about a year ago, but I didn't want anything to do with her. My father might be an abusive asshole, but she's the one who left. She's the one who abandoned me. She's the one who ruined our family. I can't forgive her for that."_

 _"I totally agree with you." He said and I looked at him. "There are a lot of things that I don't believe in either, and love is one of them." He explained. "I mean, my parents are disgustingly in love, and I should believe in it because I have such great role models, but I don't. I believe it destroys you, and those around you."_

 _"At least someone understands me." I said and he smiled._

 _"Are you up for a little adventure?" He asked and I looked at him skeptically. "I promise, it's nothing crazy."_

 _"Okay." I said. "What do you have in mind?" I asked._

 _"You'll see." He said as he stood up. He reached his hand out and I took it._

 _We got in his car and he started driving. I didn't know where we were going, but when we ended up in New York City I was exceptionally curious about what his plans were. We pulled up in front of this club and he parked the car._

 _"What are we doing here?" I asked._

 _"This is a karaoke bar." He said and my jaw dropped. "I hear you singing in the music room all the time. You're amazing. Let it all go on that stage and I think you'll feel better."_

 _"You're insane." I said and he laughed._

 _"Think of this as therapy, and me, your therapist." He said and I laughed. We got out of the car and went into the club. It was packed, and we took a seat at a table and listened to a few people go, damn were they terrible. Jace added my name to the list and I just sat there patiently waiting for my name to call. When it finally happened, I looked at Jace, he gave me an encouraging smile and I made my way up to the stand. I told the man what I wanted to sing and he nodded. I waited for the music to start, I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath before starting._

 _I'm waitin' on the sun to set cause yesterday aint over yet_  
 _I started smoking cigarettes there's nothing else to do I guess_  
 _Dusty roads aint made for walking, spinning tires aint made for stoppin'_  
 _I'm giving up on love cause love's given up on me_

 _I gave it everything I had and everything I got was bad_  
 _Life aint hard but it's too long to live it like some country song_  
 _Trade the truth in for a lie, cheating really aint a crime_  
 _I'm giving up on love cause love's given up on me_

 _Forget your high society, I'm soakin' it in Kerosene_  
 _Light 'em up and watch them burn, teach them what they need to learn HA!_  
 _Dirty hands aint made for shakin', aint a rule that aint worth breakin'_  
 _Well I'm giving up on love cause love's given up on me_

 _Now I don't hate the one who left_  
 _You can't hate someone who's dead_  
 _He's out there holding on to someone, I'm holding up my smoking gun_  
 _I'll find somewhere to lay my blame the day she changes her last name_  
 _Well I'm giving up on love cause love's given up on me_  
 _Well I'm giving up on love HEY love's given up on me_

 _When I was finished, the entire club was up on their feet clapping, and howling. My eyes found Jace's and he was in his feel as well clapping and smirking at me. I got off the stage, gave a couple high fives, and made my way back to Jace._

 _"How did that feel?" He asked and I laughed._

 _"Really good." I admitted and he nodded in agreement._

 _I went back up there a total of 3 more times before the club closed, and Jace and I were making our way back to the car when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around and there stood a random guy who I recognized from the club._

 _"I was really impressed with you performances tonight." He said._

 _"Thank you." I said._

 _"Hodge Starkweather." He reached his hand out._

 _"Clary Morgenstern." I shook his hand and he nodded. He handed me a card and when I looked at it I was pretty shocked._

 _"You have a rare talent Clary." He said. "And those of us at Idris Records love rare and honest talent like you." I stared at him because I just couldn't believe it. "Give us a call. I'd like to set you up with a producer and talk about possibly joining the company."_

 _"Of course." I said. He nodded and walked away and I turned back towards Jace. "Did that just happen?" I asked and he laughed._

 _"I knew you were good. That whole room new it, and now a music scout thinks so." He said. "Take it, and run with it. You deserve it."_

 _We headed back to our town and I couldn't believe what happened. Maybe Jace was right, this was my chance to make a better life for myself. I'd be a fool not to take it._

 ** _End Of Flashback_**

And here I am, 10 years later, and loving my life more than I ever thought was possible. But it wasn't simply for that music scout, it was because after that night Jace and I formed a bond. One that truly meant the world to me, and I never wanted to lose.

It turns out, we were both exceptions to each other. We confessed that we didn't believe in love, and I was so sure that was true. But the closer Jace and I got, the more apparent our love for each other was. He was hands down the most amazing and thoughtful, and respectful, and encouraging man I've ever met, and the fact that he was mine, and I was his was something I never thought I'd fine, but here we are, we're married and we have a son together, and I'm living m dream as a country star, and I couldn't be more blessed. We may only be 27 years old, but our lives were amazing, and it was only just the beginning.

"Clary!" I heard Jace call. "If we don't leave now, you're going to miss your flight!"

"Coming!" I called back. I was leaving to go on a tour, and I hated leaving my boys. Wyatt was a little over 2 now, and a complete surprise but loved nonetheless. I ran downstairs where they were waiting for me. Wyatt ran into my legs and I scooped him up.

"Mama!" He said and I gave him a kiss.

"You ready?" Jace asked. I nodded and we went out into the car where all my luggage was packed. I strapped Wyatt in and we headed towards the airport.

We got there, and walked over to the terminal where I was going to be leaving from. I may be a known musician but I wasn't private jet famous yet, but one day. I hope to get there.

"I'm going to go get some coffee. You want anything?" Jace asked me.

"Coffee and a doughnut would be great." I said and he smiled.

"What about you little man? You want anything?" Jace asked Wyatt.

"Hashbrowns." He said and Jace laughed. He's been on this hashbrown kick for a month now.

"I should have known." Jace said. He gave us both a kiss before walking away.

"I'm gonna miss you mama." Wyatt said.

"I'm gonna miss you too baby. But you and daddy are going to come visit me when I'm in New York so we can see grandma and grandpa." I said and he smiled. Moving was another huge deal for us, but the label that I was signed with did all of their business in Oklahoma, so we moved to follow my career, but we made it a point to go back to New York whenever we could to see Jace's parents.

"Why can't we come with you?" He asked.

"Because daddy and I talked about this when I was pregnant with you, and we decided that until you were 5 years old that you couldn't come on tour with me. It's a lot more challenging that you think baby boy, and I don't want you and daddy to have to deal with all the crazy reporters and stuff." I explained. It was true. Jace and I didn't want Wyatt to be in the spotlight until he was older, and we figured 5 would be a good age to start exposing him more to that kind of stuff. I would love for him and Jace to come on tour with me, but Wyatt needed his space to just be a kid, and that couldn't happen on tour.

"Otay mommy." He said and Jace returned, and the hashbrowns instantly made his mood lighter. Wyatt was sitting on the floor in front of us eating and playing with the couple toys Jace brought along.

"We're sure going to miss you around here." Jace said and I smiled.

"But you get to have some father son time while I'm away." I said and Jace laughed.

"I'm a stay at home dad babe. I get father son time all the time." He said and I smiled.

"Have I ever told you how amazing you are for giving up your career to raise our son?" I asked and he leaned over and kissed me.

"You tell me every single time you leave for a tour or a event." He said and I smiled. "It's an honor to stay at home with him and watch you continuously fulfill your dreams." He said. "Nothing makes me happier."

"I love you Jace Herondale." I said matter of factually, because since we started dating, I knew this is what real and honest love was. This wasn't dangerous or destruction, but nurturing and everlasting.

"I love you too Clary Herondale." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"What about me?" Wyatt asked and Jace leaned down and picked him up.

"We love you more than you'll ever know Wyatt Herondale." Jace said and he threw his arms around his neck, and Jace pulled me into the hug. My gate was called and I groaned as I stood up out of my seat.

"I'm gonna miss you mommy." Wyatt said as I pulled him out of Jace's arms and hugged him tightly.

"I'm gonna miss you too baby boy." I said. "But we'll be together soon and we'll FaceTime as many times as you want."

"Safe travels babe." Jace said as he pulled both Wyatt and me into him. "Text me when you land?" He asked and I nodded. "I love you." He said once again and I smiled like a fool just like I always do.

"I love you both." I said as I gave them one more kiss. Jace grabbed Wyatt and I grabbed my luggage. I walked towards the terminal, and took one final glance back at my boys. They both waved. I waved back before handing my ticket to the flight attendant, and boarding the plane. Leaving them never got easier, but this was my career, and how I provided for my family, and my dream. It was everything I wanted in life, and I was thankful to have such an amazing and supportive husband like Jace who ultimately got me to this point, but that didn't make leaving suck any less.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Alright, you have an interview tomorrow at 8 am, so be in hair and make up by 6." My manager, Izzy, told me.

"You're lucky I have a 2 year old son who loves getting up to watch the sunrise, otherwise getting me up a that hour with very little sleep would be impossible." I said and she laughed. She had been on of my best friend since she became my manger, and it was amazing having her on tour with me.

"Take the night off, call that crazy kid and husband. If you aren't in that make up chair at 6 tomorrow morning, I'm hauling your ass out of bed." She said and I smiled. She walked out of my room and I went to FaceTime Jace and Wyatt. It rang for a few moments before Jace answered.

"Hey baby." Jace said.

"Hey. How are my boys doing?" I asked.

"We're good. Missing you though." He said.

"I miss you two more than you know." I said. "Where is Wyatt?" I asked.

"Hey little man! Mommy is on the phone!" Jace called and there came a shriek. Soon Wyatt's face was up close and personal with the camera.

"Hey baby boy." I said with a smile.

"Hi mama!" He said.

"How are you doing baby?" I asked.

"Dood. Daddy and I went to da park today!" He cheered.

"And how was the park?" I asked.

"Awesome!" He said and I laughed. He rubbed his eyes and Jace picked him up and he rested his head on his chest.

"He's pretty tuckered out from it." Jace said.

"I just wanted to check in." I said. "I have an interview tomorrow at 8, and I need to be in the make up chair at 6, so I was going to make it an early night, but I couldn't possibly go to bed without taking to my boys."

"Alright, we'll make sure we're watching." Jace said. "Sleep well babe. We'll talk tomorrow?" He asked.

"I'll fit you into my schedule." I teased and he laughed.

"How kind of you." He said. "I love you Clary."

"I love you too Jace." I said.

"I wuv you mama!" Wyatt said.

"And I love you too baby boy." I said.

"Goodnight babe." Jace said.

"Night you two." I said and we hung up.

I got ready for bed and closed my eyes thinking about my boys. I was heading to New York in a week, and I couldn't wait to reunite with my two favorite boys and Jace's parents. It was going to be great, and I couldn't wait to be held by Jace again. Sleeping wasn't the same without him.

 **Jace POV:**

When Clary goes on tour, Wyatt sleeps with me. I hated having the bed to myself and we both missed her like crazy, so we started this little tradition the night she left, and it was amazing. We woke up and I made him breakfast, and now we were waiting to watch Clary's interview. Wyatt was such a mama's boy, and their bond was truly something incredibly special.

When Clary popped up on the screen, Wyatt got super attentive, and I turned the volume up so that we could hear. Clary waved and than it cut to commercial, which Wyatt didn't appreciate, but she was back relatively fast, and we started watching.

"Clary Fray, it's good to see you again." The interviewer said.

"It's great to be back." Clary said.

"So, first tour back in almost 3 years. How does it feel?" She asked.

"It feels amazing." Clary said. "Taking those three years off was tough, considering I've been doing this since I was a teenager, but I loved taking the time to be a mom and a wife, and it was incredible, but I'm happy to be back, and making music."

"Speaking of, how is your little….?" She questioned.

"Boy." Clary helped. "He's perfect. My husband and I couldn't be more blessed that he came into our lives."

"You don't post a lot about him." She said. "Why is that?"

"My husband and I decided when I was pregnant that we weren't going to put him in the spotlight." Clary explained. "He's only 2, and we wanted him to just enjoy being a kid while he can. I know my career doesn't leave a lot of privacy for my family, but what we can give him is a semi-normal childhood, and that's what I really want for him."

"And are you planning on having anymore?" The interviewer asked and Clary blushed. We never really talked about it before, so I was curious about her answer.

"My husband and I haven't discussed having more, but I wouldn't be opposed to having one or two more." She said. "I love kids, and I can only imagine that my son will be the greatest big brother in the world, but we're enjoying our time as a family of 3, so maybe in the future, but that's still a conversation that my husband and I need to have."

"So, this new album, seems to be different than the others, what was your inspiration?" The interview asked veering away from our personal life.

"You know, I just really wanted to write a kickass album that let me express my emotions. Some sad, and others empowering, some about how I feel now as opposed to my high school days." Clary explained.

"I'm guessing you're talking about 'Only Prettier'." She said and Clary laughed.

"Yea. I didn't really 'fit in' in high school." Clary said. "I didn't really care, but others seemed too. It wasn't until I met my husband that I actually felt worthy, and important."

"I read somewhere that you two were high school sweethearts." The interviewer said and Clary nodded.

"Yea. We met my junior year, and started off as friends, and it just grew." She said. "I guess this album is a therapy session. Or at least, that's what my husband would call it." She said and I laughed.

"Do you have a favorite on the album?" She asked.

"I would have to say Makin Plans is my favorite." She said. "And I'm gonna sound like such a sap for saying this, but it's because I wrote it about my husband." I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face when Clary said that. "I wrote it when we first got married, and it was so personal that I didn't think I wanted to share it with the world, but I asked if I could record it one day, and I just knew it had to be included on this album." She admitted.

"That's really romantic." The interviewer said. "Does your husband know it's about him?" She asked.

"Yea. I played it for him when I was still in the writing process. Than after it was finished, and than again when it was recorded." She said. "He often plays it around the house and we dance to it."

"Man, you have yourself a keeper." She said and Clary laughed.

"That I do." Clary said.

"Well, it was great to have you back here Clary." The interviewer said. "Clary's album is out now, don't forget to pick up your copy. We'll be right back after this." It cut to commercial and I turned off the TV.

"Where did mama go?" Wyatt asked.

"She had to go to work, but don't worry little man, we get to see her next week." I said and he smiled. "Now, what would you like to do today?" I asked.

"Fishies!" He said and I smiled.

"To the aquarium it is." I said and we went up stairs to get dressed for the day. I loved being a stay at home dad. Getting to do all these things with Wyatt was amazing, and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Wyatt and I got in last night, and Clary was super busy so we were meeting for dinner tonight with my parents. It's been some time since I last saw them, and Wyatt has grown so much since then and I couldn't wait to just spend time with my family.

We walked into the restaurant and my parents were already there waiting. Wyatt ran over and into my moms arms as I made my way over to hug my dad.

"You've gotten so big." My mom said to Wyatt.

"Hi grandma." Wyatt said.

"How is everything?" My dad asked.

"Great. Clary should be meeting us here soon. She got backed up today." I said as I pulled my chair out. We all got settled when Clary walked into the restaurant. Wyatt of course ran from his seat right into her legs. She picked him up and I walked over and pulled her into a hug.

"God does it feel good to be back together." Clary said and I smiled.

"Feels complete." I said and she smiled. When we got back to the table Clary gave both of my parents a hug before sitting down. Wyatt of course wanted to sit with Clary, and she didn't mind. I knew she missed him as much as he missed her.

"How is the tour going Clary?" My mom asked.

"It's great. I forgot how exhausting it is, but the shows have been a blast, but I have a few days off before the next one, and I'm glad that I get to spend it with you guys." She said.

"Well, we can't wait to go to your next one." My mom said. "I feel like it's been awhile since we saw you perform."

"Well, I haven't been on tour in 3 years, so I know what you mean." She said.

The rest of the meal went by amazingly. It felt so incredibly good to be back with Clary. Everything just felt more natural with her by my side. I guess that's why we're perfect together, or soulmates, whatever people say. Everything is just so much more enjoyable with Clary, and I love that about our relationship.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Does this week really have to be over already?" I asked as we all stood in the airport.

"Feels like we just got in." Jace said. "But we'll be together again." He said and I laughed. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"What's up?" I asked.

"Wyatt did amazing this past week." He said and I nodded in agreement. "And I know you have a string of concerts up in Canada next month, so why not test the waters, and Wyatt and I come for the portion of the tour."

"That actually sounds amazing." I said. "We could also invite your parents so they can have more time with Wyatt and maybe babysit so that we can have some more time together."

"I think we had plenty of time together this week." I said suggestively.

"But I miss my wife." He pouted. "It's tough to get some alone time with a toddler, but with my parents help, it's a lot easier."

"Ask and see if they're available. I'd love to spend more quality time with them and for them to be around Wyatt more." I said.

"Mom!" Jace called and his mom started making her way over to us.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Clary and I talked about it, and we thought Wyatt did absolutely amazing with this week, and Clary has a string of shows in Canada next month, and we're going to test the waters with Wyatt, and we were wondering if you and dad want to tag along." Jace said.

"We'd love too." She said happily and I couldn't help but smile. "Text me the dates, and the information, and we will be there."

"I'll let you know mom." I said and she smiled and kissed my cheek.

"Great!" She said as she made her way back to Wyatt.

"That was easy." I said and Jace laughed.

"She is loving her role as grandma." Jace said. "Any time she gets to spend with Wyatt, she'll take. And you as well. She loves you."

"I love her too." I said and Jace pulled me into his arms. And that's when my flight was called. "Ugh." I groaned.

"Where are you going to next?" Jace asked.

"Atlanta." I said.

"Text me when you land?" He asked and I nodded. "Hey little man, mama's gotta go." Jace called and Wyatt came running into me.

"Don't weave me mama." Wyatt said as I picked him up.

"I have to baby boy but you and daddy are going to come visit me again soon." I said.

"Weally?" He asked.

"Really." Jace said. "And we're gonna stay even longer!" Jace said and Wyatt cheered.

"I love you baby boy." I said as he gave me a kiss.

"I wuv you too mama." He said. He reached for Jace and I gave him a kiss.

"I love you." I said.

"I love you too babe." He said. I gave his parents a hug and than grabbed my bag.

"I'll see you all soon." I said. They waved and I boarded the plane. This was going to be a long month, but I was excited for them to come and visit again.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had another interview, so Wyatt and I were waiting patiently for her to appear on the TV. When she did, Wyatt got super attentive, and I turned it up like always so we could hear her.

The interview was the same as all the other ones we watched, but Wyatt and I loved watching them nonetheless just to see and hear Clary again. This time though, the host wanted to play a little game with Clary, and I could tell that Wyatt was happy about that.

"So Clary, we're going to play a little quick fire question game." The interviewer said.

"Oh god. I'm awful at these." Clary laughed.

"No pressure, just say the first thing that comes to your mind." The interviewer said and Clary nodded. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Clary said.

"Okay, first question." The interviewer said. "Favorite color."

"Green." Clary said pretty quickly.

"Favorite food." She asked.

"I'm gonna be lame, but Brussels sprouts." Clary said and the interviewer gave her a weird face. "Sorry, vegetarian problems." She said and everyone laughed.

"Favorite song." She asked.

"Oh, ah this ones tough." She laughed. "Remembering Sunday by All Time Low." She said and I smiled.

"Really?" The interviewer asked a little shocked.

"I may be a country singer, but my husband has always loved alternative, and that song is just amazing. You should all listen to it!" Clary said, and she nodded.

"Okay, next question." The interviewer said. "Favorite vacation."

"Easy. My honeymoon. We went to Australia, and it was fabulous."

"Beautiful country." The interviewer said and Clary nodded. "Favorite hobby other than singing."

"I love to cook." Clary said.

"Is there any talent that your husband has that you wish you did." The Interviewer asked.

"My husband is amazing on the piano." Clary said. "I wish I had that much talent. It's a gift."

"I tried piano as a child. Not my thing." The interviewer said and Clary laughed. "Favorite childhood memory." The interviewer said and I noticed Clary flinch a little, but I don't think anyone else could.

"I don't really have one honestly. I didn't have that great of a childhood. But if I extend that frame of 'childhood' it would be the first night my husband and I met." Clary said like the pro she is.

"Fair enough." She said. "Okay, last question." She said. "Favorite animal."

"Bunnies." Clary said.

"Well folks, there is a glimpse of who Clary Fray really is." The interviewer said. "Thank you so much for taking the time to come on here and chat with me. Her album is out now, go check it out. We'll be right back after this." The interviewer said and it cut to commercial.

"I hungie daddy." Wyatt said once I turned the TV off.

"What would you like to eat little man?" I asked.

"Panyakes!" He cheered.

"Pancakes it is!" I said and he jumped up and we made our way into the kitchen to cook and singing to whatever song was on the radio.

 **Time Jump – Canada**

 **Clary POV:**

Everyone was coming today and I was super excited. Touring was a dream come true every single time, but I missed my family more than I ever did before, and testing the waters with these two weeks I'll be in Canada were going to be absolutely amazing.

Although this was going to be a informational visit as well. Abut a week ago I was in the middle of a meeting with my team and I just started throwing up like crazy. I had no idea where it came from and I spent the next couple days resting, but it didn't work. Eventually Izzy made me go to the doctor, and guess what? I'm pregnant. I guess the conversation about more kids was going to be sooner than I expected, but I knew Jace would be happy, at least once the shock wore off, and I was also really excited. Every time I thought about the little baby I got the biggest smile.

When their plane landed, and I saw Jace and Wyatt walking out of the terminal I ran towards them. Thankfully Jace was a rather strong man, so when I lunged at him, he caught me effortlessly while holding firmly to Wyatt.

"God I missed you." He said into my hair.

"I miss you too. Both of you. More than anything." I said as I started to cry. Stupid hormones.

"Are you otay mommy?" Wyatt asked and I nodded.

"Just missed my boys so much." I said as I gave him a kiss. "You parents are getting here later, so I thought we'd just get settled into the house."

"Sounds like a plan." Jace said. "Wyatt needs a N-A-P immediately." Jace said and I nodded.

We got everything to the car and headed towards the house. Tomorrow, I'd have his parents take Wyatt out, and we'd go out to a nice lunch and I'd tell him the news. But for right now, I just wanted to enjoy our time together, and be a family. I missed these boys more than anything in the world, and having them here was paradise.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Clary POV:**

Wyatt was jumping for joy when Celine and Stephen offered to take him to a hockey museum. I didn't even know he liked hockey, but he was excited nonetheless, and I was happy that he was getting his vacation started that way.

Jace and I went to a tiny restaurant that was pretty empty, but that just made it better. I wanted this to be a private moment, but I also I needed food cause mama was hungry. We got seated and ordered our food. My French fries came out first and we were snacking on them for a few minutes before I finally worked up the nerve to start talking.

"So, there was something I wanted to tell you, which is why I had your parents take Wyatt today." I said.

"What's up babe?" He asked.

"Well, after our intense reunification experience in New York." I started and Jace just smirked. "It seems that this family of three is going to be a family of 4."

"You're pregnant?" He asked and I bit my lip and nodded. "Oh my god. This is amazing."

"You're happy?" I asked.

"Extremely." He said. "I know we haven't talked about more kids, but when you mentioned it in one of your interviews, I agreed with you 100%. I've always wanted more than one kid, and Wyatt may only be 2, but I think bringing another one into this family is a good thing." He explained.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I asked and he laughed and nodded. "I really want a little girl."

"A little girl would be the perfect addition." Jace said. I stood up and he followed as she scooped me into his arms. This was the most amazing feeling in the world. Bringing another baby in to his world, and I couldn't wait to do it.

"Clarissa." I heard from behind me. I stiffened. Only one person called my Clarissa. Jace let me go, but stood guard at my side. When I turned around there stood a man identical to Valentine, but younger. _Jonathan._

"Jonathan?" I questioned and he nodded.

"Yea. It's me Clarissa." He had a small smile on his face, but I wasn't having it. I picked up the plate of fries at threw it at his head. "What the hell?" He yelled.

"You leave me to fend for myself 20 years ago, and you show up in this restaurant and think you can just say my name and a family reunion is going to happen?" I yelled. "You're out of your fucking mind!"

"Please Clarissa, just hear me out." He pleaded.

"No. I will not hear you out. You fucking abandoned me. Just like Jocelyn." I said. "You left me with the abusive asshole. You left me." I cried and Jace pulled me into him so that I didn't collapse onto the floor.

"Shh baby. It's okay." I heard Jace whisper in my ear.

"Who is he?" Jonathan asked and that just fueled my anger even more.

"Why do you care?" I spat back at him. "You lost the ability to know about my personal life when you decided to leave your 11 year old sister behind and never come home." I was angry, and upset, and hungry, and about every emotion you could probably experience all at once.

"I'm Jace Herondale." Jace said to Jonathan. "I'm her husband."

"I knew you were married. It was in an article somewhere. I just never see pictures of you two together." Jonathan explained.

"We don't like the press invading our personal lives." I said. "We stay out of the spotlight as much as we can."

"I don't expect you to forgive me Clarissa." Jonathan said.

"Clary." I said. "Nobody but Valentine called me Clarissa, and it was normally when he was angry, and very drunk."

"Look, I didn't come here to reunite or anything." Jonathan said.

"Than why show up?" I asked.

"My daughter saw you were coming to Canada for the first time, and she's in love with your music. When she showed me a picture, I knew it was you right away. You look exactly like mom." He said.

"Don't tell me that. She isn't my mother." I said bitterly.

"I bought her tickets to your show this weekend." He said.

"I hope you aren't expecting to get backstage passes or anything. She might be my niece but I don't know a damn thing about you accept your name." I said.

"I don't expect anything from you. But I felt compelled to at least see you again. If this is the only time, I understand, but I needed to do this. For me, and hopefully one day this will mean something to you as well." He said.

"Look man." Jace said. "We're kinda celebrating something right now, and I'd really like to get back to it."

"Understandable." Jonathan said. "Good bye Claris….Clary." He said and he walked out of the restaurant.

"The nerve of him." I hissed out.

"Look, that was unexpected, and shocking, but we're celebrating the new life we're bringing into this world. So let's forget about your estranged brother and fucking celebrate." Jace said and I laughed.

"Deal." I said and we took our seats and continued on celebrating the news together. Despite that unexpected and unwanted visit, I was super happy that I was pregnant, and that Jace was excited as well.

When we got home, Wyatt was passed out on the couch and I couldn't help but laugh. I walked over and kissed him on the head before heading towards the kitchen where I found Jace's parents.

"How was your date?" Celine asked.

"It was good." Jace said.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "That didn't sound very convincing." Jace looked at me and nodded. Letting me know it was up to me to tell them.

"Uh, I don't know if I've ever mentioned this, but I have an older brother." I said. "He's 7 years older than me, and when I was 11 he went to college and never came home." I said with a dry laugh. "He just found me again after 20 years."

"Oh sweetie." Celine said as she walked over and pulled me into a hug. "Are you okay?"

"After I yelled I felt pretty good, but I'm still pissed." I admitted.

"I understand." Celine said. "Family issues suck. My parents were abusive as all hell, and nobody in my extended family believed me. It was a lonely childhood to say the least."

"You never told me that mom." Jace said.

"It's not a very fun subject manner." She said. "But you make a new family. A loving one, and that's who you hold onto."

"But…" Stephen said. "Don't throw in the towel so easily." He said. "Sometimes people fuck up, but that doesn't mean they are fuck ups."

"Language Stephen." Celine reprimanded him.

"They're adults." He said back and I laughed. "I'm just saying. Cutting family ties is understandable, but sometimes the family member that cut the ties, realizes later on in life that it was a mistake, and they desperately want to fix it but don't know where to begin."

"Are you speaking from experience too dad?" Jace asked.

"You know your grandfather and I never saw eye to eye, and he cut me out of his life, and when he tried to repair the relationship it was devastating to see because I saw how torn up he was about his past mistake. It took us years to work through all our shit, but we got there eventually."

"Than he died a year later." Celine added. "Don't let it get that bad."

"He has a daughter." I said. "I have a niece and I don't even know her name."

"Well, we're here for two weeks." Celine said. "Maybe you can meet in a neutral area and talk civilly."

"His daughter is coming to my concert this weekend." I said.

"That's cool. She's a fan." Stephen said.

"According to Jonathan, she's in love with Clary's music." Jace said. "But I can't blame her." I laughed and he smiled at me. "Oh, but there is more." Jace said and I can't believe I totally forgot.

"What is it?" Celine asked.

"I'm pregnant." I said and her jaw dropped.

"Oh my god. This is wonderful." She said as she pulled me into another hug. "How far along are you?" She asked.

"Almost 3 months. I had an appointment before you all arrived." I explained.

"You two are naughty. This little one was conceived in New York." Celine said and I immediately blushed.

"First off, I used to listen to you two go at it all the time. How do you think Clary and I even met?" Jace said.

"You never told us that." Celine said.

"Yea. I listened for about an hour, and I had to get the hell out of that house." Jace said. "We met at the park that night. I took Clary to a karaoke bar in the city, and she got discovered."

"Well damn. That's a story." Celine said and I laughed.

"Still feels surreal honestly." I said.

"Well, I can't wait for this little one to get here." Celine said as she put her hands on my belly.

"Me either." I said.

We talked about baby things for a little longer until Wyatt walked in and said he wans hungry. That kid was a smarty-pants, that's for sure. When we told him, he was pretty excited about it. He want's a little sister so he can protect her, and that just made me cry even more because that's what I thought I'd have when I was younger, but didn't, and I could just imagine Wyatt being super protective, because he's a mini Jace, and I loved that about him.

 **Time Jump – Concert**

 **Clary POV:**

I had been thinking about what Celine and Stephen said about trying to reconnect with my brother. I mean, I didn't have to forgive him right away. That might take years, but knowing I had a niece out there, and I didn't even know her didn't sit well with me. Jace and I talked about it for about 2 hours the other night, and I realized that I wanted to get to know her, and any other children he had. He was a terrible brother, but we're older, and we might not even get that opportunity again, and I might regret it if I didn't take this chance.

So after the concert I'm going to have security take them from their seats and escort them to the security room, I kinda want to freak my brother out a little, and give him some sort of pay back. I found out what seat he was in, and planned everything out. Not it was just about performing, and than taking it from there. I walked out on stage and everyone went crazy, and that's when the music started.

 _Hey white liar  
The truth comes out a little at a time  
And it spreads just like a fire  
Slips off of your tongue like turpentine  
And I don't know why, white liar_

 _You better be careful what you do  
I wouldn't wanna be in your shoes  
If they ever found you out  
You better be careful what you say  
It never really added up anyway  
I got friends in this town_

 _Hey white liar  
The truth comes out a little at a time  
And it spreads just like a fire  
Slips off of your tongue like turpentine  
And I don't know why, white liar_

 _You said you went out to a bar  
And walked some lady to her car  
But your face has more to tell  
'Cause my cousin saw you on the street  
With a red head named Bernice  
Turns out you don't lie too well_

 _Hey white liar  
The truth comes out a little at a time  
And it spreads just like a fire  
Slips off of your tongue like turpentine  
And I don't know why, white liar_

 _Here's a bombshell just for you  
Turns out I've been lying too_

 _Now I'm a white liar  
The truth comes out a little at a time  
And it spreads just like a fire  
Slips off of my tongue like turpentine  
And I don't know why  
White liar_

The music ended and the crowd was still going crazy. I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face. I lived for moments like this. I looked over to the side where Jace, Wyatt, Celine and Stephen all stood smiling proudly at me. The next song started and I sang my heart out just like I always did.

 **Time Jump – End of Concert**

 **Clary POV:**

The show was over, and we were walking back to my dressing room when I heard someone yelling, and I knew that anger all too well. I could tell it was Jonathan. He sounded exactly like Valentine. I looked at Jace and he nodded. Celine took a sleeping Wyatt and headed towards my room while Jace and I went towards where they were putting Jonathan. When we got there, I could still hear him yelled. I opened the door, and there he sat, pissed. His daughter looked frightened, and little did I know, they brought friends to the concert so naturally they were all taken in. Maybe I didn't think that part through very well.

"Clary, tell these people I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't even have a drink tonight." Jonathan pleaded, and I had to admit, it felt kinda nice that he needed me.

"Dad, how do you know her?" His daughter asked. I took a seat and Jace followed.

"What's your name sweetheart?" I asked.

"I'm Nicole." She said.

"And who are your friends Nicole?" I asked.

"Uh, that's Abby, Sabrina, Katie, and Madison." She said fearfully.

"It's nice to meet you Nicole." I said and she nodded. "My name is Clary, and I'm your aunt." I said and her jaw dropped.

"Really?" She asked dumbfounded.

"Really." I said.

"How come you never told me dad?" She asked.

"We haven't spoken or seen each other in 20 years baby." He admitted.

"How come?" She asked.

"I kinda disappeared out of her life." He said. She looked back at me.

"You look like grandma." She said and I looked at Jonathan.

"I have an idea. Why don't you ladies go with my husband and he'll give you whatever merchandise you want from tonight's show." I said and they seemed to perk up. "I'm just going to have a talk with your dad really quick." I said and she nodded. They all got up and followed Jace out of the room. Once the door was closed I looked back at him. "You found Jocelyn?" I asked.

"After college I moved here with my girlfriend, who is now my wife, and she found me." He said. "Turns out she lives here too, and we reconnected."

"Figures. That bitch." I said.

"Hey, she was going through a rough time. You can't blame her." He said.

"Yes I can." I said. "She left us, me." I said. "You were at least old enough to take care of yourself. I was 8 when she let Jonathan." I said. "Do you know how hard it was for me to deal with dad? He was a mess."

"I remember." He said.

"No. You have no idea what it was like living in that house. He was miserable, and I was his punching bag." I said.

"He hit you?" He asked.

"Frequently." I said. "All because Jocelyn left, and you never came home."

"I didn't know. If I knew Clary, I would have taken you with me." He said.

"I don't think you would have." I said honestly. "You got an out, I didn't get that lucky."

"Why did you have them drag me back here?" He asked.

"I talked to my in laws, and they told me to give you the benefit of the doubt, but if I'm being honest, me knowing I had a niece out in the world that I didn't know, and other possible nieces or nephews didn't sit well with me." I explained.

"You have 3 more." He said and my jaw dropped.

"You have 4 kids?" I asked and he nodded as he got his phone and pulled out a picture and handed it to me.

"Nicole is the oldest, she's 14. She wasn't planned at all, but she's such a joy." He said and I nodded. He was 21 when he had her, so that was pretty crazy to me. "Noah is next. He's only 9." I nodded. "Next is Natasha, and she's 6. And the youngest is Nico. He's 4." He explained.

"All N names?" I asked and he laughed.

"My wife, Zara wanted them to have names they could find on things when they got older." He said and I laughed.

"Well, with Zara as a name, I can't imagine why, but I feel like Nico and Natasha might be a little more rare than you think." I said and he smiled.

"Yea, but we liked the names a lot." He said and I nodded.

"Well, my second will not have a W name." I said. "That's for sure."

"You have a kid?" He asked.

"Yea. His name is Wyatt. He's 2." I said. "Where is Zara from?" I asked.

"Her parents are originally from California, but she was born on South Africa. They did a lot of charity work over there with medicine." He said.

"So she comes from a line of doctors?" I asked.

"Yes, and she herself is a doctor." He said.

"What's her specialty?" I asked.

"She's a neurosurgeon." He said.

"Impressive." I said.

"I'm very proud of her. It was tough when Nicole came along, and Noah, but we made it work. Plus mom helped a lot." He said and I couldn't help but feel hatred when he brought her up. I don't know if that would ever go away.

"I see." I said.

"So, what does Jace do for work?" He asked.

"He's a stay at home dad." I said. "He graduated NYU with his bachelors in business, but when Wyatt came along, my career was in full swing, and Jace decided that he would stay home while I continued to tour and make music." I explained. "It's the best job in the world to him. He loves being with Wyatt. They are like the same person already." I laughed.

"He sounds great." Jonathan said. It was quiet for a moment. "How long are you here for?" He asked.

"Two weeks." I said.

"Would you like to come over for dinner? To meet everyone?" He asked.

"As long as Jocelyn isn't there, I think that would be great." I said.

"Okay. She won't come." He said, and I could tell he was disappointed.

"Look, I'm still not happy with you Jonathan. And I'm even more pissed off at Jocelyn. So this is going to take some time, and I'd rather focus on one problem at a time." I said.

"I understand." He said and I nodded. "Here's my number." He said as he handed me a card.

"Come on, let's go find you daughter." I said and he nodded.

We got up and went to my room where Celine was rocking Wyatt. We walked in and I gave him a kiss.

"Mom, this is Jonathan, my brother. Jonathan, this is Celine, my mother-in-law." I introduced them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Jonathan said.

"You as well." Celine said.

"Where did Jace take the girls?" I asked, and that's when I heard the music. I looked at Jonathan and he gave me a smile.

"Did I not mention they formed a band?" He said.

"You didn't." I said.

"Yea. They want to be a country girl band." He explained. I laughed and we made our way out to the stage. When we got there, Jace was standing in the front watching them as they played one of my song, 'Only Prettier', and I had to admit, they were pretty decent. I made my way over to where the one girl was singing, and picked up a microphone and started singing with her. She looked shocked but quickly bounced back and started singing.

 _Well I've been saved by the grace of southern charm  
I got a mouth like a sailor and yours is more like a Hallmark card  
If you wanna pick a fight well I'm gonna have to say goodnight  
I don't have to be hateful, I can just say bless your heart_

 _And even though I don't belong with your high life friends  
Doesn't mean we don't get together and try to make amends  
It's easier can't you see lets agree to just disagree  
We don't have to like each other but its sure fun to pretend_

 _So lets shake hands and reach across those party lines  
You got your friends just like I got mine  
We might think a little differently  
But we got a lot in common you will see  
We're just like you, only prettier_

 _Everybody says you gotta know your enemies  
Even if they only weigh a hundred pounds and stand five foot three  
If you just smile and behave you could always get your way  
It's a universal plan that'll get you where you can in all societies_

 _So lets shake hands and reach across those party lines  
You got your friends just like I got mine  
We might think a little differently  
But we got a lot in common you will see  
We're just like you, only prettier_

 _Lets shake hands and reach across those party lines  
You got your friends just like I got mine  
We might think a little differently  
But we got a lot in common you will see  
We're just like you, only prettier_

 _Well I'll keep drinkin' and you'll keep gettin' skinnier  
Hey I'm just like you only prettier  
She says just like you only prettier_

When we were done Jace and Jonathan started clapping and I couldn't help but laugh and take a bow and than point to the band. I put the microphone down and they put down the instruments and came forward.

"That was so cool." The one girl, I believe it was Madison, said.

"Seriously Aunt Clary, that was awesome." Nicole and I was taken aback by her calling me Aunt and I think she could tell. "I'm sorry, its just I don't have any aunt's, and I figured since you are mine only one I could call you that." She said nervously.

"I don't mind, I've just never been someone's aunt before. My husband is an only child." I explained and she nodded. "You guys have some serious talent."

"You think so?" The one, Abby, asked.

"I do." I said. "I was discovered when I was 16, so don't give up, and keep practicing." I said and they nodded.

"Alright peanut, it's time to get home. Your mom is going to be worried sick." Jonathan said and Nicole nodded.

"Will I see you again?" She asked.

"I'm going t be coming over for dinner sometime in the next two weeks." I said and she gave me a hug and I just had to hug her back.

They all said goodbye and I felt Jace pull me into his as they walked away talking about the amazing experience that tonight had been. I sighed and leaned into Jace contently.

"How do you fee that went?" He asked.

"Better than expected, but we have a long way to go." I said. He kissed my temple and than it was our time to leave. I was exhausted, and ready for bed.

 **Time Jump – Family Dinner**

 **Clary POV:**

We got to Jonathan's house and I couldn't bring myself to knock so Jace did. The sound of barking kinda terrified me, but when Jonathan opened the door, someone was holding the dog bag.

"Noah, put Killer in the backyard." Jonathan said.

"Killer? Really?" I asked as we walked inside.

"Noah named him when he was 3, and that's what I called him at that age, and he liked it so much he named the dog that. He's really sweet once you get to know him." Jonathan explained.

"Clary doesn't like dogs." Jace told him.

"Why not?" Jonathan asked.

"One attacked her when she was 15." Jace said.

"That's horrible." Jonathan said.

"Yea, not my favorite memory. But it gave me a great excuse for the bruises." I said nonchalantly and Jonathan flinched.

"Everyone is in the living room." Jonathan said and I nodded. We walked into the living room and they all looked back. "Everyone, this is my sister Clary, her husband Jace, her son Wyatt, and her in laws, Celine and Stephen." Jonathon said. His wife got up and walked over and hugged me.

"It's wonderful to meet you. When Nicole came home gushing about how she met her idol, and she happened to be her aunt, I was stunned." She laughed and I smiled.

"I was just as shocked to know I have 2 nieces and 2 nephews." I said and she smiled.

"And this is your son?" She asked.

"Yes, Wyatt can you say hi to your Aunt Zara?" I asked and he lifted his head off Jace's shoulder.

"Hi Aunt Zawa." He said and she smiled.

"It is very nice to meet you Wyatt." She said and he smiled. "He's beautiful."

"He has the Herondale charm." I said as I played with his beautiful blonde hair.

"Well, dinner is almost ready, I hope you all love stuffed chicken." She said.

"Actually, I'm a vegetarian." I said and she looked at me.

"Oh, thank god. So am I, and nobody in this house understands." She said and I laughed. "Do you eat fish?" She asked.

"I do." I said.

"I am making myself some salmon, would you like some?" She asked.

"Sounds great." I said and she nodded and headed towards the kitchen.

We made small talk with Jonathan's family. Nicole mostly talked to me about making it in the music world, and I was more than happy to give her any knowledge that I had, because I could see how much she wanted it, and that made me want it for her as well.

When dinner was ready, we all gathered around the table. We made small conversation, and we were getting to know each other. This was a step in the right direction, and I think this incredibly burned bridge between Jonathan and I could be mended, but it would take some time.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had a show right here in Oklahoma today, so I was getting the kids ready for the trip to the stadium, but Wyatt just wasn't having it today, and Paisley was getting irritable.

"Wyatt Herondale, we have to leave." I yelled.

"Why?" He asked.

"We're going to see mommy." I said.

"But I want to play with my trains." He said.

"You can bring them." I said and he looked at me.

"Okay." He said and he walked over to me. I put his shoes on and we finally got out of the house.

When we showed up to the stadium I was so thankful to see my parents. Wyatt was having no part of anyone today, but Paisley was happy to be held by her grandmother. We got to the back room where Wyatt immediately when to the floor and started playing with his trains. I took Paisley and went on a hunt for Clary before the show started. I found her just sitting in the wings listening to the crowd.

"Hey babe, what are you doing?" I asked and she looked back and smiled at me, as she took Paisley.

"Just soaking it all in." She said. "How is everyone?" She asked.

"Wyatt is miserable. All he wants to do is play with his trains, so my mom and dad are watching them." I said.

"4 year olds, what are you gonna do?" She said and I laughed.

"How are they doing?" I asked.

"They're nervous, but they're ready. I know they are." She said and I nodded.

"How much longer?" I asked.

"Show starts in 15 minutes." She said. I leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"Knock their socks off babe." I said.

"That is such a dad thing to say." She said ad I laughed.

"I can't curse in front of Paisley. Wyatt never picked it up, but she's all into imitating, and I refuse for her to be going around cursing." I said and she laughed.

"I'll see you after?" She asked.

"Of course. I love you." I said.

"I love you too." She said.

"Wuv you mama." Paisley said.

"I love you too baby girl." Clary said as she kissed her. I don't think anyone could truly understand how incredibly happy Clary was when Paisley started looking like her. She had Clary's red hair and green eyes with subtle hints of gold. She was perfect, just like Wyatt.

 **Clary POV:**

The lights dimed and that's when I knew the show was about to start. The open acts were all phenomenal and I couldn't wait to go out there and just kill it like always. The music started and I made my way out onto the stage. It was an amazing feeling to know all these people came here to see me. I truly loved my job. I got to the middle of the stage and just let it out.

 _You only love me for my big sun glasses_  
 _And my Tony Lomas_  
 _And my Dodge Dart classic_  
 _You said "I'll be Johnny and you'll be June_  
 _I'll ride with you to the moon"_  
 _But guess what?_

 _[Chorus:]_  
 _You can't ride in my little red wagon_  
 _The front seat's broken and the axle's draggin'_  
 _You can't step to this backyard swagger_  
 _You know it ain't my fault when I'm walkin' jaws droppin' like_  
 _Ooh, ah, ooh, ah_

 _Oh, heaven help me_  
 _I've been sowing wildflower seeds_  
 _And chasing tumble weeds_  
 _But that's just who I be_  
 _And you're just trying to slow this rolling stone_  
 _But I'm on to you baby_  
 _So guess what?_

 _[Chorus:]_  
 _You can't ride in my little red wagon_  
 _The front seat's broken and the axle's draggin'_  
 _No you can't step to this backyard swagger_  
 _You know it ain't my fault when I'm walkin' jaws droppin' like_  
 _Ooh, ah, ooh, ah_

 _Oh, you only love me for my big sun glasses_  
 _And my Tony Lomas_  
 _I live in Oklahoma_  
 _And I've got long, red hair_  
 _And I play guitar, and I go on the road_  
 _And I do all the shit you wanna do_  
 _And my dog does tricks_  
 _And I ain't about drama, y'all_  
 _And I love my apron_  
 _But I ain't your mama!_  
 _So guess what?_

 _[Chorus:]_  
 _You can't ride in my little red wagon_  
 _The front seat's broken and the axle's draggin'_  
 _No you can't step to this backyard swagger_  
 _You know it ain't my fault when I'm walkin' jaws droppin' like_  
 _Ooh, ahh, ooh, ahh_  
 _Oooohh, yeah. Ahhhhh. Oooooohh. Ah!_

When the song was finished the place was going crazy. I looked over at the wings and there stood my family, and I knew my life was truly amazing and rewarding. No matter how shitty it was for some time, this was far greater than anything I could have ever dreamed.

 **Time Jump – End Of Concert**

 **Clary POV:**

"Alright ya'll, I have some special guests with me today, and they're going to come out and do a song we wrote together. Is that cool with you?" I asked and everyone went crazy. I motioned for them to come out, and Nicole was the first one to make it on stage, she had her guitar in hand and she seemed so nervous. "This is my niece's band, and I highly insist you check them out! Their name is The Revolvers, and they rock!" I looked at Nicole and nodded. We were off.

 _Stand on the bar, stomp your feet, start clapping_  
 _Got a real good feeling something bad about to happen_

 _Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh_

 _[Miranda(Clary):]_  
 _Pulled up to the church but I got so nervous_  
 _Had to back it on up, couldn't make it to the service_  
 _Grabbed all the cash underneath my mattress_  
 _Got a real good feelin' something bad about to happen_

 _[Carrie(Madison):]_  
 _Ran into a girl in a pretty white dress_  
 _Rolled down a window, where you heading to next?_  
 _Said I'm heading to the bar with my money out the mattress_  
 _Got a real good feeling something bad about to happen…_

 _[Chorus:]_  
 _Stand on the bar, stomp your feet, start clapping_  
 _Got a real good feeling something bad about to happen_  
 _Drinks keep coming, throw my head back laughing_  
 _Wake up in the morning' don't know what happened_  
 _Whoa… Something bad_  
 _Whoa… Something bad_

 _[Carrie(Madison):]_  
 _Now me and that girl that I met on the street_  
 _We're rollin' down the road, down to New Orleans_  
 _Got a full tank of gas and the money out the mattress_  
 _Got a real good feelin' something bad about to happen_

 _[Miranda(Clary):]_  
 _Bout to tear it up down in New Orleans_  
 _Just like a real-life Thelma & Louise_  
 _If the cops catch up, they're gonna call it Kidnapping_  
 _Got a real good feelin' something bad about to happen_

 _[Chorus:]_  
 _Stand on the bar, stomp your feet, start clapping_  
 _Got a real good feeling something bad about to happen_  
 _Drinks keep coming, throw my head back laughing_  
 _Wake up in the morning' don't know what happened_  
 _Whoa… Something bad_  
 _Whoa… Something bad_

 _Stand on the bar, stomp your feet, start clapping_  
 _Got a real good feeling something bad about to happen_  
 _Now the drinks keep coming, throw my head back laughing_  
 _Wake up in the morning' don't know what happened_  
 _(yeah, yeah, yeah)_  
 _Whoa… Something bad_  
 _Whoa… Something bad_

When we were done the whole place was going ballistics. I walked over to he girls and pulled them all in to a hug. I could tell they were relieved and I was happy I could do this for them. They were talented, and the world deserved to know.

"I'm Clary Fray, these are The Revolvers, and that's our show! Thank you and goodnight!" I said as we got of stage. Nicole instantly ran into Jonathan and Zara's arms and the other girls ran to their parents. I got to Jace and he pulled me into a hug.

"That was awesome babe." He said and I smiled. When we pulled away, I heard the crowd shouting encore, and I couldn't help but smile. I looked at Nicole and her friends.

"What do you say girls? You up for another song?" I asked and they all beamed.

"Hell yea." They all said in unison, which I don't think their parents were happy with but I laughed. They all ran on stage and I looked back at Jace.

"Do your thing babe." He said and I smiled. I kissed him and ran out on stage with the girls.

"Alright, you twisted our arms." I said and the place went nuts. "This one is called Baggage Claim, and it's about finally getting out of that relationship that is toxic!" I said and the music started playing.

 _I have been draggin' around your sensitive ego_  
 _Making sure that your bags arrive on time for the dog and pony show_  
 _A little suitcase like a brick,_  
 _It kinda makes it hard to get a good grip_  
 _I drop your troubles off at the conveyor belt,_  
 _I'll hand you a ticket to go get it yourself_

 _At the baggage claim, you got a lot of luggage in your name_  
 _When you hit the ground, check the lost and found_  
 _Cause it ain't my problem now_  
 _I can't carry it on, I've got a lot of troubles on my own_  
 _It's all over the yard, in the trunk of the car,_  
 _I'm packin' it in, so come and get it._

 _If it ain't obvious what has set me off today,_  
 _Behind every woman scorned is a man who made her that way_  
 _Go on and take your little business trip with that sweet little habit_  
 _That you can't kick_  
 _You better call your momma when you get to town_  
 _Cause I ain't gonna be hangin' around_

 _At the baggage claim, you got a lot of luggage in your name_  
 _When you hit the ground, check the lost and found_  
 _Because it ain't my problem now_  
 _I can't carry it on, I've got a lot of troubles of my own_  
 _It's all over the yard, in the trunk of the car,_  
 _I'm packin' it in, so come and get it_

 _Come and get it!_

 _Come and pick it up, pick it up_  
 _Before I blow it up in flames_  
 _You better pick it up, pick it up,_  
 _Baby, I'm leaving everything..._

 _At the baggage claim, you got a lot of luggage in your name_  
 _And when you hit the ground, check the lost and found_  
 _Cause it ain't my problem now_  
 _I can't carry it on, I've got a lot of troubles of my own_  
 _It's all over the yard, in the trunk of the car,_  
 _Well I'm packin' it in, so come and get it_

 _Come and get it._

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, this was requested by JustAnAverageBookLover, and it took me some time to come up with a solid plot of Clary being a singer, and Jace not, and I quite like this one shot, and I hope that you love it as well! Let me know what you think and leave a review!**

 **Disclaimer: All these songs are Miranda Lamberts. I don't own any of them. I just thought they were fitting to the story, and wanted to use them! I'll give you a list in order below so you know what they are! And the country girl group I got the idea from the Pistol Annies, who I also don't own but thought it was appropriate since Miranda Lambert is also a member of that group!**

 **Songs:**

 **First Song - Kerosene**

 **Second Song - Makin Plans**

 **Third Song - White Liar**

 **Fourth Song - Only Prettier (Also mentioned earlier)**

 **Fifth Song - Little Red Wagon (Also, I changed the blonde hair to red hair for the purpose of the story!)**

 **Sixth Song - Somethin Bad ft. Carrie Underwood**

 **Seventh Song - Baggage Claim**


	107. Chapter 106 - YouTubers

**One Hundred and Six Story:**

 **YouTubers**

 **Clary POV:**

I've been putting up art tutorials on YouTube since my freshman year in college. It was part of my one class, and I just loved doing it. Especially when people would comment on how I helped them. It was one of the many things that made me want to become a teacher. I did a post every week, and just hearing the feed back on my designs, and all the positivity kept me going. I even made my students watch them for homework assignments and than have them recreate it in class for a quiz the next day. It was a really beneficial way to teach (it also helped me get more views in YouTube, so really it was a win/win for everyone).

I just got finished posting a video on how to draw mandalas, and I was heading out to meet my brother and his fiancé for lunch. I was excited that they were getting married. They've been together since freshman year in college, and it was about time that they have this wedding they've been talking about.

When I got to the restaurant, I found them immediately, but instead of happy faces, Jon looked stressed, and Seelie looked like someone just killed her puppy. I took a seat and they just looked at me, and sighed. Something was wrong.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Our videographer bailed on us. He got asked to shoot some crazy thing half way across the world, and he took it, and now we're freaking out." Jon explained. "Do you know how hard it was to get him, and with the wedding only a couple months away, everyone we've called is already booked or isn't going to be around." He said and Seelie started to cry. "Don't cry baby, we'll figure this out." Jon said reassuringly but even I didn't believe him.

"How about I take care of the videographer?" I said and they looked at me. "You two look like you haven't slept in days." I pointed out. "Focus on everything that's going right, and I'll worry about the videographer."

"You'd do that for us?" Seelie asked.

"Of course." I said. "The guys a dick for bailing, and you don't need to be freaking out about it while trying to get everything else organized. Leave me to figure this problem out." I explained.

"Thank you so much Clary." Seelie said as she got up and hugged me.

"What is family for?" I asked and Jon smiled, and he looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Now, for the rest of lunch I don't want to talk about wedding tragedies. Let's enjoy this meal, cause I'm starving." I said and they laughed and agreed. I knew this was stressful for them, but I hope that I could do this simple thing for them, and make it work out.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I underestimated how difficult this would be, but I promised my brother I would get a videographer for him, and I would, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to be stumped. Looking online was getting me nowhere because they were all ridiculously priced.

A song popped into my head by a local band, and no matter how many times I sang it to myself it wouldn't leave. So I went on YouTube and looked it up. The music video popped up so I clicked on it and just decided to watch.

Whoever did this video work was amazing. I looked at the bio and of course it was JCHVideos. I didn't know how this guy wasn't working on this full time. He was amazing. He was an armature trying to get his way into the directing world of music videos or movies. He was based out of New York and whenever I found a video by him, I always knew it would be good.

Than an idea clicked. I don't know how different shooting a wedding video is from a music video but he must have those types of skills up his sleeve. Maybe if I reached out, he could help me.

There was link under the video directing me to his site, which provided a pop up box to start a conversation with him. I created my name and started typing to him.

 ** _Dear JCHVideos,_**

 _I'm not sure if you do this kind of stuff, by my brother is getting married in a couple months, and our videographer bailed. I love your work and I was wondering if you'd be interested in videoing his wedding. Let me know what you think._

 _Sincerely,_

 _~ArtNerd_

I closed my computer because I didn't want to seem like a freak who was just waiting around for an answer. But that didn't stop me from sitting anxiously in the chair staring at the closed computer.

I decided to take a shower and get my mind off of the message. I told my brother that I had a handle on this small crisis, and I didn't want to fail him. I got in the shower and just let the hot water wash all my stress way. I mean, I wasn't even getting married and I was stressed.

When I got out of the shower, and changed, I decided to check the messages and just see if he got back to me. It had been a whole hour since I sent it, so who knows. I'm a night owl, but that doesn't necessarily mean he is. I opened up the computer and typed my password in. When the screen popped up, I had a message and I squealed.

 ** _Dear ArtNerd,_**

 _I've actually done a few wedding before, and I'd love to help you out, but I have a proposition for you. My mother was a wonderful artist, but lately she hasn't been able to create any. I would love to give her something for her birthday, but I'm lousy at art. I looked at a few of your tutorials, and you're amazing. Would you mind helping me out as well?_

 _Sincerely,_

 _~JCHVideos_

I read that and my heart broke for his mother. I would be literally nothing without art, and I can't imagine having to give it up. And his proposition was reasonable. Some people can't learn off tutorials, and I get that.

 ** _Dear JCHVideos,_**

 _I'd love to help you with a birthday gift for your mom. I'm a teacher so my weekdays are pretty full. Are you free on weekends?_

 _~ArtNerd_

I saw him typing back immediately. So he was a night owl. That was good to know.

 ** _Dear ArtNerd,_**

 _Weekends are perfect for me. I have a regular boring 9-5 job during the week, and I normally shoot music videos weeknights. I can't thank you enough for doing this. I know my mom will appreciate it._

 _~JCHVideos_

I couldn't help but smile at the message. He seemed so incredibly close with his mom, and that was something I admired because I was close to my mom.

 ** _Dear JCHVideos,_**

 _It's no problem. You're actually helping me out a pickle myself. My brother and his fiancé are freaking out, and I wanted to take this burden off them but it was stressing me out._

 _~ArtNerd_

I can't believe I just said the word pickle in a sentence that wasn't being used to order food. He probably thought I was a 13 year old girl.

 ** _Dear ArtNerd,_**

 _I completely understand. So, does this weekend work for you?_

 _~JCHVideos_

Well, if he thought I was weird, he wasn't showing it which was nice.

 ** _Dear JCHVideos,_**

 _This weekend is perfect. Do you know Taki's?_

 _~ArtNerd_

 ** _Dear ArtNerd,_**

 _I practically live there. I'm their regular 3 am customer._

 _~JCHVideos_

 ** _Dear JCHVideos,_**

 _I'm amazed we've never crossed paths before. I'm their regular midnight to 2 am customer. It's the perfect place to grade things._

 _~ArtNerd_

 ** _Dear ArtNerd,_**

 _We probably have we just don't know it. You don't show your face in your videos, and neither do I._

 _~JCHVideos_

 ** _Dear JCHVideos,_**

 _You are totally right. How about we meet at Taki's at 9 Friday night. Does that work?_

 _~ArtNerd_

 ** _Dear ArtNerd,_**

 _That sounds perfect. Meet in the far back booth._

 _~JCHVideos_

 ** _Dear JCHVideos,_**

 _You got it. Well, I should get some sleep. I have work in the morning. Thanks again JCH, it really means a lot._

 _~ArtNerd_

 ** _Dear ArtNerd,_**

 _It's not a problem. Thank you for liking my work enough to want my help Nerd. Have a good night, and I'll see you Friday._

 _~JCHVideos_

I smiled to myself and shut my laptop. Thankfully I can tell my brother I have a videographer, and I was going to meet this guy who I have potentially seen in passing before but never even knew. It was pretty exciting if you ask me, and my life was due for a little excitement.

 **Time Jump – Friday Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I got to Taki's a little earlier than 9 since I desperately needed coffee and to finish these projects, and I seem to do my best work at Taki's. Every time the door bell rang, I couldn't help but look up, but none of the customers were making their way back to me, so I knew it wasn't him.

The one time the bell does ring, and I don't look up would be the time he comes in, and when he sat in front of me and I nearly pissed myself, and he just laughed, and when I looked at him, and I mean really looked at him, he was gorgeous.

"Didn't mean to scare you Nerd." He said and even his voice was gorgeous.

"It's okay. I tend to be a jumpy person by nature, and my name is Clary." I said and he smiled.

"Jace." He said. And a hot name, great. "So, what are you grading?" He asked.

"My students recently had a project due on their interpretation of an everyday object in the cubism style, and I need them graded by Monday, but with the whole wedding crisis, I've been slacking." I admitted.

"I know nothing about art, but that sounds a little complicated." He said and I laughed. I looked down and picked up and picture of the sculpture and turned it towards him. "Yea, I could never create that."

"Some of them had a little trouble, but over all I was pretty impressed." I said.

"What grade do you teach?" He asked.

"I teacher 11th and 12th grade advanced art." I said.

"Where?" He asked.

"Alicante Academy." I said.

"Good ol' AA." He said and I laughed.

"You know it?" I asked.

"I graduated from there." He said, and I nodded. "I stayed far away from advanced art though." He said and I laughed.

"So, you said you had a boring 9-5 job." I said and he nodded. "What do you do?" I asked.

"I work as an accountant at my fathers company." He said.

"Sounds loads of fun." I said sarcastically and he laughed.

"I don't mind it. I've always been good at it, and I like working for my father. It just isn't my passion." He explained.

"So why major in it?" I asked.

"I wanted to have a secure and sable future, and what I want to do is hard to get a solid future unless you know someone in the industry, and I don't." He said. "It hasn't happened yet, but when I settle down, and start a family, I want to be able to provide for them."

"Makes sense." I said.

"Okay, so tell me a little about your brother and his fiancé." He asked.

"My brother Jon is 28." I said. "His fiancé, Seelie, is 28 as well. They met freshman year of college, and this wedding is long over due." I said and he laughed. "Both of them are lawyers, and they have a dog named Princess Peach."

"Nice." He said. "When is the wedding exactly?" He asked.

"January 11th." I said and he nodded.

"I've never shot a winter wedding." He said.

"Yea, they met in the winter, and thought it was fitting, but they didn't want it to be right around Christmas, so they chose a day that was a good distance from it." I explained.

"Makes sense." He said. "So, what I like to do is just get a feel for everyone, so is there a time where you'll all be together?" He asked.

"There is a huge bridal party at my parents house in a week. Just to get everyone together and comfortable around each other since some of the brides maids and grooms men don't know each other. The photographer will be there taking pictures, you should come and get some raw footage." I explained.

"Sounds good." He said and he took out a card. "There's my number. Text me the details and I'll be there."

"Great. And I can't thank you enough for doing this." I said.

"No problem." He said. "I actually have to get home and see my mom, but next weekend, are you free to start those art lessons?" He asked.

"I am. Saturday, noon, meet here. We'll eat and than get started." I said.

"Great. See you next week Clary." He said. I nodded and he got up and left the restaurant. I looked at his card:

 _Jace Herondale_

 _Armature director_

 _Cell – (302) 555 7894_

I smiled to my self and put his number in my phone. After the information was in there, I texted Jon to let him know I found a guy and with the amount of emoji's he used, I would say he was very pleased. I went back to grading papers, hoping that I would be finished by midnight so that I could get come sleep. I was going cake testing with Seelie, my mom and her mom tomorrow, and as much as I loved cake, getting minimal sleep wouldn't be beneficial since I get pretty bitchy without it.

 **Time Jump – Next Weekend**

 **Jace POV:**

I had gotten to Taki's early because my mom was being examined by her doctor and I just hated seeing it, so I tended to make myself scarce whenever she came around, and this was the perfect excuse to leave. I was absentmindedly spinning a spoon in my coffee when Clary sat down across from me.

"How long have you been here?" She asked.

"About an hour." I said.

"If you wanted to meet earlier, you should have told me." She said as she pulled out a sketchbook.

"It's not that." I said. "My mom had her weekly examination, and the doctor comes to our house, and I just hate watching, so I normally just disappear when she comes over, and this was the perfect excuse to get away." I explained.

"Not that it's any of my business, but what's wrong with your mom?" She asked.

"She has young-onset Parkinson's Disease." I said. "She was diagnosed when she was 51." I explained.

"That's horrible." She said and I nodded. "How bad is it?" She asked.

"She was unable to use a paintbrush or pencil about a year after her diagnosis. I find her just staring at her artwork with the saddest expression ever. It kills me." I said.

"I can't even imagine. Art is my life, and if I couldn't do it anymore, I'd probably fall apart." She said.

"Yea. My dad and I try to keep her mind busy so that she doesn't think about it, but she's an artist, so it's always on her mind." I said and she laughed.

"I know what's that like. Even sitting here I'm thinking about all the different ways I could draw you." She said and than her cheeks went bright red. "I didn't mean to vocalize that." She laughed and I smiled.

"I don't mind." I said. "My mom used to draw me all the time. Believe it or not, that wasn't the first time I've heard that." I reassured her and she nodded.

"Can I see some of the pieces your mom created?" She asked and I nodded and pulled out the sketchbook that I snuck out of her art room. I handed it to Clary and she started looking through it. "Wow. She was amazing."

"I know. I can't even draw a stick figure." I said and she laughed.

"Did your mom ever teach you?" She asked.

"She tried when I was little, but I wasn't into it." I explained. "She taught me how to do pottery. But that was it."

"You do pottery?" She asked a little surprised.

"Not in a long time." I said and she nodded.

"So, what were you thinking about doing for her?" She asked.

"I wanted to paint my favorite picture of us together." I said. I took out the photo and handed it to Clary and she smiled.

"How old were you in this picture?" She asked.

"I was 10." I said. "We were celebrating a big win. My baseball team won our little league season."

"Nice. Why not a family photo?" She asked.

"My dad wasn't around a lot when I was a kid. He was so caught up in work. My mom pretty much raised me by herself." I said and she nodded.

"I know the feeling. My dad was absent a lot too. Always going on business trips and working long nights." She said and I nodded. It was nice to know it wasn't just me going through that when I was young. "Alright, let's start with the basics." She said and I nodded. She handed me a completely new sketchbook and I opened it to the first page.

We sat there for nearly 4 hours as she taught me how to draw a tree. I was surprised at how much I improved by the time I drew my 12th tree. Clary and I laughed and talked about our week and everything, it was almost like I was catching up with a long lost friend instead of a stranger, and that was actually really nice considering we were going to be spending a lot of time together, and nothing is worse that awkward interactions and conversations.

"I have to go." Clary said when 5 rolled around. "I'm meeting my brother and his fiancé to go over center pieces."

"Sounds fun." I said and she laughed.

"It would be if I wasn't really allergic to flowers." She said and I laughed. "But I'd do anything for my brother."

"Well, I appreciate the lesson." I said and I handed her book back but she didn't take it.

"Keep it and continue to practice until our next meeting." She said and I nodded. "Since next weekend in the wedding party thing, I don't know what you want to do." She said.

"I mean, depending on how long it goes, we can just do it after." I suggested.

"Sounds good. I'll text you the address, and I'll see you next weekend." She said.

"Can't wait." I said and she smiled and left.

I made my way home, and when I pulled up I was thankful that the doctor didn't stay. Sometimes her and my mom loved to talk. I kept the art stuff in the car just so my mom didn't get suspicious and I made my way into the house to see her. She was sitting in her normal chair watching the TV. I walked over and kissed her cheek.

"You worried me Jonathan. I thought you'd be back sooner." She said.

"I'm sorry mom. I had to meet someone." I said.

"Is this someone a girl?" She asked and I laughed.

"It is, but I just met her. She saw some of my videos on YouTube and her brother is getting married and their videographer bailed on them and she asked me, and you know I love pretty much any project that involves creating." I said and she nodded.

"That is very nice of you." She said.

"It's tough because we can really only meet on weekends since we both have jobs, but I'm excited to meet the bride and groom and get everything started." I said and she nodded.

"What does she do for work?" My mom asked.

"She's the advanced art teacher at Alicante Academy." I said and her eyes lit up.

"Oh Jonathan, you have to bring her over here so we can meet. I'd love to talk art with her." She said.

"I'll ask her, and we'll set something up." I said and she nodded with excitement. "You eat dinner yet?" I asked.

"Nope." She said.

"I'll make us something." I said and I kissed her forehead.

"I love you Jonathan." She said.

"I love you too mom." I said as I made my way into the kitchen.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The bridal party was all here and mingling, but Jace wasn't and I was starting to get worried. I mean, I knew he was good at what he does, but if his punctuality is not there, I don't know if I can trust him to get to the wedding in time. The sound of the door bell ringing brought me out of my thoughts. I went to answer it, and when I did, there stood Jace.

"I'm so sorry. The nurse coming to stay with my mom today was late, and I couldn't leave her alone." He said and I instantly let it go.

"That's okay. You're here now." I said as I welcomed him in. we walked into the living room where my brother was and I walked right up to him. "Jon, this is Jace, he's going to be your new videographer."

"Thank you so much for doing this man." Jon said. "It means a lot to me and my fiancé."

"No problem man." Jace said and they shook hands.

"Well, lets get you a drink." Jon said and Jace nodded and laughed.

"I don't really know what you want to do, but you're free to roam." I said and he nodded. He walked over to the corner and put his things down and started getting ready and I continued to mingle, until the biggest douchebag came over to me with his cocky arrogant smirk.

"Hey babe." He said.

"Ugh. Sebastian, how many times do I have to tell you, leave me alone." I said.

"You don't mean that sweet thing." He said and I wanted to vomit.

"Actually I really do." I said and at that moment Jace walked by me and I got the best plan. I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards me. "Hey babe, I'm really thirsty, can you go grab me a drink?" I asked pleading with my eyes and hoping that he understood. He looked up and saw Sebastian and than back at me and smiled.

"Of course." He said. He kissed my head and walked away. I smiled and looked back at Sebastian who was now scowling, before he stormed off. Jace returned with a drink, no idea what it was, and I sighed.

"Thank you so much. He's been begging me to go out with him since he met me." I said and Jace laughed.

"No problem. I'm gonna go be a creepy stalker for a little while now." He said and I laughed.

The rest of the day went by smoothly. The bridesmaids and groomsmen all seemed to get along really well, and that was a good thing. There wasn't anything worse than people who didn't mesh well together. I tried to talk to everyone there, but my eyes always wondered back to Jace. He was in his element, and I could tell how important this was to him even though he didn't really know Seelie or Jon, and that meant a lot to me. Although, Seelie's friends were following him around like lost puppies. I felt bad for him, and a little jealous if I'm being honest, but he was a grown man, and if he wanted them gone he would have said something so I just let it go, or tried to at least. I was at the bar when I felt a hand on my back and when I looked to my left there stood Jace.

"Save me from the vultures." He said and I looked behind me and Kaelie, and Aline were death glaring me.

"No problem." I said. I slide closer to him, and his hand went a little lower until it was resting on my hip. The bartender handed me my drink and I thanked him and grabbed Jace's hand and led him onto the balcony.

"Thank you." He said and I smiled.

"You saved me earlier, it seemed only fitting." I said and he nodded.

"You have a great house." He said.

"Yea. It's a little big, but my parents have always been a little extra when it comes to material things." I explained.

"What do they do for a living? If that isn't too much to ask." He asked.

"My dad is a partner at Lightwood and Morgenstern Law Firm, and my mom comes from old money, so she volunteers a lot, and stuff." I said.

"That's cool." He said.

"Did you get some good film today?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"Yea. I think it'll be great." He said.

"Good." I said. We stood there looking over the balcony at my backyard. This was actually where the wedding was taking place, and the back barn was where the whole thing was taking place. "That barn is where the wedding is taking place." I said to him.

"Nice. Pretty rustic." He said.

"Not when you see the inside." I said and I looked inside. Everyone was pretty occupied. "Come on." I said. I grabbed his hand and we made our way off the balcony. We got to the barn and I slid the doors opened and flicked the lights on.

"Shit." He said and I laughed.

"Yea. When Jon told my dad he wanted to get married on the property but he wanted to be married in January, my dad redid this whole thing." I explained. "Very modern."

"I can see." He said as he was looking around. "It'll make for a great wedding video though." He said and I nodded. "Oh, and my mom wants to meet you." He said and my jaw dropped.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yea. I told her about me being the videographer for your brothers wedding, and she started asking about you, and I told her you were an art teacher and she got really excited." He said.

"Well, I can't possibly turn down the chance to talk to a fellow artist." I said and he smiled.

"I know it'll mean the world to her." He said.

"Okay, so I was thinking." I started. "The footage you got today could be made into a bigger thing and play during the cocktail hour of the wedding." I explained. "Like you could come to the bridal shower, and the rehearsal dinner and even the ceremony rehearsal."

"I think I can manage that." He said. "When would those events take place?" He asked.

"The bridal shower is November 11th." I said. "The rehearsal dinner is January 7th, and the wedding rehearsal is January 9th."

"I'll pencil you in, and I'll be there." He said.

"Thank you so much." I said and he smiled.

"Not a problem." He said. "So, are you like the maid of honor or something?" He asked.

"No. That would be Kaelie, the lovely blonde you ran away from earlier." I said and he laughed.

"You seem awfully invested." He commented.

"Kaelie only cares about the bachelorette party." I explained. "She's pretty much useless for anything else, so I decided to just step up and do the things that she's slacking on."

"That's really nice of you." He said.

"It's my brothers wedding. When I was going to get married he stepped up a lot because my father was pretty much gone." I explained.

"So the wedding didn't happen?" He asked cautiously.

"No." I said. "We started dating in high school. He was my best friend and he was in love with me, and I thought I'd give it a try and see if there was something there." I explained.

"So what happened?" He asked as we took a seat on the benches.

"I just got comfortable." I said. "I knew someone out there wanted me, and I felt like that was as good as it was ever going to get. He proposed and I just said yes because let's face it, I wasn't getting any younger. We were about 2 months into planning everything when it dawned on me."

"What dawned on you?" He asked.

"I shouldn't have to settle in life." I said. "Someone is going to want me, and I'm going to wait for that someone to come along, and I know when he does, I'll be happy." I said and he nodded. "Telling Simon was so difficult because I didn't want to crush him, but I couldn't go through with it. Jon gave me a lot of encouragement, and I told Simon, and I felt so much lighter after it happened, and he told me that he did too."

"So it all worked out?" He asked.

"It did. He is now engaged to the daughter of the other partner of my dad's firm and he's incredibly happy." I said and he nodded. "What about you? Ever get close to getting married?" I asked.

"No. I dated a lot, but I never really did the whole relationship thing. At least, I never found a girl that I wanted to be in a relationship with." He explained. "I don't necessarily have high standards, but I've always known that when I find her, I'll know."

"Well, I hope you find her." I said and he smiled. "We should get back inside." I said and he nodded. We walked back to the house and when we got there, Jace went to get more footage and I went to find my brother.

"Sneaking off with the new guy?" Jon asked suggestively and I rolled my eyes.

"I was showing him the barn where the wedding was taking place asshole." I said and he laughed. He got me another drink and I looked behind me to see Jace getting some more footage. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face as I looked at him. I was going to enjoy this time getting to know Jace, I knew it.

 **Time Jump – Meeting Jace's Mom**

 **Clary POV:**

I was meeting Jace's mom today, and I was a nervous wreck. Meeting new people wasn't horrible for me, but it definitely wasn't my favorite thing to do. And this was his mother, who was battling a disease. I didn't want to come off as a bitch, but I also didn't want to treat her like a patient. I had no idea what a happy medium was, and that scared me.

I knocked on the front door, and waited a few minutes, which for me felt like a few hours with how nervous I was. When I heard the lock switch, I took one last deep breath before Jace appeared behind the open door.

"Glad you could make it." He said and I smiled.

"Of course." I said as he welcomed me in. He started walking and I followed as I closed the door behind me. We got into a room where a woman was sitting in a chair.

"Mom, Clary is here." Jace said and his mother looked back at smiled.

"Oh my." She said and I instantly felt self-conscious. "You're gorgeous. I wish I had your hair color." She said and my cheeks flared red.

"Thank you, but I love your color. I always wanted to be a blonde growing up." I said and she laughed. Jace offered me a seat and I gladly took it.

"So Jonathan tells me you're an art teacher." She said and I was confused.

"Jonathan?" I asked and she chuckled.

"Jace." She corrected. "His real name is Jonathan." She explained and I looked up at Jace and he just shrugged.

"I've never liked my name." He admitted.

"It's okay. I don't like being called Clarissa either." I said and he smiled.

"I'm going to go get your lunch ready mom. Would you like anything Clary?" He asked.

"A cup of coffee would be really nice." I said and he nodded and left the room.

"So, what made you want to become an art teacher?" She asked once Jace was gone.

"I've always had a talent for art." I explained. "I was drawing before I could properly write my own name." I laughed and so did she. "It became my escape for everything, and I knew I always wanted to pursue it but I didn't know in what direction."

"So how did teaching find you?" She asked.

"My freshman year of college I had this art class. Our semester assignment was to create a YouTube page and teach art tutorials. My professor checked up on them, and I just loved doing it. People would constantly comment on how great my work was, or how much I helped them." I said. "I loved the feeling of helping someone fix their craft, or just learn a new hobby. I decided then that I wanted to be a teacher to help shape those minds."

"That's incredibly inspiring." She said and I smiled.

"It's a really rewarding job." I said. "I love it." At that moment Jace walked back in with a tray of food, and a cup of coffee.

"I kept it black, just like you like it." He said and I smiled. "I'm going to go up to the study and finish some work. But stay as long as you like Clary." He said and I nodded before he disappeared upstairs.

"So, what's your favorite kind of art to create?" She asked.

"Such a tough question." I laughed and she smiled. "But when it comes to what I feel the most connected too, that would have to be symbolism." I said. "I love painting something that had meaning, and not just any basic meaning, but a meaning to someone."

"I've always like symbolism, but I love suprematism." She said.

"Oh god, why is that?" I asked and she laughed.

"I find it challenging, and I always loved a challenge." She said and I nodded. "Is there any art that you've always wanted to do?" She than asked.

"I've always had a fascination in graffiti. But I would never be able to do it." I said and she laughed.

"I was a tagger." She said. "That's actually how I got really into art."

"No way." I said surprised and she nodded.

"It was such a thrill." She said. "Even if I got caught, I lived off the adrenaline of it all." She explained.

"That's crazy." I said and she smiled.

"Maybe, but it's how I met Jace's father." She said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yea. I was being detained after vandalizing a building, and his father, Stephen, was visiting his father, Marcus, who happened to be the Chief of Police." She explained.

"How did you two get together?" I asked.

"He was immediately attracted to me, and even tried to ask me out right there. Handcuffs and all, but I rejected him." She said.

"Why is that?" I asked curiously.

"I didn't want a goody two shoes." She said. "I wanted someone wild. Someone who would take the same risks as I did. And he grew up in a police family. He would never break the law."

"What changed?" I asked.

"He was a persistent guy." She laughed. "He asked me out every week for 3 months, but I just kept saying no. Finally, I gave in when he tagged a building asking me out."

"That's so romantic in it's own way." I said.

"He got a lot of shit from his dad after that, but after we started seeing something I realized that I didn't need someone like me, I needed the opposite." She said. "I needed someone to ground me when my imagination and my recklessness was getting the better of me, and Stephen needed someone to pull him to that wild side and get him to let loose every now and than." She smiled. "We were the perfect match, and we still are."

"I'd kill to have that." I said and she nodded.

"It's an incredible feeling." She said. "But you'll get there." I nodded and than I heard the sound of a piano filling the air.

"What's that?" I asked.

"That's Jace." She said.

"He can play?" I asked.

"Marvelously." She bragged. "He was a natural when it came to the piano as a kid."

"Why is he playing now?" I questioned.

"He's probably stressed. He uses it to clear his mind to get a fresh perspective." She said and I nodded, and in that moment, the front door opened and in walked a man who looked like Jace. "Stephen, what are you doing home?" Celine asked. She was clearly surprised.

"I had to fire my VP today because he was stealing money from us, and I wasn't happy. So I had to leave." He explained.

"Is that was Jace is stressing about?" Celine asked.

"Yea. He's the one who found the pattern of missing money." He said.

"What are you going to do?" Celine asked.

"Take him to court." Stephen said and than he looked at me. "You're new." He said and I laughed.

"Stephen, this is Clary. Jace is the videographer for her brothers' wedding, and she's an artist." Celine said and I smiled.

"Stephen Herondale. Nice to meet you." He extended his hand.

"Clary Morgenstern, pleasure to meet you as well." I said and his eyes widened.

"You wouldn't happen to be related to Valentine Morgenstern would you?" He asked.

"He's my father." I said. "You know him?"

"His firm is my company lawyer." He said. "Although I normally deal with Robert, but I've met Valentine once of twice before." He explained.

"Is he as intimidating as everyone says?" I ask and he laughs.

"Slightly." He said and I smiled.

"I should probably head home. I have a lot of papers to grade." I said and Celine nodded. "Do you mind if I go say goodbye to Jace?" I asked.

"Not at all sweetie. Just follow the music." She said and I nodded.

I walked through the house listening to the elegant music that Jace was playing. I was mesmerized. When I got to the doorway, I just stood there and listened. He was so concentrated, and I didn't want to disturb him. When he was finished, I started clapping, and I nearly made him fall off the piano bench.

"Hell Clary, don't scare me like that." He said and I laughed.

"I'm sorry, but I just had to clap." I said and he smiled. "You're amazing."

"Thank you." He said. "What brings you up here?" He asked.

"I have to head home. I have a lot of grading to do." I said and he nodded. "But thank you for letting me come over and gush about art with your mom."

"I think you may have just made her year." He said and I laughed.

"Than I'll have to do it again." I smiled and he smiled back.

"I think she'd love that." He said. "I'll walk you out." He said and I nodded.

We went downstairs and passed his parents talking in the living room. Jace nodded to his father, who returned the nod while still talking to Celine. When we got to the door we both lingered for a moment.

"So, the bridal shower is coming up." I said. "I'll text you the details, and get everything set up."

"Sounds perfect." He said.

"And next weekend, our art lessons are back on." I said and he smiled.

"Great." He said. "See you later Clary."

"Bye Jace." I walked out and spent the whole car ride home with a ridiculous smile plastered across my face.

 **Time Jump – Bridal Shower**

 **Jace POV:**

I had gotten to the venue for the bridal shower a littler earlier than necessary to set everything up. Clary was running around like a mad woman trying to get everything situated, and I didn't blame her. The maid of honor is a dud, and is literally filing her nails while Clary is pretty much being Cinderella.

I was looking at my camera, and getting it set properly when I heard someone clear their throat. I looked up and there she stood in all her bottle blonde and fake tit glory.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"I was just coming to ask you a couple questions." She said.

"And what are they?" I asked.

"Well, my left side is my good side, so if you could stay on that side, it would be great." She said.

"That wasn't a question." I pointed out.

"You know what I mean." She waved it off. "Also, how long have you and the little leprechaun been a thing?" She asked as her eyes shifted towards Clary.

"Since July." I lie. "We both frequent Taki's and we ran into each other and just started talking. It kinda grew from there." I said. She huffed and stomped away, and now I had to go find Clary and tell her what I did.

I was walking around the house when Clary came running through the room like it had ben lit on fire. She really needed to take a breather, so I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the bathroom and sat her on the counter.

"I don't have time for this Jace." She said.

"You need a 5 minute break." I said. "Plus, I need to talk to you."

"What's up?" She asked.

"Kaelie came over to me, and asked how long we have been seeing each other, and I really didn't want to deal with her, so I told her that we've been seeing each other since July. We met at Taki's and it just kinda went front here." I explained.

"Okay. I can roll with that." She said and I smiled.

"You cool with me springing this on you?" I asked.

"Of course. She's a Class A clinger, and you don't need to deal with that." She said. "And I'm assuming she called me some nickname while talking about me." She said and I laughed.

"She called you a little leprechaun." I said and she laughed.

"You know, I really wish people would get more creative with the nicknames." She said and I laughed. "Leprechaun just isn't original."

"I happen to really like your hair." I blurted out.

"Thanks." She said sincerely. "I was self conscious by it for years, but I grew to like it as well. It makes me stand out."

"That it does." I agreed.

"Okay, well I have to get back out there and get everything set up before the party stars." She said and I nodded. She hopped off the counter and made her way out of the bathroom. I took a deep breath and walked out to get everything ready myself. This might be a long day, especially if Kaelie keeps shooting daggers at me with her eyes.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was getting something to drink when Seelie came up next to me and was just smiling at me, and it started to creep me out.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" I asked.

"What's going on with you and Jace?" She asked.

"You to?" I asked and she laughed.

"Something is going on there Clary. I can see it." She said.

"Kaelie has been hitting on him, and he isn't interested, but you know how Kaelie can be, so he told her we've been seeing each other since July, and we're just trying to sell it." I explained.

"Oh honey, you don't need to try very hard. You two act like a couple who has been married for years." She said and I looked at him.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yea. It's like you two are so in sync with each other. You can have a conversation without speaking." She said. "That's rare. Jon and I don't even have that. If I'm thinking banana, he's thinking orange." She said and I laughed.

"Nothing is happening." I reiterated.

"Well, don't let this end without seeing if there is potential there." She said before leaving to go mingle again. I looked back at Jace and he smiled at me. I focused back on getting a drink. I didn't like him, did I?

 **Time Jump – Rehearsal Dinner**

 **Jace POV:**

"Jace." I heard and I turned around to see Clary. "I was told to instruct you to get a shoot of Seelie and Jon walking into the room."

"Of course." I said. "That's why I'm standing near the entrance." I pointed to the doors and she held up her hands.

"Don't shoot the messenger. It was Kaelie's request that I tell my 'boy toy' that he needs to get the shoot." She said and I laughed.

"I can literally feel her staring at me." I said. "It's weird."

"Well, after the wedding, you don't ever have to see her again." She said and I nodded. "Okay, well I've done my job. I need a drink." She said and I laughed as she walked away.

I wouldn't say things have been weird between Clary and I since the bridal shower, but something is definitely going on. Even my mom noticed. She seemed to be all I could think about these days, and when we're together it just felt right, but I had no idea how she felt about it, and that kinda left us in a huge grey area, and I didn't like it. But I could tell how stressed she was about the wedding, and I wasn't going to add to that, so I was happy being the videographer and her art student for the time being, but after, I planned on figuring it all out.

I got the perfect footage or Seelie and Jon coming into the hall, and I couldn't even begin to explain how excited I was to start working and editing this footage. I guess it was how much I loved creating music videos, or wedding videos, or short films, but the preparation was making me want to explode with excitement and I couldn't wait to sit in front of my computer and add this to the project.

I was on my break and standing at the bar waiting for my drink when someone came up from behind me and stood next to me at the bar. I internally groaned when I saw that it was Sebastian. This guy was a douche, and the male version of Kaelie when it came to being a Class A clinger as Clary would say.

"Wonderful isn't it." He said. "Marriage."

"It's great." I said. "I'm glad they found the person they want to spend forever with." I further said.

"I would have been married long ago if it was up to me." He said.

"Sometimes it's worth the wait." I said.

"Are you and Clary planning on getting married?" He asked and I had to bit back the shock that filled my body. Everyone apart from Jon and Seelie thought we were dating, so I should be expecting these questions, but they still shocked me nonetheless.

"We just started seeing each other in July." I said. "I think it's a little early to be thinking marriage."

"Nonsense. If I was dating Clary, I would have proposed a week after dating." He said.

"Why is that?" I asked. "Wouldn't you want to get to know her first?"

"I already know her." He said confidently.

"Oh really?" I asked. "What's her job?" I asked him and he looked at me confused.

"She's a receptionist." He said and I laughed.

"She's a teacher." I told him. "Do you really think all women are good for is answering phones and booking appointments?" I asked.

"No." He said, and he almost redeemed himself with that answer, but than he started talking again. "They're also good for cooking, cleaning, and sex."

"Wow." I said. "And here I thought you couldn't be any more sexist."

"I'm not sexist. Women have a role in society, just like men have a role." He said.

"You don't see anything wrong with that logic?" I asked.

"No, because there is nothing wrong with it." Sebastian said. "Women are gathers, home keepers, nurturers and men are hunters, providers, protectors. We fulfill our roles the way that it was intended." He said and I honestly couldn't be more shocked that people like him still existed.

 **Clary POV:**

I saw Sebastian walk over to Jace at the bar. I instantly wanted to go over there and save him but they started talking, and I didn't want to interrupt, but that didn't mean that I wasn't curious about what they were talking about. So I got up and made it look like I was walking to the bathroom, when I changed paths and stood close enough that I could hear what they were talking about.

"No, because there is nothing wrong with it." Sebastian said. "Women are gathers, home keepers, nurturers and men are hunters, providers, protectors. We fulfill our roles the way that it was intended." He explained, and that got me curious because Jace looked horrified.

"Our society has evolved Sebastian. Women are just as capable, if not more so, to do everything men could do." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile.

"So you're saying, you'd be okay with Clary earning more money than you, and let's say you two do get married." He said and my eyes widened, they were talking about me. "And you start a family, you'd be cool with being a stay at home dad if need be?" Sebastian asked.

"Of course." Jace said. "Daycare is expensive, and who knows if Clary and I would be able to afford that." Jace said and my stomach did a little flip as Jace talked about out nonexistent future. "So if Clary made more money than me, and one of us had to stay home and watch our kids, she wouldn't need to ask me, I'd volunteer."

"Talk about having no balls." Sebastian snorted out.

"Choosing to raise my kids, means I have more balls than you." Jace said to Sebastian as he straightened up, and damn, I knew he was tall, but he made Sebastian look small. "It doesn't matter who is the man and who is the woman in a relationship. When you're together, you're a team, that means you have to work together. Being the one who 'wears the pants' in the relationship isn't healthy. And yea, sometimes women do like when you take charge, or initiate things. Women tend to like a man who knows what he wants, but at some point that has to stop, and what has to be taken into consideration is what's better for the relationship as a whole, and the affects that it could have on the future." Jace said and I was super impressed with him. "Look man, I don't know what the future holds for Clary and I, but I think it would be wise to reevaluate how to think because with that mind set, you're going to be alone forever." Jace said as he grabbed his drink and walked away. I tip toed away from Sebastian so he wouldn't see me and made my way over to Jace. He was on his phone looking at something when I took a seat next to him.

"Hey." I said and he looked up.

"Hey. What's up? Is my break over?" He asked.

"No." I said. "I overheard you and Sebastian talking." I said and he nodded.

"He asked about us getting married, and I tried to just move past the subject and than he started talking all high and mighty and 'women do this' and 'men do that' and it bothered me you know? And I couldn't just not do anything…." I clapped my hand over his mouth so that he would stop rambling.

"Thank you." I said as I moved my hand. "For defending me and all women."

"No problem." He said. "I really should get back to working though." He said as he stood up. "I took a longer break than necessary."

"Okay." I said a little disappointed. He gave me a smile and walked away. I stood up and went back to take my seat next to Seelie and I looked at her. "You were right." I said and she looked at me. "I do like him."

"Good." She said. "So make him yours." I nodded and for the rest of the night I thought about the ways that I could confront Jace about my feelings. The thing is, I'm not very good at this. I'm not great with my words, and I'm not really one for making huge gestures. So I didn't even know where to begin when it came to this type of thing.

 **Time Jump – Wedding Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I couldn't believe the day was finally here. It's been a stressful road but I couldn't be more proud of Jon and Seelie. Thy deserved to have the perfect day, and I knew all the stress was going to pay off.

Jace got here about 10 minutes ago, and I still hadn't told him how I felt. It was weird just going up to someone and being like 'hey, I like you. Let's date.' I doubt it would work and let's face it, I wasn't brace enough to pull that off. But now every time I saw him, I got nervous. My palms would sweat, my heart would start racing and I blushed like crazy. Seelie teased me when she first noticed it, but I couldn't help it, he just naturally got that reaction out of me.

So as the guests arrived, and we got all the finishing touches on , and we made our way to the back of the church, I couldn't get Jace out of my head. I needed to tell him today, and I would tell him today. And if he didn't feel the same way, than at least I tried.

The music started and I was pulled out of my head and back to reality. The doors opened and the ceremony was in full swing. I smiled as big as I possibly could when I spotted my brother. He looked happier than I've ever seen him, and I couldn't wait for Seelie to become my sister-in-law.

The whole ceremony went perfectly. The smile never left Jon's face, and I knew Seelie was the same way. They were truly meant for each other, and I could wait to see what life had in store for them. Oh and nieces and nephews, I want a couple of those.

Since it was winter, the picture portion that took place during the cocktail hour was cold. But I knew Jon and Seelie really wanted pictures outside, with the beautiful snow, so we went outside, and I couldn't wait to get back in the heat.

We were called in couple by couple until Jon and Seelie were announced and the whole place went crazy. Everyone was happy for them, and I just couldn't believe they got married. Today was a good day, and it wasn't even close to being over.

I got up while we were eating to get another drink when a man approached me.

"You're Jon's sister right?" He asked.

"That's me." I said cheerfully.

"My name is Hodge Starkweather. I work for Idris Recording Studio." He said. "Your videographer, where did you find him?" He asked.

"YouTube." I said. "It's not his full time job, but he's crazy passionate about film making. He even directs local bands music videos if they can't afford a real director, he's really good." I said.

"He's amazing." Hodge said. "I'd love to set a meeting up with him and talk about his potential."

"Of course Mr. Starkweather." I said.

"Give him my card, and gave him call me this week." He said as he handed me the card. I nodded and he walked away.

I needed to tell Jace, but I didn't want to disturb him, so I was going to wait until the end of the reception, but I couldn't get the grin off my face. This was Jace's shot, and I couldn't be prouder of him.

 **Time Jump - End of Reception**

 **Clary POV:**

Everyone was leaving, and Jace was in the corner packing up his equipment. I made my way over to him and took a seat next to his camera.

"It was a wonderful wedding." He said. "It was an honor to shoot it."

"Thank you for again for doing it." I said.

"Whatever gives me the chance to do what I love." He said as e looked at me. "Plus I got to meet you, so it was totally worth it." He said and I couldn't help but blush.

"So, I have some news for you." I said and he looked at me. "One of the guests here works for Idris Recording Studio." I said and his eyes went wide. "He was really impressed with your video." I said and I handed him the card. "He wants to set up a meeting to discuss your potential." I said and his jaw was on the ground.

"Holy shit." He said and I laughed.

"Congratulations Jace." I said. "I always knew you were good."

"This could be my chance." He said and I nodded in agreement. "I don't know how to thank you Clary."

"You don't have to thank me." I said. "You helped me out, and I'm helping you out. This was all you."

"But it wouldn't be possible without you." He said. I didn't know how to respond so I didn't. He looked up for the card and our eyes met, and before I knew it, we were kissing. I'd imagined it for months, but actually experiencing it, holy hell was it amazing. When he pulled away I instantly wanted him back. "I'm sorry. I should have asked."

"Don't." I said. "I wouldn't have kissed you back if I didn't want it to happen."

"I guess it's obvious now that I like you." He said shyly and I smiled.

"I guess it's obvious that I like you too." I said and he smiled.

"After I have this meeting with..." he looked back down at the card. "Hodge, how would you like to go out to dinner with me?" He asked and I smiled. "As our first official date, and so I can tell you all about the meeting."

"I think that sounds amazing." I said and he pressed his lips to mine again. He grabbed his stuff and he took my hand in his and we walked out of the building together. It was a good day indeed.

 **Time Jump - Meeting**

 **Jace POV:**

I sat there waiting for my name to be called and I was freaking out. I didn't know what this meeting was going to be about, but I was in a big name recording studio, and that was absolutely insane to me.

"Jonathan Herondale?" I heard and I stood up. I followed the receptionist (who was a male, take that Sebastian) and got to the doors. "Go in when you're ready." He said and I nodded. I opened the doors and behind a desk, sat a man. I walked over and sat in from of his desk.

"Thank you for coming in today Jonathan." He said. "I'm Hodge Starkweather."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Starkweather." I said. "And I actually prefer to be called Jace."

"You're in luck, because I prefer to be called Hodge. Mr. Starkweather was my father, a miserable old bastard if you ask me." He said and I laughed. "So, I saw your work at the wedding and I was very impressed."

"Thank you Hodge. That means a lot coming from you." I said.

"Of course I can't just give you a directing job." He said and I nodded. "But there is a job available here, and it would be up to you to work your way up." He explained. "I'm not about people getting free rides. You need to earn your spot and your credibility."

"I completely understand Hodge." I said and he nodded.

"Your boss with be James Carstairs. He is the head director of all music videos." He said and I nodded. "You'll be his assistant. You start Monday."

"Thank you for this opportunity Hodge." I said as I stood up.

"I'll see you soon." He said. I walked out and couldn't help but smile. I may be an assistant but I was an assistant to one of the best music video directors in the industry, and I was pretty excited about that.

I texted Clary and we were going to meet at Taki's to talk about what happened. I couldn't wait to tell her the good news and just start my passion of being a director. When I got there, Clary was already sitting in our normal booth. I made my way over to her, gave her a chaste kiss on the lips before sitting down.

"How did it go?" She asked.

"Well, I'm an assistant." I said. "But I'm an assistant to one of the best music video directors in the industry, and I'm excited to be able to learn from him." I said and she smiled.

"I'm so proud of you." She said and I cheesed.

"It feels so surreal. Like, I'm one step closer to achieving my dreams." I said.

"You've earned it." She said and I laughed.

The rest of our date went by perfectly. Clary and I were exploring this new relationship, and I just got a job that was in the right profession. Things were looking up, and I was ready for it.

 **Time Jump - Celine's Birthday – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Are you sure she's going to like it?" Jace asked me for the 100th time.

"She's going to love it Jace." I reassured him. "You might be my most improved student I've ever taught, and that picture looks great."

"I just want it to be perfect." He said. I parked outside of his mothers house and looked at him.

"And it will be." I said. "You painted her a picture Jace. She's going to be incredibly proud and overjoyed with so many other emotions." I said and he nodded. I leaned over and pressed my lips to his. "Now lets go." I said and he nodded.

We got out of the car and went to his house. We walked in and Celine and Stephen were sitting in the living room watching TV. Jace says his father takes off every year for her birthday, and I thought it was the most romantic thing.

"It's about time you two showed up." Celine said and I smiled. I leaned down and pressed my lips to her cheek.

"Sorry Celine. We hit traffic." I told her.

"Well you're here now. That's all that matters." She said and I nodded.

"Happy birthday mom." Jace said as he kissed her cheek.

"Thank you sweetie." Celine said.

"And in the spirit of birthdays, I have a present for you." Jace said.

"How many times do I have to tell you honey, you don't need to get me anything." She smiled and so did Jace.

"You're in luck, because I didn't purchase this for you." Jace said. "I painted it." He handed her the canvas backwards. Celine took it with her shaky hands and turned it around. It landed on her lap as her hands covered her mouth.

"You painted this?" She asked.

"With a little help from Clary." He said and I flicked him. "Okay. She did your eyes." He admitted. "I couldn't get them right for the life of me." He laughed.

"Eyes can be tricky." She said. "Oh Jace this is the best gift you could have ever given me." She cried and Jace went over and gave her a hug.

"I love you mom." He said and she smiled.

"I love you too Jace." She said and than Jace took his seat next to me. "So you two, how is house hunting going?" Celine asked.

"It's going." I said. "I didn't realize how hard it would be."

"It took Stephen and I 6 months to find this place, and than 3 weeks to agree on it." Celine said and we all laughed.

"Yea, but my lease is up at in a couple months, and I'd really only like to move my things once." I said truthfully and she nodded.

"I totally get that." Celine said.

"Plus we want one close enough to Alicante so Clary's commute isn't too bad." Jace added.

"You'll find something." Celine said. "I know you will." Her optimism was actually really encouraging and definitely needed.

"So, how are you two doing?" I asked.

"Oh you know, taking it one day at a time." Celine said. "I'm just more interested in you and Jace." She said and I couldn't help but smile. "I never thought I'd see the day where my son would be in such a serious relationship." She said and Jace reached his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into him.

"I was just waiting for the right one mom, and I found her." Jace said and he kissed my head.

"And you got a good one." Celine said.

"The best." Jace smiled proudly.

"So, any birthday plans for tonight?" I asked Celine.

"Not tonight." Celine said. "But Stephen is taking me on a trip later this week!" She said excitedly.

"Where?" I asked.

"My favorite city." Celine said. "Berlin."

"Sounds amazing." I said and she smiled brightly.

"I haven't been there in almost 15 years." Celine said. "I can't wait to be back."

"How long are you going for?" Jace asked. Celine looked at Stephen and he smiled.

"We'll be gone for a week and a half." He said and I nodded.

"Sounds amazing." I said and they both smiled.

We spent about 2 hours with them and then we needed to get going. Jace and I both had work tomorrow, and still needed to pack a few things. We wanted to pack all the unnecessary things first so that when we did find a place, we could move in as fast as possible.

We got into the car and Jace made his way to my place. Since Jace was so organized, packing his stuff was simple: me on the other hand, not so much. My messiness drive Jace crazy, but he was going to have to get used to it when we start living together. The music was playing and I was singing along lowly when my phone vibrated. I looked at it, and it was our real-estate agent saying that he had a house that he thinks would be perfect for us.

"I just got a text from our real estate agent, he says he thinks he has the perfect house." I told Jace.

"Really?" He asked and I nodded. "Tell him to set up a time where we can tour it." He said and I texted him back. A moment later, he answered.

"He says that he has time right now if we're interested." I said.

"I'm down with looking at it right now." Jace said so I texted him to let him know. When our real estate agent texted us back I couldn't help but laugh. "What is it?" Jace asked.

"It's in your parents neighborhood." I said and he laughed as well.

"We don't have to look if you don't want to be so close to my parents. I understand." He said and I just smiled.

"Let's look at the house, and than decide." I told him and he nodded. We turned around and went back to the address that I was texted. When we pulled up we got out and Jace was looking at the house in wonder. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"When I was a kid I always wondered what it would be like to live in this house." He said and I looked at it.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"It just always seemed like something out of a story to me. It's the biggest house in the neighborhood, and the people who lived here were rarely seen, so it was kinda mysterious." He explained.

"Well, let's go fulfill your childhood dream." I said and I took his hand. We walked into the house and I had to admit, it was beautiful.

"Glad you two could make it." Mark, our real estate agent, said. "I saw this place go on the market, and I knew it would be perfect for you two."

"We appreciate being kept in mind." I said.

"And my parents actually live 3 houses down." Jace said. "So I've been acquainted with the house for years."

"Let's take a look shall we?" He asked and we nodded.

We toured the entire house, and I fell in love with it. It was perfect, and when Jace and I wanted to start a family, there was enough room to expand as much as we wanted really. Plus, I liked that it was close to Jace's parents. Since Celine was sick, I knew Jace didn't want to live that far away from them, and I completely understood that, I would be the same way if it were my mom.

"I'll give you guys a couple minutes to think about it." Mark said before he left the room. I turned around to Jace and snaked my arms around his waist.

"Did it live up to your childhood expectations?" I asked and he laughed.

"No." He said and I looked at him with confusion. "My childhood self thought this place was filled with mythical creatures, and a swimming pool." He said and I laughed. "What do you think about the place?" He asked.

"I absolutely love it." I said confidently.

"Really?" He asked and I nodded. "And you're okay with it being so close to my parents?" He asked.

"I think that's an added bonus." I said truthfully.

"You do?" He asked and I nodded.

"I know how much you love living close to your mom so you can check up on her." I said. "If my mom was in the position your mom is in, I'd want to be close to her as well." I explained. "This house is perfect for us Jace. Close to your parents, close to my work, in our budget, big enough for us to expand our family. There isn't a single thing wrong with this house in my opinion."

"Did we just settle on a house?" Jace asked and I giggled.

"I think we did." I said and we made our way out to where Mark was.

"So, do we have a decision?" Mark asked.

"We're in." Jace said.

"Perfect." Mark said. "Let's just sign some papers, and this house will be all yours." He said and Jace and I followed him to the kitchen. I couldn't wait to have this house and make it our own.

 **Time Jump – Move In Day – Three Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We were just approved for buying our house, and Clary and I couldn't be more enthusiastic. Things were looking up for us, and the house wasn't the only big thing that's happened in our lives up until this point. I got promoted from assistant to what James calls his 'prodigy director' which means I can give him creative advice on music videos or other projects he's working on. I'm sure it's not a real title, but I was proud of it. I am working and giving my input into something that is going to be seen around the world. I was still an armature director, but with everything I'm learning from my job, I feel like I could become a director eventually.

Also, about a month ago Clary and I got engaged. We haven't even been together for a year yet, but the duration of our relationship didn't matter because we both knew we were going to be spending the rest of our lives together. Prolonging the inevitable was pointless. So when I got down on one knee, I didn't even finish asking the question before Clary answered. It was perfect, and Clary has been planning our wedding with every free time she had available. We both didn't want a big wedding, and that helped with the planning process immensely. Clary often spent that free time at my parents house with Celine, Jocelyn and Seelie getting every detail perfect. I couldn't wait for our wedding day. I couldn't wait for her to be Mrs. Herondale and start our future together.

Moving in actually went way more efficiently than I anticipated which was amazing, but I did organize everything so that it wouldn't be complete chaos, but organized chaos. The boxes were placed in their designated rooms, and the furniture was moved in yesterday (thanks to Mark for convincing the owner to give us a day in advance for that) and all Clary and I had to do was unpack and place everything in their rightful spots.

After all the boxes were in, and there was nothing else for the group of people to do, everyone headed to my parents house for a nice hot meal. Clary and I lingered for a moment I enjoy our first time in our new home. She walked up to me and wrapped her arms around my waist.

"You ready for this?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"I get to go to sleep, and wake up next to you every single day and night?" I said. "I couldn't be more ready for this." I said and she laughed.

"I love you." She said and I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her.

"I love you too." I said.

"In exactly 4 months, we'll be married." She pointed out and I nodded. "In exactly 8 months, we'll be parents." She said and my eyes widened and my jaw dropped.

"You're pregnant?" I yelled and she laughed and nodded. "When did you find out?" I asked.

"Last week." She said. "When I was at your parents house, I felt incredibly nauseous and puked everywhere. I felt so bad but Celine was so understanding." She said. "Seelie brought up the possibility of me being pregnant, and my mom left to go pick up some pregnancy tests and low and behold, I was pregnant."

"So my mom knew?" I asked.

"Yea. She's been dying to tell you but I wanted to be the one to break the news." She said.

"So you'll be 5 months pregnant when we get married?" I asked.

"Yea." She said. "I hope you don't mind." She said hesitantly.

"You just told me you're having my baby." I said. "I wouldn't care if we went down to the courthouse right now and got married."

"You want too?" She asked. And I was taken aback because I was joking, but she looked incredibly serious.

"You're serious?" I asked.

"It's up to you." She said. "We have the ceremony planned out for 4 months, and it's just family, and a few close friends. I never wanted anything big and neither did you. All I need is you."

"Go grab a white dress, and meet me at my parents house in 5 minutes." I said and she nodded and ran upstairs, while I ran to my parents house. When I walked in everyone was gathered in the living room eating. "Clary and I have some news to share with everyone." I said and they all looked at me. "We're getting married."

"We already knew that." My dad said.

"No. Like right now. She's currently getting a dress, and we're going to the courthouse." I explained.

"Oh my god." Seelie shouted excitedly.

"Why so spontaneous?" Valentine asked.

"Because she's having my baby!" I shouted at the exact moment Clary walked in.

"You're pregnant?!" My dad, Valentine, and Jon all shouted at the same time while my mom, Jocelyn and Seelie were all bursting at the seams. I pulled Clary into my arms and kissed the top of her head.

"Surprise!"

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, a lot of people requested one about Jace and Clary being YouTubers, and I was avoiding it because** **I didn't really know how to make it something that those requesting the idea would like, and when I originally started this story, I was planning on having it focus on YouTube a lot more, but it morphed into it's own thing, and I really like it, and think it's a great, and Clace filled one shot, and I really hope you all like it as well! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	108. Chapter 107 - Taken

**One Hundred and Seven Story:**

 **Taken**

 **Clary POV:**

I got a call earlier today saying that I was charged for something that I know I didn't order. So when I got home, I went onto the computer to check my finances. When looking through the purchases for the past 3 months, I noticed that there had been money withdrawn, a substantial amount over the course of a couple weeks, but it wasn't from me. It was from Jace.

Now, people thought Jace and I were crazy for joining our bank accounts before we were married, but we were confident enough in our relationship to know that we were going to get married, and we already lived together, so we thought it was pointless to wait to join our bank accounts.

But looking at these withdrawals worried me. When Jace and I first started dating, he had a bit of a gambling problem. It nearly broke us up, but he promised to stop and get help with his addiction, and he's been good for the past 4 years. But this, this scared me. As far as I knew he wasn't gambling again, but with the amount that he's been taking out of our bank account, there was something going on, and you bet I was going to confront him about it. I took a deep breath and closed the computer just as the front door opened.

"Hey babe, sorry I'm late. My meeting ran late." Jace called to me, and it got me thinking, he used that excuse a lot when he was gambling and keeping it a secret from me. "What's for dinner?" He asked when he entered the room.

"I don't know. I haven't thought about it." I said honestly.

"Did you have a bad day at work?" He asked.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"You have an attitude." He said and that just made me more furious.

"No. Work was fine. But I did get a weird phone call today, and I'm not too happy about that." I said honestly.

"Who was it from?" He asked.

"The bank." I said. "They said I'd been charged for something I know I didn't pay for, so I went to check my finances, and I see you've been withdrawing money for the past couple weeks." I said.

"Is that a crime?" Jace asked. "Am I not allowed to take money out of the bank?"

"You are more than capable to take money out of the bank." I said as I stood up to face him, and I cursed my short stature because I just wasn't intimidating enough when he towers over me. "100 dollars here, maybe 50 dollars there." I said. "But 500 dollars one week, and than nearly 750 the next?" I questioned. "You took a total of 3 grand out Jace. What the hell do you need that type of money for?" I asked, not even trying to hide my anger.

"I have my reasons Clary." He said and that shady answer just proved my suspicions.

"Are you gambling again? Because I made it very clear years ago Jace." I said. "If you quit, we'd stay together, but if you couldn't we were done."

"You really think I'd get back into the gambling game?" He asked. "I just came from a support group meeting that I've been attending regularly for nearly 4 years." He said.

"Than explain why you took 3 grand out, and tried to take it out so that I wouldn't get suspicious Jace?" I asked and he sighed.

"I can't do that Clary. You just have to trust me." He said.

"You're making it impossible to trust you right now Jace." I said. "Just tell me why you needed that money, and I'll let it go." I said. "You know I hate liars more than anything." I said and that seemed to get the worst reaction ever.

"You of all people should know I'm not a liar." He hissed.

"Than tell me why you need the fucking money Jace!" I yelled back.

"I can't!" He shouted back. "God damn it Clary, just because you have a history of men who have lied to you in the past, and who have made it impossible to trust people, you'd think that I have proved I'm trustworthy." He said and my jaw dropped. "Just because your father and you ex were bastards and manipulated you, doesn't mean I am." He said, and I just stood there shocked. My past with men is bad, and it took me nearly a year or 2 to even open up to Jace about that, and the fact that he would use that against me, hurt.

"Eat dinner by yourself." I said as I grabbed my jacket. "I'm going for a walk." I said as I walked past him.

"Clary." He said and I opened the door.

"No." I turned back towards him. "We need to cool off because I'm not happy with you, and you clearly aren't happy with me, so I'm taking a walk. Go take a shower, or whatever." I said as I slammed the door not even waiting for his response. I put my jacket on as I walked out of my building and heading somewhere. I couldn't believe he would say that to me. I was so lost in my head I wasn't paying attention to anyone around me, but when I felt someone grab my wrist, it got my attention. I was pulled into an ally, and there were four men surrounding me.

"Look what we have here fellas, a pretty little red head." The one said, and his tone chilled me to the bone. "You'll make the perfect addition." He said before he put something over my mouth and darkness consumed me.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left I wasn't even hungry anymore. I took her advice and got into the shower. I wish I could just tell Clary that I haven't been gambling and that the 3 grand I took out of the bank was to buy her an engagement ring, but I didn't want to ruin the surprise. I would never go back to gambling if it meant loosing Clary, she was everything to me. I don't know what I'd do without her. She got me out of a dark place, and gave me everything I didn't know I needed.

Once I got out of the shower I just decided to call it a night. I was exhausted, and the fight drained all the energy that I had left. Clary and I would talk this out in the morning, but right now, I just needed some sleep.

Morning came quicker than I anticipated, and when I got up, Clary wasn't there. I didn't feel her come back last night, and her side was still made, so I figured maybe she slept on the couch. I got out of bed and made my way into the living room, but Clary wasn't there either. I looked around and her jacket was still gone, and her shoes were nowhere to be found. I grabbed my phone to see if she texted me, but she didn't so I thought I'd call her. I dialed her number and waited for her to answer.

 _Hi, sorry that I missed you call, but leave a message and I'll be back to you as soon as I can!  
_ Her voicemail. Damn it. I called back because maybe she just missed the call, and the second time would wake her up or something. But when I got her voicemail again, I started to panic. Maybe her phone died, and she's at Izzy's. She lives a couple blocks over and maybe she just decided to stay with her. I dialed her number and waited anxiously.

"Hey Jace, what's up?" Izzy answered.

"Is Clary there?" I asked frantically.

"No. I haven't seen her since last week. We're supposed to have lunch today. Why?" She asked.

"We got into a fight last night, and she took a walk to cool off, but she didn't come back." I said.

"Maybe she went to her mom's house." Izzy said.

"Her mom lives like 15 blocks away. I doubt Clary walked there last night." I said.

"Call her." She said.

"Really? You think I didn't try that? I got her voicemail." I said.

"My only other suggestion would be to call Magnus." She said and I knew that was a good idea.

"Thanks Iz." I said.

"You'll find her Jace. And everything will be okay." She said.

"I hope you're right Iz." I said and I hung up. I immediately dialed Magnus and waited for him to answer.

"Detective Lightwood-Bane, how can I help you?" Magnus answered.

"Magnus, I need a huge favor." I said.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Clary and I got into a fight last night. She took a walk, but she never came home. I called Izzy, she hasn't seen her, and she wouldn't walk the 15 blocks to her mom's house. I'm freaking out Magnus." I explained.

"Oh god." Magnus said on the other end.

"That didn't sound good Magnus. What's going on?" I asked.

"In the last 6 months, there have been a string of disappearances." He explained. "All women, all taken at night, all disappearing without a trace."

"Oh my god. I think I'm going to be sick." I said as I took a seat on the couch.

"It's our top priority." He said, trying to reassure me, but it wasn't working. "The whole department is pretty much on it."

"Do you know who's taking them?" I asked.

"We're not sure." Magnus said. "We just know women have been going missing, and not returning."

"So nobody has died yet?" I asked, hopeful.

"As of right now, there has been no dead bodies, but things can change." He said.

"This can't be happening." I said.

"I swear on everything Jace, I'll find Clary." Magnus said.

"Please Magnus." I begged. "She's all I have."

"I know. I'll keep you updated as much as I possibly can." He said.

"Thank you." I said and I hung up. Clary only left his apartment because of me. She's out there, god knows where, with people who are probably going to hurt her, and it's all my fault.

 **Time Jump - One Month Being Kidnapped**

 **Clary POV:**

Throughout my month here, girls have been moved around on a daily basis. I was stuck in my room and never moved, but I had a few roommates since being taken.

For the past week though I've been alone. It didn't feel any different than before, considering none of the other girls were really in the mood to talk, it was probably the drugs they were pumping into our system so we couldn't escape.

When the door opened, they threw a girl into the room, than slammed the door. There was a dim light in the room, and I focused my eyes on her. She couldn't be more than 15.

"Hi." I said quietly and she looked up at me, fear riddled her face. "I'm Clary."

"Maureen." She said.

"How old are you Maureen?" I asked.

"I'm 14." She said and my heart broke for her.

"How long have you been here?" I asked knowing the duration was different for all the girls here.

"Almost 3 months." She said and I just wanted to pull her into me and give her a hug. "What about you?"

"I've been here for a month." I said and she nodded.

"Where did they grab you?" She asked.

"Right outside of my apartment building." I said. "My boyfriend and I got into a fight and I needed some fresh air and planned on going for a walk. That's when they got me." I explained.

"They took me from a park." She said.

"I'm so sorry." I said and she nodded.

Our conversation ended there. She curled into a ball and I heard her sniffle. I couldn't imagine being a 14 year old girl, taken from her family, and rotting in a place like this. I was going to protect her, because she had a life to live, and she was going to live it.

 **Jace POV:**

It's been exactly one month since Clary went missing, and I was beside myself. Magnus and the NYPD were doing everything they could, and since Clary isn't the only girl to go missing in the last 6 months, it was their priority, but it just didn't make me feel any better. Nothing would until I could roll over and feel her sleeping next to me.

I grabbed her pillow and pulled it into me. It still smelled of her strawberry shampoo. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. I still remember the first time I noticed the sweet smell that became so accustomed to her.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was sitting in Clary's dorm room waiting for her to get out of the shower. I was reading my favorite book when the door opened and in walked Clary, towel wrapped around her body, and her hair slicked back. She was always the most beautiful girl in the world to me._

 _"You're staring again." She said and I broke out of my mind and smiled at her._

 _"I can't help it. You're just so beautiful." I said honestly and she blushed._

 _"Such a charmer." She said as she went to her closet and grabbed her clothes. She got dressed and I went back to reading my book. When I felt the bed dip I closed the book and looked at her._

 _"You always smell like strawberries." I pointed out and she giggled._

 _"My shampoo is strawberry scented." I said and I nodded. "Now come on, I'm exhausted and we have an 8 am tomorrow." She said as she pulled the covers down and got under them. I followed suit and when we were comfortable I pulled her close to me, inhaling the sweet scent of strawberry as I drifted off to sleep._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

That was 5 years ago and to this day the scent of strawberry was a keen reminder of Clary. I held her pillow tight to me, inhaling the sweet scent of strawberry shampoo, missing Clary more and more with every day she was gone.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Being Kidnapped**

 **Clary POV:**

"Lets go!" The one man yelled as he pulled Maureen from the room.

"Please don't!" Maureen shouted as she clung desperately to anything she could hold.

"The more you resist, the worse it'll be." The man said.

"Can't you just stop it?" I yelled. "She's a little girl." I said and the man looked at me.

"I'd watch your mouth if I were you little girl. Other wise we'll take you." He snarled. I thought about it for a minute.

"Than take me." I said and he looked confused. "Leave her alone, and take me." He dropped Maureen and walked over to me. He smiled before grabbing my hair and pulling me. The last thing I saw was Maureen's horrified expression before the door closed and I was dragged away.

When we got to another room, the man threw me, and I was surrounded by 5 other men, all with sick smirks on their faces. I had no idea what I was in for, but I had a feeling is wasn't going to be pleasant.

"I thought I asked for the girl." The one man said.

"She volunteered in place of her." The other man said.

"How very Katniss of you." The man said and I was thoroughly surprised.

"You know young adult fiction?" I questioned without thinking, and clearly that was not a wise move.

"Shut up." The man said before slapping me across the face. I fell to the ground before being picked up and chained to the wall.

A man came over with a needle and plunged it into my arm. Everything around me became fuzzy, and that's when I felt the stings being embedded into my skin. Before I knew it, I was loosing consciousness.

 **Jace POV:**

I had a meeting this morning that I had to attend other wise I'd lose my job. I didn't want to get it of bed, but I needed my job, so this is what I had to do.

I walked into the kitchen and started the coffee. I got a mug, and made some toast. It was about all I could eat these days, I've lost about 15 pounds. It wasn't good. When the coffee was done, I poured it into the cup and that's when I realized. The cup. It was Clary's favorite mug. I remember when she found it, she had to have it.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _We were walking around the store, and Clary detached her hand from mine and went running. I followed after her, and I found her in the mug aisle. I went to see what she was looking at, and when I did, I couldn't help but laugh._

 _"I have to get this mug Jace." She said and I laughed._

 _"We already have more mugs than we need." I told her._

 _"But this mug's handle is a paintbrush." She pointed out and I looked closer at the mug. It was an art mug. "It would be a crime if an artist didn't have an art mug." She said and I looked at her._

 _"You really want the mug?" I asked and she nodded excitingly. "Well, let's get you that mug." I said and she threw her arms around my neck._

 _"Thank you so much!" She said and I laughed._

 _"Of course babe." I said and she gave me a sweet kiss._

 _"And look, you can have this one." She said and I turned around and she was holding a duck mug._

 _"That isn't funny Clarissa." I said and she laughed. "Put it back!" I said and she did so and walked over to me, holding onto her art mug and started skipping like a little kid. I couldn't help but smile at how adorable she was, and how incredibly lucky I was to be in Lee with her._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

I didn't even realize I started crying until I saw the small puddle on the counter next to my mug. These past 2 months without Clary have been torture. I wanted her home. I wanted her in my arms. And I never wanted to let her go ever again. I realized now that I would be later, so I poured the coffee into a travel mug and ran outside. The whole way to my work I couldn't get her off my mind.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Being Kidnapped**

 **Clary POV:**

My body ached. I'd be dragged out of this room twice a week and drugged, and than beaten. I didn't understand the purpose of what these men were doing. They weren't transporting us, and all we did was sit here, so I didn't know what the end result was going to be, but the journey to get there, wasn't fun at all.

Jace flooded my mind. He is probably worried sick about me. We left on such a terrible note, and now who knows if I'll ever be able to see him again. At this point, I don't care what the 3 grand was for. I just wanted to be with Jace again. Nothing else mattered to me but him. He was everything to me, and yea we fought, but all couples do. He was my future, and I hope we have a chance to get that one day.

The door opened and the men walked in again. I expected them to come for me, but they went for Maureen this time, and everything in my broke. I've been trying to keep her safe since she was put in this room, and it's been working, but I guess my luck has run out. The one man picked her up and she yelled.

"What about me?" I called after them.

"Don't worry Red. You're next." He said before he slammed the door. I slumped back against the wall and just cried. I was starving, and tired, and cold. Whatever drug they were giving us, was constantly being pumped into our system. Not enough to completely knock us out, but enough that when we weren't listening, they'd cut us off, and we'd start going through withdrawals, and that sucked. Add the torture on top of that, and I was honestly surprised that I wasn't dead yet. But I'm a fighter, and I refuse to let them take me without a fight.

 **Jace POV:**

I was sleeping, or trying to sleep. These days I just lay in bed and cling to Clary's pillow. Each day it started to smell less and less like her and it was killing me. When the door slammed opened, I looked over and there stood Alec. He's been coming over every single day to check up on me, but I haven't moved, so he was really wasting his time.

"Get up." He said.

"No." I said as I turned away from him.

"You can't just lay in bed every single day." Alec said. "I get your work gave you time off to grieve, and everything but this isn't doing a damn thing for you."

"My girlfriend was kidnapped 3 months ago Alec." I said. "She could be dead for all I know."

"Magnus said there hasn't been any deaths." Alec said.

"They could be keeping their dead bodies and using them." I said.

"For what?" Alec questioned.

"Using them as storage for drugs to get them over the boarder." I said.

"Okay, you've been watching way too much CSI." He said. "You need to get up, and get a shower. And I'm not leaving until that happens."

"Why should I?" I asked.

"Because tonight is Rafe's birthday, and you promised mom and dad that you'd be at dinner." Alec said and I groaned.

"I can't do it Alec." I said.

"You can, and you will." He ripped the covers off of me. "Get in that shower, and I'll make you a decent breakfast." He said as he yanked me out of the bed and pushed me into the bathroom. I looked behind me before he slammed the door shut and than looked back at the shower. The curtains. I never understood why shower curtains had to have a theme, but when Clary saw them, she just knew that they were going to be the ones that were going to be in our bathroom, and to this day, the memory will always stick with me.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _We were walking around the store looking for things that we needed for our apartment. It was still weird to be living with Clary, but the best kind of weird possible. Clary had gone off to look for some things for out bathroom, which I was in charge of getting dish towels for the kitchen. I was standing in the aisle looking at two different sets when Clary came running over with the biggest smile on her face._

 _"Why are you so happy?" I asked and she laughed before turning the package around in her hands._

 _"I found this shower curtain, and it's absolutely perfect for our bathroom." She said and I couldn't hold my laughter in._

 _"Clary, that's a sloth holding onto the empire state building." I said._

 _"I know!" She cheered. "Isn't it great?"_

 _"It's weird." I said and she gave me that look._

 _"It's awesome." She argued._

 _"What is it with you and sloths anyway?" I asked. "They are kinda weird."_

 _"Look at how cute they are!" She said as she put it closer to my face. I lowered it and gave her that look and she pulled the sloth away. "I can always go put it back, and grab the rubber duck one." She threatened._

 _"You know what, sloths are totally cool." I said and she laughed._

 _"You're the best." She said before she leaned up and kissed my cheek. She started walking away before she turned around. "And get the yellow towels, they'll look better in the kitchen." She said before walking out of the aisle. I grabbed the yellow towels and laughed to myself._

 _"Whatever you want babe." I said to myself as I walked after her._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

"I don't hear the water running!" I heard as Alec banged don the door. I was pulled out of the thoughts and turned it on.

"Happy mother?" I shouted back.

"Immensely." Alec said. I shook my head and than got into the shower. I tried my hardest not to think about all the terrible things that Clary was probably going through, since it wasn't going to help her or me, but I couldn't help it. The love of my life was in danger, and I couldn't do a damn thing to help her.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Being Kidnapped**

 **Clary POV:**

"Let's go little Red." I heard and I opened my eyes. "The boss wants to see you." I was picked up and dragged through the hallway like I always was. I've gotten so used to the pain, that I barely felt anything anymore. I think I have a few broken ribs, my body is bruised from head to toe, and I looked deathly ill.

When we got to the room, they threw me on the floor like it was routine. I hissed at the pain, and they laughed at my reaction. They were sadistic bastards, and I hope that karma hits them hard in the future. With everything they've done to us, they deserves nothing but the worst in life.

"If it isn't my favorite little volunteer." The guy said. "How are you feeling?" He said in a condescending tone.

"The same as I was before." I spat back and they all laughed.

"I love the fire in you." He said as he kneeled down to me and forced me to look at him. "You got spunk kid, and that's why you're my favorite."

"Do I get special privileges for being the favorite?" I asked and he laughed.

"Of course you do." He said as he stood up. "We haven't killed you yet."

"How considerate." I said and he smiled. "How long does this privilege last?" I asked.

"I don't know yet." He said. "Give it some time. That mouth of yours might just shorten your life." He said wickedly before the torture began.  
 **Jace POV:**

I heard a low murmur of voices coming from my living room, but I don't remember hearing the door open, so I got a little curious. I opened my bedroom door and I recognized the voices immediately. Alec and Izzy.

I walked as quietly as I could to the end of the hallway so that I could hear what they were talking about. Of course it was going to be me, but they tended to try and steer the conversation away from Clary or the case whenever they were around me, so this might be informational.

"I don't know how to tell him Iz." Alec said and that spiked my curiosity. "It's going to destroy him."

"As opposed to what Alec?" Izzy asked. "He's already a mess."

"This is different Iz." Alec said. "This could really kill him."

"He deserves to know." Izzy said. "I get you and Magnus trying to keep this under wraps, but a body was found. A girl who has been missing for almost a year."

"What?" I said as I emerged form the corner and they both looked back at me. "A body?"

"Jace." Alec said but I wasn't having it.

"Tell me the god damn truth Alec." I said and he sighed.

"A body was found last night." He said. "Female, early twenties. Beaten, starved, drugged." He said and my heart broke at every word. "She was dumped in an ally."

"Who was it?" I asked.

"Her name was Camille Belcourt." Alec said. "She went missing in November of last year."

"Holy shit." I said as I collapsed to the ground. "This can't be happening."

"Once Magnus knows more, I'll know more, and than I'll tell you." He said.

"Yea right, like you were going to tell me about the body?" I hissed.

"I was trying to find the right way to tell you." Alec said. "I didn't want the news to send you off the deep end."

"Alec, I'm already fucking there." I yelled. "I'm already drowning, and guess what? There is no life savor."

"But it wasn't Clary." Izzy chimed in.

"No, but what about the next body?" I asked. "What about the condition this girl was found in? Is Clary starving? Drugged? Beaten? Probably, and I'm stuck here doing absolutely nothing to help her."

"This isn't your fault." Alec said.

"If I just told her that I was buying her a fucking engagement ring, we would have never fought, and she'd still be here." I said. "How isn't that my fault?"

"Bad shit happens all the time." Alec said. "This is bad shit. But Clary can over come it." He said and I shook my head and stood up. I made my way over to the couch when a painting on the wall caught my eye.

"I bought that for Clary 2 years ago." I said as I pointed to the painting. "She dragged me to an art gallery and we spent 5 hours there looking at all the paintings." I said. "Of course I was looking at her the whole time." I laughed and I saw Izzy smile. "She's always been the most beautiful piece of art I've ever come across." I said as I looked back at the painting. "She fell in love with it. So I bought it for her birthday. She cried for 25 minutes after she opened it." I smiled at the memory. "I never understood what she saw in it. I mean, she can see an entire conversation, or an entire idea in one painting, and all I can see is a bunch of strangely placed lines, and the bill after I bought it." I said and Alec and Izzy laughed. "But it made her happy, and that's all I've ever wanted to do."

"You don't think she's unhappy do you?" Izzy asked and I just shrugged. "You should be around her when you aren't around. Even after 6 years of dating, she still gushes about you and brags about you." She said and I looked at her. "I think she's more in love with you now, than she was in the beginning. You're that weird couple that never gets out of the honeymoon phase because you just find new things to love about each other every single day." She said. "You got into a bad fight, and something happened. It's fucked up, but it's reality. But shutting down, and cutting us out of your life isn't going to bring her back." Izzy said. "Because when they do find Clary, and they will, alive, she's going to need you to be at your best, and if you keep acting this way, both you and her are going to be in recovery."

"I just don't know how to function without her." I said honestly. "I haven't had too in 6 years."

"That's what we're here for." Alec said. "Let us know if you need help and we'll be here."

"Not knowing what's going on is killing me." I said. "And now I'm even more worried because there is now a body. It just got even realer, and if that was Clary, I don't think I would ever recover from that."

"But it wasn't." Izzy said. "She's still out there, and NYPD is going to find her."

I simply nodded because I knew this could end in two ways. Clary would be alive, or she wouldn't. That was all I had to work with right now, and it's the worst feeling knowing the love of your life is out there probably scared shitless, and hurt, and I just have to keep living life I used too.

 **Time Jump – Five Months Being Kidnapped**

 **Clary POV:**

"Maureen." I said but she didn't answer me. "Maureen." I tried again as I looked at the body curled up in the corner. When they brought her back they just tossed her in the corner and she hasn't spoken since, and I was terrified. Since it was pretty dark in the room, I couldn't even see her clearly, but something was off, and it was not a good feeling.

The door opened and in walked two men. I was expecting them to walk over to me, but they went to Maureen again. The one man kicked her and I saw her body flop.

"We got another dead one." He said and my heart stopped. "Grab her and we'll get rid of the body."

"No!" I cried and they turned towards me. "You bastards! You killed a child!" I yelled as they walked over to me and the one slapped me across the face, causing me to bit my cheek, and my mouth filled with blood.

"Shut up bitch." He hissed as he walked away. He picked Maureen up and slung her over his shoulder. I cried as he took her out of the room.

The girl who I swore I would try and protect was dead, and who knows how long she had been dead for. Everything in me felt guilt. She didn't deserve to die. She didn't deserve to be here. None of us did. But a poor 14 year old girl, who had so much potential, really didn't deserve this kind of treatment. I continued to cry for the little girl who just lost her life. I didn't know what the future held for me, but for right now, I was going to mourn the lose of a friend.

 **Jace POV:**

It was pretty late and I was going to the kitchen to get a snack. Ever since the talk I had with Alec and Izzy, I've been trying to get myself back in a routine. My job still gave me the time off, and I was really appreciative of that, but I started going in at least 2 days a week. I would grab dinner, or lunch occasionally with Alec or Izzy, and I even went to Max's birthday party last month, and laughed for the first time since Clary went missing. Everything was still pretty numb, but having a routine again made things a little easier.

I walked into the kitchen and turned the light on. I walked over to the fridge and grabbed some yogurt. When I went to the drawer that had the spoons, I looked up and there was a note on the side of the fridge in Clary's handwriting.

 _Dear Jace,_

 _I used the last of the eggs this morning, and I won't have time after work to go pick some up. Would you be a doll and do it for me? I need some for dinner tonight! Have a great day at work! I love you._

 _Love always,_

 _Clary_

Her handwriting seemed foreign to me, and I hated that. These last 5 months without her, have been torture, and the fact that her birthday was tomorrow, was even worse. I sighed, grabbed the spoon, and my yogurt and headed back to my room. I turned the TV on, and ate my yogurt as I tried my hardest not to let bad thought cloud my mind. Tomorrow was going to be a bad enough day as it is, and I don't need to add more on top of that.

 **Clary POV:**

I was lying on the cold hard concrete just staring at the wall. I cried my eyes dry for Maureen, and just waiting for the torture to begin again. This life had become routine, and I knew that at some point they would walk through that door, drag me out of here, and torture me again.

When I saw the door open, it was slower than normal. Curiously, I sat up and squinted my eyes, when a bright light flashed in my eyes, and nearly blinded me. I covered my face so the light would hurt me anymore.

"Clary?" I heard and I looked up.

"Yes?" I asked because I still couldn't see who it was.

"It's me, Magnus." He said and I've ever felt pure joy in my life.

"Oh my god Magnus." I said and he bent down in front of me and I threw my arms around him the best I could.

"I'm so glad to see you alive." He said and I started crying. Mostly from joy, but also because of how long it's been since I've seen someone I loved and cared about. "Come on biscuit, we're going to get you out of here." I nodded my head and he picked me up bridal style and walked me out of the room.

Before I knew it, I was in an ambulance, and Magnus was holding onto my hand. The paramedics checked me out, but I was going to have to stay in the hospital until I was given the all clear, but I didn't care. I was free.

 **Jace POV:**

"Jace!" I heard someone yell and I nearly fell out of bed from surprise. I stood up and Alec came barging into my room.

"Dude, it's 4 in the morning. What's the emergency?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes.

"Magnus called. They found Clary." He said and my heart stopped.

"Was she…dead?" I asked hesitantly.

"No." He said and I sighed. "She was pretty roughed up, but she's alive."

"Where is she?" I asked suddenly.

"She's at the hospital. I came so I could take you." He said and I nodded. I grabbed my sweats, a shirt, and the ring and ran out of the door.

It felt like it took forever to get to the hospital, but when Alec pulled up, and I jumped out and ran inside. I ran to the first nurses station I found.

"Clarissa Fray." I said.

"Relationship?" The nurse asked.

"I'm her fiancé." I said.

"Room 134." She said and I sprinted in that direction. I got to the room, and the door was slightly opened. I took a deep breath and opened it further to see Clary laying in a bed, with Magnus by her side.

"Clary." I said and she looked over at me. Her eyes immediately filled with tears and I ran to her side. "Oh baby. I thought I lost you." I said as I pulled her into me.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." She joked and it felt so good to hear her voice again.

"I love you so much." I said when I pulled away.

"I love you too." She said and I slammed my lips to her. When we broke apart, I sat on the edge of her bed and didn't let go of her hands. "I'm so sorry about the fight."

"Don't." I said. "That fight is history, and I don't even care what was said or the accusations that were made. I'm just happy you're alive."

"But I shouldn't have accused you of something so terrible." She said and I smiled because she had just been kidnapped and tortured for 5 months, and she was apologizing.

"You had every right too. I was being shady, but not because I was gambling." I said. I pulled the ring out of my pocket and she gasped. "I was trying to be discrete, but evidently it didn't work."

"Jace." She said and I smiled.

"I've loved you since I first met you Clary, and after these five months apart, I'm never letting you out of my sight ever again." I said and she started crying. "Will you please marry me?" I asked.

"Yes." She choked out and slid the ring on her finger. I pressed my lips gently to hers and she smiled. "What an amazing 27th birthday."

"I love you so much Clary." I said and she smiled.

"I love you more Jace." She said and I just sat there taking her in, and damn did it feel good to have her back.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Seriously Izzy, he's driving me up a wall." I said as we sat down for coffee. "If I'm a minute late to something he's blowing up my phone."

"I get that must be annoying Clary, but he's just really worried that he might lose you again." Izzy said and I looked down at my cup of coffee. "I know you had a terrible 5 months, I can't even imagine what you went through, but Jace went through a lot as well."

"I just wish that he stopped treating me like a toddler." I said.

"It took Alec a good month and a half to get Jace out of bed." Izzy explained. "Alec went to your place religiously just to make sure he ate, and took care of himself." She further explained. "I love you Clary, and I'm so thankful that you're okay. Truly, I would have been devastated if you didn't survive. But just remember, Jace was suffering as well." She said and I nodded. It was quiet for a minute before I looked at my phone.

"I should head home." I said as I stood up. "Jace is probably getting worried." I said with a small smile.

"Talk to him Clare." She said. "Let him know that he needs to loosen the reigns a little."

"I will." I said. "Thanks for the coffee." I said. "I needed it."

"You and Jace will be at dinner this weekend right?" She asked.

"Of course." I said and she smiled.

I made my way home, and when I walked into the house, Jace was sitting in the living room reading a book. I put my stuff down and joined him on the couch. He smiled as he put his book down on the coffee table in front of us.

"How was your day with Izzy?" He asked as he put his arm around my shoulders.

"I forgot how much she loved to shop." I said and he laughed. "Honestly, being tortured was easier." I joked but I felt Jace go stiff. I looked up at him and he looked pained. "Sorry."

"Your ability to make uncomfortable situations easier with your amazing sense of humor is one of the many reasons I love you Clary, but please, I don't think I'll ever be okay with hearing you joke about your kidnapping." He said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry. My therapist says I do that as a coping mechanism." I said. "She thinks it's the way I chose to understand what happened to me."

"I know you had an incredibly hard 5 months, but it was hard for me too." He said.

"Izzy told me." I said and he looked confused. "I was complaining how tight of a watch you've been keeping on me today."

"Oh." He said.

"Don't get me wrong Jace, I love you and I love how protective you are of me." I said. "It's one of my favorite qualities about you, but you need to let go a little." I explained. "If I'm a minute late, that doesn't mean something has happened to me. You know sometimes I just get lost in my own head, and I forget the time." I said and he nodded. "And if it makes you feel any better, if I know I'm going to be running late, I'll text you."

"I'm sorry I've been a little overbearing." He said and I smiled. "I just can't bare if anything else happened to you. You're my world Clary, and I'll do anything to keep you safe."

"I know you will." I said. "But you're my fiancé, not my babysitter." I said and he smiled.

"Let's go out tonight." He said and I smiled.

"Where to?" I asked and he stood from the couch.

"That my love, is a surprise." He said with his normal gorgeous smile.

"You've got yourself a date."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Wow, okay so I apologize for the long wait, but I've had a pretty crazy week this week, and it took me a little while to write this one! But I finally finished, and I hope you all enjoy this one shot! It was requested by a guest, and whoever you are, I hope it was worth the wait and that I lived up to your expectations! Let me know what you think and leave a review! I don't know when I'll update next, but thanks for always being patient with me and leaving me such encouraging words! :)**


	109. Chapter 108 - Game Changer

**One Hundred and Eight Story:**

 **Game Changer**

 **Clary POV:**

Moving out to LA was the best decision that I've ever made. New York had given me everything I needed, and also taken everything I ever wanted. I thought going to college with all my friends from high school and my brother would be amazing. But boy did it turn sour really fast.

Izzy and I were planning on spending our college years partying, and just having a shit ton of fun. It took me some time in high school to get out of my shell, but Izzy really helped with that, and with college, I really wanted to just let loose and have fun. And that's exactly what I did. Which came with it's own set of consequences.

Jace Herondale. The king of hook ups and one night stands. I should have known not to get my hopes up when I fell into bed with him, but there was a little part of me that hoped maybe that I would be different. Of course I wasn't though. The next day he acted like it never happened, and I had to accept that. I was 21, and realized that some boys don't grow up and Jace was one of them.

So after graduation, I got a job in LA, I packed my stuff and I left. Leaving my friends and family behind was tough, but it was something that I needed to do for my self, and they all understood that. I absolutely loved my life in LA. I had met another group of friends that I loved so much, and who kept me sane throughout everything.

But I was heading back to New York for my brothers wedding and I was pretty nervous about the whole thing, but I got to bring a plus one, and I was pretty excited to be showing my boyfriend, Antonio, around my home town. We've been together for the past 3 years, and everything was great.

"We're going to miss you." Emma said as our friends were standing in the airport with us.

"We'll be back in a week." I said as I gave her one last hug.

"You haven't left LA since you got here, and that was 6 years ago." Emma said. "Being here without you is going to be weird."

"But we'll be back before you know it. And make sure you feed Sergio while we're gone. Don't let my poor pup starve." I said and she laughed.

"I would never let that cutie starve." She said and I laughed.

"I'll text you when we land." I said and they nodded. I grabbed my bag, Antonio grabbed his, he took my hand as well, and we went to our terminal and waited for our plane to board. I was pretty excited to see my old friends and have them meet Antonio, but I also couldn't wait to get back here after it was all over and just continue my amazing life.

 **Jace POV:**

Jon told us about a week ago that Clary was coming in for his wedding, which I expected, Clary would never miss her brothers wedding, but he also told us that she was bringing her boyfriend, and I was pretty anxious to meet this guy. And so was the rest of the group. According to Jon, nobody was ever going to be good enough for Clary, and Izzy was just curious about Clary's life in general, Alec didn't seem to care much, but he was still just not all that interested in anything but Magnus so we weren't surprised.

When her plane landed, we all kept our eyes out for that flaming red hair. I haven't seen Clary since we graduated college, and we didn't leave on a good note. Junior year we got super drunk and ended up sleeping together, and everything changed. Of course the next day I acted like a dick and pretended the whole thing never happened, which I could tell hurt Clary, but it needed to be done, and that was the last time I spoke to her. It's been nearly 7 years, and seeing her again for the first time would be weird.

"I found her." I heard Jon say, and when I looked in the direction he was looking in, I saw that familiar red hair, and bright green eyes. She looked the same, more mature, but it was a good thing. She ran up to Jon and gave him a huge hug.

"Jonny, it's so good to see you." She said as they embraced.

"You too Clare Bear." He said. "You have to keep in touch more. I missed you so much."

"I promise I won't just cut all communications when I go back." She said and he nodded. She gave ever one a hug, except me. She gave me a smile but that was it. Jon looked over at me with confusion but I just waved it off. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Antonio." She said as she gestured to the man beside her. "Antonio, this is everyone. This is my brother Jon, my best friend Izzy, her boyfriend Simon, her brother Alec, his boyfriend Magnus, and that's Jace." She said and he nodded.

"It's so good to see where Clary came from." He said, a slight Italian accent evident in his voice.

"Are you from Italy?" Izzy asked.

"Yes. I was born an raised in Sorrento." He said and she nodded.

"How did you and Clary meet?" She asked as we headed towards the car. I was walking a little distance behind them, but I was still listening, and watching Antonio hold her hand and Clary smiling up at him.

"My parents wanted a better life for me and my siblings, so when I was abut 15 they moved us to LA." He explained. "I went to high school and college in the area, and I met this bella donna _(beautiful woman)_ at a famers market 3 and a half years ago and I've been hooked every since." He said as he kissed her head.

"That's so romantic." Izzy said and I internally scoffed. Something felt wrong about this guy. And it wasn't the jealously talking. "How many siblings to do you have?" She asked.

"4." He said. "2 brothers and 2 sisters." He explained. "Angelo is my older brother, he's 34. I have an older sister as well, her name is Maria, she's 30. Than there is me, I'm 28. My little brother is next, his name is Salvatore, and he's 26. And my younger sister is Gioia, she's 24." He explained.

"Wow." Izzy said. "Do they still live around the LA area?" She asked.

"My parents actually moved back to Sorrento when I was 24." He said. "My older brother and my older sister went back as well. My little brother is in a different country every time we talk. He loves to travel, and my little sister still lives in California, but she's getting ready to move back to Italy as well."

"And you never wanted to move back?" She asked.

"I did, until I met Clary." He said as he looked at her. "There was always something missing in my life, and than I found her."

"Oh my god. You are such a sweetheart." Izzy said. I leaned back in my seat, knowing this was going to be a long car ride.

When we got back to the Morgenstern house, I needed to get home. I said goodbye to everyone, and I was getting ready to leave when I heard two people speaking, but not in English.

"Ti amo oltre la luna ama il cielo di notte." _(I love you more than the moon loves the night sky)._ I heard and I peaked around the corner to see Clary and Antonio embracing, and Clary giggled. Like a teenage girl.

"E io ti amo oltre l'oceano ama la sabbia." _(And I love you more than the ocean loves the sand.)_ I heard Clary say back and I had to admit, I was pretty impressed, and turned on that she knew Italian.

"Per sempre e un giorno bello." _(Forever and a day beautiful.)_ He said and I wish I knew what they were saying.

"Per sempre e una notte il mio amore." _(Forever and a night my love.)_ She said back before they started kissing. I took that as my cue to leave, because that was not something I wanted to witness.

I made my way home and when I got there, I realized how empty my place was. There was nothing to come home too. There was nothing waiting for me here at the end of the day, and the past couple years that had been dawning on me. I knew what I did to Clary back in college was a dick move. But at the time I felt like it needed to be done. Izzy chewed my ass out for a good 2 hours when it happened about how much of a jackass I was to Clary, and how she didn't deserve that, and I knew Clary didn't deserve that, but it happened, and I had to live with it. But having her back here, with her boyfriend was something that I didn't think I was going to life.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Before Wedding**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was the night of the rehearsal dinner, and I was excited to get to spend the night catching up with old friends, and family. It was nice to be back in New York, and I knew it meant a lot to my family, and that made me happy. I knew I shouldn't have cut them all off when I moved to LA, but at the time I felt like it was important, and now that I had an amazing life, and a great job, and a boyfriend who I was in love with, I was in a good place to combine my two worlds, and I couldn't wait to start. I was looking around the restaurant and I saw Antonio talking to my dad. They seemed to hit it off really well, and that also made me happy. I hope that my family liked him because he was a huge part of my life.

"So, you and Antonio." Izzy said beside me. "How serious is it?" She asked.

"Pretty serious." I said happily. "We live together, and we have a little pup named Sergio." I said.

"I'm so happy you found love Clary." She said and I smiled. "But I just better be in your wedding."

"I couldn't get married without you by my side Iz. You know that." I said.

"I mean, you did kinda disappear for 6 years Clare." She said and I sighed. "It kinda felt like you forgot about me."

"I could never forget about you Isabelle Lightwood." I said and she smiled. "After everything that went down in college, I needed to break, and moving to LA gave me that, and I realized that I needed to be free from my life in New York. I should have kept in touch more, and I promise that I won't disappear again." I said and she gave me a hug.

"Can I have everyone's attention!" I heard Jon said and he was standing in the middle of the room. "There is something important that needs to be said."

"Clarissa il mio amore." _(Clarissa my love)_ I heard Antonio say and he grabbed my hand and led me into the middle of the room. I was speechless, but when he dropped to one knee, I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. "I have loved you from the moment that I met you. You have filled my life more than I could possibly imagine, and I can't picture life without you or our little furbaby." He said and I laughed as he opened a ring box. "Ti sposerà me il mio amore?" _(Will you marry me my love?)_ He said and the tears started to over flow from my eyes.

"Sì. Assolutamente." _(Yes. Absolutely.)_ I managed to get out. She put the ring on my finger and the whole room erupted in applause. I can't believe that just happened, but I was super excited.

 **Jace POV:**

Sick. I was absolutely sick to my stomach after watching Clary get engaged. While they were hugging everyone, I went out onto the balcony and took a few calming breaths. I heard heels clicking behind me, and when I turned around, there stood Izzy. She walked over and stood next to me.

"Why'd you do it?" She asked. I immediately knew what she was asking.

"I was a stupid 21 year old." I said. "I told you that when you asked me the first time."

"But I know that's not the whole truth." She said. "You may have been a stupid 21 year old, but that emotion I saw in there. That was real, and that was genuine hurt I saw cross your face when Clary accepted."

"Your point?" I asked.

"If Clary really meant anything to you, you wouldn't have done what you did all those years ago, and it still wouldn't be affecting you if you were simply being a quote on quote 'stupid 21 year old'." She said.

"She knew what she was getting herself into when we slept together." I said harshly. "She knew it was nothing more than a one night stand. It's not my fault her feelings got hurt." I said. "She couldn't handle it, and that's not my fault.

"Wow." I heard and Izzy and I both turned around and there stood Clary. "You're a piece of work Jace."

"You already knew that sweetheart." I said coolly.

"I thought in the 7 years since our last interaction you would have grown up a little." She said wickedly. "I guess not."

"Sorry to disappoint." I said.

"I'm not disappointed." She said. "Everything about you, I'm indifferent too." She said and I had to admit, that kinda stung. "You on the other hand should be disappointed in yourself. You're 28 years old Jace, grow the fuck up."

"Did our little Clary finally grow up and learn swear words?" I teased and her eyes grew darker.

"I'm a different person than I was in high school and college." She said. "I can see you aren't though."

"Why change perfection?" I asked as I gestured to myself. "As I recall, I'm structured like a Greek god. Right Clary Bear?" I said with a smirk, and her jaw dropped.

"Vaffanculo." _(Go fuck yourself.)_ She spat as she walked away from me.

"What did she just say?" I asked Izzy and she shrugged.

"She said 'go fuck yourself'." We heard and when we turned around, there stood Antonio.

"I always knew she had a feisty side." I said.

"Must have been a pretty heated conversation for Clary to get angry like that." Antonio said.

"They have some bad blood between them." Izzy said. "It'll blow over by tomorrow." She said but I wasn't so sure about that.

"I know Clary." He said and I wanted to scoff because he's only known her for 3 years, I've known her since we were kids. "She won't get over this. She didn't even want to come but Jon begged her. Even convinced his fiancé to give her a plus one so she didn't have to come alone."

"She really didn't want to come back?" Izzy asked and Antonio shook his head. "Why not?"

"She never told me specifics." He said. "But she said that New York had nothing else left to offer her, and that going back would only cause tension and old drama." He said. "She hates drama, so she was just not going to get involved. I'm assuming this was the type of thing she was talking about." He looked at me.

"You don't know what you're talking about." I said defensively.

"No, but my fiancé just walked out of here heated, and it was because of you." He said. "I can connect the dots."

"Stay the hell out of my business." I said venomously.

"As long as you stay out of my relationship." He said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said.

"Oh please." He said. "Bad blood? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that you two had a thing, or something back in the day." He said and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Clary and I have a great life together. Don't fuck it up stronzo." _(asshole)._ He said before he walked away.

"Clary's happy." Izzy said and I looked at her. "She's getting married, let her have that."

"I don't trust the guy." I said honestly and Izzy laughed.

"Too bad." She said. "Clary isn't your priority, maybe in another life she could have been, but you gave that up. Let Antonio take care of her. It's his job now." She said before she walked away. I sighed and hug my head as I leaned on the railing. That couldn't have gone any worse.

 **Time Jump – Wedding Reception**

 **Clary POV:**

I was super thankful that Jon decided to have a short ceremony. It was quick but heartfelt, and just enough. Now we were at the reception and everyone was having an amazing time. I couldn't get over the fact that I was so genuinely happy right where I was. I was engaged to a great man, my brother was over the moon happy and married, and getting to spend this time with my friends again was something I needed. I couldn't wait to go back to LA to continue on with my amazing life, but I would make more trips back to New York, that was for sure.

After dinner, the dance floor opened up and of course Antonio dragged me out onto the dance floor. He knew I was a terrible dancer, but I couldn't stop laughing and smiling the entire night. Antonio and I were leaving tomorrow, but tonight, we were going to drink, dance, and have the best time celebrating love with my family, and also looking forward to our wedding and getting to do this all over again.

 **Time Jump – Going Back To LA**

 **Clary POV:**

"Text me when you land." Jon said and I nodded.

"I'm gonna miss you Jon." I said and he hugged me.

"I'm gonna miss you too." He said.

"Don't forget, I'm coming out to LA next month to start planning this amazing Italian wedding." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Remember Iz, it's a destination wedding. We're getting married in Sorrento." I said and she nodded.

"That just makes it even better. But we still have to find you the right dress for it!" She said and I smiled and gave her a huge hug.

I said goodbye to everyone, and Antonio and I made our way to the terminal. Thankfully Jace didn't come to the airport to see us off. After our last encounter, I would be happy if I never saw him ever again. I was excited to be planning the rest of my life with Antonio and just getting to wake up everyday knowing that I had an amazing man in my life.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was chillin with Jon today, along with Alec and Simon. We hadn't seen Jon since he got back from his honeymoon, so we were just catching up and seeing how his honeymoon went. It was weird how much the group actually missed him when he was gone. It felt nice to have him back.

"So, how was it?" Alec asked.

"Perfect." He said. "I wish I could get married again and just go on another honeymoon. We honestly just had the best time."

"That makes me so excited for Magnus and I's." Alec said. "It'll be nice to just get away the two of us."

"Seriously dude, it's the best. Just you and the person you love more than anything having the time of your life." Jon said, and I sighed. It was quiet for a moment when the TV started to ring. At the bottom it said it was Izzy, but it wasn't a phone call it was a face time, and since technology is so advanced, it was hooked up to the TV. Jon pressed accept and Izzy appeared on the TV.

"Hey!" She said happily.

"Hey Iz, how's LA?" Alec asked.

"Awesome!" She said. "Clary and I are currently dress shopping, and I needed Jon's approval."

"Why?" Jon asked.

"Clary wants it." She said.

"Alright, let me see." Jon said.

"One sec." She turned the camera around and there was a curtain. "Okay Clary, he's ready." Izzy said.

Clary opened the curtain and it was like I was seeing an angel appearing from the Heavens. She looked absolutely gorgeous. Everyone was silent. I don't think anyone knew exactly what to say.

"You hate it don't you." Clary said which kinda brought us all back to reality.

"What? No." Jon said. "I've just never seen you look so….beautiful." He said and she blushed.

"You look like a bride." Alec said. "A beautiful and blushing bride."

"You think so?" Clary asked.

"Absolutely." Jon said.

"So, can you finally decide on a dress?" Izzy asked.

"This one." Clary said. "This is the dress I want to be married in." She said and Izzy started jumping up and down. The phone was completely forgotten about, so Jon ended the call.

"I can't believe my little sister is getting married." Jon said.

"It's certainly weird." Alec chimed in. I didn't bother saying anything, so I just let them talk while I tried to distract my mind from Clary. Seeing her in a wedding dress made everything real, and that bothered me. A lot.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was supposed to be going back to New York today, but all flights have been cancelled due to a blizzard, so I was on my way back to my apartment. I was bummed that I wasn't going to make it in for my mom's birthday, but I hope that they all understood that I tried my best.

I grabbed my luggage out of my car and carried it up the steps of the apartment. I fumbled for the keys before I finally found the right one. I unlocked the door and dragged all my stuff into the living room, but immediately dropped it when I saw some girl mounting Antonio like a freaking lap dog. When they heard my things drop they looked over and Antonio's eyes went wide.

"Si sporca giacente baro!" _(You dirty lying cheater!)_ I shouted as I threw my keys at his head. The girl fell off the couch and used the blanket to cover herself up as Antonio put on some shorts.

"Mi può spiegare." _(I can explain.)_ He said and I let out a dry laugh.

"Io mi sono fidato di voi. Io mi sono fidato di lei a prendersi cura di me per il resto della mia vita e questo è ciò che si fa per me?" _(I trusted you. I trusted you to take care of me for the rest of my life and this is what you do to me?)_ I said as the tears threatened to pour out of my eyes.

"Sto debole. Io sono un uomo debole." _(I'm weak. I'm a weak man.)_ He said.

"What's your name?" I directed towards the girl.

"Martina." She said with a thick Italian accent.

"Oh for the love of god. Was I just not Italian enough for you?" I asked Antonio.

"It has nothing to do with her being Italian." He said and I gave him that look. "Okay, maybe it does a little." He admitted.

"I learned the language so we could go to Italy and meet your family. I learned everything so that your family wouldn't have to compensate for me not knowing their culture and their language." I said. "Was that not enough?"

"No." He said. "It was more than I could ever ask for." He said. "Martina and I go way back. She grew up in my village."

"I can't believe this." I said.

"Mi dispiace Clary." _(I'm sorry Clary.)_ He said.

"Get out." I said angrily. "Get the fuck out of my apartment." I said and he nodded. He went to go to our room, but I stopped him. "I'll ship your shit back to Italy." I said. "And you can have this." I said as I threw the engagement ring at him. "And I'm keeping Sergio." I said. Him and Martina gathered their clothes and walked out of the apartment, but before they left I stopped her. "Give me my blanket back you skank." I said. She handed it to me, and they walked out and I slammed the door behind me. I leaned against it and finally let the tears flow. I couldn't believe that this happened to me.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was Christmas and we were all together like we were every Christmas, and we were all talking, and reminiscing, and just having a great time. We all get pretty busy with work, and just our everyday lives, but we always got together when we could, and I loved that about this group of people. We loved spending time together, and we always made sure it happened. Izzy phone rang during the conversation and she picked it up, and her face went from happy to pissed.

"I'll be on the first flight out." She said as she hung the phone up.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Antonio is a fucking cheater." She growled and my blood boiled.

"What happened?" Jon asked, equally as angry.

"Well, you know she couldn't come in for your moms birthday, and when she got home, she found Antonio fucking some girl on their couch. Clary is torn apart. She kicked him out, and her friends are trying to help, but nobody seems to get through to her."

"But she called you?" Alec asked.

"No." She said. "That was her friend Emma." She explained. "She went over to see if Clary wanted to join them for Christmas, but Clary locked herself in her room and won't come out. I'm going to go out and try and get her to talk."

"I'll go." I said and everyone looked at me.

"I doubt she wants to see you." Izzy said. "She hates you."

"I need to go Iz." I said earnestly.

"Why? So you can say 'I told you so' to her?" She asked.

"I would never do that to Clary." I said.

"Oh really? Cause your track record says otherwise." She spat.

"What are you two talking about?" Jon asked and I looked at him.

"Do you want to tell him, or should I?" Izzy asked.

"The reason Clary moved out to LA in the first place was because of me." I told Jon.

"What did you do?" He asked.

"We slept together." I said and his jaw dropped, along with everyone else's besides Izzy. "And I pretended like it didn't mean anything to me, and Clary was hurt, and that's kinda where our friendship died."

"You slept with my baby sister?" Jon yelled.

"She was a willing participant." I said. "I didn't take advantage of her."

"You still slept with my baby sister!" He yelled.

"I did." I said. "And at your rehearsal dinner, Clary overheard me talking to Izzy, and I didn't say nice things and she yelled at me, and I was a dick, and our already dead friendship died again."

"So you would be the last person to go out there and comfort her after her engagement just fell apart." Izzy chimed in.

"No. I'm the perfect person to go out there. I have a lot to apologize for, and a lot of explaining to do." I said.

"Explaining about what?" Jon asked.

"I'm in love with you sister." I said blatantly and the whole table fell silent. "And I have been since college, and I was too much of a coward to admit it." I explained. "I need to talk to her. Explain myself, and hopefully start mending the bridges that I burned down."

"You're serious?" Jon asked. "You aren't just pulling my chain and making all of this up?"

"I wouldn't do that." I said. "I fucked up with Clary in the past, but I refuse to let it go on like this. I need her in my life, I do."

"Fine." Jon said. "But Izzy goes with you." He said.

"I can live with that." I said and he nodded.

"And find that prick, and beat the shit out of him for me." He said and I nodded.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was packing Antonio's shit angrily while blasting my music. I found one of his shirts in my drawer and got pissed, so I decided to just start packing it all, and I needed to release my anger anyway. I was so focused on the music and the anger, that I didn't hear anything until there was a loud pounding on my front door. I turned my music down and walked out and opened it, and to my surprise, there stood Jace and Izzy.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I said, mainly at Jace.

"Emma called me." Izzy said. "They're all worried about you."

"Yea, well they shouldn't be." I said as I started walking away.

"Really? Because you were blasting I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace." Jace said.

"Don't you dare fucking talk to me Jace. I'm still pissed at you." I said.

"I know, and you have every right to be, but right now you're hurting." He said and I looked at him.

"So this is you coming to rub it in my face that my engagement to Antonio was never going to work out?" I asked.

"Not at all. If anything I want to go find that bastard and beat the shit out of him for hurting you." He said and I let out a dry laugh.

"Why would you care about someone hurting me? You do it plenty on your own." I spat back.

"I deserve that." He said and I nodded in agreement. "But I'm here to apologize for what happened during your brothers rehearsal dinner, and what happened in college."

"You're 7 years too late for the college thing, and as for what happened at my brothers rehearsal dinner, I don't even want to hear it. You said what you said, and you meant it." I said.

"That's the thing Clary, I didn't. I said it because I was pissed that you just got engaged." He admitted.

"Why? You never cared about me to begin with." I hissed. "You made that perfectly clear after we slept together."

"God damn it Clary." He yelled. "I lied okay? That night meant everything to me, and it just further solidified my feelings for you." He yelled and my jaw dropped. But that didn't make me feel any better about him treating me like shit.

"Why lie? To ashamed?" I asked.

"Not at all." He said. "If anything, you're way to good for me." He said.

"I'll agree to that." Izzy said from the couch.

"You always have been." Jace continued. "That night together, was something I dreamed about for years, but I just always assumed nothing would ever happen between us because you deserved someone better."

"Did you ever take my feelings into consideration? Maybe about how I felt that night? Or how I felt about you in general? Because I know you were kind of a player, but I don't make a habit of jumping into bed with any guy I see Jace. I trusted you. I trusted you to take care of me, and in the morning, you treated me like all the other sluts you take home at night." I said honestly. "Do you know how that made me feel?" I asked.

"Like shit?" He asked.

"You made me feel worthless Jace." I said and pain crossed his face. "You made me feel like another notch on your bed post, and that really really sucked." I said. "Especially because I had feelings for you." I admitted.

"You did?" He asked curiously.

"God you're thick." I said. "Why else would I sleep with you?" I asked.

"Alcohol?" He asked.

"The alcohol gave me courage, but I remember the entire night." I said. "All the feelings, all the emotions, all the passion." I said. "And when you blew it under the rug, it broke me."

"I don't have a good reason as to why I treated you the way I did other than the fact that I was scared out of my mind." He said.

"Scared of what?" I asked.

"Clarissa Morgenstern." He said and I was slightly taken aback by the use of my full name. "You are a complete game changer, and that scared the hell out of me." He said so truthfully.

"How?" I asked.

"Because once someone is with you, it's impossible to find better." He said, and he sounded so sincere.

"Not according to Antonio." I said spitefully.

"Antonio is a dick, and I never trusted that guy." Jace said. I was about to say something when Sergio started barking.

"I'll take him for a walk." Izzy said. She grabbed his leash and they walked out of my apartment and that just left Jace and I.

"Why couldn't you just talk to me Jace?" I asked softly. "Why did you have to be such an asshole?" I asked and he moved closer to me.

"Because I never thought I could feel that way about anyone. And to feel that way about you, someone I've known practically my whole life, it was terrifying." He said and I looked up into those gold eyes.

"You hurt me." I said.

"I know I did Clary, and I've been beating myself up about it for 7 years." He said. "I thought I was over you, but when you showed up with that bastard, everything just came flooding back."

"Why not reach out to me?" I asked.

"I didn't think I had the right to." He said. "You hated me, and you deserved to hat me."

"I was ready and willing to listen and hear you out Jace." I said. "I was ready to forgive you. But when I realized you weren't going to talk to me, the best thing I could do was leave, and I did."

"Watching you get on that plane was the hardest thing I've ever done." He said.

"But you didn't stop me." I said.

"I didn't." He said. "But if I could go back in time, I wouldn't have let you get on that plane."

"Really?" I asked and he cupped my face in his hands.

"Really." He said. Our eyes were locked and neither of us said a word. I was lost in the molten gold eyes and taking in the complete and utter truth of what he just told me when he decided to break the silence. "Can I kiss you?" He asked and I took a deep breath because nodding. His lips touch mind, and it was like every single nerve in my body ignited. Like I was reentering something that I didn't know I left and was finally being brought home. "What can I do to fix this?" He asked when we broke apart.

"Woo me." I said and he let out a little laugh. "Show me it's real, and show me that you aren't fucking around."

"Whatever you want Clary, I'll give it to you." He said and I just nodded before he pressed his lips back to mine. This was the start to mending all those burned bridges, and I had a feeling that it might take some time, but we could definitely move past this, and that was always encouraging.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The last three years have been insane to say the least. I really meant it when I said that I would do anything to fix my relationship with Clary, and the first thing I did to show her I was serious was, I moved out to LA. She was shocked, but I wanted to make everything right for her, and I couldn't do that from New York, and I could get another job. That wasn't an issue in my eyes, but I needed to be in the same city as Clary, and that's what I did.

Turns out, I really love LA. It's a great city to live in, and I love the beach, and I learned how to surf, and I just got along with so many people out here, and I love my new job. It was an insanely smart move, and I got everything I ever wanted. I was in a good place, Clary and I were in a good place, and I was incredibly happy with my life.

Today was our three year anniversary, so we were going out tonight to celebrate. I was pretty excited because I loved taking Clary out and taking care of her. She deserved it all, and I was still proving to her that I was worthy of her. She had forgiven me years ago, but that didn't mean I was done proving it. I would do this for the rest of my life, and that would never change.

I walked into our new house that we just bought maybe 6 months ago, and I was greeted by a very energetic Sergio. I gave him some loving before I went to the bedroom where Clary was getting ready. I opened the door, and she was sitting at the mirror putting on make up. I walked over to her and kissed her head.

"You almost ready?" I asked.

"Almost." She said. "How much time do you need?" She asked.

"I'll be like 5 minutes." I said and she nodded. I walked into our closet and got dressed, and when I was finished, she was standing up and ready. "Shall we?" I asked and she nodded. We walked into the other room where Sergio was sitting on the couch. He stood up and started wagging his tail. Clary gave him a kiss before we left.

We got to the restaurant and were seated immediately. The whole night went by amazingly. But every night was that way with Clary. Just being with her, there was never a dull moment. We were always laughing, and having an amazing time together, and I hated that this could have been us 10 years ago, but I was happy that it was us now.

After dinner, we took a stroll in the park that was near by. I knew Clary loved walking at night and looked at the stars. We got to a bench and we took a seat. I put my arm around Clary and she leaned into me while still looking up at the stars. I took a deep breath and basked in this moment. Everything was perfect.

"Happy three year anniversary babe." I said and she looked up at me and smiled.

"Best three years I've ever experienced." She said and I pressed my lips to hers. When we broke apart she smiled. "But I know what would make it better." She said.

"What's that?" I asked. She got off the bench and stood in front of me. I looked at her, before he got down on one knee and I was literally shocked. "What are you doing?" I asked and she laughed.

"After everything that happened between us, I figured that this was my move." She said as she pulled out a ring.

"You're really proposing to me?" I asked and she laughed.

"I love you Jace." She said. "I have for so long, and with our history I never thought we'd be here. I never thought that we'd have a house together, or that we'd be this in love, or that anything like this was possible. But here we are, and I want to start our future together, as husband and wife." She said and I couldn't help but smile. "So, Jonathan Herondale, will you do the honor of marrying me?" She asked.

"It would be my pleasure." I said and she smiled. She took the ring out and slipped it on my finger. I stood up and pulled her up with me and pressed my lips to hers. When we broke apart, I took the chain around my neck off and grabbed the ring off it. "I think we both deserve a ring." I said as I slid it on her finger.

"Your family ring." She said as she looked at it. "But you've never been without this." She said.

"But I couldn't picture it on anyone else." I said. "It's a tradition in our family that the family ring be passed down and given to the next future Mrs. Herondale." I explained. "And you just asked me to marry you, and I'm assuming you're going to be taking my last name. I don't think this world could handle two Jonathan Morgenstern's." I said and she laughed.

"You got that right." She said and I pulled her into me.

"Clarissa Herondale." I tested and she smiled and her nose scrunched up. "Sounds pretty damn good to me.

"Sounds pretty damn perfect to me."

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, this one was thought of by me, and I just sat down and wrote it, and I'm pretty proud of it myself! Let me know what you think and leave a review! I promise to get back to requests soon, but I'm lacking in some motivation and just haven't had the time! But leave a review, and leave some awesome ideas and some encouraging words, and hopefully I get that motivation back! :)**


	110. Chapter 109 - Assassins

**One Hundred and Nine Story:**

 **Assassins**

 **Clary POV:**

My entire life I've grown up in this lifestyle where violence was the best form of communication. Weaponry was a must, and trusting someone was out of the question. I only ever had me in this life: I was born alone, and I was going to die alone. That's just how it was. There were times where I thought that there must be more to life, there must be a way of life that isn't so lonely, but than I get sent out on a mission, and I realize that this is who I am, and this is who I'll always be. Nothing was ever going to change that, and I had accepted that years ago.

I got a call early this morning, and I was heading into headquarters. Being the daughter of the head of The Circle came with as many obstacles as it did benefits. One benefit, nobody messed with me. They were all scared I'd go running to my father and rat them out, but little do they know, my father and I aren't that close. But they didn't need to know that. I liked that I intimidated people, it made me feel like more of a badass than I already was. One obstacle, I was held to a higher standard than the others. Everyone assumed because I was a Morgenstern, that I didn't have any faults, but I did, and when I messed up, everyone talked about it. When I got to my fathers office, I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard, and I opened the door.

"You called Father?" I asked as I stood in front of his desk.

"Yes." He said. "As you know, The Clave has been our enemy since the beginning." He said and I nodded. "And as you know, they have their own set of resources to accomplish their goals." He said, which was a polite way of saying murders. He didn't like to refer to anyone outside of The Circle as assassins, even if they were. He liked to believe we were the highest and most lethal people out there. "I need you to terminate their best one."

"Do you have a file?" I asked. He reached into his drawer and pulled out a folder. He held it out and I grabbed it. "Is that all Father?" I asked.

"Yes." He said. "You have 2 weeks to complete this mission Clarissa. Don't disappoint me." He said. I nodded and made my way out of his office. I went back to my room and started looking over the file.

 ** _Agency:_** _The Clave_

 ** _Country/State/City:_** _United States/New York/Classified_

 ** _Name:_** _Jonathan Herondale_

 ** _Nickname:_** _Jace_

 ** _Age:_** _20_

 ** _Years w/ Agency:_** _15 years_

 ** _Years Active:_** _6 years_

 ** _Skills:_** _This young man is very charming. Don't let his charm get in the way of the mission. He is also incredibly lethal. Most of his targets are distracted by his good looks (females) or by his charismatic personality (males) when it comes to the things they are interested in, but before the night is over, they are dead. He prefers to be close when he kills. He is extremely intelligent, and incredibly patient._

 ** _Weapon of Choice:_** _Daggers, and hand to hand combat_

 ** _Family Relations:_** _Parents – Celine and Stephen Herondale : Grandmother – Imogen Herondale_

 ** _Weight:_** _160 lbs_

 ** _Height:_** _6 feet 3 inches_

 ** _Hair Color:_** _Blonde_

 ** _Eye Color:_** _Gold_

 ** _Number of Kills:_** _Number of confirmed kills – 99_

Looking through his file I had to say, I was pretty impressed. He was skilled, and for only being active for 6 years, and having 99 confirmed kills was pretty impressive. I continued to look through the file. I pulled out the picture of him and he wasn't horrible to look at. In fact, he had the most amazing bone structure I've ever seen, and I just wanted to draw him all day and night. I put the picture down and continued looking. His grandmother was the head of The Clave, and his parents were pretty well known assassins back in the day. They were active when my father was active, and that heightened my curiosity. Was I really the best person for this job, or did my father have a personal vendetta against this family, and he wanted a Morgenstern to take them out? Regardless, I was given a job and I was going to deliver.

 **Jace POV:**

I was called into the office today but I wasn't told why. I don't think I did anything my grandmother would be upset with, but than again, Imogen can be a real stick in the mud when she wanted to be. I got to her office and took a deep breath before I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard and I walked in and stood in front of her desk. "Thank you for coming in Jonathan."

"Of course Grandmother." I said.

"I have a mission for you." She said and that automatically made me feel better about why I was here. "As you know, our enemy The Circle has been a real thorn in our side since the beginning of time." She said and I nodded. "I need you to terminate their best one." She said.

"Do you have a file for me?" I asked and she nodded. She picked it up off her desk and handed it to me.

"You have 2 weeks Jonathan." She said. "Don't disappoint me." She said. I nodded before heading out of her office and over to a conference room where I would explore this file.

 ** _Agency:_** _The Circle_

 ** _Country/State/City:_** _United States/New York/Classified_

 ** _Name:_** _Clarissa Morgenstern_

 ** _Nickname:_** _Clary_

 ** _Age:_** _17_

 ** _Years w/ Agency:_** _12_

 ** _Years Active:_** _4 years_

 ** _Skills:_** _Blends into her surroundings perfectly, some refer to her as a chameleon. Don't underestimate her abilities. She may be tiny, but she is lethal. When looking for your target, remember, she is tiny, so she may try and disguise herself as a child, don't rule out ANYONE when it comes to who she may be impersonating. Her red hair is a dead give away. Don't forget about that. She also is known to have quite the temper, so use that to your advantage._

 ** _Weapon of Choice:_** _Sharp shooter_

 ** _Family Relations:_** _Parents – Valentine and Jocelyn Morgenstern (Jocelyn – deceased)_

 ** _Weight:_** _100 lbs_

 ** _Height:_** _5 feet even_

 ** _Hair Color:_** _Red_

 ** _Eye Color:_** _Green_

 ** _Number of Kills:_** _Number of Confirmed Kills – 75_

Looking over her file I had to say, I was pretty impressed. She was young, but she had some serious skill, and I couldn't take that away from her. I was looking through her file when I came across the picture of her. Her red hair was extremely vibrant, and her eyes were like a pool of emeralds. She looked young, and that was a huge advantage for her, but I wasn't backing down from this mission. I closed the file and started making my way to the training room. When I walked in I saw Alec and Izzy training.

"Did Imogen chew your ass out?" Izzy asked with a laugh.

"No. I was assigned a mission." I said.

"Who is it this time?" Alec asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know." I smirked. "I'd love to tell you, but it's top secret."

"That blows." Izzy said. "I haven't been given a mission in almost 3 months. I'm getting rusty."

"You'll get one soon." Alec said.

"Yea right, Imogen doesn't like me." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Imogen doesn't like anyone." I said and Alec and Izzy both nodded in agreement. "You'll get your missions, just gotta give it some time."

"I just hate waiting." Izzy said.

"Nobody likes waiting." Alec told her.

"Easy for you to say. You have someone to occupy your time with, I don't have that luxury." Izzy pointed out.

"Shhhh." Alec said as he covered her mouth with his hand. "Keep your voice down."

"Why?" Izzy asked.

"Because nobody knows about Magnus and I yet." He said.

"Why not?" Izzy asked.

"You know how mom and dad would react." Alec said. "And he isn't supposed to know about us."

"You told him?" I asked and Alec looked at me.

"I told him that I worked for the government, but I didn't get any more specific. I told him that I wasn't allowed to divulge anymore information, but I still said more than The Clave would like." Alec said and I nodded.

"Eventually he would have found out." Izzy said.

"Eventually, but that happens when our relationship is a little more serious." Alec said.

"You and Magnus have been together for what? Almost a year?" Izzy asked and Alec nodded. "If you two aren't serious yet, the relationship is doomed."

"Isabelle." I chastised.

"What? A year is a long time to be together just for the hell of it." She said.

"We are serious." Alec butted in. "But not serious enough to tell Magnus that I'm an assassin that kills people for a living. I don't want him to freak."

"He's going to freak." Izzy said. "But you have to explain that what we do, isn't without reason. We are paid to take out those who are a threat to humanity, that's not a bad thing."

"But will he see it that way?" I asked. "Some people wouldn't be cool with it regardless if we're doing it for their safety."

"Thanks a lot." Alec muttered.

"I don't know Magnus all that well." I said. "You know him a lot more than I do, so you have to decide if telling him is a good idea, and if it isn't, I'll take him out." I said.

"No." Alec said. "You will do no such thing."

"I never thought I'd see the day." Izzy said with the biggest smile on her face. "My brother, in love."

"Shut up." Alec said as he shoved her and she laughed.

"Alright, I have to get back and start prepping for this mission. I'll see you two around." I said and Izzy hugged me.

"Be safe." She said.

"Always am Iz." We broke apart and I headed out to get ready for this mission. I couldn't wait to hit my 100th kill.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was getting ready to leave to find my target. I knew I only had two weeks, and that kinda intimidated me, but I've been under a shorter time restriction before, and I knew that I could do it. I was walking out of The Circle when I was stopped by none other than Sebastian Verlac, the man who thought he was a God, and flirted with me religiously.

"Where are you off to beautiful?" He asked and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm going on a mission." I said.

"Alone?" He asked.

"I do all of my missions alone." I said.

"A sweet little thing like you shouldn't be out there alone." He said and I scoffed. "You need some protection."

"Protection?" I questioned. "I don't need protection. I'm more lethal than you'll ever be."

"In your dreams sweetheart." He said and I hated pet names.

"What's your kill record?" I asked.

"39." He said proudly.

"How long have you been with The Circle?" I asked.

"Since I was 12." He said.

"Right. You've only been here for 6 years. I've been involved since I was 5." I said and he narrowed his eyes at me. "You got a late start to the game Seb, and because of that, you'll never even compare to me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a mission to start." I pushed past him and I heard him grunt. It was boys like that, that reminded me of another reason why it was a good thing to be alone. They thought they ruled the world, and I hated that. I walked out of the building and headed into the city to start my quest.

 **Jace POV:**

New York was a huge state, so I figured I'd start in the city. There were many people, and it would be the perfect place for a sharp shoot to start as well. Easy to hide behind a lot of buildings and on rooftops, and it just made sense after reading her profile.

Her being a sharp shoot was going to be challenging. She is definitely the type of person that would be aware of all of her surroundings, and if she suspected a threat, she didn't need to be close to take me out, and that was my biggest worry.

I decided to just scoop out the area, and get a feel for the people. Maybe make some friends and build up a base here, and ask around about her and hopefully get a lead. I walked into the first place I saw, which happened to be a bar. Thankfully, The Clave gave me a bunch of fakes, that were government approved so that if I needed to be in a bar, I could be. I sat at the bar, and waited to be attended too. The bartender walked up with the biggest flirtatious smile I've ever seen.

"What can I get for you handsome?" She flirted.

"Since it's the middle of the day, I think I'll keep it simple." I said with my normal charming smile. "I'll have a coke." She nodded and grabbed a glass.

"You new to the area?" She asked.

"Relatively." I said. "I grew up around New York City."

"So what brings you to the city today?" She asked.

"Just wanted to visit for the day." I said and she nodded.

"Well, let me know if you need anything else." She said. I nodded and she went to help other people. She would be easy to charm, that much was a given.

 **Valentine POV:**

I called Sebastian in today because I had a mission for him. I was waiting in my office when I heard the knock on the door.

"Come in." I said and in walked Sebastian.

"You called sir?" He asked.

"Yes. I have a mission for you." I said and he nodded. "Clarissa has been snooping around trying to find information on her mothers death." I said and he nodded. "I need her to stop."

"How does this involve me sir?" Sebastian asked.

"I've sent her out on a mission to kill The Clave's number one assassin, but if she kills him or not, doesn't matter to me." I said and he nodded. "I needed her to be distracted. So that she wouldn't see it coming."

"See what coming sir?" Sebastian asked.

"Her death."

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It wasn't hard to find Jonathan in New York City. He might has well put a sign on his back that said 'Hey! It's me! Jonathan Herondale! Come get me!' and I was taking it no matter what. If he was too stupid to blend in, I was going to take advantage of that. But than I remembered his file, and he was insanely smart. Him being out in the open was deliberate. Which meant that I had to get a little creative with it.

I came up with a plan to meet him in a bar. He always frequented this one, Hunters Moon, every single day. I don't know why, it looked like a below average bar, but he went there, and that's where I'd make contact.

It was about 8 o'clock on a Thursday and I knew Jonathan would be there. I got ready, in my favorite pair of skinny jeans, my leather jacket with hidden pockets for some knives and daggers, and my chunky heel boots, easy for me to run in, but still enough to give me that sex appeal. He was a ladies man, that much I knew for sure.

I got to the bar and didn't see him. I sat at a back table, my back against the wall and scooped the place out. I sipped on my drink as I watched the people interact with each other. There were couples out on dates, and friends celebrating something, and guys out with their buddies watching whatever was on the TV. Everyone was living their life and enjoying their friends and loved ones. It definitely made me think about the life I could have had if I didn't grow up in the life style that I did, but I quickly dismissed that thought. I was an assassin, and this was my life. I accepted that long ago.

"Mind if I join?" I heard and I looked up to see none other than Jonathan Herondale, my target, making contact, so I smiled a flirtatious smile.

"Not at all." I said and he pulled the chair out.

"What's the name Red?" He asked in a cocky attitude, I had a feeling he was going to be a cocky bastard, but just seeing it made me want to roll my eyes.

"Clary." I said. "And you?" I asked.

"Jace." He said and I nodded. "I've never see you around, and I frequent this bar a lot."

"I'm relatively new to the area." I said and he nodded. "This was the first place I saw, so I decided to try it out."

"It's not bad." He said. "There are certainly better, but the service is always pretty good." He said and I looked behind him at the bartender, who was glaring daggers at me and I laughed.

"Someone doesn't like you sitting with me." I said and he smirked.

"Some women just think causal conversation is a road to a relationship." He said and I laughed. He was charming, but there was something about him as well, something that I couldn't quite pin yet.

"I take it you aren't a relationship kind of guy." I said and he smiled.

"Nope. I've always had more important things to worry about. If I was in a relationship, I would want it to be a priority, and at the moment, I can't make it that, so I don't even try." He said and that kinda shocked me. He didn't peg me as the type to be so caring when it came to that type of stuff.

"That's shockingly impressive." I said and he smirked.

"Why? Think I was a player?" He asked and it was my turn to smirk.

"You peg me as the type of person who could use those looks you have to get any girl you wanted." I said.

"Not far off." He said. "But women flirting to get in my pants, versus me flirting to get what I want, whether it be a free drink, or some information, are two totally different things." He explained and I nodded. "You look hesitant in believing me."

"Let's just say I have a really good instinct in spotting liars." I said and he nodded. "I want to feel like you're lying to me, but something about what you just told me, seems to genuine."

"How about we test these instincts?" He asked.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked.

"Two truths and a lie?" He asked and I laughed.

"What are we? In middle school?" I asked and he laughed.

"It seems rather fair in testing these instincts, plus, than you have a base line." He said and I nodded.

"Okay. Go ahead." I said.

"Okay, my biggest fear in life are ducks." He said, truth. "My parents marriage was an arranged marriage." He said, truth. "I have 3 younger siblings." He said, lie. "Which one is a lie?" He asked.

"I think you tried to trick me." I said and he smirked. "You gave me a truth that sounds so utterly ridiculous for a man of your character, hoping that I would pick it."

"So, which one is it?" He asked.

"The last one." I said. "You don't have 3 younger siblings." I said.

"Very good." He said. "So, do you have a good base line for me?" He asked, and I simply nodded. "So, was I lying about the relationships?"

"No." I said. "Which is refreshingly surprising."

"Glad I can surprise you." He said, and I couldn't help but smile. I knew I had to kill this guy, but for right now, I was going to enjoy his company, because I couldn't lie, it was enjoyable.

 **Sebastian POV:**

I had watched Clary go into the bar, and I was perched on the roof outside waiting for her to exit. To say I was stunned would be an understatement, but Valentine was right, Clary was becoming a problem, and The Circle couldn't keep someone like that around, so here I was, about to kill the daughter of the Head of the Circle, under his orders. It felt unreal, but also so incredibly rewarding to be chosen for this mission. Especially for how high and mighty Clarissa thought she was. Soon I would be the best assassin within The Circle, and that would feel so damn good.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to talk to Clary. We were laughing the entire night, and I was feeling myself getting incredibly comfortable with her. I knew who she was, although, she didn't know that, and I noticed myself letting my guard down throughout the night, and although I put them right back up the minute I noticed them down, part of me wanted to keep them down, but I was on a mission, and she was the mission, and I couldn't get distracted by our chemistry, or the connection I felt between us.

We walked out of the bar and we both lingered for a minute. It was an odd feeling, being with someone who just made everything so much lighter, and more enjoyable, and it id complicate the mission slightly, but not entirely, and I had to hold onto that.

"So, will I see you again?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"I don't know." I said vaguely. "Do you want to see me again?"

"I do." She said with that cute little smile, and I didn't realize how much taller I was, but I was looking down on her short frame, and she was looking up at me.

"Well than, how about tomorrow night? We can grab some dinner." I suggested.

"I think that sounds amazing." She said and in that moment, a red dot appeared on her forehead, which confused me. "Is something wrong?" She asked. I looked to where the red dot was coming from, and I heard the shot, instinctually, I grabbed Clary and moved her out of the way. "What the hell?" She yelled.

"Someone just tried to kill her." I said.

"Impossible." She said as she got off the ground and began walking. I saw the red dot again and I pulled her against the wall, as the bullet hid the building. "Okay, maybe not impossible."

"Do you have any enemies?" I asked ignorantly.

"Not that I know of." She said playing dumb, and I knew it was my mission to kill her, but having someone else out there trying to kill her, got me curious.

"Do you trust me?" I asked and she looked at me confused. "It's not a trick question, do you trust me?" I asked again.

"I guess." She said and that's all I needed. I grabbed her hand and we started running. We got to my car and we got in and I high tailed it out of there. What I was about to do was going to get me in a shit ton of trouble, but I needed to do this.

I started driving to The Clave, and I knew Imogen and my parents were going to give me a lot of grief for this, but like I said earlier, there was some connection between the two of us, and the thoughts that went through my mind when I saw that red dot on her forehead, scared me, and that rarely happens.

When we finally pulled up, I put my card against the machine, and gave my thumb print, along with my eye, and we were let in. I drove to the garage, and we got out. And I grabbed her hand and led her to Imogen's office. It would be my death wish if I tried to hide her until I figured out what to say, so I just thought I'd get it over with now. I knocked on the door as soon as I got there, but didn't wait for an answer. I walked in, and there she sat, along with both of my parents.

"Jonathan, what have you done?" Imogen asked, and my parents looked horrified.

"Someone tried to kill her." I simply said.

"Yea, it was supposed to be you." She spat, and Clary ripped her hand out of mine.

"I was your target?" She yelled.

"Was I yours?" I asked, thinking about how it couldn't have been a coincidence that we ended up at the shitty bar tonight.

"We're not taking about that right now." She hissed.

"I think we should. Valentine ordered you to kill me?" I asked.

"Imogen ordered you to kill me." She said back, which made me turn towards Imogen.

"Why did you order me to kill her?" I asked.

"You don't get to question me Jonathan." She said in her normal stone cold voice.

"Yes I do, because I'm tired of being a blind sheep." I said back. "Tell me why you ordered me to kill Clarissa Morgenstern." I demanded.

"The Circle is our enemy." Imogen said. "What better way to get back at the head of The Circle than to kill his only child." She said and Clary laughed.

"He wouldn't have cared." She said and everyone looked at her. "My father and I don't have a normal father/daughter relationship. In fact, we don't talk, unless he's assigning me a mission."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Since my mothers death, we just fell apart." She said and I felt for her. I couldn't imagine loosing my mom, and than my dad cutting me off like that.

"Did you order another hit on her besides me?" I asked Imogen.

"No. You were the only one assigned to her." She said.

"So who tried to kill you?" I asked Clary.

"I don't know, but when I find them, I'm going to kill them." She said as she started to leave but I grabbed her wrist.

"Wait one second." I said and she reluctantly nodded. "Can she stay here for the night? Until we figure out what the plan is?"

"This whole hit could have been a ploy to get her into our sanctuary." Imogen said.

"I wouldn't put my own life in danger just to infiltrate you compound, although that is a great idea." Clary said, but that didn't really help her cause.

"You're an assassin, one of the best your age." Imogen said. "You expect us to believe that?" She asked.

"Look, I swear on the Angel, that I didn't order a hit on myself to get in here. Jace brought me here after the shooter tried, and failed, twice to end my life." Clary said and I looked at my parents and my grandmother.

"Fine, you can stay." Imogen said. "But don't leave her alone Jonathan." I nodded and we left the room. I walked Clary to my room, and the whole walk was incredibly silent. I guess now that the truth was out, things were awkward, and I couldn't really say that was shocking. I opened my door, and she walked in, and I followed. She stood over by the window, and I couldn't handle the silence anymore.

"Can we please discuss the elephant in the room?" I finally asked and she looked at me.

"Like the fact that we were both assigned to kill each other. That elephant?" She asked sarcastically.

"Yes. That one." I said.

"Looks like someone tried to take your job." She said.

"Yea, and if I really wanted you dead, wouldn't I have let them kill you?" I asked.

"I don't know. Maybe you wanted me to be your 100th kill. Maybe you saved me so that you could kill me eventually." She said.

"That didn't even cross my mind when I pulled you away from that bullet." I said honestly, and she knew I was telling the truth.

"Than why save me?" She questioned.

"Because I actually had a great time tonight. I can't tell you the last time I laughed that much, and genuinely meant it." I said. "When I saw that red dot on your forehead, my first instinct was to save you."

"That's not what assassins do." She laughed and I couldn't help but smile.

"Trust me, I know. I've been doing this for a long time." I said.

"You're 20." She said, and I saw her body language relax. I nodded and she sat on the edge of my bed. "How did you know this is what you wanted to do?"

"I wanted to be just like my dad." I said as I joined her on the bed. "When I was younger, I was always pawned off to Imogen when my parents went out on missions. They were partners. When they'd come home, he'd tell me all about it, and I just thought it was so cool. I wanted to be just like that." I explained and she nodded. "What about you? 17 is pretty young as well."

"I'll be 18 this week." She said and I nodded. "But unlike you, I didn't really have a choice." She explained. "I think my father wanted a boy. Someone who was just like him, and having me was a disappointment. And when my mom died, I was thrown into training, and become a lethal weapon."

"When did she die?" I asked hesitantly, I could tell it was a sore subject.

"When I was 7." She said.

"Was she sick, or something?" I asked.

"No. I actually don't know how she died. My father never told me." She said.

"That's gotta be hard." I said.

"When you have nobody, it's torture." She said. I didn't want to prolong the conversation more than needed, so I decided to change it.

"Would you like to shower, and maybe change?" I offered.

"Is your shower safe?" She asked.

"My shower is very safe." I said. "I wouldn't make my shower a gas chamber Clary."

"I'm cautious." She said. "We have to be in our line of work."

"There are towels in the closet." I said and she nodded. "I'll be out here."

She nodded, and went into the bathroom but before she closed the door, she looked back at me and smiled.

"Thank you, for saving my life." She said and I smiled. "Even though you were going to kill me." And with that she shut the door, and I shook my head. I pulled my phone out and texted Izzy to bring pajama clothes immediately. That girl must have been eager, because she was at my door in under 3 minutes, when I opened it, she ran in.

"I can't believe you brought your target here, and I can't believe she's Clarissa Morgenstern."

"This whole night has been weird." I admitted.

"Why did you do it?" She asked. "Why not just let this other person kill her?"

"The only way I can describe it is there is this connection between us, that I just can't seem to ignore." I said.

"She works for The Circle Jace. Her father is the head of it." She said.

"I know. But Clary, she's different." I said. "You know how we entered this life because we wanted to? We wanted to be just like our parents, and that was the coolest thing to us?" I asked and she nodded. "Clary didn't get that. She was forced into this life, and she's fucking great at it, obviously, but tonight I was just hanging out with a girl, and we were laughing, and joking around, and it was normal. And I wanted to keep that for however long I could."

"This is risky Jace." Izzy said.

"I know, but for right now, I just want Clary to get a good nights sleep." I said and she nodded. I grabbed the clothes and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for understanding Iz."

 **Clary POV:**

I finished my shower relatively quick, and I wrapped the towel around my body and I opened the bathroom door to see Jace hugging some girl, and for some reason I got jealous. I mean, I shouldn't be jealous, this guy works for The Clave, and was only talking to me to kill me in the long run, but I couldn't help it. I cleared my throat and they broke apart.

"Hey, I had Izzy bring you some clothes." Jace said and the girl smiled.

"Hi, I'm Isabelle, but please, call me Izzy." She said as she extended her hand.

"Clary." I said as I shook her hand.

"Oh, the whole Institute knows about you." She said.

"Institute?" I questioned.

"That's what we call this place." She said and I nodded. "Also, don't let this jackass get away with anything." She said as she punched Jace and he laughed. "Kick him around if he gets out of hand." And I couldn't help but smile.

"You got it." I said and she smiled.

"Well, I'll let you two get back to whatever you were doing." She said. "I have a date anyway."

"It's after midnight Iz." Jace said as she made it to his door.

"Come on Jace, when have I ever dated for pleasure?" She asked.

"So you got a mission?" Jace asked.

"I did." She said. "Took Imogen forever."

"Well, don't let us keep you waiting." Jace said and Izzy nodded and walked out of the room. "Sorry about her. She's a handful sometimes." He said and I smiled.

"How long has she been with The Clave?" I asked.

"Since she was 5 as well." He said.

"And she's how old now?" I asked.

"She's 18. Her older brother is 22, and her younger brother is only 9." He explained.

"Nice." I said. "Well, I'm going to get changed." I said and he nodded. I went back into the bathroom and got out of my clothes and dried my hair a little. When I walked back out to his room, Jace was cleaning up whatever mess he thought there was, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Sorry, my OCD was killing me." He said and I smiled.

"Didn't peg you as the kind of guy who would need to be neat." I said as I stood there awkwardly.

"You can have a seat." He said as he gestured to his bed. "I promise, I'm not going to hurt you."

"That's kind of hard to believe considering I was your target." I said.

"I was your target as well, and I trust you." He said.

"Why is that?" I asked. "I've given you no reason to trust me." I explained. "But you've given me a couple to trust you, and I'm still hesitant."

"Go with those instincts Clary." He said. "What are they telling you to do?" He asked.

"They're telling me to trust you. Wholeheartedly." I said honestly.

"Than follow them." He said. I took a seat on the bed, but I was awkwardly on it, which caused him to laugh. He walked over to me and picked me up unexpectedly, and threw me on the bed, and I squealed like a little girl.

"Okay, you just lost some trust." I laughed and he smiled.

"Look, tonight has been weird. You went to that bar to find me, and I went to that bar to get a feel for who you are." He said. "But than I had an amazing time with you, and something changed. You were no longer just my mission, but someone that I could see myself getting to know better." He explained. "Than you were almost killed twice, and that didn't sit well with me. At all. And here we are, practically enemies, who for the time being are going to be spending all of our time together, since Imogen won't let you wonder the Institute by yourself." He said. "I want you to feel comfortable. I don't want you to be looking over your shoulder constantly, and fearing that everything I do, or offer you is a trap. I get that's how you were trained, but when you're in the Institute, it's a safe place."

"I'm not used to that." I said honestly. "At Headquarters, I had to watch my back in every hallway, every room, and every staircase." I admitted. "It didn't matter that we all worked for the same company, we are assassins and our job is to kill."

"That's no way to live." He said and I shrugged.

"I had on advantage." I said. "No one ever messed with me because they assumed I was going to go tell my father." I laughed. "If they only knew that I wouldn't even say good morning to him unless absolutely necessary, things would have been a lot different."

"How did you get through it?" He asked as he joined me on the bed. "Being alone."

"Training is a huge factor." I said. "If you spend your whole life training, there is no need for friends."

"But who do you train with?" He asked.

"The instructors mostly." I said. "There was this one guy, his name is Hodge, he pretty much taught me everything I know. He also worked with my parents when they were active."

"So, you come from a line of assassins as well?" He asked and I nodded.

"My parents were active when yours were." I said and he looked shocked.

"Really?" He asked and I simply nodded. "Maybe they know what happened to your mom."

"You mean, maybe they took her out?" I asked.

"No." He said. "I know why Imogen has a vendetta against your father, but my parents don't have the same agenda."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Your grandfather killed my grandfather." He said and my jaw dropped. You would think I'd be used to hearing this by now, but I wasn't.

"Why?" I asked.

"Bad blood I assume." He said. "Imogen was already pregnant with my father, so they never met, and she's been out for blood ever since. I guess you were the perfect target for her."

"That really sucks." I said and he nodded.

"So, onto less depressing matters, what would you like to do before bedtime?" He asked and I laughed.

"I'm kinda hungry." I said and he smiled.

"Lets go grab a snack." He said and I nodded.

He led me to the kitchen where I sat at the bar stool, and he gathered ingredients for a snack. According to him, the perfect late night snack was a grilled cheese, and it sounded so wonderful that I didn't even question him on it. He put the pan on the stove and started grilling. I got us both something to drink and I sat there watching him cook, and the entire time I couldn't get the smile off my face.

 **Celine POV:**

"What are we going to do?" I asked Imogen.

"We interrogate her." She said. "Get every bit of information about Valentine out of her as we can, and than strike."

"But will that really work?" Stephen asked. "You heard her, she doesn't have a relationship with her father."

"And you believe her?" Imogen asked.

"My son believes her." I chimed in. "And I believe my son."

"Your son can be blind." She said.

"No, you can be blind." I spat. "You've been letting this anger, and hatred fuel you since the day Marcus was murdered." I said and her eyes went cold. "Its all you ever think about, and its all you care about. Why not just let it go?"

"Because my husband was murdered by that psychopathic family, and I will deliver him justice." She all but yelled. I was about to continue when I heard laughing. I looked at Stephen and he heard it too. Knowing Imogen was going to be a frigid bitch for the rest of the evening, I decided to see where the laughter was coming from. Stephen followed me out, and than came Imogen, because she had to be involved in everything. The laughter was coming from the kitchen, and when I peaked my head around the corner, Jace was standing there cooking, while Clary sat at the breakfast bar watching.

"Oh come on, that can't be real." Jace said and Clary laughed again.

"I swear, it's more than real." She said.

"What's the point of it?" Jace asked with the biggest smile on his face. One that I've never seen before.

"To punish people, duh." She said and he smiled.

"You're telling me, Valentine built a guillotine in the basement of headquarters, and uses it as a punishment?" Jace asked, and as morbid as that sounded, they were cracking up about it.

"Yea. You ever want someone to tell you information, threaten them with a guillotine, and they will tell you everything, right down to their Social Security number." She said and Jace laughed.

"One grilled cheese." He said as he handed her a plate. "So, besides being an assassin, do you have any other interests?" He asked.

"I love to draw." She said. "Sketching is an escape. Especially when I was younger, and I'd go weeks without any contact from my father." She said and I felt bad for this poor girl who lost her mom, and than her father just gave up.

"What do you like to draw?" Jace asked her.

"Anything really." She said. "People, animals, landscape. Whatever inspires me."

"Would you draw me?" He asked and Clary laughed.

"When I first got your file, and saw your picture, the first thing I wanted to do was draw you." She said and Jace smiled.

"Maybe one day." He said.

"Maybe." She said. I grabbed Stephen by the arm and dragged him away from the kitchen. I got him into an empty hallway, and Imogen followed.

"Did you see that?" I asked. "That doesn't look like a girl who has an agenda for mass murder."

"People can be deceitful." Imogen said.

"It comes down to whether or not you trust your grandson." I said. "And until that girl gets this whole thing sorted out, she's allowed to stay here." I put my foot down and walked away. Imogen has been ruling under an iron fist since she took over The Clave, and it was about time she learned that things needed to change.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I was told that Jace had a meeting with his grandmother this morning, so I was sent to the library, and his mother was meeting me there to keep an eye on me. I was looking through the classics section, and not paying any attention to my surrounding, when I heard her laugh. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound.

"A Tale of Two Cities." She said and I nodded. "I used to read that to Jace when he was a little boy. If we got back from a mission in time for bedtime." I walked down the little ladder I was on, with the book in hand and smiled.

"What was he like as a child?" I asked curiously. "I peg him as the kind of boy who had lots of energy." I said and she laughed.

"That he was." She said as we took a seat on the chairs. "Which was one reason we started him in training so young. We thought it would be a good release. We didn't know he would love it so much." She said.

"When Jace and I first met, he said something to me about you and his dad, and I know it's the truth, but I can't imagine it blooming into what you have today." I said and she nodded. "He said you guys had an arranged marriage." I said and she nodded.

"Yes." She said. "Being an assassin is tough, as you know. It's easier to marrying someone who understands your life, because outsiders tend to freak out a little." She said and I laughed. "My parents weren't the greatest. I don't think they wanted a girl to be honest, but they had me." She said and I let out a dry laugh.

"I know the feeling." I said.

"They were in charge of Idris, the London equivalent of what The Clave is here." She said. "So, when Imogen came to Idris to discuss something with my parents, some international business, she saw me, and thought I'd make a good wife for Stephen." She said and I nodded. "My parents pawned me off the moment she asked, and I came to New York, and I haven't been back."

"How did you two do it? You didn't know a thing about each other, and you had to get married." I asked.

"You know, any relationship just has to grow." She said. "I never disliked Stephen, but I also didn't know him, and our marriage was a little strange at first, but within the first two years, we just spent all out time getting to know one another, and eventually we just fell in love." She said with the warmest smile on her face. "And after that, we decided that we wanted to have a family, and Jace came along, and it made me so grateful that Imogen came to London and asked for me. I couldn't picture my life without Jace in it, and although Imogen can be quite difficult, she does do things that are pretty selfless."

"I'll have to wait and see for that I guess." I said and she laughed.

"I had to do the same thing." She said. "I was convenient for Imogen when it came to marrying Stephen, but I'm thankful for it every single day."

"I'm sorry I almost assassinated your son." I said and she smiled at me.

"I'm thankful you didn't, and I'm thankful he brought you here." She said and I looked at her with confusion. "You two, there is something there."

"Oh – I – no – there isn't anything going on." I stuttered and she laughed.

"Would you like to know the last time I heard Jace laugh as genuinely as he was last night?" She asked and I simply nodded. "He was 13." She said and my jaw dropped. "And for the life of me I can't remember why he stopped, but it was amazing to hear it again."

"I don't want to let you down Mrs. Herondale…."

"Celine." She cut me off. "Please call me Celine. I'm not Imogen." She said and I laughed.

"Well Celine, I don't want to disappoint you, but Jace and I come from two different worlds despite the similarities." I said. "Nothing is going to happen."

"Oh sweetie." She said as she cupped my face with her one hand. "Sometimes, some of the best things in life, are those we never think are possible." The library door opened and Jace walked in with a smile on his face.

"Grandmom wants to see you mom." Jace said and Celine nodded and stood up. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "She isn't pleased, so you must have pissed her off last night." He said and she laughed.

"That woman is never pleased." She said before leaving the library. Jace made his way over and took the seat where Celine was just sitting.

"A Tale of Two Cities." He said. "One of my favorites."

"Celine said the same thing." I smiled.

"You're on a first name basis with my mother?" He asked and I nodded. "Well, she must like you."

"She very nice." I said and he smiled.

"So, what would you like to do today?" He asked.

"You mean I have liberties?" I asked in a shocked voice, but I was a little shocked.

"You aren't our prisoner Clary." He said. "We just don't want you leaving this building if someone is out there trying to kill you." He said and I nodded. "So, what would you like to do?"

"I don't know." I said honestly. "I'm not used to doing anything but training."

"Well, today you can do whatever you want." He said and I thought about it for a minute.

"I'm not allowed to leave this place right?" I asked and he got a wicked smirk on his face.

"We can sneak out." He said. "As long as I'm with you, we can do anything."

"You know I'm not a damsel in distress right?" I asked and he laughed.

"I'm aware, but I want to protect you." He said honestly.

"Why do you care?" I asked before he had the opportunity to leave the room. "I mean, before yesterday I was your target, why the sudden change?"

"I told you last night." He said. "There is this connection I felt, and that changed everything."

"That's the only answer I'm going to get isn't it?" I asked and he smiled.

"It's the truth, and I know you know that." He said and I nodded. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"I'd really like a sketchbook, and some pencils." I said as I stood up with him, and it still shocked me with how much he towered over me.

"Than let's get to an art store." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

We back to his room, and we got changed. Izzy had left some more clothes for me, which I was grateful for. This place had a lot of secret passages, which I wasn't complaining about considering there so many agents and others wondering around that walking out the front door was impossible. We made it outside, and Jace got out a motorcycle from his garage, and we mounted it and we were off. I tighten my arms around his waist, and I couldn't help but smile.

 **Sebastian POV:**

I've been canvasing the area for any trace of Clarissa. I missed her twice yesterday, and Valentine wasn't going to be happy about that. I knew she didn't leave the city, I had people making sure of that, but I didn't know where she went, so I was watching the bar, and local shops along that same street. I knew Clarissa has a hobby of drawing, so I figured watching art stores was a good place to watch.

I was wondering the area, looking for that signature bright red, and that's when I spotted her. She was walking towards the art shop, and she was keeping her head low. The guy she was with last night was with her, and they entered the shop. I followed inside, hiding in the aisles, waiting for her to be left alone.

Once I saw the man leave, I made my way over to her. She was distracted by something, so I grabbed my garrote, and stealthily walked up behind her and wrapped it around her neck. She dropped what was in her hands and started to struggle, which caused me to pull harder. It was rare to catch her off guard, but I did it, and now she was going to end. She was starting to give up when I felt a hand on my throat, shoving me away from her and against the wall.

"Big mistake." He said.

"Let go." I chocked out.

"So you can try and kill her? Again?" He asked. "You know, for someone who's job it is to kill others, you are really shit at it."

"You don't know a thing about me." I managed to get out.

"But I do." Clarissa said as she rubbed her throat. "Sebastian, I knew you hated me, but this is a low, even for you."

"I was assigned to assassinate you." I said and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"That's not possible." She said. "My father assigns the missions…"

"Exactly." I chocked out as his hand got tighter around my throat. Before I knew it, I felt a sharp pain ripped through my abdomen. I looked down to the best of my abilities and saw Clarissa removing a dagger from my side. "Bitch." I said.

"Let's take him in." She said to the guy.

"That's risky Clary." He said.

"He won't see anything." She said, and that made me curious.

"How?" He asked her. She got this glimmer in her eye. She grabbed a towel and put it over my nose and mouth. I tried my best to stay awake, but eventually I lost consciousness.

 **Jace POV:**

"So you know him?" I asked as he lay unconscious on the ground.

"He works for The Circle. He always tried to one up me, and get on my fathers good side. I guess he succeeded." She said.

"I can't believe your own father put a hit out on you." I said and she sighed.

"I guess this is what he always wanted." She said and I grabbed her hand.

"I'll call The Clave, we'll take him back, and figure this whole thing out." I said and she nodded. "In the mean time, pick something out, its on me."

"You sure?" She asked and I smiled and nodded. She went to walk away, before stopping and turning back towards me. She leaned up and pressed a kiss on my cheek. "Thank you." She walked away from me and I couldn't stop smiling. I texted my mom, and asked her to get a van here immediately, but didn't tell her anything besides that. I went to join Clary, and I got her a sketchbook, and some pencils and charcoals. By the time we were done, the van was there. The men loaded his body into the back, and Clary and I got on my bike and we made it back to The Clave, where we were greeted by an angry Imogen.

"What the hell Jonathan?" She yelled. "She wasn't to leave this building and I made that clear."

"She wanted some art supplies." I said, but that wasn't a good enough excuse apparently.

"And now we have a member of The Circle in our hospital wing." She yelled.

"He tried to kill Clary with a garrote." I said. "And Clary is the one who stabbed him. I was just chocking him."

"Who is he?" Imogen asked Clary.

"Sebastian Verlac." Clary said. "He's been with The Circle since he was 12."

"And your father trusts him?" Imogen asked.

"He trusts him enough to execute a hit on me, which he was very bad at. I mean, three attempts, and I'm still here." She said and I smiled.

"Will he prove useful?" Imogen asked.

"There is only one way to find out." Clary said and she nodded.

"Go back to your room." She said as she looked at me. "And stay there." Clary and I nodded before heading towards my room. When we got there we both took a seat on my bed and didn't say a word.

"I haven't been punished like this since I was like 6." I finally said and Clary started laughing.

"She's terrifying." She said and I nodded in agreement. "I can't imagine growing up under her thumb."

"It wasn't my favorite, but I had plenty of distractions." He said and I nodded. I picked up my new sketchbook and started sketching, I needed to distract myself, and this was the perfect way. "Plus it helped that I grew up with Alec and Izzy." He continued.

"That must have been nice. Training with people in your age level." I said and he smiled.

"It was, and they are practically my siblings." He said and at that moment, there was a knock on the door. "Come in." He said and in walked a little boy. "Max, I thought you were away with your parents."

"We just got back." The little boy said. "Something about The Clave harboring an enemy." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Do you even know what that means Max?" Jace asked the little boy.

"Not really, but mom and dad didn't seem too happy with the news." He said than his eyes fell on me. "Who is that?"

"My name is Clary." I said to him. "I'm the enemy." I said with a wink and he got into his little fighter mode.

"Stay back Jace, she's dangerous." He said and Jace laughed.

"She's not that dangerous little buddy." Jace said and I playfully punched him. "I'm keeping her out of danger."

"Can't she do it herself?" Max asked.

"Yes, but her father is the one putting hits out on her." Jace said and I sighed.

"Why would he do that?" Max asked.

"He's not a very nice man." I said honestly. "He doesn't really care about me."

"But that's what parents do. They care about you." Max said innocently.

"Not always Max." I said and he looked at me with sad eyes.

"I was instructed to come get you for dinner." Max said after a moment.

"I assumed I would be missing dinner tonight." Jace said with a laugh.

"I'm just doing my job." Max said as he held his hands up and left the room.

"You heard the little dude." Jace said as he stood up. "It's dinner time."

He reached his hand out to me and I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet. We made our way back to the kitchen where Imogen, Celine, Stephen, Izzy, Max, and another boy who I assume would be Alec, and than two other adults were standing.

"This her?" The older woman said.

"Yea." Imogen said. "Maryse, meet Clarissa Morgenstern." She said. "Clarissa, this is Maryse Lightwood."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I said and she looked at me.

"You look just like Jocelyn." She said.

"You knew my mother?" I asked.

"Quite well." Maryse said. "Her death was a tragedy."

"Do you know how she died?" I asked curiously.

"You mean you don't?" Maryse asked and I shook my head. "You father killed her. In cold blood." She said and my breath hitched. My eyes filled with tears. I looked up at Jace and than I ran. I didn't know where I was going, but I couldn't stay. I found a room, when I opened the door I was greeted by thousands of flowers. I ran into it, and found a bench and just let it all out.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary ran off, I looked at Maryse.

"You couldn't have done that in a more subtle way?" I asked.

"I wanted a genuine reaction." Maryse said. "That was as genuine as you get."

"You just told her how her mother died." I said. "She's probably been trying to figure that out for years, and you drop the bomb."

"This whole thing is very odd Jace." Maryse said. "If she was in here because her father put a hit out on her, I wanted to make sure she didn't know about it beforehand."

"I could have told you that." I said.

"You're too involved." Maryse said.

"I am not." I argued.

"Yes you are son." My dad chimed in. "You care about her. More than you're letting on."

"Everyone can see it." Izzy said. "It's not a bad thing, but your concern is for Clary, not for The Clave."

"Why can't I be concerned for both?" I asked.

"Because that splits your priority, and right now, Clary is more important to you." My mom said.

"If that's what you all believe, than I'm going to go find her." I said.

"This place is huge Jace." Izzy said. "How the hell are you going to find her?"

"Clary likes beautiful things." I said without even thinking about it. "I'll start there." I said before leaving the kitchen. I didn't think that caring about someone would ever get me kicked off a project, but I couldn't help but care. I wanted to protect Clary, and that was something I wasn't used too.

 **Clary POV:**

After I finished crying, I started walking about the garden. It was absolutely breathtaking. Everything about it screamed delicacy, and nurturing. Something that I wasn't used too. I walked up to a bushel of red roses and smelled them. The sweet smell filled my nose and I couldn't help but smile.

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." I heard and when I opened my eyes there stood Jace, holding a red rose. He handed to me and I took it from his hands.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"I took a guess." He said and I nodded. "I love this place."

"I can see why." I said. "It's beautiful."

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Absolutely devastated." I said honestly. "I was trying to figure out how she died for years."

"I figured as much." He said. "That kinda thing just doesn't get pushed under the rug."

"I can't believe my father did that. To his own wife." I said.

"Some people are just messed up." He said.

"Can you picture your father doing that to your mother? Killing her in cold blood?" I asked.

"My father is too in love to ever do that to my mom." He said with a laugh. "He acts like she hung the fucking moon or something." He said and I laughed.

"And my father ordered a hit on me." I said. "Why even get married and have a kid if you're just going to kill them off one by one?" I asked.

"I have no idea." He said. "I can't imagine doing to the person I loved or my own child. It's fucked up in more ways than one."

"And now I'm a nomad." I said. "I belong to no one. Is it weird that it feels slightly better than belonging to The Circle?" I asked and he laughed.

"You aren't a nomad. You have us." He said and I looked at him.

"Like you want to bring in a Morgenstern, and start sharing information." I said. "Imogen would never allow that."

"You haven't proven to be a spy yet. They have no reason not to trust you." He said.

"My name is more than enough." I pointed out.

"But my mom likes you." He said and I laughed. "And soon everyone else will too." At that moment, my stomach decided to growl. "How about some dinner?" He asked.

"That sounds great." I said and we both stood up. We walked back to the kitchen where everyone was still gathered.

"I'm sorry that I dropped the bomb so insensitively." Maryse said after a few moments of silence. "I wanted a genuine reaction, something that proved you weren't in Valentine's inner circle."

"I am as far out of the inner circle as you get when it comes to the workings of The Circle." I said.

"It's just very odd." Maryse said. "You're his daughter."

"Who he ordered a hit for." I pointed out. "Look, after my mom died, or was killed, my father basically left me out to dry. I rarely saw him, and when I did, it was either to be yelled at or to be assigned a mission. That's all our relationship was."

"But you're the best assassin your age. I mean, 75 kills at only 17, with only being in the field for 4 years." Maryse said. "How did you do it?"

"Being thrown aside by my father came with some perks." I said with a humorless laugh. "I trained every single day, every hour I could. I perfected every single skill I could, and didn't socialize like a lot of the other assassins. When a mission came along, my father knew I could get it done, and that's all he cared about." I explained. "So I got sent out on 5 times the missions other assassins did, and I always came back with a job excellently executed."

"Would you go back?" Imogen asked. "If you had the opportunity."

"Going back is signing my own death sentence." I said. "I never belonged there in the first place. I was simply born into the wrong family."

"That's not a straight answer." Maryse said.

"If I had the opportunity to go back to that asshole, I wouldn't do it." I said.

"Where would you go?" Celine asked. "Now that you're free?" I looked up at Jace and he gave me a smile. I knew he wanted me to stay, but I also didn't feel like I belonged here either.

"Honestly, I'm not sure." I said. "In two days I turn 18, and I'm officially an adult." I explained. "I might just take some time and lay low. Fake my own death, make my father believe I'm no longer a threat, and hopefully he moves on." I finished and they all looked a little stunned.

"But you're only 17." Celine said.

"I grew up fast." I said. "I knew how to cook when I was 12, and I learned how to drive when I was 14. I've been taking care of myself for as long as I can remember. I think I'll be just fine on my own for some time."

"Clary." Jace said but I shook my head.

"I know what you're going to say." I cut him off. "But I don't belong here either." I said as I turned to face him. "Maybe this is the end of my life as an assassin. Maybe this is the start of my new life. A free life." I said as I smiled at him, albeit a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. "I'll be okay."

"When will you leave?" Maryse asked, well that didn't take long.

"Before Sebastian is healed." I said. "I don't want him to know about me, and I certainly don't want him following me." I said as I turned to Celine and Imogen. "Thank you, for taking me in even when you didn't trust me." I said and Celine smiled at me. "It meant the world to me, and I'll never be able to repay you for your hospitality, no matter how forced it was."

"Take care of yourself out there sweetie." Celine said as she walked over and gave me a hug. "If you can, let us know how you're doing."

"We'll see." I said and she smiled.

"I was just starting to come around to the idea of having another girl around here." Izzy said and I turned towards her. "It would have been nice."

"Take pride in being the only girl." I said. "It means you're a total badass with some seriously insane skills." She laughed and walked over and gave me a hug, which caught me by surprise, but I liked it. "Thank you for lending me the clothes. I appreciate it, even though it wasn't really my style." I said and she laughed.

"No problem." She said. "Keep em, as a reminder of us here."

"I couldn't forget you even if I tried." I said and she smiled. Than I turned towards Jace. "We may have been each others targets, but I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. Including saving my life three times." I said with a laugh.

"You don't have to leave Clary." He said.

"Yes I do." I said. "I'm never going to be trusted here, and I don't want to live somewhere that I'm not wanted, or where I'm constantly looking over my shoulder. I've been there, and it's not fun."

"Clary." He said but I put my hand over his mouth to shut him up.

"I'll never forget the kindness you showed towards me Jace." I said. "I'll forever be indebted to you, and hopefully one day, I can make it up to you." I leaned up and pressed my lips to his cheek before leaving the room to grab my things and make my escape.

 **Jace POV:**

After Clary left the room it was radio silent. I have to admit, I didn't expect her to leave. I thought she'd hide out here for a little, and than we'd figure out a plan to get back at Valentine, and than she'd be free. It never crossed my mind that she would leave, and now that she was, I felt a void in my life, and I hated it.

"I didn't expect her to leave." Imogen said.

"You heard her." I said. "She didn't feel wanted here, can't imagine why."

"I understand why she did." My mom said and I looked at her. "I know the feeling of being unwanted by your family, and feeling like you don't belong. I've been there. It sucks." She said. "I got my out when Imogen came and asked me to marry her son, Clary's only out is to disappear. She wants a free life, and shacking up in here until we do something about her father isn't living."

"But she's safe here. I can protect her here." I said without thinking.

"I know it's tough to let her go." My mom said. "But it's what she wants, and maybe in the future when she comes back, or if she comes back, you get the opportunity to do something about these feelings." She said and I sighed. "But don't make her stay for you selfish wants and needs. She needs to do this, and you need to be big enough to let her go." I knew my mother was right, but that didn't mean I liked it.

"I'm not hungry anymore." I said. "I'll be in my room." They all nodded and I left and headed towards my room. When I opened the door, Clary was already gone. I sighed and made my way over to my bed, when I saw a piece of paper folded on my bed. I opened it up and it was a rough sketch of myself, with a little note.

 _Dear Jace,_

 _I know you want me to stay, and as much as I would love to stay and be apart of something, I just can't do that right now. I need to do this, and I hope you understand. If I can, I'll let you know how I'm doing, but don't get your hopes up. I can't risk my father finding out where I am. Please know this Jace, our time together was something I treasured, and I hope you did as well. It seemed only fitting that I return that game of two truths and a lie for you:_

 _1\. I have a tattoo on my left hip of a rune – truth (my mom used to call me her angel, so when I was 15 I got an angelic rune there so that she was always a part of me)_

 _2\. I'm scared to death of dying – truth (You saving my life meant more to me than I can possibly explain)_

 _3\. I'm not going to miss you – lie (I'm going to miss you more than I thought was humanly possible)_

 _Yours truly,_

 _Clary._

The picture of me was amazing, and I laid back on my bed and just thought about how much I was going to miss this beautiful redheaded girl, who started off as a simple mission, and who stole my heart faster than anyone ever has before. Her being gone was going to kill me, and I wasn't ready for it.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Come on Jace, it's your 21st birthday, and Alec is bringing Magnus along. It's going to be a blast." Izzy said.

"I'm not in the mood to celebrate Iz." I said for the 90th time.

"You're not in the mood to do anything but sulk." She said. "I get that you're sad, but it's been six months. You need to live a little."

"I haven't heard from her." I said almost desperately. "If I just got something that told me she was okay, I'd be a little less depressed."

"You said it yourself, she didn't want you to get your hopes up about her contacting you. If it isn't safe for her to do it, she's not going to do it." Izzy said.

"Logically I know that." I said. "I know that she needs to keep a low profile, but that doesn't make it suck any less."

"You're in love with her, aren't you?" She asked and I looked at her.

"I have strong feelings for her, yes." I said.

"Its not a crime to be in love Jace." Izzy said.

"It's not that." I said. "I just – I've never felt like this before. I've never been…in love before. I don't want to jinx it."

"And when you see her again, you'll feel it again." She said. "Come on, we're going to that really shitty bar you like so much." She said and I sighed again. "What?"

"That's the bar I first met Clary at." I said. "I haven't been back since."

"Well, it's time to face a fear than." She said. "Be ready in 5 minutes." She said before leaving my room. I got up and got dressed since I knew I wasn't winning this battle.

We got to the bar and it was pretty crowded. Izzy went to meet Alec and Magnus at the table, and I was getting our drinks. When I got to the bar, the same bartender from all those months ago was there, and the minute she saw me, she smiled.

"Well, look who we have here." She said. "What can I get you handsome?"

"One rum and coke, and a martini. With extra olives." I said and she nodded.

"Haven't seen you around lately. I even saw that redhead before you." She said and that grabbed my attention.

"You saw Clary?" I asked.

"Yea. About six months ago." She said. She reached under the bar and pulled out an envelope. "She told me to give you this the next time you came in." She said and I took the envelope. "Have a great night." She said and I grabbed the drinks and went to find Izzy. When I got to the table, I put our drinks down and just looked at the envelope.

"What's that?" Izzy asked.

"Apparently Clary came here and asked the bartender to give this to me the next time she saw me." I said.

"Well, what's it say?" Izzy asked.

"I haven't read it yet." I said honestly. She snatched it out of my hands and opened it.

 _Dear Jace,_

 _Happy Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Birthday, and whatever other holidays you celebrate. I have no idea when you're going to go back to the Hunters Moon, but I had to at least give it a shot. I figured out where I'm going, but I'm not going to give you any specifics. I'm not staying in the country, that would be stupid. I think I'll try my luck over in Europe first, but who knows where I'll end up. I hope you're doing well, and that everyone at the Institute is figuring out what to do with Sebastian and my father. Nail their asses to the wall if you have too, I've given up caring about the only family I have left. I hope you're happy Jace, and I hope you're out there living because it's a precious gift, and you should never take it for granted._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Clary._

When Izzy finished reading it I had a small smile on my face. She reached over and put her hand over top of mine.

"See Jace, she wants you to live as well." She said.

"I know, and I think that's exactly what I needed to get me out of this slump." I said and she smiled.

"Well, here's to you Jace. Happy birthday, lets get wasted!" She said and we all clinked glasses. I couldn't help but smile as we sat there and talked about everything and anything. Thankfully Alec told Magnus about our line or work, and although he was slightly freaked out at first, he realized that he'd rather have Alec in his life, than not, and it made it a lot easier to hang out with him and not worrying about letting it slip. The past six months have been hard, but I was thankful to have friends like Alec and Izzy to pull me out of that slump.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"We're sending all three of you on a mission together." Imogen said.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"This target is a little more complex than our average." Imogen explained.

"How so?" Alec asked.

"She has a thing for boys with black hair, and blue eyes." She said as she looked at Alec. "That's her only type."

"So why send Izzy and I along?" I asked.

"Because she will admire Izzy's beauty, and instantly want her to be her friend. She thrives off of people who notice her and her entourage." Imogen said.

"That still doesn't explain me." I said.

"You have similar features to her brother." Imogen said. "Same height, same build, and same hair color. You'll need to wear colored contacts to make your eyes green, but that's an easy fix." She said. "You three all have something that she wants. And you're going to give it to her."

"What's out time limit?" Izzy asked.

"You have two weeks to compete this mission." She said. "That's all." We grabbed the file and walked out of her office.

"I have to act straight." Alec said and we all laughed.

"Nothing you aren't used too." Izzy mocked and Alec glared at her.

"Camille Belcourt." I read the name. "I hope you're ready to die." I said under my breath as I continued to read her file. She has been a very naughty girl, and I hope that this mission doesn't need the two weeks we're given.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"It was a pleasure meeting you three, and Isabelle, we must get together and go shopping together." Camille said, and Izzy smiled.

"Absolutely. I can't wait." Izzy said, but those who knew Izzy, knew that was her fake voice.

"See you later Blue Eyes." She winked at Alec, and she smiled back at her. "Jace." She said before walking away. We let her get a safe distance before we all got out of there.

"Who knew there was a woman out there who was no affected by Jace's charm." Izzy said and we all laughed.

"I'm not her type." I said. "Can't please everyone."

"Mark this date down in history ladies and gentleman! Jace finally admitted not everyone woman is going to like him!" Alec cheered and I punched his arm.

"Knock it off." Izzy said. "I think it's refreshing that you're the one who has to do the flirting. Considering Jace has really lost his game since meeting Clary." She said and just hearing her name hurt my heart, but I've lasted a year, and as much as it sucked, I was trying to stay optimistic, and continue living life, just like Clary would have wanted.

"I could still attract women if I wanted too." I said. "I just don't have the desire anymore."

"Because you're a one woman man now." Izzy said and we all laughed.

We got back to the Institute, and were walking through the hallway going to debrief Imogen on our contact that was made today. Her office door was slightly opened, and I just took that as a sign that we could walk right in. the minute I opened the door, I saw familiar vibrant red hair sitting in a chair. Imogen and Clary stopped talking and she turned around and her greens eyes locked with mine.

"Clary." I said and she smiled at me.

"Hi." She simply said, and just hearing her voice made me want to break out in to a song and dance.

"Your hair's longer." I said, and I could have just kicked myself for how stupid that sounded. She smiled and looked down at it.

"Yea, it is." She said.

"Okaaaaaay" Imogen said. "Isabelle, Alexander, why don't you two debrief me while these two take a walk." Imogen said. I looked at Alec and Izzy, who were both smiling. I looked back at Clary, who was now standing and we both walked out of the office. The walk was silent, and I totally forgot how short she was. I knew exactly where we were going, and when we got to the garden doors, I opened them and we walked in.

"I forgot how beautiful this place was." She finally said.

"I forgot how beautiful you were." I said automatically and she turned around. "Actually that was a lie. I could never forget how beautiful you are." I said and she blushed. "What are you doing here?" I asked after a moment.

"It's a long story." She said.

"I have time." I said and she laughed, and damn was it good to hear her laugh.

"My father found me in Bangkok about 4 months ago." She said. "I went deep underground and tried to wait him out, but he's a patient man." She explained. "Eventually I knew that I was going to have to face him, and when the time came, only one of us was walking out of there alive."

"You killed him?" I asked astonished.

"I had no choice." She said. "He wanted me dead, and I didn't want to die."

"What happened after that?" I asked.

"I went back into hiding. I knew I was a target for his loyal followers. Thankfully Sebastian is no longer a treat other wise I probably would have had a high price on my head." She said and I nodded. Sebastian died shortly after his stay here with us.

"What made you come out of hiding?" I asked.

"After I decided to go to New Zealand." She said.

"Why there?" I asked.

"It's somewhere I've never been, and I've always been a fan of Lord of the Rings." She said and that kinda surprised me.

"Really?" I asked and she laughed.

"Me and Middle Earth go way back." She said and I couldn't help but smile. "So after about a month there, I decided to test my luck in the States." She said and I nodded. "I started in Hawaii, and I just inched my way back to New York."

"That doesn't explain why you're here." I asked.

"Hodge found me." She said. "He told me the truth about The Circle. How we strayed from our original mission, how Valentine was being watched closely, and it was only a matter of time before the whole organization was shut down." She said.

"And that ended with you in Imogen's office?" I asked.

"I didn't have any other place to go." She said. "After I talked to Hodge, he went into hiding. The rest of The Circle was arrested, or whatever, and according to the files, Clarissa Morgenstern is dead."

"How did that happen?" I asked.

"Hodge." She said. "He told me I had no business getting mixed up in that situation. So he stamped out my file, and I no longer exist."

"Holy shit." I said and she nodded. "You never called. Or wrote." I said after a moment.

"I know." She said. "I didn't know what to say, and after a few months I figured you just moved on and forgot about me."

"I could never forget about you Clary." I said honestly. "No matter how long it's been, you will always be on my mind." I said and she nodded.

"How have you been?" She asked.

"I've been good. We're currently on a mission, so things are pretty normal around here."

"Normalcy." She said. "I'd kill for normalcy again."

"You can have that Clary." I said and she looked at me. "Stay here with us. Join our cause."

"Jace." She said, but I wasn't letting her go this time.

"Whatever you are about to say Clary, save it." I said and she looked at me. "You left. For a year. And I accepted that, but this time, I'm not letting you leave."

"Why do you care so much Jace?" She asked. "You have everything here, why does it matter if I stay or not?"

"Because I'm in love with you." I said and her jaw dropped. "And I have been for a long time. You leaving was hard, and every month that passed was hard. I don't want to do that again. I want you here, and I want to explore whatever is between us."

"You're serious?" She asked and I smiled.

"More serious than I've ever been." I said and she smiled. I took a chance and leaned down and pressed my lips to hers. I had dreamed of what it would be like to kiss her, but this exceeded my expectations beyond belief. When we broke apart, I couldn't help but smile and neither could she.

"I still don't want to be a burden." She said.

"We'll go talk to my parents and Imogen. We'll get everything sorted out." I said and she simply nodded. I reached my hand out and she took it, and I lead her out of the garden. When we got back to Imogen's office I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard and when I opened the door, Imogen and my parents were in there. "Is everything okay?" Imogen asked.

"Everything is good." I said as I walked Clary in.

"Clary." My mom said as she walked over and gave her a hug. "When did you get back?"

"Today." She said. "I didn't have anywhere else to go, so I decided to test my luck with Imogen." She said and my mom smiled.

"It's wonderful to have you back." She said and Clary smiled.

"It's nice to be back, and not on the run or hiding." Clary said with a laugh.

"I can't even imagine the year you've had." My mom said.

"It wasn't the greatest, but it could have been worse." Clary admitted and my mom nodded.

"Would you like some dinner? I was just about to make something." My mom said.

"Dinner sounds great." Clary said and my mom smiled before practically skipping out of the room. My dad followed after and that left us with Imogen.

"I take it you're going to be staying for a little while." Imogen said.

"If that's okay with you." Clary said. "I could find somewhere else to stay."

"Don't be silly." Imogen said. "You're more than welcome to stay here." She said with a smile.

"Thank you." Clary said. "I appreciate your hospitality."

"Of course. Take your time settling in, and just relaxing for as long as you need." Imogen said and Clary smiled. I took her hand and lead her out of her office and back to my room. When I opened the door Clary walked in and sat right on my bed, and everything felt in order.

"We have spare bedrooms if you want to stay in one of those." I said. "I'm not going to make you stay in this room like you had to before."

"I'd kinda like to stay in here." She said hesitantly. "I've been alone for a year. I kinda want a roommate again." She laughed and I smiled.

"My room is your room than." I said and she smiled.

The rest of the day went by pretty normally. We all had dinner together, and everyone got to know a little more about Clary, and I just couldn't keep my eyes off her. I was incredibly happy that she was back and that she was going to be staying here for however long she planned. Things felt like they were starting to fall into place, and I couldn't wait to see where the future took us.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Be careful out there." Jace told me for the 100th time.

"Aren't I always?" I asked and he smiled.

"I hate that I'm not going with you." He said and I took his hands in mine.

"This is a solo mission for a reason." I said. "Plus, you'll be looking out. I'll be fine."

"But I always feel better when I'm next to you." Jace said and I couldn't get over how sweet he was.

"I doubt I would be able to lure my target if my boyfriend was attached to my hip." I said and he laughed.

"Which brings me to another point. Give me some clue as to when you have to be touchy and flirty. Just so I'm prepared." He said and I laughed.

"I'll cough." I said.

"Deal." He said before he kissed me. "I love you. Stay safe."

"I love you too." I said before I grabbed my bag and headed out. It was an amazing feeling to be apart of something that was doing some good in the world. I didn't have to give up who I was, but I also was doing something good for society, and I got to do it with Jace, which just made it so much more rewarding.

 **Time Jump – Eight Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Things have been so incredibly extraordinary in the last 8 years. When Clary was 23 we decided to get married. Since our line of work came with unknown outcomes, we didn't want to prolong it. And when Clary was 26, she gave me the three greatest gifts that I have ever received.

Finding out Clary was pregnant was one thing, but finding out she was pregnant with triplets was another level of shock. My mom and Izzy and even Imogen were freaking out about it for her entire pregnancy. And when we finally found out the genders of the babies, it just elevated the excitement. Three girls. I was going to be the father of three daughters, and from the moment I laid eyes on them, I knew I would do anything in the world to protect them.

They just recently turned 4, and Izzy threw them a huge party. They had a blast. She rented a pony, and a moon bounce, and a cotton candy machine. Needless to say they were hyped on sugar that resulted in a huge crash at the end of the night. They slept through the night, and into the late morning after that, and Izzy has been banned from planning any future parties.

Faelyn, Quinn, and Vienna were the most precious children you'd ever meet. All three of them had strawberry blonde hair, and golden eyes with specks of green throughout them. I could already tell that they were going to get Clary's height, considering the doctor already said they were behind in that area, but I didn't mind. They were healthy, and that's all I cared about.

For being triplets, they were pretty different, but that just added to their character. Faelyn was fearless. She is always the first of the three to try something new. She started walking first, she started talking first, and she always made sure everything was safe before either of her sisters got involved. For a four year old, she was very protective. Quinn was pretty quiet. She wasn't very adventurous, but that was okay. She got the upper hand of the other two when it came to reading. She picked up a book one day, and started reading it to Clary, and to this day, you can't find her without a book in her hand or tucked under her arm. She didn't need to be constantly entertained like the other two, which was nice. You stick her on a couch, or a blanket, give her a book, or a coloring book and she was taken care of. Vienna was a combination of the two. She was always up for an adventure, but she was also content hanging back and relaxing. She was a nice bridge between Quinn and Faelyn. It was like she tied the three together, and it didn't matter if Faelyn wanted to go swimming, or Quinn wanted to sit down and read, she was always game to do either of those things, as long as she was with her sisters. Vienna also had the ability to pull Quinn out of her comfort zone, and get Faelyn to calm down when need be. They were perfect, and Clary and I couldn't believe we got to lucky with the three of them.

It had been a long week. Clary and I were on a mission and it took longer than expected, but we were finally getting back to the Institute, and we couldn't wait to see the girls. Although my mom did enjoy her time with the three, and she absolutely loved being a grandma. We were walking through the Institute and I had my arm around Clary's shoulders. It was around their bedtime, so we were hoping that we got a chance to see them before they were asleep. I saw light from the bottom of their door, and when I opened it, they were all sitting on the bed listening to my mom talk. The minute they heard movement, their attention shifted, and they were off the bed in a heartbeat.

"Mommy!" Faelyn cheered.

"Daddy!" Vienna said at the same time. They tan into us, and Clary picked up Faelyn and I grabbed Vienna and Quinn.

"We missed you so much." Clary said as she kissed Faelyn.

"We missed you too." Vienna said.

"It was a long week." Quinn finally said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Did you have fun with Grandma?" Clary asked.

"Yes!" They all cheered together.

"Good." I said. "But it's late, and it's time for you three to get to bed." I said as I walked them over to the bed. "Thanks for watching them mom."

"It was no problem sweetie. You know how much I love watching my grandbabies." She said as she gave Clary and I a kiss. "Goodnight my sweet angels."

"Goodnight grandma." They said in unison. She gave them all a kiss before leaving the room.

"Daddy." Faelyn said.

"Yes baby?" I answered.

"Can you tell us a story?" She asked.

"What kind of story?" I asked.

"How you and mommy met." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"Okay." I said as we tucked them in. I got situated at the bottom of the bed, and Clary sat next to me. "Well, as you know, mommy and daddy have a dangerous job." I started and they nodded. "And at one point mommy and I were on opposite sides." I explained. "So, we were each assigned a mission."

"We were each others targets." Clary said. "Do you know what that means?" She asked.

"It means you were hunting each other." Quinn said.

"That's exactly what it means." I said. I knew they were only four, but this was apart of their life, and we weren't going to lie to them about what we did. "My plan was to get to know your mommy, and make her fall in love with me." I said and the girls giggled.

"And my plan was to ignore every attempt he threw at me so that he would get so frustrated that he let his guard down." Clary said.

"What happened?" Vienna asked.

"My father decided that he didn't want me around anymore." Clary said. "So he had one of his men put a hit on me. Do you know what that is?" Clary asked.

"It means they wanted to kill you." Quinn answered again.

"Exactly, and daddy ended up saving my life. Three different times." Clary said as she smiled at me, and I leaned forward and kissed her, which caused the girls to giggle again.

"That's pretty much the whole story." I said.

"That's it?" Faelyn asked and Clary and I laughed.

"Not every story is a long and complicated one sweetheart." Clary said.

"I know." She said and I leaned up and kissed her head.

"We love you all so much." I said and they all smiled.

"We love you too daddy." Quinn said.

"Group hug." I said and the girls tackled me and I pulled Clary into it and they were all laughing and I couldn't believe that this was my life. Once the girls were tucked in and yawning, and barely keeping their eyes open, we shut the light out and made our way to our bedroom. The minute we landed on the bed, the exhaustion hit.

"I love you Jace." Clary murmured, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too Clary." I said as I kissed her forehead. Her breathing evened out shortly after and I couldn't help but laugh. I got ready for bed and pulled the covers over my body and was about to turn off the light when the door opened. I looked over and there stood the girls. "What's wrong?"

"We missed you." Faelyn said.

"And it's raining." Vienna said and that's when I heard the rain.

"Can we sleep with you?" Quinn asked getting to the point.

"Absolutely." I said. They all ran to the bed and got comfortable. Clary shifted slightly as Faelyn cuddled into her arms. Quinn cuddled into mine and Vienna got settled in the middle of us. Their breathing evened out and I shut off the lights. "Goodnight my little assassins." I said barely a whisper, not expecting an answer.

"I'm not little." Clary said in a groggy voice and I just laughed and closed my eyes surrounded by the best ladies in the world.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so many of you requested a one shot about assassins, and I got inspired a couple days ago, and this one took me some time, but I finally finished it, and I have to say, I really enjoy this one shot! It kinda went in it's own direction, but I like where it ended, and I hope you all do too! I know it's been a while since I updated, but I promise, I'm trying my best! And since it's been so long, this one shot is over 16,000 words, so I hope that makes up for my small hiatus! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! :)**


	111. Chapter 110 - Chef

**One Hundred and Ten Story:**

 **Chef**

 **Jace POV:**

It was that time of the year again where I go back home and spend the next 6 months with my parents. When my father decided to expand the company over in America, I was the only one he trusted to run it, and at first I didn't want to leave. I loved England and I loved working for my father and being close to my family, and my friends, but the opportunity to run a company, to show my father that the business would be in good hands when he decided to retire was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up.

But I spent 6 months here to help my parents and my grandparents out. I still ran the company in New York, but I trusted my VP to act in my absence, and he was truly fantastic and one of my best friends. I trusted that he would keep everything in order while I was gone, and he hadn't disappointed me yet, so I always felt comfortable spending 6 months in England to catch up with my parents and old friends.

I just landed, and it was nearly dinnertime. I didn't tell my parents when my flight landed, so I was planning on surprising them during the meal. My mom would probably scream and than hit me for not telling her I was coming, but I loved surprising her because she just had the most genuine reactions, and they were too good to pass up.

I got out of the car and grabbed my stuff. Although we had a fully functioning staff that were paid to park my car and carry my luggage, I wasn't incapable, and I wasn't going to inconvenience them to grabbed a couple bags from my trunk. I made my way into the house where I left my luggage at the bottom of the stairs. I would deal with that later, I just wanted to see my family first.

I walked into the dinning room where they were all sitting. I opened the door and my mom saw me first and her eyes went wide. It took her a minute to realize that I was there before she got up and ran over to hug me.

"What are you doing here?" She asked and I laughed.

"It's the start of my 6 month stay at the Herondale Manor, don't tell me you forgot?" I said with a laugh.

"I didn't, you just normally tell us when you're coming so we can be ready." She said and I smiled.

"I wanted to surprise you. You know I can't resist your reactions." I said and she playfully slapped me. "How is everything?" I asked.

"Everything is great." My mom supposed. "Quite boring actually."

"Nothing is ever boring in the Herondale house." I laughed and she smiled.

"Things change." She said and I nodded. "Come, join us for dinner." She pulled out a chair and I sat down. "Clary dear!" My mom called, and I was confused because I've never heard that name before. The kitchen doors opened and out walked the most beautiful redhead I've ever seen.

"Yes Mrs. Herondale?" She asked.

"Can you please make a plate for our son?" She gestured towards me. I looked over and our eyes locked. Her emerald green eyes locked into mine and something in me flipped.

"Absolutely Mrs. Herondale." She said.

"How many times have I told you to call me Celine?" My mom laughed and so did Clary.

"I'll try my best." She said before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Who was that?" I asked once she was gone.

"That was Clary. Our new chef." My mom said.

"What happened to Abigail?" I asked.

"She had a baby a couple months ago, and wanted to focus on being a mom." She said. "Clary is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, and has 4 years of working in a professional kitchen under her belt." My mom said and I had to admit, I was impressed. "She applied for the job, and your father and I were so impressed we didn't even look at another applicant after her resume got to us. She's been here for almost 4 months now."

"She doesn't sound like she's from England." I said and my mom nodded.

"She's originally from America." She said.

"Where in America?" I asked.

"New York." My mom answered. "She wanted to be the best in the culinary field so she packed her bags and came here to got to Le Cordon Bleu, and as you see, she's excelled."

"Impressive." I said and in that moment Clary walked out of the kitchen with a plate of food. She placed it in front of me and I smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. If you need anything else, I'll be in the kitchen." She said before disappearing again.

"I wonder how her family is handling her being across the ocean." I said and my mom shrugged.

"We don't talk about personal things." She said. "But I imagine it's the exact same way I feel about you being across the ocean." She smiled and I smiled back.

"Which is why I spend 6 months out of the year here." I said and she put her hand over mind and gave it a light squeeze. Coming home this time around was going to be much more enjoyable with Clary here. I've only spoken to her once, but I already knew that she was different, and I planned on spending these 6 months getting to know all about her.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

Since I was a live in chef, when I couldn't sleep, I went to the kitchen and made whatever desserts that I could. It was something that was always able to calm me down, even in the toughest of times, baking and cooking was always an escape and to this day, I always used to is a distresser, and it worked wonders.

I was in the middle of making brownies when I heard the kitchen door open. I turned around and there stood the man from earlier. I knew Celine and Stephen had a son, but I only saw some old photos of him. Seeing him in person was a whole different story. For one he was taller, and far more beautiful than the pictures show.

"Hi." I said and he smiled.

"Hi." He said back. "What are you doing awake at this hour?" He asked.

"Couldn't sleep." I said. "Baking normally tires me out plus I get a good snack out of it." I said and he laughed.

"What are you making tonight?" He asked.

"Brownies." I said.

"Sounds great." He said and I pushed the bowl over to him. "You're giving me the batter?" He asked and I nodded. "You know the way to my heart." He said and my hearted fluttered. I started to scrap the batter off the sides of the bowl with his finger, and every time he put his finger in his mouth to lick it off, something in me twisted and turned at the movement.

"What are you doing awake?" I finally asked.

"It's currently 6 pm back in New York, and my VP called with a problem and I couldn't go back to sleep. I thought maybe some tea or something would help." He said.

"You live in New York?" I asked a little surprised.

"I do. I run the office there." He said. "My mom tells me you're from New York." He said and I nod.

"I haven't been back there since I was 18." I said honestly.

"Why not?" He asked and I really didn't want to talk about it.

"I made a life for myself here, and New York really doesn't have anything for me anymore." I said trying to be vague.

"What about your family?" He asked and sighed.

"I don't have any family." I said and that same second the timer went off for the brownies. I grabbed the from the over and set them on the counter. I cut two brownies out and put them in a plate. I slid the one plate of to him and smiled. "I'm going to get to bed. It was nice meeting you….?" I questioned realizing I didn't remember his name.

"Jace." He said. "My parents call me Jonathan, but I never liked my first name." He said and I nodded.

"Goodnight Jace." I said before exiting the kitchen before he could ask any questions. He was going to be here for 6 months, and I had a feeling a lot was going to happen in the next 6 months.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary was a tough nut to crack. She was really guarded, and I didn't know why. It sounded like she was a little sad most of the time, especially when family was mentioned. I've been going down to the kitchen often to see if she was there. It was either a hit or miss, but the nights that she was there, we would sit there for hours talking about random things. But they weren't surface scratching topics. I didn't know that much about Clary if I was being completely honest but I wanted to change that.

Clary had Thursday nights off because it was date night for my parents and my grandparents. So I was going to talk to my mom and ask her if I was allowed to take Clary out. I'm 30 years old, but I didn't want to step on any toes or piss my parents off by doing something behind their backs, and I also wanted to get some advice about Clary. She's known her longer than I have, and I think getting her opinion would be helpful. I knocked on her office door and I heard a faint come in. I opened the door and my mom smiled at me.

"What can I do for you?" She asked.

"I want to ask you something but I don't want you to freak out." I said as I took a seat.

"Oh god." She said and I laughed.

"It's nothing bad." I promised her. "It's just, tonight is Thursday, and it's Clary's night off, and I was wondering if I could take her out."

"On a date?" She questioned.

"Yes." I said truthfully.

"You two have been getting close haven't you?" She asked.

"We have, but it's still at the surface level." I explained. "Clary is very good at not divulging any personal information about herself." I said. "I don't even know her favorite color."

"Why did you ask for my permission? You're an adult and so is Clary." My mom said.

"I guess I just didn't want to step on you or dads toes. She is your employee after all." I said and she nodded.

"I don't have a problem with it." She said and I smiled. "But if she starts slacking on her work, than we have a problem."

"Do you really think Clary is the type of person to let her work suffer?" I asked and my mom laughed.

"No. She's very good at her job." She said and I smiled and nodded.

"Thanks mom." I said.

"Is there anything else?" She asked.

"I was just wondering. Do you know anything about Clary?" I asked. "Like personally."

"Not really sweetheart." She said honestly. "We don't really spend time getting to know each other. She's a lovely girl, but I know what her resume told me."

"I was just curious." I said as I stood. "Thanks mom."

"Have a good time tonight." She said.

"You too." I said before closing the door behind me. Now all I had to do was ask Clary.

 **Clary POV:**

Since it was my night off, I was spending my time in the library reading. A huge up side with being a personal chef for a wealthy family was the library. I mean, not every wealthy family has a library, but the Herondale's did, and it was spectacular. I mean, there was every book you could ever dream about here, and I spent every free moment I had in here reading whatever I could find.

When I heard the door open I didn't think anything of it. Some of the staff use this place as a quiet get away, and I didn't blame them since I did the same thing. But what I wasn't expecting was Jace to sit down next to me. I closed my book and sat up a little straighter.

"What do I owe this pleasure?" I asked and he smiled.

"I'm taking you out tonight." He said and my eyes widened.

"Why?" I asked.

"It's your night off, and I thought you could use a little fun." He said and I thought about it for a moment.

"I guess I'm a little over due on having fun." I admitted and he smiled.

"Great." He stood up and smiled. "Be ready by 5."

"What should I wear?" I asked.

"Something casual." He said and I nodded. "I'll see you later." I nodded and he disappeared from the library. I didn't know what to expect, but I was kind of excited.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I was making my way up to Clary's room to get her for the date tonight. It's been a little while since I've actually planned a date for anyone, but I was pretty confident that she was going to enjoy herself, and hopefully let some of those walls down, and I could finally get to know the real her. I got to her door and knocked, and a few moments later the door opened revealing Clary.

"Am I dressed appropriately?" She asked and I smiled.

"You look great." I said. "So are you ready for tonight?" I asked as we made our way downstairs.

"I'm a little nervous to tell you the truth." She said.

"Why is that?" I pondered.

"I'm not the biggest fans of surprises, and it's been a while since I've done anything but work." She admitted.

"Why is that?" I probed, hoping for a glimpse into her life.

"Being a chef, you have to work crazy hours. Before I got the job for your family, I was lucky if I had enough time to shower let along go out and enjoy myself." She laughed.

"Well tonight is all about having fun and letting go." I said as I opened the car door for her. I got into the drivers side, and I started us on to our destination.

When we finally pulled up to the park where I set everything up earlier today. She got out of the car, and I reached for her hand to guide her in the right direction, and it was crazy how her small hand, fit so perfectly in my large one. When we got to the picnic I heard her laugh a little. I turned towards her and she had the biggest smile on her face.

"When did you have the time to set all this up?" She asked as we took our seats.

"After I asked you I got everything I needed ready." I said.

"You mean when you told me." She said. "There wasn't a question about it." I laughed and so did she.

"I guess I should have asked. Given you a choice if you wanted to come or not." I admitted.

"I would have said yes anyway." She told me and I couldn't help but smile.

"Now, I'm no chef." I said as I winked at her, which caused her to blush. "But I make a mean grilled cheese." I handed her the sandwich. "So, what made you want to become a chef?" I asked.

"I was always doing the cooking in the house when I was young." She said with a sigh. "My parents, well, lets just say they weren't really involved with my life. If I wanted to eat, I had to cook, if I wanted to get somewhere I had to walk, if I wanted to something from them I had to wait for the perfect moment in order to get it." She explained.

"And when was that perfect moment?" I asked hesitantly.

"Normally after they got high." She said and my heart broke for her. "I remember for my 8th birthday I really wanted to have a sleepover with my friends, and I knew I couldn't have it at my house, so I asked if I could spend the night with my friend." She said. "Her mom offered her house for my sleepover knowing that my parents weren't really attentive." She explained. "So I waited until my mom shot up with heroin, and I waited until my dad snorted the cocaine off the table and I asked. Once they said yes, I grabbed my things and walked to my friends house for my own sleepover." She said with a laugh, but there was no amusement in it whatsoever.

"I can't even fathom that." I said honestly. "Was it always like that?" I asked.

"That's all I knew." She said. "I knew they tried to get clean when I was little, but I was 4 when they just fell off the wagon again. They left me in a Target once because they were shopping while high, and totally forgot they had a kid."

"That's insane." I said.

"When I finally left to attend culinary school, I wanted to be as far away as possible." She admitted. "I just wanted to be independent without them looming over my head." She sighed. "Without the possibility of me walking in on their corpse or while they were getting high. Throughout high school I always thought when I was called down to the office that I was going to be informed that they overdosed or something."

"That's no way to live." I said and she nodded.

"But it was all I ever knew." She said.

"Have you talked to them recently?" I asked and a sad smiled appeared on her lips.

"My dad is in jail, has been for the past 8 years, and my mom overdosed a little over 9 years ago and died." She said and my heart truly went out to this girl. "It was only a matter of time really."

"If it's not too personal, why is your father in jail?" I asked.

"My mom died because the heroin she was sold was a bad batch. My father went after their dealer and killed him." She said and my jaw dropped. "He's doing a life sentence without the possibility of parole."

"Damn." I said and she nodded.

"Yea. You can imagine the phone call I got." She said. "I was in my first year of culinary school and I was just delivered punch after punch."

"I'm so sorry Clary." I said and she shrugged.

"It was a long time ago." She said. "I think last year I finally put it to rest. I'm 28 years old. I can't carry around all that guilt and resentment forever." I nodded because I just couldn't believe everything she's been through. "So, what about you?" She asked.

"What about me?" I asked and she laughed.

"What was life growing up like for you?" She enquired.

"Pretty luxurious if I'm being completely honest." I said and she laughed. "I spent a lot of time with my parents and my grandparents. I went to boarding school, and played any sport I wanted too. I spent the summers at our vacation home in Italy, and I spent the holidays in our Vacation home in Iceland." I said and her jaw was on the ground. "I got into Oxford, and I took over the business for my father in America. I've been extremely lucky in life, and I have no complaints."

"Sounds incredible." She said with amazement in her voice.

"I had an amazing childhood, and I can't wait until the day I get to do the same for my kids." I honestly said.

"You think about children often?" She asked.

"Pretty often." I admitted. "I'm 30 years old. I'm not getting any younger, and I have everything, but a partner, and a family of my own. I always knew I wanted one, but finding the right woman to start that with has been difficult."

"Having trouble weeding out the gold diggers?" She laughed and I smiled.

"How did you know?" I said mockingly.

"I knew a few in my day." She said and I laughed. "Don't worry. The right one is out there." She said and I smiled.

"What about you? Any special someone?" I asked.

"Nope. I've been so focused on work that I haven't really had the time. But I don't know if I want kids. I think I'd be a terrible mother." She said.

"Why is that?" I questioned.

"Just the way I grew up. I don't really know what a real mother is, let alone how to be one. Just doesn't seem like the type of thing I'd be good at." She said and I nodded. As if I planned it, a soccer ball came rolling right towards us, followed by a little boy who couldn't be older than 5. Clary picked it up and smiled at the little boy. "You've got a good foot on you." She said and the boy smiled.

"I want to be the next David Beckham!" She said proudly.

"That's a tall order." Clary said. "Are you up for the challenge?" She questioned and he stood up a little taller.

"Yes ma'am." He said and Clary laughed as she handed him the ball.

"Reach for the stars kid." She said and he grabbed the ball and smiled.

"Thanks!" He said before running off. She looked back at me, and I guess I was staring because she blushed.

"What?" She asked.

"I think you're going to be an amazing mother." I said honestly.

"Why?" She asked.

"The way you just were with that little boy. Sometimes maternal instincts are more about nature, not nurture. You may have had a shitty mom, but that doesn't mean you're going to be a shitty mom." I told her and she nodded.

"I've got time I guess." She said. "It's not like I've hit my peak yet."

"That's one way to look at it." I said.

"What's another way?" She asked.

"Well, do you want to be 50 years old with a 14 year old kid." I said and she laughed.

"That does sound a little bit weird." She admitted and I smiled. "Guess I'll just have to start looking for the right guy."

"One day." I said and she nodded along.

The rest of our picnic was pretty perfect. She was willing to open up a lot more when it was just us and I liked that. I like being around Clary, and getting to know her. I may only be here for 4 more months, but I was going to make them count when it came to Clary.

After the picnic, we gathered all out things and headed back towards the car. We piled everything in the back and headed back towards the Herondale Manson. When we got back, we got everything out of the car and headed towards the kitchen so that we could put everything away. It was silent between us, but we didn't need conversation. Everything with Clary was natural, and the silence wasn't deafening, but a warm and homey feeling.

"So." I finally said after we put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher. "How about we make this a tradition." I said as she looked in my direction. "Every Thursday we do something fun. It doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's something."

"I'd really like that." She said and I smiled.

"Great. Cause I'm already thinking about next week." I said animatedly.

"Next Thursday isn't going to work." She said after a moment.

"Why not?" I questioned.

"Your parents are having that huge party on Friday evening, and Thursday night we have this huge staff meeting, plus the kitchen staff is putting together the last minute touches to the menu. I'll be busy all day." She explained.

"I totally forgot about that party." I said and she laughed.

"But the Thursday after that I'm free." She said and I smiled.

"Than the Thursday after that something will be planned." I said and she smiled.

"I had a lovely night Jace, but I'm exhausted." She admitted and I laughed.

"I'll see you around Clary." I said and she smiled before disappearing out of the kitchen. I dreaded these parties that my parents threw, because they always invited my ex, and I really didn't want to see her this year, especially while Clary was around.

 **Time Jump – Night of Party**

 **Clary POV:**

I have been incredibly busy this whole week, and I couldn't wait to get to sleep and have Saturday off. Thankfully Celine knew how much work went into this night that she gave me the day off, and I was really thankful for that. She was truly the best boss I could ever ask for, and I was happy every single day that I applied for this position.

The night was in full swing and I was running around the kitchen like a mad woman. There were dishes coming back, there were specialty dishes that Celine wasn't aware of that had to be made, there were people on diets who needed less butter, and those who were allergic that needed things cooked separately. The night was crazy, and I was constantly on my toes.

By the time 6:45 rolled around, things got a little less chaotic, but things were still moving quiet fast. I didn't realize how long it would take these guests to eat, but than again, it was like a 7 course meal, so I was prepared for them to be eating until 8. I finally got a moment to myself as I chopped but the fresh mangos to put in with the dessert when I heard the kitchen door open. I looked up and there stood Jace.

"What are you doing back here?" I asked.

"I haven't seen you all week, not even for out midnight snacks.." He said. And I laughed.

"I know. This week has been hectic. Celine changed the menu last minute, and that threw everything off." I said.

"Understandable. Plus, my ex is out there and I needed to get away." He added and I nodded.

"Why is she here?" I asked without thinking.

"My mom and her mom are in the same debutante society. They actually went through it together when they were young and still remain on the board. Unfortunately her daughter is like her shadow and goes wherever she goes." He explained.

"Have you told your mom? That it bothers you?" I asked.

"No, because I know my mom and her mom were friends long before we came into the picture. Plus, us dating happened in our teens, and our parents thought it would be the right move, but it just didn't work. We were polar opposites that just didn't click." He said. I nodded as I sliced through the mango and held up a slice.

"Mango?" I offered and he laughed.

"My favorite." He took it and popped it into his mouth and I couldn't help but laugh. There was something so refreshing about his aura, and I enjoyed being in it with him.

 **Kaelie POV:**

This dinner was always super boring, but I never passed on an opportunity to see Jace and make him mine once again. We were both older now, and we knew what we wanted, and I wanted Jace.

I got up and started making my way to the bathroom when I heard laughing. I saw the door to the kitchen slightly ajar and I looked in to see Jace laughing with the cook. She was short, and pale, and childlike, but Jace was smiling like I've never seen him smile before, and I couldn't help but wonder why he was looking at her like that when he had me.

When he turned around I hid behind a plant so that he wouldn't see me. I wanted to get to know more about what was going on between the two of them but I couldn't ask Jace. He seemed to be ignoring me, so my next best option was her. I made my way back to my seat and grabbed my plate of food and headed towards the kitchen.

 **Clary POV:**

I had just finished slicing the mango when I heard the kitchen door open again. I looked up and in walked this bombshell of a girl. Tall, blonde hair, blue eyes, curves in all the right places. She looked like royalty, but than again, these were rather elite people.

"What can I do for you?" I asked with a smile.

"My chicken isn't cook enough, and I was wondering if you could put it back on for a couple more minutes." She said with a fake voice that I could spot a mile away.

"Of course." I said as I grabbed her plate. I took the chicken off it, and put it back in the oven for a few more minutes. It was quiet for a moment before she spoke.

"So." She started. "You and Jace, how long as that been going on for?" She asked and I looked at her with surprise.

"There is no thing between Jace and I." I said, although I had to admit, there could potentially be something there, but admitting that out loud was terrifying.

"Good." She said. I looked up and she narrowed her eyes at me. "Because Jace and I belong together and I don't need the kitchen help getting in my way." She said in a menacing voice. "So stay the hell out of my way shortcake and get a guy who is on your level. Maybe a dishwasher, or a garbage collector." She said and the timer dinged. I grabbed her chicken out of the oven and put it on her plate.

"Have a good evening." I said as I handed it back to her and she smiled.

"Oh I will." She winked and walked, or should I say sashayed out of the kitchen.

For the rest of the night I couldn't get what she said out of my head. Jace was above me, and so far out of my league. But he was hanging out with me, and taking me on picnics, and cooking for me. If there wasn't something there on his side, why would he do all that for me?

When the kitchen was finally clean, I made my way up to my room, but I couldn't find the energy to sleep. So after my shower, I grabbed my favorite blanket and headed towards the library. Reading was always a great way to tire my eyes out, and I think that was exactly what I needed after today.

I grabbed a book that I had been dying to read, I curled up in one of the chairs and started reading. I was so lost in the book, that I didn't even notice that my eyes were dropping from the sheer heaviness of sleep trying to capture me. Before I knew it, I was drifting off into a dark slumber, where images of Jace filled my dreams. And a world where I was his equal, and not his servant engrossed me and for a moment, I wished that it was real.

 **Jace POV:**

My grandmother had asked me to get her a book from the library at breakfast so I was walking through the hallways with the most ridiculous smile on my face. I don't know why, but whenever I thought of Clary, the smile automatically appeared. Even my mom commented on it this morning. But I just couldn't help it, she made me happy. Happier than anything ever has before.

I walked into the library and I was greeted with a surprising sight, but an adorable all the same. Clary was curled up on a chair with a book in her hand, peacefully sleeping. I smiled to myself as I made my way over to her to wake her up. I kneeled beside her and before disturbing her sleep, I drank in her appearance. She was the most captivating woman I've ever met. She was sweet, and down to earth, and beautiful. But she always was rather funny, and knew how to hold her own. She was truly everything all rolled into one, and it was an honor to get to know her.

I placed my hand on her leg and gently gave her a light shake. She stirred a little but not enough to wake her up. I did it again, but this time a little harder and I saw her eyes flutter. She turned her head, and opened her eyes, and those emerald greens locked with mine.

"Hi." She said and I laughed.

"Hi yourself." I said. "What are you doing in here?" I asked as she sat up a little.

"I couldn't sleep last night, even thought I was dead tired, so I thought I'd ware my eyes out by reading, and I was too far gone to make it back to my room." She said.

"So it's my understanding that my mom gave you the day off." I said and she nodded. "I was thinking we could do something today. Anything you want that you've never got the chance to experience before." I offered. "What do you say?"

"I don't know Jace." She said and I was confused. "I think we should stop this…." She paused trying to look for the right word to say. "This confusing friendship before it gets out of hand."

"Clary, what are you talking about?" I asked curiously.

"I'm the chef Jace." She said. "You're the son. We should stay in our roles." She explained as she got off the chair.

"Clary, what's going on? Last week you were all in for having fun and spending time together." I pointed out.

"Things change Jace." She said. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go." And just like that she slipped out of the library, and I was standing there confused. What things had changed?

 **Time Jump – Later That Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I was outside working on my car, when I heard someone pull up in the driveway. I looked up and I saw a familiar red convertible and I internally groaned. Kaelie stepped out of the car and walked towards me with the stupid grin she always had.

"Jacey." She said and I groaned.

"You know I hate it when you call me that." I said and she just ignored it.

"We hardly got to spend any time together last night." She said with sadness in her whiney voice.

"There is a reason for that." I said. "You need to get over this delusion that we're getting back together."

"But Jacey…."

"Enough Kaelie." I cut her off. "I'm 30 years old. We dated when we were both 16. If I thought we were supposed to end up together, we would have been together already."

"So you settle for the kitchen help?" She snapped as she crossed her arms over her clearly paid for chest. "I saw you last night. Laughing and engaging with the cook. I mean seriously Jace, she's so beneath you." She continued and that's when it clicked. That's what Clary was talking about.

"What did you do Kaelie?" I asked.

"I just told her the truth." She said. "That we were meant to be and that she should stick to her own kind. She's clearly worming her way into your life. Becoming the cook was just her ploy."

"You know nothing about her." I hissed. "And I'd rather be with someone who I actually genuinely like, putting their 'status' aside, before I ever got back with you." I said and her jaw dropped. "I don't know what you are trying to accomplish here Kaelie, but it doesn't matter if you suddenly changed over night to a decent human being, we're never going to have a future together."

"But Jacey…."

"Leave Kaelie." I said before she could continue. "Just leave and please leave me alone." She huffed before stomping back to her car like a little kid throwing a tantrum before speeding out of the driveway. I shook my head before getting back to working on my car. It needed a distraction, and working on my car was always one of the better options.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary was doing her best at avoiding me, and no matter what I did, she didn't give me the chance to explain what happened. For a week I just sat in the kitchen at midnight hoping that she would come down, but every night I would leave wondering what I could possibly do to try and make her listen to me.

But after about 2 months I realized that I just needed to give her the space that she wanted, and not push her into an awkward position. After all, she is my parents employee, and the last thing she needed was me barging into her life. So I stopped, and we had the occasional conversation in passing, but nothing more. It sucked, but I could tell it was making her happy, and that's all that mattered.

So, here I am, leaving to go back to America, and I couldn't help but feel a little bit of a void thinking about leaving Clary behind. She was the only one who I've felt this strong of a connection too, and not being in the same house, hell even the same country was going to be a lot harder than I anticipated.

"Call us when you get home safely." My mom said as she hugged me.

"Always mom." I said and she let go and smiled at me.

"Thank you for spending 6 months with us." She said and I laughed.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world mom." I said to her and she leaned up and kissed my cheek.

"Safe travels." She said and I got in my car and headed towards the airport. I took one last look in the review mirror when a flash of red caught my eye. I pried my eyes away from the image of what I was leaving behind as I pulled out of my parents home.

 **Clary POV:**

As I watched Jace's car leave, I couldn't help but feel a type of emptiness that I've never felt before. Not even when my parents died did I feel this type of way. I know I've been avoiding him for the past 4 months, but it was just easier that way. I didn't want to get attached, and I knew if we continued to get to know each other, that I would. But I guess it didn't matter, since I knew I was going to miss him so much already and he just pulled out of the driveway.

"Crazy thing love is." Celine said and I looked at her.

"Pardon me Mrs. Herondale?" I asked and she smiled at me.

"My son." She said. "I've never seen him this way before. He's always ready to leave after the 6 months he spends here." She said. "But this time, I sensed he was hesitant. I can only assume that's because of you."

"Why would you think that?" I asked nervously.

"You're the only new variable in this house." She said. "It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. Plus I know my son." She said and I honestly didn't know how to respond to that.

"I should get back to the kitchen." I said as I started walking away.

"Don't throw it away." She said before I went into the house. I turned around and looked at her. "Don't throw away the friendship you formed with my son. If that's all it's ever going to be, don't throw it away. He's a good person to have in your corner." She said and I nodded before leaving. Now I was even more confused than I was before, and I didn't know what to do about it.

 **Time Jump – Christmas**

 **Jace POV:**

I was going home for Christmas like I did every year, but this time it was different. I was going to see Clary for the first time in 2 months, and I was actually really nervous about that. I haven't been able to get her out of my head, and whenever I called my mom, she always started talking about her. I knew she was doing it for me, but hearing about her just made me miss her even more.

I got out of the car when I got to my parents house and I couldn't help but smile at being home. Even though I've been living in New York for so long, this will always be my home, and I'll always come back here to feel that sense of home. I grabbed my things and headed inside. Everything was quiet, just like it always was during the holiday season. It didn't start getting busy until Christmas Eve, so I was going to enjoy the peace and quiet while I still could.

I placed my bags down at the bottom of the stairs and decided that I was going to check the kitchen first. It was late, and I knew that there was a possibility that Clary would be there getting something to drink or eat. I got to the door, took a deep breath before opening in, and sure enough, there stood Clary. She jumped a little at the sound, but when she turned around she gave me a small smile.

"Jace, I thought your plane was landing tomorrow." She said astonished to see me.

"I got an earlier flight." I said and she nodded.

"How have you been?" She asked.

"I've been okay." I said honestly. "What about you?"

"Been busy working. Your mother likes to throw a lot of parties." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"That she does." I admitted. There was a silence that stretched on longer than I would have liked. I decided to just bit the bullet and jump in the deep end. I made my way over to her and her eyes didn't leave mine the entire time. When the tips of our toes were touching, she was looking up at me and I was looking down at her. I don't know how long we were gazing into each others eyes until I went for it. I slammed my lips to her and took hold of her face as I just let all of my emotions flow. I knew that I had stunned her, but the minute I felt her fingers weave their way into my hair, there was no stopping this. I may have just made things more complicated, but I didn't care. She was what I needed, what I wanted, and I'd do anything to keep her in my life.

When we finally broke apart, she looked surprised. Neither of spoke, but that had more to do with her collecting her thoughts, and me basking in the moment of kissing this woman who I have falling in love with in the 8 months that I've known her.

"What was that?" She finally said.

"That was me, taking a chance." I told her honestly.

"On?" She asked.

"Us." I said and her jaw dropped. "I shouldn't have left in October with things so fuzzy between us." I admitted. "You pulled away, and I know why. Kaelie spoke to you." I said and her hung her head.

"It doesn't matter Jace." She said. "She was right. I'm just the help."

"Kaelie is never right. About anything." I said and she laughed. "She's been trying to get us back together since I broke up her with when we were 16." I admitted. "She's one of the many reasons I'm always so glad to leave after the 6 months because than I don't have to see her anymore. She has an annoying habit of showing up wherever I am."

"Doesn't change the fact that I'm a cook, and you're practically royalty." She said.

"Put everything aside. Your job, my status. Just imagine if we were two people who met on the street, or in a coffee shop, or on a train. Would you take a chance at seeing where this went?" I asked and I saw her thinking.

"Probably." She said.

"What is holding you back Clary?" I asked honestly.

"You're going to laugh at me." She nearly whispered.

"I would never laugh at you." I said wholeheartedly.

"I've never had a boyfriend." She said. "I'm a 28 year old virgin who up until 10 minutes ago never kissed a guy. I don't know the first thing about dating or relationships."

"We'll figure it out as we go." I said. "It's not that complicated if the two people are willing to work at it."

"But we live in 2 different countries." She said. "And I know you spend 6 months of the year here, but that's a lot of strain on a relationship, especially a new one."

"Come back to America with me." I blurted out before I could stop myself.

"What?" She asked as her jaw was practically on the floor.

"Come back to New York with me. We can figure I all out, and if after the 6 months you want to come back here, I won't stop you." I said.

"But my job…."

"Clary, my parents get hundreds of applicants every time they have a job open up. They can find another chef, I can't however find another you." I said honestly. "If you don't think you can do it, I'll back away right now, and we can be friends. I'm not going to push you into anything you aren't comfortable with." I said and she just stood there. I stared to back away, taking her silence as her answer until I felt her grip tight onto the sleeve of my shirt.

"What am I going to tell your mother?" She finally said and I got the most ridiculous smile on my face.

"We tell her the truth." I said. "She'll understand."

"Are you sure?" She asked. "I'm quitting and running away with her son." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm positive. She'll be thrilled." I said and she took a deep breath.

"Okay." She said. "This is one hell of a risk, but I'm willing to take it." She said and I pulled her into a hug, and feeling her melt against me was something that I would never get tired of. "I need to find a place to stay." She said once we broke apart.

"I can help with that." I said. "My VP's husband is in real estate."

"I can't believe I'm doing this." She said and I laughed.

"Just say the word, and if you want to come back here, you can." I said and she nodded. That moment, the kitchen door opened and in walked my mom.

"Jace, I thought your plane was landing tomorrow." She said as she walked over and hugged me.

"I got an earlier flight." I said. "I actually have something to tell you." I said when we broke apart.

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

"I'm stealing your chef." I said and she looked at Clary.

"But you're an excellent cook." She said and Clary looked at me.

"You told me you weren't a chef." Clary said and I laughed.

"I'm not a chef, I do know how to cook though." I said and she playfully slapped my chest. "I'm not stealing her to have her cook for me. I'm stealing her to explore our relationship." I said and my moms eyes lit up.

"Really?" She asked.

"Really." I said. "After I left in October, I realized that there was something missing, and I knew it was Clary, but a long distance relationship would put a strain on any relationship, especially a new one. So Clary is going to come to New York and we're going to figure this thing out."

"Oh. That's wonderful." My mom said.

"You're okay with me leaving?" Clary asked my mom.

"Oh sweetie, absolutely." She said as she took Clary's hands in hers. "This is so exciting. We'll ship your stuff back to his place tomorrow and than we can have a wonderful Christmas together."

"I can still work through the holiday." Clary said and my mom laughed.

"Nonsense. I'll get the back up chef. He'll be thrilled." She said and Clary laughed.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed working for you Mrs. Herondale." Clary said.

"You can call me Celine dear. You are after all my sons girlfriend." She said and I could tell that caught Clary off guard. "What? Too soon for that?" My mom asked.

"I think it's just shocking considering we just talked about it 15 minutes ago." I pointed out.

"She's moving to New York to be with you. I think the word girlfriend is very suitable for this situation." My mom said and I nodded.

"Very true." I said and she smiled.

"Well, I came down to get some water. But you two should get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." My mom said and she grabbed a glass before heading back to bed. I turned towards Clary and smiled.

"May I walk you to your room?" I offered my hand and she smiled.

"Of course." She said as she gave me her hand. We walked up to her room in silence but an extremely comfortable one. When we got to her door we lingered for a moment. I bent forward and pressed my lips to hers.

"Goodnight Clary." I said and she smiled.

"Goodnight Jace." She said before heading into her room. I walked to mine with a grin on my face. I was going to enjoy exploring this relationship with Clary.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Jace, our flight leaves at 5. We need to leave right now!" I yelled down the hallway. He always took longer than me to get ready, and I just didn't understand it.

"I'm coming!" He called back. I grabbed my things and got my coat on. We were headed back to England for Christmas. It maybe took Jace and I 7 months before we decided to move in together, and although it was quick, our relationship was incredibly solid and it just made sense.

After I moved back to America, I realized that I needed a job, but I didn't want to work in a kitchen again, the long hours just weren't appealing to me, and there weren't many jobs for private chefs during that time, so Jace offered to help me out, which I hated so on Sunday's I would make him dinner as a thank you. But not having a job actually gave me time to pursue another passion of mine. I wrote a cookbook. I always wanted to do it, but never had the time, and Jace was so supportive of it, and that meant the world to me.

"Alright, I'm ready." Jace said and I laughed.

We got in the car and headed towards the airport. Now we haven't been back to England in 4 months probably, and we had a huge surprise for Celine and Stephen. I was currently 5 months pregnant, and very big. Which isn't surprising when you are carrying multiples. To say we were shocked when we found out would be an understatement, but Jace and I couldn't be more thrilled about the news. Sure being married and together for more than a year would probably been a better way to do this, but Jace and I were in love, and so incredibly ready to start this family.

The flight was long, but we knew that. But it was totally different being pregnant, but thankfully Jace was rich enough to have his own plane, so I got to lay down and relax the whole flight, which was much needed.

We got to the house pretty late, and I was exhausted. Nobody was awake since I found out Jace loves coming home at night so he can just crash right away and have a nice family reunion on a good nights sleep, and it made complete sense to me because I couldn't imagine mingling after that flight. We got inside, upstairs, in his room, and I crashed. I got changed and curled into his bed. I vaguely remember Jace pressing his lips to my forehead but than I was out.

 **Jace POV:**

The next morning I decided to just let Clary sleep. I knew being pregnant was taking all the wind out of her sails, so I always just let her sleep whenever she was peaceful. She had such a hard time sleeping the first trimester, so I just let her go now. I made my way downstairs and saw my parents and my grandparents at the table eating breakfast. I took my seat and my mom smiled.

"Where is Clary?" She asked.

"Sleeping. The flight really tired her out, so I'm just letting her catch up on all her sleep." I said and she nodded. I was brought a plate of food and we started talking. I was having a conversation with my dad when I heard something shatter. I looked over and my mom was wide eyed and her glass was on the ground. I followed her eyes and saw her staring at Clary. I stood up and made my way over to her and gave her a kiss. "Morning.

"Good morning." She said. I walked her over to her chair and pulled it out.

"Oh my god." My mom finally said. "You're pregnant."

"I'm pregnant." Clary said with a slight laugh. "With twins." She added.

"Oh my god." My mom said. "How far along are you?"

"5 months." Clary said. "I'm due April 11th."

"Oh my god." My mom said yet again. "I'm going to be a grandmother." She yelled and we all laughed. "This is so exciting."

"For you, I'm freaking out." I said honestly and she smiled.

"You're going to be a great father." My mom said. "I know it." Clary reached her hand out and grabbed mine.

"She's right." She said and I kissed the back of her hand. As long as she believed in me, I knew that I could do it, and I was excited to welcome them into this world and start giving them anything and everything they wanted.

 **Time Jump – Later That Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I were out and a bout browsing the book store for a book his grandmother wanted but they didn't have in their library, which I thought was shocking, but I missed the town, so I was all about it, plus it was always good to take some nice refreshing walks.

I was browsing one side of the bookstore, while Jace was on the other when I heard that annoying voice.

"Jacey." She said and I rolled my eyes. "Fancy running into you here." She said and I made my way over to them.

"It's fancy seeing you here, considering you hate reading." Jace said and I smiled at his clear disgust with her.

"Oh you know, trying to expand my mind." She said and at that moment I walked over to Jace and put my arm around his arm. She looked at me and was clearly surprised to see me pregnant. "I see you stuck with the kitchen help. And she is now carrying your offspring." She gestured and my hand went protectively over our children. "Shame really, they could inherit that peasant look she's got going on."

"I'm not a peasant." I said and she laughed.

"Having access to his money doesn't make you rich honey." She sneered and I wanted to deck her, I honestly did, but than I saw what she was holding and I smirked.

"I make my own money thank you very much." I said.

"Washing dishes doesn't take a lot of skill." She said and I laughed.

"No, but writing a book does." I said and her eyes widened slightly. "In fact, you're holding it right now." I said and she looked at the book in her hand before dropping it on the ground.

"I will never spend my money on something _you_ wrote. I might actually get stupider." She said and I laughed.

"Not possible _honey._ " I said and she snarled at me.

"Have fun with your freak children." She said before stomping out of the bookstore.

"Lovely girl." I said and Jace laughed.

"Come on, I found the book." He said as he held it up.

"Hold on." I said. I reached down and grabbed the cookbook and smiled at it. I placed it neatly back on the shelf and followed Jace. We were quiet for a little until halfway home he started talking.

"It's a shame, she'll never have the opportunity to taste the dish you named after her." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. When writing my cookbook, I was trying to find traditional recipes that I could add a twist to, and when I started researching, I found this one and it just made me think of her, and I decided to dedicate it to her, and her _lovely_ personality.

 _The Wicked Bitch: A twist on the traditional Korean dish kimchi._

And I'll tell you right now, it takes a special person to enjoy that dish, just like I assume it's going to take a special person to deal with Kaelie. She is one wicked bitch through and through.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Wow. I have no excuse for taking so long to update, accept that I am seriously lacking in motivation so they might take me some time to get through. I am in the middle of another one right now, but I have no idea when I'll get to finishing it, but as long as you're all patient with me, we'll get through this!**

 **This one shot was requested by Ally, and I'm really glad you requested this because it was one I haven't written about and I love those! I hope that I did it justice, and I hope you're happy with it! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Also, I'm thinking about writing a chapter story about Alec and Magnus. I have no idea when I'd even start it, but I've had a few people say that it would be cool if I did, and I recently came up with a plot that I think would be really cool to write, and I'm pretty excited about it, but I would love your feedback as well! So if you lovely readers could help me with seeing if it would be something you'd like to read, that would be great! Alright, let me know what you think about this one shot, and my potential story idea! :)**


	112. Chapter 111 - Hero : Sidekick

**One Hundred and Eleven Story:**

 **Hero/Sidekick**

 **Clary POV:**

When you grow up like us, you're only normal for so long, and even that's pushing it. We live among humans, but we aren't the same. We were gifted with the ability of super powers, and depending on how you were raised, or your ideologies, you either continue on being a hero/sidekick, or you switch sides.

My parents were both heros. They went through school, and when they were in 6th grade, just like every other 'superhero' they developed their powers. It's how it worked for all of us. It was pretty evident who was going to be put in the Hero Track, and who was going to be put in the 'Sidekick Track' and let's just say, you'd hear a lot of complaining when everyone developed their power.

There were a select few who proved themselves worthy of being in the Hero Track when their powers weren't necessarily Hero worthy, but they were put through the necessary tests, and they made it. That's what those with average powers hoped for. They hoped to prove themselves Hero worthy, and the majority of them never made it.

Since I was going to be attending high school this year, I was going to have to go through with the placement test, and according to my family, I shouldn't be worried. But I wasn't worried about where I was going to be placed, I knew I was going to be a Hero, that much was obvious, what worried me was the fact that I was the only known person to get three separate, but equally powerful powers. People ended up with two powers all the time. Normally it was the kids with the ability to fly who also got the ability to fight, or the kids who shaped shifted who were also super strong. But for me, it wasn't anything like that, and I have been able to keep it a secret from everyone except my family and my very best friends thus far in my life, but I was scared that high school was going to be harder.

I was pretty excited to be going back to school nonetheless though. I loved learning, and getting to hang out with my friends, especially because I knew they would all end up in the Hero Track with me, and that was pretty comforting. Plus I had my brother who was only a year older than me, so I knew that it wouldn't be a nightmare, but I was still cautious, and I had every right to be.

"Clary! It's time to leave!" I heard as I was pulled out of my mind. I grabbed my bag and headed down stairs. My family was all in the kitchen eating breakfast. "You ready for your first day of school sweetheart?" My mom asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I said.

"Which power are you going to show during your placement?" Jon asked.

"I'm just going to show my invisibility, I blend in better that way." I said and they all laughed.

"Good one." Jon said and I smiled. "Come on, the bus will be here any minute." He said and I nodded. We walked over to the bus stop and waited for it to pull up. Once it did, we got on and made our way to our seats, and I was surprised to see Izzy sitting there.

"Why are you here?" I asked and she smiled.

"It's no fun flying to school alone." She said and I laughed. See, our school wasn't normal, it was up in the sky, and you had to get the bus there, or be able to fly to reach it. "You ready to be placed today?" She asked.

"Yea. I'm not worried about it." I said honestly, because I really wasn't.

"Yea, I'm not worried about it either. Since I got my power, I knew where I was going to be placed." She said.

"Yea, I just can't wait to not have to share a classroom with Kaelie and Aline." I whispered and she laughed. To say we were relieved when they got their powers, and they were pretty lame would be an understatement. It was like we were being blessed, and I didn't care who I had to thank for their shortcomings, but I was thankful.

"I know what you mean." Izzy said. "If I had to hear Kaelie talk about how hot my brother was and how it was bummer that he was gay one more time I would have ripped her hair out." She explained and I couldn't help but laugh. To say the girls at our school were upset when Alec came out would also be a huge understatement, but Alec was happy, and that made us all happy.

"What is this about me being gay?" Alec asked from across the row.

"Just about how we are thankful that we don't have to hear how much of a bummer that it is that you're gay and aren't available." Izzy said.

"But such a miracle for me." Magnus said as he kissed Alec on the cheek. They were a great couple, and anyone could see how in love they were with each other. They were both juniors, and both Heros.

We got to school and all the freshman were ushered into the auditorium. The worst part about the placement test was that it took place in front of the entire freshman class. Kids were often humiliated, and others took the attention and let it get to their heads. I knew my brother had his nose stuck up in the air when he came home last year after his placement test. He became level headed after my mom beat him in an arm wrestling match, but still, the 2 hours I had to deal with him were a nightmare.

Izzy, Simon and I took out seats in the bleachers and just waited for our name to be called. They didn't do it in alphabetical order, or at least that's what Jon told me. So we just had to sit and wait until the teacher called our name, and than we'd be subjected to showing our powers to the entire class, and if there was one thing I hated more than having three unique and crazy powers, it was attention.

"Alright newbies." The teacher said. "My name is Mr. Wayland, you can call me Mr. Wayland or sir, but nothing else, and I'll be the one determining your place here for the next four years, and for the rest of your lives." He said and my blood ran cold. That was terrifying to think about. "My word is law, if you don't like where I placed you, suck it up, or leave the super community. If your power is Hero Worthy, that's where you'll go, and if you power is, lacking that special something, you're a Sidekick. End of story." He said and the whole atmosphere was pretty somber. "There are those select few Sidekicks who have proven themselves Hero Worthy, but don't get your hopes up, that comes around once in a blue moon." He said. "Now, let's get started." He said. "Julian Blackthorn." He called and everyone looked around until he stood up. He made his way down to the stage, yes they made us get on a stage, and so it begins. "Power up."

"Right away sir." Julian said. And the next moment, he was a goat. Julian was kind of like me, he didn't like to tell people what his power was, and now I knew why.

"A goat?" Mr. Wayland said. "Just one simple baby goat?" He questioned.

"Yes sir." Julian said.

"Sidekick." Mr. Wayland said. "Get off my stage." Julian shifted back into his human form and retook his seat. "Meliorn Fairly." He called next. When he got to the stage, Mr. Wayland didn't even need to say anything, he just powered up. He shape shifted into this huge, and muscular being, and growled voraciously. "Let's test the strength." Mr. Wayland said. "Tractor." He said and a tractor fell from the ceiling to which Meliorn caught it with ease. "Hero." Mr. Wayland said and Meliorn powered down, and walked with enough arrogance for the whole class back to his seat. "Simon Lewis." He called and Simon sucked in a deep breath.

"You got this." I said and he nodded. Simon got up and made his way to the stage.

"Power up." Mr. Wayland said.

"My power isn't visible sir." Simon said.

"What do you mean it isn't visible?" Mr. Wayland asked in a pretty harsh tone.

"I don't change physically and I can't really show it off." Simon explained.

"What is it?" Mr. Wayland asked.

"Echolocation sir." Simon said. Mr. Wayland looked at him, and than started laughing. Uncontrollably I might add.

"Sidekick." Mr. Wayland said once he stopped laughing.

"Sir, if you just give me a chance to show you what I can do, I think you'll change your mind." Simon said as politely as ever.

"Fine." Mr. Wayland said. "Impress me." He said. Simon looked up and Izzy and I both gave him a thumbs up. He took a deep breath before beginning.

"Can I have a few favors?" Simon asked.

"Whatever you need." Mr. Wayland said sarcastically, clearly not believing in his power.

"Can I get the lights turned off?" Simon asked. A moment later, it was pitch black in the room. "Clary, Izzy. You know what to do." He said. It was true. We've been through this drill before when it came to Simon showing off his power.

We got in position and waited for Simon to just start doing his thing. Echolocation was actually pretty cool, and I think it would make a really useful power when it comes down to it. Takes the element of surprise away, and works amazingly in the dark.

"Clary is currently hiding under the bleachers over by the left side of the gym. Izzy is standing by the door at the south side of the gym. There is a mouse running through the walls and ceiling above us, and…" Simon paused for a moment. "You sir, are currently walking away from me at 2 miles an hour and should end up right next to the water fountain." Simon said and then the lights went on. Mr. Wayland looked around, I got out from under the bleachers, Izzy was by the door, and Mr. Wayland was in fact by the water fountain.

"Can you fight?" Mr. Wayland asked after a moment.

"I'm pretty good at hand to hand." Simon said. "I'm not super strong, but I can hold my own."

"Hero." Mr. Wayland said. I knew he had to change his mind once he saw how cool and resourceful Simon's power was. We all took our seats and the placement test continued. "Emma Carstairs." He called next. "Power up." He said once she got to the stage.

"I need some water sir." Emma said.

"This is no time for drink breaks." Mr. Wayland said.

"No sir, my power is the ability to breath under water." She said and he looked at her. He pressed a button and part of the stage moved, and under it appeared a small pool.

"Jump." Mr. Wayland said and Emma did exactly that. She could in fact breath under water. "Can you fight?" He asked.

"Not very well I'm afraid sir." Emma admitted.

"Sidekick." Mr. Wayland said. "Maybe if you work hard enough throughout your time here by the time you're a senior you can move into the Hero Track." He said and she nodded and got out of the pool. "Isabelle Lightwood." He called. Izzy got up and made her way down to the stage.

"I prefer Izzy sir." She said.

"And I prefer if you'd power up." He said, got he was rude. Izzy took off into the air, and started flying around the gym. He threw a couple props at her, which she handled with such finesse. She landed back down on the ground with a smile on her face. "Hero." He said and she made her way back to us. "Kaelie Whitewillow." He called next. She walked down to the stage and powered up only to shape shift into a beetle, which was hilarious because she hated animals. "Sidekick." Mr. Wayland said and she crawled away. "Aline Penhallow." He called and she walked up to the stage.

"I'm afraid my power isn't that useful sir." Aline stated right off the bat.

"I'll be the judge of that." Mr. Wayland said.

"Okay, well the thing Simon said about the mice earlier, it's true." Aline said. "They are currently searching the building for food for their families." She explained.

"So your power is that you can communicate with animals?" Mr. Wayland asked.

"Yes sir." Aline said.

"That's very useful." Mr. Wayland said. "If we were being attacked by giant gorillas." He said. "Sidekick." Aline made her way back to her seat looking indifferent. I guess she knew that was coming. "Clarissa Morgenstern." He said and I stood up and made my way down to him. "Power up." He said and I nodded. I went invisible and that's all I really had to do. "Can you fight?" He asked.

"I can hold my own sir." I said. "My parents have been teaching me how to fight and defend myself since I was old enough to walk." I explained and I saw him nod.

"Can you do anything else with your invisibility?" He asked.

"If I touch something." I said as I reached out for him. "They become invisible too." I put my hand on his arm and he soon joined me.

"Hero." He said and I removed my hand from his arm, and let my guard down. I made my way back up to my seat and let the weight on my shoulders melt off.

I blocked out the rest of the names after that. I was tired, and I just wanted the day to be over with. This was literally all the freshman do the first day of school, considering it takes so long with the whole class, but I couldn't wait to go home and shower and nap. Although, I could just go invisible and leave the gym, nobody would notice.

"Jonathan Herondale." I heard and that pulled me out of my thoughts. I knew everyone in the freshman class, but that name was new. A boy walked over to the stage, and then I knew that he was new. I've never seen him before in my life, and I looked over at Izzy and she just shrugged. "Power up." Mr. Wayland said and the boy nodded. He growled and than both of his arms caught fire. Mr. Wayland put targets up and he obliterated them with his fire. "You strong?" Mr. Wayland asked and he just nodded. "Super strong, or just above average strong?" He asked.

"Above average strong sir." The boy said.

"Hero." Mr. Wayland said and he nodded before getting off stage. "Alright freshman, that's all for today, tomorrow you get your real schedules, and you start your training as a Hero or Sidekick." He said before disappearing. We made our way out to the buses where we were meeting the others.

"So, how did it go?" Jon asked the moment we arrived.

"We all got into the Hero Track." Izzy said. "So a successful first day of high school."

"I knew all three of you would make it." Jon said. Something caught my eye and when I looked over, there was that boy again.

"Hey, you three have never seen that kid before right?" I asked as I pointed to the kid.

"No." Alec said. "He's a new kid. Just moved to the area." He said and I nodded. Each state and country had their own high school for supernatural kids.

"Do you know where he was before here?" Izzy asked.

"His file said England." Alec said.

"You read his file?" Magnus chastised.

"I work on the office, and I saw an unfamiliar name so I peaked. Nobody ever leaves where they are from, so I got curious." Alec defended. "What's his power?"

"Fire." I said and they nodded. "Pretty intense fire."

"Well, now you can get to know him in Hero class." Jon said. "Come on, we can't miss the bus other wise Izzy is going to have to fly us all home separately." He said and everyone laughed. I watched the new kid get on a different bus and I couldn't help but wonder, why did he move? And why did he move so far away from home?

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I didn't know how accurate Jon's statement would be considering we got paired up as partners in one of our classes. I learned that he preferred to be called Jace, which I was happy with. He didn't look like a Jonathan, and I could only handle one Jonathan in my life at the moment.

I learned pretty much nothing about him while being his partner. He was pretty quiet, which I thought was strange. I thought he was going to be an asshole by his looks, but he didn't really engage in conversation unless it pertained to the assignment given. I was getting glares from the other girls in class, apart from Izzy who was over the moon to be partnered with Simon. Apparently Jace was a hot commodity, and I was envied by every girl in the Hero Track, but it was just the luck of assignment. I wasn't seeking this out, and I don't think any other girl would either considering how quiet he was.

The bell rang and it was lunchtime. I gathered my stuff and went to my locker before heading to the caf. I took my normal seat with Izzy, Simon, Jon, Alec and Magnus. I put my stuff down and everyone was engaged in their own conversations and I just focused on Jace. I didn't understand why he isolated himself so much. I get being the new kid was tough, but it wouldn't kill him to make one friend.

"So, what's the deal with the new kid?" Jon asked, which caught my attention. "He seems like a loner."

"I wouldn't know." I said honestly. "We don't really talk unless it's about an assignment we have in class."

"Really?" Alec asked.

"Their corner is eerily silent in class." Izzy said.

"Huh, I wonder why that is." Jon asked.

"I doubt you'll ever get an answer." I said. "I only know he prefers to be called Jace, because I called him Jonathan once, and I thought he was going to throw a fire ball at my head." I said and everyone laughed.

"It can't be easy being the new kid." Simon said. "Maybe he just wants to keep his head down and make it out of high school and go back to wherever he came from."

"But he left for a reason." Magnus said. "They wouldn't have left if it was essential. No super hero leaves their territory unless something terrible happened."

"What do you think it could be?" Izzy asked.

"It's useless speculating." I said. "Just let him be, and if he talks he talks, but if he doesn't, he doesn't. I don't think you guys are going to pin point the reason he showed up here freshman year." I said and they nodded before going to back to their own conversations. I looked over at Jace, and he was looking in our direction. Our eyes locked before he went back to reading. My cheeks flushed, and I continued to eat my grapes. There was something off about him, but not in a bad way, just in a curious way.

 **Time Jump – Christmas Break**

 **Jace POV:**

Starting a new school, in a new country freshman year of high school was a nightmare. When my mom first told me we had to move, I was so confused. I didn't understand it. That was until my father came home and was completely changed. I've been trying to figure it out since we moved. Why he would do this, and what prompted the change. Something didn't make sense, and being a Herondale in England at this time wasn't safe for us, so we moved.

The new school wasn't bad, but I just didn't want to socialize. I spent most of my time with my head in a book trying to figure out some type of explanation, only to come up empty. It was frustrating, and I often found myself burning a hole into whatever surface I was reading on. Four years were going to go as slow as possible, but I just had to get through it, and than figure out the rest of my life.

Since it was Christmas break, I took this opportunity to go to the local coffee shop and continue my research. I was sitting in the back corner reading, and drinking my coffee when I heard the bell ring. When I looked up, in walked Clary and her posse of friends. She was a nice girl. She seemed to have walls up, but I couldn't figure out why. Her eyes caught mine and she smiled, said something to her friends, before making her way over to me.

"Hey Jace." She said and I smiled. "How is your break going?" She asked.

"It's good." I said. "Yours?" I asked being polite.

"Oh you know, super heros trying to out due other super heros." She laughed. "My house is a never ending place for competition."

"Sounds interesting." I said honestly.

"You should come over some time." She offered. "Bring your parents." She said and I tried not to wince at the mention of my father, even though it wasn't directly.

"I'll think about it." I said, not wanting to sound rude.

"Saturday." She said. "Everyone will be there. We're having a preholiday party because why the hell not." She said and I laughed. "It starts at 4."

"I'll talk to my mom." I said and she smiled.

"Clare!" I heard and she turned around.

"That's my cue. Hopefully I'll see you Saturday." She said before turning around and leaving the store.

I spent the rest of the day thinking about the offer. It wouldn't kill me to get to know some people, and them seemed harmless enough. It would make my om happy to know that I'm adjusting to the move, and she needs some happiness in her life these days. When it was time to leave, I packed up and headed home. I walked in and smelled the homemade soup.

"Mom, I'm home." I said.

"How was your day?" She asked as I walked into the kitchen.

"It was good." I said. "I ran into some classmates at the coffee shop today." I said and her eyes lit up. "The one girl I'm partnered with in one of my classes invited us over to their house on Saturday for a preholiday party."

"That sounds lovely." My mom said.

"It starts at 4." I said and she nodded.

"It makes me so happy that you're making friends Jace." She said as she walked over and cupped my face. "I was worried about you."

"I'm fine mom." I said and she smiled. "But we're going to have to come up with an excuse as to why dad isn't there."

"I know. Don't worry about that right now." She said and I nodded. I knew this was extremely hard for her, but she wasn't showing it. "Dinner is on the stove, help yourself." She said and I nodded. I grabbed a bowl and got some soup before sitting at the table. I pulled a book out and continued reading. I would be lying if I said I wasn't slightly nervous to be hanging out with Clary and all her friends on Saturday, but I was also looking forward to it.

 **Time Jump – Saturday**

 **Clary POV:**

"You really think he's going to show up?" Izzy asked.

"I extended the invitation. Whether he accepts it or not is up to him." I said, although I hoped that he would accept it.

"Why did you do it? You know he doesn't really socialize." She asked.

"Because he deserves some friends." I said. "He's always alone. Even if we are just acquaintances, it's better than being alone."

"Okay." Izzy said as we continued getting everything ready. All the boys were sitting in the living room when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" I shouted as I ran towards the door. When I opened it, there stood Jace, and I assume his mom. "I'm glad you came."

"Thank you so much for the invitation sweetheart." The woman said. "I'm Celine, Jace's mother."

"It's wonderful to meet you. I'm Clary, Jace's partner is one of our classes." I said and she smiled. "The rest of the adults are in the back." I said and she nodded. She left, and Jace was standing alone. "The rest of the guys are in the living room. Follow me." I started walking and when we got to the living room, everyone stopped talking and just stared. "Everyone, you remember Jace." I said and they all nodded. "Well, Jace this is everyone."

"Hi." Jace said and Jon stood up.

"About time you got here. I could really use your fire power." He said and everyone laughed.

"You're just a sore loser." Magnus chimed in.

"You cheat." Jon hissed back.

"It's a fair fight when the rules are you can use your super power." Magnus said.

"Mind control is hardly fair." Jon said and I just laughed.

"You can't always win Jon." I said and he huffed and sat back down.

"What would my fire power do for you anyway?" Jace asked and it kinda stunned me but I was happy he was engaging.

"So you can set his ass on fire so he could stop controlling my mind long enough to pummel him into the ground." Jon said and everyone laughed.

"Well, if we are allowed to team up, I want my dear sweet Clarissa on my team." Magnus said.

"Clary is off limits, and you know that." Izzy said. "She's an exception to every super human rule." She continued and I stood there and started shaking my head violently for her to stop. She finally noticed and stopped talking.

"Why don't I introduce you to all the adults?" I said before he got a chance to ask any questions. He just nodded and I guided him towards the back. When we got to the back all the adults were talking. Well, it looked like they were questioning Celine, and I noticed a change in Jace.

"What's going on?" I asked and they all stopped talking and looked in our direction.

"These are the Herondale's." My father said.

"I'm aware. I did invite them over." I said.

"Do you not keep up with the news Clarissa?" He asked, and he pulled out the full name, and I knew he was upset.

"Apparently not." I said.

"Stephen Herondale, has been attacking London for the past 5 months." He said and my jaw dropped. "He went Villain and you brought his family into our home."

"I have to go." Jace said before running out of the room. He was gone before I could stop him.

"Way to go dad." I said when I turned back towards him.

"What?" He asked. "I'm just stating the facts."

"Did you ever think they didn't want to talk about it?" I asked.

"It's important information." He said and I was about to say something when Celine cut me off.

"He's right. My husband going Villain surprised us all. But that's why Jace and I are here. We had to leave. We didn't agree with him and we couldn't stay. It wasn't healthy for Jace." She said. "It devastated Jace to leave his friends and his father, but he couldn't be there anymore."

"I'm going to go find him." I said and I left before they could stop me. It was cold out. And I put my jacket on and followed the footprints in the snow. Turns out, Jace didn't go very far. I found him sitting on a park bench down the street from my house. When I got there, I took a seat next to him and waited for him to speak, if he was even going to.

"Now you know." He eventually said.

"I get why you didn't want anyone knowing." I said. "But it's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Isn't it? My father went dark. After all those years doing what was good for the world and all of the sudden he goes Villain?"

"People change Jace." I said. "And it's up to them to make that decision."

"I just didn't want to be treated differently." He said.

"So you isolated yourself?" I asked.

"Better to do it yourself than have others do it for you." He explained. I nodded and sat back against the bench before shivering. Jace reached out his hand and the next second a low fire was burning. I sat up and placed my hands over it slightly.

"Thank you." I said and he smiled.

"So what's your deal?" He asked after a moment.

"I don't know what you mean." I said quickly.

"Oh please, you were two seconds away from ripping Izzy's head off if she didn't stop talking about some secret they all know about." He said. "So, what is it?" He asked and I felt like I could trust me. He told me his secret, it seemed only fair.

"You remember the day we got placed?" I asked and he nodded. "Well, invisibility isn't my only power."

"So? A lot of kids get two." He said.

"I have 3." I said and he looked at me shocked.

"No way." He says and I nodded. "How the hell did you manage that?" He asked.

"No idea. I got invisibility first, than came the telekinesis and than the healing power." I explained. "To this day I'm still a mystery."

"That's wicked." He said and I laughed. "Why don't you want people to know?"

"I didn't want to be labeled the freak with three powers. Plus it's not like I have one that's more powerful than the others. They are all equally powerful and that kinda scares me." I admitted.

"I get that." He said and I nodded. "That's still pretty cool." He said with a smile and I couldn't help but smile back. It felt good to tell someone else and be able to trust them with my secret.

"I'd appreciate if you kept that to yourself though. I mean, you can talk about it with the group, but nobody else." I said and he laughed.

"Yea, cause I have _sooo_ many friends." He said sarcastically and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Come on, let's get back." I said and he nodded. "Oh and when school starts back up, why don't you join us for lunch." I said.

"Why?" He asked as we started walking.

"Cause you look lonely my friend. And if you say no, I'll just bring the group to you." I said and he laughed.

"You have yourself a deal." He said and I smiled.

We got back to the house and when we got back to the living room everyone was staring at us.

"Sorry about that." Jace said. "I'm assuming you all heard." Jace said and Jon stood up.

"Dude, I knew when I found out your name." He said and I was shocked.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Jace asked.

"Because we may get our powers from our parents, but that doesn't mean we grow up to be just like them." Jon said. "I wasn't going to label you a Villain just because your dad switched sides."

"Thanks." Jace said. "I appreciate that." He said and Jon nodded. "And I get my powers from my mom." He elaborated. "My dad is super strong, and I'm pretty strong myself, but not enough to be labeled super strong. I get the fire from my mother."

"Does she have fire power too?" Izzy asked. In that moment it, all our drinks froze.

"Nope." We heard and Celine was standing in the doorway. "I have ice powers."

"Awesome." Izzy said and I smiled.

"I was always secretly hoping he took after me." Celine said.

"Were you surprised when he got Fire instead of ice?" Jon asked.

"Nope. I knew there was a possibility of him getting the opposite of me. I think it's rather cool. Thaw the drinks Jace." She said and he did just that. "It comes in handy when I need my car thawed from the ice." She said and everyone laughed.

The rest of the day went by pretty quickly. It was nice that Jace was opening up. He got along really well with Alec and Jon, and sometimes even Simon, but the point was, he was joining in, and making friends, and everyone needs that, especially in high school. When the evening was over, I walked Celine and Jace to the door.

"Thank you for inviting us over sweetheart." Celine said.

"It was my pleasure." I said. "I'm just glad Jace took me up on the invitation." I said and she laughed.

"He can be quick thick headed." She said and Jace just laughed and shook his head.

"I'll see you when school starts back up?" I asked.

"Yea." Jace said.

"Have a good night." I said and they left. I shut the door and when I turned around there stood Izzy. "Jesus Iz, don't scare me like that."

"You like him." She said.

"What?" I questioned.

"You totally like him." She said again and my cheeks betrayed me. "I don't blame you, he's easy to look at." She said and I laughed.

"Stick to your own man." I said and she smiled.

"I love my little nerd." She said and I couldn't' help but smile. I grabbed her arm and led her into the living room. There was something about Jace, especially after learning why he was closed off, that was intriguing to me. And I couldn't wait to learn more.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Sebastian POV:**

I was roaming the halls for kids who were skipping class, or not behaving in class. I was determined to be the most feared 'Hero' in this place, so that once I graduated I would have a decent following to finally execute my plan of world domination.

My class was pretty much filled with duds, and I couldn't leave this school in May without a decent group of followers still here, so I was searching for underclassmen. They could be Hero's or Sidekicks, it didn't matter to me, just as long as they were supportive of the cause, that's all that mattered.

I wasn't finding anyone, so I thought I'd just go back to class and try again next period. I was walking back when I heard someone laugh. I made my way over to the classroom where I saw Clary Morgenstern and Jace Herondale. When I found out his father went Villain I thought he'd be a shoe in for my plan, but he wanted nothing to do with it, and I wasn't going to waste my time with someone who didn't understand the importance of what I wanted to accomplish. Clary on the other hand, damn was she one fine piece of ass, but she was the type of person who was so far out of reach due to her brother and her friends. She was never really alone, and I could really use her invisibility on my side. It would be a huge asset.

"Jace, I can't help you if you don't take this seriously." I heard her laugh.

"I don't have the right pieces to build this shrink ray Clary." Jace said back to her.

"What are you missing?" She asked him.

"A trigger piece." He responded. She looked around the room for a moment before focusing on something. She jerked her head a little and the object started flying towards her. She had two powers. "You couldn't have gotten up to get that?" Jace asked through a laugh.

"What good is telekinesis if you don't use it every now and than?" She asked as she handed him the piece. That could be useful as well. I stood there for a few more moments while they build the stupid contraption.

"Damn it." Jace snapped as he held his hand as blood flowed out of it.

"Let me see." Clary said as she held her hand over the wound. I focused my eyes hard enough to see that the blood was stopping and the pain was lessoning. _Three powers._ She was holding out on all of us.

"You are a good luck charm to have around." Jace said as his hand was completely healed.

"I just got lucky, or cursed. I'm still not sure." Clary said with a humorless laugh.

"I think you got lucky getting three powers." Jace said.

"How? I'm just a freak." Clary commented.

"No, you're special." Jace said. "Having three powers is extremely rare, but you can do a lot of good with them. Just remember that." He said but I had all the information I needed. I would get Clary on my side, I didn't care what I had to do. I walked back to my class and retook my seat. I tapped the kid on the shoulder in front of me.

"Kieran, I need a favor." I said and he smiled.

"What can I help you with Sebastian?" He asked with a smirk. He was an evil dude, everyone could tell, and I loved it.

"I'm gonna need to use your mind control skills." I said and his smirk turned wicked.

"Who is the victim this time?" He asked.

"Clarissa Morgenstern." I said and he looked confused. "I think she'll make the perfect weapon for us."

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was running late to class, and I just finished getting my books out of my locker when I was cornered. When I turned around there stood Sebastian and Kieran. Two guys that were in the Hero Track, but the farthest thing from Heros.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Feisty." Sebastian said. "I like feisty." And I wanted to gag.

"Let me go." I said and he just smirked.

"Not gonna happen Little Red." He said. "I need your help."

"I'm not going to help you." I snapped.

"Oh really?" He said and Kieran just smirked. "Cause I know for a fact that you're holding out on us. Three powers?" He asked and I swallowed hard. "Tisk tisk Clarissa."

"How do you know?" I managed to get out which caused him to laugh.

"You and Jace should really be more aware of your surrounding when you talk about things you want to keep secret." He said and I started to get warm. "Kieran, you know what to do." He said and before I could do anything, I felt myself losing control of my mind.

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting at the table during lunch when I noticed that Clary was late, which was rare for her. Nobody seemed to noticed so I thought maybe she told someone she was going to be late, so I just let it go and continued to listen to Alec and Magnus talk while I ate my apple. Suddenly someone sat down next to me and when I looked up there sat Clary, and she looked a little distressed.

"You okay?" I asked.

"What? Yea. I'm fine." She said but it wasn't very convincing.

"You sure?" I asked.

"I said I'm fine." She hissed and I realized that she was in a bad mood, so I just let it go. Lunch continued and Clary was still just as tense as she was when she sat down. I didn't know what happened but she seemed spooked and I didn't know why.

When school was over, I noticed that Clary basically sprinted to the bus. I didn't understand why she was so paranoid since she wasn't at the beginning of the day. But I clearly wasn't going to get anything out of her, and I figured if she needed someone to talk to, she'd open up to whoever she felt closest too, and I probably wasn't that person. But that didn't stop me from worrying about her.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

To say that I've hated my life for the past two weeks would be an understatement and there was nothing that I could do about it. Kieran and Sebastian kept a close eye on me, and no matter if I went invisible or not, they could find me, and I hated it.

I couldn't even tell anyone about it. If I did, while Kieran was controlling my mind, he would make me punish myself, and I found that out the hard way, and I never wanted it to happen again. Covering up those scars is hard, and I didn't want to add anymore to my gallery.

Jace knew something was up though. He watched me even more than normal, and he always asked me how I was doing, and reassuring me that I could talk to him if I needed too. And I _needed_ to but I wasn't going to involve him in this, and I wasn't going to risk Sebastian and Kieran finding out about what was going on. He didn't need that after everything that happened with his father, so I wasn't going to stay silent and continue dealing with this on my own.

"Time for the big execution." Sebastian said in my ear. The worst thing about the mind control was that I was aware of everything going on around me, but I couldn't break the control he had over me. It sucked, and it was hell, and no matter what they wanted me to do, while I was being controlled, their wish was my command. "Prom is going to be one epic night."

"What's the plan exactly?" Kaelie asked. He had found those in the Sidekick class who were pissed off about being Sidekicks to join his cause, and that meant Kaelie and Aline were in his alliance. It was despicable really. To go against everything good in the world.

"Easy. Since Helen is on the student government she managed to have prom be open this year. Anyone can attend, which the underclassman are taking full advantage of." Sebastian explained. "While the prom king, obviously me, and queen are being announced, that's when hell is going to break out."

"But how?" Mark, who had the ability of super speed, and also a loyal follower of Sebastian when he asked.

"Kieran is going to control the whole gym." Sebastian said. "Than we're going to force the chaperones into a classroom and lock it. Than we gather the strongest Hero's and Kieran will control them into joining our side, than, world domination."

"But what if they don't comply?" Meliorn asked. He was eager to join the cause the moment Sebastian approached him with his plan.

"Simple." He said as he looked at me. "Our dear sweet Clarissa can change those healing powers to hurting powers." He explained and I sucked in a deep breath. I've heard of that being possible, but it never crossed my mind to hurt someone.

"No." I said and he walked up to me.

"Kieran." He said and that's when everything started getting out of my control. "Now, what was that again?" He asked, and I wanted to bit my tongue until it bled, but I couldn't.

"I will hurt those who don't bow at your feet." I said and every word felt like poison. "Every time they reject, they have their deepest fear inflicted upon them."

"Good girl." He said and than Kieran released my mind. Every time he did this I got a headache that lasted for days. It was like being tortured.

 **Jace POV:**

Since the prom was opened to everyone this year, everyone was pretty much going, and I thought it could be fun, so I decided that I might as well embrace the experience, but I really wanted to ask Clary to be my date. Even if it was just something platonic and simple, I really wanted to take her.

I found her at her locker before class started, and decided to go over and ask her while I still had the nerve. I've always been a little nervous around Clary, but I feel like I've been walking on eggshells for some time now, and I knew something was wrong, but she wasn't opening up, and I wasn't going to push.

"Hey Clary." I said and she turned and smiled up at me, but I could tell it wasn't a genuine smile. It didn't sparkle like it used too.

"What's up Jace?" She asked.

"Well, since the prom is opened to everyone this year, I figured it could be a fun time, and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me." I said nervously and she let out a small, but sad laugh.

"Oh Jace." She said, and I felt rejection coming on. "That is so sweet, but….."

"She's going with me." Someone said and when I looked at where the voice was coming from, Sebastian strutted over and put his arm around Clary, and I felt sick. "Isn't that right babe?" He smirked as he pulled her into him.

"That's right." Clary said. "He asked me the other day, and I said yes."

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" I wondered.

"Dude, she isn't obligated to tell you anything." Sebastian said and I wanted to light him up, but I didn't. "See you at lunch Clare-Bear." Sebastian winked before leaving and I looked back at Clary.

"Seriously Clary?" I asked. "Him?"

"He's a nice guy once you get to know him." She said, but everything that was coming out of her mouth just seemed fake.

"You know what, whatever." I said. "It just would have been nice to know before humiliating myself and asking you."

"Jace." She murmured. "I'm sorry."

"I guess I'll see you in class." I said before walking away. I couldn't believe that she was going with that prick.

When I got to my class, I took my normal seat in the back. I wasn't paying attention to anything really, but as hard as I tried to get Clary and Sebastian out of my mind, I just couldn't. I felt something hit my thigh and when I looked down I noticed that someone dropped their pencil. I picked it up and handed it back to the girl sitting next to me. Lydia.

"Thanks Jace." She said with a kind smile. She was a very nice girl, and you'd never know by looking at her that her power was so wicked.

"Hey Lydia." I said and she turned back towards me.

"Yes?" She asked.

"How would you like to go to the prom with me?" I asked and her smile got even bigger.

"I'd love that." She said and I nodded and she went back to paying attention. I still wanted to go, but I didn't want to go alone, and Lydia was a nice girl who I've talked to a couple times in this class and we said hi to each other in the hallway and stuff. I think it could be fun to go with her, and I hope I wasn't wrong.

When I got to lunch I spotted Clary sitting with Sebastian. I tried to ignore it as I sat down at the table. I pulled out my apple and tried to focus on my reading when someone threw a grape at me.

"What the hell was that for?" I asked.

"I heard you're taking Lydia Branwell to the prom." Izzy asked me.

"I am." I said honestly.

"I thought you were asking Clary." She said.

"I did, and apparently she's going with Sebastian." I said and everyone looked at me.

"She's what?" Jon yelled.

"I asked her before class, and Sebastian came over and put his arm around her and said they were going together." I explained. "And I still wanted to go, but I didn't want to go alone, and Lydia and I have class together, and she's really nice, so I thought why not."

"I can't believe she agreed to go with that prick." Izzy said.

"Who knows Iz, but it's none of my business." I said and she just nodded. Jon still looked pissed, but I had a feeling that he was going to go home and have a intense conversation with her. For me though, it wasn't my business why she agreed, the point is, she is going with him, and I'm not going to dwell on that for right now. I was finally getting comfortable and making friends. I mean Alec and I were going to hang out this weekend without the group, and at the beginning of this year, I didn't think I'd have any friends, let along a group of them, and I was going to enjoy that.

 **Time Jump – Prom**

 **Clary POV:**

My worst nightmare was finally coming true. My powers were going to be manipulated by a Villain and there was nothing I could do about it. Jon practically yelled at me for 2 hours when he found out I was going to prom with Sebastian, and honestly, I didn't blame him. Sebastian was a snake, and I hated being near him.

He told me what color to wear, and that's why I'm in this tacky blue dress, with my hair pinned in every single direction. I honestly looked like a hot mess, and I didn't even want to leave the house. Jon wasn't speaking to me, and I understood why not. But we still had to ride the bus together, and my parents wanted picture with us. His smile was so forced. I couldn't wait for this night to be over, but at the same time, I wanted the night to never begin.

We got to the school and everyone found their date. I saw Jace talking to Lydia. I heard that he asked her to prom and my heart broke because I wanted to be his date. I was so broken when he asked me and I had to say no. And it didn't help that Lydia looked freaking amazing. She was wearing a beautiful gold dress that hugged every curve, and matched Jace's hair and eyes so perfectly. He was rocking an entirely black suit, and he looked damn good. It just made this night even worse.

I got into the gym without seeing Sebastian but I knew my luck was going to run out eventually. I was just wondering around when I bumped into someone. I looked up and there were those golden eyes that have been avoiding me since this whole situation started.

"Jace." I said and he smiled.

"Hey. You look….." He started looking me up and down before meeting my gaze again. "..uncomfortable." He finally said and I laughed.

"Not my first choice." I admitted. "Plus I'm not a fan of the color."

"So why are you wearing it?" Lydia asked.

"Sebastian wanted to wear blue, and he liked the dress." I said and it was half true. He wanted this blue, but I didn't show him the dress. I didn't really care for the dress, so the first blue one I saw I got.

"That was nice of you." Lydia said and I nodded. "When Jace said he was wearing all black, and that I could choose whatever color I wanted, I knew I had the perfect date." She beamed and it just made me want to be her ever more. "Oh, there is Charlotte, I'll be right back." Lydia said before running off.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry." I said after a moment. "For not telling you about Sebastian, and rejecting your offer." I explained and he nodded.

"Just be careful Clary." He said. "I've heard things about Sebastian. Pretty unnerving things, and I don't want you to get hurt." He said and I nodded. "Plus he's a senior and you're only a freshman so – just, take care of yourself." He added before walking away.

"I'm not the one I'm worried about." I said as I watched him go. A moment later, an arm was around my shoulders. I looked up into those beady black eyes.

"You ready for tonight sweetheart?" He whispered in my ear and I fought the urgency to groan. He lead me towards his group of friends who I never wanted to see after tonight and I just hoped that my friends and my brother made it out without being caught up in this.

 **Time Jump – A Few Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was that time of the night to announce prom king and queen. Everyone pretty much knew who it was going to be. Sebastian and some girl named Allison. The whole ceremony was pretty pointless considering it was obvious, but here we were, all standing around and waiting for them to be crowned.

I was having a pretty good night. Asking Lydia was a good choice on my part. She was fun, and personable, and easy to talk to, and never made a moment feel uncomfortable, which is what I needed tonight considering I was still a little pissed that Clary was here with Sebastian. Lydia was also a nice distraction, and that was nice.

"Can I have everyone's attention." Mr. Wayland said. "Can I have the nominees up on stage please." He said and the three guys and three girls got up there. Sebastian wore a cocky smirk that I wish I could just scorch right off his face. "And the winner for prom king is…Sebastian Verlac. Shocker." He said and the place started clapping as Mr. Wayland put the crown on his head. "And prom queen is…Allison Handy. Again, shocker." He said as he placed the crown on her head. "You two may now share your king and queen dance."

"Actually Mr. Wayland, can I say a few words." Sebastian asked.

"Whatever." Mr. Wayland said before getting off the stage.

"Fellow classmates and underclass mates, thank you for this honor. Truly, I'm not surprised." He said and I rolled my eyes. So much for modesty. "But this isn't even the best part of the evening. May the rest of my court please join me on stage." He said and everyone looked around, confused as to what he was talking about.

"What's going on?" I heard Jon ask.

"I have no idea, but it doesn't look good." I said and in that moment, Clary stepped on stage. "Oh shit. Not good." I said and I could feel Jon tense beside me.

"My fellow Heros and Sidekicks." Sebastian started. "It's time we put these labels behind us, and call ourselves what we all know we want to be. Villains!" He shouted and in that moment, everyone ducked in pain. It wasn't fun having your mind controlled when the person controlling them with the wrong reasons. It was a searing pain throughout the whole body, and everything was fuzzy, and there wasn't a thing you could do about it. "You all will obey me, and if you don't, sweet little Clarissa will make you pay." He said and that's when all hell broke loose.

I looked around me as saw that everyone was on the ground, in pain. Izzy was holding her head, Simon was rocking back and forth, Alec and Magnus were clutching to each other for dear life, and Lydia was screaming bloody murder next to me. I looked up and saw Clary. She looked uncomfortable, and completely devastated. She knew she was causing this pain. Which, I felt for her. Having the ability to heal people was truly amazing, but seeing someone manipulate her into using it to hurt, didn't sit well with me.

I didn't feel anything too painful except the fuzziness in my head, so I took it upon myself to try and stop this uprising, if that's what it was becoming. I noticed that the teachers were all out of the gym at this point, and kids were blocking the exits. Sebastian really thought this through, and the fact that he roped Clary into his sick and twisted plan, just fueled my fire even more.

I got low to the ground and started crawling. I didn't want to be seen, I wanted Sebastian to think his plan was working. They were all marveling at the pain that was being inflicted, so they weren't really paying attention to me. I got to the back of the stage, and started planning out my attack. Kieran was the one controlling the minds, so I was going to start with him. I made my way over to him, and melted his shoes to the ground, and than slowly burned a fire under his feet. When he felt the pain, and he tried to move, he slammed his face on the ground, and it knocked him out cold. It worked better than I imagined, so that was good. Once I saw the relief and the sounds stop, I knew that they could all get out, and safe, and that was important to me. I refuse to be my father, and I refuse to let people like him win in this world.

Next I made my way over to Sebastian. I noticed that Jon had come and grabbed Clary before running out of the gym to get her away from here, and I was thankful that she was safe. Sebastian finally found me and he didn't look pleased.

"I should have tried a little harder to get you on my side." Sebastian said. "You would have made a great addition."

"I don't make deals with the devil." I said.

"Pity." He said. "It's such a waste to kill someone with so much power."

"What makes you think you're going to kill me?" I asked and he laughed.

"You're a freshman, I'm a senior. It's common knowledge that I'm going to win." He said in a cocky tone.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." I said. "I may be a freshman, but I'm not inexperienced."

"Doesn't matter anyway. You're still going to die." He said and that's when I knew all hell was going to break.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jon got me out of the gym, I felt like I could breath for the first time since Sebastian approached me. I was free, and I didn't have to worry about when my mind was going to be controlled next.

"Is that why you were acting so strange?" Jon asked. "Sebastian manipulated you, while Kieran controlled your mind?"

"I wasn't manipulated." I said. "He approached me, and I said no. Kieran than took control of my mind, and he made me hurt myself if I didn't obey him."

"That son of a bitch." Jon yelled. "He's dead."

"Can you just, stay with me?" I asked hesitantly. "I feel like I've been living someone else's life for the past couple months, and I just really need something, someone familiar."

"You don't need to ask me twice. I'll deal with Sebastian one Jace is done with him." Jon said.

"Jace is in there?" I asked concerned.

"He somehow wasn't as affected like the rest of us, and made a conscious decision to try and stop whatever was going on." Jon explained and I simply nodded.

We sat out there, with teachers, students, and parents while we were questioned about the events that took place, and waiting to see who was coming out of the school. Nobody wanted to enter since nobody knew what was going on. It was all up to Jace and Sebastian, and I prayed that Jace walked out of those doors.

After I was finished telling my side of the story, that's when the doors opened. I looked up and saw an exhausted, and slightly burned looking Jace. Celine was there, and she immediately ran over to him and pulled him into a hug. Those in charge ran into the school to assess the damage, and see what happened with Sebastian. I stood up, and slowly made my way over to where Jace and his mom were. They were talking, and she was looking him over, but he didn't seem to be in any pain. He looked up briefly and our eyes locked. He said something to him mom before walking over towards me.

"I can't thank you enough." I said when he got to me.

"It was nothing." He said.

"It was everything." I said. "How did you do it?"

"I saw my friends in pain, I heard the screams, and than I law you. You looked devastated, and just seeing everyone in pain, and scared gave me the strength to do something about it." He explained and I nodded. "What were you doing to them anyway?" He asked.

"I was told to show them their biggest fear on a loop in their mind." I admitted. "It was horrible." I said. "Why didn't it work for you?" I asked.

"Because I've already experienced my biggest fear." He said honestly. "So I already knew how to handle it."

"What is it? If you don't mind me asking." I said.

"My father switching sides." He said. "I had a feeling very young that he had a dark side. I didn't know exactly what that meant, but I knew he had it. So when he switched it was even more devastating because I had a feeling, and I really hoped that I was wrong." He explained. "And to see how much joy he got from it. From leaving his family, and his morals behind was heartbreaking. It tore my mom apart, and it honestly broke me in a lot of ways."

"I'm so sorry Jace." I said as I put my hand on his arm. He shrugged a little before giving me a sad smile.

"How are you doing? Being manipulated by Sebastian for months couldn't have been easy." He asked.

"It was the worst thing that's ever happened to me." I said. "I'm so glad to be rid of him."

"Yea, I don't think he's going to be an issue anymore." He said and that's when the authorities emerged with Sebastian, who was thinned to the max.

"What did you do to him?" I asked with a laugh.

"Elasticity, and heat. Not a good combo." He said with a smirk and I couldn't help but smile.

"Good for you." I said and he nodded. "And about you asking me to prom." I said and he looked at me. "I wish I could have said yes." I admitted. "I wanted to, but I was just trying to get through the torture." He nodded. "So I was maybe wondering if you'd like to go out on a date with me."

"Bold, but I like it." He said and I smiled. "I'd love to go on a date with you."

"Great. Maybe some time next weekend?" I asked.

"Sounds perfect." He said and that moment all our friends came over to talk, and congratulate Jace on taking Sebastian down. I finally felt like I was back and normal again, and that felt great.

 **Time Jump – Senior Year**

 **Clary POV:**

It's been three years since everything went down with Sebastian, and since then, high school has been rather boring. We went to class, we hung out together, Jace and I went to dances and went out on dates. It was the normalcy I expected from high school, and experiencing it with my best friends, and the greatest boyfriend in the world was the greatest feeling in the world. And now it was out year to graduate and go out in the real world and start using our abilities and powers to help people and make the world a better place.

"You're spacing out again." I heard and I turned to see Jace smiling at me.

"Sorry, just thinking." I said and he nodded.

"About what this time?" He asked as he rubbed circles on my back.

"How normal and boring high school is without all the drama." I said and he laughed.

"It has been rather boring since freshman year." He agreed and I nodded. "But I like it."

"So do I." I admitted. "It's going to be weird not being in school anymore after we graduate."

"That it will be. But we'll have each other." He pointed out and I smiled.

"I love you." I said. "Have I told you that yet today?" I asked and he laughed.

"Twice, but I always love hearing it." He said and I blushed.

"Well, I love you." I said and he leaned over and pressed his lips softly to mine.

"I love you too." He said after the kiss was done. "But I have a question for you." He said and I nodded letting him know he could continue. "Well, prom is soon, and I'd really like to take you this time, so I was wondering if you'd agree to be my date this year." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. I finally got to give him the answer I wanted to freshman year.

"I would absolutely love to go to prom with you."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Motivation is severely** **lacking, but I am a huge Sky High fan (great movie for anyone who is interested! It's on Netflix if you want to watch!) But that's where I got this idea from. I know I have one about Clary having powers, but this time around I wanted everyone to have powers, and this came to me, and I decided to go with it! It took me almost 2 weeks to write almost, and that's so rare, but like I said, motivation is not all there. I'm super busy this weekend! My BFF is getting married, this month and being in the bridal party is stressful, but exciting, so I might be delayed because of that! But leave reviews, and suggestions and I'll try my best to get as many done as possible! Let me know what you think! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Sky High, and some of the things in this story were inspired by Sky High, like the powers, or the way they are placed. I don't own anything, it all belongs to the creators, and stuff!**

 **Also, I got a review saying to keep Malec out of this series, and I just wanted to make a clarification, I wanted to know if you all would be interested in a chapter story focused around Alec and Magnus. I have an idea, but not solid enough to start writing and I'd love your feedback on if that would be something you'd be interested in! Let me know what you think! :)**


	113. Chapter 112 - The Bet

**One Hundred and Twelve Story:**

 **The Bet**

 **Clary POV:**

"You ready for senior year Fray?" Simon asked as we walked into the high school for the last year.

"Totally. I can't wait to start my future." I said and he smiled.

"You're lucky. You know where you're going." Simon said and I put my hand on his shoulder.

"You'll get into your dream school Si, I know you will." I said and he gave me a sad smile.

"I just, I applied over the summer, and I haven't heard anything back." He said dejectedly.

"Maybe they were just so impressed, they wanted the whole staff to see you before they let you in." I said and he scoffed.

"Good try Fray, but that wasn't a very convincing lie." He said and I smiled.

"I gave it a try." I said and he laughed as we made it to our lockers. "How is Isabelle?" I asked as I wiggled my eyebrows in his direction. The day Simon came over to my house and said he had a date with Isabelle Lightwood, I nearly shit my pants.

"She's good." Simon said with the biggest smile on his face. He was totally smitten.

"I still can't believe you're together." I said and he laughed. "I mean, Isabelle Lightwood and Simon Lewis, who would have guessed that combination."

"I had my fingers crossed. That's for sure." He said and as if her ears were ringing, in sauntered Isabelle. She walked right over to us and gave Simon a sweet kiss, which caused a chorus of whispers throughout the hallways.

"Hey you two." She said.

"Hey." Simon said. "You ready for homeroom?" Simon asked and Izzy nodded. They were lucky they had last names that both started with an L.

"There is one thing you should know about me Simon Lewis, I'm always unprepared." She said and we all laughed.

"Trust me, I know. I lost a lot of pencils to you over the years." Simon said and Izzy smiled. "We'll see you at lunch Clare?" Simon asked.

"Correction, I have to meet with my math teacher during lunch. So don't worry when I'm not there." Izzy said and we both nodded.

"I'll be at lunch." I said and he nodded. They made their way down the hallway, getting stared at the whole time, and I made my way to my homeroom. I was ready for senior year, and just getting through it, and going to begin my future.

 **Jace POV:**

Senior year of high school was about to be the most uneventful year thus far in my life. I just wanted to go to college honestly. As far as I'm concerned, this year is going to be a joke. The teachers won't care, and we won't care, and the only thing I'm going to be focusing on is sports. I already got into my dream school, so as of right now, class work was the last thing on my mind.

Izzy immediately left me when we got to school to meet up with Rat Face, and I was just meandering throughout the hallways. I got to my locker, I grabbed a notebook, and a pencil, but I doubted that I would write a single thing, but it gave the teachers a little hope that I would, so that's all I really needed.

My schedule was pretty boring the first half of the day. Calc 1, AP English, American Government, Physics, and Business Law, but the end of the day was pretty chill. After lunch I had AP Piano, Gym, and a Study Hall to end the day. I just had to endure the first part of my day, and the end of my day would be pretty sweet.

Thankfully the first half of the day went by quickly, and I was finally going to lunch. My classes weren't that terrible, but sometimes they were just really boring, and that was the hardest part. There is nothing worse than trying to learn about a boring topic. I just takes the interest out of education. I got to my normal table and started eating some chips. I wasn't paying attention to anything, until someone snapped their fingers in my face. I looked up and it was Sebastian.

"What?" I asked.

"Okay, I got a bet for you to start the year off Jace." Sebastian said as we sat at lunch.

"This ought to be good." I smirked and he laughed.

"Oh, it's good." He said. "You're a shoe in for homecoming king. Everyone knows it." I nodded in agreement because it was true. "But this year, I think you should have a new queen." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean, instead of Kaelie or Aline, it should be someone new. Someone no one would expect." He explained.

"Okay. I can work my magic." I said.

"Ah ah ah. I get to choose." He said and I groaned.

"Fine. Pick away." I said.

"I've had my eye on her for this particular bet." He said. "Clarissa Fray." He said.

"Art freak Fray?" I asked and he laughed. "How the hell do you expect me to manage that?"

"I'm sure you'll work your magic." He said with an evil glimmer in his eye. I looked over at the table where she sat with her 1 friend. This was going to be a tough bet.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in American Government doodling away in my notebook when I heard the desk next to me screech and be put right next to mine. I looked up and there sat Jace, looking at my doodle. I slammed my notebook closed and put my government book on top of it.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I always see you drawing, I was just wondering what it was." He said naturally.

"It's personal." I said.

"It looked like a lake to me." He said and I shrugged.

"Lakes can be personal." I said and he nodded.

"Let me guess, you spent a lot of your summers at that lake?" He guessed, and my mouth dropped slightly.

"How did you know?" I asked and he smiled.

"I took a wild guess. You probably don't go there often, and you're trying to remember it." He said again, and I was pretty impressed with his guesses.

"Something like that." I said as I pull the notebook back out. "My mom's best friend has a lake house, and we'd visit him every year." I admitted. "I haven't been there in almost 5 years now."

"Why not?" He asked.

"Now that is personal." I said and he nodded.

"I get it. I'm not going to pry." He said and I was thankful for that. He was about to say something else when the teacher started talking. He moved the desk back to original spot, and I tried to focus on the lesson, but I was pleasantly surprised by that conversation with Jace. It was pretty natural to open up to him about that, and I liked it.

 **Time Jump – Lunch**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting at lunch reading a book waiting for Izzy and Simon to show up. I was picking at some grapes, and not paying any attention to my surroundings when I heard a chair move. When I looked up, I was expecting to see Simon and Izzy, but instead there stood Jace.

"This is unexpected." I said as I put my book down.

"Mind if I sit?" He asked and I shoot my head and he took a seat.

"What are you doing over here?" I asked.

"I ran into Izzy in the hallway, she threw up last class, and Simon is taking her home and they wanted me to tell you they wouldn't be joining you, and I didn't want you to sit alone, so I thought I'd stay." He explained and I was pleasantly surprised yet again.

"That's very un-Jace of you." I said and he laughed.

"I'm a lot more than just the smart jock." He said, and now it was my turn to laugh.

"Right, player is also in that mix." I retorted and he smirked.

"I think I've mellowed out a lot since my freshman year." He said and I laughed.

"You have, congratulations on your character development." I said and he smiled and nodded.

"Thank you. Gotta keep it interesting other wise you just get predictable." He said and I nodded in agreement. "So, finish drawing your lake yet?" He asked.

"Yea. Finished it in AP Chem." I said and he nodded. "I'm guessing you want to see it." I said and he smiled.

"I get if you don't want me to. I know it's personal, but it was a great doodle." He said and he did say he liked it, so why not let him see the finished product.

"You can see it, but I want your honest opinion." I said.

"You will get nothing but honesty." He said and I nodded. I reached down and grabbed my sketchbook. I turned it to the page where the finished product was, and handed it over to him. He was quiet for a couple minutes. His eyes taking in the whole image. When he finally looked up he looked stunned. "This is one of the most beautiful sketches I've ever seen."

"Really?" I asked nervously.

"Really. I can't believe you created this. I mean, you're amazing." He said with true admiration in his voice.

"Thank you." I said shyly.

"Don't be shy about it. You should be bragging about this talent." He said and I couldn't help but blush.

"Well, I had the best teacher around." I said.

"Who?" He asked.

"My mom." I said. "I practically grew up in a gallery, and we lived in a studio for a long time. Art just ran in my veins."

"That's awesome." He said. "You planning on going to school for this?" He asked.

"I am. I was accepted to NYU, and they have an amazing art program there." I said happily.

"No way, I'm going to NYU too. Maybe we'll see each other around." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Did we just develop a friendship Jace Herondale?" I asked and he smiled.

"I would like to think so Clary Fray." He said and I laughed. I slide the grapes into the center of the table and we continued to talk for the rest of lunch and share grapes. I don't know what would happen with this newly developed friendship, but I liked it as of right now.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Spending this last week getting to know Clary was eye opening, and I didn't want to participate in this bet any more. It wasn't fair to Clary, and I wasn't going to hurt her anymore. This bet needed to end, and I was going to confront Sebastian about it today before practice.

The whole day went by too slowly for me. I needed out of this bet, and I needed it fast. There were so many amazing things about Clary, and I've only known her for a week. I can't imagine all the other amazing things I'm going to learn about her during the rest of the year.

When the day finally came to and end, I tracked Sebastian down. I pulled him out of the locker room and around the corner where I knew nobody else would be.

"What gives man?" Sebastian asked.

"I want out of the bet." I said.

"Why? Can't work your magic? I knew she would be a challenge, but I thought you had it in your Jace." He said.

"It's not that. I just don't want to put Clary through this." I said honestly. "She doesn't deserve it."

"Has Jace got feelings for our school art freak?" Sebastian taunted.

"She isn't a freak." I said through gritted teeth. "And she doesn't deserve this treatment."

"Well too bad Jace. You already agreed to this." Sebastian said as he poked his finger into my chest. "You're going to go through with this, and that's final." He said before walking away. I needed to tell Clary about this bet, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings. She didn't deserve that.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I felt like Jace had been distant lately and I didn't know why. He would sit with us at lunch but he wouldn't really talk, and when we did talk, he didn't seem like he was really into the conversation. Izzy noticed it too, and when she asked him about it at lunch one day, he just got up and left without another word. To say we were all confused would be an understatement.

I had a free period, and I was wondering the halls trying to wake myself up. I was humming to myself when I heard the sounds of the a piano floating through the hallways. I followed it, wondering who was playing such a beautiful piece of music. When I got to the room it was coming out of, I peaked in and couldn't believe that Jace was sitting at the piano. I made my way inside and over to him, and when I leaned against the piano he jumped.

"Shit. Don't scare me like that." He said and I laughed.

"I didn't know you could play." I said.

"Only a select few do." He said.

"You're really good." I said and he smiled.

"Thank you. I've been playing my whole life." He said and I took a seat on the bench with him.

"Is everything okay Jace?" I asked and he looked at me.

"Yea. Why wouldn't it be?" He asked.

"You just don't seem like yourself lately." I said honestly.

"Oh, yea. I just have a lot going on, and practice has been brutal lately. I guess I'm just drained." He said.

"I get that. I've been pulling a lot of all nighters working on a bunch of different projects lately, and I fall asleep in half my classes." I said and he laughed.

"Is that why you've been roaming the hallways?" He asked.

"You stalking me?" I asked and he laughed.

"No, but your hair is pretty distinctive. I see you passing my classes often." He said and I smiled.

"Yea. I figured it would be better than getting yelled at for sleeping." I said and he nodded. "Well, I should probably get back to class."

"Yea. I'll see you around." He said and I nodded before leaving the room. I heard the piano start back up and I couldn't get the smile off my face as I slowly listened to it until I could no longer hear it. I felt like that was a good conversation between us. A genuine one that we've been lacking lately.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I stayed late at school today working on my latest project. It has been taking me the longest any project has ever before but I wanted to take my time with this one. It was special to me.

When I gathered my things and heading towards the parking lot when I hear someone talking. Now, I'm normally not an eavesdropper but I recognized the voice, Sebastian, and he normally had some nasty thing to say.

"So, how's Jace doing with the bet?" The kid he was talking to said, and that caught my attention.

"He asked me if he could call off the bet like a week after he started." Sebastian laughed.

"Why?" The other boy said.

"He's genuinely developing feelings for her. He asked me to back out of the bet but I think it's fun to watch him squirm. Everything has always come easy to him, it's about time something didn't work out in the golden boys favor." Sebastian said. "I knew he would want to back out once he got to know Clary, but I'm not letting him off the hook." And my jaw practically hits the floor.

"How did you know he'd want to call it off?" The boy asked.

"Because Jace is so easy to read." Sebastian says. "He might not have noticed it, but he subconsciously looks at her whenever they're in the same room."

"But he calls her art freak Fray." The boy said and that annoyed me a little but I knew about that pleasant nickname.

"Yea, but he always gets this look of regret in his eyes every time he says it." Sebastian said. And not everything in me is more angry with Sebastian than I am with Jace, I mean, he did try to call off the bet. "It doesn't matter, once Clary gets that tiara at the dance we will end the bet."

I was done listening and I practically ran out to my car. I knew I had to talk to someone about this and I knew I could talk to Jace, since I didn't want him to know that I knew, so I went to the next best person. Simon.

I texted him and asked me to meet me at Java Jones. I get there rather quick and sit at a table waiting for Simon to show up. Once he does, he takes a seat and I explain everything that I just heard Sebastian admit only 20 minutes ago.

"Wait, so you aren't mad that Jace is in a bet about you becoming homecoming queen?" Simon asked me for the 6th time.

"I was at first, but Sebastian said he tried to call off the bet when he started feeling something towards me, and Sebastian deliberately said no so that Jace would suffer." I explained. "Now, I'm going to make sure Jace wins this bet."

"But you aren't going to tell him?" Simon asked.

"Nope. That's a little pay back on my part. I'm still a little annoyed about the bet to begin with, so having Jace feel bad for another two weeks is fair enough for me." I said and Simon laughed.

"Whatever you need Fray, I'm your guy." He said.

"I need you to tell Izzy that I need Jace to meet me in Central Park in an hour." I said.

"And why is that?" Simon asked.

"Because I would like to know why he's been so distant lately." I said.

"But you know why." Simon said, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm aware, but he doesn't know I know why." I said. "Just tell Izzy to tell Jace. Central Park. 1 hour." I said before leaving his house.

 **Time Jump - One Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I'm sitting on a bench in Central Park waiting for Jace to show up. I was hoping that Jace would come. He has been distant lately, and now that I knew why, I was okay with it, but I didn't want him to know that just yet.

"Hey." I heard and I looked up and there stood Jace. I got up and walked over and gave him a hug. He happily accepted it, but I heard him give a sad sigh.

"How are you?" I asked as we took a seat.

"You just saw me at lunch today." He said and I laughed.

"Yea, but we don't really talk all the often anymore." I said and he looked down. "Is everything okay Jace? You seem off." I asked and he looked at me.

"Just have a lot on my mind." He said and I took his hand in mine. I never thought I'd be in this position with Jace. We aren't dating, but there were definitely feelings between us, but until I heard Sebastian say they were more than friendly, it finally clicked. I mean, I never thought Jace would feel like that towards me. I could also see how conflicted he was.

"You know you can tell me anything right?" I said and he smiled at me.

"I know." He said as he tucked a curl behind my ear. He was always so gentle with me, which only made my feelings grow so much more, and now that I knew it was because he liked me, that heightened my feelings. "I just need to figure some stuff out on my own." He said.

"Okay, but I'm always here to listen if you need it." I reassured him. He smiled and nodded. I could tell he wanted to say more, I could see how much this was affecting him, but I wasn't going to push him.

"I have to go. My mom said she needed my help, and I told her that I'd only be gone for 30 minutes." He said and I nodded. "I'll see you at school tomorrow." He said as he stood up. I nodded and I watched him walk away. I sat there for a few more minutes before making my way home. After seeing how conflicted and upset he was, completely dissipated any anger that I still had about the bet towards him. He genuinely cared, and that was more important to me.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since the friendship between Jace and I formed, I've definitely been catching feelings for him. He was just so genuinely nice to me, and interested in having good and productive conversations with me.

Even after learning the truth about the bet, I couldn't help but start to like him even more. There was just something about Jace, something that he didn't let anyone else see but me, and I liked it. I liked it a lot. I knew this bet was killing him. I knew he felt guilty about it, and seeing that was hard, but also something he needed to feel. It was a terrible thing for him to do to me, and once homecoming was over I would explain that I wasn't mad at all, but for now, I think he deserves a little guilt.

Simon and Izzy have been making it a habit that they start sneaking off during lunch, so it just leaves Jace and I, which wasn't terrible. Most days he just reads, and I sketch, which was totally fine with me. His company was comfortable: silent or in conversation. I was picking at an orange looking at my latest drawing when I heard the chair pull out and I saw him.

"Hey." I said and he smiled.

"Hey." He said back. "Another masterpiece done?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. I feel like it's incomplete, but I don't know what else to add." I said and he nodded.

"I'm sure you'll think of something." He said and I nodded. It was quiet until he cleared his throat. "So, I was wondering, how would you like to be my date to homecoming this year?" He asked, and as much as I knew about the bet, this was still shocking.

"Uh, sure. I'd love too." I said with the biggest smile on my face.

"Cool. Uh, I don't know how into color coordinating you are, but I was just planning on wearing black, so wear whatever you want." He said and I nodded.

"Can't wait." I said and he nodded before pulling out his book. I looked back at my sketch but couldn't really focus on it. I've never been the type of girl to look forward to school dances but this year I was looking forward to it, for more than one reason.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later - The Night of Homecoming**

 **Jace POV:**

I couldn't even bring myself to go to homecoming. I told Clary that we could just meet up at the school, but I never showed. Just another shitty thing to do to her that I can add to the list but I couldn't help it, I couldn't see that look on her face when she found out.

Thankfully my parents were out of town this weekend, so I ordered a pizza and drowned my sorrows away in a large mushroom pizza and sports. It was late, the dance would be over, and I felt more guilty than anything, than my doorbell rang. I got up and opened it, to be greeted by Clary, with a tiara on her head, and a crown in her hands.

"We won." She said. "And my king wasn't there to accept his crown."

"I'm sorry I stood you up." I said. She looked up at me with those wide green eyes. I thought I'd see hate, resentment, anger in them, but they were soft, and kind, just like they always were.

"You know, most girls would have sat in the corner crying the whole night, or left the dance." She said as she made her way into my house.

"And you didn't?" I asked as I shut the door behind me. I took another look at her, a better look. She was absolutely stunning, and it made me feel even worse.

"At first I was upset. I thought, 'damn I must have pissed him off for him to do this to me' but after about 10 minutes, Sebastian asked me to dance." She said and my blood boiled. "Halfway through our dance I realized that I wasn't going to let being stood up ruin my night. I still had a bet to win." She said and my jaw dropped.

"You - you knew?" I stuttered and she laughed.

"Not the whole time." She confessed as she played with the crown. "But Sebastian should be careful where he talks about private things."

"I tried so hard to call the bet off Clary, but he wasn't having it. I felt so awful. I didn't want to hurt you." I stammered out.

"At first I was angry. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? But than I got to thinking: I'm a senior in high school, and I've never had so much fun, and so much self exploration, and plain self confidence in myself, until you showed up." She said and I was truly speechless. "You pulled me out of my shell so much since we officially met and without the bet, I wouldn't have had that experience and that opportunity. So I decided that we were going to win this bet."

"I should have told you." I said and she nodded. "And I'm sorry that I didn't."

"Sebastian said you genuinely liked me." She said. "And it sounded a whole lot more serious than just friendly feelings." She clarified and I laughed and ran my fingers through my hair.

"You're one of a kind Clary Fray. Truly a work of art, and the most compassionate person I've ever met." I said truthfully. "It took me about a week to realize that something special was going to happen between us, and with each week that passed, it just became more apparent, and that's what hurt me the most. That it was all because of some stupid bet." I said and she stared moving towards me. "I don't know how to even begin to start apologizing and making it up to you." I said and she smiled.

"I think two weeks of torture is long enough." She said and I looked at her confused. "I found out two weeks ago. I've just been biding my time." She said and I laughed.

"Biding your time until what?" I asked.

"Until I had these crowns in my possession." She said as she lifted it up a little. "Jace Herondale, will you please accept this crown, and be the king that my queen needs?" She asked and I couldn't get the smile off my face.

"Absolutely." I said. I dipped my head a little so that Clary could reach. I stood back up and she smiled up at me.

"It's customary for the king and queen to have a dance." She said as she held out her hand. "What to you say Herondale? Dance with me?" She asked.

"To any song you ever play, I will always dance with you." I said as I took her hand and pulled her close to me. Her head resting on my chest, and my head rested on top of hers. The bet might have been the best thing to ever happen to me, but I can only imagine what life has in store for us next.

 **Time Jump – End Of Year**

 **Clary POV:**

Since the night, Jace and I have been together, and we couldn't be happier. To say Sebastian was annoyed by our very public relationship would be an understatement. His whole plan with the bet was to embarrass me. He wanted Jace to turn me into the homecoming queen and than drop me on my ass, but it backfired.

We got a lot of stares, more than Simon and Izzy even got, but after a week of ignoring all the whispers and the prying eyes, it all became white noise. Jace and I were happy together, and that's all that mattered to us.

The girls of the school would constantly tell me that Jace and I weren't going to last. That he would get sick of me, and even if we did last, after the summer, college was going to break us up, but we had an advantage. We were both going to NYU, and we both wanted this relationship to work, so we ignored all the haters and focused on ourselves.

The last week of school was pointless, but we still had to go if we wanted to graduate, so basically we sat in class, not learning, and waiting for each day to end so everyone could go about doing things they actually wanted to do.

When lunch rolled around, on the last day before graduation, Simon, Izzy, Jace and I were all sitting under our tree. Thankfully we were allowed to eat outside, and there was this amazing tree, that casted so much shade, that we loved sitting under. Jace was propped up against a tree, and I was lying down with my head in my lap. He was twirling a curl around his finger, and reading a book as I rested my eyes.

"Simon and I have to go." I heard Izzy say, and I opened my eyes.

"Where?" I questions as I rolled over on my side, but keeping my head on Jace's lap.

"Uh, I left my backpack in the engineering lab." Simon said.

"You mean, that backpack?" I said as I pointed to his backpack that was sitting in the grass.

"Did I say backpack? I meant notebook. I left my notebook." Simon said.

"You two just want to make out somewhere." Jace said. "No need to make up excuses. We all know when you two are absent, you're sucking face." He said nonchalantly. Simon blushed, as he grabbed Izzy's hand and they walked away. I couldn't help but laugh.

"It's kinda adorable that he still gets embarrassed." I said and Jace laughed. "They're a cute couple."

"We're cuter." Jace said and I laughed as I sat up.

"You think?" I asked and he smirked.

"Oh I know so." He said.

"And why is that?" I asked. He put his book down and pulled me into his lap.

"Because you're with me baby, and we all know how stunningly attractive I am." He smirked and I laughed. "Plus, you know. You're absolutely beautiful."

"Nice save." I said and he pulled me closer.

"I'm serious. You Clarissa Fray, are absolutely gorgeous." He said before he pressed a sweet kiss to my lips.

"You are such a charmer." I said and he smiled.

"I only tell you the absolute truth." He said and I weaved my fingers through his hair.

"I know." I said. Our foreheads were touching and our eyes were locked.

"Clary." He said.

"Yea?" I asked.

"I love you." He said and my heart started racing. I pulled away and saw those golden eyes radiating love, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said and the biggest smile spread across his face. I lowered my lips and pressed them to his. There was never going to be a better moment than this one right here.

 **Time Jump - Twenty Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I lied. There were defiantly going to be better moments in our future, I just didn't know it just yet. When I was 21, I found out I was pregnant. I was stunned. I didn't know what to do, and I was scared to tell Jace. I had no idea how he would react, or if he even wanted kids. I mean, we were only together for 3 years at that point, and now we were going to have a kid. Talk about intimidating.

When I told Jace, he sat there speechless for about 5 minutes. But the reaction after, was the most surprising. He started jumping around the room and cheering. That's when I was speechless. He started talking about the future and doing all these family events and that's when I started crying. He was happy, and that made me happy.

But when I was 4 months pregnant, we got even bigger news. Twins. To say we were shocked was an understatement. It took me like two weeks to fully understand that I was carrying two babies. It was insane.

But the day they were born, was the best day of my life. Rylee and Sawyer were the two best things that ever happened to Jace and I. Rylee started to look exactly like me, and was a totally Daddy's Girl. And Sawyer was an exact replica of Jace, but he was a Mamma's Boy. They were perfect, and Jace and I couldn't be prouder of them.

And now, Rylee and Sawyer were seniors in high school, and their final homecoming dance was this weekend and the nostalgia was flooding my mind. It was crazy that it felt like yesterday that was Jace and I, and now it was our kids.

"Mommy, Rylee won't let me help her get ready!" I heard from upstairs. The twins weren't our only kids. We actually had 5. Rylee and Sawyer were the two oldest at 18, Cameron was our third and he was 16, than Austin was after him, and just turned 15. We decided to take a break after those 4, since they were all so close in age, but about 6 years ago we decided to have another one, hoping that it would be another girl. Pearl was our youngest, she was 5 years old, and a huge bright spot in our lives. When I finally got upstairs, Pearl was standing outside Rylee's room and the door was locked. I knocked.

"Go away Pearl!" Rylee yelled.

"It's your mother!" I called back. And a moment later, the door unlocked. I opened the door and she was sitting at her vanity. "Why won't you let Pearl help?" I asked.

"Because I'm stressed out." She said as she continued to apply make up.

"Why sweetheart?" I asked as I took a seat on the bed.

"I'm up for homecoming queen, and I really want to win." She said. "And AJ is pretty much a shoe in to win, and I want to be the one he dances with."

"You can always dance with him after." I said trying to reassure her that it was okay.

"But what if he likes dancing with Kimberly or Lyla more?" She said in a really sassy tone.

"How long have you two been together?" I asked.

"Almost 2 years." She said.

"If he really wanted to be with Kimberly or Lyla, than he wouldn't be with you sweetheart. Trust him." I said and she nodded.

"Pearl?" Rylee called and she walked into the room hesitantly. "Which earrings do you think I should wear?" Rylee asked as she held two different ones up.

"The pearl ones!" She cheered as she ran over to me and picked her up and sat her on my lap. She looked exactly like Jace. Beautiful blonde curly hair, golden eyes. She was absolutely beautiful. Both my girls were.

"How did I know you were going to choose those?" Rylee laughed and so did Pearl. There was another knock on the door. "Come in." Rylee said and in walked Jace. "Hi daddy." Rylee said and Jace walked over and kissed her forehead.

"You need to stop growing up." Jace said and Rylee smiled.

"It was going to happen eventually." Rylee said.

"Doesn't mean I like it." Jace said as he picked Pearl up and took a seat next to me. "AJ is downstairs with the boys." He said. Rylee took one last look before standing up.

"How do I look?" Rylee asked.

"Beautiful baby." Jace said. "Just like your mother." He said and I couldn't help but blush. Rylee nodded before she headed out of the room. We followed suit and when we got downstairs the boys were all ready and talking. Having 4 kids in high school was pretty convenient, homecoming for them was going to be a blast with them all having each other there to enjoy it.

"Alright kids, curfew is midnight." I said as they all nodded and started to leave. "Hold up boys." I said and they turned around. "I don't even get a kiss goodbye?" I questioned and they all laughed. One by one they came over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. All three boys got Jace's height, so they had to bend to reach my cheek. "Have fun, and don't worry about winning!" I called out to Rylee.

"Easy for you to say mom. You and dad won." Sawyer said and I laughed.

"But remember, he stood me up at homecoming!" I called back and they all laughed before closing the front door.

"Do you always have to remind them of that?" Jace laughed.

"They love that story." I said and he smiled as I walked over to him and Pearl. "Plus, it's the beginning of our story. It's worth remembering." I said and he pulled me into him.

"That it is." He said and I gave him a kiss.

"What's for dinner?" Pearl asked and we laughed.

"What would you like for dinner?" Jace asked.

"Chinese!" Pearl cheered.

"Chinese it is. Go get your shoes on and we'll leave." Jace said as he put Pearl down and she ran towards her room. Jace pulled me back into his arms and pressed his lips to mine again. The kiss was short lived as Pearl came running back in and ran into our legs.

 **Time Jump - Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

After got back from dinner, Pearl wanted to watch a movie, so that's what we did. Since Pearl was so much younger, when the older ones were out, we did whatever Pearl wanted to do, and the older ones were very good at including her, but I knew she still felt a little out of place around 4 teenagers. Clary had gone upstairs to get changed at one point and Pearl had fallen asleep. I was just about to move her to her bed when Clary walked back down the stairs with a tiara on we head and a crown in her hands. I looked at her and she gave me a sweet smile.

"Jace Herondale, will you please accept this crown, and be the king that my queen needs?" She asked, the exact same words she spoke to me that night and I couldn't get the smile off my face. That night came flooding back to my mind.

"Absolutely." I said. I walked over to her and I dipped my head a little so that Clary could reach. I stood back up and she smiled up at me.

"It's customary for the king and queen to have a dance." She said as she held out her hand. "What to you say Herondale? Dance with me?" She asked.

"To any song you ever play, I will always dance with you."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so it's late, and I'm really tired, so if there are any mistakes, I apologize! I did reread it, and I got all the mistakes I caught, but I'm not perfect, so be flexible. So, I was planning on updating a one shot for one readers birthday, but it's proving to be a challenging one shot, so I apologize for not having it finished yet! But I wanted to give you all something, and this one just kinda hit me at full force and I had to write it! A lot of people actually wanted something to do with a bet, and I've read multiple stories about a bet, so I decided to put my own little spin on it! So here you all are, and I hope you all enjoy it! Leave me a review or a suggestion! :)**

 **Also, the time line for this story. Obviously it starts at the beginning of the school year, so beginning of September. Now, homecoming fell in October since they loved using Halloween as a theme, and pretty much any time in October is an appropriate time to use Halloween! So it was a 5 week bet, and by the end of the first week, as I stated, Jace decided to call it off. I know that might seem really fast, but hey, sometimes when you know you know! And since Clary and Jace got pregnant at 21, they are now 38/39 by the end of this story! Just thought I'd give you a nice little age range in case any of your were curious! Thank you for reading, and I promise to have that next one shot done as soon as possible! :)**


	114. Chapter 113 - Hunger Games

**One Hundred and Thirteen Story:**

 **The Hunger Games**

 **Jace POV:**

Normally on the day of the Selection, the last thing I was worried about was being chosen. But this time was different. My little brother just turned 12, and now his name is in the cup. That was the most terrifying thing about this whole Selection. I didn't want him to have to go through the horrific experience that was this inhuman competition.

I was getting ready when I heard a knock on the door. I turned around and in walked Will. He looked terrified, and with good reason. Selection Day always had a grey cloud looming over everyone's head, but this time it was different, this time he could potentially be a victim.

"Hey man, you okay?" I asked and he shrugged. "What's on your mind?"

"What if I get picked?" He asked in a small voice.

"Your name is only in that cup one time Will. I highly doubt that you'll be picked." I tried to reassure him, but honestly, anything could happen.

"But I'm scared." He admitted.

"I know you are, but we just have to make it through Selection, and figure out what to do from there." I said and he nodded. "Come on, get ready. We have to leave soon." He nodded before leaving my room. I looked back in the mirror and sighed. I wanted this day to be over so that we could go on living our lives. Despite how shitty things were in this Region, it was still home.

 **Time Jump – Selection Time**

 **Jace POV:**

We were standing in the center of the courtyard where the Selection would be taking place. We were standing in our age group, so I wasn't near Will, and that didn't sit well with me. I could see him from where I was standing, and I could see him fidgeting. I knew he was nervous, and with each minute that passed, I was getting more and more anxious as well.

"Greetings all." The woman finally said. "My name is Jia Penhallow, welcome to the 49th Annual Hunger Games." She said with so much pride in her voice, it was sickening. "We must not delay this any longer. First, the girls." She said as she walked over and picked a slip of paper out of the bowl. She walked back towards the microphone. "And the Tribute for the girls is….Clarissa Morgenstern." I looked over and saw the familiar redhead that I've always saw painting in her family's local shop. She walked hesitantly up to the stage where she would wait for the other name to be called. "And now, the boys." She said as she made her way to the other bowl. She grabbed a slip of paper, and made her way back towards the microphone, the anticipation was killing me. "And the Tribute for the boys is….William Herondale." She said and my heard stopped. I saw Will get out of line and slowly start making his way to the front, when I realized, this wasn't going to happen. He wasn't going to go into that dome. I got out of line and started making my way towards him. I put my hand on his shoulder and he turned around and faced me.

"Go to mom Will." I said calmly.

"But I was picked." He said as I saw the tears well up in his eyes. I looked up at the woman and the guards who were going to come and take me away.

"Not anymore." I said. "I volunteer to take his place." I called up and the whole place went silent. I looked back at Will. "Go to mom Will."

"But Jace…" He said.

"Don't argue with me. Go to mom, she's going to need you right now." I said and he nodded. He made his way back towards the parents and I made my way up the steps.

"Well, it looks like Region 12 has it's very first volunteer." Jia said happily. "May I introduce you to the two Tributes from Region 12! Clarissa Morgenstern, and….." She turned towards me. "I didn't catch your name my boy."

"Jace Herondale ma'am." I said.

"I'm assuming that's your brother." She said and I nodded. "Well, Clarissa Morgenstern, and Jace Herondale, Region 12 Tributes!" She cheered but the whole Region was quiet. We weren't like Regions 1-4, we didn't get excited about the games, we dreaded them. We were guided back towards the rooms where we would wait to say goodbye to our families. I was pacing when I heard the door open. Once it did, Will ran towards me, and I knew he was crying.

"Hey, don't cry." I said.

"But you're leaving." He said.

"But I'll come back for you." I said.

"Promise?" He asked.

"I promise Will." I said and he nodded, and than I looked up at my mom. "Take care of him mom." I said and she hugged me.

"Come home to us Jace." My mom said and I nodded.

"Times up." The guard said.

"I love you both." I said and they were escorted out. I took a deep breath and followed the other guard to the car that would take us to the train. Jia was sitting in the middle of us while we started moving and talking about everything and anything, but I wasn't listening. I was just thinking about how to stay alive for my family.

 **Time Jump – Middle of Train Ride**

 **Jace POV:**

It was a long ride to the center of our world, Alicante. It was the middle of the night and I couldn't sleep any longer. I was walking around the train when I walked into the compartment where we met earlier today. I was surprised when I saw Clary sitting on the sofa.

"Hey." I said and she looked up and gave me a sad smile.

"Hey. You couldn't sleep either?" She asked and I shook my head. "Well, Jia left us this box of past Games, I was just going to study up on some of them, want to join?" She asked and I figured it couldn't hurt.

"Sure." I said as I joined her on the couch.

"I figured we could start with our mentor's tape." She said as she turned towards me. "Since he isn't very talkative."

"Or sober." I added and she laughed.

"Or sober, I figured maybe watching him in the Games would be the best form of education." She said as she popped the video in. "Man I'm going to have to get used to all this new stuff." She said as she made her way back to the couch.

"It is very intimidating." I said and she nodded. "Makes me wonder how different Alicante is from Region 12."

"Just by the looks of this train, I have a feeling we are going to be very overwhelmed." She said and I just nodded.

We sat there and watched tape after tape trying to get an idea of what we were going to go through, but so far, every Games have been different, so we could really be up against anything. But it was helpful to see what the Shadowhunters were capable of. They were from Region 1 and 2, and they were lethal. Region 3 and 4 were pretty terrifying as well, but 1 and 2 were the ones that normally always won these Games, and that kind of discouraged me a little, but I promised Will that I was going to come back and intended on keeping that promise.

"Oh good, you two are up." Jia said once she walked into the train car. "We have a lot to discuss today."

I felt like she never stopped talking. She was just going on and on about how great Alicante was, and I didn't really care about any of that. Region 12 was a struggling Region, so whatever she was talking about, didn't apply to my life. All I wanted to do was win these games, and get home to my mom and Will.

The day went on as expected. We got through the crowds and settled into our rooms where we would be staying until we were shipped off to the place where we would fight until the death. Tomorrow we would start our training, and I was a little nervous. I had no idea what this training was going to be like, and I didn't know what the other Tributes were going to look like either. It was all a guessing game, and being from Region 12, I didn't have a lot of pull in this game. I just had to trust in myself, and my talents, and that was going to have to carry me through the games.

 **Time Jump – Training Session**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I got ready and headed towards the training area. When we walked in we both were in awe. There was so much stuff there to train with that I couldn't even really comprehend it at first. There were knives, spears, daggers, bow and arrows, and so much more. It was everything that was going to be offered in the Games, and that in and of itself was intimidating.

The other Tributes were already training, and damn were they good. I looked at Clary and she looked quite nervous. We made our way into the training facility and started scooping out the place. I didn't want to show off my skills just yet, I wanted everyone to think I was an underdog from Region 12, and I planned on keeping it that way for as long as possible. Just by watching all of these kids going as hard as they could wasn't giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling about the Games, but I guess I'd just have to wait and see what lies ahead of us.

 **Time Jump – Final Evaluations**

 **Jace POV:**

Training was finally finished and Clary and I were waiting in our room to see where we stood. They broke down the Tributes into three categories. Weak, Moderate, and Strong. Those in the Strong category were generally fan favorites for winning the games, which meant that normally Region 1, 2, 3, and 4 ended up in them. Everyone else typically fell into the other two categories, which put a target on their backs, especially those in the Weak category; they tended to be taken out first.

I didn't know where I was going to rank. I wasn't particularly pleasant in my evaluation. They were being rude, and I decided to put them in their place. It was all up to the Game Makers on where they wanted to put me now, and part of me didn't feel too confident about it. Jia had a few choice words for me when I got back to the room. Hodge on the other hand thought it was incredibly bold, and funny.

"Ladies and Gentleman of Idris, the scoring as been locked in, it's time to see where everyone stands." Michael Wayland, the host, said. Clary and I sat at the edge of our seats, and waiting until they got to our Region. "Let's start with Region 1, Kaelie Whitewillow…..Strong" He said and there was no surprise there. "Sebastian Verlac…..Strong. Region 2, Helen Blackthorn…..Strong. Meliorn Fairly….Strong." He continued. "Region 3, Seelie Queen…..Strong. Raphael Santiago….Strong." He said. "Region 4, Maia Roberts….Strong. Bat Velasquez….Strong." That was it for the Shadowhunters, now on to the rest. "Region 5, Camille Belcourt….Weak. Eric Hillchurch…..Weak." Now it was getting to the Tributes that I needed to worry about, the ones I knew I could out do. "Region 6, Maureen Brown…..Weak. Matt Charlton…..Moderate." I looked over at Clary, and she was looking more and more nervous, and I couldn't blame her. "Region 7, Catarina Loss…..Moderate. Kirk Duplesse…..Moderate. Region 8, Lilith Conway….Strong." He said and that made me a little nervous, someone from Region 8 got in the same category as a Shadowhunter. "Jordan Kyle…..Strong."

"Damn." Hodge said. "Two Region 8's in the Strong category. That's rarely been done." That made me a little more nervous.

"Region 9, Tessa Gray….Moderate. Malachi Dieudonne…..Weak." He continued. "Region 10, Emma Carstairs….Strong. Edward Longford…..Moderate."

"Shit." Hodge murmured. "This year is no joke."

"How come there are so many Strong competitors this year?" Clary asked.

"I have no idea." Hodge said honestly. "They must have been impressive enough to make that category." Clary just nodded and we focused back on the results.

"Region 11, Leila Haryana…..Weak. Tomas Rosales…..Moderate." Wayland continued. "Region 12." He said and that's when everything got real. "Clarissa Morgenstern…..Moderate." He said.

"We can work with that." Jia said happily, and Clary just smiled a little and leaned back.

"Jace Herondale…..Strong." He said and I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me.

"Congratulations." I heard Clary say beside me, and I gave her a small smile.

"Oh this is wonderful!" Jia praised, and honestly I was still processing it all.

"They liked your guts kid." Hodge said as he gave me two thumbs up.

Everything seemed to slow down after it was all over. I didn't know what I was expecting. Or, I guess I was expecting them to take it out on me and categorize me as Weak and let the Shadowhunters have their way with me. But here I am, in the Strong category, and I don't know if that's better or worse for me.

The next day when I came down for dinner, Clary wasn't there. I took my seat and waited maybe 15 minutes, and Clary still wasn't down. Jia and Hodge were talking, and I thought it was weird, so I decided to ask.

"Where is Clary?" I asked and Hodge looked up.

"She decided that she was going to train alone for her last day." He said and I was confused.

"Why?" I asked.

"Sometimes this happens." Hodge explained. "You two might be from the same Region, but you are competitors, don't forget that."

"So she wants to work alone so that it'll be easier to kill me?" I asked a little annoyed.

"I don't know, but she's distancing herself from you for some reason." Hodge said and than he went back to talking to Jia. I was annoyed that Clary decided to separate from me on the last day. But I couldn't let it get to me, I just had to focus on me.

 **Time Jump – Final Day – Interviews**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I were standing in line for our interviews with Michael Wayland. I was going first, and watching some of these other interviews, kinda made me a little nervous, since they were being so personable and I wasn't like that at all. I stuck to myself most of the time, and I liked it like that.

The line was inching closer and before I knew it, I was the next one up, and I was fidgeting like a kid who had too much sugar. The interview felt like it was taking forever, and that was just increasing my nerves. Once the audience started to clap, that's when it hit me.

"Ladies and Gentleman, from Region 12, Jace Herondale!" He cheered and the place erupted. I made my way out on the stage, and we shook hands before taking our seat. "Jace Herondale, Region 12, Strong. How does it feel?" He asked.

"Uh, pretty unreal to be honest." I said.

"Were you prepared going into your session?" He asked.

"I guess." I said, and I think he wanted me to be more elaborate, but I didn't have much to say.

"Okay, so, you volunteered for your little brother, correct?" He asked and I nodded. "What was going through your mind when you heard his name being called?" He asked.

"I was pretty devastated." I said. "His name was only in there once, and he got the short end of the stick."

"But you stepped up." He said.

"I'm his older brother. It's my job to protect him, and that's what I did." I said and the whole place aww'd.

"Did you get to say goodbye?" He asked.

"Briefly." I said.

"And what did you two talk about?" He asked.

"I promised him that I'd come home. That I'd try to win for him." I said.

"And try you will." He said. "You are your Region 12 counterpart, how has it been being here with her?" He asked.

"I don't really know her all that well." I said and he simply nodded.

"Ladies and gentleman, Jace Herondale!" The audience applauded and I stood up. I made my way off stage and I finally took a deep breath. "Next from Region 12, Clarissa Morgenstern!" He cheered and Clary got on stage. "So Clarissa…"

"Please, call me Clary." She said and he nodded.

"So Clary, how are you feeling?" He asked.

"Uh, pretty overwhelmed. We don't have anything like this back in Region 12." She said with a smile.

"Anything like what?" He asked.

"Well, anything really. I mean, I bathe in water that's at least a week old most of the time." She said and the crowd gagged a little.

"Do you really?" He asked.

"Region 12 isn't the nicest place, but it is home." She said and he nodded.

"What's the strangest thing you encountered?" He asked.

"On the train here actually, Jia gave me a box of tapes from past Games, and I was getting ready to watch them one night, and Jace joined me, and we couldn't get over the box that you put the video in to play." She laughed. "What's that called again?"

"A DVD player?" He asked.

"Yes, a DVD player. We don't have those in 12." She said.

"How do you watch videos?" Wayland asked.

"We don't. I've never seen one before." She admitted and the crowd looked stunned.

"Speaking of Jace, how do you two get along?" He asked and Clary blushed a little.

"We get along fine." She said, and that kind of annoyed me since she had been ignoring me since after the results came out.

"Were you two friends back in Region 12?" He asked, and Clary laughed.

"We went to school together, and we crossed paths occasionally, but we didn't really hang out. He spends a lot of time with his brother." She admitted, and it was true. I spent a lot of time with Will.

"He seems extremely dedicated to his family." He pointed out.

"He is, and he might not show it, but he's really a sweet guy." She said and my jaw practically hit the ground, where was this coming from? "When we were maybe 13, I remember standing in front of the local store in our town. My father had died, and my mother and I were starving, and I didn't have any money for food." She started talking, and the memory came flooding back to me like it was yesterday. "I was just standing there, and the next thing I feel is something yank on my bag, and when I looked down, there was a loaf of bread in there. I looked up and Jace was walking away with his hands tucked in his pocket. I never got a chance to thank him for that, but he saved my mother and I because of that." She said and the whole place aww'd.

"That seems very out of character from Jace. Especially from what we've seen of him thus far in these Games." The interviewer said.

"Well, people react differently when they are chosen for these Games." Clary said and the interviewer nodded in agreement.

The rest of the conversation I kind of tuned out since I didn't want to hear whatever she was saying. Clary didn't make any sense. We've barely talking in days, and when we were around each other there was no friendly conversation or anything. It was just blank, so this was all confusing to me.

When Clary got off the stage, I planned to confront her. She had all these positive things to say about me on camera but not to my face? I marched right over to her, and a little aggressively I shoved her against the wall.

"So what, are we BFF's on screen, but off screen we ignore each other?" I yelled, and Hodge and Jia came running over and pushed me back. "If you aren't going to be real to my face, don't say that shit to other people. You made me look like a fool!"

"No she didn't." Hodge stepped in.

"Are you kidding me? She hasn't spoken to me in days." I said and Hodge got in my face.

"She helped you out." He said in a menacing tone. "Don't take it out on her for playing the game better than you."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"You two failed to ask me the most important question since getting chosen at the Selection." Hodge said and Clary and I looked at each other. "Do you two even know what that might be?" He asked. Clary and I were silent. "You never asked me how to _win._ " He hissed. It never occurred to me to ask that, it seemed simple.

"You kill the other 23 Tributes." I said. "It's pretty simple."

"There is more to it than that." Hodge said.

"Like what?" Clary asked.

"You won't know what the Games look like until you get there, so if it's a dessert, and you're dying of thirst, how are you going to get water? You get cut, how are you going to heal? You get sick, how are you going to fight that illness?" He asked and I didn't know the answers to any of those questions. "You have to get Benefactors. You have to get people to _like_ you. And the way I've been observing, you aren't a very likable person Jace."

"I volunteered for my brother." I said and he scoffed.

"Sure, you will always be known as the boy who volunteered, but once you're in the Games, you'll just be the boy from 12, with absolutely not merit, and no chance of winning." He said and I balled my fists. "Clary telling that story about you, made you likable, made you empathetic, made you human." He said. "You needed that boost. So don't shove her for doing you a favor."

"I'm sorry." Clary said. "I just thought they deserved to know that you aren't cold and distant. There is a heart in there." She said as she pointed to my chest. "I thought people deserved to know that." She said before walking off with Jia. Hodge put his hand on my shoulder.

"There are 22 other people going in there with you. They all have the same thing in mind: they want to win. Having her by your side is going to be beneficial." Hodge said.

"I work alone." I said.

"And you're going to die alone in there with that attitude." Hodge said before following Jia and Clary. I shook my head and followed suit. I needed to sleep this whole night away and just focus on tomorrow. I needed to be in the competitive mindset in order to get back home, I needed that for Will.

 **Time Jump – Game Time**

 **Jace POV:**

Before we were getting escorted off to the ship that would be taking us to the Games, we got one final goodbye with Hodge and Jia. Clary and I were standing there, not talking. Hodge and Jia finally came in and I felt like the awkward tension in the room was gone.

"Going off of the outfits that you're wearing, I'm assuming the climate is going to be chilly. Possible mountains and snow." Hodge said. "Make sure you stay warm, but remember, building a fire is basically a death sentence. Find other ways to keep your heat, and at the beginning, when they count you down, don't go for the weapons. That place is a blood bath. Just get as far away from all the other Tributes as you can." He continued and I nodded. He gave Clary a huge first and than me, but he held on a little longer. "You can't go this alone. To get Benefactors, you need to give these people something to fight for. Your brother isn't enough this time around, Clary will be a key factor in that. Remember that." He whispered in my ear and I nodded. "Good luck." He said and we nodded.

Clary and I both made our way to the meeting area. We still didn't talk. I didn't know what she was thinking about, but I was thinking about what Hodge said, and if pretending to be that sweet guy that Clary mentioned in her interview kept me alive longer, that's what I was going to do.

All the Tributes got on the plane and that's when it all sunk in. we were actually going to be participating in these Games. The Games that I had dreaded for years, and now here I was. I still had no idea what to expect. But I knew that it was going to be brutal, and test all my limits. I was going to try my best, that's all I could do.

 **Time Jump – One Minute Before Game Time**

 **Jace POV:**

As I'm standing on this little platform, I see can see the numbers slowly count backwards:

 _60_

 _59_

 _58_

 _57  
56_

 _55_

I look around and I see Clary across the way. She looks at me, and she looks terrified. I take my eyes away from her, and back at the middle of the Games. There were a lot of weapons and just backpacks of useful stuff that would be key in my survival. When I look back at Clary she shakes her head.

 _34_

 _33_

 _32_

 _31_

 _29_

 _28_

I felt like I've been on this platform longer than I was getting prepped for the Games. The Shadowhunters were smiling and rocking back and forth. They were ready. Ready to win, ready to kill, ready to betray each other when need be. I looked at the other Tributes. Some looked just as terrified as Clary did, and others looked almost indifferent. Like they were ready for their fate.

 _17_

 _16_

 _15_

 _14_

 _13_

 _12_

I on the other hand wasn't giving up that easily. I would fight until I couldn't fight any longer so that I could make it back home to Will. That was my goal from the beginning, and that's what I was going to try my hardest to accomplish.

 _10_

 _9_

 _8_

 _7_

 _6_

 _5_

At this point I was trying to figure out a plan. I knew I wasn't going to be heading straight into the madness like everyone else was going to do, but there were still some backpacks along the edge, before the mountains started, and those could be very useful.

 _3_

 _2_

 _1_

 _0_

The time ran out and everyone went running. I saw Clary run in the opposite direction, and I ran towards a lone backpack, grabbed it and ran towards the mountains as well. I could hear the screaming and the laughing coming from the other Tributes, but I couldn't focus on that, I had to focus on finding a place where I could make a makeshift home for right now, and worry about the other Tributes later, once they finish having fun back at the base.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:  
** I've been walking for hours. I had no idea where I was, or where anyone else was for that matter. But I guess that was a good thing. It was getting cold, and I knew that I needed to find a place to stay for the time being to warm up. Hodge was right, I wouldn't last long if I didn't find some alternative way of warmth besides fire.

I came across this cave and decided that I would be better in there than out in the open, since I didn't know what the Game Makers were going to throw our way during the night. It was the best that I could do, and for that I would have to make it work. I saw the light dim outside the cave. I put my backpack down as a pillow, and closed my eyes. That's when I heard the talking.

"You sure he's up here 12?" I heard a husky voice say.

"Yea. I saw him run this way." An all to familiar voice said: Clary.

"You better not be tricking us." The husky voice said again.

"I'm not." Clary said and they continued walking.

"You sure about this Seb? A girl said. "Why can't we just kill her now?" And I'm not gonna lie, I didn't like the sounds of that.

"I'm positive. She's a moderate, and not a very good one. Once we find her Region partner, we'll kill them both." He said. "Trust me Kaelie, I know how to win these Games. All 4 of my brothers did." He said and than they continued walking. I didn't know whether to feel betrayed by Clary, or sorry for her fate in these Games. My eyes fluttered closed, and I decided to get whatever sleep I could, knowing tomorrow was another day to fight for my life.

 **Time Jump – Five Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was in over my head when it came to the Shadowhunters. I knew that I was being used as a pawn, but when I heard them talking about killing Jace, I made a split second decision. I knew he needed to make it home for his brother. He needed to make it home, more than me, and more than any other Tribute in these Games, and if I could give him time, and the opportunity to come up with a plan, I was going to do whatever I could to help him. There was more to Jace than the cold and distant exterior that he always put on, there was something sweet deep down inside of him, and he didn't deserve this. His family didn't deserve this, and I was going to make it my last wish to make him survive these Games.

 **Jace POV:**

The sound of the cannon rings in my ears of all the lives lost for a pointless reason. It has been an incredibly long five days, and I was hungry, and I was tired, and extremely cold. So far I had counted 14 deaths, which meant there were 9 others, not including myself, left. I knew all 8 Shadowhunters were still around, and I can only assume Clary is still around, which meant this game was down to the final steps. The Shadowhunters were gunning for me, and I didn't know how long they'd keep Clary alive if I wasn't there.

I made it a point to switch caves every day. I didn't want to be stuck in the same place and I guess neither did the Game Makers, since an avalanche hit and destroyed the first cave I stayed in. I knew they weren't going to make it easy, but for people aren't accustomed to the harshness of avalanches, they were making it a brutal time in here.

 **Hodge POV:**

"Come on Mitchell, the Shadowhunters are far more superior this year, the Games are losing their popularity. Once they killed everyone else, people simply lost interest. You need a power play." I said trying my hardest to get Jace home. I knew his family needed him, and Clary approached me alone asking me to do whatever I could to make sure he survives, and I was going to stick to my promise.

"What to you want me to do Hodge?" He asked. "The President would have my head."

"These are your Games Mitchell. You have the liberty to do whatever you want to make sure they are successful." I pointed out.

"I've given these Tributes my absolute best. They are resilient, I don't know what else to do." He admitted.

"Stop trying to go after the Shadowhunters." I said. "There are still two Tributes from 12. Use them. Give the Regions who feel like they've lost hope a chance to get that hope back."

"I'll see what I can do." Mitchell said before walking back towards the control room. I made my way back to the commotions of the people with a smile on my face. Something was going to come out of this, I just hoped that it was good.

 **Jace POV:**

It was dark, I was in a cave, and I heard the theme music. This meant there was going to be an announcement, and I honestly have no idea what they were planning on announcing.

"Attention Tributes, there has been some change in the rules, if two Tributes from the same Region are still alive, they may win together. That is all." The voice said and the music played him out. I thought about the Shadowhunters. They were all still paired up, but so were Clary and I. we had a chance to make it home. Hodge was right, I was going to need her in these Games, and now I needed to find her.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

In the time that I had spent looking for Clary, two more cannons went off. When I looked up to the sky, I was happy to see that neither of them were Clary. Kaelie was crushed by an avalanche, and Helen died in her sleep due to hypothermia. That just increased Clary and I's chances of making it home. There were only two other teams left that could possibly win, and that made me feel pretty good.

I had tracked the Shadowhunters looking for Clary, but she wasn't with them anymore. I don't know where she is, I knew she wasn't dead, but I didn't know where she was. I tried to keep my distance from the Shadowhunters. There was no need to put myself in harms way when I needed to find Clary.

I was trudging through the snow trying to find another cave to spend some time in to warm up. It was getting colder every day, I figured that was to make the Games go by quicker. I was lost in my head when something caught my eye. Red. But not just the color, it was blood. I saw there was a trail of it leading slightly up the mountain: I decided to follow it. I don't know how long I was walking until I heard clattering of teeth. I started looking around for any sign of Clary. Finally, I looked up, and she had positioned herself in a tree, not too high, but out of my reach.

"Clary." I called up to her and she looked down. Her lips were purple, and she looked ghostly. "Clary, are you okay?" I asked but she didn't answer, I can only assume she was freezing up there. "I need you to listen to me okay? I'm going to get you somewhere warm, but I need to get you out of that tree." I said and I thought I saw her head nod slightly. "Do you trust me?" I asked and she nodded again. "I need you to fall." I said and she looked hesitant. "I'll catch you." I promised and I saw her take a deep breath before she rolled off the branch she was sitting in. Like I promised, I caught her but we both fell to the ground, she was on top of me, and I was staring into those green eyes that looks duller than they did before we entered. "Let's get you warm." I said and she nodded.

I stood up and scooped Clary into my arms. She was tiny, and lost weight being in these games. I've been around this area before, I knew there was a cave near by that we could stay in for a couple hours while she warmed up.

When we got in the cave, I set Clary down and I took off my jacket. Carrying her kinda made me a little hot, and she needed the warmth much more than I did. I could tell she wanted to protest me, but I wasn't having it. And since we were in a cave, I decided to light a fire. She needed it, and even if it was lit for an hour, it was better than nothing.

After about 15 minutes I saw that Clary's body language relaxed a lot, and I assumed it was because she was thawing out. She moved a little closer to the fire and held her hands to it. Her lips were no longer purple, but her teeth were still chattering slightly.

"Any better?" I asked and she looked at me.

"Yes. Thank you." She said.

"What happened to you? I thought you were with the Shadowhunters?" I asked, and a little bit of bitterness came out as well.

"I was. They wanted to find you so badly, and they were having a lot of trouble, so I volunteered to lead them to you." She said. "They thought since we were from the same Region that I knew everything about you." She said. "I ended up leading them around the entire mountain, and they weren't pleased that they couldn't find you. One night while they were all sleeping and I was taking watch I ran."

"You are probably their number one target now." I said with a slight laugh.

"Possibly, but that means you aren't." She said.

"Why'd you do it? Risk your life for me?" I asked.

"You need to get home to your brother." She said. "You have a family to get home too."

"So do you." I said and she shook her head.

"Not really. After my father died, my mom checked out. I pretty much take care of myself." She said and I nodded. That must suck, not having anyone back home rooting for you to stay alive. "But you have people. You have your brother, and he deserves to get you back."

"Well, did you hear the new rule?" I asked and she shook her head.

"I was kinda frozen." She side and I laughed.

"There can be two winners if they're from the same Region." I said and her eyes lit up. "Us, and Region 3 and 4 are the only ones left with partners." I said and if on cue, a cannon went off. I went to the edge of the cave and stuck my head out to see who it was. When I went back in the cave Clary looked way more alert.

"Who was it?" She asked.

"Raphael Santiago. That leaves us, and Region 4." I said.

"We could both really go home?" She asked.

"We could both go home." I said and she smiled. "Are you warm enough that I can put this fire out?" I asked.

"Yea." She said. I grabbed some snow from outside and threw it on the fire and it immediately went out. She scooted back and wrapped the jackets around here.

"I have an idea, but it's totally up to you." I suggested.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Body heat." I said. "It's the next best thing to warm you completely up." I said and she nodded.

"Okay." She said. I made my way over to her, and I put my arm around her. I leaned back on the hard ground and she curled into my side. I laid the blanket out on top of us, and pulled her close. "You're like a human heater." She said and I laughed.

"I guess that's a good thing." I said and I felt her smile against my chest.

"It's a great thing." She said and I laughed. We had a real chance of getting home now, and I was feeling more confident than ever.

 **Time Jump – Later That Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I don't remember falling asleep, but I was woken up by a cannon. Clary was still asleep, so I moved carefully so that I wouldn't wake her up and I made my way to the end of the cave. When I looked out, I saw that Bat Velasquez was the next one to leave the Games. That meant Clary and I were the only Region left with both Tributes. We could be the only winners, and that felt amazing.

"Jace?" I heard and I turned around. "Who was it?" She asked.

"Bat." I said. "We're officially the only team left." I said and she smiled. "But we shouldn't stay here. We should go." I said and she nodded.

"Okay." She said as she put her jacket back on. I gathered up all our stuff and we got out of the cave. It was still cold, but I knew that we could make it.

"We should head back to where the Games started." I said and she nodded. We started making out way there when I remembered something. "Wait, I never asked you how you left that trail of blood."

"Nose bleed." She said. "It got really cold, and it's been known to happen when the weather drops."

"Makes sense." I said and we continued to walk in a comfortable silence. It was weird, being in Clary's company wasn't weird, or awkward. We got along really well, and I hated that it took us this long to actually build a friendship.

When we got to the base, we noticed that Sebastian, Seelie, and Maia were all there. They had made that place their headquarters and I had to admit, it was a pretty good idea. We crouched behind a bush and just watched them argue. No doubt it was about how to find us.

"What do we do?" Clary asked.

"We wait until they're alone." I said. "Get them vulnerable and take them out." I said.

"I never thought it would come to this." She said and I looked at her. "I made it a lot father than I thought I would."

"Well, we're making it home Clary. No matter what." I said and she smiled and nodded. "I'm going to go after Sebastian, and I want you to go after Seelie."

"What if I can't take her?" She asked hesitantly.

"Seelie may be a Shadowhunter, but she was never as skilled as the others. I'm going to assume that she made it this far purely by luck. She's the easiest target." I explained and she nodded.

"And what about Sebastian? What are your chances against him?" She asked.

"Pretty even." I said. "Maia is the toughest one left out of the three." I further explained.

"Really?" She asked, seeming surprised.

"She's cunning, and intelligent, and manipulative." I said. "She's the mastermind behind everything the Shadowhunters do, and I wouldn't be surprised if she killed the others off behind everyone else's back."

"That's so messed up." Clary said.

"These Games test you in the most brutal way possible. They bring out that side of you. I heard Maia even filed her teeth down so she could rip people's throats out easier." I said and Clary's jaw dropped.

"That's sick." Clary said.

"But effective." I pointed out. "She's going to be the hardest to take out, so we need to isolate her."

"But how do I take out Seelie? I've never killed anyone before." She said and I put my hands on her shoulders and focused her attention on me.

"How good is your aim?" I asked.

"Pretty accurate." She said. I reached in my pocket and pulled out a dagger.

"Take this, and throw it into her neck. She'll bleed out. It's simple." I said and she took the dagger, but I knew she didn't want too. "I know you don't want to do this Clary, but we can go home. We just need to kill them."

"I know, but it feels so wrong." She said and I pulled her into a hug so that my lips were at her ear and I started whispering.

"This whole system is wrong. Kids killing kids for other people's amusement? It's the worst form of discipline." I said and I felt her nod. "But we're here, and we're the only Region left, and I'll be damned if we both don't make it home. So we need to kill them Clary, but that doesn't make you a bad person, it just makes you a survivor."

"Okay. Okay, I can do this." She said as she backed away. I looked over and saw the three dispersing.

"Okay, they're most likely going out to canvas the area. You track Seelie, and I'll go after Sebastian. Once you hear both cannons, we'll meet back here." I said and she nodded. I leaned over and pressed my lips to her forehead. "You can do this." I said and she nodded again before going to the direction Seelie went. I took a deep breath and started following Sebastian. "By the Angel I hope this plan works." I said to myself as I watched Sebastian's moves. He was armed, but only with a simple spear. He stopped to take a look around, and that's when I decided that I was going to make my move. I lunged at him and as soon as he heard movement, he got in a fighting stance, this might be harder than I anticipated.

 **Clary POV:**

I watched Seelie's movements carefully. Jace was right, she didn't seem as bright as the others, but than again, when you have that kind of alliance, you knew they were always going to have your back. Well, everyone except Maia that is.

She stopped at one point and started looking around. She had a knife in her hand, but it didn't look like she had any other weapons on her, which shocked me. She was totally ill-equip and for someone from the Shadowhunting Regions, that was surprising.

I got in position where I had the perfect view of her neck. I don't know what she was looking at but she seemed extremely distracted. I lined my dagger up and took a deep breath.

"Come on Clary." I said to myself. "Jace is counting on you, just throw it, and leave. You don't have to watch her die." I said trying to pump myself up.

I took another deep calming breath before I went to throw it but I moved my foot and a branch snapped from under me, and Seelie's head snapped in my direction.

"12." She sneered and came charging at me. This was not how it was supposed to go. She was quicker than I imagined, and before I knew it I was being tackled into the snow. "Where's your sweet and caring partner little girl?" She mocked. "Did he leave you to fend for yourself? Everyone knew you never had it in you from the start. Destined to die at the hands of the greatest Shadowhunters these Games have ever seen." She taunted as she dug her foot deeper into my throat, slowly cutting off the air supply. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. "What was that? Are you trying to beg for mercy?" She laughed but that's not what I was going to say. "Any last words 12?" She asked and I knew I couldn't let Jace down. I clutched the dagger in my hands and finally found my voice.

"My name…..is not….little girl." I choked out before plunging the dagger into her throat. The shock that spread across her face was something I don't think I'll ever be able to forget. I pulled it out, and she placed her hand there while staggering back. She fell into the snow, which was slowly being dyed red. I heard her gasping for air. I finally got to my feet and turned to leave, and that's when I heard the cannon. The majority of me felt sick that I just took someone's life, but there was a little part of me, that was proud that I finally stood up for myself. I was no longer playing these Games for myself, but for Jace as well.

I was walking back towards the spot where Jace and I planned on meeting when I heard the cannon go off again. I looked up towards the sky and prayed that it wasn't Jace. When I saw Sebastian's face I let out a sigh of relief. We only had one more to go, and although she might be the toughest, I was running on an adrenaline high, and for the first time in my life, I felt invincible.

 **Jace POV:**

I was walking absentmindedly back to the base of these Games. Sebastian was a lot stronger than I anticipated, but in the end, I out maneuvered him and that's all that mattered. I vaguely remember hearing the cannon go off, but I didn't get a chance to see who it was, and I just prayed that it wasn't Clary.

When I got back to he edge of the base area, I could see Maia pacing. She clearly wasn't expecting to lose the last two people in her alliance, but I was hoping that maybe this made her vulnerable. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder, but when I turned around, I was relieved to see that it was Clary.

"Oh my god." I said as I pulled her into a hug. "I was so afraid you didn't make it."

"Didn't you look up when the cannon went off?" She asked with a little laugh. That's when it dawned on me, there was something about Clary: something about being with her, protecting her, making her laugh, and warming her up that felt right to me. Something I didn't even think of in the beginning.

"I was kind of in the middle of something." I smiled and so did she, and that's when I noticed her neck. "What the hell happened to your neck?" I asked as I tipped her chin up a little.

"I stepped on a branch, and Seelie lunged." She said and my jaw dropped a little. "It definitely wasn't the way I wanted it to go, but it's over now."

"I know you didn't want to do it Clary, but I'm so proud of you." I said and she smiled at me.

"I just kept thinking that I couldn't let you down." She admitted and I brushed a piece of hair out of her face. She blushed a little, which was absolutely adorable, and I just wanted to make her blush again. "But now on to the real task: Maia."

"Yea. I think not having Seelie and Sebastian around threw her off. I don't think she was expecting them both to go at the same time." I admitted.

"So what do we do?" She asked. She seemed more confident, maybe it's because of what went down with Seelie, or maybe it's because she really wanted to get home, but either way, I liked this new found confidence.

"She's clearly vulnerable right now." I said as I pointed to her. "But that's our advantage. At this point, I think what we have to do is just go for it."

"Like just run at her, and hope we win?" She asked and I laughed.

"Basically." I said. "The Game Makers want the Games to end. It's getting colder and colder by the hour. So either we wait for her to die of hypothermia, or we take some action, and I don't know about you, but I hate the cold, so I'd rather get it over with." I admitted and she laughed.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked.

"I need you to go on the opposite side of where we are now, and make some noise. Make her start heading in that direction and I'll take care of her." I said and she nodded. She leaned up and pressed her lips to my cheek.

"Good luck." She said before walking away. These Games were definitely eye opening, and something was definitely going to change when we got back, but for right now, my focus was on Maia.

I waited until I heard the same sound Maia did, and once she started walking towards where Clary was, I started sneaking up behind her. It was in times like these that I was glad I was a soft walker. Maia was oblivious, but that's how I liked it. It all came to and end when she spotted Clary's vibrant red hair and broke out into a run. She was quick, I'll give her that. And unfortunately she caught up to Clary before I got to her.

"What do we have here? I have to admit, I'm impressed you survived 12, but that's all about to end." Maia said. It was now or never.

"Put the knife down." I called out, and Maia swiftly moved, as she held the blade to Clary's throat.

"Well if it isn't the happy couple. Region 12, who would have ever thought." Maia said, her voice laced with malice. "I expected you to make it far, but her." She said as she dug the knife in deeper. "I expected her to be dead the first day."

"People always underestimate those from 12." I said. "We fight to survive every day, these Games are no different."

"But they are." Maia said. "These Games are nothing like the real world. These Games…..these Games are everything."

"Is that what they teach you in Region 4? That these Games are what life is all about?" I asked.

"They teach us how to be winners. They teach us how to be the very best at what we do. They teach us to be Shadowhunters." Maia said. "Same can't be said for you two."

"We might not have very much in 12, but we have what we need, and that's good enough for us." I said and Maia laughed.

"That's pathetic." She said. "And that's why I'm going to end your miserable lives right now." She continued. "Starting with hers." Maia said and that's when I saw Clary finally move. She plunged the dagger I gave her earlier into Maia's stomach, and Maia released her. She stumbled backwards a few feet before growling at us like a wolf. "You'll pay for that!" She yelled but before she could lunge, I threw the spear that I took from Sebastian and I plunged right into her chest. She was dead instantly.

"It's over." Clary said and I sighed.

"It's over." I said. Clary walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my torso and I instantly hugged her back. We got to go home.

"Attention Tributes." We heard from above. "The previous rule about two Tributes from the same Region has been revoked." He said. "That is all." Clary and I looked at each other. We didn't come all this way just to die. I saw Clary's face soften, I knew she could probably see how conflicted I was.

"Go head." She said. "You deserve to make it back to your brother." She said and I was stunned.

"I'm not going to kill you Clary." I said and of course, the temperature dropped.

"They need one winner Jace. And that's going to be you." She said. "Let's face it, I'll die of hypothermia before you if you refuse to kill me."

"I'm not killing you Clary." I said as I took her hands in mine.

"Than what do you suppose we do?" She asked. "They need a winner." And than an idea hits me.

"No they don't." I said.

"What do you mean?" She asked. I took a knife out of my pocket and I grabbed the dagger off the ground and handed it to her. "Jace."

"On the count of three." I said and she looks at me with her eyes filled with worry. I push a piece of hair away from her eyes. "Trust me." I whisper, and she nods. "On the count of three." I said again. We both put the blades to our throats.

"One." She says.

"Two." I count, and she takes a deep breath.

"Three." We say together.

"STOP!" We hear right as we're about to push even harder. "Stop. May I present you the winners of the 49th Hunger Games." The voice says and Clary and I both drop the weapons. I pull her into a hug and she wraps her arms around my neck. I was finally going home, and it all seemed too surreal.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

To say we caused quite a gossip line in the Regions would be an understatement. People were moved by our act of 'love' as they are now calling it, but at the end of the day, we were just two people who wanted to live.

After a couple days of interviews, and a parade, we were finally on the train back to Region 12, and for some reason, I just didn't feel like myself. I was excited to be seeing Will again, but I wasn't the same person that I was when I left. Those Games change you, and I didn't know if I would ever be the same, but maybe one day I could get back to my old self.

Clary locked herself in her room the entire ride back to 12. I couldn't blame her. What we had to do to survive wasn't something kids our age should ever have to go through. Especially Clary. She was nice, and sheltered, and from the time I spent with her, I knew she liked to see the good in people. And these Games destroyed all of that for her. She was no longer sheltered, and she was no longer innocent, and she no longer saw the good in people, but rather spotted the bad right away. The Games changed her more than me, and I hoped that she would recover.

When the train stopped, I saw Clary emerge from her room. We could hear the Region outside applauding and cheering. I looked at Clary and she looked at me, and we stepped out of the train and were greeted by everyone in the Region. It didn't take me long to find Will. I ran to him, and picked him up into my arms.

"You won." He said and I smiled.

"I told you I'd come back." I said as I set him down. I pulled my mom into a hug next.

"It's so good to have you home Jace." She said and I kissed her head.

"It's good to be home." I said.

"Did you hear?" Will asked. "We get to move into the Champion Circle. We get a HUGE house!" Will said and I laughed.

"That's great!" I said as I ruffled his hair. "To be honest, I totally forgot that was a thing."

"All of our stuff has been moved in already." My mom said. "Let's go home." She said and there was nothing that sounded more amazing than the word home. I looked back to see if I could see Clary, and all I saw was her walking through the crowd. She wasn't kidding when she said she didn't have anyone. I can't imagine what it must be like to come home from what we just went through, and have absolutely nobody.

When we got to our new house, I had to admit, it was pretty nice. It was way bigger than anything I've seen before, and there was way more space than the three of us needed, but those are the perks of winning, and I was going to enjoy it because I earned it.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

It was late, and Will was already in bed, and my mom was too. I went outside to get a little fresh air, when I saw a single light on in the house that Clary was now living in. I made a split second decision and made my way over there and knocked on the door. I waited a few moments and than it opened.

"Jace, what are you doing here?" Clary asked.

"I saw the light." I said. "It's late, what are you still doing up?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." She said and I laughed.

"You could." I said. "I think the Games messed my sleep schedule up, since I never really knew if it was actually day or night in there."

"Yea, I got home from the train and took a nap, and now I'm not tired at all." She admitted.

"How is the new house?" I asked after a moment.

"Way to big for one person." She laughed.

"What about your mom?" I asked.

"Refused to leave our old home. She didn't want to be far from my father." She explained.

"So you're all alone?" I asked and she nodded. "Want to come over?" I quickly asked.

"Aren't your mom and brother there? Probably asleep." She said and I laughed.

"Yes, but we're both awake, and it seems silly for us to just do nothing and be bored." I said and I could see her thinking it over.

"Okay." She finally said and we walked over to my house. When we walked in we made our way to the living room where there was a TV. "I don't think I'll ever get used to these houses."

"I know what you mean." I agreed. We took a seat on the couch and like it was second nature, she curled into my side. It was something that I could get used to, and I had a feeling she might be here a lot more now.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The next two Selections were nerve-wracking to say the least. I was no longer of age to be entered, but Will was only 14, and each time the Selection Day comes, I'm terrified that he's going to be picked.

But I wasn't alone. I had my mom and Clary by my side holding onto each other my hands while we anxiously waited for the names to be picked. And each year, Will had been lucky to escape.

Selection Day was tomorrow, and like always, I couldn't sleep. I was sitting on the couch looking at the TV but not paying any attention to it. I never wanted my brother to go through what I had to. He didn't deserve it.

"Jace?" I heard and when I turned my head, Clary was standing in the doorway. "What's wrong?"

"You know I can never sleep before Selection Day." I said and she made her way over to me before sitting on my lap. Yup, since the Games, Clary and I have found peace together. At first we had become each others confidant. We would talk about the nightmares we both endured, and the way we felt about different things, and how our thoughts and emotions have changed since the Games. Eventually it grew into something more, and with the permission of those who look over 12, Clary was allowed to move into my house.

"You need to sleep Jace." She said and I nodded because I knew she was right.

"It's worse this year because we are their mentors." I said and she nodded. When we were approached to be the mentors for these Games, I was confused at first, until I heard that this year, 2 boys and 2 girls would be selected. Which meant they wanted more mentors, but all I could think about is how Will's chances just got worse.

"I know, but we can't possibly be worse than Hodge." She said and I laughed.

"You know that's not what I'm worried about." I said and she nodded.

"We just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow." She said as she got off my lap. "But in the mean time, come back to bed. It's cold without you." She said and I just couldn't deny her. It was impossible. I reached for her hand and we made our way upstairs. We got comfortable in bed and she rested her head on my chest and I kissed her head.

"Goodnight Clary." I whispered.

"Goodnight Jace." She said back. "Love you." She mumbled but I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said but I knew she was already asleep. Tomorrow was out of my control, and that's what I hated most about it, but also something I had to accept.

 **Time Jump – Selection Time**

 **Jace POV:**

As we stood in the familiar meeting area, I couldn't stop shaking. 2 boys were going to be picked today, and I couldn't help but feel nauseous and anxious at the same time. I didn't want Will to be picked, but I knew I had no control over it.

Jia gave her normal speech but I just blocked her out. Once she was done, I saw her moving towards the bowl that had all the girls names in it, but I didn't listen to who she called. All I cared about was if Will was chosen. She made her way over to the boys bowl, and I sucked in a breath.

"First for the boys…..Matthew Abraham." She said and instant relief filled my body. Until she went back over to the bowl. "And the second boy is…Paul Castinello." She said and it was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. Of course it was going to suck more this time around because Clary and I would be there getting to know these kids. At least in past years we could just turn off the coverage and pretend it wasn't happening, but not this time.

We got a few minutes to say goodbye to my family, and I spent most of them hugging Will, thanking the Angel that he wasn't chosen. He got to live another day, and that's all that mattered to me.

Once Clary and I boarded the train, we were greeted by the 4 faces that we would have to train and prepare for what would most likely be their execution. I couldn't wait until the day that these Games were put to an end, but for now, all Clary and I could do was prep them as best we could, and hope that they possessed the skills necessary to win.

"Do any of you have any questions for us?" Clary asked as we took a seat.

"Yea." The one boy, Paul I believe asked. "How do you win?" He asked and Clary and I both laughed.

"That is a very good question." I said and Clary started to explain the ins and outs of the Games and how sometimes there were going to be surprises that you couldn't possibly know were coming, especially from these Game Makers.

As I sat there listening to Clary talking, and as I looked at these kids taking in every piece of information they could, I realized how truly lucky I was in life.

I was alive.

I was in love.

I was a survivor.

My family was safe, and growing, as my hand rested slightly on Clary's little bump.

I would never truly be able to fully recover from what those Games did to me. But Clary and I like to make lists of things in life that make us happy when it all feels like its too much, and that make us sane. It's pretty grueling at some points, _but there are far worse games to play._

 **Authors Note:**

 **Wow, this might have been the hardest story to write thus far in this cluster of stories, but I promised a reader that I would write it, and I did. Tessa Leddy, I'm sorry that it took me so long. I know you wanted this for your birthday, and I know that I'm a week late, but this one was really hard. I'm not going to lie, at one point I was tempted to delete the whole thing because I didn't think it was good enough, but I promised you'd get it, and I intended on keeping that promise! I hope that it lived up to your expectations. I tried to keep the skeleton of what The Hunger Games story line is, but also add my own twist, and I think I did that pretty well. I also added some details from the other books, like the train scene from Catching Fire, since it was my favorite scene, and they didn't put it in the movie. Anyway, let me know what you all think, and leave a review!**

 **I don't know if this was apparent, but I thought I'd let you know anyway. In this story, Clary is more of the Peeta character, where Jace is more Katniss, and of course Will is Primrose :)**

 **Disclaimer - I do NOT own The Hunger Games. That world belongs to the amazing mind of Suzanne Collins. I just used it as a guide for this story! The last line in this is also not mine, but from the books!**

 **Happy Belated Birthday Tessa Leddy! Hope this was worth the wait! :)**


	115. Chapter 114 - Blind

**One Hundred and Fourteen Story:**

 **Blind**

 **Clary POV:**

Going blind at 15 wasn't the easiest thing in the world to handle: especially for a teenager. I had all these plans, and in one visit to the doctor, they were all gone. I wanted to go to college and be an artist, but without eyes, I'm not much use to the art community. I struggled with depression for a long time because of my eye sight, or lack there of, and high school was pretty bleak for me.

When I got to college, it started to get a little easier. Especially after I joined a blind support group, BSG. A lot of them had similar situations to mine, and some of them have been blind since birth, but having them around, and having them there to lean on was something that I needed more than I thought I did. It definitely made things easier, but the depression was still there. Not being able to see the children playing on the playground when I could so clearly hear them, or not being able to just sit and sketch something out of nothing. Those were the things I missed the most. Seeing wasn't everything, I know I can live without it, I have been for almost 15 years, but it's the little moments I used to take for granted that I miss the most.

But with the help of the BSG, I started a braille club at my college, and started teaching other kids how to read it, and how to deal with others who are blind just in case. It might not be something they can use in their every day life, but these kids could go on to have kids who are blind, or be in a terrible accident that causes them to go blind, and this could really come in hand for them. It gave me a purpose, and I didn't know how much I needed that until I was helping.

It also helped me realize what I wanted to do in life. Teaching people how to read braille was empowering to me. I was doing something for others that was meaningful, and that made all the difference.

So I studied business in college with a minor in English, and about 4 years ago I actually opened my own bookstore, the first completely braille bookstore in New York City. There was a lot of skepticism about it when it first opened. Why did the whole bookstore need to be in braille? Why couldn't there be regular books there as well? I got those questions a lot, and my answer was pretty simple. There are hundreds of bookstores that cater to the needs of those with sight. There isn't a bookstore out there who caters solely for those who are blind, and I wanted them to know that there was a place for them. Even if it was just a bookstore.

Turns out, there were a lot more blind people in New York than I thought. But it wasn't just New York. There were people coming from all over the country to visit my store. It was incredibly. People were inspired by me, and my story. I didn't even realize that I was making a difference in all of these lives until I met them all. I was doing something for people who were like me. Outcasted because of a disability we couldn't control. And it felt great to know that doing something I was passionate about was rewarding so many people.

I didn't stop there though. I also was a tutor for the blind. I always loved working with kids. I often taught kids how to read braille after them went blind, but I never limited myself to that. If a kid needed help in another area, or if they were just struggling to read in general I always tried to help the best I could. I knew what it felt like to be looked over and just plan ignored by the school system because I'm blind, and if I could help another kid the way I wasn't helped, of course I'm going to do it.

I am only 28 years old, but I feel like I've accomplished so much in life already, and I can't wait to see where my next adventure lies. There is so much to be done in the world, especially for those with disabilities, and I can't wait to be another person who helps pave the way for kids and adults in the same situation. This was my calling, and I'm glad I found it.

 **Jace POV:**

"Sammy, we're going to be late for school if you don't hurry up!" I called up to my 9 year old daughter.

"Coming!" She yelled back. Kids these days just take forever to get ready, especially girls. She came down the hallway, and Pluto was attached securely to her side. "Ready." She said and we got in the car.

My daughter was the most important thing in the world to me. She wasn't planned, and her birth was the most terrifying experience that I've ever gone through. Everything wasn't perfect when it came to Sammy, but we made it work, and as long as we had each other, that's all that matters.

I looked in my review mirror and Sammy and Pluto were sitting close together just like they always were. You see, Sammy was born blind. When the doctor first told me, I felt like my world just crashed. I didn't understand why this was happening to her. She wasn't even born yet but it felt like her life had already been mapped out for her. But that was all put aside when my girlfriend went into preterm labor. It was horrifying to see and when I saw my daughter for the first time, she was incredibly tiny, I could hold her in one hand.

My girlfriend didn't make it, and it was devastating to be a new father, to a tiny baby, who had no sight. I didn't understand why this had to happen. Why couldn't one thing just go right? I was so angry for so long. Sammy was in the NICU for about 2 months before I got to bring her home, and I just had to figure everything out. It took a lot of trial and error, but I feel like it's only brought us closer together in the end. I pulled up to the school and out the car in park.

"I'll be back at 3 to pick you up." I said and she leaned forward. I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too daddy." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Have a good day." I said. She smiled a little and her and Pluto got out of the car.

I knew school was tough for her. There wasn't a blind school around here for her, and it sucks being the odd one out. And having Pluto just brought more attention to her, which I didn't like. I wanted everyone to treat her like the amazing girl she is, not just looking at her like the blind girl.

When I got to work, I tried to focus on my job, but I couldn't get my mind off Sammy. I knew she was having a hard time, although she tried to put on a brave face for me. I wanted to help her so badly, but I didn't know how.

I was online looking for ways to help her when something caught my eye. It was a service for older blind people who liked to tutor blind children. Almost like a blind mentoring program of sorts. I figured it wouldn't hurt, so I gave them a call.

"Hello, thank you for calling 'Blind Leading the Blind', my name is Patricia, how can I help you?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile at the name. they took something so negative and turned it positive, and I loved that.

"Yes, my name is Jace Herondale, and my daughter Samantha was born blind." I said. "I know your website says you deal with tutoring, but I am desperate." I admitted.

"What's going on?" She asked in a kind voice.

"My daughter is having a tough time at school. She's 9, and kids can be so cruel." I said.

"Don't I know it." She responded.

"I was wondering if there was anybody there who could maybe come around and spend time with my daughter, kind of like a mentor of sorts. Someone to show her that life isn't that important in 4th grade." I said and she laughed.

"I have the perfect person in mind." She said and that made me hopeful. "Can I have your email please?" She asked.

"Of course. It's ." I said.

"Thank you so much. I'm going to email everything about this volunteer, and if you like her, just email me back and I'll put you two in contact and hopefully it helps." She said.

"Thank you so much. I really didn't know what else to do." I said.

"Don't worry about it. Being blind in a visual society isn't easy. But it's not impossible, and kids need to know that. I sure as hell did when I was that young." She said and I nodded even though she couldn't see me.

"Well, thank you. Have a great day." I said and we hung up. This was going to be good. I knew it.

I got the email and started reading. She sounded like she would really help Sammy out and that's all I needed. I needed a good mentor for Sammy, because as much as I do for her, I'm never going to know what it's like to be blind, and Sammy really needs someone there for her who understand what life is like without vision, and this woman, she sounded like she knew how to help. I immediately answered the email, I wanted her help sooner rather than later.

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in my office when my computer dinged with an email and immediately it started to read it off like its programed to do.

"Email from 'The Blind Leading the Blind' organization: Dear Clary, we got a call today about a young girl who was struggling to fit in at an all seeing school. We've talked to the father, and he is eager to meet you and hopefully get his daughter the mentoring that she needs to realize that just because she doesn't have sight, doesn't mean she isn't important. Please let us know if you're interested. Thanks, Patricia." The email ended. My heart went out to the girl. Being in an all seeing his school for me was hard, and horrible, and I wish I knew somebody who understood what I was going through. It didn't take more than 2 seconds to know that I wanted to help this girl out.

So I spoke into the computer and sent the email back as soon as possible. I loved helping those who are in the blind community, and if this little girl needs a mentor, I would love to fill that hole. Sometimes it helps to just know you aren't alone, and it makes all the difference. I think a lot of my depression and anxiety steamed from being different, and if I can lesson the possibility of her getting depression and anxiety, of course I'm going to do it.

 **Time Jump – First Meeting**

 **Jace POV:**

Today Clary was coming over to meet with Sammy, and I'm not going to lie. I was pretty nervous. When I first told Sammy about it, she wasn't really happy about me getting her a 'friend' who I paid, which is what she called it, but I told her that if she didn't like her after meeting her than we could just forget about it, but I wanted her to at least try, and she was okay with that.

Sammy was up in her room with Pluto like she always was, and I was basically pacing downstairs. It was always nerve-wracking bringing someone new into your life. It's been just Sammy, Pluto and I for 9 years, and I didn't know how it would be with Clary, but I wanted to help Sammy in any way that I could, and this happened to be the way.

The doorbell rang and my heart immediately started racing. I composed myself and I made my way to the door before opening it. What I didn't expect to find on the other end of that door was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She had the most vibrant red hair I've ever seen, and she was at least a foot shorter than me. She had a dog by her side, and she was smiling.

"Jace Herondale?" She asked.

"That's me." I said.

"I'm Clary Fray." She said as she extended her hand, and I gladly took it.

"It's nice to meet you Clary." I said as we shook hands.

"You as well. This is my dog, Dixie." She said as she motioned in the direction of the dog.

"It's nice to meet you as well Dixie." I said as I pet the dog. "My daughter has a dog as well." I said and she laughed.

"They are so much better than the walking stick." She said and I laughed. Sammy hated the stick.

"My daughter felt the same way." I said. "Please, come in." I said and she started walking. I closed the door and Clary was just standing in the hallway. "If you make a left, the living room is right there." I said and she nodded before continuing to walk. They got to the living room and found the couch. "I'm going to go get Sammy." I said.

"Dixie and I will be here." She said and I smiled to myself. I ran up the stairs and went into Sammy's room.

"Sammy, your tutor is here." I said once I opened her door.

"Don't you mean my blind babysitter?" She asked with so much sarcasm in her voice. Sometimes I wish she wasn't exactly like me.

"You don't even know her." I said. "Give her a chance before you completely write her off."

"Fine." She said as she stood up and her and Pluto started making their way downstairs. "But if she's like 75 years old, send her back." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"She isn't 75." I reassured her. We made our way into the living room where Clary was petting Dixie. "Clary." I said and she turned her direction towards my voice. "This is my daughter, Sammy, and her seeing eye dog Pluto."

"Pluto. Great name." Clary said and Sammy smiled.

"The woman who trained her said that she was the last of her litter to go, and when I got her I was obsessed with the planets. She was the last to go, and Pluto is the last planet." Sammy explained.

"I like your thought process. When I got Dixie I was obsessed with the book 'Because of Winn Dixie' and I just had to name her after it." Clary said. Sammy was now sitting on the other couch and Pluto was sitting close to her.

"Alright ladies, well, I'm going to make some lunch. I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." I said and they both nodded. This could work, and I was optimistic about it, lets just hope Sammy feels the same way.

 **Clary POV:**

"So, how old are you Clary?" Sammy asked me once her dad left.

"I'm 28. I'll be 29 at the end of the summer." I said.

"Have you been blind since birth as well?" She asked.

"No. I lost my sight when I was 15." I said.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did it happen?" She asked.

"I was in a car accident with my mom. I took the brunt of the impact, and in the end it took my vision." I explained.

"That sucks. Knowing what it's like to see and than that all be taken away. At least I've never seen anything a day in my life." She laughed, and I had to admit, for a little girl, she was pretty comfortable talking about this.

"It was hard, considering I wanted to be an artist my whole life. But I can't really create without my eyes." I said.

"What do you do for work?" She asked.

"I own my own braille bookstore." I said.

"No way." She said and I heard the slight inflection in her voice. She was pleasantly surprised.

"Yea. It's entirely in braille. I went to college for business with a minor in English. After I lost my vision, I was severely depressed, but after therapy, and some medication I realized I needed another plan in life. I was going to be something, and there isn't an entire braille bookstore in all of New York, and it became my dream, and my goal to be the first." I explained.

"That's so cool. How come I've never heard of it before?" She asked.

"This isn't a jab at your dad, but unless you're in a blind chat group, or on a blind forum for these kind of things, you don't hear about them." I said. "My bookstore got a lot of backlash from the seeing community. They thought I was discriminating against seeing people."

"They discriminate against us all the time." She pointed out.

"Exactly, but I wasn't trying to fight fire with fire. I just wanted a place where blind people felt welcome, and that they had their own place." I explained. "I'm getting more of a following, and hopefully I can started advertising in other ways than just word of mouth, and blind chat groups." I said and she laughed.

"Alright ladies, lunch is served." I heard Jace say. "Would you like to eat in here? Or in the kitchen?" He asked.

"Whatever Sammy wants to do." I said.

"What will it be princess?" He asked and she laughed.

"Kitchen. Pluto is hungry too." She said and I stood up and grabbed hold of Dixie.

"Would Dixie like some lunch as well?" Jace asked.

"If it's not too much trouble." I said.

"Not at all." He said and Dixie guided me to the table and I took a seat.

"What is for lunch if it's not too much to ask?" I asked when I heard the plate be placed in front of me.

"Sammy's favorite." Jace said and I could hear the smile in his voice. "Pizza."

"Thanks dad." Sammy said and I heard Jace kiss the top of her head.

"Anything for you." Jace said.

"Dad, Clary owns an all braille bookstore." Sammy said and I felt myself blush. It was a good thing that I couldn't see him otherwise I'd be embarrassed. "We need to go one day."

"We can go next weekend if you want. Check it out, maybe buy you some new books. I know you've been itching to start something new for weeks." Jace said and Sammy laughed.

"I just haven't found anything I've liked, and sometimes books aren't published in braille, which sucks cause I don't like listening to books." Sammy said.

"I work with publishing companies who are really supportive of getting their books to different audiences. I don't know if it's because they want more money or they actually care about blind people." I said and they both laughed. "But we have a wide variety. And if you want a certain book, I can try my hardest to get it for you." I told her.

"That would be awesome." Sammy said.

"Is there anything in particular that you want? I can try and get it for you by next weekend." I said.

"Really?" She asked.

"Sometimes publishing companies make the books in braille but never sell them. Either they feel like it's not marketable enough, or someone pulls the plugs along the way. It's worth a shot to ask regardless. The worst they can tell me if they don't have it." I said.

"I'll have to think about it." Sammy said.

"Take as much time as you need." I said.

The rest of lunch went by really well. It was so easy to talk to Sammy and Jace, and I could feel how important they are to each other. They were a small, but very loving little family, and I could really see myself helping Sammy out. I felt like we could be really good friends, and sometimes all you need is one good friend to make the hard times easier.

"I should head out. I have dinner with my mom tonight, and she is a stickler for punctuality." I said and they laughed.

"How did you get here?" Jace asked absentmindedly. "Oh shit, that was a terrible question to ask." He said and I laughed.

"No it isn't. I get that one quite a lot." I reassured him. "My brother, he lives in Australia now for work, but he wanted to help and since he couldn't be around to be my personal driver, he hired a company to be my personal driver instead." I explained. "She should be here any minute."

"That was very nice of him." Jace said.

"Yea. I appreciate it more than he probably knows." I said.

"Yea, I'll be this ones personal driver for the rest of my life, which I don't mind." Jace said and I could hear him smiling. "Anything to spend more time together."

"Just wait until she's a teenager and doesn't want her dad around all the time. That's how I felt about my brother. No 16 year old wants to be dropped off everywhere, but it's one more thing we have to give up when it comes to our disability." I explained.

"I got thick skin. I think I can handle it." Jace said and I laughed, and than my phone started speaking.

"I'm here!" It said indicating that my driver was there.

"That's my cue. I'll see you two this weekend at the bookstore?" I asked.

"Absolutely." Jace said.

"Great." I beamed. "The bookstore is called Brilliantly Braille. Come check me out." I said and I realized that probably wasn't the best word choice, but oh well.

"We will." Jace said and I could almost sense him smirking at me.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Sammy, Pluto, and Jace. I can't wait to do it again." I said as I was guided towards the door.

"You and Dixie as well." Jace said.

"I can't wait to see you again." Sammy said.

"Bye guys." I said as I made my way to the car. I got in and the door shut. We started driving and about 5 minutes later my driving decided to speak.

"Why are you so smiley?" She asked.

"I just had a really good day." I admitted.

"You look like you had a fantastic day." She said and I could hear the insinuation.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked and she laughed.

"Girl, he was smoking hot." She said.

"I can't see Camille." I reminded her.

"Oh shit. I'm sorry." She said. "I always forget considering you're so chill. I was warned by the last driver all about why you have a driver. I'm sorry I keep forgetting." She said and I could tell she felt bad.

"Don't worry about it." I said. "But was he really hot?" I asked and she laughed.

"Girl, he's super hot. Like, he looks like a Greek god." She said and my cheeks flushed. "What are you doing there again?" She asked.

"His daughter is blind, and needs a little help socializing. So he contacted 'Blind Leading the Blind' and Patricia set us up." I explained.

"That's cool. Is he married?" She asked.

"I didn't really think to ask, but neither of them mentioned a mother or wife or even a girlfriend, so I don't know." I said honestly. It didn't even occur to me to ask.

"Work your magic." She said and I laughed.

"I'm there for his daughter, not him." I reminded her.

"It wouldn't hurt to explore it if that's what you both want." She said honestly.

"I don't know if he feels that way towards me. We just met today." I said.

"You have time." She said. "Just let it all happen naturally. See where it goes." She wasn't wrong. Hanging out with them was natural, and if he does feel something towards me, why shouldn't we explore it? But that'll come after knowing them for a little longer. So far I was happy building a friendship with Sammy and Jace. And of course Pluto, can't forget Pluto.

 **Sammy POV:**

It was late, and I was getting ready for bed. Today went a lot better than expected and I was excited to see Clary again. She was really nice and it was good to be in the presence of someone who knows what I'm going through. Don't get me wrong, I love my dad, and he's done everything to make sure I was comfortable, but there was something about knowing, and talking to someone who was in my position, and who is doing something with their life despite being blind. There was a knock on my door that interrupted my thoughts.

"Come in." I said.

"Hey princess, you ready for bed?" My dad asked.

"Yea." I said. I heard my door close and a moment later my bed dipped.

"How did you enjoy today?" He asked. I knew I gave him a hard time when he first told me, but I'm glad it worked out.

"I had a great time. I really like Clary." I said honestly.

"You do?" He asked.

"Yea. She's really nice, and it gives me hope that I can have a future like her." I admitted.

"What did I tell you? I'm always right." He said playfully.

"Sometimes." I said and he laughed. "You know, she's 28." I said suggestively.

"And your point?" My dad asked.

"Just pointing it out." I said.

"Samantha, are you trying to set Clary and I up together?" He asked.

"It's a possibility." I said. "She's great, and we had a great time, and we all seemed to get along. I just thought that maybe, in the future." I said.

"Why don't we focus on you first, than we can focus on me." My dad said.

"Okay." I said.

"We're going to visit Pop-Pop and Nanna tomorrow." He said. "You should get some sleep."

"Goodnight dad." I said and I felt him kiss my forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too princess." He said before leaving. I laid back down and thought about what it would be like to have a full family, and I liked it, a lot. I just didn't know if it was every going to happen.

 **Time Jump – Saturday**

 **Jace POV:**

"Come on dad, I want to spend the whole day there!" Sammy eagerly said as we got into the car.

"It's only 9:30 in the morning Sammy, we have plenty of time." I reminded her.

"But I miss Clary." She said and I couldn't help but smile. I was happy that she had formed a bond so quickly with Clary. It made me hopeful that having someone in her corner who understands what she's going through will always be there for her.

I followed the directions towards the bookstore, and when I pulled up to the front of it, I would have never seen it if I wasn't looking for it. I've probably passed this place so many times but just never gave it a second glance.

Sammy and Pluto got out of the car and we made our way into the store. Dixie was the first thing I saw, but Clary was missing. Pluto guided Sammy over to where Dixie was and I started looking around for Clary. I found her in the stacks of books running her hand over the spins, clearly looking for something. I cleared my throat to indicate that I was there.

"I'll be right with you." She said in a happy voice.

"It's Jace." I said and her smile got bigger.

"I'm so glad you made it." She said as she continued to skim the bookshelf.

"Do you need any help?" I offered.

"Can you read braille?" She asked.

"I learned as soon as I found out Sammy was blind." I told her.

"Than I'd love your help." She said. "I'm not tall enough to reach the top shelf." She said and I laughed. I made my way over to her and started skimming.

"What am I looking for?" I asked.

"This is a Stephen King book." She said and I nodded. "It goes right after Pet Semetary." She explained and I nodded. I found the spot and put the book there.

"All done." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you so much. My tall employee doesn't get in until 10:15." She said and I laughed a little.

"Would you like me to escort you back to the front?" I offered.

"That would be really nice." She said. I took her arm and wrapped it around my bicep. We made our way back to the front and I put Clary's hand on the desk. Something about Clary's touch was magnetic. Almost like we were being pulled together and the moment we linked, I didn't want to let go.

"Hi Clary." Sammy said enthusiastically.

"How are you doing Sammy?" Clary asked.

"I'm great. I can't wait to spend the day with you!" She said and I just couldn't help but smile.

"I can't wait either." Clary said with a big smile.

"Alright you two, I have to go run a few errands. Do you mind if I come back in a couple hours? I can bring lunch." I offered.

"Can you go to Taki's dad?" Sammy begs.

"Only if it's okay with Clary." I said.

"Of course. We'll just be here talking about girl stuff." Clary said and I laughed.

"Sounds good. I'll be back around noon." I said and they both nodded. "What would you like for lunch Clary?" I asked.

"A burger, fries, and a vanilla milkshake." She said.

"Same order as Sammy, easy enough." I said and they both laughed.

"I'll see you late princess." I said as I kissed Sammy's forehead.

"Bye daddy." She said and I made my way out to the car. Before I completely left I looked through the window and saw Clary and Sammy talking and laughing about something, this was definitely the best thing I've done for Sammy in a long time. She definitely needed this.

 **Clary POV:**

"So, more employees should be coming in soon, but until than, what would you like to do?" I asked Sammy.

"I'd like to know more about you." She said, and I was pretty surprised but flattered that she wanted to get to know me more.

"Okay, how about question for question?" I asked.

"Sounds good." She said.

"Okay, so you're 9 correct?" I asked.

"Correct." She said.

"That means, you're in 4th grade correct?" I asked.

"Correct." She said again.

"What's your favorite subject?" I asked.

"Math." She said.

"Really?" I asked a little stunned. I've never met someone who loves math.

"Yea. I take after my dad." She said proudly.

"What does he do for work?" I asked curiously.

"He's an actuary." She said and I'm not going to lie, that kinda stunned me.

"So he's like super smart?" I asked and she laughed.

"He's really smart. He graduated high school early, and graduated college in 3 years." She bragged, and I didn't blame her. That was impressive.

"That's really awesome." I said honestly.

"I know. Even having me so young he was still committed to finishing school and raising me alone." She said, which answered my question about her mom. "What about you? What do your parents do?" She asked.

"My mom has two jobs." I said. "Her main job is she's an accountant, but on the side she's an artist. She wanted something that made money since she was raising two kids, but she didn't want to give up art." I explained.

"And your dad?" She asked.

"My dad died when I was 2 years old." I admitted. "But before he died he was a lawyer." I said. "According to my mom, he was pretty good. So, what do you want to do with your future as of right now?" I asked. I knew that was a heavy question for a 9 year old, but she seemed mature.

"Right now I want to be a veterinarian." She said. "But that could always change."

"Very noble. Wanting to help animals." I said and she laughed.

"I just imagine Pluto being sick and I relied on that vet to help, I want to being that kind of peace to others." She said.

"Well, I have absolute faith in you." I said. "So, besides reading, what do you like to do in your free time?" I asked.

"I like going on walks with Pluto and my dad." She said and I smiled. "According to my dad, there is this really nice park right around the corner of my house. So we go there a lot. I also like hanging out with my cousins." She said.

"How many cousins do you have?" I asked.

"2. Max and Rafe." She said. "They aren't really my cousins. They're my dad's best friends kids, but they call my dad Uncle Jace, and I call their dads Uncle Alec and Uncle Magnus."

"Oh, two dads?" I asked without filtering myself.

"Yea." She said almost sadly, like she's been made fun of it before.

"Sweet. I bet they're a blast to hang out with." I said.

"They are." She said, a little happier now. "Rafe is 2 years older than me. And Max is 7, but it's always fun to hang out together."

"Sounds like fun. I didn't have any cousins. It was just my brother and I." I admitted.

"That's so sad." She said.

"That's what happens when both my parents were only children." I said.

"So, are you dating anyone?" She asked. Man this kid was blunt.

"No." I said honestly. "I don't get much time to date. This place keeps me pretty busy."

"Do you want a family?" She asked, and she was getting personal, but she was a kid, and kids tended to be curious.

"I do." I said. "I've always wanted a couple children and a husband. I wanted to be a wife, and do wifely duties, but I haven't found the right guy who wants to date or even marry a blind girl."

"Does that mean I have no hope?" She asked and it broke my heart.

"There is someone out there who is less superficial. Someone who will look past the blindness, and give you everything you ever needed." I said as I reached across and took her hands in mine. "And I'm not going to lie, there will be guys out there who will be freaked out by you being blind, and some who will flat out tell you that your blindness is the reason they don't want to date you. Take it from me though, don't ever let those guys define you." I told her. "One day, you'll get the man of your dreams, and he'll treat you like a princess with or without your sight."

"Thanks Clary." She said and I smiled. The door rang and it was time to start the day, but I was not expecting what happened next.

"Sammy?" A woman asked.

"Aunt Izzy? Is that you?" Sammy asked.

"Yea. What are you doing here, and where is your dad?" Izzy asked.

"He dropped me off so I could spend the day with Clary. What are you doing here?" Sammy asked.

"I heard about this place, and was going to buy you a book for your birthday." Izzy said, and I couldn't help but smile. My bookstore was spreading rather well.

"This is so cool." Sammy said. "Clary, that's my Aunt Izzy, my Uncle Alec's sister. Aunt Izzy, this is Clary, she's my new mentor of sorts." Sammy said.

"Mentor? For what?" Izzy asked.

"Dad thought I needed some friends." Sammy said and we all ended up laughing at that. "Clary here normally tutors blind kids, but I'm a special case."

"It's very nice to meet you." Izzy said and I stuck out my hand and after a moment, she shook it.

"You two can look around for any book you want." I said.

"Do you mind if I leave Pluto?" Sammy asked.

"Not at all." I said and their voices started fading away. I was sitting at the desk waiting for my employees, and reading a book. The bell rang and I thought it was going to be a customer, but when I heard the voice, I was pleasantly surprised.

"Miss me?" I heard and I got up from the counter.

"Simon, what are you doing back in the country?" I asked as I stood in front of the desk and waited for him to come to me.

"I have some vacation time, and thought I'd come visit the family." He said as he hugged me. "How have you been?" He asked.

"I've been good. What about you?" I asked.

"Busy, but I'm glad to have some time off." He said and I nodded.

"Clary!" I heard and I turned my head in the direction of the voice. "Is that my dad?" I heard Sammy ask.

"No Sammy, it's my best friend Simon." I said.

"Who is that?" Simon asked.

"A little girl I'm mentoring. She's blind." I said.

"Gotcha." Simon said. "So I was thinking we could catch some lunch." He said.

"I'm sorry Simon, but Sammy's dad is bringing back lunch for Sammy and I." I told him.

"No problem, but we have to get lunch a few times while I'm back." He said and the door opened again.

"I'll be with you in a second." I said.

"It's Jace." He said again and I didn't realize how quickly the time passed.

"It's just a party now." I said and Simon laughed. "A woman by the name Izzy is here."

"She's in this bookstore?' Jace asked.

"Yea. She's looking at books with Sammy right now." I told him. "And this is my best friend Simon. Simon this is Sammy's father, Jace." I introduced them.

"Nice to meet you man." Simon said.

"You as well." Jace said.

"Alright, we'll talk another time. Let me know when you're free so we can do lunch." Simon said and he gave me one last hug.

"Clary." I heard, but this time it was Izzy and I heard Simon suck in a breath. "I was wondering if I could just out a bunch of books on hold for right now, and pick them up later." Izzy asked.

"Of course." I said.

"Jace, come help but get some books." Izzy said and I heard footsteps in that direction start to fade.

"Close your mouth Simon." I said. "You'll catch flies."

"How did you even know?" He asked and I laughed.

"I could hear your breathing. It's a little labored. You good?" I asked.

"She's gorgeous." Simon said.

"I wish I could see, but I'll take your word for it." I said and he laughed.

"Call me soon Fray." He said. I nodded than I heard the door chime and I knew he was gone.

"Dixie, come here girl!" I called and she ran right over to me, and led me towards the food that smelled so good.

"Alright, well I'll see you two another day." I heard Izzy said. "Clary, I'm just going to leave the books on the counter, is that alright?" She asked.

"Perfect." I said.

"Great. Bye guys." She said and I heard the door chime again and she was gone.

"Dad this smells so good." Sammy said.

"I'm glad, eat up." He said and we did just that. Lunch went by as well as lunch last week went by. There was something natural about our time together, something that I liked very much.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

Sammy was in bed and I was about to check up on her. We had a good day today, and I saw Sammy laugh more with Clary than I ever have in her entire life, and that made me feel even more confident in this friendship that they were building. I knocked on her door and heard a faint 'come in' so I opened the door and Sammy was already in bed.

"You have a good day princess?" I asked and she smiled.

"I had a great time. Clary is great, and it was nice to spend some time with Aunt Izzy." She said.

"It's so weird that she went to Clary's bookstore." I said and Sammy laughed and nodded. "What did you two end up talking about when I was gone?" I asked curiously.

"We asked each other questions." She said.

"About?" I probed.

"Each other." She said. "She doesn't have any cousins. It's just her and her brother. Her dad died when she was 2, which is really sad. Her mom is an accountant, but also an artist. She wants a family, but apparently nobody wants to date or marry a blind girl." Sammy explained and that just broke my heart. "But she reassured me that there is someone out there who will see past the blindness, and love me no matter what, which I was kinda nervous about after our conversation, but I'm only 9 so I got time." She said and I laughed.

"You have nothing but time princess, and Clary is right. The right man is out there for you." I said.

"I hope Clary finds the right man." Sammy said. "She deserves it. She's bee through enough in her life that she deserves that."

"I hope she finds the right man as well." I said.

"I got her number. So if I'm on my phone a lot, it's Clary." She said and I laughed.

"I'm glad this all worked out Sammy." I said.

"Me too dad. Thank you for reaching out." She said. I leaned forward and pressed my lips against her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too princess." I said and I turned her lamp off. She tucked herself in and I made my way to my room. Hearing that Clary wanted a family, and not being able to get that broke my heart. She seemed wonderful and I've only known her for a week. Just because she's blind doesn't mean she's incapable of things. Maybe I was biased because I have a blind daughter, but being blind shouldn't be a problem for people. Sure it's an adjustment but it isn't impossible either.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

So, I've officially known Sammy for an entire year. I was planning on doing something special for her. I've been talking to Jace recently, and Sammy loves animals, and has always loved the outdoors, so I thought I'd take her camping. Jace thought it was a great idea, so that's what we were doing.

Jace was coming along because two blind girls in the woods would be awfully dangerous, and I knew he didn't want anything happening to Sammy. What I found out about Jace was that he made a lot of money doing what he did, so we were actually going camping in an RV and than Sammy and I would pitch a tent, and Jace would stay in the RV so we could still have our little girls trip. Plus the dogs could stay in the RV as well. I doubt Dixie and Pluto would like nature.

I was on my way to their house and I just couldn't contain my eagerness. I was excited. I haven't been camping since I was 8, and my brother took me to his Boy Scout thingy and I hated it, but I'm excited to be doing this with Sammy. Camille pulled up to the house and I opened the door.

"Have fun girl!" She said and I smiled before getting out of the car.

"Hey." I heard Jace say.

"Hey. You excited?" I asked and he laughed.

"I'm very excited. I get to sleep in the RV." He said.

"Sammy and I will be living it up like true nature girls." I said.

"I bet you will. Is your stuff in the trunk?" He asked.

"Yes." I said.

"Why don't you go inside with Sammy, and I'll load the rest of your stuff into the RV and we'll be ready to go." He said. I nodded and made my way inside where Sammy was playing with Pluto.

"You as ready as I am?" I asked.

"Super excited. Thank you for doing this Clary. It's awesome." She said.

"I can't wait either. It'll be so much fun!" I said.

"Alright ladies, time to hit the road." Jace said. I made my way out and he helped me into the RV and I took a seat on the couch. Not a minute later Sammy joined me. Jace got in the front and we started moving. This was going to be a great weekend, I knew it.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The place where we were going camping was pretty far away. When I looked in my mirror, I saw Sammy sleeping with her head on Clary's lap, while Clary was leaning against the armrest of the couch. They were passed out and I couldn't help but smile to myself.

The rest of the drive was quiet. The radio was playing and I was humming along to whatever song was playing. I was just in a great mood and I was really looking forward to see Sammy have a great weekend. It's been a pleasure getting to know Clary, and see how much Sammy has opened up since she came around. It was what I was hoping for, and I'm glad she got it.

"Mind if I join?" I heard and when I turned around there was Clary.

"Not at all." I said. She took a seat, and buckled up.

"It's been awhile since I was in the front of a car." She said.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"A car accident is what caused my blindness. I was in the front seat and I took the majority of the impact." She said.

"That's horrible." I said.

"Yea. I stick to the back, and I sit in the middle. Call it paranoia, but I like being cautious." She explained.

"That's not being paranoid. That's a fear that you want to prevent from happening again." I said and she nodded.

"Nobody really understands why I do it. According to them, I should be over it. It's been almost 15 years, but I still get scared. Especially now that I'm blind. I literally can't see it coming." She said and I laughed but so did she so I didn't feel bad about it.

"You know, you have a really good sense of humor when it comes to being blind." I pointed out. "It's actually starting to rub off on Sammy."

"There are two ways to handle the situation we've been put in: negatively or positively. I was negative for so many years. Depression hit me really hard, and it took me some time to get back on my feet." She explained. "Once I did that, I decided to stop being so hard on myself. I can't control what happened, but I can control what happens in the future, and I chose to make whatever happens positive."

"I like that." I said honestly. "It's given Sammy some control over how people treat her now. Before you came into our lives she was pretty introverted, but since you and her have gotten close she a lot more outgoing and proud of being blind. She looks at it as a unique characteristic, not a disability."

"And I'm so glad I can do that for her." Clary said. "If I can help anyone realize that it's okay to be blind, than I feel like I've done my job on this earth."

"I think you're selling yourself short." I said honestly. "You're only 29. You have a long life to live."

"Yea, but I don't feel like I'm doing much as a single woman." She said. I looked over at her, and I could see that having a family meant a lot to her. Just by how sad the topic made her. "It's stupid really, but a family is something I always wanted, and something that I feel is slipping away year by year."

"It's not stupid. I never wanted to be a father, but the minute I found out about Sammy, there wasn't anything else I wanted in the world. Being a father became who I am, especially after her mom died." I confessed.

"I figured it was a sore subject." She said.

"Not so much sore, but just something I want to wait to tell Sammy, until she's a little older that is. I know she's tough, but she's still a little girl." I explained.

"What happened?" She asked. "If it isn't too personal."

"Well, we were together for about a year and a half when she found out she was pregnant." I started. "We weren't ready, but we had time. Until she went into preterm labor." I said. "It was horrifying and she didn't make it. I was suddenly left with a premature baby who was blind, college, and the grief of losing my girlfriend. I thought I wasn't going to be able to do it. My parents were really helpful in the beginning, but once I graduated and settled down, I wanted to do it on my own, and I think we've done pretty well."

"You've done amazing. Sammy is an amazing girl. So bright, so enjoyable, and so friendly. She's one of a kind." Clary beamed.

"She has one of a kind as a mentor." I said without thought, but I meant it.

"Thank you." Clary said and I heard Sammy yawn.

"About time you joined the party sleepy head." I said and she laughed.

"Sorry. I barely slept last night I was so excited. I guess it caught up to me." Sammy explained.

"I heard." I said and she made her way towards us.

"Do you want to take my spot?" Clary asked Sammy.

"No." She said before she climbed into Clary's lap. Clary wrapped her arms around Sammy and gave her a light squeeze. "I can't wait to sleep in the woods tonight." Sammy said and Clary laughed.

"Me either." Clary said. I was focused on the road, but I couldn't help but take glances at Sammy and Clary. I couldn't put into words how happy it made me to see those two together.

The rest of the ride was rather quick and Clary and Sammy eventually went back to play with Pluto and Dixie. At one point they started singing along to the radio and I just felt right, and it made me more excited to have this weekend away with them.

When we finally get there, it was reaching dinnertime, so before we went out to pitch the tent, I made sure they both ate. Sammy and Clary were both impatient, they were eager to get out in the woods, but they needed food. Since we just drove for hours, and now they were going to pitch a tent.

When it was finally time, Sammy grabbed Pluto, and Clary grabbed Dixie, and we made our way out to the camping spot. The dogs sat quietly while I helped Clary and Sammy build this tent. This wasn't my kind of thing, but the girls were enjoying the hell out of it, and that made me enjoy it.

"It's finally done." Sammy said after about 45 minutes.

"Thank the Angel." I said and they both laughed. "I'll go get your stuff." I said as I went back to the RV and grabbed their sleeping bags and stuff. I went back the tent and Clary and Sammy were in the tent laughing. I heard them talking as well, and I couldn't help but listen for a moment before I disturbed them.

"I wish I could see it." Sammy said. "To know what trees look like, or what flowers look like." She said, and I realized that she would never get that opportunity.

"I know it might sound redundant, giving that you're blind, but close your eyes." Clary said and Sammy laughed a little. "Now, just imagine you're standing in the middle of a field. There is green fluffy grass beneath your feet, and a gentle warm breeze. The trees, huge trunks of brown with bushels of green leaves swaying in the breeze." Clary began to describe. "The flowers, are red, and blue, and yellow, and pink. Birds are chirping and there is a creek running into the pond where all the fish are swimming, and there is a bridge where you can stand to look at them. Kids are running around, and people are out on picnics. Dogs are barking and running around with their owners practically being dragged." She said and Sammy laughed. "It can look however you want. We all interpret the world differently, and just because you don't have the ability to see it, doesn't mean you can't imagine what it would look like." Clary said and I heard Sammy sniffle.

"Thank you Clary." Sammy said. "You're like the best friend, and perfect role model I've ever had."

"Hey, I had 15 years of vision. The artist in me never died, so if you ever want to describe anything, I'll try my best." Clary told her.

"I love you Clary." Sammy said and I heard Clary gasp. "I don't think I've ever verbalized it. But I do."

"I love you too Sam." Clary said. When I opened the tent flap, they were hugging.

"I have your things ladies." I said and they broke apart.

"Thanks dad." Sammy said.

"Of course. Now, I don't know about you two, but I'm exhausted. So I'm gonna call it an early night, but call if you need anything." I said and they both nodded.

"I love you daddy." Sammy said.

"I love you too princess." I said and I kissed her forehead. "Have a good night ladies."

I went into the RV and made my bed. Nature wasn't my thing, so I was happy staying in the comfort of an air-conditioned space with a bathroom, and a bed. I gave the dogs their dinner and I went in the back and got ready for bed. It had been a long day and I was looking forward to some sleep.

 **Time Jump – Middle of the Night**

 **Clary POV:**

A loud crack of thunder woke me up. I shot out of bed like I was being tased, and I patted the spot next to me, and Sammy wasn't there.

"Sammy?" I called out.

"Over here." She said frightened.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm scared. I don't like storms." She admitted.

"Okay. How about we go into the RV tonight." I suggested.

"Okay." She said. I reached over and took her hand in mine. I opened the tent and blindly made our way towards the RV. When we finally got there, I opened the door, thankfully Jace left it unlocked. When we got in, Pluto and Dixie were alert, probably wondering where we were.

"Where would you like to sleep?" I asked.

"I would really like to sleep on the couch. I want to put the TV on so I can drown out the sound." She said.

"Okay. I'm going to go tell your father that we're in here." I said.

"Thank you Clary." She said and I found her head and kissed her forehead.

"Get some rest kiddo." I said. "Come here Dixie." I said and she led me towards the back of the RV. I opened the door and the bed was right there. I tripped a little and when my hands landed on the bed, I hit Jace's foot.

"What's going on?" He asked with a sleepy voice.

"Did the storm not wake you up?" I asked.

"Clary?" He questioned.

"Who else would it be?" I asked and just like that, a crack of thunder made it's presence known.

"Damn. How long has it been thundering?" He questioned.

"I don't know. I woke up about 20 minutes ago." I told him.

"Where is Sammy? Is she still outside?" He asked worriedly.

"You really think I'd leave her outside?" I tried not to yell. "I led her into the RV. She's on the couch. She's using the TV to drown out the sound of the storm."

"I'm impressed you found the RV." He said and I laughed.

"It helped that you didn't park that far from the tent." I added.

"Right." He said. "Where are you going to sleep?" He asked.

"Probably in one of the seats up front." I said. "Or the floor."

"Nonsense. This bed is big enough for two people. I refuse to let you sleep in a chair or the floor." Jace said.

"Are you sure?" I asked hesitantly.

"Clary, we're both adults. We can share a bed." Jace said.

"Okay." I said as I made my way over to the bed. I grabbed the covers and got under them, happy to be in a comfy bed. "Thank you."

"Goodnight Clary." Jace said.

"Goodnight Jace." I said and I was falling back into a deep sleep. This weekend might not turn out the way Sammy and I imagined, but I think it'll be fun.

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up and realized that I was holding onto someone. When I opened my eyes, I saw not one face, but two. Sammy had weaseled her way in between Clary and I sometime in the middle of the night. When my eyes were fully awake, I couldn't help but smile at the sight. My arms were wrapped protectively around Sammy and Clary, and Clary had her arm wrapped protectively around Sammy, as if she would let nothing happen to her.

I don't know how long I was just taking in the moment before Clary started to stir. She opened her eyes and I never noticed how incredibly green they were. Of course this was the closest I've ever been to her, but they were mesmerizing. I could lose myself in them instantly.

"Jace?" Clary questioned.

"I'm up." I said.

"When did Sammy join us?" She asked and I laughed.

"No idea. I guess the TV wasn't helping and she wanted to sleep with me." I assumed.

"I don't blame her. That storm was insane." She said.

"I know. I can't believe I slept through it." I said and she laughed.

"Daddy?" I heard from Sammy and I looked down.

"Hey princess. How are you?" I asked her.

"I'm good. I'm sorry I came in and disrupted you but I couldn't be alone anymore out there." Sammy said.

"You didn't disrupt anything sweetheart." I said.

"When I came in here, I wanted to sleep in between you two, I felt safer, but you two were already super close. I had to break in." Sammy said and I looked at Clary who was blushing like crazy, but I couldn't help but smile.

"You are always welcome in my bed princess. You know that." I said and she smiled up at me.

"I know daddy." Sammy said.

"Well, now that we're all awake, how about I make some breakfast?" I asked.

"Yes!" Sammy cheered.

"Does everyone like eggs?" I asked and I saw Clary scrunch her nose. "What's the look for Clary?" I asked.

"I don't like eggs." She said. "I actually hate them." She said and I laughed.

"Okay, no eggs for Clary. We have oatmeal, or cereal, or fruit." I offered.

"Oatmeal sounds good." She said and I nodded.

"Well, you two relax, and I'll get you when breakfast is ready." I said. They both nodded and I left the room to make breakfast. I liked waking up like that, and I hoped they decided to stay in the RV for the rest of the weekend.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left, Sammy rolled over and moved closer to me. I put my arms around her and pulled her into me.

"I think you and my dad should go out on a date." She said bluntly.

"Oh really? And why is that?" I asked and she laughed.

"Because I really want you to be apart of our family." She said and my heart swelled.

"But I am. We're best friends." I said.

"But I want you to be really part of our family." She said.

"Sam, it doesn't work like that." I said. "Your dad and I, we'd have to date and see if there was anything there, and sometimes that doesn't always work out." I told her.

"But it could." She said. "We're basically on a family vacation right now." She said and I laughed.

"I don't want to ruin anything princess." I said dreamily.

"See, you're even picking up on the pet names he calls me." She said.

"That one slipped." I told her and she scoffed and I can only assume she rolled her eyes. "Sam, you can't just wish up a family and get it. Relationships take work, and effort, and so much love and respect and trust."

"Don't you have that with my dad?" Sammy asked.

"Not all of those Sam." I said.

"Knock knock!" I heard Jace say. "Breakfast is served." Sammy and I got out of bed and made our way into the living area. Jace guided us both over to the bed, which was now a table, and put our food in front of us. "Let's hope the rest of today is better than last night." Jace said as he opened the RV door, and all I heard was pouring rain. "Okay, looks like there are going to be a lot of indoor activities."

"Was rain in the forecast?" I asked.

"I don't remember seeing it." Jace said.

"Oh well." Sammy said. "It was fun while it lasted. We'll just have to go camping again."

"Right you are princess." Jace said as he joined us. I couldn't get what Sammy told me out of my head. Of course I loved Sammy, and I loved being with them, but she was asking me to basically be her mother and that was kinda terrifying, but in a good way.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It felt like the past couple months Sammy has been pulling away from Clary. Whenever I asked if she wanted to go to the bookstore or if she wanted me to invite Clary along, she always said no, or another time. I don't know what happened between the two of them, and neither did Clary, but for some reason Sammy felt the need to distance herself and I really wanted to know why. When she got in the car after I picked her up from school, she was uncharacteristically quiet.

"What's wrong Sammy?" I finally asked.

"Nothing." She hissed back.

"Samantha Herondale. What as gotten into you?" I said authoritatively.

"It doesn't matter dad." She said.

"It's bothering you, so if course it matters." I said.

"It's stupid really." She said. I reached my hand over and rested it on her leg.

"Talk to me Sammy." I said.

"Next week, all the moms were invited to come and spend the day with us, but I don't have a mom." She said and I sighed. I knew this would be a problem later in life.

"Sam, I'm so sorry." I said.

"I told you, it's stupid." She said.

"No it isn't. it's not fair that your mom isn't around anymore. And I know these things suck without her, but maybe you can ask Aunt Izzy to go with you." I suggested.

"I don't want her there." She said. "I want a mother dad." She said.

"It doesn't work like that princess." I said and she let out a dry laugh.

"I've heard the one before." She said.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously. She just shrugged. "Sammy, come on, talk to me." I said.

"When we went camping." She started. "Clary and I had a conversation, and I told her that I wanted you two to date, and I wanted her to become part of our family."

"Oh Sam." I said.

"She said it didn't work like that. She didn't want to ruin anything, and that relationships require work and love and trust and a bunch of other things." She said.

"She's right." I added.

"But it's not fair." Sammy said. "She's basically a part of our family already."

"Is that why you've been pulling away from her?" I asked and Sammy nodded. "Sam, you can't just pull away when things don't go the way you want them to."

"Do you like Clary?" She asked bluntly.

"Of course I like her. She's great." I said.

"No, do you like her _like her_?" She asked.

"What are we in middle school?" I asked and she laughed.

"Actually, I kinda am." She said sarcastically and I laughed.

"Alright Miss. Sassy. If you're asking if I have feelings for Clary, the answer would be yes." I said honestly.

"I knew it! Why don't you just ask her out?" She asked.

"Because similarly to what Clary said, there is potential that it could ruin everything, and I don't want to do that to you, or her." I said.

"You'll never know unless you try dad." Sammy said.

"Are you sure you're 11 years old? Cause you sound like a mature grown up." I said and Sammy laughed.

"Hanging around Clary made me more mature." She said and I laughed.

"How about we call Clary tonight, and get together this weekend?" I suggested.

"Sounds great." Sammy said. She seemed lighter already, and that made me feel good.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

It had been a long night at the bookstore, and I got a text from my driver that she got into a huge pile up so she couldn't get me, and I didn't have anyone else that I could call, so desperate times call for desperate measures. I pulled out my phone and pressed the home button.

"Call Jace." I said into the microphone. It started ringing.

"Hello?" Jace answered and Dixie and I walked out of the bookstore.

"Hey Jace, I'm sorry to call you like this, but my driver got stuck in a pile up and I'm in desperately in need for a ride, can you help me out?" I asked.

"Of course Clary. Give me 5 minutes." He said.

"Thank you so much." I said and we hung up. Dixie and I waited in front of the bookstore for Jace. Thankfully it was a nice night, so I wasn't worried about waiting too long, but that all came crashing down when I heard voices.

"Hey baby, what's a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone?" The one asked. His speech was slurred.

"Yea, why don't you come join the party?" Another one asked. Their voices were getting closer.

"What's the matter baby doll?" Another one asked. God, how many guys where in this group? "Hey bitch, we're talking to you." He yelled and the next thing I know, I'm being thrown against my bookstore windows.

"Please leave me alone." I finally said.

"Oh, so now she talks." The one said. I could smell beer and cigarettes on his breath. "So, are you going to answer my question now or not?" He asked.

"I'm waiting for my boyfriend to pick me up." I said hoping that would work.

"Oh your boyfriend huh? Well I don't see him around now do I?" He asked as he pressed his body against mine. "Boys, grab the dog."

"No!" I yelled and they ripped Dixie away from me. She started barking loudly.

"Shut that mutt up!" He yelled and they tried to close her mouth, and in this moment I so desperately wished I had sight.

"Yo man, this is a service dog." The one guy said.

"So?" The man holding onto me asked.

"She's blind." The other guy hissed.

"Good. That means she can't identify us." He said venomously as he hands started to roam my body. I felt disgusting.

"Please stop." I pleaded but that just made him laugh. "HELP!" I yelled but he clamped his hand over my mouth.

"Shut the hell up." He hissed in my ear as he tongue made it's way from my ear down to my collar bone. Every second felt incredibly long. I just wanted this to be over. I felt like I was standing there being violated forever until I heard the sweet voice.

"Hey! Get the hell off of her." I heard Jace call and I felt like I was finally safe. The man holding me was violently ripped away and I sank onto the ground. I could hear Jace talking while Dixie made her way over to me. "What gave you the right to put your hands on my girlfriend?" He hissed and I just held Dixie close. "You think you can take advantage of her because she's blind? What kind of sick bastard are you?" He asked.

"Maybe she shouldn't be left alone at night." The guy said cockily. And I heard a sound that sounded like a bone cracking.

"She shouldn't have to worry about her safety when she's waiting for a ride." Jace said. "And maybe you should fucking respect women enough not to take advantage of them, regardless if they have a disability or not." Jace hissed. "Dixie, you want a go at him girl?" Jace asked and Dixie left my side for a moment before she was back. Sirens were in the background, and a moment later they were right next to us.

"Excuse, we got call about a woman in distress?" A man said.

"Yes officer, my girlfriend was waiting outside her store for me, when these low life's came and started taking advantage of her, and they knew she was blind due to her service dog." Jace explained.

"Is that her statement as well?" The officer said.

"One moment." Jace said and then I felt his hands on my cheek. "Do you want to go into details for the officer?" He asked.

"Only if you're with me." I said.

"I won't leave your side." He said. He lifted me off the ground and moved me over to where the officer was.

"Ma'am, can you tell me what happened?" He asked.

"I was waiting for Jace to pick me up, when those guys started calling to me. I didn't respond and they didn't like that." I said. "They took my dog and they figured out I was blind, and the man who Jace kindly beat up for me told his friends that it was a good thing because I wouldn't be able to identify them." I shivered at the idea, but Jace's arms were keeping me upright. "Than he started kissing me and licking me, and his hands were roaming my whole body. Than Jace showed up." I finished.

"Thank you ma'am." The officer said.

"They're taking them all away." Jace whispered in my ear. I nodded and than I was being lifted into his arms. "Come on Dixie." He said and I was being put in his car. Dixie got on the seat next to me and we were off. I wanted this whole night behind me. "Where will it be Clary?" Jace asked.

"I can go home with you?" I asked. "I don't want to be alone."

"Of course." Jace said and I was so lost in thought, that I didn't even realize that the car had stopped. Jace opened my car door, Dixie hopped out and than I was being scoped into Jace's arms. I felt safe in his arms. We made it through his house until I was being put on a bed. "Would you like some clothes?" He asked.

"Yes please." I said. I sat there for a moment waiting for Jace.

"Okay, here are some clothes, an extra toothbrush and toothpaste." He said and I nodded. "I'll see you in the morning." He said.

"Jace." I called out.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I can't be alone tonight." I said. "Can I stay with you?" I asked.

"Of course." He said and I was being lifted into his arms yet again. When we got to his room, it smelled just like him. I got changed, we both brushed our teeth, and we got into bed. Dixie was by my side the whole night. I don't know why, but I wormed my way over to Jace and he wrapped his arms around me instantly. "Clary." He said into the night.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" He asked and I couldn't' help but smile.

"I'd love to." I said. I felt him press his lips to the top of my head, and despite everything that happened tonight, this was a huge step in the right direction for Jace and I, and I couldn't wait to see where it went in the future.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Sammy! It's time for school." I called up the stairs. If I thought she was tough when she was little, her being an official teenager was worse. I made my way into the kitchen where Clary was feeding the newest member of the Herondale family. "How are my two favorite people doing?" I asked as I kissed her forehead.

"We're the exact same as 5 minutes ago when you asked." Clary said and I rolled my eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me." She said.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"Because I know you." Clary said and I laughed. We got married a year ago, and to say I was thrilled about the risk I was taking would be an understatement. Marrying Clary, and continuing to build this family with her was everything I could have ever wanted and more. "Don't forget, I have to go into work today, but it's only going to be for an hour or so. I just have to do some owner stuff." She said.

"Of course. I have a half day today, so I can meet you there, and we can do lunch." I suggested.

"That sounds amazing." Clary said. "But also remember, we promised to be at Sammy's school at 1:45 for that parents picnic." She reminded me.

"Shit, I forgot about that." I said.

"It's okay." She said.

"Do you still want to do lunch if we're going to a parent picnic?" I asked.

"Of course. I'm eating for three remember?" She said as she rubbed her rounding belly. Our youngest as of now was a little over 7 months, and when Clary found out she was pregnant again, we were stunned. I mean, Aiden was only 4 months old when we found out. And when the news dropped that it was twins, we were all just filled with more shock. But like I said, growing this family with Clary was everything, and Sammy loved her brother, and I'm sure she was going to love the twins as well. "And your mom will pick Aiden up from the bookstore so that your dad and her can have some time with him so we don't have to worry about him getting fussy during the picnic."

"You just think of everything don't you?" I asked and she laughed.

"One of us has to. For being super smart, you rarely plan anything." She said and I smiled.

"I'm a go with the flow kind of guy, I can't help it." I said. I pressed my lips to hers, and she smiled.

"Dad! I'm ready!" Sammy shouted and her and Pluto came running down the stairs.

"Good. Let's go." I said. " I'll met you at the bookstore." I told Clary.

"Sounds good!" She called out.

"Bye mom, bye Aiden." Sammy said as she gave them both a kiss. The moment Clary and I announced out engagement she asked if she could call Clary mom, and it meant everything to her, and it meant a lot to me too. We got into the car and I made my way other school. It was going to be a long day but I was excited to be spending the after noon with Sammy and Clary.

 **Time Jump – Four Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Jace should be here any minute." I told his mother.

"It's a good thing he found you. Punctuality isn't really his thing." Celine said and I laughed.

"Yea, I have to tell him everything starts 45 minutes before the actual time just so he's ready in time to actually leave for the correct time." I said and she laughed.

"I'm here." I heard. "I'm sorry I'm late." Jace said as I heard his footsteps gets closer. I felt his touch my shoulder and than he kissed me.

"Well, now that you're here, we can get going." Celine said.

"You didn't have to wait for me mom." Jace said.

"I figured you'd want to say goodbye to Aiden first." Celine said.

"You are so right." Jace said. "Bye little man, be good for Nanna." Jace said as I heard him kiss him.

"We'll see you at the house for dinner?" Celine asked.

"Of course mom." Jace said and they left. "You ready for lunch?" Jace asked.

"So ready." I said. We got into his car and made our way to the restaurant.

I was so hungry, but when wasn't I? I felt like I had two moods: sleepy, or hungry. And it's only going to get worse throughout this pregnancy. It was a lot different than I expected, but I don't even know what to expect with twins. I just hope they're healthy, and happy.

When we were done lunch, we had just enough time to get to the school for Sammy. We pulled up, and Dixie got out of the back, and we made our way to the lunch area. It as a nice day out, so everything was outside which was nice. We found Sammy immediately, and she was talking to some friends that she made.

"Hey Sammy." I said and she turned.

"You made it." She said and we both gave her a hug.

"Of course." I said. "What's a parents picnic without the parents?" I said and she laughed.

"Does Nanna or Grandma have Aiden?" Sammy asked.

"Nanna." Jace said. "We figured it was easier since we are going over there for dinner tonight."

"Cool. I miss them." Sammy said.

"I can guarantee they'll be around a lot when the twins are born." Jace said as he rubbed my belly.

"I can't wait!" Sammy cheered. "I love having siblings." She said and I couldn't help but smile. I was nervous at how she would react at first, but she loved Aiden, and I knew she was going to love the twins. She was the perfect big sister. "So, what do you want to do first at this picnic?" She asked.

"There are activates?" I asked.

"Of course. Not many for blind people, but hey, we'll just adjust. Like we always do." Sammy said and I pulled her into my side.

"You are so right." I said as I kissed her cheek.

"Heads up!" I heard and Sammy and I both ducked.

"Hey! Watch where you're throwing that! There are blind people here!" Sammy yelled and the whole picnic got quiet. After a moment Sammy and I started laughing.

"You two sure know how to make people feel awkward." Jace said as he pulled Sammy and I into his arms.

"I'm proud to be blind. Right mom?" Sammy asked.

"You are so right!" I said and our new thing was perfecting a high five. Both of us lifted our arms, at least I assume, and I tried and she started laughing, so she tried as well.

"You two are never going to get that down." Jace said and Sammy and I both playfully hit him in the chest, which caused him to laugh.

"Don't ever underestimate a blind person, we're a lot more resilient than you think." I said and Jace kissed my temple. And I stood by that statement more than anyone could ever imagine. We might have a disability, but that doesn't mean you can count us out.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so awhile ago, someone asked for a one shot about Clary being blind, and this popped into my head the other day and I ran with it! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Also, I know next to nothing about braille, and I don't even know if a entirely braille bookstore exists, or anything, so I just made it all up! But if it does exist, thats pretty cool! Basically, every thing in this story I made up except for the characters. But if they do actually exist, I promise I didn't know, and if they do, I don't own them at all!**

 **Also, it's nearly 4 am where I am, and I did proofread, but I might have missed something, so please don't yell at me! I'm super tired, but wanted to get you all something!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything put the plot of this story, and honestly even thats not really mine since it was requested, but I just wanted to make sure that all the things that I mentioned in here aren't mine, but belong to other people!**


	116. Chapter 115 - Doctor

**One Hundred and Fifteenth Story:**

 **Doctor**

 **Jace POV:**

"You're an idiot Jace." Alec said to me for the hundredth time.

"That car came out of nowhere, I swear." I said again trying to make him believe me. I really didn't see the car coming, and that's not my fault.

"You should always be aware of your surroundings. I've said it from day one, motorcycles are dangerous, and this just proves my point even more." Alec said as we rode to the hospital in the back of the ambulance.

"Well, my bike is wrecked, so you don't have to worry about me riding it anytime soon." I said back.

"I think your broken leg was already a clear sign that you won't be riding for awhile." Alec retorted.

"I'm not dead, why can't we just be happy about that?" I said and he glared at me.

"Because you got lucky. You could have died Jace, and you don't even care." He said back rather angrily.

"You know I've always been an adrenaline junkie. This shouldn't' surprise you. I mean, my job in and of itself is one of the most dangerous jobs there is, not to mention the two pervious jobs." I said and he scoffed.

"Being an adrenaline junkie and what your jobs are, compared to getting in a motorcycle crash are two totally different things. Adrenaline junkies jump out of airplanes, or go bungee jumping. You just drove into a car. That's not being an adrenaline junkie, that's being an idiot." Alec said and I rolled my eyes. I was so tired of fighting him on this.

We pulled up to the hospital and they wheeled me into a room. Alec was still pissed, and there was nothing I could say to change that. He would be mad no matter what, and I've accepted that, but it didn't make getting the silent treatment any better. There was a knock on the door before a small woman walked in. she had vibrant red curly hair and the most mesmerizing green eyes I've ever seen.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Fray." She said as she made her way over to me. "You're a very lucky man Mr. Herondale. I had a motorcycle victim last week who wasn't as fortunate to survive."

"See! I told you it was dangerous." Alec said from the corner.

"Who are you?" Dr. Fray asked.

"I'm Alec Lightwood, this idiots brother." Alec said and Dr. Fray nodded.

"Well, we're going to get you some x-rays and assess the damage before we go any further. I have an x-ray technician coming up to get you and I'll see you when they're done." She said before walking out of the room.

I was wheeled down to the x-ray room where they took the necessary pictures before being wheeled back to my room. It was about an hour later that Dr. Fray walked back into my room with the x-rays in hand.

"Well, you have a clean break in your femur bone, but the good news is, it's only one break." She said.

"What does that exactly mean?" Alec asked.

"It means that we don't have to break it even more in order for it to heal, and it's only one break, which means the healing time is faster." She explained.

"How long will I be off my feet for?" I asked.

"4 to 6 months." She said and my jaw dropped a little.

"For a little break?" I asked and she laughed, and she had a beautiful laugh.

"Mr. Herondale…."

"Jace." I interrupted her. "I prefer to be called Jace." I said and she nodded.

"Well Jace, you broke your femur completely in half. That takes some time to heal." She said. "You got lucky. You aren't dead, in a coma, or missing a limb – which is what happens to a lot of people involved in motorcycle related accidents – so a 4 to 6 month recovery time is a miracle in your case." She added. "But this does require surgery."

"Surgery?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yea. You broke it in half asshole. Did you think that was going to just heal on it's own?" Alec hissed from the corner.

"Can we not do this right now? I told you I didn't see that car coming, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner we'll all feel better." I said and he huffed and continued to look at his phone. "When would I need the surgery?" I asked Dr. Fray.

"You scheduled for an hour. Luckily a surgery spot just opened up for me." She said and I nodded.

"What exactly are you going to be doing?" I asked.

"I'm going to be inserting a rod into your leg to support the bone while it heals." She said and I cringed.

"I don't know how you do this." I said and she laughed. "It sounds disgusting."

"We all have our things Jace." She said and just the way she said my name sounded good. "You ride a motorcycle for the thrill it gives you, and I break bones back into place and install rods into people." She added.

"I give you a lot of credit Dr. Fray." I said and she blushed again.

"Clary." She said. "We might has well get on a first name basis." She said and I smiled. Even her name was beautiful. "I'll see you soon."

She walked out of the room and I laid back on my bed. I couldn't believe I needed surgery, but meeting Dr. Fray was one positive that came out of this, and hopefully it continued after my leg fully heals.

 **Time Jump – Post Surgery**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up due to the sound of arguing. I didn't feel well rested at all, and than it occurred to me that I just had surgery so I wasn't going to be well rested at all. When I opened my eyes, I saw my whole family in my room. Alec and Izzy were arguing, Robert and Maryse were deep in conversation, and Max was asleep in the chair in the corner of the room.

"It isn't my fault Isabelle." Alec hissed.

"But you were following him." Izzy said back angrily. "You're supposed to switch lanes first, and make sure he has enough room."

"That only works when he tells me he's trying to switch lanes." Alec hissed back again. "He didn't put on his turn signal or anything. The moment I saw him moving, I saw the car coming, and I freaked. I witnessed the whole thing and couldn't do a damn thing to stop it Iz. I feel horrible."

"Well you shouldn't." I said and everyone focused their attention on me.

"Oh my god Jace." Izzy said. "You scared the hell out of us." She said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean too. I honest to god didn't see that car coming." I admitted as I sat up a little.

"But why didn't you put on your blinkers?" Maryse asked.

"I thought I was all good." I said honestly.

"Well, don't you dare do that again. I don't ever want to get a call that says my kid has been in an accident and taken to the hospital. You aged me about 10 years tonight." She joked and everyone laughed.

"I'm sorry Maryse. I'll be more careful next time." I said.

"Your job is dangerous enough, don't make me worry about you in the off season as well." She said and I nodded. "Okay, well Alec agreed to stay with you tonight. We just wanted you to be here when you woke up."

"I appreciate that." I said.

"We'll see you when you get home." Maryse said. Robert picked up Max, Izzy and Maryse gave me a hug and they were gone. Once the door shut, I turned to Alec.

"Where is Clary?" I asked.

"Her shift ended after your surgery. Dan is your nurse for tonight, so if you need anything, he's your guy." Alec said and I nodded. "Get some good rest Jace. You need it."

"I am sorry man." I said and he nodded. "I didn't see the car."

"I know. The couple came in to see how you were doing. Apparently they didn't have their headlights on. You had no way of knowing they were there." Alec explained and I nodded. "I'm sorry I yelled at you for it without knowing the full story. I could see their break lights, but that doesn't mean you could see their headlights. I should have waited to have all the facts."

"We were both wrong, but it's over now." I said and he nodded. "Night Alec." I said.

"Night Jace." Alec said ad I closed my eyes and let the exhausted hit me like a freight train. It did make me feel better that it wasn't completely my fault.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Physical therapy was going well, but I had to admit, I hated being on the sidelines. I still went into help the division out, but seeing all the guys getting in to that plane and heading off to fight some crazy fires was something I longed for again.

I had a check up with Clary today, and I was a little excited to see her again. I was waiting in the room for her, and the minute she opened up the door, I couldn't get the smile off my face. She was one of a kind, and I always looked forward to the next time I would see her again.

"Hey Jace, how are you doing today?" She asked.

"Better now that I've seen you." I said and she laughed.

"Always the charmer." She said. "How is PT going?" She asked.

"It's going really well. I can't wait to be back on my feet again though." I said honestly.

"I totally understand." She said. "Well, those follow up x-rays you took look really good. So keep up the good work with PT, and I'll see you again in 2 months." She said and I nodded.

I got home after that visit and felt better than ever. Knowing that my progress was coming along the right way, I felt even better about when I would be back at work, and it was one of the only things keeping me going, and keeping me working so hard during PT. There were days when I just wanted to give up, but I knew that I couldn't – especially if I ever wanted to work again.

 **Time Jump – Four Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Being a doctor I always prided myself on keeping a professional relationship with my patients. I wanted them to be able to trust me, and respect me, and being professional was the way to do that. But Jace was a whole different species of patient. He was charming, and funny, and drop dead gorgeous. He had a way of making me laugh like there was no tomorrow, and I always looked forward to him coming in for his evaluations.

About a month ago we exchanged numbers, and we don't text all the time, but there will be times when I get out of a long surgery with a text from him that just makes me laugh, or just something that's so incredibly sweet that I can't help but smile throughout the rest of my shift. I knew that once he no longer needed medical attention, I might not see him as often, but having his number was something that I was grateful for because I knew that he would always be the one who brightened up my day, and being a doctor, that was something I needed more than people probably knew.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

My physical therapist gave me the all clear, and now I just had to get it from Clary, and I'm not going to lie, I had some mixed emotions about this day. On one hand, I was pumped to be going back to work soon, but on the other hand, this meant my visits with Clary would be coming to an end, and even though we texted, that still wasn't the same as talking to her face to face like we normally did.

I'm sitting in the room like I normally was waiting for her to take a look at my x-rays. My leg felt great, and I couldn't wait to get back into my daily routine of working out and working. Being sidelined for 6 months was tough, especially for someone who was constantly moving or doing something previously.

"Well Jace, your leg looks great." Clary said once she entered the room. "You are all set to go back to work, and do whatever else you normally do."

"Thank you Clary." I said truthfully. "Thank you so much for fixing my broken leg and becoming truly an amazing friend." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you for being an amazing friend as well." She said. "But don't be a stranger now that our mandatory hang outs are no longer needed." She said and I laughed.

"Don't worry, you can't get rid of me now." I said half joking, but also half serious.

"I wouldn't want too." She said with a smile. "Take it easy for about a week. Don't push it too far other wise you could damage it more, but other than that, I am going to release you."

"About time." I said and she laughed.

"I would love to stay and chat, but I have surgery in 15 minutes." She said and I nodded. "See you around Jace."

"Bye Clary." I said and she walked out of the room. I made my way to my car with the biggest smile on my face. I was definitely not going to be a stranger when it came to Clary. I simply couldn't be.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since I've been so busy at the hospital, I rarely got to see my mom, but once a month we got together for dinner, and tonight was that night. It had been a long week, so the dinner wasn't exactly riveting, but I was glad to see her and Luke, and just pretend I was still that little girl without all the stress and responsibility. Normally I would stay until nearly midnight with them, but I was exhausted, so at 9:30 I decided to leave.

I was driving home, it was about 10:15 at this time, when everything just slowed down. The car in front of me started swerving, I don't know what caused it, but it looked scary, but I didn't know how scary it would be until it rammed into another car. The crash was loud, and looked bad. I immediately pulled my car over to assess the damage. The car that was swerving, both airbags deployed, and the occupants were okay – they were going to be sore – but they were going to be okay.

I went over to the other car, and this car wasn't so lucky. There was a little boy in the passenger seat, he couldn't be more than 12, and his airbag didn't deploy. His head hit the dash, and the seatbelt seemed to cut him rather deep due to the force that was put on it. The mother I assume looked pretty beat up as well, but she was better than the boy. So I didn't what I knew I had to. I got the boy out, and started to stop the bleeding, because if I didn't, he would die.

Someone must have called 911, because I soon hear the sirens, but I can't stop what I'm doing. This little boy wasn't going to die on my watch. When the EMT's came, I refused to leave. They put me right on the stretcher with him, and loaded us into the ambulance. We started making our way to the hospital, but all I could focus on was this little boy in front of me. I couldn't let him die like this.

When we pulled up to the hospital, they unloaded us and wheeled us right in. we were surrounded by nurses, and other doctors – doctors who were trained in trauma surgery unlike me – so I finally stepped away. My clothes were soaked in his blood, but I was too shell shocked to really care at this point.

"Clary?" I heard and when I looked up, there stood Sebastian Verlac, head of trauma. "Can you tell me what happened?" He asked.

"Car accident." I simply said. "I saw it, so I went to make sure everyone was alright, but his airbag didn't deploy, and he was losing blood fast. I just did what I had too." I explained.

"You saved that boys life." He said and I looked up at him. "He's going to need a blood transfusion, but without you, he would have died in that car tonight." He said reassuringly and I just nodded. "You should go clean up in the locker rooms, and get some rest. You had a chaotic night." He said and I nodded. I blindly made my way to one of our on call rooms. When I went in, I just sat on the bed and didn't move. The tears instantly started flowing and I knew I couldn't stop them any time soon.

 **Jace POV:**

After we got the call about the accident we rushed to the hospital. Maryse was looked at on scene, and she was find despite the bruises she was going to get, but she didn't care about that. All she cared about what Max. he was taken from the scene and we've been sitting in this waiting room for almost an hour with no news.

"Maxwell Lightwood?" We heard, and we all shot out of our chairs.

"Is he alive?" Maryse asked first.

"Your son is alive, and resting. He needed a blood transfusion but if Dr. Fray wasn't there tonight, this would be a totally different conversation." He said and that stunned me.

"Wait, Clary was there?" I asked and the doctor looked at me.

"Yes. Dr. Fray witnessed the accident and got out to see if anyone needed assistance." He explained.

"Is she still here?" I asked.

"I believe so." He said.

"Where?" I asked.

"I don't know. I told her to get changed before she left, but I haven't seen her since." He said. I nodded and started walking but he stopped me. "Only hospital staff is allowed back there." He said.

"I don't care." I said. "I'm going to see Clary." I said as I pushed past him. I wasn't letting him stop me from seeing Clary.

But it turns out he wasn't stopping me, but my total lack of knowledge of this hospital was. I had no idea where she was. I got a few nurses to direct me towards the locker rooms, but I was having no luck. I was walking down a hallway, when I heard the sniffle. It came from a dark room. The door was slightly cracked, so I opened it a little, and the light from the hallway caught her red hair. I walked in and flipped on a little lamp that gave enough light so that I could see. She looked like a mess. Her blood stained clothes, and bloodshot eyes told me she was taking this hard.

She looked like she didn't want to talk, and I understood that. I took a seat next to her on the bed and we just sat in silence. After about a half hour, I felt her lean her head on my shoulder. It was progress, and if it helped her, I was all for it.

We still weren't talking. It had been nearly 2 hours, but Clary's head was still resting on my shoulder, and her sniffles were still going, they were more spread out, but still pretty constant. I decided that something was going to change here, because I knew she needed it.

"We don't have to talk Clary, but I really think you should change out of those clothes." I said and she sat up a little. She nodded slightly and I stood up. "Is there anywhere I can get you something else?" I asked.

"Two doors down to the left there is a closet that has extra scrubs in there." She said and I nodded.

I went to the closet and grabbed her a pair of blue scrubs. When I got back to the room, she was now standing. I handed her the scrubs and she went into the bathroom. A couple minutes later she walked out and she already looked better. I was sitting on the bed and she rejoined me. She leaned her head back on my shoulder and I thought we were going back to how it was before, but she started talking.

"I never wanted to be a trauma surgeon." She said. "I can't handle it."

"You must have to deal with unexpected situations all the time." I said. "Like when surgery goes wrong."

"Yea, but I've studied those situations, and I'm prepared. Trauma is always different, and sometimes there isn't a way to do something and you have to make it up." She said. "I was never good at that." She explained. She paused for a moment before continuing. "When we had to pick our specialties, trauma was one of the first areas I tried out, and I only lasted about 3 weeks before I had to switch. I basically came home crying every night, or had nightmares, and my work was really suffering, so I moved to ortho, and fell in love with it."

"I'm sorry it was so traumatic." I said.

"I guess it was bound to be since it was trauma surgery." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Thank you." I finally said. "For saving my little brother." I said and her head snapped towards mine.

"He's your brother?" She asked stunned.

"Yea. When we got the call we were all devastated." I explained. "So thank you for keeping him alive."

"I was doing my job." She said and I nodded.

"But I'd like to make it up to you." I said.

"How?" She asked.

"Dinner. This weekend." I said and she gave me a smile.

"Dinner sounds great." She said. "I don't work Saturday."

"Saturday it is." I said and she nodded. "But I think you should go home and sleep. Tonight has been long enough for you." She nodded in agreement. She stood up but stopped in her tracks.

"Damn it." She cursed.

"What?" I asked.

"My car is at the scene of the accident. I rode here in the ambulance."

"I can take you to your car." I offered.

"You'd do that?" She asked.

"Of course. You did save my brothers life tonight." I said and she blushed.

"But I thought that's what dinner was for." She said and I smiled.

"Think of this as in lieu of the flowers I would normally bring you on that date." I said and she laughed.

"Sounds like a plan…..since I really hate flowers." She added and I nodded.

"Good to know. Let's go get you home." I said and we walked out to the waiting room. Surprisingly my family was all still there. I introduced them to them all, and my mom gave Clary the biggest hug and so did Robert, Izzy and even Alec. We were all grateful for her that it didn't matter if we weren't a really big affection family. Tonight deserved it.

We got in my car and we drove back towards the accident. I pulled my car up behind hers and cut the engine. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to face me.

"Thank you for the ride." She said and I smiled.

"Of course." I said. "I'll text you on Saturday what time and everything." I told her and she nodded.

"Goodnight Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Night Clary." She got out of my car and went back to hers. The lights came on and we both went our separate ways. I made my way back to the hospital to rejoin my family. Tonight had been a long night, but everything worked out, and we were happy about that.

 **Time Jump – Saturday Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I was staring at myself in the mirror wondering if my outfit was alright for tonight. I knew we were going out to dinner, and Jace texted me earlier saying that it was not super formal, but to dress nice. So I found a dress that I haven't worn in years, and hoped that it was good enough. When the knock came to my door, my heart started racing. This was really happening.

I made my way to the door, and when I opened it, there stood Jace, look better than ever. He was wearing dark pants and a maroon button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He looked gorgeous, but he always did, so I shouldn't be surprised.

"You look beautiful." He said and I smiled. He held up a small purple looking flower.

"I thought the ride to my car was in lieu of flowers." I said and he smiled.

"I couldn't resist." He said. "This is Clary Sage." He said and my whole body imply filled with so much happiness. It was the sweetest thing anyone has every done for me.

"Well in that case, it's beautiful." I said as I took the flower from his hand.

"I promise though, that's the last flower you will ever get from me." He smirked and I laughed.

"Bummer." I said as I locked my front door. "I could get used to that whole flower thing now." I said and we walked to his car. He opened my door and I got in. the drive to the restaurant was filled with light conversation. Talking to Jace felt natural and I don't even know the last time I've laughed so much.

When we got to the restaurant, he held onto my hand as we were directed towards out table. We ordered our drinks, and ordered our food quickly after. I was swirling my straw around in my drink as I looked up at Jace and smiled.

"So, you know what my profession is. But I don't think I know yours." I said and he smiled.

"I'm a smokejumper." He said and I had to admit, I had no idea what that was.

"And what is a smokejumper?" I asked.

"A smokejumper is a wildland firefighter." He said and my eyes widened. "I parachute into remote areas to put out wildfires."

"Shit." I said and he laughed. "You weren't kidding when you said you were an adrenaline junkie."

"Not even in the slightest." He said.

"So, how does one get into smokejumping?" I asked.

"Right out of high school I actually joined the military." He explained and I nodded. "I didn't know what I wanted to do for a long time, but I knew I wanted to help. I joined JROTC in high school and fell in love with it." He said. "So after high school it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I spent 5 years active duty. Two tours in Iraq, and was honorably discharged after my convoy was hit by an IED."

"Oh my god." I said and he nodded somberly.

"I was the only one who survived the explosion." He said and my heart broke for him. "Since we were going to another location, it took them a couple hours to come and rescue me."

"So you just chilled there and waited?" I asked and he laughed a little.

"No. I had to pretend to be dead so that they wouldn't kill me." He said. "Eventually they got me, and I didn't have any major wounds. Some bleeding and a little bit of shrapnel impaled into my arms, but I was fine. That's when I decided that I really didn't want to be in the military anymore. So I retired and found another profession that I enjoyed."

"Smokejumping." I said and he shook his head.

"No, but close. I became a firefighter." He said. "I still wanted to help people, and I always looked up to firefighters, so I thought it was my next career path. Plus it helped with the PTSD."

"How so? Wouldn't trauma just enable trauma?" I asked.

"You would think, but not for me." He said. "I love helping people. It's one of the best feelings in the world to know you did something that will impact others for the rest of their lives."

"I know the feeling." I said and he laughed and nodded.

"So for four years I was a firefighter, and loved every minute of it." He said. "And than I caught up with a buddy from my platoon who retired and was a smokejumper." He explained. "He explained what it was to me, and I thought it sounded amazing. It was risky enough to always give me that adrenaline high, but I was also helping people as well."

"So being a regular firefighter wasn't thrill inducing enough?" I asked and he laughed.

"Honestly no. For adrenaline junkies, thrill needs to be the most dangerous thing in the world in order to get you that high." He said and I nodded. "So I've been a smokejumper for about 3 years now."

"That's insane. I've never heard of that profession before." I said.

"It's pretty uncommon to just be mentioned." He said. "But I love what I do."

"So is it a seasonal job, or are there just wild fires all the time?" I asked.

"Mostly in the summer months is when it gets crazy, but we can get called at any time of the year." He said.

"So, it's dangerous, and you have the chance of dying." I said and he nodded.

"I've always had that chance in any job I've had. But it's worth it." He said and I nodded. I guess he sensed that it was a lot to process. "Look, I know this is our first date, but if me having a high risk job is something you don't want to deal with, just tell me now." He said and I thought about it. I mean, if he was still in the military or a police officer or still a regular firefighter, it would be the same risk, and in my mind, those have always been normal. Just because I never heard of smokejumping before, that shouldn't be a reason I stop whatever was going on here.

"I'm not going to lie, hearing what you do is incredibly scary, but it's nothing that I don't think I can handle." I said and he smiled. "I won't get to know where you go though, will I?" I asked and he laughed.

"No. That's confidential." He said and I nodded.

"I figured." I said and he smiled.

The rest of the night went by incredibly. Something about Jace made me feel like I've known him forever, and not just for the short 6 months that it's really been. This night made me excited for the future that we could potentially have, and that made me feel really optimistic, something I didn't feel very often.

When dinner was over, I expected Jace to take me back to my place but when he started driving in the opposite direction I got a little confused, but at the end of the day, I trusted Jace. He wasn't going to take me out in the woods and murder me – at least I hoped that he wasn't – so I didn't feel the need to ask where we were going. We pulled up to a park, it seemed pretty old, and it didn't look like it got a lot of attention anymore, but just by looking at Jace's face, I could tell it meant a lot to him.

We got out of the car and he took my hand in his and we made our way over to the swing set. We each sat on one, and began slowly rocking back and forth. I had to admit, it was quite beautiful. I started looking around, and I noticed that there was a house in the distance. Pretty far back, but it was massive, so I knew whoever lived there was probably very rich. And that's when I noticed that this park was on that property, and that worried me a little.

"You seem to be having a little moment." I said after a moment and Jace looked at me. "And the last thing I want to do is ruin that, but I have to ask. Are we on someone's property?" I asked and he laughed.

"We are. This is a private park that is owned by the owner of that mansion." He said.

"I think we should leave Jace. I don't really want to be arrested for trespassing." I said and he smiled.

"You won't. Trust me." He said.

"And how do you know that?" I asked.

"Because I own that house, and all of this property." He said and my jaw hit the ground. "I am assuming you put two and two together when Alec said he was my brother but we have different names." He said.

"I had a couple different theories on that." I admitted and he nodded.

"Well, if you guessed adopted, you'd be correct." He said. "My parents were both killed when I was 10 years old." He said and my heart broke for him. "Car accident. The Lightwoods were very close family friends, and offered to take me in since I had no other living relatives. When I turned 18, I got everything. The mansion, the money, the company, and everything else the Herondale's used to own."

"So why don't you live here? Or work for the company you own?" I asked.

"Well, after high school I went straight to the military, so I moved around. But once I got home, I just wanted a fresh start." He said and I nodded. "But I like to come here sometimes and remember, or imagine what it would have been like to grow up here with my parents." He explained. "And the company is not what I want to do in life. I think what my father built is amazing, just not what I want to be doing for the rest of my life." He said and I nodded.

"That must have been hard. Losing them so young." I said.

"You know, being 10, I didn't really understand what was happening. I knew my parents were gone, and that they weren't coming back and that I wouldn't be living in my house anymore." He said. "Which sucked because I loved the staff that worked there at the time. I had this butler, his name was Hodge, he was always sneaking me snacks, and stuff without my parents knowledge." He laughed and I knew he was remembering a fond time.

"You had a staff?" I asked and he smiled.

"I can take you on a tour of the house." He said. "It was way too big for three people to live in, but my parents likes space, but they weren't going to clean it themselves. Plus my parents were lousy cooks." He explained and I laughed. He got off the swing and extended his hand, which I gladly took.

We started making our way up to the house when I noticed that the landscaping was completely taken care of. It didn't look abandoned like the little park we just came from.

"Do people still work here?" I asked after a moment.

"I have grounds keepers, and pool cleaners, and other workers who maintain the appliances within the house. But I don't have a staff anymore. Once I move back in I'll get some maids and some butlers and a chef." He explained so casually that I nearly wanted to faint.

"When do you plan on moving back in?" I asked curiously.

"When I settle down." He said. "I don't want to live here alone, and I can't bring myself to sell it. I love this place, and I want my kids to grow up where I did."

"I think that's really sentimental of you." I said and he smiled.

We got into the house and it was even bigger on the inside. I felt like I just walked into a fairytale or something. This place looked regal, and I felt incredibly overwhelmed by it all. He took me through the house with the biggest smile on his face. It made me wonder how many people he's shown this place to, and what his intentions were by the end of the night. We paused in front of a door and his smile disappeared. He turned to face me and gave me a sad smile.

"This was my room." He said. "I haven't been in here since I moved." He said and all I could do was nod. He opened the door and we walked inside. I was expected something like dinosaur themed, or race car themed, but it was very plain, and very well organized. It made me wonder how proper this family was as well.

"It's very…" I struggled to find the right word that wouldn't sound rude when I heard Jace laugh.

"Clean?" He filled in the blank and I laughed.

"Very clean." I admitted. "And there is no theme. I mean, my childhood bedroom was decked out with The Little Mermaid." I said and he smiled.

"I was given full liberty to do whatever I wanted to this room as a child." He said. "And do you know what I chose?" He asked and I shook my head. "That blue door." He pointed and I turned around to see a blue door.

"That's it?" I asked and he laughed.

"That was all I wanted." He said. "I didn't know what it was called back than, but when I got to middle school I was diagnosed with OCD."

"I would have never guessed that. Why do you like to put your life in danger if you have OCD?" I asked.

"It was a way to handle situations when I was little." He said. "I had this really bad tic. I would have to do everything in fours. I didn't know why. I always sharpened my pencil four times. Always washed my hands four times. Cut my food into fours. Brushed my teeth four times. Hell, the first girlfriend I had, I had to kiss her four times before we parted ways." He admitted and I laughed. "Maryse and Robert eventually got me some help, and I mellowed out a lot. The therapist noticed that when I was in a situation that got my adrenaline high, that I wasn't focused on my tic. I was simply enjoying the moment. And I stuck with that ever since." He said.

"So you don't have the tic anymore?" I asked.

"I still find myself doing some things in fours. Normally little things. When I tap my fingers on a surface, it's normally in fours. When I chew, I chew four times on each side before swallowing. Little things like that. It's not nearly as bad as it was before I got help, but it'll always be there." He explained and I nodded.

"Why did you show me this place?" I finally asked.

"Honestly?" He asked and I nodded. "You're the first person I've ever wanted to share my personal stories with. The Lightwoods have only seen this place once or twice, but nobody else knows it's mine." He said.

"Why am I so special?" I asked.

"I don't know Clary. I just know that you are, and that I want this to continue – whatever it is." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Does that mean you want to take me out on another date?" I asked as I made my way over to him and slipped my arms around his waist, and he smiled.

"That means I want to take you out on as many dates as possible." He said and I laughed.

"I think I'd like that very much." I said and he leaned forward. I could tell he wanted to kiss me, but he was always making sure I was okay with it. I pressed my self up on my tippy toes so that our lips met, and I knew that after tonight, there was no way I was every going to get rid of this man. That was for sure.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I wasn't doing anything today, so I was just straightening up my place when my phone started vibrating. When I went to check it, it was my chief. There were some fires that needed to be taken care of, and I was going to be in the unit that was being dispatched.

This was actually the first fire that I got called for since my accident, and since dating Clary. I didn't know how she was going to handle the first fire, but I hoped that it wouldn't ruin the amazing relationship that we have going on right now. Everything between us just works so well, I'd hate for my career to be a negative variable within it.

"Yo Herondale, suit up! We're lifting off in 10!" One of my fellow smokejumpers said. I nodded before grabbing my phone and sending a quick text to Clary. Before I knew it, I said sent the text but realizing that I accidentally said 'I love you' in it. But before I even had the chance to fix it, or freak out about it, we were boarding the plane. When I get back we'll have to have a conversation, but the majority of me wasn't upset that I said it. I did love Clary, and I think I've loved her for a while now.

 **Clary POV:**

I was at the hospital and I was doing my normal rounds when my cell beeped. I continued on working with my patient, but once I was back at the nurses station I pulled it out of my coat pocket, and I saw that it was from Jace.

 ** _From Jace:_**

 _Hey babe, I was just called for a fire and I don't know how long I'll be gone. The minute I'm back I'll send you a quick text to let you know. I promise I'll make that date up to you once I'm home. Kick ass in surgery today. I love you._

My jaw was pretty much on the ground at the end of the text. He just said that he loved me. That was crazy! I mean we have been together for 2 months, and we've known each other for almost a year, but he loves me. Like he's _in_ love with me. I couldn't even fathom it if I was being quite honest, but I still had the biggest smile on my face, and my body was just filled with happiness. I couldn't believe he loves me, because I love him too. More than I thought possible.

 ** _To Jace:_**

 _Don't even worry about the date. Just make sure you come home to me safely. Kick some major ass fighting those fires babe. I love you too._

I sent back and for the rest of my shift I couldn't get the goofy smile off my face. I knew when I met that man that he was going to be special. I didn't know how, but I knew. And being with him today, was something that I didn't know could happen, but I was so incredibly grateful for him in every possible way, and I couldn't wait to see him when he got back.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The fact that this fire was one of the more tame ones was a real relief for me. I know I've always had my family to come back to, but I've never had a significant other, or one that stayed long enough to have to endure this. Leaving Clary behind – even if it was just for three days – was harder than I anticipated it would be.

We had to leave all our personal belongings back at the station, so as I sit on this plane, I think about what Clary said back to the message that I sent her. Was she freaking out because I said it, or was she scared off? Was she going to speak to me when I got back, or just ignore it an pretend it didn't happen? To be honest, I had no idea how she was going to react, and I was anxious to see.

"Normally the plane ride home is the calm part." My buddy Aaron said. "You look more stressed now than you did before jumping into the fire." He said and I laughed a little.

"This time is a little different for me." I admitted. "I have a girlfriend. One that I plan on keeping around for a very long time. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye before we had to leave." I said. "She was getting ready for surgery, so I just texted her, but at the end of the text, I said 'I love you' and I didn't get a chance to explain myself."

"What did she get surgery for?" Aaron asked.

"She wasn't getting it, she was performing it." I said and he nodded.

"Well, did you mean it?" He asked.

"I really did." I said honestly.

"Than everything will be fine. Do you think she loves you back?" He asked.

"I sure hope she does." I said and he laughed.

"Once we get back I'm sure everything will work out." He said and I nodded.

I really hope that he was right. I didn't want to ruin everything Clary and I had because I said 'I love you' prematurely. I knew that I meant it, but that didn't mean she felt it as well. I was just hoping that once this plane lands, I can talk to Clary and we can clear the air – because I don't know about her but I'm slightly freaking out.

 **Clary POV:**

It was late, and I couldn't sleep. I've been pulling extra hours at the hospital to take my mind off the fact that Jace was out risking his life. I admired what he did so much, but that didn't make me worry any less about him.

It was currently almost 2 in the morning, and I was making some hot tea to see if it could help me sleep. I didn't have work tomorrow, so it's not like I needed to be asleep so I could function, but I worried less when I was asleep so I figured it was my best bet. I was pouring the hot water when I heard a knock at my door. I was pretty used to the unexpected, but when it comes to strangers knocking on my door at 2 am, that was just strange for me.

I went over to the door and decided to look through the peep hole first. No need to open the door for someone who I didn't recognize, or a drunk person who got the wrong door number. But when I looked through the hole, I couldn't seem to open the door fast enough. Once I swung it open, there he stood, alive, unharmed, and smiling.

"Jace." I said as I flung myself into his arms.

"It's so good to see you." He said as he carried me back into my place and he shut the door behind him.

"Oh my god. You're okay." I said and I felt him laugh a little.

"I'm completely okay." He reassured me because even though he was holding me right now, I was still worried.

"Is it going to be like that every single time you get called?" I asked.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Like I feel like I can't breath until I know you're safe again?" I asked and he smiled. My feet were now back on the ground but we were still holding onto each other.

"Probably. And this was one of our shorter deployments." He said and I nodded. "I wish I could be a normal guy for you Clary, someone with a 9 to 5 job that insures my safety, but that's just not me." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't do what you do." I said and he smiled a little. "Look, I don't care if you're a smokejumper, a lawyer, a business man, or a dolphin trainer. I love you because of who you are. You have a dangerous profession, and I admire that more than you know. I just worry about you, that's all." I said and I could tell how happy hearing that made him.

"So I didn't freak you out with that text?" He asked and I laughed. By this time I got my tea, and we both made our way to the couch.

"I was surprised. My jaw hit the floor when I read that text, but I also couldn't get the smile off my face for the rest of my shift." I said honestly and he smiled.

"I wrote that at the end of the text out of force of habit. Normally I'm sending those texts to my family, and I always end it with an 'I love you' since I don't know if I'm making it back." He explained. "The moment I sent it, I realized that I meant it wholeheartedly, and I just hoped for the past three days that you felt the same."

"Well, I hope that my text eased those nervous feelings." I said and he laughed.

"We aren't allowed to bring anything personal with us on those deployments, so I didn't know what you said until I got back tonight. But once I read it, everything in me just felt so much lighter." He said and I smiled.

"I'm glad." I said.

"I love you Clary." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I put my hand on his cheek and leaned forward and pressed my lips to his.

"I love you too Jace." I said and he gave me one last kiss. "So, it's late, and you are probably exhausted, and I was having trouble sleeping before but I feel like all I need is a good cuddle buddy for a good nights sleep." I said and he laughed.

"I think a good cuddle session is something we both need right now." He said. "That and a good nights sleep." I nodded and before I could stand up, he scooped me into his arms. He carried me to my bedroom, and we both got comfortable under the covers. Having Jace back with me was absolutely perfect, and I couldn't wait to see where this goes next.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Clary, we can't take everything." I told her for the 10th time while we were packing our places up.

"Why not? That house is big enough." She complained again. About 2 months ago Clary and I decided to take the next step in our relationship and move in together. But not just in any house, in my family home. I was nervous to be living there again, but I couldn't wait to start planting roots there again, and grow there with Clary.

"Clary….."

"No Jace." She cut me off. "That house is freaking huge. I think you can spare one of those room to be made into a temporary storage room until we figure out where to put everything." She said.

"Ugh. You're so lucky I love you." I said and she made her way over to me and gave me a sweet kiss.

"That I am. But come on, I want to get everything in the truck before dinner time." She said as she sealed another box.

We packed everything up and loaded the truck. Once everything was done, I got into the truck and Clary got into her car and we made our way to the Herondale Manor. My stuff was moved in earlier, and after this load we could finally start making that place our home.

I pulled into the long driveway and got out of the truck. Clary got out of the car and made her way over to me. A week ago I actually hired a staff to help clean everything up and move things into the house and start working for me again. They were currently unloading the truck while I looked at the house. I put my arm around Clary's shoulders and she wrapped hers around my waist.

"Welcome home Clary Fray." I said as I pressed my lips to her head and she laughed.

"Welcome home to you as well Jace Herondale." She said and I pulled her even close to me. I couldn't wait to see where the future took us, but I knew that right now it looked bright, and I couldn't picture it looking any better.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"How long will you be gone?" I asked as Jace gathered his belongings for another deployment.

"I'm not sure. It sounded pretty urgent, and with my past experience, it will probably take anywhere from 5 to 8 days." He said and I nodded. Almost 8 years together and I still got scared every time he got called away.

"Well, be careful, and be safe." I said and he nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too Clary." He said and he gave me a kiss before making our way out into the living room where our boys were.

Spencer and Russell were our twin boys. About 3 years ago I found out I was pregnant, and my whole entire world stopped for a split second before all I could think about was nursery themes and renovating that abandoned looking park Jace once brought me too. They were both mini Jace's, and man were they the sweetest little boys you would ever met.

"Hey boys, I have to go now. Take care of mommy and your little sister, and I'll be back soon." Jace said and they both went running into his arms and gave him the biggest hug ever.

"We're going to miss you daddy." Spencer said.

"I'm going to miss you all so much, but I'll be back before you know it." Jace reassured them. "I love you boys."

"We love you too daddy." Russell said. Jace stood up after kissing them one last time and made his way over to me.

"Give Scarlett all my love. I already kissed her, but once she wakes up give her another kiss for me." Jace said and I nodded. Scarlett was our almost 2 year old little girl.

"Come back to us Jace." I said and he leaned forward and gave me a kiss.

"There is no way in hell I'm ever leaving you and our 4 amazing children." He said has his hand rested on my protruding belly. "Especially when I haven't even been able to meet this little guy yet." He said and I smiled.

"Just be careful, but kick some ass." I said and he laughed.

"Always. I love you." He said.

"I love you too." We kissed one last time before he was out the door. I took a deep breath before going into the living room to watch Spencer and Russell. These were going to be a long 8 days, I just knew it.

 **Jace POV:**

This fire was absolutely no joke. We already lost one member of the team, and it was absolutely devastating. There was nothing in the world that could prepare you for something like that. But we had a job to do, and we had to keep pushing through no matter what.

Clary was going to get a call about the death. It was something that the chief liked to do when one of our own has fallen. He gathers all the men and their family to gather back at the station so that we can all be there for the family of the fallen jumper. I thought it was incredibly touching. I've been through a couple in my time as a smokejumper, but it didn't make it any easier, and I knew Clary was going to be freaking out when that phone rang.

 **Time Jump – Seven Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We were finally making our way home, and the plane ride was deadly silent. Ramsey was in a wooden casket that was brought back when we were being picked up. It was hard seeing him like that. He was always so full of energy and life. Knowing that I'd never get to see him smile or crack a joke again was really hard to process. But our jobs are dangerous, we knew what we signed up for. This was the ultimate price.

 **Clary POV:**

Spencer, Russell and Scarlett were all in the living room playing while I was making dinner. I was incredibly exhausted, but what else do you expect from someone who is nearly 8 months pregnant. We had a staff, but when Jace was away, I liked to keep busy, so I did everything just to keep my mind off the fact that he was risking his life. I had a feeling that might change soon since I was so tired all the time, but for right now, I was capable of doing these things.

I couldn't wait to bring this little guy into the world. Scarlett loved her other brothers, and Spencer and Russell were super protective of her, so I knew this little guy would be just another protective brother, and Scarlett would love him endlessly. The phone starting ringing, and I put the knife I was cutting the vegetables with down and answered it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hello, may I please speak with Mrs. Herondale." The person on the other end said.

"Speaking. How can I help you?" I asked.

"My name is Chief Wayland." He said and my heart skipped a beat. "I'm calling to inform you that there has been a death concerning the recent fire that our unit deployed to. We request your presence at the station immediately." He said and I didn't even say anything back. I hung up the phone. Turned the stove off, and ran into the living room.

"Babies, I need you to go get your shoes on. We have to go somewhere." I said and they all looked at me.

"Where mommy?" Spencer asked.

"We have to go to daddy's work." I said.

"Is he home?" Russell asked.

"I'm not sure baby. His boss asked us to come down." I said as I put Scarlett's shoes on.

We got in the car and we were taken to the station. I couldn't fit in the drivers seat, so we had a driver take us. The whole way there I couldn't help but tap my foot. This was only the second time in the 8 years Jace and I have been together that I've gotten a phone call like this, and I was freaking out.

We pulled up and I got the kids out, and we made our way into the station. Other families were already there, anxiously waiting for their family member to come off that plane and through those doors. We stood there for about 30 minutes, and I knew the kids were getting anxious. I put down a few toys and they were finally distracted when I heard the doors open. When I looked up and I didn't see Jace at first, and my heart nearly broke.

"Daddy!" I heard Russell say and that's when I found him. He was kneeling on the ground scooping Russell into his arms, and that's when the tears started flowing. Spencer and Scarlett soon followed Russell and I just stayed where I was, taking in Jace greeting our children. He finally made his way over to me and he pulled me into his and I cried into his chest.

"I'm so sorry baby. I didn't mean to worry you." Jace whispered into my ear and I nodded.

"You're home, that's all that matters." I said and he kissed the top of my head.

"Let's go home." He said and I nodded. We got the kids, and made our way to the car. I would never get used to this. Nothing can prepare you for almost losing the person you love most in this world, but it was who Jace was, and I loved him.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was my first week back at the hospital having little Gavin. He was absolutely perfect, just like the other three, and Jace and I were completely in love with him. It was weird being back at work, considering I haven't been a full time doctor in almost 4 years with all the pregnancies I've been through, but I was ready to get back into the OR and save lives. It was who I was, and nothing would be able to change that about me.

Jace was watching the kids today, and when I left them, he was in the middle of being tickled to death, and the thought made my smile the whole day. Seeing his bond with the kids was something I'd never get tired of. Scarlett was a daddy's girl, and Spencer and Russell wanted to be just like him. They had him wrapped around their fingers, and he was loving every minute of it.

When my shift was over, I was on my way home. Thankfully I was done before 6 pm tonight, so I got a chance to eat dinner with them. Something that I missed every night this week due to surgery, or my shift. When I pulled into the driveway, I saw Jace and the kids at the park at the front of the property. I stopped my car and got out and made my way over to them.

"Mommy! You're home!" Scarlett cheered.

"Yes I am baby." I said as I kissed her forehead. "Did you have a good day with daddy?" I asked.

"I had the bestest day ever!" She said and I laughed. She ran back to play with her brothers while I made my way over to Jace. Gavin was sleeping peacefully in his arms. I placed a sweet kiss on his lips and he smiled at me.

"Welcome home Dr. Herondale." He smirked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Good to be home Mr. Herondale."

 **Authors Note:**

 **I don't know how many people requested one about Clary being a doctor and JAce being her patient, but I finally got around to finishing it! I added more to the plot because I feel like there is only so much you can do when it turns into a doctor patient story, since I wasn't giving Jace cancer or anything, I needed a little more to go on, and I hope that you enjoy it!**

 **Now, I found the profession smokejumper and thought it was pretty fucking awesome so I used it but I don't know much about it, so apart from what a smokejumper does, everything else is kinda made up. I have no idea if Jace would be allowed to continue after breaking his leg, or anything, but in this story he could, and that's what I wanted!**

 **So let me know what you think and leave a review! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to review! My birthday was yesterday and it's been pretty crazy, but I finally got another one done! And I hope you all like it! :)**

 **Also, I don't know much about PTSD, or tics. I just know they are important parts of certain things I mentioned so don't rip me a new one if some information is wrong!**


	117. Chapter 116 - Sizzy Wedding

**One Hundred and Sixteenth One Shot:**

 **A Very Sizzy Wedding**

 **Clary POV:**

"Simon Lewis, who knew you'd come home and be engaged." I said as we sat down for coffee.

"I've been gone for nearly 7 years Clare, it was bound to happen eventually." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"That's what you get for going away to college and not coming home. I miss out on important life events." I chastised him and he smiled. "I mean, I don't even know you're fiancé. Best friends are supposed to be tight with each others fiancés!"

"Clare, I promise, you'll get along with Izzy. She's the friendliest person on this planet." Simon said and I nodded. "You're complete opposites, but it works for us, so I know it'll work for you."

"I mean, I've seen pictures. She's gorgeous." I said and Simon blushed. "And if you love her, I can only imagine that I'm going to love her as well. I just always thought that I'd meet her before you popped the question."

"Well, maybe if you came out to Nevada every now and than you would have met her already." Simon said and I glared at him.

"My job barely gives me off for holidays, you think I could take a long weekend?" I reminded him and he laughed.

"That's what you get for having such a demanding job." He stated. "Now, if you had a boring job like me, taking time off wouldn't be an issue."

"Sorry that I love my career choice Si." I said sarcastically.

"Noting to be sorry about. I could never do what you do." He said and I smiled. "Too much schooling. And you aren't even done."

"I want that Ph.D. Si. I want to be Dr. Clarissa Fray." I said and he smiled.

"I believe in you." He said and I smiled.

"So, how long are you in town?" I asked him.

"For a couple days." He said. "But I should be around more frequently. Izzy is actually from New York as well, so we're going to be getting married here."

"That's awesome. But I'm assuming you're going to be living in Nevada after the wedding?" I asked.

"Until one of us finds a new job." He said. "That's our home now. We both work, we have friends, and it means a lot to us. New York will always be our true home, but we're happy in Nevada." He said and I nodded.

"Well, if you're happy, than I'm happy." I said and he smiled.

"Now, Izzy is coming in the next time we visit, since we'll be looking at venues, but I thought I should warn you now. She wants to ask you to be in her bridal party." He said and my jaw dropped.

"Me? Why me? She doesn't even know me." I said and Simon laughed.

"Well, Izzy doesn't tend to make a lot of female friends. They all are really threatened by her." He explained and I nodded. "And I'm having all three of her brothers in my party, and she knows you're like a second sister to me."

"Is Rebecca going to be in the wedding?" I asked.

"Yup. So far, it's Rebecca, you, one of her childhood friends, and a girl we went to college with." He said and I nodded.

"You're only having four people in your party?" I asked.

"Yea. We aren't having a huge wedding. Just family, and some close friends." He explained. "I was prepared to be dropping like 100 grand on this wedding for Izzy, but she just wants something simple, and I can work with that."

"100 grand for a wedding?" I asked.

"Well, her family comes from very old money, so her parents had no problem spending whatever Izzy wanted, but surprisingly all Izzy wants is something simple for the ceremony and the reception. Although she did say her dress was going to be over the top, but that's who she is, and I love her for that." He said and I nodded.

"Any thoughts on who the flower girl and ring barer will be?" I asked.

"The ring barer will be her brothers oldest son. And the flower girl is going to be Rebecca's little girl." He said.

"Aww, Sabrina will be the cutest little flower girl." I said and he laughed.

"Fingers crossed. She's gotten a little attitude lately." He said.

"She's a girl Si, it was bound to happen." I reminded him and he nodded.

"Well, I have to go meet my mother and Rebecca to talk wedding things." He said and we stood up and he pulled me into a hug. "I'll see you soon thought Clare."

"Always a pleasure Si." I said and he smiled before leaving the coffee shop. I was so incredibly proud of him finding the love of his life, and settling down. I was super stoked for this wedding, and for my best friend.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Simon was coming back in today, but this time Izzy was with him. He asked if we could do lunch and I was freaking out. This girl was going to be spending the rest of her life with Simon, and I wanted her to like me. I wanted to be able to hang out with her, talk a lot of embarrassing stories about Simon, and laugh until our stomachs hurt, but much like Izzy, I never really got along much with girls my age. High school was a nightmare, and Simon is the only reason I got through it. The bell of the restaurant rang, and I looked up to see Izzy and Simon walk in, my heart started racing a million miles a minute, I stood up to greet them when Izzy pulled me into a hug.

"It's so nice to finally meet you in the flesh!" She said cheerfully, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You as well." I said as she let me go, than Simon pulled me into a hug.

"Well, Izzy this is my best friend Clary, and Clary this is my fiancé Izzy." Simon said and we both laughed.

"I can't believe we're finally meeting." Izzy said. "I've been dying to meet you for years!" She expressed.

"Me too. Pictures only do so much." I said and she nodded in agreement.

"Simon told me that he braced you for my impending question, and if you feel weird about it, don't worry, I can handle rejection. I just wanted to involve all the women that mean the most to Simon in the ceremony." Izzy explained, and I couldn't help but smile at her.

"That's really sweet of you." I said and she smiled.

"Simon means everything to me, and I know he wouldn't be the man he is today without all the women that got him here. The amount of stories I've heard about you are insane, but I felt like I kinda knew you after he told me so many." She said and I laughed. "So, would you do me the honor and be one of my bridesmaids?" Izzy said and I smiled.

"You know what, it would be my honor." I said and she squealed, jumped up and pulled me into her arms.

"This is so amazing." She said. "Now I have the order all figured out in my head. Rebecca is going to be my Maid of Honor, you'll be after her, and than it'll be Aline, and finally Kaelie." She said.

"Wait, I'm second in line?" I asked a little dumbfounded.

"Of course. It'll be perfect. Jace was worried he was going to have to walk in with Kaelie, but there was no way that I was going to stick him with her. Talk about stalker." Izzy said with a laugh.

"Who is going to be your Best Man Simon?" I asked.

"Her oldest brother Alec." He said. "We've actually gotten quite close in the last couple years."

"Sounds great." I said and Izzy had a thousand watt smile on her face for the rest of our lunch. She looked so happy, and so incredibly in love with Simon, and that made her even better in my book. Someone who looks at Simon the way she did the entire time we were together, has my stamp of approval. My phone buzzed and I groaned. "Well guys, this ends our lunch. I just got called into work." I said as I stood up.

"It was fantastic meeting you Clary. I can't wait until we come back in, and maybe we can get our nails done together or something." Izzy said as she pulled me into a hug.

"Of course Izzy. That sounds great." I said than I hugged Simon and put my lips to his ear. "You picked a good one Si." I said and he laughed.

"If we don't get the chance to see you again before we leave, we'll see you soon Fray." Simon said and I nodded. I left the restaurant to go to my job but I realized I couldn't get the smile off my face as well. This was going to be a good wedding, I knew it.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was the night of the rehearsal dinner, and Izzy was freaking out. Everything thus far in the wedding planning has gone perfectly, but it couldn't always stay this perfect. Her brother Jace's flight got delayed so he wasn't going to be here on time for it, and her little brother Max came down with the flu last week and is still not 100%, and she feels like everything is falling apart. Simon was out of ideas on how to calm her down, and she ran out of the rehearsal hall, and he looked at me with these pleading eyes, and I knew I had to follow her. I found her sitting on the stairs outside of the venue. I took a seat next to her and put my hand on her arm.

"Everything is going to work out Iz." I reassured her.

"Everything was going so well." She said. "And now shit hits the fan? I'm getting married in two days."

"Sometimes things get fucked up." I told her honestly. "There is nothing we can do about your brothers plane delay, and there is nothing we can do about your little brother still being sick. All we can do is go about our business, and make sure that on the day of the actual wedding, everything works out."

"I've been planning this day since I met Simon." She said honestly. "It seems like it's all falling apart now."

"I've known Simon my entire life." I told her. "Simon wouldn't care if you went down to the courthouse to get married, as long as he was marrying you, that's all he cares about."

"You think so?" She asked.

"I know so Iz." I said. "Simon is completely in love with you. Your wedding day is going to be the best day of his life regardless of what happens."

"Thanks Clary." She said as she hugged me.

"What are friends for?" I said and she smiled. "Now go back in there, and have a great fucking rehearsal dinner. You and Simon both deserve it." She stood up and went inside with a smile on her face. I took a deep breath. I know that I was reassuring her, but in all honestly, things could go really wrong during the ceremony, but I prayed for her sake, they didn't.

 **Time Jump – Wedding Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was the night of Izzy and Simon's wedding, and just being in the bridal suit was something that should have been in a fairytale. Izzy looked like a freaking princess, and I knew the moment Simon saw her, he was going to be lost in her forever.

I wish that I could go over to where Simon was and the groomsmen and just see Simon and give him the biggest hug and tell him to quite pacing his room, since I know that's what he's doing, and let him know that this is going to be the greatest day of his life. But we were getting Izzy ready, and according to the coordinator, the ceremony was starting soon.

"Ladies." Izzy said and we all turned to face her. "I just want to thank you all for being here with me. I don't know what I would do without any of you." She said and we all gave her a huge group hug. "Now, lets go get married!" She said and we all cheered.

Izzy was waiting in the bridal suit while the bridal party went up to get in line. I was freaking out, because this was the first time I was meeting her one brother, Jace, the guy I'm walking with, and I was a little nervous. Izzy told me that this wasn't the first wedding he has been in, so I was confident that we would be fine, but he was a complete stranger to me, and I wanted us to get along. For Izzy's sake.

We got in line, and I was standing in the back in front of Rebecca, but Jace wasn't there yet. All the other groomsmen where with their partner, but I was alone. I felt a tap on my shoulder and when I turned around, Alec was smiling at me.

"Jace wanted me to tell you that he'll be right up." He said. "He wanted to talk to Simon privately for a moment."

"Thanks Alec." I said and I turned around. That eased my nerves a little. After another 10 minutes someone came and stood next to me, and I'm not even kidding, I had to look all the way up just to see him.

"We haven't formally met yet." He said. "I'm Jace Herondale, Izzy's brother."

"Clary Fray, Simon's best friend." I said and we shook hands. I didn't even want to get into why his last name was different. I assumed he was adopted, but now wasn't the time to get into family backgrounds. I linked my arm with him, and a minute later the music started. My best friend was getting married today, and I was super excited for him.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The wedding was perfect, and the whole reception was beautiful. And I had to admit, I spent the majority of the night talking to Jace. He was really easy to talk to, and just an over all good guy. Form his looks alone I thought he was going to be this arrogant playboy, but he was actually really smart, and down to earth.

By this time I had a lot of alcohol in my system and I was just feeling the night away. I was on the dance floor dancing with everyone and anyone. But surprisingly my dance partner always ended up being Jace. But I didn't mind one bit. He was a good guy, and we were having a good time.

"Party is almost over." Jace whispered in my ear. Now, I'm going to assume that it was the alcohol talking, since I'm normally not very forward, but I was feeling good and confident, so I went for it.

"The party doesn't have to stop." I said back and he smirked at me, which caused me to bite down on my lip. I'm sure if you talked to anyone else at this wedding, they would tell you that there was some sexual tension between Jace and I, and they wouldn't be wrong. It's been awhile since I've had sex, and Jace was hot. Why not take advantage of a perfectly timed opportunity?

"You're a naughty girl Clarissa Fray." He whispered and I've never been one to like my name, but god damn did it sound sexy coming from his lips.

"What's it going to be Jace? Are we going to end the night here? Or are we going to take it back to my room?" I said and I just saw his eyes fill with lust. Thank god Izzy convinced me to get a room here for the night, otherwise this might not be happening.

"You don't know what you got yourself into." Jace said as he pulled me out of the reception hall and over to the elevator. Once the doors closed, Jace pressed me up against the doors and his lips were automatically on mine. When the elevator finally dinged, we both made a beeline for the room. I slide the key in and the moment we were both in there, I was being pressed against the door, and his hands were working on getting my dress undone. I had no idea what tonight was going to be like, but I could tell I was going to enjoy it.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It had been two weeks since Izzy's wedding, and to this day, I couldn't think of anything but the mind blowing sex that Clary and I had. She didn't peg me as the type of girl who was freaky in the bedroom, but man oh man was Clary something else. She was the whole package. She was easy to talk to, funny, intelligent, beautiful, and sarcastic. Like, there wasn't anything wrong with her, she was simply perfect.

Although I might not ever see her again, except on rare occasions, I was glad we had the night that we did. It was something that I needed lately. I just needed to let loose, and have a good time, and that's exactly what I did with Clary. We had a damn good time, and I didn't regret a single thing about that night.

"Jace?" I heard and when I looked over Alec was sitting there looking rather annoyed. "Could you pay attention for like 5 minutes? We're almost done."

"Yea, sorry." I said and I started to actually listen to him this time. By the time our meeting was over, I couldn't wait to get out of the office. It was a Friday, and I was just looking forward to relaxing.

"Dude, what has gotten into you lately?" Alec asked after he caught up to me.

"I was just thinking about something." I told him.

"You were thinking about Clary." He pointed out.

"So what if I was?" I asked.

"If you want to keep in contact, or see her again, why not just ask Izzy for her number?" Alec asked.

"Because she lives in New York and I live in California. I don't want to have a long distance friendship. They get really hard to maintain." I told him truthfully.

"So you're just going to space out during board meetings, and not do anything to even try and reach out to her?" Alec asked.

"I'll try not to space out as much." I told him.

"Okay." He simply said. "You still coming over for dinner?" He asked.

"Of course." I said and he smiled before leaving to get home. I shook my head as I tried to get Clary off my mind, but I knew she would always be there, no matter what.

 **Clary POV:**

 _No. No. No. No. No._ This can't be happening to me. I sat in my bathroom as I held this pregnancy test, my _sixth_ pregnancy test hoping that it would be negative. Oh who am I kidding? The other 5 were positive, this one is definitely going to be positive. When the time beeped and the pink plus showed up and sighed. Not that I was disappointed that I was having a baby, I always wanted to be a mom, but I knew how my parents would react, and I was not looking forward to that conversation.

I decided to just bite the bullet and tell them though. The sooner they hear, the better. I got to my parents house and slowly walked up the stairs. I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. A moment later, my mom answered.

"Clary, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"Is Luke home?" I asked. "I wanted to talk to the both of you." I said.

"He is." She said as she welcomed me in. "Luke! Clary's here, and she wants to speak with us!" My mom called, and a moment later, Luke walks in.

"What's up kiddo?" Luke asked.

"There is no easy way to say this, so here it goes." I said and they nodded. "I'm pregnant."

"You're kidding me right?" My mom asked first.

"Nope." I simply said.

"Clarissa Fray, how dare you!" My mom yelled. "You aren't a married woman! Shame on you for bringing a bastard child into this world!" I knew this was coming, which was exactly why I wanted to get it over with.

"The world is a different place mom. People have kids without being married all the time." I told her.

"Not in my house." She said. "Leave, and don't bring that child around here." She said and I got up. Luke looked extremely disappointed in me, but he was always good at letting my mom verbalize it. "Be gone devil! And don't come back!" She cursed as she slammed the door. I put on my brave face in there, but once I got in to my car, and drove around the block I broke down and called the one person I knew would understand.

"Hello?" Simon asked.

"Simon, I need you." I choked out.

"Clary? What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked concerned filled his voice.

"No Si, I'm not. I'm in trouble." I said honestly. I didn't know how I was going to raise this baby alone, but I knew one thing, I was going to do my best to be a damn good mother.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Alec and I were going to Nevada to visit Simon and Izzy. It would be nice to have a nice long weekend away from work. Plus it would be nice to see how they are settling in as a married couple. I didn't understand their relationship for the longest time, but they made each other happy, and that's all that matters.

When we got to their house, it was rather late. So we all settled in and went straight to bed. Alec and Magnus's kids were pretty tired, so it worked out that tomorrow would be used as a jammed packed day of activities after a long and refreshing nights sleep. We all went to the rooms that we normally went to when we visited them but when I opened my door, someone was asleep in my bed. Confused, I simply shut the door and got comfortable on the couch. I was tired, and nobody else was awake, so there was no use getting annoyed by it.

I woke up the pots banging in the kitchen. When I looked up, Izzy was standing there and I immediately got up and ran into the kitchen.

"Do you really think this is the best idea?" I asked her.

"Come on Jace, my cooking isn't that bad." She said.

"It's pretty bad." Alec said from the hallway. "And I will not subject my kids to that kind of torture." He said and we both laughed, but Izzy was glaring.

"Fine, if you think you can do any better, you cook breakfast." She shoved the pan into my hands.

"Deal." I said as I placed it on the stove. "Oh, and Iz, who was sleeping in my bed last night?" I asked before she left.

"Clary." She said and my heart sped up. "She's having some trouble so she's going to be staying with us for a little while."

"What kind of trouble?" I asked.

"I think that's something you need to talk with her about privately." Izzy said before leaving the room.

"Privately?" I asked Alec and he just shrugged. "What could it possibly be about that the conversation needs to happen privately?"

"No idea man, but get to cooking. I'm hungry, and you know the boys will be too." Alec said and I laughed before starting to get to work. But I couldn't get what Izzy said out of my head. But I planned on finding out.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

Seeing Jace again was shocking. Izzy and Simon didn't tell me they were coming in, but I guess they wanted it like that. Who knows. But he was even more gorgeous than I remember, and I was dreading telling him the news. I had no idea how he was going to react and that scared me the most.

I was sitting at my window looking at the stars. It was something that I didn't get back in New York, so while I was here, I was soaking it all in. I was lost in my head when there was a small knock on my door. Before I had the chance of answering, Jace was walking into the room.

"Hey." He said as she shut the door and walked over to me. "What are you doing cooped up in here?"

"Just thinking." I said honestly.

"About what?' He probed.

"About how I never get this good of a view from my apartment in Brooklyn." I said and he laughed.

"Very true." He said. "My house in California has the best view I've ever seen. It was one reason I bought the house." He said and I nodded. I couldn't help but feel sad that he lived across the country.

"Must be nice. Living so far away from home." I said absentmindedly.

"It has its perks, but there are also major downfalls." He said. "I mean, Izzy only lives a state over, and I don't get to see her as often as I'd like, and the rest of the family still lives in New York. I'm thankful that I have Alec with me out there."

"Still, when you see your family all you want to do is create happy memories. Fighting seems pointless when you only have a certain amount of days to spend together." I continued.

"Did something happen Clary?" He asked. "Izzy said you were in some trouble." He asked and I looked at him, with tear filled eyes. "Whatever it is Clare, I guarantee it can be fixed." He said and I wish that he was right.

"It's not something that easily fixed." I told him honestly.

"Are you fighting with your parents?" He asked. "I know what that's like, but it always works itself out in the end."

"You don't know my parents." I said as I wiped the tears from my eyes. "They aren't so easy to forgive when they feel like you've committed a great sin."

"What happened?" He asked more caringly.

"I'm pregnant." I blurted out. Might as well get it out in the open. "And I'm not married. So my parents pretty much disowned me." I said honestly.

 **Jace POV:**

My jaw hit the floor when she said that. Not just because she was pregnant, but because her parents weren't supportive of her and what will happen in the next 9 months.

"I'm so sorry Clary." I said as my hand rested on her thigh. "No parents should kick their child out because of that." She looked at me, and she looked like she wanted to say more. "What else is on your mind Clary? I can see you want to say something else."

"It's yours." She said and everything in me went numb.

"Mine?" I asked and she slowly nodded. "Are you sure?" I asked.

"We can get a paternity test done if you want, but I haven't had sex since Izzy's wedding, and you were the only guy I was with." She said and I simply nodded.

"I believe you." I simply said, she had no reason to lie about that. "It's just shocking."

"You're telling me." She said. "I'm not even done school yet. And now I'm bringing a baby into this world."

"You're still in school?" I asked a little shocked. It clearly wasn't the most important question at the moment, but I was still curious.

"I'm working on my Ph.D." She said and I nodded. After a moment of silence I decided to talk again.

"Do you need anything? Water? Food? Hot tea?" I offered.

"Hot tea actually sounds amazing right now." She said and I nodded.

I walked out of the room and made my way into the kitchen. Izzy was the only one there while the rest of them were out in the backyard playing.

"I talked to Clary." I said and Izzy looked at me.

"She told you?" She asked and I nodded. "What are you going to do?" She asked.

"Be there as much as possible." I said honestly. "She didn't get herself into this mess. I was a huge factor. The least I can do is support her. God knows her parents won't."

"When she called Simon, she sounded so broken. She tied up some loose ends in New York, and got out here maybe 2 weeks ago." Izzy explained. "It breaks my heart that her parents are crazy."

"Tied up loose ends? What does that mean?" I asked.

"She told her job that she needed a few weeks off to figure some things out, and she put her education on hold until she figures out a way to make everything work." Izzy explained. "What's going to happen when she goes back to New York?" She asked.

"I've been thinking about that." I said honestly. "Granted I only found out 10 minutes ago, but she has no support in New York, and you and Simon live one state over from me." I explained. "I figured I would offer my house to her, that way she isn't alone during the pregnancy, and that way she has people around that will help her."

"That's really great of you Jace. I'm proud of you." Izzy said and I smiled.

"I don't know if she'll say yes, but it's worth a shot." I said and she nodded. By now the tea was done and I grabbed the mug. "I'll see you later." I said and she nodded. I walked back into the room, and Clary was in the same position. I walked over and handed her the cup of tea.

"Thank you." She said and I nodded.

"So, I just talked to Izzy, and I have a plan for this whole situation." I said and she looked at me.

"What's the plan?" She asked curiously.

"You don't have any support in New York." I said and she nodded solemnly. "But, I have a big enough house in California, which is only a state away from Izzy and Simon, plus Alec and Magnus live close." I said and her eyes went wide. "So, if you want to, you can come live with me while we figure out your job, and education situations."

"You're serious?" She asked, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm very serious. I want to help you through this Clary. This isn't just your burden to bear. We did this together, and I want to work through this together. If that's what you want as well." I said. She was crying yet again, but she put her tea on the floor and reached over and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Thank you." She barely whispered in my ear.

"So is that a yes?" I asked and she laughed.

"That's a yes." She said.

"Okay, I'll call my parents and have them pack all your things and ship them out to us." I said and she nodded.

"This means a lot to me Jace." She said and I smiled.

"We'll get through this Clary. I know we will." I said and she nodded. "I'll let you get some rest." I said and she smiled. I walked out of that room feeling pretty good about this decision. This is what Clary and our child needed, and that's what mattered the most to me.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I finally settled in Jace's house, and let me tell you, this place was spectacular. Everything about it was amazing, and even though I've only been here for a short time, I already felt at home.

I talked to my job, which transferred me out to the office in California, and I found a college with the same program that I was in from New York, and started up my doctorate education again, and I was nearly 4 months pregnant. Everything seemed to be working itself out, and for the first time since finding out that I was pregnant, everything seemed to be coming together.

Jace on the other hand worked like crazy, so we spent very minimal time together. If he wasn't at the office, he was at some business function, or on a quick business trip. Not that I had any room to complain, but his type of work wasn't ideal to the situation we were in, but he helped, and that's all I could ask for from him.

It was late, and I couldn't sleep. This baby was a miracle worker at keeping me up at night. For the past week or so, all this child would do is kick and kick and kick. The doctor said she wouldn't be surprised if I bruised my ribs a little with how much this baby likes to kick. I was happy that my baby was so active, but the pain was a nightmare.

So I was sitting on the deck of this beautiful house, looking at the amazing view Jace talked about a couple months ago. He wasn't lying, this view was pretty spectacular. There was a calm breeze that felt amazing on my hot skin, and the crickets were making that low hum that they do every night, it was peaceful, and something that I have come accustomed too.

"Hey." I heard from behind me, and when I turned around, there stood Jace, still decked out in his work clothes. "What are you doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep." I told him honestly. He put his briefcase down and sat in the chair next to me.

"Does this happen a lot?" He asked.

"For the past week all this little baby wants to do is kick." I said as my hand rested on my bump. The baby was having a field day right now. "Feel." I said as I picked his hand up and rested it on the spot.

"Wow." He said, amazement clear in his voice. "That happens a lot?" He asked.

"I've noticed that this baby seems to be quite the night owl." I said and he laughed. "Every single night I feel like there is a boxing match happening in my belly."

"That must hurt." He said.

"You heard the doctor the last appointment. She wouldn't be surprised if my ribs were slightly bruised because of the constant kicking." I said and he nodded.

"I wish I could help." He said, and I couldn't help but smile.

"You're doing way more for me than I truly expected." I told him.

"I still wish there was more I could do." He said.

"Just make sure that our baby is given everything they ever need, and I'll be happy." I told him and he smiled.

"This baby is going to be spoiled. I already know it." He said and I laughed. "Maryse and Robert are counting down the days until the birth."

"I wish my parents were that excited." I said in a sad voice.

"You never told me why they were so against you having this baby." He said and I sighed.

"My parents are very religious. They believe that I should be a virgin until my wedding night." I told him.

"Damn." Was all he said.

"So when I went to tell them I was pregnant, she basically called me the devil and told me to never come back." I further explained.

"That's horrible." He said and I looked down at my belly.

"I don't want our baby to feel like they were a mistake when they grow up. It wasn't planned, but sometimes things happen, but that doesn't make them mistakes." I said.

"I don't care what happens in the future Clary, our kid is going to be fucking loved no matter what, and if your parents ever come around and try and tell them differently, you can best believe I'll put them in their place." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I took a deep breath before standing up. I leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you Jace." I said and he smiled. "For absolutely everything."

"It's my pleasure Clary." He said.

"I'm gonna try to fall asleep while it's half time down there." I said as I rubbed my calm belly and he laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Clary." He said and I went back into the house. Knowing that Jace was going to love our baby more than anything else in the world definitely eased my worries. And that's what I needed right now.

 **Time Jump – Gender Reveal**

 **Jace POV:**

I made sure that I wasn't working today because Clary and I were going to find out the gender of our baby today. Clary could have found out a month ago, but unfortunately I couldn't make it to that appointment and she didn't want to find out without me, so I made sure I wasn't working this time around. I've only been to a couple of these appointments but I still freaked out just sitting in the waiting room.

"Calm down, you're making me nervous." Clary said from beside me.

"I can't help it. We're finding out the gender of our baby today." I said.

"I'm aware. But it's either a boy or a girl, nothing to get worked up over." She said.

"I know, but I find out if I am getting a son or a daughter today. That's insane." I said and she laughed as she took my hand in hers.

"And that little boy or little girl is going to be loved more than any other baby on this planet." She said.

"Damn right." I said back.

"Clarissa Fray?" The nurse called. I helped Clary out of the chair and we walked back to the room where Clary took her seat on the table. "You two ready to find out what you're having today?" the nurse asked gleefully.

"So ready." I said and she nodded. Clary leaned back as she put the gel on her belly and started looking around.

"Okay you two, looks like you're going to be the parents of a little boy." The nurse said and my whole world exploded.

"I'm going to have a son?" I asked with so much amazement in my voice.

"Yes you are." The nurse said. "Come back next month." She said before exiting the room.

"A boy." I said again.

"How do you feel?" Clary asked and I turned to face her. There weren't any words that I could express to properly say how excited I was, so I cupped her face in my hands and pressed my lips to hers. She was shocked at first, but she kissed me back. "What was that for?" She asked once we broke apart.

"I didn't know how else to express how incredibly grateful I am that you're carrying my child." I told her honestly.

"But where do we go from here?" She asked.

"Honestly, I have no idea." I said. "But we can start slow." I offered.

"I think slow is kinda unnecessary at this point." She said as she pointed to her belly and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Maybe not slow slow, but we can just take it easy until the baby is born. Maybe go out on a few dates, I can go to those birthing classes with you since I know you mentioned you wanted to do a home birth to Izzy at some point, maybe we can decorate the nursery together since we know what we're having now." I suggested and Clary just looked at me with her jaw slightly dropped.

"You're serious? You want to see where this goes?" She asked and I took her hands in mine.

"I really do Clary. I have since the wedding, I just didn't know how to start something when we lived across the country." I said honestly.

"Okay." She said. "Okay, we can do all those things."

"Great. So, how about dinner tonight? To celebrate our son?" I asked and she smiled.

"I would love too." She said.

We went back to the house to get ready, and I was so thankful that Clary wasn't one of those girls who takes hours to get ready. She put on a nice dress, and some flats and was ready to go in about 15 minutes. We headed towards the restaurant and were seated immediately.

"Hi, welcome to Taki's, my name is Tammy, and I'll be your waitress tonight. Can I start you off with something to drink?" She asked.

"I'll have a glass of water, no lemon please." Clary said.

"And I'll have a cup of coffee." I said and she nodded.

"I'll be right back with those." She said before walking away.

"I can't wait to have coffee again." Clary said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"5 more months." I tried to reassure her but she just groaned. "It can't be that bad." I said.

"You aren't the size of a whale, with swollen feet, back problems, the bladder the size of a pea, and a hyper sex drive." She said and my eyes widened.

"I may not be able to take care of all those problems, but I can offer some help with some of them." I offered and she looked at me.

"Like what?" She asked.

"First off, you aren't the size of a whale. You're growing a human." I said and she laughed a little. "I can hire someone to come in and give you foot massages once a week, and a back massage to see if it helps with the pain. I can't do much about your bladder, but as for the sex thing." I smirked and she scoffed.

"What happened to taking it slow?" She asked.

"You're already pregnant, and if you're turned on all the time, you shouldn't have to suppress those feelings." I said and in that moment Tammy came back with our drinks before leaving again. "We can start with the foot massages and back massages, but if you ever need to release some of that other tension, all you have to do is ask."

"We'll see about the sex, but the foot massages and back massages actually sounds wonderful." She said and I smiled.

"I'll call first thing tomorrow." I said and she reached her hand across the table.

"Thank you Jace." She said and Tammy was back.

"Have you decided?" She asked.

"Cheeseburger and fires with extra fries please." Clary asked and Tammy nodded.

"I'll have the same." I said and she nodded.

"How far along are you?" She asked after collecting the menus.

"I'll be four months in a couple days." Clary said with a smile on her face.

"Do you know what you're having?" She asked.

"A boy." Clary said and Tammy smiled.

"That's amazing. Congratulations." She said, and we both nodded before Tammy disappeared.

The rest of dinner went by normally. Clary got up to pee at least 6 times. She wasn't kidding about having a small bladder. Once we were finished, I could tell Clary was tired, and I didn't blame her. When we got back to the house, she went right to the couch and sat down. I put a blanket on top of her, and in seconds, she was drifting off the sleep. I started cleaning up the little messes around the house, and couldn't help but think how much worse it's going to be with a baby, but I was ready. I was ready to raise this baby with Clary.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace promised me that he was taking a half day today so that we could continue putting together the nursery. He painted it nice shades of blues, greys and silvers last week, and I had to admit, it looked good. But it wasn't quite finished yet. I wanted to add a design onto the one wall, but I wasn't allowed to be around paint fumes, so I was going to wait until after the baby was born to add that detail, but I already knew what I was going to draw, and I was pretty excited.

"Clary!" I heard Jace call from downstairs.

"In the nursery!" I yelled back. A moment later, I heard footsteps followed by Jace walking into the room. He walked right over to me and pressed his lips to the top of my head.

"Everything looks good." He said as he looked around.

"It really does. All we need is the changing table to be built, and the rocking chair to be assembled and everything will look perfect." I said and he smiled.

"Well, almost perfect. Once he's in here, than everything will be perfect." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Have you thought about names yet?" I asked as Jace started to assemble the changing table.

"A little." He said. "What about you?" He asked.

"I have a few." I said. "I have a solid idea about his middle name though."

"And what's that?" Jace asked.

"I was thinking Alexander, after your brother." I said and Jace turned to look at me.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yea. He's your brother, and he's done a lot for me since I've gotten here. I couldn't think of a better person to name him after in that way." I said truthfully.

"That means a lot to me." Jace said. "Thank you."

"Of course. And now we just need one name." I said and Jace smiled.

"Okay, well what names were you thinking?" Jace asked.

"I was thinking something like Joshua, or Samuel." I said and Jace nodded.

"Both are great names." He said.

"What about you?" I asked.

"I really like the name Shane, and Daniel." He said.

"Ugh, I like them all!" I sighed and Jace laughed. "Why does naming a human have to be so difficult?" I said and Jace made his way over to me.

"Because he is going to be stuck with it for the rest of his life." Jace said.

"Not true. I don't go by Clarissa." I pointed out and Jace laughed.

"I guess you're right. I don't go by Jonathan at all." He said and that shocked me.

"Wait, your name isn't Jace?" I asked and he laughed.

"No. My full name is Jonathan Christopher Herondale, but when the Lightwood's adopted me, Maryse started calling me Jace, and it just stuck." He said and I nodded. "I've been Jace ever since."

"Put that on the list of things I didn't know about you." I said and he smiled.

"We haven't really talked about personal details like ever other couple. We kinds started this whole thing backwards." Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh, it was true.

"How about we change that?" I asked and he looked at me.

"How about after I finish putting this changing table together, we put on a movie and talk?" He offered and I couldn't help but smile.

"Sounds great." I said.

"Cool. Why don't you go downstairs and get everything set up, and pick out a movie. This shouldn't take me much longer." He said. I stood up and walked over to him and pressed my lips against my cheek.

"You're too good for me." I said and he smiled.

"I'm just doing what anyone would do." He said. I smiled before walking back downstairs and into the kitchen to get a drink. When I walked back into the living room I couldn't help but smile that spread across my face. Izzy has been sending over thing for the baby since I accidentally slipped the gender to her. Jace and I wanted to keep it a surprise until the whole family was in town, but my baby brain foiled my plans once again, but Izzy was all into shopping, so it wasn't all bad. "So, what did you pick?" I heard from behind me.

"That was fast." I said and he smiled.

"I'm good at what I do baby." He smirked and I scoffed.

"I haven't picked a movie yet." I said.

"That's okay. How about we just put one on that we've seen a million times?" He asked and I nodded. He ended up picking 'Now You See Me' and I settled under some blankets.

"So, what would you like to know?" I asked Jace.

"What's your middle name?" He asked.

"Adele." I said. "I was named after a grandmother I think."

"Clarissa Adele Fray. Sounds nice together." He said.

"Way better than the other name my father wanted to name me." I said with a laugh.

"And what was that?" Jace asked.

"Seraphina." I said. "It was my fathers mothers name I think, but my mom wasn't having it."

"That doesn't even sound like a name." He said and I laughed.

"Yea. I mean, it didn't matter, he died before I was born, so my mom didn't even give me his last name." I admitted.

"Wait, so the parents that kicked you out, aren't your biologically ones?" He asked.

"My mom is, but Luke is my stepfather." I said. "They met at church after my mom found God after my father died. Luke is the only father I've ever known." I said and he nodded. "My brother remembers my dad though. He was 7 when he died."

"Wait, you have a brother?" He asked.

"Wow, we really don't know each other." I said and he laughed. "I have an older brother. His name is Jonathan. He lives in Europe. We haven't spoken in like 9 years."

"Why not?" He asked.

"He hates Luke, and once he went off to college, he never came home. He found someone abroad, married her, had kids. I haven't even met them." I said.

"You mean, you've never met your nieces or nephews?" He asked and I shook my head. "I can't imagine not knowing my nephews."

"I mean, I don't really know any differently." I admitted.

"So how do you know about them?" He asked.

"We're friends on Facebook." I said, which caused him to laugh. "What about you? What's something I don't know about you?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Well, you've probably guessed that I'm adopted." He said and I nodded. "But what you don't know is that my parents were murdered when I was 10."

"Oh my god." I said.

"I was the star witness." He further explained and my heart sank. "It was the worst feeling in the world." He admitted. "I was in foster care for 6 months before the Lightwood's found me."

"I can't even imagine that." I said.

"It's horrible, and devastating, but I lucked out. The Lightwood's are amazing people, and I'm lucky to have them." He said.

"How did you cope with that?" I asked.

"Drugs." He said. "Alcohol. Girls. I was reckless in my teenage years. I didn't care what happened to me because I had already been through the worst."

"What changed?" I asked.

"I saw how much my behavior was affecting the Lightwoods. Alec is more than my brother, he's my best friend. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for him, and to know that my actions were hurting him and the rest of the family made me realize that I needed to stop feeling guilty for my parents death, and grieve them. It wasn't until I got out of rehab and accepted that there was nothing I could do to save them, than I really grieved them, and came to terms with everything that happened." He explained. "I had a second chance at a family, and I didn't want to mess that up."

"I'm glad you got clean." I said and he smiled.

"There is a lesson in every struggle. Drugs, and alcohol, and girls taught me to value my life, because at the time I really didn't care if I lived or died." He said.

"I'm glad you lived." I said and he looked at me. "If it's any conciliation."

"I'm more than glad that I lived. I never thought about having a family since I knew what it felt like to lose it, and I never wanted that to happen, but I can't wait to raise our son." He said and I got the biggest smile on my face.

"I know the feeling. I always felt like I didn't belong, or that something was wrong with me growing up. My brother rarely paid attention to me since there was such an age gap, and my mom only cared about Luke." I admitted. "It was pretty lonely. If it weren't for Simon, I think I would have gone crazy, or ran away."

"My parents were great. I felt like they were my best friends, and it didn't matter that I was an only child because I always had my mom or dad." He said with a sad smile. "And when they died, I honestly thought I was all alone in the world." My heart sank for young Jace. I can't even imagine what that feeling was like, granted I didn't get along with my parents, but they were still alive. I moved closer to him on the couch and placed his hand on my belly, where our son was kicking away.

"Promise me we won't make him feel unwanted?" I asked as I looked at Jace. "Promise no matter what happens between us, he will always feel wanted and loved."

"You have my word Clary." He told me. "He will be the most loved child in the world." He said and tears slipped out of my eyes. "What's wrong Clare?" He asked.

"I just want him to have the family I never got." I said. "I just want him to be happy because I know what it feels like to be constantly sad."

"He will never be sad." Jace said. "I don't care if I have to dress up like Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, hell I'll dress up like a freaking duck if it makes him happy." He said and I laughed. "His happiness is the most important thing to me." I nodded because I was still emotional. Damn hormones.

"Why did you sound so against dressing up like a duck?" I asked once I calmed down.

"I hate those blood thirsty beasts." He said and I laughed.

"I'll just add that weird fact to the list." I said and he pulled me into him. I knew our son was going to be loved, but that didn't make it any less scary.

 **Time Jump – Eight Months Pregnant**

 **Jace POV:**

My whole family was coming in to stay until the baby was born. Clary was almost finished her 8th month, and I was freaking out. I didn't know the first thing about being a father. Hell, I still feel like a kid sometimes myself, but I was going to have a son soon, and that was terrifying.

Alec agreed to pick our parents and Max up from the airport, which was nice, but also gave me a lot of down time to avidly clean, which wasn't exactly good for someone with OCD. I knew it drove Clary crazy, but thankfully she was taking a nap, so she couldn't see me scrubbing the kitchen counters.

Izzy and Simon were driving in later this week, so we didn't have to worry about them needing a ride, but at this point I would feel better if they were already here. I was going a little crazy just thinking about all the possibilities of messing up my child. I know Izzy would slap me upside the head for thinking that way, but I couldn't help it. The doorbell pulled me out of my thoughts, and I put the rang down and went to answer it. The moment the door opened, in ran Rafe and Max.

"Magnus, thank god you're here." I said and he laughed.

"I never thought I'd hear you say those words." He said as we walked into the house.

"I'm kinda going stir crazy here." I admitted.

"Why?" He asked.

"Clary is napping, so that just leaves me with my thoughts and all I can think about is ruining my child's life." I told him honestly.

"Look, no one is prepared to be a parent." Magnus said. "When Max came into our lives, Alec and I had no idea what we were doing. It was all luck mostly, and your parents. The truth is, you're going to mess up, but as long as you love the kid, everything will be fine."

"I hope so." I said.

"Do you wanna know how many times Alec and I made mistakes?" He asked and I simply nodded. "Practically the first year of Max's life." He told me. "But he's an amazing little boy, and that's because Alec and I love him more than anything."

"Thanks Magnus." I said. "I needed that pep talk." I said and he smiled.

"Parenting is tough, but it's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, and Alec will tell you the same thing." He said and the moment he said his name, the door opened again. And in walked Maryse, Robert, Max and Alec.

"Speak of the devil." I said and everyone smiled.

"Where is Clary?" Maryse asked.

"She's upstairs sleeping. She's exhausted." I told her.

"I can only imagine. The 8th month is one of the hardest." She said.

"Why is that?" I asked curiously.

"Because you've gone through all the shit that is pregnancy, but you still have to wait to have the kid. I was ready to have Alec when I was 7 months pregnant because I was tired of waiting to meet him." Maryse said. "The waiting is the hardest part."

"Tell me about it." I said with a laugh. "I just want to be a dad, no matter how terrified I am."

"You're going to be an amazing father Jace." Maryse said.

"Thanks Maryse." I said.

"Rafe! Don't do that!" We heard from upstairs. I didn't even have time to think before I realized that I was running upstairs.

"What's going on?" I asked when I got upstairs.

"Rafe was going to go into your room." Max said.

"You can't go in there Rafe. Clary is sleeping." I said and he nodded.

"I just wanted to see the nursery. I didn't know what door it was." He admitted.

"Why didn't you just ask?" I questioned him, but he just shrugged. "Well, since you're all here, would you like to see?" I asked my family behind me.

"I've been dying to find out." Maryse said. I laughed and went over to the nursery door, I took a deep breath before opening the door. "You're having a boy?!" Maryse yelled.

"We're having a boy." We all heard from the hallway, and when I walked out there stood Clary.

"Did we wake you up?" I asked.

"It's kinda hard to sleep through the yelling, but I've been asleep for awhile so it was probably for the best." Clary said and I nodded.

"Oh my sweetheart, you're huge." Maryse said as her hands made her way to her belly.

"I know. I feel like a double wide load." Clary said and everyone laughed. "But it'll all be worth it when he's here."

"I know the feeling." Maryse said. "Do you have a name picked out yet?" She asked.

"As a matter of fact we do." I said. "We just decided on it last week."

"And? What is it?" Robert asked.

"Shane Alexander Herondale." Clary said and I could see the joy in Alec's face.

"It's wonderful." Maryse said. She helped Clary down the stairs as Magnus ushered the kids down, followed by Robert and Max.

"You sure you want to name your son after me?" Alec asked.

"Of course." I said. "It was actually Clary's idea."

"Really?" He asked shocked.

"Yea. You've done a lot for us since Clary came out here." I told him. "Plus, there isn't anyone else I'd rather name my son after." I said. "I mean, you did the same thing with Max."

"He looked like a Max the minute Magnus and I saw him, you on the other hand haven't even seen your son yet." Alec said.

"I didn't name him Alexander." I told him. "His name is Shane, but when it came to his middle name, it was a no brainer. You're my best friend, my brother. There isn't anyone better for this."

"In that case, I truly appreciate it, and I'm honored." He said and I smiled.

"Good because as godfather, you have some big obligations." I said.

"Godfather? Who said anything about being his godfather?" Alec stuttered.

"Me of course." I said.

"You're lucky I already love your kid." Alec said and I laughed.

"Love you man." I said and we hugged.

"Love you too." He said before we joined the others. Just seeing Clary and my family getting along so well made me really confident in the future that we had together. It may have only been a few months, but I knew deep in my heart that I would never do anything to jeopardize what Clary and I had. I just couldn't because no matter what, she was always going to be apart of my family.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up in the middle of the night in pain. I looked down and everything was wet. My due date wasn't for another 2 weeks, but it seems like I just went into labor, and I was freaked out. I started smacking Jace to wake him up.

"What's wrong?" He finally answered.

"My water just broke." I said. "I'm in labor."

"Shit." He jumped out of bed. "Who do I call first?" He asked.

"Call Tessa, since she's the midwife, she should be here first, than call Lydia." I said and he nodded. "Also, get Maryse and Izzy. I need help into the pool." I said and he nodded. Before I knew it, Maryse and Izzy were walking into the room.

"You ready Clary?" Izzy asked.

"Not really, but I will be." I said and they both laughed. They helped me out of bed and down the stairs. Alec and Magnus were working on the pool, so in the kitchen I got changed into a sports bra and nothing on the bottom. Maryse wrapped a towel around me, and we made our way back into the living room where the pool was completely set up.

"Thank you boys." Maryse said and they both nodded. They came over and both gave me a kiss on the cheek before going back upstairs. I was helped into the water, when Jace came in.

"Okay, everyone is called, and they should be here soon." He said as he made his way over to me.

"Thank you." I said and he pressed his lips to mine.

"Of course." He said. This was the scariest part of the pregnancy so far, but I was ready, or as ready as I'll ever be.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Izzy POV:**

We didn't want to invade the birthing process, so we all were upstairs, but being one floor up didn't stop the screams from Clary. She sounded like she was in so much pain. I wanted to cry from her screams, and I wasn't even giving birth.

"When we decided to have a family Simon, make sure I have access to all the drugs in the world. And if I ever propose a home birth, slap me. You have my permission." I said and he smiled.

"Hospital it is." He said and I nodded as a scream ripped through the house.

"I'm going to go see if they need anything." I said and they all nodded. I made my way downstairs and when I reached the living room, I saw my mom on the side of the pool, as Jace was in the pool behind Clary.

"Take a few deep breaths Clary." Tessa, the midwife said. Clary screamed as if she didn't even hear her speak. "I know it's painful Clary, but you need to be a few more centimeters dilated before you start pushing." She told her.

"I want him out of me god damn it!" Clary yelled.

"I know you do Clary, but you just have to wait a little longer." Tessa said.

"Mom." I said and she turned around. "Is there anything I can get you?" I asked.

"Some water for Clary would be good." She said.

"I don't want any god damn water. I want my fucking baby!" Clary yelled. Jace leaned forward and whispered something in her ear and she nodded. "But I guess water would be good." She said. I went into the kitchen and got a glass of water. When I came back out, Clary looked better. "Sorry for screaming Iz. I was in the middle of a contraction."

"It's okay." I said and she smiled. I handed her the glass and she took a few sips of it.

"Thank you." She said. My mom took it from her and put it on the ground.

"I'll be upstairs if you need anything else." I said and they all nodded. I made my way back to where everyone was and took a seat next to Simon. "Yup, never having a home birth ever." I said and they all laughed. I couldn't wait for Clary to have her baby, I just didn't want to see her in pain anymore.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Come on Clary, one more push." I encouraged her. Clary has been pushing for about an hour now, and I could tell she was tired.

"I can't do it." Clary cried.

"Yes you can. Just think, once you push, he'll be here and you can hold him." I tried to get her to focus on what happens after the painful pushing is over. "You just have to get through the pain right now."

"It hurts Jace. It hurts so much." She cried, and honestly I wanted to cry with her.

"I know it does baby, but think about Shane, he'll be here so soon, but you need to push." I told her. I felt her nod, and she got in position again.

"Alright Clary, push." Tessa said and Clary screamed and pushed hard as she could. "I can see his head Clary, keep pushing." Tessa said and I felt Clary push even harder. "Almost…..almost." Tessa said. Every second I was getting more and more anxious. "He's here." Tessa shouted as she pulled him out of the water. Clary was crying as she leaned back against me. "Congratulations you guys, you are the proud parents of a beautiful baby boy." She said as she took him out to look him over.

After everything was finished with the birth, I got out of the pool and got everything Clary needed. Clothes, a towel and something to eat. I helped Clary out of the pool, and gave her the towel. Maryse was overseeing what was going on with Shane, and I was helping Clary onto the couch. After she got settled Tessa came walking over.

"Who wants to hold him first?" She asked.

"Clary." I said and she nodded. She handed out son to Clary and she started crying again.

"Welcome home little guy." Clary said as she kissed his forehead. I put my arm around her and she leaned into me. I looked down at the beautiful little boy we created together and I couldn't wait to do everything with him when he grew up. I was going to do anything for him, that was a promise.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I have literally never been so tired in my whole entire life. Shane loved to wake up 4 times a night and eat, and there have been a couple nights that I fall asleep in the rocking chair and Jace has found me. I knew raising a baby was going to be tough, but I think I underestimated it just a tad bit.

Shane was finally down for his nap and I was on the couch trying to get some sleep in. the house was a mess, but I simply didn't care. I was tired, and I needed some sleep. I vaguely heard the door open, but I didn't even bother to look. When I felt lips press against my head I finally opened my eyes.

"What are you doing home?" I asked Jace.

"There wasn't much to do today, and I knew you've been extremely tired, so I thought I'd come home and give you the rest of the day off." He said and I started crying. "What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.

"Nothing. That's just the best thing I've ever heard." I managed to get out and Jace let out a small laugh.

"Where is the little guy?" He asked.

"He's napping. I was just trying to get in a few minutes of sleep while I could." I told him.

"Well, you sleep as long as you like. I'll take care of him." Jace said.

"Just wake me up if he's hungry." I said and he nodded. I cuddled under the blanket even further and let myself drift into a deep sleep that I was desperately needed.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

This was the first business trip that I was going on since Shane was born, and I had to admit, I wasn't looking forward to leaving them both. Clary seemed like she was doing better since I started taking a lot of half days to help her out. It was fair that she was taking most of the responsibility of our kid. And my boss understood that, since he had a couple kids himself.

But here I was, packing for a business trip, and I was absolutely dreading it. I could hear Clary talking to Shane through the baby monitor and I was absolutely going to miss that. She had the sweetest baby voice when it came to Shane and it was one of the many reason that I have started falling in love with her. Our relationship has kind of taken a back seat due to Shane's arrival, but we were still in a good place, and I could only see it getting better.

"You want daddy little man?" I heard Clary say and I couldn't help but smile. A minute later, Clary walked into our room. "There you go little guy, there is daddy." Clary said and I turned around.

"Come here little guy." I said as Clary handed him over to him and get got the cutest gummy smile on his face. "Man am I going to miss you." I said and Clary smiled. "Both of you."

"You'll be home at the end of the week." Clary said.

"This is the first time I've had to leave him. I'm going to miss him." I admitted and Clary smiled.

"We're going to miss you too. But Magnus is close by, and if I need a break, I won't hesitate to call him." She said and I nodded. "Now, You better go. You're picking up Alec and I don't want you two missing your flight." She said and I nodded. She grabbed my bag and we headed downstairs.

We got to the front door, and I gave Shane one more kiss before handing him back to Clary. I gave her a kiss as she handed the bag over to me.

"I'll call you when I land." I said and she nodded.

"Sounds good to me." She said.

"Bye Clary. Bye little man." I said as I took Shane's hand in mine.

"Say bye daddy." Clary said as she waved his little hand, and Shane just giggled.

"I love you little dude." I said as I kissed his head.

"He loves you too." Clary said.

"Bye." I said once more and she smiled before I opened the door and left. This was going to be a long week, I already knew it.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was feeling incredibly sick lately, but I knew that I just had to pull through. It was late, and I was finally getting to go to sleep, and I couldn't wait. It was like sleep was pulling me towards it. I could faintly hear Shane whimpering through the baby monitor but I figured I'd just let him cry it out because let's face it, I needed sleep.

 **Magnus POV:**

I haven't heard from Clary in two days, and I was starting to worry. It's not that she called me often, but something felt off to me. I tried calling, but she never picked up. And after I tried this morning, I knew that I needed to go over and see. Thankfully the boys were both in school so I didn't need to worry about them.

When I got to the house, I opened the door and I immediately heard Shane whaling. I made my way to his nursery, and he was standing in his crib, eyes bloodshot from crying. I made my way over to him and picked him up and started rocking him. He was calming down, so I decided to make my way to Clary's room. When I walked in, she was in bed, but what I noticed was her breathing was oddly and alarmingly low. I went over and she was sweating and beyond hot. I grabbed my phone and called 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator asked.

"My sister-in-law is unconscious." I said into the phone.

"Okay, I'm dispatching an ambulance right away, what are her symptoms?" The operator asked.

"She's extremely hot, and sweating, and her breathing is very shallow, and her heartbeat is slow." I said.

"Okay. The ambulance should be there shortly." She said. I hung up the phone and continued to rock Shane. When I heard the sirens, I went downstairs and opened the door for the paramedics. I directed them to the room, and they put Clary on the gurney and started working on her. I grabbed the keys to Clary's car. I locked Shane in and followed the ambulance. I knew I needed to tell Jace, but for right now, I wanted to have as much information as possible before I did anything.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Alec POV:**

It had been a long day, and Jace and I finally got back to the hotel room. I was ready for bed, but when my phone started blaring, I knew that I couldn't ignore it. Especially when I saw that it was Magnus.

"Hey." I answered.

"Hey Alec." He said somberly.

"What's wrong Magnus? Did something happen to the boys?" I asked worriedly.

"No. The boys are fine. Clary on the other hand, is in the hospital." He said and I looked at Jace.

"Why?" I simply asked.

"Pneumonia." He said. "I found her unconscious in bed this morning."

"Oh my god." I said as I took a seat on the bed.

"She's currently sedated, but I wanted to tell you so that you could tell Jace." He explained. "I don't think he could handle hearing this over the phone."

"I understand." I said.

"The doctor just came in. I'll talk to you soon Alexander." He said.

"Love you Magnus." I said.

"I love you too." He said back before we hung up.

"Everything okay man?" Jace asked.

"Not really." I said.

"Is something wrong with Rafe or Max?" He asked.

"No. Everything is fine with them. That call was actually about Clary." I said and he snapped towards me.

"What about Clary?" He asked urgently.

"She's in the hospital." I said and he shot out of bed.

"How?" He asked.

"Magnus found her unconscious in bed this morning. Apparently she had a pretty bad case of pneumonia, she's currently sedated." I explained the best I could.

"Oh my god. I need to go home." He said as he started packing.

"Of course. I'll tell everyone what happened." I said.

"Thanks Alec." He said and before I could respond, he was out of the room. I couldn't imagine what he was thinking, but I knew if the roles were reversed, I'd be just as freaked out.

 **Jace POV:**

I got the last seat, on the soonest flight to get back home. The whole entire flight back home I was fidgeting. I couldn't believe Clary was sedated, and than when I thought about Shane, I just got even more anxious. I just wanted to get home to Clary and my son, but it seemed like the flight just got longer and longer the more I thought about it.

Once the plane landed, I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with Izzy and Simon. I walked over and Izzy pulled me into a hug.

"What are you two doing here?" I asked.

"Magnus called us first. He wanted us to get in before he called Alec to let you know." Izzy explained. "Our plane landed a few hours ago, and we were just waiting for you."

"How did you know I'd be landing here?" I asked and she laughed.

"This is your go-to airport." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Well, let's get to the hospital." I said and they nodded. The drive to the airport was even more nerve-wracking. All I wanted to do was see my family. When we got there, I went straight to the nurses station. "Excuse me, I'm looking for Clarissa Fray." I asked.

"Relationship?" The nurse asked.

"She's my wife." I said because I thought it would get me in faster.

"Clarissa Fray is in room 234." She said and I nodded. We all made our way to the room, and when we walked in, Rafe and Max were sitting on the floor, while Shane was asleep in Magnus's arms.

"Oh thank god." I said as I made my way over to him. Magnus generously handed him over and I cuddled him close to me. That's when I turned around and saw Clary. "Oh my god." I said as I made my way over to her.

"Come on boys, lets go get something to eat." I heard Magnus say. Before he could leave, I just had to thank him.

"Hey Magnus." I said and he turned around. "Thank you for taking care of my family." I said and he smiled.

"It was my pleasure. They're my family too." He said before he left the room.

"Simon and I didn't have time to get a hotel." Izzy said. "Mind if we crash at your place?" She asked.

"Of course not." I said. "Is the rest of the family coming in as well?" I asked.

"Yea. Their flight lands tomorrow." She said and I nodded. "We'll see you later." She said and her and Simon left us alone. I pulled a chair up, while Shane continued to sleep in my arms. I took Clary's hand in mine and kissed her knuckles.

"You don't get to leave me like this Clary. I don't know how serious pneumonia gets, but I love you, and I can't do this without you." I whispered to her. A moment later, Shane started to stir. I got up and started rocking him, while my eyes stayed on Clary. I didn't know how long she would be unconscious, but I prayed that I wasn't too long.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I heard the beeping of the heart monitor and knew exactly where I was: the hospital. I don't remember what happened except feeling sick and going to bed, but other than that, I have no idea how long I've been here, or what was even wrong with me. I opened my eyes a little and saw Shane and Jace sleeping together on the couch. Shane was resting on Jace's chest, and I couldn't help but smile. I looked at the side of the bed and hit the nurses button. A moment later, she walked in.

"Good to see you awake Clary, how can I help you?" She asked.

"Can I have some water please?" I asked and she nodded. I moved the bed so that I was sitting up, and I guess the noise woke Shane up, which in turn woke Jace up. The moment his eyes landed on mine, his eyes widened.

"Clary." He said before walking over to me. "You're awake."

"Yea. How long have I been here?" I asked.

"A couple days." He said.

"What happened to me?" I asked and the nurse walked back in with my water.

"Pneumonia. Apparently you had a really bad case of it." Jace said and I nodded as I took a sip of water. "You scared the crap out of me Clary."

"I'm sorry. I thought it was just a bad cold. I didn't think I would end up in the hospital." I told him honestly.

"You're okay, and so is Shane. That's all that matters to me." He said as he took a seat in the chair next to my bed. He put Shane on the bed, and he took his hand in mine. "Clary." He said and I looked into those golden eyes. "I love you." He said with so much conviction in his voice. Shane started to crawl towards me, and I picked him up and put him on my lap, than I took Jace's hand in mine.

"I love you too." I said and his eyes started to glow with so much love and happiness.

"God I love you so much." He said and I couldn't help but laugh, and apparently neither could Shane, he was giggling up a storm. "What are you laughing at little dude?" Jace asked as he tickled Shane's belly, which only increased his laughter. I didn't even realize a nurse walked in until she cleared her throat and we all looked at her.

"The doctor should be in soon to discuss when you can be released and what to do until he pneumonia goes away." She said and we nodded. "And you are a beautiful family." She said with a smile before walking out of the room. I looked at Shane, his red hair and golden eyes, than I looked at Jace.

"I'm sorry I scared you." I told him honestly.

"You're okay, and that's all I care about." He said and I smiled. I scooted over on the bed, and he took a seat while we played with Shane. I was thankful that I had a family that was so loving and amazing, and I couldn't wait to continue to raise Shane with Jace.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace, Shane and I were currently in New York visiting Maryse, Robert and Max. Shane was the most hyperactive 3 year old I've ever come in contact with, but he was also the sweetest little boy. Plus he was the best big brother anyone could ever ask for.

Ella was born a year ago, and when I tell you that Jace was completely and totally wrapped around her finger would be an understatement. When we found out we were having a girl, Jace nearly fainted. He was super protective of me, and Shane was no different. He was the carbon copy of Jace in that way, and was always making sure his baby sister was okay. It was probably the cutest thing in the world.

As for Jace and I, we've been engaged for a little over 6 months, and couldn't wait to get married. Truthfully, getting married wasn't a propriety of ours in the sense that we were planning, but if something came up with the kids or our family, automatically that became our first priority. Thankfully Izzy was super into wedding planning, so she always picked up when I needed to focus on something else. By the end of the year we'd be married, and I couldn't wait to be Mrs. Herondale.

We were currently out for lunch with Maryse, Robert and Max and it was truly amazing to have them be so supportive of Jace and I's growing family. We aren't done having kids yet, but having Shane and Ella so close in age made us want to wait a little before we had anymore.

"So, how is everything going?" Maryse asked.

"Wonderfully. Izzy came in last month to help plan the wedding, but Ella got sick, so I kinda just pawned it off to her." I said honestly.

"Good luck with that." Robert said with a laugh.

"I gave her guidelines. I just hope she follows them." I said honestly. Everyone laughed and continued to ask Jace about his job and about my education. It's taking me a lot longer than expected since I wasn't planning having two kids, but in a couple months I'll be done with my doctorate, and I really couldn't wait.

"Clarissa?" I heard and my whole entire boy froze. I turned around slightly and there stood my mom and Luke.

"Hi." I simply said because I really wasn't expecting to see them here at all.

"I didn't know you were in town." She said.

"I wasn't aware you knew that I moved." I said bitterly.

"I have my sources." She simply said. "Who are these people?" She asked.

"This is Jace, my fiancé, and our kids Shane and Ella." I said. "And these are his parents, Maryse and Robert, and his younger brother Max."

"You had another bastard?" She questioned and Jace looked like she wanted to rip her head off.

"First off, don't you dare call my children that." I said in a dangerous tone. "They may have been born out of wedlock, but they are more loved than Jonathan and I ever were as children."

"Stop with the dramatic Clarissa." My mom said. "You were perfectly capable of taking care of yourself."

"At 10 years old? I highly doubt I was taking care of myself properly. I mean I ate candy for lunch my entire fifth grade year because you refused to make me a lunch." I said angrily.

"You're just seeking attention Clarissa. It doesn't look good on you." She said and I scoffed.

"Are we done yet mother? I'd like to get back to lunch with my family." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"Of course. Luke and I are going to find somewhere else to eat. Don't want your sins washing off on the rest of us." She linked her arms with Luke before storming out of the restaurant. I rolled my eyes and took my seat and Jace put his arm around me.

"She was a nightmare." Maryse finally said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"She always has been." I said truthfully.

"I can see why you left." Robert said.

"And why I've stayed away for so long. But I love my life, and I love my family. I don't care what she thinks or what opinions she has on my lifestyle." I said as Shane climbed into my lap.

"She was scary mommy." He said and I pulled him close to me.

"I know she was buddy, but you won't ever have to see her again." I told him.

"But she's your mommy." He pointed out.

"But she isn't a very good one." I said.

"She's my grandma isn't she?" He asked.

"Yes she is, but she isn't nearly as cool as your Nannie." I said and he smiled as he looked at Maryse.

"Nannie is pretty cool." He said and Maryse smiled.

"That's because I got you that dinosaur you always wanted." Maryse said and he laughed before hopping off my lap and running towards her.

"That's only part of the reason Nannie." He said.

"And what's the other reason?" She asked.

"Because you're the bestest Nannie in the world!" He cheered and Maryse pulled him into a tight hug.

"I love you so much Shane." She said and I couldn't help but smile. I shifted Ella in my arms and Jace put his arm around me.

"I love you too Nannie." Shane said and I didn't care how terrible my mom was, this was all the family I needed. "Uh Nannie?" Shane questioned.

"Yes my sweet little angel?" Maryse asked.

"You're squishing me."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so a guest requested this one shot, and it instantly got my creative juices flowing! So I hope whoever you are, really enjoys this one shot! Let me know what you think and leave a review!**

 **So, I have a one shot in the works, but I'm going on vacation on Sunday, and I'll be gone for like 2 weeks, so I might not be able to update, but I'll try and get that one shot done but no promises! Thank you for all the kind words, birthday wishes, and awesome requests! :)**


	118. Chapter 117 - Six of a Kind

**One Hundred and Seventeen Story:**

 **Six of a Kind**

 **Jace POV:**

"Julia, come on sweetheart, we have to leave soon!" I called up to my one child.

"But daddy, I want to stay home and play with my dollies." She said in the sweetest voice imaginable.

"I know you do sweetheart, but you're going to grandma and grandpa's today while I run a few errands." I said and she came down the stairs with a pout on her face.

"Otay daddy." She said and my heart broke.

"Grandma and grandpa are going to take you in the pool today baby." I told her and she instantly perked up.

"Yay!" She cheered and she skipped into the other room.

"Dylan! Come on little man! We gotta go!" I called to my son. He was just a little inventor, always wanting to build things with his Legos or building blocks.

"Coming!" She called back down. I walked into the living room where the rest of the kids were.

"Okay, Julia is ready. Polly, are you ready?" I asked.

"Yes daddy." She replied.

"Cool, what about you Ryan? You ready?" I asked him.

"Yes daddy." He said and I nodded.

"Sweet. What about you MJ?" I asked.

"Of course daddy." She said and I smiled.

"And you GiGi?" I asked.

"Ready!" She cheered.

"Alrighty, let's go to grandma and grandpa's!" I said and they all headed towards the door. Being the father of sextuplets was incredibly difficult, but when they are as sweet as my kids are, there was just something special about all the intense work that made it incredibly worth it.

I got them all in the car and headed towards my parents house. Today I was in search for a nanny, but the ones I interviewed thus far all said that they couldn't possibly look at 6 four year olds. They were looking for 3 max, and it was incredibly frustrating. I hated relying on my parents to watch them all the time. I knew they loved them, but it wasn't fair to them at all.

Their mother had a difficult time after they were born. A severe case of postpartum depression lead her to alcohol as a coping mechanism, and after her parents found her half dead for the 4th time, they decided to check her into a rehab facility, and there she was deemed mentally unfit to take care of herself. A week later she was sentenced to a mental institution, her maternal rights were terminated, and that was the end of it. I get letters every few months from her parents letting me know what was happening, but from what I've gathered, she was going to be there for the rest of her life, and it was really a shame because she would never get to see her kids grow up, and it broke my heart.

When we reached my parents house, I got all the kids out and they practically ran into the house and to the backyard. I didn't even get a chance to say hi to my dad since he went chasing after them, but my mom gave me a big hug.

"What are your plans today?" She asked.

"Continuing my search for a nanny." I said and she nodded. "There has to be one person out there who is willing to nanny six kids. I just have to find her."

"I'm sure today will be your lucky day!" She said optimistically.

"You've said that the last 2 times I went searching, and all I've encountered was that 6 kids was apparently too much to handle." I said dryly.

"For some people it is, but there is one nanny out there who will love taking care of those kids." She said with a smile.

"I hope you're right." I said and she kissed my cheek. "I'll be home around dinner time. I want to get some grocery shopping done as well."

"Take all the time you need baby." She said and I smiled.

I went back out to my car and headed towards the coffee shop where I was going to be interviewing the nanny's. I tried my best to be optimistic but sometimes it was hard when all you hear is no. I hoped that I had a better day today, and that some of the stress would be taken off my shoulders.

"Jace Herondale?" I heard and I looked up.

"Are you Kaelie Whitewillow?" I asked and she smiled.

"I am." She said and we shook hands.

"Thank you for meeting with me." I said as we sat down.

"Of course. I can't wait to hear about you kids." She said with a smile.

"Well, there is something that I deliberately left out of the ad when it came to looking for a nanny." I said and she nodded. "I have 6 kids, all of which are 4 years old."

"My god." She said and I laughed.

"I know, it's insane. But sometimes life hands you more than you can handle and you do your best to try and manage." I said and she nodded. "And I think I've run out of steam, so hiring a nanny is really important for me, and my kids."

"I'm guessing your search has been pretty dead huh?" She asked.

"Pretty much." I said and she gave me that sad smile.

"I would love to help you out Jace, but I'm not looking to be a full time nanny, and that's what I think you need. Someone who could live in with you, and help with those kids."

"You think?" I asked because no other potential candidate mentioned that.

"I really do. Six kids is a lot, and I'm only a day time nanny, and if you really need a committed nanny, a live in one would be your best bet." She said.

"I think this might be the most informational rejection I've gotten while searching." I said and she laughed.

"I wish you the best of luck Jace, and I can only assume your kids are amazing." She said as she stood up.

"Thank you for the advice Kaelie. Have a great day." I said and she smiled before leaving the coffee shop. I had a few more interviews today, but if I didn't find one, I was definitely making a few adjustments to my ad.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was getting pretty discouraged at this point. None of the other candidates were willing to nanny six kids, and I only had one more interview today, but I had no hope in it. I was on my 4th cup of coffee today, and just dreading this last girl.

"Jace Herondale?" I heard and when I looked up I saw the most beautiful woman standing in front of me. She had the most vibrant red hair, and the clearest green eyes.

"Clary Fray?" I asked and she smiled and nodded. "Nice to meet you."

"You as well, do you mind if I grab a cup of coffee before we start?" She asked.

"Not at all." I said. She walked over to get her coffee but was back a moment later. "That was fast."

"Doesn't take a lot of time to pour black coffee into a cup." She smiled and I nodded.

"So, I'm going to get right down to business." I said and she nodded. "I have sextuplets."

"Really?" She asked and I nodded. "Cool."

"And I'm actually looking for a live in nanny. I know I didn't put that in the ad, but up until earlier today, I didn't know that's what I needed." I explained and she laughed.

"Well you're in luck. I happen to be a live in nanny." She said and suddenly this interview looked promising.

"That's awesome to hear." I said and she smiled. "So, before I get into all the details – like room and board, vacation and salary – would you consider being my live in nanny?" I asked.

"Absolutely." She said cheerfully.

"Oh you are my saving grace." I said and she laughed. "Now, when I knew that I needed a nanny, I did a bunch of research about everything I would need to offer her, and there was little information about a nanny of six, so I'm just making it up as I go at this point." I explained.

"No problem, I'm sure we can come to a reasonable middle ground we both are comfortable with." She said and I nodded.

"As for living arrangements; there is a bedroom and bathroom ready and waiting for you at my house, it's basically a second master bedroom and bathroom so it's rather large." I said and she nodded. "For transportation; I'm assuming you don't have a car big enough for 6 children, so there will be a car that I provide for you. It's a Chevrolet Tahoe. It's big enough for all the kids and it's very safe." I said and she nodded yet again. "When it comes to the money you'll get when taking the kids places, I'm giving you a credit card that's attached to me, so don't be afraid to use it." I said and once again she nodded. "Now, for your salary; since I do have six kids, and they are all rather young, I'm going to start your salary at 60K a year."

"You're serious?" She asked with her jaw slightly dropped.

"Very. This is something that I really need. And so do my kids. I have to keep pawning them off to my parents just to work and get things done. My parents are super supportive and they love having the kids over, but I don't want to keep having to rely on them for everything." I said and she nodded.

"I totally understand that. I had a nanny growing up as well, and she became part of our family. She was truly an inspiration and role model to me. It's one reason why I wanted to do this job. I wanted to make a difference." She explained and I nodded.

"So, tell me a little about yourself." I asked realizing I knew nothing except her name.

"Well, I grew up in New York actually, but I've been a nomad since high school." She said. "I took a year off to travel a little, than went to college. I got my degree in early childcare. After college I moved to Napa Valley and got a job as a nanny for this really great family, and was with them for about 3 years until they no longer needed my services. Than I got a bunch of summer nanny positions and I was a nanny for this family who just needed me for holiday vacations, so I travelled a little more for that."

"So how did you find my ad?" I asked curiously.

"I pretty much troll the internet for jobs. I don't have roots anywhere, so if I need to move across the country for a job, I can do that." She explained. "I actually drove 12 hours to get here for this."

"What if you didn't get it?" I asked curiously and she laughed.

"I'd look for something else." She simply said.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"I just turned 30." She said.

"You don't look it." I said abruptly.

"Thank you." She said and I smiled.

"Well, I actually have some grocery shopping to do, but if you want to go back to the house and settle in while I do that and get the kids, you are more than welcome to." I said and she nodded, as I handed her a couple things. "Here's the address to the house, here's the pass code to get through the gate, here's a key to the house, and once I get home I'll give you everything else."

"Thank you Jace." She said and I smiled.

"No, thank you. I was beginning to think a nanny didn't exist for this job." I said and she smiled.

"I'll see you at home?" She questioned and I nodded. She walked out of the coffee shop and I took a deep breath. The search was finally over, and I already felt lighter.

 **Clary POV:**

I pulled up to the address I was in awe of this house. It was massive, and totally not what I was used too. I parked my car in the driveway and made my way into the house. The place was spotless, which shocked me for six kids, but maybe they were just really good cleaners. I grabbed my things and headed upstairs and started searching for the bedroom. Thankfully it wasn't hard to find. It was literally labeled 'For the Nanny', so I was pretty confident that it was my room. When I walked in, my jaw hit the ground. This bedroom was bigger than some of the apartments I've lived in. I dropped my bags and checked out the space. It was glamorous, and I was sure going to enjoy living here.

I grabbed my speakers and set them up and hooked my Bluetooth up to them and started playing music as I unpacked. I don't think I even had enough clothes to fill all the drawers and closet space, but maybe I could finally update my wardrobe with my new salary.

 **Time Jump – An Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I finished unpacking my close when I heard the commotion downstairs. I figured that it was Jace and the kids, so I made my way downstairs. Once I got there, Jace was surrounded by cutest little pack of kids I've ever seen.

"Kids, there is someone I want you to meet." Jace said once he saw me on the stairs. They all turned around and looked at me. "This is Clary, and she's going to be living with us."

"Are you our new mommy?" The one little girl asked.

"No sweetie. I'm your nanny." I said nicely.

"What's a nanny?" One little boy asked.

"A nanny is someone who stay with you and helps your daddy out." I explained. "I'm just here to watch you and take you on all sorts of fun adventures!" I said and they all smiled.

"Cool!" They all said.

"How about we all go into the living room and get to know Clary a little?" Jace suggested and they all nodded before racing into the living room. They all sat on the couch eagerly waiting to listen. "Okay, let me introduce you from right to left." Jace said and I laughed.

"Right here we have Dylan." He said. "Next to him is Julia, Polly, Ryan, MJ, and GiGi." He said.

"It's wonderful to meet you all." I said.

"Now, Ryan and Dylan are identical, so are MJ and Julia, and Polly and GiGi are identical as well." He explained.

"You really got the pot of gold at the end of a very rare rainbow didn't you?" I asked and he laughed.

"Very much so." He said. "Would any of you like to ask Clary any questions?" Jace asked.

"Where are you from Clary?" Dylan asked.

"I'm originally from New York, but I've lived in California for a couple years." I said.

"How old are you?" Ryan asked.

"I just turned 30." I said.

"Do you have any siblings?" GiGi asked.

"I have an older brother." I said.

"That's it?" Polly asked, and I laughed.

"Not everyone gets blessed with a lot of siblings." I said and they all nodded.

"Okay kids, why don't you all go wash your hands, the pizza should be here any minute." Jace said and they all hopped off the couch and ran towards what I'm assuming is the bathroom.

"They are all really well behaved." I told him.

"Gotta keep order some how." He said and I smiled.

"So, I have to ask." I started and he nodded. "The ones who have nicknames, what are their real names?" I asked and he laughed.

"MJ's real name is Marjorie. Polly's is Pollyanna, and GiGi is Virginia." He said.

"Those are some pretty old names." I pointed out and he laughed.

"Their mother and I had a deal before they were born. I got three names, and she got three names." He said and I nodded. "She was really into old names, and when she told me them I couldn't complain, they could have been worse."

"Very true, and at least you have pretty cute nicknames for them." I said and he smiled.

"So true." He said and then the doorbell rang. "Do you mind setting the table?" He asked and I shook my head. I went into the kitchen and started looking for plates, once I found them, I set the table and all the kids ran in. Jace came in with the pizza and they all dug in. the conversation at dinner was all around so natural. These kids loved to laugh, and Jace loved making them laugh. I knew I was going to have a good time with them.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Having Clary around was truly the most amazing thing in the world. I got up in the morning, and she was already cooking breakfast, and all the kids would be at the table. I would kiss each of them goodbye and go to work not worrying about where I would have to drop them off or pick them up from. It was amazing having help, and I wish I thought of it earlier, but I was really thankful for her help. It did make me wonder what would have happened if Candice didn't end up in the mental institution, but I can't dwell on that now.

After work today, I actually had to stop by my parents house. The kids birthday was coming up, and my parents always loved throwing them parties, so I told Clary I would be home alter than normal so that we could talk about what was going to be done this year. I walked right into their house and met them on the back patio.

"Hey guys." I said as I took a seat.

"Hey honey, how was work?" My mom asked.

"It's was fine." I said and she nodded.

"You look lighter." My dad said.

"I feel lighter. Hiring Clary to be my nanny has been the best decision I've made in years." I said and they both laughed.

"So she's getting along with the kids?" My mom asked.

"The kids love her." I said. "Polly has taken a particular liking to Clary. Follows her around everywhere. She's Clary's own personal shadow." I said and they laughed.

"That's wonderful. She really seems like a great nanny." My mom said.

"She is. I'm glad to have her." I said. "So, about this party." I said and they nodded.

"This year we have a theme." My mom said and I laughed.

"There is always a theme, even if it's subtle." I said and she smiled.

"Ah, but this one is very deliberate." She said and I nodded, telling her to continue. "Different sections of our backyard are going to be transformed into their favorite thing. So we're going to have LEGOLAND for Dylan, a huge dollhouse for Julia, the pool will be Little Mermaid themed for MJ, Ryan's corner is going to be Batman themed, Polly's section is going to be Candy Land, and GiGi's section is going to be decked out in jungle theme." She said.

"That actually sounds super cool." I said honestly and she smiled even bigger.

"It's going to be awesome!" She said excitedly. "I've already been in contact with the company I always use, and all I have to do is supply all the necessary equipment and go over the designs with them, and it's settled."

"They're going to love it mom." I said.

"But it's going to take an entire week, so the kids can't come over here while it's be constructed." My dad said.

"That's okay. Clary has been keeping them super busy lately, so I doubt they would realize they haven't come to visit." I said and they all nodded. "Well, I'm glad we figured all this out, I'm gonna head home."

"Of course. Thanks for coming by." My mom said as she kissed my cheek.

I made my way home and couldn't wait to eat dinner. The minute I opened the door, the aroma hit me like a brick wall, and it just made me even hungrier. I walked into the kitchen where all the kids were helping Clary out and I couldn't help but smile. Nobody noticed my presence, so I leaned against the wall and observed.

"Okay Polly, I need you to do a very special job for me." Clary said and she nodded eagerly. "I need you to get all the forks out for me, and put them at each seat at the table. Can you do that?" She asked.

"Yes!" Polly cheered.

"Dylan, can you give each fork a napkin for me?" Clary asked and Dylan saluted her before running to the table where Polly was. "Now, MJ and Julia, I have a very special mission for you." She said and they both nodded eagerly. "I need you both to look in the oven and see if the chicken is finished. Remember, don't open it, the light is on." She said and they nodded before running to the oven.

"It's done Clary!" They yelled in unison.

"You two are very good at your jobs." Clary said and they giggled. "Now, Ryan I'm having trouble remembering where the plates are, can you help me?" She asked and he nodded enthusiastically before he showed Clary the way. "You are just so smart, thank you Ryan." She said and they high fived. "GiGi, do you want to help me butter the noodles?" She asked and GiGi ran over to her. She lifted her up on the stool and added the butter while GiGi stirred. "Alright everyone, go wash up, dinner is almost ready!" She called and everyone ran, and that's when they saw me.

"Daddy!" Polly cheered and I scooped her into my arms.

"Hi princess." I said and she hugged me. "I'll give you all hugs and kisses after you wash up like Clary said." I told them and they all nodded before running off. I made my way into the kitchen and Clary smiled at me.

"You're home earlier than expected." She said.

"The conversation with my parents was rather short." I said and she nodded.

"Well, dinner is ready." She said and I nodded. "Come on GiGi, let's wash those hands." She said as he moved her over to the sink and let GiGi wash her hands. The kids all ran back in and sat at the table. I gave them each a kiss on the head before we all sat down for dinner together. I loved coming home from work to dinner on the table and my kids being happy. There was no better feeling in the world than seeing them beaming.

 **Time Jump – Birthday Party**

 **Clary POV:**

We were at the kids 6th birthday party, and man oh man do the Herondale's go all out. Jace's parents transformed their entire backyard in what each of the kids loved most, and it was truly spectacular. It was incredible to see all the planning that went into this.

It was also nice to see Jace's life outside of kids. He had his friends over here as well, of course they all had their kids, but it was still nice to see him interacting with adults. I couldn't even imagine what it must have been like to grow up the way that he did. I mean, we had a nanny but we weren't nearly as wealthy as Jace was – we were well off – but this level of wealth was truly off the charts.

"You're new here." I heard from behind me and when I turned around there stood a man who I didn't know.

"I am. Who are you?" I asked.

"Will. Will Herondale." He said.

"Are you related to Jace?" I asked.

"He's my cousin." He explained.

"Cool. I'm Clary, Jace's nanny." I said and we shook hands.

"He did mention that he got a nanny, but he didn't give me any specifics." Will said and I nodded. "How long have you been working for him?"

"A couple months." I said.

"And are you from around here?" He asked.

"No, I lived in California for a number of years." I said and he nodded.

"So how are you liking Seattle?" He asked.

"It's a beautiful city. And I really like the weather." I said and he laughed.

"One of the many things to love about the city." He said.

"Clary!" I heard and when I turned around Polly was running my direction.

"What is it Polly?" I asked.

"Can you come play with me?" She asked.

"Absolutely." I said and I turned back to Will. "It was lovely meeting you, but I have to go."

"Of course. Nice meeting you as well." Will said and Polly and I made our way over to her Candy Land dream.

 **Jace POV:**

I saw Will approach Clary and I watched them talk until Polly pulled Clary away. Will made his way back over to me and smiled at me.

"She seems nice." Will said and I laughed.

"Do you think I would hire a hag to be my kids nanny?" I questioned and he laughed.

"No, but I expected her to a be a little older." Will said.

"What do you think of her?" I wondered curiously.

"She is very nice. And the kids seem to like her." He said and I nodded.

"Yea, especially Polly." I pointed out. Will went to open his mouth when there was a commotion at the pool. We all ran over there and that's when I saw Clary performing CPR on a child, but not just any child, Will's child. I put my hand on his shoulder to show that I was there for him. Tessa was crying in the arms of my mother while Clary gave him mouth to mouth. After a gut wrenching couple minutes, James started coughing and breathing again. Tessa and Will ran towards him, and in the distance we heard an ambulance coming. Clary got up and I made my way over to her with a towel in my hand. I put it over her shoulders and she smiled at me.

"Thank you." She said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I was just watching the kids swim, and he jumped off the diving board and hit his head on it somehow and was knocked out. I ran as fast as I could but little legs don't cover much ground." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Clary." I heard and there stood Will. "Thank you so much for saving my son."

"I'm just glad he's breathing." Clary said honestly.

"I just don't know how to thank you." He said.

"Just text Jace with an update on how he is doing, and I'll be good." Clary said with the kindest smile. Will pulled her into a hug, before he got into the ambulance with Tessa and James. After the ambulance left and everyone went back to their activities, and enjoyed the rest of the party. It made me feel good that Clary jumped in after James to save his life. It just made me that much more confident that she would do anything for my kids, and that's all you can really ask for in a nanny.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace has been staying late at the office lately, so I've been getting the kids ready for bed lately. But I could tell that they were sad that Jace wasn't there with them. But I assured them that this wasn't forever, and once he was done working on his important project that he would be around more, and that seemed to help.

The kids were all sleeping, and I just finished my hot tea and was getting ready for bed. It was calling for thunderstorms tonight so when it started to violently rain, I wasn't surprised. I got my PJ's on and got into bed when a huge crack of thunder hit. It was pretty terrifying considering it shook the house. I put the TV on so that my mind could focus on something else rather than the storm, when I heard my door open. I sat up in bed and saw the kids standing in the doorway.

"Not a fan of storms?" I asked and they all shook their heads.

"We normally go to daddy." Polly said and I nodded.

"Come on." I said and I motioned for them to join me and they all ran and jumped on my bed. Since my bed was a king, there was plenty of room for all of us. "Do you want to watch a movie while we try to fall asleep?" I asked and they all nodded. "What movie?"

"Something happy." MJ said.

"Okay, how about The Emperors New Groove?" I asked.

"What's that?" Dylan asked.

"Oh now you must watch it." I said. "It's funny, I promise." I said and they all nodded. I got onto Netflix and found the movie. I put it on and we all began watching.

About 30 minutes into the movie I noticed that Dylan, Ryan, and GiGi were all asleep. MJ and Julia weren't far behind but Polly didn't seem to be coping well with the storm still.

"Everything okay Polly?" I asked.

"I'm really scared." She said.

"Come here." I said and she moved closer to me. I put my arms around her and pulled her into a big hug. "The thunder sounds scary, but it won't hurt you. I promise." I said and I felt her nod. "I'll hold you the whole night." I said and I felt her nod again. We continued to watch the movie, and I noticed that MJ and Julia were now asleep and Polly wasn't far behind. "Night Polly." I whispered in her ear as I kissed the top of her head.

"I love you Clary." She whispered back and I almost cried.

"I love you too." I said and a few moments later I felt her breathing even out. At this point I wasn't far behind them, but I fell asleep with a smile on my face and these beautiful kids surrounding me.

 **Jace POV:**

Once it started raining I knew the kids were going to be scared. They all hated thunderstorms and normally ended up in my bed for the night. I felt awful not being there for them, but this project who huge and we needed it done.

The moment I got to go home though, I raced out of the office and got home as quick as I could. I ran up stairs and checked MJ and Julia's room only to find it empty. I checked the boys next and it was empty as well. Polly and GiGi were the same as the other two. Curious, I peaked into Clary's room to see all of them curled up together in her bed. Polly was clutching close to Clary along with Ryan. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. There was something about Clary that I couldn't quite seem to get out of my head – and that was how much I truly loved being around her. The days we went out as a family were the greatest days in my opinion. I loved how amazing she was with the kids, and I loved how she just fit seamlessly into our family. It was like she wasn't the nanny but something so much more. Something the kids needed – a mother.

I closed the door and made my way to my room. I got ready and got into bed just thinking about Clary. Every time I looked at her, and I saw that beaming smile I never wanted it to end. I wanted to continue to make her smile for the rest of my life. It was a weird feeling, considering I never thought I'd feel this way again – although it was 10 times more intense with Clary than it ever was with Candice. Clary was extraordinary, and I had a feeling that it was going to turn into something eventually, but I needed to know where she stood in all of this. If she was just going to be the nanny forever, or if there could potentially be something more.

 **Time Jump – One Year Together**

 **Clary POV:**

I've been Jace's nanny for a year now, and I loved every single minute of it. The kids were absolutely amazing, and Jace was perfect. Of course the most attractive guy I've ever met was my boss. Sometimes it felt like the world played some kind of joke on me. Everything about him was perfect. He was an amazing father, son, business man, boss, and person. It didn't seem to end the amount of pure goodness that that man kept spewing out. Getting to know him for a year just made me wish there could be something more there. Cliché right? The nanny falling for her boss? Seems like it's been done in every single romance novel out there, but I couldn't help it. The more you get to know him, the farther I fell.

The kids were going to spend the day with Celine and Stephen today, since apparently Jace had plans for us. He wouldn't tell me anything, which sucked since I hated surprises. According to him I was going to love it. We showed up to a bar and when we walked down Jace sat at the bar and ordered us two beers.

"It's the middle of the day Jace." I said and he laughed.

"So? You aren't working, and neither am I." He said and I just laughed and shook my head. The bartender put the two beers down and we each picked one up. "To being my nanny for a year."

"Shouldn't we be celebrating with the kids? After all, if it weren't for them I wouldn't be here." I said and he smiled.

"We will, later." He said. "I have a surprise for you."

"I hate surprises Jace." I said and he laughed.

"I think you'll love this one." He said.

"And how do you know that?" I asked.

"Because who wouldn't love me?" I heard and my entire body froze. I knew that voice. I slowly turned around and there stood Jon in the flesh. I haven't seen him in years.

"Jon?" I asked and he smiled brightly at me. After the initial shock wore off I jumped into his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"Jace tracked me down a couple weeks ago and asked if I'd come in and surprise you." Jon said and I looked back at Jace.

"You told me that you didn't get to see him a lot since he still lives in New York, and I might not have any siblings, but I can't imagine spending years away from my parents, so I thought it would be a good thing for you. Give you the night off and just spend time with him." He said and my eyes filled with tears. I walked over and pressed my lips to his cheek.

"This is the best surprise I've ever gotten." I said. "Thank you."

"No problem." He said with that dazzling smile. "So, I figured we could all eat lunch before heading back to the house. We can pick up the kids on the way back, you can settle in, and than the rest of the day is yours."

"Wait, he's staying with us?" I asked.

"Of course. The pool house barely gets used, so I figured he could use it while he's in town." Jace said.

"You're the best boss ever." I said and he laughed.

"And you're the best nanny." Jace said. We clinked glasses and continued on to order lunch. I couldn't believe Jon was here, and I couldn't believe that Jace did this for me. I was truly thankful for today.

 **Jace POV:**

After we picked up the kids, we headed back towards the house. They were super excited to know that Clary's brother was in town. The whole car ride back they were just asking questions about him. We assured them that they would have plenty of time for questions while he was here.

When we got back, Jon immediately went to the pool house and Clary went with him. I took the kids inside, and they were all sitting in the living room when I finally joined them.

"Is Clary ever going to leave us daddy?" Polly asked.

"Well, she can't be your nanny forever." I said honestly.

"Why not?" MJ asked.

"Because one day you won't need a nanny anymore. That's when Clary will go find other kids to nanny." I said sadly.

"No!" Julia yelled, which shocked me. "She can't nanny other kids."

"Why not Julia?" I asked.

"Because she's ours." She explained. "She belongs to us."

"She doesn't belong to anyone baby. She needs to work, and there are other kids out there that are going to need her in the future." I explained.

"I don't want her to leave." GiGi said sadly.

"I don't either baby, but it's how life works." I tried to explain to them.

"She'll leave, just like mommy." Ryan said.

"Listen guys, what happened to mommy wasn't your fault. She needed help. A lot of it, and unfortunately, the kind of help she needs requires her not to be around." I said as I kneeled in front of them. But I'm sure she loves you all very much, and wishes she could be here with you all every single day."

"You think so?" MJ asked.

"I'm positive. She would have to be crazy not to miss you six." I said and they all smiled. I hope that one day they understand what happened to their mother, no kid should ever have to go through that.

 **Clary POV:**

Jon decided that he was just going to unpack later, so he dropped his stuff and we made our way into the house so Jon could properly meet the kids. We were just about to round the corner when I heard them all talking, and I heard my name.

"Is Clary ever going to leave us daddy?" Polly asked Jace.

"Well, she can't be your nanny forever." He said honestly.

"Why not?" MJ asked.

"Because one day you won't need a nanny anymore. That's when Clary will go find other kids to nanny." Jace explained and there was a certain sadness in his voice, and I couldn't blame him. I never wanted to leave either.

"No!" Julia yelled, which shocked me. "She can't nanny other kids."

"Why not Julia?" Jace asked.

"Because she's ours." She explained. "She belongs to us."

"She doesn't belong to anyone baby. She needs to work, and there are other kids out there that are going to need her in the future." Jace explained, but it still hurt knowing that one day I will just be out of their lives.

"I don't want her to leave." GiGi said sadly.

"I don't either baby, but it's how life works." Jace said and something in me did a little flip. Jace didn't want me to leave.

"She'll leave, just like mommy." Ryan said, and my heart broke. Their mother was a topic that I knew was sensitive, and I tried not to ask what happened to her, but that didn't mean I wasn't curious.

"Listen guys, what happened to mommy wasn't your fault. She needed help. A lot of it, and unfortunately, the kind of help she needs requires her not to be around." Jace said to them. "But I'm sure she loves you all very much, and wishes she could be here with you all every single day."

"You think so?" MJ asked.

"I'm positive. She would have to be crazy not to miss you six." Jace said and that's when I decided to go in.

"Kids, there is someone I would like to introduce you too." I said and they all turned around. "Everyone, this is my older brother Jon, Jon, these are the kids."

"What's up kiddos?" Jon asked and they all smiled.

"You're tall." Polly said and I couldn't help but laugh. "And you don't look anything like Clary."

"Not all siblings look alike." I told her and she nodded. "Okay, I'll point them out to you." I told Jon and he nodded. "From left to right." I said and I saw Jace smile, knowing that I took that from him. "Ryan is the first one, and than it goes Polly, MJ, Julia, GiGi. And finally Dylan."

"I guarantee I'll mess up all your names." Jon said and they all laughed.

"It's okay, our teacher does that too." MJ told him and Jon smiled and nodded.

"Well kids, Jon and I are going to go out for the night, but I'll see you all tomorrow." I said and they all ran to hug me. I gave them all a hug and kiss before turning to Jon. "I'll be right back. I need to grab something from my room." He nodded and I darted upstairs.

 **Jace POV:**

The kids were all watching TV in the living room, so I went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. When I turned around, there stood Jon with his arms across his chest and this look on his face.

"What?" I asked.

"You're in love with my sister aren't you?" He asked and I nearly dropped my glass.

"What?" I said and his eyes narrowed.

"Don't mess around with me. I just want a yes or a no." He said. There was probably no harm in tell him how I truly felt. At least, I hope there wasn't.

"I am." I admitted and a giant smile broke out on his face.

"Good, because she's in love with you too, and the longing looks you two are giving each other is starting to become insufferable, and I've only been here for a couple hours." He said.

"There are no 'longing look' going on between us." I said and Jon scoffed.

"Yea right. Look, Clary isn't that hard to read. She clearly has strong feelings for you, so why not act on them?" He asked.

"Because unlike you, I can't read Clary that well." I said. "Plus, she's technically my employee."

"So? It's not like she has to answer to anyone but you." He pointed out, and he had a good point. "This is what's going to happen. Clary and I are going to go out. Your mom agreed to come over around 9 to watch the kids. I'll text you where we are, and you'll meet us there, and than I'll leave."

"Wait, you spoke to my mother?" I asked and he laughed.

"She's noticed the longing looks as well." He said. "She thinks you two would be great together, and I have to agree with her."

"You sure this is the right move?" I asked.

"I know my sister." He said.

"Jon!" Clary called from the living room.

"Coming!" Jon called back. "Trust me." He said and I nodded.

He left the kitchen and a minute later I heard the front door close. I made my way back to the living room where the kids were watching TV.

"Who wants pizza for dinner?" I asked.

"ME!" They all shouted as they raised their hands.

"Perfect." I said and I went to order the pizza. Now I was freaking out about tonight and if it didn't go as smoothly as Jon said it would, I don't know how we would recover from that.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jon and I were having an amazing time together. I totally forgot what it felt like to hang out with him, and I couldn't even begin to thank Jace enough for bringing him out here.

I was getting kinda worried. Jon said he was going to the bathroom like 15 minutes ago, and the last time I checked, the men's room didn't have a line like the women's, so I have no idea what was taking him so long.

"This seat taken?" I heard from behind me. I turned around and there stood Jace.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as he took a seat.

"Your brother set us up." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"That little shit." I said and Jace laughed. "Who is with the kids?" I asked.

"My mom." He said and I nodded.

"So….." I said and Jace smiled.

"I'm gonna come right out and say it." He said. "I like you a lot Clary, and I've been thinking lately, that maybe we could go out on a date."

"You like me?" I asked a little surprised and he just laughed.

"Yea, I like you a lot." He reiterated.

"And you want to go on a date with me?" I asked which caused him to laugh.

"Very much so." He said.

"I'm guessing this doesn't count huh?" I asked and he smiled.

"No. This was all Jon." He said and I smiled.

"I'd really love that date." I said and Jace smiled.

We sat at that bar and talked for at least an hour, mostly about little things about us. But the nagging question about the kids mom was trying to make it's way out, and I knew that he was probably wondering when I would ask, and I was so curious after what I heard today, that I needed to know.

"So, I have a question for you, and I've wanted to ask about it for some time, but I didn't know how to bring it up." I said and Jace nodded. "What happened to the kids mom?" I asked.

"Candice is in a mental institution." He said and I just felt so bad for the kids. "We weren't married when we had the kids. Truthfully, I didn't think I was ready for marriage, hell I wasn't ready for kids either, but things happen." He said and I nodded. "When we found out it was six, I pretty sure I passed out." He said and I laughed. "I mean, the doctor said to just have sextuplets was really rare, yet there we were, having six kids." He explained. "After they were born Candice fell into a deep postpartum depression. It was so bad." He said and I could see the pain on his face. I reached my hand over and put it on top of his. "She turned to alcohol to cope with it." He explained. "Her parents found her close to death a couple times before they decided she needed to go to rehab. While she was in rehab she was deemed mentally unfit to take care of herself. Her maternity rights were terminated and she was institutionalized. I hear from her parents every couple months. She's never getting out."

"That's terrible." I said.

"It was incredibly hard at first, I didn't know the first thing about being a father, and I had 6 new borns." He said and I smiled. "But we managed."

"You raised 6 amazing kids." I said and he smiled.

"They are pretty great." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Okay, so let's move on from depressing topics." I said and he smiled and nodded in agreement.

The rest of the time we spent at that bar was pretty light. We were laughing and joking and just having an amazing time together. If this was what a non-date with Jace was like, I couldn't imagine what an actual date with him was going to be like, but I was really excited to find out.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

One date turned into two, which turned into three, and after a year of dating, Clary and I were engaged. Of course I made sure it was okay with the kids first before asking her, but they were all over the moon happy that Clary was going to be staying forever. They've known Clary for so long, and they've gotten so close with her, that the thought of her leaving made them so incredibly sad, and just seeing them light up when they realized this meant she was going to be staying forever was all the approval I needed.

We weren't having a big wedding. Just family, and close friends. If Clary and I had it our way, we would just get married at the courthouse, but my mom nearly had a heart attack when we suggested that, so we compromising. Small wedding so we both get what we want. I don't think Clary ever wanted a big wedding to begin with anyway.

I made my way down the stairs and the hose was in chaos. Clary was making lunches for the kids, while they ran wild trying to get their things together. I walked into the kitchen, grabbed an apple and gave Clary a kiss. She returned it quickly before getting all the lunches packed.

"5 minutes kids!" Clary yelled and they all filed into the kitchen. "Have a great day at school everyone!" She said as she handed the lunches out and gave them each a kiss. "Learn something new!"

"Bye mom!" They all shouted as they made their way to the bus. When I asked the kids if they were okay with me asking Clary to marry me, the first question Polly asked was if they were allowed to call her mom. I told them that it was completely up to them and Clary.

They had a pretty in depth conversation about it. Clary was fine with being called mom or Clary. She didn't want to push them into calling her mom. Polly was calling her mom the within the hour, but each kid took their own time. Dylan was actually the last on to start calling her mom. It took him a few weeks before he was comfortable with it, but I understood that. Their birth mom was still technically around. Although she probably will never remember them, they know she's out there, which I think is worse than losing someone.

"See you at my parents babe." I said and Clary gave me one more kiss before I left for work. It didn't matter how chaotic the mornings were, I wouldn't trade them for the world.

 **Clary POV:**

I took a seat on the couch after everyone left and just caught my breath. The mornings were insane around here, but I expected nothing less from those 7. I took a deep breath as I rubbed my belly. Yup, I was pregnant. Finding out was crazy, and I think it took me like a month to realize I was growing a human. Than at one of my ultrasounds the doctor mentioned the possibility of multiples. He wasn't sure yet, but he promised to call the moment he found out, so whenever my phone rang, my heart skipped a beat. This time was no different. My phone rang and I nearly fell off the couch trying to answer it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hi Clary, this is Dr. Penhallow." He said.

"Hi doctor." I said.

"I have the results back, would you like them over the phone or in person?" He asked.

"Over the phone please." I said, I couldn't wait for an appointment.

"You are indeed having multiples Clary. Twins to be exact." He clarified.

"Thank you Dr. Penhallow. Do you happen to know the gender as well?" I asked.

"I do in fact, would you like that as well?" He asked.

"Yes please." I said.

"Both babies are boys." He said.

"Thank you Dr. Penhallow." I said and we hung up. I sat back on the couch and processed it all. Twins. There was going to be another set of multiples. Twins. Boys. I couldn't wait to tell the rest of the family.

 **Time Jump – After School**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace picked the kids up from school and we were all meeting at his parents house. It had been a little over two weeks since we saw them, so none of the kids had activities, and Jace was not stuck at work so it all worked out. We were all sitting around the table talking when I thought it was time to drop the bomb.

"So." I said and everyone looked at me. "I got the phone call today." I said.

"Really?" Jace asked.

"Yup." I said.

"And?" He asked and I smiled.

"It's multiples." I said and his jaw dropped. "Twins."

"You guys are seriously a rarity." Celine said and I smiled.

"Do you know the gender?" Stephen asked.

"Yup." I said.

"And?" Jace asked again. I looked around the table at all the eager faces.

"Both boys." I said and it was completely silent for a moment. Nobody said anything until Ryan and Dylan looked at each other, than looked at me with the biggest smile on their faces.

"Yes! More brothers!"

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, Puppy 17 (who by the way, I have to mention is killing it on the reviews! I look forward to all your thoughts on my stories! I'm glad you're enjoying them so much and I hope you continue to enjoy them! [also, sometimes people get confused by my slang terms, so I'm going to clear it up anyway, 'killing it' is a good thing. a very good thing!] anyway, so much love for you Puppy 17 for all the kind words) requested that I do one where Jace had multiples, and I know a lot of you requested one where Clary was Jace's nanny, so I combined them, and this was the result! I've read a lot of stories about nannies, and I wanted to make this one a little different, but I hope that I still did it justice!**

 **I did some research on sextuplets, and as of 2007, there were 179 sets of sextuplets in the world, so as you can see, they aren't unheard of! Now, I have no idea if they would all have an identical one within the group, but I just thought it would be nice if they did. I wanted to make it as realistic as possible, but still making it enjoyable to read. I hope that I lived up to your expectations!**

 **Also, I don't know the inner working of what it takes to be a nanny. I did some research on salary and what you needed to become a nanny, but some of the numbers and stuff I made up because believe it or not, it's pretty hard to find a concrete answer for some of those questions!**

 **As I said before, I'm going on vacation on Sunday, so I will be gone for roughly two weeks, which means I probably won't be updating, but I have TWO one shots in the works aside from this one, and hopefully I can finish one of them before I leave, but if I don't get the chance, they both will be finished slightly I come back!**

 **Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	119. Chapter 118 - Trial

**One Hundred and Eighteen:**

 **Trial**

 **Jace POV:**

Growing up in a semi-small town came with a lot of disadvantages. Not a lot of women to pick from, you can't run away from a crazy ex, your picking of friends isn't ideal, of and if something happens, everyone knows about it.

That's the position I'm in, and have been in since I was young. You see, what happened with my family is known all over town, but it's considered quite taboo. You know the story and the details if you were around when it happened, but if you move to my town, which rarely happens, you'd never know about it. People liked to keep town secrets to themselves, so naturally, if you're around when it happens, everyone knows about it.

Which is why, when a new girl showed up after the winter break, everyone was fascinated. It was the middle of the school year, so why was she just now transferring? And why to our small town? We didn't have much to offer, so it was unheard of to get a new girl, and a new family, but that's what happened.

It was a normal day and we were all sitting at lunch. I was naturally sitting with all the guys from the football team, and I noticed that the new girl had made some interesting friends. Simon, the school nerd. Magnus, the school glitter boy. Jordan, the school investigator (mainly just the editor of the school newspaper). His girlfriend Maia, who was the head of the scholastic decathlon team. They all normally sat together at lunch, but this time, the fiery redhead joined them. She was rather quiet but there was something about her that captivated me.

"Yo Jace, why are you staring at that table?" Sebastian asked me.

"Do any of you know about the new girl?" I asked.

"Just that her name is Clary, and she moved here from New York." Alec said. "Why?"

"Because nobody moves here willingly." I said and they all chuckled.

"It is rather odd." Raphael said. "We haven't had a new kid since Meliorn joined us, and that was in 6th grade."

"What's she like in class?" I asked Alec.

"Quiet. She seemed like she didn't want to talk, or socialize at all." He said. "I mean, not that I blame her. Oh and she was drawing the entire class. The girl didn't take a single note."

"Interesting." I said.

"Why? You going to make her your next conquest?" Sebastian asked.

"No." I said honestly. "Just simply trying to figure her out is all." Apparently that didn't please Sebastian because he scoffed before turning back to Raphael and finishing his conversation. Clary looked up and our eyes locked for a split second before she looked away. There was definitely something about her.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I had to stay late after school one day to have a meeting with the principal. I didn't do anything wrong, they just understand my situation. I was walked out when I caught a flash of red in the art room. I backtracked and looked inside the room to see Clary sitting at an easel painting. Curious, I went in and watched her paint. She was actually really good, and I was pretty intrigued by what she was doing. Once she put the paintbrush down, I got a look at the whole thing.

"You're really good." I said and she nearly jumped three feet in the air. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Than don't sneak up on people." She said back.

"I didn't want to disturb you." I said honestly. "I'm Jace by the way."

"I know who you are." She said back rather aggressively.

"I'm that popular huh?" I laughed and she just glared at me.

"Not among the female population." She said. "I've been given the 'stay away from him he's mine' speech at least 7 times in the week I've been at this school."

"Ah. I see you've met the cheerleaders." I said and she nodded.

"I don't think I've met a single girl here who you haven't hooked up with." She said.

"Small town, not a lot of girls to pick from." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm not fresh meat if that's what you're thinking." She said and I had to admit, I was slightly taken aback by that comment.

"I wasn't." I said truthfully.

"Than why is it that I constantly find you watching me?" She asked. I thought I was being more discreet.

"You intrigue me." I said. "Not many people move into this town. In fact, we haven't gotten a new student here since the 6th grade."

"Is it that hard to believe people might actually want to live in a small town like this one?" She asked.

"No, but this town isn't normally peoples first choice." I admitted.

"Why is that?" She asked.

"There are better options out there." I said trying to stay away from the obvious fact. "But yet you moved here. Why?"

"That's a littler personal don't you think?" She asked.

"Everyone knows everything in this town. There are no secrets." I told her.

"Well, that's about to change. I like to keep my private life private. Like normal people." She said.

"It won't stay private long." I said.

"It will if I don't tell anyone." She said. "Which is exactly why you probably want to get it out of me."

"I wouldn't go spreading your secrets around town. I'm just saying, once one person finds out, everyone else will know within the hour." I told her honestly.

"Thanks, but I don't need your help." She grabbed her stuff and started leaving.

"What about your painting?" I called after her.

"Leave it." She said before continuing to walk away. There was something about her that sounded so angry, and I didn't understand why.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was leaving class a little late, when I spotted Clary in the hallway. After our last 'friendly' conversation I was about to just walk right by her, but I saw Sebastian lurking in the hallways as well, and if she didn't like me, she sure as hell wasn't going to like him. So I made a split second decision and went over to her.

"I am now approaching." I said as I walked over to her, and she turned her head in my direction. "Better warning this time around?"

"What do you want Jace?" She asked. I made my way over to her so that Sebastian couldn't listen in.

"Sebastian has been staring at you since I turned the corner, and if you don't like my reputation, you are going to absolutely despise his." I said truthfully.

"So what? You're acting like my knight in shining armor?" She asked.

"I wouldn't put it like that." I said. "Just trying to help you out."

"Well, I didn't ask for your help." She said bitterly. She slammed her locker and practically ran away. I shook my head as I headed towards my class. Sebastian had taken off the other way the moment she slammed her locker, and although Clary didn't seem too pleased with me, at least Sebastian wasn't going to bother her anymore.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was lunch time, and I was walking into the caf when I saw Kaelie stick her leg out and trip Clary. Her books went flying all over the place and she landed on the ground hard.

"Oops. Sorry freak." Kaelie said and her posse started laughing. I went over and started cleaning up her books for her. When I handed them to her, she rolled her eyes at me.

"Jesus, why are you always around?" She practically yelled.

"Small school? We all eat lunch together." I said.

"Oh please. You know what I mean. First you try to pry into my personal life, than you try and swoop in like I'm a damsel in distress, and now you're acting chivalrous?" She asked and the whole cafeteria is looking now. "News flash Jace, I don't need anyone to help me. I'm perfectly fine on my own. I don't need some arrogant, man whore, asshole coming to my rescue when he wants to prove his masculinity to the world." She yelled. "Just leave me the hell alone!"

"Fine. I won't try and help anymore." I simply said before walking out of the cafeteria. I knew there was a reason I was always so cold and distant since it happened, this was the reason.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left the cafeteria I felt like I would be rewarded with a standing ovation for some reason, like what happens in the movies. But the entire cafeteria was dead silent. I looked around and some people seemed completely shocked, and others just had a look of pure disgust on their faces. I grabbed the rest of my things and headed towards the table. When I sat down, I saw those same looks on everyone's faces.

"Why do I feel like I'm in some alternate universe? Doesn't the girl who stands up to the arrogant popular bully always get a round of applause?" I asked and they all looked at me.

"Oh biscuit. This isn't a normal high school." Magnus said. "You don't know what you just did." I scoffed at that.

"Oh come on. He's a player. Every single girl at this school has hooked up with him. I have class with him, he's sarcastic, and arrogant, and thinks he can charm his way through life." I said. "Does nobody see the problem with that?" I asked and everyone looked away. "Do you all just bow at his feet as well? Is everyone at this school a bunch of kiss asses?"

"Things are the way they are around here for a certain reason Clary." Jordan finally spoke up. "One day you'll see why." I didn't understand what he meant by that, but at the moment I didn't care. I said what I needed to say about Jace, and I'm glad that I did.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since the incident with Jace in the cafeteria, he hasn't tried to talk to me, which I was happy about. But I do have a bunch of classes with him after lunch, and I noticed that he's been talking to all the teachers and they've been signing something for him. I had no idea what was going on, but I figured it had to be for some sports thing.

I was running late today, so I was practically running to my second period class when I saw Jace talking with a teacher out of the corner of my eye. He was signing something for Jace yet again, and that's when I realized it couldn't be for sports. It definitely made me curious. So when I got to lunch today, I simply had to ask.

"What has Jace been doing for the past couple days?" I asked curiously.

"He has to go testify this week so he won't be in school." Magnus said nonchalantly.

"You say that like it's normal." I said and everyone at the table looked at me.

"He's been testifying since he was 13. It is normal for us." Jordan said.

"For what?" I asked.

"His father murdered his mother and he was the star witness." Simon said like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"You're serious?" I asked because I just couldn't believe it.

"Why the hell would be lie about that?" Magnus asked. "The kid has had a shit life. He lives with his grandmother, who is a miserable old lady, and his father was an abusive asshole. Jace may be pretty cocky and arrogant but everyone understands why. It's why we never call him out on it." Magnus said and I nodded. "You're the first person to call him out since it happened. It's also why you didn't get the backing you thought you deserved. Jace may be full of himself, but he's been through some shit." He finished and every simply nodded in agreement before going back to their normal conversations. I didn't realize why Jace was the way he was, and I didn't understand why nobody else saw what I did. But they did, they just understood it, and they let him do it because it was his coping mechanism. And now I felt like the biggest bitch in the world because of it.

So by the end of the day, I was waiting on the school steps hoping that I would see Jace. I felt like I was waiting there for hours since it was so cold outside, and when he finally emerged from the school, he practically ran towards his car.

"Jace!" I called out to him and he turned around but didn't stop walking.

"I'm not in the mood Clary." He said rather angrily.

"I'm not here to pick a fight." I told him, but even that didn't seem to work. "I'm here to apologize."

"I don't need your apology. You wanted me to leave you alone, and that's what I'm doing. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be late." He said as he got into his car and sped off. I hung my head wondering if there was any possible way for me to mend the bridges that I burned down. I know he didn't know it, but what we're going through isn't so different, and maybe if he knew he wasn't alone, it would really help him out.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I didn't hear a thing about the trial that Jace was testifying at. Normally when a murder trial is being held, it's all anyone can talk about, but I have come to realize that this town is a lot different than a normal town. Every single kid was acting like it was a normal day of the week. Lunch was being eaten, classes were being held, and not a single word has been breathed about Jace. It was the oddest thing to me. This should be strange, but I guess this town has been living like this forever, and I would have to get used to that.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

When Monday rolled around and Jace was back in school, he seamlessly fit back into the school atmosphere like he never left. This type of behavior was so incredibly abnormal that it was starting to worry me. People shouldn't be so silent about a death, and a kid shouldn't have to act like it's the most normal thing to go testify against your own father. Hell, I have to testify against my own father and every single moment I thought about it, I got sick to my stomach.

At lunch though, I noticed that Jace seemed distant. He was simply rolling the green apple he eats every day around on the table. Not that I've noticed that he always eats green apples, but he looked kind of lost, not just in thought, but in general. His eyes looked lifeless, and he looked incredibly tired. When the bell rang, he got up as fast as he could and walked out of the caf. I sighed and got my things and headed to class.

"Regretting those words already?" I heard and when I turned around there stood Simon.

"It's not normal. For his entire life to be put on blast like that. I mean, does every single person in this town know what happened?" I asked him.

"Yea. Every single detail, and the night it happened, there was a crowd outside his house." Simon explained.

"It's not right. He was what? 12 when it happened?" I asked.

"10 actually. They just wouldn't let him testify until he was 13." He said and my heart broke.

"How can he be so indifferent towards it?" I asked. "I mean, the entire town knows his business."

"He's not indifferent towards it. He's a cocky and arrogant asshole for a reason." Simon said. "Look, things in this town might be a little backwards, but we function, and you'll have to get used to that."

"It just doesn't seem right." I said.

"Losing both your parents is never right. And being stuck with an old hag for a guardian isn't right either. But people get dealt a shit hand in life sometimes. Some more than others, but we all cope differently. And this is how he copes." Simon said and the warning bell rang. "See you around Fray." He walked towards his class and I walked towards mine. When I got in there, Jace was already seated. I took my seat next to him, but unlike what he used to do, he doesn't look up.

"Jace?" I asked and when he looked at me, I got a better look at his face. He had bags under his eyes, like he hasn't slept in weeks, and his eyes were dull.

"Yes Clary?" He asked and even his voice was different. It was tired, and monotone.

"How are you?" I asked. _Stupid Clary. What an idiotic question._ I reprimanded myself mentally.

"I'm wonderful. How are you?" He asked, the sarcasm was evident in his voice.

"I'd be better if you let me apologize." I said honestly.

"Go for it." He simply said.

"I'm very sorry for the harsh words I said to you." I started. "I was informed what happened a couple days after, and I've felt terrible ever since."

"Alright." He said.

"That's it?" I asked. "You aren't going to yell at me?"

"If I yelled at every woman who thought I was a cocky asshole, I would never stop yelling. You said what you said, and I get it. I'm not everyone's favorite person. But at least I don't pretend to be something I'm not." He slightly hissed and I'm not going to lie, it kinda scared me.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"You come to this town and put this front up that you don't need anyone." He said. "Well guess what, I can see a victim from a mile away. Something happened to you as well Clary. We can pick our own kind out of a crowd." He said and I gulped. "I chose this front from an early age because it suited me, but it doesn't suit you." I was about to say something when the teacher walked in and started talking. I had no idea how to respond to what he just said. He always knew something was up with me, and in his own weird way, he tried to help me, and what did I do? I completely called him out on what was his way of dealing with the most traumatic thing to ever happen to him? Way to go Fray, way to go.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

This day just kept getting worse and worse. The trial mistrialed yet again. They took almost 2 weeks to deliberate, and since I found out, I don't even know what to do with myself. I don't know how many times I have to tell my side of the story until a complete jury realizes that it happened. This whole entire town knows what happened, they should just call everyone to the stand one by one.

Pretty much my whole life has been dictated by this event, and I can't wait until the day that I was finally free of reliving the worst day of my life. But at this rate, I had a feeling that it was going to take forever to get there.

I was supposed to be in class right now, but I just couldn't find it in me to care enough to go. Pretty much since I found out the jury was a hung jury, I've been walking around like a living zombie. I barely sleep, and I barely eat. It's all consuming this feeling, and I was kinda scared that it would never go away.

I lit a cigarette as I sat under a tree. It was currently raining out, but I didn't care. Nothing really mattered anymore anyway. My life was just one testimony after another, and nothing I say will ever be enough.

 **Clary POV:**

Since I had a study hall this period, I had asked my teacher if I could go to my car and get my sketchbook out so that I had something to do. He really didn't care what we did, so he wrote me a pass, and I started making my way to the car. When I got outside, I saw a figure standing under a tree. It confused me since it was raining outside, but when I squinted my eyes, I noticed that it was Jace.

My sketchbook forgotten, I decided to make my way over to him. I've been trying my hardest to make my harsh words up to him, but he wasn't giving me the time of day. I understood why though. But I knew what it felt like to be him, and if there was one thing in this world I knew, it was that feeling completely alone sucks.

"Those things will kill you." I said as I approached Jace.

"Good. Anything is better than this constant cycle of disappointment I live in." He bitterly replied as he took another hit of his cigarette.

"What constant cycle?" I asked trying to figure out what was wrong.

"The one where I go to testify, and after the jury deliberates for days, hell weeks, than they come back and it's a mistrial because it's a hung jury." Jace says spitefully.

"Does that happen often?" I asked.

"Every year since I started testifying." He said coldly. "And I know it's because some of them think I'm an unreliable witness, and that just makes it worse."

"Why would they think that?" I wondered.

"Because apparently a child can sometimes over exaggerate or make things up." He said with a humorless laugh. "But when you see your father murder your mother, right in front of your eyes, why would you make that up?"

"Look Jace, everyone goes through some shit. It's just how life is." I tried to make him feel better.

"You know what the second biggest scandal is in this town?" He asked angrily and I simply shook my head. "Mr. Lightwood having an affair, and Mrs. Lightwood kicking his ass out, and let me tell you: all the Lightwoods were infinitely more happy the moment he left." He said and I truly felt so sorry for him. "It doesn't come close to what I've been through."

"I wasn't talking about people from this town." I said softly. "I know what position you're in. It's the reason we moved here." I said and he looked at me. "My father is in jail too. After he attempted to murder me, he actually murdered my brother."

"Shit." He said as he stomped out his cigarette.

"And I know what the all consuming guilt feels like cause my brother was killed protecting me." I admitted. "I walk around every day wondering why I wasn't killed instead. He had so much to offer this world, and I don't. He should be alive, and I should have been killed."

"That's not true." He said as he looked into the distance. "I may be an only child, but if I had a little sister, there is nothing I wouldn't do to protect her, and if that meant dying so she could live, than so be it."

"I was almost there. His hands were around my neck, and I was so close to unconsciousness, and than my brother stepped in, and my father beat him to death with a candle stick." I said.

"Sounds like something straight out of _Clue._ " He said and despite the horrible topic we were talking about, I actually laughed.

"I watched it. I saw his head being bashed in, and I saw the puddle of blood spill all over the floor." I said as I thought back to that night. "When the police showed up, my father was beating his dead body and laughing. He was fucking laughing." I said angrily as the tears spilled over my eyes. "So yea, I get how you're feeling. And you aren't alone."

"I've always known I wasn't alone." He simply said. "After it happened my grandmother sent me to this place for kids to deal with a traumatic event. I think it was mostly because she didn't want to raise me quite yet, but I met a lot of people who went through something traumatic like me." He explained.

"So why do you walk around with a chip on your shoulder?" I asked.

"Why do you?" He replied. "Why does anyone who has ever experienced a traumatic event?" He asked but I didn't have an answer so I didn't say anything. "Exactly. We do it because we know how incredibly cruel the world can be and the best way to cope with something traumatic is to pretend like it doesn't even bother you. And sometimes that means you walk around acting like an arrogant asshole to get through every day."

"I shouldn't have called you that." I admitted.

"It's over with now. You said what you said and I don't blame you one bit. I am an arrogant asshole, but it's how I survive. Just like you choose to be short tempered independent closed off loner."

"Is there anyway to shorten that title?" I asked with amusement.

"No." He said and I just nodded. "I have to go." He said soon after. "See you later." He walked away and I just stared after him. He got in his car and sped out of the school parking lot, and if I thought this conversation was a step in the right direction for Jace and I, I was clearly wrong. He wasn't over what I said, and I didn't blame him one bit.

I decided to just skip the rest of the day as well. It wasn't much, just last period, but I really didn't want to be there anymore. So I decided to go to my moms work and talk to her about what I should do. I needed all the advice I could get at this point. When I walked in, I noticed she wasn't in plain view, so she must be in her office. I walked back there, knocked, and opened the door.

"Clary? What are you doing here? Why aren't you in school?" She asked.

"I need advice." I said as I took a seat.

"This couldn't have waited until after school?" She asked and I shook my head. "Okay, what is it?" She asked.

"Do you know anything about the Herondale scandal of this town?" I asked.

"Such an unfortunate event." My mom said. "A woman a few months ago came in here talking about it."

"I go to school with Jace Herondale, the son, and I said some pretty nasty things to him, without realizing his situation, and I've been trying to apologize, but he won't let me." I confessed.

"What did you say to him?" She asked.

"I called him an arrogant asshole who only did things to prove his masculinity to the world, and how I didn't need him swooping in and helping me." I said and my mom sighed. "I may have also called him a man whore."

"Well I can see why he wouldn't want to forgive you." My mom said.

"But I'm incredibly sorry." I said.

"From what I've heard sweetie, that boy has had a very tough life. His grandmother is hardly a nurturer, and his father still hasn't been convicted of his crimes that he had to witness." She said. "You said some truly hurtful things, and he's probably not ready to forgive you for them yet."

"But how do I make it better?" I asked.

"Give him space." My mom said. "Just let him go about his every day life, and maybe one day he'll be ready to give you that forgiveness you're looking for." She said and I nodded.

"Thanks mom." I said as I stood up.

"I'm disappointed in you Clarissa. You of all people should know not to judge a book by its cover. Imagine if he said those hurtful things to you. Would you be so quick to forgive?" She asked and I sighed before walking out. She had a great point. I wouldn't forgive him. Not right away anyway. That didn't mean it didn't suck.

 **Time Jump – A Few Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I noticed that Jace was doing that teacher singing thing again, but from what I remembered, Jordan and Magnus said that it happened every year, not multiple times a year, so to see him doing it again was slightly confusing. And when I got to lunch today, apparently it was the talk of the school.

"I can't believe he's being called again." Magnus said.

"This hasn't happened since he was 14. I wonder why they are having the trials so close together." Jordan wondered.

"I can't imagine how hard that must be." Simon said. "Reliving that day over and over again. At least before he had an entire year to forget about it."

"I feel so sorry for him. My mother went over to his house and dropped off some mail that was accidentally delivered to our house for them, and she said Jace opened the front door looking tired, and completely void of life. Like a walking zombie, and Imogen was screaming in the background." Maia said and my heart truly broke for him. "She ran so far away from that house as fast as she could."

"I mean, I can't get that imagine out of the head even if I wanted to, and I didn't even see much." Magnus said.

"Wait, you were outside his house that night?" I asked and they all looked at me.

"The whole neighborhood was." Maia said. "I'm his neighbor, and the night it happened still rings in my head."

"Wait, he still lives in the house where it happened?" I asked.

"No, just on the same property." Simon said. "Imogen knocked that house down and built a new one."

"From what I've heard, that sounds uncharacteristically nice of her." I said and they all chuckled.

"Her only son is being convicted of murder. There isn't a person in this town who hates Stephen more than Imogen." Jordan said.

"So, what did you see that night?" I asked cautiously.

"Celine being wheeled out of the house in a body bag." Maia said. "Stephen being tased, and arrested while he continued to shout extremely harsh things to Jace." She continued. "And Jace, a 10 year old little boy, with blood socked clothes, tears streaming down his face, being questioned by every single cop that showed up that night."

"I can't imagine such a young boy going through that." I said honestly.

"Me either." Maia said. "He was shipped off for a year, and when he came back, that guard was up, and he's been that way ever since."

Learning more about the night of the incident really put things in perspective for me when it came to Jace. Not only did he have to live with the fact that he witnessed the worst night of his entire life, but he had to live with the fact that every single person in this town knew what happened as well. I couldn't imagine what I would do if I had to live through that.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was getting ready to go testify yet again. I couldn't believe that this was going to be happening twice within the same year. If it didn't suck enough, this just made it 10 times worse. I had packed all my things and was loading it into my car when my phone started ringing. When I looked to see who was calling, I was a little surprised to see that it was Hodge, my attorney.

"Hey Hodge, I'm just about to leave." I said.

"Jace." He said in a mild tone.

"What is it Hodge?" I asked.

"You won't have to testify this week." He said.

"Why not?" I asked as I shut my car door.

"Your father killed himself last night. They found him in his cell this morning." He said and everything in me went numb. It wasn't from sadness though. I was just shocked. After all these years, and all these mistrials, he decided to kill himself. I didn't understand.

"How?" I asked.

"He hung himself." Hodge said. "I wanted you to hear it from me first so that you didn't hear it on the news. There was also a letter addressed to you. Would you like to meet somewhere so I can give it to you?" He asked.

"That'd be great. Thanks Hodge." I said. We discussed where to meet and than we hung up. I stood there for a moment before I got in my car and drove away. After I met with Hodge I knew I wasn't staying in this town, I didn't know where I was going, but I didn't want to stay in this town when everyone found out.

 **Clary POV:**

I got really sick this weekend, so when Monday rolled around my mom let me stay home from school. I was currently cuddled on the couch watching whatever daytime TV show was on when it cut to some news report. I tried to change the channel, but it seemed to be what every station was covering.

"Breaking News." The reporter started. "The latest in the on going murder trial of Stephen Herondale has come to an end." She said and my eyes widened. Did they finally get a conviction? "Last night at around midnight, Stephen Herondale hung himself in his cell. When guards went to go get him from his cell to escort him to the courtroom, they found him." She said and I didn't even know when I started crying, but I was. Not for that man, but for Jace. "Let's go out to our field reporter as Stephen's mother gives a statement." She said and the camera cut to Imogen Herondale.

"Mrs. Herondale, how are you feeling?" The one guy asked.

"I'm glad it's over." She said in a bitter tone.

"Are you upset over your sons death?" Another reporter asked.

"He dug his own grave, now it's time for him to rot in it." She spit out. She clearly wasn't cut up about his suicide.

"What about Jace? How is he handling the news?" Another reported asked.

"Jace disappeared last night. I haven't seen him." She said before walking back into the house and slamming the door. Jace was missing?

I shut the TV off, and got off the couch. Sick or not, I wanted to go find Jace and see how he was doing. I grabbed my keys and ran out to my car and started driving. If there was one thing I knew about Jace was that he hated being around when people found out anything about the trial, which was mostly due to the fact that that's how I felt. So I decided to search outside of the town. He might not have gone far, but he certainly didn't want to be in the town.

I was driving for maybe an hour when I spotted the familiar car. It was parked at little park. I pulled up next to it, and got out. I looked around but I couldn't see Jace. I started walking when I found a little footpath in the woods. I decided that I would check it out. When I reached a clearing, I found Jace lying on the ground. He was on a blanket and I could hear music playing. I made my way over to him and joined him on the blanket. He didn't even acknowledge my presence, so I waited for him to be the first one to start the conversation.

"How did you find me?" He asked.

"I just drove straight." I said honestly. "I figured you would be out of town when the news dropped."

"How long ago?" He asked.

"Almost 2 hours." I said.

"The town is probably going crazy." He said.

"Your grandmother gave one hell of a press conference." I said.

"What did she say?" He asked.

"That Stephen dug his own grave, and that she hopes he rots in it now." I said.

"Sounds like sweet old Imogen." He said.

"How are you?" I asked.

"All these years of testifying, all for nothing." He said angrily. "I mean, if he was going to kill himself, why put me through the torture of testifying for 5 years?"

"For his own entertainment?" I guessed. "He's the only one who knows why he did it."

"He left me a letter." He said.

"Did you read it?" I asked.

"Yea." He said. "He was one fucked up man."

"If you don't mind me asking, what did it say?" I asked. He reached into his pocket and handed it to me. I hesitantly grabbed it and opened it up.

 _Dear Jonathan,_

 _The past five years have been fun, but unfortunately I knew my time was running out. One of these days the jury will realize that your story is the absolute truth, and that will be the nail in the coffin for me. I much rather go out on my on time. Don't worry though, I know I'll always haunt your dreams, and there is nothing you can do about it. I should have killed you first. It would have been easier that way._

 _Your constant nightmare,_

 _Stephen Herondale._

I finished reading it and I just couldn't believe his own father wrote this to him. I knew he was sick, but this was just something out of a horror book. I looked at Jace and he was still staring at the sky. No trace of emotion was on his face.

"Your name is Jonathan?" I asked because that was clearly the most important part of the letter. To my surprise though, he laughed.

"Yea. But when I was in elementary school I hated it. I felt like I was always getting in trouble. So I used my initials JC, and came up with the nickname. It stuck." He explained.

"It suits you." I said and he finally looked over at me. His golden eyes, which were absolutely beautiful, were dull and tired. And it was in this moment, that I knew that Jace was probably the strongest guy I've ever met. "How do you cope with it? Besides the cold front and arrogant asshole personality. How do you get through each day?" I asked.

"It's hard. I'm not going to lie. What nobody knows is that I rely on music to get me through it most days." He said.

"What kind of music?" I asked.

"Classical." He said and that surprised me. "One thing my father did for me was teaching me how to play the piano. It's always been an escape for me."

"I would have never guessed." I said and he gave me a small smile.

"Like I said, nobody knows." He said.

"So why tell me?" I questioned.

"Because you told me about why you moved here." He said. "I felt like I needed to reciprocate the sharing of secrets."

"Thank you by the way." I said. "For not telling the town."

"I know what it feels like to have the entire town know your business. It's not something I would wish upon anyone." He said. "If you killed someone, I still wouldn't tell a soul about it."

"So, why this park?" I finally asked.

"My mom used to bring me here." He said. "Give me something new to look at, other kids to play with." He said. "It's normally the place I like to go to when I need to get away."

"It's a nice park." I observed. "A little dead to be honest."

"It's the afternoon on a Monday Clary. Who would be here?" He asked and I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"So, what do you want to do?" I asked and he looked at me again.

"I just want to lay here." He said and I nodded.

"Okay." I said and we both went back to looking at the sky. There was something natural about lying next to Jace not speaking a single word. And I liked it a lot.

 **Jocelyn POV:**

Clary was nowhere to be found and I was freaking out. Luke didn't know where she was either, and she didn't leave a note. She was sick all weekend, I have no idea where she would have gone.

"Maybe she just went for a walk Jocelyn." Luke said.

"She would have texted me. And she's not picking up her phone. I'm worried Luke." I said and he nodded, than something popped into my head. "Oh! I have her location on my phone!"

"That's a little stalkerish don't you think?" Luke asked. I rolled my eyes and looked up her location.

"She's an hour away, at a little park." I said. "Why would she be there?" I asked Luke.

"Why don't we go ask her?" Luke asked and I nodded. I knew he only suggested that because I was worried.

We got in the car and made our way to Clary's location. When we got there, I didn't see her anywhere, but her car wasn't alone. Luke and I started looking around when I saw a footpath in the woods. We made our way down it, when we came to a clearing where I saw the familiar red hair. She was curled up in the arms of a boy, both of them seemed to be sleeping. When we got closer, I noticed that it was Jace. I kneeled down and shook Clary a little and they both stirred.

"Mom?" She asked in a sleepy voice. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"We didn't mean to fall asleep." She said. "How did you even find me?" She asked.

"She tracked your location." Luke said.

"Remind me to get rid of that. That's some stalker shit mom." Clary said and Luke laughed.

"This isn't funny. I thought something happened. You're supposed to be resting Clary." I told her.

"I was." She said sarcastically.

"Not what I meant." I said and she smiled.

"Give us a few moments and I'll come right home." She said and I nodded. Luke took my hand in his and we went back to the car.

"She's growing up Jocelyn." Luke reminded me.

"I already lost one child, I can't lose another." I said and he kissed my temple.

"You aren't losing her." He said and I simply nodded. I believed him, I really did. I just couldn't stomach going through that again.

 **Clary POV:**

Once my mom and Luke left, Jace and I were left there, still slightly in a sleepy daze, but I couldn't lie, he looked good after just waking up from a nap, but I expecting nothing less from him.

"Who is that guy?" Jace asked.

"That's Luke." I said. "My mom's boyfriend."

"How long have they been together?" He asked.

"A few years." I said and he nodded.

"So, why were you supposed to be resting?" He asked as we stood up and he collected the blanket.

"I have a cold, and I've been practically sleeping all weekend. I was actually staying home from school today, but after I saw the news, I just got compelled to come find you." I explained as we walked towards out car.

"That explains the robe." He smirked and I looked down to realize that I was in fact still in my bathrobe.

"That's embarrassing." I said as I felt my cheeks heat up.

"Don't be embarrassed." He said with a warmness in his voice. "You look beautiful." He said and I stopped to look at him, and what I saw was the absolute truth. "Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out. I just meant that you are clearly just being naturally you, and it suits you. Really well." He rambled and I got on my tippy toes and pressed my lips to his cheek.

"Thank you." I said and he smiled. I made my way to my car and unlocked it and was almost in, when Jace called after me.

"Hey, would you like to go out this weekend?" He asked and I had to admit, I was pretty shocked.

"You want to take me out on a date?" I asked and he smiled.

"Yea. If you want to that is." He said.

"I would actually really love that." I said and for the first time since I met him, I saw him genuinely smile.

"Great. Does Saturday night work for you?" He asked.

"Saturday is perfect." I said.

"Great. I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked.

"You bet." I said. We got in our cars and we headed home. One thing was for sure, I was going to enjoy getting to know this Jace a lot.

 **Time Jump – Summer Break**

 **Jace POV:**

I truly thought that I would never be happy again. There was just too much bad to ever uncover any of the good in life. At least that's what I thought until I met Clary. She was truly a light in my life, and so was her mom and Luke. They have been my escape when I just felt so alone most of the time. I was forever indebted to her, and I planned on making it up to her for the rest of my life.

Turns out we both applied for the same college and we both got in. WE both picked it for different reasons: I chose it because it was far enough away that I could use that as an excuse to stay during holidays, and Clary just loved the campus, and all it's opportunities. The University of Maine was where we would spend the next 4 years together, and I honestly couldn't wait. Up there I didn't have to pretend that nothing effected me, and I could be a normal person. Nobody knew my life, or the struggles I went through and that's how I liked it.

When we both decided that that's where we wanted to go, Jocelyn and Luke immediately moved to Maine as well. They didn't move right next to the campus, but they were almost a 2 hour drive out, but close enough for Clary and I to go there and spend weekends or birthdays, or whatever else we wanted to celebrate. They moved at the end of the summer, and I was just really excited to start my new life.

I was heading to Clary's today just to hang out. Jocelyn and Luke wanted to have a nice barbeque and I love barbeques so I was all in. I didn't even bother knocking when I got there, since I never had to anyway. Clary and Jocelyn were in the kitchen while Luke was outside. I walked over to Clary and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips.

"So Jace, my mom and I have been talking, and if you are up for it, how would you like to come on vacation with us?" Clary asked.

"Really?" I asked and Jocelyn smiled.

"Of course. It'll be fun. We're going to Disney World." She said with a smile.

"I've never been." I said honestly.

"Well now you have to come." Jocelyn said.

"Uh, sure. I'd love to come." I said and Clary wrapped her arm around my waist.

"Wonderful. Now we have an even number of riders!" She cheered and I couldn't help but laugh at how excited Jocelyn was. She ran out to talk to Luke so that just left Clary and I.

"She's really excited for this isn't she?" I asked and Clary smiled.

"We had originally planned this trip with my brother in mind." She said and I could see the sadness wash over her face. "My mom almost cancelled it after it happened, but I told her that we needed something good. Something fun to remember him by." She explained. "When we were talking about it, I made a joke about bringing you, but she was all for it. I don't even know if you like roller coasters or not, but I figured some time out of this town, after the year we both had, would be healthy."

"I completely agree with you." I said. "And I've never been on a roller coaster, so we'll see." I said and she laughed.

"Well, we're roller coaster junkies, so be prepared." She said and I couldn't help but smile. This would be interesting.

 **Time Jump – Disney**

 **Clary POV:**

We got to Disney and we were currently in Magic Kingdom. Jace was going on his first roller coaster today, and I'm not going to lie. It was pretty exciting. I remember my first roller coaster, and it just paved the way for me to want to experience them all, and I couldn't wait to see Jace experience that. That is if he likes roller coasters.

We stood on line for one for over 2 hours, but it wasn't a boring wait at all. We just talked about fun memories, and made fun of each other. The line went by quickly and when we were finally in the seats, I looked over at Jace and smiled.

"You ready?" I asked and I don't think he could talk, so he simply nodded.

The roller coaster went, and I was screaming the whole time, just like I always did. When it was over, I looked over at Jace to see how he felt about it. But like always, he was a tough one to read. When we got off, we stopped to look at the pictures, which weren't flattering at all, but they still made us smile.

"So, how was it?" I asked. Jace looked at me and he had the biggest smile on his face. Like a kid who just discovered what fun was.

"Let's do another one." He said and we got in line for the next coaster. I knew that our relationship was still new, but I could see it growing into something so much more, and I couldn't wait to experience it all with Jace. I mean, we've been through some pretty trying times already, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, am I right?

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so this one shot was thought of by me, and I hope that you all like it! I wanted to leave this one completely open so that you all could draw you own conclusions for what their future is like. Their relationship is still pretty new, so they have a lot of growing in love to do, but I thought this was a great little snippet into how their future was going to pan out. Let me know what you all think and leave a review!**

 **Also, I added Disney World in there because that's where I'll be on Sunday! I absolutely can't wait, because like Clary, my family is a bunch of roller coaster junkies, and I haven't been to Disney in 4 years, so I'm pumped!**

 **Also, this updating has been super frequent because I'm going away for almost 2 weeks and I wanted to give you more than enough to hold you over while I'm gone! Again, I have one in the works, so hopefully I get that one to you right after I get home from vacation! :)**


	120. Chapter 119 - Girl In Pieces : TMI Story

**Trigger Warning:**

 **This story contains some heavy content, and if you can't read things that relate back to self harm, or sexual assault, or anything like that, this might not be the story for you.**

 **One Hundred and Nineteen Story**

 **Girl In Pieces - TMI Version**

 **Clary POV:**

It wasn't that I didn't want to talk. It's just every time I went to say something, the anxiety of telling people my life always got caught in my throat. I was ashamed of what I've gone through, and what I did. I was a fuck up. A huge fuck up. The only people who ever understood me were Simon and Sebastian. But now I'm not even with them.

All I remember was falling down, and feeling incredibly numb, and after that I woke up in this home. The Institute. It was a place for people like me, well girls like me. Cutters, burners, and anything else that they consider 'a danger' to ourselves. I don't know how long I've been here, but for the first time in almost 2 years, I finally have a place to sleep, that isn't on the streets, and for that I was happy.

My life has been a constant string of stealing, cutting, drugs, alcohol, and meaningless sex with people who I gave permission, and with those who forced themselves upon me. Even though I am now at this mental institution, I know that it's better than selling my body for the next hit, or being forced into something that I don't want. For the first time in a long time, I know I'm going to eat, and I know I'm going to be able to sleep. For me, that was good enough.

Today was a normal day, I woke up and went to breakfast where I didn't eat. Than we had a sort of free period, which wasn't exactly free since we were monitored at all times. Alaric was the man who was always watching us. He's shit at his job. He's either so caught up with his phone or napping. We're supposed to be monitored 24/7, but when Alaric is on the clock, every girl here knows they can get away with shit. Maureen for example gets computer privileges, but when Alaric is asleep, she uses the computer to talk to the outside world, or hack into the system. She's never been caught before, but with how little attention Alaric actually pays to us, I'm not really suspired.

There are a lot of girls here who seem to be normal. Something that I never was, I was always the outcast, always the delinquent, always the freak. Take Aline for example, she is my roommate, and she's been here the longest. But in my eyes, she looks absolutely perfect on the outside. According to every other girl, she's never leaving. But our doctor here is also her mother, so I'm not surprised she has a lifetime sentence in this place. It can't be all bad though, she has a place to sleep, a place to eat, and her mother with her at all times. It may not be the Four Seasons, but it's better than nothing.

My mother didn't even come to claim me. But that doesn't surprise me either. She's never been one to care about me. After everything that went down, the only reason that she would come to collect me was so that she could hit me again, but that would require her being sober enough to remember I'm gone, and I don't see that happening any time soon.

I was staring out the window like I do every day. It was raining today, but it is Minnesota, so I don't expect sunny skies all that often in the winter months. All I can think about is how I would be sleeping in this right now. I would be curled up behind some dumpster, trying to escape from creepy Meliorn, and his House, and a dumpster is better than a park in the winter.

"Hey you." I heard and I turned around to see Maureen. "You every going to become a Chatty Cathy or are you destined to be Silent Sue for the rest of your days here?" She asked and I just looked back at the window. I wanted to answer her, but I couldn't form the words yet. "You know girl, you're going to have to open up eventually. No progress means no release. And I doubt you want to be fucking trapped here forever like Aline." She said before leaving.

But the thing was, I wouldn't mind being Aline. I wouldn't mind being trapped forever because at least I know that I'll have food and a warm bed to sleep in at night. Although, half the time I never sleep. Insomnia and paranoia is a wicked combination, and one hell of a bitch I'll tell you that much.

When we were instructed to head back to our room, I walked in and saw Aline sitting on her bed writing. That's all she ever does. Write. But I would be doing the same thing if I had anything to draw with. She writes for an entire day, dresses in the best clothes she possibly has, and has a smile on her face for most of her waking hours here, but since I don't sleep, I notice that she smiles in her sleep, and I couldn't even imagine what it must feel like to be that happy. It must be one hell of a feeling because I didn't even know what happiness was without being high or cutting. I lay on my bed until I hear Aline's breathing even out. Than I get out of bed and start wondering the halls like I do every night. It's the same thing every day. I've never had a routine before, but than again, I've never had someone care before. This might not be the kind of care I should have, but I'll take what I can get at this point.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

We were in Group today, and all the girls were talking about how they were feeling, but not me. Jia knew that I was a selective mute. She knew that I would only open up in time, or at least that's what she told me in our private sessions.

Hearing all the girls inner thoughts and their struggles did make me feel less alone, but it made me feel lonely at the same time. They all seemed to own up to their struggles. Their scars. Their pasts. Their failures. But for me, owning up to my past, my struggles, my failures, my insecurities, my scars didn't mean progress, it only made me more aware of how truly fucked up I am. How I'll never be normal, and how the world accepts normal. They don't accept freak, and I'll never be who the world accepts.

"Hey Jia, how come Silent Sue over there never has to talk?" Maureen said and that caught my attention.

"Because talking in Group is optional Maureen, none of you have to talk if you don't want too." Jia said as she looked at me. I immediately looked down at my hands, as they dug into my forearms. They cut my nails real low so that I couldn't cause any damage to myself or others. It was a good idea, but I hated it more than anything. But with my recent injuries, I could still feel the burning sensation of my fingers digging into the fresh cuts I already had, and for right now, that would good enough for me.

"That's a load of bullshit if you ask me." Maureen said.

"And why is that?" Jia asked in her calm voice.

"Because we're all in here because we're fuck ups. We all know Silent Sue is fucking crazy, so why can't she tell us why she's that way? We ain't going to judge her." Maureen explained.

"Well Maureen, sometimes some people take a little more time to open up about their struggles." Jia said. She hated the terms cutting, burning, or anything like that. She would prefer if we used the term self harm, but it's rarely thrown around. Normally Jia just calls them struggles so that it's a wider net of issues. "Now, group is over for today." She said and everyone got up and left. "Except for you Clarissa. Come with me." She said quietly and I just nodded.

We got to her office and I took my normal seat behind the desk. I look at the tank in the corner of her office like I do every time. She had 8 fish in there. All different, all different sizes, colors, shapes, and lengths. She told me once that she uses her tank to describe The Institute. Filled with all different kinds of fish, but all coexisting together without any issues. She wants The Institute to work like that, but we're all too fucked to get along all the time.

"Now Clarissa, I know that you've come from some hard times." She started and I finally looked at her. "I've talked to Dr. Belcourt and she would like to look at your injuries." She said and I sighed. _Injuries._ She doesn't want to address what they really are. She doesn't want to acknowledge that I did it to myself. She doesn't want to be reminded that I'm fucked up. Even though she knows. "I made an appointment for one hour." She said. "You're dismissed." I got up and made my way to my room. I took a seat on my bed and pulled my legs into my chest and started rocking back and fourth. Jia told me to do this when I felt like everything was becoming too much. When I felt like a hurricane was brewing inside of me. So this is what I did. I knew other people had seen my scars, and I knew other people knew what I tried to do. But I was unconscious for that. I was going to be awake this time, and I didn't know how I was going to face someone knowing they knew what I did.

 **Time Jump – Appointment**

 **Clary POV:**

I was waiting in the room for the doctor when a nurse walked in. He was tall, and very tan. I don't know how he got so tan in Minnesota, but he was exceptionally tan. He had an amazing jaw line. I wanted to draw it.

"How are you doing today Clarissa?" He asked politely and I just shrug. "I'm going to be taking off the gauze for you, but after that, Dr. Belcourt will be cleaning and bandaging if she sees fit." He explained and I simply nodded.

He started with my arms. They were more accessible. He pulled the gauze off and it stung, but I welcomed the pain like an old friend. I looked down at the damage that I created, and I had to stop the small smile that was about to spread across my face. There was something satisfying knowing that I caused that much pain. Something so satisfying, yet so incredibly troubling.

"My god girl, you really went to town on these arms didn't you?" Jordan asked and yet again, I just shrugged. He put the cream on my arm, and the burning sensation felt like a warm blanket after a long winter night behind the dumpster. It felt like home. A home where the jagged spikes and the whips are a normality and pain is the only comfort you get. Once he was done, he switched gloves and looked back at me. "You ready for the next round?" He asked and I simply nodded. I pulled my pants down so he could work on my thighs. The cuts on my thighs were worse. Way worse. It was my masterpiece. My main event. The part that people would come to look at. But not in a good way. This would be the freak show. I wasn't da Vinci, but I was certainly talented.

He started removing the gauze, and I welcomed the pain once again. I looked down at my work, and I marveled at the amount of skin I managed to destroy. I looked at the place where porcelain skin once was, and I look at the valley's that I created. The valley's of human flesh trying to tell a story. Trying to tell a history. Trying to convince someone that I'm broken. Maybe I was trying to convince myself I'm broken, but I already know that.

"Nurse Elaine." I started and Jordan looked at me. "Bought me this underwear." I said and I have no idea why I said that, but I did. Maybe because I've been stealing for the past couple years and this is the first article of clothing that was new, and just mine.

"That was very kind of her." Jordan said. Not even mentioning that I just spoke for the first time since my 'incident' or that my sentence was completely and utterly embarrassing. "Did you thank nurse Elaine when she gave them to you?" Jordan and I I shook my head. "I think you should do that before you get released."

"Okay." I said and he nodded. He finally put the cream on my thighs and the pain seeped into my skin.

"Dr. Belcourt should be in momentarily." He said and I nodded. He left the room and I was alone. Everything sharp had been locked up so I stopped looking around and just focused on the wall. There was a picture. I don't know who it was by, but it was pretty. Well pretty enough. I could tell it wasn't professional, probably done by someone who is known locally. Either way, it added something pretty to the room, and we don't get that often here at The Institute.

"Good evening Clarissa." Dr. Belcourt said as she entered the room. "Jordan tells me your injuries are healing nicely." She said with a bright smile. _Injuries._ There's that word again. Why can't these people say the word scar? Its just a fucking word after all. "Which means that I think it's time to let them heal without the gauze." She said and I nodded. "Put this cream on them twice a day, and I'll reevaluate soon." She said and I nodded as I took the cream.

I got back to my room and it was nearly lights out. Aline was already in bed, humming to herself like she did every night. I waited until her breathing evened out before getting out of bed and wondering the halls. I see the nurses station and I see that Jordan is sitting behind it. I walked over and slam my hand on the counter.

"What do you want?" He asked.

*"Off." I say as I point to my hair. It's completely dead from the amounts of times I've dyed it.

"No can do kiddo." He said. "You have to wait until you're allowed to leave with the other girls. Than you can go to Hair Cuttery or something."

"NO." I yell. "It has to be done now." I said with as much conviction I can muster in my voice.

"Fine." He said. "You crazy bitch." He mumbled but I didn't care at this point. He was doing what I wanted him to do. "Follow me." He said and I did as I was told. He sat me down and started working on my hair. I didn't care that it slightly hurt. I needed this.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

When I walked into the eating area, everyone went silent when they saw me. I looked down and got my tray of food and took a seat slightly away from the other girls, but like I always do. I was expecting everyone to go back to what they were originally doing, but when I looked up, they were all still staring at me. After what felt like hours, Seelie decided to speak.

*"Holy fucking Christ, Curly, check you out." Seelie said. They started calling me Curly when I wouldn't tell them my name. I can only assume its because of my hair, and for a long time I didn't care that they called me a bunch of nicknames. I didn't have to speak, and that's all that mattered.

*"I hate you, Silent Sue, but you look a shit-ton better. Almost human." Maureen commented from the corner. I start to eat my food in peace when I feel someone sit down next to me.

*"Christ, Curly, what you'd use? You went to fuckin' town." She said and I knew she was talking about the visible scars. I knew I couldn't hide them forever, but I thought I at least had a little more time. My mind starts racing with what to tell them, should I tell them the truth, or should I just lie? Maybe I should just not say anything since they all know I don't talk anyway. I looked at Seelie when Aline talked instead.

*"Glass." Aline said and everyone looked at her. "She used glass. Breakfast of desperate champions." She said nonchalantly. I guess it was easy for her. She wasn't the one who did it.

*"Hard-core Curly." Seelie said.

*"It's not Curly Seelie. It's Clary. _Clary Fray._ " I said and surprisingly my voice isn't hoarse at all, but strong.

*"Whoa. _Somebody's_ got a voice." Caterina said with a smirk.

*"Things are about to get interesting around here." Maureen said as she drank her coffee slowly. Cats out of the bag now, and I wasn't sure if that's a good thing of not.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

With my newfound voice, Jia thought it was time to give me something to work on. That way my free time isn't spent staring at the window. Since I didn't finish high school, I was being allowed to finish online, as long as I was being supervised. Caterina was the person put in charge of monitoring me when my school sessions were happening, and she was pretty excited about it.

But Caterina always disappeared for long periods of time, and Alaric was napping, so I decided to disobey the rules. I decided to check my email. I wanted to talk to Simon, since we haven't talked in a year. I opened the message box and typed.

 ** _To Simon:_**

 _Hey._

I wait for a response. The longer I wait, the most anxious I become. I start picking at my nails. And old habit I formed when I was going through withdraw. He had to be there, right?

 ** _From Simon:_**

 _Holy shit, is this really you?_

He replied back and I couldn't believe that I was finally talking to Simon.

 ** _To Simon:_**

 _Yea._

 ** _From Simon:_**

 _Are you okay?_

 ** _To Simon:_**

 _Yes and no. I'm in a mental institution._

 ** _From Simon:_**

 _I know. Your mom told me when I went looking for you._

 ** _To Simon:_**

 _I don't even have fucking clothes. I'm wearing some from the lost and found._

 ** _From Simon:_**

 _I'm currently at a show._

 ** _To Simon:_**

 _Who is playing?_

 ** _From Simon:_**

 _Local talent. We're trying to make it big._

 _I'll be coming around soon though, can you put me on a visitors list or something? That way I can see you?_

 ** _To Simon:_**

 _Yes!_

But before I can do anything, Alaric is up and slams his hand on the computer, causing my conversation with Simon to end.

"Where the fuck is Caterina?" He yells at me and I just shake my head. "Get back to your room, I'm going to go find your friend." He says as he storms out, and I do as I'm told.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Caterina was gone that night. She wasn't allowed to say bye to us, and something in the atmosphere changed after she left. I didn't care too much. A couple days ago, my friends apparent dropped off my backpack. Kirk and Matt were the ones who had my backpack. But when Jia gave it back to me it was empty. They had to take everything out to examine it. There was a note left inside from Matt and Kirk though. They took my money, and Kirk took my sketchbook, that fucking thief. Apparently he liked the comic I was drawing about our friend group. Piece of shit.

I was called into Jia's office today, but I didn't know why. It wasn't time for my private sessions, so I had no idea why she wanted to talk to me. Maybe it was for the internet incident, or maybe she realized that my friends called me once pretending to be my mother. Nonetheless I was nervous. When I got there, I took a seat and waited for Jia to start talking.

"I have some news for you Clarissa." She started off. "You're being released."

"Why?" I asked without a second thought.

"Unfortunately, you are no longer able to pay for the treatment of this facility." She said and I had to admit, payment never even crossed my mind while I was here.

"But it's still winter." I said and she sighed.

"We're working on finding you a great halfway house, but until than, you're going to have to live with your mother." She said and I felt a hurricane brewing inside of me. I abruptly stand up.

"I'm going to my room now." I said before walking out without hearing her response.

I get there and I get in the shower. Before I can think, I'm slamming my head against the wall. It hurts, but I don't stop until I see blood. I don't even realize that Jia comes running in, with a mob of girls behind her. Before I can stop myself, I start spilling all my secrets.

"Please don't make me go back to her. My mother is cruel." I'm crying out. "She started hitting me after my father died, and eventually I started hitting back." I said and I vaguely see her eyes well up. "I'll just end up back on the street like I have been for the past couple years." I cried out. "The man in the underpass, he broke me even more." I cried again. "And don't even get me started with Meliorn." I said. "Please Jia, please don't make me." I finished. She stood up, and walked out of the bathroom right after that, and that just left me lying on the ground in a ball while the hurricane took me over. I didn't know what else to do, I thought that might extend my stay, but now I wasn't so sure.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I did get to stay. But now my time is up. Simon actually stayed true to his word and tried to visit, but because of my outburst, I wasn't allowed any visitors, and he was escorted off the property. It sucked, because all I wanted to do was see him. I was in my room packing my things to leave. Aline gave me her suitcase, she said she didn't need it anyway. She was right. I didn't have much, but enough to fill this suitcase a little bit. I can't lie, having this makes me feel like I have something that's important. Like I belong.

Once I'm done I make my way out to the lobby area. I see my mom first, her hair is as red as mine. I get anxious. My palms start sweating; the hurricane starts brewing inside of me. I wasn't allowed to say goodbye to the girls, just like Caterina, I was leaving, and they were going to go on like I was never here. Maybe its for the best. I'm terrible company to keep. I get to the desk where Jia is, and her eyes are sad for me, I can't blame her.

"Take care of yourself Clarissa." She says and I can't do anything else but nod a little. My mom signs the last of the paper work before she starts walking out. That's my cue to follow.

Once we're outside she lights a cigarette, and we start walking towards the sidewalk. My mom doesn't own a car, so it's either the bus or walking. And knowing my mother, we're walking. We get to the end of the property, and she turns to face me.

"I have all your stuff that you need. Some money, a ticket, and your birth certificate." She says and I'm completely caught off guard.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"We both know this isn't going to work out. It never has." She said. "This is it for us."

"I thought I was going home with you." I said completely dumbfounded.

"Your friend Simon came and found me." She said and my heart skipped a beat thinking about Simon. "We both know us living together is a bad idea, and you can't live in a fucking halfway house. That's not you Clarissa. It never has been." She said. "Simon bought you a bus ticket to Arizona. He has a place down there. Stay with him. He'll take care of you." She said.

"But….." I said but she cut me off.

"He left a note." She said as she pulled it out of her pocket. "I read it." She said and I rolled my eyes. Of course she did. "He'll be gone for a little, so you'll be alone, but he can do so much more for you than I can." She said. "Don't fuck up Clarissa." She started walking away, but turned around. "Oh, Emma's mom found a lot of her stuff." She said and my heart broke at the mention of her name. "There was a lot of money she had saved. Her parents thought you should have it." She said as she handed me the money. And with that, she left. I was really alone now. I didn't know where I go at this point. I was about to walk away, but someone stopped me.

"Need a ride girl?" I heard and I turned around to see Alaric. "You don't know where to go do you?" He said.

"How did you….?" I said and he just laughed and shook his head.

"I know things." He said. "Where you off too?"

"The bus station." I said.

"Get in." He said and I looked at him. "Come on girl." He said and I got in the car. "I never want to see you here again Clary, okay?" He said and I nodded. He drove me to the bus station, and once we were there he gave me some money and drove away quickly. I took a deep breath and got on the bus to Arizona. I didn't know what else to do, but I knew I was going to be with Simon eventually, and that's all I needed right now.

 **Time Jump – Five Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Simon's place wasn't that great, but it was better than the streets. I learned he had a landlady, her name is Tessa. She was nice enough, but we didn't talk all that often. Arizona was hot. Too hot. Simon didn't have much in this place. Not even food. So with some of the money Alaric gave me, I went to the local store and bought small things. It was enough, and that's all I needed.

It was midafternoon when there was a loud banging on the front door. I got up form the floor and made my way over, and when I opened the door, there stood Tessa. She looked hot, and angry, I didn't want t be on the receiving end of this anger, but than again, I'm used to it.

"Listen here girl, I'm doing this for Simon, but you can't mooch off me." She said. "Rent is almost due, and Simon isn't here to pay it, that means it's on you." She said and the anxiousness started filling me. She handed me a piece of paper with some writing on it. "My friend runs a store down the street, tell her Tessa sent you. Get a fucking job. Pay your way in this world. Don't be a free loader." She said and with that, she left the apartment. I looked at the piece of paper and I sigh. I guess I knew this was coming, but I didn't know it was going to come so soon.

I started walking down the street and I start sweating. It's ungodly hot out here, and I don't really know how I feel about it. I'm not used to this heat, and it doesn't help that I wear long sleeves and pants to cover up my _injuries._

I get to the place that Tessa was talking about and it doesn't look like a place where I'd fit in. I walk in and I'm met with a beautiful girl. She's wearing a sparky dress, and a short bright pink wig. I didn't fit in here, and I knew it, and the moment she looked at me, she knew it as well.

"What can I do for you girl?" She said as she made her way over to me.

"I was told…my landlady…are you hiring?" I stuttered and she laughed a little. But it didn't sound condescending, but just like she was pleasantly surprised that I was so nervous.

"Jessamine! Come here!" She yelled and another girl came out, dressed the same way she was. "She's looking for a job."

"Here?" Jessamine asked and the other girl nodded. "I don't think you really fit in here sweetheart." She said and I could only nod in agreement with her.

"Oh! You could work at Java Jones!" The other girl shouted excitedly.

"Are they even hiring Lilith?" Jessamine asked.

"Yea. They just fired their dish boy yesterday for coming in high. Or he quit, I'm not really sure which." Lilith said.

"Right." Jessamine said. "Go there and ask for Jace."

"Jace Wayland." Lilith said with so much seduction in her voice.

"Keep your panties on girl." Jessamine said and Lilith just laughed.

"He's like super hot. You'll see what I mean when you go there." She said and I nodded.

"Thanks." I said. "For the advice." I said before walking out.

I made my way to the coffee shop they talked about. I saw it from down the street, and it definitely looked more my style. When I got closer I saw a couple people outside smoking. I allowed the smoke to enter my lungs and the slow burn felt like home once again. Something I wanted so badly, but was trying to stay away from. Jia said in our last session that I needed to stay on the wagon, I couldn't fall off.

"What can we do for you Red?" The one guy asked. He sounded like he was from somewhere else.

"He's not really British." The other one points out. "He just likes girls to think he is."

"Why do you always have to ruin my thunder Raphe?" The one guy said. "So Red, what can I get for you? Coffee? Bagel?" He asked.

"I don't think she speak Jace." The one girl said and that's when it hurts. _Jace. Jace Wayland._ "This your first time in the presence of someone famous?" The girl asked. _Famous?_

"Semi famous Lily." Raphe pointed out. And they all laughed.

"Whatever. What can I do for you Red?" He asked again.

"Lilith and Jessamine sent me. They said you might need someone." I said finally.

"Lilith and Jessamine always know what I need." He smirked and something in me shifted, but I didn't know if it was good or bad. "You're not what I usually go for, but I'm in a bit of a dry spell…."

"For a job asshole. A damn job." I hissed and his friends and laughed while he smirked.

"Yes, yes." He said. "But I don't know if we have any positions open. My sister is the boss around here, and she doesn't get back for another day." Jace said.

"Axel just quit the other day." Raphe pointed out.

"But she doesn't want to wash dishes." Jace said.

"Yes I do." I may have said a little too quickly.

"You sure you don't want to wait tables somewhere else?" Jace offered. "You'd make a lot more waiting tables." He said.

"No. I don't like talking to people." I said and he nodded.

"Hey, where the fuck have you been Jace?" I heard some girl yell.

"That's my cue." Jace said. "I make no promises, but come back here tomorrow Red. 6:30 am." He said and he walked back inside. His friends all left, and than it was just me. I took a deep breath. I got a job. It wasn't much, but it was something.

 **Time Jump – First Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I got the Java Jones this morning 15 minutes early. I got into the shop and Jace starts telling me what I have to do. It's not much. I wash dishes, and clean some tables when they need cleaning. It wasn't a hard job, and it wasn't really pleasant, but it was something. It was time for my break, and I really didn't have much to do, so I just sat in the back while Jace joined me.

"So Red, where are you from?" He asked. I didn't peg him much for small talk.

"Minnesota." I said.

"Minnesota." He repeated. "How the hell did you make it down to Arizona?" He asked, but before I could answer, he filled in the blanks. "I bet it was for a boy right?" He asked.

"No." I said, although it was technically true, but he didn't need to know that. "Why do you care?" I hissed back.

"Just trying to figure you out Red." He said, and I nodded.

By the end of the day, I was allowed to leave. It was 4:30, and I was exhausted. I took my apron off, and hung it on the hook. Jace came over to give me the money for the day, since I wasn't in their system yet, I technically wouldn't get paid this week, at least, that's what Jace told me. He handed me the money and I reached for it when my sleeve revealed my scars.

"What the hell happened to your arm?" Jace asked.

"Cat scratches." I said.

"That must be one bitchy cat." He said and I pulled my sleeve down. "Get rid of that fucking thing."

"Right. I will do that as soon as I get home." I said as I rushed out of there, but Jace followed.

"Same time tomorrow. My sister will be here. I'll put in a good word." He called out and I waved my hand letting him know that I heard him. I got back to Simon's and took my place on his bed. I soaked in his smell and let the exhaustion hit me.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Clary POV:**

I got to work at the same time I did yesterday, but Jace wasn't around at all. I walked in to find Helen, she was cool, a real workaholic though. I went to my station when she came running into the kitchen.

"You see Jace by any chance?" She asked and I shook my head. "Fucking hell. Can you go get him? He's probably drunk, and I would but if I leave Cecilia would fucking kill me." She said. I didn't know what to do so I just nodded.

I found a bike at Simon's place and I decided to take it to work since it's not be used at all. Helen wrote down Jace's address, and I made my way there. I knocked on the door, but nobody answered. I tried the knob: it was unlocked.

"Hello?" I called into the house. There was no answer. I made my way into the house and saw Jace sleeping on the couch. He looked dead, but his chest was slightly rising, so I knew he was still alive. I made my way over to him and pushed him slightly but there was nothing. The room smelled like old cigarettes and cheap vodka. Helen wasn't kidding, Jace was fucking wasted last night and it wasn't a pretty sight on him. "Jace." I said but there was still nothing. I get closer and the moment our faces are almost touching, his eyes snap open, and before I can register what's happening he's on top of me holding my wrists tight. Everything comes flooding back with the guy from the underpass, with Meliorn, and I'm terrified.

"Naughty girl Red." He sneers at me. "Come to take all my shit? Rob me while I'm asleep? I thought you had more class than that." He said.

"Get the fuck off me!" I yelled, but my voice wavered. But he wasn't letting go. "Fucking let me go Jace!" I yelled again. This time I guess he could tell I was really freaking out.

"I was just kidding Red. Get that stick out your ass." He laughed as he got up.

"That wasn't fucking funny Jace." I said as I stood up, and his face softened. He could see the fear in my eyes. And the tears streaming down my face.

"Oh god. I didn't mean to make you cry." He said a little more caringly. I didn't think it was possible, but maybe he did feel bad.

"Helen said get your ass to work." I said before pushing by him and making my way out

I got on my bike and rode back to Java Jones. I run into Helen in the back and she looks at me and than sighs.

"I knew it wasn't just the alcohol. He's fucking using again." She said. Clearly this was normal for him. She rushed out of the back area when the bell on the door rang. I was used to people using. That's basically all my friends and I did on the street. But I was used to Sebastian. When he was using, he just became a huge baby: without the crying. He was so calm, and chill. Whatever Jace took, it made him a downright asshole, and I didn't like it one bit.

 **Time Jump – Interview**

 **Clary POV:**

I walked into work today and Jace was waiting for me. I walked right by him and tried to start working since the night shift dish washer was actually incompetent at their job, which was pretty impressive since it was just washing dishes. I grabbed a plate, but Jace stopped me.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

"My sister wants that interview now." He said and my heart started racing. "Her office is back there." He said as he pointed down the hallway. I put the plate down and followed where he previously pointed. I got to her door and knocked.

"Come in." I heard her say and I walked in. "Hey, you must be the new girl right? I believe Jace calls you Red." She said and I nodded and took a seat. "What's your name?" She asked but before I could answer Jace walked in. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Making sure you don't bully the poor thing." Jace said.

"Oh please Jace." She said.

"My name is Clary." I said answering her first question.

"Well Clary, my name is Cecilia, you can call me CeCe if you really want." She said and I nodded. "So, why are you at Java Jones Clary?" She asked.

"Money?" I questioned myself, which made her laugh.

"No, I mean why are you here in Arizona?" She asked.

"Change of scenery?" I questioned yet again. I really didn't sound sure of myself at all.

"Okay, this might take some time." Cecilia said.

"She's form Minnesota." Jace chimed in from the other end of the room. "I have my suspicions, but I think she moved here for a dude."

"Would you get over that? It isn't even true." I said and he just smirked.

"So what is the truth?" Cecilia asked.

"I tried to kill myself alright?" I said without thinking. "I really fucked up. I have nowhere else to go. I'm staying with a friend who isn't even fucking here right now, and if I didn't get a job, his landlady wasn't going to kick me out on my ass." I dumped all on them, I saw Jace's body language change in the corner, but I didn't care. "I'm fucking hungry, so I need a job." Jace finally leaves and that just leaves Cecilia and I.

"Look kid, everyone has problems." She started. "I get it. I like you, I think you'll fit in great around here, but if you start slipping, I have no allegiance to you. My brother, he's a fuck up too, but he's family." She said and I nodded. "I'll get you your schedule by the end of the day." I got up and made my way back to my station. I put on my apron and started washing dishes when Jace came in.

"I'm a dick." He said, but I didn't look at him. "I get it, and you know it. But just know, everyone is fucked up in some way." He said as his fingers grazed my forearm. "You didn't need to lie." He whispers, and my body automatically shivers, but it's all too soon interrupted.

"Yo Jace, tell her about the time you puked in Mick Jagger's face!" Someone yelled.

"Great story." Jace said as he started talking. I continued working as I listened to his story. He was right, we're all fucked up, just some worse than others.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since my job was steady enough, I decided that it was time to move out of Simon's. I knew Tessa wanted me out, although she never actually said the words. So today I was looking at some really sketchy places, ones that I knew I could afford. I found a place that wasn't that bad, but also wasn't great. I walked up to a couple old guys sitting on the porch.

"What can I do for you pretty lady?" The one man said.

"It says there is an apartment available." I said with a shaky voice.

"Ah yes." He said as he stood up. "My name is Hodge, what about you sweetheart?"

"Clary." I said and he gave me a kind smile.

"Let's go." He said and we entered the building.

He was talking, and I was half listening. The place wasn't that great, and it didn't come with much, but it was better than nothing. So when he asked me if I wanted it, I said yes. I gave him my deposit, and the place was mine. It was weird to have something that was mine. Before I only had the suitcase that Aline gave me, but now I have this. It was odd, but a step in the right direction.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was working today, and my shift was almost over. I went out onto the floor to gather some dishes from the dirty table to run the dishwasher once more. The bell on the door rings and when I look up, I drop the forks that are in my hand.

"Simon." I whispered and he just smiles at me. I run into him and he scoops me into his arms.

"It's so good to see you Clary." He says into my hair.

"Oh my god." I said as we broke apart. "I'm done in 10 minutes. Wait for me?" I asked and he nodded before taking a seat. I made my way back into the kitchen where Jace was leaning against the wall.

"You didn't move here for a dude huh?" He asked and I looked at him.

"He's my friend." I said. "One of my best friends."

"Mhm." He said. "I think there is more than what you're telling me."

"It's none of your business anyway. Who I'm friends with." I hissed back after I closed the heavy duty dishwasher. I took my apron off and put it on the hook.

"Your shift isn't over yet." Jace called out.

"The dishwasher is running, and nobody is in the shop. I'm done." I said as Simon stood up. He smiled at me, and we made our way out of the coffee shop. It felt amazing to be back in his presence.

We went to another restaurant and started talking. I learned that he got clean, and that he was touring with a band. He was doing really well for himself, and I was proud of him. We talked about how Sebastian got clean and the struggles we went through. It was nice to be able to talk to someone who knew me through the bad things. It was like I wasn't truly alone anymore. It was nice.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

After I showed Simon where I was living, he told me that I needed some furniture. More specifically, a bed. So we were curb shopping for a mattress. It wasn't much, but I was doing it was Simon, so I was happy to be reconnecting with him.

Once we got the mattress back to my place, Simon suggests that we go out and have fun, since I was long over due for some fun. I agreed, not wanting to be alone anymore, and since Simon was back, I was going to soak up as much as I possibly could. We reached the house where the party was when Simon stopped.

"Shit. I totally forgot Clare." He said as he looked at me. "There is going to be drinking at this party."

"It's okay." I said quickly.

"Are you sure?" He asked. I could tell he wanted to go.

"Totally. I'll be fine." I said and I smiled at him. He smiled back and we made our way into the house. The music was blaring, and the sweaty bodies were slamming into other sweaty bodies. It was a mad house, but Simon was holding onto my hand as he lead me through the crowd, and for that simple gesture, I was happy to be here.

"I'll be right back." He kind of yelled at me and I nodded. He pushed through the crowd and I stayed on the wall where he guided me.

"Red." I heard and I turned around to see Jace. "What a funny thing running into you here."

"Simon wanted to come." I said and he smirked.

"Ah. Still following your boy toy around." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"He isn't my boy toy." I said and he laughed.

"So you don't mind that?" He asked and I followed his eyes. I saw Simon coming back through the crowd, but this time with someone on his arm. "Gotta watch out for Maia." He said in my ear. But before I could say anything to him, he was gone.

"Oh my god! Were you just talking to Jace Wayland?" She yelled and I nodded. "He's the best." She said with a smile. "Besides Simon that it." She giggled and Simon smiled. Than she kissed him. Everything in me went numb. They started getting lost in the crowd, and I saw a cut up beer sitting on the table. I really shouldn't do it. It's going against what Jia told me to do but at the moment, I didn't care. I downed the beer followed by 4 more. I was a lightweight, so I was feeling it pretty soon. I stumbled out of the house and started making my way home when I heard my name.

"Clary!" I turned around to see Simon running after me. "Clary where are you going?" He asked.

"Home!" I slurred back, and by this time he caught up to me. I stumbled in his arms.

"Whoa. Did you drink Clary?" He asked, the sound of disappointment in his voice pushed me over the edge.

"Go away." I hissed at him.

"Come on Clary, don't be like this." Simon said.

"Be like what Simon?" I asked.

"Like _this._ " He said as he gestured to me. "Don't start this shit again." I rolled my eyes and started walking away, but Simon grabbed me. "Talk to me Clary." He said. I looked into his eyes, and just went for it. I pressed my lips to his and he was stunned, but for a split second, it felt good, until he pushed me away. "What the hell Clary?" He yelled, than he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Talk about a kick to the face. "What was that for?" He asked and I just walked away. "Stop doing this Clary. You can't just kiss me."

"Go back to your girlfriend Simon." I said through gritted teeth.

"Wait, this is about Maia?" He asked but I didn't respond. "Wait, you thought…..? That we….? Oh Clary." He said and I felt my eyes well. "We're friends Clary, but that's all we are. _Friends._ " He said.

"Just get the fuck away from me Simon." I said and he sighed. He walked back towards the party and I made my way home. I was a fool to think that anything was going to happen. Simon was getting his life together, and I was just a fuck up.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I've fallen into a routine around here. Since Jace is more often than not, hung over in the morning, Helen sends me to get him. Whether it be alcohol, drugs or a combination, I've turned into his human alarm clock, but I honestly didn't mind it. It was something to do, and he was someone to talk to. Even though we never talked about anything important. It was something that made me feel important, and I needed that right now. God knows I need it right now.

Simon asked me if I'd meet with him today. Apparently he had to talk to me about something. I really hope it isn't about the kiss. I really didn't want to relive that moment. When I got to the place where we agreed to meet, Simon was already there. I took a seat and Simon smiled at me.

"Thanks for meeting with me Clary." He said and I nodded. "There is no easy way to say this, but I'm going back on the road."

"You're leaving?" I asked. "Again?"

"I have too." He said. "This is an amazing opportunity."

"Okay." I said because what else am I supposed to say?

"But don't become a loner again Clare." He said. "Make some friends. Maia is around if you need her."

"Really? Maia?" I asked.

"Come on Clare, she's really nice. You just have to get to know her." He said. "Just make the _right_ friends Clare."

"What's that supposed to me?" I asked defensively.

"Maia has seen you walking to work with Jace Wayland." He said.

"Having your girlfriend spy on me Simon?" I asked.

"She works across the street from Java Jones." He said. "She sees you two, and I'm telling you Clare. He's no good. You're trying to stay clean, but Jace will only drag you down. He's washed up musician. The worst kind of washed up musician."

"You don't get to choose my friends Simon." I said and he sighed.

"What's going on with you two anyway?" He asked.

"It's none of your business." I said.

"I don't want you getting in with the wrong crowd again Clare. And Jace Wayland is the wrong crowd." He said.

"Well good news for you." I said. "I'm his fucking alarm clock Si. He can never get up in the morning, so Helen made me get him a few times, and I just kept going. You don't have to worry about me Simon."

"Of course I do Clary. You're my friend. One of my best friends Clary. Making the right friends is only going to help you. Being friends with Jace is only going to bring you down." He said.

"He gave me a job Simon." I said. "I may only be fucking washing dishes but it's something. So I wake him up. It's just what we do."

"What _we_ do? Come on Clary, you're getting sucked into the Jace Wayland charm." He said.

"Is that all we came here to discuss? You leaving, and my poor choice in friends?" I asked and he looked at me.

"I wanted to talk because I needed to know you'll be okay while I'm gone." He said. "But once Maia told me about Jace, I got worried." He said and I sighed. I reached my hand across the table and put it over his.

"I'll be fine Simon." I lied. "I will."

"Okay." He said and he smiled at me. I don't know if he believed the lie, but if he didn't, he wasn't showing it.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Whatever I said to Simon about what Jace and I were, quickly changed. Simon was right, he was a spiraling black hole, and I felt like another victim. When I was having a bad day, Jace was always there to make me feel better. But that normally included drinking. Although it wasn't cutting, it was still against the advice Jia gave me, but I didn't care.

But it didn't stop there. The first time Jace and I had sex, I didn't even know what happened. At first we were just shooting the shit and having fun, the next thing I know, we're both naked. But I didn't mind. He never once mentioned my scars, whether he was sober enough to remember the next morning that he saw them, or maybe he just didn't give a fuck. Either way, I didn't mind.

We didn't have a label on anything, but I liked that in certain ways. I was too broken to ever be loved in the way that other people love. And Jace was too broken to give that love out. We were just too broken to be loved, but that didn't mean we couldn't fuck each other senseless, and so that's what we did. It worked for us, and that's all that mattered.

It was early, and nobody was in the store, but Jace and I. I was about to get ready to start doing the dishes from the night before when Jace took my hand in his and lead me back to his sisters office. He shut the door behind him and locked it, and when he turned around, his golden eyes were glistening with lust. I knew what he wanted.

"Not here Jace." I said and he made his way over to me.

"Why not?" He asked. "It's thrilling."

"Not in your sisters office." I said and he just smirked.

"That's what makes even more thrilling. Plus she's gone for the weekend." He said as he cupped my face in his hands. "Come on Red, live a little." He whispered and than his lips were on mine. I couldn't say no. No matter what. There was something about him, something addictive. More addictive than cutting, drugs, alcohol, and stealing. It was dangerous, but I was too deep to get out.

When we were done, we walked out of Cecilia's office to be greeted with none other than Cecilia herself. She looked pissed, and I instantly shrunk behind Jace. I didn't know how long she had been standing there, but I had a feeling she had a good feeling about what was going on in her office.

"My office." She said directly to Jace. "Now." She said as she pushed by us. Jace turned around and faced me.

"Wait for me in the kitchen, okay?" He asked and I nodded. He went into the office and shut the door behind him. I made my way to the kitchen before I could listen in. I didn't want to hear what she was saying about me, I knew it wasn't good.

About 30 minutes later Jace walks back in, and he doesn't look too upset, so I really don't know how the conversation between his sister and him went. I continued to wash the dishes, wondering if this was my last time every getting to do this, and for a moment, I felt kinda sad. Even if it's just washing dishes.

"Is this my last time washing dishes?" I asked and I heard Jace laugh.

"No, but she is switching you to night shift." He said and I looked at him. "But she said she wasn't giving you any more warnings. This was it."

"I guess that's fair." I said and he nodded. He got to work and I continued to wash dishes for the day. Cecilia gave me a second chance, something she told me she wouldn't do in the beginning, so my punishment wasn't that bad, I was just thankful that I still had a job.

 **Time Jump – First Night Shift**

 **Clary POV:**

When I first walked in for my shift, I was surprised to see Helen there. That woman worked way too much, but if she needed the money, I couldn't blame her for that.

"Clary!" Helen said and I smiled. "CeCe told me she switched you to nights." She said and I nodded. "Well, let's introduce you." She said and I nodded.

"This is the night shift crew. This is Mark, Izzy, and Alec." She said. "It's pretty much family night every night around here. Alec and Izzy are siblings, and Mark is my little brother." She said and Mark put her in a headlock.

"Enough you two." Izzy said before making her way to me. "Is it true you fucked Jace in CeCe's office?" She asked and I felt uncomfortable talking about this to a stranger. "What was it like?"

"Come on Iz. Don't ask her that." Alec chimed in.

"What? It's a simple question. I want to know if Jace is as good as everyone says." She said and that sentence made my want to vomit. _As good as everyone says._ Was is just his flavor of the week? Who knows.

"Let her settle in and get to know us a little before we go around asking about her sex life." Mark says. Izzy blows a buddle with her gum than walks away. This was going to be a long shift.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

When I got home from work one night, there was someone in front of my door. I had no idea who would just show up unannounced at my place, considering not many people knew where I lived. I made my way closer before I recognized this strangers face. She turned to face me with the biggest smile on her face.

"Hey Silent Sue." She said. "Miss me?"

"Maureen." I breathed out. "How did you find me?" I asked.

"I asked Alaric." She said. "He told me you got on a bus to Arizona. So before I got on a bus, I tracked down you mom." She said as we made our way into my place. "She told me about your friend here, and that you were living here for now." She explained. "So I got to the address, but the landlady told me you moved. She didn't know exactly where, but she gave me the description if this place. I talk to your landlord and he told me I could wait until you got home. Look at you getting a fucking job and being an adult."

"I'm trying." I said and she smiled.

"Trust me, I'm 30 fucking years old and I'm still trying to figure out how to be an adult most days." She said and I smiled at her.

"How long are you here for?" I asked.

"Not sure. I was with Seelie for a little while but I needed to get away from the fucking cold. I was dying there." She said. "But the sun, holy hell does the sun feel nice."

"It gets really hot here." I admitted.

"I don't fucking care. If my tears aren't turning into icicles, I'll be really fucking happy." She laughed and so did I. Winter wasn't my favorite either, in fact it was my least favorite season. Maureen and I talked for a couple hours until we both fell asleep in the sweltering heat. Maureen might not be much, but she was something familiar and for the first time since Simon left, I felt like I belonged again, I felt like I was with my own kind.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Maureen was still with me, and she was fitting in just fine. She met Jace a few days ago, and for some reason they really got along. It was a little unnerving, but there was nothing I could do about it.

Jace asked me to stop by his dealers house after my shift to pick him up something, and as much as I was dreading it, I was still going to do it. As long as I didn't see Kaelie again, I would be good. She was always very good at taunting me about Jace. Apparently there wasn't a girl in this fucking town he hasn't been with. Kaelie was apparently a regular hook up for him, and the fact that she was always with his dealer annoyed me. He saw her often, and I can only imagine how many of these pick up turned into drunken sex between those two. I tired not to think about it as I made my way back to his house.

When I opened his door, I was surprised to see Maureen on the ground. I really shouldn't be surprised. Jace lives in a place that's air-conditioned and the first time Maureen met him, he told her that if she ever got too hot at my place, she could always come over, and I guess she took him up on that today. She was alone though, and from the looks of it, completely high. There were bottles all over the room, but Jace was nowhere to be found. I made my way through the house, and when I got to the kitchen I stopped dead in my tracks. Jace is fucking Kaelie in the kitchen. She opens her eyes, and winks at me, almost as if she's says _I win._ And all I can do is gap at the sight in front of me. Jace soon stops and turns around. I guess I made a noise but I didn't notice. He drops Kaelie on the counter and pulls his pants up, and that's when I finally get the courage to walk away. I leave Maureen in the living room as I head towards my bike.

"Clary!" I heard Jace call after me, but I don't stop. "Clary stop it!"

"Stop what Jace?" finally yell.

"Stop being such a bitch." He yelled.

"Oh, I'm the bitch? You were just fucking another girl." I yelled at him.

"So? I'm single." He said and I scoffed.

"I should have known." I said. "I should have fucking known."

"Known what?" He asked.

"Known you didn't give a shit about me." I yelled back.

"That's not true." He said.

"Oh yea? Than why don't you ever fucking ask about my life?" I asked.

"We all have secrets Clary." He said.

"That's no excuse." I said. "You don't ask because you don't fucking care."

"You don't know shit Clary." He yelled back. "You're just a fucking child."

"Oh yea?" I asked. "I've been through shit no one should ever have to go through." I yelled.

"We all have!" Jace yelled.

"My best friend tried to kill herself and it's all my fault. She's now a fucking vegetable and it's all my fucking fault." I started spewing details of my life that I never thought I'd ever tell anyone. "My mom started hitting me so I started hitting back, which resulted in me being homeless. I slept behind dumpsters, and on park benches, hell in the winter I slept _in_ dumpsters because it was warmer, forget the rats and the horrible smell. It was fucking warm and I didn't want to freeze to death, although I don't know why. Dying would have been easier."

"Stop." Jace said but I wasn't going too.

"I had friends, Simon being one of them, that did everything with me. We stole, drank, did drugs, slept in ally's together. You name it, I've been through it. I was the hook, and those pathetic men were the fish. I reeled you in just so my friends could jump you for your expensive watch so we could pawn it for more drugs." I continued.

"Stop it!" He yelled.

"And when your 'friend' group breaks apart and you try to survive on your own, gross men try and take advantage of you under bridges!" I yelled. "There isn't much you can do when he's a foot taller than you, and weighs significantly more than you! So you have to get used to the feeling of his breath on your neck, and his tongue in your mouth. His fingers in you, and his whole body convulsing with pleasure. Pleasure that you don't feel yourself." I said and Jace's face was blank. "I lived in a sex house Jace. I was being sold for sex because I am worthless in some peoples eyes. So I tried to kill myself because at least death would be less painful than life." I finished. "There's my story Jace. Every fucking word of it." I said before getting on my bike and leaving.

When I got home I grabbed the empty bottle of cheap wine Maureen bought the other night. I smashed it on the ground and grabbed a huge chuck of glass. I was done this time. I was truly fucking done. I got in the bathtub, and started cutting away. When the darkness consumed me, I welcomed it back like an old friend.

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up and was super confused as to what happened. I wasn't in my house, but I was in Cecilia's house. I sat up and my whole body ached. I heard some noise from the kitchen and when I got there, Cecilia was cooking break fast.

"Morning." I said and she looked at me.

"Honestly Jace, the next time I have to haul your ass off the streets for disturbing the peace, I'm letting them lock you the fuck up." She said.

"That bad huh?" I asked and she scoffed.

"You're just lucky you didn't follow Kaelie." She said and I groaned.

"What the fuck happened CeCe?" I asked and she turned around.

"You got fucking high." She said. "Like always, but I guess the batch was bad or something because we were completely out of it. I mean, you tried to punch me."

"Sorry sis." I said and she smiled.

"I'm the last person you have to apologize too." She said.

"I'll be back later." I said and I got up and grabbed my jacket. She simply nodded and I ran over to Clary's. I had a feeling that's who Cecilia was talking about, but I didn't know everything, and I needed to talk to Clary in order to get the full story.

When I got to her place, I ran to her door and started pounding. I don't know why I expected her to answer so quickly, but when the door opened, and there stood Maureen, something didn't feel right.

"Well, if it isn't Jace fucking Wayland himself." She said.

"I sense a lot of hostility." I said and she scoffed.

"You got that fucking right." She said and I walked in, the place was trashed.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You're fuck buddy followed me home last night." She said. "I didn't notice but I passed out and she destroyed the place."

"Shit." I said. "Where is Clary?"

"You don't know?" She asked.

"Know what?" I asked.

"She tried to kill herself last night." She said and my jaw dropped. "You know, I get that good looking guys like you have a lot of options, and sticking to one girl might be tough, but fucking end it if you're going to screw someone else. And especially don't let her witness you doing it."

"Where is she?" I asked again.

"Well, Clary can't afford a hospital, and I remember meeting a guy that works nights at Java Jones is practicing to be an EMT." She said.

"Mark." I said.

"Yea. Him. I called him and he showed up with his sister. They took Clary and left the state." She said.

"They left Arizona?" I asked.

"Good for her too. This place is just one problem after another. I mean, finding out Simon and Maia got married last week was a huge blow, and add you fucking Kaelie on top of that, was just the…. What's that weird saying? With the camel?" She asked.

"It was the straw that broke the camels back." I said and she nodded and snapped her fingers.

"That's the one." She said. "You were the straw my friend."

"Do you have any idea how long she's going to be gone for?" I asked.

"Not a clue. I wasn't given any information, purely so that I couldn't tell you." She said. "Look, I didn't always like Clary, but she's a good person who dealt a really shit hand in life. I chose to be this way, she didn't." She explained. "And I assume you chose this life as well."

"My father was abusive." I admitted and she nodded.

"Than you know what she's going through, or at least you know some of it." She said. "You took advantage of a young girl who was struggling, and somewhere along the line you grew feelings for her, I can see it all over your face." She said and I sighed. "She doesn't need to be fucked again. Literally or figuratively. She needs a person to lean on, and be there for her, and if you can't be that, and I know you can't in the state that you're in, than let her go get someone who will be there for her no matter what."

"Can you let me know when she gets back?" I asked and Maureen sighed.

"If she wants you to know, than yea, but if she doesn't, I'm not going to tell her you stopped by." She said.

"Fair enough." I said and I left. Maureen was right, somewhere along the way I grew feelings for Clary, and I think that's why I freaked out. I've never had feelings for someone the way I had feelings for Clary. And Maureen made a lot of excellent points. Clary needed someone stable, and that wasn't me. Yet.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Helen and Mark took me to New Mexico and introduced me to their grandfather, Luke. He was a wonderful man and really opened his arms up to me. He was truly a special man, someone I hope I can find for myself one day. But I had a feeling that it would never work out for me.

When I got back Maureen hugged me so tightly I thought I was going to suffocate. We talked about everything that happened in the last two weeks. She told me she was going to be staying here and I told her that Luke offered me a job with him. I would be his assistant, and it sounded a lot better than dishwasher, plus I would be surrounded by the art community. Everything sounded perfect.

"I'm really going to miss you around here." Maureen said.

"Just keep the place together." I said and she laughed.

"You sure you aren't going to want to come back?" She asked.

"I think I'm done in Arizona." I said and she smiled.

"Let me know how you're doing? A phone call once a week." She said and I laughed.

"Always." I said and we hugged one last time.

I was going to Java Jones to talk to Cecilia. To apologize one last night, and let her know I appreciated all her kindness, even when I didn't deserve it. I walked in and it was pretty quiet. I noticed she wasn't on the floor, so she must have been in her office. The door was slightly cracked, so I knocked.

"Come in." She called and I opened the door. "Clary. I didn't know you were back." She said.

"We got in last night." I said. "Helen and Mark both don't work until tonight." I said and she nodded.

"What can I do for you?" She asked.

"I came here to quit." I said bluntly.

"Wow. That has to be the first." She laughed and I smiled. "Can I ask why?"

"While I was away, I got in contact with a man who hired me as his assistant. It's in the field that I want to pursue, and I think it will sound better than dishwasher." I said and she smiled.

"And this has nothing to do with Jace?" She asked.

"You know, I think Arizona has offered me everything it has to offer me." I said slightly avoiding the question. "I think I need a change of scenery." I said and that caused her to laugh.

"You know, I stuck up for my brother for as long as I possibly could." She admitted. "I never thought he'd ever drag someone down with him." She said.

"I know, stupid right?" I asked and she gave me a smile.

"My brother is an idiot, but he wasn't always like that. Our father was an abusive asshole, and Jace took most of it." She said and I nodded.

"Where is Jace?" I asked without thought.

"You didn't hear?" She asked and I shook my head. "After you left he checked himself into a rehab program. He's somewhere in Washington state for a year." She said and I nodded.

"I'm proud of him. For taking that step." I said and she nodded.

"He did it for you." She added and I looked at her. "He was devastated when he heard you tried to kill yourself, especially because he was the one who broke the camels back." She explained and I nodded. "Oh, he left this for you." She said as she handed me the note.

"Thank you." I said as I stood up.

"It was a pleasure working with you Red." She said and I smiled.

I grabbed my suitcase that Aline gave me and made my way to the bus station. This was the beginning of the rest of my life. I was going to be doing something meaningful for someone, and that felt great. Halfway to the airport I remembered the note. I took it out of my pocket and read it.

 _Clarissa – I have always cared about you. I may not have shown it in the best way, but you were an incredibly bright light in my very dark life. Take care of yourself._

 _Jonathan Christopher Herondale._

I couldn't help but smile that formed on my lips. I remember talking about how his name wasn't actually Jace Wayland but he would never tell me his full name, but now I have it. This was a good start. A new start. A fresh one.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I've never felt better than when I stepped foot out of that rehab center. Just knowing that I was completely and totally clean of everything was amazing. I felt lighter, and healthier. It was weird, but for the first time in years, I felt like a human.

Cecilia was meeting me to take me home, and I couldn't' wait to see her after a year. I'm used to seeing her every day, and since she runs Java Jones, she barely had time to visit, which I understood. I actually liked not having visitors. It helped me do this alone, and I needed that.

"It's good to see you Jace." She said and I hugged her.

"It's good to see you too sis." I said and she smiled.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I feel good. Better than I have in years." I said and she smiled.

"That's really good to hear." She said and I smiled.

"So, how is Java Jones doing?" I asked and she smiled.

"Well, now that my employees aren't stealing my money, we're doing pretty good." She said.

"I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble CeCe." I admitted. "I was really fucked up."

"You were." She said. "But you're clean now, and I know you're going to make this time count."

"Hell yes I am." I said and she laughed. "How is Clary doing?" I asked and she sighed. "What? Did you fire her?"

"No. She quit." She said.

"What? Nobody quits Java Jones." I said and she laughed.

"She's actually in New York." She said. "She got a new job."

"Really?" I asked and Cecilia nodded. "Doing what?"

"She's an assistant for Helen and Mark's grandfather." She said. "She sent me a letter a few weeks ago. She's loving it."

"That's great." I said.

"She's clean too you know." She said and I looked at her. "Once she moved out there, she got her shit together."

"That's good." I said.

"I know you cared about her…."

" _Care._ " I corrected her.

"I know you care about her, but this was the best thing for both of you." She said.

"I really fucked up didn't I?" I asked and she laughed.

"Majorly little bro." She said and I nodded. I didn't know what to say to Clary, I didn't even know how to approach her after all this time. She was doing so well, and I didn't want to ruin that. I had no idea what her life was life, if she had someone else already, but I knew one thing was for sure: I needed to apologize.

 **Clary POV:**

Luke gave me the weekend off, claiming that I work too hard. I didn't work nearly as hard as he did, but he insisted that I take the weekend, so here I am, in my apartment, enjoying the rainy day. It was the perfect day to have off, and I was really loving Luke for giving it to me.

There was a knock on my door confused me, but I got up in my over sized hoodie and shorts. Having money was something I was still getting used to, but Luke also gave me a lot of hand me downs, and I loved how bit the clothes were on my small frame. When I opened my door, I didn't even try to hide the shock on my face.

"Jace." I said and he gave me that smile.

"Hey." He said.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came to see you." He said. I realized he was still standing in my doorway.

"Come on." I said and he walked in. "Would you like some tea?" I asked.

"Uh, sure." He said and I got him a cup while he sat on the couch.

"How are you doing?" I asked.

"So much better. I forgot what it was like to be sober." He admitted and I nodded.

"I know what you mean." I said and he gave me a sad smile. "Are you still at Java Jones?" I asked trying to keep the conversation going.

"No. I didn't want to go back there once I got out of rehab." He said. " I felt like it was just the beginning of my downfall. I'm a new person, so I need a new job."

"Makes total sense." I said and he nodded.

"You seem to be doing really well." He pointed at my apartment.

"I wasn't always doing well. Luke actually had to pay my first 4 months of rent on this place, but after that I was making enough to afford it myself." I said and he nodded.

"You're also looking really good Red." He said and I couldn't help but blush.

"You know, a shower and proper food goes a long way." I said and he laughed. There was a pause in the conversation, but I didn't mind it.

"Clary, I came here for a reason." He said and I looked at him. "I am so incredibly sorry for what happened a year ago."

"Jace. It's in the past." I said.

"I know, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get an apology." He said. "I was stupid. We were messing around, and I never thought about how you'd feel if I got with someone else. And Kaelie and I had so much history, and I was so high."

"Please Jace. I don't want to remember it." I said and he nodded.

"You deserve better." He said. "Always remember that." I nodded and the conversation paused again.

"Where will you go from here?" I asked.

"No idea." He said. "Maybe I'll just bench jump." He laughed and I smiled.

"You should stay in the city." I blurted out. "It's really awesome." I tried to recover.

"Do you want me to stay Red?" He smirked and I laughed.

"Only if you want." I said and he moved closer.

"Can we start over Clary?" He asked and I took a deep breath.

"If we did start over, what would be different? Besides the drugs and alcohol." I asked.

"For one, I would never take you for granted." He said. "You have always held a special place in my heart Clary. Ever since the beginning."

"I have?" I asked and he smiled.

"Since I first laid eyes on you." He said. "I would also hold you hand in public, and let everyone know that I was yours and you were mine." He said and my heart fluttered. I've never had that before.

"It has to be different Jace." I said and he nodded. "We can't keep things from each other. We have to be opened. The past may be the past, but it's who we are. I don't care how painful it is to talk about, if we need to talk about it, we're going to talk about it."

"I totally agree with that. I had to attend therapy in rehab, and it was actually really helpful talking my problems out." He said and I nodded.

"Starting fresh is going to be incredibly hard for us Jace. We have a history, and not a very pleasant one." I pointed out and he nodded.

"I agree, but I want to start fresh." He said. "I want that with you."

"And you're sure?" I asked and he laughed.

"I'm positive, and for the first time in my life, it's not for a drug test." He said and I couldn't help but laugh, and he stuck his hand out. "I'm Jonathan, it's nice to meet you."

"Clarissa." I said and we shook hands.

"So Clarissa, what should I know about you?" He asked and I laughed.

"You should know I _hate_ being called Clarissa." I said and he laughed.

"Duly noted." He said and I smiled. "Anything else?" He asked.

"It's long list, you got the time?" I asked and he sat back against the couch.

"I've got nothing but time for you." He said and I smiled and leaned back into the couch as well. It may not be the love story most people were used too, but it was ours. It was unique, and somewhat odd, but ours. That was something people could never take away from us. I didn't know what the future held for Jace, and me but what I did know was that our history was just that – history.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, as you all know, I recently went on vacation, so that's why I haven't been updating my one shots, but here I am! So on vacation, during my airport waiting, and plane ride, I started a book. It's called 'Girl In Pieces' by Kathleen Glasgow, and I knew immediately that I wanted to write a Clace story out of it. So this is that story but in TMI version, and I hope you all love it! I changed a lot of things, and the timeline, but over all I tried to stick with the key concept, and I actually really like it and I hope ya'll do too!**

 **Disclaimer – I don't own 'Girl In Pieces', that belongs to Kathleen Glasgow, and I think the book is amazing! If you want something to read, it only took be about three days to read the whole book. It deals with lots of heavy topics, as you read above, so be prepared.**

 **Okay, so if anyone has read the book, I just wanted to give you all a character list, if you haven't read the book, it might mean absolutely nothing to you, but I had to write them all down to keep them straight in my head! So here it goes:**

 **Main Characters:**

 **Clary – Charlotte**

 **Jace – Riley**

 **Simon – Mikey**

 **Old Friends:**

 **Sebastian – DannyBoy**

 **Kirk – Evan**

 **Matt – Dump**

 **Java Jones People (True Grit in book)**

 **Cecilia – Julie**

 **Izzy – Temple**

 **Alec – Randy (Girl in book, but changed for this one shot)**

 **Helen – Linus**

 **Mark – Tanner**

 **Institute People (Creeley in the book)**

 **Maureen – Blue**

 **Aline – Louisa**

 **Jia – Casper**

 **Alaric – Bruce**

 **Camille – Doc Dooley**

 **Caterina – Jen S.**

 **Jordan – Vinnie**

 **Elaine – Nurse Ava**

 **Seelie – Isis**

 **Town People:**

 **Maia – Bunny**

 **Kaelie – Wendy**

 **Lilith – Molly**

 **Jessamine – Darla**

 **Raphael – Random friend of Jace**

 **Lily – Random friend of Jace**

 **Axel – Gil (guy who quit Grit)**

 **Secondary People:**

 **Hodge – Leonard**

 **Jocelyn – Misty**

 **Tessa – Ariel**

 **Emma – Ellis**

 **Meliorn – Fucking Frank**

 **Luke – Felix**

 **Also, since I don't own the book 'Girl In Pieces' I need to put in here the quotes that I specifically used form the book! Of course I changed some of the words to fit this story, but I need to give credit to the woman who actually wrote these words:**

 **Quote One:**

 **PG – 43**

 **Quote Two:**

 **PG – 47**

 **Quote Three:**

 **PG 48 – 50**

 **These are direct quote with a few changes! I needed it, and Kathleen just wrote it so perfectly, and I thought it added to the story! They have the * next to them for a reason!**

 **Quote Four:**

 **PG 52 – 54**

 **Quote Five:**

 **PG 77 – 91**

 **Quote Six:**

 **PG 98 – 99**

 **Quote Seven:**

 **PG 100 – 101**

 **Quote Eight:**

 **PG 118 – 123**

 **Quote Nine:**

 **PG 130 – 131**

 **Quote Ten:**

 **PG 142 – 148**

 **Quote Eleven:**

 **PG 152 – 155**

 **Quote Twelve:**

 **PG 327 – 329**

 **And to the whole book where I drew this inspiration from! If I missed any, this is my disclaimer! I tried to write it all down, but at some points I got so wrapped up in story that I may have missed a few!**


	121. Chapter 120 - Trafficked

**One Hundred and Twenty One Shot:**

 **Trafficked**

 **Jace POV:**

When people move, they are generally trying to move away from something. I mean, that's what my experience with moving has been like. So when my parents told me we were moving when I was 13, I didn't think anything of it. It was just going to be another town, another school, new friends, and that was that. What I didn't expect was to move into a town that had a dark past that haunted them on a daily basis.

Now, every town has their issues. The creepy stalker at the end of the street, the crazy cat lady that barely leaves her house, the town bullies, the town suck ups, the genius, the stoners, the all American football star, and the people who stay in that town from birth until death. Every town has the same model, but when my family and I moved to Alicante, I didn't realize how different this town actually was.

I still remember the day I met my best friend. I met Jon when I joined the football team once I moved here. We made an instant connection, and we've been best friends ever since. I had no idea he was living with a secret and the guilt until one day I saw him crying, and it was truly a day I will never be able to forget.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I was walking home from a friends house when I noticed someone sitting on the bench in the park. Now, it wouldn't be weird if it wasn't near dinnertime, and the streetlights were all about to come one. It's not like this town had a set curfew, but it was an unwritten rule that everyone followed. Curious, I walked over to the person on the bench, and as I got closer, I noticed it was Jon, and I noticed that he was crying. I took a seat next to him but didn't talk because I was leaving that up to him. I don't know how long I sat there until he finally spoke._

 _"Sorry you had to see me like this." He said._

 _"It's okay." I said back. It must have been something serious if Jon was crying. "What's going on?" I asked._

 _"It's my little sisters birthday." He said and it caught me off guard._

 _"You have a sister?" I asked curiously. I've never seen her around._

 _"I'm sure you've noticed the elephant in the town." He said. "There are certain times where everything gets eerily haunting, or people are just way too quiet." He said and I nodded. I did notice, but nobody ever said anything. "My sister was 12 years old when she was kidnapped."_

 _"When did it happen?" I asked._

 _"It'll be a year in November." He said. "She would be 13 today."_

 _"You two must have been close, since you're only a year apart in age." I said and he nodded._

 _"I would have done anything for her, but the one thing she needed from me, I couldn't do. I couldn't protect her." He said, and I could just hear him beating himself up about it._

 _"Do they have any leads?" I asked. I've watched enough crime TV to know some lingo._

 _"They normally say that after the first 48 hours, the chances of her survival are basically nonexistent." He said. "The case turned cold 6 months after she disappeared."_

 _"I'm so sorry Jon." I said honestly. I couldn't imagine what he was going through._

 _"It's hard. I pass her room every morning expecting her to walk out and greet me, or yell at me if I'm in the bathroom for too long." He said with a sad laugh._

 _"Why haven't you moved?" I asked curiously._

 _"My parents want to stay put in case she comes home." He said, but his voice was empty. He didn't believe she was coming home, I could hear that from a mile away._

 _"And you? What do you think?" I asked._

 _"I don't know what to think." He said. "All I know is my sister was kidnapped and she may or may not be dead."_

 _I didn't want to continue the conversation because I could see how hurt he was just by talking about it. I just sat there with him until he decided to go home. When I got home my parents were slightly freaked out that I got home so late, but after I explained why I was late, they looked devastated. Nobody talked about the kidnapping of Jon's sister in this town, and I understood why. It didn't matter if we didn't even know her, her absence was felt everywhere in this town, that much was clear._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

That was 4 years ago, and it's still just as haunting. Jon's family has been falling apart since it happened, and it's evident when you look at them. Jocelyn and Valentine are barely holding it together when they are behind closed doors, and Jon tries everything possible to keep his mind busy. It's almost like they are a ghost of a family once they aren't in the public eye anymore, and if you didn't know why, you wouldn't be able to pick up on it, but once you knew, there were signs everywhere.

It was Jon and I's senior year of high school, and we were just planning on living it up. Playing football, going to school functions, just being teenagers before college started kicking our asses. Plus, keeping Jon busy was the best way to keep him from slipping into that dark place, and I knew that's what he needed, especially during trigger times of the year.

"So, you have any idea about college?" Jon asked on our way into school.

"Yea, I'm just going to community college for the first two years. I have no idea what I want to do, so I might has well just get all the GenEd's out of the way before figuring it out." I explained.

"I was thinking the same thing." He said. "I think I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do, but I might has well spend less money getting all the pointless classes out of the way first." He explained and I nodded in agreement. People always dissed community college, but I thought it was the best path when you weren't sure about your future.

We got to school and headed towards our separate classes. It was until lunch when I saw Jon again, but this time he looked unnerved. Something happened between this morning, and now that freaked him out, but it wasn't like he was scared or anything, just super frigidity and uneasy.

"Jon?" I questioned and he looked at me. "What's going on man?"

"I got called down to the office 3rd period." He said and I nodded. "It was the police. They found her."

"Holy shit." I said and he nodded in agreement. "After 5 years they actually found her?"

"Yea. They didn't give me much detail, but they said she was being returned home." He said and I nodded.

"So what the hell are you still doing here?" I asked and he laughed.

"Honestly, the news kinda punched me right in the gut and I haven't been able to focus on anything. My baby sister is still alive, and she's coming home." He said and I could just hear the happiness in his voice.

"What do you need from me?" I asked.

"Can you take me home?" He said and I nodded.

"Dude, of course." I said and we made our way out to the parking lot. Thankfully we decided to carpool today, so we weren't leaving a car here. I got to his house and his parents were pacing outside of his house.

"Mom, dad." Jon said when he got out and they both ran over to him and wrapped him in a hug. I was going to give them the space and stuff that they needed, so I started walking away. "Jace." Jon called and I turned around.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Can you stay?" He asked. "You've been there for me through all the low points, and I'd really like you here." He said, and I had to admit, I felt pretty honored that he wanted me here when his little sister got home.

"Of course man." I said and he smiled. We all made our way into the house, and I offered to cook some lunch up. It was the least I could do for them since they were all a bunch of nervous balls of energy.

It wasn't even 30 minutes into cooking when the doorbell rang. I could hear the footsteps running towards the door, but I just stayed in the kitchen. I wanted them to have a family reunion, and even though Jon asked me to stay, I wasn't going to intrude on that. So once I heard the door close, I decided to make my presence known. I walked out and there stood a mini version of Jocelyn. It was eerily haunting how similar they were, but I could also see the emptiness in her eyes. That girl had gone through some shit while being kidnapped, and I couldn't imagine how hard it must be being back.

"Jace here is a family friend." Jocelyn said, probably realizing that she had no idea who I was. "Jon and him became best friends when they were 14." She further explained.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I said. "I'm Jace, like your mom said."

"Clary." She said, and I nodded. Her parents looks surprised, and it clicked that those were probably her first words since being back. "Can I go to my room?" She asked.

"Jace made lunch." Jon said. "If you're up for eating." He added.

"I just really want to be alone." Clary said, and I could see how that kinda hurt all of their feelings.

"Of course sweetie. We'll be here if you need anything." Jocelyn said. Clary moved past me and went up the stairs. After we heard her door close I looked back at the family.

"Lunch is ready if you're hungry." I said.

"I don't think I can eat." Jocelyn said.

"I know it must be tough, but she's probably adjusting to being back. Give her some time, she'll come around." I tried to reason, but even I didn't fully believe myself. They nodded and headed into the kitchen. This was going to be an intense homecoming.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Jon took a few days off before coming back to school. I didn't blame him though. The whole town was buzzing about Clary's return, and that was probably the last thing he needed right now. But last night he texted me and asked if I could pick him up. Of course I was going to, he has just gotten his sister back after so many years, and he needs me. So now I'm sitting outside the Morgenstern house waiting for Jon. I look up and I see Clary in her window. She's looking at me, and once we made eye contact she looked away but she didn't move from the window. I can't imagine how hard it must be to go from wherever she was being kept, to being home again. It must be incredibly hard, and emotional it is being home. Once Jon got in the car we headed to school.

"So, how has the week been?" I asked.

"Weird." He said. "Please don't judge me for what I'm about to say." He asked and the look in his eyes was a pleading one.

"I would never judge you Jon." I said honestly.

"I forgot what it was like to have a sister." He said. "She was missing for 5 years, and I guess part of me assumed she was dead, but now having her back, it's weird."

"That sounds normal to me." I said.

"I just, she doesn't leave her room, and all she eats is a peanut butter sandwich at 3:15 every day. That's it." He mentioned.

"It's probably the routine of whoever kept her." I pointed out.

"Shit. I never thought about it that way." Jon said.

"Look, she was with whoever took her for 5 years. She had to adapt to a routine, and it's going to take her longer than a week to realize she's in a safe environment." I told him.

"I know, but she isn't Clary anymore." Jon said.

"And she never will be." I said. "Being kidnapped took something from her. Her innocence, her childhood, her teenage years. She'll never get to get those back, and you guys have to realize that."

"How did you get so wise?" Jon asked the moment the car parked in the schools parking lot.

"I've always been wise." I smirked and he snorted as we got out of the car. The whole parking lot seemed to stop and stare at Jon. I sighed and hung his head. "Yo, you want to fucking stare, go to a museum, otherwise, mind your own fucking business!" I yelled and everyone scattered.

"Thanks man." Jon said and I clapped him on the back.

"No problem Jon." I said and we made our way inside. I knew this was going to be hard for Jon, and all I could really do was be here for him, and I really hoped that was enough.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

We were well into football season, and just like every other game, Jon and I had to spend the night together. It all started freshman year when my parents went out of town, and didn't trust me home alone. So I stayed with Jon and at the game, we totally destroyed the other team, since than it's been our tradition – we must spend the night before a game together.

I was picking up the traditional junk food for game night before getting to Jon's house. So far Clary hasn't joined us for any game night, but I made it a point to always remind her that she was always invited whenever I saw her, which wasn't all that often.

I got to the house and unloaded the stash of food and Jocelyn, Valentine, and Jon all dug in. I knew what they all liked, and I made sure that I got them all for them. Jon once mentioned that he got Clary her favorite candy one day to see if she would start eating anything other than peanut butter sandwiches, but she didn't. Going out on a limb, I picked up her favorite candy in hopes that we would get her to join us tonight.

"Did you buy Twix?" Jon asked.

"Yea." I said. "I'm going to see if tonight is the night Clary joins us." I said and they nodded. It was still a sore subject, and i understood.

I went upstairs and made my way to her door. I took a deep breath – there was a chance that she wouldn't answer, but I just had to bite the bullet and try my hardest to get her to join us. I knocked on the door, and waited. At first I thought she wasn't going to answer, but that her door opened.

"Hey." I said and she just stared at me. "Look, I know you normally don't join game night, but it's always a lot of fun, and I picked up your favorite." I said as I showed her the Twix. "So, what do you say? You gonna join us tonight?" I asked. It was silent for some time. I was honestly debating just walking away if she didn't answer me. Soon her hand lifted up and took the Twix bar out of my hand.

"What are you playing?" She asked.

"We're playing Cards Against Humanity. Ever heard of it?" I asked but than I realized how stupid it was to say. "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't' have said that." I backtracked but she just smiled a little.

"I don't mind." She said. "You're the only person I come in contact with that doesn't treat me like a victim."

"You can't blame them." I said and she shut her bedroom door.

"I don't." She said. "But that doesn't mean it doesn't suck. I was captured and trafficked for 5 years. I've done things nobody should ever be subjected too. Especially at that young of an age." She added. "But treating me like a baby bird who fell out of her nest isn't helping me either."

"I don't want to upset you, but maybe if you came out of your room every now and than, they would see that all they need to do is go on living." I said and she looked at me. "I moved here a little less than a year after you were taken, they were a mess. Just remember that." She nodded and we made our way into the dining room where game night always took place. "Look who I coerced out of her room." I said and everyone smiled.

"How did you do it?" Jon asked.

"Do you know how long it's been since I had Twix?" Clary said and I laughed a little, but everyone else looked sad. "Wow, tough crowd."

"Dark humor isn't always a crowd pleaser." I nudged her and she smiled a little before taking her seat, which just so happened to be next to mine. "So, you all ready to get your ass kicked?" I asked and everyone laughed.

"You're on Herondale." Jon said and we handed out the cards. I could see Clary was a little tense, but I hoped that tonight was a stepping stone in the right direction for her and the whole Morgenstern family.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Okay, my turn." I said as I grabbed a black card, and I couldn't help but laugh. "This is a good one." I said. "During Sex, I like to think about (blank)." I said as I put the card down.

I waited for a couple minutes because I knew Jon was going to take forever. It was like this every time. He always had two that he liked but couldn't decide and it took him literally forever to choose, but we didn't mind. They always ended up being hilarious either way, and we always appreciated a good laugh.

"Okay, I'm good." Jon said and I went and picked the stack up.

"Okay, so 'during sex, I like to think about (blank)." I said, reminding everyone of the cards. "Preteens." I read the first card. "Disgusting guys, that's just wrong." I said and everyone laughed. "Fingering." I read the second card. "Well, sometimes that's also being performed." I smirked and Jon kicked me under the table. "Okay, okay. No need to get violent." I said and he laughed. "Two midgets shitting into a bucket." I said and we all lost it. "Dude, that's like my go to card if I have it." I said. "It never loses. And last but not least – dying." I said and the room went silent. I can only assume that was Clary's. "Okay, it kinda got dark, but that's alright." I said as I put the cards down. "Well, I'm sorry, but I have to go with the midgets. Always a classic." I said and Jon took the black card from me.

"Thank you very much." He said.

"And really Jocelyn, preteens?" I asked and she laughed.

"It was funny." She said and I just shook my head. It was now Clary's turn. She picked up a black card and cleared her throat.

"Okay, (blank): good to the last drop." She said. We all grabbed our cards and put them into the center. "Alright, (blank): good to the last drop." Clary reminded us all. "German Dungeon Porn." She read the first card and we all laughed. "The clitoris." She said and I looked at Jon, that was always his go to card. "Doin' it in the butt." She read. "And dry heaving." She said. "I'm going to have to go with doin' it in the butt." She said and Valentine reached for the black card.

"Thank you sweetie." He said. "And the winner is….me. Again." He gloated and we all laughed.

"I'm going to head to bed." Clary said as she stood up.

"Thank you for joining sweetheart." Jocelyn said and she smiled before going upstairs. "I think that went well."

"I told you guys, she just needs time." I said and they all nodded.

"Well, I'm going to follow Clary's lead and get some sleep." Valentine said.

"Me as well." Jocelyn said.

"Night guys." Jon said and they headed upstairs. Jon cleaned up the snacks and I cleaned up the game and he went upstairs while I stayed downstairs. I was never able to fall asleep early before a game. Normally I just watched TV until I got tired.

 **Clary POV:**

 _"The more you struggle, the worse it'll be." The man said. I tried to hold on to the bars as long as I could. I couldn't go back into the room. I just couldn't._

 _"Please, just let me go home!" I cried, but that only caused him to laugh._

 _"I guess I'll be the hard way." He said before he ripped me away from the bars. He threw me over his shoulder and started walking. I fought has hard as I could, but he was so much stronger than me. Once we got to the room, I was thrown on the ground, I'm pretty sure I heard something crack, but I didn't care._

 _"Look who we have here." The other man said. "Little Red." He sneered before he moved closer to me._

 _"NO! Stop!" I yelled as his hand made it's way up my thigh. "Please leave me alone!" I cried out but all my protests were ignored._

I shot out of bed at the nightmare of one of the first times I was taken advantage of after being taken. It was a nightmare that plagued my mind at night. It was something I don't think I could ever get rid of. Something that would haunt me forever, and I hated that.

I decided to just go for a run. I needed to clear my mind, and that wasn't going to happen while I was trapped in this house. It had become more of a prison than a home since I've been back, and this was the only time I knew I could walk out the front door without having someone attached to my hip.

I made my way downstairs and was surprised to see Jace still awake and watching TV. I looked at the clock, it was only 1:30 in the morning, so I guess I shouldn't be that surprised.

"Where are you going?" He asked me as I made my way to the door.

"Out for a run." I said.

"Want some company?" He asked. I thought about it for a moment. He's been the only one who hasn't treated me like glass since I got back.

"Sure." I said and he hopped off the couch and got his shoes on. We got outside, I locked the front door, and we started running.

I don't know why I was surprised that Jace was a good runner. He was an athlete, and he was pretty much in shape 24/7, and he was friends with Jon. They probably never had a dull moment in their lives. Jon always liked to be busy, so I assumed Jace was the same.

I zoned out for a period of time. I don't even know how long we were running for, and I forgot that Jace was even with me. I looked over at him, and he didn't even look like he was breaking a sweat.

"How often do you run?" He asked.

"We didn't have a lot of room, but there was this giant room we were often kept in, and I would just run around it until I collapsed from exhaustion." I explained. "It was often what I did after I had a nightmare."

"Do you still get nightmares?" He asked and I simply shrugged. "You don't have to lie or act tough around me." He added. "I'm not going to judge you."

"I don't remember a time where I didn't have a nightmare." I finally said. "It's just what happens when you've been through what I have."

"That must suck." He said and I nodded.

We continued running in silence when something felt off. I don't know why I felt the sudden shift. I felt comfortable around Jace. He asked me questions because he was genuinely curious, and he stopped before it got too far. I liked that. Someone who wanted to know, but wasn't overly curious. I was pulled out of my head when I felt someone grab my arm. I didn't know what happened next, but everything in me just started panicking.

 **Jace POV:**

When I saw the van pull up beside Clary and I, something felt wrong. I looked over, and someone reached out of the van and grabbed Clary's arm and pulled. I saw her eyes gloss over, she was going into panic mode.

Before I could even register what was happening, I wrapped my arms around Clary's torso and pulled her away from the person grabbing her. The van wrecked of alcohol, and once I ripped Clary away, none other than Sebastian fell out of the van.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I growled at him.

"It was a joke." Sebastian slurred.

"It wasn't a fucking funny one." I yelled and he just laughed. "Get the fuck out of here Sebastian, and if I ever see you messing with Clary again, I won't go easy on you." I said and he just continued to laugh as he got back in the van. It sped away and I looked back at Clary was on the ground rocking back and forth. I got down next to her, but I really didn't know what to do. I've never had to help someone through this kind of situation. "Clary?" I questioned and she looked at me, with a dead look in her eyes.

"Please don't take me again. I won't do it again, just please leave me alone." She said in the most heart breaking voice I've ever heard.

"Clary, it's me Jace. You're safe." I said and she continued to rock. I didn't know how to get her out of the place, so I just picked her up and sat her on my lap. After a minute, she wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face into my neck. I felt her crying, and I just held her tighter. I don't know how long we sat there like that, but when she pulled away, I noticed that her eyes weren't dead like they were before. "Clary?" I questioned.

"Jace?" She asked and I just nodded. "I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for." I said. "What Sebastian did was fucked up."

"But I shouldn't have reacted that way." She said.

"Clary, you are allowed to react in whatever way you deem reasonable. You have had to live a nightmare these last 5 years, and for someone to try and joke about what I can assume was the most terrifying night of your life, isn't cool." I told her and she nodded.

"Thank you." She said. "For saving me."

"If he wasn't completely drunk, I would have kicked his ass." I said and she laughed. "Sebastian knows not to mess with me, but apparently his alcoholic induced mind wasn't working properly."

"How come he knows not to mess with you?" She asked.

"I'm a black belt in jiu jitsu." I said and she nodded. "Come on, let's get you home." I said and she stood up, but the minute I let go, her legs buckled.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm being like this." She said and without a second though, I picked her up bridal style and started walking.

"Don't ever apologize for coping in whatever way you need to." I said and she nodded before wrapping her arms around my neck. What happened tonight shouldn't haven't happened. Sebastian is definitely going to get a piece of my mind Monday morning when I see him, that you can be sure of.

 **Time Jump – Monday Morning**

 **Jace POV:**

When I showed up Monday Sebastian was sitting in class, and he looked like absolute shit. I expected nothing less though. He pretty much spent every weekend getting drunk, or high. He had no plans of doing anything with his future, so he really didn't care about school. I made my way over to him, and pulled up a chair.

"What the hell do you want?" Sebastian mumbled.

"You know, you'd think for someone who literally has the world in the palm of his hand, he wouldn't spend his weekends getting so shitfaced that you start doing completely stupid shit." I said and he looked at me.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said.

"Oh, you mean you don't remember trying to grab Clary off the streets Friday night as some sick and twisted joke?" I said, which caused the whole classroom to shut up. I didn't care about keeping my voice down.

"Look man, I was drunk, and it was a stupid prank. Nothing more." He said trying to justify his actions.

"Being drunk is no excuse for trying to recreate the worst thing that has ever happened to the Morgenstern family." I said. "I can only assume that Jon is going to find out about your stupid little stunt, and he's going to come after you." I said and he looked directly into my eyes. "And if you ever try and come near Clary again, I'll take care of you myself." I threatened. "Got it?"

"Whatever." He said and than the teacher started teaching. I got to my seat and started taking notes. I was going to keep my end of the treat up, and if he ever tried to do something like that to Clary, the end result wasn't going to be pretty.

 **Clary POV:**

Since I was being homeschooled, I got to move at my own pace. And since I haven't been to school since a quarter through my 7th grade year, I had a lot of catching up to do. I was supposed to be a junior in high school, but here I am working on middle school work.

The 7th grade wasn't that hard. And it was nice that I tested out of some of the subjects, but now that I am in the 8th grade for some subjects, I feel like a complete and utter idiot. I'm 17 years old, and I can't do math? Great.

I was so lost in thought, that I didn't even hear someone knocking on my door until I hear the hinges seeks and saw it open. I looked up and there stood Jace. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. It was nice to know someone wasn't going to treat me like a victim, but also protect me and comfort me like he did on Friday night.

"Hey." I said and he walked into my room.

"Hey." He said. "I came here to let you know Jon found out about Friday night."

"Great." I said and he took a seat on the chest that was at the foot of my bed.

"He's probably currently beating the shit out of Sebastian as we speak." He said and I nodded. "What are you working on?" He asked and I sighed.

"You're going to think I'm stupid." I admitted.

"Not true." He said as he made his way over to my bed. "Absolute value?" He asked and I nodded.

"Yea, and it's probably the only thing I understand in this whole lesson." I admitted and he looked at the workbook I was given.

"That's okay. Math can be tricky." He said and I laid back on my bed.

"I'm a 17 year old who is stuck in middle school. I'm stupid, and I'm never getting back on track." I admitted and I heard him sigh.

"Middle school isn't supposed to be easy. It's supposed to get you ready for high school, which also isn't easy. And if you actually went to 8th grade, you'd be just as confused." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Way to make me feel better." I said as I sat up. I didn't realize how close we were until our noses were almost touching. Our eyes locked and we didn't move until he cleared his throat and looked back at my work.

"I'm not trying to make you feel better, I'm trying to get you to look at it logically. You're behind, but it's not because you're stupid, it's because of other peoples stupidity." He said and I nodded.

"You're right." I said and he looked back at me. "But it doesn't make me feel any less stupid when I can't figure something out."

"I know Jon said you were going to therapy." He said and I nodded. "Has your therapist given you any advice on how to take your aggression out on something else instead of just calling yourself names?" He asked.

"She said that I could exercise, but I tried that, and drunk idiots made me relive one of the worst days of my life, so I kinda just stopped." I explained.

"How about I take you to my gym and I teach you some jiu jitsu?" He offered and I looked at him.

"Really?" I asked.

"Of course. It's a lot of patience, but also a lot of fun. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to learn how to defend yourself." He explained. "I think it could be a really positive thing for you."

"I'll try." I said after hearing his reasons. "But would it be possible to do it after everyone else leaves?" I asked.

"I'll talk to the gym owner." He said. "I'll let you know what he says. But for now, I have to get home. See you later Clary." He said and I nodded. He got off the bed and made his way to the door.

"Hey Jace." I called before he could leave. He turned around and smiled. "Thank you, for everything you've done for me since I got back."

"Believe it or not Clary, even though I didn't know you, I've always viewed you as a member of my family, because that's how I view Jon and your parents." He said. "I'll always be here for you."

"I know, and that means a lot to me." I said and he nodded before heading out. I looked back at my work and grabbed a pencil. "Okay, I can do this." I said before getting back to work. It might be hard, but Jace was right, this wasn't meant to be easy, and I wasn't going to let it defeat me.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since I've been home for six months, I was having a full evaluation with my therapist. I see her once a week, but there are times where I just don't have much to say. But with this full evaluation, I have to be willing to talk about the things that I don't necessarily want too. His appointment decides if I have to keep going to therapy once a week or if I can go once every two weeks.

I was sitting in the office waiting for my name to be called. Jon was with me today, since both my parents had to work, and he seemed more nervous than I was. But he's been hyperaware of everything since I got back, and since that stupid stunt with Sebastian happened. I don't mind him being super protective, but I wanted my brother back, I wanted the guy who made fun of me, and who played pranks on me. I just didn't know if that was possible at this point.

"Clarissa Morgenstern?" I heard and I stood up and followed her back to the office. When I got in there, my therapist was already sitting there.

"Clary, it's great to see you." She said and I took a seat.

"You as well Jia." I said and she nodded.

"How are you doing today?" She asked, just like she always does.

"I'm okay." I said.

"Good. Now, as you know, this appointment is going to determine how often you have to come see me now, and I know sometimes you don't feel like talking, and I completely understand that, but today I need to know exactly where you stand with everything that's gone on." She said.

"I understand." I said and she nodded.

"Good, now I'd like to start with the nightmares." She said. "How have they been?" She asked.

"Frequent." I said. "I've come to realize that if I just exhaust myself, that I fall asleep without even a dream. It's just a black hole."

"And do you think that's better?" She asked.

"Than waking up screaming and sweating? Yes. I do." I said and she nodded.

"What have you been doing to exhaust yourself?" She asked.

"Jiu jitsu." I said and her eyes widened.

"Really? What got you into that?" She asked.

"My brothers best friend told me that he's a black belt, and that it was a great way to get your aggression out, and I have plenty of that stored up inside me." I said and she nodded.

"Has it been helping?" She asked.

"I think so." I said. "It's also taught me how to defend myself." I said. "I didn't tell you this before, because I didn't want to relive it, but awhile back, I went out for a run after one of my nightmares. Thankfully, my brothers best friend offered to join, because some guy from their school thought it would be funny to recreate the day I was kidnapped."

"Oh god." She said.

"Yea. Jace, my brothers best friend, saved me, and that's when he offered to teach me jiu jitsu. I feel safer now." I explained.

"That's very good to hear." She said and I nodded. "How do you feel about your return to a normal life?" She asked.

"I don't know. It doesn't feel normal to me." I admitted.

"Why is that?" She asked.

"Because I still feel like I'm the 12 year old girl who was taken." I told her honestly.

"How so?" She probed.

"For one, I'm still in middle school academically." I pointed out. "For some reason 8th grade math seems to be my down fall. I may be home, but the only difference between being home, and being held captive is the fact that I can pee without being watched."

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"Nobody lets me do anything alone." I said not realizing how upsetting it really was. "I spend most of my time in my room because I want to be alone. I don't want someone breathing down my neck."

"You can't blame them Clary. They lost you for 5 years." She said.

"And I was tortured for 5 years. I was raped, and assaulted. Drugged, and abused. I was a pawn in someone's sick and twisted game." I said as tears threatened to spill from my eyes. "I witnessed girls – much younger than me – get killed, and sold and tossed around like garbage for years. And all I could think about is how that was going to be me one day."

"But it wasn't Clary." She said. "You're alive."

"Physically, yea, I'm alive. But that doesn't mean everything survived my capture." I told her.

"Can you elaborate on that?" She asked. "What do you mean?"

"There was so much of me that died while I was taken. My innocence, my dream of a normal life, part of my character. They took so much more than just 5 years of my life away from me." I explained. "I still feel their hands all over my body, and I can still feel the needle being jammed in between my toes before they would send me off with some sleazy man who prayed on innocent girls." I said as the tears started to slowly stream down my cheek. "They expected the same Clary to return to them, and I'm not that girl. I'm not the 12 year old who saw the world in bright colors. I see the world for what it truly is."

"And what is the world truly like?" She asked.

"It's Hell." I said. "It's torture, and abuse, and lies, and tricks, and manipulation." I said through gritted teeth. "The world isn't a great place, and there is a part of me that wished they took me out of it."

"Clary, are you having suicidal thoughts?" She asked but I couldn't even look at her let alone speak. "Okay Clary, I'm going to set you up with another therapist, one who I think can really help you out with these thoughts." She said as she wrote something down. "I still want you to come to me, but I think the best option for you would be to rotate. So me one week, than the next week this doctor." She said as she handed me the piece of paper.

"Okay." I simply said. This wasn't how I planned for this evaluation to go, but there was something about this session that just gave me the power to let out everything I've been feeling for months now.

"We're going to get you through this Clary. I know the world isn't all rainbows, and sunshine, but there are good parts of this world, and I hope you get to experience them." She said and I simply nodded. I went back to the waiting area where Jon was.

Once we got in the car and went home, I decided that I was going to confront my family. I know they are worried, but I'm slowly dying here with how tight of a watch they have on me and they need to know otherwise I doubt anything will be solved.

"How was therapy sweetie?" My mom asked when she saw me.

"Eye opening." I said. "I need to speak with you." I told her, before looking at my dad and Jon. "All of you."

"What's up Clare?" My dad asked.

"I am not that 12 year old girl that you all lost 5 years ago." I said bluntly. "I'm 17, and I'm different. A lot has happened to me, and I will never be that same girl again."

"Honey…"

"Please mom, let me get this out." I said and she nodded. "I feel like I'm in prison." I said directly. "I feel like I'm locked in all those bedrooms that I was in for so many years, and it's killing me. I'm still slowly dying despite being home." I said. "This doesn't feel like a home, this feels like, like, like I'm captured again." I said and the tears started flowing. "You can't keep breathing down my neck, and putting me on a leash. I'm not defenseless. Jace has been teaching me how to defend myself for the past 6 months, and I have a thick skin. I'm not some weak little girl people can pray on anymore. I've been through a lot." I said as my voice cracked. "And I need my parents, my brother. I don't need a care taker, or a babysitter."

"Sweetheart."

"Mom, I can't do this anymore. I want to be able to take a walk when I need some air without Jon next to me. I need to be able to go down an aisle in the store without you freaking out that you lost me." I said. "I need freedom. I want to learn how to drive, I want to be able to go to the park and draw for the first time since I've been back. I want to be able to be trusted."

"It's not you we don't trust." My dad said. "It's the world. They took you from us once. That's not happening again." He said, emotion evident in his voice.

"I'm not a little girl anymore dad." I told him. "I'm not even sure I'm a 17 year old girl either. But I'm me, and I need you all to accept the new me."

"We accept you honey." My mom said as she stood up. "You'll always be our Clare-Bear." She said and the mention of my old nickname just broke the emotional barrier and I lost it. She pulled me into her and I just cried into her shoulder. I felt my dad and brother soon join in and I just let out all this emotion that I've been holding in for so long. This was a good step and I was ready to start embracing my new life. It might not be all that happy, but it was something.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Okay, so you're sure you want me doing this?" I asked for probably the 12th time.

"Jace, you're the only one who treats me like a human being." Clary said. "My family would just be way too over protective, and I don't need them babying me."

"Okay, but I can be a dick at times, so just tell me when I'm out of line." I said and she nodded. "Okay, so put your foot on the break and put the car in drive." I said and she did as told. "Now, drive." I said and we jerked the car forward.

"Sorry." She said and I laughed.

"Don't worry. That's why we're in this car." I said and she laughed. "Don't be afraid if you get a dent in it, or run over a curb. This poor baby has been through a lot."

"How much is a lot?" She asked curiously.

"Uh, 6 accidents, a swim in the lake, and a beautiful bone fire." I said and she laughed.

"How is this thing still running?" She asked.

"A lot of blood, sweat and tears." I said honestly.

"Your own?" She quipped.

"Of course not. I don't know anything about cars." I admitted and she laughed.

The rest of our lesson went by relatively smoothly. She picks up on things rather quickly, and she was always open to hearing how to improve so that was really nice. I remember Jon telling me that Clary wants to be treated like a normal girl, and I can't blame her one bite. Having your family constantly breathing down her neck would be irritating. So I've been thinking recently to ask Jon's permission to take her to our prom. It wasn't something extravagant, but she's a 17 year old girl being deprived of a high school experience, and I think it would be fun for her. Something normal, and it could be really fun.

When we got back to her house, she went right upstairs, and I took this as my opportunity to talk to Jon about what I've been thinking about. He was just chillin in his room, so I went up and closed the door behind me, which caused him to looked up from his homework.

"How was the lesson?" He asked.

"Not bad." I said. "She's a really fast learner."

"That's good." He said. "I still can't believe she asked you to teach her." He said and I laughed.

"I'm a third party. She knows I won't be treating her with kid gloves." I explained. "I know you all have been getting better since she spoke to you all, but I understand her concerns."

"I get it. It just sucks that I can't be that person for her. At least right now anyway." He said honestly.

"She's still processing, and so are you all. I understand you all having to readjust to being together, and reform your relationship." I said and he nodded. "But I came up here to talk to you about something."

"What's on your mind?" He asked and I took a seat.

"Clary has made it perfectly clear that she want's to be treated normally." I said and Jon nodded. "So, I was thinking, since she's catching up in school, she's going to miss out on a regular high school experience, so I thought I'd take her to prom." I said and his eyes widened a little. "But only if it was cool with you."

"To be honest." He said and I felt like I was about to be shot down. "I think that's a really good idea."

"Really?" I asked slightly surprised.

"Yea." He said. "Clary wants to get back to a normal life." He explained. "She needs a new normal, and I've been trying to put myself in her shoes lately, and it would suck to be so far behind kids her age. I mean, she's never going to be able to attend a regular school because she's playing catch up. I think taking her to a real school function would really help her."

"That's great to hear." I said as I let out a breath. "I thought you were going to say no."

"I trust you with her Jace." He said. "You've been teaching her how to defend herself, and you're teaching her how to drive. She's comfortable with you, and seeing her get back in the rhythm of everyday things is what we want to see."

"I'm gonna go talk to her." I said and he nodded. I made my way to Clary's room and knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard her call. I opened the door and she was sitting on her bed. "What's up?" She asked.

"Well, I wanted to ask you something." I said as I closed the door behind me.

"What is it?" She asked.

"I'm just going to come right out and say it." I said and she nodded. "Would you like to go to prom with me?" I asked and her jaw dropped.

"You want to take me to prom?" She asked and I laughed.

"I do." I said. "I talked to Jon about it, and I think since you're never going to get a normal experience in high school, I could at least give something back to you." I said and her eyes started to water. "Please don't cry." I said and she let out a little life.

"No, they aren't bad tears." She said. "I just, that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard." She said and I laughed.

"I think we could have a really fun time together. You get to dress up, and just let loose. And get one normality back. You get to be that 17 year old girl you always thought you would be." I said and she got off the bed and made her way over to me and hugged me. I happily hugged her back.

"I would love to go to prom with you." She said and I smiled.

"Cool." I said. "I should head home, but I'll see you soon." I said and she nodded. I made my way out to my car and headed home. I was really excited to go to prom with Clary and just have a great time, and I hope she was thinking the same thing.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had an appointment with my therapist today, and now that I actually had a topic that wasn't morbid to talk about, I was pretty excited to meet with her. I didn't have a lot of friends to gush about this with, and she was paid to listen, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity. I got called back and when I got to her office, she was already there.

"Good to see you Clary." She said.

"You as well." I said as I took a seat on the couch.

"How are you doing today?" She asked.

"I actually had a pretty great week." I said and she smiled at me.

"That's great." She said enthusiastically. "What happened that made it so great?"

"Well, you remember Jace right?" I asked.

"Your brothers best friend?" She asked and I nodded.

"One in the same." I said. "Well, I asked him to teach me how to drive once I got my permit, since I knew he wouldn't put me in a little bubble, and last week after our lesson, he actually asked me to go to prom with him."

"Wow. That's great!" She cheered.

"I know! I cried when he asked me." I laughed. "It just seemed surreal, but he told me that I would never have a normal high school experience, which he's right about, and this was something he could give back to me." I explained. "I'm super excited about it."

"That was really nice of him." She said.

"I know." I said. "But he's a really great guy, and he's kinda been my only friend since coming back."

"Yea, especially since he had a whole school to pick from." She made an offhanded comment, one that I probably wasn't supposed to think much of, but it did get me thinking – why ask me when he had plenty of other options? Pity? Guilt? Prank? My mind was reeling with all the possibilities, and it stuck for the rest of the session.

When I got home I noticed that Jace's car was parked in front of my house, so I decided to confront him about it. I'd rather know now than right before prom and be humiliated. I walked right up to Jon's room and pushed the door opened. Jace was sitting on the beanbag chair, and Jon was on his bed.

"Hey, how was therapy?" Jon asked.

"Did you ask me to prom as some sick and twisted joke?" I shouted at Jace completely ignoring Jon.

"What?" He asked a little shocked.

"You had an entire school to pick from, why me? To humiliate me? Because your feel guilty because of all the shit I went through? Pitying the kidnapped kid?" I yelled.

"I don't know where you got all these insane ideas Clary, but I asked you because I really want to go with you." Jace said as he got off the beanbag chair.

"He's telling the truth Clare – Bear." Jon chimed in. "The last thing Jace wants to do is go to prom with any girl at school."

"I don't need your pity!" I yelled.

"Clarissa, calm down." Jace said as he approached me. "Listen to everything I have to say." He said and I took a deep breath and nodded. "I asked you to prom because I genuinely wanted to spend that night with you and give you a night that would be honestly a lot of fun. We already get along so well, and it's just a bonus that I don't have to go with anyone from school. I think you're be a great date, and it gives you that normalcy you always talk about wanting." He explained. "I in no way intend on embarrassing you, humiliating you, bringing you because I feel guilty, since I have nothing to feel guilty about when it comes to your kidnapping, I didn't even know you." He said and that made me laugh a little. "I want you to be my date to prom, plain and simple."

"I'm sorry." I finally said. "My therapist said something that I think was supposed to be a light comment but it just stuck in my head since she said it."

"Don't worry about it." Jace said as he rested his hand on my shoulder. "Water under the bridge."

"Okay, well now that that's settled, I have to go tackle some 8th grade science." I said and he laughed.

"Kick ass." He said and I smiled before heading to my room. I should have known Jace asked me because he genuinely wanted too, but it takes a lot for me to trust people these days, and I let it get to me.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Before Prom**

 **Jace POV:**

I was at Jon's house – like always – and we were sitting in the kitchen doing some homework when Clary walked in with a perplexed look on her face.

"Everything okay?" I asked and she looked at me.

"What color do you want to wear to prom?" She asked.

"I was just going to wear all black." I said. "Pick whatever color you want to wear." I said and she nodded.

"Okay." She said but it seemed like there was more there than just color scheme.

"Anything else?" I asked. And she looked like she wanted to speak about something.

"Uh, no. I'm good." She said and she walked away. Jon was so focused on calculus, that I decided to step away from homework to find out what was up with Clary. She was sitting on the porch, so I made my way out and took a seat next to her.

"What's bothering you Clare?" I asked.

"I didn't want anyone knowing this, but my therapist actually referred me to a different therapist." She explained.

"That doesn't sound too bad." I said.

"She specializes in kids who are suicidal." She said and I honestly lost my breath for a moment.

"And you're….suicidal?" I asked. Just saying that word broke my heart.

"I don't sit in my room and dream about killing myself, but I've thought about death, more than the average person should." She admitted.

"But you've thought about it before?" I asked.

"Sure. Especially when I was taken. I wished that they would kill me every day so I didn't have to go through their torture again." She said. This girl truly had more demons than any 17 year old should have.

"So, what is it about right now that has you conflicted?" I asked.

"It's hard to explain." She said. "I just get these urges to do something stupid. Something permanent." She said. "I don't know how else to explain it without you judging me."

"Hey, I'm not here to judge you." I told her. "Going to a therapist is great and all, but sometimes it helps having other people you can open up too. That way you don't have to hold it in until your next appointment."

"She told me to write in a journal." She said. "But I'm much better at expressing my feelings in picture form."

"So you sketch how you feel?" I asked and she nodded. "That's great."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you saw my sketches." She mumbled.

"Look, those sketches are yours, and you are in no way obligated to show them to anyone, but getting thoughts out onto paper, is better than keeping them in your mind." I said. She reached down into her bag and pulled out a book. She placed her hand on top of it before handing it over to me. "Are you sure?" I asked.

"I trust you." She said. "And you can't suggest to lock me up in the loony bin." She laughed and I nodded.

I opened to the first page and the first thing I thought was that she was truly talented. I started flipping pages, and every image was incredibly graphic. It was a faceless girl – who I assumed was Clary – getting beaten, raped, drugged, assaulted, and so much more. I looked over at Clary and she was stoic. Looking out into the neighborhood, not looking for my reaction at all. When I got to the end of the sketches I closed the book and that's when she looked at me.

"Now you know what I went through." She said and I handed it back to her. "Now you know how disgusting I am."

"Clary, you are in no way disgusting." I said as I reached my hand out and took hers in mine.

"The things they did to me Jace – violating me, drugging me, beating me – I've been through too much to ever be normal again." She cried.

"Normalcy is overrated." I said. "I'm sure there are parts of you that will never be there again, or the same, but you aren't dead Clary." I told her and she looked at me. "You are alive, and you have a chance to turn this around. You can finish school, go to college, get married, have a family. You have your whole life ahead of you. They didn't take that away from you, so don't take it away from yourself."

"You really think anyone is going to want to marry this?" She asked as she held up her sketchbook.

"The right guy will." I told her. "Look, you have so much potential Clary. I know it's dark now, but it won't be dark forever."

"Have you ever thought about a career in counseling? You'd be great at it." She said and I smiled.

"I don't know what I want to do with my future yet." I said honestly. "That's why I'm going to a community college first."

"And I'll be in 9th grade. Yay." She said dryly and I laughed.

"Progress is progress. Doesn't matter how slow or fast it goes." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you Jace." She said. "For listening and not judging."

"Thank you for trusting me with your thoughts." I said. She smiled before getting up. She leaned down and pressed her lips to my cheek before going back into the house. I couldn't get the smile off my face as I reentered the house, and I nearly shit myself when Jon was standing there. "Holy shit Jon. Don't do that." I said and he laughed.

"That was a cute moment." He said. "Little lip action."

"You act like we made out." I said. "She kissed my cheek as a thank you, and that's your little sister, don't say things like 'lip action'." I said and he laughed.

"Exactly, my _little sister._ Don't hurt her." He said.

"Jon, come on." I said.

"No, you've been very good to Clary since she got back." He said. "There is something there, something raw, and real. I support you chasing after your happiness, but she's my sister before you're my friend. So watch out."

"I will remember that." I said and he nodded.

"Good, now help me with this calculus homework. I'm fucking lost." He said and I laughed and clapped my hand on his shoulder and we made our way into the kitchen. Jon wasn't wrong when he said there was something between us. I've felt it for a couple weeks now, but I was in no way going to push Clary. This was going to be on her time schedule. Not mine.

 **Time Jump – Prom**

 **Clary POV:**

I was standing in front of the mirror just staring at myself. I never got a chance to experiment with my look. I lived in the same ratty clothes until I was handed off to someone, but even then I never got to 'dress up', so this was a new experience for me. I hardly recognized myself as I stared at myself. There was a knock on my door right before my mom entered.

"Oh sweetie, you look stunning." She said and I smiled and turned around.

"I hardly recognize myself." I said.

"Well, you look absolutely wonderful." She said. When my mom found out I was going to prom, she wanted to pull out all the stops. I've been nonstop running around all day with her getting my nails done, my hair done, my make up done. Everything was perfect, which is one reason I didn't recognize myself.

"Are you sure it's not too much?" I asked.

"Baby, you look ethereal." She said and I smiled.

"I know what that word means! It was a vocab word." I said excitedly and she laughed.

"And it's completely true." She said. "Jace is downstairs with Jon and his date." She said and I nodded. I took a deep breath and went to meet them. Even though my mom said I looked good, I wanted Jace to think I looked good too. He was my date after all, and I didn't want to make my first and last appearance at school to be a bad one. I stepped down the stairs, and my eyes were so focused on the stairs so that I wouldn't trip, that I didn't even notice them all staring at me.

"Wow." I heard and that's when I looked up. Surprisingly, it was Jon's date who said it. "You look stunning." She said.

"Thank you." I said. "So do you."

"Not nearly as good as you." She commented and I blushed hard-core.

"She isn't wrong." I heard and that's when I turned my attention to Jace. He was wearing an entirely black suit, and his hair was messy, but and organized mess. He looked casual, but still fancy. "You look amazing."

"So do you. I like the all black look." I said as I played with his tie.

"Thank you." He smirked and I smiled.

"Picture time!" My mom said and that's when I noticed a lot more adults in the room. I recognized the two has Jace's, but the other two must have been Jon's dates parents.

We got out to the yard, and they took so many pictures. By the time we actually got in the car my face hurt from all the smiling, but I still couldn't get the smile off my face. I was going to prom, and I was super excited.

We pulled up to the school, and I instantly got nervous. There were going to be so many people here. I didn't even notice Jace get out until he was opening my door. He reached his hand out, and I gladly took it. He didn't let go after we started walking towards the school. Maybe he knew I needed the reassurance that everything was going to be okay.

 **Time Jump – One Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was in the bathroom washing my hands when I heard the door close, and footsteps approaching me.

"106." The voice said and I froze. "What does that number mean?" She asked and I flipped my hair back over so that it was covered. "Oh right, it's probably the number of guys you've fucked." She said in a condescending voice. "How does it feel? Being a whore so young in life? I bet you enjoyed it." She sneered. "Every minute of your preadolescent sexcapades." She laughed and so did her little posse. "Cat got your tongue whore?" She said and I just pushed passed her, and left her laughing in the bathroom while I made my way out to the rest of the people. I find Jace quickly and just held onto his arm.

"Everything okay?" He asked, and I just nodded as I took a couple more deep breathes. She wasn't going to ruin tonight for me. I just had to keep repeating that in my head.

 **Time Jump – One Hour Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Would everyone please gather around." The principle announced. "We are going to crown our prom King and Queen." He said and everyone got excited. Clary hasn't left my side for about an hour, and I didn't mind. I was just talking to a few of my friends, and I held tightly to her hand. She seemed like she needed it, and I wanted to do everything I could to make her comfortable. "Alright, can we get all the nominees up on stage please." He said and I looked at Clary.

"I'll be right back." I told her.

"You're nominated?" She asked and I laughed.

"Yea." I said and she nodded. I let go of her hand and made my way to the stage. I had to admit, my hand felt cold without her little hand in mind.

"Alright ladies and gentleman, let's start with the prom queen." He said. "This years prom queen is…Kaelie Whitewillow!" He announced and everyone clapped while her tight knit group of friends cheered. He placed the crown on her head and she started waving to everyone. She was acting like she was just crowned the queen of a kingdom. "And for the King." He said. "And this years prom king is…..Jace Herondale." He said and I smiled. I made my way over to where Kaelie was standing but my eyes caught Clary, who was clapping and smiling at me. He placed the crown on my head and I leaned over to him.

"Could we possibly dance with out own dates this year?" I asked and the principal and I had a good relationship so he smiled and nodded.

"Okay everyone, this year is going to be a little different, the king and queen may choose their own partners to share this dance with." He said and I heard Kaelie gasp, but I was already down the stairs and making my way towards Clary. When I got to her I reached my hand out.

"May I have this dance?" I asked and she laughed. He took my hand and nodded. I pulled her to the center of the dance floor, and we started dancing. Our eyes were locked, and it was like nothing else mattered in this moment.

"106." I heard out of nowhere, but I felt Clary tense. I turned towards the stage where Kaelie was standing with the microphone. "Tell them Clary." She said and I turned back to Clary who looked absolutely petrified. "Well?" She questioned and I could see Clary just loosing her cool. She was starting to panic. "Well, if you won't I will." Kaelie said. "Clary Morgenstern has the number 106 burned into her back." She said and the whole placed gasped. "How does it feel to know everyone here knows how big of a whore you really are?" She said and everything in me just started boiling. I looked at Clary, and she just looked at me, started crying than ran. I saw Jon run after her, so I knew she was okay, so I turned back to face Kaelie.

"What did you hope to accomplish with this Kaelie?" I asked her sternly.

"Just wanted everyone to know who the real Clary Morgenstern is." She said. "A whore."

"You have no idea what you're talking about." I spat back at her.

"Oh please. Everyone knows the huge human trafficking ring that was busted." She said. "It was all over the news, and than all of the sudden Clary is back? There is only one possible explanation. She was out whoring around."

"She was fucking kidnapped." I yelled and the whole gym was silent, including Kaelie. "The fact that you would publicly humiliate her is a new low even for you." I said and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"She's damaged goods Jace." Kaelie finally said. "And she always will be."

"It's a good thing your opinion doesn't mean shit to me." I said. "Clary's been through some shit, but she's a much better person than you'll ever be. She can overcome her demons, but you can't overcome who you are." I said and with that I just left. I had to find Clary and see if she was okay.

I walked outside, and I saw Clary sitting on the hood of my car with Jon right next to her. I made my way over to them and Jon looked up at me. I nodded and so did he. He stood up and walked over to me and clapped me on the shoulder before disappearing back into the school. I made my way over to Clary and joined her on the hood, and waited for her to speak.

"Now you know." She finally said.

"Actually, I don't." I said and she looked up at me. "I know what Kaelie said in there was a lie, so all I have is that you possibly have the number 106 tattooed on you." I said and she sighed. She moved her hair and sure enough there it was, but it wasn't tattooed. "You were, branded?" I asked and she nodded. "Shit."

"This was how they kept track of us." She said. "When you got wherever you were sent, they branded you with the number. We had to wear our hair up at all times so that our number was showing."

"That's sadistic." I said and she nodded.

"It hurt like a bitch." She said and I laughed.

"I can't imagine the pain you went through." I said.

"I wouldn't wish it on anyone." She said. "Not even that girl in there who called me out."

"Why didn't you want me to know?" I asked.

"It's not something I like to show. Its something that I have to live with forever, a constant reminder of what I went through." She said. "Plus it just makes me uglier." She said and I was kinda shocked.

"You are not ugly Clary." I said and she looked at me. "You are the farthest thing from ugly."

"You're just saying that." She said. "Trying to make me feel better, like Jon."

"I wouldn't say something, just to say it." I told her and she looked at me. "You're are absolutely beautiful Clary. No amount of baggage, or demons, or nightmares, or whatever else you're plagued with could ever take away from the fact that you are a beautiful soul." I told her and she started crying. I stood up and moved to stand in front of her. I placed my hands on her knees and looked her straight in the eyes. "Everything about you is beautiful. Your looks, your personality, your humor, your laugh, your smile, your shyness, and your small bits of confidence, everything is beautiful. That number on your back shows your strength, and your perseverance. Both qualities that just make you more beautiful." I told her. "I've known it since the day that I met you."

"Known what?" She asked.

"That you were different. That you were going to become extremely important to me." I said honestly. "And everything that I've done for you, has been to show you that what happened to you doesn't define you. You can kick ass, you are smart, you can attend cheesy high schools dances, and that you are worthy of someone." I said as I picked her hand up in mine.

"Jace." She whispered.

"I like you Clary." I told her. "I like you a lot."

"You do?" She questioned.

"I do. I really do." I said and she smiled. "Can I kiss you?" I asked and I could tell she was hesitant, but she nodded slowly anyway. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers ever so slightly. I waited until I felt her melt against my lips until I started kissing her, and it was a moment that I knew I was going to cherish for the rest of my life, and I hope that she felt the same way.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary was right. Counseling was something that I was interested in, and when I finally had to declare a major, psychology was a no brainer. It was something I had a personal connection for, and something I felt like I could make the most change in.

Clary and I were still together, and to say that it has been the most challenging, yet rewarding 5 years of my life would not even begin to describe our relationship. She was still figuring out what happened to her, and how to cope with it, and that was something she was always going to be dealing with, but she has truly made remarkable progress in forgiving herself, and coming to terms with all of the stuff that happened to her, and I just see her getting lighter and lighter in everyday life. She isn't afraid to laugh anymore, and she isn't afraid to cry when she needs to cry. She isn't scared of her emotions anymore, and that might be the biggest progression she's made since her return home.

Clary has also finished high school, and was going to be attending college this year. It was hard, and she wanted to quit so many times, but she wanted this. She wanted to finish school and go out and be productive in the world, and I admired that strength, god knows I wouldn't have the patience for it. Just catching up in school when I missed being sick was annoying enough, and Clary had 6 years to catch up with, and just seeing the pure emotion of accomplishment in her face was so incredibly rewarding.

"Jace!" I heard and I was brought out of my thoughts.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I'm leaving." She said. "My classes are ever at 2." She said.

"I have a session at 2. It won't be over until 4. Do you want me to pick something up for dinner or are you going to cook?" I asked as I made my way over to her.

"I don't feel like cooking tonight." She said and I laughed. "Do you feel like cooking?" She asked.

"Not really." I said and she laughed.

"Thank take out it is." She said and I smiled. I leaned forward and gave her a kiss. "See you after your session." She said.

"I love you." I called after her, and before she walked out the door, she turned around and smiled at me.

"I love you too." She said before closing the door behind her.

I smiled to myself as I made my way to our room to get ready for my day. Clary and I were taking it day by day. We weren't in a rush to accomplish anything when it came to pivotal moments in our relationship. After I graduated college, we moved in together, and we're happy. We get through every day, and than we worry about the next one.

Will Clary ever be ready for marriage and a family? I have no idea. She's still haunted by her past, and I would never push her into something she isn't ready for. My main focus, and Clary's main focus right now is on our relationship, and her healing.

I was finished getting ready, and was heading downstairs to get all my stuff together when my phone buzzed. I went over to the counted and saw that it was a text for Clary. Probably that she forgot something, and that she wanted me to drop it off on my way to work. I put in my passcode and opened her message.

 ** _From Clary:_**

 _In the bathroom upstairs, I think I left my daily vitamins in the top drawer, can you check for me?_

I laughed, and walked back upstairs. I walked in the bathroom and opened the top drawer, but instead of vitamins, there were a couple pregnancy tests, all positive. And my phone buzzed again.

 ** _From Clary:_**

 _Surprise!_

It simply read and I couldn't believe it. My phone buzzed again.

 ** _From Clary:_**

 _I can't wait to raise this baby with you. I love you._

It said and I couldn't help but smile.

 ** _To Clary:_**

 _I love you too._

I said back because it was all I could type at the moment. Clary and I were having a baby, and from the sound of her texts she was excited for this next chapter of our lives, and I couldn't blame her.

This was a huge step for Clary. This was her embracing all that the future has to hold for us, and her knowing that the world might be a miserable place, but it could also give you the most amazing gifts. She didn't give up in the hard times, and now we got to experience the most wonderful journey together, and if that doesn't show how much better life can get after a dark time, I don't know what else can. Life can be good; so just hold. Like Clary.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Sooooooo, long time no post. My bad guys. I just have had absolutely no motivation to write whatsoever, and it hasn't gone away, but I had the urge to finish one of the one shots that I have started (I have 5 others) I just can't seem to care about finishing them, and I have no idea why. I just look at the document, and than close my computer and do other things. Thank god my other stories all have pre-written chapters otherwise, they wouldn't be updated either.**

 **Now, I get some reviews that talk about what can't happen in real life, and I just want to say, this isn't real life. It's fiction, so I can do whatever I want. You don't have to comment on the inaccuracies of what can and can't happen in real life. I do try to keep it more on the real side, but sometimes I just say fuck it, and do what I want. So yea, sometimes shit can't happen, but I make it happen anyway.**

 **Now, if anyone has anything bad to say about this one shot, and how this wouldn't happen, please don't review. Just keep it to yourself and move on. Not everyone is going to like what I write, and that's okay. I don't like a lot of what I read, and I just finish what I do read, and move on. It's not that hard people.**

 **(Also, I don't mean to offend anyone, and I'm not calling anyone out, this is tough month for me, and I'd prefer not to make it any more shitty than it already is. So if you're going to be negative, just stay away. I'm negative enough for myself without having people tell me my writing is trash! Again, I'm not calling anyone out, just letting you all know I'm not in a good mood during this entire month, and I'd appreciate it if unnecessary negativity stay away. Thanks.)**


	122. Chapter 121 - Married to Fame

**One Hundred and Twenty One Story:**

 **Married to Fame**

 **Clary POV:**

"God damn it Jace Herondale, I am going to murder you the next time I see you." I mumbled to myself as I walked into Alec and Magnus's house. I fumbled around with my purse to find my phone. He was going to get a piece of my mind. "You think you can fucking stand me up, well you have another thing coming!" I yelled as I threw my phone at the nearest wall.

"Whoa." I heard and when I turned around there sat Alec and Magnus. "What happened to you?"

"Jace missed my birthing class….again." I said angrily. "It's like he isn't even taking it seriously."

"He is on location filming a movie." Magnus said trying to reason with me.

"I don't care if he was in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, he made a promise, several promises actually, and he's broken all of them." I pointed out and they nodded.

"I understand the frustration biscuit, and I totally think that Jace should have been there, but he's working really hard." Magnus said, and I knew what he was getting at, but that didn't make me any less pissed.

"Well, if all he was going to do was work, and break promises, he should have stayed fucking single forever! I'm done with this shit. There is no way I'm going to raise our baby with a part time father. Either he's in, or he's out." I said as I snatched my purse. "I'm going to take a nap. My doctor says I'm too stressed." I said as I stormed out of the room.

I knew what life could be like if I got involved with Jace, but I also knew how passionate he was about his career, and there wasn't anything I wanted more for him than to succeed in his dreams. But if I knew he was basically going to blow me off and break all these promises to me, I might have reconsidered my future.

 **Alec POV:**

After Clary went upstairs I immediately called Jace. Of course he didn't pick up, and I had to admit, it was pretty annoying when you needed him and he didn't answer. I completely understood how angry Clary was. It's not exaggerated, and it's not false. Since Jace's career took off, he's been super preoccupied with all types of contracts and up and coming projects. It's what he's always dreamed of doing, but I always thought that him having that family would ground him in some level, and now that's he's getting one – hell he's creating one with Clary, he seems more absent then before.

"She sounded extremely pissed." Magnus said and I sighed.

"I can't blame her." I admitted. "She's 5 months pregnant, and for the last 3 Jace has forgotten or blown off doctors appointments or birthing classes. I get he's working, but Clary needs him here."

"I completely understand her frustration." Magnus said. "But those were words that come right before a divorce is served. And that scares me."

"I don't know what they're going to do, but Jace needs to pull his head out of his ass. And quickly." I said and Magnus nodded in agreement. Jace may be my best friend, and my brother, but Clary has been going through hard times during this pregnancy, so I can't help it if my allegiance lies with her at the moment.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was walking into my normal coffee shop for their one smoothie that I've been craving for a month. I wasn't paying any attention until I bumping into someone.

"Oh. I'm so sorry." I said but I when I looked up, I was greeted by an old face. "Sebastian?" I questioned.

"Clary." He smiled. "Wow. You're pregnant." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Very pregnant. Just hit the 5 month mark." I said as I rubbed my belly.

"You want anything?" He asked as he pointed to the barista.

"You don't have to Seb." I waved him off but he smiled.

"Think of this as a late congratulations." He said and I laughed.

"In that case, how about a very berry smoothie?" I asked and he smiled.

"As you wish." He said and I smiled.

We got our drinks and took a seat in the coffee shop, and I couldn't even explain how good it was to catch up with a familiar face.

"So, how are you?" He asked.

"I'm okay. Being pregnant is hard, being married is hard, but I'm getting through." I explained. "What about you?" I asked.

"I'm doing well. My long term girlfriend and I just moved in together." He said proudly.

"And you moved to California?" I asked.

"We did. She has a lot of family out here, and I knew she was home sick so we moved." He explained.

"That's amazing." I said and he smiled.

"Life is pretty great." He said.

"So you moved in together. Will there be an engagement next?" I asked and he laughed.

"Possibly. In a few years." He said. "We aren't in any rush. We both don't want kids. So we're just doing everything when the time feels right."

"That's amazing Seb." I said.

"I'm really happy." He said and I sighed. "What was that sigh for?" He asked.

"Things have just been tough lately." I admitted.

"Married life not all it's cracked up to be?" He asked.

"Married life to an actor isn't all it's cracked up to be." I specified.

"Ah. That sucks." He said.

"And I know it's his job, but it sucks being on the other end." I said.

"How long have you two been married?" He asked.

"4 years." I said. "But we've been together for 8."

"And you knew this was the life he wanted? The career he was passionate about?" He asked.

"Since the moment I met him." I admitted.

"But you're just now realizing how hard it was going to be?" He asked.

"The beginning half of our relationship was basically him just going to auditions and getting rejected. His career only just picked up 3 or so years ago, and it's exhausting trying to keep him interested in me." I said as my eyes started to water. I didn't want to get emotional but damn it these hormones weren't my friend.

"Hey, if he can't see what an amazing girl he married, than fuck him." Sebastian said. "He's probably just really busy and caught up with whatever project he's working on, and once it dies down, and once the baby is here he'll be himself again."

"I hope you're right." I said and Sebastian laughed.

"When have I ever been wrong?" He smirked.

"When you said we'd be together forever but broke up a month later." I reminded him and we both laughed.

"You know, if we didn't differ on kids I think we would have lasted." He said and I just smiled.

"I guess we'll never know." I said. "Plus, both of us being in love with other people is a little problematic as well. For a healthy relationship that is." I said and he laughed.

"But we're happy, and getting the future we wanted." He said and I smiled. Despite how hard it's been, I was married to the love of my life and starting a family, and for that I was beyond happy. "I have to get going. Maybe I'll see you around." He said.

"I should head out as well." I told him as I got up. We both walked out of the coffee shop. When we hit the sidewalk he gave me a big hug, which I gladly returned. We parted ways and I headed to my car. It was so nice spending time catching up with Sebastian, and it put some things in perspective for me, and I really needed that.

 **Jace POV:**

Things have been super busy around here lately, and all my days have been shifted due to weather. It sucked that I had to work most nights, but that's the price you pay when you're an actor. It might suck now, but when the movie is finally out, and I see all the hard work, and the fan reactions, it all makes it worth it.

It was a long night of shooting, and it was nearly 5 am, and I was just getting to bed. I don't have another shoot until tonight, so I had the whole day to rest, which was going to be greatly appreciated.

I got to my trailer, but when I opened the door I was greeted with my manager. I put all my stuff down and joined me at the table.

"What do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" I asked.

"I figured you'd like to be the first to see this." He said as he placed pictures in front of me. I picked them up and noticed Clary right away, but I didn't recognize the guy she was having lunch with.

"Where did you get these?" I asked.

"A friend of mine took them earlier this week. Figured he'd give me the heads up before it went to publishing." He said.

"Hodge, these can't be published. Tell your guy to destroy them." I demanded.

"He isn't the one publishing them." He told me. "There were other photographers camped out looking for juicy gossip. Clary happened to be the only thing juicy about that day."

"This can't be happening." I said.

"Do you know what's going on? We could get ahead of this story before people convolute it into something it's not." Hodge suggested.

"I have no idea who that guy is." I said.

"Well, have you talked to Clary recently?" He asked and I looked at him. "She's your wife, and you haven't spoken to her recently?"

"I got busy." I defended.

"She's your pregnant wife. She takes priority over everything Jonathan." He said and I flinched at my full name. "Make this right with her. The last thing you need to worry about is these photos and start worrying about your marriage." He said before getting up and leaving.

I looked at the pictures again, and Clary just looked so carefree and happy. She was laughing and having a good time with some guy who I didn't even know. I looked at my messages and the last time I spoke to Clary was almost 3 weeks ago. It was hard with my schedule to keep in touch, and Clary knew that.

I got changed and got in bed before calling Alec. At first he didn't answer, but I wasn't stopping. I didn't care if it was 3 am where he was, I was going to get some answers before I went to bed, and calling Clary wasn't an option, considering I'm probably on her shit list right now.

"What the fuck do you want?" Alec answered.

"Who was the man Clary was seen with earlier this week?" I asked.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"Some paparazzi got pictures of Clary and some dude having lunch earlier this week. I want to know who he is." I demanded.

"Than call your wife." He said.

"She won't answer my calls." I said. "We haven't spoken in almost 3 weeks."

"Whose fault is that?" Alec said bitterly.

"Dude, why are you being such a dick right now?" I asked Alec. I mean, I knew he could be moody, but this was just ridiculous.

"Maybe if you weren't such an asshole, you'd know what your wife has been up too lately." Alec hissed back.

"Oh, you mean you knew about the man she was seen with earlier this week?" I sneered at Alec.

"That's your main concern?" He asked with a venomous laugh.

"Hell yes. Why do you think I called? Why wouldn't I be annoyed with my wife, my pregnant wife, having lunch with another guy?" I yelled. "And laughing like she's a teenage girl!" I added.

"Just think about that sentence Jace. Your wife, your pregnant wife." He said. "Anything ring a bell to you?" He said and I thought about it. That's when it clicked.

"Shit. I missed the birthing class. I told Clary I would make it." I said.

"Wow. You aren't as stupid as you look." Alex said.

"Not helping dude." I said.

"I get that you working, and this is your dream, but that's no excuse for making Clary feel like a single mother. Don't be that guy who puts his career before family." Alec said.

"How is she?" I asked. "Is she pissed?"

"Dude, I thought she was going to divorce you with how pissed she was his time around." He said and I sighed.

"Okay. Thanks for the heads up man." I said.

"I love you dude. You're my brother, my best friend, but something has to change. Clary is a tough girl, but she won't hesitate to change something in order to make sure your baby is happy." He said.

"I know. Love you too brother." I said before hanging up. I totally fucked up this time around and I didn't know how to fix it.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was feeling rather uncomfortable for the last week or so, and Izzy suggested that I go see my doctor, so that's what I'm doing today. I've experienced discomfort before, but this didn't seem to be going away, and I was a little scared if I'm being honest.

"Clarissa Fray?" I heard and I stood up out of my chair. I still used my maiden name in public so people wouldn't bombard me. I didn't know how Jace survived constantly being attacked by fans, and I really didn't want to go through it, so I just stuck with Fray for my own sanity.

I got into the office and up on the table. I was sitting there for about 10 minutes before my doctor walked in.

"Hey Clary, how are you doing today?" She asked.

"Honestly, I'm in some pain, and I don't know why." I said honestly.

"Let me take a look." She said and I nodded. I laid back on the table and she started to examine me. It was times like this that I wish Jace were here to hold my hand. I may still be pissed at him, but he is still my husband, and I was carrying his child. "Okay Clary, it's nothing major for right now, but your blood pressure is slightly elevated, so I'm going to suggest bed rest for about a month, and than we'll see how you're feeling."

"Thank you so much." I said and she nodded.

"Now, I know your husband is away, is there anyone you can stay with while you're on bed rest?" She asked.

"My brother-in-law lives rather close." I said and she nodded.

"Well, get some rest, and we'll talk soon." She said and I nodded. I got out to the waiting room before dialing Alec's number.

"Hey Clare, what's up?" He asked.

"I need a huge favor." I said.

"Anything." He responded.

"I just got done with the doctor and she wants me on bed rest for a month. Can I stay with you guys?" I asked.

"Absolutely." Alec said. "Do you need me to come get you from the hospital?" He asked.

"That would be greatly appreciated." I said. Izzy dropped me off but went shopping, so he was my back up plan if needed.

"Be right there." He said before hanging up. My hands rested on my belly, and I couldn't help but be a little scared about being put on bed rest. I am only 5 months pregnant, what if I need to be on bed rest for the rest of my pregnancy?

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary has been avoiding my calls, and I can't say that I blame her. I've been a shitty husband these last few years. After I got my first big break, roles just came running to me, and I've let it get to my head. I can't believe I've been so selfish, especially when Clary was going through something so huge. I mean, we were having a baby. _A baby!_ It was something that I couldn't even put into words, I was that excited, and I promised to be at every appointment and class that she had, and I've just fallen flat on every single promise. I feel awful, but after this movie I'm taking a break and focusing solely on her, and our baby.

I decided that I would surprise Clary this week. She was almost 6 months pregnant, so I have decided to come home and take here wherever she wants to go. I don't care if it's across the world, we were going to spend some alone time together, hopefully in a secluded house where my phone didn't work, and we were going to get everything out in the open and put it all behind us. We needed a fresh start, and that's what was going to happen.

I got home, and when I opened the door, I was immediately confused. Knowing Clary as well as I do, there was always noise. Whether it be music, the TV, her own singing, or a podcast that she just got into, there was always something playing – but this time, it was silent. I walked further into the house, and I noticed that everything seemed too stiff. It was like no one has been living here. I went up to our room, and the bed was made, something Clary never did. I grabbed my phone and called her, but she didn't answer, so I called Alec.

"Hey Jace." He said.

"Do you know where Clary is?" I asked frantically.

"Yea." He said. "She's with me."

"Oh thank god." I said. "I got home and everything is just stiff."

"Wait, you're home?" He asked.

"Yea. They don't need me for at least a week, so I figured I'd come home and surprise Clary, but she wasn't here." I explained.

"Yea, Clary was put on bed rest a couple weeks ago, and she's been staying with us." He said and I felt like the wind was knocked out of me.

"Why was she put on bed rest?" I asked.

"Why don't you get over here, and find out for yourself." He said.

"Oh yea! I can do that! Be right over." I said before hanging up.

I grabbed my keys and made a beeline for my car. I got to Alec's in record time and flew into the house – I didn't bother knocking or anything. I ran up the stairs – past all the people – and started searching the guest rooms when I finally found here.

"Jace?" She questioned and I walked in. "What are you doing here?"

"Why haven't you been answering my calls?" I asked.

"I'm rather pissed at you." She said and I nodded.

"I'm a fuck up." I stated. "I really fucked up this time, and I totally understand you being pissed off, but I would have loved to know you were on bed rest."

"You wouldn't have cared Jace. Hell, you've missed the last like 3 months of birthing classes and appointments. Why care now?" She yelled.

"You're carrying my child!" I yelled back. "Of course I fucking care."

"You don't get to have an attitude with me Jace." She said.

"I think I do." I said back. "Who was the guy you were with last month?" I asked. This was clearly not the time for this, but I was bringing it up anyway.

"Seriously? You're mad about that?" She asked.

"Hell yes I'm mad about that. My wife is out having lunch with another dude, and I have to find out through the paparazzi?" I yelled.

"Well if you answered your fucking phone, you would have known!" She yelled. "Ouch." She said as she clutched her stomach and all the anger in me just died as I saw her in pain. I didn't realize how big she got.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Piss off Jace." She hissed.

"No. I don't care how mad we are at each other, I'm going to be here for our baby." I said as I took a few steps closer and sat on the edge of the bed.

"She's been kicking a lot recently." She said and my heart stopped.

"She?" I questioned and Clary looked at me.

"Oh right, you missed that appointment, and you didn't pick up that phone call." She said bitterly, but I didn't really care at this moment. I just found out I was having a daughter.

"We're having a girl?" I asked again and Clary looked at me, and than smiled.

"Yea. We're having a girl." She said softer and I just couldn't believe it.

"Oh my god. This is amazing." I said and even though nothing had been resolved between Clary and I, she still laughed at my excitement. "I'm going to have a daughter. That's insane."

"It is really crazy." She said and I took my seat again. "I cried for about 10 minutes after I found out."

"I'm so sorry Clary." I said again, this time more sincerely. "I should have been here, and I know an apology will only go so far, but I really do mean it."

"I can't keep doing this Jace." Clary said.

"What are you saying?" I asked concerned about our marriage.

"I'm saying, you can't have one foot in this relationship, and the other one out." She explained. "When we got married, we vowed to be there for each other no matter what, and you specifically said that wouldn't chose work over me, and I feel like you've been choosing it over our family for the last year or so Jace." She said and her eyes started to water. "I don't want our daughter to feel like you're choosing your job over her. Because I'm a grown ass woman and I'm falling apart, I can't imagine how she would feel." Clary finished as the tears started to fall down her face.

"Clary."

"And pick up your god damn phone every once in awhile, or shoot me a text saying you'll call me back when you can." She continued like I didn't even speak. "I get you work odd hours so you can't always answer, but not talking for weeks is slowly killing me Jace."

"Clary."

"And for the love of all that is holy, take a fucking break between projects. You know I basically haven't had a husband in 3 years? You're constantly picking up new projects, and as proud as I am that your career finally picked up after years of rejection, a break wouldn't fucking kill you Jonathan." She said and yet again I flinch at my full name. "Like, what if you missed her birth? Or something went wrong and I couldn't make decisions because I was in a coma? Or what if I got sick and Alec, Magnus, Izzy and Simon weren't here to help like they have been since I got pregnant, and she needed you?" She said.

"Clarissa!" I said rather loudly and she stopped talking. "Can I speak?" I asked and she nodded. "I'm taking a break after this film." I said. "I realized that I can't do this once the baby is born. I shouldn't have jam packed my life with project after project, but after so much rejection, it felt nice that they _wanted_ me for a role. I had the power this time." I explained. "I didn't have to go into audition after audition and pretend to be gay, or a woman, or a fucking animal just for some low level acting job. People actually wanted _me._ " I said. "I guess it got to my head."

"Who wouldn't want you? You're an amazing actor Jace." She said. "And just because it took a couple years to get here, doesn't mean you have to take every project that's offered to you. Tell Hodge to kill some potential projects for you. You're going to burn out if you keep this pace up."

"I should have said no to a few of them." I admitted. "But I was just so excited."

"I know you were. I was around during those periods of rejection." She pointed out. "I even did your make up for some of those auditions." She said and I couldn't help but laugh. "You aren't alone Jace. I went through those ups and downs with you as well. I know how hard it was for you, and I know how many times you wanted to quit, but I didn't let you."

"You're the main reason I'm still an actor and not some sell out who couldn't make it." I said. "I owe you my career, and I haven't been acting like it at all." I took her hands in mine. "That's going to change."

"This better be legit Jace, because I'm at the end of the line with these empty promises." She said.

"I will not break this one Clary. Or any I make from here on out." I said honestly and she nodded.

"And that guy I was with is an old friend." She said. "We bumped into each other at the coffee shop and he bought me a smoothie as a congratulations."

"I wasn't aware you had any old friends in California." I said surprised.

"I don't, but he just moved out here with his girlfriend." She told me.

"Is this old friend an ex?" I asked jealously, and she laughed.

"If you must know, we dated in high school." She said.

"I don't like him." I said and she laughed.

"Get over it you big baby. I married you didn't I?" She said and I smiled and leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. The feeling of coming home never felt better.

"Would you two have gotten married?" I asked curiously.

"No." She said. "He doesn't want kids, and I clearly do." She said as she rubbed her belly. "We parted due to our differences in future goals."

"How long were you two together?" I asked.

"Aren't you nosey tonight." She said and I laughed.

"Just curious is all. I would like to know who you hang out with." I said and she nodded.

"We dated for a little over 2 years." She said. "But when the end of our senior year came and we were talking about the future, we realized that we just had two totally different goals, and decided that we needed to separate."

"How mature for two high schoolers." I said and she smiled.

"I've always been an old soul." She said and I smiled.

"That you have been." I said. "So Mrs. Herondale, I'm all yours for an entire week. What would you like to do?" I asked and she smiled.

"For one, I would love if you got under these covers and cuddled me." She said and I smiled and nodded along following her instructions. "And two, I want you to kiss me." She said.

"That I can certainly do." I said as my lips found their way to hers. I was going to keep my promises to Clary this time around that was for sure.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was meeting with my doctor today to discuss if I needed to stay on bed rest or not. Jace unfortunately couldn't make this appointment. We talked about it, and his shooting got pushed back, so he wasn't able to make it back in time, and I was okay with it. Since we talked it out, and everything, I was okay with him missing it. And that's all I really needed. I needed him to be invested in everything that was going on, and it made me feel good that he was keeping his promise to not break any more promises.

"Clarissa Fray?" I heard and I got out of my chair and followed the nurse into the room. I sat there for a few moments before my doctor walked in.

"Good to see you again Clary, how are you feeling?" She asked.

"A lot better actually." I said honestly.

"That's good to hear." She said. "Let's take a look." She said and I nodded. I let her examine me and after what felt like forever, she was finally done. "Well Clary, you've made an improvement since the last time I saw you. Bed rest has done good things for you." She said. "Now, you don't need to continue to be on bed rest, but just take it easy okay? You're getting into the long stretch of your pregnancy now, and you don't want to do anything that will cause too much stress to you."

"I promise." I said. "No more unnecessary stress."

"Glad to hear it." She said. "I'll see you at your next appointment." I nodded and made my way out of the room before calling Alec. I could no loner fit behind the wheel of a car, so just like my young self, I needed a driver.

"What's up Clary?" Alec answered.

"Can you pick me up from the hospital?" I asked.

"Of course. Are you coming back here?" He asked.

"No. I'm not on bed rest anymore, but I still need to take it easy." I explained. "And I'd really like to sleep in my own bed."

"You got it. I'll be right there." He said and we hung up.

Alec picked me up, along with my bags and took me home. It was amazing to be back in the house after a long month of basically doing nothing. I immediately put the radio on, and sat on the couch and just closed my eyes. I may be doing the same thing I was doing at Alec and Magnus's but at least it was in my own home this time. I was pulled out of my little daydream when my phone started ringing.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey babe." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile. "How was the appointment?" HE asked.

"It went well. I'm off bed rest but I still need to take it easy." I told him.

"Are you still with Alec and Magnus?" He asked.

"No. I wanted to come home. Sleep in our bed." I said.

"I'm glad to hear it." He said. "I don't have much time but I just wanted to check in on things." He said.

"I appreciate that." I told him.

"Filming is done tomorrow, I should be home late." He said.

"And I'll be in bed." I said and he laughed.

"Of course. Well, I'll text you later. I love you." He said.

"I love you too." I responded and we hung up. I put my head back on the pillow and couldn't help but smile. He truly meant what he said to me about being better at communicating, and that meant the world to me.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The film that I just recently shot has been coming along nicely and there was a special premiere for those of us who were in it, and our families. Nothing concrete yet, just a rough copy, but it was still exciting nonetheless to see your work come to life. I hadn't asked Clary to come with me yet, but that's mostly because the last week or so have been incredibly hard for her. She's been looking better since last night, so I figured it was the best time to ask now.

"Hey babe, can we talk about something?" I asked when I met her in the living room.

"Of course. Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Everything is fine." I reassured her. "You know that sometimes when a movie has a rough cut done they let the crew and their families get a sneak peak?" I asked and she nodded. "Well, next weekend is that sneak peak, and I was wondering if you'd be up for coming with me?" I asked.

"I would love too." She said enthusiastically.

"Great." I said cheerfully. "But if you aren't feeling too great when the time comes, just let me know." I told her.

"Jace, I'm 7 months pregnant, not crippled." She said and I laughed.

"I know that, but you've been having a hard time recently, and I want to make sure you aren't in too much pain." I clarified.

"And you're incredibly sweet for that, but I want to come see this rough cut of the movie. I want to see what you were working so hard on." She told me.

"I think you're going to like it." I smiled brightly at her.

"Why? Are you playing the bad boy again?" She asked and I laughed.

"Actually no, I play a single father in this one." I said and she just smiled so happily at me. I had a reputation of playing a certain role – the bad boy – and when I got this script, I wanted to keep it a surprise until the movie came out. Especially after I found out Clary was pregnant.

"You're going to make me cry aren't you?" She asked.

"I get a little sappy. But that's the only hint you get." I said and she laughed.

"I hate that you don't let me in on your projects." She said.

"I just love getting your first reaction. It's always been my favorite part about acting." I said truthfully.

"Well, I can't wait to see what you've worked so hard on." She said and I leaned over and kissed her.

"I have a meeting to get too, mainly with Hodge about taking some time off. I should be back by dinner. What would you like for dinner?" I asked.

"Taki's." She smiled and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Your wish is my command." I said before heading out. I couldn't wait to see Clary's reaction to my role in this movie.

 **Time Jump – Movie Premiere**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was the night that I finally got to see the rough draft of Jace's movie, and I was really excited. I always loved to see what he was working on, and to get a first look at it – even if it was an unfinished version – was something I loved. I've gotten to see everything that Jace ever did before everyone else, and I was always super proud of him.

I was just finishing getting ready when Jace walked into the room. Now, this wasn't a movie premiere, but that didn't mean they wanted you to look like a slob. They expected a certain standard, and just because I was 7 months pregnant, doesn't mean I'm going to ignore the standard.

"You look amazing." Jace said and I turned away from the mirror.

"You think so?" I questioned, not knowing if this dress was appropriate enough.

"Babe, you look stunning, just like you always do." He reassured me as he kissed my temple.

"Okay." I said and he nodded. "Are we leaving soon?" I asked.

"We should." He said. "Since I'm one of the main characters, they want me to be one of the first people there." He explained.

"Well than, let's go." I said and he smiled.

We got in the car and headed towards the theater. I wasn't expecting much, but of course the paparazzi got wind of this exclusive premiere and they were camped out in front of the theater. Jace parked the car and helped me out. He kept me close to this side, making sure the paparazzi didn't harass me – which was something he did ever since they attacked me one day – and ever since that day, he's always been super protective of me when it came to public outings, and I can only assume it's even more important now that I'm pregnant. It was pretty quiet until we got close.

"Jace! What can you tell me about your new movie?" The one reporter asked.

"Jace! When are you going to release another project?" Another reported asked.

"Clary! Is that baby really Jace's?" One reported asked, and that stopped Jace dead in his tracks.

"Why would you ask just a ludicrous question?" Jace asked.

"She was seen with another man some time ago. I'm just wondering if there was something going on there since you never released a statement regarding those pictures." The reporter asked, and I should have known those pictures would come back up.

"That picture was Clary running into an old friend from her high school days. He offered to buy her a smoothie as a congratulations for our child." Jace said rather calmly, which surprised me. "Clary and I are very much in love, just like we've always been. The fact that you all would jump to such ridiculous conclusions is a waste of your time."

"Are you having a girl or a boy?" The reported continued to probe.

"If you'll excuse us, we have a movie to watch." Jace said and he moved us into the theater. He took us to our seats and we sat down and I started to rub my belly nervously.

"I'm sorry." I finally said and Jace looked at me.

"For what?" He asked genuinely surprised.

"For being seen in public with Sebastian." I said. "I knew the pictures were released but I never read any articles regarding them. I should have known they would come back up and be used against us."

"Clary, there is absolutely nothing to apologize for." He said. "Unless something happened with Sebastian that I don't know about." He added.

"Nope." I said quickly. "I told you the absolute truth." I reassured him.

"Than there is nothing to apologize for." He said again. "You were talking to an old friend, and the paparazzi happened to get it on film. I didn't make a statement about them because I didn't think I needed too. Of course I should have known better with my line of work, but I don't want you worrying about having to release a statement every time you run into a friend, or when you accidently run into a guy and are caught apologizing to him and the paparazzi spins it into something it's not." He explained. "You never signed up for this life, so you should never have to apologize for doing something ordinary people would do on a regular basis." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Actually I did." I said. "Sign up for this life I mean." I explained.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I knew from the moment I met you that you wanted to be an actor, and I knew nothing was going to stop you." I said. "And I supported you 100%, and I still do." I explained. "Saying yes to our first day, to your proposal, to our vows was me signing up for this life. The paparazzi can spin whatever they want, I just feel bad that it falls back on you most of the time."

"Don't worry about me babe." He said. "This industry has given me a very thick skin. I can handle myself."

"I know, but I still don't like that it always comes back to try and bite you in the ass." I said and he laughed. "I love you, and I wish the public would just learn that I love you, and leave us alone."

"Trust me babe, the paparazzi will never leave us alone." He said and I laughed. "But we can do everything in our power to make sure they know as little about us as possible." He said as his hand rested on my belly. "Especially after this little one is born."

"You sure you don't mind not sharing her with the world?" I asked and he smiled.

"Absolutely." He said. "I want to keep her just ours for as long as possible."

"I don't mind if you post pictures of her." I said. "I know your fans are going to want to see her, but just try and keep her face out of it."

"Oh babe, I already got the poses ready for the rest of her childhood life." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You would." I said and he kissed my cheek.

"I just can't wait to start raising her with you." He said. "It's going to be one hell of an adventure." He said and I couldn't help but agree with him. Raising our daughter was going to be one hell of an adventure, but it was an adventure that I couldn't wait to embark on.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Jace POV:**

I was in the middle of doing press for my latest film, but I couldn't help but worry about Clary. Her due date was any day now, and I trusted Alec and Magnus with her, but that didn't mean I didn't want to be there the moment it happened.

Clary insisted that I go to this press event, and I knew going was the right move, but that didn't make leaving her suck any less. But it was in the United States, so I was lucky enough to still be in the country if Clary went into labor at any moment.

Last night was a pretty long night, and press started rather early this morning, so I couldn't wait to go back to he hotel room, FaceTime Clary, then take a nap. I was pretty much an old man these days, despite my young age, but I didn't care. Talking to Clary was the highlight of my day, and I loved it more than I could explain.

I was heading to my last meet and greet of the day, and I was pretty excited. Not only to meet my fans, but also to be done for the day. I took my seat, next to my amazing costar – Livia – who plays my daughter in the film, and we began meeting with all our amazing fans.

"How far along is your wife?" The one fan asked me as I was signing her poster. As much as Clary and I loved to keep to ourselves about our personal lives, I was happy that my fans were so interested in what I did off camera.

"She's 9 months." I beamed. "So any day now she could go into labor."

"Are you freaking out?" She asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Of course." I said and she smiled. "Being a father is terrifying."

"Did this movie prepare you at all for fatherhood?" She asked, and I looked at Livia.

"I think it did." I said honestly. "Of course it's different since I have to raise my own from birth, and Livia here was already 7 when I started parenting her, but I think she taught me a lot about the kind of father I hope to be." I said as I handed the poster back to her.

"Thank you so much." She said. "I know you're going to be a great father, and I can't wait to see your little one on Instagram." She said before walking away. I couldn't help but smile at the conversation we just had. I knew my fans loved me, but knowing they were rooting for me outside of the film industry was something that made me feel even better about my career and my future.

The rest of the day went by quickly. There were more people asking about my baby – mostly women – and a few guys who asked about Clary. Well, mostly they were asking how to land a bombshell like Clary, and I just smiled from ear to ear. To this day I still don't know how I landed her, but I thanked my lucky stars every day that she was mine, and every time I looked at her, I couldn't help but realize how lucky I was to have her as my wife, and partner. She was my biggest fan, and my most solid anchor when my head got too big. She was truly everything to me, and I wouldn't be who I am without her by my side.

 **Time Jump – Middle of the Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I heard my phone buzzing like crazy, and I tried to ignore it as much as possible, but after about 5 minutes I was getting so frustrated. I blindly reached over and grabbed it.

"What?" I groggily yelled into the phone.

"Clary's in labor." I heard the person on the other end say. I shot out of bed and looked at my phone, and of course, it was Alec.

"Shit." I said as I got out of bed. "How is she?" I asked.

"She's freaking out a little, but I think that's just because she's super anxious to meet her. She's handling the pain rather well though." Alec explained.

"I had no doubt in my mind that she would handle the pain like a champ." I said and Alec laughed.

"Where are you exactly?" He asked.

"I'm in Atlanta." I said.

"Okay." He said. "The doctor told Clary that she was pretty far out from actually giving birth, so just get on the first flight and get here as soon as possible." He explained.

"Thank you Alec. For being there for her." I said.

"She's my sister-in-law. Of course." He said.

"See you soon." I said.

We hung up and I grabbed the rest of my stuff and headed towards the parking lot. Thankfully my manger hated relying on car services, so he always rented a car. I got in the car and headed towards the airport. I was having a baby, and I couldn't believe that we were about to embark on this crazy journey of parenthood.

 **Clary POV:**

The pain was pretty excruciating, but I knew it would all be worth it once she's here. It seemed like this past month of pregnancy was taking forever, and I was also 3 days past my original due date. Instead of a November baby, I was having a December baby.

The doctor keeps coming in an telling me I'm not close to pushing, but I've been here for nearly 5 hours, and I can't imagine how much longer I'm going to be in labor before I can start pushing. The only thing that's making it worth the wait is that Jace can get here and witness the birth, and that made me smile every single time I was in pain.

"Clary?" I heard and when I looked at the door there stood Alec.

"What's up Alec?" I asked.

"Jace's flight just landed, so I'm going to go get him." He said and I couldn't help but smile. "Magnus is in the cafeteria with Max and Rafe, but if you need him just send him a quick text."

"Of course. Thank you so much Alec." I said and he smiled before stepping back out of the room.

I sat back and just put my hands on my belly as I felt our little girl kick. This was finally the day, we were finally going to be parents, and everything was falling into place. It seemed so surreal, but we've been waiting for 9 months to meet this little one, and the fact that it was going to happen any moment now, was amazing.

 **Time Jump – 30 Hours Of Labor**

 **Jace POV:**

When I finally got to the hospital, I was super thrilled that Clary hadn't had the baby yet. Of course I wanted to witness it, but I also wanted to help Clary through the process of giving birth to our first child. It was an experience that you only got once, and I knew I wasn't going to miss it if I had anything to say about it.

What we didn't know was that Clary was going to be in labor for over a day. We're at the 35 hour mark, and Clary looks like she's in a severe amount of pain, and to know that I can't do anything to lesson that pain was killing me as well. It was like our baby just didn't want to come out. She was already a couple days late, and now she just wasn't close to being pushed out.

It was late, and I needed some coffee from the make shift coffee stand at the nurses station. Thankfully the hospital gave us a very private room so that we were away from prying eye. And to avoid me being seen, the nurses were kind enough to let me get my coffee from their station.

I grabbed the cup and went back to the room. Clary had been in an out of sleep for about 8 hours now, and I made sure that I slept when she was just so that she didn't have to be awake alone, but for some reason I just wasn't tired tonight.

I walked back into the room and took my seat next to Clary's bed. She was asleep, and I could hear the baby's monitor going crazy. She was moving around a lot inside of Clary, I could see her belly moving in every direction. I couldn't help but smile at my daughter basically dancing inside my wife, but I couldn't wait to see her dancing outside of my wife as well. I put my coffee down and moved closer to my talk to my baby girl.

"Hey baby." I whispered. "Look, I know you're comfy in there, but your mommy and I really want to meet you, and we can't do that if you're in there." I said. "Please, let's us meet you and start this amazing family that I know we'll be." I said as I pressed my lips to Clary's belly.

"You're cute." I heard and I looked up to see Clary smiling down at me.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked.

"Since you started talking." She said and I smiled. "I hope I give birth soon." She said as she shifted her body. She was now laying facing me, and my hand was still resting on her belly.

"So do I babe." I said. "I just can't wait to meet her."

"I've been ready since my due date." She said.

"Do you feel any better? Worse?" I asked.

"Right now I'm actually not in a lot of pain. So that's nice." She said and I nodded. But than her face changed from a look of peace, to a look of panic.

"Clary, what's wrong?" I asked panicked.

"My water just broke." She said with the biggest smile on her face. "Oh my god." I hit the nurses button and our night nurse came right in.

"What can I help you with?" She asked.

"My water just broke." Clary said, and the nurse smiled.

"I'll get the doctor in right away." She said before leaving the room. I looked up at Clary and she was beaming.

"We're finally going to get to meet her." I said and Clary nodded excitedly.

 **Time Jump – Two Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I have been pushing for about an hour now, and I was exhausted, but I wasn't giving up yet. This baby was going to come out of me, and she was going to come out of me today.

"Okay Clary, one more big push and I think she'll be here." The doctor said. I pushed with all my might, and screamed at the top of my lungs as I squeezed Jace's hand until I thought I broke it. "I see her head Clary, keep pushing." She said and the just fueled my fire. I pushed even harder than I thought I could, and the moment that I heard those sweet baby cries, I started to cry as well. Jace bent down and kissed my forehead as we waited for the nurses to be done looking over and cleaning our baby off.

"Congratulations Clary and Jace, you are proud parents of a new baby girl." The nurse said as she walked over to us with a pink bundle in her hands. I reached out and she placed her gently in my arms. Our perfect baby was finally here.

"You sure took your sweet time getting here baby girl." I said and Jace laughed.

"Welcome to the family Kinzley Celine Herondale." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile.

Her name was something we fought over for a couple months. I wanted something simple, but Jace wanted something unique. So we agreed on something different, but it couldn't be absolutely absurd, or incredibly boring. Those were our guidelines, and I found the name Kinzley on the internet somewhere and it just stuck. When I told Jace about it, he thought it was absolutely perfect. And our baby was always going to be named after Jace's parents no matter what, so when I found out we were having a girl, Celine was automatically her middle name.

"I love you." I said as I looked up at Jace.

"I love you too." He said as he played with Kinzley's fingers. "And I love you too Kinz." He said and I smiled.

My family was finally becoming what I always wanted, and I couldn't be prouder of Jace and I. we've come so far in our relationship, and we've overcome some serious obstacles, and I couldn't wait to start raising her, and whatever other children we bring into this world, with him by my side.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Kinzley was doing absolutely amazing. And fatherhood came so naturally to Jace, and I was super happy that he was taking the time off to be here with me and figure out parenthood together.

Jace had a meeting with Hodge today, so it was just Kinzley and I today. She was currently taking a nap, so I was cleaning up the house. Since having a baby, I haven't had any motivation to clean, and I knew it was driving Jace crazy. As much as he cleaned, it just got messy again, and his OCD was always at an all time high.

I just finished doing the dishes, and I had a couple minutes to just sit and relax, so I grabbed my phone and started going through my Instagram feed. It's been a couple days since I've been on, so it could take me some time. I was absentmindedly scrolling when I noticed that Jace posted a picture. It was a picture of Kinzley and I in bed this morning sleeping. After she feeds, she doesn't want to be alone so she normally ends up in bed with us. I couldn't help but smile as I started reading the caption.

 ** _therealjaceherondale:_** _Being a father to this beautiful little girl, and a husband to the hottest wife in the world was always a dream of mine, but nothing prepared me for how truly lucky I was to get these two girls. My baby girl is 2 months old today, and I already feel like she's growing up too fast. I love you two more than you'll ever know._

I couldn't get the smile off my face. Kinzley was such a daddy's girl and I was convinced if she didn't need me for food, she would always want Jace, but I didn't mind. Their relationship was truly special and I loved that. Jace's picture had almost 500,000 likes, and a lot of comments. Normally I didn't like to read them but I was curious how his fans thought about this life changing event.

 ** _Bubblegirl09:_** _Ugh, there goes my chance of having your kids Jace, but I can only imagine she's the cutest little baby in the world! So happy for you!_

 ** _Chiboy34:_** _If she looks anything like your wife, can I date her when she's old enough?_

 ** _Jace'sbiggestfan:_** _What is your daughters name?! I bet it's something super cute! Love youuuuuuu!_

 ** _Jace &Clary_fanpage: _**_You two are literal goals, and I can't wait to see all the pictures you post of this sweet little bundle of joy! You two will make the most amazing parents in the world! I wish you were mine!_

After the last one I deiced to stop reading. For the most part they were all pretty positive things, but there was always going to be those fans that hate me, or hate Jace, and just want to put their two cents into a conversation where it isn't wanted. That was something Jace and I wanted to protect Kinzley from as long as we possibly could. She didn't deserve the hate, especially as a baby.

I heard her crying through the baby monitor and went to go grab her. She was laying in the crib just wailing, so I picked her up, changed her, and brought her downstairs. I sat on the couch and started feeding her. A couple minutes later, the front door opened and in walked Jace.

"There are my two favorite girls." He said as he pressed his lips to the top of my head.

"How was the meeting with Hodge?" I asked.

"It went well." He said. "Apparently there is this movie that is trying their hardest to cast me, and as many times as Hodge told them no, they are relentless, so we had a sit down meeting with the casting directors to let them know that I wasn't going to be involved in a movie for another year, and they were just trying to sell me in a every single way." He explained.

"What is the movie about?" I asked curiously.

"I'm not even sure to be honest." He said and I laughed. "It takes place in the jungles of like Thailand and they expect filming to take almost 2 years."

"Damn, that sounds intense." I said and he nodded.

"Even if I wasn't taking a year off, I don't know if I would have taken the role anyway. It doesn't seem like something I'd do." He said.

"It's always good to be part of different types of movies. That way you don't get type casted." I pointed out and he nodded.

"True, but they backed off for now, but they didn't looked pleased, and I don't think they're done bothering Hodge about it." He told me.

"Well, I guess after the year is up, you can give them your final answer if they are still looking at you at the lead role." I said and he nodded.

"Very true." He said. "How is my baby doing?" He asked.

"She just woke up from her nap, so after she's done feeding, she's all yours." I said and Jace smiled.

"That's what I like to hear!" He said and I laughed.

After she was done, I handed her off to Jace and went back to cleaning up the place a little more. I could hear Jace talking to Kinzley, and hearing her giggle like a maniac, and I couldn't get the smile off my face. I couldn't wait for the rest of our future together as a family.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Kinzley was 5 years old, and Clary was pregnant with our second child. We didn't want them to be so close in age, so we thought that once Kinzley was 5 would be a great time to start trying for our next one, and when Clary found out she was pregnant again, we were over the moon happy about it, and Kinzley was super thrilled to be having a little brother or sister.

In a couple weeks, I actually have a movie premiere and Clary doesn't want to be bombarded again with paparazzi and reporters while she's almost 7 months pregnant, so I was taking Kinzley. It was her first movie premiere, and she was super excited, and so was I. Clary had been to her fair share of premieres, and as much as she wanted to be there supporting me, I knew she hated being in the spot light, and I understood that.

"Jace! 5 minutes." Hodge said and I nodded. I had an interview today discussing my new movie and I was pretty excited to be talking and promoting it. I loved this film, and I was super proud of it.

I finished getting ready and went to the part of the stage where I would go out and meet with the interviewer. I could hear the crowd cheering and laughing. I could tell this was going to be a good time. There wasn't anything worse than a deadbeat crowd during an interview.

"Let me introduce our next guest." The interviewer said. "He's been doing this for a long time, and he has a movie coming out this summer, please welcome Jace Herondale!" She cheered and I made my way out onto the stage. The place was going crazy, and I was just waving to my fans, and enjoying the moment. "It's great to see you again Jace." She said as I gave her a hug.

"You as well." I said.

"I believe the last time we did an interview together, you were a relatively new parent." She said ad I laughed.

"Yes, my little girl was just a little over a year back than, and now she's 5." I said and the crowd awed.

"How has these past 5 years been?" She asked.

"Truly unbelievable." I said. "Family has always been important to be, considering I lost mine very young." I said and the crowd sighed. "So when Clary and I first started dating I had to make sure she wanted a family in the future."

"That didn't freak her out?" She asked and I laughed.

"Not even in the slightest." I laughed. "In fact, her reaction to that question was 'oh thank god, I didn't want to waste my time on someone who didn't want a family' and I knew from that moment on I was going to marry her."

"I follow you on Instagram, you two really seem to be more in love as the years go by." She said and I smiled.

"It's easy to fall in love with the woman who has given you everything. Purpose, drive, dinner." I said and everyone laughed. "She's honestly been a huge factor in my career. At one point I wanted to give up because I just wasn't getting anything I was auditioning for, and it was her who kept telling me to push through the hard times, and the good times will be even better. I truly owe my career to her."

"That's really amazing." She said. "So this new movie, what made you want to take the role?" She asked.

"You know, when I first started actually booking jobs, I would take everything that came my way. I really didn't care what it was about, or how long it would take to film, or where on location I would be." I said. "I just knew I was getting parts in movies, and that's all I cared about. But it caused a rift in my marriage, and I was forgetting all my other responsibilities with Clary, and I realized that I couldn't do that once my daughter came along." I explained. "So taking a year hiatus to just raise her, and grow closer to my wife was really eye opening, and now I really take roles that resonate with me on a personal level, a emotional level, anything that really speaks to me."

"And what spoke to you about this role?" She asked.

"The sheer will of this character." I said. "He was dealt with the worst hand in life. His mother was an alcoholic, his father was abusive, his older brother was in a mental institution, and his little sister was in a coma because she tried to kill herself." I explained. "And it just really spoke to me because it wasn't a tragedy. This story didn't make you sympathetic to a character that wasn't moving up or moving forward with their life." I said and she nodded. "My character has incredible growth throughout the film, and the biggest heart, because I know for one, if I was in that situation, I don't think I could ever forgive my parents for how awful they were to me, and I would never be able to look at my sister again after I found her almost dead." I said. "He just has so much stacked against him, and he continues to look at life in a positive way, and I think everyone should try to look at the world that way. I know what it feels like to be broken, and alone, and angry at the world, but there is so much more out there that is incredible, and I think people forget that far too often."

"That's amazing." She said. "And will Clary be at this premiere with you?" She asked.

"She will not. She is currently 7 months pregnant with our second child." I said and everyone clapped. "So she just wants to be at home and eat ice cream." I said and everyone laughed.

"Are you bringing anyone else from your family?" She asked.

"Yes. I'm bringing my daughter to her first premiere." I said and the crowd cheered.

"Seems like an intense movie to bring her too." She said and I laughed.

"Clary said the same thing, but she's an incredibly bright 5 year old. She knows the world isn't all sunshine and rainbows, and there are very lighthearted parts in this movie. I think she'll really like it." I explained.

"Is she like a total girly girl?" She asked.

"Absolutely not." I laughed. "She loves getting dirty, and going on adventures, and traveling. When she was 4, we took a family vacation to Australia, and I honestly thought she was going to go out in the wilderness to sleep with the animals." I said.

"So, she isn't into princesses, or anything like that?" She asked.

"No. Her favorite Disney movie is actually The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and it's because she loves Quasimodo." I said and everyone laughed.

"Really?" She asked.

"Oh yea. Not even Esmeralda gets her attention, but good ol' Quasi does." I smiled.

"She sounds like a huge ball of fun." She said.

"Oh, she's something else." I said. "But she's absolutely perfect. Clary and I couldn't have been blessed with a better daughter."

"Well, thank you so much for being here with us Jace, I can't wait to see your movie, it's out in theaters this month." She said and we cut to commercial. "It was great seeing you again Jace.

"It was great seeing you as well." I said. We talked for a few more minutes before I headed back towards the dressing room. I checked my phone and I had a message from Clary. Kinzley had a dance recital this weekend, and I promised I'd be there, so I couldn't forget to get home in time for it. I immediately booked my plane ticket home so that I wouldn't forget and have to wait on standby for a seat to open up. A moment later Clary actually snapchatted me. It was a picture of Kinzley kissing Clary's belly, and I couldn't get the smile off my face. Life was good.

 **Time Jump – Movie Premiere**

 **Jace POV:**

I was standing downstairs, while Clary sat on the couch. Izzy had come over to give Kinzley a make over, and she now had to make her grand entrance. Izzy walked down the stairs first with the biggest smile on her face.

"May I introduce you to, Kinzley Celine Herondale." She announced and Kinzley walked down the stairs. She looked absolutely beautiful, and I couldn't wait to spend the night with her celebrating what I love to do with one of the most important people in my life.

"Baby, you look beautiful." I said and she ran into my arms.

"I wanted to match you daddy." She said and I looked into those sweet golden eyes of hers. I took a look at her outfit and I couldn't help but smile.

"You got everything down to the touches of red." I said and she giggled. I looked over at Clary and winked and she blushed. Since I started in this industry, my signature look was all black. It didn't matter where I went, I always wore black, but I always had red in my outfit for Clary. If I was wearing a tie, or a bowtie, or just a handkerchief: it was always the same shade as Clary's hair. It was my way of keeping her close if she couldn't come, and showing the world that she was just as important to my career as I was.

"Aunt Izzy did a really good job!" Kinzley said and I smiled.

"That she did." I said. "Go say goodbye to mommy before we head out." I said and she ran over to where Clary was sitting on the couch.

"I wish you were coming with us mommy." She said and Clary smiled.

"If I was going with you baby, than you wouldn't be going." Clary pointed out. "Plus, I've been to my fair share of premieres, your little sister and I are just going to hang out tonight." She said and Kinzley smiled.

"Otay mommy. I love you." Kinzley said as Clary gave her a big kiss.

"I love you too baby." Clary said. I made my way over and gave Clary a sweet kiss.

"We'll be home late." I said and she nodded. "Take it easy tonight." I said and she laughed.

"My butt isn't leaving this couch until I want to go to bed." She said and I laughed.

"I love you." I said.

"I love you too Jace." She said. I gave her one more kiss than Kinzley and I headed towards the premiere. The drive wasn't long, and Kinzley was absolutely stoked the entire time, and I really couldn't wait to experience this night with her. We pulled up to the premiere and i shut the car off and turned around.

"Okay baby, there are going to be a lot of cameras, and people asking a lot of questions." I told Kinzley before we got out of the car.

"Can I answer the questions?" She asked and I laughed. Normally when people bombard us in public, or something like that, Clary and I always tell Kinzley not to speak to any of them.

"Absolutely baby." I said and she got super excited. I took a deep breath and got out of the car, and the cameras immediately started flashing. I helped Kinzley out and she had the biggest smile on her face. She was loving this. We started making our way down the red carpet, and Kinzley was nothing but smiles the entire time.

"Jace! Over here!" I heard a reporter ask, so I made my way over to her. "It's so good to see you Jace."

"You as well." I said and she smiled.

"You look amazing, who are you wearing tonight?" She asked.

"My entire outfit is from Dolce and Gabbana." I said.

"And who are you wearing my dear?" She asked Kinzley.

"I'm wearing my Aunt Izzy." She beamed and the reporter laughed.

"Isabelle Lightwood never disappoints." The reporter said.

"That she does not." I said with a smile.

"Are you excited to be here with you dad?" She asked Kinzley.

"I'm super excited! I wish my mommy could be here as well, but she's always tired these days." Kinzley said and I laughed.

"She's pregnant baby. Very pregnant." I reminded her.

"And, you know what you're having?" The reporter asked. I looked at Kinzley, who looked like she was ready to burst at he seems.

"Tell them the news Kinzley." I said and she cheered.

"I'm having a little sister!" She beamed, and slightly shouted, which got the attention of all the people around us, and they all started clapping.

"Are you excited?" She asked Kinzley.

"Yes!" She cheered.

"Two girls, how does it feel Jace?" The reported asked.

"My life just keeps getting better. I have no complaints." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you for taking the time to join me Jace, and you as well Kinzley." The reporter said.

"Thanks for having us." Kinzley said. We said our goodbyes and continued down the red carpet smiling from ear to ear about everything that's ever happened in my personal life.

 **Time Jump – Ten Years Later**

 **Kinzley POV:**

You would think going to a private school would get all the fame chaser away from you, but it didn't matter where I went, there was always going to be one girl who wanted to be my friend because of who my dad was. I was pretty good at picking friends who were kinda in the same situation as I was. Their parents were in the industry as producers, or directors, or fashion designers like my aunt, so we all knew what it was like and bonded over that. It also helped that I went to school with some of my cousins.

I was walking down the hallway when the most annoying girl I've ever met stopped in front of me with her posse gathered around me so that I couldn't even leave.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"That's a very rude way to greet your friends Kinz." She said.

"You aren't my friends." I said. "You're the type of people who try to weasel your way into others lives because they just so happen to have a successful parent."

"That's not true at all." She said and I laughed.

"So my father being Jace Herondale has nothing to do with the fact that you haven't left me alone since middle school?" I asked and she laughed, followed by her unintelligent posse.

"Of course not." She said. "I think we'd be great friends." She said and I laughed.

"Name my fathers first acting job." I said.

"He was in a music video for Billy Joel when he was 21 and in college." She said as if there wasn't a second thought about it.

"Exactly. Normal people don't remember things like that." I said. "Leave me alone." I said as I pushed past her.

"You're going to regret that Kinzley Herondale!" She shouted after me.

"I highly doubt that." I said as I continued through the hallway. I got to my next class, and thankfully I had that class with Malea.

"What's wrong?" She asked when I took a seat.

"Christina and her posse circled me in the hallway." I explained. "She tried to pretend we were friends."

"I hate that girl." She said. "I wish there was a school where kids could go who have parents in the Hollywood industry. I mean, all she wants to do is be famous, and she just doesn't get what its like."

"Trust me, I know. I loved it when I was little, but as I get older, I feel like my name is just a hindrance, not a blessing." I admitted.

"It's hard being the daughter of Jace Herondale, just like it's hard being the daughter of Isabelle Lightwood, but we have each other, and our parents wouldn't be who they are today without the careers they picked." She explained.

"I know, I know." I said.

"Talk to your parents." She said. "Aunt Clary had to go through the transition, and she's become a pro. Maybe she can help you." She offered and I just nodded. I knew she was right, but at this moment in time, I was annoyed.

 **Time Jump – After School**

 **Clary POV:**

I was cleaning up the mess while little Julian was asleep. Jace and I always knew we wanted kids, we both were only children, and up until Jace was adopted, we both knew that it got lonely sometimes, and we didn't want to have our children feel that way.

We also wanted to wait in between kids until we had another one, but looking back on it now, maybe waiting 5 years in between was a little extensive. They were all at different stages of their lives. Julian was only a couple months old, Vivian was 5, and just starting school, Aubree was 10, and Kinzley was almost 16. I loved getting to have them while the other ones were older, but I think 2 or 3 years would have been good, not 5.

The front door opened, and Aubree ran straight upstairs just like she always did. She was a book worm, and always had to do her homework the second she walked in the door. Kinzley was a little slower, and sauntered into the living room, I smiled at her, but she seemed to be a little down today.

"Everything okay at school Kinz?" I asked.

"Just petty girls." She said as she took a seat on the couch.

"What does that mean?" I asked as I joined her.

"It's really nothing mom." She said.

"I don't believe you." I said and she sighed.

"How did you do it?" She asked. "How did you get used to people trying to use you for dad?" She asked and I sighed. I knew this would come up eventually.

"It's not easy." I told her honestly. "There are people out there who want something from me on a daily basis because of who your father is, but at the end of the day, he's just Jace to me, and he's my husband. He isn't famous in this house. He isn't a movie star, and he isn't the 'Sexiest Man Alive' here. Well, he is in my eyes."

"Gross mom." She said and I laughed.

"The point is, he's just your father Kinz. Yes his job is rather high profile, but at the end of the day he's the man who tucks you in at night, reads your bed time stories, and cuddles you when you're sick." I said.

"He doesn't do that to me anymore." She said and I laughed.

"Please, last winter when you got the flu, you didn't leave his side until you felt better." I said and she smiled.

"It's so hard." She admitted.

"I know it is baby, but all you have to do is surround yourself with people who care about you, not what your last name is, and everything will just be a lot easier." I said.

"Thanks mom." She said and I moved over and gave her a hug.

"Okay, who want's Chinese for dinner?" I heard and when we pulled apart there stood Jace. "I had a really bad day, and I've been craving Chinese since lunch." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What are you pregnant?" I asked, and he laughed.

"No. Hodge wants me to take this part in this movie, but I really don't like the script or the plot of the movie, and I've been away for press sporadically the past couple months, and I just really want a family night. With Chinese." He said and I walked over and snaked my arms around his torso.

"Than let's have a movie night, with Chinese." I said and he pressed his lips to mine. There was a crash outside and we broke apart when we heard it. "What the hell was that?" I asked.

"Don't know." Jace said. "I'll go check it out."

"Can I come with you dad?" Kinzley asked.

"Sure, but stay behind me." Jace said and she nodded. They went to check it out, and I continued to clean up a little. A few moments later, they walked back in with 3 unfamiliar faces.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"Meet Christina and some of her posse, Brittney, and Monica." Kinzley said in a dry tone. "Some of the girls who only want to be my friend because of dad, who apparently resorted to stalking."

"Hey, we weren't stalking you." Christina said.

"You were just peeking through the windows in my house." Kinzley said. "That's stalking."

"Well, you wouldn't invite us over." Monica said.

"Because you make my life hell at school. Just because I don't want to be your friend doesn't mean you get to harass me." Kinzley said and I saw Jace stiffen.

"We don't make her life hell Mr. Herondale, I assure you that." Christina said and Jace looked at Kinzley.

"Trust me daddy, they are lying." Kinzley said.

"Look, get off my property, and I won't call the police." Jace said and their eyes widened. "And leave my daughter alone. If she doesn't want to be friends, that's her business, but you can't go around harassing people into being your friends, that's not how the world works." Jace said and they practically ran out of the house.

"I'm sorry dad." Kinzley said.

"Why are you sorry? If anything I should be sorry." He said and I could tell that confused Kinzley. "You all never asked for this life, and you got thrown in the middle of it."

"Babe, what have I always told you?" I said as I moved over to him. "You wouldn't be you if you didn't do what you love. Acting in your passion, and it would selfish of us to make you choose between your passion and your family." I said and he leaned forward and gave me a kiss.

"Mom's right dad." Kinzley said. "I mean, it isn't fun when people try and use me for my last name, but I couldn't be any prouder of the work you do." She said and Jace opened his arm and she came running into him. "I can handle the fake girls, and the fame chasers. Just keep making kickass movies."

"Young lady." I said and Jace and her both laughed.

"I can't promise they'll all be kickass." Jace said. "But I have pretty good intuition for movies that don't do well."

"Remember that one in the jungle that they wanted you to do right after Kinzley was born?" I reminded Jace.

"Of course. It took nearly 4 months to get those casting directors off my back." Jace said.

"What happened?" Kinzley asked.

"There was this movie coming out in the near future, and the casting director apparently really wanted me to be the lead, but you were only a couple months old, and I was taking a year off to help your mom raise you and just slow down in general since I was in hyper speed at that point." Jace explained. "But these guys were relentless. Bugged Hodge and I for months about this role, but I just didn't like it, and I didn't think I'd do well with the character. I couldn't relate to him at all." He said. "Finally, they left me alone, and a couple years later the movie came out, and tanked. It got horrible reviews, and lost money actually." He laughed a little. "Your mom and I of course went to go see it, just to see what it was even about, and by the end, we were more confused than we were when we sat down."

"Have I ever seen it?" Kinzley asked.

"I don't think so, but I'm sure I can get a copy of it and we can watch it some time." Jace said.

"How about for family movie night tonight?" Kinzley suggested.

"You want to waste family movie night on a bad movie?" Jace asked and Kinzley laughed.

"Sometimes, those make for the most entertaining nights." Kinzley said and Jace smiled.

"Right you are sweetheart." Jace said before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Now, I'm going to get the orders, and than go and try and find the movie, I should be back hopefully soon, but who knows, I might have to search pretty heard for this movie." Jace said and I laughed.

"Don't you wish Blockbuster was still around?" I said and he laughed before heading out of the house.

"Mom." Kinzley asked and I turned to her. "What's Blockbuster?" She asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"An ancient place where dreams were made sweetheart." I said and Kinzley just looked confused before going to the kitchen to do some homework. I smiled to myself and went back to cleaning up. I knew I only a short amount of time before Julian woke up and before Vivian got bored and insisted I played with her. Despite how chaotic life could get sometimes, when I married Jace, I knew one day I was going to be married to fame as well, and as long as my kids were happy, and my husband and I were in love, nothing else really mattered.

"Mom! Vivian spilled paint all over my homework!" I heard Aubree yell and I sighed to myself. "Hey, get back here you mutant!" She yelled, and than I heard a squeal.

"It never ends." I said to myself. "It just never ends."

 **Authors Note:**

 **So as you all know, I've been lacking motivation a lot recently, and I know I normally update a lot more often with these one shots, and it's not that I don't have any ideas, or great requests, I just don't seem to have motivation to write anything.**

 **This one shot was thought of by me. I wanted to write something that had a little conflict in the beginning but ultimately was resolved and didn't drag out. I'm just trying to get back in the swing of things, so if this doesn't live up to my normal standard, I truly am sorry. I really am trying to get back in the swing of things. Please just be patient with me, and I'll try to get back to my normal self soon! I have like 4 more one shots in the works, but not motivation. It's beyond frustrating and I don't know why it's gotten so bad.**

 **A few things I'd like to point out, you CAN be in labor for 35 hours. I researched it. Please don't tell me that's impossible, google it! Clary also had her last child in her mid 40's, which is also possible. Risky, but possible. Remember that. Also, I know nothing about acting, so all that information and stuff is all made up. I'm just an average girl from the Northeast of the United States. I'm pretty average, so I don't have a lot of knowledge about what it means to be an actor!**

 **As for the looks of the children, if anyone was wondering, I'll give a brief description:**

 **Kinzley - blonde curly hair, golden eyes, relatively short.**

 **Aubree - red hair, gold eyes, pretty short**

 **Vivian - strawberry blonde hair, green eyes, obviously short**

 **Julian - red hair, green eyes with specks of gold in them**

 **Well, that's all for me, I hope you enjoy this one shot, and I can't thank you enough for being patient with me. I know it's a process, but I appreciate all the kind words, and encouragement! It really means a lot to me!**


	123. Chapter 122 - Soulmate

**One Hundred and Twenty Two Story:**

 **Soulmate**

 **Jace POV:**

When I was young, I noticed a change in me around middle school. It was like one moment I felt normal, but the next I had this heavy amount of emotions on my shoulders, but I knew they weren't mine, or at least they didn't feel like mine.

It was a combination of sadness, and hatred. I didn't know why I felt these things since nothing had happened to me in that moment to make me feel these emotions, but I just went through my day trying to forget about it, and I did. Until another emotions took its place. Embarrassment. Sheer and utter embarrassment filled my veins, and I didn't understand. It didn't make any sense, but I could focus my mind on something else, and forget it was there for periods of time, and that's what I did, and that's what I continued to do.

Until one night, and I had a very vivid dream. It was an angel telling me that these emotions weren't mine indeed, but they belonged to the girl that I was going to fall in love with. We had this connection where we could feel each other's emotions, and once we found each other, they would intensify. I didn't really get it at first, but the more emotions I felt, the more I started to believe, and now as I start my freshman year in college, I still had these emotions weighing on me, and the only people who knew about it were Alec and Izzy.

Thankfully, I didn't have to leave either of them when we got to college. We all had the same dream when it came to furthering our education, and NYU wanted to give me a football scholarship, so it was like destiny that we went to this college, and going together made everything even better. They were the siblings I never had, and they were truly the family I always wanted, but didn't get lucky enough to have, and to continue my education with them was amazing.

 **Clary POV:**

My mom dropped me off at NYU, and unpacked all my things, but had to get going because she was on the nightshift tonight, so I understood. It was going to be weird being away from her, since she is all I've ever had, but I was excited to be starting school in a new state, and away from all those people who constantly made my life a living hell.

I was just putting my clothes away when I felt a weird sensation. It was the feeling of sadness, but it was more intense this time. I don't know where it came from, but than I remembered that dream I had all those years ago, and it said that this would intensify when we got closer to each other, so maybe this was a sign that we were both at the same school, or at least in the same state.

I never told anyone about this incredibly unique situation. I was already bullied a lot, and telling people that I had a soulmate, and that I could feel everything they felt was not something that would help me out in the cool department, so I just decided to keep it to myself, and every single day I wondered who my soulmate was.

"Hey!" I heard someone say, and it pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Hey." I said back.

"You must be Clarissa, I'm Isabelle, your roommate." She said and I smiled.

"I prefer to be called Clary." I said and she nodded.

"I prefer to be called Izzy." She said and I nodded. "I think we'll get along just fine."

"I sure hope so." I said and she laughed. She dragged her suitcase into the room. "Do you need any help?" I asked.

"That would be great. My parents are helping my brother and his best friend move in, and I didn't want to wait for them." She explained.

"Your brother is coming here too?" I asked.

"Yea. We're twins." She said. "I'm 2 minutes older though, and I never let him forget it." She said and I laughed. "And his best friend since we were kids is also coming here. He's on the football team."

"That's nice." I said.

"Did you come with anyone?" She asked.

"No. I came to get away from everyone." I admitted and she laughed.

"Clean slates are always nice." She said. "Are you originally from New York?" She asked.

"No. I'm from Providence, Rhode Island." I said.

"That's awesome. I've never met someone from Rhode Island." She said. "Is it a far drive?" She asked.

"A little over 3 hours. It's not too bad." I said.

"That's cool. I'm from New York." She said and I nodded. "What are you majoring in?" She asked, and I had to admit, this might be the longest conversation I've ever had with someone, and it was kinda nice, but man did she ask a lot of questions.

"I'm an art major." I said. "What about you?"

"Fashion design." She said.

"Cool." I said and she nodded.

Our conversation got rather light after that. I helped her move all her stuff in and we rearranged the room to the way she wanted it. I couldn't care less about what it looked like, so I had no problem with changing it. It was nice to actually make a friend here already. I honestly thought it was going to take me months to actually make a friend, but Izzy was really nice, and I was happy that she was my roommate.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

Izzy and I were just chilling in our room. The TV was on in the background, and I was sketching while Izzy was sewing something when there was a knock on the door. Izzy got up and went to see who it was, and when the door opened, there stood two incredibly tall men. One looked exactly like Izzy, so I could only assume he was her twin, and the other looked like an angel.

"You didn't waste time making this place home Iz." Her brother said as they both walked into the room.

"Nope." She said happily. "Boys, this is my roommate, Clary. Clary this is my brother Alec, and his best friend Jace." She said as she pointed to each one.

"Nice to meet you." I said.

"You as well." Alec said. "I have to warn you though, Izzy can be quite the handful."

"You're exaggerating Alec." Izzy said with a laugh.

"We shared a womb for 9 months, I think I know what I'm talking about." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. "Anyway, Jace and I were hungry and about to get pizza, but wanted to know if you wanted to join Iz? And you as well Clary." Alec offered.

"Pizza sounds amazing!" Izzy said.

"I'm good." I said, but apparently I was going to be eating pizza regardless of my answer.

"Nonsense." Izzy said as she grabbed my hand and pulled me off my bed. We headed out of our room and took the walk to where the boys were staying. Everyone got comfortable and Alec ordered the pizza. Luckily I brought my sketchbook, and continued my sketch. I looked around the room and Alec, Jace and Izzy were all talking about something and laughing. I wondered if this was what I missed out on in high school by not having friends, but than again, it wasn't my idea not to have friends, it was the way the world worked at my school, and I adapted.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

College was already significantly better than high school. Izzy and I might be incredibly different, but we got along really well, and Alec and Jace were pretty cool as well. It was nice to have friends to each lunch with, or hang out with when we didn't have class. I may have missed out on this during high school, but I was happy that it was all working out in college.

Tonight there was a football game, and Izzy convinced me to go. Jace was on the team, so it's not like I didn't know anyone, but sports weren't my thing. We were sitting in the bleachers and I had brought my sketchbook so that at least I could have something to work on while the game was going on, and who knows, maybe I could get some good sketches of this game.

I was focused on my sketch that I was barely even listening to the game, but when I heard the whole crowd gasp, I immediately looked up. I had no idea what was going on, but when I looked at Izzy and Alec, they looked horrified.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Jace just got wrecked." Izzy said and I focused my attention back on the field. "Normally he gets back up, but this time he isn't." She said and I nodded. It was relatively cold out, so I can only assume it hurts twice has hard getting hit in the cold, so I don't blame him for not getting up.

After a couple more minutes he got up and walked over and the whole crowd started clapping. After a quick evaluation, he was running back on the field. He really loved the game, and did anything to play, and I had to admire him for that.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Izzy POV:**

For the past couple days Clary has been rubbing her shoulder religiously. She looked like she was in some kind of pain, but she never brought it up, so neither did I. She was constantly moving it around, and hissing slightly when she hit it on something, or leaned on it. It was weird, considering she hasn't done anything to hurt it in the first place.

I was meeting Jace and Alec today for lunch and when I got to the table, I saw Jace rubbing his shoulder in the same way Clary was. It was the same exact shoulder, and he was making the same gestures. When Jace told me about these feelings that he had, and how he had this vivid dream about a soulmate, I had to admit, it seemed odd, but maybe it wasn't that far fetched, and maybe Clary was the one who he was connected too.

"What happened to your shoulder Jace?" I asked to get a better theory in mind.

"I guess I hurt it during the game this weekend." He said. "I didn't really feel it until later though, but when I got hit I was just focused on the wind being knocked out of me." He explained.

"Have you talked to the trainers?" Alec asked.

"Yea. They think it's just stiff." He said. "Should be better in the next couple days. As long as I don't over work it."

"That's good." I said and he nodded. Alec and him started talking about something for class, and that made my mind start racing about ways to get Clary and Jace together to see if this thing was legit.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"I have the greatest news ever!" Izzy said as she burst into our room.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Well, I was wondering how you'd feel about being set up on a blind date." She said and my jaw dropped.

"A blind date?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes. It wouldn't be for a couple weeks, since the guy I want to set you up with is super busy right now, but I think it would be really fun, and I think you two would hit it off rather well." She beamed.

"I mean, I guess." I said and she squealed.

"Okay, I'm gonna go talk to the guy and see how he feels about it, and I'm gonna set up the whole thing! You're going to love it!" She said before she skipped out of the room. I thought about the possibility of going on a date, my very first date, and part of me was excited, but I was also really scared that it wouldn't go well.

 **Jace POV:**

I was in the middle of doing my homework when there was a eager knock at my door. When I opened it up, Izzy came running into the room.

"Where is the fire Iz?" I laughed and she had the biggest smile on her face.

"How would you feel about a blind date?" She asked.

"You want to set me up with someone?" I asked.

"Yes. I think you two would hit it off." She said.

"But I already have someone." I pointed out and she rolled her eyes.

"Just because you have a soulmate, doesn't mean you have to stop dating until you find her." She said. "Just try this out, and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. No harm, no foul." I pointed out.

"I guess it couldn't hurt." I said. "Football is pretty much sucking me dry these days, so having a night out could be fun."

"That's the spirit." She said. "Now, the next three weeks you have games away, so you're busy all weekend, but the week after that, you have a home game, so I figured it could be Saturday night."

"Works for me Iz." I said and she gave me a huge hug.

"You won't regret it." She said before she skipped out of the room and closed the door. I got back on my bed and continued doing my homework. Going out on this date could be fun, and I hoped that if there wasn't an attraction there, there was at least a friendship that could be built.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

For the past month I was looking forward to the night that I just got to enjoy my time and not worry about football, or schoolwork, but that all went to shit after the game last night. I was hit super hard and something just felt off. It was a paralyzing feeling, and I honestly thought I broke my back, and it was the most terrifying feeling in the world.

Which brings me to tonight, I was lying in my hospital bed tonight thinking about how I was supposed to be on a blind date right now. Izzy told me she thought me and this girl would be a good match, and although I already technically had someone, there was no rule saying I couldn't date until I found her. All morning I tried to get a hold of Izzy but her phone kept going straight to voicemail, so I couldn't even let the girl know I wasn't going to make it. I felt awful about it, but at the same time it wasn't my fault.

My TV was on but it was muted, and the same black and white movie was playing. Just like how it was since I got here last night. I hated being injured, but they wanted to keep me over for observations until Monday, and I wanted to play again, so I was going to listen to them. This is their job after all.

I was getting ready to fall asleep when I got this overwhelming feeling of sadness. Everything in me felt heavy and depressed. My soulmate must be experiencing the toughest situation she's ever faced considering I've never felt this from her before. It was something that made me want to hold her in my arms, and calm her down. Make her feel worthy, and special. It seemed like she never got enough of that, and I couldn't wait to be the one to show her what it felt like to be cherished because that's what I planned on doing to her.

This feeling lasted for a long time. The heaviness didn't leave me for hours. I tried to go to sleep, but the weight that I felt on my heart and how draining this feeling was, wasn't helping me. I felt lost, for the first time in my whole entire life, I felt like I couldn't do anything for someone I cared about so much.

Once it stopped, I had a feeling she finally fell asleep, and in turn, I finally went to sleep. But my mind kept wondering to who my soulmate was, and what she just experienced tonight. Than I got angry because I wanted to hurt whoever made her feel that way.

Sleep finally won me over and my dreams were filled with a blurry image of my soulmate. Things we were doing, our future, our happiness, and everything I could ever imagine. It was all right beneath my eyelids and I couldn't wait for the day that I got to meet her.

 **Time Jump - Sunday Night**

 **Jace POV:**

Tonight the Lightwoods were dropping by to visit. Since my parents couldn't be bothered to care about what happens to me, I was glad to have them as my pseudo family.

They walked in and they each greeted me with a hug. Maryse and Robert were talking to the doctor, wondering what happened while Alec and Izzy sat at my bedside.

"How was your weekend Iz?" I finally asked her.

"I will never go where there isn't cell service ever again. I mean, I could hear bites and pieces of conversations but it was really pointless." She explained.

"But was it fun?" I asked.

"Eh." She shrugged. "Plus, I kinda messed up." She admitted.

"How so?" Alec asked.

"Well, considering you're in the hospital right now, I'm guessing you didn't go to the blind date I set up." She said and I nodded. "Well, the date may have been with Clary."

"What?" I asked astonished.

"I may have figured something out." She said.

"The suspense is killing me Iz." I said and she laughed.

"I think Clary is your soulmate." She said and my jaw dropped.

"Your serious?" I asked and she nodded.

"It was earlier this year, when you hurt your shoulder really badly, and a couple days later I saw Clary rubbing her shoulder and than I saw you rubbing the same shoulder in the same way, so I came up with a few theories." She said.

"And you're sure?" I asked.

"I am." She said.

"That was her that I felt." I said to myself. "Last night I felt so much sadness and pain from her. She probably thought I stood her up."

"I had no idea you'd get hurt, and be in the hospital all weekend, and Clary called me this morning to tell me that her date never showed, and I tried to tell her but the service sucked, and our call failed." She explained. "I should have told you so that you could have reached out to her, but I just wanted you two to try and forget this whole soulmate thing and figure it out on your own."

"Isabelle, you don't know how hurt Clary was last night. It literally killed me that I couldn't do anything to ease her pain, and now knowing that I was the cause of it, makes it so much worse." I said and she hung her head.

"Do you hate me?" She asked and I sighed.

"I could never hate you Iz, but I wish you told me about your suspicions, and your theories, and your incentives." I told her and she nodded.

"I tried to call Clary back once I got back into town, but she's ignoring me, which I can't really blame her for." She said and I nodded.

"Thank you for trying to help Iz, it means a lot." I said and she smiled. "I can finally stop wondering who it is." She laughed.

"I hope it works out." She said.

"We're soulmates, of course it's going to work out." I said and she laughed.

"After the shitty life you've lived, sometimes your confidence shocks me." She said and I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"I got out of that house because of my confidence." I told her and she nodded.

"Alec, Isabelle, visiting hours are over." I heard Maryse say, and they both nodded.

"Thank you guys for visiting." I said and they all gave me one last hug.

"We're all glad you're okay." Maryse said before they all left the room. It made it my mission to find Clary tomorrow and explain everything. I can't take back what happened last night, but I can do my best to explain myself, and start fresh with her.

 **Time Jump – Monday**

 **Jace POV:**

I actually got out of the hospital last night a couple hours after the Lightwoods left. The doctor said that if I'm experiencing discomfort to come back in, but other than that I was good to return to my activities. I was thrilled, and by the time I got back to my room I was exhausted, and as much as I wanted to find Clary and talk to her, I knew I needed a good nights sleep.

So today it was my mission to find her. I knew she was an art major here, so I figured I'd start in the art building and if she wasn't there, to just search the rest of the campus.

It was still incredibly weird to think that Clary has been my soulmate all this time, but I was looking forward to seeing how we handle this situation and just how our future plays out.

Clary hasn't felt a single emotion since the night of our date, and that was the most intense night I've felt in awhile. She was so devastated, and all I wanted to do was wrap her in my arms and calm her down. I was completely in my own head until I passed a room where I caught a flash of red. I back tracked, and of course, there sat Clary, painting. I made my way into the room, and I realized that it was just her.

"Clary?" I questioned and she turned around.

"What do you want Jace?" She asked in an indifferent way.

"I need to talk to you about something." I said.

"I really don't what to hear it." She said. "I'm not in the mood for your sarcastic comments, or your know it all personality. I just want to paint in peace." She said and I sighed. This might be trickier than I thought.

"Well, too bad. This is important." I said and she turned to face me this time.

"Fine. Make it quick." She said sounding incredibly bored with me.

"It's about the other night." I started with. "Your blind date."

"You mean the date that stood me up? Yea, I'd rather not talk about that." She said.

"But it's important." I said.

"Look, that jerk stood me up. I was really looking forward to going out and having a good time. I sat there for 45 minutes, looking like a fucking loser." She said as her voice elevated. "At least wait until after the date to tell me you don't want to go out again." She continued.

"I get that you're angry..."

"I'm not angry. Not anymore at least." She said and I knew that was the truth. "I'm over it. I'm so over having emotions. All they do is get you hurt."

"Clary." I said and she looked at me. "I was your blind date." I said and her jaw dropped.

"What the hell? Izzy tried to set us up?" She asked.

"Yea." I said.

"Well, what the hell is wrong with you? Why the fuck would you stand me up?" She yelled, now she was angry.

"I've been in the hospital since Friday." I said and her face seemed to soften. "I got hurt, badly at the football game and they kept me in the hospital for observation. I had no idea you were my blind date, and Izzy wasn't around, or answering her phone so I couldn't even tell her to tell you I wouldn't be able to make it." I explained. "And later that night, when I felt how upset you were, I wanted nothing more than to hold you in my arms, and I had no idea it was all because I didn't show up. I swear I would never intentionally hurt you like that."

"Wait," she cut me off. "What do you mean when you felt how upset I was?" She asked.

"Have you had this weird ability to feel things when you were young? Where you can feel pain, anger, sadness, disappointment? But you know it isn't yours, but someone else's. Someone who you are linked too." I said and her jaw dropped.

"No way." She said. "There is no fucking way." She said and I knew I had to convince her.

"When we were 13, something happened to you and you were in the most amount of pain I've ever felt you in. It lasted for hours, and I could feel not only the physical pain, but the emotional pain as well." I said and her jaw was even more dropped now.

"I broke my arm." She said. "When I was 13, I broke my arm when I fell out of my treehouse." She said astonished.

"When we were 16, I felt your anger for the first time. Everything in you was on fire, and later that day you were extremely sore, and upset." I said. "It was the most amount of primal energy I've ever felt from you."

"I got in a fight." She said almost ashamed...almost. "With my high school tormenter. I just couldn't take it any longer and something in me snapped." She explained. "I got suspended for 4 days."

"Nice." I laughed and she gave me a small smile. "And our senior year of high school, there was a moment when I felt pure and utter happiness. Something that I can only describe as pure euphoria." I said and now she gave me a real smile.

"That had to be when I found out I could actually go to college." She said fondly. "NYU was the only school to give me a scholarship for my art. Without a scholarship, my mom couldn't afford college, and the day I got the letter from NYU, I cried for 30 minutes because I was going to be able to pursue my dreams."

"I've had these feelings since I was young Clary, and I know you feel them too." I said and she simply nodded. "You probably feel a lot more physical pain and anger than anything else, but I know you feel when I'm angry or upset. Just like I feel it for you."

"I can't believe it." She said.

"Me either. And I can't believe Izzy figured it out first." I said and she laughed.

"She's a lot smarter than people give her credit for." Clary pointed out and I laughed.

"That she is." I said. "How would you like to retry that date?" I said after a moment.

"Really?" She asked.

"Absolutely. I was looking forward to it, but than everything happened, and I couldn't even let you know I couldn't make it. I owe you this date and so much more." I said and she laughed.

"Let's start with a date." She said. "This weekend?" She asked.

"I have a game Friday night, and we don't get back until Saturday, so I'll let you know if I'll be back in time for Saturday, and if I'm not, we can do it Sunday." I said and she nodded.

"Sounds good." She said.

"I have a meeting with my coach and the trainers, but I'll see you later?" I asked.

"Yea." She said. I gave her one last smile before heading out of the art room. That went way better than expected, but I was excited for this date, and I was sure going to make it there this time.

 **Clary POV:**

When Jace left I immediately packed my things and headed back to my room to confront Izzy. It would have been amazing if she gave me a heads up and than I would have at least known about why my date got ruined.

I got back and opened the door and Izzy was on her bed, painting her nails, and catching up on her Netflix shows.

"Hey, I didn't expect you back until nearly dinnertime." Izzy said.

"That was the plan, but something came up." I said. She paused her show and sat up, motioning me to continue. "You could have told me my blind date was Jace." I said and she sighed.

"I didn't think you'd go if you knew it was him." She said.

"Than why set us up?" I asked.

"You're going to think I'm crazy." She said.

"It's because you figured out we're soulmates? That somehow we're connected to each other?" I asked and her jaw slightly dropped.

"How do you know?" She asked.

"Jace came and found me today. To explain why he missed our date." I said. "Why didn't you text me when you found out he was in the hospital?" I asked.

"I was away for the weekend and I had absolutely not cell service. I even tried to use a pay phone to call you, but it wasn't working, and you know how much I hate pay phones." She said and I couldn't help but laugh. "And I kinda wanted you to see if you even had a chance without the whole connection thing out in the open yet. To see if something is there." She admitted.

"Something has always been there Iz." I explained.

"Really?" She asked and I took a seat on my bed.

"Yea." I said. "I didn't have this connection all my life, or maybe I did, but it didn't start becoming obvious until middle school. The summer before I started, I just felt something that I knew wasn't mine, but I couldn't explain it." I explained. "And I always wondered who I was connected with. Honestly, it scared me a little because I mainly felt anger, pain, disappointment. There were bits of happiness, but very seldom did they peak through."

"Yea. Jace had a tough life." She said and that got me curious to what he went through, and all those emotions I felt. It also made me realize how little I actually knew about Jace. I mean, I've only actually met him a couple of times because he's best friend with Izzy's whole family, but I didn't know him at all. "More often than not he was at our house just tying to get through another year."

"I could sense that he wasn't very happy." I said.

"Not for a long time." She said. It was quiet for a moment before Izzy gasped.

"What?" I asked.

"Could you feel him like...climaxing?" She asked and I instinctually threw my pillow at her.

"Gross Izzy." I said and she laughed.

"I'm just curious." She said.

"Well, the answer is no. I truly only felt anger, pain and disappointment from him. I mean, there were other emotions, but very rarely. And it's not like they were super intense. But they were strong enough that I could feel them." I said and she nodded.

"So what are you two going to do?" She asked.

"We're going to go out on a date, and see where it leads us." I said and she squealed.

"When?" She asked.

"This weekend." I said. "We're aiming for Saturday night, but he has a football game, and doesn't know when he's getting back, so it might end up being Sunday." I explained and she nodded.

"You ever think you'd be dating the hottest guy on the football team?" She asked and I blushed scarlet red. "Let alone him being your soulmate since birth?"

"I'm trying not to think about that at the moment." I said honestly.

"Why not?" She asked curiously.

"For one, I know the ridicule I'm in for once people start talking about our impending relationship, and it's weird to think he's the person I'm supposed to fall in love with. I've never even had a boyfriend before, hell Iz I've never been kissed, and my soulmate is Jace Herondale?" I rambled. "What am I going to do?"

"First you're going to stop freaking out." She said and I nodded, but my insides were still jittery. "Second, you're going to go out with Jace and enjoy your night and get to know him. I've known him since we were in elementary school, he has a cocky exterior, but he's actually a really wonderful and amazing guy once you know his history, and see what he's battled back from."

"What if he wants to kiss me?" I asked and Izzy laughed.

"You're soulmates, I'm sure it'll be the most natural thing in the world." She reassured me and I nodded. "And as for the other girls, they're ridicule you because they're jealous. Jace is a catch, and they all want him, but you get him, and you always have." She said. "Don't focus on the negativity, just shove it in their faces." She said and I couldn't help but laugh. "But you have to let me dress you." She said.

"Deal." I said and she hopped off her bed and hugged me. This date was going to be fine, we were just getting to know each other, and get a feel for the other person, nothing more nothing less. And that's what I had to remember.

 **Time Jump – Date**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was my date with Jace, and I was pretty nervous for it. There was something different about this nervousness though. I had a feeling we were going to have a good time, but it was still in the back of my mind that we were soulmates, and that really scared me. I mean, I'm just plain Clary Fray, and he's pretty much a hot shot around here. I feel like we don't belong together, but we clearly do, and that was so weird to think about. There was a knock on the door, and I was pulled out of my head. I took a deep breath and opened the door, and there stood Jace.

"You look great." He said and I couldn't help but blush. "Don't be nervous." He said and I looked up at him.

"You know, this connection might not be that great of a thing now that I think about it." I laughed and he smiled.

"I like knowing how you're feeling." He said as we walked out of my room. "It's nice knowing that a simple date makes you nervous."

"Well, this is my first date." I admitted, although I don't know why I would do that.

"Really? You've never been on a date before?" He questioned.

"Nope. I wasn't very popular in my high school. Quite the opposite actually." I said in almost a whisper. I hated confessing my insecurities, but for some reason I didn't feel like he as going to judge me for it.

"Is that where all the sadness came from?" He asked once we got into his car. "Where all those times you were at your lowest?" He asked but I couldn't look at him.

"High school was hell for me." I admitted, and I hated that I was getting emotional. "I dreaded going every single day. If it wasn't the group of girls who constantly made fun of me, it was the guys who placed bets on who could humiliate me the most." I sniffed. "It was horrible." I felt a hand rest on my thigh, and I looked over at Jace, who had a sad look on his face, but also an understanding one.

"I will never let anyone else treat you that way Clary." He said, and I truly wholeheartedly believed him. "You don't know how much I wanted to know who you were during your lowest moments. To do something to make you happy, and to get rid of all that sadness and pain."

"They can't hurt me anymore." I said and he nodded. "I've built a thick skin over the years."

"I have no doubt about that." He said with a smile. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to take a back seat when someone decides to pick on you." He explained. "You're my girl, you have been since the day we were both born, and nothing is going to hurt you anymore. I promise you that." He said and my heart just filled with love and promise. "That's what I like to feel." He said and I smiled.

"So, now that we started this date off on the more depressing side." I said and he laughed. "What fun filled night do you have in store for us?"

"It's not very fun filled." He admitted. "I wasn't planning on taking you to a carnival, but something else more personal." He said and I smiled and nodded. He started the car and we were off.

When we got to our destination, I realized we were at a park. Jace got out and opened my door for me and took my hand in his. He started guiding me through the park until we got to a blanket that was set up with a picnic basket, and some unlit candles.

"You did all this?" I asked as we approached the blanket.

"I wanted something casual, but also a place where we could really get to know each other." He explained as he lit the candles. "We've been able to feel what each other feels for years, now it's time to actually get to know who we're meant to be with."

"Well, you know part of my story already." I said and he nodded. "So, what about you?"

"Uh, that's kind of a sob story if I've ever heard one." He laughed, but I could tell it was a painful laugh.

"How so?" I asked, and I saw him stiffen. I could also feel his pain when I brought the topic up. I reached my hand to his and took it in mine to show him that I was here for him, just like he was here for me.

"My mother is an alcoholic, and my father is abusive." He said and my heart broke for him. "My childhood was a series of beatings, and learning how to survive."

"I'm so sorry Jace." I said and he looked at me and shrugged.

"I managed." He said.

"That doesn't mean a child should have been exposed to that." I said.

"I tried to spend most of my time with the Lightwood's, or at practice. I needed a scholarship to go to college, since I knew my parents weren't going to help me pay it." He said and I nodded. "I'm sorry you had to feel all my pain, anger, and disappointment." He said.

"You have nothing to apologize for." I told him. "I wanted to understand why there was no happiness in your life."

"There wasn't any room for happiness." He told me. "I was just trying to get through the beatings, and focus on how to get out."

"Are you happy now?" I asked cautiously.

"I'm getting there." He said. "When I'm here I don't have to worry about all that shit that I had to deal with at home." He admitted.

"Do you forgive them?" I asked.

"I don't think I ever really can." He said truthfully. "My mom married him, and had me with him, and she knew he was abusive. She turned to alcohol to cope and it just got out of hand." He said. "She did this to me and herself, and my father is just an asshole. Even if I was a forgiving person, I don't think they'd ever truly get that from me."

"But if your mom never married him, and she never had children, we wouldn't have each other." I pointed out and he smiled.

"You don't know how many times feeling your emotions made me realize that there was a reason to keep on going." He said. "I contemplated running away so many times. Just to get away. But than I feel you, and I realized that one day we'd get to meet, and it really helped me."

"I've never meant that much to someone before." I admitted. "I've only had my mom."

"Well, you've been helping me since I started feeling your emotions." He said. "You've always meant a lot to me. Which is why whenever I felt your sadness, I wanted nothing more than to help you through it."

"Well, we have each other now." I pointed out and he laughed.

"That we do." He said. Now that we got some of our personal story out of the way, I was going to look forward to getting to know who Jace truly was, and having him get to know me, and I was really looking forward to this journey we've already been on together, but now taking it together; side by side.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I have been getting to know each other since the night of our make up date. I understood why she was my soulmate, we fit together so incredibly well. We have been on a couple more dates since our first, but as of right now we weren't calling it anything. We weren't dating, or boyfriend and girlfriend; we were simply two people getting to know each other, and it was working for us. That didn't make not being able to show affection in public any easier. I always had an urge to hold her hand, or be next t her. It also killed me to walk her back to her dorm room and not give her a kiss goodnight. But I didn't want to rush anything with her, especially since this was all new to her.

 **Clary POV:**

"Clary, you have to stop freaking out." Izzy told me for the hundredth time today.

"Izzy, I've never done this before, but I'm pretty sure something is wrong." I pointed out.

"Why do you say that?" She asked.

"It's been a month since Jace and I started this song and dance, but he hasn't kissed me yet, we haven't labeled anything yet, and when we're in public he doesn't even act like we're something more than friends." I rambled.

"Have you talked to Jace about this yet?" She asked.

"I can't." I said. "What if he just wants to be friends? I mean, I'm used to being rejected, but being rejected by my soulmate, well that's a new low."

"Clary, trust me when I say that you and Jace are meant for each other." She said. "But I don't know why Jace is being so cautious, but if you want to know, you should ask him about it." She said and in that moment, there was a knock on the door. Izzy got up and opened the door and Jace was standing there. "What's up Jace?" But instead of answering her, he walked right over to me.

"Are you okay?" He asked, and I was confused.

"Um, yes?" I questioned.

"I can feel the nervous energy and the anxiousness." He said and I sighed. Of course he could feel it.

"I'll leave you two alone to talk." Izzy said before leaving the room.

"What's wrong?" Jace asked.

"You're going to think I'm stupid." I admitted.

"No I'm not Clary." He said. "What's bothering you?"

"What are we doing Jace?" I finally asked.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean, we go out on dates, and we know we're each others soulmates, so why the hell haven't we talked about what we're going to do about it? I mean, what's with all the casual dates if you don't actually want to date me?" I got out.

"Is that what you think?" He asked.

"It's hard to think of anything else really." I said. "You don't show me an affection in public, we haven't labeled what we've been doing, hell Jace you haven't even kissed me." I said. "I mean, I get I'm not the ideal soulmate, but I didn't think I was that bad."

"Stop it Clary." He said and I finally looked at him. "The slow pace we're moving at has nothing to do with me being disappointed in you being my soulmate."

"It doesn't?" I asked and he laughed a little.

"Not at all." He said. "You told me on our first date that you've never had a boyfriend, and you've never been kissed."

"I knew I should have kept that to myself." I said and he laughed.

"No. I'm glad you told me." He said. "If I didn't know, I would have moved way too fast, and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I wanted everything to be on your terms, and when we're ready."

"So you aren't disappointed with me being your soulmate?" I asked again. He laughed a little before moving towards me.

"Do you feel any disappointment coming from me?" He asked and I took a deep breath.

"No." I said.

"That's because there is none." He said. "Look, now that I know how you feel, we can change what we're doing."

"How so?" I asked.

"For one, would you like to be my girlfriend Clary?" He asked and I felt like a swarm of butterflies just filled my stomach. "I'll take that reaction as a yes."

"You could feel that?" I asked and she smiled.

"I could." He said. "You know how in the dream it said once we were together, the emotions would intensify?" He asked and I nodded. "I think it meant that we'd be able to feel more as well. I never used to feel emotions from you that weren't at their peak." He explained. "It was always the ones you felt so much of that I could feel, and I think since we're together now, we can finally feel more of them."

"That does make a lot of sense." I said and he nodded. "And my answer is yes." I said and he smiled. We were standing incredibly close, and my eyes kept flickering to it lips. I think he caught on because the next thing I know is his hands are on my face, and his lips to descending onto mine.

Once I felt his lips land, everything in me turned to mush. It was a feeling I've never experienced before, and if I wasn't holding onto Jace, I probably would have fallen over due to weak knees. Everything about it was perfect, and when we broke apart, all I wanted to do was kiss him again.

"How was that for our first kiss?" He asked and I laughed.

"Perfect." I said and he pressed a sweet kiss to my lips again.

"It was definitely worth the wait." He said and I laughed yet again. "I have a meeting with my coaches right now, but I'll met you guys for dinner?" He asked.

"Sounds good." I said.

"See you later Clare." He kissed my forehead and was out the door. I laid on my bed and just basked in the moment Jace and I just had, and it was absolutely incredibly.

"Is it all clear?" I heard and when I looked up Izzy was peaking through the door.

"He's gone." I told her and she walked into the room.

"How did it go?" She asked.

"Really well." I smiled. "He asked me to be his girlfriend, and than we kissed."

"That's great! I'm really happy for you." She said as she gave me a hug. "Come on, we're going to dinner." She said and we headed towards the cafeteria. We met Alec there and we were all eating and talking when Jace showed up. He bent down and gave me a casual kiss, and took a seat and started eating some of my French fries.

"How was the meeting?" I asked.

"It went well. Coach just wanted to talk about what we're going to be doing next year, and how since I'll only be a sophomore, I won't be a captain, but he wants me making decisions, and stuff like that when I think there needs to be a change." He explained.

"That's amazing." I said and he smiled.

"I'm glad my overload on practice all throughout high school paid off." He said. I nodded and we continued eating. I was super proud of Jace's speedy raise within the team rank was going. He was an amazing player, and I'm glad he's being rewarded for that.

 **Time Jump – Winter Break**

 **Jace POV:**

I was packing my things, and getting ready to head home. I finished my finals a couple days ago, but I didn't have to be out until this evening, and any chance to stay here and not go home was a good thing for me. Plus Clary still had some finals, and I wanted to be with her as much as possible. There was a light knock on my door before it opened and there stood Clary.

"Hey, how'd your last final go?" I asked as she made her way into the room.

"It went well." She said and I nodded. "I can feel the nervousness Jace, but you don't have to be home long, just until the dorms open back up." She said and I sighed and took a seat on the bed.

"Holidays are normally ten times worse than a normal day. A couple Christmas's ago I actually ended up in the hospital." I said and she gasped.

"Can't you stay with the Lightwood's?" She asked.

"I mean, I'm going to be spending the majority of my time there anyway, but from personal experience, if I don't show up at home every now and than, it just gets worse." I said and she nodded, and I felt her worry. "Hey, I'm going to be fine. Just like I always am."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it." She said and I took her hands in mine and pulled her into my lap. "You're going home to get abused. I hate that."

"Hey, I hate it too." I said. "But it's only couple weeks." She nodded but I could feel something was stirring inside of her. "Hey, what's this unusual energy I'm feeling right now?" I asked and she sighed.

"I love you." She said and my heart skipped a beat. "I just love you, and I want to protect you, and I can't. It sucks." She explained but all I could focus on was the fact that she loves me.

"I love you too." I said and she looked at me with those emerald green eyes. "And I'll be okay."

"I trust you." She said and I pressed my lips to hers.

"Good." I said and she nodded. "What time are you leaving?" I asked.

"In an hour or so. I need to pack a few last minute things." She said and I nodded. "What about you?"

"Right after I finish my packing." I said and she nodded.

"Text me when you get home?" She asked.

"Absolutely." I said and she got off my lap.

"Be safe Jace." She said and I smiled.

"You know I will be." I said and with that, she was gone. I took a deep breath before continuing to pack. This holiday season was going to be different for so many reasons, but the biggest one was Clary, and nothing could bring down the fact that I finally met my soulmate, and she loved me and I loved her.

 **Time Jump – One Week Before Christmas**

 **Clary POV:**

It was the middle of the night, but I kept tossing and turning. I could feel Jace and I could tell that he was in pain, and that didn't sit well with me. I texted him earlier, but he never replied, so with the pain that I feel, and the anxiousness I have all on my own, it was becoming impossible to fall asleep. It was raining, and my room was silent, until I heard my phone start buzzing. I picked it up and saw that it was Jace.

"Hello?" I answered immediately.

"Clary." Jace breathed out.

"What happened Jace?" I asked.

"I couldn't stay." He said. "I couldn't stay in that town. It just kept getting worse, and I couldn't get away, but I can't do it anymore Clary."

"Where are you right now Jace?" I asked.

"Uh, I'm in some parking lot outside of the city." He said.

"I'm going to text you my address Jace, come here." I said.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes." I said.

"Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can." He said.

"I love you Jace." I said.

"I love you too." He said and we hung up. I texted him my address, and immediately went to talk to my mom.

"Mom." I said as I poked her awake.

"Clary?" She questioned. "It's the middle of the night, what's wrong?" She asked.

"You remember Jace right?" I asked and she nodded. They never met, but I talked about him all the time. "Well, he kinda has a really bad home life, and he doesn't know where else to go, so I told him he could come here."

"Is he okay?" She asked.

"No. He's not." I said honestly.

"Of course sweetie. He can stay as long as he wants." She said and I kissed her cheek. She went back to bed while I went to the living room to wait for Jace. I could feel his sadness, and pain, and the closer he got, the more intense it got, and I hated that he was in so much pain. Home was supposed to be safe, not painful.

 **Time Jump – Three Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

When there was finally a knock at the door, I felt like I couldn't run to it fast enough. When I opened it up, there stood Jace, soaked, shaking, and just looking so broken. He walked in and pulled me into a hug immediately. We stumbled a little, but soon caught out balance.

"What happened Jace?" I asked into the crook of his neck.

"I don't know what happened." He said. "He was just so much worse when I got home." I pulled him over to the couch, and I put a blanket over top of him so that he would warm up.

"How bad?" I asked. Part of me didn't want to know, but I've been feeling his pain, and that made me curious.

"Everything was just so much more intense. Like he was taking all the aggression he had towards me out that he couldn't take out on me while I was at school." He explained. "And my mom rarely comes home and when she is, she's just a ghost of a woman." He said and my heart truly broke for this boy. "Earlier today he just lost it. He told me there was nowhere that I was safe, and that he was going to hunt me down and make my life a living hell." He said as she squeezed me hands a little tighter. "I told him my life was already hell thanks to him, and he didn't like that at all, so he lashed out, and I took some time to recover, but than I had to leave." He told me. "He doesn't know about you, and I figured it was the safest place for me right now."

"My mom said you can stay as long as you want." I said and he looked up at me.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"I don't want you going back there Jace." I said honestly. "I never wanted you to go back. I didn't want to feel that pain again, and something has felt off this entire day, and I knew something was happening to you, and I couldn't do anything about it." I admitted.

"I'm sorry you felt that." He said.

"You have nothing to apologize for." I said. "None of this is your fault."

"I just wish I could have been stronger." He said as he hung his head.

"Jonathan Christopher Herondale." I said and he looked up at me. "You are the strongest man I know. Most people who deal with the shit you dealt with your whole life would come out cynical of everything, and just a down right asshole." I said. "But you are the most amazing, kind, loving, and supportive man I've ever met in my life. And I've met some shitty men." I said and his eyes softened. "This situation doesn't make you weak, it makes you stronger. Your father is the weak one, and so it your mother." I felt his whole aura shift and he felt lighter. "Stay with us until school stars back up."

"That's weeks away Clary." He said.

"So? It's just my mom and I here." I said.

"And you're sure she won't mind?" He asked.

"Once she knows why you can't go home, I guarantee you, she'll be begging you to stay as well." I said and he laughed a little.

"What did I ever do to get lucky enough to have you as a soulmate?" He asked as he brushed his thumb over my cheek.

"I guess someone out there knew we would need each other to overcome our insecurities and obstacles." I said and he leaned forward and gave me a kiss.

"I know it's late, but is it possible that I can get a shower?" He asked and I laughed.

"Absolutely." I said. "Do you have any clothes with you?" I asked.

"I packed my car with everything I need to go back to school. I just didn't feel like unpacking." He said.

"Okay, well why don't you go shower, and I unpack for you." I said.

"You don't have to do that Clary." He said.

"Yes I do, because you're my boyfriend, and you deserve someone to do things for you for a change." I said and he smiled.

"You're perfect. You know that right?" He asked and I laughed.

"Certain days I feel pretty perfect." I admitted and he laughed.

"Oh yea? Which days?" He asked.

"Everyday I'm with you." I said and he smiled.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." I responded before getting off the couch. "The bathroom is upstairs. The first door on your right."

"Thank you." He said. "For everything."

"Anything for you." I said and he disappeared upstairs. I went out to his car and unpacked all his necessary things for the night. I couldn't imagine what he went through since school let out, but he didn't need that so close to the holiday, or ever for that matter.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

Sleeping next to Clary was something that I could definitely get used too. There was something so calming about holding her in my arms, and knowing that when I was with her, everything felt complete. Waking up this morning I didn't have to worry about sneaking out of the house, or what I was in store for. I was just waking up and having a normal day with my girlfriend, and I loved knowing that my day was going to be spent in a positive way, and not fearing for my safety.

"So, what are we doing today?" I asked Clary as I pulled my sweater over my head.

"Mom needs us to run a few errands while she's at work." She said and I nodded. "But first I figured we'd go grab some coffee and a late breakfast."

"Works for me." I said. "Do you want to drive or do you want me?" I asked.

"You're car is the easiest to get out right now." She said and I nodded. "I'll just direct you." I grabbed my keys and we were off to run errands for Jocelyn. We got along the moment we met, and I think it was going to be very beneficial for me staying here.

Clary successfully directed me towards the diner that we were eating at. Everything here felt so small town compared to New York City, but I wasn't complaining. I liked the change of pace. We got to the booth we were going to be sitting at, and Clary took her coat off but didn't sit down.

"If a waitress comes over, can you order me a coffee? I have to pee." She said and I laughed.

"Of course." I said and she went to the bathroom. I sat there looking over the menu when I heard heels clicking in my direction.

"I haven't seen your handsome face around here before." A voice said and I looked up. "What does our town owe the pleasure?" She asked seductively.

"Visiting my girlfriend for the holiday." I said. It wasn't a lie, but clearly not the whole truth.

"Oh really?" She asked and I simply nodded. "She's one lucky girl to land a catch like you."

"I'm the lucky one really." I said honestly. "I don't know what I'd do without her." Clary started walking back over and I felt something shift within her. She was pretty content before, but now she just seemed nervous, and a little frightened. I think the girl in front of me noticed that my attention was no longer on her so she looked where my eyes were focused.

"Ugh, if it isn't freaky Fray." She spat at Clary. "I thought we finally got rid of you."

"Kaelie, always so charming." She said back rather venomously. There was another shift in Clary's attitude, the fear was gone, and in its place was confidence. Something I knew Clary struggled with. "Tell me, where is this rich husband you promised us all you'd have going to your rich fancy college?"

"It's a work in progress." The girl, Kaelie said. "Although now that I saw this fine piece of man, I might shift my attention." She winked and anger flared inside Clary.

"He's taken." Clary said possessively, and I couldn't help but smile. Knowing she was claiming her territory was pretty hot.

"Certainly not by you bitch." She sneered, and that's when I had to step in.

"Please reframe from calling my girlfriend a bitch." I said calmly.

"Really? You're dating her?" She almost laughed.

"Why do you make it sound like the worst thing in the world?" I asked curiously.

"Cause she's Clary." She said and I could just hear the hatred in her voice. This must be one of the girls who tortured Clary. "Plus she broke my nose in high school."

"Boo hoo, you had to have a nose job….again. Not like mommy and daddy couldn't pay for that one as well." Clary said and I just smiled at how confident she was now.

"At least I have a daddy." Kaelie snapped back. "What happened to yours again Clary? Oh that's right, he was killed in a prison riot because he was trafficking children into prostitution." She said with a smug smirk, and I had to admit, that was surprising. Clary didn't like to talk about her father, and now I knew why. To my surprise though, Clary didn't even flinch at that.

"You act like he was ever my father Kaelie. It may have bothered me in high school, but I'm done letting you affect me." Clary said. "My father went to prison before I was born, and he was killed when I was little. No love lost in that murder." She said.

"I have to admit, I'm impressed you grew a backbone since going to college." She said, and it almost sounded like a compliment. "Too bad you still have a laundry list of issues waiting to come out, and I bet he won't stick around to help your sorry ass get through them."

"We all have issues." I cut in. "Clary's issues don't make me love her any less." The girl rolled her eyes.

"Whatever." She said before walking away. Clary sighed and rolled her eyes as well.

"I gotta say, that was pretty hot." I said and Clary laughed.

"I've learned a lot at college these past couple months, and one of them was that I just needed to toughen up and focus on my future and not on my past." She said and I nodded. "Kaelie tortured me in high school, but she can't torture me anymore. I have so much more now. You, friends, I'm getting a good education, and I'm finally really happy with who I am. Kaelie can't take that away from me with the same shit she's been holding over my head since we were kids." She said.

"That's my girl." I said and we high fived. I was super proud of how far Clary as come, and I couldn't wait for her to just continue to thrive in her education and her life. Things were promising for us, and I was excited for our future together.

 **Time Jump – College Graduation**

 **Clary POV:**

Today was the day that I honestly never thought would come. College was no joke, and there were times that I didn't think I was going to make it, but as I look at myself in my cap and gown, I realize that this is just the beginning for me.

I was graduating with the art degree I always wanted, and Jace was graduating with a business degree, but our junior year of college, he was actually being scouted by a couple coaches from the NFL. He was the most promising young player in college football, and I was incredibly proud of him.

At first he was super cautious about the whole thing. He didn't know if he wanted to play football professionally, and he truly didn't believe in his ability to be able to play with all the other men in the league, but as senior year started, I felt him falling more and more in love with the sport, and the more we talked about it, the more he wanted to play.

Which brings us to today, after graduation, we were all going out to celebrate and than Jace and I were going to start our move across the country. It was terrifying, but I knew that with Jace by my side, everything was going to be okay.

"You ready?" I heard Jace ask. I looked in the mirror and saw him standing there.

"More than ready." I said and we made our way to our college graduating, fully embracing what was coming in our future together.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

"Don't forget, if you get tired, pull over." My mom said for the hundredth time.

"We're going to be fine mom." I told her as I gave her one more hug.

"I'm going to miss you around here kiddo." She said and I smiled.

"I'm going to miss you too." I said. "But I'm glad you found someone." I said as I looked behind her at Luke. They met about 2 years ago, and I've never seen my mom happier, and that gave me enough push to up and move across the country.

"I'm glad you found someone too." She said and I smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too mom." I said.

"Let me know when you get settled in there." She said and I nodded. One last hug, and than Jace and I were getting into the car and started our voyage to Seattle, Washington.

"You ready to start the rest of our lives?" Jace asked as we pulled out of the driveway.

"More than ready." I said and we headed off, starting the future we always wanted with each other.

 **Time Jump – Ten Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The last 10 years of my life have been a complete and utter fantasy. There was no way in hell I ever thought that my life could be as absolutely amazing as it is to this day. Clary and I got married shorty after we moved to Washington, I was doing something I absolutely loved doing, and I was the happiest I've ever been in my entire life.

I spent the first 7 years of my career in Washington, but a couple years ago I was traded to the New York Giants, and thus I was back in my home state. It was nice being back. Especially since it meant I could see the Lightwood's more, and Clary got to see her mom more. Which was especially helpful now that we had a family. Roman was born 2 and a half years ago, and he was just the brightest thing in my life. He was perfect, and I couldn't believe he was mine.

Clary and I decided to take him to the park today to tire him out. He was the biggest ball of energy and sometimes I didn't even know where he pulled it from. He was always wired, and I can't imagine the days Clary has to deal with him when I was away for a game. When he started to slow down, Clary and I decided that it was time to take him home. I picked him up and he rested his head on my shoulder as we made our way to the car.

"Jonathan." I heard from behind me and everything in me froze. I slowly turned around and there stood my father.

"Father." I said back. I tried to forget all about him for the last ten years, but that didn't mean seeing him after all these years didn't get to me a little.

"I've seen you're doing well for yourself." He said.

"Now you want to acknowledge me because I made something of myself?" I spat back at him.

"Now, now Jonathan. Let's be civil." He said and my blood boiled.

"Roman, I need you to go to the car with mommy." I said as I put him on the ground.

"Are you okay daddy?" He asked, and I just smiled and kissed his head.

"Of course little man, I just know your mommy is really tired, and she needs to sit down, and I need you to watch out for her and your little sister." I told him and he nodded. Clary smiled as she took his hand in hers and they started walking away.

"Beautiful family." My father said.

"They are the best thing that's ever happened to me." I said back to him. I was done being afraid of him. "I finally know what it's like to have a family."

"You always had a family Jonathan." He said.

"That's the biggest lie if I've ever heard one." I laughed. "You hated me. Always have. And you know what I don't get _Stephen,_ is how you could ever lay a hand on me." I said as I stood up in front of him. "I could never think of even hurting Roman in any physical way. He is everything to me, and the fact that you could beat me senseless and not care, is something I can't even comprehend."

"I don't think you'll ever understand it Jonathan." He simply said.

"You're right. I don't think I'll ever be able to understand how a father could physically harm his child." I hissed. "Look, I'd appreciate it if we never crossed paths again. I have my life together, I'm married to the most amazing woman I've ever met, I have the greatest son, and I'm about to have a daughter, so I'd really like to just forget you exist, and continue living my best life possible."

"If that's how you feel Jonathan." He simply said.

"You're done affecting me, and you can't touch me anymore." I said confidently. "I've out grown you Stephen, and I refuse to let my past interfere with my future." I said. "Goodbye father." I said before heading back towards Clary and Roman. Roman jumped into my arms and Clary walked over to me.

"You seem lighter." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I think I just got the closer I never knew I needed." I said and she nodded and I pressed my lips to hers.

"Eww daddy! That's icky." Roman said and Clary and I both laughed.

"One day this is going to be you." I pointed out as I strapped Roman into his car seat.

"No way Jose!" He said and I smiled.

"You don't know that little man." I said as I looked at Clary and smiled. "You're soulmate is out there somewhere."

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, with me getting back in the gist of things, I'm still having a hard time finding inspiration, but I think this one came out pretty well.**

 **One thing I'd like to mention about this one shot really quick is that, I am not a football fan, so I picked the team he would originally be going to based on the state that I really want to live in, and that just so happens to be Washington State! Also, I am aware that NYU doesn't have a football team, but for the sake of the story, they do, and they really kickass! That's all! :)**

 **Now a lot of reviewers requested a one shot about soulmates since the very beginning, and I always wanted to do one, but never had a good enough idea, and it was actually the story 'Design' by ShadowHunter303 that gave me some inspiration on a Soulmate story. I loved the way she used Clary's art, and it made me want to write my own story about soulmates, and this is what I came up with!**

 **Another reviewer, sarahbeth453 asked how many stories I'm going to do before I end this string of one shots, and I don't really have a concrete answer for you, but as of right now, I'm thinking of stopping at 200. I feel like that's a crazy amount of one shots, and I also feel like at that point, it will be a wide variety of stories that will make any reader happy to go through, pick out their favorites, and just continue** **to reread as many times as they want! But, I also said I was going to stop at 100, and you all really wanted me to continue, so if I get to 200, and you all still want me to continue to write, I have no problem with that either! It all depends on how I feel once I get to that milestone!**

 **So, I hope you all will enjoy this one shot, and leave a review on what you think or with a new suggestion! :)**


	124. Chapter 123 - Limbo Lovers

**One Hundred and Twenty Three Story:**

 **Limbo Lovers**

 **Clary POV:**

You never think that something so terrible is going to happen to you, and than it does. It throws everything and everyone out of whack.

When I woke up I thought everything was going to be okay, only I didn't wake up, at least my physical body wasn't awake. It was a true out of body experience. I saw myself lying in the hospital bed with a tube down my throat, and my mother crying at my bedside. The doctor was talking, but I knew she wasn't paying attention.

Coma. That was the last word I heard out of his mouth. I was put into a coma to let the trauma of my head wound heal after the car accident I was in. The doctor said it should have been fatal, but I was lucky. I didn't feel lucky, and I doubt my mom felt lucky either.

I would have much rather been unconscious without having this ghostly experience. I don't want to watch my mom suffer, and I don't want to see myself like this. I much rather be suspended in darkness until it was my time to be woken up. Unfortunately, that wasn't in the cards for me.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I sat in a chair in my room just staring at me. It was the middle of the night, and guess what? Ghosts couldn't sleep. I was going a little stir crazy, so I thought a nice walk around the halls would clear my mind. I could see all the nurses laughing, and eating. I could see other patients roaming the halls as well. It was hard to see people just going on with their lives and getting better while I lie in a coma. I walked past a nurses station, and I smelled the wonderful aroma of coffee and I couldn't help but stop and look at the nurse sipping on the hot beverage.

"I'd do anything for cup of coffee." I sighed to myself, knowing none of these people could hear me.

"Sorry to disappoint Red, this isn't a life of luxury." A guy says, and I nearly shit myself.

"Holy shit." I cursed. "You can't just sneak up on a person like that."

"I didn't. I've been standing here for 10 minutes reading my file." He said.

"But I thought you were alive." I said.

"I am alive, I'm just not awake." He sarcastically said back.

"Oh, so you aren't haunting this hospital?" I asked with a fake shocked voice.

"Why the hell would I haunt a hospital?" He asked a little rudely.

"I don't know. Fun?" I suggested and he laughed.

"Sorry short stack, I don't go around haunting people undoubtedly having the hardest time of their life." He said and ignoring the rude nickname, I had to say I was impressed with his answer.

"What's your name?" I asked cautiously.

"Not even around 5 minutes and already you're so curious." He stated.

"I've been here for a week." I pointed out.

"It sure took you a long time before wondering these halls." He said.

"I was processing." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I'm Jace, Jace Herondale. Room 245. Comatose, 6 months." He rattled off. "And you Red?"

"Clary Fray. Room 210. Comatose, 1 week." I said in the same order as him.

"What for?" He asked.

"Car accident." I said. "You?" I asked.

"Cage fighting." He said.

"Why?" I asked without a second thought.

"I'm an MMA fighter. I took a hit on the head and it caused a severe seizure that put me out." He explained.

"Damn." I said and he nodded. "How old are you?" I asked.

"28. You?" He asked.

"Just turned 25 last month." I admitted.

"What a great present." He mused.

"Soooo….." I said after a few moments of silence. "What is there to do around here to occupy my time in limbo?" I asked.

"Let me introduce you to the group Red." He closed his file and started walking. I ran to catch up with him, but damn did he have long legs. We got to a room that had many people talking and stuff. If I didn't know any better, I would think they were all alive. "Hey everyone, we got another guest." Jace said and everyone turned their heads.

"It's about damn time." One male said. "I'm Raphael, but you can call me anything you want." He said as he kissed my hand. "Room 240, comatose, 1 year. Feel free to drop by any time." He smirked.

"Alright Raphe, give her some breathing room." Jace pushed him away and he laughed.

"What happened to him?" I whispered to Jace.

"Drug overdose. His parents don't want to pull the plug yet, but I doubt he's ever waking up." He explained and I nodded. "Everyone, this is Clary Fray, comatose, 1 week."

"You certainly are a newbie." The one girl said. "My name is Camille. Camille Belcourt, room 200. Comatose, 7 months."

"How?" I asked without thinking.

"Jealous ex. Beat me to a pulp." She said and I nodded. "Welcome to Limbo."

"Thanks?" I questioned and she just laughed.

"I'm Meliorn." One guy said. "Room 202. Comatose, 4 months. Shot in the line of duty." He continued and I nodded.

"You'll meet the rest during your stay here." Jace informed me and I nodded. "Is there anything you'd like to know?"

"What exactly happens while we're in limbo?" I asked.

"Well, we can't leave the hospital. We're stuck here as long as our bodies are here. But if we get transferred, we leave." He said and I nodded.

"What happens when we wake up?" I asked.

"You start to fade." He said. "And once you wake up, you won't have any recollection of anything that happened in limbo."

"So I won't remember any of you, or what the doctor said, or anything I heard while in this state?" I asked.

"Nope." He said. "You can be reminded, and there is always a chance that shreds of things stay, but I've been in a coma for 6 months, so I don't really know how accurate that can be."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked.

"There is always someone, normally the person who has been around the longest, who was told the rules of limbo by someone else. It just keeps traveling down, it's pretty important to know what happens, and stuff like that." He said and I nodded.

"How do you occupy your time?" I asked him.

"My adoptive family visits everyday. So I just sit in there and listen to what has been going on in their life. I like to keep up with how happy they are, or a promotion they got, or who they're dating." He said and I nodded.

"How have you been doing it for 6 months? Being in this state?" I asked.

"You just have to do it." He said bluntly. "There isn't much else we can do until we wake up."

"That's encouraging." I laughed and he smiled.

"It's not meant to be encouraging. It's just the truth, and after everything you've been through, sugar coating anything isn't going to be helpful." He said.

"Thanks for the truth." I said and he smiled.

This was going to be a long process if I'm like this for a long time. I was already going stir crazy and it's only been week. These people have been like this for months. I don't think I can handle that.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Turns out I can do, even if I don't necessarily want too. I have to admit, the others that I've met while I've been here are very friendly people, and are making my time in limbo a lot easier, but I'd give anything to see my mom again and talk to her, tell her I'm okay, and that everything will be okay. I refuse for this to end any other way.

Jace was currently in his room while his family visited, so I was hanging out mainly by myself. It's not that I didn't socialize, but sometimes the others have other things to preoccupy themselves with and it leaves me alone a lot, which I don't necessarily mind.

"Excuse me, can you help me?" I heard a small voice in the hallway say. I got up from my chair and peaked out of the room I was in to see a little girl looking up at a nurse, but the nurse wasn't paying her any attention. "I keep trying to talk to my mommy, but she isn't listening to me. I think something's wrong." She further explained, but the nurse was still paying her no mind.

"Hey." I called out, and the girl looked at me. Yup, coma.

"Why isn't she answering me?" The little girl asked.

"She can't hear you sweetheart." I told her as I slowly and cautiously made my way towards her.

"Why not?" She asked sadly.

"What happened to you sweetie?" I asked.

"All I remember was my mom yelling at me, and than there was a loud noise." She said.

"Do you remember where you were?" I asked.

"On the Brooklyn Bridge." She said.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"I'm 8." She said.

"And what's your name?" I asked.

"Maureen." She said.

"Maureen, there is something you should know." I started. "Do you know what it means to be in a coma?" I asked. She shook her head. "It means you're asleep, but you can't wake up, at least not yet anyway." I explained. "That's what you're in right now, and people like that nurse, and your mom can't hear or see you right now."

"How long will it last?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. It is different for everyone." I said.

"Are you in a coma?" She asked.

"I am. I've been in one for about a month now, and I was in a car accident as well." I told her and she nodded. "Want to hang out with me for a little while?" I offered.

"I guess." She said. I stood up and reached my hand out. She gently took it and I lead her back to the room I just came from. No little girl deserves to be in a coma, and I was going to make sure she was okay while she was in limbo, I made that my personal mission.

 **Time Jump – Three Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Maureen was sitting on the floor in front of me, and I was braiding her hair. Jace was over in the corner playing a game with Camille, and the others were sporadically scattered throughout the hospital. It was a quiet rainy day, one of my favorite kind of days, when Raphael walked in looking paler than usual.

"Everything okay Raphael?" I asked and he took a seat.

"Not really." He said miserably.

"Hey Maureen, can you go over there and ask Jace how your hair looks?" I asked her and she happily nodded and skipped over to him. "What's going on?" I asked.

"My parents have finally decided to pull the plug." He said and my heart skipped a beat.

"Oh Raphael, I'm so sorry." I said as I took his hand in mine.

"I knew it was coming. I wasn't getting better." He said.

"That doesn't make it suck any less." I pointed out.

"I guess not." He said. "I only have two more days left with you all."

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked.

"I don't know what's out there after limbo." He said. "I hope it's joyful, god knows I didn't have the most glamorous life, but I only have myself to blame for that one."

"Sometimes we get caught up in the wrong things. Doesn't make us bad people." I said and he looked at me.

"I hope I come back as something cool." He said. "Like a vampire." He said and I laughed.

"Vampires don't exist." I said and he looked at me.

"You can't be certain that's true." He said matter of factually. "Anything is possible. Look at us right now; I bet you didn't think limbo existed before you showed up here."

"You have an excellent point." I said and he smiled.

"I'm going to go let everyone know." He said as he stood up. "It was a pleasure meeting you Clary Fray. I hope you come out of this place."

"And I hope you come back as a vampire Raphael, but please, don't bite me if you do." I said and he laughed.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He smiled before walking away. I watched him take Camille away from Jace for a little. I knew telling everyone was going to be hard for him, and for all of us here, but I hope that he finds something joyful on the other side. He really does deserve it.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Things have been rather quiet around here lately. Raphael was gone, Maureen had been transferred, Camille woke up. It was crazy how fast things changed around here, and it made me wonder when that was eventually going to be me. Seeing my mom so broken over my physical state was tough, and when she came to visit, I made it a point not to be there. I just couldn't handle it.

I was sitting in the middle of the hallway just staring at the white walls. It was the middle of the night, and I just didn't know where I wanted to be at this moment, so I took a seat in the hallway. Before I knew it though, someone took a seat next to me, I looked to my right and there sat Jace.

"The hallway? That's a new one." He laughed and I smiled.

"I just kinda gave up today." I admitted.

"Why?" He asked curiously.

"My mom came by, and than so did my best friend." I said and he nodded. "How do you do it? Just sit there and listen to your family talk like you aren't there?" I asked.

"It's hard." He admitted. "But I like to know what's going on, and that's the only way I can."

"How was the visit today?" I asked and he smiled.

"Very informative." He said. "My sister finally dumped her loser boyfriend." He said. "We've all hated him for months. But she was happy, and if he made her happy, who were we to destroy that? But she actually seems so much happier now, so that's good." He said and I nodded. "My older brother got a promotion at work and met someone. He hasn't really had a real boyfriend before, so I'm eager to see how this relationship works."

"Why hasn't he had a real boyfriend before?" I asked curiously.

"He came out in college, and it took him some time to truly feel comfortable in his own skin and sexuality. My parents didn't help either. They were pretty discouraging when it came to accepting him, but I also think it came down to the type of people. He never found someone he was willing to go all in for before, and I think he finally has." Jace explained.

"That's amazing." I said and he smiled and nodded.

"Yea, and he just made detective. He's doing amazing things. It sucks I can't be there to actually witness it though." He said and I put my hand on his.

"One day. You'll wake up, and get to experience everything else." I tried to be optimistic.

"Thanks Red." He said. "Oh, and my little brother made his high school baseball team, so that's pretty cool."

"Nice. He any good?" I asked.

"He's a solid pitcher. Could be better, so I hope being on the team helps him out a little bit." He said and I nodded.

We sat there in silence for a little while until I got a good idea. I stood up and extended my hand towards Jace but he just looked at me with a confused confession.

"I have an idea." I said and he still didn't seem convinced, but he took my hand anyway. I pulled him up, and I started walking towards the idea.

We got to the door and we walked through it, and up the stairs. When we got to the top I took a step through the door and took a deep breath. Fresh air felt so amazing, and since I couldn't get cold, it didn't matter if it was winter, and right now, it was snowing.

"The roof?" Jace questioned and I smiled.

"I missed the smell of the out doors. I like to come out here and clear my head." I admitted as I took a seat on the edge of the roof.

"I can respect that." He said as he joined me. "But why the roof? Why not just going out the front door?"

"Because it's crowded with people, and cars, and smokers. Up here is peaceful." I said and he nodded. "How long do you think you're going to be in your coma?" I asked after a moment.

"No idea." He said. "The doctors told my parents that I was making progress the other day, so I can only hope for the best." He explained and I nodded. "What about you?" He asked.

"No idea. I make it a point to never be in the room with my mom." I said and he nodded.

"I was like that the first couple weeks. Until I realized I was missing out on the only opportunity to see my family." He said and I nodded. I understood what he was saying, but I just couldn't be in the same room with her.

"I get it, but I just can't do it. Not yet anyway." I said.

"No worries. Take as much time as you need." He said and I nodded. We sat there in silence for I don't even know how long. It wasn't until the sun started to rise that I noticed we were still there. "I think I miss waking up in the morning the most." He said after awhile.

"Normally people hate waking up in the morning. I know I do." I said and he laughed.

"I train really early in the morning. I like that it's basically only me in the gym." He said and I nodded. "I also like driving to work when it's dark out." He said and I laughed.

"You're a weird guy Jace Herondale." I said and he smiled.

"And you're a weird girl Clary Fray." He responded. "I guess that makes us a good pair." He continued and I couldn't help but smile. We both turned our head back towards the sunrise, but our hands brushed against each others, and a spark ran through my ghost body. There was something about this man that did things to me. Things I never thought were possible, and things I may lose when I wake up, or when he wakes up. I guess I'd just have to enjoy it while I can. It's all I really can do at the moment.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was sitting in my room listening to my family talk and laugh about what had happened this weekend. Apparently Max had a really embarrassing fail in his baseball game, and they were all practically pissing themselves laughing while Max looked annoyed.

"Alright, can we please talk about something else?" Max asked after awhile, and everyone eventually calmed down, but before anyone could say anything, the doctor came in.

"Dr. Penhallow, how are you?" Maryse asked.

"I'm doing well, and yourself?" She asked.

"I'll be better if you came to deliver some good news." Maryse and the doctor laughed.

"I do actually have good news." She said. "Jace is progressing extremely well, and I have a good feeling that within the next month he should be waking up."

"You're serious?" Maryse asked.

"Very. He is going to have a tough road getting back to where he was before the incident, but he's very in shape, and clearly very determined, so I have faith he'll make a full recovery, and be back in the ring in no time." She explained.

"Thank you so much Dr. Penhallow, for doing everything for my son." Maryse said.

"It's my job, and I'm glad I had good news to tell you." She said before leaving. I was going to be waking up within the next month, I couldn't believe it. After almost a year in a coma, I was going to live.

Later that night, Clary and I were sitting on the roof again. It's been kinda our thing to do this at night and wait for the sunrise. There was something about Clary that intrigued me. She wasn't the type of girl I normally went for, but I think that's what made me way more interesting to me. She was funny, and smart, and beautiful. She really had everything going for her, and she made me feel different. Like she was filling a void I didn't know I had. Leaving her was going to be tough, and I knew I had to bite the bullet and tell her the news.

"So, Dr. Penhallow had an update for my family today." I finally said and Clary looked over to me.

"What was it? Something good I hope." She said and I laughed.

"Something really good." I said. "She said within the next month I should wake up."

"Oh my god Jace. That's amazing." She said as she hugged me. I immediately hugged her back and I kept her close for a little longer than necessary. "Why don't you seem more excited?" She asked once we pulled away.

"I'm happy. Don't get me wrong. I've been in a coma for almost a year, but I don't want to forget you." I admitted and she smiled.

"Something out there in the world will remind you of me." She said confidently. "Plus, you said it yourself, shred of our memory can make it through. Maybe I'll be one of those shreds."

"If you aren't I'll have some serious issue with my mind, and what it chooses to remember." I said and she laughed.

"This is a good thing Jace. You're going to wake up." She said and I looked at her. Our noses were practically touching, and I could feel my heard start racing. I looked down at her lips, and decided that I just had to go for it. I pressed my lips against hers, and at first she was shocked, but before I knew it, she was twisting her fingers in my hair and practically sitting on my lap kissing me back. When we pulled apart I couldn't help but smile.

"Now if I really don't remember you, I'll be pissed." I said and she laughed.

"We just have to make this last month count." She said and I nodded in agreement. I pulled Clary towards me and she curled into my side. Waking up was definitely going to be a double edged sword at this rate, one that I wasn't looking forward to being sliced with.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Every since Jace told me that he was going to wake up, we've been spending a lot of time together, well more time than we already spent together, but I was going to soak up as much time with him as I possibly could. Who knows when I'll wake up, and if I'll ever see him again.

It was another night, and we were sitting on the roof. I was curled into Jace's side just like I always am since we shared our first kiss. It was moments like these that I didn't want to end. Of course I wanted him to wake up, I'd be selfish if I didn't, but that didn't mean living without him in my life was going to be easy.

"What do you think life is going to be like when you wake up?" I asked Jace.

"I think it's going to be really hard." He said and I looked up into those golden eyes.

"How hard?" I asked.

"Well, I'm going to want to get back to the gym as soon as possible, and work on getting back in the ring." He said. "I know that's going to take a lot of effort considering I've been in a coma for a year."

"You still want to fight? Even after it did this to you?" I asked.

"I mean, this isn't an ideal situation, but I got you out of it." He said and I couldn't help but smile. "Fighting is who I am. It's been part of my identity since I started. I could never give it up."

"I get that." I said. "It just sucks that this could potentially happen to you again, and next time you might not get as lucky." I pointed out.

"I know. Something could go seriously wrong, and who knows what would happen to me than, but it's who I am." He said and I nodded. I knew what he meant. Art was part of my identity, and although it wasn't dangerous, if I had to give it up for some reason, I would be lost.

"I'm going to miss you." I said.

"I'm going to miss you too." He said as he pressed his lips to the top of my head.

"What are the chances that we meet in the real world?" I asked.

"Astronomical." He said and I laughed. "New York City is filled with over 8 million people."

"That sucks." I said bluntly and he laughed.

"I think one day we'll find out way back to each other." He stated.

"You think?" I asked.

"I'm positive." He said. "I've never felt this way about anyone before."

"And how do you feel about me?" I asked.

"I feel like I'm falling in love with you." He said and my heart started racing, and than it happened; Jace started to fade.

"Jace." I said. "You're fading." I said and he looked down at himself. He looked up and our eyes locked and he grabbed my face and pressed his lips to mine, for what I can only assume would be the last time before his time in limbo was up. When we broke apart, I didn't have time to say anything before Jace was gone. I was left on the rooftop alone, and for the first time since being in limbo, I started crying.

 **Jace POV:**

When I woke up, I was surrounded by nurses and doctors. I had no idea what was going on, and I was barely listening to who was speaking. All I knew was that my throat hurt, and I was tired.

"Water." I said and the nurse handed me a cup with a straw. I drank the whole thing and handed it back to her. "Thank you."

"Get some sleep Mr. Herondale, and tomorrow we will discuss everything you need to know, and we'll call your family in the morning to get them here." The nurse said.

"Thank you." I said again.

"It's good to see you finally awake." She smiled before walking out of the room. The sun was peaking through the curtains, and I couldn't help but smile. It was the first sun rise I had seen in a long time.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was standing in the hallway as I watched Jace be wheeled from his room. Watching him leave was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It wasn't fair that I wouldn't remember him when I woke up, and it hurt knowing that as he was leaving, he didn't feel like he was leaving me behind, he had no idea who I was.

I stopped following them when I got to the hospital doors. His sister helped him in the car and before I knew it they were gone. The nurse who wheeled him out was coming back in and was greeted by another nurse at the door.

"I love when patients wake up." She spoke to the other. "Makes our jobs a little les depressing."

"Yea, but we still a lot more patients still in a coma. One patient is a good thing, but I wish it was all of them." The other one replied and she nodded. They walked away talking about something irrelevant to me, so I stopped listening.

I went back to the roof and sat on the edge of the building watching the sun set. It was the first time I truly felt alone in this hospital, and as kind as the other limbo guests were, none of them compared to Jace, and I knew they never would.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting in the waiting room just people watching. It was one of the few things that got me through each day. The nights were rather boring around here, but during the day it was like a circus. After a few moments, Leslie sat down beside me. She has been in a coma for a little over 2 months now.

"How are you doing?" She asked.

"I miss him." I said honestly. "But I hope he's doing really well."

"Does it suck knowing he doesn't remember you?" She asked.

"It's all I think about sometimes." I said. "The one guy who I actually truly cared about and wanted nothing more than to spend all my time with doesn't even know he told me he was falling in love with me."

"I can't imagine." She said. "But, it doesn't look like you'll be here much longer." She said and I looked at her. "You're fading." She said and I looked down, I was in fact fading. "Good luck in the real world." She said and the next thing I remember was waking up.

I was gagging, and being held down by a couple people, and I heard the monitors going crazy in the background.

"Clary, it's okay, but you need to calm down a little." I heard a calming voice say. I listened and before I knew it the pain in my throat was gone, and my heart was back at a normal pace. "Welcome back Clary." The nurse said and I looked around my hospital room. It was indeed good to be back. I saw my mom there along with Simon, but something felt like it was missing, something that I couldn't explain, but when my mom came over and pulled me into a bone breaking hug, I completely forgot what I was trying to remember. I was back with my mom, and my best friend, and that's all I needed right now.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It's officially been a year since I have been out of my coma, and it felt great to be back where I was before I got in that crash. I don't know why I felt like something was missing, but every since I woke up, I felt this void in my life, and I had no idea where it came from, and why it wasn't going away, even after a whole year.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when my doorbell rang. I walked over and opened it and there stood Simon with Chinese take out, and beer. The perfect combination. Since my accident, he made it a tradition that we get together once a week, and I was all for it. He got into MMA fighting while I was in my coma, and I didn't understand it at all, but he really enjoyed it, so I didn't mind watching it with him.

We got plates and set up all the food, while Simon got the fight on TV. I didn't understand why men and women choose to get beat up for a living, but it wasn't my place to judge. They loved it I guess, and that's all that matters.

"Found it." Simon said and I took my seat.

"I don't get why you find this so entertaining. These men are literally beating the shit out of each other." I said as I grabbed the sweet and sour chicken.

"Because it's so primal." He said rather excitedly.

"Why don't you pick it up? Take some classes?" I suggested.

"I'd be beaten to a pulp." He laughed. "These guys have been doing it their whole life." He pointed out. "The guy fighting tonight, Jace Herondale, has been a professional MMA fighter since he was 17 years old. Won his first belt at 19, super young, and a natural talent. He's one of the best in the MMA world. I wouldn't want to be punched by him."

"Jace Herondale." I repeated. "Why does that name sound so familiar?" I asked. It was like it was so close to me, yet so far away and blurry.

"Because he's the best MMA fighter, and even if you don't follow the sport, you've heard of his name." He said and I nodded.

"I guess that makes sense." I said but it still didn't feel right, but Simon was already so into the fight, I didn't want to bother him with more questions so I just watched the fight and ate my Chinese trying to understand why anyone would want to participate in this willingly.

 **Jace POV:**

Today was a very long day. Since coming out of my coma, I've been doing my best to get into the best shape of my life. My last fight was good, but I could do better, and I was making sure that in my next fight, I won by a knockout. I wanted that feeling again, and I wasn't going to stop until I got it.

I was walking out to my car after a particularly brutal workout when I saw a woman leaning up against my car. Even from a distance her posture radiated 'I want to have sex with you', and not that I minded, but I just wasn't looking for that right now. I was focused on my training, and that was about it.

"Hey handsome." She said once I got closer. She wasn't ugly, she was actually very pretty, but there was something about her that I couldn't quite place. Almost like I was comparing her to someone that didn't exist. Her hair was red, but not a bright red that I absolutely love, more of a dull red that was dye washing out. Her eyes were a dark brown and she was rather tan. Everything just didn't seem natural on her. She didn't have bright eyes filled with hope or optimism. Her skin wasn't like a porcelain doll that has been kept in perfect condition. She just wasn't my type.

"Hey." I replied.

"I saw you fighting in there. You're really good." She said as she stuck out her boobs.

"Thank you." I said.

"How about you and I head back to your place, and I give you another workout." She winked and it took everything in me not to roll my eyes.

"I don't have the time today. I'm sorry." I said, although I wasn't the least bit sorry.

"You sure you can't squeeze me in? I can be quick." She partially begged.

"I'm absolutely sure." I said. "Now, if you'll get off the hood of my car, I need to be somewhere." I said. She hoped off and stormed away in her to short shorts, and her crop top. I got in my car and made my way home. I don't know what I was looking for in a girlfriend anymore. Normally I just went with whoever I could find, but something was holding me back, I just didn't know what, or potentially who.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Clary, I have two tickets, and I've been dreaming of going to a fight since I got into the sport. Please do me a solid, and go with me." Simon pleaded, and I couldn't help but laugh. I actually got into MMA after Simon made me watch at the fights, but I never told him that. I never wanted to admit that he was right.

"You know what, you went to the gallery with me last month, it's the least I could do." I said and he practically squealed like a kid on Christmas.

"You won't regret it Clary." He said as he hugged me.

"I don't doubt that." I said. "Who is fighting?" I asked.

"Herondale v. Verlac." He said and I nodded. Those two had a fierce rivalry so it should be a good fight. He gave me one last hug, and left. This was going to be an interesting fight, that's for sure.

 **Time Jump – Fight Night**

 **Clary POV:**

We got to the fight and found out seats. The atmosphere was absolutely insane, and I was actually pretty excited to see one of these things live. I might change my mind after seeing the two men beat the shit out of each other, but for right now, I was excited.

When the lights started to dim, I knew the fight was staring. The whole place went wild, and the announcer started cheering like crazy. There were Herondale fans, Verlac fans, and I wouldn't be surprised if they broke out into a brawl at some point tonight.

The fight started, and I couldn't take my eyes off Jace. After these years, something about him still felt super familiar. Like I knew him in another life at some point.

"I can't believe he came out of that coma a better fighter than he went into it." I heard some fan behind me say, and it was like the floodgates were opened.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I walked out into the hallway because I couldn't keep looking those walls, and myself. Seeing all these people just being awake and going on with their jobs and visiting their loved ones made me want to wake up that much more. I smelled the sweet smell of coffee and I inhaled it as much as I could._

 _"I'd do anything for cup of coffee." I sighed to myself, knowing none of these people could hear me._

 _"Sorry to disappoint Red, this isn't a life of luxury." A guy says, and I nearly shit myself._

 _"Holy shit." I cursed. "You can't just sneak up on a person like that."_

 _"I didn't. I've been standing here for 10 minutes reading my file." He said._

 _"But I thought you were alive." I said._

 _"I am alive, I'm just not awake." He sarcastically said back._

 _"Oh, so you aren't haunting this hospital?" I asked with a fake shocked voice._

 _"Why the hell would I haunt a hospital?" He asked a little rudely._

 _"I don't know. Fun?" I suggested and he laughed._

 _"Sorry short stack, I don't go around haunting people undoubtedly having the hardest time of their life." He said and ignoring the rude nickname, I had to say I was impressed with his answer._

 _"What's your name?" I asked cautiously._

 _"Not even around 5 minutes and already you're so curious." He stated._

 _"I've been here for a week." I pointed out._

 _"It sure took you a long time before wondering these halls." He said._

 _"I was processing." I crossed my arms over my chest._

 _"I'm Jace, Jace Herondale. Room 245. Comatose, 6 months." He rattled off. "And you Red?"_

 _"Clary Fray. Room 210. Comatose, 1 week." I said in the same order as him._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

Limbo. Jace and I were in limbo together. I remember now. We went through so much together, and the day he left, I didn't know how to deal with his absence. Thankfully I didn't have to deal with it for a long time, I came out of my coma two weeks after he did, but I lost everything from limbo, just like Jace told me I would. And I wasn't leaving this fight until I got to talk to him. That was for sure.

 **Time Jump – After Fight**

 **Jace POV:**

I lost the fight, but we had a rematch later this year, so I was going to train my ass off so that I beat him next time. I don't mind losing if my opponent out did me in a fight, but losing to Verlac was always way more bitter than any other fight. I hated that guy, and losing to him was never fun.

I always end up being the last one to leave a fight. I like just sitting in the back room to reflect on my performance alone after a fight to think about how I need to train when I get back in the gym. It was something I always did, and it also helped me calm down after a loss, which I needed this time.

I slung my gym bag over my shoulder and headed out to my car. Everything was silent, just the way I liked it after a fight. It gave me some peace of mind, and further calmed me down.

"Hey pretty boy, good fight." I heard from behind me, and I froze. That voice, it sounded familiar. I turned around slowly and there stood a redhead, she seemed familiar, but I didn't know why.

"Do I know you?" I asked and she smiled.

"In another life we got pretty close." She said, and I looked at her and she smiled. "Tonight wasn't your night." She said and now I laughed.

"Nope, but I'll get him next time." I said and she moved closer to me.

"You sure?" She asked.

"Pretty positive." I stated and she nodded.

"I expect you to keep that promise pretty boy." She said and I looked into her insanely emerald green eyes. It was a sea of green, familiar green, that contrasted with her perfectly curled red hair. _Red._ It was like everything from a previous life came rushing back to me.

"Red." I said and she laughed.

"I never thought I'd see you again." She said.

"This is insane." I said and she nodded in agreement. "How are you doing?" I asked immediately.

"I'm doing very well." She said. "It took me some time to get back on my feet after I woke up from my coma, and I'm still getting stronger every single day."

"That's amazing to hear." I said and she nodded.

"I see you're doing incredible." She said and I laughed.

"Just like you it took some time to get back into the ring, but I wasn't giving up on my passion." I said and she nodded. It was quiet for a moment, so I did something that I knew I would regret if I didn't ask anyway. "Would you like to grab a late night snack with me? Catch up?" I asked.

"I think a late night snack sounds perfect." She said and I laughed and stuck out my hand.

"I'm Jace. Jace Herondale. Not comatose, 2 and a half years." I said and she laughed and grabbed my hand.

"Clary. Clary Fray. Not comatose, almost 2 and a half years." She repeated and out hands dropped but we didn't let go.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Clary Fray."

And a pleasure it most definitely was.

 **Authors Note:**

 **A VERY long time ago someone suggested Clary and Jace meet while they were both in a coma, and for some strange reason, a couple nights ago, this popped into my head, and I just had to write it. It took me some time, but I finally finished** **it, and got something to post for all you patient readers!**

 **I know nothing about coma's or anything like that. So if the recovery time is off, oh well. Don't shoot the writer. I did my best.**

 **Also, a guest reviewed talking about my last one shot, and I have to say, I was really annoyed with the review about the Seahawks being in Washington State, not DC, and FYI guest reviewer, I put in the authors note that I was talking about the Seahawks, I specifically** **wrote in the text that he went to Washington STATE! Maybe next time read everything before you review about my inaccuracies. I know sometimes I'm off, but give me a break, I'm not that incompetent, and I just thought I'd let you know that you really annoyed me. That's all.**

 **Let me know what you think and leave a review! A nice one, and maybe one that indicates you read the whole thing, not just the story. I write these author notes with the purpose of explaining some things that may not have been clear in the text, but I felt I didn't want to add, so I give explanations here, it's not my fault you all don't want to read these author notes sometimes!**


	125. Chapter 124 - Perfect Mate

**Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so this one is written a little differently! I wanted to write a one shot that's in third person, and I thought this one was the perfect one! I put their names before each section just to let you know who is going to be focused on more, just so it isn't as confusing! Alright, please enjoy!**

 **One Hundred and Twenty Four Story:**

 **Perfect Mate**

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Clary:**

"Luke, I don't know what to do, I'm scared." Clary admitted as she sat with her stepfather, and mom.

"Clary, you aren't bound to him. You can leave him whenever you want." Luke reminded her.

"I know that, but he's so controlling." Clary said. "The way he stares at me when I'm around my pack, and the way he growls at any guy who tries to talk to me. It's alarming."

"Look, I know being with Sebastian would be a good political decision for our pack, and for theirs as well." Luke explained. "But if you don't feel safe, and you feel like you can't leave because you're scared of what he might do to you, that's not the type of relationship I want my daughter in. Do you understand me?"

"I do, but where would I go? My pack is here." Clary pointed out.

"It doesn't matter where you go." Luke said. "Just as long as you leave for a long enough period of time so that Sebastian forgets about you."

"I don't think he will." Jocelyn said honestly. "What makes you think he won't track her?"

"I could mask my scent." Clary suggested. "But I don't know what to do without my pack. It's all I've ever known." Clary said defeated.

"Your safety is more important to me, and your happiness." Luke told her.

"I'm going to miss you guys." Clary said as her eyes welled with tears.

"We're going to miss you too Cubby." Luke said and this caused Clary to smile a little.

"You haven't called me that in years." Clary said and Luke smiled.

"You aren't a little girl anymore. You're a woman." Luke said and Clary got up and gave him a giant hug.

"I won't write or call to let you know where I am. I think it's safer that way, but I promise if I'm in trouble, I'll call." Clary reassured them and they both nodded.

"We love you sweetheart." Jocelyn said and Clary nodded. She went upstairs to pack her things before news about her departure became pack news. She was no longer safe here, and she knew leaving was the right thing to do, but that didn't mean it wasn't going to suck.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Jace:**

Jace Herondale was known as the most ferocious pack leader in all of Northern California. He was known to not let anyone interfere with his pack, and if they did, they wouldn't be alive to tell the tale to anyone.

It was the way Jace liked to run his pack, and the way he likes other packs to perceive him. He was the most lethal and feared _Alpha_ on the West Coast, and he planned on always keeping it that way.

The good thing about the Herondale Pack was, if you were in it, there wasn't anything Jace wouldn't do for you. His _Beta_ was his best friend, Alec Lightwood. They used to be their own pack, but after a shocking betrayal of one of their own, they simply didn't have the numbers to be on their own anymore, and they pledged their allegiance to the Herondale Pack, and they've been the deadliest and most feared pack since their joining.

The _Delta_ of the pack was another Lightwood. Isabelle Lightwood to be exact and when Jace put her there, the whole pack was shocked. Women tended not to be high ranked within the pack, but Isabelle was one of the fiercest werewolves Jace had ever come across, and she earned her position in the pack. Everyone knew that for sure.

Maryse Lightwood, basically Jace's second mother, was the _Salutary_ of the pack. She was in charge of all the healing within the group, and she did a damn good job at it. Jace was lucky to have her at their services, and knew he could always count on her to make sure his pack was taken care of.

The _Sentinels_ of the pack were Robert Lightwood, Bat Velasquez, Jordan Kyle, Woolsey Scott, and Rufus Hastings to name a few. They were in charge of packs' safety. They made sure that nothing happens to the pack; from within the pack, or from outside sources.

The pack _Elder_ was another Herondale. Imogen Herondale, Jace's grandmother, and his only living relative. She was the mate of Jace's grandfather, Marcus, a former alpha of the Herondale Pack.

Magnus Bane and Ragnor Fell are the Herondale Pack _Scouts._ They are in charge of knowing everything that's going on in the surrounding area. If new packs are formed, if there are rogue werewolves, and if there is territory that is deemed dangerous to the pack.

And last but not least, the _Omega_ of the Herondale Pack is Max Lightwood, the youngest of the Lightwood family. He was a young one, and mainly in charge of watching over the pups of the pack, and explaining the hierarchy, and making sure they don't get into too much trouble.

The Herondale Pack was a fierce and loyal pack, and Jace was proud that he was the _Alpha_ and that he had a reputation around the world of being one of the greatest _Alphas_ to ever run a pack. There was a knock on his office door, and it pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Come in." Jace called, and when the door opened, there stood Alec.

"You ready to go man?" Alec asked and Jace looked at the clock. "Izzy is kinda getting impatient." He said and Jace laughed.

"When isn't Izzy impatient?" Jace countered, and Alec just laughed.

"Very true, but according to her we're already 25 minutes late, and that just isn't okay." He mocked her and Jace couldn't help but laugh.

"Yea. I'm ready." Jace said as he grabbed his leather jacket and headed out with Alec.

Izzy liked to go out and party. It wasn't any secret, but if she went out, Alec and Jace were normally forced to go out as well. Alec didn't mind because he could keep an eye on his sister, but Jace was more of a homebody than a clubber.

They got to the nightclub, and the music was jamming. The place was packed with so many bodies, that Jace was practically rubbing up against everyone just to get to the bar. If he was being forced out, he was going to get some drinks that's for sure.

"Welcome back Mr. Herondale." The bartender said and Jace nodded. "Scotch on the rocks like always?" He asked and Jace nodded again. They came here a lot, and Jace was very well known in his area. He got respect everywhere, something that occasionally got to his head, which he kinda liked. "Let me know if I can get you anything else Mr. Herondale." The bartender said as he placed his drink down.

Jace looked out at the crowded space, and saw Izzy dancing with some random guy, nothing uncommon. He looked around to see Alec and Magnus in the corner, Alec was leaning in close and laughing at whatever Magnus was saying as Magnus ran his hands up and down Alec's arm as he leaned against the wall. Jace would never admit it out loud, but he was slightly jealous that Alec found his mate so earlier on. He just seemed so much happier since Magnus showed up all those years ago, and he was happy for his best friend. That didn't mean Jace wasn't slightly bummed that he didn't have someone to complete him. Of course nobody could ever know that he felt incomplete. Jace knew that sometimes you didn't get a mate, that sometimes you didn't need a mate, but it would still be nice to have someone who just was everything you needed.

Jace watched as the people moved on the dance floor, and dodged the many girls who tried to throw themselves at him. Maybe if he was younger he would go for it, but he has so much on his plate right now, that even thinking about random one night stands is out of the question.

When midnight rolled around, Jace decided that he was going to head home. He told Alec, and than he was gone. He took a detour through the park, and sat on a nearby bench. He took in the peace and quiet, and just let all the alcohol and the smell of cigarettes blow away in the breeze. He needed more in his life, more than just being the _Alpha_. Jace needed more of a purpose in life, but it all seemed so foreign to him.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Clary:**

Clary left Colorado that night and made it to Utah before she needed a break. She got a motel for a night before she headed off to California. It was a place she always wanted to visit, but never got the opportunity to see. This might not be perfect timing, but Clary would take what she could get these days.

There was something about the beaches, and the sun, and the relaxed vibe California set off that really intrigued her. She grew up surrounded by snow, the thought of a beach was fascinating, and she would spend as much time as she possibly could there until it was time for her to go back to her pack.

When Clary reached her final destination, she was slightly taken aback with the nightlife of California. It was summer, so it shouldn't have shocked her, but it did. There were groups of people out laughing, clinging to their friends and significant others, and not having a care in the world about what tomorrow would bring. They were simply enjoying the moment, something Clary hasn't been able to do in a long time.

Luke had given her enough money to be able to survive on her way out there, but if Clary was going to survive here for a long period of time, she was going to need to find a job. She didn't exactly know what she was going to do. Being a part of a pack is a job in and of itself, but now she was on her own, so she would have to integrate herself into the society as a normal woman; something Clary has never been good at. She's always stood out among others. Her hair made sure of that, but also her fiery temper. Hated by many, adored by few.

Since she was staying out here for an extended period of time, Clary decided to find someone who possibly needed a roommate. Luckily on her long journey out here, she got on line and started looking. Thankfully she found a girl who was looking for someone to live with her, in a pretty populated area. A good place for her to just blend in, and Clary jumped at the opportunity.

When she showed up to the address, she was expecting it to be an apartment building, but to her surprise, it was a full house. She got to the door and rung the doorbell. A few moments later a woman appeared at the screen.

"Clarissa Fray?" She questioned.

"That's me." Clary said and she opened the door. "I prefer to be called Clary though." She corrected her.

"Of course. I'm Maia. It's so nice to meet you." She said as she grabbed Clary's luggage and entered the house. "I was honestly thinking that nobody was ever going to want to room with me." She said and when I got in her house the overwhelming smell of dog hit me; she was a wolf.

"You're a werewolf." Clary blurted out and Maia froze. She dropped Clary's bags and slowly turned around.

"How did you know?" She asked curiously.

"You reek." Clary said and that caused Maia to laugh. "No, it's like really bad." Clary continued.

"That's the point." Maia said. "I'm kinda on the run from someone." She said and Clary's jaw slightly fell.

"Me too." Clary said surprisingly.

"Oh wow." Maia said. "This is so crazy. Where is your pack from?" She asked.

"Colorado." Clary informed her. "You?" She asked.

"Arizona." She said. "Who are you running from?" She asked.

"Look, I am more than happy to talk about our common theme in why we ended up here in California, but can I have some coffee first? It was a long ride here." Clary asked and Maia smiled.

"Absolutely." Maia said and she started walking towards the kitchen, and Clary followed. She brewed a pot and they took a seat out in the living room. "So, why are you running?" Maia asked again.

"Ex-boyfriend who terrified me." Clary explained. "He was really controlling, and just didn't like me associating with anyone but him. Not even my own pack."

"Is he a wolf too?" She asked.

"Yea. He is from a neighboring pack, and there has been a little bad blood between my pack and his." Clary explained. "When I first met him, I had no idea what pack he belonged too, until I talked to my _Alpha_ who also happens to be my stepfather." Clary said and Maia nodded. "He said that us seeing each other was a good thing, not only for us, but for a possible truce between the packs. I guess it got more political as time went on, but eventually I was just so terrified to speak to anyone because I knew he would get angry. I mean, he attacked one of my best friends. That was the last straw."

"How long were you with him?" Maia asked.

"Almost 3 years." Clary explained. "I would have left him sooner but I was scared." She said. "Running was my only option."

"And your pack leader was okay with that?" Maia asked.

"I'm his daughter before a member of his pack. He just wants me safe and happy, and if it wasn't with him, than it wasn't with him. So I told him that for my own safety that I needed to leave, and he understood that." Clary explained. "What about you?" Clary asked.

"My brother." Maia said. "He found out I was a wolf and tried to kill me."

"Oh god." Clary said.

"I tried to hide it as best I could, but it got hard, and I felt like I was losing who I was by hiding who I truly am now." Maia explained. "So, I left, because I didn't want to die, and I just couldn't do it anymore. I needed to be me, and I can do that here."

"I get it." Clary said. They sat there in silence for a moment, before Clary spoke. "So, do you happen to know any place that's hiring? I kinda need a job." She said and Maia laughed.

"Yea, there is this club, Pandemonium, it's like the biggest club around, they are always looking for waitresses, and bartenders." Maia informed her.

"Great. I'll check them out tomorrow." Clary said and Maia nodded.

"Your room is the second door on the left upstairs. You have your own bathroom, and it's stocked with everything you need." Maia told her.

"Thank you so much." Clary said as they got off the couch.

"No, thank you." Maia said. "I have been working my ass off trying to keep this place. I needed a roommate desperately, and you kinda saved my ass." She said and they both laughed.

"I guess we're both saving each others asses right now." Clary said and Maia nodded in agreement. Clary grabbed her stuff and headed up towards her room. This was her new life; for now. And Clary just had to get into a routine, and than everything would fall into place.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Jace:**

"Jace, she's great. Why can't you give her a chance?" Izzy told Jace for the 10th time within the hour.

"Isabelle, I can find my own dates. I don't need you prowling around California to find me a girlfriend." Jace told her yet again.

"You haven't been on a date in nearly 5 years Jace." Izzy reminded him again. "You need to go out and let loose."

"I do that plenty thanks to your party girl persona." Jace told her as he looked up from his work. "And I just don't have the time."

"Is this because you're waiting for you potential mate? Cause let's be real, not everyone gets a mate." Izzy said.

"I'm aware, but I just don't want to waste my time with women who don't understand that I'm a leader before anything else. And it's even harder when you try and set me up with commonplace women." Jace said to her.

"Werewolves are slim pickings Jace." Izzy said. "I mean, there aren't an overload in Northern California."

"I'm well aware. I am an _Alpha._ " Jace reminded her, although Izzy didn't need to be reminded.

"I know, but you're like my brother Jace." Izzy told him sincerely. "I want you to be happy."

"And I will be." He reassured her. "When I find the right person for me. Whether it be my potential mate, or a woman who I think is worth exposing to our insane lifestyle."

"And you're positive?" Izzy asked for affirmation.

"I am extremely positive." Jace told her.

"Okay, I'll stop prying." Izzy told him. "But I am going out tonight, and Alec and Magnus are coming with."

"Sounds good. Be careful." Jace told her lovingly.

"Always am." Izzy smiles before leaving his office. Jace loved Izzy dearly. She was a sister to him, but sometimes she pried too much into others personal lives. She always had good intentions, but Jace wanted to focus on his pack right now, and not on his dating life. H knew it was struggling. He was a 32 year old who decided after his last blown relationship that he was done messing around, and now he was just waiting for the right woman, the only thing is, he had no idea when she would come around, and waiting was kinda frustrating to him.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Alec:**

Pandemonium was always a full house at night. Alec hated going, but after Izzy was assaulted here a few years back, he vowed to never let her go to a club alone. Izzy didn't mind either, it got Alec out of the house, and before Magnus came along, He pretty much isolated himself.

Magnus was getting drinks, so Alec stayed against the wall and scoped out the place. Alec made a point to always remember people that frequented this club, and to make sure that there wasn't any problems being caused my other wolves, or pack on pack violence. It was a common trend these days, as members of packs wanted to be _Alpha_ and started challenges in very public areas.

Alec was looking around when he caught sight of a waitress that he hasn't seen before. She was small, and had the brightest red hairs he's ever seen. She was very new, and before Alec got the chance to go over and learn more about her, Magnus came back with the drinks and handed Alec his.

"There is a new wolf in town." Magnus told Alec.

"How do you know?" Alec questioned.

"I can smell her from a mile away." Magnus said. "It's the redhead."

"I was looking at her." Alec let him know. "She's brand new. When do you think she got into town?"

"I'm guessing within the last couple days." Magnus said. "Should we grab her after her shift?"

"Yea. We need to have a word with her." Alec agreed.

They waited until they saw her head into the back area before Magnus and Alec made their way to the back of the club to meet her. Izzy had left an hour or so ago, so they weren't in her detail anymore. They waited there for about 10 minutes before the small redhead walked out of the club. She didn't get to the end of the ally before Magnus grabbed her arm.

"What the fuck are you doing?" She hissed as she was turned around.

"Nobody moves into this town without knowing the rules. Especially werewolves." Magnus informed her.

"Is this the part where you take me to your _Alpha_ and try and intimidate me into leaving? Because I really need to stay here for my own good." The redhead explained in a rather aggressive way.

"We'll see." Alec said. "Come with us."

Thankfully the redhead didn't put up a fight. Most werewolves didn't considering they knew the rules, but there were always those select few – mainly rogue wolves – who didn't want to comply to the orders of the packs territory.

When they got back, Alec offered to stay with the redhead while Magnus went to get Jace. Alec wasn't necessarily found of the redhead. She had quite the foul mouth, and more sarcasm that she probably should, and he couldn't help but think that her old pack kicked her out for her attitude.

"So, what territory am I in?" She finally asked.

"This territory belongs to the Herondale Pack." Alec informed her.

"You mean like, Marcus Herondale?" The redhead asked.

"Maybe if you came around 45 years ago." Alec replied. "Marcus hasn't been around for a long time."

"I'm sorry." The redhead said. "It's just, my stepfather knew Marcus, and always spoke so highly of him."

"As did most wolves." Jace's voice came from around the corner. He walked into the room and his eyes landed on the redhead. Everything went completely silent. "Oh fuck." Jace muttered and Alec was slightly confused. He looked between the two and saw they were completely captivated by each other.

"Oh shit." Alec said as Magnus rejoined him. Things just got a lot more interesting around here.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Clary:**

Clary's eyes were locked in with the golden orbs. It was like nothing else in the world mattered to her in this moment. She never knew what it would feel like to finally meet your mate, but she wasn't expecting something this intense. It was like something in her clicked, and she finally felt in tune with all of her emotions.

"Alec, Magnus, would you give us a few moments?" The golden man questioned.

"Of course." They said in unison before exiting the room. Once the door locked, Clary's eyes were focused solely on gold.

"My name is Jace Herondale." He spoke. "I'm the _Alpha_ of the Herondale Pack."

"Clary Fray." Clary responded. "I'm a member of the Greymark Pack."

"I'm not familiar with that pack." Jace said.

"I'm not from around here." Clary let him know. "I'm from Colorado."

"So why are you in California?" He asked. "Are you here for a meeting? Cause I don't remember setting anything up with a Greymark Pack."

"No. No meeting." Clary said. "Just a change of scenery."

"And your _Alpha_ was okay with this?" Jace questioned.

"You see, my stepfather is the _Alpha,_ his name is Lucian Greymark." Clary informed him. "And I talked to him about it, and he said that he understood that a girl like me needed some vacation time, and gave me his permission to get away for some time."

"I see." Jace said. "And my territory interested you because….?" He asked.

"I always wanted to come to California. Since I am going to be spending a lot of time here, I thought I would need a place to stay and a job. I just so happen to find a place in your territory." Clary explained.

"You do realize what happens now don't you?" Jace asked and Clary sighed. Clary hated being told what to do, but she had no choice.

"I am required to stay with you." Clary answered knowing the law. Once werewolves found their mate, they were required to enter their pack.

"You don't have to up and move your life right away." Jace said and Clary was a little confused.

"You aren't going to force me to move in tonight?" Clary asked a little puzzled.

"This is a lot to take in." Jace told her, and she couldn't disagree with that. "You clearly haven't been here long, otherwise we would have meet sooner, and I currently don't have a place for you to sleep."

"I just assumed we'd have to share a room." Clary laughed a little, and Jace gave her a small smile.

"I don't share my room with just anyone." Jace told her lightly. "I would like to get to know you a little before I open my bed to you."

"Thoughtful." Clary said. "Never pegged you as the thoughtful type."

"You don't even know me." Jace said in his _Alpha_ voice, this caused Clary to bow in respect.

"I meant no disrespect towards you." Clary told him.

"I know." Jace said. "And I'm sorry I raised my voice at you." He said and Clary sat a little straighter. "We just don't know anything about each other. That includes how we live. There are going to be things you don't like about me, and I guarantee I'm not going to like things about you." He said and that made Clary scoff. "See, I can already tell you have a temper on you, and so do I. That's going to make us butt heads a lot, although I didn't mean it to be rude. We are mates for a reason; we have characteristics that complete each other. That's going to frustrate me, and it's going to frustrate you as well."

"What do I tell my roommate, and my parents?" Clary asked.

"You tell your roommate that you have to move again." Jace said.

"She's a wolf." Clary blurted out without realizing.

"Who?" Jace asked insistently.

"Maia Roberts." Clary informed him.

"I haven't heard from her in months." Jace said more kindly. "How is she?" He asked, and out of everything that has happened tonight, that was the most shocking.

"She's good. She really needed a roommate though." Clary told him. "She's struggling with rent."

"Done." Jace said.

"What's done?" Clary asked.

"I'm taking her roommate, I might as well help her out." Jace told her.

"You'd do that?" Clary asked.

"Look, rogue werewolves are one thing, but werewolves who are out here just trying to get their lives back on track, and have no ill will towards the pack territory aren't a threat to me. If she does something bad, I'll address the issue, but she's been rather peaceful, and I don't want to be the reason she has to uproot her life." Jace explained.

"That's very kind of you." Clary said.

"I have a ferocious reputation as _Alpha_ of this pack, but that doesn't mean I'm a complete asshole." He said and Clary laughed a little. "It's late, so Alec and Magnus will take you back to your place."

"I can handle myself." Clary said.

"I dig the whole independent wolf thing, but you're my mate, you'll be protected at all times. Whether you like it or not." Jace told her and Clary simply nodded. She knew there was no point in arguing.

Magnus and Alec were both called back in and Clary left the house processing everything that just happened. Clary never expected to meet her mate this way, hell she thought she was never getting one, but now that she has a mate, a fucking _Alpha_ mate, she was a little scared shitless of how everything was going to happen.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace:**

Jace hasn't been upfront about his situation with Clary, but since she was moving in with him, Jace felt it was essential to tell his pack about it now. It was probably one of the most terrifying things Jace has had to do since becoming _Alpha_ but it's not like he could hid it forever. Things were going to change with her in his life now, and his pack was bound to figure it out.

The whole pack was gathered at the Hunter's Moon, and Jace was anxiously waiting for Alec and Clary to arrive. Since Alec and Magnus both knew about this, and since Alec was his _Beta_ he trusted his mate with him completely, and knew she would be safe with him.

Everyone was talking in low hushed voices, so when the door opened, everyone instantly shut up, and turned to face it. Clary and Alec were standing there, and Alec ushered her over to where Jace was standing. Jace noticed that she looked slightly nervous, but there was something else there as well, something Jace didn't fully understand yet.

"I called this meeting because there is something important that I need to share with all of you." Jace started, and his pack was intently listening. "This is Clary Fray, she's a member of a pack in another state, and came here for a change of scenery." Jace explained. "Naturally, when a new wolf comes to the area, there must be a simple meeting to make sure everything runs smoothly." Jace said and the whole pack nodded. "Well, this time wasn't like the rest." Jace said. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet, Clary Fray, my mate." Jace finished and the whole bar was silent. Lots of people didn't think Jace was ever going to find his mate due to his workaholic ways, and his age. Most people found their mate pretty early on, so when Jace reached a certain age, everyone just assumed he wasn't given a mate.

"Oh my god! This is so exciting!" Izzy screamed as she ran over and hugged Clary and Jace together. "Oh, I was waiting for this day for so fucking long! Welcome to the Herondale Pack! We're going to be best friends." Izzy beamed and Clary just looked confused.

"Excuse, but who are you?" Clary asked and this caused the room to fill with laughter.

"I'm Isabelle Lightwood, _Delta_ of the Herondale Pack." She announced and Clary looked up at Jace.

"A female _Delta_?" Clary questioned and Jace nodded. "Badass." Clary smiled as she high fived Izzy, this caused Jace to release the breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"From now on, you will treat Clary with the utmost respect. If I hear anything about any of you treating her poorly, you will deal with the proper punishments." Jace informed his pack.

"Kinky." Clary whispered so low that only Jace heard it. He had a feeling being her mate was going to make for an interesting life.

"That's all." Jace said. "You're free to go."

"I finally get to decorate your room!" Izzy cheers as the room slowly empties.

"She has her own room Iz." Jace told the overly excited girl.

"Why? You're mates." Izzy said.

"But we just met." Jace told her. "I want her to feel comfortable." He said and Izzy nodded. "Oh, and you aren't working at Pandemonium anymore."

"Why not?" Clary asked angrily.

"It's not suitable for my mate to be a waitress as a club." Jace said. "You want a job? Fine, you can have one here, but you aren't putting on that short skirt, and allowing other men to eye fuck you." Jace said bluntly.

"Fine, than you aren't allowed to go clubbing without me." Clary matched his demands with demands. This caused a few of the members to stop and listen to see where this was going. "You want to go out, fine, but I'm coming with."

"You can't give me rules." Jace said back. This wasn't how things were done. He was the _Alpha_.

"Watch me." Clary said as she stood straight up to make herself look more demanding. "You want to have a fun night out, I'm all for it. Give me 45 minutes, and I'll be ready."

"Girl, 45 minutes isn't enough time!" Izzy chimed in.

"Trust me, I can do a lot of damage in 45 minutes." Clary said before turning her attention back to Jace. "Do we have a deal?" Clary asked and Jace wanted so desperately to role his eyes at her. But she batted those eyelashes at him like she was the most innocent thing in the world, and Jace knew that he would agree to her, because from the moment their eyes connected, he would do anything for her.

"Deal." Jace said. Which caused the members that stayed around laugh silently to themselves. Jace leaned forward so that he could whisper in Clary's ear. "But you better keep those promises. I can do a lot of damage as well love, and you don't want to go to war with the master." He said and Clary just smirked.

"Oh honey, you don't know who you're dealing with." Clary said back sweetly, before her and Izzy walked away arm in arm laughing about how Clary put Jace in his place.

"And you secretly always wanted a mate." Alec said as he made his way over to Jace.

"How do you know that?" Jace asked curiously.

"I see the way you look at those who have mates." Alec said. "It's the same way I looked at people before Magnus came around." He said. "Having a mate is the best feeling in the world."

"Somehow I doubt that's going to be the case for Clary and I." Jace said honestly.

"She challenges you." Alec said. "That's a good thing."

"I trust you man." Jace said and Alec smiled.

"Daddy! Papa said we could go to the park today!" Rafe said as he ran into Alec's legs. 3 years ago they adopted an orphaned wolf, and it was the greatest decision Alec and Magnus ever made.

"Oh he did, did he?" Alec questioned as he ruffled his sons hair.

"Can we please?" Rafe begged as he jumped up and down.

"Of course. Go get your jacket!" Alec said, and Rafe cheered before running away. Alec looked back at Jace and smiled. "Just wait until you get there." Alec said as he pointed in the direction of Rafe. "There is no greater feeling."

As Alec walked away, Jace knew he was right, but Clary and him had a long way to go before a family was even a possibility, and he had a feeling that road wasn't always going to be a smooth ride.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary:**

Clary hated the idea of leaving Maia, but knowing that she was going to be okay in the long run eased most of those worries. She decided to take her time with the move in process. Gradually moving things in slowly, but surely. She liked Maia, and she wanted to build a good friendship that would last after she moved out, and she had a feeling that it would.

But today was the day she moved in the last of her belongings, and she was slightly nervous, not that Clary would ever tell anyone that out loud. She has always been independent, despite the controlling relationship she was previously in. She liked the feeling of doing things herself without someone breathing down her neck, and she was sure as hell going to let Jace know that she wasn't his property.

She got to the house, and she had to admit, it was a beautiful place. She took time to explore it little by little when she first starting moving her things in, and she knew she was going to enjoy living here, but she just didn't know how living with Jace was going to be. The only male she's ever lived with was Luke, and she was used to him, so living with a guy who she really didn't know, was going to be interesting. There was a slight knock on her bedroom door before the door opened slightly to reveal Jace.

"Settling in well?" Jace asked her.

"Yea. Just need to unpack the rest of my clothes." Clary informed him.

"Okay, well we're going out tonight, so be ready by 6:30." He told her.

"How should I dress?" Clary asked.

"Fancy." Jace said before shutting the door leaving Clary alone. It wasn't that Clary couldn't dress fancy, she just didn't particularly like it all the time.

She got the rest of her stuff and put it in the closet, and the dresser. She go out her red dress, and her black heels, and set out her cosmetic bag, and curling iron. It was already 4 o'clock, and she knew tonight she was going to have to put maximum effort into, so she started getting ready for the big night.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Jace:**

Jace was waiting in the living room for Clary to come down. It was nearing 6:30, and he was wondering what was taking her so long. She told him previously that she could do damage in 45 minutes, so over 2 hours must be the same amount of damage as a natural disaster would cause.

Jace heard the clicking of the heels before he saw her, and when she came into his view, his jaw hit the ground, and he let out involuntary growl. He saw the smirk appear on her lips as she made her way over to him.

"Surprised?" Clary asked and Jace straightened himself up.

"That you took so long? Yes." Jace said trying to avoid looking her up and down.

"I said I could do damage in 45 minutes, that doesn't mean I don't also like to take my time." Clary informed him. "Shall we? It's 6:30." She said and Jace looked at his watch, and it was in fact, 6:30.

"Let's go." Jace said and Clary nodded. They walked to the front door where Clary grabbed her coat. She slipped it on, and they made their way out to Jace's car.

Jace was using tonight to get to know Clary better. They've been spending time together, but now they were going to be living together, so they needed to make sure they were on the same page for a couple of things.

The restaurant Jace picked was fancy, but when it comes to doing things, Jace never half asses it. It's all or nothing with him. They were escorted to their table immediately, and before they were even seated, wine was being poured. Before Clary could even blink, they were ordering.

"So, tonight I just wanted to go over some basic things about my house." Jace said.

"Our house." Clary corrected him, and again Jace wanted to role his eyes. He had a feeling living with her was going to be a nightmare.

"Our house, but there are still rules." Jace said.

"I'm okay with rules." Clary told him kindly.

"First rule, you make a mess, you clean it up." Jace said, and Clary thought it was kinda odd but understood. "Clutter isn't something I do well with."

"OCD much." Clary muttered softly.

"Very." Jace said and Clary looked at him. "And it's only got worse with age." He told her and she nodded along. "Dinner is normally at 7, so unless you're working, you should be there, but if you happen to make plans with Izzy, or your friend Maia, just let me know before hand so I don't cook extra."

"You cook? Clary questioned him, a little surprised.

"Someone has to feed me and Imogen." Jace said and Clary nodded. She had nearly forgot about the Pack _Elder_ living with Jace. "Pack meetings are held every Thursday night at 8 in the den." Jace said. "You are welcome to come, but sometimes it's not necessary. I'll let you know which meetings you need to attend, but otherwise, don't worry if you miss them."

"And about me always having a member of the pack with me, is that going to happen for the rest of my life?" Clary asked.

"That's my intention." Jace said. "Other packs like to use mates are leverage. I'd rather you not become collateral damage for a grudge held against me." Jace told her. "But sometimes you won't even see them. Just know there is always going to be one in your general area."

"I can work with that." Clary said and Jace nodded.

"Do you have any questions for me?" Jace asked her.

"Why are you so serious all the time?" Clary asked as she took a sip of her wine.

"I have a job to do." Jace told her sternly.

"Yea, but it wouldn't kill you to let loose every now and than." Clary said. "Just have fun. You're a young guy."

"I'm 32. I'm hardly young." Jace said and Clary laughed.

"So? I'm 28, but I still like to party like I'm in my early 20's." Clary said and Jace shrugged.

"I've been an _Alpha_ for so long that work just consumes most of who I am." Jace told her honestly.

"Well, I guess I'm just going to have to change that, won't I?" Clary asked and Jace couldn't help but smile.

"I guess we'll see." Jace said and they clicked their glasses right before the food arrived. Jace was very interested to see where things with Clary would go. They were definitely opposites, and he had a feeling that would help and hurt throughout their relationship.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace:**

Things with Clary have been interesting. They've been on a few more dates, and gotten into their fair share of arguments, but Jace was solely realizing that he couldn't live without her. He had slowly taken over ever empty crevice in his life, and he noticed that he wasn't as lonely as he was before. Clary had filled so many voids, and Alec was right, she challenged him, and he liked that.

Clary and Izzy both decided that they wanted to go clubbing tonight, so naturally, Jace and Alec had to go with them. Jace and Alec were both waiting in the living room for both girls, who insisted they get ready together. It seemed like they were taking forever, but Jace knew how long Izzy needed to get ready.

He heard the all familiar clicks, and turned his attention to the bottom of the stairs where Clary and Izzy made their grand entrance. Just like every other time, Jace was overwhelm with how amazing Clary looked. She was the type of girl that could go from casual and comfy to the sexiest thing he'd ever seen, and he loved that about her.

"Ready boys?" Izzy said.

"Always." Alec said and they made their way out to the car that was waiting for them. Jace was taking in Clary, and he realized that he didn't necessarily approve of what she was wearing. It was a little too revealing, and he silently cursed Izzy for picking it out.

"Was this outfit Izzy's idea?" Jace whispered in her ear.

"No, it was mine." Clary said. "I picked it out last week when we went shopping. Why? Do you not like it?" She asked.

"No, I like it, but I would like it more if you weren't going to be wearing it around a bunch of horny men." Jace told her honestly.

"I had a feeling you were the jealous type." Clary said with a laugh, but Jace didn't find it all that funny.

"I'm not laughing Clarissa." He told her harshly, and Clary glared at him.

"Well, there was nothing in the rules that said you had to approve my clothing." She hissed as they pulled up to Pandemonium. "I can dress however I like." She stormed off but Jace followed.

"I'm not saying I want to dress you, I'm just saying you should think more about the clothing you're wearing and the way you're portraying yourself." Jace said.

"So I look like what? A hooker?" Clary asked angrily.

"You look hot, which anyone in this club would agree with, and intoxicated men tend not to think with the right head." Jace said but Clary wasn't having it.

"Just go over to the bar Jace, like you always do." She said. "I'm going to dance with Izzy." She said before disappearing in the crowd. Jace growled and made his way to the bar where Alec was.

"What just happened?" Alec asked him.

"Difference of opinion." Jace said as he got his normal drink.

"Let me guess, you don't approve of her outfit." Alec said and Jace looked at him.

"How did you guess?" Jace asked sarcastically.

"Because I felt the same way about Izzy for the longest time." He told Jace. "But I soon realized that she's an adult, and a badass who can look out for herself, especially after the incident. She's a lot stronger now, and I know if something happens she'll be okay."

"I just don't like the looks she gets." Jace said.

"Of course you don't. She's your mate. If you didn't care, I would be worried." Alec said and Jace just drowned his drink. He knew Alec was right, but that didn't mean he liked it.

Jace was in his 4th drink when he spotted the familiar redhead, but what he saw made his blood boil. She was no longer dancing with Izzy, but with another guy. He slammed his drink down on the bar and made his way through the crowd. He grabbed the man and threw him off Clary.

"What the hell man! We were having a good time." The guy slurred.

"Good times over. Go find someone else." Jace seethed.

"I already found one. Tell him babe." The man said as she started to move towards Clary.

"Do _not_ call her babe." Jace hissed venomously at him.

"Don't tell me what to do man. I saw you two fighting when you got here. I'm just showing her how a real man can appreciate everything she has to offer. Isn't that right baby?" The man asked Clary, but she was standing slightly behind Jace watching the scene unfold.

"What did I say?" Jace hissed. "You don't get to call her baby."

"Don't be such a cockblock. Just let me have a go, and than you can have her back." The guys said and that was the last straw. Jace punched the man so hard, he stumbled back and fell to the ground. Jace made his way over to him and kneeled down to him.

"You're going to wish you never moved here." Jace spat at him before getting up. He put his arm possessively around Clary and led her out of the bar. When the air hit them, Jace started to cool down a little. He texted Alec saying they were leaving, but he was leaving the car here for them. Jace looked over at Clary who had a smile on her face. "Why are you smiling?" He asked a little more harshly than intended.

"No reason." She said.

"You gonna explain why you were dancing with that guy in there?" Jace asked.

"I was testing a theory." Clary simply said.

"Oh yea, and what theory was that?" Jace asked.

"To see if you really cared." She said and that confused Jace.

"What makes you think I don't care?" Jace asked.

"Some wolves aren't happy with their mate." Clary said. "I didn't know if that was you or not."

"Clary, why didn't you just ask?" Jace asked softly.

"Watching your mate get possessive is kinda hot." Clary said as the smirked reappeared on his lips.

"You liked that?" Jace asked curiously.

"I _loved_ that." She said as she made her way over to him. She wrapped her arms around Jace's torso and looked up into those golden eyes. "It was a huge turn on."

"Really?" Jace asked and Clary licked her lips and nodded her head. "You still could have asked. I didn't need to break that guys nose."

"But than I wouldn't be able to show you my outfit." Clary said as she slowly walked away from Jace. He looked her up and down, and he couldn't stop the lust take over his body. "Or should I say, what's underneath." She said seductively. That was all Jace need before he scooped her up into his arms and started walking them home. "Got any plans for he rest of the weekend Mr. Herondale?" Clary asked.

"I do now." Jace said and Clary couldn't help but giggle. Jace had no idea what had happened within the last 10 minutes, but when they got back to his house, they went straight into his bedroom, and didn't leave until Monday morning.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary:**

Clary has been debating calling home and telling her parents about what has happened. She didn't want to keep it from them, but she was incredibly happy since her world changed, and she didn't want a call home to change that.

But Clary couldn't help but feel like she was depriving her parents the comfort of knowing she was being taken care of. That she finally found what she was always craving, but didn't think she would ever get. She wanted her mom to know that she was always going to be protected.

So Clary made an executive decision. She was going to call her parents, but she was going to do it with Jace. She was nervous as all hell to do it herself, and felt that if she dialed the number, she would simply hang up when she heard her moms voice.

Clary knows Jace is in his office, and he normally doesn't like being disturbed but Clary thought this was a valid enough reason to disturb him. She walked towards the office taking calming breaths. She was nervous, but she had to do this.

She knocked on the door but before Jace had the chance of answering Clary pushed the door opened. The annoyed expression on Jace's face quickly went away when he saw that it was Clary. They may get on each others last nerve, but she meant everything to him.

"Everything okay?" Jace questioned.

"Yea." Clary said as she walked further into the office. "I just wanted to ask a favor of you."

"What can I do for you?" Jace asked as he pushed his chair back allowing Clary to take a seat.

"I want to call my parents." She said.

"Okay. That's not an issue. I'm honestly surprised you haven't been talking to them more." Jace said honestly. She rarely mentioned them, and that slightly confused Jace.

"A change of scenery wasn't the only reason I left my pack in Colorado." Clary confessed, and now Jace was intrigued.

"What was the other reason?" Jace asked.

"I was in a really bad relationship." Clary admitted, and she felt Jace's grip tighten on her legs and lower back.

"How bad are we taking?" Jace asked.

"He was super controlling, and just a really negative person." Clary said.

"He didn't, hit you, did he?" Jace asked as his anger rose.

"No, but he threatened to a lot." Clary said and Jace nodded. "I just couldn't do it anymore, and I didn't feel safe. So I told Luke that it was best for me to leave." She explained. "He always wanted my safety and happiness to be my top priority so letting me leave was a no brainer. But I've been terrified to call in case word got out and my ex heard."

"But you want to call now?" Jace asked.

"I'm safe now." Clary smiled at Jace. "I know you won't let anything happen to me, and I have the pack. I want them to know that I'm safe and not dead in a ditch somewhere."

"Okay." Jace said. "But if this was you seeking my approval to call them, you know you don't need it." He told her honestly.

"That's not why I'm here." Clary said. "I want you with me while I call. I'm honestly slightly terrified to call, but you calm me down."

"Whatever you want babe." Jace said and Clary nodded.

Jace moved his office phone closer to her, and Clary put it on speaker before punching in all the numbers. It rang for what felt like ages to Clary, but when she heard it pick up, her stomach tied itself in knots.

"Hello?" Her mother answered.

"Hi mom." Clary said hesitantly.

"Clary? Oh my god, is this really you? You aren't in trouble are you?" Her mother asked worriedly.

"No. I'm not in any trouble." Clary reassured her.

"But you're calling. You said you would only call if there was an emergency." Her mom said.

"I'll explain, but are you with Luke?" She questioned.

"He's in a meeting." Her mom said and Clary's heart sank a little. "You know what, the pack can wait. One moment." Jocelyn said and Clary laughed.

"So it isn't just you who interferes with pack business?" Jace questioned and Clary pinched him and laughed.

"Okay, he's here." Jocelyn said once she was back.

"Clary?" Luke questioned.

"Hi Luke." Clary said as she smiled.

"I have missed you so much Cubby." Luke said and Jace gave Clary this look, but Clary just waved him off.

"I miss you guys too. So much." Clary told them.

"Your mom said you had something to tell us. Is everything okay?" He asked.

"Everything is fine. Actually more than fine." Clary beamed.

"What happened?" Her mom asked.

"Well, shortly after I moved to where I am, I actually came across another pack." Clary said. "So naturally they wanted to talk to me, to figure out what I was doing in the area, and if I was staying, and let's just say I found my mate." Clary finally said.

"Oh my god! That's amazing!" Jocelyn practically yelled through the phone. "What pack does he belong to?" She asked.

"He's actually the _Alpha_ of the Herondale Pack." Clary said and the other end of the line was silent. "Hello? You two there?" Clary questioned.

"Yea. We're just stunned." Luke said. "But we're incredibly happy for you Cubby."

"That's super embarrassing Luke." Clary said as she blushed.

"What? It's not like he can hear me." Luke said and Clary and Jace were both silent. "I'm on speaker aren't I?"

"Yup." Clary simply said.

"Well, it's a privilege to semi-meet you Mr. Herondale." Luke said.

"Please, call me Jace." He said into the phone.

"Take care of my daughter Jace." Jocelyn said.

"You have my word." Jace said. "Nothing is going to happen to her." Jace reassured her parents.

"Good." Luke said. "Now, I don't mean to cut this short, but I have a meeting that was interrupted. But it was amazing to hear from you Clary. We love you."

"I love you guys too." Clary said and then the line went dead. Clary took a deep breath and smiled.

"Feel better?" Jace asked.

"Much." Clary said and Jace pressed his lips to hers.

"Good. Now, we have dinner reservations at 7. That gives you plenty of time to get ready." Jace told her.

"Fancy?" Clary asked as she got off his lap.

"Always my love." Jace said and Clary smiled. She made her way back to their room (sharing a room was the best decision they've ever made) and started to get ready with nothing but smiles on her face as she now fully embraced her new life.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace:**

Every since time Jace looks at Clary, he can't help but fall more and more in love with her. She has changed his life for the better since he found her, and now he fully understood the purpose of a mate. They were there to challenge you, but they were also there to turn you into the best version of yourself that you could possibly be.

It was the little things that she did that made Jace fall in love with her. The way she scrunched her nose when she didn't like something. Or when she was focusing so hard she squinted only her left eye. Or how she loved to bake in nothing but his t-shirt and sing along completely out of tune to the song that was playing. She was perfect in every single way for him, and his life has gotten infinitely better since her arrival, and he was so ready to just continue making memories with her.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Clary:**

Clary had no idea when it started, but one night when they were watching a movie together, she looked over at the man who was her mate, and realized that she was completely falling in love with him.

They had their problems, but every couple does. Their problems were sometimes stupid, but other times they were significant, but they always worked them out, and it made them stronger in the end.

Jace was the type of man that Clary never saw herself with. She could never see herself with an _Alpha_ because she knew what it was like to live with one, and she never thought she could handle it, but Jace always made sure that she was his top priority, and that if she needed him, he was there for her. It also didn't help that he was insanely hot. No matter where we went, he was always getting hit on, and Clary just smirked at all the women who thought they had a chance with him.

But as vicious as his reputation was, he was also the sweetest man she's ever met. Always making sure she was okay, and taken care of no matter what. If Clary was sick, he was at her beckon call, if she was angry, he always made sure to calm her down, and if she had an issue with someone in the pack, he made sure to set it straight. He was in every single way, her perfect mate, and Clary couldn't wait to see how their future turned out, because if it's anything like the last couple months have been, Clary knew life is going to be one hell of a ride, and she was ready for it.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary:**

Clary was working her normal shift at the Hunter's Moon on Wednesday night, and everything was going smoothly. She had her regulars, and no comers. Everyone in the bar was dealing with their own shit, and Clary was more than happy to be a ear to listen.

Everyone in the bar was taken care of, so Clary decided that she was going to wipe the bar down. When she heard the door ring, she didn't even bother looking up knowing the customer would come directly over to her if they wanted a drink. She was in the middle of putting the rag away when she heard the stool move. She looked up and the smile on her face immediately disappeared as she looked into those black eyes she has desperately tried to get away from.

"Clarissa, you've been a naughty girl." He said in his manipulative voice.

"What are you doing here Sebastian?" Clary asked, thankful there was a bar in between them.

"I came to collect what's mine." He said as he leaned in closer.

"I'm not yours Sebastian." Clary said confidently. "I never was."

"We'll see about that." He said as he reached over the bar and gripped Clary's shirt as tight as he possibly could. "You never were good at listening."

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Jace:**

Normally Jace left Hunter's Moon alone. He went for celebrations, and if he needed to check on things, but he trusted the people working there to take care of it most of the time. Plus Clary was there, and she would set anyone straight if they were out of line. But tonight was different. Jace wanted to talk to Clary about something, and she was working until close tonight, so Jace just thought it would be better for him to meet her there. It was a Wednesday after all, it wouldn't be too crowded.

He got to the bar and opened the door and the sight in front of him was enough to make him want to go full wolf. There was a man standing at the bar with Clary's shirt gripped in his and she looked terrified.

"What the fuck is going on!" Jace yelled and both parties look over, and Clary looked reveled.

"I'm just taking back what's mine." The man said.

"You're out of your fucking mind if you think she's yours." Jace hissed. He was aware that there were civilians in this bar, and he couldn't do anything while they were here. "Everyone out, tabs are covered." He said and the patrons scurried out of the bar faster than normal drunks could move, but Jace was menacing, so they knew they couldn't lollygag.

"So you're the famous Jace Herondale." The man said as he left go of Clary, who stumbled back. "You aren't as intimidating as I thought you'd be."

"You haven't seen anything yet." Jace hissed.

"Now, now. There doesn't have to be a brawl. I just came to collect Clarissa, and I'll be on my way back to Colorado." He informed Jace. That's when it clicked. This was the ex.

"She isn't going anywhere with you." Jace said.

"You have no claim to her." Sebastian said and Jace couldn't help but smirk.

"That's where you're wrong. My mate stays with me." Jace said back and Sebastian's expression faltered.

"You fucking whore!" He yelled as he lunged over the bar, but before he could reach Clary, a couple pack members caught him and pinned him down. Jace walked over and dug his foot into his chest.

"You ever come near her again, or call her anything but her name, you will be incredibly sorry." Jace spat at him.

"Fight me." Sebastian said.

"You don't want to do that." Jace said.

"I think I do." Sebastian said confidently. "I challenge you to the death _Alpha_." He smirked and Jace narrowed his eyes at him.

"One week. Alicante Park." Jace said and The pack picked him up off the ground and escorted him out of the bar. Jace hopped over the bar and scooped Clary up into his arms. "You okay?" He asked but Clary just shook her head. "Let's go home." Jace said ad Clary nodded. The rest of the night Jace didn't let go of Clary. There was no way in hell he was every letting that bastard come at her. There wasn't a fight he wanted to win more than this one.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace:**

Jace has gone into many fights, but he never had something this important to fight for before. The terror in Clary's eyes in the bar that night was something he never wanted her to experience ever again. He would burn the world down to protect her, that was for sure.

It was almost time for him to leave for the fight, and he was slightly nervous. Clary has been on edge all week, and there was something evil about this guy. He just gave off the worst vibes Jace had ever felt, and he wanted nothing more than to be the one to kill him and end Clary's nightmare.

When Jace walked into the living room, his pack was there, and Clary was standing at the door. He walked over, and the room was completely silent. Everyone knew the stakes of a challenge. It was til the death, and there was a possibility that the Herondale Pack could lose their _Alpha_ tonight. It was a thought no one liked to entertain that thought.

Jace walked right over to Clary and pulled her into a bone-breaking hug. He kinda heard Alec usher everyone else out of the house so they could have a moment, and Jace was grateful for that. After a few minutes they broke apart.

"Come home to me Jace." Clary said and Jace bent down and pressed his lips to hers.

"I would never leave you Clary." Jace said wholeheartedly.

"I love you Jace Herondale." Clary said for the first time, and Jace couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too Clary Fray." He told her and they kissed passionately again, not knowing if this was going to be the last one.

Jace gave her one last peck on the forehead before heading out. He took a deep breath before him and his pack headed towards Alicante Park. When they got there, Sebastian was waiting. There were a few wolves on his side, undoubtedly from his pack. There was a circle of wolves and Jace and Sebastian met in the middle.

"Prepare to meet your maker." Sebastian said trying to intimidate him. Jace didn't need to say anything back. He was going to let his fighting do the talking. He was ready, and he was prepared to kill.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Clary:**

Clary was pacing back and forth waiting for Jace to return. Most of the pack was at the fight, but Clary couldn't bring herself to go. She didn't want to see Jace getting hurt, and if there was a slight possibility that Sebastian won, she would never be able to unsee her mate be killed. There was a commotion outside, and Clary went running out of her house. When she got there she saw the Herondale Pack walking back, and as she got on the tips of her toes, she saw the gorgeous blonde who has completely changed her life.

She ran between people, as she tried to get to him. Once she did, she threw her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his torso. He stumbled a little before he caught his balance and closed his eyes as he took his her scent, and committed how her body felt against his to memory.

"I was terrified you weren't coming back." Clary said into Jace's neck.

"You can't possibly get rid of me that easily." Jace mused as Clary moved away from him ever so slightly so she could see those golden eyes.

"He is, _was_ , a strong guy. It was one reason I knew running would be easier than anything else." Clary admitted. "Nobody could beat him, and nobody else was getting hurt because of me. So I left."

"I've been in my fair share of fights." Jace told her. "Mainly wolves who thought they deserved to be _Alpha_ , so they challenged me. But going into this fight, I had more to fight for than just my position in this pack. I was fighting for you. My mate." He said and tears clouded Clary's eyes. "There was no way in hell I was leaving after I finally found the one who I'm supposed to have forever with."

"I'm so glad you're okay." Clary said as she flung her arms around Jace's neck once again.

"It's over baby. He's gone." Jace reassured her and he felt her nod. "I will never let anything happen to you Clary. That's a promise."

"I know." Clary sniffed. "It just seems surreal that it's over."

"You can do anything you want now." Jace said, and Clary couldn't help but smile.

"I want to introduce you to my father." Clary said and Jace felt his face pale.

"You want me to meet your dad? As in, you want me to meet the _Alpha_ of your old pack?" Jace asked.

"Why do you sound so scared? You must deal with other alphas all the time." Clary pointed out.

"I do, but they aren't the fathers of my mate." Jace said and Clary couldn't help but smile.

"I never thought I'd see the day Jace Herondale was scared." Clary said and Jace gave her this look.

"I'm not scared." He said and Clary laughed.

"You sure about that?" Clary asked and Jace smirked.

"Maybe slightly intimidated, but definitely not scared." Jace said and Clary just beamed at him.

"So, is that a yes?" Clary asked excitedly as Jace placed her feet back on the ground and took her hand in his.

"We can do whatever you want Clary." Jace told her and Clary was nothing but smiles.

"Good, because they're coming tomorrow." Clary said and Jace just simply laughed.

"Were you planning on telling me this?" Jace asked.

"I didn't want you to be preoccupied during the fight." Clary admitted. "If you were distracted by my parents coming, and that somehow lost you the fight, I would never be able to live with myself."

"You don't ever have to worry about me Clary." Jace told her. "I would move Heaven and Hell for you." Jace said as he grabbed the Herondale ring out of his pocket and held the chain up to Clary. Clary's jaw dropped slightly. "You're everything to me. And you always will be." He told her sweetly. "Would you wear my ring?" He asked. Clary, overcome with emotion, simply nodded. Jace placed the necklace over her head and the ring dropped nicely between her breasts. "Perfect." Jace said and Clary looked up into the golden orbs again.

"I love you." Clary told him wholeheartedly.

"I love you too Clary." Jace said back before pressing their lips together. Clary was without a doubt his perfect mate, and they were going to have an incredibly life together.

~/~/~/~/~/~

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Jace:**

If someone were to tell Jace how his life would turn out before he met Clary, he would have called them absolutely mental. Clary coming into his life was without a doubt the best feeling in the world, and just seeing their family grow, and their love for one another get stronger with each passing day, was something Jace would never take for granted.

Jace and Clary got married before they had even known each other for a year. There was no need to wait. They were meant for each other, and they wanted to start their amazing life together as one. It also didn't help that Imogen was getting worse, and Jace wanted her to witness their marriage. Unfortunately, she didn't get a chance to witness the birth of their four kids, but he knew she would be proud of them all.

Bella and Gemma were the oldest, and they were twins. They were the chattiest 4 year olds you've ever met, and Izzy has already brainwashed them into her shopping addict ways. They were just mini Clary's, and Jace fell in love with them more and more every single day.

Kenna was next. She was 2 ½ and very much like Jace. Total attitude, OCD, slightly demanding, and her sisters were actually scared of her. Jace was super proud of course, and she had the whole pack wrapped around her chubby little fingers. She was going to be a ferocious wolf one day, Jace had no doubt about it.

Their fourth was their little boy Stephen, named after Jace's father. Clary and Jace never actually discussed how many kids we wanted before they started trying, but one night Jace let it slip that he really wanted a boy, and Clary said she didn't mind trying their hardest for a boy, and when they found out the fourth one was in fact a boy, Jace nearly cried. He was just 9 months old, and the best behaved baby in Clary's opinion.

It was a normal Saturday, and the pack used the night to hang out, like they always did. Bella, Gemma, and Kenna were all playing around with all the other cubs, while Jace, Izzy, Alec, Magnus and Clary all sat around a table. Jace was holding sleeping Stephen, and they were just laughing their asses off at whatever Izzy was talking about.

"Daddy!" Jace heard and he turned his head to see Gemma running towards him.

"What's up cubby?" Jace said which caused Clary to smile. When he adopted her old nickname for the kids, it just made her heart burst with happiness.

"Can Bella and I have some soda?" She asked.

"It's late baby." Clary chimed in.

"Please mommy. Just one cup?" She pouted. Jace was a sucker for the pout.

"One cup won't kill them Clary." Jace said and Clary rolled her eyes.

"You're on sugar rush duty tonight." Clary said as she picked up her drink.

"One cup each." Jace said. "Go ask Bat." Gemma jumped up and down, kissed Jace on the cheek before running off to Bella. He watched his two girls cheer before running to Bat and asking for soda. Bat looked over at Jace, he simply nodded letting him know it was okay, before getting the girls their drinks.

"What did I tell you?" Alec said and Jace laughed.

"You were right." Jace said as he looked at Stephen, and than back at his girls. "There is no greater feeling in the world."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so long time no post. Like I said, no motivation, plus shitty time of the year means lacking updates! But a lot of people actually requested a werewolf one shot, and this was my best go at it, and trying to make it different than the ones I've already read! I hope you all enjoy it, and leave a review! Let me know what you think! :)**


	126. Chapter 125 - Blended Family

**One Hundred and Twenty Fifth Story:**

 **Blended Family**

 **Clary POV:**

Sebastian and I got married young. We were in love, and thought that it would last forever. Unfortunately, our fairy tale love story wasn't meant to be. We had a great 6 years together, and even had our precious little baby Jane together, but when she was 2, we both looked at each other one day and realized that we just weren't in love anymore. We loved each other, but as friends. And we never wanted Jane to grow up with us pretending around her. We didn't make it, and that's okay.

We had a very civil divorce. There was no ill will towards each other, so the process went by extremely quick, and custody wasn't an issue. We decided to just take every other week with her until she was old enough for school, and than I would get her for the school week, and Sebastian got her for the weekends. Plus we were also super flexible when need be. Our top priority was Jane, and if one of us needed the other to keep her longer, or wanted her for a weekend, we could totally swing that.

When Jane was 3ish, I met Jace for the first time. We had a very strange first meeting, but when we met the second time, for real, things just felt so right. Everything just seemed to click, and it was like I had found a piece of my soul that had been missing my whole life. He was funny, smart, charismatic, kind, and pretty hot if I do say so myself. He was absolutely everything to me, and I couldn't be more thankful that he came into my life.

We didn't waste much time before we got married. It was just the right move, and I was ready to start my life with him. Jane loved him, and Jace loved her. He treated her just like he would treat his own kid, and what mom could possibly ask for more? Jane had two loving parents, and a loving stepfather. She was blessed beyond words.

Maybe a year or so after Jace and I got married, Sebastian actually met someone. She was very nice, and someone that I could totally see Sebastian with. They clicked on a level that Sebastian and I never did, and I was happy that he found her. That got married and started their lives together, and in our eyes, we were the perfect blended family. Jane was the glue that brought us all together, and the glue that kept us together. We all loved her more than words could express, and that's all that mattered.

Jane was now 7, and our family just continued to grow. Jace and I ended up having two little girls about a year into our marriage. Twins was a shock to us, but just like Jane, they were loved beyond words. Hayden and Mackenzie were 2 years old, and perfect little angels. Or they were in Jace's eyes at least. They could get into all sorts of trouble, but I was thankful that they weren't identical. Which means I didn't have to worry about them trying to trade places later in life. Hayden got my red hair, while Mackenzie got Jace's beautiful blonde hair. She also got my curls, whereas Hayden had very straight hair. Mackenzie also had my green eyes, and Hayden got the beautiful gold. They were precious, and Jane loved them beyond measure.

But the family didn't stop there. Sebastian and Kaelie had a little boy about a year ago, and Jane was super excited to have a brother. She loved her sisters, but I think she really wanted to experience a brother. He was cute as could be, and super happy all the time. And I didn't think our family was done there. I knew Sebastian wanted more, and Jace and I weren't opposed to having more either. But that would all happen when we were ready. We just were enjoying our life right now, and I couldn't be happier where I ended up.

"Hey babe! Don't forget, Jane doesn't have school Monday, so Sebastian and Kaelie are keeping her an extra night!" Jace said as he walked into the room. "And my parents are taking the twins for the weekend, so it's just us." He said with a wicked smirk on his lips.

"Is that so Mr. Herondale?" I said seductively. It was rare that we had an entire weekend without the kids. "What ever will we do?" I questioned and he smiled.

"I have the whole weekend planned." He said.

"Really?" I asked kinda surprised.

"Of course. Sebastian told us about this last week, so I talked to my mom and got everything settled." He told me.

"Wow. So we can actually go out on a date? Like a real one?" I asked and he laughed.

"A very real one." Jace said. "Pack a light suitcase."

"Wow. You aren't kidding are you?" I asked and he laughed.

"Not in the slightest. We have a hotel room until Sunday night." He said and I couldn't help the smile.

"Where are we going?" I asked excitedly.

"New York City." He said and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. We lived in New York, but getting to the city wasn't an easy voyage, but it was my all time favorite place to be.

"You're the best husband in the world!" I shouted and he laughed.

"Anything for you Mrs. Herondale." He winked before exiting the room. I ran to the closet and started packing for the weekend. I had no idea what was planned, but I was excited to get to spend the weekend away with Jace.

 **Time Jump – New York City**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I got in last night, so we just took the night to relax, something that we rarely got to do with the kids, and it was amazing. But tonight is the night that I have everything planned. Clary was without a doubt the hardest working person I've ever met, and the greatest mother, and human on this planet. She rarely did anything for herself, so this weekend away was to do something she's always wanted to do, but never had the chance.

I was standing in the living room of our room waiting for Clary to come out of our bedroom. I was playing with my cufflinks when I heard the door open. I looked up and out walked Clary looking like a fucking angel. I seriously lose my breath every single time I see her.

"Like what you see Mr. Herondale?" Clary said as she leaned against the doorframe.

"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank the lord that you're Mrs. Herondale." I said as I made my way over to her.

"I'm the lucky one." Clary said as he rested her hands on my chest as mine rested on her hips.

"I think we're both incredibly lucky." I told her and she smiled before leaning up and pressing her lips to mine. "But if we're going to make it on time, we should leave." I reluctantly said. I was s willing to never leave this hotel room for the whole weekend, but I had a surprise for Clary, and I couldn't wait to give it to her.

"Can I know where we're going yet?" Clary asked as I took her hand in mine and led her out of the room.

"That would ruin the surprise." I said and she groaned, but I couldn't help but laugh. I knew she hated surprises, but I knew she was going to love this one, which is why I didn't tell her beforehand like I normally do.

As we make our way to the surprise, I can't help but remember the first time I met Clary. It seems like it was only yesterday, but we've been through so much together, and when I think about the life we built together, I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 _I just had just moved to town for my job, and I was loving it so far. The people that I've met were really nice, and it felt good to be in a different place helping different people. It was one thing I loved about being a public defender. I got to help people who felt like they were being cheated by the system, and I got to move anywhere and still continue to do what I love since people were in need everywhere._

 _I was just coming out of the courthouse looking at my newest case, when I bumped into someone. She stumbled back and I caught her hand before she fell over._

 _"I'm so sorry." I said as I pulled her upright._

 _"Don't worry about it." She said. "I'm naturally clumsy."_

 _"I'm Jace." I introduced myself to her._

 _"Clary." She said._

 _"Do you work here? I've never seen you around." I asked curiously wondering why she was coming out of the courthouse._

 _"Oh no. I just got divorced." She said but she didn't seem upset. "I was just changing my last name."_

 _"I'm sorry to hear that." I said._

 _"It's okay. Sometimes you just fall out of love." She said and I nodded. "We had good times, we have the greatest daughter, and we did what made us happy. Nothing to be sad about."_

 _"Are you busy?" I abruptly asked and she looked at me, and shook her head. "Would you like to grab a cup of coffee?" I asked pretty forwardly, but she smiled at me, and I knew she was going to say yes._

 _"I'd like that." She said and we made our way across the street to the coffee shop that was so conveniently placed._

 _We took a seat and ordered our coffee and just started talking. Nothing too serious, but we were having a great time. I don't even know how long we were there, but when her phone started ringing, she picked it up and looked at the messages, before she sighed._

 _"I'm sorry. I have to go. My ex has an emergency at work, and I need to get our daughter." She said and I nodded. "Thank you for the coffee." She said before rushing out of the coffee shop. I watched her go as I realized that I only had her first name. I had no idea if I'd ever see her again, but something told me that it was a possibility and I was going to hang onto that feeling._

 ** _Time Jump – One Year Later_**

 ** _Jace POV:_**

 _I just had the worst day of my life, and I was in desperate need of a drink. I walked into the nearest bar, not even caring how dingy it looked, and ordered a drink. I was sitting there in silence, when I heard that sweet voice that hasn't left my head._

 _"Funny running into you here." I heard and I turned around to see Clary._

 _"I was starting to think you were a figment of my imagination." I said, and she laughed before taking a seat._

 _"I realized later that day that I left without getting your number or even your last name." She laughed. "I went to the courthouse to find you, but I never saw your name."_

 _"That is my fault." I told her. "My real name isn't Jace. It's just a nickname."_

 _"Ah. That would be my problem." Clary said and I smiled._

 _"I'm Jonathan Herondale." I said as I reached my hand out to hers. "But everyone calms me Jace."_

 _"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you." She laughed as she took my hand in hers. "I'm Clarissa Fray, but everyone calls me Clary."_

 _"Would you like to have dinner with me?" I asked abruptly again, but I didn't care._

 _"I'd like that." She said and I paid for my drink, and we headed out of the bar and went to dinner. I was hooked, and I could see myself spending a lot of time with her._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

"Oh my god! We're going to the opera!" Clary shouted as we got to the theater and I was pulled out of my thoughts.

"I know you've always wanted to go, but never got the chance." I said and she smiled.

"You truly are the best husband in the world." Clary said as she leaned over and kissed me.

"Come on." I said as I reached for her hand. "Let's go." We walked into the theater and I could just feel the excitement radiating off of Clary, and I knew this was going to be an amazing weekend together.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Things have been jammed packed these last few months. Jane was playing soccer, and the twins were in gymnastics, and my gallery was taking off, and Jace was getting more and more cases every week. It seemed like we barely got to see each other these days, and it really sucked. By the time bedtime rolled around, we both hit the pillow and were passed out.

Thankfully Celine and Stephen were in town for the week, so some of the responsibility was split four ways, and they were giving Jace and I time off for a date night, and we desperately needed it. The entire day I couldn't get my mind off just being alone with Jace for one night. Without any interruptions, and it was going to be amazing.

When I got home, everything was quiet. I walked into the living room where Celine and Stephen were, and two sleeping toddlers. I sighed relief, thankful that they were asleep. Don't get me wrong, I love my babies, but if they saw me leaving, they would throw a fit.

"Thank you so much for being here guys." I said in a whisper, and Celine and Stephen turned around.

"You two deserve a night off." Celine said. "Jace is going to meet you there."

"We'll be back late. You know the routine, and Jane is going to go right to Sebastian's after practice." I reminded them.

"Have an amazing time tonight." Celine said and I smiled. I ran upstairs and got ready in record time. I walked past Celine and Stephen and gave the kids a kiss before heading out. It was nice not having responsibility for the night, and Jace and I were definitely going to take advantage of that.

 **Time Jump – Summer Break**

 **Jace POV:**

Summers were normally the time where some parents got a break with their kids going to camps and being outside all house of the day. Clary and I seemed to get the kids who wanted nothing to do with being away from us during the day. Jane was fine, but Hayden and Mackenzie were attached to Clary's hip all the time. We loved them, but Clary did have work to get done, and we hope that they grow out of the phase of wanted to follow her around all the time.

It was a weekday, and my caseload was rather light. I was at my desk just going over a couple cases that I was working on when my phone started to ring.

"Jace Herondale speaking, how can I help you?" I said automatically.

"Hey man, I need a favor." I heard Sebastian ask, that's when I saw that I picked up my cell phone and not my office phone.

"Sure, what's up?" I asked.

"Jane has camp until 2:15 this afternoon, but I just got called into work, and Kaelie is out with Riker at some class they're taking together, and won't be around." He explained. "Can you get Jane and keep her until one of us can get her?"

"Absolutely." I said. "What camp is she at?" I asked.

"She's at Creative Arts Camp with Alicante Art Studios." Sebastian said and I wrote it down.

"Yea man. I got her." I said.

"Thank you so much." He said and we hung up. I enjoyed the relationship that our blended families had.

When 1:50 rolled around, I decided to head out and get Jane. It was a slow day anyway, so they weren't going to be missing me, and if I needed, I would just stay a couple extra hours tomorrow. I pulled up to the camp and went over to the building that said registration. I knew I was going to have to talk to someone in order to get Jane.

"Welcome to Creative Arts Camp, how can I help you?" The woman asked.

"Hey, I'm here to pick up my stepdaughter. Her father was supposed to get her, but work got in the way, and he asked me. I just didn't know if you needed to see some ID or something in order for me to take her." I explained.

"Oh course, what's her name?" She asked.

"Jane Verlac." I said and she started typing.

"Okay, Jane Verlac, parents Sebastian Verlac, and Clarissa Herondale. I'm assuming you're Mr. Herondale?" She asked and I handed over my license. She started typing in the computer and handed it back to me. "Okay, well I put you in the system in case this happens again. I'll take you over to Jane." She said and I nodded. We started walking towards where Jane potentially was, and I was looking at the camp and everything that was going on. "You know, I'm surprised that Jane's father asked you to pick her up." She said after a few moments of silence.

"Why is that?" I asked curiously.

"Normally broken families don't get along." She said, and that annoyed me a little.

"We aren't broken." I said and she looked at me.

"But you're her stepfather…." She started, but I didn't want to hear it.

"Yes, Jane's parents split up, but that doesn't mean we have to hate each other." I explained to her. "They simply fell out of love, and didn't want Jane growing up in an environment that wasn't healthy for any of them. I married her mother, and her father remarried as well, and we're just a blended family that can rely on each other when we need too."

"That's pretty spectacular." She said before we stopped.

"It's what should always happen when it comes to what's best for the kids." I said and she nodded.

"Jane! Your stepfather is here!" She called and Jane looked up and smiled.

"Jace!" She cheered as she ran over to me and picked her up.

"What's up kiddo?" I asked.

"Where is my dad?" She asked.

"He got called into work. Asked if I could pick you up." I explained to her. "So you get to hang out with us until him or Kaelie is done."

"Okay." She said and I put her down and grabbed her hand. We waved goodbye to the woman and headed out. "Is mom home or at the gallery?" She asked.

"She's home today. Mackenzie has a slight fever." I said as we made our way to the car.

"Is she okay?" Jane asked.

"Yea, but you know how much of a mamma's girl she is." I said as we got in the car. "She didn't want mom to leave."

"I understand that." Jane said and I nodded. We made our way back to the house, and when I opened the door Jane went running. Clary was in the living room, with a sleeping Mackenzie, while Hayden was outside playing in the yard. Jane kissed Clary's cheek and than kissed Mackenzie's forehead. "How is she?" Jane asked.

"She's just really tired." Clary told her. "Thankfully she hasn't thrown up yet." And if on cue, Mackenzie woke up and puked all over the floor. "Never mind."

"I'll clean it." I said and Clary smiled.

"Thank you. I'm going to take her up to her room." Clary said as she picked her up and left the room, Jane right behind her. I started cleaning up the puke when Hayden ran inside.

"Is that from Mackenzie?" She asked me.

"Yea. She isn't feeling too great." I told her.

"Will she be okay?" She asked sadly.

"Of course baby. She just needs a lot of rest." I said and she nodded. She went to leave the room but she wasn't getting off that easily. "Wait a second, where is my kiss?" I asked, and she giggled and ran back over to me and gave me a kiss.

"I love you daddy!" She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too baby." I said and than she skipped upstairs. I went back to cleaning up the puke but I had the biggest smile on my face. Just being able to have this amazing family was something I never thought was possible, and I was thankful every day.

 **Time Jump – A Year and Some Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was the night of the Father/Daughter Dance, and we had to get to Sebastian's house to see my baby off. Jace and Sebastian were both going to be her escorts to tonight's dance, and when she asked Jace, I nearly cried. I loved that Jane wanted both of them there for her when these things came around. Sebastian was always going to be her dad, but she also viewed Jace as a parental figure as well, and that made everything more amazing for our family.

Jace ran downstairs when it was time to go, and we loaded the girls into the car. I knew they couldn't wait to go to a Father/Daughter Dance when they were older, and I knew Jace was going to have his hands full with both of them as her dates.

We got to Sebastian's, and when we walked in, Sebastian was in the living room with Riker, but Kaelie and Jane were nowhere to be found.

"Where is Jane?" I asked as the girls went to play with Riker.

"Upstairs still getting ready. I was praying she inherited your ability to get ready in 15 minutes, but according to Kaelie, this takes time." Sebastian said and we couldn't help but laugh.

"It's a special night. She's allowed to take her time for a special night." I told him and he nodded. Kaelie came running down the stairs oozing with glee.

"Everyone ready?" She asked and we all nodded in anticipation. "I'd like to introduce you all too Jane Lee Verlac!" She said and Jane came walking down the stairs looking absolutely magnificent."

"Oh baby, you look amazing!" I said as I pulled her into the hug.

"Thanks mom." Jane said.

"You are picture perfect babydoll." Sebastian said and Jane gave him a hug.

"Thanks dad." Jane said.

"Well, I do believe that we have a dance to get too." Jace said as he held out his arm. "Shall we?" He asked.

"We shall." Sebastian said as they linked arms leaving Jane behind.

"Ugh, dad! Jace!" She called out and they turned around. "Forgetting something?" Jane asked.

"How could we forget." Jace said and Sebastian just laughed. They made their way over to her and they both held out their arms, but Jane was too short to reach.

"A little lower." She said, and Jace and Sebastian kept laughing. They put their hands down and she took each other them as they started leaving.

"I was really hoping she got my height." I heard Sebastian say. "Unfortunately I think she got stuck with Clary's."

"I can hear you!" I called after them and all they did was laugh and walk out the door. "And to think I married both of them." I said and Kaelie laughed.

"It's never a dull moment." Kaelie said and I couldn't help but smile. "I ordered pizza. It should be here soon." She said and a moment later the doorbell rang. "Speak of the devil." She said and she went to the door. I went out in the yard and called the kids in and Kaelie set the table.

We handed out pizza and drinks, and the kids ate, as Kaelie and I talked about anything and nothing. After the kids finished we cleaned up and went out back to watch the kids play. I couldn't wait to see Jane and hear all about the dance once it was over.

"You want some wine?" Kaelie asked, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I actually can't drink." I said and her jaw dropped.

"You're pregnant?" She nearly yelled.

"Shhhhhhh! The kids don't know yet." I said and she sat back down.

"Does anyone know?" She asked.

"Nope. I haven't told them yet." I confessed.

"How far along are you?" She asked.

"Nearly two months." I said.

"What are you waiting for?" She asked.

"The whole family to be together." I told her and she nodded.

"Are you excited?" She asked.

"Very." I beamed. "The twins are almost 4, and Jace and I always wanted more kids. It just seems like the right time."

"What do you want?" She asked.

"Well, Jace really wants a boy." I told her. "I really don't care as long as there are no complications. What happened with the twins was scary enough, and I just want this one to be healthy."

"I get that. Jane was a mess when that happened." She said and I nodded. Their birth was something I didn't want to relive again anytime soon.

"Well, how about I have wine, and you have water?" She asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Sounds good to me." I said and she refilled my glass and got herself some wine. She handed it back to me and lifted her glass up.

"To you and the newest addition." She said and I smiled. We clinked glasses and continued to laugh and watch the kids. I couldn't wait to tell everyone the news about the baby. Our family just kept getting bigger.

 **Time Jump – After the Dance**

 **Jace POV:**

The dance was absolutely amazing. Jane was having a blast, and even I was having a great time. I was happy that she invited me along for this opportunity. I didn't expect it, but I was really happy that I could experience this with her.

We got back to Sebastian's house, and Jane was nearly passed out in his arms. I took his keys, unlocked the door and walked in. To my surprise, everyone was still awake and watching a movie. The noise woke Jane up and Sebastian put her on the ground and she made her way over to Clary.

"How was the dance?" Clary asked her.

"It was a lot of fun." Jane said with a smile.

"I'm glad you had fun." Clary said. "We should really head home though."

"Yea." I agreed. "Thank you for the invite Jane." I kneeled down and she ran into my arms.

"Thanks for coming." She said as we hugged. When we broke apart, I gave her a kiss before standing back up.

"Before we go though." Clary said. "I have an announcement." She said and we all looked at her eagerly. "I'm pregnant." She said and my jaw dropped.

"You're serious?" I asked and she laughed.

"Very." She said and I ran over to her and picked her up.

"This is amazing!" I said and she laughed. "I love you." I said before kissing her.

"I love you too." She said when we broke apart. "But you're right, we should head home." She said and I nodded. "We'll see you tomorrow night baby." Clary said as she gave Jane a kiss.

"Bye mom, love you." Jane said.

"I love you too baby." Clary said.

"Love you too Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Love you too Jane." I said as I picked up Mackenzie who was on the verge of passing out. We got to the car and strapped the kids in and headed home. "So, we're really having another kid?" I asked and Clary laughed.

"We're really having another kid." She confirmed and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you." I said and she giggled.

"I love you too." She said and I grabbed her hand in mine for the rest of the ride. I couldn't wait to expand our family even more.

 **Time Jump – Middle School**

 **Jace POV:**

I was picking Jane up from school today but when she got in the car, she looked upset. Knowing how she is, I knew the best way to go about this was to wait until we got home, gave her something to eat, before asking her what was wrong. Clary was the exact same way.

So when we got home, she ran to her room, and I went to the kitchen and took some strawberries out. I cut them up, put them in a bowl, added some whip cream to the top and headed up to her room. I knocked on the door, and opened it to see her on her bed doing some homework.

"I come baring gifts." I said and she looked up and gave me a sad smile. I walked over and took a seat on her bed as I handed her the bowl. "What's going on kiddo?" I asked.

"It's really stupid." She said as she stabbed a strawberry, rather forcefully, and put it in her mouth.

"It's not stupid if it matters to you." I said. "What's going on?"

"Our basketball team doesn't have a coach." She said. "The previous one had other obligations, and since it's a volunteer position, nobody wants to take it on." She said and I knew how excited she was to play this year. It was her first year in middle school, and she's been looking forward to it all summer.

"I'll coach." I said and she looked at me.

"Really?" She questioned.

"Of course. I'll call your dad up, and we can co-coach." I added and her whole entire mood seemed to listen.

"You'd really do that for me?" She asked a little shocked.

"Absolutely. It means a lot to you, and your dad and I can totally do it. I think." I said and she laughed before throwing her arms around my neck.

"Thank you so much Jace." She said and I smiled.

"Of course. I'm going to go give him a call." I said and she nodded excitedly. I made my way downstairs and picked up my phone. I dialed Sebastian's number and waited for him to answer.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Hey Seb, I got a proposition for you." I said.

"What's up?" He asked.

"How would you feel about coaching middle school girls basketball with me?" I asked and he laughed.

"You're serious?" He asked.

"Dead serious." I said. "According to Jane, the last coach had other obligations and it's a volunteer position so nobody really wants to take it on, and Jane was really looking forward to the season, so I said I would coach, and I may have roped you into it as well." I explained.

"Well, if it's for Jane, I'm all in." He said.

"Cool." I said. "I'll get in contact with the school."

"Of course. Let me know what happens." He said and we hung up. I knew nothing about coaching a girls basketball team, but I knew it was important to Jane, so I was going to do my best to make sure she got to play.

 **Time Jump – Sophomore in High School**

 **Clary POV:**

It was the one day a week I got time to myself to clean up the house. Jane was going over to Sebastian's for the weekend, the twins were at gymnastics, Valarie was having a sleep over with a friend, and Tate had to stay after school for a project. It was amazing to have a few moments alone, even if it was to clean the house. No one was screaming, or asking me for anything. It was nice. My phone started ringing, so I took a break to answer it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey Clare, we have a situation." Kaelie said.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately.

"I think Jane is experiencing her first heartbreak." Kaelie said and my heart broke for my little girl.

"I'll be right over." I said and I hung up. I grabbed my keys, and headed over to his house. I texted Jace and told him to bring Tate over here after his practice was over, and I texted the twins carpool mom and asked if she could keep them until we were no longer busy, which she was more than willing to do. I got to the house and ran right up to her room. Kaelie was in there rubbing Jane's back as she sobbed into her pillow. "Oh baby." I said and she looked up.

"Mommy." She cried and I ran over and scooped her into my arms.

"Oh sweetheart. It's okay." I said as I rubbed her back.

"I thought he really liked me." She cried into my chest.

"I know baby, but sometimes guys can be real jerks." I said and I saw Kaelie nod in agreement.

"But he made me believe he really liked me." She said.

"Some guys do that sweetie. It has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with them, and how they decided to act." I tried to reassure her. She sat up a little and whipped her nose with the sleeve of her shirt.

"Did you ever get your heart broken?" She asked and I laughed a little.

"Of course." I said. "My first boyfriend broke my heart, and it was really hard."

"What happened?" She asked.

"We were dating for a few months, and I caught him cheating on me." I said. "I was upset for a long time, but my mom made me realize that it was all his fault. It had nothing to do with me."

"What about you Kaelie?" Jane asked.

"I think the first man who never broke my heart was your father." She said honestly. "All the guys I dated before him were jerks, and always had an agenda that ended in me getting my heart broken."

"You mean this can happen more than once?" She asked.

"Absolutely." Kaelie and I said together.

"But that doesn't mean you have to give up." I said. "There is a someone out there for everyone, don't let one guy make you give up on that."

"I hate him." She said angrily.

"Don't hate him baby." I said. "Move on from him. Don't let him see how much you're hurting because that's probably what he wants. Show him that you can move on, and that he didn't destroy you."

"That's gonna be hard." She said.

"If you like, we can send your dad and Jace after him. I bet they would enjoy having a few words with him." Kaelie suggested and that caused us all to laugh.

"I don't think I want him dead." Jane said with a laugh.

"You'll get past this pain. You're in high school. Things in high school aren't that serious." I told her and she nodded.

"Ugh, I have English with him Monday." She sighed before falling back on the bed.

"Than we'll find you a kickass outfit and make him regret hurting you." Kaelie said and I laughed. "Anyone interested in a shopping trip?" She asked.

"I could shop." I said and I looked at Jane. "You up for it baby?"

"Sounds fun." Jane said with a smile and I knew she was going to be okay.

"Let's go." I said and we got up and went downstairs and were met with a angry Jace and Sebastian.

"Where is this little shit? I'll kill him." Sebastian said angrily.

"I'll bury the body." Jace added.

"Boys, we aren't killing anyone." I said. "But we are going to the mall to buy Jane a new outfit."

"Why?" Sebastian and Jace asked together.

"So she looks kickass on Monday." Kaelie said.

"Do I get to approve?" Sebastian asked and Jace nodded in agreement.

"Nope." I said as I walked over to Jace and gave him a kiss. "Sorry babe, but this is between us girls."

"But…." He started but I gave him another kiss to shut him up.

"No buts. Jane is going to find a kickass outfit, and that's the end of it." I said and he nodded. "Take Tate home, and pick Mackenzie and Hayden up from April's house."

"What about Valarie?" Jace asked.

"Sleepover." I said and he nodded. "I'll be home later." I said before the girls and I headed towards my car. Jane had a smile on her face the whole way to the mall, and I knew this would happen again, she's young, and she's going to have many more boyfriends potentially, but she had a huge support system, so she would always be taken care of no matter what.

 **Time Jump – Soccer Senior Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I couldn't believe that my first baby was a senior in high school, but the day has come when she has this beloved Senior Night for soccer, and I just couldn't believe how talented she was. She's always been a sports girl, and to know she was going to college with a soccer scholarship just made me all the more proud of her.

Jane was already at school, and we had to head out soon so we could get there in time to walk her out. Sebastian and I had to practically beg the athletic director to let our whole family out on the field with her. It used to only be immediate family, but there was no way that Jace, Kaelie, and the kids were going to wait on the sideline, and we didn't want to get removed from the property, so we begged and eventually he gave in. I think it was just to get us out of his office, but I didn't care. We were all going to be escorting Jane in her final high school soccer game, and I was really excited.

Jace was meeting us there, so I got Tate, Valarie, Mackenzie and Hayden in the car, and we made our way to the high school. The place was filled, since women's soccer was the best team within the school. It was mainly why we kept Jane in the school district. She always told me she wanted to play sports for the rest of her life, and the school district I lived in had a better sports program, and top notch education, and it just made more sense so she would have a better opportunity in college.

I saw Sebastian and Kaelie over near the home side with the kids, so I made my way over there with my kids so that we were all in the same place when it was our time to get introduced with Jane.

"Hey guys." I said as I walked over to them.

"Where is Jace?" Sebastian asked when he didn't see him.

"Rushing here from work." I said and he nodded.

"He needs to work less." Kaelie said and we all laughed.

"Trust me, I tell him that every single night." I said. "He works too hard, and doesn't relax enough."

"Well, he has all of retirement to relax." Sebastian said.

"Coming from an equal workaholic." Kaelie said and Sebastian rolled his eyes, which caused me to laugh. A few moments later Jace came up and I gave him a sweet kiss. He and Sebastian started talking about something and I looked out on the field to see Jane do her thing. I was super proud of her, and I loved watching her play.

When the teams were called in and organized in a line for how they were going to be introduced, the family got back with Jane – who was dead last – probably at request of the athletic director as a punishment for the amount of begging Sebastian and I did, but we didn't care. There weren't _that_ many seniors, so it wasn't that bad.

The names were called one by one, and the families were introduced. They told us where they were going to college, and if they were continuing their athletic career they talked about them. It was pretty short, and sweet.

"Last, but certainly not least, Jane Verlac." The announcer said and we started walking. "I'm sure you all understand why we saved her for last." He said and the audience chuckled. "Jane is escorted by her mother, Clary, father Sebastian, stepfather, Jace, stepmother Kaelie, and her 8 siblings: Hayden, Mackenzie, Valarie, Tate, Riker, Maverick, Palmer, and Danielle. Wow, that was a mouth full." He said and yet again, the audience laughed. "Jane Verlac is a forward, who has scored the most goals in our schools history. She will be attending Hofstra University next fall and continuing her athletic career, and majoring in pre-law." He said and Jace smiled proudly. "She hopes one day she can work for her stepfather, and continue making the world a better place like he does everyday." We got our family picture taken, and we guided off the field.

We all gave her a hug, before she had to get back to the team so the game could start. We took our sets on the stands and watched Jane as she continued to excel at the sport she loved more than anything in the world. Her future was incredibly bright, and I couldn't wait to see her and Jace working together in the future.

 **Time Jump – Senior Prom**

 **Jace POV:**

Tonight was the night of Jane's senior prom, and it honestly was insane that she was in high school, and going to prom. I met her when she was nearly 4 years old, and I never imagined the kind of love that I would experience because of her. I've just fallen more and more in love with her as the years went on, and I don't even consider her my stepdaughter, she is my daughter, and I couldn't wait to see her off on another milestone in life.

She was currently at Sebastian's with Kaelie and Clary getting ready. We were instructed to take the rest of the kids out for lunch, and be back at the house no later than 4. It was insane that it took this long for a girl to get ready for prom, but I knew she would look absolutely beautiful.

Thankfully though, all the girls wanted to stay and help her get ready. Something about family bonding, and Sebastian and I didn't mind just getting to spend the day with the boys. We rarely ever got the chance to just hang out, but today we finally got to do that.

It was a fun afternoon of just us boys hanging out, and just having a good time. It was nice to have the afternoon to just be guys, and not worrying about prom or anything like that. When we got back to the house, the girls were all sitting on the living room talking and watching TV. The boys all went and joined them, and Sebastian and I went out in the back yard to talk a little. It was weird, we had this ability to know when we needed to have a conversation with each other. Sebastian shut the back door and joined me at the edge of the patio.

"Thank you." He finally said after a few moments.

"For what?" I asked slightly confused.

"For always treating Jane like your own." He said and I looked over at him. "You never once treated her differently, and you always stepped up when she needed you, and you always gave her everything she ever needed." He continued. "And now she going off to college, on a soccer scholarship, pursuing a major that you introduced to her, and one that she fell in love with." He said.

"I don't consider Jane my stepdaughter. I consider her another daughter to me. Just like Hayden, Mackenzie, and Valarie." I told him honestly. "Since the moment I met her, I knew she was going to be every bit important to me as any other children Clary and I had together."

"I know." Sebastian said. "A lot of men wouldn't be able to do what you did." He said and I laughed. Someone always had to comment on how strange they thought our situation was, but there was nothing strange about it to us.

"We have a weird dynamic." I admitted. "We don't operate like a family that originally split up, but you and Clary didn't split on bad terms, and you both found what you were looking for. I think if Clary met someone who didn't understand that you two were still so close wouldn't have been beneficial to anyone in that situation."

"I know." He said. "When Clary came to me and said she met someone who was everything she knew she needed in life, the first emotion that ran through me was the protective one. Clary may not have been my wife anymore, but I will always protect her." He admitted and I nodded, because I knew he was serious. "But just seeing how happy she looked, and when she told me you were excited to meet Jane, I was just so incredibly happy that she found that happiness that she always deserved." He said. "And than she introduced me to you, and I saw how she was nothing but smiles around you, and I saw how you treated Jane, and we got along so well, I knew it was going to work, and it has. I never have to worry about Jane ever feeling unloved because she has such a huge support system, and I don't think I've ever really thanked you for coming into our family, and just making it better."

"You never had to thank me, because coming into this nontraditional family has been the biggest blessing I could have ever imagined." I told him.

"Dad!" We both heard and we turned around to see that it was Hayden who called. "Jane is coming down the stairs, and both of you have been requested to join the rest of the party." She said and we nodded and headed inside.

Clary and Kaelie were both down here now, and I made my way over to Clary and pulled her into my side. Even after all these years, just being apart for a couple hours still made me miss her like crazy.

"Alright fellas." Clary said. "You ready?"

"Absolutely." Sebastian and I said together.

"I'd like to introduce you two, to Jane Lee Verlac!" Clary called and Jane started to descend the stairs. It was like slow motion, but the moment she came into view, I couldn't be prouder of the beautiful girl this family raised together.

"Oh baby, you look so grown up." Sebastian said as he made his way over to her and pulled her into a huge hug.

"Dad! You're going to ruin my hair! Kaelie took a lot of time to get it perfect!" She said and Sebastian just laughed, but Jane wasn't really upset, she had a smile on her face.

"I can't help it, you're growing up." Sebastian said.

"It was bound to happen eventually." Jane said and I just smiled. She definitely got Clary's feisty side. I made my way over to her and pulled her into a hug.

"Your father is right, you look amazing!" I said and she smiled.

"Thank you Jace." She said and she kissed my cheek before kissing Sebastian's before the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Kaelie said as she ran towards the door. A moment later, she walked back in with the boy she was going to prom with. "Boys, you all remember Dalton, right?" Kaelie asked all the men in the room.

"Vaguely." Sebastian says and I elbow him in the ribs.

"We remember you from all the soccer games." I said and he smiled. You could tell he was nervous.

"It's nice to see you again Mr. Verlac, Mr. Herondale." He said. I felt a tap on my shoulder and apparently Sebastian did too, and that's when we realized we were blocking Jane. We moved aside and she stepped in front of us and Dalton's eyes practically fall out of his head. "You look great." He said with a huge smile on his face.

"Thank you. You look great too." Jane said back as she made her way over to him.

"Alright, I want a family photo before you leave!" Clary said and Jane just laughed. We all made our way outside and got around Jane and Dalton. Kaelie set up the tripod, and put the timer on. She ran back to us, and the light started to flash, and before we knew it we had a family picture.

For about 10 more minutes, we took individual pictures, plus each family having an individual picture, and than a sibling picture, and than a Clary and Sebastian picture, than a parent picture with each set. There were a lot of pictures, but Jane didn't seem to mind. Finally, they were ready to go and she gave us all a hug before getting in the car with Dalton. We watched them go, and the only thing running through my head was that our family was nontraditional, but I couldn't imagine anything any different.

 **Time Jump – Jane's Wedding**

 **Jace POV:**

I looked at myself in the mirror, and I couldn't believe that Jane was getting married today. Honestly, this day came at warp speed. It feels like it was yesterday that he had asked permission, and not 2 years ago. It hasn't been a long two years, but every now and than I replay it in my head, because it was a shock to be asked, and what happened after he proposed was even crazier.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 ** _Jace POV – Permission to Marry_**

 _I was told by Clary that I was meeting Sebastian at Taki's for lunch, but I had no idea what the lunch was for. When I got there, Sebastian wasn't there yet, so I just sat in a booth and waited. When he showed up, he kinda looked slightly confused as well. He found me and joined me in the booth._

 _"What is this about?" He asked._

 _"No idea. Clary didn't tell me a thing." I said._

 _"Yea, Kaelie didn't tell me anything either." He said and I nodded. We ordered a couple drinks, and sat there for a moment before Jane's boyfriend – Eric – entered the restaurant and walked right over to us._

 _"Hey, mind if I join?" He asked and Sebastian and I shook our head. I moved over and he joined me in the booth. "I can assume you're both confused, but I asked Clary to get you two here for me."_

 _"What's going on? Is Jane okay?" Sebastian immediately asked._

 _"Jane's great. Law school is kicking her ass, but she's so smart, I know she's going to get through it." He boasted proudly. Jane was going to be an amazing lawyer, but she was a perfectionist, so everything had to be perfect or it wasn't good enough._

 _"That's good to hear." Sebastian said._

 _"I wanted you both here because I want to ask Jane to marry me." He said bluntly and I have to admit, I was caught pretty off guard. "I wouldn't do it until after she graduate slaw school, but I want to start looking at rings, but I didn't want to do it without your permission first." He said. "Both of you." I looked at Sebastian to try and gauge his reaction. Eric and Jane have been together since their sophomore year in college, but I knew Sebastian didn't want Jane to settle and end up like him and Clary, despite how everything turned out._

 _"You want to marry my daughter?" Sebastian finally asked._

 _"I really do Mr. Verlac." Eric said. "I love her more than I have ever loved anyone in my life. She really brings out the best in me, and I don't ever want to spend a day without her by my side."_

 _"Jace? How do you feel about this?" Sebastian asked me._

 _"Honestly? I can see how happy he makes Jane, and I know when she gets super overworked, and super irritated he can calm her down, and just bring her feet back to the ground. I think Jane needed that balance because we all know when it comes to her patience level, it's almost as low as Clary's." I said and that caused Sebastian to laugh. "And Jane is happy. Every time we talk, I can just feel it radiating off of her, and if you are the reason for her smile, than I'm all for it." Eric looked happy, but he was still waiting for Sebastian's response._

 _"I think Jace said it all." Sebastian said. "You make my daughter happy, and I'm all for her happiness. But you hurt her, you're dead."_

 _"I know." Eric simply said, which caused as to laugh yet again._

 _"How about some lunch?" I asked._

 _"Yea, how about lunch son?" Sebastian asked and I physically saw Eric relax more, and he nodded. It was insane that Jane was getting married, but Eric was a good guy, and I knew Jane was going to be over the moon when he asked._

 ** _Time Jump – Father of the Bride?_**

 ** _Jace POV:_**

 _You know, it seemed that Sebastian and I were meeting quite frequently at Taki's for unknown reasons, but we just went with the flow like always. So, here we are again, sitting at Taki's waiting for Jane to arrive because apparently she wanted to speak with us about something. When she came in, she smiled and made her way over to us. She sat next to Sebastian after she kissed us both on the cheek._

 _"Hey guys." She said._

 _"Hey, what's going on? Your mom didn't tell me a thing." I said and she laughed._

 _"I asked her and Kaelie to keep it quiet until I got the chance to get both of you together. Which is hard by the way, your schedules are super conflicting." She said and we laughed._

 _"Why do you think you never knew who was picking you up at events?" Sebastian said. "Things always got in the way."_

 _"Well, thankfully mom got you to take off work, and Kaelie requested off for you, otherwise you would never get around to it." Jane pointed out and I couldn't help but smile knowing she was completely correct. "I wanted you both in the same place because I wanted to ask you something."_

 _"What's on your mind sweetie?" Sebastian asked._

 _"I was wondering if you both would walk me down the aisle." She said and I had to admit, this was probably the most shocking thing that's ever happened to me._

 _"You want me to walk you down the aisle?" I asked a little astonished._

 _"Of course." She said with a smile. "You had just as big of a part in my life as my dad. The only difference is, you didn't create me. But you did mold me into the woman that I am today, and I don't think I'd be able to walk down the aisle without both you – the two most important men in my life – by my side."_

 _"I'd be honored Jane. If it's okay with your father." I said and Sebastian smiled._

 _"Like I've always said, you've gone above and beyond for her since the day you met her." Sebastian said. "I think both of us giving her away is right."_

 _"I love you guys. So much, and I can't wait to be walked down the aisle with both of you." Jane said and I couldn't help but happiness that was just pulsing through my body._

 _"I love you too sweetheart." Sebastian said._

 _"I love you as well." I said and she smiled._

 _She stayed and had lunch with us before she was called back into work, and the rest of the day I couldn't help but smile as I thought about being asked to walk her down the aisle. It meant a lot to me, and I was beyond grateful that she asked._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

And now here we are, on her wedding day, and the joy that I've experienced as just grown in size. Everyone was being directed towards the back of the ceremony space as the wedding was about to start. Since Eric was walking down the aisle with his mother, Jane was waiting in the wings until he was gone, and couldn't see her. Once the bridal party started walking, Jane made her way over to Sebastian and I. we had already seen her, but she was just a vision today. Sebastian and I stood on either side of her as she linked her arms into ours.

"You ready sweetheart?" Sebastian asked.

"So ready." She said and that's when the music changed and it was our cue to walk _our_ daughter down the aisle.

 **Time Jump – Reception**

 **Clary POV:**

The wedding was absolutely amazing, and now it was time to party. Everyone was seated, and the whole atmosphere was just joyful. There really wasn't another way to describe how today had panned out. Jane was angelically perfect, and it made me incredibly proud to be her mom, and to see how incredibly well she was raised by her whole family.

Her co – maids of honor – Hayden and Mackenzie – stood up and gave their speech, and Eric's brother got up and gave his. Both were incredibly funny, and filled with so much personality and embarrassment. I expected the food to come out not long after, but when the DJ announced that the bride wanted to say a few things I got curious.

"Hi everyone." Jane began. "Eric and I would just like to thank everyone for coming and celebrating this special day with us. We truly do appreciate it with all our hearts." She said and everyone started clapping. "Many of you here know that I don't come from a traditional family." She said and everyone laughed. "I don't remember my parents being together. I was far too young, but I do remember the first time my mom introduced me to my stepfather, Jace. I was young, but I wasn't blind. I could just see the happiness flowing out of her whenever she talked about him, and the moment I met him I knew he was going to be the perfect fit for our family." She said as she looked at us. "I also remember the first time I met Kaelie, my stepmother. My dad was very picky about the women he brought around me – my mom was too, but my dad was extra critical of the women that he saw, and whenever he came home from a date, or a woman he was interested in called him, I could literally feel his disappointment. Until he met Kaelie. There was just this shift in him, and I knew that he had met the woman that he was going to fall in love with." She explained. "When I tell people about my family, and my parents, and step parents, and my 8 siblings, the first word they used to describe my family is broken." She says. "But I've never viewed it that way. I always saw my family as unique, and quirky." She laughed. "I think from the time I was in elementary school I've always been asked to describe my family on one word. And it was pretty self explanatory what my family was to me." She looked at us and smiled. "They are simply irreplaceable." She smiled and I couldn't help the tears that fell from my eyes. "I just wanted to take this opportunity before you're all drowning in wedding fun to acknowledge the people who got me to this point, who made me who I am. So thank you, to my amazing family. May we forever be blended."

 **Authors Note:**

 **A LONG time ago, someone requested a story about a blended family. When Clary had a kid with someone else, and they weren't together anymore, but they still got along, and this popped into my head last week, and I knew I wanted to write it. There is no angst (and I know how much you all love a little angst, but I felt this one didn't need it) just a family that is abnormal, functioning in a way that is healthy, and loving, and needs to be acknowledged . One of my best friends had a family similar to the one I wrote about in this story, so I know it's possible!**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this one shot that's happy, and funny, and just a good read. I know I loved writing it, and it got my creative juices flowing that's for sure! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! :)**

 **Also, I'm just going to give you the families again because I know it can get confusing!**

 **Sebastian** **and Clary have 1 kid together: (Divorced)**

 **1 girl - Jane**

 **Jace and Clary have 4 kids together: (Currently married)**

 **3 girls - Hayden, Mackenzie, and Valarie**

 **1 boy - Tate**

 **Sebastian** **and Kaelie have 4 kids together: (Currently married)**

 **3 boys - Riker, Maverick, and Palmer**

 **1 girl - Danielle**


	127. Chapter 126 - Parenting 101

**One Hundred and Twenty Six Story:**

 **Parenting 101**

 **Clary POV:**

Junior year of high school was supposed to be the hardest year yet. It was also the busiest. Everyone was starting to look at colleges, and taking the SAT's. It was a lot for someone to get used too, and it was only the second week of school.

It was a Friday, and she was in the last class of the day – Health. It wasn't a bad class, especially since I had it with Simon, Izzy Alec, and a few other kids that I knew. To me it was the second best class to end with, right after study hall that is. The class was talking low until the teacher walked in and closed the door.

"Good afternoon class." The teacher said. "Now, I know it's a Friday, and it's the last class of the day, but today is going to be extra important, so listen closely." She explained. "As you know, the school has a curriculum that we must follow." She started off. "So, the next chapter of our lesson is Sex Ed." The class groaned. "Now, I'm not going to stand up here and talk about every type of STD, I think you all know how to use Google, and it would be a waste of my time, and yours frankly." She said. "So, we're going to be doing something different. And what better way to show you the consequences of not practicing safe sex than giving you something you must take care of." She said. _Oh no._ "For the rest of the semester, you and a partner will be learning what it's like to be parents." She said and the class groaned again. "And to make it even better, I've assigned your partners." Cue another groan. "After I finish giving out all pairs, I want you to take the rest of the class to get to know each other."

I sat there praying that I got either Simon or Alec. Hell, I would take anyone I knew even if it was only a fraction. I just didn't want to be paired with someone that I didn't know at all, or someone who I knew wasn't going to be helping me at all. It may only be a fake baby, but I didn't want to be a fake single mom either.

"Okay, first pair – Alexander Lightwood, and Lydia Branwell." She said and I sighed. There goes one potential baby daddy. I tuned her out until I came across another name I recognized. "Simon Lewis, and Isabelle Lightwood." She said.

"Ugh, lucky you." I said and Simon just smiled. The teacher kept calling out names, and every time, it wasn't me.

When there were only 4 people left, I looked at my two potential baby daddy's. Sebastian Verlac – biggest asshole in the entire school, perpetual playboy, and notorious for cheating on girls, tests, and I've even heard he's cheated on drug tests, but I don't if that's just a rumor or not. I wouldn't be surprised if it was true. And the other baby daddy, was Jace – biggest loner in the school. Rarely talks to anyone, and doesn't have one single friend in the school. I didn't know who would be worse. I had a strange feeling that it would be kinda the same with either one of them.

"Sebastian Verlac." The teacher called, and I was chanting so hard in my head that he wasn't my partner. It might be awkward in the beginning if I was stuck with Jace, but at least he wouldn't be a total douchebag, at least I hope now. "And Kaelie Whitewillow." She said and I let out a sigh. "Which means our last pair is Clarissa Fray, and Jonathan Herondale." She said. "Now, take the rest of the period to get to know your partner." She said and the room started to break up. I grabbed my stuff and made my way back to Jace, knowing he fully wasn't going to move for me.

"Hey." I said as I took a seat.

"Hi." He said before going back to whatever he was reading. I took a calming breath and looked at the clock. 15 minutes until the end of the day, I could hang in there.

 **Time Jump – 15 Minutes Later**

 **Clary POV:**

When the bell finally rang, I felt like I was Sleeping Beauty being woken up after sleeping for 100 years. It was the slowest 15 minutes of my entire life. I grabbed my things and followed Simon, Izzy, and Alec out of the room.

"This is going to be the longest semester ever." I said and they laughed.

"It couldn't have been that bad." Alec said.

"We said one word to each other, and that was hello." I told them and Izzy gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Maybe it'll get better." She offered and I scoffed.

"I highly doubt that." I said as we made it to our lockers. We got the rest of our things and headed out to the parking lot to go home. I caught sight of Jace getting into his car and speeding out of the parking lot. He was a mystery to everything single person since the day he showed up here, and I had no idea how I was going to get through this project with him.

 **Time Jump – Monday**

 **Clary POV:**

When Monday rolled around, I was slightly dreading Health Class. Now that we had our partners, we had to sit with them in class. I was ready for a silent class period, followed by doing whatever assignment that we were given alone.

When I walked in the room, Jace was in the back like he normally is. I took a seat next to him, and he didn't even look up to say hello or even give me a smile to acknowledge my existence. He was certainly and odd ball, but I couldn't do anything about it.

"Okay class, today is the day you get to pick up your baby." The teacher said as soon as she walked in. "Now, the way we will pick the babies is reverse order of how you were called on Friday. So Clary and Jace, why don't you come up here and pick out what baby you would like." She said. I knew Jace wasn't going to get up considering he didn't even look up when the teacher walked in the room.

I made my way up to the front of the room and saw the boxes set up. I had no idea what kind of baby Jace wanted to look after. I mean, I had a 50/50 chance to make him even a tad bit happy. I saw a box on the far left and just decided to go with it. It was a boy, and I figured that maybe he would be easier than having a girl, but who knows.

I went back to Jace and waited for everyone to grab a baby. Izzy of course picked a girl, and I could see how happy she was to dress her up, and make her a baby version of herself. I knew Simon didn't care, he was just going to let Izzy do whatever made her happy.

"Okay, now that all the babies are chosen, there is a slight twist." She said. "Some of those boxes have twins in them." I pray to God I didn't pick up a box with twins in it. "You have the rest of the class to work out custody agreements. Have fun."

I took a deep breath before starting to open the box. The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was a piece of paper that was sitting on top. I picked it up and started to read what it said.

"Oh thank God." I said.

"What?" Jace asked, which slightly surprised me.

"We didn't get twins." I said.

"That's a relief." Jace said and I nodded in agreement. "Who do we have though?" He asked.

"His name is Matthew. He's 3 months old, and he wakes up 5 times a night." I said as I read off the list.

"That sounds fun." He deadpanned and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Parenthood isn't always fun." I said and he nodded. "So, custody. We should figure that out."

"Okay." He said.

"Would you rather have him during the week or on weekends?" I asked.

"Weekdays." He said.

"Okay. So how about I get him Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Than you can have him Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday during the day." I offered.

"Works for me." He said and I nodded. It was the most conversation we've ever had, but it was something, and we figured it out, so I was pretty happy with how this portion of the assignment went. I wrote it all down, and handed it in to the teacher, who smiled and checked it off. Inside the box also had a baby car seat, which had to be assembled. I grabbed the instructions and started building it. Jace sat there and watched the baby. It was the first act as parents we had together and it went well, I just hope the rest of the semester went this way.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The last two months have been what I can only call our normal. When I got the baby back, he was always happy, and peaceful, so I knew Jace was doing a good job, but other than that, we really didn't talk much. I looked at the other pairs in the room, and they were all talking about their babies, and how things were going, but all I had was a silent baby daddy, and a content baby. It could be worse, but everyone else seemed t be enjoying this project, and I simply wasn't.

"Alright class, I have another assignment for you!" The teacher said as she walked into the room. "Since you've officially been a cute little family for 2 months, your next assignment is to spend the weekend together doing family activities." She announced and I wanted to cry. The rest of these groups have probably been doing that since they got the plastic baby, and I only see Jace in class. "You must document what you did, and put it in your family photo album." She said. "At the end of the experiment, the photo album will have to be turned in." I rolled my eyes, and looked at the baby that was sat next to Jace's feet. Great, a family photo album. The bell rang and I started packing up my stuff when something landed on my desk. The paper was folded up. I opened it up to see what it said.

 _Meet me at my place tonight. 7:30. 117 Alicante Avenue. – Jace._

When I looked up, he was already gone. I put the piece of paper in my pocket and headed out to my car. This was definitely going to be an interesting night at the rate this partnership was going. I had no idea what I was in store for, but part of me was a little excited to get to know more about Jace, and know something that the rest of the school was actively shunned away from.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I got to the address, and the house was rather large. I've never seen it before, but than again, the driveway was long enough to make people think it was another road. I got out of my car and made my way up to the door. I rang the doorbell and patiently waited for it to open. Once it did, there stood Jace in sweats and no shirt, and damn did he look hot as hell.

"Hey." He said as he walked away from the door. I took that as my cue, and walked in behind him.

"So, why did you want me to meet you here?" I asked.

"I figured we could talk about this whole weekend activities thing." He said.

"Okay!" I said enthusiastically. He was finally taking initiative.

"Cool, follow me." He said as he started going upstairs. I followed his lead, and realized I was going to his room. When we walked in I half expected everything to be extra dirty, but it was exceptionally clean in his room. He took a seat on his bed and I took a seat on the chair that was in the room.

"Do you have any ideas about what we could do?" I asked.

"Not really." He admitted. "I've never really had a family filled weekend."

"Really?" I asked and he nodded. "Okay, well it doesn't have to be elaborate, it just has to be something fun, and something we both would enjoy."

"Like what? I doubt we have the same interests." He said and I couldn't help but laugh at his accuracy.

"True, so lets figure it out right now." I said. "I don't think we should do anything physical. I'm not that athletic." I admitted and he laughed for the first time.

"I'm okay with that." He said.

"Do you have any hobbies?" I asked.

"I play the piano." He said and that surprised me, in a really good way.

"Really?" I asked and he nodded. "Cool. Okay, well that's something we have in common. I mean, I don't play the piano, but I'm into the arts as well. I draw."

"Cool. I can't draw for shit." He said and I laughed again. He was actually pretty funny. "What do you like to draw the most?" He asked.

"Portraits." I said. "I like capturing people."

"That's cool." He said and I nodded.

"Okay." I said trying to think of something we could do that we both would enjoy. "Do you want to just do something tomorrow? Or actually do something both days of this weekend?" I asked.

"We can do something both days if you aren't busy." He said.

"I'm pretty free this weekend." I said and he chuckled a little. "Okay, so why don't we each pick an activity for each day? That way we are doing something each of us likes." I suggested.

"That works for me." He said and I nodded. We finally got somewhere. I was about to say something when I heard the front door slam.

"JONATHAN! Get your ass down here!" I heard and Jace cursed under his breath.

"Get in my closet." He said as he grabbed my wrist and started putting me in the closet.

"Jace, what's going on?" I asked slightly scared.

"Just stay in here until I come back." He said. "And don't say a word." I nodded and he shut the door. It was quiet for a couple moments until I heard the yelling.

"WHOSE FUCKING CAR IN IS IN THE DRIVEWAY!?" I heard the man yell. "You know damn well you aren't allowed to have anyone over. You useless piece of shit!" I heard and my eyes started to water. What the hell was happening?

I didn't know how long I was in the closet for. When I heard his bedroom door open, I was slightly scared that it was the man who was yelling downstairs. When the closet door opened, there stood Jace.

"You need to leave." He said as he picked me up off the ground.

"Jace." I whispered.

"He's passed out, but sometimes he can wake up, and it'll be ten times worse if he remembers what just happened." He said.

"Jace, your face." I said as I saw the cut on his jaw line.

"It's nothing." He said as he continued to usher me through his house. "I'll come up with something for us to do tomorrow. Meet me in Central Park at 11." He said.

"Jace." I said still trying to figure out what happened.

"Have a good night Clary." He said as he handed me Matthew, and shut the door. I stood there for a moment just processing everything that happened. I finally got back to my car and strapped Matthew in. I made my way home in a daze. How long has that been going on? Finally Jace made sense to me. He was a loner because he was probably forced into being one. If that happened every time he brought a guest over, I wouldn't make friends either.

 **Time Jump – Saturday Morning**

 **Clary POV:**

My mind was still racing after everything that went down last night. I couldn't believe that happened, and all I could think about was if Jace was okay. I wanted him to be okay. He didn't deserve to be treated that way.

I packed up Matthew, and made my way to Central Park. The moment I pulled up I saw Jace. I got out and got all my belongings before making my way over to him. The cut on his jaw was barely visible anymore, and he didn't seem to be in any pain, so maybe last night didn't turn as ugly as I kept picturing it.

"Hey." I said once I got close enough.

"Hey. You ready for today?" He asked.

"Depends." I said. "What are we doing?" I asked, and he simply smiled.

"You'll see." He said as he started walking.

"You should know, I hate surprises." I said as I followed after him.

"I promise. It's really cool." He said and I nodded. I trusted him, and I was excited to see what he had planned for us to do.

We kept walking until we came across what normally would be a sketchy part of New York City. Normally I would be freaked out, but I was with Jace, and I had a feeling he wouldn't let anything happen to me, or our fake baby. The place was pretty crowded, and when the ally way started to narrow, Jace put his hand on my back and guided me to where we were supposed to be going. We got to an opening where there were a lot of people standing around talking.

"What are we doing here? This isn't exactly my scene." I said and Jace laughed.

"I promise. You'll really enjoy it." He said as he guided me over to a place to sit. We took a seat and I put Matthew at our feet. "They come here every fall to battle, and I like to come to it every year." He said and I nodded.

"Jace man! Good to see you back." Some guy said as he approached Jace. Jace had a smile on his face as he got up and hugged the guy. "And you brought company. I didn't know you had a kid man."

"Fake kid." Jace corrected. "Health Class is teaching us about parenting." He explained and the guy nodded. "This is my friend Clary, Clary this is Raphael."

"It's nice to meet you Raphael." I said and he nodded.

"You as well." He said. "Hope you enjoy the show." He said before running back to his friends.

"So you do have friends." I said and Jace smiled.

"Yea." He simply said. I was about to say something else when the music started. I looked up and Raphael was standing at a wall shaking a can, than he started tagging. It was a form of art I never understood but really enjoyed, and it meant so much to me that Jace brought me here.

"You know." I finally said as I leaned over so Jace could hear me. "I don't think Miss. Wiley had this in mind when she said family bonding." I pointed out and Jace laughed.

"But she never said anything against it." He said. "Plus, I think little Matthew would enjoy this if he were real."

"You think?" I asked and he smirked.

"He is my son." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Thank you for bringing me here." I said. "This is really cool."

"After talking the other night, I remembered that they were going to be here, and I thought it was a pretty cool idea to show you." He said.

"That means I have to make tomorrow really cool." I said and he smiled.

"I'm not high maintenance." He said. "We can do whatever you want to do." I nodded and looked back at the people tagging. I was going to make sure tomorrow was super fun. After experiencing Jace's home life, and how he brought me here, he deserved something special.

The baby started to fuss, and I groaned. For a moment, I actually forgot about the child. Jace grabbed the kid out of the carrier and decided to take him on a short little walk to calm him down. I know this project was supposed to teach us how hard it would be to be teen parents, but I would have so much more patience if the kid was actually mine. Having a plastic baby just made this kids problems so much more annoying and made me want to shove it in a closet.

I was watching the next round of taggers, and this little battle they had going on was actually pretty cool. Especially because all the artists were super talented. I also wish I had the guts to do what they do, but I am terrified that I'd get arrested, and it would affect my college plans, and my dream job.

"Where did Jace go?" I heard and I looked to my left to see Raphael.

"The baby was fussy." I said. "He took him on a walk."

"That project sounds whack." He said and I laughed.

"It is." I admitted. "I mean, my mom is a single mother, and she had me pretty young, so I witnessed the struggles she went through. I'm not stupid enough to put myself in that situation after witnessing how hard it truly is." He nodded. "Plus, that piece of plastic isn't my kid. If it were, I would have more patience for it."

"I don't blame you." He laughed. "I pretty much raised my younger siblings, and it's way different than a plastic baby who cries on a schedule."

"I can't wait for the semester to be over so it's done with." I said and he nodded.

"So, you ever tag?" He asked.

"Oh god no." I laughed. "I've always wanted to, but I never got enough courage to do so."

"Wanna try?" He held the can out in front of me.

"Really?" I asked.

"Of course." He said and I took the can. "This place is for everyone."

"Where should I go?" I asked as I stood up.

"Well, the battle happens on one wall, but there is a huge space over here." He said as he pointed to the wall adjacent to the one they were battling on. "Have a field day." He smiled and I couldn't get the smile off my face as well. This was going to be so fun.

 **Jace POV:**

After the baby stopped fussing I decided to make my way back to the battle. I was glad that Clary enjoyed this so much. It was always something I found incredibly liberating, and just interesting to watch, and I was glad she felt the same way.

When I got back, Clary wasn't near the car seat. I figured she just went to the bathroom of something, so I settled Matthew back in the car seat and took a seat. I looked up but no one was battling. Everyone was paying attention someone tagging on another wall. Curiously I got up, grabbed Matthew, cause that would make me an irresponsible father to leave him, and made my way over to the crowd, and to my surprise, Clary was the one tagging.

"Little chica has skill." Raphael said as he stood next to me.

"She told me she was an artist. That's why I brought her. I just didn't know she was this good." I admitted.

"How long have you known her?" He asked.

"Since I moved here, but I never had a conversation with her until we got paired together for this project." I answered.

"She's a sweet girl." He said. "Do me a favor, don't shut her out after this project is over."

"What makes you think she won't shut me out?" I asked and he laughed.

"Please, your signature move is to cut all ties unless absolutely necessary. I've known you long enough to know that you don't keep friends long." He pointed out.

"Not true. We've been friends for years." I said.

"Dude, I come around a couple times a year. The only reason you haven't dumped my ass yet is because we only see each other a couple times a year." He said. "I know it's tough letting people in for you, but you have to get lonely at some point."

"I manage." I said with a shrug.

"Managing is not living." He said. I was about to say something when I saw Clary coming towards me with the biggest smile on her face.

"Oh my god Jace! Did you see that?" She asked.

"I did. You're even better than I thought." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you so much for letting me participate Raphael." She said and Raphael smiled.

"Of course chica. Don't be a stranger though. Next time we come to town, stop by." Raphael said.

"I won't be. I'll make Jace bring me again." She said with a bright smile and I guess there was no cutting ties after this project was over.

"I look forward to it, but if you'll excuse me, my battle is coming up soon." He said before walking away.

"That was so exhilarating!" Clary beamed as we made our way back to where we were originally sitting.

"I'm glad you had fun." I said.

"This is so much better than I imagined, and I can't wait to come back!" She said.

"You really want to come back?" I asked curiously.

"Absolutely. For as long as they come here, we will be here." She said and I nodded. That just solidified it, I would not be cutting ties with Clary Fray after this project, and I didn't know how to feel about that exactly.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Clary POV:**

I wanted to do something special for Jace today, but I couldn't figure out the perfect plan, so I spent all night trying to figure out what we were possibly going to do. I didn't know much about Jace except that he liked playing the piano. Unfortunately, I didn't know what to do with that information, but it was almost the end of October, and I have yet to go through a maze, so I figured it would be fun for us to do together.

Jace was meeting me here today considering it didn't go well the last time my car was in his driveway, and I didn't want him getting into trouble yet again. I just finished getting Matthew ready when the doorbell rang. I made my way out to the living room and opened it up to see Jace standing there.

"Glad you're here." I said as I welcomed him in.

"I'm curious as to what you have planned for us at 8 at night." He said and I smiled.

"You'll see." I said as I grabbed my jacket. "Can you grab Matthew for me?" I asked. He nodded and made his way over to the car seat. He picked him up, and we made our way to my car. Matthew was strapped in and we were off. "So I had no idea what to do with you today, but I finally figured it out, and I think you'll like it." I reassured him and he just nodded in agreement.

About 15 minutes later, we made it to the farm where the maze was. It was a pretty popular farm, and my mom used to bring me here when I was younger, but I haven't been back in years. I pulled the car up and put it in park.

"A corn maze?" Jace asked.

"The perfect Halloween family night." I said and he smiled.

We got out of the car and I grabbed Matthew. We headed towards the maze, and surprisingly Jace paid, thankfully since Matthew was fake, he required no payment. We started in the maze, and I can't tell you how many judgmental stares I got from older women. I mean, if they could see that he was fake, they might be more sympathetic, but since this baby was temperature sensitive, I had to bundle him so he wouldn't he too cold.

"I guess teenage pregnancy is frowned upon at a family establishment." Jace whispered in my ear and I laughed.

"Evidently they never saw a family before." I said just loud enough for the woman staring at us to quickly turn her head away from us and usher her kids away from us. "I can't imagine what it would be like to actually be a teen mom." I told him.

"Don't worry about the stares. We're just here having a great family night." Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

Safe to say, we aren't the best at mazes. It took us a little longer than I anticipated to get out, but we were having a great time. I realized that I was really going to miss this project when it was over. I mean, I basically told Jace that we would continue to be friends after this was over, but it was going to be different when we gave Matthew back, and part of me was going to miss these 'family' moments.

"Well, that was fun." Jace said when we made it back to the car.

"You know, I thought I was a lot better at mazes." I said and he laughed.

"I've never done one, so I was pretty useless." He admitted and I smiled.

"Well, how was your first maze experience?" I asked curiously.

"Pretty good." Jace said with a smile.

We made our way back to my house after the maze, and I didn't want the night to end. So I invited Jace in for a little just so we could warm up a little, and have a cup of coffee. My mom was at work, so it was nice to just have a calm night with Jace.

"How is everything?" I finally asked and Jace looked at me.

"Good." He said.

"I think you know what I'm talking about Jace." I said and he sighed.

"It's been worse." He admitted.

"Why does he do that?" I asked curiously.

"He fell off the wagon when my mom died." He said. "It's just his coping mechanism."

"That doesn't justify him abusing you." I said.

"It doesn't happen all the time." Jace said but I knew it happened enough that he was used to it.

"It shouldn't happen at all." I said and Jace continued to look down at his mug. I made my way over to him and put my finger under his chin and made him look at me. "I'm worried about you Jace."

"I'll be okay Clary. I always am." He said and I knew I wasn't going to convince him even though I want him to know what he's going through is wrong. "I should head home before he gets back." He said as he put his mug on the coffee table. "Thank you for tonight, it was really fun."

"Be safe Jace." I said. He gave me one last smile before heading out. When I heard the car pull out of the driveway I took a deep breath. I hated that he went home to house that wasn't a safe place. It hurt to know his father put his hands on him. I've only known Jace personally for a few months, and he just didn't deserve that kind of treatment.

 **Time Jump – Middle of Spring Semester**

 **Clary POV:**

After the project ended, Jace actually actively spoke to me during school. I thought I was going to be the one who had to initiate conversations but I was pleasantly surprised that he was open to talking, and I loved that.

We didn't talk about anything serious, although I know he knew I was curious, but he never hinted at it. When I saw a bruise or a cut, I knew what it from and I hated his father each time I saw a new one.

It was a normal day, and it was beautiful outside, so I was taking my free period to sketch some of the scenery. I had my headphones in, and I couldn't wait to be able to sit outside all summer and do this. Getting my college portfolio ready, and hopefully receiving a scholarship for my work. I needed it if I didn't want to come out of college with a bigger debt than I could handle. I was so focused on my work, that when I looked up to get a better look at a tree, but saw Jace instead, I nearly shit myself.

"What the hell Jace? Don't scare me like that." I said as I pulled my headphones out of my head.

"Sorry, you were just so focused, and it's kinda mesmerizing to watch you draw." He said and I closed my book.

"I didn't know you had a free period." I said and he gave me a sad smile.

"I don't." He said.

"Oh. Rebel." I said and he laughed a little. "So what brings you out here skipping class?"

"I'm not skipping." He said and that confused me. "I'm not a student anymore."

"What?" I asked completely puzzled.

"I'm moving." He told me. "Apparently my dad doesn't want to live here anymore."

"He can't just move you. We have like 3 weeks left of the school year." I said worriedly.

"It doesn't matter to him." Jace said. "He doesn't want to be here anymore, and I'm only 17."

"But….." I said. "But it's not fair."

"It doesn't matter." Jace said. "I just wanted to tell you."

"I'm gonna miss you around here." I said and he smiled.

"Thanks for being such a good friend." Jace said as he stood up. I followed suit and instantly wrapped my arms around his neck. After a moment, he snaked his arms around my waist, and he stood there embracing. "You don't know how much you've changed me in the short time we've known each other Clary." He whispered into my hair, and my eyes started to water.

"Take care of yourself Jace." I said and I felt him nodded a little. "Be careful, and do great things."

"Maybe I'll see you in the future Clary." Jace said as he broke away from the hug. If he didn't end the hug, I'm convinced we would have been standing there for hours. I quickly grabbed my sketchbook and ripped out the portrait of Jace that I was working on for a couple weeks now. I folded it up, and shoved it in his pocket. I looked up and he seemed a little confused, but when he decides to open it, I knew he would understand.

"Bye Jace." I said and I saw him walk away. Once he was gone, the tears escaped my eyes. I was really going to miss him.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Sophomore year of college started last month, and I absolutely loved it at NYU. I got that scholarship I needed and I was studying Art History. I was one step closer to my dream job.

Despite how happy I was going to school, and do what I love most in this world, every time I wasn't busy, my mind wandered to the thought of Jace. We kept in touch for the summer, but than it just stopped. I was scared that something had happened, until he sent me an email saying he no longer had a phone, and it would be hard to keep in contact using public computers. It sucked that we couldn't keep in touch as much as I wanted too, but I hoped every single day that he was doing alright.

Since I turned 21, my friends have been begging to take me out to the bar, and normally I said no since I was so busy, but this weekend I didn't have anything to do, so I decided that why the hell shouldn't I go out an enjoy a weekend letting lose. We got dressed up and went to the frequented bar that most NYU students go too.

The place was packed. I was shocked until I realized that it wasn't just a bar, but it was part club as well. I didn't mind. They were playing great music, and I was with great company, and I was ready to have an amazing night.

My friends got me the first couple drinks, but I decided that I needed a glass of water and some down time knowing my feet would be killing me from all this dancing tomorrow. I got over to the bar and took a seat and waited for the bartender to come over to me.

"Clary?" I heard and when I turned around I was greeted by those familiar golden eyes that I could simply never forget.

"Jace!" I cheered. "Oh my god what are you doing here?"

"I work here!" He called over the music. "I've never seen you here before."

"My birthday passed and my friends have been dying to take me to a bar, so here I am!" I explained to him, but I knew that if I didn't do anything about seeing him now, I would regret it forever. "When is your shift over?" I asked.

"An hour." He said.

"Come find me when you're done. We'll get out of here!" I said confidently and he smiled and nodded.

"What can I get for you?" He asked.

"Just a glass of water." I said and he nodded. He placed the glass in front of me before going to help another customer. I drank my water before I was dragged back to the dance floor by my friends. I was having a blast, but I couldn't wait to catch up with Jace tonight.

 **Time Jump – An Hour Later**

 **Jace POV:**

When my shift was over, I gathered my things and started looking around for Clary. I spotted her bright red hair on the dance floor and made my way over to her. She was lost in the music so I snaked my arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me.

"You ready to get out of here?" I whispered in her ear. She looked back, smiled and nodded.

She said goodbye to her friends, and I took her hand in mine and we made our way out of the bar. It was still a nice night out, and I had no idea how Clary got here, but she was a little tipsy, so I thought a nice walk to my place would sober her up a little bit.

It was a quiet walk between the two of us. The noise of the city made sure that nothing was awkward between us, but with Clary, no moment was ever awkward. She was one of the easiest people to be around, and just her presence alone was calming enough to make the worst times bearable.

We got back to my place and Clary made herself comfy on the couch the moment we walked in. I got her another glass of water and took a seat on the coffee table while she drank it.

"I can't believe you live in the city." She said. "When did you move here?"

"About a year ago." I said. "After we moved I got a job and worked my ass off so I could move away from him." I explained. "New York City was the only place I truly felt at home, so I came back."

"So you got away?" She asked.

"I finally got away." I said and she lunged herself at me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I'm so happy for you Jace." She said and I couldn't help but smile. "So, what college do you go to?" She asked.

"None." I said. "I can't afford college."

"That's okay." She said with a smile. "At least you have a job, and a place to live!"

"It's not the best, but it's better than nothing." I said and she smiled.

"I can't believe we ran into each other. What's it been? Three years." She said and I nodded.

"It's been a very long three years." I admitted and she nodded in agreement. "Well, I brought you back here because I didn't know where else to go, but when you want to go back to your place, just let me know." I said and she nodded.

"I'm not ready to go back to my dorm yet." She said. "Mind if we just chill and watch a movie together?" She asked.

"Sounds great." I said with a smile on my face.

"Can I borrow some clothes to change into?" She asked and I nodded.

I went to my room and grabbed a shirt and some sweats and handed them to her. She made her way to the bathroom and I got the TV ready for a movie. I didn't know what she wanted to watch, so I just picked a random movie. She came back out, curled up on the couch and got under the blanket. I turned the lights off and joined her on the couch. I wasn't prepared for it, but Clary moved over to me, and curled into my side as she placed my arm around her shoulders. I pulled her closer to me, and turned my attention back to the TV. I can't believe we ran into each other in such a big city, but I was glad that it happened, and I was glad to have Clary back in my life.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up with a slight headache, and I was slightly confused as to where I was until I remembered that I ran into Jace last night. I sat up on the couch and stretched my arms and legs out. I looked around at the apartment that I was in, and it was pretty small, but one person didn't need a lot of space.

I got up and started looking around the place for Jace. I walked down a hallway and heard water running. Normally a person would stop and turn around at this point, realizing the person they were looking for was most likely in the shower, but apparently I wasn't normal. I kept going, curious about what his room looked like.

It shouldn't have been a surprise to me, it looked just like his room from high school. It was clean, and colorless. But what I noticed, was the portrait I did of him in high school, was framed, and sitting on top of his dresser. I couldn't help but smile as I walked over to it. I could totally do it so much better now.

"That was the one thing that always got me through the hard times." I heard from behind me, and I jumped and flinched so much that I knocked it off the dresser. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Jace said and I looked behind me after fixing the picture to see Jace in nothing but a towel.

"It's fine. I shouldn't have been snooping anyway." I said as I tried to run out of the room, but Jace blocked my path.

"You came looking for a reason. Is everything okay?" He asked and I gulped. I could feel the heat radiating off of him, and I took in his body, and the tattoos that covered his torso.

"Uh…." I started, but nothing came after that.

"Do you want a ride home?" He asked.

"No!" I shouted a little too quickly, which caused Jace to laugh. "I mean, no. I was just curious if your room looked like it did in high school." I explained. "Now that I did, it does, so I'm done. Excuse me." I said as I tried to move past him again, but failed.

"Why are you so dead set on getting away from me?" Jace asked with amusement in his voice.

"What? I'm not." I said and Jace laughed again.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" He asked slowly.

"No." I simply said.

"Would you like me to put some clothes on? Would that help?" He asked, and before I could filter, I spoke.

"No." I said and I mentally punched myself in the face.

"Okay, so you don't want me to put clothes on, and you aren't uncomfortable." He said. "What is it?" He asked.

"I, uh, oh fuck it." I said as I slammed my lips to his. I felt him smile underneath my lips, as he gladly kissed me back. As we stood there kissing each other, and letting all the passion that has built up over the years finally run its' course, I couldn't help but feel like something was just given back to me. When we both finally broke apart, he had a smile on his face, and I had a smile to match.

"Is that all you wanted?" He smirked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"For now." I said. "I might some more later."

"You can have some more any time you want." He said and I couldn't stop the butterflies from forming in my stomach.

"Sooooo, what do we do now?" I asked and Jace laughed a little.

"Whatever you want to do." He said.

"Well, what I want to do all depends on you." I said and he leaned against the doorframe and gave me that look that says 'continue'. "I was thinking that we go out on a date tonight, but only if that's okay with you." I said and he Jace got this wide grin on his face.

"I think a date sounds perfect." He said and I couldn't wait to be with Jace and catch up on everything and anything that we missed within the last three years of being apart.

"Great." I said. "How about you get dressed, take me back to my dorm, and pick me up around 7?" I asked and Jace laughed.

"Sounds perfect." He said and I leaned up and pressed my lips to his sweetly.

We did as planned and when I got back to my dorm I couldn't get the ridiculous smile off my face. My roommate was slightly worried about me, but once I gushed about everything, she helped me get my outfit ready. I was super excited to get the chance to know Jace on an intimate level, and not just on the surface. There was so much more to him than what I already knew, and I was excited to get to know everything about him.

 **Time Jump – Four Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was truly a miracle how life had it's own way of working out. Jace and I running into each other after nearly 3 years of separation, the opportunities Jace got from working at that bar/club, and the way some of the darkest events can make some of the brightest people.

Within the last 4 years a lot has happened with my life. I graduated with a degree in Art History, and was currently going for my masters. The owner of the bar/club Jace worked at saw something in Jace and offered to pay for some business classes so that one day when he wanted to retire he could trust his business to Jace, and we were in the most loving and supportive relationship I've ever experienced.

There was no way that Jace and I were ever letting go of each other after we were separated. I didn't know how much of a void his absence left in my life until I got him back. I didn't care what happened, I knew I was always going to need him in my life.

My junior year at NYU we decided that we wanted to move in together. We hadn't been together for that long, but we both knew it was the right decision. With the promotion at work, and my job, Jace and I were able to afford a nicer place to live, and it was just the perfect home for us. Everything was falling into place for us, and the future just looked bright.

Or so I thought. Life has the ability to throw constant curveballs at you. Doesn't matter if you're not emotionally ready, financially ready, physically ready, or mentally ready; life will hit you with challenges, and it's up to us to work through those challenges. My current challenge? I think I'm pregnant. I haven't felt right the past month, but when I took the pregnancy tests, some were positive, and some were negative. I didn't know what to do except go to the doctors.

Jace has been super stressed with work lately. He had no idea how much working running a business was going to be, but I was super proud of him for sticking it out, and learning everything he possibly could. So, if it was a false positive, I didn't want to get his hopes up, so I was currently with my mom and Izzy waiting for the doctor to come and tell me the results.

"Clarissa Fray?" I heard the nurse call. I stood up and followed her with Izzy and my mom right on my trail. I got in the exam room, and the nurse left. I was getting more and more anxious by the minute. When the door finally opened and in walked the doctor, I braced myself.

"Okay Clary, I got the results back, and it looks like you are in fact pregnant." She said and I let out the huge breath I was holding. "You are currently a week shy of your second trimester."

"How did I not know sooner?" I asked curiously.

"Sometimes women don't get symptoms and they are late to show." She explained. "It's very common."

"Okay." I said trying to process everything.

"Would you like a ultrasound to see the baby?" The doctor asked.

"Yea." I said. When I got to tell Jace, it was going to be physical proof that this was happening. I laid back on the table as I held my moms hand tightly in mine. She squirted the gel on my stomach and started searching for my growing baby.

"Okay Clary." She said. "If you look right there, you can see the heartbeat of the first baby."

"Wait, first baby?" I asked.

"Yea, hear these two sounds?" She asked and I nodded. "That indicates two heartbeats."

"Oh my god." I said.

"This is so exciting! Double shopping!" Izzy cheered. "Do you know the genders yet?" Izzy asked.

"With the blood test we took, we got to find out the gender." The doctor said. "Do you want to know?" She asked me. I don't really know if I want to know. I mean, it would make everything a lot easier.

"Uh, sure." I said finally making up my mind.

"You're having a boy and a girl." She said.

"Yes! One of each!" Izzy cheered yet again.

"I'll print the pictures out and you can head on out. Just make sure you schedule your next appointment." She said as she handed the pictures to me. I nodded and she left the room.

"How are you going to tell Jace?" My mom asked.

"I'm just going to flat out tell him." I said honestly. "There is no sense in prolonging it."

"Let me know how he takes it." My mom said and I nodded. "I have to go meet Luke, but call me later?" She asked and I nodded. She kissed my head before heading out.

Izzy and I made our way out to the car and she started driving me home. She was gushing about the babies, but I just couldn't get how Jace was going to react out of my head. When we pulled up to the building, I gave Izzy a hug and headed upstairs. I was taking as many deep breaths as I could thinking about how I was going to just spit news out like this, but when I saw the apartment door slightly ajar, and I heard yelling, I got worried.

"Just get the fuck out of my house!" I heard Jace yell so clearly. I pushed open the door, and there stood Jace and a man who resembled Jace eerily.

"Jonathan, be reasonable." The man said.

"No dad, I'm so over it. I haven't seen you in nearly 6 years. I have a life, you can't hurt me anymore, and I don't want anything to do with you." Jace yelled. This was his father.

"You fucking bastard! I gave you everything!" The man yelled.

"Yea. Bruises and bloody lips!" Jace yelled. His father picked up one of our vases – one of my favorite ones I might add – and threw it at Jace, which caused me to scream slightly. Thankfully Jace ducked and it just slammed against the wall.

"Who the hell are you?" The man yelled as he looked back at me.

"The owner of that perfectly good vase you just broke asshole!" I yelled back. You know, I knew my temper was unnaturally short these past couple weeks, it's nice to know why now.

"Look little girl…." He seethed.

"My name is not little girl." I hissed back. "Now, get the fuck out of our house." I said in a deadly calm voice.

"You can't hide from me forever Jonathan." The man said as he started walking out of the apartment. As he passed me, he growled at me like a fucking dog and left. I slammed the door and dead bolted it.

"We need to fucking move." Jace said as he paced.

"I'm in." I said and he looked at me.

"Really?" He asked sounding surprised.

"Yea. This place isn't big enough anyway." I said as I looked at our small two bedroom apartment.

"How much space do two people really need?" Jace asked amused.

"Not much, but 4 people need more." I said.

"4? Who is moving in?" He asked puzzled.

"Our children." I said nonchalantly, but Jace was gaping.

"Our – children? As in plural?" He asked and I laughed.

"We got lucky in high school." I smiled. "Unfortunately, this box had twins."

"Holy shit." He said before running over to me and wrapping his arms around my and twirling me around. "We're going to be parents."

"Real parents." I assured him.

"What the fuck are we going to do with two kids?" He asked and I laughed.

"Exactly what ever other parent did. Screw up a little, but ultimately make them into pretty cool kids." I said and he smiled. "I know the genders. Would you like to know?" I asked.

"Hell yes." He said.

"One boy, one girl." I said.

"This is a miracle." He said.

"It's something." I said and he pressed his lips to mine.

"I love you." He said breathlessly.

"I love you too." I said as we stood there embracing. This was going to be one hell of an adventure, but I was ready.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Conner and Natalee were already a year old and it was surreal how fast the last year went. I felt like it was just yesterday that Clary told me she was pregnant, and now we have two little ones who are learning how to walk, and brightening up the darkest days.

Although it had been a few years, Clary and I decided to take the kids to the Tag Battle. We had missed out on it the past couple years due to being super busy with school and work, but since the twins came into the picture, I've been trying to make the weekends all about family, and with Clary finishing up her masters, she was less swamped with school work.

We got to Central Park and started towards where the battle took place. It was just like I remember it all those years ago, and it felt like I had just returned to a safe place after so many years away. The music was blaring, and the atmosphere was the same as it always was.

"Look what the cat dragged in." I heard from behind me and when we turned around, there stood Raphael. "I'm not going to lie, I thought you were never coming back."

"Raphael, it's so great to see you." I said as I gave him a proper hug. "Things got tough in high school, and than I was just working my ass off and kinda just forgot about everything else." I explained.

"It's all good man. You seem to be doing well." He said as he looked at Connor, and than at Clary and Natalee. "Little chica, good to see you as well." He said and Clary and him hugged.

"You as well Raphael." Clary said.

"I can't nearly be as mad at you since you did show up for a few years alone." Raphael said.

"You came back?" I asked curiously, not knowing that she did that.

"I missed you, and this was the first place we ever came together." She explained. "I thought it would fill a void."

"She destroyed some of our best taggers." Raphael chimed in.

"You battled?" I asked and she laughed.

"A couple times." She said. "My first battle was pretty pathetic, but I got the hang of it."

"Wanna go again?" Raphael asked, and I saw Clary get this wicked expression in her eyes.

"Only if you'll finally battle me." Clary said.

"Oh Little Red, you are so on." Raphael laughed. "Moms never terrified me anyway." He winked and I couldn't help but smile.

"Jace, hold Natalee for me." Clary said as she handed over our daughter. I gladly took her and she made her way over to the other taggers to borrow some paint, but Raphael stayed behind for a moment.

"You look like you have a good life man." Raphael said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I have the best life." I proudly said. "I thought I was lucky when I finally moved away from my dad, and when Clary came back into my life, but I think I just keep getting luckier in life than I should be getting."

"Don't question it, just embrace it." Raphael said and I nodded. "You got a couple cute kids, and a great girl by your side. Sometimes we just get lucky. But if you ever mess it up, I'll kick your ass myself."

"Hey, there are two kids here." I said as I bounced both kids in my arms.

"Sorry, last time I saw you with a kid, it was plastic." Raphael said and I laughed.

"Yea, we these two aren't, and they are starting to copy sounds. I don't need their first words to be a curse word. Parenting 101." I said and he laughed.

"Raphael? You coming, or are you gonna chicken out on me?" Clary called from across the way.

"Well, your girl has now called me out officially, so I have to go kick her as….butt." Raphael said. "Buy her something nice when I'm through with her." He laughed as he jogged over to where Clary was.

I took a seat on a near by ledge with one kid sitting on each of my legs. The battle counted down and Clary and Raphael wasted no time battling. I was mesmerized by what was going on since I've never seen Clary tag like this before. She was an amazing artist, I knew that, but seeing her just so free and not worrying about the rules and regulations was really nice.

"Mama!" I heard and I looked at the kids. "Mama!" Natalee said again as she pointed to Clary.

"Yea baby girl, that's mama." I said excitedly. They both started clapping and giggling which caused Clary to look over at us. She blew us all a kiss before getting back to whatever she was tagging.

I knew one thing for sure, I wasn't going to have to buy her anything special after this battle. She was cleaning house with Raphael, but maybe an engagement ring wouldn't be a bad idea.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Still coming out of my lack of motivation/inspiration, but I wanted to write something like this for a long time, and here it is! I originally wanted it to go into a different direction, but it had a mind of it's own, and I really like it! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**


	128. Chapter 127 - She's the Man?

**One Hundred and Twenty Seven Story:**

 **She's the Man?**

 **Clary POV:**

"What do you mean I can't try out for the team?" I nearly yelled at the coach.

"You're a girl." He simply said, like that was the only explanation needed.

"But it says anyone can try out." I said.

"No, it says tryouts are for all eligible athletes unless the coach and or athletic director overrule it." The coach said. "I, as head coach, am overruling your request."

"This is sexism!" I yelled.

"Don't go bringing your sexist shit into this discussion." The hissed. "This is my final decision." He said as he walked away.

"Oh yea?! Well your kicker fucking sucks anyway!" I yelled as he walked away. I stormed back to my car and angrily got in and angrily drove home. When I got there I stomped to my room. I knew I was throwing a toddler temper tantrum, but I was pissed.

"Whoa Clare-Bear, who pissed you off?" My brother asked.

"Coach fucking Wayland." I hissed. "He won't let me try out for the team."

"Why not?" He asked curiously.

"I'm a girl." I said.

"He said that? Like straight up?" He asked.

"Straight up." I said. "I just want to be a kicker. Is that too much to ask?"

"You're a badass kicker. The fact that Wayland is letting his pride get in the way of a winning season is fucking stupid." Jon said. "He's really missing out."

"Ugh. Like, he wants a fucking winning season, and I could help him get there, but he's such a misogynistic pig that he won't just admit that I'm better than their current kicker. Who by the way, can't even kick 30 yards."

"I remember." Jon laughed.

"Why the hell did you have to get kicked out of Idris?" I asked. "I'm gonna have to suffer there alone for another 2 years."

"Hey, you have Maia and Lydia." He said.

"It's not that same Jon, and you know it." I said and he joined me on the bed.

"School isn't for me, and when mom and dad finally realize that, and let me try and pursue my dreams, life will get easier." Jon said. "Actually, I have a great fucking idea." He said.

"Care to share?" I asked and he smiled.

"Idris starts two weeks after Alicante Academy." Jon said and I nodded, knowing that. "Well, I'm supposed to be starting at Alicante, but there is this audition in New York for a part in this movie that I really think I'm a shoe in for."

"Jon." I said.

"Hear me out." He said and I nodded. "Nobody at Alicante has ever seen me. They wouldn't know the difference between me being me, and you being me."

"What are you getting at Jon?" I asked.

"Pretend to be me for 2 weeks." He said. "I'll go to New York, go after my dreams, and you go to Alicante as me and show those sexist bastards that you're the fucking shit."

"Jon, you're a solid foot taller than me." I said.

"So? Look, tell mom you're staying with dad for those two weeks, and since mom has primary custody, dad will think you're here. Those two don't talk, and I'll tell dad I'm staying with mom, and mom that I'm staying with dad and they won't ask any questions." He explained. The luxury of divorce.

"How the hell am I going to pull off being a dude?" I asked.

"You remember my friend Ragnor?" He asked and I nodded. "He's a pro at make up. I bet he would love to give this project a go."

"You really think we could pull this off?" I asked. "And how are you getting to New York?"

"I think we can really do this." He said. "I'll teach you everything you need to know. And you remember Hodge?" He asked and I nodded. "He's going as my agent."

"Okay." I said a little hesitant. "Let's do this shit." I said and he high fived. I was going to have to pretend to be Jonathan Morgenstern for two weeks before the opening game between Idris and Alicante. I had no idea how I was going to pull this off, but I was going to try my best.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"You sure I have this down pat?" I asked Ragnor and Jon as we drove to Alicante to move me in.

"Dude, I'm so sure." Jon said. "Ragnor did his absolute best."

"How sweet." Ragnor said.

"Just remember everything we taught you." Jon said. Ragnor pulled up to the school and I took a deep breath.

"Okay, I can do this." I said and we got out of the car. Jon had a ball cap on pulled over his eyes, and I was trying my best to act manly as we made our way to my dorm. Thankfully Jon and Ragnor just set my stuff down and walked away. As a girl I would have encouraged them to follow, but as a dude, I have to brush it off because I can do everything on my own. Before I opened the door to my room, and my potential roommate, I took a deep breath. "I'm a dude, I'm a badass dude, I'm a badass hunky dude." I whispered to myself. It was a mantra that Jon had me repeated for a week straight. I opened my door and took a look inside. There were three guys in there, and I had no idea who my roommate was. "Hey." I said in my 'guy' voice. Jon and Ragnor said it wasn't that great, but better than nothing I guess.

"Hey." The blonde one said. "You Jonathan?" He asked.

"Yea, Jonathan Morgenstern." I said. "You must be my roommate."

"Yea, I'm Jonathan as well, but I prefer to be called Jace." He said and I nodded. "That's Alec, and Jem, they live across the hall."

"Dude, are you sure you're even in high school?" One of them said, I'm pretty sure it was Alec.

"Yea, I got my mom's height." I said and they simply nodded. It wasn't a total lie. "So, uh, any of you on the football team?" I asked.

"Yea, all three of us." Jace said. "You play?"

"I'm just a kicker." I said trying to down play my position.

"Makes sense." Jem said. "Jace is the quarterback, Alec is the long snapper, and I'm a wide receiver." He explained.

"Nice." I said.

"Tryouts are at 1." Jem said as he got up. "We'll see you there." As he walked out of the room, I noticed that they were all extremely tall guys, and it made sense why they probably thought I should be in middle school. I knew the height might cause concern, but some dudes are short, and I just had to remind myself that I was doing this to shove it in Idris's face.

 **Time Jump – Tryouts**

 **Jace POV:**

I'm not going to lie, when I saw who my roommate was I was slightly disappointed. He wasn't anything like I imagined, and when he said he was on the football team, I was even more confused. He didn't look athletic at all. But sometimes people could surprise you, and I just hoped that he was that person. Our team didn't need a dweeb coming in and messing up what was supposed to be a undefeated season. Colleges were going to be looking at us, and I needed to get a scholarship and being undefeated certainly helped in that department.

Everyone on the field was a returning player. Coach rarely let freshman on the team, and even if they were, they didn't play. The only position we needed to fill was the kicker position. Our previous kicker graduated, and the ones who we had before weren't very good, to put it honestly, they sucked ass. Hopefully Jonathan wasn't a shit kicker cause we could really use him.

"You think he's any good?" Alec asked as we watched Jonathan make his way onto the field.

"I honestly don't know what to think." I said. "He doesn't look like he's strong enough to be a football player, even if that position is a kicker, but some people can surprise you, so I'm just hoping that's what happens today."

"Yea, otherwise we're stuck with Brock." Alec said and we looked over to where he was standing. He was posing like someone was looking at him.

"Ugh. I think dweebie Jon is better than Brock any day." I said and Alec laughed. "Looks like we get a sneak peak." I said as I motioned to where Jonathan was standing. He set up the ball and was taking his steps back.

"He's doing it from 20 yard line. Is he insane?" Alec asked and I just shrugged as I watched. He ran at the ball and punted the shit out of it, and it went perfectly through the field goal. "Shit." Alec said.

"Well damn." I said. "Look like we have a kicker."

The coach was jumping for joy and talking to him. Brock looked pissed, but at this point I was just happy he wasn't the kicker for the season. I don't know if this was a fluke or something he's been practicing, but as long has he consistently hits the extra point and felid goal attempts, I'm okay with it.

 **Time Jump – After Tryouts**

 **Jace POV:**

We were heading back to the locker room to shower. I was normally the last on off the field most days, and when I grabbed my helmet I noticed that Jonathan was still on the field, so I decided to talk to him.

"Hey man." I said and he looked up at me.

"What's up?" He asked.

"I just wanted to say you did good today." I said. "If it weren't for you, we'd be stuck with Brock."

"Yea, I noticed he's a few sandwiches short of a picnic." He said and I laughed a little.

"That's putting it nicely." I said and he nodded. "Well, I'll see you around."

"Bye." He said and I walked away. I had to admit, he wasn't that bad, but I didn't think we really connected on a level that shouted 'lets' be friends!' so I don't think we're going to hang out outside of practice or in our room, but I had respect for the guy, and that's as far as our friendship was probably going to go.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

This was more challenging that I thought it was going to be. Despite the fact that I was on the football team, I didn't have any friends, and Jace took every chance he got to be away from me. I don't even know if it's because he doesn't like me or I'm beginning to smell because I can't shower properly.

I just didn't want to be here anymore. It was so isolating, and being on the football team didn't compensate for how lonely I was, and how big of a freak I felt like everyone thought I was. It was horrible, and sometimes when Jace would spend weekends in Alec and Jem's room I cried myself to sleep because it was really hard to cope with.

Thankfully Jace was gone all day, and I had the room to myself. I didn't want to risk taking my wig off and him randomly showing up, but it meant I could call my brother and have a real conversation with him. The phone rang a couple times before he answered.

"Hey Clare-Bear." He said and I nearly cried.

"Hey Jonny." I whispered.

"What's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"I can't do this Jonny." I admitted. "I'm so lonely. Nobody wants to be my friend, Jace – my roommate – practically ignores my existence except on the football field, and I can't even take a shower as often as I would like too. I'm pretty sure my smell is driving people away from me."

"Clary, slow down." He said and I didn't realize that I was basically hyperventilating. "You knew this was going to be hard, but you've never been a quitter Clary. You want this. So badly. I know it's hard, but this isn't forever."

"I wish you were here Jonny." I said.

"I know, but I'll be back before you know it." He said. "Remember your end goal, and accomplish it. You didn't go there to make friends, you went there to prove a point. A very important point, and I want to see you succeed."

"What would I ever do without you Jon?" I asked and he laughed.

"You'll never have to find out." He said and I smiled. "I have to go though Clare-Bear, but I love you, and I know you can do this."

"I love you too Jonny." I said and we hung up. I took a deep breath and composed myself. I noticed that it was near dinnertime, but I wasn't hungry. I needed to stop pretending to be a guy for maybe an hour or two and hopefully that got my spirits back up.

I decided to just be Clary and take a walk around this campus as myself. Not worrying about my façade, and just getting some fresh air so I could continue on in my pursuit of showing Idris that girls are just as good as boys. Jon was right, it was my mission, and just because I was a little lonely now, doesn't mean I'll be lonely forever.

It was quite peaceful as I walked around the campus. I had to admit, this place was so much nicer than Idris. The whole atmosphere was just so much lighter. Idris was so serious, and so militant that it was hard to enjoy it sometimes. Maybe that's why Jon got kicked out. He didn't fit their mold.

"Um, excuse me, are you lost?" I heard and when I turned around I saw Izzy.

"Um, no. Just admiring the campus. It's beautiful." I said trying not to sound creepy.

"How did you get on this campus? Only students are allowed, and I know for a fact you aren't a student." She said.

"I came to visit my brother, but he isn't here." I said. "So I just thought I'd see where he was living now."

"Who is your brother?" She asked.

"Jonathan Morgenstern." I said.

"He's my brothers best friends roommate." Izzy said.

"That's cool." I said.

"I'm Isabelle by the way, but you can call me Izzy." She said with a smile.

"Clarissa, but call me Clary. I hate my name." I said and she laughed.

"Girl, me too." She said. "I was going to meet my brother and his friends for dinner, want to join?"

"Really?" I asked a little shocked.

"Yea, you came all this way. Might as well get some dinner out of it." She said and I smiled.

"You know what, that sounds great." I said and she motioned for me to follow. This could actually work out in my favor. Drop some good things about Jon, and maybe they won't think he's a freak.

 **Jace POV:**

Izzy was a little late to dinner, but when she walked into the restaurant, I couldn't take my eyes off the redhead that walked in with her. I've never seen her before, but she was absolutely beautiful.

"Hey boys, this is Clary, Jon's sister." She said and my eyes widened. They looked nothing alike.

"My twin to be exact, but please don't hold that against me." She said and we all laughed. They took their seats and Clary was sitting across from me.

"Well, these are the boys." Izzy said. "That's Alec, Jem, Magnus, and Jace. Jace is actually your brothers roommate."

"It's nice to finally put a face to a name." She said.

"Not to be rude." Alec started. "But how did you find her Izzy?"

"I found her wondering the campus. Apparently she came to visit Jon, but he isn't here." Izzy explained.

"Wait, he isn't in our room?" I asked.

"Nope. I got here, and he texted me saying he was going out with a girl from his old high school." She said and I nodded. "Would have been nice to know before making the trip, but my brother can be a dick so I'm not totally surprised." She said and I laughed.

"Where did he go before here?" Jem asked.

"Idris." She said and we all gagged. "Hey, this isn't exactly my favorite place either."

"We're so much better than Idris." I said.

"That's what Jon says." She said. "But he did get into a whole lot of trouble at Idris so I'm not surprised he likes it here better." Clary said.

"What kind of trouble?" Izzy asked.

"He was a class clown. Perpetually in detention, or suspended. He skipped all the time, and he basically dated every single girl in the school." She said and I was completely shocked.

"He doesn't seem like that here." Alec said.

"What's he like here?" She asked.

"Quiet. He doesn't really socialize with anyone." Alec said. "Although, he doesn't do any work, and he falls asleep in class all the time."

"Yea, well he has the intelligence of a college kid, so school always bores him." She says.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yea. Our parents got us tested when we were young and we just weren't doing our work because it was too easy. We ended up testing out of a few grades, but they thought it would hurt our socialization, so they finally just kept us in a safe grade as they called it, but increased our work." She explained.

"Wait, so you're smart too?" Izzy asked.

"Not as smart as Jon, but I'm up there." She said. "Most juniors in high school are 17 working on 18, but Jon and I are only 16."

"Wow." I said. "That's impressive. I might have to ask him for help on my homework." I laughed.

"Give him snickers, and he'll do it for you." She said and I smiled.

"I might just have to do that." I said and she smiled. "He's a really good kicker." I added, although I don't know why.

"I taught him everything he knows." She said with a laugh.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yea. I played soccer my whole life, and when Jon wanted to start a sport, I just said he should be a kicker cause he's too prissy to be anything else, but he took me seriously, so I taught him how to kick. He got good." She said.

"More than good." Alec said. "He's constantly increasing his distance for felid goals. And he's becoming really consistent."

"That's him. He always wants to improve." She said and we all nodded.

The rest of dinner went by quickly, but it was a lot of fun. Clary really got along with everyone and she was just so much more free than her brother. It was weird that they were related, let alone twins, but sometimes twins are similar, but getting to know her made me want to get to know Jon more. Maybe he was this way as well, we just haven't been giving him the opportunity, and I think we should.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later – Scrimmage**

 **Clary POV:**

The first scrimmage was today, and I was scared as hell. The team we were playing was a bunch of big boys, and sometimes the kicker got tackled. I knew that, but I was never going to be prepared to be drilled by dudes twice my size.

Since I had dinner with the group as me, and not my brother, and I dropped a lot of information about him to them, they all seem to be way more accepting of me as my brother, and that was also nice. I needed that in order to not rip my hair out with how isolating this experience was. At Idris I was just being me, and getting people to like me wasn't hard, but pretending to be my brother was a lot harder, and apparently not as likeable as me.

I put my uniform on and made my way out to the field to warm up. Seeing the other team on heightened my nerves, but I had this. I believed in my abilities, and I believed in the team, and I knew we could pull off a win in this scrimmage.

 **Time Jump – Fourth Quarter**

 **Clary POV:**

We just scored, and it was my time to go out and get that extra point. We were winning by a touchdown and I was going to make sure that our lead continued to go up. I made my way out to the huddle and we got set. I took my place and waited for the ball to be snapped. Once it was, I ran up and kicked it, and like always it went through the field goal beautifully. Although my moment was short lived when I got rammed from the side, and I was down.

Now, I mentioned these boys looked huge, but damn could they hit. I saw some of our guys coming off the field feeling a tackle they just endured, and now I knew why they were hurting. These guys felt like getting hit by a brick wall. The only thing was, when I got hit, I didn't immediately get back up.

"Morgenstern, are you okay?" the coach asked.

"Yea, just not expecting it is all." I said as I was helped up but got a little dizzy.

"He did come out of nowhere." One of the players said, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Well, he got a penalty, so all that's left is for you to get checked out by the trainers." The coach said and I nodded. I was walked over to the bench where I was going to have to go to a trainer who was going to be looking me over extensively. "Alright, we'll talk at a later date Morgenstern." Coach said and I started walking away when I passed Jace and stumbled a little and grabbed onto him to support myself. Although I was really dizzy, I exaggerated it a little so that maybe he would have to walk me so we could talk. It was risky, but I needed someone's help, and I trusted him for some reason. "Herondale, make sure he makes it to the trainers!" The coach called out. Jace nodded and we started making our way to the trainers office.

It was a good distance away, and we were getting closer and closer when I knew I had to do it. I stopped Jace before we got to the trainers because it was now or never and I really didn't want to be kicked off the team.

"What's wrong? Are you dizzy?" Jace asked concerned.

"No, but I need to tell you something, and I need you to back me up." I said completely forgetting my façade that I've been playing the past couple days.

"What happened to your voice?" He asked.

"What I'm about to tell you can't be spoken of until after our first game, got it?" I asked and he nodded. I think he mainly did it because he was curious, but I didn't care. "Okay, I need you to make sure the trainer doesn't get too close to me."

"Why not?" He asked.

"Because I'm not Jonathan Morgenstern, I'm Clary." I said and his eyes widened. I took my wig off to show him my bright red hair.

"Holy shit." He said and I laughed.

"Idris wouldn't let me try out for the team, and I wanted to prove them wrong so badly. Jon wanted to go to New York to audition for a movie since he hates school, and it was the perfect opportunity. Idris starts two weeks after Alicante and I knew I had a shot pretending to be Jon." I explained and he nodded. "But I can't get kicked off the team, or expose my secret."

"Why not?" He asked. "Coach won't care if you're a girl. You're the best kicker we've ever had."

"Because I want Idris to think I'm a dude, and I want to shove it up their sexist asses that I'm the best, and they lost that." I said and he laughed a little. "And you're taking this surprisingly well." I pointed out.

"This is insane." He said flat out. "But I love a good underdog story. Idris is pathetic, I've always thought that, and with you we can beat them, and I'm all for kicking their ass."

"So you'll keep my secret?" I asked.

"Of course." He said. "But not from Alec, Jem, or Izzy."

"But Jace…"

"No, they can help you. A lot." He cut me off. "And Alec will tell Magnus, and he can help you as well. They're my best friends, practically family. I'm not lying to them."

"Fine, but your job starts now. I need you to make sure the trainer keeps his hands to himself, and examines me quickly. I'm perfectly fine, but coach is always super cautious." I said and he nodded.

"Look, but your wig back on Morgenstern, and let's get this over with." He said and I nodded. I did just that and we went to the trainer. This was probably going to be weird, but I knew one thing I was going to enjoy, not sleeping I that goddamn wig.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

After the trainer, Clary was told to get some rest, so she came back to our room, and I went back to the game. I asked the group to meet me in my room so that Clary and I could tell them together. I didn't think they would believe me unless they saw it, since if Clary didn't show me, I wouldn't have believed her either.

When I opened my door, Clary was sitting on her bed completely showered, and I had to admit, she looked cute. But I always thought she was attractive. Since the moment Izzy brought her to Taki's.

"Clary? What are you doing here, and where is Jon?" Izzy asked as she pushed past me.

"That's what I called you all here." I said as everyone made their way into the room. I locked the door behind the last person and made my way to my bed.

"Is Jon okay? I know he got hit today, but it didn't look that bad." Alec said.

"Okay, so there is a big secret Clary has been keeping form you all, and she had to expose herself to me today, and she needs your help as well." I explained and everyone nodded probably thinking I was completely insane.

"What's going on?" Jem asked.

"My brother Jonathan was never here." Clary started. "He's been in New York since the day school started."

"Huh?" Izzy asked confused, but she wasn't the only one.

"Idris is filled with a bunch of self absorbed sexist pigs who believe men are superior to women." Clary said and Izzy scoffed. "I wanted to try out for the football team, but the coach wouldn't let me. I was a girl, and no girl was ever going to be on the team." She continued. "So, Jon being kicked out of school was perfect. Alicante and Idris are rivals. We play each other. Alicante starts two weeks before Idris, and the first game of the season is against each other." She said. "Jon wanted to pursue his acting career and I wanted to prove Idris wrong. So he went to New York, and I've been pretending to be him."

"Wait, so you're Jonathan Morgenstern?" Alec asked.

"Yea." Clary simply said.

"But don't your parents know you're not at home?" Jem asked.

"Divorced." Clary said. "They don't speak, so I told my mom I was going to be sending two weeks with my dad, and my mom has primary custody of my brother and I, so my dad assumes I'm with her."

"I can't lie, that's pretty dope." I said and Clary laughed.

"So, what happens now?" Izzy asked.

"Keep it a secret, and pretend I'm still Jonathan Morgenstern." Clary said.

"Why can't you just be a girl on the team?" Izzy asked.

"Because I want Idris to think I'm a guy, and than show them that I'm not, and that they were complete dumbasses for rejecting my numerous pleads to get on the team." Clary said and everyone nodded.

"So we all understand? Clary is still Jonathan Morgenstern, and we go on with our normal routines." I said and everyone nodded.

"But we are so hanging out more now." Izzy said which caused us all to laugh.

"I'm all for some girl time. I've been stuck in guy world for far too long." Clary said and Izzy laughed. Clary's phone started ringing, and when she picked it up she smiled. "It's my brother." She said, as she answered it but put it on speaker. "Hey Jonny."

"Hey Clare-Bear." The deep voice said.

"You're on speaker Jon." She informed him.

"Why?" He asked confused.

"I may have had to spill my secret." She said.

"What the fuck did you do?" He said rather aggressively, but Clary just laughed.

"I don't always fuck things up Jon." Clary retaliated. "But something came up, and it was imperative that I expose myself."

"Like what?" He asked rather unconvincingly.

"Like I got fucking hit you douche. And the coach wanted me to get checked out, but I can't exactly let the athletic trainer put his hands all over me unless I want him to notice I have tits and not a dick." Clary said and I couldn't help but laugh. She was really feisty.

"I guess that's a good enough excuse." Jon said. "Who knows?"

"Jace, Alec, Jem, Magnus and Izzy." She rattled off.

"What are you going to do now?" He asked.

"Keep pretending to be you, and kick Idris's ass when the game comes around." Clary simply said.

"You always were a determined little shit, I'll give you that." Jon laughed and Clary smiled. They seemed extremely close, but I guess that's how all twins were. I mean, Alec and Izzy were pretty much the same person half the time. "Okay, well I should be back in time for the game, but I'll call tomorrow and check in. I love you Clary, and be careful."

"Careful about what?" Clary asked.

"They know you're a girl now." Jon simply said. "Use protection. Bye." He said and the phone went dead.

"You know, I always wanted my twin to be a fucking girl." Clary said and the room burst into a fit of laughter. There was a knock on the door, and before even thinking about anything, Izzy got up and opened it to see Sebastian at the door.

"What can I do for you Sebastian?" Izzy asked.

"It's rather loud in here, and curfew was 20 minutes ago Miss. Lightwood." He said. I rolled my eyes at how he always had to follow the rules.

"I know, but Jon got hit today, and I came to see him, but unfortunately he isn't here, and I just got to talking with my brothers, and lost track of time." Izzy lied so seamlessly.

"Oh really?" He asked as he pushed his way into the room, and his eyes fell right onto Clary. "But you have a guest. Who are you?" He asked and I could see the wheels turning in his head.

"Clarissa Morgenstern." Clary said and Sebastian actually licked his lips. "But everyone calls me Clary."

"Well Clary, you are a vision." Sebastian said, and Clary just laughed. She knew how awful Sebastian was. She witnessed his 'locker room' talk first hand.

"I wish I could say the same." Clary said as she blatantly looked Sebastian up and down. "Unfortunately tall, dark and handsome-ish isn't my type."

"Oh really? I'm much more than what meets the eye sweetheart." He said trying to real her in.

"Some how I doubt that's the truth." Clary said as she rested her elbows on her legs and smiled sweetly at him. "I've always been more attracted to mysterious men. Someone who is complex."

"I can be as complex as you want baby." Sebastian said.

"Sorry Seb, I can call you Seb right?" Clary asked and now the playful banter seemed to disappear. "But I'm not available right now." She discretely looked at me and winked a little, which I took as a sign to play along.

"He has nothing on me baby." Sebastian said.

"Oh really?" Clary asked before looking at me. "You hear that baby, you have nothing on him."

"Oh I heard." I said. "Loud and clear."

"Seriously? The dyed blonde wannabe?" Sebastian asked.

"I'll have you know I'm naturally blonde." I defensively.

"Like I said, tall, dark, and handsome-ish just isn't my type." She said sweetly with a smile plastered on her face. "Goodnight."

"What the fuck ever." Sebastian said before leaving and slamming the door.

"So much for being quiet." I said and everyone just looked at us.

"Girl, that was fucking awesome." Izzy said as they high fived.

"The guy creeps me out." Clary said as she shivered. "Thank you for helping." She said to me.

"As your roommate, I'm obligated to keep creepy dudes away from you." I said and she smiled. "But unfortunately, Sebastian was right. It's past curfew, and if you're caught Iz, you'll get in trouble."

"I know. But witnessing that was worth it." She said. "Goodnight boys, Clary." She said before making her exit.

"Well, we'll see you _boys_ tomorrow." Magnus said as the three of them left. Than it was just Clary and I.

"That went well." Clary finally said and I smiled.

"Yea it did." I said.

"Well, I'm tired, and slightly sore, so I'm gonna get some sleep." She said as she pulled the covers back. "Goodnight Jace."

"Goodnight Clary." I said as she turned the light off. I stayed awake for a little while just processing the whole day. My roommate turned out not to be a guy, but his twin sister, who was hot. Who says life can't be entertaining?

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Getting ready today was different. I didn't have to wake up at an ungodly hour to get ready so Jace wouldn't find out. Instead, I was standing in front of the mirror adjusting my wig while he was putting his books in his backpack. It was super nice to not have to hide anymore, and be able to be myself when I'm in my room.

"I won't be around a lot today." Jace said and I turned to look at him. "So if anyone is asking about me, just tell them I'm busy."

"Is everything okay?' I asked concerned.

"I'm not sure." He said as he put his backpack on. "I'm going to find out though." He said before leaving the room. For the past day or so I have noticed Jace being a little more distant than normal but I didn't feel like I had the right to ask since we weren't close, but now that he knows my secret, I felt like we reached a level of friendship that we could talk to each other about things, but maybe Jace just wasn't ready to open up about whatever was going on.

 **Time Jump – Way Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I had a pretty exhausting day. I got a call from the nursing home my grandmother was in saying that she wasn't doing well. I spent a lot of time with her growing up since my parents are both workaholics, so I knew they weren't going to take the time out of their day to see her.

It was nearly two am and when I got back and Clary wasn't in our room. I had no idea where she was, so I was a little confused. I was sitting at my desk doing some work that I needed to get done, but had no time today to do it. I heard the door open, and when I turned around there stood Clary in a towel, soaking wet.

"That's risky." I said and she laughed as she locked the door.

"It's a Friday night. Everyone is out, and I put a sign on the bathroom door that said out of order." She said and I laughed.

"Still risky." I said.

"How was your day?" She asked. I didn't know why I didn't tell her what I was doing today. She trusted me with her secret, why couldn't I open up about my life?

"Not that great if I'm being honest." I said and he made her way over to me and took a seat next to my desk.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I got a call from the place my grandmother is staying in saying she isn't doing too well, and I knew my parents weren't going to check up on her, so I did." I admitted.

"That really sucks. How did she look?" She asked.

"She looked rough, but not nearly as bad as I thought she would." I said and she nodded.

"So she's okay?" Clary asked.

"As okay as she can be." I said.

"That's good." She smiled and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Yea, but I know I don't know how much longer she's going to last." I said honestly. She might have looked better than I expected, but she still looked bad.

"You two were close weren't you?" Clary asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"My parents have always been workaholics. When I was young, and for school breaks I was always passed to my grandmom. She often picked me up from school, she was chaperone for a lot of my school trips, and she even came in for mothers day when my mom would forget." I explained. "I spent most of my childhood with her."

"I'm sorry she's not doing well." Clary said. "I can't imagine how awful that must be."

"It sucks." I said.

"What are you working on?" She changed the subject, as she got up and made her way over to her closet. I kept my eyes focused on the work in front of me so I didn't look at her changing.

"Math." I said with blatant disgust in my voice.

"When is it due?" She asked.

"Thursday." I said.

"Overachiever." She said and I laughed. "I'll tell you what, I'll help you with it, if you take the rest of the night off." She said and I turned in my chair and saw that she was dressed.

"And do what?" I asked curiously. She made her way over to me and grabbed my hand and pulled me up. I followed her lead and she guided me towards my bed. She pushed me back and I took a seat, and she followed.

"Just relax." She said as we laid on my bed. "You had an emotional day. You shouldn't have to do math homework." She said. It was a little stiff for a moment before she lifted my arm up and put it around her and snuggled into my side.

"Clary." I said a little nervously.

"Do you want me to get up?" She asked.

"No, but why are you doing this?" I asked curiously.

"Because I like you." She said blatantly. "And I can tell you're upset and I don't like that."

"You like me? Like, you like me like me?" I asked and she laughed.

"That's a very middle school question, but yes." She said and than something in her face changed. "Oh, you don't feel the same way?" She asked. "I guess I should have figured that out before just assuming."

"Clary." I said and she looked at me with those mesmerizing green eyes. "I didn't say I didn't fell the same way." I told her. "I'm just a little shocked with how forward you are."

"Why?" She laughed.

"I don't know." I said honestly. "I guess I thought with everything going on you would never even think about liking someone, or anything like that."

"I'm still a teenage girl." She said and I laughed. "I still have feelings."

"I know that, I guess I just figured you were here for your mission and that was it." I said and she nodded.

"Well, now that I'm not hiding from everyone anymore, I feel like I can actually enjoy my experience here." She explained. "That is if you're up for it."

"Your brother is going to kill me." I said and she laughed.

"I have my brother wrapped around my finger. He won't do anything to hurt you if you don't hurt me." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"You sure this is what you want?" I asked one more time for reassurance.

"I'm positive." She said, and that's what I needed.

"Than, how would you like going out with me tomorrow?" I asked and she smiled.

"I would love that." She said and I smiled. "But now, we sleep."

"Want to watch a movie until we fall asleep?" I asked.

"Sure. Something funny." She said and I nodded. I found something that was relatively funny and put it on. Clary and I snuggled in my bed and I turned out the light and I let the exhaustion from the day take me into dreamland. Thankfully my dreams were filled with all the possibilities that came with taking things to the next level with Clary, and I couldn't wait to see how they turned out.

 **Time Jump – Idris vs. Alicante Football Game**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I have been getting pretty close since our first date. It was weird not being able to be with her like a normal girl that I had feelings for, but I understood that her important mission was priority number one, and I respected that.

Today was the rivalry game against Idris, and Clary locked herself in the closet. She didn't want to come out. She was nervous as all hell to play today, and I didn't blame her, but this was what she came here for, and I wasn't letting her chicken out now. Everyone has tried to get her out of the closet, but nobody was successful. I knew one person who could – Jon. I texted him from Clary's phone asking him to meet her here before the game. When there was a knock on the door, I was relieved.

"You must be Jace." He said once I opened the door.

"And you must be Jon." I said and he nodded.

"Where is Clary?" He asked.

"Okay, I'm the one who texted you." I said. "She won't come out of the closet."

"Why not?" He asked.

"She's terrified." I said and he nodded.

"Oh Clare-Bear!" Jon called as he made his way into the room.

"Jonny?" Clary's muffled voice sounded from inside the closet.

"Come out come out wherever you are!" He said in a light and airy voice, and that caused the closet door to open.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as she stuck her head out.

"I told you I'd be here for the big game." He said.

"I meant here in my room." She clarified.

"Technically this is my room, and you're hiding in my closet." He said and Clary glared at him.

"Don't be a dick Jon." Clary said.

"Jace texted me, and I came because he wants you out of that closet." Jon explained.

"Traitor." Clary hissed at me.

"Not a traitor. A concerned quarterback who needs their kicker to win this game." I said and she sighed and came out of the closet. "That's all I wanted."

"You have nothing to be scared about Clare. You're amazing." Jon said.

"I just don't want to lose. I have a lot to prove here." Clary said.

"Look Clary, you've been amazing in practice lately. This is just a game." I tried to reassure her. "Our team is better than it's ever been, and I know for a fact Idris kinda sucks ass." I said and she laughed. "So take a few deep breaths and let's go kick some ass."

"Okay. You're right, I can totally do this." Clary said and I smiled.

"That's what I like to hear." Jon said. "Now, I'm gonna go grab my seat, see you out there Clare-Bear." Jon gave her one last hug before exiting the room. Once the door was shut, I made my way over to Clary and cupped her face with my hands.

"You can do this Clary." I said again and she nodded. I pressed my lips to her forehead, and she sighed.

"Let's go. Everyone is going to be wondering where I am." Clary said and I nodded in agreement. This game was ours. I knew it.

 **Jon POV:**

After I took my seat and both teams took the field I focused my eyes on Clary. It was weird to see her as a boy, but I was super proud of her for sticking with it these past two weeks, and making it this far. I knew Idris was going to get their asses handed to them, and I couldn't wait to see how Idris took the news of Clary being the kicker.

The game started, and I took a deep breath for Clary. I knew she had it in her, but sometimes she doubts herself even when she has no need to doubt. As much as I wanted them to win today, I was going to be proud of her no matter what. She accomplished a lot in the last two weeks, and I couldn't be any prouder of her.

 **Time Jump – After the Game**

 **Clary POV:**

WE WON! We fucking won, and I've never felt so accomplished in my life. All of the hardships and the uncertainty that I've felt these past two weeks was completely worth it, and I can't believe that we fucking won. Well I can, Idris did kinda suck, and their kicker was absolute trash.

We were going through the line and congratulating the other team on a good game even though it wasn't exactly a good game. When I got to the end, Coach Wayland stopped me and pulled me out of the line.

"You have quite the foot on you kid." He said. "What can I do to get you to come over to Idris and help us out?" He asked and I laughed.

"I'm not available." I said.

"Come on, there has to be something you want." He said. "Free tuition, a private room, hell I'll throw in an easy course load but get you college credits." He said and the fact that he is that powerful in that school is alarming.

"Like I said Coach Wayland, I'm not available." I said as I removed my helmet. "Plus, you missed your chance."

"Huh?" He asked thoroughly confused.

"You denied me the chance to try out for the team at Idris." I said as I removed my wig, and his jaw hit the turf. "I told you that you were going to regret your decision."

"Hey!" Wayland called out to the ref. "They cheated! They cheated!" He kept chanting as the refs and both sides came running over to us. "She's a girl! There are no girls in this league!"

"What's going on?" Coach asked.

"She a girl. There are no girls in this league." Wayland shouted again.

"Where the hell does it say that?" Coach asked.

"Right here." He pulled out the rule book and handed it to him.

"This says that any eligible athlete can try out. Is she not an eligible athlete?" Coach asked, and Wayland didn't have a come back.

"Don't worry Coach Wayland, I forgive you." I said and his eyes glazed over with anger before he stalked off. "Oh that was fun." I said as I turned back to the team who looked confused. "I guess I should explain." I said and everyone nodded. "I wanted to be a kicker but Coach Wayland wouldn't let me on the team because I'm a girl. And my twin brother just got kicked out of Idris and was starting here. He wanted to go to New York to pursue his dream of acting so we decided that I would pretend to be him while he was in New York so I could show Wayland why he shouldn't discriminate based on gender."

"Okay." Coach said.

"You aren't mad?" I asked.

"You're the best kicker we've ever had." Coach said. "I don't care if you're a girl, I want you to continue your education here and continue to help us win."

"I would really love that." I said and he smiled.

"I'll talk to the principal and get everything ready for your transfer." He said before walking off the field. The rest of the guys also started meandering off and I took a deep breath.

"Well you did it." I heard Jace say and I couldn't help but smile.

"And I'll be going to school here now." I said and he got a smirk on his face.

"You know what that means?" He asked and I shook my head as I bit my lip. "It means I can do this whenever I want now." He said before his lips pressed against mine. I couldn't stop the smile that formed on my lips as he continued to kiss me. When we broke apart he had a smile that matched mine.

"I could get used to that." I said and he smirked as he was about to kiss me again when we were interrupted.

"What the hell!" We turned around to see Jon standing there. "How long as this been going on for?"

"Since I told him about my secret." I admitted. Jon might seem scary, but he really isn't.

"It's about time!" We heard another voice, this time from Izzy. "I could just feel the sexual tension whenever we were in the room with you two."

"Please don't talk about my baby sister that way." Jon groaned.

"You're 2 minutes older Jon, I'm hardly a baby." I said.

"You're still my sister." He said.

"But I'm old enough to make my own decisions." I said. "Which include, who I date."

"Ugh." Jon groaned but I made my way over to him and wrapped my arm around him.

"Look on the bright side Jonny, we'll be at the same school again, which means you can keep being a protective big brother." I said and he smiled.

"You're actually going to transfer?" He asked.

"Hell yea. I get to play football here, and I get to continue going to school with you." I said.

"And Jace." He added.

"He's an added bonus." I said and Jon smiled.

"Can't wait." Jon said and pressed his lips to my head. "And you better not hurt her." Jon said towards Jace.

"I wouldn't dream of it man." Jace said and I made my way over to him.

"You have to be my roommate! I can't stand mine!" Izzy cheered and I laughed.

"I would love that." I said and just like that everything seemed to fall into place. We were all walking back to the building casually chatting when Jon looked over and smile at me. "What Jon?" I asked.

"You're the man." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"She _is_ the Man." Jace agreed. I couldn't wait to continue proving people wrong and kicking major ass.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so 'She's the Man' is like my go to movie when I'm bored, sad, or just need a really great laugh! I wanted to write a Clace version of this story because I always wonder what it would be like if Viola (main character in the movie) told Duke (main dude in the story) if she was a girl, and how it would be different, and I really like the outcome! If you've never seen the movie, I highly recommend it. It's hilarious, and it has Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum, what more could you ask for? Anyway, let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own 'She's the Man' but I used it as inspiration for this story! :) I also don't own 'I'm a dude, I'm a hunky dude, I'm a badass hunky dude' that's from the movie!**


	129. Chapter 128 - Bachelor In Paradise

**One Hundred and Twenty Eight Story:**

 **Bachelor In Paradise**

 **Clary POV:**

After I was sent home on The Bachelor, I was pretty devastated. I went on there looking for love, and to get sent home after the hometown visits was something I didn't expect. I truly thought Derek was falling in love with me because I was falling in love with him, but evidently he had much deeper feelings for the other two women.

I couldn't be mad at him for going with his heart. He felt a stronger connection with the other two, and in the end, I had to respect his choice. When I saw that him and JJ (the girl he picked) got married shortly after their engagement I was truly happy for the pair. They found their happiness, and I hope one day I can find mine.

When Magnus told me that a new series was being picked up called 'Bachelor In Paradise' which featured contestants from both The Bachelor, and The Bachelorette I immediately wanted to do it. I haven't been lucky in love, and I came on The Bachelor because I needed something different, and when that didn't work out, and this opportunity came around, I had to do it. I was going to find love, one way or another.

"Welcome to Paradise Clary." Magnus said once I reached him. "Are you excited?" He asked.

"Extremely excited." I said with a bright smile.

"Okay, well you're the last woman to enter Paradise this week, and it's ladies choice this week." He said and I nodded. "Here's a date card. You can choose any of the guys you want to go on a date with." He said and I nodded again. "Good luck." He said and I smiled before entering Paradise. It started two days ago, and I couldn't wait to see who else was here, and what I was in for. I hope there was love here for me, and I hope that during the course of this journey I had a blast.

 **Jace POV:**

I've been in Paradise for the past 2 days, and I had to admit, there wasn't a girl here that I had an immediate attraction to. They were all semi-nice, some were crazy, but I knew there were going to be a few crazies when I signed up for this.

It was a pretty chill day in Paradise thus far, and I was anxiously waiting for someone to come down those stairs who was different. Someone I could get to know on that personal and intimate level. I wanted that. I wanted to find love here.

I was at the bar talking to Alec about anything really. Just needed to pass some time when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Of course I couldn't really see who it was, but I was pretty excited that another woman was coming in. Some of the girls started going to crazy with whoever came in. I turned around on the stool and I caught a glimpse of bright red hair.

"Oh shit." I murmured to myself.

"What?" Alec asked.

"I think that's Clary." I said. "From Derek's season."

"Is that a good thing for you?" Alec asked and I smiled.

"Yea. That was the first season that I got into. It was actually the reason I sighed up, but I never understood why he sent her home. She seemed like the whole package." I admitted.

"Well, looks like you get to find out." Alec said as he wiped up the bar. Clary was greeting and hugging people as she walked over to the bar and took a seat next to me.

"Hey." She said with the most beautiful smile.

"Hey. Welcome to Paradise." I said and she smiled.

"What will it be?" Alec asked her.

"Ohhh, how about a piña colada?" Clary asked with a smile.

"Coming right up." Alec said.

"So, how has Paradise been so far?" Clary asked me.

"Pretty good." I said. "I needed a good long vacation." I said and she laughed.

"Me too." She agreed. "When I was asked to join the show I said yes immediately." Alec came back over with her drink. "Well I'm going to go mingle and see who I am going to give this date card too. See you around….?"

"Jace." I said and she smiled.

"I'll see you late Jace." She said as she walked over to where Sebastian and Jordan were standing. I'm not going to lie, I wish she stuck around longer, but hopefully she made her way back to me, and we had the chance to have a real conversation.

 **Time Jump – An Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I had talked to all the guys except Jace. But I felt like I already knew Jace. Just speaking to him for those couple minutes while my drink was being made was so much more natural than any of the conversations I had with any of those other guys that were here. Some I could tell weren't interested, and some I wasn't interested in. so I was hoping that I could get to know him a little better.

He was sitting in one of the cabanas having a drink and reading. I couldn't get the smile off my face. Most of the guys chose to workout, or have a few too many drinks, but Jace was simply reading a book. Granted he didn't really need to work out. His body was perfect, but just seeing that he had a literary side to him was refreshing from some of the meathead guys that were here.

"Hey there." I said when I got close. He looked up and smiled as he removed his sunglasses.

"Hey." He smiled.

"Mind if I join?" I asked.

"Not at all." He said. He moved over a little, put his book down and turned towards me. "What's up?"

"I'm just getting done talking to all the guys, and I haven't really talked to you yet." I said.

"I'm offended. You saved the best for last didn't you?" He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, and I'm glad I did." I laughed. "Some of those conversations were a real drag."

"Yea. Some of these dudes are a little full of themselves." He smiled.

"Or full of nothing at all." I suggested and he laughed. "I'm serious. Talking to Henry was like talking to a toddler. He barely said two words."

"Ah Henry." He said. "He was on my season. He's a good guy, but just not all there sometimes."

"Which season was that?" I asked curiously.

"Caroline's season." He said.

"I missed that season." I said. That was a dark year for me after my season, and I kinda just shut down. "How far did you get?" I asked.

"Final 2. She ended up picking the other guy." He said and I nodded.

"Yea, I made it to the final 3 and got sent home." I said and he nodded. "It sucks."

"Yea, but I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"So am I." I said. "So, after talking to all the guys here, I was wondering if you'd like to go on the date with me." I asked.

"I'd love too." He said and I couldn't help but smile. I couldn't stop the smiles that spread across my face. Our conversation was just so natural, and I couldn't wait for this date.

 **Izzy POV:**

Paradise was so different than The Bachelor. I was thankful that every girl wasn't going for the same guy. And I was glad all the guys weren't the same. It made things a little more interesting, although I haven't found a guy here that I've warmed up to yet.

After Clary and Jace left for their date, I was just hanging out at the bar with my brother. It was crazy that he was the bartender for this show, but dating the host does have its perks I guess.

"Chin up sis." Alec said. "You'll find someone."

"I just haven't been vibing with any guys here yet." I admitted. "I thought there might me one guy who stood out, but nobody really does."

"Sometimes it's the oddballs that stick out the most." Alec said. "Or someone the complete opposite of you. Look and Magnus and I. we're completely different but that's what makes us work."

"I know, but some of these guys are just straight up tools." I said and he laughed.

"Tell me about it. Do me a favor and stay far away from Sebastian. That guy gives me the creeps." Alec said and I laughed.

"Don't worry big bro, he gives me the creeps too." I said and we both laughed. It was nice having him around the give me advice on things. We were alone for a little until Simon joined us.

"What can I get you?" Alec asked.

"Some water." Simon said.

"Come on Simon, we're in Paradise, don't you want to live a little? Let loose?" I asked as Alec got him a cup of water.

"I don't drink." He said.

"Why not?" I asked curiously.

"My mom is a recovering alcoholic." He said. "And my older sister is trying to become a recovering alcoholic, and I never became a alcoholic, but I would have been if I didn't get my shit together." He explained. "We just all don't want to be an alcoholic family. We were in a dark place for a long time because of it, and it's just not worth it in the long run." He said as he picked up his drink. "Thank you for the water." He said and walked away.

"I think that's the most I've heard the guy talk." Alec said.

"Me too." I admitted. "But I have to say, I didn't expect that."

"But it's cool that he's not conforming to his surroundings." Alec said. "It would be so easy for him to slip into bad habits."

"It takes strength." I said and I looked behind me to see Simon take a seat in a cabana. Talking to Simon and learning something about his past made me interested in learning more. Maybe Alec was right, maybe I needed to get out of my comfort zone to truly find the happiness I want.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Things were going well in Paradise so far. I had an amazing time with Jace on our date, and we've been getting closer ever since. I was really optimistic about what was going to happen in Paradise this summer. I had a good feeling, and I always went with my gut.

Tonight was the night of the Rose Ceremony. It was going to be the end of the line for two guys here, but I knew who I was giving my rose too, and I was hoping that I got to give it to him for the rest of our journey here.

All the girls had just finished getting dressed when Magnus told us the Ceremony was about to start. We made our way down to where it was going to be held. I took a seat next to Jace and just waited for the show to start.

"Now as you know, after tonight, two of you gentleman will be going home." Magnus said and everyone nodded. "Ladies, if you'll join me up here." He said and all us girls made our way to the front. "Let's start with you Charlotte." She took a step down, picked up a rose and turned towards the guys.

"Henry, will you accept my rose?" She said and Henry happily got up and took it.

"Isabelle?" Magnus asked. Izzy got down and grabbed a rose.

"Simon, will you accept my rose?" She asked, and Simon got up and nodded enthusiastically.

"Clarissa." Magnus said and I got up and grabbed my rose.

"Jace." I said and Jace smiled and made his way over to me. "Will you accept my rose?" I asked.

"Always." He said and I pinned it on him.

"Tessa." Magnus said.

"Jordan." She said. "Will you accept my rose?" She asked and Jordan happily accepted. I don't think they were romantically interested in each other, but they were friends.

"Lydia." Magnus said and this was the last one of the night.

"Sebastian." Lydia said, and I had to admit, that surprised me. "Will you accept my rose?" He strutted up like he was hot shit and smirked at her. I have no idea why she saved him, but I wouldn't have done it.

"Alright gentlemen, if you didn't get a rose, I'm afraid this ends your time in Paradise." Magnus said. The two lone fellas, got up, said their goodbyes, and left. "Tomorrow is another day everyone, who knows who will come down those stairs." He said and than he left.

Everyone made their way to their rooms, and called it a night. I had no idea how the dynamic was going to change once new people showed up, but I was pretty secure in how Jace and I were progressing, so I wasn't worried about the potential girls that could come into Paradise.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Jace POV:**

Everything was super chill today. It was rather hot, so we were all chillin in the pool. We heard the familiar sound of shoes hitting the placement on the stairs, and we were all curious about who was coming into Paradise.

All of our attention shifted towards the stairs when we saw we heard the shoes again. When we looked up, there wasn't just one girl walking down those steps, but two. I only recognized the one though. Seelie was on Derek's season with Clary, but I didn't recognize the other one.

"Oh my god! Seelie!" Izzy yelled as she got out of the pool to greet her. "And Emma!"

"What season was Emma on?" I whispered to Clary.

"She was on Mason's season with Lydia." She said and I nodded. "Did you watch that one?"

"I don't believe so. Was it after your season?" I asked.

"No. Mason was The Bachelor the season before Derek." She said.

"Yea. I got into the show your season." I said and she nodded.

"What's up everyone!" Seelie said once everyone was done greeting her. "Can I get my gal pals to come gossip with me for a little?" She asked. All the girls nodded, and Clary went up to the 'living' room with them all.

"She's hot." Sebastian said once they were out of earshot.

"Maybe you can give your rose to her." Jordan laughed and so did Sebastian. I hated the arrogance that he just radiated. He thought he was on a pedestal but he just wasn't.

 **Clary POV:**

I was happy to see Seelie again. She was a sweet girl (who beat me to final two during our season) but I had absolutely no ill will towards her. She was great, and I was glad she was here to find love like the rest of us.

"Hey ladies. It's great to see some of you again." She said. "Especially you my little pumpkin." She pulled me into a hug, and I laughed.

"Enough of that nickname would ya?" I said and he just laughed.

"So, give us the low down on what's been happening in Paradise thus far?" Seelie asked enthusiastically. "Who is all coupled up?"

"Charlotte and Henry have been pretty much a thing since Paradise started." Izzy explained, which caused Charlotte to blush. "Clary and Jace have been together since their date."

"Oh, Mr. Blonde Bombshell?" She asked and I simply nodded with the biggest smile on my face. "Girl, hide him away so nobody else can sink his claws into him. He is a _fine_ specimen." She laughed and I pushed her lightly.

"Clary has nothing to worry about." Izzy chimed in. "Jace is hooked."

"So a date with him is off limits?" She teases and I just nod my head. "Damn, well it's a good thing there are other hotties here."

"Everyone else is pretty much available." Tessa added.

"Good to know." Seelie said. "Well, might as well go mingle with the singles." She said and we all laughed. "Come on Emma, we have some interviews to conduct." She said as she linked arms with her and lead her away from the group.

"I forgot how intense she could be." Izzy said once they were gone.

"She wouldn't be Seelie is she wasn't intense." I pointed out and she nodded in agreement. I felt really good that she was in no way going to ask Jace out on this date. I felt comfortable knowing that the new people who were going to come in were going to be told that both Jace and I were off limits, and it felt nice knowing that we were safe.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

So after Seelie and Emma left for their dates (they ended up asking Jordan and Sebastian on the dates) everything went back to the nice and relaxed vibes that it's been. Thankfully though we didn't have to hear Sebastian constant self-admiration. I mean, it's good the guy loves himself, but we don't need to hear about it every 5 seconds.

The familiar sounds of the footsteps brought us out of our comfortable ambiance and got our attention. We waited to see who was going to be coming in next. When I saw that it was a male, I was curious as to who it was going to be. But when his face was revealed, I didn't recognize him.

"Do you know him?" I asked Jace curiously.

"Yea. That's Julian, he was on my season." He said and I nodded.

"How far did he make it?" I asked.

"He had to leave week five for personal reasons." He said. "Which was a shame because I think Caroline would have kept him until the end."

"That sucks." I said and Jace just nodded in agreement.

"Jace, buddy." Julian said as he entered. Jace got up and embraced him.

"It's good to see you buddy." Jace said. "It's been awhile."

"It certainly has." Julian said. "Mind if I join?" He asked.

"Not at all." Jace offered part of our cabana. "This is Clary."

"Nice to meet you Clary. I'm Julian." He introduced himself.

"You as well Julian." I said.

"So, tell me what's been going on?" He asked trying to get the low down on Paradise this far.

"Well, so far there are only two confirmed couples here in Paradise." Jace said. "Clary and I, and than Charlotte and Henry."

"Congrats." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Every other girl is pretty open." Jace said and he nodded. "Go get a drink man, and relax."

"Good to see you again Jace, and lovely meeting you." Julian said before leaving.

"Man, there is just something so hot about a guy with an accent." I said and Jace laughed.

"Is that why you find me so attractive?" He asked and I bit my lower lip, which I knew drove him insane.

"Maybe." I said with a smirk.

"Any other reason?" He asked seductively.

"Many." I said and he got closer.

"Such as?" He asked.

"The muscles, the golden eyes, the way you look in glasses, your tattoos, your smile, your laugh, your kindness, your intelligence." I listed. "Need I go on?" I asked and he laughed.

"No." He smiled. "I just want to kiss you."

"Than what are you waiting for?" I asked and before I knew it his lips were on mine. I could get used to this.

 **Izzy POV:**

I was watching Clary and Jace talk, and than make out, and I couldn't help but want the connection they have. It was so effortless, and I've had so many bad relationships in the past that I deserve an effortless love at this point. Paradise wasn't what I was expecting, and I was starting to doubt if there was even love out there for me.

The new guy was making his way over to the bar, and I was excited that there was someone new in Paradise. Sometimes the company got stale and when the new people came in, there was fresh conversation, and I was in the need for that right now.

"Hey, can I get a vodka soda?" He asked Alec. He nodded and got to making his drink. "Hey, I'm Julian."

"Isabelle, but I prefer to be called Izzy." I said and he took a seat.

"Good to know." He smiled. "So, how has Paradise been for you?" He asked politely.

"It's been okay." I said honestly. "I haven't really met that one guy who I'm really invested in yet, but I'm hopeful."

"That's always good." He smiled as Alec brought his drink back. I was about to ask another question when the sound of Sebastian coming back echoing across the whole beach. I was going to miss the quiet. I turned back to ask Julian my question but I saw that he was focused on something, or should I say someone, else. His gaze was fixated on Emma. He was drinking her in as she made her way over to the bar. I turned around and started swirling the ice in my drink. Julian clearly had is sight set on someone else now, and I wasn't going to get in the way.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Izzy POV:**

Everyone was hanging around the campfire today, but I noticed that Simon wasn't with us. Confused, I got up and went to go look for him. I didn't know where he would be, so I was kinda walking around aimlessly until I got to the last room in our Paradise Suit. Simon was sitting on his bed reading a letter. He seemed upset, so I went and sat next to him.

"Everything okay?" I asked and he looked up.

"Magnus gave me this letter earlier today." He said as he nervously fidgeted with the piece of paper in his hand.

"I wasn't aware we were allowed to receive mail." I said slightly confused.

"We aren't, but apparently the network said this one was important, so they allowed it." He said.

"If it's not too personal, what's the letter about?" I asked.

"My sister fell off the wagon again." He said, and I knew that had to be tough to hear. "And she took my mom with her."

"Oh my god." I said. I can't imagine a recovering alcoholic falling off the wagon after years of sobriety.

"It just sucks that I wasn't around to prevent it." He said.

"Hold up." I stopped him right there. "Don't play this game. There is never a winner."

"What game?" He asked.

"The blame game." I said.

"There is always a winner." Simon said. "The one who fucked it up in the first place."

"Not when you're only blaming people." I told him.

"I don't know what that means." He said honestly.

"You blame your sister, you blame your mom, you blame yourself." I explained. "But you should blame alcohol, your should blame the actions, you should blame the addiction. Your sister is an addict, and she fell. Unfortunately your mom caved to that desire yet again as well. Don't blame them, blame the addiction."

"I guess I never thought it if that way before." Simon said.

"Most people don't." I pointed out.

"And how come you do?" He asked.

"It's kinda my job." I said.

"I guess I really don't know much about you." He laughed a little.

"Why don't we change that?" I suggested.

"I'd like that." He smiled.

"Okay, so my name is Isabelle, but I like to be called Izzy better." I started. "I grew up in a small town in Maine, but I went to school in New York City, loved it so much that I moved there after I graduated. I studied psychology in school because I always wanted to be counselor for at risk youth."

"That's awesome." He said and I smiled.

"I love it, and I can't wait to get back to work after this is over, but I'm tired of living the single life, and I want to settle down. I'm 27, so I'm not old, but I would like to start that adventure in life." I explained.

"I completely understand." He said.

"So, what about you?" I asked.

"Well, I'm Simon, but you already knew that." He said and I laughed. "I grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia. As of now, I still currently live there, but it's always been my dream to live out in California, but I never wanted to move because I wanted to take care of my family." He explained. "I just turned 30, and I'm a high school math teacher."

"That sounds horrible." I laughed. "Being a math teacher that is."

"I actually really love it." He smiled. "It's the most rewarding job I've ever had."

"At least you're passionate about it." I said and he nodded.

The rest of the night we just kept a casual conversation going. Simon was really easy to talk to, and I enjoyed his company and getting to know him better. I liked building this friendship. Simon might not be the usual type of man that I go for, but maybe that's my problem. Maybe I need to change what I want, and I'll be lucky, and maybe that change started with Simon.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

The boys were all playing flag football on the beach while the girls chilled out in the pool. Everyone was just having a great time when the heels started clicking. We looked towards the stairs when two more girls walked in. I recognized both of them immediately – Maia and Jessamine – they were both from Mason's season.

"Hey ladies." Maia said as she made her way to the pool. I got out and greeted Maia – who was a fan favorite from Mason's season – and the rest of the girls followed. They joined us by the pool for a little before they decided to go chat with the boys, who were making their way up from their football game.

I watched as they walked down the beach and Jessamine made a beeline for Jace. I would be lying if I said that didn't make me a little jealous, but I trusted Jace, and I felt confident in the building relationship that we had going for us, and I saw a future for us outside of Paradise, and I hope that he did as well.

 **Time Jump – An Hour Later**

 **Clary POV:**

We were all sitting under the biggest bungalow on the beach when Maia and Jessamine approached. They were going to be giving out their date cards to two guys, and I was just praying that one of them wasn't Jace.

"Okay ya'll." Jessamine said in her southern accent. "I had great conversations with everyone here, but there was just one person that I felt I connected with and that was Jace." She said and my body went stiff. "Would you please accept this date?" She asked.

"I'm sorry Jessamine, but I told you earlier that I was already taken, and that you should use that care on someone else." Jace said very politely.

"I guess I just had to try." She said. "The other guy that I felt like we had a good conversation and I really want to keep that going was Jordan. So, will you accept this date?"

"Sure. Sounds fun!" Jordan accepted happily. Jace was rubbing reassuring circles on my lower back and that just solidified that I knew we had something special going on.

"And I had equally great conversations, but I really want to get to know you better Simon, so will you accept my date?" Maia asked Simon.

"Sounds fun." Simon said with a smile on his face. I might be wrong, but I swore I saw disappointment flash across Izzy's face. I didn't know she and Simon were that close, but she immediately put her wall back up.

The group dispersed, and Jace picked me up in his arms and made our way to a more private cabana, and I couldn't help but smile. I was totally falling in love with the man, and I couldn't wait to see what the future held.

 **Izzy POV:**

The day dragged on and I spent the majority of it in my room. I didn't realize how much I actually liked Simon until he accepted a date with another girl. Of course he was at liberty to go on a date with whatever girl asked him, but it just put my feelings into perspective.

Simon was different than other guys, and he made my laugh, and smile. Rare things for men to do, and yet he did them so effortlessly. And there that word is. _Effortlessly._ Seemed to be the word that was haunting my love life. Nothing seemed to go right for me, why should Paradise be any different.

"Knock, knock." I heard from outside my door and a moment later, Simon walked in. "Hey." He smiled.

"Hey. How was your date?" I asked trying to sound happy for him.

"It was fun, but I felt like I was hanging out with one of my friends rather than this potential girlfriend." He explained and I simply nodded since I didn't know how to reply. "What I'm trying to say and failing at apparently, is that the entire date, I was thinking about you Isabelle." He said and my eyes widened slightly.

"Really?" I asked slightly astonished.

"Yes, really." He laughed. "You're gorgeous Isabelle, and you're funny, and smart, and such a good time. I always enjoy our conversations, and your company." He explained. "I want to see where this could go, if you want that as well." He didn't have to say another way to say what I wanted, so I leaned up and pressed my lips to his. His hands made their way to my head as he smiled into the kiss. This was something I could definitely get used to doing.

 **Time Jump – Rose Ceremony**

 **Clary POV:**

The ceremony tonight was going to be interesting. After Maia and Jessamine showed up, only one more guy came – Bat. He was really chill, and seemed like a good time, but that meant there were only 7 roses, for 9 girls. I had no idea who was going to go home, but I was curious to see what was going to happen.

"Welcome to this weeks Rose Ceremony everyone." Magnus said. "As you know, the boys are up tonight, which means two of you ladies, are going home." He explained and we nodded. "Let's begin with Henry." He made his way up and grabbed a rose.

"Charlotte." He smiled. "Will you accept this rose?" He asked and Charlotte made his way to him and gladly accepted the rose.

"Jordan." Magnus called.

"Maia." He smiled. "Will you accept this rose?" He asked and Maia gladly accepted his. Although, I looked over at Bat, and he seemed perplexed. He expressed interest in her as well, so this should be interesting.

"Julian." Magnus called. He walked over and grabbed his rose.

"Emma. Will you please accept my rose?" Julian beamed and she made her way over to him with a skip in her step. She gladly accepted the rose, and gave him a sweet kiss before returning to us.

"Sebastian." Magnus called and he continued to strut up to him.

"Jessamine. Will you accept my rose?" He smiled and she walked up with smile plastered on her face. They seemed to be the exact person just different genders, so I guess them having a connection was predestined.

"Simon." Magnus said. Simon made his way up and grabbed the rose.

"Isabelle. Will you accept my rose?" He said sweetly, and I could just see the light radiating off of her as he called her name. She made her up to him, and had the most ridiculous smile on his face.

"Jace." Magnus said next and he winked at me before grabbing the rose.

"Clary." He said. "Will you accept my rose?" He asked and I made my way over to him and cheerfully accepted.

"And last but not least, Bat." Magnus said. He got up there, grabbed the rose and looked at the three left – Tessa, Seelie, and Lydia.

"Tessa, will you accept my rose?" Bat said and she smiled brightly, and made her way over to him. She took the rose, and made her way back to us.

"Seelie, Lydia, I'm sorry but this ends your time in Paradise." Magnus said. They gave everyone a hug before collecting their things and leaving. It was bitter sweet to say goodbye, but I had Jace, and Paradise was giving me everything I hoped for and more.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was falling in love, and it was the most amazing feeling in the world. Everything about Clary was something I wanted in a partner in life, and knowing that I found her, made me want to never let her go.

It was a rainy day, so everyone was taking a little shelter, but Clary and I were in our reserved cabana. We had a blanket over us, and we watched the rainfall and the waves crash on the beach. I was in pure bliss, and I couldn't ask for anything better.

"I've been thinking." Clary said out of the blue, and in my experience, that's never a good thing. "When Paradise ends, what's going to happen?" She asked, and my heart rate slowed down a little.

"As for as I'm concerned, I plan on continuing Paradise with you." I said and she smiled as she turned to face me.

"But we live in two different states." She said. "And we both have jobs, and families. What are we going to do?" She asked slightly worried.

"I guess that all depends." I said honestly. "Which one of us has the most roots in their current residential state."

"I think I do." She said. "You're a doctor. You can work in any hospital, but I can't leave the kids that I watch. I'm their care giver, and it takes the kids I work with time to warm up to the people who watch them." She said and I nodded.

"Okay, than I'll move." I said matter of factually.

"You'd move to Washington for me?" She asked surprised and I smiled.

"I don't want to be without you." I said. "There is always a need for pediatric surgeon, but you're right. Your kids reply on you, and they trust you. I don't want to break that trust."

"You're amazing you know that right?" She said and I gave her a kiss.

"I'm falling in love with you Clary." I said and I saw her eyes glaze with tears. "I've been looking for you for years, and now that I've found you, I'm never letting you go."

"I'm falling in love with you too." She said and I pressed my lips to hers. This was everything I've ever wanted in life. Moving was a no brainer to me.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Two more people entered Paradise. Kaelie – who has a rivalry with Jessamine – came in yesterday, and last night Jem came in. Paradise was getting heated – both romantically and drama wise.

The couples have increased, and all seem to be doing great. Jace and I were better than ever, especially after our conversation about what would happen after Paradise. Charlotte, and Henry were an odd couple, but sweet nonetheless. Julian and Emma clicked the moment they first spoke, and have been attached at the hip since Julian showed up. Simon and Izzy were without a doubt the most polar opposite couple, but worked so well. I was happy for my friend, and for her finally finding someone who she sees a future with.

There have also been some couples who have some issues. Jordan and Maia hit it off rather well, than Bat came in, and they are kinda caught in the middle of a love triangle. Sebastian was still his normal self, Jessamine and Kaelie were just competing against each other in everything. Tessa and Jem seemed to get along but I'm not sure if there is anything romantic there, but who knows. Anything is possible in Paradise.

So when more people showed up, I wasn't surprised. Lilith and Camille showed up this afternoon. They were twins who were completely airheaded, and conniving. They thought they deserved the world, and it bothered me to no end. When left on my season, I was so relieved. They didn't like me _at all_ and I had no idea why.

Two more men showed up as well. Will, and Mark. I haven't really had the chance to get to know them yet, seeing as Will had his eyes on Tessa, and Mark was getting to know Kaelie, although she didn't seem interested in him at all.

It was a pretty calm day when Lilith and Camille got their first date card. It was weird that they didn't come in with one, but like I said before, anything can happen in Paradise. Since they never did anything on their own, they were going out on a double date. We were all gathered in the cabana waiting for them to ask the two guys they were going to take out on the dates.

"So, we've been getting to know all of you in the time that we've been in Paradise, and there are only two men in this place that we want to take on a date, and we absolutely won't take no for an answer." Lilith said and I had to admit, she was a bit intimidating. Her presence screamed 'RESPECT ME OR I'LL BEAT YOU' and I never wanted to be on the receiving end of her anger. The moment I meet them on The Bachelor, I was intimidated by them, and it hasn't changed. "So, the two guys we want to take on the date are Simon and Jace." She said smugly.

"Sorry ladies, we're taken." Jace said, for the second time as someone tried to take him out.

"Nobody is engaged yet. Anything is possible." Lilith said as she licked her lips, probably thinking it was sexy (it wasn't).

"I don't have to be engaged to be in a committed relationship." Jace said. "I've said it before, I'm with Clary. I'm not accepting anyone's dates. No matter what."

"And I'm with Izzy." Simon said immediately after. "There are plenty of single guys here. Have a field day."

"We won't take no for an answer." Camille said through gritted teeth.

"Well, you aren't getting a yes from either of us." Jace said.

"You all are _so_ pathetic." Lilith spat. "I mean really, you go for the ginger freak and girl with a history of whoring herself out to any willing participant?" She yelled. "I thought both of you had higher standards than that."

"Watch what you say." Jace said calmly, but I knew calmly for him was dangerous. He told me he could have a bit of a temper, and when it got bad, he got calm.

"No!" Camille yelled. "We asked you two on dates, so get your sorry asses up and take us on dates god damn it!"

"We said no." Simon said. "You can't force us."

"You know what, fuck all of you!" Lilith screamed. "Fuck all of you ugly ass bitches and you little dick men! We're out of here." She said as she filled us all off, grabbed Camille by the arm, and stormed out.

"Well, that was dramatic." Emma said.

"They've always been that way." Izzy said. "It was a nightmare to be with them on Derek's season."

"You were stuck with them?" Tessa asked.

"Clary and I were." Izzy said. "They hated her than, and I guess it lives on."

"Why did they hate you?" Maia asked me.

"Derek really like me, and he was conflicted about them." I explained. "He liked Camille more than Lilith."

"Go figure." Jace said and everyone laughed.

"But as you see, they're a package deal." I said. "So when Derek expressed these feelings to them, they walked off."

"Seems to be a tradition for them." Maia said.

"They like the attention." Izzy said and I nodded in agreement. Since there was no need to keep congregating, everyone broke up into their groups/couples, and Jace and I laid in each others arms and enjoyed out day together. Paradise was almost over, and I couldn't believe that I had found something I've been looking for all my life here.

 **Time Jump – Last Rose Ceremony**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was the last Rose Ceremony of Paradise. It was crazy that our time here was over. It seemed like it came and went in the blink of an eye, but I was leaving here with the love of my life, and I couldn't wait see what happens after Paradise was over.

A lot has happened in the last couple days here. Bat ended up leaving last night because he felt his time in Paradise was over. The same thing happened with Mark. I think they both knew that they didn't make a connection, and they accepted that. I felt for Bat, since I knew he really liked Maia, but Maia was in to Jordan, and nothing stings more than the girl you like, being into another guy.

It was a nerve-wracking experience to be in the position of almost engagement. Magnus brought a jeweler in last night for all the men who were planning on proposing today, and just looking at the rings was giving me all types of feelings. I knew this is what I wanted, but actually seeing the rings was something completely different. But I found one that I think Clary is going to love, and I can't wait to get on one knee and spend the rest of my life with her.

 **Clary POV:**

I've been so nervous all day. By the end of the day I could possibly be engaged, and that was an insane thought. I knew that if Jace dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him, I would say yes without any questions. My fear was that he was going to change his mind. It wouldn't be the first time a guy led me on, and than decided he wasn't interested.

I had a feeling Jace was different, and I was just as excited as I was nervous. I was completely ready, and it was time for me to meet with Magnus. I made my way down to the meeting area, and there stood Magnus.

"Good afternoon Clary." He said.

"Hi." I simply said, but with so much joy in my voice.

"Jace is waiting down there on the beach, are you ready?" He asked.

"I'm so ready." I admitted and he smiled.

"Than head on down." Magnus gestured and I started walking.

My stomach was in so many knots, and I was shaking. I spotted Jace – looking just as amazing as always – and I couldn't contain my excitement. I started walking a little faster. When I got to him, he pulled me into a hug and I couldn't even describe how happy he made me.

"You look amazing." He said when we broke apart.

"You don't look so bad yourself." I said and he smiled as he held on tight to my hands.

"I love you Clary." He said and I couldn't help the tears that pooled in my eyes. "More than I've ever loved anyone in my life. You complete me in a way that I didn't know what possible, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for both of us." He continued. "Meeting you was the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I can't wait to spend forever with you." He said before he dropped to one knee. My hands flew over my mouth, and he pulled out a ring. "Will you marry me Clarissa Fray?" He asked.

"Yes. A hundred times yes." I said. He put the ring on my finger and than we slammed our lips together and I felt right at home. "I love you so much."

"You're everything to me." Jace said and I couldn't believe that this was real life.

After we celebrated for a little, it was time to leave Paradise. Jace and I walked along the beach hand in hand as we walked towards our future. This was going to be an amazing adventure, and I was so excited for it.

 **Time Jump – A Few Months Later – Reunion**

 **Clary POV:**

Since 'Bachelor In Paradise' was a filmed show, we had a little break before there was a reunion episode filmed. I didn't know how the other couples were doing, we were banned from posting on any social media. The only person I still kept in contact was Izzy, and I knew that her and Simon were doing amazing, and I couldn't be any prouder of them.

Jace and I got to LA where the show was being filmed, and the moment we got there we were separated. They didn't want us being seen together until we met on the stage, which I understood, but that didn't mean I liked it. I haven't had to be without Jace since we left Paradise, so being separated while in the same building was weird for me.

It was nice catching up with some of the girls that I got along really well with during Paradise, and just to hear how they've been. I never expected to meet such great friends from this experience, but I was glad that I had them in my life, and I was glad that we were all doing well.

 **Time Jump – Show Time**

 **Clary POV:**

We were all sitting in the designated chairs and Magnus was on the stage sitting down. He was calling people up one by one or two by two to talk about Paradise and what everyone's been up too.

"Next up, I would like to ask America's favorite couple from Paradise; Jace and Clary!" Magnus called and the crowed went crazy! Jace and I made our way up to the stage and took a seat on the love seat next to Magnus. "So you two, how are you doing tonight?" He asked.

"Amazing." Jace said. "It's great to reconnect with everyone."

"So, the last time we saw you two, you were walking towards the sunset hand in hand leaving Paradise as an engaged couple." He said and we both nodded. "Has that status changed?" He asked and I looked at Jace.

"That status as changed." I said and the crowed awed. "We are no longer engaged. We're married!" I cheered and the place went crazy.

"When did this happen?" Magnus beamed.

"Two months ago." Jace said. "We realized that we didn't want a long engagement, and we wanted something simple, so we got our families together, and got married. It was perfect."

"And how is married life?" Magnus asked.

"Perfect." Jace and I said at the same time, which made everyone awe.

"Any plans for the future?" Magnus asked.

"Well, we're actively trying for a family." I admitted and the whole place started clapping. "But other than that we're just living our lives in perfect bliss. I couldn't picture life without Jace."

Magnus asked us a couple more questions before we got to sit back down. He talked to all the couples that left Paradise engaged, and so far all four of us were still together. Jace and I were the only couple already married though.

It was an amazing feeling being loved and loving Jace. I couldn't thank Paradise enough for bringing us together. Our life together was amazing, and I couldn't wait to expand our family, and make even more amazing memories together. Just like 'Bachelor In Paradise' always says, anything is possible, and I couldn't agree more.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Sooooooo, long time no update, but I'm back with one now! I am a huge fan of 'Bachelor In Paradise' and I decided that I wanted to write a Clace (with a hint of Sizzy) story taking place in that environment! So, this is my go at that! I think it's a sweet story, and I hope you all enjoy it as well! Let me know what you think and leave a review! :)**

 **Disclaimer - I don't own Bachelor In Paradise! I just love the show! All rights belong to ABC! :)**


	130. Chapter 129 - Military Family

**Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so before you read this, I should warn you that I started this story with Clary and Jace as the focus, but it kinda took a different turn, and focuses on a military family in general, so kids are thrown in there and stuff, so if you're looking for a Clace centric story, this one won't fulfill your needs! I'm sorry, but I liked how it turned out so much that I didn't think it needed to be changed, but I wanted to give you all a chance to not waste your time if you weren't about a story not focused on just Clace! So with that being said, if you do read this! I hope you enjoy it! :)**

 **One Hundred and Twenty Nine Story:**

 **Military Fmaily**

 **Clary POV:**

From very early on, I knew I wanted to be in the military. There was this incredible pull that I felt to serve this country, and I wouldn't trade my experience in the army for anything.

My family was a little hesitant when I signed up. They thought it was too dangerous, but it was everything I wanted in life, and they weren't going to stand in my way of something that was my true passion, and what I really wanted to do in life. Deployments were always hard, but this was the life I wanted, and I had to sacrifice in order to accomplish that.

But the military brought me something that I never expected. I found my life long partner. Jace and I met almost 25 year ago, and I can't say it's been seamless ever since, but we fought for our relationship, and we were determined to make it work.

We've been married for a little over 20 years, and we had 4 beautiful children together. Our oldest, Aaron Christopher Eaton Herondale, Ace for short, was the perfect son. He was the exact replica of Jace, and really held the fort together when deployment crept up. Especially when Jace and I were deployed at the same time. He was almost 18 this year, and a senior in high school. It was amazing how fast time went by. I felt like just yesterday he was a little toddler running around.

Elynn Marie Herondale, was the second oldest, and she was almost 15. She was an exact replica of me, and had Jace's personality. She was a stubborn one, and had OCD to the max. She was without a doubt the biggest daddy's girl you would ever find, but I don't think Jace minds one bit.

Lara Christine Herondale, or Lala for short, was next in line. She was 13, and when it came to her looks, she was Jace, but her personality was all mine. It was actually a little scary how much she reminds my mother of me as a kid, and just all her mannerism are mine. She my mini, and I love her for it.

Last but not least is Whitley Raine Herondale just turned 8, and she was the mix of both Jace and I. Beautiful strawberry blonde hair, golden green eyes, the perfect amount of curls, and was about the sweetest little girl you'll ever meet. She had the youngest role down to a science. Whatever she wanted, Jace and Ace were both willing to get it for her no matter what.

Ace was definitely the protective big brother to his three sisters. But he got that from Jace. He was super involved in their lives, and loved spending time with them no matter what. He never minded how it made him look to his friends, because if one of his sisters needed him, he was always there for them, and I loved that bond that my kids had.

School had just started back up for them. They were about two weeks in, and it was just another milestone missed by both Jace and I. I was deployed almost 11 months ago, and Jace was deployed a month after me. We give up a lot to serve our country, and it never got easier to leave home. Especially with kids, but they all knew this was our job. They knew that we had to go, and they stayed strong, and I was the proudest mom for that.

Thankfully, when we both get deployed, Jace's brother, Alec, and his husband Magnus take the kids into their care. They live relatively close, so the kids still go to their school, and they still get to hang out with their friends. It was truly amazing to have them there to rely on, because deployment is a huge adjustment, and the fact that the kids don't have to stray from their everyday life is just one less thing to stress over.

 **Ace POV:**

Having both of my parents deployed was rough. Of course I was used to it, but that didn't make it any easier. It was definitely the hardest for Whitley, but she was only 8, and I remember feeling so lost at that age when my parents were gone, and I can totally empathize with her.

School started, and I was super stoked to be a senior. I was ready to move on to the next stage in my life, which you can probably guess is what. I plan on enlisting just like my parents. We were a military family, and I wanted to do nothing more than to serve my country. When I talked to my parents about it, they of course were hesitant, but knew this is what I wanted. They were supportive, and I couldn't wait to start my life as a member of the US Navy.

"Ah yo Ace!" I heard as I walked to my locker.

"What's up man?" I asked as he caught up to me. Lucas, more commonly known as Lucky, was my best friend. We met in 5th grade and hit it off.

"You pumped for this big game on Friday?" He asked referring to the football game.

"Of course. We're going to kick Easton's ass." I said and he nodded in agreement.

"You don't seem as enthusiastic as normal. Everything okay bro?" He asked.

"Yea man, just a lot going on." I said and he seemed to believe me.

"Okay. See you at lunch." He said before walking off. I made it to my class and took a seat in the middle. I normally didn't complain about my parents deployments to my friends. We didn't go to a school on base, so these kids really didn't understand where I was coming from.

The day dragged on, and it felt like eternity before lunch hit. I grabbed my bagged lunch and made my way to the cafeteria. My normal friends were all sitting at our normal table talking about the upcoming game, and I just couldn't get my mind off my parents, that was until I felt something hit me in the head.

"Ace, you've been out of it all day." Lucky said. "I know you said you had a lot going on, but you've been distracted my dude." He pointed out.

"Sorry, just thinking about my parents." I admitted.

"They on your ass about college too?" Jeff, a guy I couldn't really stand, laughed.

"I'm not going to college jackass." I hissed back. "I'm enlisting after high school."

"Why?" He asked in a judgmental tone.

"Because I want to serve my country." I said and he rolled his eyes.

"Stupid." He muttered, but I could still hear him.

"Seriously dude, everything okay?" Lucky asked again.

"It's been a couple days since I talked to my parents. I guess I just get worried when they don't call." I admitted.

"Are you sure you're not the parent?" Jeff remarks. "Cause you sound like a mother right now. A mother angry their child missed curfew." He laughed.

"Both of my parents are currently deployed you douchebag." I hissed back at him. "I'm sorry that I like to know they're alive, and haven't been blown up by an IED." That seemed to make the whole table shut up. "My parents riding my ass about college is the least of my worries, when I don't even know if they're coming home this time. So sorry that I don't find your comments funny." I grabby my books and stormed away from the table.

I needed to be away from the idiocy, so I went to the one room where I could calm down. The music room. I went straight for the piano and just started playing. I liked to keep this to myself most of the time, not that I was ashamed that I could play but because it was just so personal to me. It was something my dad and I shared, and I wanted to keep that between us.

"Wow." I heard from behind me, and when I turned around, there stood a girl I've never seen before. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you stop playing, I just – you're amazing."

"Thank you." I said and she started walking into the classroom.

"I'm Ella by the way." She said.

"Ace." I said.

"Really? Your parents named you Ace?" She asked and I laughed.

"No. My first name is Aaron actually." I said.

"How do you get Ace from Aaron?" She asked.

"My first and middle names initials are ACE, and when I was little, my dad called me Ace as a nickname, and it just stuck." I explained.

"You have two middle names?" She asked.

"Yea. My mom was dead set on me and my dad sharing the same middle name, but my dad wanted another one, and they are both incredibly stubborn, so they just gave me both." I said and she laughed.

"Yea, my first name is Gabriella, but I absolutely hate that name, and I hate the nickname Gabby even more, so I went with Ella." She explained and I nodded.

"I like it." I said and she smiled. "Are you new here?" I asked.

"Yea. I just moved here after my dad was stationed here." She said.

"You're an army brat?" I asked.

"And very proud." She said.

"So am I." I said. "Both of my parents are actually deployed right now."

"Wow. They're both in the military?" She asked.

"Yea. That's how they met actually." I said.

"That's actually really sweet, but it sucks they're both gone." She said.

"Yea, it's tough on me and my siblings, but we manage." I said.

"How many siblings do you have?" She asked.

"I have three younger sisters." I said.

"Wow. Girl power." She said and I laughed.

"Tell me about it." I smiled. "What about you?" I asked.

"An older brother, and a younger sister." She said. "My older brother is actually in the Air Force."

"I plan on enlisting as well." I said. "But I want to go into the Navy."

"You'd enlist, even after knowing what it feels like to be left behind by your parents?" She asked, and I was actually really surprised by her question.

"There isn't anything more I want than to serve my country." I told her. "I've never felt abandoned by my parents when they leave. I've always been proud of them, and the career path they chose to pursue." I explained. "And I know that one day I'll find a girl who will understand that serving my country is something I want to do more than anything and she'll be as supportive as both my parents are of each other, and how supportive my siblings and I are of them."

"Wow." She said. "I guess I've never thought about it that way."

"It sucks, don't get me wrong, and I know my sisters miss them like crazy, especially the youngest one, but we get through each day." I told her and she nodded. "They've missed milestones, but that's what happens in a military family."

"I didn't mean to offend you." She said, and I guess my tone was a little sharper than I anticipated.

"I'm not offended." I told her in a much more reassuring tone. "It's just, I don't think I've ever met someone who thought their parent had abandoned them when they get deployed."

"I guess military kids normally don't feel that way, but when he's deployed for 2 years straight, I can't help but feel it you know?" She asked.

"My parents have never been deployed for longer than 10 months." I admitted. "So, I have never had to go that long without them."

"You're lucky." She said.

"This deployment though is gonna be different." I said. "My mom is gone for 15 months, and my dad is gone 18 months."

"The first time my dad was deployed for longer than a year was the hardest." She said. "So don't assume it's going to be like the rest."

"Thanks for the heads up." I said. "I keep trying to tell myself that it's just like all their other deployments, but deep down I knew that was a lie."

"How long as it been?" She asked.

"My mom was deployed almost 11 months ago, and my dad was deployed 10 months ago." I told her.

"That sucks." She said and I nodded in agreement. She couldn't be more right. The bell finally rang and I stood up.

"It was nice meeting you Ella." I said.

"You as well Ace." She said and I smiled.

"See you around." I said before leaving the music room. I took a deep breath and went to my next class. Talking to Ella made me feel little better. It was nice to know that I wasn't completely alone in this school anymore.

 **Time Jump – After School**

 **Ace POV:**

I was on pick up duty, just like I always was. Thankfully Elynn was high school, so I only had to make one stop, and that was at the elementary/middle school. I parked the car and went in to sign them both out. Lala looked like she had a rough day, and Whitley looked extremely sad. We got in the car and made our way back to Uncle Alec's house.

"Ace, have you heard from mom or dad yet?" Whitley asked.

"Not yet sugar plum." I said and she sighed.

"It's been almost 5 days. What happened to them?" Elynn asked.

"Nothing happened to them. They might be super busy over there." I said trying to be optimistic for them.

"The longest they've gone without calling was 3 days Ace, I'm scared." Elynn said.

"I know you are, but we can't think like that." I said and she nodded.

We got back to the house and Uncle Alec and Uncle Magnus were sitting at the kitchen table, but something looked off. Thankfully the girls all scattered around the house, and didn't notice.

"What happened?" I asked in a hushed tone so I didn't alarm anyone.

"Nothing, but you got a letter today." He said.

"From who?" I asked.

"Your mom. I still haven't heard from your dad." Uncle Alec said.

"Okay." I said. "I'll take it." Uncle Alec handed me the note, and I made my way into the living room. "Girls, can you come here?" I called, and in a matter of seconds they were all in front of me. "We got a letter from mom." I said.

"But not dad?" Lala asked.

"Not dad." I said. "Want me to read it?" I asked and they nodded. I opened it up, and began.

 _"Dear kids,_

 _I know it's been a long time since we talked, but the power went out here, and it's taking longer than expected to fix. Don't worry, nothing has happened to us. But it's looking like the communication hub is going to be done for at least a week. The reason you haven't heard from your father either is that I was told he went on a mission. Completely top secret. He'll be of the grid for a long time. I wish I had a time line for you, but even that's classified. When I know more, you'll all know more. In the mean time, do your homework, listen to Uncle Alec, Uncle Magnus, and Ace, and kick some butt in all sporting competitions you partake in. Your dad and I love you more than anything, and I can't wait to talk to you all very soon. I hope._

 _Love you all madly,_

 _Your mom."_

I finished reading the letter and I just felt lighter. Knowing that we hadn't heard from them because of a communication blackout was something that I could handle, although dad being on a special assignment always worried me.

"Aright girls, do your homework." I said and they all smiled before running upstairs.

"Feel better?" I heard from behind me.

"Much." I admitted. "Although dad being on a special assignment worries me a little."

"Your know your father, not even Satan himself could keep him from you four." Uncle Magnus said.

"I know, but that man isn't invincible no matter what he thinks." I said and they laughed.

"Well, take a page out of your own book. Go do our homework." Uncle Alec said and I laughed, grabbed my bag, and headed towards my room. Knowing my parents were okay made everything a bit easier, but only a bit.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The communication still wasn't up so letters were the only way I could communicate with my kids. It sucked that I couldn't FaceTime them and see what they were up to, or just hear their voices. That's what happens in the middle of the desert, and that's what half my job was. Today though, I got a letter, and I couldn't wait to read it.

 _"Dear mom,_

 _Things have been pretty chill around here. Homecoming just passed, and of course I was named homecoming king. Elynn went with this guy she likes, and of course I was being the protective big brother and making sure she was okay the whole night. Lala just got cast in the school play in the spring. It's nothing huge, but she's pretty excited about it. As for Whitley, she misses you guys the most. I've caught her crying a couple times, and it breaks my heart to know I can't really do anything to sooth her. Other than that, uncle Alec and Uncle Magnus have been holding down the fort since you've been gone. We miss you both, and we love you more than anything. We can't wait to hear from you again._

 _Love,_

 _Your children."_

The tears obviously started to flow as I thought of poor little Whitley. She was my baby, and I hate that our deployment was so hard on her. I hated that it was so hard on all my kids, and I was also slightly freaking out because I had no idea where Jace was at this current moment. Sometimes the life of a soldier was horrible, but I knew my kids were in good hands, and I knew Jace would do everything in his power to come back to me and our kids. That doesn't mean it doesn't suck any less.

 **Ace POV:**

Tonight was the night of the father/daughter dance at Whitley's school, and I knew she was super upset that dad wasn't here for her. My dad and I had a conversation before he left, and he told me that I was going to be Whitley's 'dad' during this father/daughter dance at school because he didn't want her missing out of experiencing it.

Whitley doesn't know yet. I didn't want to tell her because I didn't want her to think too much into it and start getting sad that I'm not her dad, and she'll be the only one there with a brother, but that shouldn't stop Whitley from having a great time with her friends, and I sure as hell wasn't going to not let her go.

It was nearing the end of the school day and I was getting ready for my last class of the day. It was a study hall, so it was pretty chill. I could get some of my homework out of the way so that I didn't have a lot this weekend. I was focusing on my history homework when I felt a piece of paper hit me in the head. People gotta stop doing that to get my attention.

"Yes?" I questioned.

"You coming to my party tonight?" Jeff asked. "My parents are out of town for the weekend."

"Sorry. I have other obligations." I said as I tried to get back to my homework.

"Come on man, you never ditch on a party of mine." He said.

"I have more important things to do tonight than a party Jeff." I said a little annoyed.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Like Credence Elementary School's father/daughter dance with my little sister." I said.

"Why the hell would you go to that?" Jeff asked. I can't believe he is so stupid that he already forgets.

"Because my parents are deployed asshole. How many times do I need to remind you of that?" I asked. "I promised my dad that I would take my little sister so that she could still go and have a great time."

"You are such a bitch man." He said. "Do you do everything your mommy and daddy tell you to do?" He mocked and that's when I had enough. I grabbed him by his collar and shoved him up against the wall. The screech of the desk got everyone's attention.

"I'm not the bitch Jeff." I hissed. "Just because I'm doing something for my little sister that my dad would have done if he were here doesn't make me a bitch. It makes me a man." I seethed. "You're the bitch." I said before someone pulled us apart. And to my surprise, it was Ella.

"Alright, you two settle down." The teacher said. "Why don't you take a lap Mr. Herondale." He said and I rolled my eyes and walked out of the room, Ella hot on my heels.

"What was that?" She asked after we were a safe distance from the classroom.

"That was Jeff being a complete and utter tool." I said.

"What did he do?" She asked curiously.

"I'm taking my little sister to her schools father/daughter dance since our dad is deployed and he called me a bitch." I said. "So I just let him know what was up."

"He's a dick." She said and I laughed. "I have one class with him, and I feel my brain cells die every time I hear him speak." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"That's Jeff for you." I said and we made it to the music room.

"Wanna play me something?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'd like that." I said as we made our way over to the piano. Playing was always the best way to calm me down. It connected me to my dad, and just soothed all my rage. And playing it for Ella was becoming more and more special.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Ace POV:**

I was all dressed and ready for the father/daughter dance, and I couldn't wait to see Whitley's face when I surprised her. Elynn and Lala went out the other day and bought her a new dress, and some new shoes, heels (which dad wouldn't approve of) but it's a special occasion but who cares. She deserved it.

I made my way to her room and knocked on the door. Normally she just yells come in, but not today. The door slowly crept open, and when Whitley was revealed she looked utterly sad. I knew tonight meant more than she was leading on.

"What do you want Ace?" She asked, her voice cracking in the process.

"Elynn has a gift for you, and she wanted me to tell you to go to her room." I said and she simply nodded before slowly making her way to Elynn's room. She didn't even knock, she just walked right in. for a moment it was quiet, than came the scream, followed by Whitley running into me.

"You're serious?" She asked.

"Completely. Get ready, and I'll met you downstairs." I said and she kissed my cheek and ran back to Elynn's room. I made my way downstairs and waited for Whitley to be ready. I was actually pretty excited for this father/daughter dance, and after seeing how excited Whitley was, I couldn't wait to take her.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Alec POV:**

"Okay, so what's happening again?" I asked Clary.

"I just received word that Jace is done his assignment and will be heading back to base." She explained, that part I understood. "Since Jace has just spend weeks on a mission, he is getting a little R&R from the army. I was just told that I am being sent home early, since I'm not longer needed." She further explained. "So, we're coming home together, and we want to surprise the kids."

"Okay." I said. "I got it this time." She laughed. "So, Jace is only home temporarily, while you're completely done your deployment?" I asked for further clarification.

"Yea." She said. "Since I only have two months left in this deployment, they have no problem sending me home early. Jace on the other hand has 6 more months of his deployment, and they still need him here."

"At least one of you is coming home." I said. "Magnus and I love having them here, but I can tell they miss the hell out of the both of you."

"We miss them too. More than anything." Clary said and I could hear the sincerity in her voice.

"So, what's the plan for the surprise?" I asked.

"Well, Ace's Senior Night game is coming up soon. All the kids will be out on the field with him as they introduce him, and that's when Jace and I want to make our appearance." Clary said.

"Have you talked to anyone about this?" I asked curiously.

"No. I was hoping you could speak with the football coaches." Clary asked. "Just so they have a heads up."

"No problem." I said. "I'll talk to them sometime this week and get back to you."

"Thank you so much Alec." She said. "And let the kids know that communication is back and we will be on for our phone call tonight."

"Will do." I said.

"Thank you. Have a great day, and we'll talk soon." She expressed.

"Bye Clary." I said and we hung up. I was excited that they were both going to be home for a coupled days, and I was even more excited that Clary was staying home. Although I wish they were both staying, I'm glad that the kids will have a parent back.

 **Time Jump – Couple Days Later**

 **Alec POV:**

I called Ace's football coach and asked to meet with him. I needed to get him on board with the plan that Clary discussed with me. Walking through the school was strange to me, I wasn't a fan of high school, so just being back was not my favorite thing. When I got to the office, and I knocked lightly before walking in. the coach was sitting behind the desk working on something.

"Coach Starkweather?" I questioned and he looked up.

"Alec Lightwood?" He asked and I nodded. "Please, come in." He said and I took a seat in front of him.

"Thank you for meeting with me Coach Starkweather." I said.

"Please, call me Hodge." He said and I nodded.

"As you know, I'm Ace Herondale's temporary guardian while his parents are deployed." I explained. "I got a call from his mother the other night, and they are both coming home, and they want to surprise their kids."

"That's great." He explained.

"I was wondering if you'd help. Ace's mother want's to surprise him at his senior game." I explained.

"Of course." He said. "I'll make sure he'll go last, and we'll surprise the help out of him!"

"Thank you so much for helping with this. I know it'll mean a lot to the family." I said and he smiled.

"It's an honor to be apart of such a special reunion." He said. We shook hands and I made my way home. I was excited to see this play out, and excited to get my brother back.

 **Time Jump – Senior Night Game**

 **Ace POV:**

Tonight was a bittersweet night. I wish my parents were here to celebrate with me, but I was happy to be celebrating with my sisters.

We had warmed up, and now standing in line to be introduced and recognized for being seniors. Elynn, Lala, and Whitley were all standing next to me, and we inched our way up as kid and kid was called.

It was a long senior night considering a lot of the football team were seniors, so I'm no surprised that it was taking long, but I really just wanted to play the game. I was holding onto Whitley's hand as we finally made it to the front of the line.

"And last but not least, we have our team captain, the one and only ACE HERONDALE!" The announcer cheered and the place went crazy. I was glad that so many of my classmates and the town were so supportive. "Aaron Herondale, more commonly known as Ace is the quarterback of this team. He is being escorted by his three sisters, Elynn, Lara, and Whitley." The announcer started to say as we made our way to the center of the field. "After high school Ace plans on enlisting in the US Navy, following in in parents footsteps to serve this great country." He said and the place started going even crazier. "Hey now folks, just wait a minute!" The announcer said with a laugh. "Ace's parents are both currently deployed in the Middle East." He announced and I took a deep breath. "But tonight, back with their family for the first time in over a year, please welcome home Clary and Jace Herondale!" He shouted and I froze. The whole place went crazy, and I started looking around for my parents. We turned around, there they were, walking towards us. The girls went running and tackled my mom, but my dad kept coming towards me. I stood at attention and when he came over, I saluted him, and he saluted me back before pulling me into a bone-crushing hug.

"I am so proud of you son." He whispered in my ear and I just felt a flood of emotions wash over me, and I hugged him back as hard as I possibly could. When we finally broke apart, my sisters came running towards him and tackled him. I made my way over to my mom and scooped her into my arms.

"It's so good to see you baby boy." She whispered into my ear and I couldn't help but smile.

"I can't believe you're here. Both of you." I said and she laughed.

"And I can't wait to watch you kick ass on the field tonight." She said and I smiled.

"I love you." I said to her. "Both of you." I looked at my dad.

"We love you too son." My dad said. "All of you, and we can't wait to spend the next week together as a family." I wanted to ask what he meant, but I didn't have the time.

"Okay, we should get off the field so you can play." My mom said. "We'll see you after the game." She kissed my cheek one more time, my dad clapped me on the back, and they made their way into the stands. I couldn't wait to play for them, and just spend time with them after tonight was over.

 **Time Jump – After The Game**

 **Ace POV:**

I was in the locker room getting changed after the game. We won, and I think I played the best game of my life. But I had great motivators in the crowed tonight, so I wanted to be my best. I was almost done packing my things when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and there stood my favorite person ever – not.

"What do you want Jeff?" I asked.

"Party at my place, you're coming right?" He asked.

"My parents just got home from deployment. You really think I'm going to ditch them for a party when I haven't seen either of them in over a year?" I asked, honestly confused as to how stupid this boy could be.

"They'll be there tomorrow." He said.

"That's not the point Jeff." I said as I grabbed my things. "The point is, my mom and dad just got back from overseas, and I'm going to spend the night with them and my sisters."

"Whatever man. Your loss." He said as he walked away.

"I highly doubt that." I said to myself before making my way out of the locker room. He just didn't get it, and I was done getting mad at his stupidity. I don't have to explain myself to him. I was going to spend the night with my family and enjoy the hell out of it.

 **Clary POV:**

Ace did absolutely amazing tonight, and I was so thankful that we got a chance to see him play. We were waiting by the car when a girl came up to us with a smile on her face. She was about my height, and had the blondest hair I've ever seen.

"Hi, my name is Ella, and I'm Ace's friend." She said when she got closer to us. "I just wanted to come over and say welcome home."

"Thank you Ella." I said with a smile. "I've never heard Ace mention you, are you knew to the area?" I asked.

"My dad was just stationed here." She said.

"He's a military man." Jace said.

"Yes sir." Ella said. Just at that moment, Ace came over. "There's the man of the hour." She said and Ace smiled.

"I see you've introduced yourself to my parents." Ace said with a laugh.

"Yes, I just wanted to welcome them home." Ella said. "But I should head home. Curfew is a huge deal to my parents."

"It's was nice meeting you Ella." I said.

"You as well Mr. and Mrs. Herondale." She said.

"Please, call us Clary and Jace." I said and she nodded before waving and walking away. "She's cute." I said and Ace rolled his eyes.

"She's a good friend. One of the only people here that understands what it's like to be in a military family." He explained.

"Ace totally likes her." Elynn chimed in.

"I do not." Ace said.

"Do too!" Elynn laughed.

"Do not!" Ace spat back.

"Okay. That's enough you two." Jace said. "If Ace does like her, that's his business. Not ours." He said and that seemed to calm Ace down a little. "Although, if I were in his shoes, I would probably do something about it because the good ones always go the fastest." He said as he draped his arm around me.

"I will have you know, I wasn't all that popular among the male population." I said and he laughed.

"They just didn't know what they were missing, but I'm okay with that because I got the best of the best." Jace said as he kissed my forehead and I couldn't help but smile.

"Alright you two love birds." Ace said, and I couldn't help but smile. "Let's get home."

"Hmmmmm, home." I said as we got into the car. Ace got into his car and we all made our way home, and I couldn't wait to spend this much needed time with my kids.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Ace POV:**

Having both of my parents home was amazing, even if my dad was only on R&R. My mom was thankfully staying, but my dad had to finish his deployment, but he was only going to be gone for 6 more months, and our family could handle that.

It was a regular day at school, and all I wanted to do was go home. We have been doing as much family time as we possibly could, and just trying to pack so much in little time, but we didn't mind. We were together, and that's what matters.

"Hey there." I heard and when I turned around there stood Ella, she always seemed to find me in the music room. "You look sad for a guy who just got his parents back." She pointed out.

"Trust me, I'm extremely happy they're home, but my dad still has to go back." I said and she nodded as she took a seat next to me.

"That sucks." She said and I nodded. "I was talking to my dad the other day, and he wanted to know what your parents ranks are in the army."

"My mom is a First Lieutenant, and my dad is a Colonel." I said and she nodded. "What about your dad?" I asked.

"My dad is a Sergeant." She said and I nodded. "So, how about you play m something." She smiled and I nodded before lifting up the lid of the piano and started playing.

 **Time Jump – The Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Being home was amazing, and it got me thinking about retirement. I've been in the army for a long time, and I feel as though being a mom is now calling me even more than the army is. Of course I wanted to talk to Jace about it first, but its been on my mind a lot recently.

"Hey babe." I said as I walked into the living room.

"Hey." Jace said. I made my way over to him and kissed his cheek before taking a seat. "You look like you want to have a serious talk."

"I do." I said and he nodded. "I've been thinking a lot about retirement lately." I explained. "I just feel compelled to be a mom again, not a soldier."

"You've been in the army for a long time." Jace said and I nodded in agreement. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to retire."

"So you'd be okay with it?" I asked.

"Of course. That gives the kid a parent, and it makes you happy." He said and I couldn't help but smile. "But you know I don't plan on retiring anytime soon."

"I know." I said. "I wouldn't expect you to retire without fulfilling your dream of being a general in the army."

"I'm almost there." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I guess the next thing to do is talk to my commander and tell the kids." I said and Jace nodded. I couldn't wait to be with my kids all the time, and support Jace in his dreams of rising within the ranks of the military.

 **Time Jump – End of Jace's R &R**

 **Ace POV:**

My dad was heading back tomorrow, and I had to admit, I wasn't looking forward to him leaving again. Everything was perfect while they were here, and to have to say goodbye again sucked. My mom had called a family meeting today so we were all in the living room wondering what was going on.

"Okay kids, I know you're curious as to what this meeting was about." My mom said.

"You don't have to go back do you?" Lala asked.

"No hunny, I'm not going back." My mom said. "I had a long talk with my commander the other day, and I've decided that my time in the army is over."

"You're…..retiring?" I asked a little shell-shocked.

"I've been in the army for over 20 years, and I'm ready to be with you guys full time." She explained.

"Yay!" Whitley cheered as she jumped to my mom. "What about you daddy?" She asked.

"I'm not retiring baby." Dad said. I knew his goal in the military was to get as high as he could, and I was proud of him and how determined he was.

"I'm glad you'll be around mom." I said and she smiled.

"I'm glad I'll be around too." She said. It was going to be amazing to have my mom back for good. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated the service she gave to this country, but having her back was going to be amazing.

 **Time Jump – Christmas**

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left, I felt a void in my heart. I didn't have anything to do considering I've never been idle for this long, but I started cooking, and baking, and doing things for the kids school if they needed help.

It was weird being a full time mom. I wasn't used to it, but seeing my babies every single day and knowing I wasn't going to be deployed was a great feeling. Ace was our with some friends, Elynn was at the mall, Lala was at a friends house, and so was Whitley. I was home along listening to Christmas music when there was a knock on the front door. I went to answer it and when I opened the door, there stood Ella.

"I didn't know where else to go." She said, and I ushered her into the house.

"Are you okay?" I asked and she started trying. I had no idea what happened so I just pulled her into me and just let her cry. Once I felt her calm down, I tried again. "What happened Ella?"

"My dad." She choked out. "He was just KIA."

"Oh god." I said and I pulled her into me again. I just let her cry because I knew that's what she needed. Eventually I felt her breathing even out, and I noticed that she was asleep. I laid her down on the coach and covered her with a blanket. She needed sleep, and I was going to let her have that. I couldn't imagine what she was going through, but I knew it was tough.

 **Ace POV:**

When I got home, I recognized Ella's car parked in front of my house. Confused, I made my way into the house and saw that she was passed out on my couch. I made my way into the kitchen and found my mom making dinner.

"What is Ella doing here?" I asked and she turned around.

"You're going to have to talk to her about that." She said.

"Is something wrong?" I asked concerned and my mom had a sad look in her eyes.

"Talk to Ella. After she wakes up." She said and I just nodded, knowing my mom wasn't going to tell me something that Ella had to tell me. Her phone started ringing and she got this ridiculous smile on her face. "It's your dad, can you finish dinner?" She asked and I nodded and she left the room. "Hey babe." She said just out of earshot and I couldn't help but smile.

I continued to make dinner when everyone started making their way home. They were all curious about what Ella was doing here, but I told them I didn't know and they just accepted that answer. Dinner was almost ready and I called everyone down and than I went to wake up Ella. I kneeled in front of her and started to rub her back. She stirred a little and slowly opened up his eyes.

"Ace?" She questioned, and I couldn't help but smile.

"You know, I should be the confused one considering you're in my house, not the other way around." I laughed and she rolled her eyes.

"I was temporarily confused as to where I was." She said as she sat up.

"What are you doing here?" I asked and her face fell into a sadness I've never seen from her before.

"My father." She said as she sniffled a little. "He was killed in action last night." She said and my heart broke for her.

"Ella." I said and I saw tears running down her face. I didn't know what else to do so I picked her up and situated her on my lap and just let her cry. When my mom came down she simply nodded at me, and got everyone else dinner. I wanted Ella to have some privacy so I picked her up and carried her to my room.

"I'm sorry." She said once I took a seat on my bed.

"Why are you sorry?" I asked puzzled.

"For coming here unannounced, falling asleep and just crying my eyes out." She said.

"You have nothing to apologize for. I would be in the same position if I were you." I told her honestly and she nodded. "How is your mom?" I asked.

"She's been drunk since the MP's came to us." She said and I nodded. "Can I stay here tonight?" She asked almost in a whisper, like I would say no.

"Of course." I said and she nodded. I pulled her into me and just let her grieve. I would be a complete wreck if it were one of my parents. I can't imagine how she much be feeling on the inside.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

"Thank you for letting me stay the night Clary." Ella said.

"Of course Ella." I said. The military was a hard life to live, and losing someone is never easy. "Just give your mom a call before you go to bed to let her know that you're here."

"She's probably drunk." She said.

"I think a call would still be good." I said and she nodded. Ace gave Ella his room tonight, so I shut the door to give her privacy and made my way downstairs where Ace was sleeping.

"How is she?" Ace asked the moment he saw me.

"She's broken, but handling it very well." I said honestly.

"I can't even imagine what that must feel like." He said.

"It's tough losing anyone, especially to war." I said and he nodded.

"Speaking of war, how is dad?" Ace asked.

"He is loving his new rank." I said and Ace smiled.

"Of course he would. Being Brigadier General Herondale is quite the accomplishment." Ace said and I laughed and nodded.

"One step closer to his dream." I said and Ace nodded. "I'm going to head off to bed. I love you Aaron." I said and he smiled.

"I love you too mom." He said and I kissed his cheek and headed back upstairs. My heart broke for what Ella was going through, and I hope that being here, and around Ace would help her.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Ace POV:**

Ella has been very distant since everything that went down during Christmas. I couldn't blame her at all. I would be a walking zombie if I went through what she did. I tried to get her mind off of everything but she was so closed off it was hard to get a conversation out of her.

It was my free period, so I decided go to the music room to play. I was rounding a corner, when I heard crying. I saw Ella sitting on the ground, with her legs pulled tightly towards her chest. I made my way over to her and took a seat next to her.

"This isn't healthy Ella." I told her.

"What do you expect me to do Aaron?" She hissed. "I'm sad. Can't I just fucking cry when I'm sad?"

"It's okay to cry, but it's not okay to barely sleep, or eat. You're making yourself sick." I said.

"I can't help it. I don't know what to do." She said.

"Let me help you." I said earnestly. "Let me be here for you, and stop pushing me away."

"I'm not going to burden you with my issues." She said.

"We're in the same boat Gabriella." I said and she looked up at me. "We're both military brats and we know the risks of our parents jobs. Losing one of them is something that we all worry about, but what helps us through is the support of others who understand what we face every time our parent is deployed." I explained. "I may not have lost one of mine, but I know what the fear feels like. I know what it feels like to have the MP's come to your house and your heart drops because you know it can't be good." I said. "You know that I know what you're dealing with in some capacity. Don't push me away."

"Who was it?" She asked. "That the MP's came for you."

"When I was 9, my dad was in a Humvee explosion." I said. "He sustained no major injuries but it was scary as hell to know he could have died."

"I don't know what to do Ace." She said. "He was my best friend."

"You grieve him Ella." I said. "You remember him and you make him proud. That's all you can do."

"Can you play me something?" She asked. "Please."

"Of course." I said. I stood up and reached my hand out. She gladly took it, and when she stood up and we didn't let go. I laced our fingers together and we made our way to the music room. I finally got somewhere with her, and I planned on getting more out of her soon. She needed to grieve, and I was going to help her.

 **Time Jump – Jace's Return**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace was coming home today, and I couldn't be happier. The kids skipped school, and we were currently waiting at the airport for them to get here. I was super excited for him to be home and for us to be a family again.

I was starting to get antsy waiting for the plane to get in. I just wanted to see my husband, and have him hold me again. When I finally saw the first soldier come off the plane, my heart started racing. Sometimes I hated being so short, and not being able to see over these people.

"I found him!" Ace said and I started weaving in and out of people until I found that familiar head of perfect blonde hair. I ran to him and jumped into his arms. I finally felt at home.

"I missed you." I said into his neck.

"I missed you more than you could possibly know." He said. I pulled back and slammed our lips together. Jace and I have never been a fan of public displays of affection, but right now I just didn't care. It had been a long 6 months.

"Uh, your children really don't want to see this." I heard from behind me, and when I turned around they all looked disgusted. I laughed and Jace put me back on the ground as he greeted the kids.

"Let's go home." Jace said as he put his arm around my shoulders. I couldn't wait for us to be a family again.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Ace POV:**

Since my little intervention with Ella, she's been slowly letting me back in. I know she'll never be the same, and I respect her grieving timeline, but I was thankful that she was now letting me in. I could tell when she was upset, and I could tell when she was having a good day.

I was in the cafeteria when I saw Ella walking in the opposite direction of me. Our eyes locked, and normally she would smile and wave, but today she just shook her head and continued walking. She looked upset so I decided to follow her.

"Ella!" I called after her but that just made her speed up 10 times faster. "Ella wait!"

"Leave me alone Ace." She said and I could hear her voice crack slightly.

"Ella, what's wrong?" I called after her.

"I don't want to talk to you about it Ace. Please, leave me alone." She said stronger this time. I caught up to her and caught her wrist.

"You're crying Ella, I'm not going to leave you alone when you're this upset." I said.

"Have you ever thought that maybe these tears have something to do with you?" She spat at me, and that just confused the hell out of me.

"What did I do?" I asked.

"Just forget about it." She waved off and started walking away.

"Ella, you can't just tell me I made you cry and than walk away." I caught her wrist again.

"It wasn't necessarily _you_ that made me cry." She admitted.

"What does that mean?" I asked, still extremely confused, and she rolled her eyes. "Ella, I'm grasping at straws here. What happened?"

"God Aaron, you just don't get it do you?" She said, and I knew when she called me Aaron, something was serious.

"Get what Ella?" I asked.

"I like you." She finally said. "Like, I really like you and it's painfully obvious that you don't feel the same way about me."

"Wait, what?" I asked because it seems like to be the only thing running through my brain right now.

"Do I need to spell it out for you?" She asked. "It doesn't even matter. Sophia was right."

"Sophia? What the hell does Sophia have to do with this?" I asked.

"She just said some stuff to me earlier and it got me thinking. If you liked me you would have showed some signs already, and it's clear that you don't, and we aren't even from the same social group. We were destined to fail before we even got the chance to fly-" I didn't even want to hear what else she was going to say, so I cupped her face in my hands and pressed me lips to hers, and that shut her up real quick. After a few moments we broke apart.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." I said and she laughed.

"Really?" She asked.

"Ella, you are incredibly beautiful. You're smart, and funny, and friendly, and so lovable. I mean, my mom doesn't just like anyone. She's actually very critical of everyone, and she liked you the moment you introduced yourself to her." I explained.

"She did?" She asked and I laughed and nodded. "Than why didn't you do anything about it before?"

"I didn't know where you stood." I said. "Than you lost your dad, and I wasn't going to try something when you were in your most vulnerable state, so I just decided to be there for you as a friend. Until you showed me that you were ready."

"But what Sophia said….."

"Was wrong." I finished. "First off, you're the only person at this school who is in the same social group as me." I told her. "You understand what I've been through and what its like to be me. Sure, we have different friends, but you're the only one who gets me."

"I'm sorry I let her get to my head." She said.

"Sophia has a tendency to get what she wants, apart from me." I told her truthfully. "She's been trying to be my girlfriend since like tenth grade, but I've never liked her like that."

"I don't know how someone could." She muttered and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Ella, you truly don't know how special you are to me." I said.

"Really?" She asked.

"I don't play the piano for just anyone. Actually, I don't play it for anyone outside of my family. Except for you." I told her.

"Why not? You're amazing." She said.

"It's extremely important to me." I said. "My dad taught me, and it was our thing and it kept me close to him while he was deployed. I never wanted to share that with anyone."

"So why me?" She asked.

"Why not you?" I said and she laughed. "I mean, you did technically sneak up on me while I was playing." I said and she blushed. "But I didn't mind it at all. I liked playing for you, and I noticed that it always put you in a better mood. So it made me want to play it for you all the more."

"So what do we do now?" She asked.

"What do you want to do?" I asked her.

"I honestly don't know." She said.

"What's causing you to hesitate?" I asked.

"You enlisting." She said so honestly. "The army has taken a lot of things from me. I don't want it to take you too."

"Enlisting has been my dream since I was a little boy." I told her. "I really like you too Ella, but I'm enlisting the minute I graduate here. Nothing is changing my mind."

"Than I guess that answers my question." She said. "I wish you nothing but the best in life Aaron."

"I wish things could be different Ella. I really do." I told her.

"Me too." She said. She leaned up and pressed her lips to mine one last time. "Goodbye Aaron." She said before she walked down the hallway. There was always going to be a part of me that would regret letting her go, but she didn't want to marry the military, I understood that, and I respected that. Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like a bitch.

 **Time Jump – Graduation**

 **Clary POV:**

I couldn't believe that our little boy was graduating high school today. It seemed like yesterday he was just a little toddler following Jace around like a shadow. He has grown into such an amazing young man, and I couldn't wait for his future. It was definitely bright.

The ceremony was longer than I expected, and a little boring to be honest, and the moment it was over, we rushed out of that high school to find Ace. He stood out pretty well, so the minute we saw him we went straight towards him.

"I'm so proud of you Ace." I said when I flung my arms around him.

"Thanks mom." He said.

"You ready for the rest of your life?" Jace asked him.

"Very." Ace said.

"Let's go get you enlisted." Jace said and we all made our way to the car and than to the recruiting office.

Standing there watching Ace sign his life to the Navy was incredibly hard. I wanted to protect him from absolutely everything, and I finally understood how my parents felt when I enlisted. But this is what he wanted to do in his life, and I was fully supportive of that. He found his career, his passion and what parent wouldn't support that?

We went out to celebrate, and the whole day everyone was nothing but smiles. Ace was going to do big things in the world, and knowing that Jace and I inspired him to go into the military was something that would forever fill me with pride. I heard the clinking of a glass and I saw Jace tapping his knife against his glass.

"I would like to make a toast." Jace said as he stood up. "To Aaron. For graduating, keeping the family together while your mother and I were deployed, for kicking ass all throughout high school, and enlisting into the United States Navy. We couldn't be prouder of you." Jace said and we all raised our glasses. "To Ace!" He cheered.

"To Ace!" We all cheered as we clinked glasses. This was the beginning of a new adventure for the Herondale family, one that would be intense, but totally wroth it.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Ace POV:**

It's been an intense 5 years if I'm being honest. Just last week I got back from a year deployment, and seeing my family again was incredible. I knew what it felt like for my parents now, and I had a whole new respect for what they did all those years.

Since I was back for some time now, I had to take advantage and get some Taki's while I was here. Besides my family, I definitely missed Taki's the most while I was deployed, and stationed in another state. And now that I was back in New York, Taki's was something I would be visiting religiously so I can get those 5 missed years back.

I walked into Taki's and took a seat at the back booth. It was the same as it was when I left. The same smell, the same furniture; it felt like a home away from home. Of course I didn't need a menu, but I was looking at it anyway just passing time until the waitress came over to take my order.

"Hi, I'm Ella, and I'll be your waitress today." She said and we locked eyes, and I felt like I was transported back to high school.

"Ella." I said.

"Ace." She said. "It's been so long." She said and I got out of the booth and hugged her.

"5 years to be exact." I said when we broke apart. "I can't believe you work here."

"I needed something, and without a college education, I was pretty limited." She said.

"I thought you got into Columbia." I said.

"Getting in and being able to afford it are two different things." She muttered, almost like she didn't want me to hear it. "What can I get you?" She asked trying to change the subject.

"A burger and fries with a coke." I said. "When are you done?" I asked.

"My shift is over in 2 hours, but than I have to pick my daughter up from my neighbors before I drop her off at my cousins so I can work at my second job." She said and my stomach dropped.

"Oh. Okay." I said because what else am I supposed to say.

"I'll be right back with your drink." She said before walking away. A lot has certainly changed in five years, and I really couldn't believe it.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Ace POV:**

Whitley's birthday was coming up, so I was out shopping for her present. And let me tell you, it wasn't easy to shop for Whitley. She changed her mind almost every day about what he favorite color was, or her favorite TV show, or her favorite celebrity was. It was impossible to keep up, and that in turn made it impossible to get her a gift.

I was browsing a store that I didn't really know, but it couldn't hurt to check out. Whitley was a pretty creative person, so I figured maybe a craft would give her something new to do. I was so focused on what I was looking at, that I ran into someone.

"I'm sorry." I said and when I looked at who it was, there stood Ella. "Wow. Twice in the same week. New record." I said and she laughed.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Whitley's birthday is soon, and I'm at a loss for presents, so I thought maybe here would have something she would like." I said and she nodded.

"What about you?" I asked.

"My neighbors birthday is coming up, and since she watches my daughter a lot, I normally get her something." She said.

"How old is your daughter?" I asked.

"She'll be 2 in February." Ella said.

"What's her name?" I asked as I looked past her and saw the baby sleeping in the stroller.

"Dalileh." She smiled.

"Cute name." I said.

"Thank you." She said. "Picked it out myself."

"And her father?" I asked and Ella seemed to stiffen.

"Not around." She simply said.

"I didn't mean to bring up a touchy subject." I apologized, but she waved me off.

"He was abusive. When Dalileh was 6 months old he divorced me, took everything I owned, and I haven't spoken to him since." She said. "I plan on never telling Dalileh about him."

"I'm really sorry Ella." I said honestly.

"You know what hurts the most?" She asked and I shook my head. "Knowing the life we could have possibly had if I wasn't so selfish."

"Ella."

"No Ace. I ran because I was scared, and it cost me a great guy." She said. "Sure, I wouldn't have Dalileh, and I love her more than anything, but life has been unkind because of the choices I made, and it makes me wonder what would have happened if I chose you. If I could see that having you, Navy and all, would have given me the life I've always wanted." He confessed. "I guess I'll never know."

"You don't know that." I said quickly. My brain didn't even have to think about it. Ella was super important to me in high school and when she decided that she couldn't handle being married to someone in the military it broke me, but this seemed like a second chance, and I was definitely going to take it.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"My feelings for you haven't changed Ella." I said. "When you decided that you couldn't be in a relationship with someone in the military in high school I accepted that because I respected your decision, but I never got over you."

"Really?" She asked.

"You're one of a kind Ella." I told her. "There isn't anyone in this world who compares to you, and trust me. I've been to many places in the world." I told her and she laughed.

"You don't care if I have a daughter?" She asked.

"All I care about is if you're happy, and by extension, your daughter is happy." I said. "I'm sure she's amazing, and I can just imagine loving her. Like I love you." I said.

"You love me?" She chocked out.

"I think I always have." I said and the tears finally spilled over. I pulled her into me as she cried.

"I love you too." She muttered into my chest. "And I don't care if you're in the Navy. I have spent these last 5 years miserable. I can't and I don't want to live without you Aaron."

"I don't want to go another day without you Gabriella." I said and she stepped back a little. "What do you say to coming with me to visit my parents tonight?" I asked.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"We're celebrating early for Whitley because Elynn won't be around for her actual birthday, and my parents want everyone there." I said.

"I'd love that." She said. "I just have to call my cousin to watch Dalileh." She said as she started searching for her phone.

"Why can't she come with you?" I asked confused.

"You wouldn't mind?" She asked.

"Not at all. And I think my mom is in baby withdrawal. You might just get another babysitter out of her." I said and Ella laughed. "Come on." I said and she nodded. I took the stroller and started pushing. Turns out, Ella doesn't have a car so she took the bus to the store. I led her to my car and we got Dalileh situated and than we were on our way to my parents.

When we got there, Ella was clearly nervous. I don't know why since she's met my family before, but it has been a long time, so maybe it was just the jitters. I walked in with the stroller and my whole family stopped talking and stared at me.

"Tell me you didn't get some girl pregnant Aaron Christopher Eaton Herondale." My mom chastised.

"I didn't. this is Ella's daughter." I said and Ella made her way out from behind me.

"Hi." She said.

"Oh Ella. It's so good to see you again." My mom said before pulled Ella into a hug.

"It's good to see you too Clary." Ella said.

"And you have this little peanut with you." Mom said as she looked in the stroller to see a wide eyed Dalileh. "What's her name?"

"Dalileh." Ella said.

"It's so cute." My mom said as she picked her up. "And she's such a good baby."

"She's pretty perfect." Ella beamed.

"And the father?" My mom asked.

"Not around, and he doesn't really care about either of us." Ella said.

"Well we care." My mom said. "And this little cutie is now one of us." She said and Dalileh giggled. "See, even she agrees." Mom beamed. "Grab a drink and have fun." She said before walking off with Dalileh.

"Told you." I said and Ella laughed.

"The more babysitters the merrier in my opinion." Ella said and I just needed to bit the bullet.

"I've been thinking Ella." I said and she turned towards me. "I want to be with you." I said blatantly. "I wanted to be with you in high school, and that hasn't gone away. I know you were scared before, but you don't have to be scared anymore. I will never leave you, no matter what."

"Ace, I love you, but I have my daughter to think about now." She said.

"And I'll love her too." I said honestly. "I want you Ella. I want you, and I want your daughter, and I want a life with you. I always have."

"You don't think we're rushing into this?" She asked.

"So what if we are? I know what I want. Do you?" I asked and she locked her eyes with mine, and I couldn't tell what she was thinking. After a few torturous moments, she smiled.

"I want you too." She said and I slammed my lips to hers.

"It's about time." I heard from behind me and we broke apart to see my family standing there. "I thought you were never going to get together." Lala said.

"Yes! This means I get to convert one of the old kids rooms into a nursery for when this cutie spends the night!" My mom said and I couldn't help but laugh. "Welcome to the family Ella." She said as she pulled her into yet another hug.

"Thank you for being so welcoming." Ella said.

Dalileh was being passed around the rest of the night, and I had my arm around Ella as much as I possibly could. There was no way I was ever letting her go again, that was a promise.

 **Clary POV:**

Everyone was mostly gone after the party was over. Whitley and Lala were in bed, and so were Jace and I. I couldn't believe that Ace and Ella reconnected, and that she had a baby, but I wouldn't be happier for them. They found their love and they were going to do whatever was possible to hold onto it.

Jace got into bed and immediately pulled me into his side. I rested my head on his chest like I did every night and just smiled at how amazing life was.

"Can you believe that this wouldn't be possible without the army?" I asked after a moment. "Like, we grew up on different sides of this country. We could have gone our whole lives without meeting."

"But we met. And we fell in love, and we created a future, and a family together." He said.

"It's just crazy to think that if I didn't want to join, or you didn't want to join that our lives could be completely different." I said.

"But it isn't. Our life together is perfect." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile. "I love you Mrs. Herondale." He said and he pressed his lips to my head.

"As I love you Lieutenant General Herondale." I said and I felt Jace smile.

"Lieutenant General Herondale, man do I love the sound of that." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Possibly General Herondale one day?" I asked and Jace smiled down at me.

"Who knows. The future is an unpredictable thing." He said and I laid my head back on his chest.

"Unpredictable, yes. Totally and completely miraculous, yes." I said and I looked up at him again. "Perfect with you by my side, hell yes." I said and he smiled.

"I couldn't agree more." He said and he kissed me. It was moments like these where I was thankful for my military family.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, a lot of people love when I write military family one shots, so I decided to write another one! This one took a different turn than anticipated, but I liked where it went, and I hope you all do as well! Let me know what you think and leave a review!**

 **This might be the quickest turn around I've had in awhile with my one shots, and I hope I'm making it up to you all for how long you've had to wait for some of them! I'm trying my best to get back to my normal self! And I think it's working so be patient with me! :)**

 **Also, I have no idea how the military works, so don't be too hard on me. It's fiction, so anything is possible! Just throwing that out there so when you do review about something I got wrong, i can't say I didn't warn you! :)**


	131. Chapter 130 - Vampire Empire

**One Hundred and Thirty Story:**

 **Vampire Empire**

 **Jace POV:**

Immortality. _Immortality._ I didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse. I watched everyone that I loved age and die. I killed people due to the hunger, and I've done things that I'm not particularly proud of. I've wandered all over this earth hoping to find some meaning in life. To find something that gave my immortality a purpose. Sometimes I wanted to stick a stake in my own heart and just head the misery, but something always stopped me, I just wish I could find what.

It was a particularly miserable night. Everything was quiet, and eerie. Something that I didn't care for much, but it always made humans quick to jump and run screaming. Of course this time of night is when all the low life's come out, so I wasn't running into decent people.

My favorite trail though was the one through the woods. Very few people took this path during the night, and even fewer went off the beaten path. It was a foolproof way of being alone. It helped me think and it got me away from the crazy that happens during the night.

The only sounds that I heard were the crunching of the branches beneath my feet. It was a calming sound, and I looked forward to it every time I took a walk through these parts. There were very few things that calmed me down in my long life. And silence happened to be one of them. I was lost in my own head when I heard the sound of a wailing animal. There certainly weren't any hunters out here this time of night, so I really didn't understand what was going on.

As I made my way towards the sound, I smelled blood. Lots of it. It wasn't human, so I chalked it up to a wounded animal. As I got closer to the sound, that's when it stopped. But that didn't stop me. I kept going in the direction of where the sound originated, and that's when I saw the figure. The figure was bent down over a now dead deer. I approached as slowly as possibly, hoping I wasn't making a sound so I didn't startle the figure.

When I got closer, I realized that it was a girl, a young one. Well, young to me. She was feeding heavily on this deer, and I knew it was because she probably hasn't fed in a long time. When I got closer, I decided that it was time to make my presence known.

"Hello?" I called and she whipped her head around, and that's when I saw her eyes. Black holes. "Are you hungry?" I asked and when she went back to feeding on the deer, that's when I got my answer. I continued to get closer to her, but I let her feed. The deer was already dead, there was no reason for me to stop her from getting what she clearly needed. Once she came back up for air, she looked up at me, her eyes no longer black. "My name is Jace." I said. She wiped the back of her sleeve over her mouth and got rid of the blood.

"Clary." She said, and I could tell she was frightened. "Are you a…..vampire?" She asked quietly.

"You don't have to whisper. There is nobody out here." I said as I kneeled in front of her. "But yes, I am."

"How long have you been like this?" She asked.

"A very long time." I answered. "What about you?" I asked.

"A week. Maybe." She said. "I lost some time there."

"Hunger does that to a vampire." I said. "When I first turned I lose a whole year."

"How?" She asked.

"I'll tell you what, why don't you come back to my place, clean up, you can change your clothes, and ask me whatever questions you have." I offered to her. I knew how hard it was being the new vamp. I will forever be indebted to the vampire that took me in when she found me, and I always planned on paying it forward.

"I feel like I should ask if you're going to kill me, but I can't die." She laughed as she stood up. "I can't die right?" She asked.

"It will take a lot to kill you, but I'm not going to even attempt." I said and she nodded.

We walked back to my house in silence, which I didn't mind at all. I was actually worried about trying to make small talk with this girl. Although I haven't shut myself completely off from society, I did mingle as little as possible, so actually having to maintain a conversation with someone was going to take some getting used too.

We got to my house, and I pointed her in the direction of the bathroom. I went into my sisters room – who was now long gone – and grabbed some clothes for Clary. I knocked slightly on the bathroom door, opened it, dropped the clothes on the counter and than left. I made my way back down to the living room and picked up the book I was currently reading. Maybe 15 minutes later, Clary joined me.

"So, what would you like to know?" I asked gently.

"How long have you been a vampire?" She asked.

"Nearly a thousand years." I replied and her jaw hit the floor.

"How old were you when you, um, turned?" She asked nervously.

"I was 23 when I was turned." I explained.

"How did it happen?" She asked curiously.

"It's blurred over the years, but vaguely I remember taking a walk and stumbling upon another attack. I think the vampire wanted to kill me, but got interrupted." I explained, and she nodded.

"How do you feed?" She asked.

"Probably not my most law abiding habits, but I take blood from the hospital. Though I don't steal it, a friend of mine gives it to me." I explained, with a loose interpretation of the word friend. "Animal blood doesn't keep you as well fed as human blood. I tried to survive on it, but I was hunting so often that it just became too much." She nodded again. "I'm actually surprised you were feeding on an animal and not a human."

"Every time I would get close I think I subconsciously knew it was wrong." She explained. "I stayed away from people for as long as I could but the urge slowly took me over. I found the deer and just started feeding without another thought."

"How old are you?" I asked.

"I just turned 19 last month." She explained. She was so young. "My family and I just celebrated when we were attacked."

"How did it happen?" I asked.

"We went out, and since we walked to the restaurant, we had to walk home." She began. "We were nearly there when someone came up from behind. My dad and brother tried to fight him off but he was so strong." She laughed, but there was no humor to it. "I guess I know why now." She added. "I was the last one and someone stumbled across it. Much like you, he was interrupted. They called 911, I went to the hospital, but before they could really do anything I left. I was fine, and I didn't want to be there anymore."

"That's understandable." I said and she nodded. "Where are you from?" I asked.

"New York City." She said and I nodded.

"Well, you're quite far from New York City now." I told her.

"Where exactly is here?" She asked.

"Portland, Maine." I said and she took a deep breath and nodded. "You are more than welcome to stay here as long as you need. There are plenty of rooms, and although I've never had a roommate, I don't think I'm the worst, although you may give me a report later on to evaluate me." I said with a little laughter.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked.

"I was found at a pretty low point in my immortal life by another vampire." I explained. "She took me in and got me back on my feet and taught me how I was going to live, and how to adjust. I always promised to pay it forward one day." I said. "This is me paying it forward. I was like you too, and I know how scary it can be being alone."

"Thank you Jace." She said after a moment of processing it all.

"You are very welcome Clary." I said. "Now, I don't know what the legends taught you about being a vampire, but we can sleep, we don't need to, but that doesn't mean a nap every now and than isn't appreciated. We can go out in the daylight, but it weakens our powers."

"I have powers?" She asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You do. Heightened sense, super speed, fast healing." I explained. "Those are pretty common among vampire literacy." I said and she nodded. "Despite what people think, we can reproduce. Although feeding gets ten times more intense during the pregnancy because you are trying to keep yourself plus your offspring alive. I've only witnessed it a couple times, and it seems brutal."

"Is the baby born a vampire?" She asked curiously.

"Yes. The baby is born completely like us, and grows at a heightened pace until she or he hits the age of when the mother or father stopped aging." I explained.

"So if I have a kid, they'll only grow until they're 19?" She asked.

"Or the age of whoever you decide to spend time with." I said.

"Time with?" She questioned. "Is marriage not a thing in this world?" She asked.

"I'm sure vampires get married, but I doubt they last long." I said honestly. "Immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. Despite some vampire clans, they hardly hang out with the same people for long periods of time. They get board. They constantly need to be moving, and meeting new people." I explained. "Most vampires make friends with humans because they eventually die and than they make new friends. It's easier for them to always keep things different."

"That's horrible." She exclaimed.

"I only know of one couple that's still married and has been married for nearly 400 years." I said truthfully.

"Who are they?" She asked with so much hope in her eyes.

"Camille and Raphael." I said. "They meet in the 1600's, and have been together ever since."

"That's amazing." She said with the biggest smile on her face.

"They have a lot of kids." I said and she laughed.

"I bet. I always wanted a big family, and being alive forever gives you time to pop as many out as you please." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, at least you have something to look forward too." I pointed out.

"And what about you?" She asked. "Do you have something to look forward too?"

"Not really." I said honestly.

"Oh come on. In a thousand years there isn't one thing you look forward too?" She asked.

"I said I was nearly a thousand. I still have some time." I said and she laughed.

"Do you even remember your age? Or do you round because you can't remember?" She asked with a laugh.

"I believe I'm someone between 940, and 960 years old." I said. "After 100 you just stop counting." I admitted.

"Why after 100?" She asked.

"100 is a milestone." I said. "After that, every number just feels the same because you aren't physically changing."

"Makes sense." She said. "Is it possible for me to eat real food?" She asked after a moment.

"You can train yourself to get there." I said.

"Have you?" She asked.

"I have. After a got a hang of my new life, I wanted to fit back into society. I guess it was me trying to grasp for normalcy again." I explained. "It took some time, but it's possible."

"How much time?" She asked.

"I don't know. 80 or 90 years." I said.

"That's a long time." She sighed.

"Not for the immortal." I said. "That's equivalent to like a day in the human world."

"After you got back on your feet, how did you adjust?" She asked.

"I started with other vampires. They had no blood to crave, so it was easier." I said. "Once I got comfortable with them, it took me only a couple years to get back to normal humans. Although I rarely try to go out of my way to meet or interact with new people. I was lucky enough that my childhood home was build off the beaten path. Gives me privacy." I explained.

"A couple years in human time, or vampire time?" She asked and I laughed.

"Human time." I reassured her. "Once you get your hunger controlled, fitting back in is relatively easy. We have no physical change to ourselves."

"We just don't have a heartbeat, blood, or anything remotely human." She said and that caused me to laugh as well. "Will I get fangs?" She asked.

"You've already used them." I pointed out. "You weren't using normal teeth to rip into that deer."

"I guess you're right." She said.

"They're retractable though. They come out when you hunt or drink blood." I said. "It's not like you walk around with fangs all the time."

"You cleared a lot up. I thought I was going to be sleeping in a coffin, and only taking walks at night." She said and I smiled.

"Vampires are commonly miss portrayed in literacy." I informed her. "They have no idea what really goes on in our lives."

"I will never read _Twilight_ the same again." She said.

"What's _Twilight_?" I asked confused.

"It's a book series about a vampire family." She said and I just nodded. "Well, I think my exhaustion caught up to me." She yawned. "I'm going to try and get some sleep."

"Goodnight Clary." I said and she gave me a soft smile.

"Goodnight Jace." She said and she walked upstairs. I opened my book again and continued to read until I saw the sun come up. Over the years I've learned that although sleep was possible for us, I didn't need to sleep. Most of the time I stayed up late reading, or wondering the streets. When the sun started peaking through the curtains, I knew it was time to start my day.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Getting used to this life was weird. I feel as though I'm going to wake up in my old room, eat pancakes with my family, and this will all become a distant dream, but when reality sets in, I remember that they're dead, and this is my new life. My new immortal life.

Over the past two weeks Jace has been extremely accommodating towards me. He's given me real blood, which surprisingly the different types taste different. Jace is more of a B Negative type of person, where as I like O Positive. Not that the others tasted bad, it's just the O Positive tastes better to me. I would classify it as sweeter than the others, whereas Jace finds the taste of O Positive just as bad as chocolate. Which honestly shocks me. Who doesn't like chocolate?

He stocks up on blood every couple months, so the fridge is always filled with it. It was mostly B Negative, but since I've arrived he has gotten more O Positive for me, which I was grateful for. It was still weird for me to drink blood in place of real food, but this was my life now, and until I got the hang of eating food again, I was going to live off blood.

"Can I ever supplement food for blood?" I asked Jace as I played with an apple.

"No." He said. "You will always need blood to alleviate your hunger." He explained. "Vampires who eat food mainly do it to fit into society. It's weird if you got to a restaurant with a friend and don't order food."

"That would be weird." I admitted.

"So a lot of vampires don't even try to learn how to eat it again. But those who want to acclimate themselves back into society will suffer the 80 or 90 years it takes to relearn how to eat just so they can."

"Why would they suffer?" I asked curiously. He made it sound awful. "Would it just be trial and error?"

"Not necessarily." He said. "Relearning how to eat food is actually extremely painful." He explained, but I didn't understand why. "Have you ever had a food allergy?" He asked after he saw my confusion.

"No." I said.

"Well, when I was human, I was lactose intolerant." He said. "The smallest amount of dairy would kill me, and it sucked because sometimes you just forget that dairy is in a lot of food." He explained. "So when I ate dairy without knowing, I would get the worst stomach cramps. It would honestly knock me on my ass for a few hours." He laughed. "Now, imagine that, but so much worse."

"Like period cramps?" I asked and he looked at me.

"I wouldn't know what they feel like, but if they are just as bad as not being able to digest something, than yea, go with that." He said.

"Well, I guess another good thing is I never have to buy tampons again." I said after a moment.

"Not necessarily." He said.

"Oh come on, I'm immortal and I still get my period? How the hell is that fair?" I asked and he laughed.

"Okay, I've never had to have this conversation with anyone, and I was beginning to think I never would, but it's important." He said as he made his way over to me. He leaned against the counter and I did the same. "The blood type AB Negative has something in it that a woman's body uses in order to reproduce, men too." He said. "Now, I don't understand how it works exactly, but the vampire who took me in explained it to another vampire one time, and I didn't understand, but I got the gist of it. So as long as you're drinking AB Negative, you have the possibility of getting pregnant, but also the chance you get your period."

"So, AB Negative is like not using protection when having sex?" I asked.

"That's a very good way of looking at it." He admitted. "When vampires want to have kids, they only drink AB Negative because it aides in the reproductive process."

"So no kids means don't drink AB Negative. Got it." I said and he laughed.

"You're catching onto this vampire thing a whole better than I did." He said and I just smiled.

"I've never been one to dwell on things I can't change." I admitted. "This is my life now, I might has well get used to it and learn as much as I can."

"Very optimistic." He said. "I like it. It's been awhile since I've had so much positive energy around here."

"Maybe that's why I prefer Positive blood. Keeps things positive." I said.

"Are you saying that because I prefer Negative blood, I'm a negative person?" He questioned.

"If the shoe fits." I teased and he laughed.

"Well, I'm going out. I'll be back later." He said and I nodded.

He left the house and I was alone. I didn't trust myself to go out and potentially run into a human yet, which is why I haven't left this house unless I was with Jace. It wasn't all bad, it was a very nice house, and I lied exploring it, it has been two weeks, so I didn't really know what to do this time around. I was in the kitchen and I was looking at the cabinets, and the fridge. Not knowing what else to do, I went over to the pantry and opened it up. It wasn't stocked, but there was some human food. I grabbed the box of Cheerios, and sat on the floor in the living room.

"Okay. I'm going to do this. No matter how much it hurts." I said. I poured some Cheerios out of the box and just stared at them. I picked one up and looked at it. "Cheerio." I said and I put it in my mouth. Bad idea.

 **Time Jump – Later That Day**

 **Jace POV:**

When I came back to the house, I had some more blood, some clothes for Clary considering she didn't have much, and she could only live out of Cecilia's room for so long, and a new movie or two. I asked the lady in the store what a girl would like, and she recommended them.

When I walked into the house I put the blood in the fridge, and went to put the movies in the living room when I found Clary lying on the ground. She looked ill, and she didn't look particularly happy either.

"Everything okay?" I asked worriedly.

"Cheerios. Bad." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I told you it would be painful." I said as I kneeled down to her level. "How long have you been like this?"

"I tried to eat them maybe 15 minutes after you left this morning." She said.

"Clary that was like 6 hours ago." I said and she nodded.

"Cheerios. Bad." She repeated.

"Come on, a bath will make you feel better." I said. I scooped her up into my arms and I couldn't deny how perfectly she fit in them. But that couldn't mean anything. I've wondered this earth for a thousand years and I've never met someone who I wanted to spend my immortal life with, and I never thought I would. But now, I don't know how true that is.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace has been particularly weird lately. I don't know what it is, whether it be a vampire thing, or just a Jace thing, but I wanted to get to the bottom of it. He left most mornings to do whatever it is that he does, but today he wasn't leaving without giving me some information.

"Where you going?" I asked when I met him in the kitchen.

"Out." He said.

"You always say that. Will I ever get a place?" I asked.

"No." He said curtly.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked. "Been a while since you've been laid and you're frustrated?" I asked and he turned to face me.

"No." He said quickly. "I mean, technically yes, but I'm not frustrated." He admitted.

"So why are you being so short with me?" I asked.

"It has nothing to do with you Clary." He said. "Just, leave me alone."

"Jace, you've been rude to me all week, and I don't even get an explanation?" I asked annoyed.

"I'm going to the cemetery!" He yelled and my eyes widened. "This week is the week that I was attacked, and I've been going to the cemetery to visit my family." He said in a softer voice.

"I'm so sorry." I said, hating myself for being so insensitive.

"It's fine." He said as he continued to grab his things.

"Would you like some company?" I asked without thinking. He looked at me with confusion in his eyes.

"You want to spend the day in the cemetery with me?" He asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"Sometimes being with someone who understands makes things easier." I said and he sighed.

"Uh, sure." He said. I used my super speed to get dressed, and in record time I was changed. Jace and I walked over to the cemetery where his family was buried. We got to their graves and he set out a blanket. We didn't speak. I put my hand on his, and we looked at the tombstones of his departed family. I felt heavier than I have in a long time, and it hit me just how unfair and cruel immortality can be.

 **Time Jump – A Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I'm going to do it. Tonight is that night. I'm not backing down, and I'm not chickening out. I took a deep breath and went downstairs where I heard Jace moving around the kitchen. When I got there, he was getting some blood for himself.

"Hey, you want some?" He asked when he heard me.

"Sure." I said and he got me a glass and started pouring me some O Positive. He handed it to me before walking away, and if I didn't do it now, I would lose my nerve. "Would you like to go out with me?" I shouted, but he turned around and looked confused.

"What was that?" He asked. I hadn't realized how fast I said it until now.

"I said, would you like to go out with me?" I asked slower.

"On a date?" He questioned.

"Yes." I said. "On a date."

"Bold Clary." He smiled. "And I'd love to."

"Great! I'll think of something!" I said.

"Actually, I have a idea." He said and I nodded encouraging him to continue. "How would you feel about meeting some people?" He asked.

"Humans?" I asked.

"Not entirely." He said, and that confused me.

"What does 'not entirely' mean?" I asked.

"Well, they're half and half." He said. "Mom was a human, but their father is a vampire." He explained. "I met them about 200 years ago."

"How come you've never mentioned them before?" I asked.

"Many reasons." He said. "Mainly because you've only just learned how to control your impulses around human blood, and they still have blood."

"Makes sense." I admitted.

"Plus, they just got back in the country. They travel a lot." He said and I nodded. "It won't be the whole evening, but I think you'd like them." He said and I smiled.

"Can't wait!" I said with a bright smile.

"Great. Be ready by 7." He said and I nodded. He made his way back upstairs, and I went into the living room and put something on TV. I was excited for this date tonight, and the possibility of more dates in our long future.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

The fact that Clary asked me out was shocking. Not that it wasn't on my mind, but I had no idea where she stood, and she was still getting used to being a vampire, so I wasn't going to add to that stress, but now that we're going out, I was pretty excited about it. Something I haven't been in a long time.

I got dressed and went downstairs where Clary already was. She was sipping on some blood, and reading a book. I stared at her for a few moments. She was no one I've ever met before. She was so optimistic, even after everything that happened to her. She was bright, and energetic, and so warm. She was someone who I never expected to meet, but now that I have, I couldn't picture life without her.

"You ready?" I finally asked and she looked back at me.

"Of course." She said before sucking the last of the blood from her cup. She stuck it in the sink and we made our way to the door. We got in my car and I started making the trip to the Lightwood house. It was extremely nerve wracking to introduce Clary to people that I've known for so long. When we pulled up, I took a deep breath. I didn't even bother knocking on the door, I just made my way in and started looking for them.

"Anybody home?" I called out.

"Jace? Is that you?" Izzy's voice rang out.

"It's me!" I called back, and in a blink of an eye she was in front of me pulling me into a hug.

"It's been ages!" She said.

"It's only been like 50 years Iz." I pointed out.

"50 years too long." She said. "And you brought company." She looked past me at Clary.

"Yea, this is Clary. My newest house mate." I said.

"It's so nice to meet you Clary. I'm Isabelle, but I prefer to be called Izzy." She introduced herself.

"It's really nice to meet you as well." Clary said with a smile.

"Come on, the boys are in the back." She said and I followed her out. Alec, and Max were sitting at a table playing cards. "Boys, look who arrived." Izzy said and they looked up at me.

"Long time no see brother." Alec said as he stood up and gave me a big hug.

"You as well." I said. "How was traveling?" I asked.

"Alec liked it the most I think." Izzy wiggled her eyebrows.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"He met a guy." Izzy nearly sang.

"Mortal?" I questioned.

"Nope." Izzy smiled. "Warlock."

"Wait, warlocks are real too?" Clary asked from behind.

"Who is she?" Alec asked.

"My new house mate." I said. "And yes, warlocks exist. Not many are in the States though. They prefer to live luxuriously." I informed her.

"Magnus lives in Paris." Izzy said. "It's to die for."

"I'm happy for you." I said and Alec smiled. "And what's up with you little Max?" I asked.

"I'm not little." He huffed. "I'm almost 200 years old."

"That's young to me kid." I said and he rolled his eyes. "Anyway, everyone this is Clary. She's relatively new to the whole vampire world."

"How long have you been a vampire?" Izzy asked.

"A year." Clary replied.

"Damn girl, you are young." Izzy said and Clary laughed. "How old were you when you were turned?" She asked.

"19." Clary answered.

"I stopped aging at 19 too." Izzy said happily. "Alec stopped aging at 25, and poor little Max stopped aging at 13."

"For the last time, I'm not little." Max said before walking out of the room.

"Will be not get older?" Clary asked curiously.

"He could." Alec answered. "He doesn't look 13, and over the years he's bulked up, but since our mom was human and our dad is a vampire, we had no idea when we would stop aging or if we would stop aging at all."

"Is your dad here?" Clary asked.

"Nope." Izzy said. "About 60 years after our mom died, he found some vampire woman and kinda just left us high and dry." She explained. "We haven't seen him in, how long has it been Alec?" She asked.

"Uh, 40 years, maybe 50. I'm not sure. I stopped counting." Alec responded.

"That's terrible." Clary said.

"We're all grown." Izzy said unfazed. "If he wants to come back, fine, but if he doesn't no love lost there."

"His new girlfriend or partner or whatever she is doesn't really like us." Alec informed Clary.

"Why not?" She asked.

"She never wanted kids, and she thinks we're pretty useless since we aren't full vampires." Alec explained.

"I had no idea there was prejudices among vampires." Clary said truthfully.

"Oh yea." Izzy said. "We're kinda outsiders because we still have blood and can survive off of blood or human food."

"Just not Izzy's human food." Alec chimed in.

"I'm getting better." Izzy hissed.

"Not in the 200 years I've known you." Max said as he reentered the room, which caused us all to laugh.

"Well, Clary and I have a date tonight, so we'll catch up with you guys soon." I said and Izzy smiled.

"Don't be strangers." She said and I nodded. We made our way back to my car and drove off to where I wanted to take Clary.

"They were nice." Clary said.

"Yea. They're great." I said honestly. "They are pretty much the only people I consider family these days."

"I can see why." Clary said and I nodded in agreement. The rest of the car ride was silent, but Clary and I didn't need conversation for it to be comfortable. I reached my hand over to her and rested it on her thigh. She looked over at me, smiled and went back to looking out the window. In the thousand years I've been alive, this is probably the most _alive_ I've ever felt.

 **Time Jump – Twenty Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Describing my life since I've become a vampire is pretty impossible. There were some ups, and there were some downs, but looking at the over all 20 years since my turning, I have nothing but pure joy thinking about it.

The biggest reason though has been Jace. I had no idea what he was going to mean to me, and I doubt he thought anything of me when he picked me up out of the woods that night, but he has become my rock, and my best friend. I couldn't picture my life without him, and I never have too. Immortality took a lot away from me, but it gave me Jace, and I'll be forever thankful for that.

Jace rarely slept, but there was just something about sleep that I couldn't give up. Jace being the kind soul that he is, lays with me and waits until I'm fast asleep before getting up and doing whatever it is that he does. So when I woke up, I wasn't surprised that I was alone. I got out of bed, pulled on a sweatshirt and made my way into the kitchen. Jace was sitting at the counter drinking blood, as he read a book.

"Good morning." I said and he turned to face me.

"Good morning to you as well." He said. "You're up surprisingly early."

"It's 4 am." I said. "I went to bed at like 8 last night." I laughed.

"I know, I just know how much you love your sleep." He pointed out and I nodded in agreement. I did love sleep. "What are your plans today?" He asked.

"Izzy and I are going shopping." I said. "I promised her like 8 years ago that we would go, and she's finally forcing me." I admitted and he laughed.

"Izzy may forget some things, but shopping is never one of them." He said and I walked over and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

"I'll be back for dinner." I said.

"Okay. Love you." He said and I couldn't help but smile. If I had a heart, it would be racing right now.

"I love you too." I said before grabbing my bag and heading over to Izzy's. Life with Jace was amazing, I had no complaints.

 **Jace POV:**

With Clary gone all day, it was the perfect opportunity to find her the perfect engagement ring. I never thought I would ever settle down with anyone. I mean, I never wanted it so much, and I knew Clary was it for me. We've already been together for 20 years, it was about time I asked her.

Alec agreed to go with me, and I was pretty nervous. It may only be a ring, but the notion behind it was a commitment that I never thought I would ever make, but with Clary it just seems so right, and we're so ready.

Over the past 20 years I've learned a lot about Clary. One thing I knew was that she was a simply girl. She was never over the top, and she never drew attention to herself, or at least she tried not too, but I've caught many people eyeing her up without her knowledge. The point is, she gravitated towards simpler things, so I knew I wanted to get her a simple ring.

Walking into the store made me incredibly overwhelmed. There were so many options, and I honestly didn't know where to start. I made my way over to the display case, and I just looked down. This might be more complicated than I anticipated.

"Can I help you?" I heard someone ask, and when I looked up there stood a woman.

"Uh yea, I'm looking for an engagement ring for my girlfriend, but I'm afraid I don't know where to start." I admitted and she smiled.

"The best place to start is budget. Showing you a ring over your budget is never advisable, especially if you end up falling in love with it." She pointed out.

"I actually don't have a budget." I said honestly. "I want to get her the best because she deserves it."

"She's a lucky girl." The woman said.

"I'm the lucky one." I said and she just smiled.

"Well, next I would start with asking a few questions about her." She said and I nodded. "What's she like?"

"Well, besides beautiful, talented, funny, smart, thoughtful, kind, and perfect." I rattled off, which caused her to laugh. "She's a simple girl. She has liked simple things from the moment I met her, and it hasn't changed in all the time we've known each other."

"You sound like you've known each other for a long time." She said.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I laughed.

"Try me." She pushed.

"We've known each other for 20 years." I said.

"You two must have met young." I observed. I could see her eyes raking over my body.

"Something like that." I said. Clary technically was a newborn vampire when we met. That counts, right?

"Okay, than I suggest a simple square cut, or a princess cut." She said. "Come here, I'll show you." She gestured and I followed her to the display case where she was now standing. "These are the simplest rings we have. These days it's all about how many diamonds can fit on a ring, but if you ask me, it's all about the thought that goes into what ring your future husband picked out for you." She said and I nodded. "Why don't you take a look around, and get me when you found something." She said and I nodded.

I started looking at all the rings in the display case. They were simple, but I could imagine Clary wearing any of these, and because I don't have a budget, the single diamond that she was going to get, was going to be a little bigger than the average. She may be simple, but she deserved to be shown that she was worth everything, and I was going to show her that for the rest of our immortal lives.

"Find anything?" I heard Alec ask as she came over to me.

"I think I like this one." I said as I held up the ring. I held it up, and showed it to Alec. It was a simple square ring, but the diamond on top was a little large.

"It's simple." Alec stated.

"It's Clary." I countered and Alec just smiled.

"I'm proud of you." Alec said. "Finally opening up your heart."

"I'd have to have a heart to open it up." I laughed.

"Just because it doesn't beat anymore, doesn't mean you don't have one." Alec whispered in my ear. I nodded and a moment later the woman came back over.

"Find one?" She asked.

"Yes. I think this is the perfect one." I said as I handed it to her.

"It's beautiful." She smiled. "I'll ring you up." She said.

We made our way over to the register. I gave her Clary's sizes, and they told me they would call me when it was ready, and Alec and I walked out of there shortly after. I was excited for it to be ready and to purpose to Clary. We had an eternity together, and I couldn't wait to spend every moment of it with her.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace told me we were going out on a date tonight, but Izzy had to dress me. I didn't know whether to be worried, or just plain confused. He normally didn't go out of his way for a date like this, so I was curious as to what was going to happen.

Izzy took 2 hours getting me ready, and by the time I was done, I was freaking starving. Thankfully she brought me up a glass of blood, otherwise I might have died. For real this time. When she deemed me acceptable, I was finally free. She left and told me that Jace was ready for me. I made my way down the stairs, and Jace was in the living room in an entire black suit, looking hot as hell.

"Hottie." I said and he turned to face me.

"You are right there with me." He smirked. "Damn you're sexy."

"I think it's safe to say we're an attractive couple, am I right?" I asked and he laughed.

"Completely." He gave me a light kiss. "Let's go. I have the whole night planned."

"Do I get any hints?" I asked as he took my hand in his.

"None." He said and I laughed.

"Well, I trust you." I said. "Lead the way." I said and he did just that.

It was nearly 3 am, so people weren't out, which was nice. It was times like these that I loved being a vampire. The night was ours, and being in this moment with Jace was perfect. Taking in all the peaceful surroundings with Jace by my side was truly the only thing I would ever need. He were walking around for what felt like hours when Jace finally stopped walking.

"Everything okay?" I asked as I looked at Jace and he simply smiled.

"Everything is perfect." He said. "I'm here with the most amazing woman I've ever met, and we literally get to spend forever with each other." He explained and I laughed. "Which brings me to my next speech."

"You always have a way with your words." I admitted and he smiled.

"I've been around for a significantly long time. So long that I honestly thought there was nobody out there for me." He said. "But when I first met you, I knew you were different. It took us our good old time getting to where we are now, but we have nothing but time on our hands." He pointed out, which made me laugh. "You're amazing Clary. Everything about you is amazing. Your personality, your patience, your kindness, your welcoming heart. You are perfect in every single way, and to this day I don't know how you're mine." He admitted. "When we first met, I explained that not all marriages lasted with vampires because we constantly want change. Well, there isn't anything in my life I'm more sure about than wanting to spend the rest of my immortal life with you." He said honestly and tears came to my eyes. "I love you more than I thought was possible Clary. Before you I was simply existing. I was going through my life the way I always have because I was content with it. But meeting you, loving you, being loved by you, and being shown that life can be amazing, even if it is an immortal life." He let go of my hand and reached in his pocket and pulled out a box. He got down on one knee, and that's when everything hit me for real. "Clarissa Morgenstern, will you marry me?"

"Yes. Forever yes." I said. He slipped the ring on my finger and lifted me into his arms while I slammed my lips to his. We were going to spend the rest of our lives together, and nothing made me happier. Once we broke apart I looked into those golden eyes. "How are we going to get married? Won't they need our birth certificates?"

"Vampires have their own ceremonies." He told me.

"Really?" I asked curiously.

"Really. I certainly can't walk into a courthouse, show them my birth certificate and expect them to just accept it." He laughed.

"You still have your birth certificate?" I asked pretty shocked.

"Of course not." He smiled. "We didn't have them when I was born. Which would bring up a whole different set of issues." I laughed as we continued our walk. "I know a guy who can do our ceremony."

"I don't want to wait long." I admitted. "There is no sense in dragging it out any longer."

"I am so glad you said that." He confessed. "I don't want to drag it out either."

"So next Wednesday? It gives me time to get a dress, give Izzy enough time, because you know she's going to go crazy when she finds out, and it isn't too far away." I said.

"Next Wednesday works for me." He said and he pressed his lips to mine. I was going to enjoy being married to this man for the rest of our lives. That's for sure.

 **Time Jump – Clary's 100** **th** **Birthday**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was Clary's birthday, and although there really was no reason to celebrate anymore, hitting the 100 mark was pretty significant, so we were going to celebrate. I got Izzy to guilt trip Clary into going shopping with her, which Izzy has been dying to redecorate her kitchen, so it wasn't a complete lie. It gave me and the kids the whole day to get the house ready.

That's right, you heard me correctly. Kids. About a year or so after Clary and I got married she dropped the bomb on me. She wanted a family. A huge family. Of course I knew that, but hearing her say the words 'Jace, I want to have your babies' was something I never thought I would ever hear. But the moment that I met our first born, I knew that there was nothing that could top that moment.

We didn't just stop there though. Knowing we were going to be alive forever meant we could really have as many kids as we wanted. Which meant that we were going to create a small army, which I had no problem with. Clary having my kids was the greatest thing in the world. Nothing would compare.

Clary has told me many times that we aren't done, but we were currently taking a break. In the 60 years Clary and I have been married, we've had 17 kids. It was intense, and they were a hand full sometimes, but I couldn't be more in love with them even if I tried.

What helped the most with having so many kids though, is that because they were vampires, they grew a lot faster than the average human kid. So having kids so close together wasn't as hard as it would be for a normal family. They grew up, stopped aging, and than helped with the younger ones. We had a system, and it worked flawlessly.

I never knew what it would be like to have kids, especially vampire kids. They were rambunctious, and they were crazy, and they were fierce. Everything they did made me proud to be their father, and I knew Clary was extremely proud of them as well. But watching them grow was strange. Since they did grow faster than normal, we only had them at each stage in their life for a short amount of time before they moved onto the next. That was until they reached their peak age, and stopped aging all together. It was weird, but they followed a pattern. It seemed that all the girls stopped aging at the same age Clary was turned, and the boys stopped aging when I was turned. But the opposite sex twins were a different story. We never knew when they would stop aging, and if they would follow the boys trend, or the girls, so it was also fun to place a little bet on when we thought they would stop.

We had 9 beautiful girls, and 8 pretty cocky boys, but they were all the best of friends, and loyal beyond measure to the family. Of course the boys found it fun to go out and make all the human girls swoon at the mere sight of them, but when it came to their sisters or Clary, they were the most protective boys in the world, and they made sure nobody ever hurt them.

"Okay kids, we have a lot to get done, so we all need to work like a well oiled machine." I said as they all gathered in the living room.

"When don't we work like a well oiled machine dad?" Danny asked. Being the oldest, he always thought he the wisest of his siblings.

"I'm just making a point Daniel." I said. "Aunt Izzy can keep mom occupied for a long time, but when your mother wants to leave, she leaves."

"We all know that." Olivia laughed. "She's a stubborn vampire."

"That she is." I agreed. "Which is why I would love to get this house ready sooner rather than later."

"Just tell us what you need from us, and you got it dad." Aubrey said.

"Okay, Danny, I want you to take Aria, and Spencer to go get blood. Lots of O Positive; it's your moms favorite. Sydney already knows you're coming to the hospital, so meet her round back like always." I said, they nodded and headed out. "Wyatt, Tyler, and Collin Uncle Alec and Uncle Max need help bringing stuff over. Go help them." I said and they nodded and left. "Madison, Aubrey, and Piper since you three are master chefs/bakers, why don't you start on the desserts for the party." I said and they headed into the kitchen. It may be Clary's party, but I didn't want Izzy, Alec and Max to have to drink blood all night. "The house needs to be cleaned, so Olivia, Emma, Lucie, and Hudson get cleaning." They nodded and split up to get down to work. "Silas and Lydia decorations. Decide how you want the house to look on the inside, and do your thing. Henry, and Cora outside needs to be cleaned as well. Make sure it looks nice."

"Nobody is going to be looking outside." Henry said and Cora elbowed him.

"It doesn't matter if nobody is going to be out there. It's mom's birthday, and cleaning the outside is the least we can do." She reprimanded him.

"Thank you Cora. And if you don't want to do that, I can always find a worse job for you to do." I said and Henry growled.

"Fine." He mumbled and they headed out.

Meanwhile, I went up to our room and continued to work on my gift to her. Clary wasn't a material person, so I decided to go more sentimental for this special birthday. In the last 80 years I've been with Clary, we've had many amazing moments. And Clary liked to take a lot of pictures, so what better way to let her relive all of the amazing moments than with a giant family album. It gave Clary a way to remember the past, while being able to look forward to the future. Being immortal was tough, but having this amazing family, and being reminded that we were always going to be together was amazing.

 **Clary POV:**

I've been shopping with Izzy all day, and I was ready to head home. Thankfully so was Izzy, but she insisted on coming home with me. Something about wanted to talk to Jace about something. To be honest, I wasn't really paying attention because I was so exhausted from our shopping excursion.

When we got back to the house, I couldn't wait to get into bed and sleep. Jace says that I'm the one vampire in the world who loves and values sleep, but it's not true. Emma and Olivia picked up on my sleeping habits as well, and were often found in their beds. When I opened the door though, something felt off. I continued my way in and when I flipped the light switch, I was stunned.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone cheered as they jumped out, and if I had a beating heart, it wouldn't be beating any longer.

"What the hell!" I shouted and they all laughed.

"It's your birthday." Jace informed me as he made his way over to me.

"We stopped counting after I turned 50." I reminded him.

"But you're 100. I told you it was a milestone." He laughed and I couldn't help but smile.

"You spoil me." I said. "You all do." I looked at my beautiful children and they all smiled.

"You do everything for us." Danny spoke first.

"Yea, and you're stuck with us for literally an eternity." Lydia smiled.

"If we didn't do something nice for you every couple decades, you'd stake us." Spencer said and everyone laughed.

"Well, it's appreciated. Even if it is just to keep you all alive." I teased.

"We love you mom." Madison said. "You've given us the gift of an immortal life, and you've always provided for us. The least we could do is celebrate you being 100 years old, and a century of this life."

"Technically I haven't been a vampire for 100 years yet." I reminded them. "I still have 19 more years until that day comes. And no, you don't have to throw a party for it."

"Oh but we will." Lucie laughed. "We threw one when dad turned 1,000."

"And what a party that was." I faked happiness. "You broke the ceiling."

"But we fixed it." Hudson chimed in. "And you let us drink for 24 hours." He pointed out.

"I thought vampires couldn't get drunk." I defensively pointed out.

"You gotta stop getting all your information from books mom." Aria said.

"Well, I'm going to track down every single author who wrote a vampire book and yell at them for the inaccuracies." I said pointedly.

"Good luck with that." Silas laughed. "They're all dead."

"You are 100. Remember that mom." Wyatt chimed in.

"And I'm still your mother and I'll ground you for that comment." I chastised.

"But you don't look a day over 19." Tyler winked.

"That would be such a sweet compliment if I wasn't immortal." I pinched his cheek.

"Come on everyone, we made cake!" Aubrey cheered. We all made our way in to the kitchen. The cake had candles and everyone started singing. I couldn't get the smile off my face as they finished singing and I blew all the candles out. Izzy, Alec and Max all of course started eating the cake while Jace got me a glass filled with my favorite O Positive blood.

Immortality. _Immortality._ Jace used to tell me that he didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse. But in this moment, looking at my children, and enjoying an amazing night with friends, and family, I knew this was definitely a blessing, and one that I was going to have forever.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so I'm back. Sorry it's taken me so long, but I've been in a funk, but I tried super hard to get you something! Someone requested that I do one that has Jace and Clary as vampires, and I did not want to do a cliche vampire story of JAce being a vampire, who can't control himself and ends up biting Clary, and I didn't want to have a story like Twilight (although, some of the elements in this story I was inspired by Twilight because it just made sense to me) I wanted something original, and I wanted something that wasn't about war, or lying, or cheating, or anything like that. I wanted a story that was an easy read and had a lot of content, and a future because they are immortal. I made a lot of stuff up, and I decided that these vampires were going to have their own characteristics and if you don't like the direction I took this story in, I'm truly very sorry, but I like this story, and I feel as though it got me back into the groove of writing, and for that, I am very proud. So leave me a review, and let me know what you think.**

 **Disclaimer** **\- I know I mentioned it before, but I just wanted to put it here that I don't own Twilight. I just used someone the ideas as inspiration because it made sense to me!**

 **Also, listed below are descriptions of the kids (I know there are a lot of kids, but hey, they are immortal, so they can have a lot of kids. I made this world up, and in this world, vampires can have an infinite amount of kids, and that's exactly what I did.) I put descriptions of them if you want to know, but if you don't, feel free to skip over it. I know it's a lot to read, but some people like descriptions (I know I do) so I gave descriptions for those who were curious. Hope you all enjoy! :)**

 **KIDS:**

 **1.** **Daniel – _(Danny) – stopped aging at 23 – born two years after they got married – blonde hair, gold eyes, 6 feet tall_**

 **2.** **Madison – _stopped again at 19 – born two years after Danny – red hair, green eyes – 5 feet 5 inches tall_**

 **3.** **Aubrey – _stopped again at 19 – born one year after Madison – strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes (recessive gene) – 5 foot even_**

 **4.** **Aria – _stopped aging at 19 – born three years after Aubrey – blonde hair, green eyes – 5 feet 7 inches tall_**

 **5.** **Lucille – _(Lucie) – twin – stopped again at 19 – born a year after Aria – red hair, gold eyes – 5 feet 2 inches tall_**

 **6.** **Hudson – o _ther twin – stopped aging at 19 – born a year after Aria – red hair, gold eyes – 6 feet 1 inch tall_**

 **7.** **Henry – _stopped aging at 23 – born two years after Hudson and Lucille – blonde hair, green eyes – 5 feet 8 inches tall_**

 **8.** **Wyatt – _stopped again at 23 – born a year after Henry – blonde hair, hazel eyes, 5 feet 11 inches tall_**

 **9.** **Emma – t _win – stopped again at 19 – born three years after Wyatt – blonde hair, blue eyes (recessive gene) – 5 feet 4 inches tall_**

 **10. Olivia – _other twin – stopped aging at 19 – born three years after Wyatt – blonde hair, blue eyes (recessive gene) – 5 feet 4 inches tall_**

 **11. Tyler – _stopped aging at 23 – born two years after Olivia and Emma – red hair, green eyes – 6 feet 2 inches tall_**

 **12. Silas – _stopped aging at 23 – born two years after Tyler – blonde hair, gold eyes – 6 feet 4 inches tall_**

 **13. Piper – _stopped aging at 19 – born a year after Silas – red hair, blue eyes (recessive gene) – 5 foot even_**

 **14. Lydia – _stopped aging at 19 – born two years after Piper – brown hair (dyed) green eyes – 5 feet 9 inches tall_**

 **15. Cora – _stopped aging at 19 – born one year after Lydia – burgundy hair (dyed) gold eyes – 5 feet 3 inches tall_**

 **16. Collin – _stopped aging at 23 – born two years after Cora – strawberry blonde hair, gold eyes with hints of green – 6 foot even_**

 **17. Spencer – _stopped aging at 23 – born three years after Collin – strawberry blond hair, gold eyes, - 5 feet 10 inches_**


	132. Chapter 131 - Partner In Crime

**One Hundred and Thirty One Story:**

 **Partner In Crime**

 **Clary POV:**

"God damn it." I cursed as I got back in the squad car.

"We'll get him next time." Jace told me optimistically.

"Next time is too far away. This son of a bitch should already be in custody." I said indignantly.

"Calm down Fray. We're hot on his heels. He isn't going to last much longer, and by the looks of it, neither are you." He said and I glared at him. "What? You have bags the size of Texas under your eyes, and I haven't seen you eat a solid meal in almost a week."

"You know I prefer to snack rather than eat a full meal." I said, and he scoffed.

"That doesn't mean you can forgo on meals all together." He reprimanded. "Look Fray, you're my best friend. My PIC. I'm worried about you, and if you don't start taking care of yourself, I'm gonna tell Chief and get myself a new partner until you're back to normal."

"You wouldn't dare." I hissed.

"Oh I would." He said. "And I'll tell Jon."

"Oh, that's low. Even for you Herondale." I said.

"I refuse to lose you in the line of duty. Whether it be by bullet, malnutrition or complete lack of judgment due to sleep deprivation." He said honestly. "You need to regroup or I'll make you regroup."

"I hate you sometimes. I hope you know that." I said and he laughed.

"You love me Fray. This job wouldn't be as fun without me, and you know it." He winked and my heart started racing. _If only you know how much I loved you._ I said to myself.

Working with your best friend/love of your life is hard. Especially when they have no clue. Jace and I met at the Academy, and just clicked. We often knew what the other was thinking without even having to have a conversation. We were so in tune with each other, and it really helped up in the field.

Jon, my brother, was also on the force. I actually joined because of him. I always wanted to do something meaningful with my life, and what has better meaning than getting bad guys off the streets? Nothing in my opinion.

Jace and I were currently investigating a serial rapist. We were in the violent crime division, and in my opinion there is no greater crime than rape. Most people disagree with me, and that's their opinion, but I stand by my beliefs. We've been on this guy for months, and I finally thought we were going to nail his ass to the wall, but he evaded us again, and I was getting pissed.

"We're here Fray." I heard Jace say and I looked out the window and I was at my apartment.

"Thanks." I said.

"When you come in tomorrow, I expect you to be fully rested, and have eaten both dinner and breakfast. No if's ands or buts." He said.

"Yes _mother._ " I said and he laughed.

"Tomorrow is a new day Fray." He said. "Plenty of time to catch bad guys."

"Goodnight Jace." I said. He nodded and I got out of the car and headed upstairs. When I got into my apartment, I went straight to my freezer. I pulled out a frozen meal (I can't cook, sue me) and I heated it up before changing my clothes. I should probably shower, but I had no motivation right now.

I grabbed my pills (mainly for depression and anxiety) and took them just as my meal beeped. I sat on the couch, and turned on some useless TV and ate my food. It tasted gross but I suffered through it.

Jace may be my best friend, but he didn't know everything about me. High school was a dark time for me, and I kinda checked out and gave up on myself. I started binging and purging, and I got really depressed. If Jon hadn't noticed the signs, I'd probably be dead right now, and it's still hard to handle, but I'm doing better, and that's what matters.

It also didn't help that when I get focused on a case, that's literally all I focus on. It's a bad habit, but I put myself on the back burner, and I put everything into my work. Not the healthiest way to do it, but most of the time I hardly notice, unless someone brings it up to me. Which Jace certainly did today.

After I finished my food, I went straight to bed. It wasn't even 7 yet, but I didn't want Jace to pull me off the case, which he would totally do if I didn't take care of myself, so I was going to get a good night's sleep tonight, and eat breakfast tomorrow just like he told me too. I took a sleeping pill (since I don't sleep well to begin with) and slowly exhaustion started to set in and I was floating off to dream land. I knew Jace was just being a concerned best friend/partner, but I'm a big girl, I don't need a caretaker.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

I was in early getting some paper work done when Clary walked in. She looked better than she did last night, which meant she took my advice into consideration. She took a seat at her desk, and handed over the coffee she always brought me in the morning.

"I don't know what I'd do without you Fray." I said and she laughed.

"You'd have to get your own coffee, and god forbid you do that." She teased and I couldn't help but smile.

"It's just so much better when you deliver it." I said.

"Which reminds me. You owe me $4.75." She said.

"$4.75? What is this coffee made of? Golden grounds?" I asked and she laughed.

"Of course not. But I do charge a delivery fee." She smirked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"How about lunch on me?" I asked.

"Deal." She said and she started working. The relationship Clary and I had was one that I cherished. She understood me, and we worked incredibly well together. I don't think I could do this job without her, and I wouldn't want to even try.

"Herondale! Fray! My office, now." The Chief said.

"Shit. What do you think we did?" I asked and Clary laughed.

"I didn't do anything, you on the other hand is a whole different story." She said and I pushed her playfully. We got into the chief's office, and took our seats.

"We got an anonymous tip about the serial rapist." He said and my heart sink. "Someone saw the APB we have out on our suspect so I'm sending you two on a stakeout."

"Yes." I cheered.

"Ugh." Clary said at the same time, which caused me to laugh.

"Don't worry, you won't be in a car." The chief said.

"What will we be in than?" Clary asked.

"The place where the tip led us was a suburban neighborhood. We talked to the people who live across the street from the house, and we're putting an RV in their driveway so you can stakeout there." The chief explained.

"You mean we actually get a place with a bed and a stove?" I faked shocked.

"Don't be a smartass Herondale." The chief said. "Jon will come to check in every now and than to make sure you both are making good choices."

"I don't need my brother babysitting me chief." Clary said.

"It's not babysitting. Both of you are too stubborn for your own good. Which makes you two a great team, but sometimes it gets in the way. Jon is simply going to be a third party who cheeks in from time to time. That's all." The chief explains.

"When do we start?" I asked.

"Tomorrow." He said. "Take the rest of today to get ready." He said and we both nodded before heading out of his office.

"You ready to live with me Fray?" I asked with a smirk.

"Oh, I've been _dreaming_ of this day my entire life." She said sarcastically.

"You're gonna love it Fray. Trust me." I winked and she just laughed. Being on stakeout was normally not all that glamorous, but I've never been on stakeout in an RV, so it should be an interesting time, that's for sure.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It's been a crazy two weeks living in this RV with Jace. Of course we did it seamlessly. Everything with Jace was just so natural, and I expected living together would be the same.

Jon came one a week to make sure things were going well, and of course they were. He would stay for an hour or two until he left. I liked having Jon around, it gave Jace and I time to catch up on sleep, which was something we were both lacking. Today is was down pouring, and nobody has come out of the house in two days. It has been slow, that's for sure.

"Clare." I heard and I turned around to see Jace coming out of the back room. "What are these?" He asked as he held up my pill bottles.

"Where did you find those?" I asked curiously, and a little uneasy.

"I dropped something in your stuff, and when I went to get it, these fell out." He said. "Clary, these are for depression and anxiety."

"I'm aware Jace. I am the one who has depression and anxiety." I stated.

"Why have you never told me this before?" He asked.

"Because it's embarrassing Jace." I said honestly.

"Clary, you're my best friend." He said as he sat next to me.

"I had a tough time in high school." I admitted. "But I'm getting better. I don't feel the need to relive what happened to me."

"But you're okay right?" He asked. "You aren't dependent on these right?"

"If I wasn't dependent on them, I wouldn't be taking them." I said. "They stabilize me Jace. I need them to function."

"So you aren't okay?" He asked.

"I'm normal for me. That's the best answer you'll get." I said.

"What happened Clary?" He asked again. I realized that if I didn't tell him, he'd constantly be worrying. I knew part of his curiosity was the cop in him, but the other part was just him making sure I was okay.

"My parents divorced when I was a freshman in high school." I started. "Although they filed for divorce when I was only in 5th grade." I explained. "Jon and I were used as pawns in the worst possible way."

"I'm so sorry." He said genuinely.

"I'm actually surprised you never asked why Jon and I had different last names." I said.

"I just always assumed you have two different fathers." Jace said honestly. "You don't look anything alike."

"If you saw our parents, you would see that I'm a replica of my mom, and Jon is a replica of my father." I said and he nodded. "Well, after they finally got divorced, it didn't end. My father fought for my brother, and my mom wanted me."

"That's horrible." Jace said and I nodded in agreement.

"We were separated. Went to different schools, made different friends, we had different lives." I explained. "I felt like I didn't even know my brother anymore. I got depressed, and the anxiety was crippling. I stopped taking care of myself all together."

"Why?" Jace asked innocently.

"My mom was barely around after the divorce. She worked crazy hours and I was alone most of the time. The loneliness really got to me." I said. "It makes you go mad."

"What happened?" He asked.

"I started skipping school because I couldn't get myself out of bed." I said. "I would faint randomly, and my muscles started to deteriorate." I continued. "Eventually I started binging and purging. It was the only control I had over my life for so long, and I liked it." I looked at him and he had this look in his eyes that begged me to continue. "So I figured that I might as well start going back to school because now I had something I could control." I took a deep breath. "It went on for months, hell I couldn't stop making myself throw up until I was nearly a senior in high school."

"What made you want to get better?" He finally asked.

"Jon found me." I said. "It was after a huge purge, and my body just couldn't take it anymore. He thought I was dead, so he called an ambulance and I spent a month in the hospital before I went sent to rehabilitation center for eating disorders."

"How long were you there for?" He asked.

"Until the end of senior year. I finished my school work there, and when I got out, I readjusted to life and than I joined the academy." I said. "We met and thus began our partnership."

"So these are precautionary?" He asked as he held up the bottles. I reached over and put my hand on his.

"These make me who I am today Jace." I told him honestly. "Without them, I'd be a shell of a human being. A ghost, and I wouldn't be able to do my job."

"I just want you to be okay Clary." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile.

"And I am." I told him. "As long as I keep taking my medication."

"Okay, I'll drop it. But you'll tell me if you aren't feeling right, won't you?" He asked.

"Of course Jace." I said. "You'll be the first to know." He smiled before getting up and going back into the back room. I took a deep breath. Part of me felt lighter now that I knew Jace knew, but part of me was worried that he was never going to leave me alone now, and that didn't really sit well with me. I didn't want to be treated like a wounded animal. I guess only time will tell though.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It's been a long stakeout, but I finally saw some movement, and now things were going to get interesting. So far we only have the anonymous tip about the alleged rapist being in this home, but so far, no visual has been made. I had a feeling that was all about to change now.

"Fray! Get up here!" I called as she emerged from the bathroom.

"I just finished my shower." She said annoyed.

"I think we're about to make a bust. Sorry it's more important than a shower." I said and she was next to me in a heartbeat.

"You saw him?" She asked excitedly.

"I saw movement. And nobody has entered this house all day. I can only assume that it's him." I said confidently. I saw more movement and I decided to make the call. "Go!" I said and Clary was running out of the RV. We were both running towards the house when it blew up. Clary and I were sent flying. When I looked back at the house, it was being consumed by flames.

"Fuck!" Clary yelled. Soon everyone in the neighborhood was gathering to see what was happening, and the fire department was there rather quickly. Our department showed up and Clary and I were looked over by EMT's. Thankfully we weren't close enough to have any real damage inflicted, but being tossed on your ass is never fun.

"Everyone okay?" I heard the chief ask as he made his way onto the scene.

"We're fine chief. Our ego's may be bruised, but that's about it." I said as Clary and I approached him.

"I'm glad you two weren't in that house." He said and I nodded in agreement.

"Well, at least that bastards dead." Clary said venomously. She always took rape cases more personally than anyone I've ever met before.

"Captain Evan's, status report?" I heard a firefighter say.

"No causalities." He reported, and I think my stomach lurched.

"No causalities?" Clary reiterated. "There was a man inside there right before the place blew up!" She yelled.

"There was nobody in that house ma'am." The firefighter said.

"What do you mean? Who do you think blew up that place?" Clary yelled.

"We haven't found the source of the explosion yet." The firefighter informed us.

"This is unbelievable. He was in that house. We saw him." Clary said to me.

"We saw something. Like I said, I assumed it was him." I told her trying to be reasonable even though I was just as pissed.

"That means something should have died in that explosion." Clary said.

"He could have pulled a Home Alone move Clare." I said to her. "We have no idea if what we saw was real."

"I'm not crazy! Someone was in there!" She yelled before walking away. I went to go follow her, but Jon stopped me.

"Let her cool off for a moment." Jon said and I nodded, knowing he was right. Since the fire was now out, I decided to get a good look at the crime scene. Everything that was blasted was pretty much ruined. There were scrapes of things left, but who knows if that's enough to convict anyone. I was walking around what was meant to be the living room when I felt the floor beneath me crack. I moved, and walked over it again, and it creaked again. I bent down and removed all the ash and the carpet and found a trap door.

"Over here!" I called and people started to flock me. "Send a couple uniforms down there." I said and they nodded, Jon taking control of the search. I went to go talk to Clary. She was standing by the RV with her arms over her chest.

"Don't even try and tell me I was out of line Jace. I'm not in the mood." She said the moment I approached her.

"I was coming over to tell you that we found a trap door." I said and her face lit up. "We were right Clare. We saw someone in that house. They just escaped before blowing up the place. I was just trying to be reasonable Clary. You know in these types of situations, looking at things reasonably and logically is the right move."

"I know. But I can't shut off my emotions." She told me.

"I don't expect you too, but it would be nice if my partner didn't blow up when things don't go the way we thought." I said and she sighed.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I just want to catch this guy."

"I know you have a certain vendetta against all rapists, and I totally understand that. They are despicable human beings, but is it more personal for you?" I asked cautiously.

"In high school, a good friend of mine was raped." She admitted. "When they tried to prosecute, he got off on a technicality. She was messed up for a long time, nearly killed herself. I vowed that I would do everything in my power to make sure every rapist I came across got tried, and got jail time. Preferably for the rest of their life."

"We'll get this sick son of a bitch. I promise you that." I said and she nodded. I pulled her into a hug and she melted against me. Our bodies always did fit together quite well.

"We found something!" I heard from behind me and Clary and I made our way over.

"What do you have?" I asked as Jon made his way out of the tunnel.

"Remote control for the detonator." Jon said. "Maybe we could get prints off if he didn't use gloves."

"Send it to the lab as soon as possible." Clary said. "Put a rush on it."

"Already on it." He said and we both nodded.

"You two go home. Get a decent nights sleep, decent food, and be at the precinct tomorrow to start looking at where this guy could be." The chief said.

"Do we know where this tunnel leads too?" I asked.

"Not yet. It's a pretty long tunnel though." The chief said. As much as Clary and I didn't want to leave, we knew we needed too. Being on a stakeout was tiring, and a good nights sleep will do is both good.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I came in today bright eyed and bushy tailed. I got a good nights sleep, and I was working on my 3rd cup of coffee this morning. I was ready to catch this psycho and put him in jail.

Jace was already at his desk when I walked in. he always was an early bird, something I didn't understand, but that's who he was. I got to my desk, turned on my computer and saw that the fingerprints came back without a match. But that shouldn't be surprising. This serial rapist wasn't in the system, other wise we would have caught him by now.

"Detective Herondale." Jace said as he answered his phone. "And you're sure that's where he went?" He said and that spiked my curiosity. Jace jotted something down quickly. "Thank you so much." He said before hanging up.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"We have a possible ID on the suspect. You up for a ride?" He asked.

"Hell yea." I said as I grabbed my coat.

"Chief, we got a lead!" Jace called out.

"Let me know what you find." Chief said. We nodded and headed out towards Jace's car.

"So, where are we going?" I asked as we started driving.

"Upstate New York, Livingston." He said and my jaw dropped.

"Jace, that's two hours away. We don't have jurisdiction there." I said.

"I know. The police have already been alerted, but I figured if he's up there, we should be up there too." He said.

"Okay. I'll call the police department." I said as I dialed the number. The sheriff there was very nice, and said we were more than welcomed to come and help find this guy, which I was thankful for.

The rest of the car ride was spent listening to music and talking. Thankfully Jace and I were familiar with having go-bags, so we were prepared to spend as much time as possible up there until this guy was caught.

When we finally got there, I felt like my legs were numb. I wanted to hit the ground running, but this wasn't our jurisdiction, so we had to work with the Livingston Police, and I hated not being in charge, especially on a case that I've been working on for so long.

"Thanks for coming." The detective said. "I'm Detective Verlac, but you can call me Sebastian."

"I'm Jace, and this is my partner Clary." He said as we shook hands. "We're here to help in any way that we can."

"I appreciate that. We don't know much about this guy, so any help is welcomed." He said and we nodded. "Let's set you up in the conference room." We followed him and we got situated in a room, and started an evidence board. "So, what should we know about him?" Sebastian asked.

"He preys on younger women. His age range is anywhere from 17 to 25." I explained. "He does it at night, and in secluded areas. He blind folds them so they can't see his face, and he gags them so they can't scream." I continued. "The witnesses we've talked to don't have much to go on, but that he as an accent."

"What kind of accent?" Sebastian asked.

"We don't know." Jace said. "Each victim remembers it differently. Some say Russian, another girl swears it was Polish, and the others just know he wasn't American, they were too frightened to pay close attention."

"What should I tell the people of my town?" Sebastian asked.

"Tell women to not go anywhere alone. Make sure they have pepper spray, mace, knives, anything to protect themselves. If they have a big dog, take that dog with you wherever you go." I explained. "Avoid parks at night time, don't go out after dark, and if you absolutely have too, go in packs. Do not be vulnerable. This guy preys on that kind of stuff."

"My people are losing their freedom." Sebastian said.

"Look, this guy is used to the city." Jace said. "New York City has over 8 million people in it. He has more opportunities for women to be alone. Don't let the women of this town give him the satisfaction. Hopefully once he realizes that he can't do anything here, he'll leave, making himself vulnerable, and that gives us the chance to get him, and put him away forever."

"This guy is a sick twisted son of a bitch isn't he?" Sebastian asked.

"In the worst possible way." I said and he nodded.

"Okay. I'll hold a press conference this afternoon." He said before leaving the room leaving Jace and I alone.

"We'll get him Clary." Jace tried to reassure me.

"You sure about that? Because it's been months and he just keeps getting away with it." I said.

"But we're better than him." Jace said. "We're smarter. He'll mess up eventually."

"I'm not so sure about that Jace." I said honestly. "I'm going to get coffee. You want any?"

"Yea." He said and I walked out of the room to clear my head. This guy has evaded us for months. I was beginning to question our investigative skills. I don't think we are ever going to catch him, and that absolutely sucks.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

"Go get some sleep. Meet back here in the morning." Sebastian said to Clary and I.

"Yea Clare, we should get some sleep." I said as I yawned.

"Deal. Where is he closet motel?" Clary asked Sebastian.

"Literally right around the corner. It's called Dot's House." He said.

"Thank you." I said as we grabbed out stuff and made our way to Dot's House. We got in there, and there stood a lovely woman behind the counter.

"Well you two are new faces." She smiled brightly. "How can I help you?" She asked.

"Do you have a room available?" I asked.

"The only room I have left is our suit. Is that okay?" She asked.

"We'll take anything." Clary said and she nodded. I paid her, and she led us to our room. She handed over to key and than left. I opened the door, and the room was slightly bigger than a hotel room, but only had one bed. "I guess this is what I get for being willing to take anything." Clary said and I laughed.

"We'll survive." I said and she smiled. We made our way into the room and Clary made a beeline for the shower. I was exhausted. We had been trying to get information all day, but this guy was so good at blending in that it made it impossible to get anything from people. They simply didn't recognize him, and that was terrifying.

Since I loved getting up early, I was planning on taking a shower in the morning. I got ready for bed and got under the covers. About 15 minutes later, Clary joined me.

"You take your medication?" I asked and she laughed.

"I did." She said.

"Good." I responded and than it was quiet again. I liked to know she was taking care of herself, especially after learning about her past. She was important to me, and I wanted her to be her healthiest. I knew sometimes it annoyed her, but I was just keeping an eye out for her.

 **Time Jump – Next Morning**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up holding onto something. No, _someone._ I opened my eyes and Clary was practically on top of me. The scent of her shampoo filling my nostrils. She was so tiny that it barely felt like I was holding onto anyone. I looked over at the clock and noticed that it was only 5 am. Now, I'm an early bird, but 5 was too early in this instance. I closed my eyes and pulled Clary even closer to me. She made some noise, which was incredibly cute, and buried her head into my chest. I waited for sleep to consume me yet again, but my mind was flooding with Clary. I don't know why, but the way we were right now was incredibly natural. Like we were meant to be sleeping next to each other, and I was meant to hold her. She shifted and turned around, and I was sad that her warmth was now not surrounding me, but she grabbed my arm and pulled me to her. We were now spooning, and I laughed to myself. I closed my eyes for a second time, this time letting the sweet scent of Clary lull me to sleep.

 **Time Jump – A Little Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up, and I immediately heard the shower. I looked at the clock and it was only 6:45 in the morning. I rolled over, and pulled the covers up to my throat. Jace being an early bird was ridiculous, like didn't he like sleep? I was in an out of sleep, but a light sleep, so I heard when the shower turned off. I heard the door open, and I heard Jace trying to make as little noise as possible.

"Don't you value sleep?" I said groggily, which caused him to laugh.

"I do value sleep. I slept 45 minutes longer than usual." He admitted.

"Ugh. I don't wake up until at least 7:26." I said.

"7:26? That's oddly specific." He laughed.

"Well if I get up any later, I'm certainly going to be late, but if I wake up any earlier I'm twiddling my thumbs until it's time to leave. I have found 7:26 is the perfect time." I explained.

"Whatever you say Fray." He said, and I could hear the smile on his lips. His perfectly formed lips. "I'm going to grab some breakfast. When I get back, you better be awake."

"Aye aye captain." I said. He laughed, than the door opened and he was gone. I wasn't planning on going back to sleep, but I did stay in bed. I heard a vibrating noise, and when I looked over I noticed Jace forgot his phone. It stopped, so I closed my eyes, but the vibrations soon started again. Annoyed, I reached over and grabbed his phone only to see the one name I never wanted to see text him.

 ** _Kaelie:_** _Jacey, I miss you. When are you going to call me back?_

 ** _Kaelie:_** _Come on baby, you know you can't stay away for very long._

 ** _Kaelie:_** _Ugh. You think you're some big hot shot because you're a detective. Well listen well and listen good, I'm the best thing that ever happened to you, and if you don't call me back in the next 5 minutes, you'll never hear from me again._

 ** _Kaelie:_** _Fuck you Jace Herondale! You just lost the best thing that's ever happened to you. Have fun being lonely forever._

 ** _Kaelie:_** _Oh and that redheaded bitch you spend all your time with will never be able to satisfy you the way I can. I know you, every inch of you. Can she say the same?_

I laughed at the last one. Jace always had the tendency to pick the wrong one-night stands. They were always super clingy and thought they were hot shit, when in reality, they were just easy. The door opened, and in walked Jace was coffee, and what I assume are doughnuts.

"Breakfast is served!" He said and I laughed.

"You mean delivered." I smiled as he handed me my coffee.

"Same thing." He said.

"You're recent conquest texted. She isn't very happy." I said and he groaned. "Seriously dude, you need to find better women, or just not give out your phone number."

"I didn't give it to her. She found it." He said which made me laugh. "Laugh at my pain, real nice Clare."

"Your fault. You slept with her." I said.

"Won't be making that mistake again." He said and I laughed.

"We should head to the station." I said as I grabbed my coffee and a doughnut.

"Sounds good." Jace said.

We got everything together and headed towards the station. This guy hasn't done anything thus far being in town, and it's slightly confusing. Why was he here in the first place? And what was his next plan of attack.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

"This is useless." I explained. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"No idea. But we should be glad he hasn't raped anyone." Clary pointed out.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled he hasn't assaulted anyone while being here, but it doesn't make any sense." I said and Clary sighed.

"No it doesn't, but we'll be in every single town he travels too prepared to arrest his ass. Or shot him. Which ever one comes first." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Help me!" Someone yelled as she stumbled into the station. "I was just attacked."

"Ma'am, can you tell us what happened?" I asked as I slowly approached her.

"I was walking outside to get my mail, when someone grabbed me and threw me into his van." She explained.

"Did you get a good look at him?" Clary asked.

"No. But I got a good look at his van." She said. "It was a black SUV, and the license plate started with HGU." She explained. "After I fought him off, he pushed me out of the car and drove away. I ran straight here."

"That's very good." Clary said. "Why don't you go and give your statement to the officer over there." She pointed to the direction of Sebastian. The woman nodded and Clary looked at me. "You ready to get this son of a bitch?"

"Hell yea." I said and we got into the car. We went straight for the highway, thinking he was leaving this town. He wasn't getting away this time, I was going to make sure of it.

We had our police lights on and we were weaving in and out of traffic to find this plate number. There were a surprising amount of people on the road this time of night, so we had to make sure our eyes stayed peeled for the car we wanted. We were driving for a good amount of time and we still had no visual on the car.

"This seems pointless." I said.

"Don't give up just yet. He had a head start on us." Clary said. "It makes sense that we would have to drive a little before we got to him."

"What if we're going in the wrong direction?" I asked. "What than?"

"Than we put an APB out for the whole country." She said. "He can't hide forever Jace. Remember that." I turned my head for a split second to look at her, and that's when everything shifted. Literally. The car skidded on the road, and I tried to get control but before I could we were already flipping.

"Brace yourself!" I yelled at Clary. I held onto the wheel as tightly as I could until the car came to a stop, unfortunately, that had to be when the car was upside down. "Clary, you okay?" I asked.

"Yea. I'm good. You?" She asked.

"I'm good." I said as I looked around. "Can you get free?" I asked.

"Of course." Someone other than Clary said, and that's when I looked over and saw a man holding a knife to Clary's throat. "Always a pleasure Detective Herondale." He smirked. "I'll take good care of her." He said seductively.

"Clary!" I yelled and at that moment she was being pulled out of the car.

"Jace!" She screamed as she was being dragged away. "Don't let him get away!"

"I'll find you Clary!" I yelled as I pulled at my seatbelt. Damn thing was jammed. "You won't get away you son of a bitch!" I yelled.

"I think I already have." He said and than they were both gone.

"Damn it!" I yelled. My seatbelt was more than jammed, so was my wheel, right against my thighs. I heard the vague sounds of police and ambulance sirens and I knew I was going to be helped, but my mind was on Clary now, and I was scared to death for her.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

After I was released from the hospital, I was escorted back to the local police station in the jurisdiction the kidnapping took place. When I walked in, the chief and Jon were already there talking to the sheriff of the department.

"What do we have?" I asked when I walked over to them.

"Jace, you should be resting." The chief said.

"My partner was just kidnapped by a lunatic rapist. I'm not resting until she's brought home safely." I said.

"Chief, you aren't going to reason with him." Jon stepped in. "Plus, him and Clary have been working this case for months. He has the most knowledge on how this guy operates." He pointed out. "We need that. Clary is tough as nails, but this guy is crazy, and having Jace's knowledge might be out best bet in finding him and Clary."

"Okay, but the minute your emotions start clouding your judgment, you're done." Chief said.

"Deal." I agreed. "So, what do we have?"

"So far, we know he went South. We have him on traffic cameras, but we lost him just as he entered Pennsylvania." Jon said.

"I doubt he kept the same car. He probably switched the moment he got out of New York." I told them.

"How long does he normally keep his victims?" Jon asked and I flinched at the words.

"Can we refrain from calling Clary a victim? As far as we know all he's done is kidnap her, and knowing Clary she will kill him before she allows him to assault her." I said and they both nodded.

"But do you have a time period?" The chief asked.

"This guy keeps his…..the women for two days. Than he disposes of them on the side of the road groggy, and unable to remember much of what he did to them." I explained. "But I think Clary will be different."

"How so?" Jon asked.

"For one she's a fighter." I said. "He also went out of his way to abduct her. He wants her, probably for leverage, probably for revenge, but I think he just got a whole lot more complicated for us."

"First we need to find out where he's going. Once we figure that out, we nail his ass to the wall." Jon said and I nodded in agreement. "Let's get to work boys." We all started calling every police agency in Pennsylvania to make sure they knew who we were looking for. We told them about Clary, and this guys history. Every police force in the country was going to be on look out for him, and we weren't going to stop until Clary was home.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"God damn it. We have nothing!" I yelled as I slammed my hands on the table.

"Jace, we're getting closer." Jon tried to assure me.

"This is the third country police department we've travelled to with possible sightings, but we have nothing Jon. _Nothing!_ When are we actually going to get good fucking intell?" I yelled.

"You need to calm the fuck down Jace, before chief pulls you off the case." Jon said in an alarmingly calm tone.

"Clary is _missing_ Jonathan. And we aren't doing a damn thing to help her." I hissed.

"Get your ass in the conference room. Now." He said and I huffed before following his instructions. I knew a calm Jonathan, was a dangerous Jonathan, so the best thing to do is listen. Once he closed the door, he turned towards me. "Listen, I know she's fucking missing. She is my little sister. I'm supposed to protect her." He said and I sighed. "But out in the field you're the one who has her six, and it fucking sucks that she was put in this situation, but you need to pull your head out of your ass and look at this from a detectives point of view." He said and I nodded in agreement. He was right, that's the only way to help Clary.

"You're right, and I know I've been hot headed lately, I just want her safe." I admitted.

"Dude, I get it." He said. "But just because you're in love with her, doesn't mean you have reason to lose it."

"Love? What – I don't know what you mean." I said completely dumbfounded by his accusation.

"Oh please." He scoffed. "You wouldn't be freaking out like this if there wasn't something there. Sure, she's your partner, and that's a very special bond in and of itself, but there is more there. I can see it in your eyes when chief talks about her as a victim. She means more to you than you think she does."

"She's my best friend." I said completely ignoring what Jon just said.

"Sometimes those are the best foundations for relationships." He said and I just looked at him. "Look, compose yourself and than meet me out there." He said and than he left. I stood there for a few minutes, I couldn't be in love with Clary and not even notice it, could I?

 **Clary POV:**

I've been getting man handled by this creep for two days, and I didn't like it one bit. Whether it was him dragging me out of the car into a creepy motel, or threatening to hurt me, he made a point to make sure I knew he could truly hurt me or assault me whenever he wanted to, and as much as I hated being man handled, being hurt, or raped was something I don't think I would recover from well.

The strange thing about this is that this didn't fit into his MO. He wasn't just a kidnapper. He was a rapist, so why was he just holding me? What was his end goal with me? If it wasn't to rape me, what could he possibly want from me?

The car stopped, and I couldn't see anything out of the windows, so I had no idea where we were. When the door finally opened, I noticed we were in a parking lot. It didn't seem like a motel, so I really had no idea what his intentions were with me. All I knew was that I had to get away, or try and find a way for Jace to know I'm okay.

"Listen, your hair is basically my death sentence, and I don't have time or patience to wait for your hair to dye, so we're getting a wig." He explained. "I don't trust you out here alone, so you have to come with me, but say anything suspicious, and you'll wish you weren't alive." He hissed. He unwrapped my hands, pulled me out of the van, and threw his arm over my shoulder in a possessive way. This might be my only chance to tell someone what's going on, but I would have to be careful. I didn't want him to find out.

When we walked into the wig shop, I was actually really surprised at how crowded it was. I've never been in a wig shop before, so I had no idea how much of a commodity wigs actually were. I was being dragged to a certain part of the store, and nobody even batted an eyelash at this behavior. I guess it could be perceived as a boyfriend and a girlfriend who just really like each other so it wasn't that suspicious. I forgot that not everyone looks at things the way I do. I'm a skeptic, but it comes with the job.

"Can I help you with anything?" I heard from behind us and I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Oh darling, I didn't mean to scare you."

"She's just a jumpy person by nature. Isn't that right babe?" He said and I wanted to throw up.

"Yea. Just naturally jumpy." I said.

"Well, if you need anything, just let me know." She said sweetly before walking away.

"Just act fucking normal." He hissed in my ear. "Now, we're going to split up for a few moments like a normal couple would in this situation, but if you run, the people in this store will be in danger, and you don't want that, do you?" He asked and I shook my head. "Good. Now behave." He said before he walked away.

I started looking at the wigs and I noticed that when people were bringing them up, they were bringing the Styrofoam heads with them. That's when I remembered that I had a pen in my pocket. I grabbed it, grabbed a black bob wig and started writing on the Styrofoam head what I needed the cashier to know.

"You find anything?" I heard from the next row over.

"Uh, yea. I got one." I said as I placed the wig back on the head. I made my way to him and smiled. I hated having to act like I liked this bastard. "I like this one. I always wanted to see what I would look like with black hair." I said and he nodded.

"Than lets go." He said and I nodded. We walked up to the cashier and I put the head down facing her so he wouldn't see the writing when she took the wig off.

"Will that be all?" She asked as she grabbed the wig.

"Uh yea, can you hurry up we're in a rush?" He said as he looked around. When his head was turned I looked at the woman and mouthed 'look at the head'. She took the wig off, and her eyes widened. She looked back up at me, but I couldn't do anything because he was paying attention now. "What's wrong?" He hissed at the woman.

"Nothing, I was just trying to see what this would look like on her." She said as she grabbed the wig and put the head under the counter immediately. "That will be $75 please."

"Here." He said as he threw $80 on the counter. He snatched the bag and grabbed my arm and rushed us out of the store. I looked back and say the woman looking at me with worried eyes. I mouthed 'thank you' to her and we were gone. I was tied back up and thrown in the back of the van. I couldn't only hope now that Jace got my message, and came as soon as he could.

 **Jace POV:**

I felt like we had absolutely nothing. There wasn't anything that we could use, and I was getting more and more frustrated by the day. My phone started ringing, and so much of me wanted to throw it off a bridge with how much false information I was getting, but I was holding out little hope for something decent to come through.

"Detective Herondale speaking." I said when I answered it.

"Hi, my name is Pam, and I think I just found your partner." She said.

"How?" I asked completely shocked.

"She just came into my wig shop with a guy. She didn't seem scared, but he seemed paranoid. They bought a black bob wig and left." She explained and I started writing these details down. "She wrote on the Styrofoam head that I should call you and tell you."

"She's a freaking genius." I laughed into the phone.

"She's a smart girl. If I was in her shoes, I wouldn't be able to be so brave. She also wrote that the car she is in is white, and looks more like a moving van than a car." She said and I wrote that down.

"Where are you exactly?" I asked.

"Philadelphia." She said and I nodded.

"Thank you so much." I said.

"I hope you find her detective." She said and we hung up. I ran to Jon and the chief feeling better than I have in days.

"I have a tip. I good tip." I said and they turned around.

"From where?" Jon asked.

"Philadelphia." I said. "They just went into a wig shop and bought a black bob wig. Whatever that means. She also said she's in a moving van, not a regular car."

"Alright, let's go." Jon said and we nodded. We got in the car and headed towards Philadelphia. Hopefully he hasn't left yet, and hopefully he doesn't know Clary informed us of this new information.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

We haven't moved out of Philadelphia yet. He seemed set on staying for a few days, and I didn't understand why. All I hoped for was that Jace got my messaged, and found me quick.

We were in a house that looked like it hasn't been lived in for years. The furniture was covered in dust, and some of the windows were boarded up. Everything was out of date, which led me to believe this place really hasn't been lived in in a long time.

My kidnapper, tied me to a chair in the living room, and left me there. He gave me nothing to eat or drink, and barely talked to me. I didn't understand. This was making no sense to me. He wasn't someone to hold onto someone for this long, and it definitely wasn't in his character to not rape one of his conquests. So what the hell was this guy waiting for? And why was I so important to him all of the sudden?

Being kidnapped was only part of my problem though. I haven't taken my medication in over a month, and I could feel myself slipping back into that destructive and self-hating mindset. It was getting worse and worse by the day. I knew if I was ever rescued, I was going to take some time to get back to who I was before, and I was slightly terrified about that journey. It was hard the first time, and I had a feeling this time wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

It was dark. Probably the middle of the night, I was losing all sense of time by now. I was exhausted, but I tried to not sleep as much as I could. I wanted to be awake in case anything happened, but I could feel the exhaustion hitting me like a freight train, and all I could do was hope that Jace was close to finding me. As my eyes started to close, I heard the door open. I wanted nothing more than to stay awake, but I just couldn't do it anymore. As the darkness took me over, I was scared to death at what he would do to my unconscious body.

 **Jace POV:**

According to the information we've gotten, Clary was still in Philadelphia and I was feeling slightly more optimistic about finding her. It was late, but nobody was going home until this guy was caught, and Clary was home safely. I was looking at possible places where he could be hiding them out in when the phone rang.

"Detective Herondale speaking." I said when I picked it up.

"Hi, my name is Callie, and I think I know where this rapist and your partner are hiding." She said and my heart started racing.

"Where is that?" I asked trying to keep my cool.

"This old abandoned house on the corner of Castle Avenue." She said. "I knew the family growing up, but nobody's lived there for years." She explained. "I can't be 100% certain, but I think the guy you've been looking for is the son."

"What's his name?" I asked. Considering we had no information about him other than a picture, a name would be greatly appreciated.

"Axel Mortmain." She said. "He was a really strange child, and a pretty troubled upbringing."

"Thank you so much for the information Callie." I said and we hung up. "Boys, we have a great lead!" I yelled to the station.

"Where too?" Jon asked.

"An abandoned house on Castle Avenue." I said. "Let's go." We all grabbed our guns and badges, and got into cars and headed towards the house. We were going to get Clary back that was for certain.

We pulled up to the house and there was a car in the driveway. The place looked like something out of a haunted house. We made our way slowly inside inspecting all the rooms. There didn't seem to be signs of anyone. As I made my way into the next room, that's when I nearly lost it. There sat Clary, tied to a chair, unconscious, and our guy passed out on the couch. I holstered my weapon and ran over to Clary.

"Clary?" I asked but she didn't respond. "Clary." I said again as I began to shake her. "In here!" I yelled, and that's when the rest of the squad came in. "He's on the couch, and call a bus. We need to get her to a hospital." I said and they sprung into action. "Come on Clary, I need you to wake up." I said as I began untying her. She began to stir, and I was thankful that she was waking up. "Help is almost here Clary." I said and her eyes opened and locked with mine.

"Jace?" She questioned.

"Yea, it's me. Everything is going to be okay." She gave me a sad smile before I lost her yet again. I heard the sirens and the moment they put her on the gurney, and loaded her into the ambulance, I finally felt at peace. We caught the son of a bitch, and Clary was safe, and going to be taken care of.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The first thing I felt when I woke up was warmth. I opened my eyes and I saw that I was in the hospital. As I took in my surroundings, I saw Jon fast asleep on the couch in the room, and I saw Jace in a chair next to my bed. I couldn't stop but smile as I ran my fingers through his golden hair. He started to stir and he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Clary?" He questioned and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Hi Jace." I said and I couldn't help but stare at his bright white smile.

"Oh my god." He said as he sat on the bed and hugged me. "You scared me half to death."

"That makes two of us. I was scared half to death." I said.

"You are a fucking genius Clary. That Styrofoam head? Like, who thinks like that?" He said and I smiled.

"It was the only thing I could do. I had no idea where I was, and I knew he wasn't going to bring me anywhere else. It was now or never in that moment." I explained.

"Well, it was amazing." Jace said and I smiled. "I'm so glad you're safe Clary."

"I didn't think I was going to make it out alive." I finally confessed as the tears started streaming. "I thought he was going to kill me."

"I will never let anything happen to you. I fucking promise you that." Jace said and I nodded, not trusting my voice anymore.

"Where is Jon?" I asked after I controlled my emotions.

"He spent the night last night, so I took over this shift." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile. "I'll let him get a few hours of sleep before I tell him you're awake."

"Thanks." I said and he nodded.

"So, Jon and I have been talking, and we both think it would be better if you weren't left alone. For a little while that is." Jace explained. "But we figured you'd want to be back in you bed, so I offered to stay with you for a couple weeks. If that's okay with you."

"Okay. That sounds reasonable." I admitted.

"Especially because you've been off your meds, and it will take some time for you to get used to taking them again." Jace said.

"Wow. You've been doing your research." I laughed and he smiled.

"I wanted to make sure I was prepared for staying with you. I know I'm not your caretaker, but you mean the world to me, and I want to make sure you're okay." He said, and I started crying. "Oh shit, what did I say wrong?" He asked.

"No, you said everything right." I reassured him. "It's just really amazing to hear you say that, and to see how much you care." I told him.

"Of course I care Clare." He said. "You're everything to me."

"Jace." I said, but that was about all that came out.

"I learned a lot while you were away." Jace said. "About myself, and about our dynamic."

"What's wrong with our dynamic?" I asked a little worried.

"Nothing is wrong per say, but I would like to make a few modifications." He said.

"Okay, like what?" I asked because I thought everything was great between us, although I have been gone for a little.

"For one, I'm in love with you." He flat out said.

"Wow. Talk about going for it." I said because to be honest, I'm completely shocked.

"If you don't feel the same way, I'll understand, but I needed to get that off my chest, and if you do feel the same way, I would really like to take you out on a date." Jace said.

"You stupid idiot." I laughed. "I can't believe you haven't noticed in all the years we've been friends."

"Wait, so you love me too?" He asked.

"For so long." I admitted. "I knew one day I would either have to own up to it, or let it go."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't let it go." Jace laughed. "Losing you is something I never want to do again." I reached out and took his hand in mine.

"You'll never lose me." I told him honestly. "You're everything to me."

"I love you so much Clary, and I'm incredibly happy you're home." He said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I love you too." I said, and I couldn't believe this was happening. Jace had the biggest smile on his face as he leaned up and pressed his lips to mine. "I could get used to that." I said when he pulled away.

"I could definitely get used to that." Jace said and I giggled. Like an elementary school girl. He took a seat on the bed with me and I leaned into his side. The future looked damn bright.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Getting into work today was hard. The weekend was a huge party for Jon's birthday, and waking up early to get here on time was a struggle. But we were getting three new members of the team today, so that was always exciting.

"Large coffee with three scoops of sugar and a teaspoon of half and half." Clary said as she walked over to me. I grabbed the cup and gave her a light kiss.

"You know me too well babe." I said and she smiled.

"After all these years, I better know your coffee order." She said as she took a seat. "Did the chief say when the new guys were coming in?" She asked.

"Nope. I just got here five minutes before you." I told her.

"You left fifteen minutes before me this morning. How did you just get here?" She teased as she hit my arm playfully.

"A kid fell on her bike and she was crying and nobody was paying her any attention, so I helped her out." I said as I took a sip of my steaming beverage.

"You're too kind Jonathan Herondale." Clary said and I was about to reply when the chief walked in.

"Glad to see you all survived the weekend." He said with a smile. "Now, these are three newest members, so show them the ropes." He explained and we all nodded. "Okay, Jace, your new partner is going to be Alexander Lightwood. Background in undercover, but he wants to focus on violent crimes."

"My pleasure chief." I said as Alexander made his way to me.

"I prefer Alec if you don't mind." He said as we shook hands.

"Understandable." I said and he nodded.

"Clary, this is Isabelle Lightwood, she'll be joining you in the sex crimes division." The chief said. "Her background is in child prostitution and trafficking, so she has a good understanding."

"Sounds like a plan chief." Clary said as Isabelle made her way over to her.

"I much prefer being called Izzy." She said as she went right in for the hug.

"Of course. I know I should be showing you the ropes, but I've only been in sex crimes for a couple months, so you might be teaching me a few things." She laughed.

"Of course. Anything to get these bastards off the streets." She smiled and Clary nodded.

"And last but not least, Simon Lewis. He's in cyber crime, so he'll be mainly with you Jon." The chief said.

"You got it boss." Jon said as Simon made his way over to him. "You have any special nicknames?" Jon asked and the kid just laughed and shook his head.

"You all have plenty of cases to work on, so get to work." The chief said and we all nodded.

"So, were you two ever partners?" I asked Alec as I pointed to his sister.

"When we first started we were." Izzy answered for him. "We already knew each other, and it was just simple patrols, but as we got higher up, they thought it would be a conflict of interest. So when we decided to move to a bigger city, we saw that there were two offers here for two different partnerships and jumped at the opportunity. We've always wanted to live in New York."

"Plus the pay is better." Alec chimed in which made me laugh. "So, what happened to your old partners?" He asked Clary and I.

"Oh, he chief split us up." Clary said as she motioned between the two of us.

"Why is that?" Izzy asked.

"Conflict of interest." I said vaguely.

"Bad blood?" Izzy asked curiously.

"No, he just didn't think husband and wife should work together. Things tend to get heated when he doesn't listen to me." Clary laughed.

"Uh, you hate admitting I'm right. That's our problem." I countered.

"And when are you ever right?" Clary said back.

"Stop bickering like children. It's annoying." Jon said as he joined the group.

"Shut up Jon." Clary said with a laugh. "Now, this is my brother."

"I don't see it." Izzy said and I smiled.

"Nobody ever does." Clary smiled.

"So, how long have you two been married?" Alec asked.

"A little over two months." Clary said.

"Where did you go on your honeymoon?" Izzy asked.

"We haven't yet." I explained. "We decided to wait until Christmas to go on our honeymoon. We want a vacation away from snow, and Clary has always wanted to go somewhere tropical."

"Where are you going?" Izzy asked excitedly.

"We're going to Spain!" Clary said excitedly. "I've always wanted to go."

"It sounds amazing." Izzy said with a smile.

"I sure hope so. It's costing me an arm and a leg." I said and Clary just laughed.

"You act like you don't have a nice trust fund." Clary pushed.

"Okay, so maybe not an arm and a leg, but definitely a pinky." I said and Clary laughed as she put her arms around my waist.

"I'll reward you ten fold." She said with a seductive grin.

"Ugh, please don't talk like that in front of me." Jon gagged.

"We're married, we're allowed to talk about our sex life." Clary said and that caused Jon to gag even more.

"Not at work." Jon said.

"Speaking of work." I said. "We got a pretty crazy case this morning, you up for the challenge Lightwood?" I asked.

"Hell yea." Alec said with a smile.

"Cool, so I'll see you at home?" I said to Clary.

"Of course. We have to go track down a guy who is sending out child porn anyway." Clary said.

"Be careful out there?" I asked and she smiled.

"Always." Clary said as I pressed my lips to hers.

"You'll take care of her, right?" I asked Izzy. "She's always been my partner, and giving her away is pretty tough." I admitted and they both laughed a little.

"Don't worry, she's in good hands." Izzy smiled.

"Good. I love you." I said to Clary and she smiled.

"I love you too." She said, and before she walked completely away she turned around. "Oh and don't worry, you'll always be my partner in crime."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Wow. Okay, so I've been bad. I know that, but like I said, I'm so not motivated, and I'm sick, so the motivation is way down. But I have tried my hardest to finish something, and here it is. Also, if you're wondering why the number has changed, I deleted the authors notes! All the stories are still there!**

 **Also, I have come to the conclusion that I am going to end these one shots at two hundred. I have enjoyed writing them so much, but I feel as though it is coming to and end. I still have a long way to go, but giving you that news now, gives you all time to soak it in. Let me know what you think, and I'll get another one to you hopefully soon, but I don't want you to hold your breath, it might take a lot longer to get them out with how much I've been struggling lately.**


	133. Chapter 132 - Manny

**One Hundred and Thirty Two Story:**

 **Manny**

 **Jace POV:**

I was so desperate that I was actually thinking about becoming a stripper. I had no idea why I wasn't getting any jobs that I was applying for. It made no sense, but every time I got rejected, or didn't get a call back, I knew I just had to keep applying and something would fall into my lap.

I was trolling the internet again looking for anything that I was qualified for, and just applying for everything I found. There had to be a job out there for me, I just knew it. I was about to log off from the computer, considering the library was closing soon when I saw an ad for a nanny position. It's been a long time since I've watched a child, but I had my certifications, I was CPR certified, and the woman who posted the ad didn't have a preference for who she wanted. It just said she needed a nanny, and as quickly as possible. So I applied. As I gathered my things up, I got an email back, and I was shocked.

 _Dear Jonathan,_

 _Please meet me at my house in the Upper East Side, 134 Alicante Ave, tomorrow at 7:30 am. Don't be late. I have other things to do than wait for you._

 _Clarissa._

To say I was completely surprised would be an understatement. This woman took 3 minutest to reply to me, but it didn't seem like she was all warm and fuzzy. Although, maybe she was just in a rush and in work mode. Nonetheless, I was excited to finally have a job. Potentially.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow Morning**

 **Jace POV:**

I made sure that I wasn't even 5 seconds late to my appointment today. I got to the house, and I was floored. This place was a mansion. Which I didn't even think existed in New York anymore, but hey, I guess they do. I rang the door bell, and when it opened, there stood a teenage boy.

"You Jonathan?" He asked.

"I am." I said.

"Follow me." He said and I walked into the house and followed him. We got to a huge door and he turned back towards me. "She's in there. Knock first." He said before walking away. I did as told, and knocked on the door.

"Come in." I faintly heard, so I opened the door, and I was greeted with a redheaded woman who seemed like she had a plan, and wasn't afraid to make people made when going after she wanted. "Jonathan Herondale?" She questioned.

"Yes, but I prefer to be called Jace." I said.

"I don't waste time with nicknames." She informed me. "Take a seat. I only have about 5 minutes before I need to leave." She said and I nodded. "I'm at the end of my rope, so this job is yours if you want it. I really don't have any more time to be meeting with other nannies." She said and I nodded. This woman was intense. "I have three kids: Sebastian Maximus Verlac Jr. Seraphina Nicolette Verlac, and Augustus Desmond Verlac." She said. "Basically what I need you to do is be with them all hours of the day. I work nearly 15 hours every day, with some days elongated depending on what I need to get done."

"What about their father?" I asked, although I was slightly intimidated by her.

"Pathetic excuse for a man. He gets them two weeks out of the year, so you don't have to worry about him until the summer time." She informed me, and I can't imagine a father not wanting to be with his kids. "You can live here right? I don't think I mentioned that on the ad."

"I can." I said because as of right now I was living out of my best friends basement.

"Good. Cause you start today. The kids know their schedules so there is no need to tell you. Just make sure you stick to them, and do your job." She said. "We clear?"

"Yes." I said shortly.

"By the end of the day I'll have the contract and all the details of your job outlined, but I'm late to work, so I need to go." She informed me as she stood, and I followed suit. "Keys to the car you'll get are on the hook, and Sebastian Jr. will show you to your room." As we reached the hallway, she grabbed her coat, her bag and she was gone without even a goodbye to her kids. I couldn't believe it.

"You the new nanny?" I heard from behind me and when I turned around there stood all three kids.

"I am. My name is Jace." I said.

"I'm Sebastian Jr. this is my sister Seraphina, and my brother Augustus." The oldest one said.

"I'm assuming you all go by your formal names?" I asked a little worried that they were all like their mother.

"No." Sebastian Jr. said. "We actually all hate our first names."

"I'm right there with you." I laughed. "Why don't we have a seat in the living room, and get to know each other." I said and they nodded. We made our way into the living room and took a seat. "Okay, tell me about yourselves." I said.

"I'm Sebastian Jr. but all my friends call me Junior. I like it a lot more." He explained. "I'm 13, and I'm in a travel hockey league all year long."

"That's awesome. You any good?" I asked.

"I'm pretty good." He smiled. "I had a great coach."

"Who was it?" I asked curiously.

"Wayne Gretzky." He said and my mouth practically hit the floor.

"You're serious?" I asked and he smiled.

"My father knows him. He pulled a couple strings and got him to coach me." He explained.

"That's amazing, and I'm kinda jealous of you." I said and he laughed. "And what about you?" I asked the girl.

"I'm Seraphina, but everyone I know calls me Angie. I'm 8 years old." She said.

"You're going to have to walk me through that one. Junior I get, Angie, not so much." I said and she laughed.

"Well, Junior hates the name Seraphina, and I can't say I blame him, I hate it too." She began to explain. "But the meaning of my name is 'Angel' so he started calling me that right from the beginning. When Auggie was little, he couldn't say Angel, so he shortened it to Angie, and I've been that ever since."

"Don't people get confused?" I asked and she smiled.

"All the time, but I just don't answer to Seraphina unless it's my mother or father." She said and I nodded. "I dance. If I didn't have to go to school, I wouldn't. I would just stay in the dance studio all the time." She said and I laughed.

"I can't wait to watch you perform." I said and she smiled, than I turned my attention to the youngest. "Which makes you Augustus, but judging by what Angie just called you, it's Auggie." I said and he smiled.

"Yup!" She said gleefully. "I do karate." He said. "I'm really good."

"Can't wait to see you in action." I said and he nodded. "How old are you?" I asked.

"I just turned 5." He said has he held up a whole hand.

"Happy belated birthday." I said. "What did you do?" I asked.

"Nothing." He said sadly. "Junior and Angie sang to me but that was it."

"Oh." I said because I just couldn't believe it. "Okay. Well, your mother said you would give me your schedules, so just tell me what I need to do."

"It's Saturday, so I have private lessons at the rink at 11 am, Angie has dance at 9, and Auggie has karate at 1." Junior explained.

"Okay, did you all eat breakfast yet?" I asked.

"The chef doesn't get here until 8 usually." Junior said and I looked at my watch. That was still nearly 20 minutes away.

"I can cook." I said. "Come on." I stood up and made my way to the kitchen, after opening a few wrong doors on the way. "What would you like?"

"Pancakes!" Auggie cheered.

"It's Saturday Auggie, the chef normally makes us scrambled eggs." Angie chimed in.

"I'm sick of scrambled eggs." Auggie pouted as he sat back on the chair.

"What the chef doesn't know won't hurt her." I said. "I'll make pancakes."

"Yes!" Auggie cheered. "Can you put blueberries in them? Mother never lets us have blueberries in our pancakes."

"Of course. One order of blueberry pancakes coming up." I said as I got to work. I couldn't imagine growing up like this. They call their parents mother and father, and they don't seem like they get nearly enough attention. I was incredibly thankful I was put in their lives, because I want to show them how awesome it is to be a child, and to just let loose and have fun. And I planned on doing that for them.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was Angie's first dance practice with a prima ballerina, and to tell you the truth, even I was freaking out a little. I mean, to get private classes with a prima ballerina is insane, and I could only imagine how nervous and excited Angie must be.

Normally Angie was jumping down the stairs for ballet, but she wasn't, so I decided to go upstairs to see what was taking you so long. I knocked on her door, but nobody answered, so I went in anyway, and Angie wasn't in there. I was about to leave when I heard something from the bathroom. I walked over and knocked.

"Angie, are you okay?" I asked, and than I heard the sound of someone throwing up. I opened the door, and there was Angie, hunched over the toilet, puking her guts up. "Angie, what's wrong?" I asked as I kneeled next to her and held her hair.

"What if she thinks I'm terrible?" Angie chokes out after she's done puking.

"She won't Angie. You're a beautiful dancer." I reassured her.

"But she's a prima ballerina. She's amazing, and I'm not." She flushed the toilet, and sat back against the bathtub.

"Well, you want to get to that point as well, right?" I asked.

"Yes." She responded.

"So, getting lessons from her will get you to that point. She'll help you in areas that might need improving, and what better person to learn that from than a prima ballerina?" I offered.

"But what if she tells me I'm not good enough to make it to being a prima ballerina?" Angie asked.

"Than you can prove her wrong." I said and she smiled a little. "Come on kiddo, I doubt the prima ballerina wants you to be tardy." He said and she nodded.

"Thanks Jace." She said as she gave me a hug and we walked out of the bathroom. We got in the car and I took her to her private lesson and I could tell she was still nervous, but I knew she was going to be great. She was an amazing dancer, and I could only imagine how much better she's going to be in the future.

 **Time Jump – Junior's First Playoff Hockey Game**

 **Jace POV:**

Junior's team made it to the playoffs, and I was sitting in the stands with Angie and Auggie, and my leg wouldn't stop bouncing. Last year they got out in the first round, and I really didn't want a repeat. They were so good, and so in tune with each other, and they deserved to win.

Sebastian and Clarissa should be here, and Clarissa said she was coming, but I haven't seen her yet. Junior deserved more than that, and if I wasn't scared of getting fired, I would totally bring it up to her, whenever I actually did see her around.

I caught a glimpse of red, and when I looked towards the end of the rink I saw Clarissa standing there. She was on her phone, so she wasn't even paying attention. I expected her to come join us, but when the game started, she just stayed there. Putting her out of my mind, I focused back on the game, because that's what Junior deserved.

"Come on Junior!" Angie yelled as he skated down the ice. Things looked good for them this year, and I hoped everything went in his favor.

 **Time Jump – End of First Period**

The first period ended and Juniors team was winning, 2-1. They were looking solid, and I had a great feeling they were going to win. I looked over to see if Clarissa was standing there and she was, but she took one look at her phone and left the building. I couldn't believe that she would fucking leave. Her son was having probably the best game of the season, and she walked out? I wanted to go track her down and tell her how horrible of a parent she was, but the second period started, and Junior looked up at us, and waved. I was here for him, and he deserved us in the stands cheering him on. No matter how much I wanted to bitch his mother out.

The game ended and they won 3-1. They were headed into the second round, and I knew that meant a lot to him. We were waiting outside the locker room for Junior to come out, and when he did, I could tell he wasn't surprised when he didn't see either of his parents here.

"Good game Junior!" Angie cheered as she hugged him.

"Thanks Angie." Junior said.

"How about a celebratory milkshake?" I offered and they all smiled.

"Yes!" Auggie cheered and Junior and Angie nodded.

"Let's go than." I said and they all started making their way out to the car, but Junior hung back so I did as well. "Great game kid."

"Thanks Jace." He smiled.

"Your mom was here." I told him. "For the first period."

"I'm not surprised she didn't stay." Junior said nonchalantly.

"Let's not dwell on that. You just won, and had a goal." I said. "That's what matters tonight." He nodded and we loaded the car, and made our way to the ice cream place. I didn't care how useless Clarissa and Sebastian were, tonight we celebrate Junior.

 **Time Jump – Auggie's Black Belt**

 **Jace POV:**

AUGGIE FINALLY GOT HIS BLACK BELT AND THERE WAS A CEREMONY BEING HELD BUT NEITHER SEBASTIAN OR CLARISSA COULD BOTHER TO SHOW UP. IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY AND GOD FORBID THEY MISS AN HOUR OD WORK TO SEE THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT.

"I can't believe they would miss this." I said as we sat for Auggie's Black Belt ceremony.

"Don't you get it, they don't care." Junior said as we took a seat.

"It's an hour of their day." I said. "And they don't even have to stay for the whole thing, just for Auggie to get his belt."

"My mother and father are pretty heartless." Junior said. "But this day is about Auggie, so I think we should just forget about them."

"You are so right." I said and that's when the karate instructor began to speak.

Most of what he was saying was lost to me, because I only saw Auggie nearly jumping out of his seat with his excitement. I knew this meant the world to him, and I couldn't be any prouder of this accomplishment, and I was really proud of him being recognized. Every name was lost on me until I heard his.

"Augustus Verlac." The instructor said and Auggie jumped off his seat and ran to his instructor, and I couldn't help but laugh. He was awarded his belt, and than his picture was taken and we all started clapping. Auggie bowed and retook his seat and than the ceremony was over. He ran down to us and hugged all of us.

"I'm so proud of you Auggie." I said.

"Thanks Jace." He smiled up at me.

"Milkshakes?" I offered and they laughed.

"Why do we always get milkshakes after things?" Angie asked as we went to the car.

"Because they're delicious." I said and they laughed. We headed back to our favorite ice cream place as Auggie gushed about his black belt. He claims he's never going to take it off, and I really don't blame him

 **Time Jump – Junior's First Day of High School**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up this morning, and I nearly jumped out of bed. Junior was starting high school today, and I couldn't believe he was already 15. The last two years have flown by, and the fact that he was now a high school student.

I got downstairs first, and the chef was just done with breakfast, which confused me. She normally didn't come in until 7, so at 6:45, when she was cleaning up, I was slightly confused.

"Why are you here so early?" I asked.

"Miss. Morgenstern called me last night and asked if I would be here by 6." She said.

"She's not here?" I asked.

"No. She left about 15 minutes ago." She said. I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Okay. Junior should be down soon, do you think you could make him pancakes? He loves them." I asked her.

"Of course." She said and she got back to work. I couldn't believe that Clarissa would miss Juniors first day of high school. When I was a freshman, my mother took almost 100 pictures of me. For Clarissa to leave before he even woke up was rotten thing to do.

Junior came strutting down, and the chef put his plate of pancakes down in front of him. Auggie and Angie soon followed, but she gave them eggs.

"Why don't I get pancakes?" Auggie asked.

"Because it's Junior's first day of high school, so he gets pancakes." I said and he nodded and started eating his eggs.

Everyone was finished up and getting their backpacks and we headed towards the car. I couldn't help but look over in Juniors direction every now and again. He was so good at hiding how he felt when he was upset with his parents. He was always trying to be strong for Angie and Auggie, but I knew that it hurt him. It might seem like little things to others, but for so much little stuff to build up, it can become overwhelming, and I knew it was eating away at him.

We pulled up to Angie and Auggie's school, and they both hoped out. I continued down the road to where Junior went to school, and when I pulled up he took a deep breath before unbuckling his seat belt.

"Thanks Jace." He said.

"Hey, have a great day Junior." I said and he smiled.

"I'll try." He laughed.

"Just remember, high school isn't everything." I reminded him. "Don't stress too hard, because you'll make yourself miserable."

"I'll try not too." He said and I smiled.

"See you after school." I said and he got out of the car, met up with some friends and off he went. I waited for a moment before I made my way to the grocery store for the weekly run. Another year, another moment I noticed the disappointment these kids face very time their parents disappoints them. But the attitudes these kids face the world with is truly admirable and I was more proud of them as each day passes.

 **Time Jump – Auggie's Championship Karate Match**

 **Jace POV:**

Auggie was just about to make his way onto the mat and I was freaking out. This kid has put so much time and effort into this sport, and he's dedicated himself to school work, and trying to prove that he can compete competitively and maintain his grades. It's been a hard year for him, but this was what he wanted to achieve, and no matter the results, I was super proud of him.

Angie and Junior looked like they were just as nervous as I was. They both understood the type of dedication Auggie put into this. They both did it with ballet and hockey. They knew this meant the world to him, and they were so proud of how far he's come.

Of course Sebastian and Clarissa didn't show. I'm surprised they remember they even have kids at this rate. If they show up at all, it's never for the whole event. They either get a call, or schedule a meeting, or Sebastian's personal favorite, they simply sneak out when nobody is watching. Or so they think. I'm always watching. I'm always watching them abandon their kids. I never understood why people like this have kids in the first place. If you don't have time for them, don't have them. It's not fair to the kids who feel neglected and unwanted.

It was about halfway through the match when Auggie went down hard, but this time he didn't get up. I wanted to run over to him, but his coach and the medics were already there, and I wasn't going to crowd their territory. They knew what was going on more than me, and I trusted them to do their job. When his coach looked at me, I made my way over to him.

"I think he broke his arm. We're going to get him to a hospital." He said and I nodded. When the ambulance showed up, they loaded Auggie in, and Junior went with them while Angie and I followed behind in the car. I was worried about Auggie, but he was a tough kid. I knew he would power through.

When we got to the hospital, Junior was sitting in the waiting room. He explained that they needed to get some X-Rays of his arms, and we would be called back when he was in his room. They didn't sound frantic about the situation, and that definitely calmed my nerves.

"Did you call your mom?" I asked Junior.

"What do you think?" He asked. And I knew that meant no. "The doctor already tried. She's busy and can't be reached at this current moment." He said, and it was truly a shame how used to they were with not having their parents around. It was no way a child should live.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

After Auggie finally got his cast on, we headed home. It was a long and emotional day, and I knew the kids were tired, and frankly I was tired too. Hospitals had a way of making a couple hours feel like a couple days, and when we were finally discharged, I felt free.

The minute we walked into the house, Junior and Auggie went upstairs, and Angie went to grab a snack from the kitchen. It wasn't very late, so I decided to just chill on the couch until dinner was ready, but when I went into the living room, I was shocked to see Clarissa there.

"Where the hell have you been!" She yelled at me, and I have to admit, this was the first time in the two years I've worked here that I ever saw such raw emotions.

"The Emergency Room. Augustus broke his arm during his karate match today." I informed her.

"And how come I wasn't informed of this?" She yelled.

"You were contacted. According to the doctor, you couldn't be reached." I told her calmly.

"That's no excuse. I'm his mother!" She yelled, and that's when I had enough.

"Than start acting like it!" I yelled back, and that seemed to catch her off guard.

"You will not raise your voice to me in my own home." She said venomously. "I'll kick you out on your ass before you can even blink." She threatened.

"You know what, I've been silent for too long." I told her. "I don't care if you reduce my pay, fire me, and tell every employer in the state of New York not to hire me, you need a reality check and fast otherwise you're going to mess your kids up." I told her honestly.

"I don't know why you think you can speak to me in this manner, but I assure you, you will never get another job in this state, hell, this country every again." She yelled. "You're just as bad as my pretentious ex-husband. You have entitlement that you didn't earn."

"Do you even hear yourself?" I laughed. "You just called your husband pretentious, but you're ten times worse than he is." I said. "At least he doesn't pretend to be what he's not. He gets them for two weeks in the summer, and than that's it. He never says he'll be somewhere he's not, he never promises to attend a function because he knows he's going to break it, and he never gives those kids false hope. They know he's an asshole, but at least he's an honest asshole. You're just a lousy parent who doesn't deserve those kids."

"How dare you!" She yelled.

"No, how dare you." I cut her off. "How dare you bring those three amazing kids into this world only to ignore their existence entirely." I said. "You created a family, only to neglect them. What kind of monster does that?" I asked and I saw something in her face shift. I couldn't tell what emotions she was feeling, but I knew I was getting to her. "For the last two years I've worked with you, I've never seen you be there on their first day of school, go to a school function, be at their recitals, their games, their competitions." I said a little quieter. "This family hasn't even been on a vacation together." I pointed out. "Auggie is 7 years old and you know what he asked me the other week?" I asked and she shook her head. "He asked me to come into school for career day because although my career isn't that fancy for his elite private school, he knew I would at least show up." I said. "Angie asked me to take her to the father/daughter dance her school was having because she knew her father wouldn't give a rats ass about a school dance." I added. "And Junior." I sighed. "Junior came to me about dating advice because he didn't know how to treat a girl the right way because he never had a good example." I looked up at Clarissa and she looked broken. For the first time since I've known her, I saw raw emotion from her. "You need to get your head out of your ass and start seeing how your workaholic ways, and your complete lack of interest in their lives is negatively impacting them, and if you don't start changing, you'll ruin them forever." I turned to leave because I said my piece. What she does with it is up to her.

"Jace." She said and I stopped dead in my tracks. I turned around and looked at her. "I'm sorry, the kids call you Jace, I figured I should start as well."

"I have no problem with you calling me Jace." I said honestly. "As long as you start calling the kids by the names they prefer." I said and she nodded, although I knew that might take some time.

"Have I really been that monstrous?" She asked honestly. For the first time she wasn't speaking in her harsh work tone, but in a softer tone, a tone I liked a lot more.

"Yes." I said straightforwardly. "You've been a nightmare, and those kids deserve better. I mean, I don't have a family. It's just me in this world, but if I had kids, there is nothing I wouldn't do for them. I mean, Angie used to crawl into bed with me during thunderstorms when I first got here. Don't you wish she found that comfort in you instead of a stranger?" I asked.

"I am the way that I am because I grew up this way. And so did Sebastian." She said to me. "We didn't know any better."

"And how did that make you feel?" I asked. "How did essentially growing up in a prison make you feel as a kid?"

"Trapped." She said. "Lonely. Miserable. Fake."

"And now you're forcing your kids to live the same miserable and unappealing life you did." I reminded her. "Money is great, and there is no doubt that these kids have benefitted from you being the CEO of Morgenstern Pharmaceuticals. I mean, who gets private hockey lessons from Wayne Gretzky, or gets to learn ballet from a prima ballerina, or learns from the most sought out karate master in the world?" I asked, still amazed at how lucky these kids are to be learning their passion from an expert. "I would have killed for that as a kid, but I also loved my parents. I loved how when I looked up in the stands at a game, I could always pick their faces out. I loved being their world." I said as I looked at her. "Don't you want your kids to feel that way with you? Don't you want Angie to grow up learning how to be a badass woman who can be in charge of shit, and not having to depend on a man for money, or happiness, or self worth like you? Or do you want her to learn to hate love, and hate the idea of family, and hate you." I took a deep breath. "Your kids are amazing, and if you spent just an afternoon with them, I guarantee you wouldn't be working as much. Because I absolutely love my job, and I don't feel like I work a damn day in my life because of how much I love it, and how rewarding it is to show your kids what life and love and happiness really looks like. But they shouldn't have to learn that from their nanny. They should learn that from you."

"How do I fix it?" She asked. "How do I fix 15 years of damage?"

"Talk to them." I said. "Kids can be resentful, but they are also willing to forgive. Like it or not, you're all connected for life. It would be a shame for you to wake up one day, and realize you lost too much time."

"I can't just shut off who I am." She admitted.

"I'm not asking you to change who you are Clarissa." I said. "I'm telling you that you need to revise who you are. Being you in the work field is great. Go out there command authority, put your foot down, and take no shit from anyone. But when you come home, leave the bitch at the office." I explained and she actually laughed.

"When I was little, I had a best friend." She said out of nowhere. "He always said I didn't look like a Clarissa, and he refused to call me that."

"So what did he call you?" I asked curiously.

"Clary." She said. "He called me Clary."

"Well Clary, why don't you leave Clarissa at the office, and when you get home, just be Clary." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you. For being upfront with me." She said.

"Some people just need an intervention." I smiled and so did she.

"I have some things I need to do, but I'll see you at dinner?" She asked.

"So I'm not fired?" I asked and she laughed again, and I had to admit, I liked making her laugh.

"Not fired at all." She said. "In fact, I'll give you a raise."

"Wow. You know, my mom always did say honestly was the best policy. I don't think I truly believed her until now." I said.

"Just keep being a great role model for my kids, and this job is yours until Auggie is out of high school." She told me and I was surprised she called Auggie by his nickname. When she disappeared upstairs, I took a seat on the couch. I felt insanely lighter after getting all that off my chest. I hope Clary was for real about this because those kids deserved it.

 **Clary POV:**

I made my way up the stairs and I was a nervous wreck. It hit me that I had no idea how to talk to my own kids. What kind of mother am I? Actually, I know what kind of mother I am. I'm my own mother. The woman that I never wanted to be. It was scary how much we turned into our parents, and I never wanted that for my kids. I didn't want them to be like me, I wanted them to be better than me.

I heard voices coming from Augustus's room, and I figured all three of them would be in there together. Gathering up enough courage, I stood in front of his door, and knocked. It became quiet, and a moment later, the door opened.

"Can we help you?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"I came to talk to you. All three of you." I admitted. "May I come in?"

"I don't know. Auggie, can she come in?' He asked his brother, and I saw him nod slightly. "Come in."

"Thank you." I said as I made my way into his room, and took a seat at his desk.

"What would you like to talk about?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"Jace just unloaded a lot of information on me about my behavior, and I agree with him." I admitted.

"What behavior?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"My parenting behavior." I expressed.

"You mean lack there of." He corrected.

"Yes. The lack of parenting I've been doing, and how it is negatively effecting you all." I said. "You know, when I was a kid, my parents were just like me, and your fathers parents, were just like him." I told them truthfully. "I used to be so happy, and than it all stopped.

"I just assumed you came out unhappy." Seraphina said, and I couldn't help but nod in agreement. I mean, I never gave them a reason to believe I was ever happy.

"I used to be a carefree, happy go lucky kid. But I was naive, and at some point I realized that my life wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and I let it mold me into the person I am today." I admitted. "And I hate that I let it get this far."

"So, what are you saying?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"I'm saying I'm going to change." I divulged. "I'm not going to treat you all like my employees. You are my children, and it's time I start treating you as such."

"You aren't getting rid of Jace though right?" Augustus asked. "He's coming in for career day next week."

"No, I'm not getting rid of Jace." I said. "The truth is, my job is demanding. And I can cut some hours, but being a single parent, I'm still going to need help, and I can see how much Jace means to all of you, and I'd never get rid of that."

"So, besides cutting back hours at work, what else are you going to do?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"Well, I know you all hate your names." I said and they all nodded. "And I'm sorry I never fought hard enough to keep pretentious and archaic names away from you."

"Yea, you really had to dig deep to find these dinosaur names." Sebastian Jr. laughed.

"You're all actually named after family members." I said truthfully. "At the time, it was easier than finding names your father and I agreed on."

"I wish you would have stood up for yourself mother." Junior said.

"Call me mom." I told them. "Mother sounds too formal. I'm ending the formalities now. This isn't a business, it's a family, and it's time I start treating you like one."

"As long as you call us the names we prefer." Junior said and I nodded.

"Yes, that was one of Jace's simple requests." I pointed out. "I might slip up every now and than, but I will try my best."

"Trying is all we've ever wanted from you." Junior said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry I've been so lousy." I said.

"Your lousiness brought Jace into our lives, and we're happy about that." Angie said, and I had to admit, I was going to have to get used to calling her that.

"You guys really like him don't you?" I asked and they all smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"He's great." Junior said.

"I'm glad you get along with him so well." I said honestly. "He'll be here until Auggie graduates high school."

"You called me Auggie." He said with surprise in his voice.

"I'm trying. I am so used to using your formal names, but I know you hate them, and I'm not going to call you something that you hate." I told them.

"We appreciate that." Junior said and at that moment, there was a knock on the door. "Come in." He called.

"Hey, everything okay?" Jace asked when he opened the door.

"Everything is good." I said and he nodded.

"I came to tell you the chef called in sick." Jace informed us. "I was just going to make dinner if that's okay with you."

"You don't have to do that." I said.

"He's a great cook mom." Angie said, and just hearing her call me mom so effortlessly made my heart happy.

"I don't doubt his abilities, but I was thinking maybe we could all go out to dinner tonight. As a sign of starting over?" I prompted.

"That's up to Auggie. Only if he's feeling good enough to go out." Junior said.

"I'm feeling great." He said happily.

"Great. Why don't you pick the place." I said to Auggie.

"Oh no." Junior, Angie, and Jace all said at the same time.

"What?" I asked confused. "What did I just do?"

"We're going to Taki's!" Auggie shouted as he practically jumped up and down on the bed.

"Don't you think Taki's is a little rambunctious for you right now Auggie? You broke your arm today." Jace said. It was weird seeing Jace interact with the kids. I mean, the day I first met him, I couldn't help but notice how attractive he was, I mean, how can you not honestly? But knowing there was this paternal side to him, something that I have completely overlooked along with my kids was eye opening. He was kind, and nurturing, and he wasn't afraid to put me in my place when I needed it. He has become a staple in this home, and if I'm being completely honest, he's become not only the father figure my kids need, but the mother figure as well. He's taken amazing care of my kids, how can a woman not be attracted to that?

"I want to go to Taki's." Auggie pouted, which brought me out of my thoughts. "I haven't been since my birthday." He said and I was confused. I didn't even know they went out to celebrate his birthday.

"Fine, we'll go." Junior ruffled his hair with a smile on his face.

"But no jungle gym." Jace said and Auggie sighed, but nodded nonetheless. "Alright, everyone get ready." Jace said before closing the door and leaving.

"Come get us when you're ready!" I said to the kids. They nodded and I ran to go catch up with Jace. "Hey Jace." I called after him as I ran down the steps.

"What's up?" He asked casually.

"I have been trying to think of a way to repay you for everything you've done for my family." I said.

"I think the paycheck is enough." He laughed a little.

"Well, yes, but you've gone above and beyond what I truly expected." I admitted. "Honestly I was ready to hire the next person who walked through my door, and it just so happened to be you."

"Way to make a guy feel special." He joked and I couldn't help but smile.

"What I'm trying to say is, paying you doesn't seem like enough to me." I said. "So I was thinking that maybe one night Junior can be in charge of his siblings and you and I could go out to dinner." I said nervously, and I had to admit, this doesn't happen to me often.

"Are you….asking me out?" He asked, sounding a little astonished himself.

"It doesn't have to be considered a date." I said hastily. "If you don't want it to be I mean. You can look at it like a business dinner." I added and I could see him thinking about it.

"I guess that really depends." He finally said.

"On what?" I asked curiously.

"On how my boss feels about dating her employees." He said and I had to laugh.

"I think she'd make an exception for you." I said with a huge smile on my face.

"So, when are you free?" He asked.

"Well, since I'm going to be cutting my hours back, I would say I would most likely be more free on weekends." I said.

"Okay, well since Auggie is no long in karate, and Angie isn't anywhere near a recital, the only person who is participating in competitions is Junior." He explained, and I knew I had a lot of work to do with memorizing their schedules. "He has a hockey game Friday night, so unless you don't mind catching a late dinner, we could go after. Or we could just do Saturday. Which ever you want to do."

"Let's do Saturday." I said after a moment. "I want Friday to be all about Junior."

"Sounds perfect to me." Jace said.

"We're ready!" Auggie cheered as he jumped off the steps.

"Seriously dude? You want two broken arms?" Jace said and Auggie just laughed.

We all grabbed out coats and headed out the door. We got in the car, and it was weird to have Jace drive. But as we made our way to the restaurant, and the kids were laughing, and Jace was humming softly to the radio, I had a feeling that the new life I was going to live was going to be pretty amazing. I just wish I got a chance to live it sooner, but I wasn't going to let a single day go. I had more of a purpose now, and I was going to take advantage of it.

 **Time Jump – Five Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Hey mom." Junior said as he walked into the house.

"Hey, I thought you had class until 4." I said as he made his way into the living room.

"He cancelled it." Junior said. "He said he wanted to be home with his new born anyway."

"That was nice of him." I said and he nodded.

"Where is Jace?" He asked as he took a seat next to me.

"Auggie and Angie still had school today so he went to pick them up." I explained.

"Being in college really makes you forget the structure of a school." Junior said and I couldn't help but laugh, but it was soon cut off by cries.

"Nap time is over." I said as I got up and made my way up to the nursery where baby Celine was. I walked in and she was standing in her crib crying. "What's the matter baby girl?" I asked as I picked her up and she stopped. "You just want to join the fun don't you?" I said as I made my way back downstairs.

"God I missed that face." Junior said as I handed him his little sister.

"I can't believe she's almost 2." Junior said as he sat on the couch with Celine in his arms.

"Tell me about it." I said. "It makes me wish I was there for all of you when you were little."

"We all managed." Junior said. "Plus, you turned it around, and brought Jace into our lives. It was a rocky start, but turned out okay in the end."

"I know, but it still makes me sad that I lost all those years." I said as I played with Celine's hands as she giggled.

"Just soak it all in with this cutie." Junior said as he kissed her cheek.

"Junior!" Came a cheer from the hallway, and in ran Auggie. "I missed you."

"I missed you too dude." Junior said.

"You aren't supposed to be home." Jace said as he walked into the living room.

"I said the same thing." I smiled. "His last class got cancelled."

"That's nice." Jace said just as Celine reached for him. "My baby, how are you?" He asked as he took Celine in his arms.

"I'm fine, you?" I said sarcastically, and Jace laughed before bending down and kissing me.

"You know what I meant." Jace laughed.

"She's good as well, but she's probably hungry. Bottles are in the fridge." I said and he nodded before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Hey mom." Angie said as she walked into the room.

"What's with the somber tone?" I asked as she took a seat.

"Nothing." Angie said, but I could tell it was something.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?" I asked and she nodded.

"Well, I'm going to be 16 soon, and I was wondering if I could start dating a little sooner." She said but she refused to make eye contact.

"You are never dating." Junior said before I could answer.

"Did someone ask you out Angie?" I asked ignoring Juniors proclamation.

"Yea. His name is Robby, and he's in my biology class." Angie admitted. "He asked if we could go to the homecoming dance together. But he also asked if we could go out before hand, but I didn't know if I could say yes."

"I think we can lift the rule for this occasion." I said and she jumped up and hugged me.

"Thank you so much mom. I have to call Robby." She beamed before running upstairs.

"What did I miss?" Jace asked as he came back in feeding Celine.

"Mom is letting Angie out on a date." Junior said.

"But she's 15." Jace said.

"Yes, but he asked her to the homecoming dance, and that involves dinner before hand. She'll be 16 in a couple months. I think we can bend the rules this time." I admitted.

"Just as long as he's not a D-I-C-K." Jace spelled out.

"We can all spell Jace." Junior said.

"Celine doesn't need to be subjected to such inappropriate language at such a young age." Jace retorted.

"Who know he would be so over protective." Junior laughed.

"Every single person who has ever met him." I laughed.

"Junior, I want to show you my science fair project!" Auggie said and they both disappeared upstairs. Jace took a seat next to me with a half asleep Celine in his arms. That kid could sleep all day if we let her. I looked over at him and I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you." I said and he looked at me.

"For what?" He asked with a laugh.

"For everything." I admitted. "Applying for the job, taking care of my kids, putting me in my place, accepting my date, proposing to me, marrying me, giving me her." I said as I looked at Celine. "You truly turned my world around."

"I knew there was more to you than your CEO façade you put up." Jace smiled. "And I'm glad you let me in enough to separate Clarissa and Clary."

"It wasn't hard once you showed me what true unconditional love was." I smiled and he pulled me into his side.

"You've given me a life I could only dream of before." Jace whispered into my ear. "I wasn't the only one who changed someone's world."

"I love you." I said and I felt him laugh.

"I love you more than anything Clary." He said as he pressed his lips to mine, right before Celine sneezed. "Okay, you might be a close second to her." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Fair enough." I said as I curled back into his side. I thanked god every single day I hired Jace as my manny.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, I forced myself to finish this one shot, because I felt awful about leaving you high and dry for so long. I hope that it's good enough, because lately I've been second guessing everything I've been writing, so let me know how you feel and leave a review!**


	134. Chapter 133 - Trick or Treat

**One Hundred and Thirty Three Story:**

 **Trick or Treat**

 **Clary POV:**

I couldn't believe that my little girl was already 3 years old. It seemed impossible when I got pregnant at 16, that I would be here, but Ruthie was so incredibly bright, and happy, and so was I. Things may not have happened the way that I always expected them too, but I had a healthy kid, and a great job, and I'm thankful for that every singe day.

Since Ruthie knows what Halloween is this year, she was super excited to be going trick or treating. She decided in February that she wanted to be Ariel for Halloween, and I immediately started making her costume. I could have bought it somewhere, but it was just a lot more fun to make it so that it was her own take on The Little Mermaid, and she loved sitting with me and helping.

Since we lived in an apartment, I've been on the look out for good neighborhoods to trick or treat in, and I think I found the perfect one, and now that Halloween was only a couple days away, I was starting to get just as excited as Ruthie. This was our first real Halloween together, and we were both going to dress up, and have a blast. It was going to be one to remember.

 **Time Jump – Halloween**

 **Jace POV:**

Halloween was never my favorite holiday. I never understood why people got to excited about it. Maybe it was because I didn't grow up celebrating it, but still, dressing up in stupid costumes? Where was the fun in that? And walking around in the cold just to get candy? Go buy some. It never made any sense to me.

 _But_ that didn't mean I was going to be that stick in the mud house that was all dark. I figured I would get some kids, but for the most part it would be pretty quiet, and that's exactly what happened.

So, as I stayed up, I was on the job hunt. I graduated college a semester early, and got a job with the company I was interning at, but unfortunately they are merging with another company, and all the accountants are being let go. It sucked, I wasn't going to lie, but accountants are always in demand, so I felt confident that I would get a job, looking just sucked.

I finally found one that looked promising, so I was in the middle of filling out a job application when the doorbell rang. I put my laptop down and made my way to the door. I picked up the bowl of candy, and when I opened the door, I almost dropped it.

"Trick or treat!" They said together, and that's when I was pulled out of my head.

"I love your costume." I said as I bent down so the little girl could get the candy. "Who are you supposed to be?" I asked and she laughed.

"I'm Ariel – can't you tell?" She said happily as she pointed to her red hair.

"How silly of me." I said and she giggled. "You can take as many as you like." I said and she beamed and started picking at the bowl.

"Whoa Ruthie, leave some for the other kids." The girl said, most likely her older sister who was forced to take her out.

"But mommy, he said I could." The little girl – Ruthie – said and I was pretty stunned. She looked young.

"I know he did baby, but do you want other kids to not have any?" She asked.

"No." She said sadly.

"So why don't you take 5, you remember how to count to 5 right?" She asked and Ruthie nodded. "Okay, so pick 5 more, and that's it."

"Okay." She said. "One." She picked up a snickers. "Two." She picked up skittles. "Three." She picked up milk duds. "Four." She picked up sweetarts. "Five." She picked up a milky way. "That's five mommy!" She cheered.

"You are so right, and I am so proud of you." She said to her daughter as she kissed her nose.

"So, if she's Ariel, who are you?" I asked randomly, and she looked up at me and smiled.

"Isn't it obvious?" She laughed. "I'm Ariel's mom." She said with a laugh. "She was a redhead too."

"Was she now?" I smiled back.

"Yes. She's a very under rated character in my opinion." She said matter of factually.

"I'm Jace, by the way." I said as I stuck my hand out. This was weird, introducing yourself to trick or treaters, but I just couldn't let her leave without her knowing my name.

"Clary." She said as she took my hand in hers. "And this is my daughter, Ruthie."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, both of you." I said. "I've never seen you in the neighborhood, are you new?" I asked.

"Oh no. We live in an apartment complex close by, and she was super excited to go trick or treating this year, and since it isn't the same in an apartment building, I surveyed all the neighborhoods, and this seemed like the best one." She explained.

"Well than, maybe I'll see you next year." I smiled.

"Sounds like a plan." Clary said. "You ready to go Ruthie?"

"Yes! We have so many more houses to hit!" She cheered.

"It was nice meeting you." She called as her daughter pulled her away. I waved goodbye before closing the door and smiling. I went back to filling out the job application, with them on my mind the rest of the night.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I got an interview! Of course there was no reason to get my hopes up, but knowing that I could potentially have a job after I lost my current one was exciting, and I was glad that I had something too try for.

I was nervous, because Morgenstern & Co. was a huge company, and a competitor of my old one, and without a doubt a competitor of the merged one. Interviewing has never been a strong attribute for me, so I was nervous about going up to talk to the boss.

I made my way into the building when I spotted a familiar redhead behind the lobby desk. Smiling, I made my way over to her and rung the bell, when she looked up she looked surprised.

"Jace, what a surprise." She smiled.

"Surprise is right." I smiled. "I'm here for an interview. It should be under Jonathan Herondale." I told her and she clicked on the computer for a moment.

"Right, you have an interview with Valentine Morgenstern. His office is on the 5th floor, the secretary will tell you what office when you get up there." She informed me.

"Thank you." I said and she smiled, before getting back to work.

I made my way up to the fifth floor, and the secretary took me right back to the office. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard a deep voice say. I opened the door, and there stood Valentine Morgenstern, all 6 feet and 4 inches of him. "You must be Jonathan."

"Yes sir." I said as we shook hands.

"It's a pleasure, you can call me Valentine." He said. I nodded and we both took our seats. "So, I read over your resume, and I'm impressed. Graduated early, and got a job with the company you were interning for. I have to admit, that was a bold move, I never hire interns." He said.

"They were pleasantly surprised by my skills, and the way my mind deals with numbers." I told him.

"I see. Although I rather not talk to the competitor, I called to ask about you, and they had nothing but good things to say." Valentine expressed. "Which gave me all the conformation I needed." He said and as he extended his arm, probably giving me another handshake, he knocked over a picture on his desk. It landed at me feet, and when I picked it up, I saw that familiar redhead. "Ah, a man who loves his family is a man that will never be poor." He said as I handed it back to him.

"You have a lovely family." I said politely.

"I do." He gloated. "But let me let you in on a little secret." He said. "You never know true love until you've had a granddaughter." He said as he showed me a picture of Ruthie and Clary. "The moment that little girl was born, I was a goner."

"She's very cute." I said and he smiled.

"Anyway, back to what I was about to say. I would love to bring you on board." He said.

"I would love that sir…..I mean Valentine." I stood when he did.

"Great. Tomorrow morning, be in by 7 am." He said.

"Of course." I said. We shook hands and I was leaving. That was the best interview I've ever been in, and I can't believe I'm walking out of here with a job.

I made my way down to the lobby, where Clary looked like she was frazzled. I made my way over to the desk, and I hit the bell again and she looked up.

"So, your father owns this company." I said as I stood in front of the main desk.

"He does." Clary said. "Surprising?"

"Very. When I saw the family picture I was stunned. I wouldn't believe it if you told me." I laughed.

"Yea. I look nothing like him." Clary smiled.

"So, what do you do here?" I asked curious about her job.

"Oh, I'm in charge of the front desk, and I guess the lobby. I mean, I don't really have a title, although I'm sure I can give myself one." She rambled as she gathered papers together.

"You seem flustered." I pointed out.

"I have a lot going on today." She said and I could clearly see that. "Okay, so this place has 10 floors, or was it 15?" She asked.

"15." I told her, seeing as she looked really confused.

"Right. 15. This place has 15 floors and each floor has a main secretary, and each boss and department head has their own secretary. I'm in charge of all of them." She explained.

"So, you're like the head secretary?" I asked.

"Yea. Yea, that sounds about right." She smiled proudly. "I'm probably not as qualified as a potential head of secretary should be, but I work hard."

"I have no doubt." I smiled. "How long have you been doing this?" I asked.

"Since I was 15. But I had to work my way up. I started as my dads secretary. Than I got pregnant and started working on the lobby because it wasn't as much moving around, and than I just worked my way up." She explained.

"Wait, how old are you?" I asked curiously.

"I'm 19." She said.

"Wow. I knew you looked young." I said.

"Yea. Teen parent, not really in my plans but things happen." She said, and I nodded. "What about you? You look awfully young to be an accountant. The ones I'm used too are all so old." She laughed.

"I'm 23." I said, and by the fraction of an inch her eyes widened, I knew she was slightly surprised. "I graduated college a semester early and got a job for the company I was interning at. They merged, all my company's accountant got laid off."

"That really sucks." She said.

"Yea, but I'm excited to work here. Seems like a great environment." I said.

"It's great here, but I know I'm a little biased." She laughed. "My dad can be a hardass but he's fair, and he's not unreasonable either."

"He seems like that type of guy. Runs the office with a strict thumb, but when it comes down to it, is flexible when you need it." I said.

"You hit the nail on the head with that description." She smiled.

"Well, it was nice talking, but I should get home." I said and she nodded. "See you around Clary."

"Bye Jace." She said and as I walked to my car, I couldn't get the sound of her saying my name out of my head.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since my run in with Jace at our shared place of employment, he's been a pretty solid fixture and Ruthie and I's life. At first I didn't know how I felt about it, but Ruthie really liked him, and when she was happy, so was I. He was great with her as well, so I had no complaints when it came to him hanging out with us at the park, or going to get ice cream. Having Jace in our lives was slowly starting to become something that I relied on, and I didn't know what was going to happen in the future, but I knew one thing was for sure, I would never regret having him in our lives.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Ruthie was sick with a fever, and I hated leaving her when she was sick so I thought I would just call my dad and tell him that I couldn't make it in today. I searched around my apartment for my phone, when I finally found it in between the couch cushions. I dialed my dad and waited for him to pick up.

"Hey Clary, shouldn't you be here soon?" He asked.

"Ruthie got a fever last night, and she's been throwing up. I called to tell you I won't be in today." I told him.

"Of course. Take care of that little girl, and call me when she's feeling better so I know when you'll be back." He said.

"Thanks dad." I smiled, knowing that was a huge weight lifted off of me.

"Of course. Anyone in particular you want to fill in for you for the time being?" He asked.

"Dot." I said. "She's been there the longest out of everyone, and I trust her. Plus she won't get a big head about being in charge." I laughed.

"You got it sweetheart. Give Ruthie my love." He said.

"I will. Bye dad." I said. We hung up and I sat back on the couch to take a deep breath. Ruthie was asleep for now, and I had a moment to relax.

Ruthie was in her room for the majority of the day, but when lunch rolled around, I moved her to the living room so that I could try and get her to eat something. It was hard, considering she was scared she would just throw it up, but having something in her system was better than nothing. I was in the middle of making canned chicken noddle soup when there was a knock on the door. I made my way over and when I opened it, there stood Jace.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Your father and I went out to lunch, and apparently it's one of Ruthie's favorite places. He mentioned she was sick, and we got her some real chicken noodle soup. He told me I could take a longer lunch to deliver it." Jace explained.

"Oh thank god. All I had was canned chicken noodle soup and I didn't want to feed her it, but she hasn't eaten anything all night." I explained as I let him into the apartment.

"How is she doing?" Jace asked, and it was sweet to see him concerned.

"She has a fever of 101, and she can't keep anything down." I explained. "It's heart breaking."

"Can I say hi?" He asked.

"Of course, she's on the couch." I said and he walked over to her while I put some broth and some noodles in a bowl for her. When I went back to them, Jace was now sitting on the couch with Ruthie snuggled into his side.

"She said she was cold." Jace explained.

"I don't mind. Whatever makes her comfortable." I said honestly as I put the soup on the table. "Now, I know you don't want to eat baby, but its just some broth and noodles. Take as long as you need to eat okay?" I said and she nodded.

"I should probably get back." Jace said.

"Don't go." Ruthie said, and he looked up at me, and I knew he felt bad, but he had a job. But being the bosses daughter had its perks.

"Give me a minute." I said and he nodded. I went into the kitchen and called my dad.

"Hey, how is she?" He asked.

"She's still sick, but she has found herself a human heater." I said.

"Jace." He guessed.

"Yea, and she doesn't want him to leave." I told him. "Think he can have the rest of the day off?" I asked.

"Of course. Just make sure my grandbaby gets better." He said.

"Thank you dad." I said. "I'll call when there is an update." We hung up and I went back to Jace. "You got the rest of the day off."

"Really?" He asked.

"Being the bosses daughter has its perks, and you're actually a big help for me as well." I told him. "I want to wash her sheets and disinfect her room, but I didn't want to leave her alone, with you here I don't have too."

"I'm more than happy to stay as long as you need." Jace said.

"Thank you, really." I said.

"Mommy, I'm tired." Ruthie said.

"I know baby." I told her. "How about you and Jace go into my room and lay on the bed. My computer is hooked up to the TV in there, put on whatever movie you want, and drink some broth." Ruthie nodded, and Jace scooped her up and grabbed the bowl of soup.

I went into her room and stripped the bed and threw it all in the washer. Than I went into her room and scrubbed all the surfaces, and made sure the whole place was clean. The worst thing to do when you're sick is stay in the germ infested environment you use to get better in.

Once that was done, the washer was done. I switched the loads and cleaned a little of the kitchen. It was so nice to know that Jace was going to be taking care of Ruthie so I could take care of the little things that have been piling up. The dryer buzzed right when I finished washing the last dish, and than I remade her bed, and I was about to go into my room to check on them when I heard Jace and Ruthie talking.

"Jace, can I call you daddy?" I heard Ruthie ask, and I was slightly mortified. I wanted to go in and explain to Ruthie that it wasn't that easy, but I was curious as to how Jace would handle it.

"You're an amazing little girl Ruthie, and as much as you deserve a daddy who will move mountains for you, I'm not him." Jace explained. "But we can be friends. You can still snuggle with me when you're sick, we can still go out to ice cream together, we can still hold hands as we cross the street, and we can even eat a cookie or two before a meal." Jace said and I heard Ruthie laugh a little before it turned into a cough, and I couldn't help but smile. "I'll always be here for you Ruthie, no matter what."

"Otay Jace." Ruthie says, and that's when I decide to go in.

"How is everything?" I asked.

"Good. We just finished Pocahontas." Jace said. "You get everything finished?"

"Yea. Thank you." I said and he nodded.

"Come watch a movie with us mommy." Ruthie said, and I smiled and crawled into bed next to Ruthie. She was still snuggled up with Jace, but I didn't mind. He was keeping her warm, and as long as she was comfortable that's all I cared about. We watched another movie and I couldn't help but let my eyes droop. I spent the majority of my night taking care of Ruthie, and I was going to use this opportunity to get a little shuteye, and it was amazing. Jace was a miracle today, and I was thankful for him.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today of all days had been one of the most infuriating and flustering days at the office that I have ever experienced. My dad and mom had taken an anniversary trip for the week, and when he's gone, the employee's act like they've never done their job before.

People were calling out left and right, forgetting to do their job completely, and missing meetings, or conference calls, hell, some were even using this opportunity to disregard every rule possible. I hated when my dad left, but he would be back soon enough, and I couldn't wait.

When work was done, I was on my way to the daycare to pick up Ruthie. I couldn't wait to spend the rest of the night with her, and forget all about my horrible day. She was always the best way to brighten up any sour day, and I needed that today.

I walked into the daycare and made my way over to the receptionist desk so that I could sign out Ruthie. She's been going to daycare a couple days a week, and she really loved it.

"Clary, I wasn't expecting to see you today." Clara, the receptionist said.

"Why not?" I asked confused. "I always pick up Ruthie."

"But Ruthie got signed out two hours ago." She said and my heart dropped.

"By who?" I nearly yelled.

"Her father. He came in and said that it was his turn to pick her up." Clara said, and for a moment, my entire world froze.

"Her father? Was he on the list of people who could sign Ruthie out?" I yelled, completely furious.

"I didn't check the list. He said he was her father." Clara said, clearly scared by my reaction.

"What's the point of the list of you don't fucking check it?" I yelled at the top of my lungs, anger taking over, but fear slowly creeping up.

"But – but he had her name, and yours too." Clara stuttered.

"Oh my god. You let my daughter get kidnapped!" I yelled and at this point, people started to gather.

"What's going on here?" Mary – the director of the daycare – asked as she made her way over to us.

"Your employee let a man come in here and sign out my daughter, that's what happened!" I yelled.

"Clara, is that true?" Mary asked her.

"He said he was her father." Clara defended.

"She didn't check the list. Why did I provide people who were allowed to check her out, if you don't check anyway?" I asked, still fuming.

"This is clearly a misunderstanding." Mary said.

"No, there is no misunderstanding. Clara let a man who isn't involved in Ruthie's life whatsoever sign her out, and now I have no fucking idea where my daughter is." I yelled and stormed out. I couldn't be there anymore, but there was someone that I wanted to be with, _needed_ to be with. Forgetting my car, I started walking, and that's when everything set in. My daughter has been kidnapped by her father, and I didn't know if I was ever going to see her again.

 **Jace POV:**

I was in the middle of making dinner, when I heard frantic knowing, more like banging, at my front door. Not expecting anyone, I put down my food, and went to answer the door. When I opened it, there stood Clary, make up streaming down her face, and hyperventilating.

"What's wrong?" I immediately ask, and she stumbles into my house.

"Ruthie." She choked out. "Kidnapped." Was the next word. "Gone." She said between frantic breathes, and now I was freaked out.

"What happened to Ruthie?" I asked. I led Clary to the couch and she sat down and continued to hyperventilate. I tried to calm her down the best I could, but she was a wreck, and I couldn't blame her. It felt like a lifetime before Clary finally calmed down enough for me to try and talk to her again. "Clary, what happened to Ruthie?" I asked again.

"I went to pick her up from daycare." She cried. "When I got there Clara said Ruthie was signed out two hours ago by her father."

"Her father?" I questioned. "Is he even around?"

"No." She said. "He signed away his paternal rights. He has absolutely no right to her, and he kidnapped her."

"Why would he do that?" I asked.

"I have no idea, but I lost my baby." She cried and I pulled her into a hug.

"We have to call the police." I said and she nodded into my neck. I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket and dialed 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator asked.

"My name is Jonathan Herondale, and my – " I looked at Clary. " – girlfriend went to pick up her daughter from daycare, and her biological father – who signed away his paternal rights – took her without permission." I explained.

"Okay sir, I'm dispatching officers to your house. Where was she taken from?" The operator asked.

"She was at Alicante Daycare." I said.

"A unit will be with you shortly." She said and I hung up. Before I knew it, there was a knock at the door. I put Clary down, and went to answer it.

"Jonathon Herondale?" The officer asked and I nodded.

"Thank you for coming." I said as I welcomed them into my home.

"Of course, the first 48 hours of a child abduction are the most crucial." He said and I nodded. I led them into the living room where Clary was clutching a pillow and crying on the couch. "Are you the girls mother?" He asked and Clary nodded. "Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?" He asked and Clary shook her head. I rejoined Clary on the couch. "First, what's your daughters name?" He asked.

"Ruth Morgenstern, but everyone calls her Ruthie." Clary said.

"And how old is she?" He asked.

"She's 3 and a half." Clary answered.

"What's she look like?" He asked.

"She's really tiny for her age, only about 34 inches tall. She weighs about 25 pounds. She has red hair like me, and blue eyes." Clary said and I could hear her voice shake.

"And does she normally go to daycare?" He asked.

"About 2 or 3 times a week." Clary said. "Normally my mom watches her, but my parents are away on an anniversary trip this week."

"And when she's home?" He asked, as he gestured to the house.

"Oh, Ruthie and I don't live here." Clary said, and the officer looked at me.

"Like I told the operator, we're not married, we actually just started seeing each other recently." I said and he nodded.

"And her father, what's his deal?" The officer asked.

"The day she was born he terminated his paternal rights." Clary said. "Something about him not wanting to be a parent." She scoffed. "I didn't care. I had an amazing support system, and if he didn't want to be in her life, he didn't have to be."

"Do you know why he would want to take her?" He asked.

"I haven't heard from him in almost 4 years. I have no idea why he would do something like this." Clary confessed.

"What's his name?" The officer asked.

"His name is Sebastian. Sebastian Verlac." She said and he nodded.

"We're going to put out an Amber Alert, and put a BOLO out on him. We'll find your daughter ma'am." The officer informed us.

"Thank you." I said and I walked them out. I went back to Clary, and I knew she was distraught. "Do you want to stay here tonight?" I asked and she nodded. "Why don't you go take a shower, and I'll call your parents. Let them know what's going on." I offered.

"Okay." She said as she stood up and started walking. "Uh Jace, where is your shower?" She asked and I smiled.

"Upstairs, third door on the right." I said and she nodded.

"And Jace?" She said and I turned to face her. "Thank you."

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary had fallen asleep after her shower, and I didn't blame her. She has been crying nonstop since she arrived, and crying wares anyone out.

Valentine never answered my call, but I didn't blame him. He was on an anniversary trip with his wife, and if that were me, I wouldn't pick up my phone either, but I knew this was something he needed to know. So I grabbed Clary's phone and thought he would definitely answer her. After a few rings he picked up.

"Clary? Is everything okay?" Valentine asked.

"It's not Clary sir, it's me, Jace." I said.

"Jace, why on earth do you have Clary's phone?" He asked.

"Clary is currently asleep in my room due to events that took place today regarding Ruthie." I explained.

"What the hell are you taking about Jace?" Valentine boomed.

"Apparently Ruthie's father came to the daycare today and signed her out." I explained. "The police have been contacted, and there is an Amber Alert out for her, but Clary is a mess, and I told her I would call you to tell you what's happening."

"That bastard!" Valentine yelled. "We'll be on the next flight home. We'll be at your place the minute we get in." He said and hung up. I put her phone down and took a deep breath.

"Jace?" I heard and when I turned around, there stood Clary.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked as I stood up.

"Lost. Broken. Angry. I could go on." She explained.

"I don't blame you." I told her. "What he did was a dick move."

"He wasn't always a dick." Clary laughed, but I could tell it was humorless. "He was really kind in the beginning."

"Most guys are." I said and she nodded. She took a few more steps towards me. "Would you like anything to drink? Coffee? Tea?" I offered.

"Tea would be great." Clary said and I nodded. I went to the kitchen and made it as fast as I could, and when I returned, Clary was curled up on the couch under a blanket.

"Here you go." I said as I handed her to the mug.

"Thank you." She said and I took a seat. I pulled some of the blanket over my legs, and she automatically stretched her legs out, and I took her feet and started rubbing them. "I know you're probably thinking I'm an idiot for getting involved with someone who would kidnap a child, but I swear, I never thought he was capable of this." She said.

"I don't think you're an idiot at all." I told her honestly. "Sometimes people are very good at hiding who they truly are."

"We started dating my freshman year of high school when he asked me to the homecoming dance." She said with a light smile on her face. "I was shocked. He was a junior, and I was just a freshman." She laughed. "I felt totally out of my element, but he was so nice, and funny, and charming." She scoffed. "I guess I should have known he would never amount to what I fabricated in my head."

"That's his fault. Not yours." I told her. "Ruthie is an amazing little girl. It's his fault he gave that up."

"He didn't believe me the first time I told him I was pregnant." Clary told me. "We were going through a little bit of a rough patch, and he thought I made it up to make him stay with me."

"What a loser." I laughed and she smiled a little.

"When I came in with a sonogram, it finally hit him." She explained. "The day she was born, he signed away his rights, and I haven't heard a thing since."

"Do you know why he did it?" I asked. "I mean, not wanting to be a parent is one thing, but signing away your rights to your own kid? I can't fathom that." I said truthfully.

"He didn't want me trying to get child support out of him." Clary said. "If he wasn't legally her father, I couldn't ask."

"But your parents are super supportive, and not to mention, kinda rich." I said and she laughed.

"He didn't want to deal with it." Clary shrugged. "He was going to college, and he wanted no string attached."

"Coward." I said.

"And I have no idea why he would come back now." Clary said as her eyes welled up with tears.

"They're going to find her Clary, and they're going to put that bastard in jail." I said.

"I don't know what I'd do without her Jace. She's my world." Clary explained. I put her tea on the table, and pulled her into my lap and I held her.

"You'll get her back. I promise." I said and I felt her nod. Eventually I felt her breathing even out, and I laid her back on the couch, and covered her with the blanket. There was nothing I could do for her, and it absolutely sucked.

 **Time Jump – Six Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I couldn't sleep, so I didn't. I was on the chair, while Clary was still passed out on the couch, and I was watching mindless TV. I dozed off every now and than, but nothing deep. I was in the middle of dozing when there was a knock at my front door. I got up and opened it to see Valentine and Jocelyn there.

"Where is she?" Valentine asked.

"Sleeping on the couch." I said and they walked in. They saw her laying there, and Jocelyn bent down and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you for taking care of her." Jocelyn said.

"Of course." I said. Valentine motioned for me to follow him, and I did.

"Any news?" He asks.

"None." I said. "I've just been making sure Clary's okay."

"I can't believe he would do this." Valentine seethed. "I'll sue him for everything he owns."

"Valentine, he's going to jail once they catch him." I told him. "There is no doubt about that."

"But can't he fight? Get a DNA test to prove she's his daughter?" Valentine asked.

"He signed away his paternal rights." I said. "Even with the positive DNA test, he has no rights to that child. When they catch him, he's going to be charged with kidnapping."

"Good, but I'm still going to sue him." Valentine said.

"I don't blame you." I said and he nodded.

"Listen, normally I would be very against this." He said as he motioned towards the room Clary was in. "But she came to you for a reason. She trusts you, and I know she trusts Ruthie with you, so if there is something developing between you and my daughter, I have nothing against it." He finished, and I had to admit, I was pretty shocked.

"There is nothing romantic between us." I told him.

"Oh, but there is." Valentine smiled. "She's been guarded since Ruthie came into this world. Making sure Ruthie doesn't get attached because Clary doesn't want to hurt her, but with you, she's not so guarded." He explained. "That means something."

"Okay, well, thank you for your blessing?" I asked and he laughed. "Would you and Jocelyn like something to drink?" I offered.

"Do you mind making a pot of coffee? It was a long flight." Valentine asked.

"Of course not." I said. Valentine patted me on the back, and went back into the living room.

I got the coffee, and made my way out to them. Clary was now awake, and Jocelyn was holding her. As special as I felt, and honored that Clary came to me when she was wrecked, I knew she needed her parents, and I was glad she had them now.

"Um, there is a guest room upstairs if you guys want to get some sleep." I offered and they nodded. "I'm gonna try and get a nap in before I head into work, but you all are more than welcomed to stay here, since this is most likely where the police with come if they have any news."

"Jace, you don't need to go into work." Valentine said. "You have a very valid reason not to go in."

"I know, but I might go mad if I just sit around and wait all day." I confessed. "Going into the office will be good for me."

"Okay, can you tell Dot that she's in charge for the time being?" Valentine asked.

"Of course." I said and I started walking away.

"Jace?" I heard and I stopped right before the stairs and turned to look at Clary. "Thank you, for everything."

"It's no problem." I smiled and headed upstairs. I may only get an hour of sleep but it was better than nothing.

 **Clary POV:**

"He's a very nice young man." My mom said.

"I gave him my permission already Joce." My dad said.

"Oh good." My mom beamed.

"You gave him permission for what?" I asked curiously.

"To explore romantic relations with you if he wants." My dad said.

"Seriously? You talked about our nonexistent feelings for each other to him?" I asked a little mortified.

"Of honey, they aren't nonexistent." My mom said.

"I don't even want to think about anything else until I get Ruthie back." I said and they both nodded understanding where I was coming from. "You two should go to bed. You probably haven't slept yet."

"We're fine." My dad said.

"Oh please. You two get super cranky when you're tired, and I really don't want to deal with that on top of everything." I said. "I'll be okay. I'll watch mindless TV."

"You sure?" My mom asked.

"Positive." I said. They both gave me a kiss before leaving. I curled under the blankets and switched the channel to something uneventful. My eyes watched but I didn't register anything. My mind was too preoccupied to focus on anything other than Ruthie.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The Morgenstern's haven't left my house, but I didn't blame them. They were all waiting for some kind of news, and the 48 hours was almost up, and that was causing me to worry.

It had just been a long day at work, and I was headed home in hopes to take a hot shower, and get twelve hours of sleep. When I walked into the house, I heard the TV, and when I made my way to the living room, Clary was sitting by herself watching TV.

"Hey, where are your parents?" I asked and she looked up at me.

"They went out for dinner. My dad had an important business dinner that I refused to let him miss." Clary explained.

"I bet it was hard getting him out of the house." I laughed as I took a seat.

"It was extremely hard, but with enough convincing from my mom and I, we got him." She smiled.

"Hear anything yet?" I asked and she simply shook her head.

"I'm starting to think I won't." She said sadly.

"You can't think that way." I said. "Ruthie is okay."

"You don't know that Jace. I have no idea where she is, or how she is doing, and I feel like I'm dying." Clary said, and I could hear her voice breaking. I was about to open my mouth, when the phone starting ringing. I got up and answered it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Jonathan Herondale?" The voice questioned.

"Speaking." I said.

"We found her." He said and my heart stopped. "She is currently at Idris Hospital getting looked over."

"Thank you so much." I said and hung up. I ran out to tell Clary the good news. "They found her." I nearly yelled.

"What?" She asked, shocked.

"They found Ruthie. She's currently at Idris Hospital getting checked out." I explained.

"Oh my god. Is she…okay?" Clary asked.

"There is only one way to find out." I said. "Let's go." I said and she practically ran me over on her way out the door.

We got in my car and I sped towards the hospital, I didn't care. Clary needed to be there as fast as possible. When we got there, Clary kinda yelled at the nurse what her name was and we were directed back towards the room, and the moment Clary opened the door, and her eyes landed on Ruthie, everything felt right in the world.

She ran to the bed, and picked Ruthie up in her arms, and she just cried. I almost cried myself, but when the police officer motioned for me to step out in the hallway, I knew I had to keep myself together for a little while longer.

"We found Sebastian Verlac." He said once the doors were closed. "He's in custody and it won't be long until he stands trial." He explained.

"Where did you find them?" I asked curiously.

"He was using a buddies apartment while he's away." He explained. "We got a tip from the neighbor who saw the Amber Alert."

"And she's…okay?" I asked.

"He fed her, bathed her, let her watch TV." He explained. "There was no sign of any damage, or trauma to her."

"Why did he do it?" I asked.

"He wouldn't talk. Asked for his attorney the minute we busted the door open." He explained and I nodded. "Go back in there. I know it's been a tough few days." He said and I nodded. I made my way back into the room, and over to the bed where Clary and Ruthie were cuddled up. I sat down and put my arm around Clary and pulled her into my side. I gave them each a kiss on the top of the head, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was with my family. I would do anything for these two, and I would never let anything happen to either of them again.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

After we left the hospital, Ruthie immediately fell asleep in the car. I didn't blame her, she had a crazy couple days. Jace was driving us back to his house, and I just knew that I didn't want to leave him. The radio was low, and before anything else happened, I needed to ask him a favor.

"Hey Jace." I said and he looked over at me. "I know I've barely left your house since everything went down, but I was wondering if Ruthie and I could stay for another night or two."

"You can stay as long as you want Clary." Jace said with a smile.

"I just don't want to be alone." I said. "I mean, I know Sebastian is in jail, but I don't want to be alone."

"Clary." Jace said. "You and Ruthie are welcome to stay with me for as long as you want."

"Are you sure?" I asked for verification.

"Clary. I _want_ you to stay with me." He said matter of factually.

"Really?" I asked and he laughed.

"I don't want you or Ruthie to go anywhere." He said firmly. "I don't want anything happening to you guys ever again. Not if I can help it."

"You know Ruthie is going to want to move in permanently? Perhaps adopt you as her dad?" I pointed out.

"And nothing would make me happier." He said.

"And you're sure?" I asked.

"Clarissa Morgenstern." He said. "Move in with me."

"Yes." I said and he reached over and took my hand in his. "Be prepared for the circus that is Ruthie Morgenstern." I laughed and Jace smiled.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Jace smiled and I couldn't help but smile in return. Everything felt like it was falling into place, and I knew that it was going to be amazing.

 **Time Jump – Halloween**

 **Jace POV:**

"Come on daddy!" Ruthie called from the door. "I want to get as much candy as possible."

"I'm coming!" I called as I ran downstairs. "I still can't believe this is what we're going as." I said as I adjusted by collar.

"She's obsessed with Scooby Doo." Clary said as she fixed my shirt for me.

"Yea, but Shaggy? Really?" I asked and Clary laughed.

"What can I say? You bought her Scooby." She pointed out, and I looked over at Ruthie and her best friend Scooby.

"I couldn't say no." I said and she laughed and leaned up to kissed me.

"Come on Fred, we have candy to collect." Clary said as she straightened out her purple dress.

"Of course my dear Daphne." I smiled and she blushed the way I loved. "Let's go Shaggy." I called and Ruthie ran over to us and grabbed my hand.

"Come on gang." She beamed and I couldn't help but laugh. Clary was holding onto Scooby, and we made our way around the neighborhood where this whole family started, but this time I was holding onto my daughters hand, and laughing with my fiancé, and for the first time, I understood the meaning of Halloween, and it soon became my favorite holiday.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Holy shit. It's been over a month...I had this one shot started before Halloween, and as you can see, it took forever to finish, and I apologize for that!**

 **I have no excuse except that work got crazy, and motivation suffered. I have no idea when I'll update next, but just know, until my 200th one shot, the updates are going to be few and far between. I apologize in advance for taking such long hiatuses, but I just don't have the time like I used too, or the drive to write as much as I did before. I will finish, I will never abandon this group of stories, but just be patient, and keep all the positive vibes coming! Let me know what you think and leave a review!**

 **Disclaimer - I do not own Scooby Doo, but have always loved the cartoon, and the movie! :)**


	135. Chapter 134 - Magical Figures

**One Hundred and Thirty Four Story**

 **Magical Figures:**

 **Jace POV:**

"The Magical Counsel will be taking place here this year, and since this is the first counsel you will be involved in Jace, I need you to not mess it up." My dad said to me.

"Come on dad, have a little more faith in me." I laughed and he just glared at me. "I won't mess this up. I promise."

"Good. Because you have responsibilities, which include having a separate counsel for all the magical figures kids." My dad explained.

"How many are we talking?" I asked curiously.

"There are 16 coming to the meeting." My dad said.

"By the Angel, why so many?" I asked a little stunned.

"The Blackthorns." My dad simply said.

"Ah. Makes sense the Easter Bunny has a hoard of children." I said and he simply nodded. "Don't worry, they will be taken care of."

"Good. They will be staying in the East Village. Everything is taken care of, you just have to make sure the meeting goes smoothly." My dad explained.

"I won't let you down." I said proudly.

"You better not Jonathan." He said before leaving my room.

You know, being the son of a magical figure was pretty cool, except when it came to the politics of it all. You see, way back in the day, I'm taking about maybe a hundred years ago, the Claus family was dying out. Santa and Mrs. Claus couldn't have children, therefore, their line was going to be ending soon, but you can't possibly have Christmas end like that, so being the only living relatives of the Claus family, the Herondale's took over. And right now, my father was the current Santa Claus, which made me the Prince of Christmas, and one day I would be taking over the roll. It was cool to think about, until I thought about everything my father has to deal with, and I didn't mind having to wait my turn for the position.

This year was going to be different. I've never met any of the other magical figures children before. They haven't had a Magical Figures Counsel since before all of us were born, so this would be the first time we all got together, and I wasn't going to let my father down. So as I grabbed all the files that my father brought to me, I decided to make sure I knew who they were, and who their parents were before they got here next week. So I started at the beginning, with myself:

 _Santa Claus:_

 _~ Magical Figure – Stephen Herondale (Married to Celine Herondale)._

 _~ Years Active – 30 years._

 _~ Children – Jonathan Herondale (21)._

 _~ Place of Residency – North Pole._

 _Mother Nature:_

 _~ Magical Figure – Maryse Lightwood (Married to Robert Lightwood)._

 _~ Years Active – 35 years._

 _~ Children – Isabelle and Alexander Lightwood (23), Maxwell Lightwood (14)._

 _~ Place of Residency – New York City, New York, USA._

 _Cupid:_

 _~ Magical Figure – Valentine Morgenstern (Married to Jocelyn Morgenstern)._

 _~ Years Active – 40 years._

 _~ Children – Jonathan Morgenstern (23), Clarissa Morgenstern (20)._

 _~ Place of Residency –Male, Maldives, Asia._

 _Tooth Fairy:_

 _~ Magical Figure – Elaine Lewis (Widowed)._

 _~Years Active – 32 years._

 _~ Children – Simon Lewis (22)._

 _~ Place of Residency – Bangkok, Thailand, Asia._

 _Easter Bunny:_

 _~ Magical Figure – Arthur Blackthorn (Widowed)_

 _~ Years Active – 38 years._

 _~ Children – Mark Blackthorn (25), Helen Blackthorn (23), Julian (21), Livia (18), Tiberius (18), Drusilla (15), and Octavian (10)._

 _~ Place of Residency – Hanga Roa, Easter Island, South America._

 _Jack Frost:_

 _~ Magical Figure – Elodie Verlac (Took over after her brother was murdered)_

 _~ Years Active – 24 years._

 _~ Children – Sebastian Verlac (26)._

 _~ Place of Residency – Antarctica, South Pole._

 _Father Time:_

 _~ Magical Figure – John Carstairs (Married Cordelia Carstairs)._

 _~ Years Active – 33 years._

 _~ Children – Emma Carstairs (20)._

 _~ Place of Residency – Oslo, Norway._

 _Sand Man:_

 _~ Magical Figure – Asmodeus Bane (Divorced)._

 _~ Years Active – 45 years._

 _~Children – Magnus Bane (28)_

 _~ Place of Residency – Wellington, New Zealand._

When I got through all the people going to be staying here, I realized that I was going to be a little overwhelmed, but the good thing is that we're all pretty close in age, with the exception of a few kids, but that was okay. This was going to be a challenging counsel, but I was ready, I was ready to prove that I could handle this, and I was going to start planning now.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Everyone was arriving today, and I did everything I could to prepare for this, but that didn't make the nerves go away. I wanted to show that I was good for this, and good for the power. I wanted my dad to see me as a serious heir to his thorn, and this wasn't going to go wrong. It just couldn't.

"They should start to arrive any minute now, but don't be alarmed if Valentine shows up late. He considers himself better than us so he always gets here late." My dad informed me.

"He's cupid, that isn't really manly." I said and my dad laughed.

"Wait until you meet the guy. He oozes cockiness." My dad said.

"I'm guessing his family is the same?" I asked.

"His son definitely is, but the way I remember Jocelyn is very warm and welcoming. Very grounded. I can only hope their daughter is the same as the mom." My dad said and I nodded. "Oh look, the Lightwoods." He said and that's when I noticed the family walking up to us. "Maryse, Robert. Lovely to see you again." My dad said.

"You as well Stephan." Maryse said with a smiled.

"The kids can follow Jace to their residence for the week." My dad said and they nodded before walking away.

"Welcome to the North Pole." I said with a smile.

"It's freezing here." Isabelle said.

"I like it." Alexander said.

"Of course you would. You control the cold." She scoffed.

"Well, your rooms are very heated." I informed them. "I'm Jace, and I'll be kind of your guide while you're here. If you need anything just let me know."

"Thanks Jace. I'm Izzy by the way." She smiled. "And those are my brothers, Alec and Max."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'll show you to your rooms." I said and they nodded and followed along. I felt better with having the first introductions out of the way, and I was ready for this week to start.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Dad we are hours late. It's rude to keep people waiting this long." I said once we finally got to the North Pole.

"Clarissa, I'm cupid, they will wait for me." My dad said and I rolled my eyes. He had this entitlement about him that was astounding, and Jon got it too. I get that being a magical figure is important, but the world doesn't wait on us.

"I'm just saying, they wanted us there between 2 and 4. It's nearly 8." I said, but I knew it was lost on him. He simply didn't care.

When we pulled up to the North Pole, I grabbed the stuff and started walking, I wanted to apologize before my father and brother got there, so they knew at least someone in this family was sorry. I was looking around for one of the Herondale's when I spotted a literal Angel. He was golden from head to toe, which is surprising for someone who lives here, but I was mesmerized by him.

"Glad you finally showed up." He said once I got close.

"Before my father and brother get here, I just wanted to apologize on behalf of them." I said to him. "They think the world revolves around them, and it doesn't. I tried to get them here by the latest 5, but I failed."

"I see that." He said.

"I'm Clarissa by the way, but everyone calls me Clary." I said as I stuck my hand out to him.

"I'm Jace." He said as he took my hand in his. "Welcome to the North Pole."

"It's wonderful. We don't get snow where I'm from." I said as I looked around.

"You'll be sick of it when the week is over, I promise you that." He said with a laugh.

"We'll see." I smiled back, just as my family showed up. My parents didn't stay long, and that left Jon and I.

"Well, I'll show you to where you'll be staying." Jace said.

"Are we sharing a room?" Jon asked.

"No. Everyone has their own room." Jace explained.

"Good. I don't want to share with her." Jon said and I rolled my eyes. Jon and I had a very complicated relationship. Most of the time I couldn't stand him, and most of the time he forgot I existed. We lived on opposite sides of the country, and I liked it that way.

"Alright, Jon this is your room." Jace said and Jon walked in without another word. "He's charming."

"The whole way here, all I could think about was getting away from him." I admitted.

"You two don't seem that close." Jace said as he walked me to my room.

"Not even in the slightest." I said. "We've always been so different, it was hard to bond. And since he was a little, all he's wanted to do was take over the family business, and nothing else has ever really mattered to him."

"So that means you won't be the next cupid?" Jace asked and I laughed.

"Nope. I'm happy just being the Princess of Love." I said and he nodded. "He wants to take over, and my dad fully supports him, and fully expects me to marry some magical figure and not tarnish our family."

"Seems like a lot of pressure." Jace said.

"It is, but I'm young. I have time." I said and he nodded.

"Well, this is your room." He said as he pointed to the door. "If you need anything, I'm here for you."

"Thank you Jace." I said and he smiled. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Clary." He said and I walked into my room. The way my named rolled off his tongue was enough to make any girl swoon, and I was thankful he didn't see me do it. I was going to like being here for a week. Especially getting to know the other magical figures kids. It was going to be something new, and I needed that, and a vacation from my father and brother.

 **Time Jump – Later the Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

Everyone was getting along really well, and I could see how happy my father was seeing all these magical figures and their kids meshing so well together. I knew this was stressing him out the last couple months, and I'm glad that it was going well.

Everyone came down for breakfast but there was someone missing. I didn't see Clary anywhere, and her family didn't seem to care that she was missing. So I went on a little adventure to make sure she was okay. And when I finally found her sitting by a frozen lake, she looked a little sad.

"Everything okay?" I asked and she didn't even flinch, or move. I took a seat next to her, and I could tell she was really upset. "Do you wanna talk about it?" I offered.

"I have no control over my life, and I'm so sick of it." She said as she continued to look out on the frozen lake.

"What happened?" I asked curiously. I literally saw her last night, and she seemed fine.

"Before bed last night my father called me to have a discussion." She explained. "He found me a husband." She said in a monotone voice, and I had to admit, it hurt hearing this, and hearing how upset she was about it.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Sebastian." She said flatly.

"Damn. He's a dick." I said without a thought, and she laughed.

"And he's like a lot older than me." She said and I nodded. "I get that my parents want me to have a secure future, and they want me to marry within the magical community, but I'm the Princess of Love, I believe in it with my entire being, and I never thought I'd be forced to marry someone I didn't love. I hardly like the guy as it is. He reminds me so much of my brother." She explained.

"Can't your mom do anything about it?" I asked.

"She will literally follow my father into a black hole." Clary said. "I don't have any concrete evidence, but I'm pretty sure my father put a love potion on her, because she is like stupidly in love with him all the time. She doesn't even fight with him, because she's always making heart eyes at him, and agreeing with everything he does, and thinks of." She explained.

"That's a little intense." I said and she nodded. "What are you going to do?" I asked.

"Go with it." She simply said. "I can't disobey him, other wise he'd probably shoot me with an arrow and I'd be just as stupidly in love with Sebastian, and I don't want to be that naive and vulnerable, especially with him." She explained.

"Or." I said as an idea popped into my head. "We could tell your father that we want to explore a relationship. Make him back off a little, and get Sebastian off your back."

"You'd do that for me?" She asked, clearly a little surprised.

"Yea." I simply said. "Forcing you to marry someone is disgusting, and who better to be in a relationship than Santa Claus's kid? I'm the most known Magical Figure in the world, despite what your father thinks." I said and she laughed.

"We just have to keep up the act for the week, and possibly a couple weeks after, but that should do it." Clary said and I smiled.

"I guess it's settled." I said and just seeing her so happy, made me happy.

"It's settled." She beamed. "Thank you Jace, this really means everything to me." She said before hugging me, and I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her back. I literally met her yesterday, but there was a pull towards her, and I couldn't explain it.

"Anytime." I said when we pulled apart. "Now, do you want to come back to the village with me, and get this thing started?" I asked as I offered my hand.

"Absolutely." She said as she grabbed my hand. Hers fit perfectly in mine, and I couldn't help but notice how we fell in sync as we walked, and talked effortlessly. This might be easier than I thought, and I was completely okay with that.

 **Clary POV:**

"I thought we had this discussion last night Clarissa." My father said as he dragged me away from the others.

"We did, but can't I just see what is between Jace and I before you marry me off to someone else?" I asked hopefully.

"But Sebastian is a great candidate, and he'll be Jack Frost within the next year." My father said.

"And I get that, but Jace and I." I said and I couldn't help but smile. "Jace and I deserve to see where things go. I like him dad, and I want this opportunity."

"Come on Val, she deserves what we have." My mom said as she wrapped her arm around his.

"Fine, but if there isn't any progress by the end of the year, we do this my way." My dad said as he caved.

"Deal." I said before skipping off back to the group and taking my place next to Jace.

"What happened?" Jace whispered to me.

"We have until the end of the year." I said to him and he smiled.

"We did good." He said and I smiled.

"We did very good." I said and he pulled me into his side and I couldn't help but laugh. This might all be for show, but I am the Princess of Love, and anything is possible.

 **Time Jump – End of the Week**

 **Jace POV:**

"I can't thank you enough for this week Jace." Clary said as she stood there with her suitcase. This week had been eye opening, and I was happy I came up with the idea. It really showed me a lot.

"It was my pleasure." I said with a smile. "I enjoyed getting to know you."

"Me too." She said, and there was a pause. "I guess I'll see you at some point?" She said after a moment.

"You know where to find me." I said and she laughed.

"Clarissa, let's go." Her father said and she nodded.

"Bye Jace." She said, and before she got the chance to walk away, I pulled her into me and place a kiss on her forehead.

"Bye Clary." I said as she blushed, and walked away. She looked back for a split second before her and her family disappeared. I watched her go before my parents joined me.

"So you and Clary?" My mom asked with a smile.

"We'll see." I said, not wanting to give up our little secret to anyone. I didn't want this leaking back to Valentine.

"She's a very lovely girl." My mom said. "You two look cute together."

"Be careful though son, the Princess of Love has abilities to create false love." My father warned.

"Clary isn't like that dad." I said. "She hates when people force love, and besides we aren't in love. I just met her, but I like her enough to want to keep getting to know her." I told him truthfully.

"We trust you." My mom said with a smile.

"Thank you." I said.

"And you did a very impressive job this week son." My dad said and I couldn't help but smile. "Good job."

"Thanks dad." I said. It felt good to impress him.

"We'll see you at dinner." My mom said, before they both walked off hand in hand. I watched them walk away, and I couldn't help but think about how one day I want a love like that. And who knows, maybe that could happen with Clary, and maybe it won't, but I wanted to figure that out myself.

 **Time Jump – Valentine's Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Valentine's Day was tomorrow, and to say my father was thrilled would be an understatement. He plans this day for the entire year, and there was nothing that would stop him from doing it right.

Jonathan was also completely captivated this year. Learning all my father's trade secrets and doing everything he would do. He wants to be Cupid so badly, that sometimes I feel sorry for him. My father won't give up his position until he physically can't do it anymore, and who knows when that will be.

Since Valentine's Day was approaching, my father wanted us all to be together. I didn't understand why he gets so sentimental around this holiday, but I've learned to just roll with it, and he'll let me live my life until the next holiday season rolls around.

"Clarissa, I have some news for you." My father said as we all sat down for lunch.

"What is it father?" I asked politely.

"I have invited someone where to spend the holiday with you." He said, and immediately I thought of Jace and got extremely excited. We've been keeping in touch, but I haven't seen him since we left the North Pole. "Come in." He said and the moment the door opened, my heart sank.

"Sebastian." I half whispered and the smile that spread across his face.

"Clarissa." He smirked.

"Father, what is the meaning behind this?" I asked angrily.

"I thought you would enjoy the company this Valentine's Day." He smiled.

"And I thought we had an agreement." I said. "You were going to give Jace and I until the end of the year to figure things out, than we do it your way."

"I haven't seen Jace around here since we left the North Pole." My father said, and he wasn't wrong. "A man should never just leave his lady high and dry like that." He continued.

"We had an agreement father." I repeated.

"Just enjoy this holiday with Sebastian. I'm sure he would love to get to know you more." My father said.

"I would indeed enjoy it." Sebastian smiled. I couldn't help the anger that filled me. My father was a piece of work, and not in the good way.

 **Jace POV:**

I had gotten the idea to surprise Clary for Valentine's Day basically since she left. Texting and calling wasn't enough for me. She was more than just a girl to me. She was someone who was becoming so important to me that I was never going to let go.

I got to Maldives, and I found out where they lived, and charmed my way inside. I was told they were having lunch, so I was going to surprise her now. I had gotten to the door, when I heard voices.

"I have invited someone where to spend the holiday with you." Her father said, and immediately I had a terrible feeling about this. I knew he wasn't talking about me, so I had no idea who he was talking about. "Come in." He said and I hear the hinges of another door opening.

"Sebastian." I heard Clary half whisper.

"Clarissa." He smirked. I could hear it in his voice.

"Father, what is the meaning behind this?" Clary asked angrily.

"I thought you would enjoy the company this Valentine's Day." Her father expressed.

"And I thought we had an agreement." Clary said. "You were going to give Jace and I until the end of the year to figure things out, than we do it your way." She said, and I couldn't believe that he would dot his to her.

"I haven't seen Jace around here since we left the North Pole." Her father said, and he wasn't wrong. "A man should never just leave his lady high and dry like that." He continued.

"We had an agreement father." Clary repeated.

"Just enjoy this holiday with Sebastian. I'm sure he would love to get to know you more." Her father said so lovingly.

"I would indeed enjoy it." Sebastian smiled. I couldn't help the anger that filled me. I had come at the right time, and I was going to make sure they knew that.

I twisted the doorknob, and made my entrance.

"Jace." Clary smiled and she got up out of her chair and ran towards me. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." I said as I held her tight. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."

"You're here. That's all that matters." Clary said as we broke apart.

"Jace. What a surprise." Valentine said, less than thrilled.

"I couldn't possibly spend Valentine's Day without my girl." I said as I pulled Clary into my side. "Now, I have an entire day planned. If you'll excuse us." I said as I pulled Clary out of the dining room. We made our way out of the house, and ended up on a beach close by.

"I can't believe he would do this to me." Clary said as we sat in the sand. I put my arms around her and she leaned into me. "He's so impossible."

"I wish that I could do something about him Clary." I said honestly. "I don't know why he's so keen on you marrying Sebastian but he has his own selfish motives."

"I wish I could just run away sometimes." Clary said. "Just to be away from him."

"Come back with me." I blurted out before I could think. She looked up at me with wide eyes.

"You mean, run away to the North Pole with you?" She asked.

"Why not?" I said. "You can't live like this Clary. Your father thinks he can control you, but you are your own person."

"I know that Jace, which is why I live on the other side of the island." Clary said. "But running away, that's serious."

"I will never force you to do something you don't want to do, but know the invitation is always opened." I said and she nodded before she leaned into me. I kissed the top of her head, and I felt her sigh. From this moment on, I knew there was nothing I wouldn't do for this girl.

We sat like that for hours. Watching the waves, and watching the sunset. Everything was so incredibly perfect, and I couldn't wait to experience so many more things like this with Clary, that is, if she wants to experience them with me as well. Her phone started ringing, and she groaned.

"Hello?" She answered. "What dad?" She asked and than paused. "No, Jace and I are spending the day together. If Sebastian wants to see the island, why don't you take him around, since you invited him here in the first place." She said, and I had to admit, the fire in her was real, and incredibly sexy. "No dad. I don't have to entertain him. I'll entertain my own guest." She hung up and than hung her head.

"Everything okay?" I asked after a moment.

"Let's go." She said as she stood up.

"Go where?" I asked as I followed.

"The North Pole." She said, and I couldn't help but smile. She grabbed my hand and we made our way to her house. She packed a couple bags, and before I knew it, we were on our way to the North Pole. I couldn't help but smile the entire way there. I couldn't wait to be with Clary, hopefully for real.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

My time at the North Pole has been absolutely amazing. Celine and Stephen were incredibly welcoming, and just being here for a few days made me feel like I was a whole new person. Like I was my own person. And Jace had been even more incredible. He was everything I never knew I needed in my life, and I hoped that he thought the same way about me. I would be devastated if nothing came out of this. Being the Princess of Love gave me all the expectations on the world, but to have them fall flat would suck.

But as much fun as I was having, I knew it would end soon enough, and I knew it might come back and bite me in the ass. So when I saw my father and my mother walking up, quite angry, I knew that I was in for a rude awakening, and possibly being dragged back to Maldives by my hair.

"How could you be so stupid Clarissa? Running off like that?" My dad yelled as he approached me.

"The same way you can be so incredibly pig headed and invite a man who you want me to marry without my knowledge to try and sweep me off my feet!" I yelled back, I was done being scared. "You can't dictate my life father."

"I can and I will." He said as he pulled out an arrow, and that's when I truly got scared.

"Shoot that arrow, and you'll be sorry." I heard Jace say and for a moment, I forgot he was here.

"I can do whatever I want." My father hissed at him.

"Actually, you can't." Jace said as he stepped in front of me. "It's a law that you can't use your abilities as punishment, or for your own greed." Jace explained. "Now, we've over looked the potion you put on your wife, but I will not allow you to do the same to your daughter."

"You son of a bitch." My father hissed.

"Watch your language." Celine hissed from the side. It was a whole party now.

"You may not approve of Clary and I's relationship, but it doesn't involve you. It's between us, and we'd appreciate if you didn't bring outside variables into it." Jace explained calmly.

"She's my daughter." My dad said angrily.

"Yes, and up until you wanted to marry her off you barely paid her any attention." Jace said and I shrunk a little behind him. "The only person here ruining the Morgenstern name is you. Clary is happy, we're happy, why isn't that enough?" Jace asked and I had to admit, it was a great question.

"You won't be Santa Claus for what? Another couple decades. Sebastian will be Jack Frost by the end of the year." He said.

"Yes, and think about how hated Jack Frost really is." Jace pointed out. "I may not get promoted to a Magical Figure any time soon, but I'm the most famous Magical Figure in history. Surely that means a great deal to you." Jace said, and I could literally see the gears turning in my fathers head. "Now, Clary's status in our world is very irrelevant to me. She could be a mere mortal, and my feelings for her wouldn't change. But as the Princess of Love, shouldn't she be able to dictate her own love life? She's so easy to fall in love with. It only took me a couple weeks to realize I never wanted to live without her." He said honestly and my breath caught. "Why can't that be enough for you? To know we're in love?" He finished and the place was silent.

"Is that true Clarissa?" My father asked. "Are you in love with him?" I looked up at Jace and realized that I've been in love with him basically since the moment we met.

"More than I've ever loved anyone in my life." I answered honestly, not looking away from Jace.

"Than it's settled." My dad said and that broke me out of whatever trance I was in.

"What's settled?" I asked.

"You'll be married by the end of the year." He said.

"But dad..." I said.

"No buts Clarissa. There is no time to waste. We must start planning." He said and him and my mom started discussing the details.

"We can stop them." I told Jace. "We don't have to do this."

"But what if I want too?" He asked.

"You want me marry me?" I asked honestly. "We've known each other for a couple months."

"So? I love you. I want to spend every moment with you. Don't you want that?" He asked.

"Yes." I simply said.

"So it's settled." Jace said matter of factually.

"It's settled." I said and he pulled me into him. Our lives just got a whole lot more interesting, but damn were they going to be good.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Happy anniversary Mrs. Herondale." I whispered in Clary's ear as she dozed in and out of consciousness.

"What time is it?" She said back in a sleepy voice.

"Midnight." I whispered and she turned to face me.

"Why are you back? Shouldn't you be out with your father?" She asked as she started to wake up a little more.

"And miss wishing you a happy anniversary? Never." I said and she smiled.

"But Christmas is important, and you have to learn everything you possibly can." Clary said.

"You're important too." I reminded her. "And I'm not Santa yet. I have time to learn."

"Still. You've been going with your father to deliver presents for like 8 years now. You shouldn't stop because of me." Clary said back. She's always been way to selfless for her own good.

"And I was out with him. For hours." I reminded her. "But he's taking care of the rest of the world, while I take care of my world." I said and I saw her blush, even in the darkness.

"You're too charming Jace Herondale. Too charming indeed." Clary laughed. "And I guess I should enjoy this while it lasts. Because one day, you'll be the one out all night for Christmas." She said and I nodded.

"Sometimes I wish we didn't get married on this holiday." I said and she sat up in bed as she nodded in agreement.

"True, but our wedding was three days long. So we have Christmas Eve, Christmas, and the day after Christmas to use as our anniversary." She said and I laughed in agreement. The fact that our wedding lasted three days was insane, but I learned that when a Morgenstern falls in love and decides to get married, they go extra big. "And remember, my father could have easily picked Valentine's Day for our wedding, and it would have been extra cheesy."

"That is very true, I love love, but that's too much of a cliché for me." I said and she laughed.

"Did you say hello to the kids yet?" Clary asked after a moment of silence.

"I peaked into their rooms, but they're sound asleep, and I didn't want to disturb them." I explained.

"They were asking for you all night." Clary said. "I don't think Rose fully understands yet, but Christian is at the age where he gets who you are, or who you're going to be, and has a million questions about." She laughed.

"And I'll answer them all." I said. "At a decent hour. That boy needs a sleep schedule." I laughed.

"And whose fault is that?" Clary laughed. "You keep him up all night watching movies, or playing games, or working with the elves."

"You said it yourself Clary, he's at that age." I smiled at her. "He's so curious, and he's so eager to learn. I can't deny him that."

"I know, but Jace, he's almost 4, and he's going on 18. Let him be a kid for at least a little while longer." Clary said, and I knew she was right.

"Okay. He has until he's 7. Than the hard work starts." I said and she laughed.

"Deal." She agreed and I pulled her into my side as she yawned.

"Go back to sleep babe, I just wanted to wish you a happy anniversary and to let you know I'm back." I said and I felt her nod.

"This baby is taking all my energy out of me." She said through another yawn, as she situated herself on her back. Her belly was sticking out pretty far, but she was so close to being 9 months at this point.

"Well, tell her to either settle down, or get here already. I'm tired of waiting for her." I said and Clary laughed.

"We still have some time." Clary reminded me.

"What are the odds that your due date fell on Valentine's Day?" I laughed and I saw her smile.

"The same as the other kids having Holiday birthdays as well." Clary said. "I'll tell you, it was like we were destined to just be all types of magical." She said in a sleepy voice, and than her breathing evened out.

"You my love, are certainly magical." I said in a whisper as I watched her sleep. I sat there for a moment, and was about ti turn over when I heard Clary shuffle.

"Oh, and you're on babysitting duty tomorrow, because Izzy is coming in, and we're having a girls days along with your mom." She said, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"I guess it's settled." I said and I saw her smile in her sleep, and than yawn as she spoke.

"It's settled."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Happy New Year?**

 **Wow. Where do I even begin with the apologies? I guess I'll start off by saying, I've been crazy busy with work and everything, that writing just hasn't been fitting into my schedule, and than the holidays hit, and things got even crazier, so I want to express my deepest apologies for being gone for so long.**

 **As for this one shot, I thought of it on my own, and I have to say, it's not my best, but I was satisfied with it enough to want to publish it for you guys because I know you've been waiting extra long for an update. I can't promise that I'll be quicker, and I really have no idea when I'll have the opportunity to post, or even write again, but I would like to take this time to thank you all for being so incredibly patient with me, and so encouraging throughout this whole process! You truly are the best! I hope you enjoy and if you do, leave a review, or a suggestion! :)**


	136. Chapter 135 - H2O

**One Hundred and Thirty Five One Shot:**

 **H2O**

 **Clary POV:**

I always imagined growing up with a normal life here in Hawaii. Get through life with my best friends, graduating high school, and creating a family of my own. But sometimes life throws you curveballs, and you have to roll with them, otherwise, you get overwhelmed with the what if's, and I'm not a what if kind of person.

My life changed almost 3 years ago, when my two best friends, Izzy and Lydia, and I took a trip to an island that has stories about magical forces. Naturally, everyone just passes them off as stories, fables. No concrete evidence that it's real, so we journeyed out there to have a picnic for the full moon. I've always been fascinated with astrology. It's something I want to study later in life.

As we are sitting on this island, and the moon passes above us, and Izzy thinks it would be a great idea to go skinning dipping in the moonlight in the pool on the island. Lydia and I laughed, but joined her in the pool. Laughing, smiling, and just enjoying our time together, and that's when everything changed. The water started to bubble, and the moons light got brighter, and suddenly we were being dragged under. Panic struck all of us, and we tried to fight out way back to the top when we realized, we could breath under water. Confused, we all looked around and that's when we found the tails. All three of us were fish – or that's what we thought, until it occurred to us. The stories, the fables, the myths. They weren't lying when they said Idris Island was magical, and now we were part of the magic. We were mermaids, and we were forever connected to each other, and have been trying to keep our secret from as many people as we possibly could.

 **Time Jump – Start of Junior Year of High School**

 **Clary POV:**

"Guys, I'm worried about Alec." Izzy said as we walked into the high school.

"What's going on with him?" Lydia asked, concerned. Alec was Izzy's brother, but he might as well be Lydia and I's as well. He was the only person who knew our secret, and we planned on keeping it that way.

"He's just been really distant lately." Izzy admitted. "And he always looks sad."

"Have you talked to him about it?" I asked.

"Of course, but he won't say anything." Izzy said. "I'm worried our secret is ruining his life."

"Come on Iz, you know that's not it." Lydia said. "Alec's always been more reserved."

"And plus, he's probably stressed. It's his senior year of high school." I pointed out. "He has SAT's and college applications just hanging over his head. He hasn't heard back from his number one school. That's probably causing him a lot of stress."

"I know, and they sound like logical reasons, but I know my brother. Something is wrong." Izzy said, and I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Everything is going to work itself out. You'll see." I said and she nodded.

"On a happier note, we got a new student on our class today, and a new student in the senior class." Lydia beamed.

"Do you know who they are?" Izzy asked.

"Nope. Just heard about it in the office." Lydia said.

"I hope they're hot." Izzy said and we all laughed.

We made our way into the school, and separated into our homerooms. This would be the only class I have with kids in my own grade, since I'm in all upper level classes, which sucked because I didn't see Izzy or Lydia until lunch, but I was just hoping to have class with Alec.

When the bell rang I made my way to AP Government. It was a relatively short walk, but I made sure to avoid any place where Kaelie, Aline, or Sebastian would be located. I couldn't wait for all three of them to graduate, just so my senior year would be less drama filled, and more enjoyable, not just for me, but for the entire student body. I took my seat, and when Alec didn't walk in, I knew he wasn't in this class. The students piled in and when a new face walked in, I could only guess he was one of the new kids.

"Alright everyone, this is Jonathan Herondale." Mr. Blackthorn said. "He comes all the way from England. Anything you'd like to say Jonathan?" He asked.

"I actually prefer to be called Jace if you don't mind." He said, and I had to admit, his accent was drool worthy.

"You got it." Mr. Blackthorn said. "You can have a seat next to Miss. Morgenstern." He said as he pointed to me. Jace smirked and made his way over to me.

"Hey Red, guess you get the luxury of sitting next to me all year." He said, and I had a feeling he was going to be one cocky bastard.

"I view it more as a prison sentence." I scoffed, which only made him smirk more.

"You're a feisty little thing." He laughed. "I always knew redheads had fire."

"Oh buddy. You have no idea." I laughed, as I thought about my abilities. See, becoming mermaids didn't just come with a tail and the ability to breath under water. Izzy, Lydia and I all had the ability to do something with the water. Me in particular, I could burn it up as hot as I wanted to, and make it evaporate.

He looked like he was about to say something snarky back, but Mr. Blackthorn started teaching. I focused my attention on the board, and took the notes that were necessary. Mr. Blackthorn often got off topic, so writing everything down was pointless. But I could feel Jace staring at me the entire class. I crossed my fingers that I didn't have another class with him for the rest of the day.

 **Time Jump – Lunch**

 **Clary POV:**

I was wrong. I had two more classes with him before lunch, and he sat next to me in those classes as well. I just couldn't shake him, but I was finally being reunited with Izzy and Lydia, and I couldn't wait to talk to them.

"I got paired with the new kid in my chem class." Izzy said. "It's going to be so awkward. All he does is stare at me."

"Oh come in Iz, he's really nice. I sit next to him in English." Lydia said.

"I know, but I'm like an extreme extrovert, and he barely talks." Izzy commented.

"Better than the cocky bastard I sit next to in three classes." I said as I ate another grape.

"Is he hot?" Izzy asked.

"And he knows it." I said. "I mean, how can on guy be that much of an asshole?"

"Talking about me Red?" I heard from behind me, and when I turned around, there stood Alec and Jace.

"Why did you bring him here Alec?" I groaned.

"He's new, so I figured he could sit with us at lunch." Alec said. "Why?"

"He's annoying." I said.

"Don't worry, she likes me." Jace smirked as he took a seat.

"In your dreams Blondie." I said.

"I hope you make an appearance tonight." He winked and I scoffed and avoided looking at him for the rest of lunch.

After lunch I managed two whole classes without him, until gym rolled around. Now, our gym classes weren't by grade, so it was a mix of juniors and seniors. Unfortunately, Jace was in there, thankfully, so was Lydia. We were given the breakdown of how this semester would work, and how our class would be split. Half the class went swimming, the other half did outdoor sports. That broke Lydia and I up, and left me alone with Jace.

We were in the swimming group, and while everyone else went to change, I sat on the bench by the pool, and just waited. They all filed out one by one, and got into the pool. Jace being the nosy bastard he is, comes over to me.

"Don't tell me you can't swim Red." Jace said. I tried my hardest not to look at his rock solid abs. "Cause if you need saving, I'm very good at mouth to mouth." He winked.

"I'm not going to need any saving." I said. "I'm allergic to chlorine."

"Really?" He asked, genuinely surprised.

"Yea. So are Lydia and Izzy actually." I told him.

"All three of you?" He asked, sounding like he didn't quite believe me.

"Afraid so." I said. "The nurse was shocked when all three of us come in with rashes after our first swimming lesson freshman year. We've been benched ever since." I explained.

"That's pretty crazy." He said. "I mean what are the odds?"

"Very low, but here we are." I said, he was about to open his mouth when the whistle blew.

"Herondale, in the pool." Coach Starkweather said. Jace dropped his towel and jumped into the pool with the others. As I sat there and watched, I kept catching Jace looking at me. I felt like he was trying to read my mind, or figure out my secret, and I didn't like it at all.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Something was off with Clary. Something was off about all three of them actually. It didn't matter who I talked too, whether it be Clary, Lydia, or Izzy, in a lot of situations, they had the same exact stories. And that's totally normal for best friends, but this was a little too freaky to be chalked up to them being best friends. Something was up, and I was determined to figure it out.

I figured the best way into their friend group was through the brother: Alec. He seemed like he always knew what was going on, but never really spoke about anything. He was my ticket in, and I planned on using him. But it also helped that we actually got along really well, so I didn't feel like I was using him in a bad way. We were actually friends, and that was nice.

It was lunchtime, and I made my way over to the group, as I do every single day. But today something was off. Alec wasn't there, and Izzy looked really upset. It was quiet when I sat down, something that never really happened. Girls talked a lot. Especially these three.

"What's wrong?" I asked after a moment.

"Izzy's worried about Alec." Clary said.

"Why?" I asked.

"He's just been super weird lately." Izzy explained.

"I thought it was because he was still waiting for his acceptance letter from the University of Hawaii, but he got that last month." Clary said. "So that throws that theory out the window."

"And he's like moody." Lydia said. "But not in a bad way. One moment he's just regular Alec, the next minute he's super happy, and than something changes and he's sad, but it goes away quick." She explained. "It's so odd."

"Sounds like your boy is in a relationship." I said and all three of them just stared at me. "What?"

"Alec isn't in a relationship. He would have told me." Izzy said.

"That's what it sounds like to me." I defended. "Girls can make dudes go mad."

"But I would know." Izzy said. "Alec can't hide things like that from me, and he wouldn't. We tell each other everything."

"Maybe he isn't ready to go public or something." Lydia offered, taking my idea for real. "Maybe it's too new."

"Yea, and maybe she's just as nervous as he is." Clary added.

"I don't know guys. Alec never showed interest in anyone before." Izzy mentioned.

"Sometimes it takes the right girl to come around for a guy to actually do something about it." I said as I looked at Clary. She blushed, and looked away.

"I guess that makes sense." Izzy said. The rest of lunch was average. Nothing really happened, and when the bell rang, Clary practically ran away. I wasn't lying when I said that to Izzy. Clary was different than other girls, especially the girls at this school. Mainly Kaelie and Aline. They were relentless, but I just wasn't into them like that. They were predictable, and boring. Clary was mysterious, and shy, but super smart, and extremely welcoming. She was pretty perfect, which is why I wanted to get to know her so badly, and why I wanted to get to the bottom of why she was so secretive, along with Lydia, and Izzy.

I had a free period, and I didn't feel like sitting in the classroom, so I asked the teacher if I could go to the weight room. Since he really didn't care, he wrote me a pass, and I made my way to the locker room. I was whistling to myself, when I heard something coming from the gym office. Curiosity got the best of me, and I made my way to the noise. And to my utter shock and disbelief, in the gym office, there was Alec, and a random dude I've never seen before, making out. I felt bad just watching, so I decided to knock, and I've never seen two people move away from each other faster.

"Jace." Alec said. "What are you doing in here?"

"Free period. I wanted to work out." I said. "What are you doing here? And with who?"

"Uh, this is Magnus." Alec said gesturing to the man. "He goes to the University of Hawaii. We met when I toured there."

"And how did he get in?" I wondered.

"The back door isn't locked, and nobody has gym this period." Alec simply said.

"Is this why you've been so weird lately?" I asked, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I haven't been weird." He protested.

"According to Izzy you have been, and Clary and Lydia picked up on it as well." I told him. "Look dude, those three would be thrilled about this. Why not just tell them?"

"Nobody knows I'm…gay." He said, as if he was still getting used to it himself.

"And you're scared they'll ridicule you?" I asked.

"Something like that." Alec expressed.

"I know I've only known you guys for a couple months, but Izzy only cares about your happiness, and Clary and Lydia feel the same way." I told him honestly. "They would be happy for you."

"I know that logically, but it's hard to just tell people. It took me a long time to come to terms with it." Alec explained, and I saw Magnus put his hand on his shoulder as a comforting gesture, and I could tell it calmed Alec down.

"Well, I'm not going to tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about." I said and he breathed a sigh of relief. "But those three would be the best to start with if you want to come out gradually. And it seems like to have a good guy with you to help." I said and Alec smiled at Magnus. "So you aren't alone. Not anymore, and the sooner you come out, I think you'll feel a lot better."

"Thanks Jace." Alec said sincerely. "For being so understanding and not beating me up or calling me a fag."

"Do you honestly think that's what would happen if people knew?" I asked. "People are a lot more accepting these days."

"The kids at this school can be merciless." Alec said.

"Look, the guys at this school are dicks." I said. "Like the biggest dicks I've ever met. And if they push you around for being who you are, I'll do something about it."

"Really?" Alec asked.

"Believe it or not Alec, you're one of my best friends." I said truthfully. "And I don't let people bully my friends. Same goes for Clary, Lydia, and Izzy. I would stand up for all four of you any day of the week."

"That means a lot." Alec said, and I smiled.

"Now, I'm going to walk away now, and go work out, and you two do whatever you want." I laughed, and so did they. I walked away and shut the door. I could faintly hear them talking, and thought about what I just found out, and I hope he has the courage to let Izzy, Clary and Lydia know. I think he would feel much better once he did.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I hated when this school called assembly's. They were honestly so pointless, and it took forever for them to actually start. Lydia, Izzy and I were all sitting in the front, and nearly falling asleep waiting for the principal to come up and talk when Kaelie and Aline stood right in front of us.

"May we help you with something?" Izzy asked.

"We've got a lot of complaints from concerned students that you three don't keep up with your hygiene, we just thought we'd help." Kaelie smirked and they threw water on all three of us. We screamed and stood up, while the whole student body started laughing.

We looked at each other, and ran out of the gym. We just needed to get to a place where no one would see us. Unfortunately the locker rooms were so far away, and before we could make it, we transformed. When we heard the sound of footsteps running, we thought we were doomed, but we glad when it was just Alec.

"Get us to the locker room." Izzy pleaded.

"All three of you? That's going to take a couple trips." Alec said.

"We don't have a couple trips." I said worriedly.

"Holy shit." We heard, and we turned our attention to the voice, and low and behold, there stood Jace. "Holy shit." He repeated.

"Jace, there is no time to explain." Alec said. "Help me get them to the locker room." He asked.

"Uh, how?" Jace asked.

"Grab Clary and Lydia's hands." Alec said, and Jace did what he was told, as Alec grabbed Izzy and Lydia's other hand. Before I knew it, we were being dragged. It felt like forever, but before I knew it, we were in the girls locker room, and Alec was locking the doors.

"What the fuck." Jace said as he looked at our tails. I knew we didn't have much time, so I started evaporating the water so we would transform back. When we had our legs back, Jace still looked like he was in shock.

"You can't tell anyone." I told him.

"Well can you at least tell me, because I'm kinda freaking the fuck out here." Jace said.

"When we were in eighth grade, we went out to a little island off the coast." I said. "It was believed the island had magical powers, but nobody believed them, and on the night we went out, we decided to go for a moonlight skinny dipping session, and just as the full moon passed, we were transformed. We've been mermaids ever since."

"So you aren't allergic to chlorine?" Was the first thing out of his mouth, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"As far as the school knows, we are, but we just can't get wet otherwise we transform." I explained.

"This is mental." Jace said.

"We thought so too." Izzy said. "In the beginning, we were all freaking out. But we just decided to go with it, and embrace it."

"And that thing you did with your hand." Jace said. "What the hell was that?"

"Along with our tails, we got the ability to influence water in a certain way." Lydia said as she turned the shower on and froze it.

"Holy shit." Jace said again.

"I can obviously heat water up. Boil it as hot as I want." I said as I unfroze the water and it turned to steam.

"And you?" Jace asked Izzy. Izzy took the water and formed a ball of water and started moving it around the room. Jace followed it, mesmerized. "This is mental."

"We know, and we understand if you need time to process it, but you can't tell a soul about this." I said to him.

"Why would I tell anyone?" He asked genuinely.

"I don't know." Lydia said. "Kaelie and Aline clearly know something otherwise why would they throw water on us?"

"But how did they figure it out?" I asked. "Nobody knows but us five."

"Maybe she followed you at some point?" Jace suggested. "I mean, do you look over your shoulders every time you go out?" He asked.

"No. But we do make sure we're alone before getting in water." Izzy said. I was thinking about how they could possibly suspect when it hit me.

"Sebastian." I said and everyone looked at me. "Sebastian fishes. A lot."

"Your point?" Alec asked.

"When we're out in the water, we aren't as careful." I said. "We're free, because we can be. He could have seen us."

"Fuck. He's literally the worst person to know." Lydia said.

"Yea, and how much you wanna bet her said something to Aline, who than told Kaelie." Izzy stated.

"But why would they care?" Jace asked.

"Sebastian's been after Clary since middle school." Lydia said. "But she's not interested at all."

"And I've overheard Kaelie talking about you nonstop since you arrived here." Izzy said, referring to Jace. "She's probably jealous you don't give her the time of day."

"And what about Aline?" Alec asked. "What's her motive?"

"She's obsessed with mermaids." I said. "Remember in middle school, we had to pick a topic and research it than write the ridiculously long paper about it?" I asked Izzy, Alec, and Lydia, they all nodded. "Aline picked mermaids, and spent hours upon hours in the water, trying to get any type of real evidence. When she presented her project, everyone laughed at her."

"I remember that." Lydia said. "She didn't show up to school for a week after that."

"How much you wanna bet, she want's to prove to the entire school that she isn't a joke." I said.

"This really couldn't be worse." Alec said.

"I mean, nobody saw you." Jace said. "So it technically could be worse."

"Not helping." Alec said.

"No, Jace is right." I said. "Nobody saw us, so we're in the clear."

"But who's to say they won't do it again?" Izzy asked. "They want to expose us, and I guarantee you, they won't quit until they do."

"We just have to be careful at all times." I said.

"Make sure either Jace and I are with you." Alec said. "That way we can get you out of the public eye as soon as possible."

"Than call me, so I can heat you up, and get you back to normal." I said and they nodded. "It's going to be annoying, but we can't be exposed."

"And don't forget, the full moon is next weekend." Lydia said.

"What happens with a full moon?" Jace asked.

"We just get really – what's the word I'm looking for? Transfixed on the moon, and nothing else." I said.

"We basically get hypnotized, and forget about the possibility of us exposing ourselves, and just do whatever the hell we want." Izzy said.

"Sounds fun." Jace said.

"Not when you try to boil people. Than it's not fun." I said and he laughed.

"How do you prevent it?" Jace asked.

"We barricade ourselves inside so the moonlight can't reach us." Lydia said.

"Fun times." Jace said and we all nodded. It was quiet for a moment before Izzy spoke.

"I'm actually glad this is out in the open." She said. "At least with you Jace. Secrets aren't any fun to keep." She said, and I saw Jace give Alec this look.

"What was that look for?" I asked.

"Nothing." Alec and Jace said at the same time.

"Okay, what's going on?" I asked.

"Come on man, better out than in." Jace said and Alec sighed.

"I've been seeing someone." Alec finally said.

"Oh my god!" Izzy cheered. "Really? Who is she? Do I know her?" She asked.

"No, and it isn't a she." Alec said. " _His_ name is Magnus." He said slowly, as he looked around the room.

"Oh." Izzy said. "You're gay?" She asked innocently.

"Yes, and if you have a problem with it, I'm sorry but I can't change who I am – ouch, what was that for?" He asked when Izzy punched him.

"For thinking you had to hide that from me." Izzy said. "You're my brother, my best friend. I support, and love you no matter what."

"Really?" Alec asked, almost shocked at her answer.

"Yes you idiot." Izzy laughed. "But I need to know all about this Magnus guy." She smiled and Alec laughed.

"You knew about this?" I whispered to Jace as Izzy rambled about meeting Alec's boyfriend.

"I caught them making out in the gym teachers office one day." Jace said.

"And you kept it a secret for him?" I asked.

"It's not my news to share." He simply said. "But I thought he should tell you three, since you're basically family." He said and I was actually really surprised.

"You're a great guy Jace." I said honestly, and he smiled, a real genuine smile.

"He's my best friend here." He said. "Who he loves doesn't matter to me."

"Where did you meet him?" I heard Izzy ask.

"At the University of Hawaii, when I went and toured there." Alec said. "We started talking, we exchanged numbers, and it's kinda just been going from there." He explained.

"This is so exciting." Izzy said with the biggest smile on her face.

"And you're all okay with this?" He asked Lydia and I.

"If you're happy, we're happy." I said and Lydia nodded in agreement. We all went over to hug him and I could just tell he felt lighter, and maybe this was the start to a new and happier Alec. I caught sight of Jace out of the corner of my eye, and I couldn't help but smile. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

 **Time Jump – Full Moon**

 **Jace POV:**

Since finding out the girls secret, I've honestly never felt closer to them. The wall that they had built so high was gone, and I could tell it just made the friendships even better, and now with Alec out, everyone just seems so much happier and relaxed.

So when Clary asked if I wanted to spend the night with the group during the full moon, I obviously said yes. I was curious how it would go, and what they needed to do in order to get ready, and let me tell you, I wasn't prepared for how much preparation went into this.

Clary and I went out on a food run, making sure we had enough for the entire night, since I learned they can't sleep during a full moon. I was still getting used to this whole mermaid thing, but so far I was pretty good with the basics.

"Thank you for coming with me." Clary said on our way to the store.

"No problem." I said.

"Thank you for also being cool with everything. I know you came here looking for a normal senior year, and you got anything but that, and I appreciate you being so accepting." She continued.

"I didn't come here for a normal senior year." I admitted, and she looked at me.

"What did you come here for?" She asked, and as much as I wanted to keep my personal life to myself, she trusted me with a huge part of herself, that I just couldn't keep it a secret.

"My life back in England wasn't all that great." I said honestly. "My mom took her own life when I was about 5, and my dad blamed me for it." I explained. "He got violent, and turned to alcohol."

"Jace." She said as she took my hand in hers. I knew she was doing it in that comforting way, but I twisted my hand around and intertwined our fingers as we kept walking.

"I dealt with it for as long as I had too, but when I started researching ways to study abroad in high school, I found this school, and did everything I had to in order to qualify." I explained as we continued walking hand in hand.

"I'm so sorry." Clary said. "That must have been awful."

"I learned very early on that if I just kept my head down, and spent as little time possible with him, I wouldn't get punished." I said.

"So who are you staying with here?" She asked.

"A very nice elderly woman." I said. "Her name is Dot."

"And she was a host or something?" Clary asked.

"Yea. She's been hosting for as long as the agency can remember. Her parents were hosts, and she just followed in their footsteps." I said. "Apparently she doesn't get many kids because she's an elderly lady who lives alone, but I liked that about her. She's great, and I enjoy being with her."

"Well, I'm really glad you're here." Clary said and I stopped walking, which of course made her stop. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing." I said honestly, as I twirled a stray curl around my finger. "Can I do something?" I asked and Clary seemed at a loss for words, but nodded nonetheless. I learned forward and pressed my lips ever so lightly to her own, making sure she was okay with this, and when I felt her free hand snake behind my head, and push our lips further together, I couldn't help myself. I don't know how long we stood there kissing, but I never wanted to stop.

"Hey kids! Get a room!" Someone yelled and we broke apart, and Clary's face was flushed from the kiss and the embarrassment of the comment. She buried her head in my chest, and I flipped off the guy who shouted at us.

"Why don't we get the food, and continue this in the privacy of the Lightwood's house?" I suggested, and she laughed and nodded her head. I took her hand in mine again, and we made our way to the store. I don't know what was going to change between us, but I knew one thing for sure, I wasn't going to let Clary go without a fight.

 **Clary POV:**

When we got back to the Lightwood's, Izzy could tell something was different. I just shook my head as we got all the food out and in it's proper place, but once it was done, Izzy grabbed my hand and forced me upstairs. Lydia not far behind.

"Okay, what happened?" Izzy asked once her door was closed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said.

"Oh please, you look giddy, and you can't look at Jace without smiling." Izzy said.

"Okay, so we might have kissed." I said and they squealed.

"Who initiated?" Lydia asked.

"He did." I said. "But I continued it."

"How long have you like him?" Izzy asked.

"I don't know." I admitted. "I didn't even know I liked him. I knew I didn't hate him, but today, we were talking on our way to the store, and he told me about his past, and than we started holding hands, and the next thing I know he's kissing me, and I didn't want it to stop." I said as I remembered the kiss.

"You two would be a hot couple." Lydia said and I felt my cheeks flush.

"I don't even know what he wants to do." I said honestly. "Maybe he just wanted to kiss me and that's it."

"I doubt it." Izzy said.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"Because the way he was looking at you when you got back. He wants more." Izzy said. "I can tell."

"I don't know." I said as I played with my fingers.

"Hey, you have all night to talk it out." Lydia said.

"That's another thing." I pointed out. "Who wants to date a mermaid?"

"Someone who doesn't care about the tail." Lydia said. "And Jace took it very well." She said. "Don't write him off just yet. Talk to him. See what he wants."

"Okay." I said and they smiled like idiots. "What?" I asked.

"Just, who knew you'd get a boyfriend before us." Izzy said and I threw a pillow at them, and they laughed. We made our way down to the kitchen and there was a new face there. "Alec, who is this?" Izzy asked.

"This is Magnus." Alec said and I could see Izzy's eyes light up. "We're going out tonight."

"Oh my god! I'm Izzy, his sister, I've been dying to meet you." She said as she ran over to him, and began to talk his ear off. I made my way over to where Jace was standing.

"Can we talk?" I asked and he nodded. We made our way out to the backyard, since it was still light out.

"What's up?" He asked as he took a seat next to me and put his arm around my shoulders.

"I just want to know what happens next." I admitted. "I mean, I don't really know the intentions of that kiss earlier, but I'd like to know that way if it was just a one off, I don't get my hopes up you know? And I totally get if it was but I'd just like to know now – "

"Clary." He cut me off, man I was rambling. "That kiss wasn't a one off. Not for me." He said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Really." He said. "I like you. A lot. You've intrigued me since the moment I got here, and after everything I found out, I just like you so much more."

"Even with a tail?" I asked and he laughed.

"Even with a tail." He said and I had to admit, it felt good hearing that.

"So, what do we do now?" I asked.

"Well, after this full moon, how would you like to go out with me?" He asked.

"I would like that a lot." I said and he smiled. I hesitated for a moment as I bit my lip. I really wanted to kiss him again. After a second, I realized I would just go for it. I leaned over and pressed my lips to his. I felt him smile as he kissed me back, and I couldn't wait to see where this went.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary and I were walking to class like we always do, hand in hand. After our first date, I asked her to be my girlfriend because there was just no denying it. There was something strong between us, and we wanted to see where it would go.

We took our seats, and were talking until the teacher came in, but when Sebastian, Kaelie, and Aline walked in, we knew something was about to happen.

"Look who we have here." Sebastian said.

"What do you want Sebastian?" I asked calmly.

"We just wanted to know how you two are doing." He said. "Considering you're the talk of the school."

"So what?" I asked. "People love to talk about the unexpected. Clary and I's relationship was apparently the most unexpected thing this school has ever seen." I said. "Even though it's old news now."

"There isn't much going on around here." Sebastian said.

"You aren't lying." I said.

"But there could be." He said, and in that moment, he threw a cup of water, not just on Clary, but on me as well.

"What the hell!" I yelled. Clary was already gone, but Aline was blocking the door. She looked panicked at first, but when the teacher opened it up, Clary slide by and ran.

"What is going on here?" The teacher asked.

"Sebastian, Kaelie, and Aline came in here, harassed Clary and I, than threw water on us." I said, and the teacher didn't look pleased.

"Principals' office, now." The teacher said and they angrily left the room. "Why don't you go get dried off." He said to me, and I nodded. I walked out of the classroom, trying to figure out where Clary went, when I saw a hall closet slightly opened. I made my way over to it, and when I walked inside, Clary was evaporating the water off her tail.

"That was a close one." I said and she laughed.

"I hate them." Clary said. "I can't wait for them to be out of here, and out of my life."

"I know. I can't wait for that either." I said honestly, as Clary got her legs back. "Just think, graduation is only a couple months away."

"I don't want to think about graduation." Clary said.

"But you just said you couldn't wait until they were gone." I said, a little confused.

"Yea, but that means you'll be gone too." Clary said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm not going far." I said as I wrapped my arms around her waist. "Alec and I are both going to the University of Hawaii."

"I know, but you won't be _here._ And that sucks." Clary said and I kissed her forehead.

"But you'll see me as often as you want." I said and she smiled. "Come on, let's get back to class." I said and she nodded. Both dry, we made our way back to class, took our seats and started taking notes. Clary was right, graduating would suck, knowing she's still here, but knowing we were on the same island is keeping me sane.

 **Time Jump – Jace's First Trip to Idris Island**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace was coming to Idris Island today, and I was nervous. This was like bringing him home to meet the parents, although I wasn't nearly as nervous about him meeting mine. I don't know why this was so nerve wracking, but it was. We got to the dock, and Alec had packed the boat for their day at Idris. He was already waiting for Jace to get in, and when Alec was ready, we didn't like to keep him waiting.

"We'll see you there." I said as I gave him a quick kiss, and we jumped into the water.

Being in the water was second nature to us, but that's to be expected. In the water, I didn't feel like a freak, I just felt normal, and at ease. Even though I was human for the majority of my life, once I turned, I didn't feel normal anymore, even when I had my legs, and just being in the water, with my closest friends made this whole adventure worth it.

Lydia and Izzy were ahead of me, and I couldn't help but smile as they joked around in the water. I was about to make my way over to them to join them when something caught me. I looked back and something was wrapped around my tail. I tried to loosen it as best as possible, but than I was being pulled out of the water and slammed on a hard surface.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here." The voice said, and I knew exactly who it was.

"Sebastian." I said as I looked up into those black eyes.

"Looks like you have a lot of explaining to do." He said as he proceeded to tie me up, and I couldn't even use my powers to get rid of my tail. This wasn't going to be pretty, and I just hoped the other can find me soon.

 **Jace POV:**

We got to the island and got everything set up, and just waited for the girls. Alec looked concerned and voiced that it normally didn't take them this long, and he was kinda worried about them. But when Izzy and Lydia popped up looking worried as well, I knew something was wrong.

"Where is Clary?" Alec asked.

"We don't know." Lydia said. "We lost her."

"Did you look for her?" I asked.

"Yea. All over." Izzy said.

"Do you think something is wrong?" Alec asked.

"Something feels wrong." Lydia said and Izzy nodded in agreement.

"Okay, so we split up, and look for her." Alec suggested.

"And when we find her?" Izzy asked.

"We'll meet back here in an hour." Alec said. The girls nodded and went back under and I looked at Alec. "Let's go." He said and we hopped in the boat and started searching. I don't know where she went, but we have a lot of ocean to search.

 **Clary POV:**

"What the hell is the point of this?" I asked as Sebastian tied me up.

"The point it to get information." Sebastian said.

"Why?" I asked, not even trying to hide my anger.

"Because I'm a laughing stalk of the school, and I refuse to be anymore." Aline said as she walked up from the bottom of the boat.

"All this because a few kids laughed at you?" I asked accusingly.

"The whole school was laughing. Everyone but you, Lydia, and Izzy. And now I know why." Aline said. "You made me look like a fool."

"You did that to yourself. It's not our fault you couldn't prove mermaids existed." I pointed out.

"It doesn't matter now. You're going to tell me everything." Aline said as she pulled a chair up.

"Like hell I will." I spat at her.

"Listen freak, everyone thinks I'm crazy, a fool, a _freak._ " She hissed. "But soon everyone will know who the real freak is. And that's you, and your posse of mermaids."

"You really know how to butter a girl up for information." I scoffed, and I felt a hand slap me across the face. "Uh, ouch."

"Don't be a bitch Clarissa." Aline sneered. "You're going to tell me everything, or you'll be punished."

"What could you possibly do to hurt me?" I asked.

"A scale will be pulled away for with holding information." She smirked, and I paled. Ripping a scale off was just as painful as ripping a nail. "Now, how long have you been a mermaid?" She asked, and I figured giving answers to simple questions was for the better.

"Since eighth grade." I told her honestly.

"And the other two, same age?" She asked.

"Yes." I said.

"And you can't touch any water, or you'll transform?" She asked.

"Correct." I said.

"See, this isn't that bad right?" She said happily and I rolled my eyes. "And how did you become a mermaid?" She asked, but I kept my mouth shut. "I asked you a question Clarissa."

"I'm not answering it." I said honestly.

"Very well, Sebastian." She said and he walked over to me and kneeled down.

"This is gonna hurt baby." He smirked before ripping a scale off. I screamed bloody murder, and they just laughed.

"Now, how did you become a mermaid?" Aline asked again. This was going to be a long interrogation.

 **Izzy POV:**

"Where the hell could she be?" I asked Lydia as we breached the surface.

"I have no idea, but we have to find her." She said and I nodded in agreement. I was about to say something when we heard a scream.

"Did you hear that?" I asked.

"Do you think that could be Clary?" Lydia asked.

"Only one way to find out, and it didn't sound like a pleasant scream, so the faster we swim, the better."

We swam as fast as we could towards the scream, and thankfully, it lead us to a boat. We breached the surface, and heard people talking, and we got a view of what was going on, it wasn't good.

"Listen bitch, we can pull as many scales as you have off that stupid tail of yours. Now answer the damn question." Aline hissed at Clary, and Clary looked like she was close to crying.

"I'm not telling you how I became a mermaid." Clary said back to her, and for a good reason. No doubt would Aline use that information to become one herself.

"Fine, Sebastian, take another scale." Aline said and he kneeled down next to Clary and ripped, and that caused Clary to scream, and finally cry. "That brings our count up to seven, think you want to answer the question?" Aline asked.

"Never." Clary said through tears, but with so much confidence in her voice.

"Fine." Aline said and Sebastian started moving towards Clary.

"Put water on his feet." Lydia said and I did it. Before I knew it, she froze him.

"What the hell." He said as he looked at his feet.

"Now do Aline." Lydia said and we did it all over again.

"What the hell." She said as she examined her feet frozen to the deck. Lydia and I pulled ourselves up on the railing of the boat.

"Clary." We called and she looked over.

"Oh thank god." Clary said.

"Let us go you freaks." Aline said

"Not until we release Clary." Lydia said and we made our way over to where they had Clary tied. We worked at the knots until Clary could move her arms. Clary got the rest of the ropes off her and jumped in the water.

"Get back here you freak." Aline shouted but we weren't sticking around to hear anything else she had to say. Lydia and I jumped back in to the water, grabbed Clary and started our way back to Idris Island and hoped that Jace and Alec were there.

Clary looked like she was in an incredible amount of pain, and all I wanted to do was smash Aline and Sebastian's head on the ground until they couldn't form proper sentences, but Clary was my main concern now, and I was going to make sure she was okay first and foremost.

 **Jace POV:**

Alec and I got back to Idris after a hopeless attempt at finding Clary, and we were just waiting for the girls to get back. Hopefully all together. I was starting to get nervous when I saw three figures swimming up the pool. Happily, I got down close to the water, and when they breached the surface, Clary looked destroyed.

"What happened?" Alec asked as we pulled Clary out of the water. I pulled her into me and she just started crying.

"Sebastian and Aline got her." Izzy explained. "They tied her to the railings of the boat and interrogated her about being a mermaid, and when she didn't answer a question they ripped a scale off."

"What the fuck." Alec said.

"Is that painful?" I asked honestly.

"Ever slam your finger in a door, and your nail turns purple?" Lydia asked and I nodded. "Now, imagine that pain, along with the pain of ripping your entire nail off after slamming it, and it's a little more painful than that."

"Shit." I said as I looked down at Clary.

"How many did they rip off?" Alec asked.

"Apparently seven." Lydia said, and my blood started to boil.

"Clary, can you get your legs back?" Alec asked her, and I felt her nod slightly. She started to boil the water off her legs, until they were back, and they were beat up.

"Wait, it transfers over to your legs?" I asked, confused.

"Our tails are part of our body." Izzy said. "If our tails get hurt, so do our legs, and vice versa."

"And hurts like a bitch." Clary said, speaking for the first time. "Can I just go home guys, I really don't want to be anywhere but my bed right now."

"Of course. We can do this another time." Lydia said, and both girls hugged Clary.

"Why don't we all just take the boat home?" Alec suggested and everyone nodded. Clary evaporated the water for Izzy and Lydia, we packed up and headed home. I scooped Clary up into my arms and got her to her house once we hit the land. I walked her right upstairs and put her in her bed.

"Can you stay with me? Just for a little." Clary asked, and I smiled.

"I'll stay as long as you want." I said as I joined her on the bed. I carefully put the covers over her and she rested her head against my chest. I couldn't believe what Sebastian and Aline did to her, and I wasn't going to let him get away with it.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

My legs were finally feeling better, and I was super thankful for that. Walking on them was incredibly painful, and half the time Jace was my way of transportation. The minute he saw me uncomfortable he picked me up, and I was really grateful for that. I hated that Aline and Sebastian had this over my head, and I was shocked when I showed up to school and there wasn't a rumor going around about us. But they never did take a picture of me, so I guess they really didn't want to look like even bigger fools with having very little evidence.

It took me some time to feel better, but once I felt like myself again, school was almost out, and pretty soon Aline and Sebastian would be a figment of my imagination and I never had to deal with them ever again considering they were leaving Hawaii to go to college someone on the mainland.

Jace kept a close eye on me whenever they were around and I appreciated his concern. As much as I was looking forward to graduation, I was dreading him being gone as well. I had no clue someone could mean this much to me, but now that I knew what it felt like, and especially it being with a guy who is as amazing as Jace, I didn't ever want to be apart, and that was going to be the hardest part. But I was going to cherish these last precious months we had together, and nothing, not even Sebastian and Aline were going to get in the way of our happiness.

 **Time Jump – Graduation**

 **Clary POV:**

"Well, it's over." I said as we walked out of the gym.

"It's only just beginning Clare." Jace said as he arm was draped over my shoulder.

"You know what I mean." I said as I playfully hit him, and he laughed.

"I know, but we have the entire summer before Alec and I leave, plus we won't be that far away." Jace reminded me.

"I know, but it's still not the same." I told him for the millionth time.

"How about a trip to Idris?" Izzy said. "A last hooray of this school year, and the beginning of the greatest summer of our lives?" She smiled.

"Sounds amazing." I said. "Why don't we all meet at the dock in an hour?" I suggested.

"Sounds great." Jace said. We all made our way home to get everything ready before starting the summer off right.

Since the incident with Sebastian, we all take the boat to Idris now. Although we are more cautious about our surroundings at sea, we still didn't want to risk it happening again. There are more twisted people out there like Sebastian, and god forbid we fell into their hands.

We got to Idris and started setting everything up before we went to take a swim. I loved taking Jace out and just getting to be my mermaid self with him. He embraced the tail, and I was super happy about that. After hours in the water, and watching the sunset, we made our way back to Idris, but when we got back, we were surprised to see Aline there, staring at the pool, looking like she was about to jump.

"Aline." I said cautiously, and she looked back, eyes dripping with tears.

"All I've ever wanted was to be taken seriously." She cried. "And I can prove mermaids exist. If I become one."

"You don't want to do that." I warned her.

"I think I do." Aline sniffed.

"Being a mermaid isn't all you think it is." Izzy told her. "You don't get it."

"But I will." She said as she stepped closer.

"Being a mermaid is a burden." Lydia said truthfully. "We wouldn't wish it upon anyone. Not even you Aline."

"What do you mean?" She asked, and I could tell we were getting to her.

"We can't swim freely, hell we can't even shower." I began to explain. "When a full moon comes around, we have to barricade ourselves in a place where the moon can't reach. The secret alone is crippling Aline. You don't want to have to go through life like that."

"But you're doing it." She said.

"We had no choice. We didn't know what this island was capable of. You do. And you don't have to do this." Lydia tried to reason with her.

"We will tell you everything you want to know." Izzy said. "As long as you don't jump."

"Everything?" Aline asked.

"With a few rules." I added, and I saw her nod. "You can't mention us by name, if you want pictures, our faces aren't anywhere in them, and if you breath a word of this, and we become experiments, we'll send someone after you." I told her.

"Deal." She said after a moment.

"Okay, but give us a couple days to celebrate with Jace and Alec." I told her. "On Thursday, noonish, we'll meet here, and talk." I said and she nodded. "Go home Aline. Take a steaming hot shower with your legs, and enjoy your life. You just graduated high school, have fun." She nodded again before exiting the cave.

"You sure you want to do this?" Alec asked. "Tell her everything."

"All she's ever wanted was to prove she wasn't a joke." I said. "She was ridiculed for years, I get wanted to prove everyone wrong. And if telling her about being mermaids spars her this lifestyle, I think it will be worth it." He nodded.

"Is it really that much of a burden?" Jace asked.

"Yea." Izzy, Lydia, and I all said in unison.

"You would never know with how well you handle everyday life." Jace said.

"We have each other." Lydia smiled.

"It helps a lot to have these two." Izzy said as she put her arms around Lydia and I.

"And who knows, maybe one day Aline will be taken seriously and discover a bunch of other aquatic anomalies." I said and everyone laughed. "But for now, we celebrate." I said and everyone laughed. Telling Aline was scary, but we spared her this life, and I was happy about that.

 **Time Jump – Ten Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

There are things in life that happen for a reason, and although I don't understand why I became a mermaid, I was truly indebted for the bonds it gave me every single day. And not just the bond between Izzy, Alec, Lydia and I, but the bond between Jace and I. I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't figured out our secret, but being able to wake up to that man every single day, and experience life's adventures with him was amazing, and I took none of it for granted.

It's been 10 years since we first got together, it's been 5 years since we got married, it's been 3 years since out beautiful little girl came in to the world, and it'll be another 6 months until our second comes into this world, and every day I wake up and I feel like I'm in a dream.

Charlotte was the brightest little baby I've ever met. She was just like Jace in every single way. Blonde hair, gold eyes, and charm that could make anyone bend over backwards for her. She was perfect, and I couldn't wait to bring another baby into this world, and do it all over again.

"There is my baby." Jace said as he walked into the backyard. I looked back at him and couldn't help but smile.

"Took you long enough." I teased and Jace just smiled and grabbed Charlotte.

"Mommy loves being mean to daddy." He said to Charlotte, and she just giggled. "But now that I'm here, let's go swimming." He said, as he got into the pool with her. "You coming babe?" He asked, and I just smiled. I got into the water, and a moment later my tail appeared. "You think she'll ever get a tail?" Jace asked me as he played with Charlotte.

"I don't know." I said honestly. "I don't see why she would. I wasn't born this way, I transformed."

"True, but it just makes me curious." Jace said.

"I guess we'll see." I said and he nodded, and we went back to playing.

Jace brought up a great point. I didn't know if my tail would be passed onto my kids, and it kinda scared me if it did end up happening, because they have no choice in it if they did. This is the burden that being a mermaid comes with, and I guess if it did happen, I'd call Aline and get her expert opinion.

Other than that fear ever present in the back of my mind, things in life were amazing. After college, Simon and Izzy actually reconnected and have been together ever since, and I couldn't be happier for her. She dated a lot of assholes in college, and it's about time she fell for a nice guy, and Simon was a nice guy.

Lydia met her boyfriend in college, and they are still together. They aren't in any rush to settle down, so they are just living their best lives possible, and traveling. She sends pictures to us all the time, and I was super jealous of all the cool places she got to go, but happy that she was loving her life.

And Aline. Aline went to college and studies marine biology, and is making amazing discovers in her field. She kept her promise to us, and we're actually pretty good friends, and I was happy that she turned her life around. She often tells me that not becoming a mermaid was probably the best decision because now she gets to scuba dive for work, and it wouldn't be possible with a tail.

Overall these 10 years have been truly amazing, and I had no complaints. I couldn't wait to see where the next 10 years took me, but I knew that it was going to be an amazing ride, and I was so ready to embark on it.

 **Time Jump – Ten Years Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Four kids, and one on the way. That's how my life has changed in the last 10 years. If you told me when I was a teenager that my life would be like this, I would have laughed. I never thought I'd ever get that happy family with how much of a tormented childhood I had, but looking at my kids right now, and my amazing wife, I wouldn't want it any other way.

Charlotte was now 13 years old, just turned it yesterday, and it was amazing. Luna was 10 years old, and the freest spirit you'll ever meet. She was a replica of Clary, and she was going to be a heartbreaker, and I was going to be chasing off boys when she got older. Ryan was 7, and boy was he a cocky little kid. He was super into sports, and pretty much great at anything he put his mind too. Jack was our youngest right now, and he was 4. He was quiet, and liked to play alone, but he was the sweetest boy you've ever met, and just a bundle of joy whenever you were feeling down. We have another one on the way, another little girl, and I couldn't wait to meet her.

We had just finished dinner, and the kids were in the living room watching a movie, Charlotte went to take a bath, and Clary went to go lay down on our room. Being a little older and pregnant was taking it's toll on her and often took many naps throughout the day. I was at the sink doing the dishes when I hear the yell.

"Mom! Dad! Come quick!" I heard and I put the plates down and made my way to the upstairs bathroom. I met Clary in the hallway, and when we opened the door, there sat Charlotte in the bathtub, with a tail.

"Oh god." Clary said.

"She transformed." I said.

"I can't believe I'm a mermaid." Charlotte said.

"I can't believe you are either." I said.

"I'm going to call Aline." Clary said before she left the bathroom. I went over and sat by the side.

"Are you okay?" I asked her honestly.

"I always thought it was cool that mom was a mermaid, and I knew when I was little I wanted to be one just like her, but I thought it wasn't possible. I mean I swim all the time." She said.

"Hopefully Aline has some information that could help us." I said and she nodded, a moment later, Clary walked in. "What did she say?" I asked, as Clary took a seat on the toilet.

"Well, it's genetic." Clary said. "Apparently no signs were shown because you transformed at the same age I did."

"So I'm a mermaid?" Charlotte asked.

"You are." Clary said. "And you'll have abilities just like me, and you'll be affected by the full moon just like me, and you can't tell anyone, just like me." Clary told her.

"What about the others?" Charlotte asked. "Will they turn?"

"Luna, and this little one will." Clary said as she rubbed her belly. "The gene is only passed through the female. So Ryan and Jack are safe."

"This is going to be so weird." Charlotte said.

"But we'll get through it." I said. "Because that's what Herondale's do."

"That is so right." Clary smiled and so did Charlotte. It was going to be weird, but we were used to weird.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

We were all gathered in the backyard to see what Charlotte discovered about her abilities. She was super into learning everything she could, and was often on the phone with Aline to figure out everything. She's been very secretive about her abilities since she figured it out, and we were all curious.

"Come on Charlotte, just show us." Luna said, annoyed.

"Okay." Charlotte said as she jumped into the water. Nothing seemed weird, until she didn't transform.

"Wait, I thought you had a tail." Ryan said.

"I do." Charlotte beamed.

"Care to clue us in baby?" Jace asked her.

"My ability. I can transform when I want to." Charlotte said, and just at that moment, the tail appeared.

"I wish I got that one." I said and everyone laughed.

"That's actually pretty cool." Jace said. "Now you don't have to be so cautious."

"Yea, and now I don't have to give up on my dreams of being a surfer!" She beamed.

"Since when do you want to be a surfer?" Ryan asked.

"Since forever." Charlotte said.

"You're a little too late." Luna said.

"You're never too old." Charlotte said.

"Tell that to the 5 year olds out there in the water right now practicing. You're pretty much ancient." Ryan said.

"Shut up Ryan." Charlotte said. Ryan, being Ryan stuck his tongue out at her, and Charlotte splashed her with her tail.

"Hey, no fair!" Ryan shouted. I looked over at Jace and he smirked at me. We each grabbed a kid and threw. Well, everyone but Jack. They screamed as they hit the water.

"Mom!" Luna yelled as she emerged from the water.

"What?" I said, faking confusion. Luna made a face, and splashed water at me. Jace picked me up and put me in the water, and the tail came out. Before I knew it, Jack and Jace were both in the water as well, and for the rest of the night we spent in the pool soaking up each others company, and for the first time in awhile, being a mermaid wasn't all that bad after all.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, this has taken me some time, but not as long as before, so I'm pretty happy about that. I got inspired by the show H2O: Just Add Water, and I wanted to make a Clace version, and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Let me know what you think and leave a review!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own H2O: Just Add Water, but I used it to get some inspiration. I think its a pretty underrated show, but that's just me! Enjoy :)**


	137. Chapter 136 - Olympics

**One Hundred and Thirty Six One Shot:**

 **Olympics**

 **Jace POV:**

"We've been working so hard for this." Kaelie said through the sobs. "I'm letting you down."

"No you aren't Kaelie." I tried to reassure her. "Injuries happen in our sport. Its just part of the deal."

"The Olympics are in 3 years. I broke my leg and tore my ACL, MCL, and my meniscus. Plus I tore my quad muscle. I'm out Jace. Probably for the rest of my career." Kaelie said, and just hearing her injuries made my heart break. We've been partners for 6 years now. It's always been our dream to make it on to the Olympic podium.

"The most important thing if your recovery K. Focus on that." I said.

"What are you going to do?" She asked, her voice still gutted from the news.

"Hodge and I will figure something out." I said positively.

"Don't need to." Came another voice, and in walked Hodge. "I found the perfect partner for you." He said and I looked at Kaelie. "Besides you of course Kaelie." He added quickly.

"It's okay Hodge. I get it." Kaelie said but Jace knew his words hurt her. "So, who is she?"

"Clarissa Fray." Hodge said proudly, but my mind froze.

"You're joking?" I said.

"Why would I joke? She's the best female figure skater since Michelle Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi." Hodge said.

"She's never done pairs." I pointed out.

"So? Neither did you until you and Kaelie partnered up." Hodge said.

"Yea, But we were both new to it. Clarissa here is a complete novice. And I don't have time for her attitude. She's an ice princess. I hate ice princesses." I rambled.

"Well you better brush up on your royal manners because she'll be here tomorrow." Hodge said.

"There are plenty of girls at the rink that I could mold into a good partner." I tried to convince him, but I knew they all weren't that great.

"None that will take you to the Olympics." Hodge said. "Look kid, I know you and Kaelie were looking forward to the Olympics together, but she's hurt and you need a partner. Clary is a good one, or at least she can be a good one."

"Come on Jace, you can work with anyone." Kaelie said positively. "She might be an ice princess but in pairs, you run the show. Take control, and show her who's the leader."

"How is she possibly going to trust me with lifts and throws?" I asked. "It took Kaelie and I years to build that trust before she allowed me to try anything big. I have a feeling good ol' Clary won't like me throwing her up on the air." I explained.

"Look, she's the best skater in the country, and she missed the last Olympics due to an injury." Hodge explained. "When I talked to her about this potential partnership, she said she was looking to try something new. Something that will get her to the Olympics. You're an Olympic vet. You two can make it there, and maybe this time you'll get on the podium." Hodge said. "Again, no offense." He said to Kaelie.

"None taken. Again." Kaelie said.

"Be at the rink tomorrow at 6 am. She'll be there." Hodge said before he left the room.

"This is going to be a nightmare." I said as I took a seat.

"We've watched Clary compete. She's good Jace. She got the talent, and she's tiny, which means you can throw her far." Kaelie explained. "You have a real chance at getting on that podium, hell maybe even getting that gold. Don't let this loom over you like a grey cloud. Take this opportunity and run as far as you can with it. Preferably to the top of that podium."

"I'm really going to miss you Kaelie." I said honestly and she smiled.

"And I'm really going to miss you too, but we both have new jobs now." Kaelie said. "And we have to kick ass at them." She laughed.

"I know you'll skate again." I said as I took her hand in mine. "I know it." I said once more and she smiled.

Losing Kaelie was going to be hard, but I hoped to god, and crossed my fingers that Clary would be reasonable to work with. But right now, that hope wasn't very high.

 **Clary POV:**

When my plane landed, I breathed in the winter air, and I couldn't help but taste the Olympics. I had done my research. I watched every single video of Jace I could find on the internet, and I was slightly intimidated, not that I would ever tell him that, but I'm new to pairs, and he isn't. Him and his last partner were solid. Totally in tune with each other. That's a hard connection to make, and Jace and I are strangers, but I wasn't going to let anything interfere with my chances of winning and Olympic medal. It was long over due, and I needed this.

I walked into the rink, and I wasn't surprised to see Jace already on the ice warming up. I put my things on the bench and watched. He had this aura about him. It was captivating, and he knew it. He was a cocky son of a bitch, but he was going to help me win, and that's all I could focus on.

"Clarissa, welcome to Maine." I heard form behind me and there stood Hodge. He gave me the creeps, but I would suffer if it meant Olympic gold.

"Thanks for having me." I said brightly.

"Jace! Come in here and meet your partner!" Hodge yelled, and before I knew it, Jace was off the nice and next to me. I had to look up, and nearly break my neck to see him.

"Well this is going to be interesting." I said, but he didn't find it amusing.

"Play nice Jace. She's doing you a favor." Hodge said, and that's when I knew this was never his idea. He was being forced.

"Yea, I'm doing you a favor buddy." I said. If he wants to be cold, I can be cold too.

"Listen short stack. You're my last option. Hell you wouldn't even be in the running, but Hodge beat me to the picking. So here we are." Jace said, and I had to admit, his hostility was surprising. He didn't even know me. "So we can get along on the ice, but other than that, don't expect friendship."

"Actually, I left something out when I mentioned Clary moving here to train." Hodge said, and I can't believe how in the dark Jace was about this whole situation.

"What did you do Hodge?" Jace asked venomously.

"Clary needs a place to stay, and you have the room…."Hodge trailed off.

"Absolutely not Hodge. I'm not sharing a house with her." Jace basically yelled.

"Look." I jumped in. "We can be roommates, and not have a friendship." I said, because I really did need a place to sleep. "You won't even know I'm there."

"I have rules, and you have to follow them." Jace said through gritted teeth.

"Yes _father._ " I said and he glared at me.

"Great, now Clary, why don't you follow me to my office, and we'll talk." Hodge said and I nodded. Jace made his way back to the ice, and I rolled my eyes. Maybe this would be harder than I anticipated.

 **Time Jump – First Practice**

 **Jace POV:**

I got to the ice, and Clary was already there. I knew she took training seriously, but that didn't mean I was happy. Hodge completely blind-sided me with this whole situation and I was pissed about it. He could have told me, and although taking it out on Clary was wrong, I couldn't help it.

"Okay, so pairs is different than singles because we have to be completely in sync." I explained first, and she nodded. "So the way we approach jumps, the way we do twizzles, the way we do everything must be the same, otherwise we get penalized."

"Okay. We can work on that." She said.

"I'm worried about our height difference." I admitted. "You're extremely short."

"I'll admit, I'm short, but I'm not a midget." Clary defended.

"Clary, I'm a foot taller than you." I said. "An entire foot."

"Your point?" Clary asked.

"My point is, Kaelie is 5"10', and you're barely 5"3'." I pointed out.

"I'm getting there okay?" Clary said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"You're done growing Clary. You peaked in 2nd grade." I said and she huffed. "So, I would like to just get a feeling of what it's going to be like to lift you up."

"What if you drop me?" Clary questioned.

"I've never dropped Kaelie." I said and she gave me this look.

"She's in the hospital right now." Clary said and I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, so she's fallen before, but I've never intentionally dropped her." I explained. She wasn't that stupid to not know falls happened in pairs.

"Fine, but start easy." She said and I nodded.

I took her hand in mine and we made a lap around the rink. It was actually surprising how synchronized we were without even trying. It was actually pretty natural, and that made me more confident. I grabbed her waist and imitated what a lift would be, and she was light as a feather. When I put her back down and we stopped.

"How was that?" She asked once we stopped and I placed her on the ice fully.

"That was actually pretty amazing for the first time around." I said and she smiled and nodded. "And you're light, which means we can experiment with lifts."

"Oh god." Clary said ad I laughed.

"Don't worry, I won't drop you." I said and she nodded.

We went around the rink for hours getting used to each other, and by the time the sun had set, we were done, and Hodge called her to his office. I went to the locker room and got my things and made my way home feeling more confident than ever about this new pairing.

 **Time Jump – Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Hodge called me in for an early morning meeting, and once I was done, I made a beeline for the locker room and took a hot shower. It became very clear to me that Hodge wanted me here for another reason.

I felt like it took hours to get the feeling of his hands off me, and it made me feel so inadequate about my talent. Hodge asked me here to be Jace's partner, but I knew now that it was less about being a good partner for Jace, and being available to him. I threatened to tell on him the first time his hand travelled up my thigh, but he grabbed me so hard my wrist bruised, and he threatened me, and my career, and I couldn't shake the feeling of his eyes on me the entire practice. He made me feel weak, and I hated that.

And it didn't help that Jace and I weren't getting along. All we did was fight. Either I wasn't doing something right, which I expected, I'm new to pairs, but he had such a short fuse that the simplest things I did wrong set him off, and being as stubborn as I am, I didn't back down, and it just caused a huge rift in our already fragile relationship. He was very clear about being friendly on the ice, but not talking off the ice, and as much as I wish I could avoid him at all costs, and separate myself from his toxic coach, and his arrogant and cocky attitude, I was stuck here, in a contract I signed before I knew what I was getting myself into, and every night I cried myself to sleep wishing the next day wouldn't come.

But the sun always rose, and it always set until the next day, and for me, hell wasn't simply a place, but a feeling. One that I wouldn't be getting away from anytime soon.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was our first Saturday off since we started training together and Kaelie and I were going out to lunch. She's come to the rink and watch us skate, but we haven't had the time to talk since the accident and I really missed her.

So as I grabbed my jacket, I made my way out of my room when I bumped into someone. I looked down, and there stood a soaking wet Clary, in nothing but a towel.

"I'm sorry. I left my laundry downstairs." Clary said as her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.

"Don't worry about it." I said truthfully. This was bound to happen eventually.

"Taking advantage of our one day off?" Clary asked as she gestured to my jacket.

"Yea. Kaelie and I are going out to lunch to catch up with each other." I said and she nodded.

"Okay, well have fun." She said before running down the stairs. I followed her down at a much slower pace and made my way to Kaelie and I's favorite diner. Watching Kaelie crutch In was hard, but I knew she had a determined spirit and this wouldn't stop her.

"Man it feels like forever since we've done this." Kaelie laughed and I couldn't help but smile.

"That's because it has." I said. "We would come here after almost every practice." I laughed.

"You mean you don't anymore?" Kaelie asked.

"Nope. Clary always has meetings with Hodge and this is our spot." I admitted.

"Oh Jace. It's just a diner." Kaelie said.

"But it's our spot. Where we would decompress after a grueling practice." I admitted.

"Jace, it's a diner. A fantastic diner, but not a diner only reserved for us." Kaelie said and I knew she was right. My reasoning was stupid. "I've watched you two practicing. You look great out here." She continued.

"It feels natural to skate with her." I admitted. "She's an amazing skater. Nobody can take away from her. She has the awards to prove it, but she's holding back. I can see it."

"Why do you think she is?" Kaelie asked.

"I have no clue." I sighed. "We skate so well together, and she seems to trust me when we practice lifts and throws, but there is something she's allowing to interfere with her skating."

"Have you talked to her about this?" Kaelie asked and I shook my head. "Why not?"

"Because we're finally not arguing." I told her. "The first month all we did was fight. And I can't even get away from her because she lives with me." I huffed and Kaelie laughed. "We skate better when we get along, so I'd rather keep it that way."

"But imagine how amazing you two would be if she wasn't holding back." Kaelie pointed out. "I love watching you two skate together."

"You do?" I asked curiously.

"Obviously I wish I was still out here, but I love your dynamic. The effortless way you two just fit together, and the way you jump together, the way you look like your holding a feather when you lift her." Kaelie gushed. "The height difference is perfection, and you two can go all the way. If Clary stops holding back."

"How do I bring it up?" I asked.

"Try something terrifying in practice. Something that forces her to just let go. Maybe that will open the gates." Kaelie offered.

"There was one thing I wanted to try the minute we started skating together." I said and Kaelie smiled.

"I know that voice Jace Herondale. You're going to try something that's never been done before." Kaelie said and I nodded. "Let's hear it."

 **Time Jump – The Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

"Okay, so we're going to try something that's never been done before in a pairs short program or free skate." I explained to Clary.

"I don't like the sound of that." Clary said uncertainly.

"We're going to try a side by side triple axel, and we're going to try to throw a quintuple." I said and her jaw dropped.

"First off, a triple axel for any woman is nearly impossible. Only a couple women have ever landed it in a competition, and a quintuple throw hasn't even been attempted." Clary explained.

"I'm well aware, which is why we're going to be the first." I said. "Look, I know I can throw you hard enough and high enough for you to make it around 5 times, and as for the triple axel, you can do it. If you just get out of your head." I said and she looked at me.

"What makes you think I'm in my head?" She asked rather defensively.

"I can see it Clary. You're distracted, and it's holding you back." I said. I know Kaelie said throwing insane tricks would help, but Clary was a pretty straight forward person, so I went with that approach instead.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Clary spit back.

"I'm not an idiot Clary." I said. "Far from it actually, and I know you're holding back. I want to win. I want a gold medal, and you're my chance. So we're going to work on these impossible tricks, and try to perfect them for the Olympics in 3 years." I told her sternly.

"Fine, have it your way." Clary said harshly. "But if you drop me on my ass and I break something, I'll sue you for everything you're worth. Got it?" She hissed.

"Whatever you say ice princess." I mumbled.

"What did you just call me?" Clary asked rudely.

"I called you an ice princess." I said truthfully. "Because you can't seem to get that skate out of your ass long enough to know that the way you treat people makes you seem like a stuck up ice princess." I said and her eyes widened. "New flash Clary, there are better skaters out there than you. You have a lot of room for improvements, and it would be great if you were opened to suggestions, instead of just rolling your eyes every time I have a suggestion on how to do something better." I said and she was stunned silent. "We're a team now. You aren't alone out here on the ice." I continued softer now. "We have to rely on each other, and with your attitude, you holding back, and our fighting, we won't get there. Hell, we won't even medal. So lets put this animosity and hatred aside for the next 3 years and win a fucking medal." I finished and all she did was nod before skating off. Maybe this was a new beginning for us, but I said what I needed to say, and I hope we started moving in a better direction.

 **Time Jump – Three Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was taking my time getting out of the rink today. Practice today had been extremely empowering because since Clary agreed to try a difficult lift that's never been done before, it gave us more confidence and a lot more trust, which we needed in each other. I think our little confession, or my confession, also helped move us in a more productive way, so that was also a huge help in practice.

Since I had nowhere to go today, I didn't feel like rushing, and after the practice, and the hundreds of trial and error runs of our new lift, I felt like taking my time was well deserved. I took a nice long shower, reorganized my locker, and than started making my way to the car.

I was nearly there, when I noticed Clary's car still in the parking lot. I knew Hodge called her in for a quick meeting, and that was once we were done practice, and for her to still be here was a little odd. So I made my way over to her, and that's when I saw her sitting in the front seat crying. I dropped my things, opened the passenger side door, and got in.

"I'm sorry." Clary sniffed. "I'm okay I promise."

"What's wrong Clary?" I asked, but she just shook her head.

"I'm fine. I swear." Clary insisted.

"You don't look fine Clary." I said as I went to grab her hand but she flinched. "I'm not gonna hurt you." I said.

"I know I know. I'm sorry that was stupid." Clary said as she brought her hand back.

"You can talk to me Clary. About anything." I told her. We might not be BFF's, but she was my partner and I cared about her. How can you not when we live together and train pretty much all day. "Is this about your meeting with Hodge?" I asked and just the look on her face said yes. "What happened with Hodge?"

"He - he touched me." Clary said, and all I saw was red. "But this isn't the first time."

"What has he done to you Clary?" I asked, fury still in my voice.

"Shortly after he partnered us together, I understood his motives behind it." Clary explained. "He told me I was a very pretty woman, and that anyone would be lucky to have me, but he started touching my thighs, and my hair." She explained. "And every time he calls me to his office, it happens."

"Clary." I said but she started crying again.

"I can't do it anymore Jace." She cried and I didn't know what else to do, so I maneuvered her over to my lap and let her cry on me.

"He's not gong to touch you anymore Clary." I reassured her.

"He told me that nobody would believe me. That he has too much power and prestige and that my accusations would go nowhere. We have a contract. He threatened me, and my career. I didn't go to college Jace, this is all I have. I don't know how to be anyone else." Clary cried.

"Bullshit. He's going to pay, and you're never going to be alone with him ever again." I said. "And you're more than just a figure skater Clary." I tried to reassure her.

"He's one of the best coaches in the country. Who is going to believe me?" Clary said.

"I believe you." I said. "And I swear to god Clary, Hodge won't get away with this."

"I feel disgusting. Every night I take a hot shower until my skin is so red it hurts but I can still feel him." Clary said and it took everything in me not to go in there and punch the shit out of him.

"You aren't the disgusting one. He is Clary." I told her, because it was true.

"I let him get away with it." Clary sniffed. "It's my fault."

"Hey, do not blame this on yourself." I told her sternly. "This was Hodge. His actions, his decisions, he is the disgusting one."

"But my inactions..."

"No." I cut her off. "You were scared, and shocked, and I know your ego, you didn't want to seem weak."

"Yea, look at me now." Clary let out an emotionless laugh. "I'm sitting in your lap crying."

"That doesn't matter." I told her. "This is our last day at this rink."

"Where are we going to go?" Clary asked.

"I don't know, but wherever it is, you won't be victimized." I promised her.

"What about Hodge? We're in contract with him. We can't leave." Clary said.

"Sexual misconduct between coaches and athletes is a career ender." I told her. "Hodge will never work again once we're done with him."

"But..."

"No buts. Hodge isn't going to get away with this, with you or any other athlete." I told her.

"Oh god. Do you think there are others?" Clary asked concerned.

"I have no idea. I just know, in the future there won't be." I said and she nodded. "Come on, lets go home."

"Thank you." Clary asked as she made her way back to the drivers seat. "For listening."

"You know I'm always here to listen Clary." I told her and she smiled and nodded. I got out of the car and watched her drive away. Hodge was never getting away with this. That's for sure.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Turns out finding a rink around us was pretty difficult considering they were all friends with Hodge. They were all elite establishments that are known for producing Olympic athletes in figure skating, and it was annoying that the accusations about Hodge weren't being taken seriously.

When I confronted Hodge about it, naturally he denied it. When I spoke to a lawyer about what Clary and I could do about his behavior, he said there was no damning physical evidence against Hodge because he didn't rape Clary. It made me sick that because Hodge didn't do the most inhuman and disgusting act against Clary, his actions wouldn't be punished. It was simply a 'he said, she said' kind of situation, and unfortunately Hodge had more power in this industry than Clary and I.

So I started researching. Any rink that was near us that had enough money, and equipment, and when I found a rink about 20/25 minutes away from my house, I decided that it was going to have to work. We were never going to get into a rink that produced Olympians, but I was an Olympian, and Clary was one of the best figure skaters in the country. We could work with anything.

"Are you sure about this?" Clary asked as we stood in front of the Jade Ice Rink.

"I have no idea what we're about to walk into, but as long as we have ice, we can do anything." I told her honestly. She nodded and took a deep breath. I took her hand in mine, to relax her, and we made our way in.

The rink was tiny, and pretty empty, which was actually really nice. It gave me the impression that we wouldn't have to reserve ice time, and if that were the case, we could literally practice all day, and that was a huge bonus for us. We loved to practice.

"You must be Jace and Clary." Came a voice. We look up, and there stood a tall man. "I'm Luke, owner of the rink." He said.

"Nice to meet you Luke." I said. "Thank you for taking us in."

"I've never coached figure skaters before." Luke said as he made his way down to us. "I build this place to run a hockey club, but business is slow, so I'm more than happy to give you the much needed time on the ice."

"We just appreciate you saying yes honestly. No other club would take us." Clary said honestly.

"You two are like a shoe in for winning gold in 3 years. Why would they deny you?" Luke asked, and I figured he would have researched us before meeting us.

"Let's just say my old coach wasn't a great guy, and he is friends with a lot of the other rinks in the area, so they all wouldn't take us in solidarity to their friend." I told him as nicely as I could.

"Well, their loss is my gain." Luke smiled. "There are a couple people who work with me who I'd like you to meet, but other than that, you can use the ice any time you want. Alec is the man who runs the hockey leagues and practices, so Friday nights, and Saturday mornings we have a hockey league that comes in and practices, but other than that, we don't require rink time, or anything like that." He explained.

"Awesome." Clary smiled. "I've always had to reserve my time on the ice. It'll be nice to practice whenever we want."

"Izzy is my other employee. She is a former figure skater turned choreographer, and has a few dedicated skaters who come to her for programs, but they are super sporadic because they also train at other rinks." Luke explained. "Feel free to use her to your advantage. She's really good."

"This means a lot to us Luke." Clary said. "I thought we were going to be rinkless." Clary laughed.

"You are more than welcome here no matter what." Luke smiled. "Now, I have a meeting to get too, but feel free to stay until we close the place for the night." He walked away and I looked out to the ice.

"You ready?" I asked and Clary beamed.

"I'm so ready." She said and we sat down, laced our skates up and began practicing and for the first time since we met, Clary was finally being free, and I knew that would be a huge advantage for us.

 **Time Jump – First Competition**

 **Clary POV:**

I've never been this nervous about a short program in my entire life. Everything in me was jittery. I couldn't shake the feeling. No matter how much I paced or went through our routine. I was an anxious mess and I couldn't calm down.

"You need to calm down Clary." Jace told me.

"I can't help it." I admitted. "I haven't competed in a long time, and this is my first competition in pairs. I don't know what to expect."

"We're just going to go out there and do our best. If we mess up, we mess up. We still have 2 years until the Olympics, we're allowed to get all the kinks out now." Jace explained.

"You're right. I'm being stupid." I sighed.

"You aren't being stupid." Jace said. He reached for my hands and started rubbing his fingers over my knuckles and it calmed me down like nothing could before. "I was scared shitless for Kaelie and I's first pairs competition." He admitted. "And yea, we weren't completely ready, but it was okay because we got all the nerves out that day. Just like we will do today." He said and I nodded. He pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head. "We got this Clary. We just have to trust our training, and trust each other."

"Okay." I said and he smiled.

"Now, we have another 15 minutes before we get to warm up. Go meditate or something." He jokes and I couldn't help but laugh. I nodded and put my headphones back in and took a deep breathe. Today would be a learning day, and I was okay with that.

 **Time Jump – After the Short**

 **Jace POV:**

Our short program wasn't the cleanest, but it gave us something to work with. I knew it wouldn't be flawless, but working with Clary for only a year, and putting out a pretty strong program was very positive for us, despite our flaws today.

"You two did well." Luke said as we came out of the locker room.

"Room for improvement but I expected that." I said. "Most of those couples have been training together for years, so the fact that we can still compete with them and do well, is a testament to Clary and I's natural chemistry and talent." I explained.

"I'm just proud we landed our jumps without me landing on my ass." Clary laughed.

"I'm really proud of you." I said and she smiled.

"Just wait until they see our routines when qualifying starts up." Clary smiled and it was so infectious I couldn't help but smile in return.

"Well, after today, and a 9th place finish, I think we deserve dinner." I said and Clary smiled and nodded.

"I guess I'll see you two at the rink tomorrow?" Luke asked.

"We wouldn't be anywhere else." Clary said and Luke nodded.

Clary and I got our stuff and made our way to my favorite diner. I had yet to bring Clary here, because I did feel like it was a special spot for Kaelie and I. But Clary has been become someone so important to me in the last year of us training together, that I wanted to share this with her as well. We got to a booth and took a seat.

"Kaelie and I used to come here after every practice to decompress." I explained to Clary. "It was the only place opened after one of our first practices that went incredibly wrong, and we just kept coming back."

"Kinda like a security blanket." Clary said and I nodded.

"Yea. When we came here, we honestly forgot about our mistakes, and our incredibly sore bodies, and just enjoy each others company." I admitted and she nodded, but she had this look on her face like she wanted to ask me something. "What's going on in your mind?" I asked.

"Oh, it's nothing." She waved me off.

"I know you better than that Clary. We do live together, and spend like 98% of our time together." I laughed.

"It's kinda stupid honestly." She said.

"I'll be the judge of that. What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing is wrong, I guess I'm just curious." She said.

"About?" I asked further.

"Did you and Kaelie ever date?" She asked hesitantly. "Oh never mind, it's none of my business anyway." She said quickly.

"No, it's a very valid question." I said after a moment. "People thought we were a couple all the time." I said to her. "But no, we never dated." I admitted. "We hooked up once. When we first paired together, we were both young, I thought she was hot, she thought I was hot, and it happened." I said, and she nodded. "But the next day we looked at each other and just realized that there was nothing there. We were just caught up in the moment, and that's all it was." I said. "We're great friends, and I truly value the friendship we have, but it could never turn into something more."

"Okay." Clary simply said.

"What about you? Ever hook up with a fellow athlete?" I asked, genuinely curious, and also I wanted to make her feel comfortable because I could tell she was now uncomfortable after asking such a personal question.

"Back where I trained, it wasn't just for figure skaters, but for different types of future Olympic athletes." She explained.

"Like a boarding school?" I asked. I've only heard about them, and their ability to produce crazy talented athletes.

"Basically." Clary said. "And put a bunch of teenagers together, and hormones get crazy."

"One big orgy?" I asked and she laughed.

"No, but hooking up was common between athletes." She said.

"Which ones did you get with?" I asked. "Wait, let me guess. A curler?"

"Nope. They were incredibly dedicated, they literally never did anything they weren't supposed to do." She admitted with a laugh.

"Okay, I have a feeling its one of those sports you never think of." I thought out loud. "Cross country skier?" I asked.

"Nope." She said.

"Another figure skater?" I asked.

"Nope." She simply said.

"Okay, I give up." I said.

"Believe it or not, I was actually really into snowboarders, and the occasional bobsledder." She said and I laughed. "Maybe one or two hockey players."

"Wow. You went for the manly sports." I laughed.

"They were just the easiest. Hit it and quite it type of guys, and nobody ever formed relationships because they weren't easy to maintain." Clary explained.

"I would have never pegged you as the one night stand kind of girl." I admitted and she smirked.

"Oh, it happened more than once." She said. "You get horny. You need a release."

"Too much information." I said and she laughed.

"I was sent there when I was 9 years old." She said, suddenly serious. "I basically grew up there, and when you get to he age of 15/16, you're more rebellious than a normal teenager because you've been basically locked up." She explained. "A couple years later I realized that my behavior probably wasn't the best, and I could have been a little less promiscuous, but I'm not ashamed of my actions now. They are what they are and I've accepted it and moved on." She said.

"I get it. I would have gone crazy there too." I said.

"What about you?" She asked.

"I'm pretty sure we just went through my fellow athlete dating life." I laughed.

"Not that." She said. "How did you get into figure skating?" She asked.

"My mom taught classes at the rink near my house and I would go." I said. "My dad bailed when I was little, so my mom did the best she could being a single mother." I explained. "I spent so much time on the ice, it was kind of inevitable that I got into a sport on ice." I said and she nodded. "Ice hockey was too expensive, and she had an in with the rink because she taught, so I got to learn how to figure skate, and I got really good." I said before taking a deep breath. "When she died, I made sure that whatever happened to me, I would continue to figure skate."

"When did she pass?" Clary asked.

"When I was 14." I said. "Car accident."

"I'm so sorry." Clary said.

"It was a long time ago." I said, but than Clary took my hand in hers.

"Doesn't make it hurt any less." She said, and I nodded.

"Every performance I do is dedicated to her." I admitted. "I like to think she's proud of me."

"I know she is." Clary said.

"How so?" I asked.

"Because how can she not be?" She said. "I'm proud of you, and Kaelie is proud of you, and so is Luke." She continued. "You've done amazing things in this sport. You're worth being proud of."

"Thanks." I said because her words were just so meaningful, and truly meant a lot to me.

"Now, we're going to keep the rest of this meal light and happy because we did a kickass job today, and we deserve to be happy." Clary said and I smiled.

"You are so right." I said and she nodded before we left figure skating, old relationships, and family history at the door and just had a good night celebrating how far we've come as a pair.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Kaelie called me last night and asked if Clary and I could meet her for lunch today. She sounded like she was trying to be cryptic, which wasn't Kaelie at all, so I was a little weary of this gathering.

We got to Taki's and Clary and I took a seat on the same side of the booth. A few moments later Kaelie showed up, crutch and all (the amount of surgeries she's had in the past two years is unreal) and took her seat, she looked around the room, like she was checking if she was being watched.

"Are you going crazy?" I asked and she looked back and laughed.

"No, just being cautious." Kaelie said. "I have some information for the both of you."

"I gathered that much for myself from your phone call." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"I don't know how I put up with you for so long." Kaelie laughed. "Hodge recruited a new pairs team."

"Who?" I immediately asked.

"Sebastian Verlac, and Aline Penhallow." Kaelie said.

"The French." Clary gasped. "But how?"

"Duel citizenship." Kaelie said. "He has been very secretive at the rink lately, and yesterday he brought them in."

"How do they look?" I asked Kaelie.

"Solid. Very solid." Kaelie said.

"Better or worse than us?" I asked.

"I would say equal." Kaelie said. "They have some of the best technique I've ever seen."

"That just means we have to be better." I said. "And land our most difficult moves."

"I don't know Jace. We've only landed them a couple times in the two years we've been together." Clary said worriedly.

"We still have a year." I reassured her as I put my arm around her and rubbed her arms, and I saw her calming down slightly.

"I need to use the restroom." Clary said as she excused herself from the booth. I watched her walk away before turning back to Kaelie, and she had this look on her face.

"What?" I asked.

"You two ever going to admit your feelings?" She asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said honestly.

"Oh please." Kaelie scoffed. "You two have so much chemistry, you have so much respect for each other, and not to mention your steamy short this season."

"That's all on the ice." I told her.

"And that little moment you two just had." Kaelie said.

"She was worried." I said.

"Just face it, there is something there." Kaelie said, and before I could answer, Clary returned and took her seat. I looked at her and back at Kaelie. If there was any truth to what Kaelie just said, was now in the back of my mind.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"You're not going for it." Jace yelled at me for the hundredth time this practice.

"I'm scared Jace. What part of that don't you understand?" I yelled back. I was tired of him not understanding my reservations. "You want me to do all these insane tricks, and lifts, and jumps, but did you ever think that I'm not ready? That we're not ready?"

"What are you talking about? Of course we're ready." Jace said.

"Ugh. Forget it." I said as I skated off the ice.

"Where are you going? We're still practicing." He called after me.

"No. I'm done for the night. I'm tired, I'm sore, and you're pissing me off." I yelled as I grabbed my bag. I went into the locker room, ripped my skates off, a shoved my sandals on. When I walked out, there Jace stood.

"Come on Clary." Jace said.

"No. I'm done being yelled at today." I admitted. "This isn't productive, and unless you want my skate through your neck, leave me the hell alone." I said as I shoved back him. I got into my car and just started driving. I didn't even know if I was going in the right direction, but I needed to clear my head.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

When I got home I expected to find Clary. I knew I was pissing her off, but I thought she would use that as fuel to add to the fire. I didn't know she would get genuinely pissed off at me.

When I couldn't find her anywhere, and she refused to answer my calls, I started to worry. All the conversations Kaelie has been pouring into my head over the years have been swirling around every time I was around Clary, and now not knowing where she was really solidified that I cared about her more than just a partner. I didn't know how, or at what capacity, but it was there, and I couldn't ignore it.

When I heard the front door open, I nearly ran towards it. Clary walked in, unharmed, and looking absolutely exhausted. She dropped the keys on the table and looked up and our eyes locked. They looked red and puffy, like she'd been crying.

"I thought you'd be in bed." Clary said.

"You leave me at the rink, and I come home to not be able to find you." I told her. "It's almost two in the morning Clary. Where the hell have you been?"

"Out." Clary said as she started walking, but I wasn't letting her get away. I grabbed her hand as she passed me to stop her.

"I know you're pissed at me, but I was worried sick about you Clary." I admitted, and her eyes seemed to soften.

"I'm sorry I didn't text you or answer any of your calls." She finally said. "I just needed to be alone."

"Why have you been crying?" I asked. She just shook her head and tried to walk away again. "Please Clare." I begged, and she turned to look at me again.

"You wanna know a very big reason why I agreed to be your partner?" She asked and I nodded. "I grew up around here."

"Really?" I asked, a little shocked.

"About two hours away, but close enough." Clary admitted. "Look, I'll tell you, but I'm tired so can we sit?"

"Of course." I said and we made our way to the couch. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?" I offered.

"Can you just get me an orange?" Clary asked and I nodded. I grabbed one from the fridge and made my way back towards her. I gave her a bowl, a paper towel, and she began pealing it. "When Hodge called and asked if I'd come train with you, I jumped at the opportunity because it meant that I got to come home as well."

"But in every article about you it lists Colorado as your hometown." I pointed out.

"That's just where I trained." She said. "And my mom moved out there to be able to attend my events, but this is where I was born. I wanted to come home."

"So you went to visit her?" I asked curiously.

"Kinda." Clary said as she popped an orange slice into her mouth. "She died when I was 17." She admitted.

"I'm so sorry Clary." I said honestly.

"She was buried here, because it's her home. She's with my dad, which is where she wanted to be buried next too." She said.

"He's gone too?" I asked.

"Yea. He died when I was 3." She said. "I don't remember him at all."

"I'm sorry." I said, and she shrugged. I knew what it meant to lose someone that close to you and than have no one.

"You can't really miss someone you don't remember." Clary said, and I nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry I kept yelling at you Clary." I said after a few moments.

"No, I'm sorry." She said back. "I know you just want to win, and I'm bailing out of everything."

"Of course I want to win, but I don't want to lose you in the process Clary." I admitted. "We can try as many times as we want to land those tricks, and lifts, and jumps, but if we can't get it, we won't put it in our program."

"I did a lot of thinking at the cemetery." Clary admitted. "I talked it all out with my mom, and even though she couldn't answer, I figured a lot out."

"Like what?" I asked curiously.

"I want to fucking win a gold medal, and we can if we land everything perfectly, and do something that's never been done before." She said and I couldn't help but smile. "I'm frustrated because I've never been so terrible at something before, and I feel like I'm holding you back."

"You are in no way holding me back." I reassured her.

"You would have had these jumps, and lifts with Kaelie." Clary said. "I'm dead weight on your journey to gold."

"I can tell you right now, Kaelie and I wouldn't even be attempting these tricks." I told her truthfully.

"Really?" She asked.

"Not in your wildest dreams." I laughed. "Kaelie is an amazing skater, and we were great partners, but we have something so much more than what Kaelie and I had."

"Like what?" She asked.

"Natural chemistry." I said. "Being with you out on that ice feels right Clary. Sure Kaelie and I had a great partnership, but even she can see it. We're perfect out there together."

"You're just saying that." She said and I moved closer to her.

"I'm not." I told her genuinely. "The first day we skated together, it felt like we've been doing that our whole lives. Kaelie and I struggled so hard to get that rhythm and synchronization down correctly."

"But why was it so easy for us?" Clary asked.

"I wish I knew. Maybe because on some other level, we just make sense together." I said, and I saw her jaw drop slowly. "Kaelie's been telling me since we basically met that we were skating soulmates, and I could see where she was coming from, but I think it's more than that."

"You do?" She asked.

"I do." I divulged. "I don't think I truly knew what it meant to care about someone until you showed up."

"That can't be true." Clary said. "You care about Kaelie."

"Of course I do. But I care about you in a different way." I explained.

"How?" She asked.

"Do you know you're the first girl that's ever truly challenged me? And not just on the ice but as a person." I said. "You are so opinionated, and you aren't afraid to tell me when I'm fucking up, or pissing you off. You put me in my place, and it's refreshing."

"But that's not because of anything but the fact that you're pissing me off, and because you think you're always right." Clary said and I laughed.

"I know, and it's nice to know you won't take any of my shit. I got away with so much in my life because I could always get out of situations with enough charm, or the right smile or smirk." I said and she scoffed. "It's nice to know I can't do that with you. I really have to try and win you over."

"What else?" She asked.

"The way I feel when we're together." I said. "The entire ice arena could be filled with people, but when I look at you, it might as well just be us."

"I feel that way too." Clary admitted. "You have such a calming effect on me. I don't know why." She laughed.

"Tonight, when I couldn't find you, and you weren't answering me, I was scared something bad happened to you, and I couldn't protect you." I told her.

"I'm sorry I ran off like that." She said once again.

"It put a lot of things into perspective for me tonight." I smiled.

"So, what happens now?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"Now that our feelings are out in the open." She said, and my heart skipped a beat for a second.

"So you admit you have feelings for me too?" I asked.

"I just said that." She laughed and I couldn't help but smile.

"How about we start out simple." I suggested. "How would you like to go out on a date with me?"

"That depends." She smiled.

"On?" I asked.

"What the date is." She said.

"Do you have a suggestion?" I offered.

"Maybe." She sang.

"How about this, you plan the date, I pay." I said and she smiled.

"Sounds like a date to me." She laughed. I pulled her into me and she wrapped her arms around my neck, and she sighed into my neck. "We should probably get to bed." She said into my shoulder.

"Probably." I said but we didn't let go. "Unless…."

"Unless what?" She asked, as she pulled away slightly.

"We could watch a movie in my room." I proposed.

"What movie?" She asked.

"Anything you want." I said and she smiled.

"I like that idea." Clary said and I smiled before scooping her into my arms and carrying her upstairs. Clary went into her room to change, and I went into mine to get everything set up. When she came back, she had a movie in her hand and she got herself comfortable in my bed. I joined her shortly after and pressed play. She snuggled into my side and not even twenty minutes later was she fast asleep. I looked down at her sleeping form and smiled before pressing my lips to the top of her head. I could get used to this.

 **Time Jump – Start of Qualifying**

 **Clary POV:**

"To qualify for the Olympics we need to come in first." Jace told me. "USA is only taking one pairs team to the games this year."

"Holy shit." I hissed.

"Clary, we're so close to perfection. We got this." Jace reassured me as he pulled me into him.

"But there are so many good teams here." I said into his shirt. "We've literally been neck and neck for the past couple months. Especially with Sebastian and Aline."

"You know as well as I do we have so much more chemistry than them." Jace smirked and I couldn't help but smile.

"It's more than chemistry though." I said as I looked up into his golden eyes. "The skill has to be there as well, and some days we aren't the best."

"True, but babe, we got this. We've been training our whole lives for this." Jace said and I smiled. "Don't second guess yourself now."

"Okay. You're right. We got this." I said and he smiled.

"That's what I like to hear." He said and I nodded. "Now, go meditate or whatever it is you do before warm ups."

"I'll meet you back here in ten." I said and he leaned down and kissed me.

"Love you." He said casually, but man did it have so much love behind it.

"I love you too." I said, with one more quick kiss, and I was off to find a quiet corner. Giving our relationship a chance was the best decision we've ever made as a couple, and going into the Olympics with this strong love, and bond just made it that much more special for us. Now if only our skating was kind to us, we would be in for the best year of our lives.

 **Time Jump – After Short Program**

 **Jace POV:**

"We still have the free skate." I told Clary as the scores came back in.

"I wanted to come out of the short in the number 1 position." Clary said and we made our way back to the locker rooms.

"So did I, but second isn't bad when we're only .03 away from the leaders." I reassured her.

"If it were anyone but Sebastian and Aline I think I would be a little calmer." Clary admitted.

"I'm not happy their in first either." I said. "But the free skate is where we do our best."

"If we land everything." Clary pointed out.

"This crowd isn't even slightly prepared for what we have." I said and Clary smiled. "You looked amazing out there."

"So did you." Clary said and I pulled her into me.

"Look who we have here." A voice came, and when I looked behind me, there stood Sebastian and Aline.

"It was fun kicking your ass today." Aline smiled.

"You barely beat us." Clary said back to them.

"Maybe, but we're still on top, and you two are going to stay in second forever." Sebastian said.

"Maybe if you two were more focused on skating, instead of each other, you'd be better." Aline smirked.

"If anything our relationship makes us a better team." I said honestly. "I mean, even if you two could conjure up that chemistry in a program, it would be weird because you're related."

"That's never mattered to the French." Sebastian said, and in that moment they kissed and Clary gagged. "See you in the free skate." He said and they walked away.

"Ew." Clary said once they walked away.

"I'm glad we're not related." I said and she nodded.

"Or French." She added and I laughed.

"So, we have until tomorrow night until the free skate." I said and she nodded. "Wanna catch a movie?"

"Sounds fun." Clary said and I took her hands in mine.

We made our way to the movie theater, and enjoyed our down time. Most teams were probably freaking out, or training, but Clary and I always chilled the night after a competition. It relaxed us and we figured out pretty soon that we both needed to be relaxed before we competed. But when tomorrow came, we would be on top because we were going to the Olympics. There was no doubt about that.

 **Time Jump – Free Style**

 **Jace POV:**

I was pretty nervous about today, but it had nothing to do with our skate. I knew we would do amazing. But after the program, I was planning on proposing to Clary, and although I knew she loved me, asking was still terrifying.

"You look nervous." I heard from behind me, and thankfully it wasn't a girls voice. When I turned around, there stood Luke.

"I am, but not for the skate." I admitted.

"What's on your mind?" Luke asked.

"I'm planning on proposing to Clary today." I said. "I just want her to say yes."

"She will." Luke said. "You two have something magical."

"You think?" I asked.

"Anyone who sees you two skating knows there is pure chemistry, and love there. But also off the ice. You two are so in sync, and so together all the time, it makes it hard not to feel the love radiating off you two." Luke explained.

"It wasn't always that way." I laughed. "We hated each other at first."

"Yea, but look at you two now." Luke said and I couldn't help but smile.

"You ready?" I heard and when I turned around, there stood Clary. "Warm ups start in a minute."

"I'm always ready." I told her and she smiled.

As we waited for the ice to open, I took many calming breaths. I could do this routine in my sleep, but proposing was a new territory of scary, and I just wanted her to say yes. And make it to the Olympics.

 **Time Jump – After Program**

 **Clary POV:**

The entire rink was going absolutely crazy. Jace and I just preformed the most difficult routine anyone has ever seen. Some parts could have been cleaner, but I didn't fall on my ass, and we had no timing issues, so I was extremely proud of that.

As we sat waiting for our scores, and waiting to see if we were going to the Olympics instead of Aline and Sebastian, was probably the most nerve wracking experience in my whole life. I clutched Jace's hand as tight as I possibly could as the seconds ticked by.

I couldn't breath. I couldn't blink. Every second that passed without a score was agony. Finally, when the score came up on the board, and we were a whole 3 points above the current leader, everything in my froze. Was this happening?

"And your 2018 Olympic Figure Skating pairs team – Clarissa Fray, and Jace Herondale." The announcer said, and that's when the flood gates opened. Jace scooped me into his arms and twirled me around. I couldn't stop crying, but I didn't want to. The tears meant it was real. When Jace finally put me down, he dropped as well, and it was another flow of emotions that hit me.

"Marry me Clary. Marry me and make me the happiest man on earth." He said and I felt like I couldn't breath again.

"Yes." I managed to choke out. He slipped the ring on my finger and scooped me up for a second time. I was still crying, and the rink was still applauding. It wasn't an elaborate gesture, or the most romantic way of asking, but it was Jace, and it was everything I could have imagined and more.

All my dreams were coming true, and all because of this man who, I disliked so much in the beginning, who turned out to be the love of my life, my best friend, and so much more. This was only the start of our journey together, and I couldn't imagine it starting out any other way.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Sooooooooooo, hey guys? I have absolutely no excuse as to why I stopped updating. I was inspired to write this one shot by a reviewer who asked to do one about the Olympics, and also the Winter Olympics. So as you can see, it's overdue by a long shot. I can't promise I'll get better, cause I won't, but I appreciate the patience, and hopefully I'll get another one done within the next couple months.**

 **Also, I would like to point out something I didn't address before finishing. Hodge did get in trouble for his behavior towards Clary. Eventually someone else came forward, and thus started an investigation, and Hodge was sent to prison. I just didn't know how to finish that storyline since I've literally been writing this for months. I kinda lost it, so I wanted to address it now. Hope you all enjoy! Also, I know nothing about figure skating. Just a heads up.**


	138. Chapter 137 - Musician

**One Hundred and Thirty Seven One Shot:**

 **Musician**

 **Jace POV:**

Being in the public eye for everyone to judge you was something I didn't know if I could get used too. I certainly never thought it would be as tough to adjust, but with the career path I wanted to take, I knew it was inevitable if I ever made it big.

But with the right luck, and the best group of guys I've ever met, we took off and have been living the dream ever since. I couldn't be happier with my life, and my career, and everything I've accomplished since being discovered, but I was in a slump and I couldn't get out of it.

"Come on Jace, it's been days. You need to get over this." Alec said and I looked at him.

"I can't Alec." I said honestly. "It's everywhere."

"What did you expect Jace? You don't want to settle down, and you've been broken up for a little over a year." Alec said.

"But we've always been a thing, even when we weren't." I said.

"Do you know how mental that sounds?" Alec said and I rolled my eyes. "Honestly Jace, she found someone who makes her happy, and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. What girl wouldn't want that?" Alec explained.

"I thought she didn't want to settle down either. That's why we did what we did. We weren't serious, and we both liked that." I said.

"Maybe she changed. Maybe she realized that she wanted a husband, and kids one day." Alec said, but I didn't reply. "Look, why don't you get away for a few weeks? Away from the city, and away from the paparazzi."

"Where too? They follow me everywhere." I said.

"My family vacation home up in Northern California is in a remote location. No neighbors, and the people there really don't care about fame or anything else." Alec offered.

"And your staff?" I asked.

"Won't say a word, and won't leak a single thing. They like the privacy as much as we do." Alec said.

"You know what, I could use a vacation." I said.

"Good. Leave tonight." Alec said and I nodded. "I'll call Tessa tonight, and let her know you're coming so she can let the staff know."

"Thanks man." I said. He smiled before leaving. I went to my room and started packing. Maybe this vacation was something I really needed.

 **Time Jump – Arriving at Vacation Home**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace was arriving shortly, and we were all told explicitly that his stay here is private and if it's leaked, we will be terminated immediately. Personally I didn't really know who he was, Tessa just explained that he was a musician but I liked books more than music, so I didn't know any of his songs.

The staff wasn't huge here, and I was the youngest one here, so we all wouldn't do a thing to jeopardize his vacation. I got the need to relax, and that's what he was coming here for. There was no need to ruin that, and also get fired in the process. So when the car pulled up, and he stepped out, I had to admit, I was pretty stunned with how gorgeous he was.

"Jace, welcome to the Lightwood Estate. I'm Tessa, head maid." She introduced.

"Hi Tessa, thank you for the warm welcome." Jace smiled.

"As you can see, we are quite a small staff." Tessa said as she gestured to us. "We have Hodge, our chef, Amatis, our grounds keeper, me of course, and Clary, a maid."

"It's wonderful to meet you all." Jace said.

"We're here for whatever you need. Don't be afraid to ask us for anything." Tessa instructed. "If you want something from the market, just let Hodge know, and we'll get it for you."

"Thank you." Jace said.

"Clary, why don't you take his bags to his room." Tessa said and I nodded.

"I can carry them, but I could use a guide." Jace smiled.

"Of course. This way." I said as we started walking.

"So, you look like the young gun around here." He said.

"Yea, but I've always been the youngest, ever since I was hired." I told him.

"How long have you worked for the Lightwood's?" He asked.

"Magnus got me the job when I was 18, so it's been a little over 7 years." I told him.

"And how do you know Magnus?" He asked.

"We grew up together." I said once we reached his room, and I decided to stop the questions. "Have a good vacation Mr. Herondale." I said as I walked away.

"It's just Jace." He called after me.

"Have a good vacation Jace." I said before walking away. I had a feeling he was going to be a dangerous game while he was here, and I don't know if I'm quite ready for that.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I've been here for a week, and I had to admit, I was pretty relaxed. It was nice being around people who didn't want anything from me. They were just going about their lives, having a casual conversation when I would enter a room, but they weren't overbearing. It was nice to be a person again, and not just a celebrity, or a way to get famous.

Clary was the most fascinating part of this vacation thus far though. She was mysterious. Having light conversation, but never really revealing much about herself. All I knew about her was she has known Magnus since they were kids, and that's how she got the job. I knew nothing else. I guess that was part of the appeal for me though. Most women tell me their entire life story, and than proceed to try any way they can to get into my life.

It was late, and I wanted a midnight snack. I enjoyed having a chef, but I wasn't useless in the kitchen, so I wasn't worried about having to make my own food. But when I walked in, there sat Clary on the bar stool.

"You're up late." I said and she turned around.

"It's only midnight." Clary said with a smile.

"Is this not late for you?" I asked.

"Not really." She answered.

"What do you consider late?" I asked as I took a seat.

"When the sun rises?" She answered with a question.

"Most people consider that early." I said and she laughed.

"I'm not most people." She responded.

"No you are not." I said with a smile. "So do you always have trouble sleeping?" I asked.

"How do you know I have trouble sleeping?" She asked.

"Because most people don't consider the sunrise to be late, but early." I said and she laughed.

"I guess I gave myself up there." She said and I nodded. "But I guess it's been for the last couple years. I just can't seem to sleep for long periods of time."

"Do you know why?" I asked.

"The doctor says it's insomnia, my therapist says it's anxiety, and hypnotist says it's childhood trauma." She said so seriously that I didn't know if she was kidding or not. Than she started laughing. "I'm kidding, I've just never been a good sleeper." She laughed.

"You are a very good story teller." I laughed.

"I babysat a lot in high school, so I got good at story telling." She said and I nodded. "But I do have to be up early today, so I'm gonna get some sleep. Goodnight Jace."

"Night Clary." I said and she left the kitchen. She left half the grilled cheese there, and I took it and ate it. Clary just got a whole lot more interesting to me.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was doing everything in my power to stay away from Jace. I was getting way too close to him. Every time he asked me a question about myself I wanted to answer it, but I couldn't. So the only thing I could think of was to call Simon and talk it out with him.

"I don't see the problem with letting him in Clary. He sounds like he's really into you." Simon said.

"The problem is Simon, we're too different." I expressed. "He's a musician with over 6 million followers on Instagram, and I'm a maid."

"So? Opposites attract, do they not?" Simon said.

"I mean, that's a really trivial reason, but it still counts." I said.

"So what are your other reasons?" Simon asked.

"For one my past." I said. "My medical conditions, the fact that I'm technically on the run."

"Your medical history isn't your fault." Simon said. "And secondly, whatever is in your criminal record is easily explainable."

"But the history behind the criminal record isn't." I said.

"Again, that isn't your fault." Simon said.

"How isn't it? I was weak. A coward. I let it happen." I said.

"I'm gonna need you to shut the hell up right there Clarissa Morgenstern." Simon said and I flinched hearing my full name for the first time in years. "What happened to you is not even close to your fault. That bastard manipulated you. He controlled you. He beat you. None of that falls on you."

"And how could someone like Jace Herondale want someone like me? I've read about his ex girlfriend. She was absolutely gorgeous, and a super model. I can't compete with that." I said honestly.

"They aren't together because he broke up with her." Simon said. "And from what I've read, they were never serious, so maybe she wasn't what he was looking for. Maybe he wants someone like you. Maybe you are exactly what he wants, and you're shutting him out." He said and I sighed. How could I possibly argue with that?

 **Jace POV:**

I was making my way out for lunch when I heard Clary's voice echoing down the hall. I was going to stop and see if she wanted to catch some lunch with me. I got to the door and I was about to knock when I heard her speaking.

"I can't tell you how much better I feel telling you about all this." She said, and it made me curious about who was on the other end of the call. "Honestly, talking about Jace really made it a lot easier. It's been a long couple weeks here, and there's just so much to talk about when it comes to him." She said and my blood started to boil. "I'll call back in a couple days. I'll probably have so much more to tell you." She laughed. "You too. Bye." She hung up the phone and I saw a smile on her face. I couldn't believe she would do this to me.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Jace POV:**

When I woke up in the morning, my phone was filled with notifications. Sleepily I checked, and most of them were normal things from fans, but when I saw the link my manger texted me, I knew it was bad.

 _Jace Herondale taking a mini vacation after hearing about his ex's engagement might have found himself someone new to spend his time with. But what do we know about this mysterious new woman in his life? Details about their new and intimate relationship on A4._

Everything hit me immediately, the person Clary was on the phone with must have been a reporter. How else would he find out about what goes on in this house? Clary is the only one who knows about our conversations, or our relationship (can I even call it that?). it doesn't matter. What matters is, Clary betrayed me, and there is no way in hell I was going to let her get away with it.

 **Clary POV:**

I had finished my morning work, and was grabbing a cup of coffee in the kitchen when I heard footsteps. I turned around and there was Jace, but he didn't look happy.

"What's wrong?" I asked, but that didn't help.

"What's wrong is that I trusted you, and you completely manipulated me." He flared.

"What are you talking about?" I asked honestly.

"I know you were on the phone with a reporter the other day. I know you leaked stories and information about me, about us." He snapped, and that just confused me even more. "I'm used to people using me, but I thought you were above that. Was this your plan the whole time? Get close to me than sell the story to the highest bidder?"

"The highest bidder? What are you talking about Jace?" I asked honestly.

"Stop lying to me Clary." He seethed. "God, I thought you were different. I thought you weren't like every other girl in the world, but you're the same." He said as he started to walk away. "Actually, your worse because you did it with a smile on your face." With that he was gone, and I was left completely dumbfounded.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"I think you're over reacting Jace." Alec said to me. "I've known Clary for years, and Magnus has known her even longer. She wouldn't do this to you."

"Clearly you don't know her all that well because she's been pretending to be someone she's not for a very long time." I told him spitefully.

"What does that mean?" Alec asked.

"I had my people do a criminal background check on her, Clary Fray isn't her real name, and she has a record." I explained to him. I was expecting to see hurt, shock, even rage in his eyes, but there was something else, sympathy.

"Jace, we know. We wouldn't have hired her without a background check." Alec sighed.

"You let a criminal into your house?!" I yelled. "Jesus Alec, she's no good. She's a liar, and a manipulator, and a straight up monster. I mean, look what she did to me?!"

"Like I said Jace, you're blowing this whole thing up." Alec said.

"You don't get it. Not everyone can be as amazing as Magnus. Not everyone gets what you have." I said.

"I guess you'll never know." Alec said but I United the comment. "Look, I have to go. Talk tomorrow?"

"Yea, sure." I said and with that Alec left. "Another round." I told the bartender as he got me another drink. I didn't want to think right now, so I wouldn't.

 **Time Jump – A Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"I've talk to Magnus." Alec said as he took a seat.

"So?" I asked.

"So there is more to the story that you don't know about Clary." Alec explained.

"I don't care about her. I never did." I spat.

"Yes you did because you're upset, and you only get upset when you care." Alec said and I rolled my eyes. "I was only given permission to give you some details. Do you want them?" He asked, and as much as I didn't, I really did.

"Fine." I said, trying to sound disinterested.

"Her name isn't Clary Fray, but Clarissa Morgenstern." Alec explained. "Her mom bailed when she was a baby, and her dad was practically absent." He started. "She met Magnus when they were in grade school and hit it off immediately because they both had shit home lives." He said. "When Clary was 18 she needed a job to move away from her dad. So Magnus talked me into meeting her, and she was just so bright and eager. Something pulled me towards her."

"Yea, that's called manipulation." I scoffed.

"Anyway, things got bad and she left after a year or two, but showed up on Magnus and I's doorstep one day, and she was different. It had been nearly 2 years since we saw her last, but she was a changed woman." He explained. "That's all I'm allowed to tell you."

"So because she had a shit life I should feel sorry for her?" I asked.

"What I'm saying is, she isn't who you think she is." Alec said. "She's a good person." With that he left, but I couldn't believe him. I just couldn't.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It's been weird without Jace here, I had to admit. It wouldn't be so bad if he didn't leave the way that he did, but he didn't even give me a chance to figure out what he was talking about, and explain that what he thought I did wasn't me.

Turns out, it wasn't hard to find out. There was an article leaked about him, and me that apparently gives him every right to assume it was me, but that didn't give him the right to just accuse me. I could have explained it wasn't me very easily, but I doubt he would have listened.

So as I sit in the kitchen at midnight, and thinking about how that rockstar weaseled his way into my heart, I can't help but admit for the first time in a very long time, I allowed someone to bring down my walls, and it sucked that it had to be with a guy who thought I was a fame seeking bitch.

Not very hungry anymore, I put my plate in the sink and rinsed it off, when I heard something short circuit. Confused, I searched around the counter when I found something that could be the source. I picked it up, and sure enough, it was a bug. Plated by someone in this house. I immediately texted Mr. and Mrs. Lightwood to let them know what was going on. At least I knew how our conversations got out, I just didn't think this was enough to make Jace believe me.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"We found the source of the leak." Alec said.

"Yea, Clary. We figured that out awhile ago." I said.

"No. A bug was planted in the kitchen and in various spots around the house." Alec explained.

"Let me guess, Clary found them." I said.

"She did." He admitted.

"Come on Alec. You aren't stupid. You went to an Ivy League college." I said. "She planted them, than 'found' them. Yea right."

"Come on Jace." Alec said.

"No. I'm tired of you defending her. She used me. Why can't I be mad about that?" I yelled.

"Because you don't know the whole story." Came another voice. One I didn't recognize.

"Who is that?" I asked when he came into view.

"Clary's best friend." Magnus said. "I called and asked if he could come out here."

"Why? To convince me it wasn't Clary?" I asked. "It won't work."

"Clary is my best friend." The guy said. "And what I'm about to tell you, Clary would murder me for, but I know how much you mean to her, so I'm doing this _for_ her."

"Sit, and listen." Alec said and I obeyed, but only to get him off my back.

"Everything Alec told you was true, but major details were left out." He became. "Clary left 2 years after Alec hired her because she got ovarian cancer." He said and my jaw dropped. "I know, 20 years old, and getting ovarian cancer is rare, but it happens." He explained. "So she froze her viable eggs, and started treatment. It was brutal. She wanted to give up so many times, but she didn't. She's tough like that." He said. "She met a guy at the hospital. His mom was going through treatment as well, and they got along. He would take care of her, and she finally felt like she was loved and needed, and taken care of. Something she's never felt before." He said. "But when she beat the cancer, he changed. He got really physical, and he got mean. Clary would call me crying in the middle of the night after he had just beaten her. She was stuck in this controlling and manipulative relationship that she couldn't escape."

"Is that when she came to us?" Alec asked.

"Yea. One night, he put a knife on her. Told her he was going to carve his name into her skin while she bled out so everyone knew who she belonged too." He explained and my body went numb.

"What happened?" Magnus asked.

"Clary ran to their bedroom and locked the door." He said. "It didn't stop him, but it delayed him long enough for Clary to get her gun."

"She owns a gun?" I asked.

"Yea. Because she knew it was either her life, or his." He explained. "That's where her criminal record shows up. She was in court for months. His family trying to get her on a first degree murder charge, her claiming self defense." He shook his head. "Eventually the case was dropped, but it's still out there."

"So he's dead?" I asked.

"She shot him right in the head." He explained. "She's still paranoid. Keeps her gun close. Barely sleeps at night. Her father has been trying to hunt her down for years, but she's kept her identity a secret. Until hat article was published."

"What's he father want with her?" Alec asked.

"Just to get her back." He explained. "He's never really liked her either, and she left in the middle of the night when she graduated high school. He wants someone to control."

"I'm an idiot." I finally said.

"Clary is the most truthful person I've ever met. And she's genuine." He said. "She would never sell you out."

"So who did than?" I asked.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you." Alec said. "It was Hodge. Apparently his granddaughters are huge fans and he did it at first for them, but realized he could make a hell of a lot selling the story."

"That old bastard." I cursed.

"He's fired." Alec said.

"I have to find Clary." I said as I stood up.

"You know where to find her." Alec said and I nodded.

"Thank you…" I looked at her friend.

"Simon." He said.

"Thank you Simon, for clearing everything up." I said.

"No problem, but hurt my best friend, and you're dead." Simon said.

"Got it." I said as I ran out of the house. I didn't even know how to mend this burnt bridge.

 **Clary POV:**

"Why are you here?" I said as I looked at those golden eyes I tried so hard to forget.

"Can we talk?" Jace asked.

"I'd rather not." I said honestly.

"5 minutes. That's all I need." Jace pleaded.

"You have 2. I have somewhere I need to be." I bargained and he nodded.

"I'm an idiot. I know that." He started out with, and I had to admit, it was a very strong beginning. "I guess I was so convinced the world was out to get me, I didn't think it was possible for someone to just want to know the real me, so I lashed out at you before you hurt me, and I ended up hurting you instead, and that was never my intention." Jace explained. "The month I spent here was the most incredible month I've had in years. Being with you was the most real I've been in years, and when I thought you betrayed me, I felt like the comfort I found here was violated. But I should have known it wasn't you." Jace said. "Because you are the most genuine, selfless, and compassionate person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and you don't maliciously spread rumors, or leak information about people. Not even for $15,000 dollars, even though you could benefit from the money." Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh a little. "You care about privacy, and secrecy, and intimate moments only shared between two people, and it was absolutely ludicrous that I believed even for a fraction of a second that you sold me out." He continued. "I guess what I'm trying to say here is that, I'm sorry. For yelling, for accusing, for my complete lack of sensibility in the heat of the moment. You didn't deserve any of that." He said.

"You took longer than 2 minutes." I said once I realized he was finished.

"I know, but it was worth it." Jace said and I nodded. "But you have somewhere to be, so I'll leave. I just wanted you to know." He said as he turned away before turning back. "That I was sorry."

"I appreciate the apology." I told him. "And I accept it. Maybe I'll see you the next time you take a vacation up here?" I asked.

"Maybe." He said. "Bye Clary."

"Bye Jace." I said as I watched him walk away. It killed me seeing him go a second time, but it would do neither of us any good rekindling what ever he stomped out all those months ago, so I didn't even bother.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"What the hell are you doing man? If you're this miserable, go after her." Alec said to me.

"She's better off without me." I said honestly. "My life would be too much for her. She's a simple girl. My life isn't simple."

"People change for those they love." Alec said.

"I can't do that to her." I said again.

"Look man, you're miserable." He said and I went to argue but he wouldn't let me. "No, Clary meant a lot to you, and everyone saw it. So your life is crazy. Who cares? If you're with the one you love, everything is infinitely better."

"What if she doesn't want anything to do with me? What if she's moved on? I mean, we haven't even kissed. How can I be in love with someone I haven't kissed?" I asked frantically.

"Because love isn't always physical." Alec explained. "You can fall in love with a person you've never kissed, hugged, slept with, or held hands with. Because love is so much more than sex." He said.

"What if she doesn't feel it?" I asked.

"There is only one way to find out." Alec said. I nodded, for the second time going out to find Clary. "The staff went out to the bar tonight. You'll find her there." I nodded and made my way to the bar, hoping to win back the girl I never really had in the first place, but would most certainly die without.

 **Clary POV:**

"Why are you here?" I asked as I saw Jace standing across the bar from me.

"Déjà vu." Jace laughed. "I came here because I need you to know something." He said.

"Jace, I know you're sorry." I said because we really didn't need to have this conversation again.

"That's not it." Jace cut me off. "I'm here because I'm in love with you and I don't want to spend another day apart." He said, and my jaw hit the ground as the bar patrons awed.

"You're serious?" I finally asked and he laughed.

"I pushed you away once, than I was too cowardly to make a move the second time, but I will never make either of those mistakes again because my life was infinitely better with you in it Clary Fray, and I will do anything to make sure you're life is infinitely better from this day forward." Jace explained and I had to admit, he had a way with his words that could make any woman swoon.

"You hardly know me Jace." I said. "How are you in love with me?"

"Because you are the most beautiful, genuine, kind hearted person I've ever met in my life, and just being around you makes me want to be a better person." He explained.

"I'm damaged Jace." I shook my head.

"I don't care. Clary, you're absolutely amazing the way you are, and I wouldn't change a thing about you." He said so honestly.

"I can't have kids." I blurted out. "I mean, I have eggs, but do you know how hard it will be to find a surrogate that will keep their lips sealed about you, and our life?" I asked.

"I actually know the perfect person for the job, and that doesn't matter to me. I will literally do anything in the world to make you happy." He said as he moved over to me and took my hands in his.

"I suck at relationships." I whispered to him.

"No. You've been in sucky relationships, you do not suck at relationships." Jace said. "And I'm not like them. I will never hurt you. I will treat you like a fucking queen because you are one Clary."

"I can't get my heart broken Jace. I would break if that happened." I said honestly.

"I never intend to break your heart Clary." He said and I looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but honesty in them. "Give me a chance to prove you wrong."

"Okay." I said after a moment and than he was kissing me. I could vaguely hear the patrons of the bar cheering, but I didn't care, I was kissing this amazing man, who I could have a really amazing life with. I didn't know when my luck turned around, but I was enjoying it as much as possible.

 **Time Jump – Four Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace kept his promise, and because of that promise I'm living my best life possible. We got married fast, because there really was no reason to wait. His life was a lot to get used too, but I loved him all the more for who he was, and what he did.

We were working on 4 years of marriage, with 2 kids, and I couldn't be more in love with him if I tried. Turns out, his sister was a very willing surrogate when Jace brought up the complications with me, and my inability to get pregnant. She jumped at the opportunity, and just knowing Jace and I could have a biological child together was something I would always be thankful for.

Perri was going to be 3 this weekend, and she was truly a daddy's girl through and through. She was the perfect combination of Jace and I. She got his beautiful gold eyes, and my red hair. I truly couldn't picture a better mesh than that, and every single day I thanked the Angels she was mine.

Levi was out newest addition, and he was only 5 months old, but the perfect little guy that this world has ever seen, but I am biased since I'm his mother. He was not a perfect combination of the two of us, but merely Jace's mini. Golden eyes, blonde hair. It was kinda curly like mine, but he was mostly Jace, which I loved, and I knew he loved it just as much.

"Mommy, daddy said we could go to the zoo this weekend!" Perri announced as she bounced into the living room.

"Oh did he now?" I said with a smile.

"Yea, he said we could see all the aminals!" She bounced even more.

"Did daddy also say that you must listen to everything mommy asks in order to go to the zoo?" I asked.

"Of course mommy." Perri said and I smiled.

"Than I can't wait to go to the zoo baby." I said. She kissed me and went to play with her toys, and Jace sat next to me and picked Levi up from my arms. "I thought you had an interview this weekend out of state."

"I was supposed too, but it just so happens the stomach bug is going around the studio, so they postponed it until further notice. Which means I don't have to miss our daughters birthday, and we can have an amazing family day at the zoo." He smiled and I couldn't help but smile.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" I said and he laughed.

"Not today, but I'm well aware." Jace said and I kissed him.

"I love you." I said to him.

"I love you too Clary." He said as he gave me one more kiss. I had an amazing life. Maybe marrying a musician isn't the worst thing that can happen to a girl.

"Mommy. I have to go potty." I heard Perry ask as I saw her holding herself.

"Quick! To the bathroom." I yelled but it was too late.

"I'm sorry mommy." Perri said about to cry.

"Don't worry sweetie. Accidents happen." I said but she was still upset. Potty training was going so well, but sometimes it just slips. "Do you want a full bath or a bird bath?" I asked as I kneeled in front of her.

"Bird bath." She said as her lip quivered.

"A birth bath it is." I said. "You got this?" I asked Jace as I pointed to the pee on the floor.

"I got this." He said as he put Levi down on the couch as he slept. I peeled Perri's clothes off and put them on the floor with Jace as I picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. I looked behind me before I left the room and saw the worlds most beloved rockstar cleaning up pee on the ground and I couldn't help but smile. Life wasn't always glamorous but damn was it worth it.

 **Authors Note:**

So this is a lot faster than I expected to update, but I got an idea and I ran with it. This was thought of my be, along with reading some other fics that helped with the inspiration and I'm grateful that my imagination and my writing is getting some inspiration back! Let me know what you think and leave a review! Like I said, I probably won't update again for a little while, or a long while, it just depends, but I appreciate the kind words, and amazing reviews! It's what keeps me going! I am so determined to get to 200 one shots just like I promised you all, and god damn to you deserve it! :)


	139. Chapter 138 - Rivals

**One Hundred and Thirty Eight One Shot:**

 **Rivals**

 **Clary POV:**

If there was one thing in the world that was known within this town, it's that the Herondale's and the Morgenstern's didn't get alone. At all. The feud started back when James Herondale, and Roderick Morgenstern's friendship, or as some would say, brotherhood ended. The two were joined at the hips, until one day, they were enemies, the families have been rivals ever since.

Having an enemy is one thing, but having an enemy in the same town as you is kinda annoying. You can't go anywhere and escape. The Herondale's were always there, and always making a fuss about everything.

And of course when it came to rivals, each family had another family that stood in their corner. For the Herondale's, it was the Lightwood's. A family that had been in their corner since the whole feud started, and a family that was just as obnoxious as the Herondale's.

Alexander Lightwood, or Alec, was Jace Herondale's best friend. Always by his side, and never backing down in a fight if it came to that. If anyone saw the two of them together, you'd think they were related, that's how meaningful their friendship was to each other. Me on the other hand think differently. Jace was the biggest asshole in the town, and the more Alec hung around him, the bigger the asshole he became. Jace was a terrible influence on him.

Isabelle Lightwood was next. She was Alec's twin. Beautiful, and smart. But vicious as all hell. When it came to the rivalry, me and her were at odds more often than not. She was stuck up, and someone I would never associate with unless I was being held hostage. To put it lightly, the girl gets around, and honestly, crushing her in school was one of my favorite past times.

Max Lightwood was the last of the Lightwoods, and I was just praying they didn't corrupt that poor boy yet. He has a chance to be better than his siblings, but with the last name Lightwood, he was destined to be just as bad as the eldest two.

Finally, Jace Herondale was the biggest thorn in Jon's side that I've ever seen. Constantly picking fights with him, or insulting him. If you ask me, Jace Herondale was the scum of this earth, and the fact that we had to share the same town was a thought that made me want to scrub my skin in a boiling hot shower until I was down the to the bone.

"You ready for our senior year Clare?" Jon said breaking me out of my thoughts as we pulled up to school.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I responded. "It's time to get out of this hell hole."

"The school or, this town?" Jon asked as we grabbed our backpacks.

"Is there really a difference?" I asked and he laughed.

"I guess not." Jon said and I laughed.

We met up with Sebastian and Aline when we got into the school building. Now, the Herondale's may have the Lightwood's, but we had the Verlac's and the Penhallows. The two cousins loved to make their lives a living hell, and Jon and I were all for it. The only downfall is that Sebastian has had a crush on me since junior high, and I just can't seem to get rid of it.

"I can't believe we have to share a school with them." Sebastian said with disgust as the Lightwood's and the Herondale's walked in. He made sure he said it loud enough for them to hear.

"Feeling's mutual buddy." Jace said through the halls. "You and your band of whores from off the street. Do us all a favor, and get tested, I heard herpes is a nasty son of a bitch for a man with a fragile ego like yourself."

"Why don't you shut the hell up Herondale!" Jon shouted.

"What? He can't fight his own battles anymore?" Jace smirked. "What a bitch."

"Fuck you." Sebastian finally hissed.

"I didn't think I was your type." Jace laughed. "Alec might be interested though. Alec?" Jace asked and Alec laughed.

"Not even a gay man would go for that." Alec laughed. "Word on the street is you got a small dick." He laughed.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Porter said.

"Nothing. Just a conversation." Jace said before they walked away. Mr. Porter didn't look like he believed him, but went back into his classroom nonetheless.

"God, what a piece of shit." Sebastian seethed.

"Let's just get to class." I said. "We'll deal with them later." I said and they all nodded in agreement. It was the first day of school, and if this was what the rest of the year is going to be like, it's going to be one hell of a senior year.

 **Jace POV:**

"God, I can't believe I have to share a classroom with her." Izzy scoffed. "I mean, who skips a grade?"

"Someone a little too attached to her brother." I said. "Don't you ever get a weird feeling about them?"

"You mean like, sexual?" Izzy asked.

"I don't know. I just get a weird vibe from the pair." I said.

"Ew. You think?" Izzy asked.

"I don't know. I'm just speculating." I said. "I fucking hate Jon, and Clary isn't that great either, but after this year we don't have to be stuck in the same building together. That's what I'm looking forward too."

"I can't wait to not see that carrot top after this." Izzy laughed.

"How sweet. You're talking about me." Came a voice and Iz rolled her eyes.

"Just stay over there, and don't talk, okay pippy?" Izzy sneered.

"Whatever you say Barbie." Clary smiled, but you could tell it was sarcastic.

"Please, Barbie has nothing on me." Izzy flicked her hair.

"Right, Barbie doesn't need a man to give her value. You on the other hand, how's Raphael, or was it Meliorn, oh wait no, it was Bat this week right?" Clary said in a fake voice. "I just can't seem to keep the straight." With one last smile she turned around. Izzy flipped her off just as the teacher walked in.

As class went on, I couldn't stop thinking about Clary. And no, not in the 'oh my god I love her' kind of way. But she was the biggest mystery in the Morgenstern family. I hated Jon, and her parents, but she seemed like she was guarded, feisty, but so guarded, and that was very fascinating to me.

 **Time Jump – Homecoming**

 **Clary POV:**

Homecoming was this weekend, and I had to be honest, I was kinda dreading it. Sebastian had asked me three times to go with him, and I couldn't keep rejecting him, but I didn't want to go with him. I wanted to go alone honestly, and not have to worry about a date, but he didn't seem to understand that.

"Seriously Jon, you need to talk to him." I said as we were in the car to go to school.

"Just say no again." Jon said.

"4 no's and he still doesn't get it? Come on Jon, you aren't stupid." I said and he laughed.

"I'll talk to him, let him know the deal." Jon said.

"Thanks Jon." I smiled. "So, who are you going with?" I asked.

"I don't know. I'm keeping my options open right now." He said and I laughed.

"You're such a player." I teased and he smiled and winked at me.

As the day dragged on, homecoming proposals were happening left and right. Nothing like waiting until last minute, but hey, at least they were asking. The end of the day came and I was so ready to go home. I grabbed my things and headed out to the parking lot to meet Jon, when I came face to face with Sebastian, and a huge banner that was asking me to homecoming. I looked over at Jon, who just shrugged and gave me a sad smile.

"Clarissa Morgenstern, will you please go to homecoming with me?" Sebastian said as he held out my favorite flower: daises.

"Sebastian." I said tentatively, until another banner dropped.

"Just kidding. I have another date." He laughed and I punched him in the chest.

"I fucking hate you." I hissed but he still laughed.

"You think I'd ask a fourth time? You're out of your damn mind Morgenstern." He smiled and that's when I looked at Jon, before punching him as well.

"What the hell was that for?" Jon asked.

"For encouraging him." I said.

"This was payback for saying no." Sebastian said with a smirk. "Gotta get my fill of embarrassing in as you embarrassed me by declining, three times." He explained.

"You're such a dick." I said but Jon and Sebastian continued laughing as they walked away.

"Boys are so immature." Aline said beside me and I couldn't help but nod.

"And those are the most immature of the species." I said before giggling caught my attention and I looked over to see Jace making out with some girl. "I stand corrected, that's the most immature, Jon and Seb are a close second though." I said and she laughed.

"You really don't want a date?" Aline asked.

"Not really. Not in the mood to answer to anyone all night." I explained.

"I'm not bringing a date either." Aline said.

"We can go together and have a great ass time." I said and she smiled.

"You're better than any date I'd ever take anyway." She smiled and I couldn't help but smile in return. Homecoming was going to be great, I knew it.

 **Time Jump – Christmas Time**

 **Jace POV:**

Since it was Christmas time, Cecilia and I were just aimlessly walking around the mall looking for something to get our parents, but also just getting out of the house while our parents hash out their problems.

"She's pretty." Cecilia said out of nowhere.

"Who?" I asked curiously.

"Her." Cecilia said, as she pointed in the direction of where she was looking, and that's when I saw familiar red hair.

"Do you know what that is Cec? That's a Morgenstern." I hissed.

"So? She's still pretty." Cecilia said rather annoyed. I looked over at Clary and she was laughing with Jon. Maybe Cecilia had a point, but that would never be spoken out loud to anyone.

We continued through the mall until we found something to get our parents, and the whole time, I really couldn't stop seeing Clary everywhere. It didn't look like she saw me at all, but obviously I didn't mind.

It was a rare occasion when I see Clary so carefree. At school she was so uptight, or feisty, neither really an issue, but seeing her constantly laughing, or smiling, was different, and even more intriguing.

"Come on Cec. Let's go." I finally said. We made our way out, and back home. As Cecilia sang her heart out in the car, my mind kept wondering to the red head that for some reason, wouldn't leave me alone.

 **Time Jump – Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight has been the night from hell so it was a no brainer leaving town for a few hours.

Sitting in the dark, in a deserted park, listening to the wind blow the abandoned swings was a familiar feeling, almost like home, and right now, it was more inviting than my actual home.

I'd been here for nearly 2 hours alone when I heard the crunch of the leaves behind me. The figure was too far away to identify, but the minute I got a glimpse, my night got worse again.

"Get the hell out of here Herondale. I was here first." I spat, not wanting to deal with him tonight.

"It's a public park Morgenstern, I'm allowed to be here." He spat back at me. "Plus, I need to clear my head, and this is he place I come." He admitted and I had to admit, I completely understood that.

"Well, don't breath on me, and you can stay." I said and all he did was laugh before sitting in the swing right next to me. "Really? There is a whole park."

"Yea, but I usually sit here." He said naturally. "Which means, we aren't so different after all."

"Yuck. Don't compare me to a Herondale." I gagged.

"Please, you'd be lucky to be a Herondale." Jace scoffed.

"You're such a dick." I said as I shook my head.

"And you're angry." Jace said. "Everything okay?"

"Like I would confide in you." I laughed. "You'd probably go spill my life to everyone and humiliate my family."

"You take me to be that heartless of a prick?" Jace asked, and he sounded kinda wounded.

"You saying you don't think the same of me?" I asked instead of answering his question.

"Jon's a prick, but you, I'm still trying to figure you out." Jace said and I scrunched my nose at the insult to Jon, and the creepiness of his constant thinking of me.

"I'm glad you spend so much time thinking about me. Must be why you're a terrible student." I laughed getting my jab in.

"Terrible student? I'm on track to be valedictorian." Jace said and my jaw dropped.

"No you aren't. I am." I shot back.

"Than let the best Herondale win." Jace smirked.

"You can't be." I said, still shocked.

"Look, you and Iz battle it out with the grades. And she's a smart girl, but she isn't going to get valedictorian, hell she won't even get salutatorian." Jace admitted and I was kinda stunned.

"Why are you telling me his? Shouldn't you be telling me I'm stupid and Isabelle is way smarter?" I asked.

"Why would I do that? It's not true." Jace simply said.

It was quiet after that. I didn't know what to say and Jace clearly didn't want to talk, so that just left us with the wind. I wouldn't admit it out loud, but it was comfortable in the atmosphere. Almost calming being around him just being in the moment. It almost made me want to confide in him. Key word, almost.

"You know, if our parents didn't hate each other, I think we would have actually been friends." Jace said out of the blue and I looked at him shocked. "Jon and I are a lot alike. I have a feeling we'd get into a lot of fun shit together." He laughed.

"Too bad the Morgenstern's and the Herondale's have been at odds since our great great grandparents were kids." I added, reminding him that we weren't friends.

"Do you even know the truth about what happened between them?" Jace asked.

"Of course." I scoffed.

"I mean the truth not skewed by your family, or by mine." Jace said.

"What are you saying?" I asked curious as to where he was going.

"The Lightwood's have a completely different story. The correct story. Totally unbiased." Jace said.

"So why are they on your side?" I asked.

"Because our families have always been friends." Jace shrugged.

"So according to the Lightwood's, what really happened?" I asked curiously.

"Your great great grandfather stole my great great grandfathers girlfriend when they were 17. There's been bad blood ever since." Jace explained.

"Seriously? For that stupid reason?" I said, kinda annoyed it was the tiny of an issue.

"There was more to the story, but that's the gist of it all." Jace explained.

"Don't I deserve to know the whole story? It does involve me." I asked, wanting to know what really went down all those years ago.

"Do you have the time?" Jace asked.

"I've been out here for hours. I have nothing but time." I laughed and he cracked a smile.

"My great great grandfather and your great great grandfather we're friends from birth." Jace began as he looked at he sky. "Basically my great great grandfather fell head over heels in love with a girl in his school. Like, stupidly in love." Jace laughed.

"Like Kaelie's love for you?" I laughed and so did he.

"Even worse. My great great grandfather was ignorantly blissful and just never saw a fault in her." Jace said. "At 17, how serious is love though?" Jace rhetorically asked. "When you're ignorantly in love like that, something is bound to go wrong."

"And my great great grandfather took advantage of that ignorance and betrayed your great great grandfather." I said.

"Not entirely." Jace said.

"I'm so confused right now. Honestly." I said and Jace laughed.

"It was the girl." Jace said. "The bimbo played them both like a fiddle and they blamed each other."

"So she was a whore?" I asked.

"Also, not really that cut and dry." Jace said.

"This story has so many holes." I added and he nodded.

"Herondale loved her, with his heart and soul. Morgenstern loved the sex." Jace explained. "So when the girl decided she could get the love from Herondale and the sex from Morgenstern, she found the best of both worlds."

"So Herondale's are lovers and suck in bed so naturally the Morgenstern's picked up the slack." I smirked but Jace didn't react. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"The Lightwood's happened actually." Jace said. "And Herondale decided that he was going to move on. She was pretty, smart, down the earth. He was rebuilding his broken heart."

"What happened?" I asked, intrigued by the story.

"Morgenstern killed her." Jace said and my jaw dropped.

"How?" I asked.

"By accident. Herondale could never forgive Morgenstern after that. And this began the bad blood." Jace said and I really couldn't believe how skewed the story got over the years. "So now you know the truth."

"Wait, if the Lightwood's came in late, how do they know all of this?" I asked thinking about the story.

"The Lightwood's were always there, just another Lightwood came into the picture." Jace explained.

"Wow." I said. "It's crazy how messed up the story got. Especially on my side."

"What's your story?" He asked and I raised an eyebrow at him. "I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours." He offered.

"That Herondale stole his girlfriend, his money, all his property, killed his sister, and turned the town against him, which ultimately led him to go mad and live the rest of his life in an insane asylum." I explained.

"Holy shit." Jace said and I laughed.

"It's intense." I said, and Jace nodded in agreement. "So, what's yours?" I asked.

"Morgenstern stole his fortune, ran away with his pregnant girlfriend, only later to kill the child, so he wouldn't have to raise his enemies offspring." Jace said.

"Wow. You Herondale's sure like a flare for the dramatics." I laughed and surprisingly so did Jace.

"In the end, it doesn't matter what the story is, our behavior is learned behavior, and we were always going to grow up this way." Jace explained. "We were always going to be enemies."

"I guess with so much bad history, this was inevitable." I said and Jace just nodded in agreement.

"So, why are you really out here?" Jace finally asked, and for some reason, god knows what it is, I feel like I can trust this kid, even though every thing I was taught tells me not too.

"My parents are fighting again." I simply said. "I didn't want to listen so I came here."

"You left town." Jace stated. "That's a little more than just a fight."

"You left town too." I pointed out. He raised his eyebrow at me and I sighed. "Like 7 years ago my mom cheated on my dad. She hid it for months, and my dad found out, and flipped. They've been at odds ever since."

"That blows." Jace said and I nodded.

"One reason I tried really hard in school." I added. "I wanted out of the house sooner rather than later, and skipping to Jon's grade meant I could do that."

"That's dedication." Jace said.

"Having Jon makes that house bearable. Without him, I'd go crazy." I said.

"I understand that." Jace admitted and I looked at him. "My parents haven't been in love for probably the past decade."

"That long?" I asked, kinda shocked.

"Cecilia was 2 when the fighting started, and she's 12 now, so yea, a decade." Jace explained.

"What caused the fights?" I asked curiously.

"I think they just fell out of love, and my mom started seeing my fathers shitty qualities and decided to call him out on them. Which in turn lead him to calling out all her shitty qualities, and the fights haven't stopped since." Jace said.

"Who knew we'd have the same problems." I said and Jace laughed.

"You know the really fucked up thing?" Jace asked.

"What's that?" I questioned.

"My parents haven't gotten a divorce because they don't want to let your parents win." He laughed.

"Win what?" I asked.

"Whatever competition they think they're playing." Jace said.

"You know, I think my parents are doing the same thing." I laughed when I thought about it. "They should have divorced after my dad found out, but it never even came up in conversation, or in a fight."

"Our parents are petty as hell." Jace laughed and so did I.

"I mean, we are also kinda petty." I pointed out.

"True, but we aren't being petty now." Jace said.

"You're right." I agreed. And just than I realized that I might not be so different from Jace Herondale than I originally thought.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It was an all too familiar feeling sitting on these swings with Clary. Although nothing has changed within our school, but out here, out here we weren't enemies, we were friends, and I liked it this way.

"Do you think this war will ever be over?" Clary finally asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Between our parents." She said. "So they can finally let each other go and be happy."

"I doubt it." I said honestly. "The war between them is too important for them to give up."

"But why? It has nothing to do with them now." Clary said. "It happened centuries ago. They should just give it up."

"That's not the way of Herondale's, or Morgenstern's for that matter." I told her and she nodded in agreement.

"I wish we weren't as stubborn as we are. It would solve a lot of problems." Clary said, and now it was my time to nod in agreement. "Maybe one day."

"And how do you expect to stop this war?" I asked.

"I didn't say it had to be me. I just said maybe some day, it'll happen." Clary explained.

"How is it at home this time?" I asked and Clary sighed.

"My mom is actively pursuing a relationship with Luke, and my dad is not happy about it. Claiming she's shaming the Morgenstern name." Clary said.

"That's a bummer." I said and she nodded.

"Not the first time he's thought like that though." Clary said. "Why are you here?" She than asked.

"Dad missed Cecilia's parent teacher conference, and my mom is pissed about it." I explained. "They won't stop fighting, so I took her to a friends house and come here to clear my head."

"Just another day in the life of a Morgenstern and a Herondale." Clary laughed and I joined in.

"You can say that again." I said and she continued to laugh. There was something on the back of my mind for a little while now, and if I didn't do it now, I don't think I'd ever get around to doing it. "I have a strange question for you." I said to her.

"What's up?" She asked.

"This weekend, how would you like to go on a date with me?" I asked and her jaw visibly dropped.

"A date?" She questioned. "You want to go on a date with me?" She asked.

"Yea, I mean, I enjoy spending these nights together, but I'd like to step it up." I explained to her.

"And you aren't concerned at all that I'm a Morgenstern?" Clary asked.

"You're more than just a Morgenstern." I told her. "And I want to end this war just like you do, and what better way than to try and mend the broken bridges of our ancestors?" I said but she still didn't look convinced. "Look, I like you Clary."

"Really?" She asked. "You don't seem that way at school." She pointed out.

"You really think Jon would allow me near you?" I asked and that made her laugh.

"I guess you have a point there." She reasoned.

"The only question is, do you like me back." I said and she looked up at me.

"I tried so hard not to, but you're so different than I imagined you'd be." Clary admitted. "Although you are a huge prick to my brother."

"Ah, but he's a prick to me as well." I said and she smiled.

"I guess you're right." She smiled.

"So what do you say, Saturday night?" I asked.

"How are we going to pull it off?" Clary asked and in that moment, I knew it was a yes.

"We'll think of something." I told her and she nodded. Now all I had to do was think of a plan.

 **Time Jump – Date**

 **Clary POV:**

I was actually extremely nervous about his date, considering what we're about to do would be considered treason to our families. But with all this nervous energy I had, I was also extremely excited because I did like Jace, a lot more than I ever thought could happen.

But being a Morgenstern and him being a Herondale, Jace and I had to be a little creative with our date. Meeting there so we didn't have to go to either house and getting caught seemed like the way to go.

I drive listening to music thinking about what tonight could mean. The start of a new chapter for the Herondale's and the Morgenstern's, or a continued feud with even more hate. Either way, I was hella nervous and just trying to keep my emotions in check.

When I pulled up to the park where we agreed to meet, and I saw his silhouette standing there, and my entire body was on fire. Since he asked me out, and since I've been getting to know him, I've been seeing him in a different light, and that in and of itself is terrifying. Maybe this date will be the key to figuring it all out.

"Hey." He said once I got a little closer, the awkwardness was extreme.

"Hey." I said back lamely.

"Look, I know this is weird, and awkward, but let's just pretend we're back on the swings, talking like we do all the time." Jace said and that helped me relax a little.

"Okay." I smiled and I made my way over to him.

"I know this might not be the most impressive date, but we were limited." Jace said as we made it to the picnic blanket.

"If there is one thing you should know about me is that, I'm very simple." I admitted. "This is honestly perfect."

"Cool. I was thinking about what to do and I asked Cecilia about her opinion, and she told me to just follow my gut, and this was the result." Jace explained.

"You and Cecilia seem close." I said and Jace smiled.

"I didn't want a sibling at first. When my mom told me she was pregnant, I wasn't happy." Jace explained.

"What changed?" I asked as he handed us our food.

"I saw her, and she smiled at me, and I realized that I would never let anything happen to her." Jace explained with a smile on his face.

"That's incredibly sweet." I said. "And not something I would expect Jace Herondale to say."

"There are a lot of layers to me." Jace smirked and I laughed.

"I guess it's going to take more than one date to find all these layers?" I asked and he smiled.

"Only if you want too." Jace said, almost shyly. "It's completely up to you."

"I am enjoying myself right now." I said honestly. "So a second date is very possible." He locked eyes with me and my stomach ignited, I was going to enjoy getting to know all the layers of Jace.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was hiding in the janitors closet, like a typical high schooler trying to catch Clary walking by without Sebastian or Jon. It was a lot harder than I thought, but when I caught that glimpse of red hair, I snatched her into the closet with me.

"What the hell? Jace?" She asked.

"I couldn't handle it anymore." I told her honestly, and I saw the anger fade.

"I know what you mean." She said and I pressed my lips to hers.

"I've wanted to do that all day." I expressed and she smiled.

"Its torture keeping this a secret." Clary said.

"I know." I agreed. "But I don't think it's the right time right now."

"I agree that it's definitely not the right time, but that doesn't make it suck any less." Clary said.

"Park tonight?" I asked.

"I'll be there." Clary said and I gave her one last kiss, and the bell rang. "Perfect timing." She laughed.

"I'll see you tonight." I said and she slipped out of the closet. I couldn't get the smile off my face. As I walked to my next class I couldn't help but be happy with the progression of Clary and I's relationship. It was something I never knew we could have, but now that we did, nothing could break it apart.

 **Time Jump – Prom**

 **Clary POV:**

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked for the hundredth time.

"This might be the worst idea I've ever had, but hell, who cares?" Jace laughed.

"Our families are gonna be pissed. You know that right." I said and Jace just pulled me into him, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"I like you Clary. A lot. I don't care what family feud started hundred of years ago. I want this. I want you, and I'm tired of pretending that I don't." Jace said and my heart started racing.

"I'm tired of pretending too." I said sincerely. "But this is one huge outing."

"We have two months of school left. I think the school won't combust because we're dating." Jace said.

"They might. A Herondale has never dated a Morgenstern." I pointed out.

"And a Morgenstern has never dated a Herondale. But things change, and I for one think this is a good change." He said before lowering his lips to mine. Shivers went down my spine just like they always do.

"Okay." I simply said.

"You ready?" He asked and all I could do was nod. He took my hand in his and we walked into the hotel where prom was taking place. At first, nobody even looked in our direction, but the minute the first head turned, a chain reaction of silence took over the building.

"What?" I decided to ask, in a rather high tone, but no one dared say a word, and when I saw Jon pushing through the crowd, I knew this might be a huge shit show.

"What the hell are you doing Clary? And why are you holding this pricks hand?" Jon said in an angry tone, one that was a lot more threatening than he probably meant, but Jace stepped in front of me, and pushed me behind him.

"I'd appreciate it if you kept your voice down." Jace warned him. Not liking that at all, Jon made his way over to Jace, eye to eye, neither backing down.

"Why don't we all go outside for a few minutes to sort all this out?" I offered, but neither moved. It wasn't until I grabbed each boy by the hand and dragged them out of the hotel that they finally stopped staring each other down. But when we got outside, Jace resumed his position in front of me, while Jon seethed a few feet away.

"Clary and I will explain everything, but you can't interrupt. We'll take questions at the end." Jace said, and Jon didn't like that one bit. Authority wasn't something he handled well, especially from his peers. "For a few months, Clary and I have been seeing each other, and before you blow up, we don't need, nor want your permission. She makes me happy, and I think that's all that should really matter to you." Jace said, but I could tell Jon wasn't convinced.

"Jon, I've hated keeping this from you, but he's not a heartless prick that you've come to know over the years. He's really a great guy, and he makes me happy." I admitted as I stepped around Jace, knowing Jon wouldn't hurt me.

"But Clary, he's a Herondale." Jon spat.

"Yea, and I'm a Morgenstern." I pointed out. "Our names don't define us, and if you ask me, our name has been ruining our family for generations."

"What happened in the past is over." Jace said. "The fact that this rivalry has lasted for this long, is pointless."

"How do I know you won't go pull some stunt like your shitty ancestors, and completely shatter her heart?" Jon asked.

"I'm a big girl Jon. I can take care of myself." I told him sternly. "And the truth about our ancestors is tragic, but not nearly as terrible as we've been told our entire lives."

"What does that mean?" Jon asked.

"It means, this feud started over a girl, and continued over the unfortunate death of my great great grandfathers girlfriend." Jace said. "And if you ask me, things worked out because without those events, we might not be here, and I for one, love where I'm at." Jace said as he pulled me into his side and I couldn't help but smile up at him.

"Than why have you been such an asshole since we were kids?" Jon asked Jace. "I mean seriously dude, you've been a douche."

"Because you got so worked up over it." Jace smirked and I smacked his chest. "Honestly, fighting with you has been the most pointless activity I've ever participated in, and I'm sad I've done it for 14 years." Jace admitted.

"I can't just forgive you. And I'm not happy you're dating my sister." Jon said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Like Jace said, we don't need, or want your permission. We're going to do what we want regardless because it makes us happy." I told him honestly. "But you deserved to know."

"Mom and dad are going to be pissed. I hope you know that." Jon said.

"Please, those two can't stop fighting each other these days to care about who I'm dating." I scoffed.

"Oh, but when they find out it's Jace Herondale, you know that'll be their first priority." Jon said, and I knew he was right. "And his parents aren't going to be happy either."

"If they can stop fighting long enough to notice, I'll be impressed." Jace said.

"Look, I'll need some time to get used to this." He said as he gestured to us. "But you're my sister, and I support you. No matter how idiotic I think your decisions are." I walked over and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I think you and Jace could be really good friends Jonny." I said into his ear and he laughed.

"One step at a time there sis." Jon said and I smiled. "Now, why don't we go in and enjoy prom." He said and Jace and I both nodded. We made our way back into the hotel where the atmosphere changed once again.

"What?" I asked for the second time that night, but no one dared say a word.

"Move on people." Jon announced. "Or I'll make you." He said and everyone looked away. He looked back at me and winked before going to find his date. Jace gave my hand a light squeeze, and we adventured into our senior prom, probably more excited for the future than either of us had been before.

 **Time Jump - Ten Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

If you told me 10 years ago that I would marry a man who was my sworn enemy, I would have laughed. Like I literally would have laughed because there is no way in hell I would have married Jace.

But here we are, together for 10 years, married for almost 4 and my life literally couldn't be more perfect if I tried.

The wedding was a little tense at first, but everyone agreed to put their differences aside for Jace and I, and when the reception rolled around, and people had a few drinks in them, the tension disappeared, and everyone had an amazing time. It was the best day in my life, and I think about it all the time, and just smile.

Changing my last name was probably the most difficult decision I've ever had to make. I'd been a Morgenstern my whole life, and the thought of being anything else was terrifying to me. Jace was super supportive of either decision I made, and I was really grateful for that because I didn't need that type of pressure.

I did however do what I do best, and weigh the pros and cons. It took me months, but in the end the pros outweighed the cons, and when we said 'I do' I was officially a Herondale. It was weird, and signing things after we were married took some getting used too, but I love the name, and I'm proud to have it.

Morgenstern would always be in the family though. When Jace and I had our first daughter, we talked about names, but in the end, we both knew she was going to be named Morgen. A tribute to my family, and a reminder that she had both Morgenstern and Herondale blood.

Our second daughter on the other hand, was way more difficult to name, because Jace and I didn't budge. We had a name each and we were determined to win. Naturally, I prevailed and our second daughter was named Tia.

For this third pregnancy, I decided to let Jace pick the name, on one condition though. The gender had to be a surprise. I don't really think my condition matter all that much to him anyway since he jumped at the opportunity, but he won't tell me the names, and I'm getting so annoyed with him.

"I think you need to calm down Clary, it's not good for the baby." Jon pointed out. I was so annoyed with Jace that I couldn't even be in the house with him anymore.

"But he won't tell me the names and I'm annoyed." I said once again.

"Are you worried he's going to name your child something stupid?" Jon asked.

"No, I know Jace won't choose a bad name, I just want to know." I said and Jon laughed.

"You never good with surprises." He said. "Maybe he hasn't picked them out yet, so he won't tell you until he has the final two." Jon said and I had to admit, that was a good observation.

"The baby is due in two weeks, how can he not have the final two yet?" I asked.

"Because naming a human is hard?" Jon said and I laughed.

"I just want to put the initials up in the nursery, and he's preventing me from doing that." I said and Jon reached over and took my hand.

"Everything is going to be okay Clare." Jon said truthfully. I sighed, but just than I felt intense pain, and I knew my water just broke.

"Jon, I need to go to the hospital." I said and his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Are you in labor?" Jon asked.

"Yea, and I need to get to the hospital." I said as I stood and Jon was right by my side. He lead me to the car and while in route to the hospital, I called Jace.

"Hey Clare, what's up?" Jace said happily.

"Get the kids, and meet me at the hospital, this baby is coming today." I said.

"You serious?" Jace asked.

"Yes she serious you giant prick." Jon yelled and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Tell that moron to shut up." Jace said.

"Just get to the hospital. Jon will be in the waiting room to watch the kids." I said and I hung up.

"You ready Clary?" Jon asked.

"This isn't my first rodeo, although I'm slightly nervous because I don't know what we're having, but I'm also excited because it'll be a surprise." I explained.

"You're an amazing mom, and as much as it pains me to say, Jace is an amazing dad." Jon said and I couldn't help but smile. "You two make a great team."

"We do, don't we?" I smiled and Jon rolled his eyes.

"I'll call the parents while I'm waiting for Jace and the kids to show up." Jon said. We got to the hospital and they wheeled me into a room as I waited for Jace to show up. Even though I was in pain, I couldn't get the smile off my face as we welcomed another little life into this world.

 **Jace POV:**

Getting the kids ready was harder than I expected as they didn't want to leave the movie, but the moment I said they were going to see Uncle Jon, they were all excited. So as we got to the hospital and walked in, Jon was the first face we saw, and Morgen went running to him.

"If it wasn't my two favorite nieces." Jon said as he held both girls.

"Morgen, Tia, I want you to be good for Uncle Jon. Your mom and I will be out when your siblings comes." I said and they both nodded. "I love you both." I said as I gave them each a kiss.

"We love you too daddy." Morgen said and I couldn't help but smile. I made my way into the room where Clary was and even in labor, she was still the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.

"Hey baby." I said and Clary smiled at me.

"Hey." She said.

"How are you feeling?" I asked as I took her hand in mine.

"The drugs are finally kicking in, so I'm doing okay." She said and I nodded as I kissed the back of her hand.

"You're doing amazing, just like always." I smiled and so did she.

"I just want to find out what we're having, the name, and if he or she is healthy." Clary said and I nodded.

"Well, I finally came to a decision on names, so looks like I have perfect timing." I said and Clary laughed.

"Good, because I was getting nervous you were just going to name our child some generic unisex name, and than it wouldn't be special." Clary explained.

"Trust me, our child is going to a special name because him or her are very special." I said and she nodded before another contraction hit. I knew this was going to be a long labor.

 **Time Jump – 30 Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Tell me I'm close. Please tell me I'm close." I pleaded to the nurse who came in to check my progress.

"You're in luck my dear. I'm going to go tell the doctor you're ready to push." She smiled and I started crying tears of joy.

"Thank the angel. I really thought you were never going to have this kid." Jace said from beside me.

"Trust me, I thought I was doomed to be pregnant forever." I said and he laughed.

"I hear you are ready to push Clarissa." The doctor said as he walked in.

"I am beyond ready." I said and he smiled.

"Than lets get you this baby." He said as he sat down.

When the contraction hit, I knew I had to push with all my might, and right now I wanted this baby out as soon as possible. I didn't want to push for an our or two like I did with the first two, so I would do anything and push as hard as I could to make sure this one was quick.

"I already see the head Clarissa." The doctor said and I was relieved. "One more big push, and your baby should be here." He didn't have to tell me twice before I was pushing even harder in round two.

"You're doing great babe." Jace told me from the side.

"Almost here Clarissa." He said and I gave one hard push and I heard the crying. I laid back and began crying myself.

"You're amazing." Jace said before kissing my sweaty temple.

"Congratulations Jace and Clary. You are the proud parents of a healthy baby boy." The doctor said and my heart swelled.

"I finally get my son?" Jace asked. The doctor nodded before handing him over to us.

"Congratulations again you two." He said before walking out. I looked down at my son and couldn't believe it.

"I can't believe we finally got a son." I said and Jace smiled.

"I can't believe it." Jace all but whispered.

"Now, what is his name? I've been dying to know." I said and Jace laughed.

"I figured I would keep it in the family, just like Morgen." Jace explained. "But combining our families, just like we did by getting married."

"And what did you come up with?" I asked.

"William." Jace smiled. "William Matthew Herondale."

"William." I tried it out. "I love it."

"And Matthew comes from your side. Way up high, although it's from your moms side, but that's a minor technicality." Jace laughed.

"How do you know so much about my family tree?" I asked with a laugh.

"I talked to your dad and mom about it." Jace explained.

"Well, it's absolutely perfect." I said and he kissed my head before kissing our son. "What did you pick for the girl?" I asked curiously.

"Lucie Seraphina Herondale." Jace said.

"I love both of them." I said, really appreciating how much thought he put into these names.

"I love the idea of combining our families in more way than marriage." Jace explained. "And of course now our kids have both blood, but names are more public than blood lines."

"You are so right." I agreed.

"Should I get the family?" Jace asked.

"Yea." I said. "I'm ready."

"Be right back." Jace said before he left the room. I looked down at my perfect little baby boy and couldn't help how blessed I was feeling. Everything was so perfect that I didn't care that I just went through 30+ hours of labor. It was all worth it.

"Is my sibling here?" I heard and when I looked up there was Morgen.

"Your _brother_ is right here." I said as I emphasized the word.

"You had a boy?" Jace's mom beamed.

"We had a boy." Jace said proudly.

"What's his name?" Cecilia asked.

"William. William Matthew Herondale." I said just as he yawned.

"He is absolutely perfect sweetheart." My mom said as she kissed my head.

"You did good sis." Jon congratulated.

"Thanks Jon." I said.

"Can I hold him?" Cecilia asked and I nodded. Jace picked him up and our son went around the room.

Jace took his seat back on the bed with me as we watched William get passed around. Our parents were helping Morgen and Tia hold their little brother and I leaned into Jace's shoulder and he kissed my head again.

"I love you." I said and I felt him smile into my hair.

"I love you too." He whispered back.

"Thank you for giving me this amazing life." I said and he pulled me closer.

"I told you that you'd be lucky to be a Herondale." He smirked and I smacked him.

"Jerk." I laughed.

He wasn't wrong.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This one practically wrote itself, so don't expect another one for a little while since I can't seem to finish any other story that I'm working on as well.**

 **This one came out of nowhere simply because I don't think I have one about rivals that's this way, and I wanted one like this. So I hope you enjoy, and let me know! :)**


	140. Chapter 139 - Descendents

**One Hundred and Thirty Nine One Shot**

 **Descendents:**

 **Jace POV:**

The hardest part about being the future king, was all the demands it came with. Especially in the world we live in. In my world, princes and princesses, kings and queens used to live at odds with villains, witches, sea creatures, and every other evil being in the world. Until we conquered them and banished them to their own island. Where their magic doesn't work, and there is no way off. It's how the world has been for as long as I can remember, but the older I got, the more I realized that it didn't make any sense. The population of that island these days was mostly kids, and they haven't done anything wrong.

"Sweetheart, are you ready?" I heard and when I turned around there stood my parents.

"Almost." I said and they smiled.

"You're going to make the most amazing king." My dad said.

"We're so proud of you." My mom said.

"About being king." I started off. "I know what I want my first official act as king to be."

"That's exciting!" My mom beamed. "What will it be?" She asked.

"The kids who are stranded on Idris. I want to bring some of them over here." I said.

"You're insane." My dad said. "They're criminals."

"Their parents might be monsters, but that doesn't mean they are." I pointed out. "They should be given a chance."

"Okay, we'll discuss the candidates later." My dad said.

"No. I know which ones I want here." I said.

"Go on." My mom said.

"Clarissa Morgenstern, Isabelle and Alexander Lightwood, Aline Penhallow, and Seelie Queen." I said.

"Jonathan, those are the children of the most wicked our world has ever seen." My mom nearly cried.

"But the kids have done no wrong." I pointed out.

"But Jonathan." My mom stared.

"Please mom, I think this could be a really good start to giving these kids a better future." I said honestly. "They've been stuck on that island their entire lives for crimes their parents have committed, that's hardly fair."

"He has a point Celine." My dad said.

"But it could be dangerous." She told him.

"I guess there is only one way to find out." My dad said, and I knew I convinced him.

"You won't regret this. I swear." I said and they both smiled.

"I hope you're right, but if it goes wrong, it's your job to make it right." My mom said and I nodded before they left. I knew this was a step in the right direction, and I pray it actually works.

 **Clary POV:**

"Give it back you snot ridden parasite!" I yelled at the child, who just continued to cry. "Oh boo hoo." I said before snatching it out of his hands. He went running off and I rolled my eyes. "Disgusting little devils."

"Why are you so against children?" Izzy asked me as we walked away.

"All they do is cry, and beg for things." I said. "Who wants that in life?"

"Some people find kids adorable." Izzy responded.

"Yes, and some people use children as bait to get what they want." I said with a smirk.

"My fathers actions aren't mine." Izzy said. I just rolled my eyes and didn't respond. Izzy has always been super optimistic about her future despite the shitty situation we've been living in our whole lives. She's convinced the world isn't as bad as I think it is, but growing up here, on an island for the disgraced, optimism isn't my strong suit. "Anyway, I'm having a party at my place tonight. You're obviously coming."

"Who else?" I asked curiously.

"The usual people." Izzy said, and I groaned. "Oh come on, just because Sebastian will be there doesn't mean you can't come."

"He's so creepy though. Just like his father." I cringed.

"True, but there will be lots of other people there. Plus, Seelie will be there, and you know they hook up at every party." Izzy stated.

"True. It's like those two can't keep their hands off each other." I said and Izzy laughed.

"Well, don't sleep with the devil." Izzy said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Want me to get there early?" I asked.

"Sure." Izzy said.

The rest of the day was spent talking about the party and what it was going to be like. All parties around here were the same. Loud, big, and reckless. It's how we did it on Idris, and when you put a bunch of us together, kids who were brought up being rebellious, wild things were bound to happen, and tonight would be no different.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Today has been a weird day. Izzy and I were hanging out like we normally did, when my mom called and told us we had to meet at Izzy's house for a special announcement. Both of us were equally confused, but when we got to their house we weren't the only ones there. Alec, Aline, and Seelie were also here, and that confused me even more.

When we were sat down for our 'meeting' a random man came in and started talking. The minute he said we were leaving to study in Alicante, my brain froze. We were actually leaving Idris? And traveling to a place where we were feared and hated. It seemed like a joke. Why would they choose us?

"Honey, focus." I heard my mom say and I snapped out of my head. "This is our opportunity."

"For what exactly?" I asked a little confused.

"I take back Alicante." She said. "You'll be there and you'll be our eyes."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course. Evil runs in your veins. This is who you are." She said and I nodded. "Go pack." She said and I made my way upstairs. I felt like I was on autopilot. Everything was so sudden.

Before I knew it, we were all being loaded into a car and we were leaving Idris. The only place I knew as my home was falling further and further behind me, and I was kinda scared about being in a new place, but I did have Alec and Izzy with me, and that was more than enough home that I needed to make it through.

 **Jace POV:**

The kids from Idris should be here any minute, and I'm not going to lie, I was freaking out. This was my first official act as king, and I didn't want anything to go wrong, plus I had no idea what these kids were going to be like. They grew up around the people we feared most in this world, and I didn't know if evil was a characteristic that could be passed down, but I guess we were going to find out one way or another.

The car entered the gates, and my breathing became slightly faster. I was normally a pretty calm person, and could handle my nerves in any situation, but this was by far the scariest and most nerve wracking experience I've ever been through but I can't back out now.

"Ugh, get over yourself Aline." Were the first words that came from the car, and they were in a pleasant tone. "You're such a diva."

"Go to hell Clarissa." Another voice hissed.

"No thanks, I've been to your house." The first voice hissed back. They filed out of the car one by one, and when the last girl stepped out, I had to admit, I was fixated on her vibrant red hair, and bright green eyes.

"Welcome to Alicante." I said and they looked at me. "I'm Jace."

"Future king." Someone added from behind me, and I tried my hardest not to roll my eyes at her. "Don't forget the title."

"Thank you Kaelie." I said.

"I'm Princess Kaelie." She said once she reached my side.

"Anyway, I'm really glad you all decided to come to Alicante and I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you." I said with a smile.

"Wait." The redhead said. "You mean we had a choice to come here?" She asked.

"Of course. Didn't Hodge tell you that?" I asked curiously.

"No. I don't believe he did." The redhead said.

"Than I apologize for the miscommunication….?" I said but I realized I didn't know her name.

"Clary. Clary Morgenstern." She said and I felt the atmosphere change.

"I'm very sorry Clary." I said again. "I'll make sure to talk to Hodge about it."

"What do I care? My mom would have forced me to come anyway." She said offhandedly. Her reaction was a surprise to me, because I assumed they would be happy to get off Idris, but something tells me, that is far from the truth with Clary.

"How about I show you around?" I offered and they all nodded.

We spent an hour walking the grounds as I showed them everything. This might be challenging, but having them here now, made me feel a lot better about my decision to bring them here, and I was going to look forward to seeing how they acclimate into our society, especially Clary.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I would never say it out loud, but Alicante wasn't all that terrible. The food was better than on Idris, and although the people were ten times happier, they did start to accept us and that was pretty cool. My mom taught me that they were nothing but arrogant, and pretentious rich people, and she wasn't entirely wrong, but the majority of them were actually very nice, and I was glad to be picked for this royal decree.

Izzy was of course loving her time here, and that meant Alec was enjoying his time here as well. Seelie and Aline both thought they deserved to be treated like royalty so they were soaking up every opportunity to pretend they weren't the daughters of villains. Me on the other hand, I was enjoying my time, but I couldn't get too comfortable here. My mother would want me to come home with a plan to take over Alicante, but the people here didn't deserve that. At least, not in my eyes. Of course my mom would disagree, but she had a vendetta, I did not.

"You look like you're thinking too hard." I heard from behind me, and when I looked up, there stood Jace.

"I guess." I admitted. Jace was also someone I wasn't expecting.

"About what?" He asked as he took a seat next to me.

"What happens when the school year is over and we go back to Idris." I said.

"You leave for the summer, than come back next year." Jace said so casually.

"Really? We get to come back?" I asked honestly.

"Of course." Jace said. "Look, I made this royal decree because I wanted to make a change. So you 5 are the first set of kids to come from Idris. Next year, it'll be you 5, plus more."

"That seems too good to be true." I said, not wanting to get my hopes up.

"Look, my parents have every right to be mad at your parents, and all the other parents on Idris. But they lived in a different world than we do, and I believe you guys should not be at fault for their actions." He explained and I nodded. "But getting everyone to follow along with my planes is going to take more time. It's a work in progress."

"More than we've gotten in my lifetime. That's a good sign." I explained.

"What's it like? Idris." Jace asked.

"It's fine." I said. "The place is kinda run down, and there isn't much privacy, considering there are no rules or laws, but everyone gets along, and if you don't, you settle the problem in whatever way you deem acceptable."

"Sounds interesting." Jace said and I laughed.

"It's very structure less." I laughed. "I'll leave it at that."

"Do you miss it?" Jace asked.

"Sometimes." I admitted. "I like it here though. The uncomfortable looks, and the passive aggressive behavior takes a little while to get used too, but it's better than fighting for what you want."

"And your parents?" Jace asked. "Do you miss them?"

"Yes and no." I told him. "I have freedom here from them that I didn't have at home. My dad isn't that bad, but my mom is intense."

"The stories about her aren't all that flattering." Jace said and I nodded.

"Well, they aren't wrong either. She's less flattering in person. No one on Idris messes with her." I told him.

"So you're off limits as well?" Jace asked.

"In a sense." I said. "I get a lot of respect from people because of her, but I also earned it myself."

"How?" He asked but I didn't want to answer. "Come on, it can't be that bad."

"It's not good." I said. "Being on Idris, and growing up around the people that I did, makes you jaded. We have very little on Idris, thanks in large part to your parents." I said and he looked upset by that. "To get respect, you have to be feared. In order to be feared you have to commit crimes. The worse the crime, the more respect."

"I see where you're going with this." Jace said and I nodded.

"So yea, most of my actions I'm not proud of, but it's how I grew up." I said.

"I understand." Jace said. "Hopefully that can change for the future generations."

"I really hope so." I said. For everyone's sake on Idris, I hope Jace was telling me the truth.

 **Time Jump – Spring Dance**

 **Jace POV:**

Every year we host a spring dance, and every year it has been exceptionally average. But this year, is the year my succession will be announced to the kingdom. No pressure or anything, but it's the biggest royal announcement since my father was announced, so everyone is freaking out about it.

Me on the other hand, I'm freaking out about who I'm bringing. Who I bring isn't just for me personally, but for show. It's a statement, and one that isn't taken lightly by the people, and especially my parents. Who I bring is going to be one of the most talked about things for the rest of my kingship, and that in and of itself is daunting.

"You look like you're having a moment." I heard from behind me, and when I turned around, there was Clary. "Or an internal crisis." She laughed.

"Can't I be having both?" I asked and she sat next to me.

"You could be, but a moment, and a crisis normally don't coexist." Clary pointed out.

"There you go again." I laughed. "You know, you're extremely smart. How come you don't put that to some good?" I asked honestly.

"What makes you think I'm not using my brains for good?" Clary asked and that made me laugh.

"Clary, you set the trashcan on fire so you could get out of a test last month." I said and she laughed.

"I had no time to study. Izzy practically dragged my to every single store looking for a dress for this stupid Spring Dance." She said and that got me thinking.

"You think it's stupid?" I asked.

"It's ridiculous is what it is." Clary said. "These girls freak out for months about their hair, their make up, their dress, if they'll get a date. I mean, why can't they just go alone?" She asked.

"I don't know, maybe because they all need to reassurance that they're worthy of something." I said and Clary looked at me.

"That's deep Herondale." She said and I shrugged. "I mean, I get why it's a big deal for you. You get coroneted or something, but for half of this kingdom, it's just a dance."

"I think you're missing the point." I said.

"Than what is the point, if it isn't vanity?" She asked.

"It's a celebration." I explained. "The ending of a school term. The beginning of a new royal leadership. It's the beginning. That's what excites everyone."

"To me it's just a sign that I'll be going back to Idris once this is all over." Clary said. "Nothing to exciting about that."

"But you'll be back for the next school term." I pointed out.

"And if our roles were reversed, you'd know how I feel." Clary said, and I had to admit, she was right. "You've grown up with everything. I've grown up with a cynical mother, and thievery in my blood."

"I'm not going to pretend I understand how you grew up." I said and she looked at me. "But that's one reason I wanted to start this program. To give kids on Idris a chance to change their fate. Just because your parents are villains, doesn't mean you are." I said and there seemed to be turmoil running through her veins.

"I guess." Was all she said.

"Clary!" Someone shouted from the distance, and when we both looked, Izzy was running over to us. "You'll never believe who just asked me to the Spring Dance!" She beamed.

"Please don't tell me it's one of those guys who think they're god's gift to this earth." Clary said dryly.

"No." Izzy laughed. "It was Simon, and I said yes." Izzy beamed even harder, if that were possible.

"Really?" Clary asked skeptically.

"Just because you're anti-love, doesn't mean I am." Izzy said and I took that as my cue to leave.

"Ladies, it was a pleasure, but I must leave." I said and they both nodded and I stood up and walked away, more confused, and intrigued by Clarissa Morgenstern.

 **Clary POV:**

"What I'm more curious about though is why you and Jace are suddenly hanging out all the time." Izzy said once he was gone.

"We do not hang out all the time." I defended.

"You can't lie to me. It's one of your worse qualities." Izzy said.

"Isn't that normally a good thing?" I countered.

"You're avoiding the question." Izzy said.

"I answered your question, even though you didn't ask one." I said.

"Enough with the sarcasm Clarissa." Izzy said. "You can use it to hide form the rest of the world, but not me."

"I don't know what you want from me Iz." I admitted.

"Admit you like the damn kid, and move on." Izzy said.

"Who said I liked him?" I asked.

"You didn't have to. I can read you like an open book." Izzy said. "And there is no problem in liking him. He's hot."

"There is a big problem Iz. My mother." I pointed out.

"That woman has had her claws in you your entire life. You're finally free." Izzy said. "Take advantage of it."

"And what happens when the term is over and we go back to Idris?" I asked. "I'll just be another deviant kid from Idris, and he'll be the future King of Alicante."

"Who gives a shit about titles. Follow your heart." Izzy said.

"You read way too many fairytales Iz." I laughed and she rolled her eyes.

"It doesn't hurt to believe in fairytales." Izzy said. "Sometimes it's okay to believe in the magical."

"Than what should I do fairy god mother?" I asked and she laughed.

"I'm far from a fairy godmother, but when it comes to guys, I'm kinda a pro." She said as she linked our arms. She had this devious smile on her face, and I knew she was already cooking a plan up for me, and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not, but there was only one way to find out.

 **Time Jump – Two Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was actually a terrible day, and I needed something positive, but I didn't know what exactly that would be. All I knew was that I needed to be as far away from people as I could get, and at this current moment, that meant the lake that separated Idris and Alicante. I could vaguely see the island from where I sat, and knowing there were more kids over there that I could help was the only thing getting me excited about taking on this entire kingdom.

"How come I always find you having an internal crisis?" I heard and when I turned around there stood Clary.

"Bad timing?" I asked and she laughed as she sat next to me.

"Or good timing." She said.

"How do you figure?" I asked.

"Maybe it's a sign that you should talk to me." Clary said. "Let all your problems out."

"You wouldn't want to listen to them." I said as I looked back at the water.

"What makes you say that?" She asked.

"I don't know. Most people don't want to hear about my royal problems." I admitted.

"I'm not most people." She said and I smiled.

"That you are not." I said.

"I won't even comment, or interrupt. Just let it out." Clary said.

"I don't have the same agenda as my parents." I said as I started. "They're whole rule as been about protecting and maintaining the kingdom. And although I find that important….."

"You have other dreams." She cut in.

"What happened to no interrupting?" I laughed.

"Sorry." She blushed.

"I have so many other dreams, but I'm afraid my dreams are going to disappoint my parents." I said.

"But do you truly believe your dreams will make this kingdom even better?" Clary asked.

"I really do." I said. "It's already better with you here." I said truthfully and Clary blushed again. "And I just keep thinking about all the kids over there that could benefit from being here."

"Than you already have your answer." Clary said.

"I wish it were that easy." I sighed.

"It could be Jace." Clary said. "You are going to be King, and when you are in charge, the only person you have to answer to is yourself."

"But what if the kingdom crumbles under my rule?" I asked. "I don't only let my family down, but the thousands of people who live here."

"That's the risk you take." Clary said.

"And my parents are on my ass about this dance." I said. "It should be my first priority, but I just don't care that much about it honestly."

"Why not?" Clary asked.

"I don't have a date, I don't have a tux, I haven't written my speech. Nothing is done." I said as I cracked my fingers nervously.

"Well, I have a dress." Clary said and I looked at her. "But no one to wear it for."

"Clarissa Morgenstern, are you asking me to be your date?" I asked, and she blushed again.

"It was just an idea. You don't have to say yes. In fact you can say no. I won't be offended." She quickly added.

"I'd love to go with you." I said even quicker.

"Really?" She asked stunned.

"Yea." I said so honestly, I was even shocked at the sincerity in my voice.

"Cool." She smiled, and so did I.

"What color is it?" I asked so I could plan my outfit accordingly.

"Believe it or not, it's gold." Clary said and that made my heart skip a beat.

"Let me guess, Izzy." I said and she laughed.

"She made me try on 23 different dresses." Clary laughed.

"I would have lost my mind." I laughed along.

"I was so close." She admitted. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket, and saw it was my mom.

"I have to go. My mom needs me." I said as I stood up.

"Okay." Clary simply said.

"I can't wait to go to the dance together." I said honestly.

"Me either." She smiled, and I walked away. The whole way back to my place, I couldn't get the smile off my face. Maybe this Spring Dance wouldn't completely suck after all.

 **Clary POV:**

"Well I asked him, and he said yes." I said once I got back to my room.

"Seriously?" Izzy screamed. "That's amazing."

"If you're so shocked he said yes, why would you make me buy that dress if there was even an inkling in your mind he would say no?" I asked, a little hurt.

"You guard yourself Clary." Izzy said. "You shut people down, and out of your life before you even get to know them, and I was afraid you would do that with Jace." She explained. "I guess I'm more shocked you asked, than him saying yes."

"Really?" I asked.

"You can see it in his face that he likes you Clare." Izzy said and that kinda shocked me. "It was a no brainier to me that he would say yes. I was however scared you wouldn't ask."

"I'm not that bad." I said and she looked at me. "Am I?" I asked and she nodded her head. "Great, I'm emotionally unavailable to a guy who I actually really like." I said as I flopped on my bed.

"Admitting that right now means you aren't emotionally unavailable." Izzy said as she laid next to me. "You're just not used to getting attention or affection."

"Yea, my mother never was nurturing." I said and Izzy laughed.

"That is the biggest understatement I've ever heard." And I couldn't help but laugh along with her. "But forget that, we have to talk about your hair and make up." She beamed as she started talking about all the options. And although this wasn't my thing at all, seeing how happy it made Izzy, made me more than willing to be her own little project.

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Jace POV:**

"Jonathan, your father and I would like to have a word with you." My mom said as she walked into my room.

"What's up?" I asked.

"We heard you're taking Clarissa Morgenstern to the Spring Dance." My mom said. "We think it's a terrible mistake sweetheart."

"I knew you would." I admitted. "But I really like her."

"She can't be trusted." My dad said.

"Do you even know her?" I asked. "Or have any reason not to trust her?" I asked and my mom opened her mouth. "Besides her parents." I cut her off.

"She grew up on Idris sweetheart." My mom said.

"Because of you." I pointed out.

"She's a Morgenstern Jonathan." My father said in his King voice.

"She's also an amazing person, who I intend to get close too." I said with just as much authority. "You can't stop me."

"You're an adult." My father said. "The repercussions will fall on your shoulders." He said before leaving my room, my mother on his heels. I really didn't care about their opinions of Clary, I was going to have an amazing time with her, that much I knew.

 **Time Jump – Spring Dance**

 **Clary POV:**

I've had a bad feeling all day. Something was going to happen tonight, something terrible and I was scared to find out what that exactly was.

"You need to stop thinking about the what if's and focus on the present." Izzy said as she continued to work on my hair.

"I can't help it Iz. Something is going to happen." I told her.

"I know your gut is normally spot on, but for one night, can you please just ignore it and have a great time?" Izzy asked.

"I'll try." I said honestly. I knew tonight meant a lot to Izzy, and I didn't want to bring her mood down. Her smile was enough to tell me I said the right thing. I was going to try to enjoy my night, and forget this feeling.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was waiting patiently for Clary to show up, and as each minute passed, I couldn't stop the nerves. This night was big enough as it is, but I wanted to impress Clary, and that was probably the most terrifying part of this whole night.

"Deep in thought yet again?" I heard and when I turned around, there stood Clary. Looking gorgeous.

"Wow." I whispered. "You look incredible."

"You don't look so bad yourself." She smiled as she walked closer to me. "I like the whole all black look."

"Normally it's tradition for the Future King to wear the traditional Alicante colors, but I figured if I was going to be a different kind of King, I was going to wear what I wanted to." I admitted and she laughed.

"Starting out a rebel, I like it." She smirked and I couldn't help but smile.

"Shall we?" I asked as I lent my arm to her.

"I guess we shall." She said as she linked her arm with mine. I had a feeling this night would be the best night of my life.

 **Time Jump – A Few Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

That nagging feeling I had earlier was still in the pit of my stomach, and it wouldn't go away. I tried my hardest to listen to Izzy and focus on the dance, and Jace, but I couldn't, and it was bugging the hell out of me.

Despite the feeling though, Jace was being the perfect gentleman, and I hated that I couldn't be the princess he deserved to be with. I was only listening to every 3rd word he said, and plastering on a fake smile just waiting for shit to hit the fan.

"You could look like you're having a good time." I heard and when I turned around, there stood Izzy.

"I told you I had a bad feeling about tonight, and despite my tremendous effort of burying it deep in the pits of hell, it won't go away." I told her earnestly.

"Tonight has been perfect, and you've missed half of it." Izzy told me.

"Look, maybe I'm not the princess Jace deserves, and asking him to this dance, was a mistake." I said truthfully.

"I don't think that's the case." Izzy told me.

"And what do you think the case is?" I asked kinda rudely.

"You shut yourself off from feelings, because they're too hard and messy for you to handle." Izzy said and I was about to cut her off, but she didn't let me. "This isn't Idris Clary. You aren't bound to your parents here, and you are free to make choices that make _you_ happy." She emphasized. "And you're throwing that all away because of your mentality that you are destined to be evil forever. News flash Clarissa, you aren't evil, far from it, and it's time you started believing that too." I was about to say something, when a huge bolt of lightning stopped me, and the pit in my stomach grew.

"Oh shit." I whispered and the sky opened up. This could only mean one thing.

"Clarissa darling." I heard and my whole body went numb.

"Mother." I said and her figured appeared, making everyone in Alicante freeze.

"Show mummy some love darling, we've been apart far too long." She said, but I knew that tone of voice, and it was the tone that suggested she was only kidding.

"I wasn't aware you were coming mother." I said honestly. I had no idea how she got off Idris.

"You weren't performing your task adequately enough, so I had to make other arraignments." She explained. "Aline on the other hand, makes the perfect side kick."

"Should have known." I said as I looked at her smug face. "The devil was never one to disappoint."

"And disappoint she didn't." My mother beamed.

"How did you get off Idris mom?" I suddenly asked.

"While you were canoodling with prince charming over there, Aline was figuring out ways to restore the magic in the kingdom." She explained. "Didn't take as long as I thought it would."

"You don't belong here mother." I said to her. Izzy was right, I'm not evil, and my mothers reign on me was over.

"I belong here more than most. This was my kingdom, and they ruined it." She hissed out.

"They made it a better place. A place you nearly destroyed with your actions." I yelled back. "You were all about you, and never about anyone else."

"You're being dramatic Clarissa." She rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm being realistic." I said. "Growing up on Idris left me jaded, and never knowing what it felt like to be cared for left me empty." I told her. "Being here as made me realize that I don't want to follow in your footsteps. I'm not your minion."

"Clarissa – "

"And you aren't staying." I cut her off.

"And who is going to stop me?" My mother laughed. "You?"

"No." Came another voice. "I am." He walked out from the frozen crowd.

"Dorthea's son." My mother groaned. "I should have known." Magnus waved his hands, and the smoke around my mother turned into a tornado of fog, consuming her until she was frozen like the rest of the kingdom.

"Magnus." I said as he approached me. "I didn't know you could still do magic."

"It's frowned upon here." He explained. "My mother thought it would be useful for me to know, but not practiced out in public. She was right."

"What are you going to do with her?" I asked.

"She'll be put back on Idris with extreme security." He expressed.

"Along with Aline?" I wondered.

"She'll be taken back as well, and her punishment will be determined after thorough investigation." Magnus explained.

"Why does she get an investigation?" I asked.

"Just to tie up any loose ends." He said and I nodded.

"Are you going to unfreeze the kingdom?" I asked after a moment and he laughed.

"Oh right." He said before waving his hands, and the kingdom was unfrozen.

"Clary!" Jace yelled, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes?" I questioned.

"What happened?" He asked as he gestured to my mother.

"Oh. She came back to orchestrate her plan to take over Alicante." I told him honestly.

"And you were aware of this?" Jace questioned.

"She told me this was my chance to take back what was rightfully ours, but having been here, and gotten to know all the great people here, I guess she knew I would never go through with it. Which is why she brought Aline into it." I said truthfully. "I've never been like her. I was mean, but I don't think I was ever truly evil."

"I could have told you that." Izzy chimed in and I hugged her. "And I'm sorry I didn't take your gut more seriously. You felt something was off, and I brushed you off."

"It's okay Iz. Everyone is okay." I calmed her down as I held her hands in mine.

"Are you going to miss her?" Izzy asked and I looked at my mother.

"I think I'll do just fine without her." I said as I felt this weight lifted off my shoulders.

"Clary." I heard, and when I turned around, there stood Jace and his parents.

"Yes?" I asked, slightly nervous about what they were going to say.

"We can't let this go without some sort of punishment for your involvement." Celine said, and I nodded. "Since you were aware of your mothers intentions, you will have – 3 weeks worth of detention." She said and I snapped my head towards her.

"Detention? That's it?" I asked, super shocked.

"It would have been worse if Jace hadn't plead your case to us." Stephan said. "You might have been aware, but you weren't going to do anything about it. That's the most important part." He explained and I looked at Jace.

"Why would you stick up for me?" I asked honestly.

"Because I knew you were different from the beginning. You aren't evil Clary." Jace said as he walked closer to me, and took my hands in his. "You are kind, and good. You don't deserve to be punished for something you didn't do."

"I don't know what to say." And Jace laughed.

"You don't have to say anything." Jace told me. "Let's just enjoy the rest of the night."

"Okay." I said, and the kingdom went back to the dance. Jace took my hand and lead me away from the crowds of people, into a garden illuminated by lights. "Wow. This place is beautiful."

"I made sure it was taken care of for you." Jace said and I turned to face him.

"Why would you do that for me?" I asked.

"Because I don't want this to just be a one time thing." He explained. "I like you Clary. A lot. I want to take you on dates, and hold your hand, and have movie marathons with you on weekends."

"Really?" I asked, slightly shocked.

"Is it that hard to believe?" He laughed.

"A little." I admitted. "It's hard to believe someone as perfect as you, would like a villain like me."

"We've already established that you aren't evil Clary." Jace said. "And I'm not perfect."

"You seem pretty perfect." I laughed.

"It's all a ploy." Jace said. "Trying to keep the image that is expected."

"Everyone would love you regardless of the image." I told him. "You're going to be a great King."

"I hope so." Jace said. "I can only hope to live up to my father."

"I believe in you." I said as I took his hands in mine.

"Thank you." He said as he looked into my eyes. It seemed like everything in time stood still, and it was just him and I. "Can I kiss you?" He finally asked. I couldn't find my voice, so I just nodded. He leaned down, his lips grazed mine, and I was a goner.

 **Time Jump – End of the Year**

 **Jace POV:**

Knowing the end of the year was coming wasn't as bitter as I thought it would be, considering Clary was now staying in Alicante for the summer. With her mother back on Idris, hell bent on raising hell again, she didn't feel safe there, and I wasn't going to send her back there in fear.

My parents agreed with me, and with some help, Clary, Izzy and Alec were all staying here, in their dorms until the next year. Normally it was frowned upon to stay all summer, but being the future king came with some perks.

"Another internal crisis?" I heard, and when I turned around there stood Clary.

"Nope." I smiled and she took a seat next to me. "Just thinking about how happy I am that you're staying for the summer."

"I'm staying as long as I possibly can." She laughed and I couldn't help but smile.

"You aren't upset about not seeing your father?" I asked as we looked at Idris.

"You know, he might not be as evil as my mother, but he worships the ground she walks on, and I'd be a sitting duck if I went back there." She admitted. "He's pretty pissed I got her locked up."

"He can't possibly blame you for that." I said.

"But he does, and I'd rather not experience that anger first hand." She said and I nodded in agreement.

"So, with school over, what do you want to do?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Well, I was kinda thinking maybe we could all go to something fun, something I've never done before." She said.

"Like what?" I asked, trying to see what she hasn't done.

"Well, there isn't a lot of time for fun on Idris, so are there any good theme parks around here?" She asked, and I laughed.

"There is." I said.

"Can we do that?" She beamed.

"Of course we can. Pick a day." I said.

"Tomorrow!" She beamed and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Tomorrow it is than." I said and she smiled before leaning her head on my shoulder while our fingers interlocked. I may not be King yet, but my first royal decree was definitely working, so I couldn't wait to see what else I could do as King.

 **Disclaimer – This idea was suggested awhile ago, and as you can see, I'm just now finishing it after months of working on it. I do not own Disney's Descendants, but I used the movies as a point to start, and I really like where it went. Let me know what you're thinking, and how you like it and let me know! Sorry it's taken me so long to get through these, but I have no motivation, and things are rough right now, so I appreciate the patience, and willingness to continue to go on this journey with me! Please enjoy!**

 **Character list and who they are based off of: (Disney version)**

 **Evil:**

 **Clary – Maleficent's daughter. (Sleeping Beauty)**

 **Izzy – Captain Hook's daughter. (Peter Pan)**

 **Alec – Captain Hook's son. (Peter Pan)**

 **Sebastian – Gaston's son. (Beauty and the Beast)**

 **Helen – Ursula's daughter. (The Little Mermaid)**

 **Mark – Ursula's son. (The Little Mermaid)**

 **Aline – Shan Yu's daughter. (Mulan)**

 **Seelie – Hades daughter. (Hercules)**

 **Jessamine – Claude Frollo's daughter. (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)**

 **Camille – Prince John's daughter. (Robin Hood)**

 **Lilith – Yzma's daughter. (The Emperor's New Groove)**

 **Jem – Madame Medusa's son. (The Rescuers)**

 **Ragnor – Sid Philips son. (Toy Story)**

 **Woolsey – Stromboli's son (Pinocchio)**

 **Good:**

 **Jace – Aurora's son. (Sleeping Beauty)**

 **Simon – Peter Pan and Wendy's son. (Peter Pan)**

 **Magnus – Fairy Godmothers son. (Cinderella)**

 **Kaelie – Belle's daughter. (Beauty and the Beast)**

 **Emma – Rapunzel's daughter. (Tangled)**

 **Julian – Cinderella's son. (Cinderella)**

 **Lily – Mulan's daughter. (Mulan)**

 **Tessa – Ariel's daughter. (The Little Mermaid)**

 **Raphael – Jasmine's son. (Aladdin)**

 **Zara – Snow White's daughter. (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)**

 **Christina – Elsa's daughter. (Frozen)**

 **Diego – Anna's son. (Frozen)**

 **Kieran – Tarzan's son. (Tarzan)**

 **(Also, I know I didn't use all these characters in the story, but I wanted you to know how many people were in the story, and how many villains and good people were actually being thought of when I came up with the concept so I kept them in!)**


	141. Chapter 140 - 7 Deadly Sins

**One Hundred and Forty One Shot:**

 **7 Deadly Sins**

 **Clary POV:**

There are too many things in the world that have given me a reason to leave the earth. Too many things that have made me think about the multiple ways to kill myself, and not regret it. I had nobody left to care about, and it would be too easy. Maybe that's why I haven't done it, or maybe it's because a sliver of me is hoping things get better, but regardless, I'm still here.

I like to call myself a nomad. I haven't lived in the same state for more than a couple months at a time, and I never live in the same state twice. I don't know why, maybe I'm just wired a little differently, but it's something I've lived by since I graduated high school. I'm working on my 9th state, and so far I've never felt at home anywhere I've lived.

This time though, I had a feeling it would be different. I don't know why, but I've never felt so connected to a place, and I've only just gotten here. As I looked at the house, it didn't seem too special, but it also hasn't been lived in since 1997 according to the state, but there was something about it that caught my attention. So as I grabbed my first bag I made my way into the house to start this new chapter of my life.

 **Jace POV:**

"It's been a long time since someone has lived here." Izzy said as we looked at the new girl moving in. Her vibrant red hair captivated me the moment she arrived.

"It's about time they let someone move in." Magnus said. "It's been over a decade."

"I was really thinking they would condemn it before anyone else moved in." Simon added in.

"Why?" Izzy asked.

"Because the last owner died in here and it's haunted by ghosts?" Simon said, and everyone laughed.

"Maybe she won't care." Magnus said.

"Would you care?" Alec asked Magnus.

"Depends on the ghost. If it were you Alexander, not one bit. You could haunt me all night long." He winked before pressing his lips to Alec's cheek.

"You are such a flirt." Izzy laughed at her brothers blush. But I wasn't paying that close attention to them. I was focused on the red head.

"Stare at her a little harder, and she might see you." Simon mocked and I punched his arm. "You're an ass."

"Than shut the hell up. Nobody wants to hear your speak." I said bitterly.

"Come on Simon, let's get out of here." Izzy said as she took his hand in hers and they disappeared.

"Finally." I said as I focused back on the girl. There was something about her that made me want more, and when I wanted something, I got it.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

Everyone had gone out for the night, but I couldn't bring myself to leave. I found out her name is Clary Fray, and she moved here from California. She graduated high school in 2013, which makes her 23 and that's about all I know about her. She was very quiet, and she didn't seem like she liked to go out, or talk to people all that much, which made me want to know more about the kind of person she is.

 **Clary POV:**

I spent the whole day unpacking, but when night came, I wasn't tired. Sleeping has never been easy for me, so I spent most of my time awake anyway, so this was totally normal.

I was in my bedroom when I heard a creaking noise downstairs. It was an old house so it didn't freak me out, but I wanted to see if there was anything down there just to make sure. But when I got to the kitchen, I was startled.

"What the hell! Get out of my house!" I yelled at the figure in the room.

"Technically you're in my house." The boy said, and that's when I got a real look at him, and damn he was attractive.

"No it isn't. Nobody has lived here for a decade." I explained. "He died here."

"So you know that?" The boy asked.

"Well yea, they have to tell you." I said matter of factly.

"His name was Hodge, and he was a nasty piece of work let me tell you." The boy explained.

"It didn't say he lived with anyone. Were you his neighbor?" I asked tentatively.

"Sorta." He said as he sat on the counter tops.

"What does 'sorta' mean?" I asked.

"It means I lived here with him, but he didn't know." He explained.

"How did you manage that?" I asked curiously.

"You see, I'm a ghost." He said and that's when I lost it.

"Look, I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you're trespassing, and I can call the cops on you." I said angrily.

"You can call, but when they get here, they won't be able to see me, than you'll be the crazy woman in town, and something tells me you don't like to be the center of attention." He said and I sighed. "I was right, wasn't I?"

"If you're really a ghost, how come I can see you?" I asked, trying to fool him.

"Because I allowed myself to be seen." He said.

"When did you die?" I asked trying to catch him in a lie.

"1982." He sighed.

"How?" I continued the charade.

"My boys and I were in the middle of a street race. Our rivals were talking shit for months about how much better they were than us so we had to teach them a lesson." He explained.

"Looks like you lost." I pointed out and he laughed, a beautiful angelic laugh.

"The brakes gave out on me, and I went off the bridge. I suspect my car was tampered with, but the case went cold." He said.

"How old were you?" I asked.

"I was 19 when it happened." He said. I didn't really have any reason not to believe him, and I never really disbelieved in ghosts as a kid, so they could be real.

"And you aren't lying to me?" I asked.

"I have better things to do than lie to you Clary." He said.

"How do you know my name?" I asked, slightly confused.

"I've been watching you all afternoon." He said.

"That's called voyeurism, and it's a crime." I said.

"Does it look like I care about crimes? I'm dead." He said and I rolled my eyes.

"Are you the only ghost who haunts this house?" I asked.

"No. There are 7 of us." He said.

"7?" I asked.

"We represent the 7 Deadly Sins." He explained.

"That's oddly specific." I pointed out.

"I didn't make the rules." He said as he held his hands up.

"If you don't make the rules, than who does?" I asked curiously.

"The Angels." He said nonchalantly.

"So if you represent the 7 Deadly Sins, which one are you?" I asked curiously. He smirked, and licked his lips seductively.

"Lust." He said in a deep sexy voice, that made my mouth run dry.

"Why are your still earth bound?" I asked, trying to keep my cool.

"We can't go to Heaven, and there is no room for us in Hell." He explained.

"How is there no room in Hell for the 7 Deadly Sins?" I asked confused.

"It's a long story." He said. "Do you have the time?" He asked.

"I have nothing but time." I laughed, but the sad thing was, it's true.

"Than I'll start from the beginning." He said as he took a seat and I followed. "I'm Jace by they way." He added. "Pleasure to meet you."

And a pleasure I'm sure it would be.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since Jace appeared to me, his friends have also let themselves be seen, and I had to admit, I thought they would be creepier, but they're just like normal people, only they're dead.

Most of them were pretty cool, but Sebastian and Kaelie rubbed me the wrong way. There was just something about them that I didn't like, and I tried to keep away from them as much as possible. Which is a lot harder when they decide they don't want to show themselves.

Jace has been a real help adjusting to living in a house that's haunted. He was always showing himself around, and letting me know when the others were in the room, but not visible to me. It was nice, almost like I had a guardian angel, although I'm not quite sure what Jace would be considered.

Tonight was like every night, but Jace was finally going to tell me the story about everyone. When I originally asked, he told me that he had to talk to the group before hand, not wanting to tell her something they were uncomfortable with. I totally understood that. If my past was reveled without my knowledge I'd be pissed. A part of me was excited about learning all about the people who I shared my home with, but another part of me was nervous about finding out about them.

"So, who to start with?" Jace asked as we took a seat in the living room. Thankfully everyone went out that night, so it was just us.

"How about with the first person who arrived?" I asked and he nodded.

"That would be Magnus." Jace explained. "He was born in 1860, died in 1884 due to influenza."

"And he's Gluttony right?" I asked.

"Yup." Jace laughed.

"How did he get that Sin?" I asked.

"You see, the Sin we represent isn't random." Jace explained. "It kinda symbolizes who we were in our life, and how we were doomed to live in the afterlife."

"So why was Magnus chosen as Gluttony?" I asked.

"Gluttony is often an over indulgence in something. Whether it be material things, or whatnot." Jace said.

"And what was Magnus's?" I questioned.

"Alcohol." Jace said. "Grew up in a house where his father was always drunk, and he started early. He used it to escape the abuse, and to take him away from his terrible life."

"And he is still like that?" I asked.

"Yea. It carried over into his immortal life, but he can't get drunk." Jace said. "Which Magnus thinks is utterly unfair."

"I can't imagine why." I laughed along with him. "Who was next?"

"Kaelie. She died in 1910. She was 18." Jace said.

"And I can see why she's Envy." I said and Jace laughed.

"Pageant girl gone wild." Jace smiled. "Her main competition was favored to win over her, that sparked her envy, something that had always been there, and while she was trying to sabotage her, Kaelie ended up dying in the process."

"How?" I asked.

"Back in 1910, things weren't very safe." Jace said. "Kaelie is very vague about the whole thing, so we don't really know the whole story."

"Than who?" I asked.

"Sebastian. Who as you probably noticed, is Wrath." Jace said. "He died in 1955 when a turf war went wrong, and he was shot and killed." He explained.

"How old was he?" I asked.

"26. A little old to be involved in a simple turf war, but to each their own I suppose." Jace said.

"I want to try and guess the next one." I said and Jace laughed.

"Go for it." Jace smiled.

"You?" I asked.

"Close, but it was actually Simon." Jace said. "Simon represents Greed, and he died in 1972."

"What happened to him?" I asked.

"Greed can manifest into multiple things." Jace began. "For Simon, it wasn't a possession greed, but a parental one."

"I don't get it." I admitted.

"Simon lost his dad a few years before he died. And he didn't like that his mother moved on." Jace explained. "He got greedy, and it drove him mad."

"How did he die?" I asked.

"House fire." Jace said. "He started it to kill his mother and step father, but also died in the process."

"How old was she?" I wondered.

"20." Jace said and I nodded. "Want to guess who's next?" He asked.

"Was it you?" I asked again and he laughed.

"It was." Jace said. "You obviously know how I died, and when."

"But I don't know why you're Lust." I said.

"Pretty simple actually." Jace said as he kicked his feet back. "I was a player, who liked to sleep around, and could get any girl I wanted."

"Wow. You are so modest." I said sarcastically.

"What? It's true. I've clearly toned it done a lot since my death, but the afterlife doesn't care how much you've changed." Jace said and I nodded. I shouldn't be surprised, he was very attractive. "You only have two more." Jace said.

"Alec and Izzy." I said. "It's a tragedy that they both died."

"Sometimes things happen, and the result is sucky." Jace said and I couldn't agree more.

"I think Izzy died before Alec." I said.

"You'd be correct." Jace said. "Izzy represents Pride. She's probably the most vein person I've ever met, but with her looks, I can't say I blame her."

"How did she die?" I asked.

"It was 1996, and she was fixing her make up in the car when she got into a accident." Jace said. "She was only 17."

"What about Alec?" I probed.

"Suicide." Jace said and my heart literally sank to my stomach.

"Why?" I found myself asking.

"After Izzy died he was pretty devastated. I mean, who wouldn't be? But his younger brother died a few years later, and that sent him over the edge." Jace explained. "It was 2000 when he took too many sleeping pills and never woke up. He was 23."

"Hence why he's Sloth." I said and Jace nodded. "Thank you for clearing all that up."

"You're stuck with us. Might as well know us." Jace laughed.

"Why do you haunt this particular house?" I found myself asking before thinking.

"It's the only place where people normally don't come." Jace admitted. "It's been a decade since the last person lived here, and even than it wasn't a sought out place to live." Jace explained. "We felt safe here."

"I guess I understand that." I said honestly. "That's why I move so frequently. I never feel safe anywhere."

"Maybe this place will bring that same level of comfort." Jace offered and I nodded, not knowing if it would be real or not. "So you know about us, but I don't know that much about you." Jace said after a few moments, and I sighed.

"There isn't much to tell." I said, trying to keep my past a secret.

"Well, you're 21 years old, so you've had 21 years of experiences. There must be something interesting about at least one of them." Jace said.

"I didn't have a great childhood, so when I was 18 I decided that I would move around until I found somewhere I felt I belonged." I explained.

"How was your childhood bad?" Jace asked sincerely.

"My parents weren't nice." I said bluntly. "I spent the majority of my days thinking about death."

"Why?" Jace asked, seeming very concerned.

"I wasn't happy, I'm still not that happy. School sucked, my home life sucked, I didn't want to continue it." I explained.

"Do you still feel that way?" Jace asked.

"Do you want the honest answer?" I asked and Jace nodded. "Sometimes, yea. I'm not going to be happy now that I'm away from them. I'm just not a happy person. I don't think that will ever go away." I explained and Jace nodded. I didn't want to continue, and I think he noticed so he stopped asking questions.

"So, what do you want to do now. It's kinda early, and the others won't be back until dawn." Jace said, ending our previous conversation, which I was happy about.

"We could watch a movie." I suggested.

"Cool, but can I pick the movie?" Jace asked.

"I guess." I said and we made our way to the living room.

He sat on the couch, and I got everything ready. After everything was set up, I turned the lights off and pressed play. As the movie started, I couldn't help but think about Jace, and how as we sat on the same couch there was no chance that I could accidently fall asleep on his shoulder, or rest my head on my lap. We were forever destined to be separated by death, and something about that didn't sit well with me.

 **Time Jump – One Year Anniversary of Her Move**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary has officially been living here for a year, and I was planning on celebrating it with her. Not only is it the longest time she's lived in the same place in years, but because she really has become a staple around here for us.

Clary was currently at work, so I was going to get the gang together and figure out what we could do for her, and what she would enjoy the most. Clary was an introvert, and didn't have many friends, which wasn't a bad thing, I just wanted to do something she would like and not feel uncomfortable with.

"Why are we doing this again?" Kaelie asked, kinda snobby.

"Because Clary is our friend." Izzy shot back at her.

"She's not my friend. She just lives in the house." Kaelie sneered.

"Fine, you can leave, but don't come back for at least a day." I said and she scoffed and disappeared out of the house. "Anyone else?" I asked.

"Yea, I'm outta here." Sebastian said.

"Good riddance." Simon said.

"Now, we have to think of something." I said and everyone nodded and we started thinking. Clary was going to have a great night, that much we were sure of.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Work was actual hell today, and I couldn't wait to get home, get in the bathtub, than curl into bed and fall asleep. It made me wonder why I do this every single day. I wake up, I go to work, I get yelled at, and I still do it all over again the next day. What was the point?

As I fumbled with the keys, I was just getting more and more annoyed with my life. I wanted to fall asleep and not wake up. Forget a hot bath, forget everything, I just want to go to bed and not have to torture myself with this thing called life again tomorrow. I finally got the key into the lock, and when I opened the door, I was honestly stunned silent.

"Surprise!" Came the chorus of voices. As I took in the room, I couldn't believe what was in front of me.

"What is all this?" I asked when I regained my voice.

"Well, you've been living here for a year officially, and we wanted to throw you a little party." Jace explained as he walked towards me. "Do you hate it?" He questioned.

"No. Not at all. I'm just stunned." I admitted. "Nobody's ever thrown me a party before."

"Not even for a birthday when you were little?" Jace asked.

"I never celebrated my birthday when I was a kid. My parents didn't care." I said and I could tell that bothered him, but he didn't say anything about it, which I was grateful for.

"Well, consider this your first official party." Jace smiled and I just felt like so much of the disappointment, and frustration of the day was slowly slipping away.

"Thank you." I said as I looked at everyone. "All of you, really. This is great."

"I'm never one to turn down a party." Izzy said as she sauntered over towards me, and I smiled.

"Izzy can get a little crazy at parties." Jace whispered to me. "You looked annoyed when you walked in, everything okay?"

"Honestly, it wasn't, but this made it better." I told him truthfully.

"Than let's get this party started." Jace smirked. The music started, and the atmosphere of the house was so light, and energetic. It was exactly what I needed today, and I was spending it with the people who truly meant the most to me in the world. Nothing could ruin this.

 **Time Jump – Clary's Birthday**

 **Clary POV:**

Another miserable year has passed, and now I have to suffer through another one. I don't know why I keep doing this. Today at work was one of the most frustrating days I've had in all my time I've lived here, and everything in me wanted nothing more than to not wake up tomorrow.

When I got home, I was thankful that nobody was there. I could easily take a bath and just lay in bed for the remainder of the night. My birthday held no special meaning to me, so I was completely content with ignoring the fact that I was now 22 and literally going nowhere in life.

As I got into bed I stared at the ceiling, my mind wandering to the fact that this was life, and it was never going to get better. I wasn't happy with my job, I wasn't happy with the way I looked, and I wasn't happy with the way I felt. The only thing that made me happy was Jace, and of course he was a ghost so I couldn't even find comfort in him when I needed a hug.

As I slipped in and our of consciousness, I couldn't help but dream about the possibilities, and how amazing it would be if things between Jace and I could be different. If he was alive, would we be as close as we are now, or if I was dead, would I even see him again? Each possibility was more alluring than the next, and most of me wanted to know what would happen in my afterlife.

 **Time Jump – Christmas**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary seemed off to me, but no matter how many times I asked if she was alright, she just brushed it off as her not getting enough sleep. Which I knew was a lie. She slept all the time. It was like her mechanism to avoiding life. She would take many naps a day, and than go to bed early. So there was no possibility that she was just tired.

"Merry Christmas Clary." I said once I found her in the yard.

"Merry Christmas to you too Jace." She smiled, but it didn't meet her eyes.

"Is everything okay Clary?" I asked once more. "You seem very out of it."

"Christmas isn't my favorite holiday." She said. "This is like the first time in years I've actually celebrated it."

"I'm sorry." I said.

"It's okay." She waved me off. "Once it's over things should be normal again. Sorry I'm such a Grinch." She laughed.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Some Holidays aren't for everyone." I said and she laughed a little.

"Thanks Jace." She said before heading back inside. I wanted nothing more than to just scoop her up into my arms and tell her everything was going to be okay, but I couldn't and it was the worst form of torture I've ever experienced in my afterlife.

I went back inside where everyone was celebrating. Christmas wasn't my favorite holiday either, but this year, having Clary in my life was something I was going to be eternally grateful for. She was the best gift I've ever gotten and I was going to treasure her for as long as I possibly could.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days After New Years**

 **Jace POV:**

It was like everything happened in slow motion. Clary was acting strange all day, but she wouldn't tell me why. I figured the best thing to do was give her space, and talk it out with her later. I just didn't know there wouldn't be a later.

When I didn't find Clary in her room, I was confused. She didn't leave, and the bathroom was empty, so where the hell did she go? That's when I heard the swish outside of her bedroom window. I ran over to it just in time to see one of the most heart wrenching scene unfold of me. Clary was lying lifeless on the grass, bleeding from her head, and I knew she was dead.

I didn't know what to do, so I did the only thing I could, I called 911. I couldn't say anything, but once you call the cops, they show up no matter what. I knew they'd find her body, and I wasn't ready to watch them carry her away.

I stood at her window waiting for the cops to show up. I could hear Izzy calling me in the background, but I didn't answer. I couldn't pull my eyes away from Clary. She looked so peaceful. An expression I never saw when she was alive.

"There you are." I heard Izzy say. "I've been calling for you."

"I know." Was all I could say.

"Where is Clary?" She asked, but I didn't answer. I felt her walk over to me, and I heard her gasp. "What the hell happened?" She asked.

"She jumped." I simply said.

"Why?" Izzy asked, clearly upset.

"I don't know." I admitted. "And I don't think we ever will." Izzy opened her mouth to reply, when a bright light appeared in the room. One I haven't seen in along time.

"Jonathan Herondale, Isabelle Lightwood, it's been a long time." The angel said.

"Raziel." I whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here because you're getting another soul." He explained.

"You mean – " I said as I looked out the window.

"Clarissa Morgenstern is not your average human. She's blessed with angelic characteristic that make her your counterpart." He said.

"What does that mean?" Izzy asked.

"You 7 make up all the Deadly Sins, but Clarissa is the Heavenly Virtues." He said.

"All of them?" I asked, shocked.

"Yes. Although rare, she embodies every virtue we hold dear." Raziel said. "We've been waiting for her to complete you."

"Compete us how?" Izzy asked.

"You can't have the Deadly Sins, without the Heavenly Virtues." He simply said. "She should be here momentarily." He said before disappearing. I looked back at the window, and finally saw the cop cars coming down the street. I didn't know how to process what I was just told, all I knew was I was going to be seeing Clary again, and I couldn't wait.

 **Clary POV:**

I felt like I had just woken up from a dream. Only, nothing hurt, I wasn't tired, and everything felt new. Like I was starting over in life, and nothing bad had every happened to me. I looked down at my hands, than my feet. I was still in my clothes that I remembered putting on, and I was still in the house, but something was different.

"What the hell is wrong with you Clary?" I heard and that's when I saw Jace, which confused me. "Are you that stupid?"

"Why are you so angry?" I asked confused.

"You killed yourself Clary. You jumped off the roof. What kind of idiot does that?" Jace said, but he pulled me into a hug, one I've dreamed about so many times.

"I'm confused. Why are you yelling at me. We can finally be together." I said as we pulled apart.

"Because you had to die in order for us to be together." Jace said. "You're dead." He said and that's when it all hit me. I looked at the scene unfolding out the window behind me, and I saw them lift my lifeless body into that dreaded black body bag.

"I did it." I muttered to myself. "I finally did it."

"Did what?" Jace asked confused.

"I freed myself." I explained. "I don't think you understand how miserable I was alive." I continued. "I had no family. No friends. I didn't like myself, what I was doing, where I was going in life. I was stuck in my own personal hell."

"Clary." Jace said but I wasn't done.

"You're the first person who I ever felt close with, and you were a ghost. I couldn't touch you, feel your warmth, or anything." I said. "It's like life was shoving it in my face. The only person I've ever truly been able to smile around wasn't alive? I couldn't handle it anymore. I needed it to be real."

"And now? How do you feel?" Jace asked, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I feel at home." I said confidently. Jace took me into his arms again and I rested my head against his chest and sighed with happiness. "So what happens now?" I finally asked.

"What do you mean?" Jace asked.

"Well, you all are still on earth because you're the 7 Deadly Sins and you aren't welcome in Heaven, and there is no place for you in Hell, but what about me?" I asked curiously.

"Before you got here, we were approached by an angel." Jace said.

"Really?" I asked stunned.

"It happened before each of us died. Kinda like instructions on what to do." Jace explained. "Your soul had a few missing minutes before it left your body entirely, and before you showed up here."

"What did the angel say?" I asked.

"He explained to us that you would be joining us here on earth." Jace said and my eyes widened slightly.

"Really? How come?" I asked.

"You see, we might be the 7 Deadly Sins together, but you are the Heavenly Virtues." Jace said.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"You posses all the qualities of those virtues." Jace said as he took his hands in mine. "Chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, forgiveness, kindness, and humility."

"I don't get how I'm all of them." I said when he was done listing them.

"You don't see yourself the way others do Clary." Jace explained. "Chastity - you're innocent, and bold. Temperance – you're self resilient. Charity – you're so giving in everything you have. Diligence – you are a hard worker, and dedicated to whatever you put your mind too. Forgiveness – you never hold a grudge, no matter how awful a person has been to you. Kindness – you are the most selfless person I've ever met in my life, even for those who don't deserve it. And humility – you are incredibly humble, even when you deserve bragging rights." He explained, and I just stood there in awe. "You are every single one of those things Clary, and you complete us. Especially me."

"So what do we do?" I finally asked when I got my voice back.

"We continue doing what we've been doing all along." Jace said. "But this time – together." He said as he took my hand in his.

"Together."

 **Authors Note:**

 **Okay, so this one hit me right after I read the suggestion, but it took me forever to get it just right, but I think I've done it justice. Although it is slightly different than what the reviewer wanted, I always love giving my stories an ending that feels like a happy ending, even if it doesn't use traditional methods to get there, so instead of giving Clary all the tools to succeed in life, I made the executive decision to have her commit suicide.** **I in no way, condone suicide, and if you are having these thoughts, I strongly suggest talking to someone professional or personal, just get your feelings out there, and seek help. It's the best for your and everyone around you.**

 **I left it opened, so you all can interpret it as you please, but I hope that you like what I did with it in it's entirety. I loved the originality that this reviewer gave, and since I've not yet read a story that focused on the 7 Deadly Sins, I thought it was perfect to get out there to hopefully give inspiration to other authors who want to write about the same topic! Let me know what you think and leave a review!**


	142. Chapter 141 - Patient No More

**One Hundred and Forty One One Shot:**

 **Patient No More:**

 **Clary POV:**

From the time I was 6 until I was nearly 16 I spent the majority of my time in a hospital. When I was 6 I found out that I had leukemia. It was the worst news that my family could have ever received. I was a bright and bubbly kid, I had the world in the palm of my hand, and all of the sudden I was _that_ kid. I was the kid with cancer.

At first I didn't really understand it. I thought that I would get treated and that would be it. Little did I know, or even understand how brutal that disease could be. I spent almost 3 years getting chemo treatment after chemo treatment and when I was 9 I was in remission. It was like a weight was lifted off my family and we could finally live again.

That only last a couple years though. When I was 11, going on 12 I was rediagnosed. This time I understood what it meant, and I understood that there was a possibility that I would die from this. I was still a kid, but I understood the gravity of the situation. I immediately went back into treatment, but round after round wasn't working. My family had tried so hard to find a solution, but the only thing that would save my life, was a bone marrow transplant.

My mom, dad and brother automatically got tested, and we were all hopeful. Unfortunately being related doesn't guarantee you a match. We learned that the hard way when none of them positively matched me. We were devastated, and I truly thought I was going to die.

It took maybe three weeks before we got the call that they found me a perfect match. I think my mom cried for three days after we got that phone call. There was someone out there who was willing to donate to me, and save my life. A complete stranger. It was the miracle that my family needed, and to this day I am forever grateful for that stranger.

I got my transplant, and it worked. It took some time for me to be put in remission, but when I turned 16, on my actual birthday I got the call. My doctor said that I was in the clear and that the bone marrow transplant was still working and I no longer had leukemia. It was the best day of my life.

And here I am, 17 years old, finally going back to school, and just trying to be a teenager for the couple years I have left in my teens. After the whole incident, my parents decided to pack up and move us. My brother was going to college anyway, and everyone in our town knew about me, and I didn't want the pity as much as my parents didn't want the pity. We needed a fresh start, and that's what we got.

I was starting my senior year of high school tomorrow, at a brand new school, with no friends, and really no support besides my family, but I got to be Clary Morgenstern here. I was no longer the girl who had cancer, or the freak. I was me again, and I've missed being me.

 **Jace POV:**

As I got ready for my first day of senior year, I couldn't get the smile off my face. Senior year of high school was going to be a piece of cake. My biggest concern this year was soccer, and making sure I did well so that I could potentially get a scholarship for college, but as for the grades and everything, I wasn't too worried about it.

I grabbed my things and headed downstairs. Alec and Izzy were both already sitting down and eating, but I wasn't much of a breakfast person, so I just grabbed a cup of coffee.

"You ready for this year?" Alec asked.

"Oh yea." I said. "What about you? Half way done college. How does that feel?" I asked.

"Pretty great. But you're forgetting about med school." He said and I laughed. "I'll be in school for a long time."

"Which is why I'll never be a doctor. Too much studying." Izzy said.

"Iz, you barely study now. You'd never be accepted." I joked and she threw an apple at me, but I ducked.

"Bit me Jonathan." She hissed.

"I'm so scared." I teased.

"Next it's my stiletto that goes into your eye socket." She said before standing up and walking away.

"You need to stop pushing her buttons dude." Alec said and I just laughed.

"It's so much fun though." I said as I put my cup in the sink.

"It won't be fun if she leaves without you." He said, and I grabbed my bag and ran outside. She was already in the car, so I opened the door and jumped in, since she started driving while I only had one leg in the car.

"Really Isabelle?" I asked once I closed the door.

"Don't piss me off Jonathan." She said before blaring the music and driving to school.

We got there and she parked where she always does. Next to her airheaded friends. Izzy wasn't a stupid girl. When she really invested herself in something, she was brilliant at it, but when she didn't care, she didn't care, and it showed. But Izzy surrounded herself with airheads for who knows what reason.

"Did you see the new girl?" Aline asked. "She looks like a freak."

"We have a new girl?" Izzy asked

"Yea. Short red hair. She's super thin, probably anorexic, and has absolutely no sense of style." Aline explained.

"You know nothing about her." I said as I closed the door.

"So?" They all said at the same time. Well, everyone but Izzy.

"So, I don't see how you can judge someone you don't even know." I pointed out. "I mean, you aren't what you appear to be."

"Oh really?" She asked seductively as she made her way closer to me. "And what to I appear to be?"

"You appear to be a nice girl, and you seem to have a good head on your shoulders." I said and she smiled.

"And when you get to know me you realize how incredibly hot I am, and how I could rock your world?" She bit her bottom lip, and I had to admit, it wasn't attractive at all.

"No. You turn out to be a complete and utter airhead, with not morals, no sense of loyalty, and a sexuality crisis." I said and he jaw hit the floor. "I have practice after school Iz, so I'll get a ride home with one of the guys."

"Sounds good." She said and I left. I caught a glimpse of the new girl. She was sitting under a tree reading a book. She looked younger than a high schooler, and she seemed to be a bit of a loner, but I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't want to be friends with anyone in this school either. Especially the girls.

 **Time Jump – Lunch**

 **Clary POV:**

I guess it doesn't matter what school you go to, there will always be that group of girls who pick on the new girl, and feel the need to make fun of me for one reason or another.

It was lunchtime, and I decide to make sure I got a table alone. Which wasn't apparently hard considering a lot of kids went off campus to eat. I was surprised this was allowed, but it was nice that the cafeteria wasn't as crowded as I assumed it would be.

"Hey." I heard and when I looked up form my book, there stood the golden boy of the school. I've been hearing people talk about him all day. He didn't peg me as the type of guy who interacted with those outside of the popular crowed, but I guess I can't judge a book by its cover. "Mind if I join?" He asked.

"Not at all." I said. He pulled out a chair, and I closed my book.

"What are you reading?" He asked.

"Sense and Sensibility." I answered.

"Jane Austen. Impressive." He said, and I was pretty impressed he knew the book.

"I'm more impressed you knew the book." I said and he laughed.

"I like literature." He said, and I smiled.

"Yea. I'm a big bookworm." I admitted.

"Me too." He said. "My favorite is A Tale of Two Cities."

"Charles Dickens." I said. "Impressive."

"Is Jane Austen your favorite author?" He asked.

"One of them." I said. "I'm a huge Charles Dickens fan as well, along with George Elliot, and William Faulkner." I said. "Just to name a few."

"What's your favorite by Faulkner?" He asked.

"As I Lay Dying." I said and he nodded. "And you?" I asked seeing as he seemed like a fan.

"The Sound and the Fury." He said and I nodded. "Any other hobbies besides reading?" He asked.

"I draw." I said. "If reading doesn't occupy my time, painting and sketching does."

"Who are your favorite artists?" He asked.

"Picasso, da Vinci, Monet, Pollock, Rembrandt." I rambled. "I could go on."

"Are you any good?" He laughed.

"I'm decent." I said. "I could be better." I admitted.

"Do you show your work?" He asked.

"Not normally." I said and he nodded.

"Maybe some other time than." He said and I nodded. "I'm Jace by the way."

"Clary." I said and he smiled.

"Why did you move here Clary?" He asked.

"Family reasons." I said not wanting to tell my life story.

"I understand that." He admitted. "How are you acclimating so far?"

"It's no different than I expected. Popular group of girls preys on the new girl." I said and he nodded.

"Well, if they are ever giving you a hard time, let me know." He said, and I was super confused as to why he was being so nice.

"Not that I mind you being nice to me." I said. "But why are you?"

"I was you." He said. "I was the new kid, and people suck." He blatantly said. "It's your senior year, and you had to move schools, you should be enjoying it, and Kaelie and Aline just need a new hobby. They've already had sex with every dude in this school, and nobody double dips, so they prey on the freshman, and new kids."

"Every dude?" I asked as I raised my eyebrow.

"Never me." He said with a disgusted tone in his voice. "My adoptive sister is friends with them, so according to girl code I was off limits anyway, but I wouldn't touch either of them with a ten foot pole."

"But you must be pretty popular among the female population. I've heard nonstop about you all day." I mentioned and he laughed.

"You know how people always say that guys like a challenge?" He asked and I nodded. "Well apparently girls do as well, and I'm about as challenging as they come." He said and I laughed. The bell rang and he stood up. "Same time tomorrow?" He asked and I nodded with smile on my face. "See you around Clary." He said and he walked away, and I couldn't believe it.

Did that just happen? Did he just become my friend? This was a weird turn in the day, and I wasn't exactly sure how to interpret it.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow – Lunch**

 **Clary POV:**

I was sitting at lunch reading again, when I heard the chair pull out. I looked up and there stood Jace, but he wasn't alone.

"Hey, I brought a friend." He said as they both sat down.

"I'm Isabelle, but everyone calls me Izzy." The girls said with a kind smile.

"Clary." I said and she nodded.

"New book today?" Jace asked and I nodded. "What is it this time?"

"Lord of Flies." I said.

"Good book." He said with a smile.

"Oh god, another bookworm? I thought Jace was bad enough." Izzy laughs.

"She might be worse than me Iz." Jace teased.

"Until she reads almost every book in our library, you're still worse." Izzy said.

"You have a library?" I asked kinda stunned.

"We do." Jace said nonchalantly.

"It's under construction right now, but maybe when it's done you can come over and see it." Izzy offered.

"I'd love that." I said happily, and we fell into boring conversation. It was easy to talk to them, almost like I've known them my whole life. It was something that I longed for since I was first diagnosed. Normalcy. And I was finally getting that.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

Today was one of Max's bad days, so Maryse asked if I would stay home with him. Of course I had no problem doing that for them. I hated seeing him in this kind of pain, and going through treatment after treatment. He was little, he didn't deserve this.

I was in my room reading, when I heard the front door open. I figured it was Izzy arriving home from school, but there was another voice, and I wondered who she brought with her.

My door was slightly cracked, so when they made their way upstairs, I caught a glimpse of red, and I knew it was Clary. I went back to reading my book when I saw Izzy pass by my door again. I figured this was my time, so I made my way to Izzy's room to see Clary, but when I got there, it was empty. Curiously, I decided to look around and see where she was. I was walking past Max's room, headed towards the library when I head the voices.

"You know, Izzy told me she had a little brother, but I didn't peg you to be this cute." Clary said and I heard Max laugh.

"Izzy doesn't normally introduce me to her friends." Max admitted.

"Izzy said you were resting, and that I shouldn't disturb you, but I had a gut feeling we'd be good friends." Clary explained to him.

"Why is that?" Max asked.

"Because I know what it feels like to be you." Clary said, and my jaw dropped.

"You were sick too?" Max asked surprised.

"Yes." Clary said. "I was first diagnosed when I was 6 years old."

"I was just diagnosed last year." Max said. "What did you have?"

"I had leukemia." Clary said, and I just couldn't believe it.

"I have leukemia." Max said. "It's not fun."

"No it isn't, but just remember, even on the hardest days, fighting is still important." Clary told him.

"When did you not have leukemia anymore?" Max asked curiously. He was so innocent, it made him being sick that much harder.

"On my 16th birthday I got that call that I no longer had leukemia." Clary said and I couldn't believe that just a year ago, she was sick.

"And you're okay now?" Max asked.

"I'm getting better everyday. My hair is still growing back, and I'm still trying to gain all the weight I lost, but I wake up every morning knowing that fighting got me here." Clary explained to him. A moment later, Max's timer started going off.

"It's time for my medicine." Max said. "Jace should be in here any moment." He said so I decided to knock on the door and walk in. "Called it." Max said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, I'll let you two do your thing." Clary smiled. "It was great meeting you Max."

"Will you come visit soon?" Max asked her.

"Of course." She said before walking towards the door. Before she got there she stopped next to me. "How much did you hear?" She asked me in a whisper.

"Enough." I said and she nodded and left. I looked back at Max and smiled. "You ready for this buddy?" I asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." He said and I nodded.

Max was now extremely sleepy, so I figured that I would leave him to rest. I made my way to Izzy's room, but when I entered Clary wasn't there.

"She's in the library." Izzy said without looking up.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked.

"Mom and dad aren't home. Max is basically bedridden, and Alec is at school. Who else could it be?" She said so casually.

"Clary?" I pointed out.

"Nope. Lost her the minute she stepped foot into that library." Izzy said as she went back to reading her magazine.

"Well, I'll be back. Keep an ear on Max." I said and I walked out after I saw her nod. I made my way to the library, and when I walked in I just saw Clary looked around in awe. "Incredible isn't it?" I said and she looked at me.

"I've just never been in a home that has a library." She said and I made my way towards her.

"They didn't always have it." I mentioned. "After they adopted me they wanted to make sure I felt at home." I explained. "When they asked me what I like to do for fun, I said I liked to read, and play the piano. So they formed a small library out of a room they hardly used, and got me a piano." She nodded as she continued to look around. "It expanded over the years as you can see."

"It's amazing." She said. "And you've read all of these?" She asked.

"Mostly. I just ordered a shit ton of new books, hence why it needed to be expanded." I explained.

"It's incredible." She mentioned again.

"Pick anything you like. We have no library cards, or return dates. And no fees if you keep it for too long." I teased and she laughed.

"I might just take you up on that." Clary said as she walked towards a shelf. "So, you heard me talking to Max?" She asked as she browsed the shelf.

"Yea." I said. "Are you mad?" I asked.

"No." She said, but she didn't look at me. "But now you know."

"Was it a secret before?" I asked.

"From everyone here, yea." She said. "It's actually why we moved." She explained. "Everyone knew me as the girl with cancer, and I hated it. My parents got pity, my brother got pity. We were sick of it." She said. "So when I recovered, my brother was heading off to college, and my parents decided to give me a fresh start." She said as she looked at me. "It's not the kind of thing I want to be known for."

"I understand that." I said. "I was known as the orphan for a long time."

"I'm sorry." She said and I shrugged.

"I don't remember my parents at all." I said. "Well, very little. I remember my dad teaching me the piano, and my mother reading to me every night before bed, but it doesn't get any deeper than that."

"What happened to them?" She asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

"9/11." I said.

"Oh god." She said. "That must have sucked."

"It was confusing. One minute they were there, the next I'm being sent to a distant relative that I barely knew." I explained. "Turns out they couldn't afford a child so I was put in the system. I was there for maybe 3 years before I was introduced to the Lightwoods."

"Did they work in one of the towers?" She asked.

"They both worked in the North Tower." I said. "That's where they met actually. They weren't going to survive no matter what."

"Why do you say that?" She asked curiously.

"They worked on the 94th floor. That's where the plane hit." I explained.

"I'm so sorry Jace. I can't even fathom losing someone like that." She said.

"There are many things you can't control in life." I said. "I tried everything to try and rationalize why it had to be my parents. Why I was destined to be an orphan. It drives you crazy after a while." I explained. "I accepted what happened to them, and I moved on, because I feel like that's what they would have wanted."

"That's very brave." She said.

"No, what you went through, and what you fought through is brave." I said. "I can't imagine going through that."

"It isn't fun, but if you have a good support system it makes it easier." She explained.

"I hope Max fights until the end." I said.

"He seems like a fighter to me." She laughed.

"Oh he is." I smiled.

"If you don't mind though, I'd like to keep this between us." She asked.

"Your secret is safe with me." I said and she smiled. "I'll let you get back to browsing." I said as I stood up.

"Thank you." She said. "For keeping my secret, for sharing your past, and lending me your library."

"No problem." I said as I walked out. I had only known Clary for a couple months, but I already felt as though she was going to become a major part of this family, and I liked thinking about her being around a lot.

 **Time Jump – Christmas Break**

 **Clary POV:**

This is my first Christmas without leukemia, and I had to say, I was enjoying it a lot. There is a lot you miss out on when you're sick, and it sucks, but getting healthy is always top priority, but this Christmas, I was surrounded by my family, and we were laughing, and joking around, and doing everything normal families do during the holiday season. It was truly a gift, and it was one that I would never take for granted.

Everyone was cleaning up dinner, so I went into the living room to check my phone. Normally phones are off limits during holidays, but I had some down time, and I wanted to check if anyone contacted me, but I wouldn't be surprised if I had no messages. But when I saw that Izzy texted me almost 30 minutes ago, I automatically knew something was wrong.

 ** _From Izzy:_**

 _Clary, I don't know where else to go. Is it okay if I come over?_

Before I even had a chance to respond, the doorbell rang. I put my phone down and made my way over to it, and when I opened my door, there stood Izzy, her face was puffy from tears, and she was shivering.

"I didn't know where else to go." She repeated her text.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I ushered her into the house.

"It's Max." She said and my heart broke. "They gave him 3 to 4 weeks."

"Izzy." I said but she just crumbled on the floor and started sobbing. I rushed to her side, and my family rushed in to see what was going on. I looked up, and just shook my head, and they knew what I was talking about. They left the room to give Izzy and I some privacy, but all I could do was hold my friend. All I could do was comfort her, because there was absolutely nothing I could say that would change how she's feeling.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It's been a hard week for Jace and Izzy, and everyone around them can tell. When I saw them show up to school again, they just looked drained. After Izzy stayed at my house for the night, she went home to be with Max, and I didn't blame her. But I haven't really spoken to them since. I understood they needed time, and they needed to be with family, but that didn't mean I didn't want to help.

Izzy gave me a sad smile before she entered the school building, but Jace was taking his own time. I decided that I would go to him and see how he was doing, and to let him know that I was here if he ever needed to talk.

"Hey Jace." I said once I got close enough to him. "How are you?" I asked.

"How am I?" He spat back at me. "My brother is dying, and you're asking me how I am?"

"It was a simple question. You don't have to answer if you don't want too." I explained to him.

"Easy for you to say." He laughed humorlessly. "Leukemia didn't kill you, but it's killing my little brother." He said and I'm not going to lie, it hurt hearing him say that. Almost like he was blaming me for recovering.

"I just wanted to let you know if you need to talk, I'm here for you." I said. "I'm here for your whole family."

"We don't need a survivors therapy session." He said. "We need Max to live, but that's not going to happen, and talking about it isn't going to miraculously cure him."

"Jace." I stepped forward but he stepped back.

"Just." He stopped. "Just leave me alone." He said before walking into the school. I had no idea what he was going through. I was the one with cancer, not losing someone because of it. I don't know what it felt like to be on the other end of the disease, but from the looks of Izzy and Jace, when Max dies, it's going to destroy them.

 **Time Jump – Near the End of the Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I had a study hall this period, but I wasn't in the mood to study. In fact, I was really antsy, so I asked my teacher if I could go take a lap around the building, and he doesn't care, so that's what I'm currently doing.

I could hear the low murmur of teachers in other classrooms teaching away as I continued my walk to clean my head around the school. But when I got to the arts section of the school, everything was quiet. Any type of art class, whether it be musical, theatrical, or regular art was normally done in the beginning of the day. But when I heard soft whimpers coming from one of the classrooms, my curiosity got the better of me. I went over to the music room where I saw Jace hunched over the piano crying. I made my way over to him and took a seat on the bench next to him. He didn't bother looking up, and I didn't mind. I placed my hand on his side, and a few moments later, his hand covered mine. He didn't look up, he didn't speak, and neither did I. But I sat there, and he cried, and it didn't matter what he said to me earlier, because I was going to be there for him, just like I was there for Izzy last time.

About 20 minutes later he finally calmed down as lifted his head. He looked at me, and his eye's were bloodshot from crying, and his nose was running. I gripped the end of my shirt, and used it to wipe the snot away, and that caused him to laugh.

"That's embarrassing." He said.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about." I told him. "Grief hits you out of nowhere sometimes. You should never be embarrassed or ashamed for expressing emotions."

"That's where you're wrong." He told me. "I do have something to be embarrassed about." He looked at me. "The way I treated you this morning was out of line."

"Jace." I said but he wasn't done.

"You were trying to be there for me, and I snapped. I know you have good intentions, it's just I don't want to hear the same sob speech everyone has been trying to give us." He said honestly.

"Do I really look like the type of person to give that sob speech? I had cancer Jace. I went through everything Max is going through. I almost died from it." I said and he looked at me.

"You did?" He asked curiously.

"Yes." I admitted. "It was when I relapsed. It was out of nowhere. I thought I was in remission. I mean, it had been nearly 2 years. I thought I was finally going to be able to live." I said as I remembered that feeling. "The doctors told me it spread, and that I was going to have to undergo a more intense chemo treatment than I had been under before. I was scared to death. It was in that moment that I truly understood that this could kill me."

"What happened?" He asked.

"I accepted the fact that I was either going to live or die. And if I was going to die, I was going to put up one hell of a fight before cancer took me." I told him. "I gave it my all, and the doctor told me the only way I was going to survive was a bone marrow transplant."

"How long did it take you to get it?" Jace asked.

"It took three weeks to find a match, and let me tell you, I think I had already rung deaths doorbell, but I was waiting for him to answer when I finally got the transplant." I said.

"But look at you now." He said.

"I didn't get this way easily." I told him. "Cancer fucking sucks Jace. It tears families apart, and it kills people, and it doesn't care how young, old, loved, or rich you are." I explained. "It takes people, and Max fought hard. He gave it everything he had, and it wasn't enough." I explained, because the truth is always better than a comforting lie. "But he isn't going to want you to be angry like this."

"How do you know?" He asked. "How do you know Max isn't going to resent us for not trying everything we could have?" He said somberly.

"Because Izzy told me the last conversation she had with Max." I said. "He knew he wasn't going to make it. He felt the end coming and he told Izzy that he wanted all of you to live as much as possible. For him."

"I've lost so many people." He said. "I don't think I can lose anymore."

"Life isn't guaranteed to anyone." I told him honestly. "Freak accidents happen, disease happens, natural disasters, and fucking crazy people happen Jace." I said. "But life does go on, because those people might not be around anymore, but that doesn't mean you have to stop living for them."

"Thank you." He said after a few moments. "For not hating me after this morning."

"I could never hate you Jace." I said and he nodded. "But I really should get back to class." I said and he laughed.

"Me too." He said and we both stood up when we realized we were both still holding hands. We looked down and let go immediately, but soon I missed his hand. "See you around?" He asked.

"You know where to find me." I said. We walked out of the music room and headed in different directions, but Jace was with me every step of the way, since I couldn't get him out of my head no matter how much I tried.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Jace POV:**

It had been six days since Max died, and I don't think I have fully comprehended that he was never going to laugh again, or cry, or make us sit through a ridiculous TV show ever again. It hit Izzy and Alec immediately, but I couldn't cry like them. I couldn't get angry like Maryse and Robert. Hell, I couldn't even feel anything. Max was gone, and that was the only thing I could process.

It was the day of the funeral. The church was filled. Izzy and Maryse clung to each other, while Alec and Robert sat there stoic. The pastor was speaking but I couldn't hear a single word he said. Everything was just like white noise. Even when Izzy and Alec got up to speak, I heard nothing.

But now as it's my turn, the walk to the podium seemed like I was walking off the plank. My heart was racing and I felt like I was about to explode. My hands were slightly shaking, and when I looked out into the crowd, I saw puffy eyes, and sympathy riddled across everyone's face. But I guess when a child dies, there aren't too many other reactions. I put my speech on the podium, opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out, and that's when I felt the stinging in my eyes. Everything stopped, and I couldn't move. But than I felt something grab my hands, and that's when I saw Clary.

"Don't worry, I got this." She whispered in my ear, than she kissed my cheek, before standing at the podium. She took my hand in hers, and squeezed it tightly. I barely remember what I wrote in my speech, but I knew I didn't want anyone else reading it besides Clary. "I only knew Max for a short while, but I connected more to him than most people I've met in my life." Clary started out. "And I can't even fathom what the Lightwood's are going through, but I do know one thing, and that's how incredibly humble Max was, and self-sacrificing he was." She explained. "Now, I'm going to try and get through this amazing speech Jace wrote without crying." She said, and I could hear the slight smile in her voice:

 _"Max was only a month old when the Lightwood's took me in. I'd never been around a baby before, and I found him fascinating_." Clary read, and I could just picture the day like it was yesterday. _"Watching him grow up, and being there for all his milestones was something I looked forward too. And when the news came in that he had cancer, everything in me stopped. I had lost so many things in my life already, and I couldn't believe it was happening to me all over again. His life was too short, but it was lived. He was the most care free and happy kid I've ever seen, and there won't be a day that goes by where I won't think of him, won't miss him, and won't cry thinking of all of our amazing family memoires and how I wish that we could continue making them_." Clary said and I heard her sniffle. _"But Max was the kind of kid who always wanted us to be happy, and as heart broken as I am that I lost the best little brother I could have ever hoped for, each and every day I'm going to smile and live because I know that's what Max would have wanted us to do."_ She finished the speech and with our hands still connected we made our way back down, but I didn't want to let her go, so I didn't. She took a seat next to me, and I felt like I could do this. I could get through this, but I knew I needed Clary, and I knew that whatever this was, whatever I was feeling, wasn't going away.

 **Time Jump – Later That Day**

 **Jace POV:**

Close friends and family all gathered at our house for whatever you call an after funeral gathering. I was sitting on the couch as everyone mingled and ate. It wasn't until I felt the couch dip next to me that I looked up and saw Izzy sitting there.

"I don't even remember the last time I saw half of these people." She said as she looked around the room.

"Weddings and funerals are the two most popular reasons for friends and family to pop back into your life." I said without hesitation.

"Yea well, they should be more involved or just get the fuck out." Izzy said venomously.

"I agree." I simply said.

"You should talk to her." Izzy said and I looked up at her.

"Who?" I asked.

"Clary, duh." Izzy said. "Come on, it is blatantly obvious that you have feelings for her."

"I don't think this is the right moment." I said.

"Jace, Max is gone." Izzy said. "And the one thing he wanted us to do is live. So go and tell Clary how you feel. Don't use Max as a scapegoat."

"I don't even know where she is." I said.

"Where do you think she is?" Izzy said and I looked at her. "She left for the library about five minutes ago." She explained and I nodded. Before I left, she grabbed my hand. "And don't do your usual douchy thing. Do right to Clary."

"I don't think I could ever hurt her." I admitted. "She's too great of a person."

"Good." Izzy beamed. "Go get her tiger." She said and I laughed and made my way to the library. Izzy was right, I needed to let Clary know how I felt, and it was now or never.

When I got to the library, Clary was sitting in the chair she normally did when she came over and searched for a book. I made my way over to her, and she was clutching the book she read Max every single time she was over. Max loved hearing it, and Clary was his favorite storyteller.

"You know, you were his favorite when it came to stories." I said as I took a seat and Clary looked up at me.

"Really?" She asked.

"Really. He loved when you came over because you always read to him." I admitted. "I mean, he loved when anyone would read him stories, but you were his favorite."

"I'm honored." Clary smiled.

"You should be." I smiled. "Not many people got to meet Max."

"I understand why." Clary said. "The pity gets out of hand. My parents could barely go to the grocery store when I was sick, and it was worse for Jon at school."

"Max never wanted to be treated differently." I said.

"I understand that." Clary agreed.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did today." I said. "I wouldn't have been able to read that speech without you."

"It was my pleasure. It was very sweet." Clary said.

"Listen, I know this might be horrible timing, but if I don't do it now, I'll chicken out honestly." I admitted.

"Do what?" Clary asked honestly.

"I like you." I blurted out. "A lot. And today just proved it even more, so I'd like to know if you'd go out with me." I rushed out.

"Like on a date?" Clary asked, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Of course on a date." I said.

"When?" She asked.

"Whenever you want." I said. "Due to the events that just took place, maybe sometime next week?" I offered.

"Next week sounds perfect." Clary agreed.

"Great. We can do whatever you want. Or if you want me to plan it, I can totally do that." I said.

"How about I surprise you?" She offered.

"Deal, but I'm still paying." I said and she smiled.

"Deal." She said and we both stood up and I pulled her into a hug, and just having her there made everything feel better.

"Thank you Clary." I whispered in her ear, because I just couldn't say it enough.

"Anything for you Jace." Clary said and I rested my head on the top of her head and inhaled her strawberry scented shampoo. Today was an awful day, but one good thing came out of it, and that made it a little less sucky.

 **Time Jump – Two Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"I really can't decide on what to wear." Izzy said as we were dress shopping.

"You look amazing in everything Iz." I said honestly.

"Yea, but I just want to look my absolute best." She continued.

"And you will." I reassured her.

"It feels weird not to have a date." Izzy said. "I mean, I always have a date, but it feels good to know I can wear whatever dress, in whatever color and not have to worry about a guys opinion." She laughed.

"Good for you." I laughed and she walked out. "You look stunning."

"I do don't I?" She admired herself in the mirror and I just laughed. She was wearing a stunning burgundy dress, with a plunging neckline, and lace detail up and down the bodice and arms.

"Truly perfection." I stated, and she smiled.

"Now, what about you?" Izzy asked me.

"Jace is wearing all black, so I can wear whatever color I want." I admitted, and she got this wicked grin on her face.

"Let's get to work." She said before pulling me up and basically throwing me in the dressing room, and proceeded to throw dozens of dresses at me for hours, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

 **Time Jump – Prom**

 **Jace POV:**

Getting details about prom from Izzy was as easy as pulling teeth. That girl was a locked vault, that she wouldn't open for anyone. Every Clary wouldn't tell me anything, so I had to get the most generic corsage that I could find, in hopes that it matched the color of her dress. Although I had to admit, the all white flowers in the corsage, looked stunning.

"Ready?" I heard from the top of the stairs, and I recognized Izzy voiced immediately.

"We're all ready sweetie!" Maryse yelled up to her. We were all in the foyer, waiting for the girls. I heard the clicking, and Izzy appeared and I couldn't help but be proud of her. Izzy has always been a very independent person, and especially in the months that proceeded Max's death, she has never once used a guy to distract her, and I think she's still grieving, but seeing her tonight, I was proud of everything she's overcome. "You look stunning sweetheart."

"Thanks mom." Izzy said as she gave Maryse a hug.

"My little girl is growing up." Robert said and Izzy smiled as she gave him a hug.

"You clean up nice Iz." I said and she playfully pushed me.

"I could say the same thing about you." She smiled. "You can come down now Clary." She called up and my heart started to race. I heard the clicking and everything in me stopped when she appeared.

Clary was wearing a beautiful white dress, fitted perfectly to every curve her body had and her hair was curled to perfection, with daisy's placed strategically. Now I understood why Izzy 'suggested' that I go with daisy's as a flower because she had every detail planned.

"You look gorgeous." I said once she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Thank you." She said sheepishly.

"Oh honey." Her mom said and Clary looked over at her family. "You look stunning."

"Thanks mom." Clary said.

"You know, I never thought we'd have this moment." Her mom said and I could hear the emotion in her voice.

"But we're here, and that's what matters." Clary said and her mom just nodded before pulling her into a hug.

"Okay, picture time!" Maryse cheered, and we all made our way out to the backyard. I took Clary's hand in mind and she smiled up at me.

"I'm really glad I met you Clary Morgenstern." I said to her and her smile got ten times bigger.

"I'm really glad I got to meet you too Jace Herondale." She said and just like that, everything seemed to be put in place. We took pictures together, and Izzy owned her dateless prom, and I couldn't be happier with where I am in life at this point.

 **Time Jump – Middle of Prom**

 **Clary POV:**

We were all standing around waiting for them to announce prom King and Queen. Naturally Jace and Izzy were nominated, and I wasn't, but I didn't mind. Just because I was now dating Jace, doesn't mean I expected to be nominated. I was the new kid at the beginning of the year that nobody knew, so being in the crowd wasn't unusual to me.

"The your Prom King is….Jace Herondale!" Mr. Starkweather announced, and I couldn't help but laugh. Of course he was the King. Everyone loved him, or was in love with him. Starkweather put the crown on his head, and the place erupted with claps and screams. "Alright, settle down." He eventually said. "And your Prom Queen is….." I had to admit, I didn't want it to be Kaelie, because I didn't want him to dance with her. "…..Isabelle Lightwood." He announced and I was super happy that she won. She deserved it. He crowned her and the pair made their way down to the dance floor and proceeded to have a nice dance together. Watching them, I couldn't get the smile off my face. Everything they've been through, they deserved this.

"May I have this dance?" I heard and I was pulled out of my head to see Jace standing in front of me.

"Of course you may." I said as I took his hand. He pulled me into the middle of the dance floor. I rested my head on his chest and let the moment surround us.

"I love you Clary." I heard Jace whisper and I looked up into those golden eyes of his.

"I love you too Jace." I said and he pressed his lips to mine. The music, and the atmosphere around us couldn't have been more amazing, and I couldn't be more thrilled that I was here in the arms of this amazing guy who loved me no matter what. Moving here, to get a fresh start, was one of the best things that's ever happened to me, and I couldn't even begin to explain how happy I am to be a patient no more.

 **Authors Note:**

 **I thought of this one myself, and I know what you're thinking - TWO UPDATES IN ONE DAY - HOLY HELL! Trust me, I'm thinking the same thing, but you have all suffered with my absence, and I owed it to you. I have a free day, and I'm gonna try my best to do so much with it. Let me know what you think and leave a review!**


	143. Table of Contents

**Table of Contents:**

 **So, a reviewer just asked me to make a table of contents for the stories thus far, and I can't believe I never made one before hand, so I'm going to do it now! Here is the table of contents for chapter 1-141 :) Remember, since I started this series with an authors note, every story is bumped up a number! Which means, Chapter 1 (Failure) is going to be found when searching the number 2 option when scrolling, does that make sense? Well, the number in the () is the number to hit when scrolling on any device where you can't see the titles! Anyway, hope you enjoy!**

 **1.** **Failure (2)**

 **2.** **Superstar (3)**

 **3.** **Marines (4)**

 **4.** **Hockey (5)**

 **5.** **Kissing Booth (6)**

 **6.** **Arranged Marriage (7)**

 **7.** **Message Board (8)**

 **8.** **Unknown Father (9)**

 **9.** **Lifeguard (10)**

 **10\. Spin the Bottle/7 Minutes in Heaven (11)**

 **11\. BFF (12)**

 **12\. Kiss Cam (13)**

 **13\. Disneyland (14)**

 **14\. Robbery (15)**

 **15\. Softball (16)**

 **16\. Deployment (17)**

 **17\. Saving Grace (18)**

 **18\. Exchange (19)**

 **19\. Secret Relationship (20)**

 **20\. Bullies (21)**

 **21\. Billionaire (22)**

 **22\. Mistress (23)**

 **23\. Maid (24)**

 **24\. CIA (25)**

 **25\. Accidentally In Love (26)**

 **26\. Illness (27)**

 **27\. Surrogate (28)**

 **28\. Teacher (29)**

 **29\. Prank Wars (30)**

 **30\. Model (31)**

 **31\. Deaf (32)**

 **32\. Younger (33)**

 **33\. Heaven Sent (34)**

 **34\. Shy (35)**

 **35\. Unwanted Married Life (36)**

 **36\. Stripper (37)**

 **37\. Wheelchair (38)**

 **38\. Badass (39)**

 **39\. Heartbroken (40)**

 **40\. Prince (41)**

 **41\. Tutor (42)**

 **42\. Protector (43)**

 **43\. Running (44)**

 **44\. Normal Days (45)**

 **45\. Marrying A Stranger (46)**

 **46\. Prodigy (47)**

 **47\. Homeless (48)**

 **48\. Camp (49)**

 **49\. Secret Admirer (50)**

 **50\. Left Behind (51)**

 **51\. Best Friend or More? (52)**

 **52\. Intruder (53)**

 **53\. FBI/Police (54)**

 **54\. Snowed In (55)**

 **55\. Firefighter (56)**

 **56\. Lawyers (57)**

 **57\. Princess (58)**

 **58\. Confusion (59)**

 **59\. Actress (60)**

 **60\. Sperm Donor (61)**

 **61\. Broadway (62)**

 **62\. Pretend Dating (63)**

 **63\. Trust Issues (64)**

 **64\. Deploy (65)**

 **65\. Sugar Daddy (66)**

 **66\. President (67)**

 **67\. Heart Transplant (68)**

 **68\. Zoo (69)**

 **69\. Divorced (70)**

 **70\. Memory Loss (71)**

 **71\. Secret Service (72)**

 **72\. Dead or? (73)**

 **73\. Water Logged (Swimmer) (74)**

 **74\. Life (75)**

 **75\. Mermaid (76)**

 **76\. Pranking Jace (77)**

 **77\. A Cinderella Like Story (78)**

 **78\. Adoption (79)**

 **79\. Teachers (80)**

 **80\. Wisdom Teeth (81)**

 **81\. Alec's Date (82)**

 **82\. Superpowers (83)**

 **83\. Mechanic (84)**

 **84\. Birth Defect (85)**

 **85\. Juvie (86)**

 **86\. Soccer (87)**

 **87\. Jon's BFF (88)**

 **88\. Professional Life (89)**

 **89\. Dirty Dancing (90)**

 **90\. Summer Fling or More? (91)**

 **91\. A Better Walk to Remember (92)**

 **92\. Witness Protection (93)**

 **93\. Dancer (94)**

 **94\. Inner Demons (95)**

 **95\. Second Chances (96)**

 **96\. Stolen (97)**

 **97\. Closed Off (98)**

 **98\. Flirty (99)**

 **99\. Millionaire Mayhem (100)**

 **100.** **Ghost Stories (101)**

 **101.** **Biker Gang (102)**

 **102.** **It's Complicated (103)**

 **103.** **Recordings (104)**

 **104.** **Boarding School (105)**

 **105.** **Stardom (106)**

 **106.** **YouTubers (107)**

 **107.** **Taken (108)**

 **108.** **Game Changer (109)**

 **109.** **Assassins (110)**

 **110.** **Chef (111)**

 **111.** **Hero/Sidekick (112)**

 **112.** **The Bet (113)**

 **113.** **Hunger Games (114)**

 **114.** **Blind (115)**

 **115.** **Doctor (116)**

 **116.** **Sizzy Wedding (117)**

 **117.** **Six of a Kind (118)**

 **118.** **Trial (119)**

 **119.** **Girl In Pieces (TMI Story) (120)**

 **120.** **Trafficked (121)**

 **121.** **Married to Fame (122)**

 **122.** **Soulmate (123)**

 **123.** **Limbo Lovers (124)**

 **124.** **Perfect Mate (125)**

 **125.** **Blended** **Family (126)**

 **126.** **Parenting 101 (127)**

 **127.** **She's The Man? (128)**

 **128.** **Bachelor In Paradise (129)**

 **129.** **Military Family (130)**

 **130.** **Vampire Empire (131)**

 **131.** **Partner In Crime (132)**

 **132.** **Manny (133)**

 **133.** **Trick or Treat (134)**

 **134.** **Magical Figures (135)**

 **135.** **H2O (136)**

 **136.** **Olympics (137)**

 **137.** **Musician (138)**

 **138.** **Rivals (139)**

 **139.** **Descendents (140)**

 **140.** **7 Deadly Sins (141)**

 **141.** **Patient No More (142)**

 **So, here are the chapters thus far in my story! Remember I'm only going up to 200 before I finally call it quits! Let me know what you think and leave a review, and I hope this helps a lot of people out when they want to reread an old favorite!**


	144. Chapter 142 - Drug Lord

**One Hundred and Forty Two One Shot:**

 **Drug Lord**

 **Clary POV:**

From the moment I was born, I was thrown into a life of uncertainty and warfare. I don't remember a time where we weren't moving, or going on long vacations, or being sent to boarding school under a different name. But that was my life. I didn't know any differently, and I loved it. My parents were the most loving, and attentive parents I could have ever asked for, and I was lucky enough to have them on this earth for almost 20 years.

My mother died from illness. Cancer that they could never treat. She went peacefully on her own time though, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss her warm hugs, or her infectious laugh. My father on the other hand, he was killed in the line of duty. And no, I don't mean working for the narcs. He was killed when a business deal went sideways, and our buyers decided to take matters into their own hands. My father put up one hell of a fight, and I'm proud to be his daughter.

But with his death came a lot of uncertainty for the family business. The Circle was an organization that I have molded into my baby in the last 7 years. Everything that happened went through me, and to this day, we are the most successful drug cartel in both Northern, and Southern America.

Knowing how much of a target my father had on his back, I decided to take a different approach. Using the nickname my father gave me as a child, I kept my identity a secret. To the world, I'm known as Angel, a fierce, and no bullshit Drug Lord who knows how to do business, and not fuck around with people who aren't interested in _my_ best interests. But when I need some time to step away, I was just Clary Fray. I used the name I went to boarding school with, knowing my real surname would bring on unwanted, and dangerous attention. I was a simple free lance artist, who sold her work to people who still had an appreciation for the craft, and it was my escape when business was getting too stressful.

I had a sold group of men who were my lackeys. They would bend over backwards to do whatever I needed done, and always took the hit, in order to protect me. Men are easily manipulated, show them a slice of tit, and they'll pretty much murder for you, and I had a group that took less than that.

Simon was my number 1 when it came to soldiers. He used to be head over heels in love with me, but I never felt the same, although I used it to my advantaged as often as I could. Over the years he's mellowed out, especially after meeting his long term girlfriend Maia, but he's still just as loyal, and willing to do whatever it takes.

Magnus was my second, and he's been around this business as long as I have. Born into it, and owing a great debt to my father, he's been a loyal servant since day one, and I can trust him with my life, there is no doubt about it.

My third was a little more – temperamental. Knowing no boundaries when it came to respecting me, I've had to put a hit out on him a time or two, but when it comes to bone breaking, he's the best of the best. There was no future where Sebastian and I ever ended up together, and maybe one day he will serve his purpose fully, and I'll have no need for him, but until than, he's good for intimidation, and he excels every time.

The Circle was my pride and joy, and my birthright, and there was no way I was ever going to let my parents down. Being in this position was demanding, but the most rewarding job I could think of, plus the millions I rake in every year is a great bonus. The Angel is no joke, and no one to fuck around with. I planned on keeping it that way until my reign comes to an end.

 **Jace POV:**

Being in the DEA was my life long dream. So when I became an agent at 22, I felt like I only just started living. Everything in me felt at home, and having my two best friends next to me, was just a bonus, and made solving cases, and kicking ass so much more rewarding.

I met my two best friends while here, and we've been the most unstoppable team the DEA has ever seen. Whenever there was a complicated case, we were the team they called. It didn't matter where the case was, we were there, and we were effective. Most people would call me cocky, but I'm just very good at my job, and I know it.

I had a photographic memory, and a very high IQ that helped me in situations that most people would not be able to handle, or in cases that most people couldn't figure it out. There is nothing cocky about knowing your skills, and what you excel in. At least, that's how I viewed it, most people just called me cocky, but I don't let it phase me.

Currently Alec, Izzy and I are working on one of the toughest cases the DEA has ever seen. Drug cartels have been around for as long as we can remember, but none have been as bad as The Circle. Formally run by Valentine Morgenstern, and now run by The Angel. Nobody knows the identity of this person, but everyone knows how fierce and sadistic they are. Running their organization thinking they're God, and having no remorse for the lives they've taken. We've been on the case for years, and we still aren't anywhere near solving it.

"Yo man, we got another case." I heard from my desk. When I looked up, Alec was grabbing his jacket.

"What is it now?" I asked as I closed the file and put it away.

"From what I heard, a low level gang, but in this part of New York, it might possibly lead us to a bigger dealer." Alec explained.

"Like The Circle?" I asked.

"Who knows. The Circle has it's claws in a million different gangs, and other drug cartels." Alec said and I nodded, knowing he was right. "Hopefully it gives some insight into The Circle. I'd like to solve that case before I retire." He laughed.

"You and me both man." I said. "Is Izzy joining us there?" I asked as we got into our car.

"Naw." Alec said. "Iz is taking a few personal days."

"Is everything okay?" I asked curiously.

"Problems with the boyfriend." Alec simply said, and I knew if he was going to explain he would have, so I left it there.

We got to the scene of the crime and we immediately started processing everything, and going over different scenarios in our heads. Alec was right, I wanted to solve The Circle case before I retired, and I hoped that this might be the lead we need to get there.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I was out on the town today getting some fresh air. The last couple weeks have been very demanding, and I was starting to lose fuel. I loved my job, but sometimes it was way too demanding. I needed to relax, and refuel.

I was getting some new art supplies to maybe get back to my roots, and figure out where I should go next when it comes to The Circle. I needed to change something in the system, but I just didn't have any idea how to do so.

Since it was such a nice day out, I decided to take a nice walk in the park. Its been awhile since I've been able to just enjoy a day to myself. I found a pond, with a bridge, and decided that I was going to draw it. The peacefulness of the moment was something I needed more of. Something that I needed to stay sane in a way, and I was going to make sure that I made time for myself like this more often. I was so lost in the moment I didn't notice someone approaching me, until I nearly dropped my sketchbook into the pond.

"Sorry, I thought you heard me coming." The man said, and when I looked up, there stood the most beautiful man I've ever seen. Golden from head to toe.

"I guess I was too lost in the moment." I said and he laughed.

"I can tell." He said as he pointed to the sketch. "It's pretty damn good though, so I can't blame you for being caught up in it."

"This is nothing." I said as I closed it. "I was just playing around."

"That's you playing around?" He laughed. "I can't imagine what you draw like when you're in the zone."

"It's been awhile since I've been in the zone for a drawing." I laughed, as I tried to remember the last time I seriously drew.

"How come?" He asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"That's a little personal, don't you think?" I asked lightly. "I hardly know you." I played and he smiled.

"I'm Jace Herondale." He said as he held his hand out.

"Clary Fray." I said easily as I took his hand in mine.

"I think we know each other just fine." He said and I laughed.

"Work has just been stressing me out lately." I said, and it wasn't a total lie.

"I know how that feels. Work is sucking me dry lately." Jace admitted.

"That's just the adult life I guess." I said and he laughed.

"Wanna have a smoothie than?" Jace offered. "Relax and get to know a little more about each other?"

"A smoothie sounds great." I smiled and we both made are way off the bridge.

We walked towards the small café with some light banter. It was easy to talk to Jace, but that didn't mean this friendship could last. I never really made friends, outside of my work, and something tells me that whatever Jace did for a living, wouldn't be something that would fit into my life.

"So, what do you do for work that's been so stressful lately?" Jace asked as we took a seat.

"I'm a free lance artist." I said so easily, like it was my real job.

"Business been slow?" He asked.

"That, and I've been really unmotivated. Something has felt off, and I can't seem to get out of this funk." I admitted, because that is true.

"That sounds terrible." Jace said. "I can't imagine my creativity hitting a wall."

"It's pretty shitty." I laughed. "What about you? What's shitty about your job these days?" I asked.

"Working for the government is a pretty high stress job, and in my particular line of work, the stress is even higher." He said and I nodded along. Strike one. I shouldn't be surprised he worked for the government, but that didn't mean I liked it.

"What part of the government do you work for?" I asked, wanting to know.

"I work for the Drug Enforcement Agency." He said, strike two.

"Impressive." I said, not wanting to give away the fact that he was literally Public Enemy #1.

"It was tough, but worth it." Jace smiled proudly. Which kinda made me jealous that I couldn't brag about my job, but that's the price I pay.

"I can only imagine." I said. Just than, his phone rang.

"Uh, that's my partner. I have to go." Jace said as he stood up.

"I guess being a DEA Agent is a round the clock job." I laughed and he smiled.

"That it certainly is, but I'd like to do this again sometime." He said and I smiled. He took out a business card and handed it over. "Give me a call this weekend."

"Of course." I said and he walked out. I looked down at the business card in front of me. _Jace Herondale. DEA Agent. 215-555-0957._ I would definitely be using this number. Despite his job, there was something about him that I couldn't stay away from.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I couldn't get Clary out of my head since I met her, and this weekend we were going out to dinner, and I couldn't wait. I wanted to know more about her, and see where things could go. She was different, and I liked that about her.

We decided to meet at the restaurant, and as I stood out here waiting for her, I couldn't help the nerves that were bubbling up in my system. I've never been this nervous about a date before, but there was something about Clary that made me nervous. Not in a bad way, but in a different way, in a way that told me she was going to be special to me.

"Hey, sorry I'm late." I heard from behind me, and when I turned around, there stood Clary, looking as beautiful as ever.

"It's completely okay." I told her honestly. "Shall we?" I offered my arm, and she gladly took it as we entered the restaurant.

Thankfully I knew the owner of this place, so I was able to pull a few strings and get us a table, even though they were booked. We were seated right away, and given menus.

"How in the world did you get a reservation for this place?" Clary asked as she looked around.

"I know the owner." I admitted. "He's an old friend of the family, and he hooked us up."

"That he did. I've never been here because it takes months to get on the waiting list for a reservation." Clary said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Well than, I hope its worth it." I smiled.

"They have pasta, it's always going to be worth it when there is pasta." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Big pasta fan?" I asked, and she smiled.

"Huge pasta fan." She admitted.

"Noted." I said and she smiled her bright smile. I was going to enjoy getting to know her, I knew it.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Alec, you can't go waving your gun around trying to intimidate people." Jace said to his partner.

"Why the hell not? He deserved it." Alec seethed.

"I know he did, but Izzy doesn't, and right now she needs him." Jace explained.

"What's going on?" I asked, a little out of the loop.

"Izzy is pregnant, and her boyfriend is less than accommodating." Jace explained.

"Less than accommodating? That's putting it lightly. Meliorn is an asshole." Alec said and my blood ran cold. I knew him. I knew the terrible things that he did to women, and I couldn't believe his sister was involved with that scum.

"But Izzy stood up for herself, and she's carrying a healthy little boy." Jace tried to reason, but I could understand Alec's anger.

"But the fact that she's carrying his offspring doesn't sit well with me." Alec said and Jace nodded. I guess he knew this was a battle he was going to lose.

"Hey, I have to go, but we'll meet up later?" I finally said to Jace.

"Yea." Jace smiled and I leaned in to give him a kiss.

"Bye guys." I said, and with one final wave, I was out the door and dialing Simon immediately. Something had to be done with Meliorn.

"Yes?" Simon answered.

"Meliorn, what do you know about him?" I asked.

"Not much. Low level dealer with ties to a couple different gangs. He's actually a smuggler for The Clave." Simon said. "Why?"

"He's impregnated a woman close to someone important to me." I explained. "He isn't taking good care of her. So take care of him."

"Yes boss." He said and I hung up. I took a deep breath and headed back to my place. Content in everything that I had power over.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I knew the minute I met Jace, he was going to be important. I had no idea how important he was actually going to be, but over the past year, my feelings for him have grown largely, and I can't picture like without him.

Lying about my business has been the hardest part of this past year. Eventually it would surface, but I didn't want to ruin this perfect bubble we were currently in. he would hate me after he found out, and I couldn't risk that.

"Hey babe." I heard him call from the other room.

"What's up?" I called back.

"Have you seen my black tie? I can't find it anywhere." He yelled.

"I think I saw it in the bathroom last!" I called back. A few moment passed.

"You're a genius. That's why I love you." He called back and I could just hear the smile on his face, which in turn made me smile. Just than Jace walked into the kitchen. "I should be back in time for dinner. How about we go out?"

"Sounds perfect to me. I'm tired of cooking." I said and he laughed as he pressed a quick kiss to my lips.

"Love you." He said as he pulled away.

"I love you too." I said back. It was as easy as breathing to love Jace. He walked away, and I heard the front door close. I took a deep breath, and composed myself. Everything was perfect, but I knew that wasn't going to last.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I had received some intel that seemed very real, and very solid about The Circle, but the only catch, is that I had to go alone. It didn't worry me that I would be walking into something very sketchy. This was my job, and I was trained for situations like this.

I told Alec and Izzy about it, and if course they were worried, but I felt confident in this, and they knew that I would be okay. The entire ride to the address, had me thinking about everything I could possibly lose if this went sideways. It was how I found the strength to get through anything. Knowing what I had to live for, always gave me the motivation to fight until I couldn't fight anymore.

I pulled up to an old warehouse, and took a deep breath. I made my way inside where there was nobody. I was praying this wasn't a dud and that I would get some answers about the drug cartel that took up have the agency's storage space. I was looking around, when my eyes caught sight of something red. A familiar red.

"Clary?" I questioned and she stepped out of the shadows, with two men standing next to her. "What's going on?"

"Intel on The Circle." She said, but her voice wasn't what I was used to. It was colder, harsher.

"What do you know about The Circle?" I asked, confused.

"Way more than you." She said before stepping forward. "As The Angel, I know everything." She said and my jaw dropped.

"But how – ?" I stopped. "I've known you for nearly 2 years. How could it be you?" I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"Who did you think ran The Circle?" Clary asked, her voice sounding authoritative. "My father did it for decades, but no one can run something like a woman." She explained. "You see, women are the brains, and men are simple brawn. The hired help if you please."

"All those innocent people you murdered. All the families that you destroyed!" I spat at her.

"Really? You can't honestly believe the people who died were innocent. Because I'll tell you right now, they were no where close to entering the pearly gates." She explained.

"Meliorn?" I questioned. "Him and Izzy were starting a family together. He had a future, and you took that away." I yelled.

"Meliorn was a woman abusing asshole, and a drug smuggler for our rival cartel." Clary explained, and my whole vision of him changed. "Not to mention he nearly forced Isabelle into an abortion."

"How do you know that?" I asked furiously.

"I've known him for years." Clary said. "I know what kind of man he is, and I've had contact with the woman he's abused, and forced into situations they weren't confortable with."

"Why not kill him than? Seems to be your specialty." I sneered, and she laughed.

"Because I was young and naïve at the time. Still learning the tricks of the trade." She explained. "When I learned he was dating one of your best friends, I did a little digging. I know the same people he knows, and when I found out he almost killed an innocent child, and tried to destroy, _your_ best friends life, I knew his life needed to end."

"Don't make it sound like you did it for me." I said disbelievingly. "Don't try to downplay your role in the dozens of murders you've committed."

"That's the thing Jace." Clary said. "I did do it for you."

"I find that incredibly hard to believe." I scoffed.

"You don't get it do you?" She asked, but I said nothing. "Let me explain, you are probably my worst enemy in this world. DEA Agent, not someone I want to affiliate with. It would be my downfall, and I've created something magnificent."

"So why keep hanging out with me? Why lead me on?" I asked.

"Because I couldn't stop." She admitted. "I couldn't stop seeing you because I started to fall in love with you."

"Don't make a mockery out of this Clary." I said.

"I'm not." She insisted. "I grew up in this life, and I know how lonely it can get." She explained. "So when I met you, I wanted to be someone else. Someone you would be proud to be with, not someone you had to put in jail." She sighed. "I knew it was inevitable though. You would eventually find out, and have to obey the law, and I didn't know how to handle that."

"So you were never going to tell me?" I asked.

"It crossed my mind, but you were safer this way." Clary said. "You and your friends were not allowed to be touched by anyone, or they would have to deal with me."

"How thoughtful of you." I said sarcastically.

"Make fun of it as you wish, but you don't know how many people are terrified of the repercussions of disobeying me." Clary said, her voice mad. "If they so much as shot at you, they were as good as dead."

"I have to turn you in Clary." I finally said.

"That's not going to happen Jace." She said. "I'm going to walk out that door, and you're going to pretend we never knew each other." She explained. "It's the easy way or the hard way."

"How kind of you to give me a choice." I mocked.

But she gave me this look, that made me want to do it the easy way, and my heart was telling me to do so.

"Just go." I eventually said.

"I am sorry Jace." She said, and before I knew it, she was gone. I hung my head and placed it in my hands. Everything for the past 2 years of my life had been a lie, and the woman who I was so in love with, wasn't who I thought she was. My phone started ringing, and I saw it was Alec.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Dude, where are you? You said you were going to check out that lead for The Circle, but you've been gone for hours." Alec said and I sighed.

"Yea, it was a bust. Nobody showed." I lied easily.

"You said it was good intel." Alec chastised.

"Even the mighty fall Alec." I simply said.

"Alright, well get back here. We got a new case." Alec said before hanging up. The Circle case would go cold once more, but this time it was all my fault. I walked out of that warehouse, disappointed, and hurt. I didn't just let The Circle go, but also the love of my life. That would forever haunt me.

 **Time Jump – Four Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Life has been a roller coaster these past 4 years, but I wouldn't change a single second of it. A couple weeks ago I just moved back to the States, and as much as I was going to miss everything about England, I was happy to be home. New York was familiar, and it felt amazing to be back.

Since my rebirth, I decided to take my talents and do some good with them, so when I got back I started looking for galleries that wanted new artist. Since New York is a very art enthusiastic city, I found a place in Brooklyn that wanted new talent, and I've loved being here, and creating things that people wanted to buy.

Since it was a Sunday, and pretty late in the evening, I was the only one here. We didn't do much business at night, and we were closing in an hour, so I didn't expect anyone to walk through those doors, so when it dinged, I was kinda surprised, and when I turned to greet the customer, my heart stopped.

"Clary." He breathed out.

"Jace." I whispered. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I saw your hair through the window." He said as he motioned towards the window. "What are _you_ doing here?" He asked.

"I work here." I answered kinda lamely.

"What?" He asked, seriously surprised.

"I left." I said and his expression didn't change. "I thought about what you said, and I tried to forget and move on, but I couldn't. You were always in the back of my mind, and suddenly my work started getting so shitty, I mean I couldn't even draw anymore, and that's when I knew I had to leave." I explained.

"Leave how?" He asked.

"I handed _it_ over to a trusted colleague, and I moved to England." I explained. "I spent 4 amazing years over there discovering myself, and I just moved back a couple weeks again."

"4 years?" He questioned and I nodded. "I can't believe it's been that long." He admitted, and I laughed.

"I know. Seems like yesterday we were in that warehouse." I said and he nodded. "How have you been?" I asked when the silence took over.

"I've been good." He said, and I nodded. "Busier than ever, but loving every second of it."

"That's really good to hear." I said, and he nodded, not saying another word. "How are Izzy and Christopher?" I asked stupidly.

"Amazing. He'll be 5 next week. Izzy is going all out." Jace laughed and I couldn't help but smile.

"That's amazing." I said, and he smiled.

"Yea, he's a great little dude. Wants to be a DEA agent when he gets older." He admitted.

"I can't imagine why." I laughed.

Silence yet again.

"Oh, I never introduced myself." I finally said.

"But Clary – "

"I'm Clary Fairchild." I cut him off as I extended my hand. "I'm a freelance artist." I finished, and he finally took my hand.

"Jace Herondale." He said. "DEA agent."

"Impressive." I said and he cracked a smile.

"Fairchild?" He questioned. Our hands still together.

"It was my mothers maiden name." I explained.

"It suits you." He said and I smiled.

"Thank you." Our hands were still clasped together.

"What kind of art do you do?" He asked, and I couldn't help but smile, knowing he was playing along.

"A wide variety, but I specialize in portraits." I said and he nodded.

"Are you in need for a model?" He asked, with his signature Jace smirk.

"Why? Do you know anyone?" I teased and he pulled me closer.

"Oh please, don't pretend you haven't already drawn me a thousand times." He scoffed and I looked into those golden eyes, and smiled.

"What are you doing tonight?" I than asked.

"Absolutely nothing." He said with a grin.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

"It's a date."

 **Time Jump – Seven Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Seven years ago, I never thought my life could be this way. I never thought I'd fall in love all over again with Jace, and I never thought he'd forgive me for lying to him. We rebuilt what was already there, and we were stronger now because of it. Everything between us was absolutely perfect, and everything I hoped it would turn out to be.

Although Jace wasn't happy that I still had connections to The Circle, he knew that I couldn't give it up entirely, and now that it was a trust fund for our kids, he was more acceptable to it than before. Although my parents built the company, they still had a lot of personal money around for me, and although Jace can't separate the two worlds, I certainly can, and I know my kids are taken care of, and that's what really matters.

"Mommy!" I heard and I was brought out of my memories, as my little baby ran into my arms. "Mommy, daddy's job is so cool! I got to hang out with him and Aunt Izzy, and Uncle Alec all day!" She beamed.

"That's amazing baby. Did you catch any bad guys?" I asked as Jace walked in.

"She caught the baddest guy in our system, isn't that right baby?" Jace asked her.

"Yea! Daddy said he was uncatchable, but I caught him." She beamed and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You are an amazing little DEA Agent." Jace said proudly.

"Well, she is your daughter." I said and Jace smiled.

"Where are the little guys?" Jace asked, referring to our two little baby boys.

"Both asleep." I said. "Took them almost an hour to go down, but I'm not waking them up until they get up themselves." I said and he laughed.

"Hey baby, why don't you go play in the living room." Jace said to Aubree, who happily jumped off my lap and skipped into the other room. I knew that meant Jace needed to talk to me privately about something important.

"What's going on?" I asked once she was gone.

"The DEA wants me to go undercover." Jace said and my stomach dropped.

"You haven't been undercover in years. Since before Aubree was born." I said and he took a seat in front of me.

"I know, but they need me specifically." Jace explained.

"Why?" I asked, wanting to wrap my head around this.

"We've been after a mafia group for about 10 years now, and we finally got a sold lead, and a way to infiltrate." Jace explained. "The only thing is, it's the Russian mafia."

"And they need you because you speak Russian." I said finishing his explanation.

"They're sending Izzy and I in as a couple." Jace continued explaining.

"God, I hate this." I said honestly. "You'd think they way I grew up gave me tough skin, but not when it comes to my husband and the father of my kids." I said as a tear threatening to escape my eye.

"Hey." He said as he lifted my chin up so our eyes connected. "You'll never lose me."

"You and I both know how dangerous mafias can be. They are ruthless, I should know, I ran one for 7 years." I said and I saw the sadness in his eyes.

"The way you ran your drug cartel, and the way this guy runs his mafia are totally different. He isn't nearly as ruthless or heartless." Jace explained.

"You make me sound like a bitch." I laughed.

"I'm just saying, if I went undercover for you, I'd be dead, but this guy, this guy won't kill me." Jace said.

"How do you know this?" I asked.

"We've been after him for nearly 10 years Clare, we know him." Jace said and I nodded.

"How long do you think you'll be gone?" I asked.

"Iz and I want to be in and out." Jace said. "She doesn't want to be away from Chris or Dolly any more than I want to be away from Aubree, Carter, or Dean." He explained. "The longest we want this to last is 2 months."

"2 months. Okay. That's not that bad." I said taking it all in.

"If we can survive 4 years apart, than an undercover that lasted nearly a year and a half, I think 2 months is completely doable." Jace said so optimistically.

"We didn't have kids before Jace." I added. "That changes everything."

"Exactly. It'll make me fight through everything to get back here. No matter what." Jace said so wholeheartedly.

"I love you, and you better come back to us." I said and he kissed me. "And you better not do anything stupid with Izzy." I said and he laughed, although he knew I was serious.

"Izzy and I have had to act like a couple before. The farthest we go, is a kiss on the cheek or forehead. Trust me, we hate it as much as you do." Jace laughed because I knew he viewed her as a sister, and it was weird for them.

"I'm just making sure you know the deal." I said and Jace smiled.

"I only have eyes for you babe." Jace said before he pulled me into him.

"Mommy, daddy, Dean is crying." Aubree said as she walked into the kitchen.

"I'll go get him, and we'll go out for dinner." Jace said and Aubree cheered. Jace went to go grab Dean, while Aubree followed behind him, just like she always does. I took a deep breath and tried to put everything Jace just told me aside. Until he leaves, nothing has changed.

When he came back in, holding both Carter and Dean, while Aubree talked his ear off about something I couldn't get the smile off my face. Knowing this was my life, and no matter what obstacles were thrown at us, this was always how it was meant to be, made me more confident in everything Jace and I built together. We just had to take it one day at a time, which was something we were both good at. I mean, what else do you except from a DEA agent and a drug lord?

 **Authors Note:**

 **So this story is from my own mind, and I hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you all think and leave a review! I know the timeline of this story moves fast, but I didn't want to drag it out longer than it needed to be, so I made an executive decision to speed it up a little. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Also, I have seen all of your requests and I promise to get to as many as possible before I hit 200!**


	145. Chapter 143 - Mr Idris

**One Hundred and Forty Three One Shot:**

 **Mr. Idris**

 **Clary POV:**

"Can you believe it's finally our chance to host Mr. Idris?" Izzy cheered and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Honestly, I've been looking forward to this since we joined the committee freshman year." I admitted.

Joining the committee freshman year was intimidating because all the senior girls were pretty much the only ones involved, but Izzy and I were determined to try and at least contribute something. Obviously they never listened to a couple of freshman, but all those years just sitting back and watching gave Izzy and I the advantage. We saw all their ideas fail, and that gave Izzy and I years to dream up our perfect Mr. Idris competition, and we were certain this one would go down in history as the best Mr. Idris Idris High has ever seen. At least we hope.

"It'll be even better to see Jace and Jon compete." Izzy laughed.

"Those two can't go two minutes without a competition." I said and we both couldn't stop laughing. Jace and Jon have been best friends since elementary school, and Jon being my twin, meant Jace and I were friends by default. But he was a good guy.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow at our Mr. Idris meeting. Bring the notebook." Izzy smiled and I nodded. I got in my car and headed home, to where I found Jace and Jon sitting on the couch playing video games.

"Really? Why not go outside and play?" I asked and the scoffed.

"Cause Fornite is better." Jace said.

"Losers." I muttered as I put my backpack down.

"So Clare-Bear, what's Mr. Idris going to be like?" Jon asked.

"Like I'd tell you Jon." I said.

"Come on." Jon whined. "The point of you being the head of the Mr. Idris competition is so I can cheat and win."

"First off, I would never give you that advantage, twin or not." I said. "And second, why not win on your own?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Jon huffed.

"He's just sad because he already knows he's going to lose." Jace teased.

"In your dreams Herondale." Jon muttered.

"Alright dude, my gram needs me, so I'll see you at school tomorrow." Jace said before grabbing his signature leather jacket and left the house.

"You got a little drool there Clare." Jon teased and I threw a pillow at him.

"Just for that, I'll make sure you are the last to know anything about Mr. Idris." I said. "Jerk."

"It's all love!" Jon called as I walked up the stairs and into my room. I had the biggest crush on Jace in middle school, and Jon hasn't let it go since he found out. At least he thinks I outgrew that crush, other wise the torture would be so much worse.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The posters for Mr. Idris were posted this morning, and just seeing Clary's artwork being displayed all over the school was amazing. I was at my locker when Jon came up and leaned against the ones next to me.

"You really took a poster and put it in your locker?" He laughed.

"Just so I have the information." I said lamely.

"Sure dude, whatever you say." He laughed.

"Are you ever not going to tease me?" I asked honestly.

"No. You having a crush on my sister is legit the funniest thing to me." He laughed.

"Why is it funny?" I asked.

"Cause its you. Nobody ever expects you of all people to have a crush on someone." Jon said, and I guess it was true.

"You can't help who you like." I said truthfully as I shut my locker. "Which is why I need your help."

"Oh god." Jon sighed.

"It's nothing bad." I reassured him. "I just want to use Mr. Idris to ask Clary to prom."

"Really?" Jon asked, actually surprised.

"Why is that so shocking?" I asked.

"Because this could really happen." Jon said.

"What could really happen?" I questioned.

"You and my sister dating." Jon said.

"Have you never thought about that before?" I probed.

"Not seriously." Jon said.

"Well, I've thought about a million things I could do to – "

"Yo dude, that's my little sister." Jon said.

"Older sister." I corrected. "She's 5 minutes older."

"Well she's shorter, so therefore she's my little sister." Jon said as he used his hand to show how short Clary is.

"And I was going to say I've thought of a million ways to ask her to prom, but this one seems to be the best." I told him honestly.

"Fine, but if I see you and her making out, I will actually puke." Jon said and I laughed as I pushed him away. Just the thought of being able to kiss Clary was something I imagined a hundred times, but the possibility of it being real was something that scared me, but excited me at the same time. All she had to do was say yes to my proposal.

 **Time Jump – First Mr. Idris Rehearsal**

 **Clary POV:**

"Okay everyone, welcome to the first official Mr. Idris rehearsal." I said to everyone.

"The show is in a month and a half, and we need to get everything down so we can have a flawless show and one that will go down in Idris High history." Izzy chimed in as she clapped her hands.

"The first thing that we must take care of is your personal description of who you are escorting in the show." I said. "We will need it to be submitted by the end of the second week so that we have enough time to plan it. Please no longer than a page, the stage isn't that big, and honestly you should be able to get everything written in one page." I explained.

"And no single spacing." Izzy added. "Trust me, you all aren't that fascinating for a single spaced entry." She said and everyone laughed.

"Alright. Let's get to work." I said and we dove right into the first rehearsal. The guys in this show were all hilarious, and just really great people, so we knew the show was going to be amazing, and that just made me more excited for it to come around.

 **Jace POV:**

When rehearsal ended, I took my time packing up so that I could have a moment alone with Izzy. I had a plan that I needed to be executed, but I didn't want Clary around to hear it. So once everyone was gone, I approached her.

"Hey Iz, can we talk?" I asked.

"What's up Jace?" She asked.

"I need your help with something." I admitted.

"Oh god. What is it this time?" Izzy laughed.

"Nothing bad." I assured her. "I want to ask Clary to prom."

"Oh my god!" Izzy shouted.

"And I want to do it at the end of Mr. Idris." I added.

"Holy shit." Izzy said. "This is actually happening."

"How come you and Jon both said that?" I asked curiously.

"Are you kidding me?" Izzy asked. "Clary has had the biggest crush on you since middle school."

"Really?" I asked, honestly shocked.

"You can't possibly be that stupid, can you?" Izzy asked.

"Well how am I supposed to guess that?" I asked.

"Because it's obvious." Izzy said. "But I'm so in." She said and I smiled.

"Great, I have somewhat of an idea, but the execution of it is what I need your help with."

"I'm all ears." Izzy smiled, and I couldn't help but smirk. I told Izzy all about my plans and she was on board 100%, now all Clary had to do was say yes.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Izzy, I already had a dress for Mr. Idris, why do we have to go shopping again?" I asked as we entered the 8th store.

"Because that dress is boring." Izzy said.

"You picked it out!" I reminded her.

"Yea, and I must have been high because now that I think about it, it's boring, so we need to get you a better one." Izzy explained.

"Why? I'm not here to impress anyone." I muttered.

"Are you sure about that?" Izzy raised her eyebrow at me.

"Yes Iz, I got over that crush years ago." I said, but Izzy always knew when I was lying.

"You're a shit liar, and I want to show Jace what he's missing." Izzy said as she threw the first dress at me. "Now go get a dressing room, and I'll be there in a moment." She said and I just nodded and headed towards the dressing rooms. I'm not saying I'm upset about this whole little plan of hers, but he hasn't noticed me in the last 4 years, why would he start noticing me now?

 **Time Jump – Three Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"If we haven't found it by now, I give up." I said as I hiked the next dress on.

"You still have 5 in there, and I know one of them is it." Izzy said from outside the dressing room. I rolled my eyes and opened the door to show her this dress. "Next." She immediately said.

"What's wrong with this one?" I asked.

"Makes you look too short." Izzy said.

"News flash Iz, I'm only 5'2" and I'm not growing." I told her.

"I already nexted it, so let's get to the next one." Izzy said. Not wanting to argue anymore, I went back into the dressing room and switched my dress.

When I put this next dress on, something about it felt different. I looked at myself ion the mirror and for the first time I thought I looked really good. Normally when Izzy said I looked good, I believed her, but for the first time I looked at myself, I felt it and I made a conscious decision, that when I walked out I was going to let Izzy know how I felt. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Clary." Izzy said but I had to say my piece.

"Before you next this one, I just want to say one thing. I love this dress, I feel beautiful in this dress, and I think this might be the dress for me." I said rather fast.

"I was going to say that it is totally the dress." Izzy said.

"Really?" I asked, kinda surprised.

"Clary, you don't just look beautiful in that dress, you look hot." Izzy said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Really?" I asked again.

"I wouldn't lie to you about fashion." Izzy said and I just rolled my eye playfully.

"Than I'm gonna get this dress." I said and Izzy clapped. "And no, I'm keeping my shoes."

"Fine, but I'm gonna have to play with the jewelry." Izzy added.

"Deal." I agreed and went back into the dressing room. I took one last look at myself in the mirror and couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. I was pretty pumped to wear this to Mr. Idris.

 **Time Jump – Night Of Mr. Idris**

 **Jace POV:**

It was the night of the competition and I had to admit, I was actually pretty nervous. The competition part was the easy part of the night. I didn't care if I won or loss, though I really wanted to beat Jon, but asking Clary to prom was more nerve racking than anything I've ever done.

I was fixing my outfit in the mirror when Jon came up behind me and patted me on the back and gave me that signature Morgenstern smile. Both him and Clary had it. Jon's always meant something was spiraling around in his head, and Clary's could make me do anything she wanted me to do.

"What's up man?" Jon asked.

"I don't know. What's up with you?" I asked back.

"Come on man, you know the deal. One, you're going to lose." He said as he held up one finger. "And two, you're asking my little sister to prom." He held up another finger.

"Big sister." I reminded him again.

"We might just have to agree to disagree on that fact my man." Jon laughed.

"That's the thing, it's a fact. There is no disagreement." I said and Jon just shrugged it off. He hated that I always brought up the fact that Clary was older, which made me do it every singe time.

"Alright guys, 10 minutes until curtain!" Izzy shouted before leaving the general area.

"You ready for this?" Jon asked.

"To kick your ass? Of course. Every single time." I answered. Jon pushed me slightly and we all made our way to the stage. It was time for Mr. Idris, but all I could think about was seeing Clary.

 **Time Jump – Middle of Mr. Idris**

 **Clary POV:**

"First up is Jonathan Morgenstern. Escorted by his girlfriend Seelie King. It was no coincidence that captain, sorry, _co_ -captain." Izzy emphasizes the word co, which made Jon glare at her out of the corner of his eyes, which made me smile. "Of course the captain of the football team, and the captain of the cheerleading team ended up together." She smiled as Jon and Seelie made their way down the stage. "The two have been interpretable since freshman year, and Jon only has one thing to say." Izzy smiled and I couldn't take my eyes off Jon and Seelie. "Seelie King, would you like to go to prom with Jonathan Morgenstern?" Izzy asked and the pure shock of Seelie's face, plus the huge smile gave me so much happiness. She nodded her head enthusiastically and gave him a hug, and kiss that cause some whistles in the audience. "Ladies and Gentleman, Jonathan Morgenstern." Izzy finished and off walked Jon and Seelie.

"Next up, Raphael Santiago." I said as Raphael made his way onto the stage. "Raphael is escorted by his little sister Rosa." I said as they two made their way down the stage. "Rosa's favorite activity is playing tea party with Raphael, and Raphael would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it one bit." I said and the audience laughed as Raphael spun his sister around. "According to Rosa, the two are BFF's and forever will be." I smiled as the two finished their walk. "Ladies and Gentleman, Raphael Santiago."

"Next up, Jace Herondale." Izzy started and my eyes immediately went to Jace walking on stage. "Jace is escorted by his grandmother Imogen." Izzy said, and I couldn't help but smile at the pair walking on stage. "Jace couldn't think of a better person to have up here with him than the woman who took him in after his parents unfortunate death." Izzy said, and the mood in the building got somber. Everyone remembers what happens to Celine and Stephan, and everyone felt for Jace. "Although Jace and Imogen didn't see eye to eye on everything in the past, the one thing they did agree on is how much they loved each other, and how they forever would." Izzy said and the awes from the crowd were truly sincere, and I couldn't look away from the beautiful boy with the tragic backstory. "Jace is one of the most competitive people I know, and most of you know as well, but Jace would be lying if he said losing to Imogen was a sacrifice he'll make over and over again as long as she's smiling." Izzy finished off, and I honestly felt like crying. "Ladies and Gentleman, Jace Herondale." As he walked off, I had to pull myself out of my daze, and continue with the competition.

 **Time Jump – Crowning Mr. Idris**

 **Clary POV:**

"Ladies and Gentlemen, that concludes this years Mr. Idris." I said and the crowd cheered. "In just a few moments, one of these lucky gentlemen will be crowned."

The guys on stage all congratulated each other and Izzy and I waited for the judges to be done. It took a few moments, but before we knew it, Mr. Starkweather was walking up to the stage with the envelope in his hand. Izzy went to get it and eagerly walked back to the podium.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the have the results in my hand." Izzy said as she waved the envelope around. "And your new Mr. Idris is…." She said as she opened the envelop. We both looked at it and smiled. "Jace Herondale." We cheered together and the place went nuts.

All the guys started congratulating Jace as they lifted him up and chanted his name. Izzy grabbed the sash and I grabbed the crown and made our way over to the group. The finally put him down and took a couple steps back so that Jace was front and center. Izzy placed the sash on his first and I followed up with the crown. I placed it perfectly on his head, and our eyes locked.

"Congratulations Jace." I basically whispered and he replied with his signature Jace smirk, but I knew there was genuine feelings behind it. Once we were done crowning him, the guys picked right back up where they left off with raising Jace over there heads. It was a pretty spectacular Mr. Idris if I do say so myself.

 **Time Jump – End of Mr. Idris**

 **Jace POV:**

Everyone was just about out of the building when I went backstage where Clary was still setting things up. She was alone, just like Izzy said she would be, and all the nerves started getting to me. I've known Clary for years, but nothing prepared me for this kind of feeling.

"Hey Clare." I said and she turned and smiled at me.

"If it isn't Mr. Idris himself." She smiled.

"Did you expect anything less from me?" I smirked and she laughed.

"I guess I really didn't." She admitted. "Are you surprised you won?" She asked.

"A little." I admitted. "I always try to go into competitions knowing I could lose that way if I do, I'm not as disappointed."

"And here I thought you and Jon just assumed you win everything." She laughed.

"Jon might, but I'm a little more realistic." I said and she nodded. "Listen, there was something I wanted to ask you Clary."

"What is it?" She asked.

"It might not be the most romantic, or original idea, but I was wondering if you'd like to go to prom with me."

"Really?" She asked, seriously surprised.

"I like you Clary." I flat out admitted. "And I have for years, and I want to finally be able to take the girl I'm crushing on to a dance."

"You, Jace Herondale, have a crush on me, Clary Morgenstern?" She asked and I couldn't help but laugh.

"A big one." I admitted.

"Wow." She said. "I never thought this was possible."

"Evidently, that's the consensus, but you're amazing, and beautiful, and smart, and funny, and sarcastic, and pretty much the perfect girl." I listed.

"And you're popular, and a jock, and smart, and my brothers best friend." She pointed out.

"I've already talked to Jon. He's cool with this." I told her.

"Wait, Jon knows?" She asked.

"I wouldn't have asked without his permission." I said truthfully. "Plus, he's known about my crush for years."

"How come you never told me?" She asked.

"I really didn't know how too." I admitted. "There were so many things that I wasn't sure of, but I didn't want our high school experience to end without me taking you to prom like you deserve."

"So this is a one and done thing?" She asked.

"What? No." I said. "Not at all."

"That's what it just sounded like." She said, and she sounded kinda angry. "You want to take me to prom like I deserve, but that's about it."

"Clary, no." I said. "I want so much more with you, but I thought prom was a good place to start."

"Why now?" She asked.

"Because I was too much of a coward to do anything about it for years, and I don't want to see you at the dance with some other guy, looking absolutely stunning, and completely ignoring my existence." I admitted and she blushed.

"I could never ignore you Jace." She said. "Trust me, I tried to forget about the massive crush I have on you with other people, but it doesn't work."

"So what do you say Clarissa Morgenstern, will you please be my date to our senior prom?" I asked once more and she smiled.

"I would love too." She said and I walked over and gave her a giant hug. "Also, thank you for not asking me in front of the entire school like Jon." She laughed and I couldn't help but laugh.

"That was actually how I originally wanted to do it, but I know that would have embarrassed the hell out of you, and it sparked something in Jon, so when I told him I was just going to ask after, he asked if he could use Mr. Idris to ask Seelie." I explained.

"I appreciate that." She smiled.

"What are you doing right now?" I asked.

"Izzy and I were going to have a sleepover at her house, why?" Clary asked.

"Wanna grab a bite to eat with me?" I asked, slightly nervous.

"With Jon and Seelie?" She questioned.

"No, just the two of us." I explained.

"Let me tell Izzy I'll be late to her house, and I'd love to." She said and I smiled.

"Meet me at my car?" I asked.

"Sounds good." She said and I nodded. I went out to my car happy that I was finally taking my dream girl to prom.

 **Clary POV:**

After Jace left I had to slow my breathing down to talk to Izzy. The fact that he asked me to prom is amazing, but the fact that he's had a crush on me for years is the part that's causing these heart palpitations. Izzy wasn't far, only in the hallway talking to Jon and Seelie, and when she saw me, her smile got bigger.

"Did he ask?" She beamed.

"You knew?" I asked.

"Of course I knew." She scoffed. "So he asked?"

"He asked." I said.

"And you said yes?" Jon asked.

"Of course I said yes. You guys know how this was like my middle school dream." I mentioned and they laughed. "Which is why I wanted to come find you." I said to Izzy. "I'm going to be a little late to your house tonight."

"Why?" She asked.

"Jace asked me to grab a bite to eat with him." I said.

"Like right now?" She asked, and I nodded, which made her squeal. "Oh my god, your first date."

"Don't label it, I'm already nervous enough about it." I admitted.

"You've known Jace forever Clare, don't let this freak you out." Jon said and I nodded, knowing he was right. I've known Jace forever.

"Wish me luck." I said and they smiled.

"You don't need luck, everything will be perfect." Izzy encouraged and I nodded before I headed to the parking lot. Jace was leaning against his car, looking incredibly hot, like always, and I couldn't believe he had a crush on me.

"You ready?" He asked once he saw me.

"Of course." I said and we got into his car.

"How did Izzy react?" He asked.

"She screamed so loud I think my eardrum broke." I laughed and so did he.

"I tell you, that girl is more excited for people than they are themselves." Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"True, but it's very encouraging once you get your hearing back." I pointed out.

"You have an excellent point." Jace said and I smiled. Jon was right, I've known Jace forever, this wouldn't be weird at all.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Apparently it spread like wildfire that Jace asked me to prom, because when I got back to school on Monday, everyone was buzzing. People were confused because apparently Kaelie had been saying Jace and her were going to prom together since the beginning of the school year, people were wondering if Jon knew that we were going together, and some people were just wondering why we hadn't started dating earlier, but regardless, I hated being the center of attention, so I wasn't liking all this gossip about me.

"You would think people would talk about something more interesting." Jon said as we got into school.

"If the parking lot was that brutal, I can't imagine what the school day is going to be like." I admitted.

"Remember, you have me, Iz, Jace, and Seelie to talk to and lean on." Jon said and I nodded.

"Hey, you guys hear all the rumors going around?" Jace said once he got to us. "Who knew we'd be so popular." He laughed.

"Don't remind me." I muttered and Jace put his arm around me, and dipped his lips to my ear.

"Nothing is going to happen Clare. They'll talk today, but tomorrow we'll be old news." He tried to reassure me.

"Nothing is ever old news when it comes to you Jace." I told him as I looked up into those golden eyes.

"Wanna ditch?" He asked, and my eyes widened in shock.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"You don't wanna be the center of attention, I didn't wanna come in today, so why not make us both happy, and just leave." He explained. I looked to Jon and he zippered his lips.

"I won't tell the parentals." He said.

"The school will call." I said.

"Not if I tell them you won't be in." Jon said, and I sighed, than I heard the comment that just made me lose the last care in my body.

"The fact that he asked _her_ to prom over every other girl in this school, especially me, is seriously shocking, and a total charity move." The voice came down the hall, and I knew who it was.

"Lets go." I said as I grabbed Jace's hand before he had the chance to say something back. I knew Jon would say something, so Jace didn't need too.

"Why did you pull me away before I told Kaelie off?" He asked on our way to his car.

"Because Jon has that under control and I want to get out of here." I said honestly and Jace slowed our pace down. Before we got in the car he placed his arms on each side of me like a cage.

"Are you okay?" He asked genuinely.

"I hate her." I said flatly. "I hate everything she embodies, and I hate her personality, and I hate that she's literally a fucking spoiled princess who just shits on everyone she believes is beneath her." I huffed out.

"Calm down Clary, she isn't worth it." Jace said calmly.

"I can't help it." I seethed. "She's been after you for _years,_ and now I'm the target of her anger."

"And I've never given her to the time of day because I don't like who she is." Jace told me honestly. "Listen, if I wanted someone like Kaelie, I would be with her. But I want you. I've always wanted you. That will never change." He said and I looked at him, and saw him speaking nothing but truth.

"I'm sorry." I said and I ducked my head, but he used his finger to lift it up so we were looking into each others eyes.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about." Jace told me. "If anything I'm flattered."

"Why?" I asked, slightly confused.

"It's kinda hot when you get jealous." He smirked, and as much as I tried to hide it, my blush betrayed me.

"Get in the car Herondale." I said and he laughed, before heading to the drivers seat. "Where too?" I asked once we were inside.

"Anywhere." He said.

"The River?" I asked and he smiled.

"The River." He agreed and we were off.

We got to the River and I finally felt at peace. It was a place we all found once summer when we were like 13, and it's become our spot to hang out whenever we were bored, or wanted to rebel.

"Can you believe it's been 5 years since we found this place?" I asked Jace as we sat on the riverbed.

"It honestly feels like yesterday." Jace laughed.

"So many firsts happened here." I remembered.

"All our first kisses." Jace said.

"Jon lost his virginity here." I pointed out.

"Izzy lost hers here too." Jace countered and we both laughed.

"We all got so wasted that one night." I smiled.

"What were we? 15?" Jace asked.

"And Jon and I stole all that alcohol from my parents." I laughed.

"I almost jumped off that bridge one night." Jace said and everything in me froze.

"W-what?" I stuttered, completely shocked.

"It was the anniversary of my parents death." Jace explained. "I was so messed up that night. It felt like everything was hitting me at once, and I couldn't stop it." He continued and my heart literally broke. "I got so high, and I came here. I just sat there for hours, and hours thinking about how I should have died that night too."

"Jace, you can't think like that." I said as I moved closer to him.

"I don't remember calling Jon, but I guess I did because he showed up, and he managed to calm me down and get me home." Jace said. "He lectured me for like 3 hours once I sobered up, and made me promise to call him whenever I was feeling that low ever again."

"How come I didn't know about this?" I asked.

"I asked Jon to just keep it between us." Jace said. "I was ashamed I ever got that low."

"You know none of us would have judged you right?" I asked.

"It wasn't about the judgment." Jace said. "It was just about how I didn't want to be treated differently, and I know you and Iz would have done just that if you knew." I went to open my mouth but he stopped me. "Don't pretend Clary, you're the most compassionate person I know, and you love to help."

"I just wish I could have been there for you." I admitted.

"And you have been. You always have been." Jace said. It was quiet for a moment before I spoke.

"You know what hasn't been done here before?" I asked.

"What's that?" Jace asked.

"Our first kiss." I said and he looked at me. For a split second I thought he didn't want to, until the smirk appeared on his lips.

"You are completely right." He said and that's when I got nervous. He moved closer to me, and before I could freak out, his lips were on mine. A floodgate was opened and I knew it would never be shut every again.

I don't know how long we sat like that, but the moment he pulled away, I instantly wanted to pull him closer. His golden eyes were shinning, like I've never seen, and we were both breathing heavy.

"That was – " I started but I didn't know how to finish.

"Life altering." Jace finished, and I smiled. "I imagined it a million times, but that surpassed even my imagination." He admitted.

"Really?" I asked, kinda shocked.

"I've had a crush on you for years Clary. Of course I imagined it." Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"That's such a girly things to do." I admitted, and Jace rolled his eyes.

"Than call me a girl, because I've had a crush on you Clarissa Morgenstern since I was about 14 years old, and I'm really not ashamed to admit it." Jace said, and he had such a way with words, that sometimes he made me speechless. Just as I was about the say something, a crack of thunder hit, and the sky opened up.

"Of course." I laughed, and Jace took my hand and we ran for his car. When we finally got there, we were both soaked, but laughing our asses off.

"Movie night?" Jace asked, and I smiled and nodded my head.

On our way back to his house, his hand was tangled with mine, resting in my lap like it was always meant to be. When we got there, we went straight upstairs to get out of our soaked clothes. Jace told me to get comfortable in his bed while he said hello to his gram. As I was looking through his Netflix account for some movie for us to watch I heard Mrs. Herondale from the first floor.

"It's about time you asked that girl out." She said and I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my lips. Moments later Jace was back in his room.

"How much of that did you hear?" He asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Very little." I said and he shook his head with a little laugh and got in bed with me.

In the end, I picked some random movie, that I barely paid attention too. My head was resting on Jace's chest listening to the beat of his heart, as he played with my hair. Thankful for Mr. Idris giving us the opportunity to be in this position in the first place.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So, this is another one I thought of myself. I don't want you guys thinking I have been ignoring your requests, because trust me, I haven't. I've just had so many stories in the works for** _ **months**_ **and opened on my computer waiting for me to finish them, with absolutely no motivation, so I wanted to finish them first, and than work on some new ones. I promise once I have finished the last 3 I have opened on my computer, I will start doing request stories! And trust me, we have until 200, so we have plenty of time! Let me know what you think and leave a review!**


	146. Chapter 144 - Back Up Singer

**One Hundred and Forty Four One Shot**

 **Back Up Singer**

 **Clary POV:**

"You can't give up Clare." Simon said as we were out for lunch.

"I've been the backup singer for artists who always flop for years Si. I can't keep doing this." I admitted. It's been a rough couple years.

"Than give it one more year." Simon pleaded. "You have too much talent to throw it away. Something will open up. And you'll get it."

"Okay, one year." I said and he smiled with satisfaction. It's not like I wanted to give up my job, it's just I needed something more stable if I wanted to be able to eat on a daily basis. "I gotta go Si. I'll see you later."

"Bye Clare." He said and I walked out of the diner.

Being a back up singer wasn't the most glamorous life all the time. I've been struggling to keep a job for years, and I would really like to have something solid by now. I'm almost 23, and I've worked with at least a dozen artists that just haven't worked out. Some couldn't handle it and quit, others got dropped by the label, and a few weren't even alive anymore. I wanted to throw in the towel, but Simon was right. There has to be something out there for me, and I'll be damned if I don't keep looking for it. This was my dream, and I wasn't going down without a fight. Hell no.

 **Time Jump – One Year Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I have been on cloud 9 for about 3 days now. Just as I was running out of steam I was called about a possible job for Izzy. Not my standard music, but I would take anything these days. Country wasn't my department per say, but I'll learn everything about it in order to get this job.

The audition was in 2 hours and I was a nervous wreck. Pacing all the time, and resting my voice as much as possible so that it didn't suck on the day I needed it. There were about 200 women here trying out for the 2 spots opened, and to say the odds didn't seem like they were in my favor would be an understatement, but I wasn't going down until they heard me, and that was a promise.

"This is the most nerve wracking audition of my life." One girl said next to me.

"I know the feeling. I've never been to one that had me like this before." I agreed.

"I'm Lydia." She said as she offered her hand.

"Clary." I said as I shook it politely.

"How long have you been in the business Clary?" She asked.

"I started when I was 17, so about 6 years." I counted. "What about you?" I asked.

"About 6 months." She said and my eyes widened. "This is my 20th audition, and I haven't been lucky."

"Trust me, I'm the queen of rejection and failure in this business." I laughed, but I don't think that helped her at all. "But there is always a job out there for you. Just keep looking no matter what." I encouraged, and she nodded. The fact that she was here only after 6 months in the industry is crazy, but if this worked out for her, I would still be super happy because struggling is never fun, and I wouldn't wish it upon anymore.

"Clarissa Morgenstern?" Someone called out. And I stood up.

"Good luck." Lydia said and I smiled.

"You too." I said and I walked in.

"Please state your name, and age." The one woman said.

"I'm Clarissa Morgenstern, preferably called Clary, and I'm almost 23 years old." I said.

"And what song will you be singing today?" She asked.

"Whiskey Lullaby, by Brad Paisley ft. Alison Krauss." I said and she nodded. Country was the only option when it came to this audition, at least in my mind that is.

 _She put him out like the burnin' end of a midnight cigarette_ _  
_ _She broke his heart, he spent his whole life tryin' to forget_ _  
_ _We watched him drink his pain away a little at a time_ _  
_ _But he never could get drunk enough to get her off his mind_ _  
_ _Until the night_

 _He put that bottle to his head and pulled the trigger_ _  
_ _And finally drank away her memory_ _  
_ _Life is short, but this time it was bigger_ _  
_ _Than the strength he had to get up off his knees_ _  
_ _We found him with his face down in the pillow_ _  
_ _With a note that said, 'I'll love her till I die.'_ _  
_ _And when we buried him beneath the willow_ _  
_ _The angels sang a whiskey lullaby_

 _The rumors flew but nobody knew how much she blamed herself_ _  
_ _For years and years she tried to hide the whiskey on her breath_ _  
_ _She finally drank her pain away a little at a time_ _  
_ _But she never could get drunk enough to get him off her mind_ _  
_ _Until the night_

 _She put that bottle to her head and pulled the trigger_ _  
_ _And finally drank away his memory_ _  
_ _Life is short, but this time it was bigger_ _  
_ _Than the strength she had to get up off her knees_ _  
_ _We found her with her face down in the pillow_ _  
_ _Clinging to his picture for dear life_ _  
_ _We laid her next to him beneath the willow_ _  
_ _While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby_

When I was finished, I honestly felt like that was the best performance that I've ever given in any audition that I've ever had, so I felt fairly confident.

"We'll call you when we know." Was all the woman said and I nodded and left the room. As confident as I felt, that comment made me feel like I royally screwed up, so who knows how this was going to go.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Simon Lewis!" I yelled as I ran into his apartment.

"What's on fire?!" He immediately yelled as he woke up.

"I got the job! I got the fucking job!" I screamed. "I'm going to be back up for Izzy!"

"Oh my god! That's amazing!" Simon said as he scooped me up into his arms. "I told you it would all work out."

"I really thought it was over for me." I admitted.

"You have to have more faith in yourself Clare. You're an amazing singer, and now the world gets to hear it." Simon said and I couldn't help but give him a hug.

"I have to be in LA by the end of the week." I said and Simon nodded.

"I'll get the boys, and we'll make this happen." He said and I just got so giddy. "This is going to be an amazing career Clary. Just you wait." He said and I nodded. I couldn't wait for the future with this job.

 **Time Jump – Three Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Last stop on the tour. How are we all feeling?" Izzy asked us all.

"Pumped." Meliorn, one of her back up dancers, responded. "I love ending in London." The group nodded in agreement. Ending in her hometown was the best couple shows on every tour.

"Glad to hear it." Izzy smiled. "Get some well deserved rest. I need every single one of you for this tour. I couldn't do it without you all." Izzy smiled before dismissing us. Working for Izzy has been the biggest blessing of my life. Not only was she selling out stadiums all over the world, but she was truly an amazing person. I couldn't ask for a better boss.

 **Time Jump – First Show In London**

 **Clary POV:**

Tonight was going to be a wild night because every show in Izzy's hometown always was. But they always made for the best shows. Nothing like performing in front of little girls, that just want to be like her, and hell, maybe like me, and getting to put on an amazing show for them means everything to me. It's mostly why I love my job so much.

"You ready for this?" Lydia asked as we took our spot. When I found out she got the other spot, I was thrilled that we would be going on this journey together, and experiencing it all for the first time.

"More than ever." I said as the lights went off. The music started, and the crowd went wild.

 _It feels like a perfect night to dress up like hipsters  
And make fun of our exes, uh uh uh uh  
It feels like a perfect night for breakfast at midnight  
To fall in love with strangers uh uh uh uh  
Yeah  
We're happy free confused and lonely at the same time  
It's miserable and magical oh yeah  
Tonight's the night when we forget about the deadlines, it's time uh oh_

 _I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22  
Everything will be alright, if you keep me next to you  
You don't know about me, but I bet you want to  
Everything will be alright, if we just keep dancing like we're 22, 22_

 _It seems like one of those nights  
This place is too crowded, too many cool kids uh uh, uh uh  
It seems like one of those nights  
We ditch the whole scene and end up dreaming instead of sleeping  
Yeah  
We're happy free confused and lonely in the best way  
It's miserable and magical oh yeah  
Tonight's the night, when we forget about the heartbreaks, it's time uh oh_

 _I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22  
Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you  
You don't know about me, but I bet you want to  
Everything will be alright if we just keep dancing like we're 22 uh uh ah ah ah 22 uh uh uh_

 _I don't know about you, 22 uh uh 22 uh uh_

 _It feels like one of those nights  
We ditch the whole scene  
It feels like one of those nights  
We won't be sleeping  
It feels like one of those nights  
You look like bad news I gotta have you, I gotta have you ohh, uh, yeah_

 _I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22  
Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you  
You don't know about me but I bet you want to  
Everything will be alright if we just keep dancing like we're 22 uh uh, 22 uh uoh,_

 _22 uh uh, yeah, 22 uh uhoo, yeah yeah_

 _It feels like one of those nights uh uh  
We ditch the whole scene  
It feels like one of those nights uh uh  
We won't be sleeping  
It feels like one of those nights uh uh  
You look like bad news I gotta have you, I gotta have you_

"Hello London!" She said after she was done, and the place went ever crazier. "It does feel like a perfect night, and I can't wait to share it all with you." She said and the music started again. This was probably going to be the craziest show on the entire tour, and I was so ready for it.

 **Time Jump – A Few Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

As the band got a chance to just solo for a little as we did a little quick change and got some well deserved water, I saw Izzy zoom past me and into the arms of a man I've never seen before.

"I can't believe you actually made it." She giggled as they continued to hug.

"For the first time in years I'm not away on business, I didn't want to be anywhere else but here." He said and at that moment Alec walked up to the group.

"Welcome home bro." He said as he gave him a hug. I knew they had another sibling, besides Max, but I honestly was beginning to believe he didn't exist because he never came around.

"As much as I'd love to stay and chat, the band is almost done with their solo and they need me." Izzy said as she gave him one last hug.

"I'll be here when it's over." He said with a golden smile.

"Good." She beamed. "Come on ladies, time to shine." She said once she passed Lydia and I. I nodded as I got my jacket back on, but my attention was on the blonde bombshell that was standing 10 feet away.

 **Time Jump – After The Show**

 **Jace POV:**

As I watched the show from backstage, I couldn't take my eyes off the redhead. I noticed her earlier when I first saw Izzy, and her striking green eyes bore into mine like she was trying to mark her territory, but if I'm being honest, I don't mind one bit.

The show was amazing, but I expect nothing else from Iz. Alec and her both put their heart and soul into their jobs, so a half assed show wasn't even in the cards for them. I'm just glad that I finally got to make it to one. Every single year when she ends a tour in London, I'm across the world on a business trip, and I never get to see her, but tonight was a pretty perfect night.

"Did you enjoy it?" Alec asked as we walked back to Izzy's dressing room.

"It was amazing. But I knew it would be. Izzy wouldn't let her show suck." I said and Alec laughed.

"That she would not." He agreed. "But she wants to go bigger, so we're going bigger."

"How can she possibly go bigger?" I asked in disbelief.

"She wants to change her sound a little. Which she's doing a very good job at with her new album." Alec added.

"Didn't she just release one?" I asked.

"Year in January. And since January is just around the corner again, she wants to drop another one so we can start planning the tour for July." Alec said.

"Doesn't she want a break?" I asked.

"Breaks are for the weak. I'll sleep when I'm dead." Izzy said as she walked in. "Plus, my fans deserve it. Did you see that place? Sold out in 5 minutes. And I added a show just for them, which also sold out. They want to see me, and I love making music. So why not."

"Don't ware yourself out Iz. You need rest at some point." I reminded her.

"I'll have rest. In March. I give myself that month off every year, and I enjoy it, but I love my job." Izzy explained.

"Don't lie, you only give yourself off March because it's your birthday." Alec laughed.

"You want me to work straight through?" Izzy asked.

"No, I'm glad you take a month, I'm just saying, it's not only for rest, it's because you treat yourself that entire month." Alec smiled.

"I deserve it." Izzy simply said, and I really couldn't argue with it, because I agreed. "Now, I want to talk about why Jace couldn't keep his eyes off one of my back up singers." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"I don't know what you mean." I said playing dumb.

"Oh please. I knew the moment you saw that red hair you were a goner." Izzy laughed.

"Okay, she caught my eye." I admitted.

"Gonna talk to her?" She asked.

"I was thinking about it, but than I realized, it would be weird for me to just approach her." I admitted.

"No it wouldn't. you're my brother and she works for me." Izzy said.

"Yea, but just approaching her backstage is a little weird." I said and Izzy nodded.

"Than you'll just have to introduce yourself at our annual End of Tour party." Izzy smiled. "New Years Eve."

"They don't go home for the holiday?" I asked.

"Most of them don't really have anywhere to go." Izzy admitted.

"That's depressing." I said.

"I know. When I got this group of insanely talented artists, the first tour we ever did ended and I noticed a lot of them weren't booking it to the airport, and calling family members to wish them a happy holiday." Izzy said. "So I decided that every year, we would have a huge End of Tour party that gave everyone the sense of family during the holidays so they didn't have to spend it alone, and it just kinda stuck."

"You're amazing Iz." I said and she smiled.

"Tell me something I don't know." She flipped her hair dramatically, and we all started laughing. It was good to be home with these two again.

 **Time Jump – New Years Eve Party**

 **Clary POV:**

The party was in full swing but for some reason, I just wasn't feeling it this year. I don't know why, but party and me just weren't on the same page. So as everyone enjoyed their time inside, I was on the balcony enjoying the amazing view of the city.

"Beautiful isn't it?" I heard from behind me. I was so startled I almost dropped my wine glass.

"It's quite a view." I admitted. When I finally looked at him, it was the golden man from the concert.

"I didn't mean to scare you." He laughed, and I couldn't help but smile.

"It's okay. I really wasn't expecting company." I admitted. He made his way over to the railing and joined me.

"Not feeling the party scene tonight?" He asked.

"Not really." I admitted. "Just not in a party mood I guess."

"I'm Jace by the way. Izzy's brother." He said as he held out his hand.

"Clary. Izzy's back up singer." I said as we shook.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Clary." He said.

"You as well, although I'm surprised we didn't meet sooner." I said and he laughed.

"It seems every single time Izzy has a concert here, I'm half way around the world on a business trip." He said. "Our time finally arrived, and I wasn't away."

"That's always nice." I said.

"How long have you been singing with Izzy?" Jace asked.

"3 years." I said. "Longest time I've ever held a job." I laughed.

"Really? Why is that?" He asked.

"A lot of talented artists don't make it, and that means their band, and their singers don't make it either." I admitted. "I was about to give up when I got the job for Izzy."

"I'm glad you didn't give up." Jace said genuinely.

"I'm glad I didn't give up either." I laughed. "She's the best boss I've ever had. I don't want to sing for any other artist."

"Izzy is pretty great." Jace smiled. "She wasn't always that way though."

"Really?" I asked, completely shocked.

"In the beginning of her career, she was super high strung. Very bossy, and very anal about how she wanted her shows to work." Jace explained. "I guess that's what happens when you don't struggle to get to the top. Izzy kinda just went straight there, she never had to endure the struggle."

"Struggling isn't that great either." I admitted.

"No, but it helps mellow you out." Jace said. "Izzy needed a reality check, and thankfully she got it."

"I've worked for some high strung artists in my day, even if Izzy was like that she still would have been better than them." I laughed, and so did Jace.

"Come on everyone! The ball is about the drop!" Jace and I heard Izzy shout from inside. Everyone gathered around the TV, but I didn't move, and neither did Jace.

"Ten!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One! Happy New Year!" Everyone cheered. The fireworks started to ignite and I looked up at Jace.

"Happy New Year Clary." He said and I smiled.

"Happy New Year Jace." I said and before I knew it he was moving closer, and his lips were on mine. Call me crazy, but it was the best damn kiss I've ever experienced. We finally broke apart, and I had to admit, I didn't want it to end.

"How long are you planning on staying in London?" Jace asked.

"I hadn't thought about it." I said honestly.

"Long enough for a proper date?" Jace asked and I laughed.

"Definitely long enough for a proper date." I smiled and so did he. I had no idea how this was going to turn out, but I was looking for to this new adventure.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"I can't believe you're doing it." Simon said as we loaded the last of my boxes up.

"I can't believe I'm doing it either, but it feels right." I smiled.

"And your tour starts when?" Simon asked.

"Izzy's tour starts when it always do. Last week of July." I told him for the umpteenth time.

"Sorry, I just can't believe you're moving." Simon said.

"Love makes you do crazy and reckless things." I laughed. "I'm gonna miss you Si."

"I'm gonna miss you too Clary, but we both know this is for the best." Simon said as he got up and gave me a hug.

"And you're actually gonna make it to a show this year?" I asked and he laughed.

"I promise I'll make it." Simon said.

"Good. I'll see you soon Simon." I said with one final hug.

"See you soon." He said and than I was off.

I took a cab to the airport, and I was heading for my new home. Moving was terrifying enough, but moving countries, and having to start over was something I wasn't used too. But I do have Jace, and I couldn't do it without him. I know we might have very conflicting work schedules, but if I get to go to bed with him more often than not, everything will be worth it.

 **Time Jump – Six Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I was more anxious to get out of the office today, knowing Clary would be at our new house waiting for me. It was crazy knowing that I get to go to bed next to the love of my life tonight, and wake up next to her tomorrow, without a flight looming over our time together.

I just finished up with what I needed and I couldn't pack up fast enough. Normally I would leave the office late at night, close to 9 or 10, but with Clary coming today, when 5 hit, I was officially done for the day. I grabbed my jacket, and my briefcase, and I was gone.

"Mr. Herondale." I heard and I stopped. "You're heading home early." Aline said and I nodded.

"I have some personal business to handle, so I'm taking some time." I explained. Not wanting to give away my personal life to anyone. I liked being the boss that nobody knew about.

"Will you be in tomorrow?" She asked.

"I'll let you know." I said and she nodded. "Have a good night Aline."

"You as well Mr. Herondale." She said and I was out.

I got into my car and headed home hoping that Clary was already there so I could take her in my arms and never let her go. I think I hit every single red light that this town as to offer, and I got stuck behind ever slow driver in this country because getting home took twice as long, but once I pulled into my driveway, nothing else mattered. I opened the door and was hit with the aroma of food from the kitchen, and when I walked inside, there she stood.

"You're home." I said and she turned around with the brightest smile on her face.

"I'm home." She said and that's all it took for me to run over to her and scoop her up into my arms.

"I'm so glad you're here." I whispered into her hair.

"I'm glad I'm here too." She said and I put her down. "My stuff should be coming within the next week, so keep an eye out."

"You got it." I said. "And you didn't have to cook us dinner."

"I wanted to." Clary said. "I wanted us to have our first meal in our new home to be home cooked."

"I have no complaints." I smiled and so did she.

"Than set the table, dinner will be ready in 5 minutes." She smiled and I gave her one last kiss.

"I love you." I said so honestly.

"I love you too." She said before she went back to cooking. This honestly couldn't be a better start to our future, and I was so ready for it.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Going to this function with Jace was the most nerve wracking experience, and I sing in front of thousands of people all the time. I've never been around this many wealthy people before, but I knew I was in good hands with Jace.

"Don't feel obligated to impress any of these people." Jace whispered in my ear. "I only come to these things because I'm the CEO and it would be weird if I didn't come." He explained and I nodded in response.

The place was spectacular. The most elegant dresses I've ever seen. The most expensive suits I've ever seen. Pretty much the most money I've ever seen in one room was here tonight, and my brain honestly couldn't fathom it all.

"Mr. Herondale, wonderful to see you." A man said to Jace.

"You as well Mr. Starkweather." Jace greeted him formally. "I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Clarissa."

"It's lovely to meet you Clarissa." He said as he took my hand in his.

"You as well, and please call me Clary." I smiled.

"As long as you call me Hodge." He answered, and I nodded politely. "And this is my wife, Margret."

"Lovely as always Margret." Jace greeted the woman.

"Such a charmer." She greeted Jace. "And it's wonderful to finally meet the leading lady in your life." She looked at me.

"Our work schedules conflict a lot." Jace explained.

"What do you do for work?" Margret asked.

"I'm in the music industry." I replied. "I'm actually the back up singer for Izzy."

"Oh, our daughter adores her. Wait until we tell Sam that we met Izzy's backup singer." Margret beamed. That made me feel so much better. "Life must be so interesting."

"I've been in the industry a long time, so I'm used to the crazy, but Izzy is an amazing artist and always makes tours fun and different." I explained. "I couldn't think of a better person to work for."

"As long as you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life." Hodge states and I couldn't agree more.

"That's why you gotta stick to your guns and go for the impossible." Margret agreed with a bright smile.

"If you'll excuse us, we're gonna get a drink." Jace said.

"Of course. Have a lovely evening." Margret said. With one last mod, Jace and I made our way over to the bar.

"Feeling better?" Jace whispered to me.

"Yea." I answered honestly.

"Champagne for the lady, and scotch on the rocks for me." Jace said to the bartender, who nodded and got our drinks quickly.

"Jace." Someone said from behind us, and when we turned around, there stood a group of women.

"Ladies." Jace greeted them.

"We didn't think you were going to show. At least, not the way you left the office." The blonde one said.

"I always come to my own functions. What kind of boss would I be if I didn't show?" Jace smiled back at the group. "Plus, what happens at the office stays at the office. No need to bring that to a party." Jace explained as his arm rested on my side.

"We also didn't know you were bringing a date." The Asian one noted as she saw his arm resting on my hip.

"Of course. This is my girlfriend Clarissa." Jace said proudly. "These are a few of the secretaries." He said to me. "Aline in particular is mine." He said about the Asian one.

"Oh. How long have you two been together?" The blonde one asked.

"It'll be 4 years this New Years." Jace said proudly. "Now, if you'll excuse us ladies, I think it's time for a dance." Jace said as he set his glass down and held his hand out for me. I put my glass down and gladly accepted. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Better." I said honestly. "I was super overwhelmed when we got in here, but I feel better now."

"Good. I told you not to worry." Jace said as he spun me around the dance floor.

"You can't blame me. I've never been around this many wealthy people." I said and he laughed.

"You work in the music industry. You're around wealthy people all the time." He laughed.

"Yea but this is a different kind of wealthy." I explained.

"I see your point." Jace said and I smiled. "You're breathtaking tonight, by the way."

"Thank you." I said as I blushed. "You look pretty good yourself." I leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine as we continued to sway to the music. My nerves slowly disappeared throughout the night and with a little help from the champagne, the rest of the evening went by so smoothly, I barely remember making it home.

 **Time Jump – New Years Eve**

 **Clary POV:**

"Hello New York City!" Izzy cheered into the mic as we performed for the New Years Eve celebration. It was the first year she was invited, and to say it was a mad house would be an understatement, but it was so much fun. "Let's have some fun!"

 _There's somethin' bout the way_

 _The street looks when it's just rained_

 _There's a glow off the pavement_

 _Walk me to the car_

 _And you know I wanna ask you to dance right there_

 _In the middle of the parking lot_

 _Yeah_

 _We're drivin' down the road_

 _I wonder if you know_

 _I'm tryin' so hard not to get caught up now_

 _But you're just so cool_

 _Run your hands through your hair_

 _Absent mindedly makin' me want you_

 _And I don't know how it gets better than this_

 _You take my hand and drag me head first_

 _Fearless_

 _And I don't know why but with you I'd dance_

 _In a storm in my best dress_

 _Fearless_

 _So baby drive slow_

 _Til we run out of road in this one horse town_

 _I wanna stay right here in this passenger's seat_

 _You put your eyes on me_

 _In this moment now capture it remember it_

 _And I don't know how it gets better than this_

 _You take my hand and drag me head first_

 _Fearless_

 _And I don't know why but with you I'd dance_

 _In a storm in my best dress_

 _Fearless_

 _Well you stood there with me in the doorway_

 _my hands shake_

 _I'm not usually this way but_

 _You pull me in and I'm a little more brave_

 _It's the first kiss, it's flawless, really something, it's fearless._

 _And I don't know how it gets better than this_

 _You take my hand and drag me head first_

 _Fearless_

 _And I don't know why but with you I'd dance_

 _In a storm in my best dress_

 _Fearless_

By the time I was finished singing, I was speechless. Jace was in front of me, on one knee.

"The first time I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one." He said and I couldn't stop the tears. "You are my world Clary, and I don't want another day to go by without you being my wife." He said and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips. "Clarissa Morgenstern, will you marry me?"

"Yes." I said and he sprung up and pulled me into a kiss.

"Ten!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

"Seven!"

"Six!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Happy New Years Mrs. Herondale." Jace smirked and I couldn't get the smile off my face.

"Happy New Years Mr. Herondale." I said back. I couldn't wait for life to begin with Jace.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"I'm going to miss you Clary." Izzy said as we continued to hug.

"I wouldn't do it if it weren't necessary." I admitted. "You've been my job for the past decade, not singing with you is gonna be so weird." I laughed, and so did she.

"I understand." Izzy smiled. "Just make sure this little bundle of joy comes into the world happy and listening my music." She said as she rubbed my belly.

"I already have a hospital playlist, and you consume about 97% of it." I admitted to her.

"And the other 3%?" She asked.

"Jace's music. I figured she should have a little chance of liking his kind of music." I said and we both burst into a fit of laughed.

"How kind of you." She said almost in tears.

"Hey, I'm pushing her out, I get the majority." I laughed with her.

"Couldn't agree more sister." She said and a quiet calm came over us. "Call me the minute your water breaks. I don't care what city I'm in, I'll fly back."

"I wouldn't dream of anything else." I said and the joyful tears were gone, and replaced with tears of sadness. "And if you start crying, you know I'm going to cry."

"It's just going to be really weird without you here." Izzy said as she tried to keep her tears from falling.

"I'm not going anywhere Iz." I told her honestly. "Hell, I married into your family. You have me forever. And who knows, maybe in a few years, when you need a new backup singer, I'll be there auditioning."

"You don't ever need to audition again. You want the job, you have it." She laughed.

"We have to keep appearances up. No favoritism just because we're related." I joked, and she laughed along.

"Well, I should go." Izzy said.

"Have an amazing tour Iz." I said and she smiled.

"Have an amazing birth." Izzy said and I laughed.

"Love you girl." I said as I pulled her into one last hug.

"I love you too." She said as she boarded the plane. I took a deep breath and headed back to Jace.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yea, just weird that I'm not getting on that plane with her." I said honestly.

"Once this little one is in the world, we can take her to as many Izzy concerts has we want." Jace said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You have yourself a deal." I said and he took my hand in his.

"You wanna get some dinner?" He asked.

"Yes. I'm starving." I said and we left the airport and headed towards our favorite place to ear, ready for this next adventure.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Jace POV:**

Clary went into labor last night, and still hasn't given birth. To say I was an anxious mess would be and understatement because I have no idea how to be a father. I lost mine so young, and than I spent most of my time in foster care, and lets be real, Robert wasn't the best father figure.

"Why are you pacing in the hallway?" I heard and when I turned around there stood Izzy, Alec, and Magnus.

"Because Clary is scary as hell when she's in pain." I said honestly.

"She's pushing out your child Jace. Of course she's in pain, but right now, she's in pain alone." Izzy said and I never thought about that.

"Shit." I mumbled before I ran into the room.

"Where were you?" Clary yelled at me.

"Welcoming in the Calvary." I said as I opened the door.

"You're here." Clary said as they all made their way in.

"I told you I wouldn't miss it. Finished my show, and got on the first plan from Australia." Izzy said as she gave her a hug. "How close are you?"

"I don't know. Nurse?" Clary asked the woman in the room.

"You're at 9 centimeters Mrs. Herondale." She said pleasantly.

"You're so close." Izzy beamed, and I made my way to her bedside.

"You're doing amazing Clare." I said as I kissed her head.

"How would you know? You've been out in the hallway." Clary sneered at me.

"I'm sorry baby, I'm just nervous." I admitted.

"So am I." Clary said. "I lost my mother young, and my dad was barely around. I don't know how to be a parent."

"We'll give you two some space." Izzy said as they left the room.

"I didn't know you were so scared." I told Clary honestly.

"I'm terrified Jace, which is why I need you here with me." Clary said.

"I promise, I'm here." I said as I gave her a sweet kiss.

"Alright Mrs. Herondale, let's check on you." The nurse said. She did what she needed to do before smiling at the two of us. "You're fully dilated. I'll go get the doctor."

"I'm gonna be a mom." Clary said and it hit me.

"I'm gonna be a dad." I said at the sudden realization.

"Alright you two, whose ready to be a parent?" The doctor said as she made her way in. "Now Clary, when I say push, I need you to push as hard as you can."

"Okay." Clary said and I took her hand in mine.

"Next contraction, push." The doctor said. Clary nodded, and waited for it to hit. Once it did, she let it go, and I couldn't stand hearing Clary in pain, but the end was going to be amazing, and I was looking forward to that.

 **Time Jump – After Birth**

 **Clary POV:**

As I looked down at my beautiful baby girl, I couldn't believe that I was actually her mom. That I carried her into the world, and now I get to love her forever. It was beyond amazing, and I couldn't wait to go on this journey with Jace.

"Knock, knock? Can we come in?" I heard and there stood the group.

"Of course." I said and they all filed in, Jace bringing up the rear.

"She's beautiful." Izzy said as she made her way over to me. "What's her name?"

"This is Esme Isabelle Herondale." I said and Izzy started to cry. "Please don't cry, cause than I'm gonna cry."

"I just can't believe you named her after me." Izzy said.

"You have been a huge part in my life for so long. You brought Jace and I together, you gave me a job when I lost hope, and you are my sister. I couldn't think of anyone better to name my daughter after." I explained and she hugged me. "Wanna hold her?" I asked and she nodded excitedly.

"She's so tiny." Izzy said as she looked at her.

"We were hoping you'd be her godmother." I asked.

"Um, yes." Izzy said with the biggest smile on her face. "I'd be honored. Who is my counterpart?" She looked at Alec.

"Not me sis." Alec said.

"Than who?" Izzy asked.

"My childhood best friend, Simon." I said. "He should be here soon He stopped to get dinner for all of us."

"We finally get to meet the infamous best friend?" Izzy laughed.

"He really tried to make it to a show. I swear." I said as I remember all the shows missed with that one. Just than, the door opened.

"Dinner is served." Simon said as he walked in, but his focus wasn't on me, but on Izzy. "Oh. There are more people here."

"I told you Izzy and her siblings were coming." I said to him.

"I guess I forgot. My best friend just had a baby after all." He said and I laughed. "But I brought you a burger from your favorite place."

"You're an angel." I said as he handed me the bag.

"So you're my partner." Izzy said and I could tell Simon was confused. "My godparent partner. I'm her godmother."

"Oh, yea. I guess we are." Simon said.

"I'm Izzy." She said as she held her hand out.

"Simon." He said as he shook it.

"Nice to meet you." Izzy said and there was something that was lingering between them that I couldn't quite pinpoint, but something was happening.

"So, who want's to eat?" I asked and as if I planned it, Esme started to cry, and we all started laughing. I couldn't wait for this group to experience the journey Jace and I were about to embark on.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

As I stand next to Izzy on the stage, I can't help but smile at how amazing my life has become. Esme was a terrible two year old, but the cutest two year old you've ever seen. Jace was completely wrapped around her finger, and she knew it. But I couldn't complain.

We were in the process of having another one, not pregnant yet, but trying, and I couldn't wait to expand out family. Although it would be challenging, there isn't anyone else on this planet that I wanted to go through this with than Jace. We had our fair share of problems, but we always got through them.

Surprisingly Simon and Izzy were a thing now, and have been for nearly 2 years, and I couldn't be happier. Simon moved out here a couple months ago, and I was happy to have a piece of home here with me. Plus Simon was super happy, and I couldn't help but support my two best friends.

"Alright London, are you ready for my new song?" Izzy cheered out to he audience and they all cheered. "Than lets jam!" She said and the music started.

 _This ain't for the best  
My reputation's never been worse, so  
You must like me for me  
We can't make  
Any promises now, can we, babe?  
But you can make me a drink_

 _Dive bar on the East Side, where you at?  
Phone lights up my nightstand in the black  
Come here, you can meet me in the back  
Dark jeans and your Nikes, look at you  
Oh damn, never seen that color blue  
Just think of the fun things we could do  
'Cause I like you_

 _This ain't for the best  
My reputation's never been worse, so  
You must like me for me  
Yeah, I want you  
We can't make  
Any promises now, can we, babe?  
But you can make me a drink_

 _Is it cool that I said all that?  
Is it chill that you're in my head?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate (delicate)  
Is it cool that I said all that  
Is it too soon to do this yet?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate  
Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it?  
Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it?  
Delicate_

 _Third floor on the West Side, me and you  
Handsome, your mansion with a view  
Do the girls back home touch you like I do?  
Long night, with your hands up in my hair  
Echoes of your footsteps on the stairs  
Stay here, honey, I don't wanna share  
'Cause I like you_

 _This ain't for the best  
My reputation's never been worse, so  
You must like me for me  
Yeah, I want you  
We can't make  
Any promises now, can we, babe?  
But you can make me a drink_

 _Is it cool that I said all that?  
Is it chill that you're in my head?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate (delicate)  
Is it cool that I said all that  
Is it too soon to do this yet?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate  
Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it?  
Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it?  
Delicate_

 _Sometimes I wonder when you sleep  
Are you ever dreaming of me?  
Sometimes when I look into your eyes  
I pretend you're mine, all the damn time  
'Cause I like you_

 _Is it cool that I said all that?  
Is it chill that you're in my head?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate (delicate)  
Yeah, I want you  
Is it cool that I said all that  
Is it too soon to do this yet?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate (delicate)  
'Cause I like you  
Is it cool that I said all that?  
Is it chill that you're in my head?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate (delicate)  
Yeah, I want you  
Is it cool that I said all that  
Is it too soon to do this yet?  
'Cause I know that it's delicate  
Delicate_

"Thank you so much London!" She cheered, and we all made our way off stage.

I made a beeline for Jace and Esme, who was basically passed out on his shoulder, while Izzy made a beeline for Simon.

"You were amazing." Jace said to me. "Esme couldn't take her eyes off you."

"Oh really?" I laughed as I gesture to her.

"She literally just fell asleep." Jace laughed.

"I know. It's pretty late." I said and she started to stir. She opened her tiny eyes for a second, saw me, and reached for me. I gladly accepted.

"Bed time?" Jace asked and I smiled.

"Bed time." I agreed and he took my hand in his and we made our way out of the stadium and back home. As I stared at out the window, I couldn't get the smile off my face. Being a back up singer was the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I truly couldn't be happier.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Let me know what you think! I'm really trying to finish these as fast as humanly possible, and I've had a lot of time on my hands.**

 **Disclaimer - I down't own the songs. Fearless, and Delicate belong to Taylor Swift, and Whiskey Lullaby belongs to Brad Paisley, and Alison Krauss.**


	147. Chapter 145 - Softie

**One Hundred and Forty Five One Shot**

 **Softie**

 **Jace POV:**

"God damn it." I shouted as I was flung back towards the brick wall.

"You good Jace?" I heard Alec yell.

"Yea, just kill that son of a bitch." I yelled back. Just as I got back on my feet, an arrow plunged into the demon, and he disappeared.

"That guy was a bitch." Alec said as he made his way over to me.

"Is Magnus close to figuring out why the demons have gotten so powerful?" I asked as we made our way back to the Institute.

"Not yet." Alec explained. "He's honestly a little stuck. He can't remember the last time they were this powerful, and none of his warlock friends know the reason either."

"The day we find a better strategy to kill these assholes, I'll be happy." I said and Alec nodded in agreement.

The walk back to the Institute was rather short, and as I said goodbye to Alec as he walked home, I opened the door expecting the Institute to be quiet, but got everything but quiet.

"Thank god you're home." Clary said once she saw me. "She's needs a bath, and I need a break."

"I'm covered in demon blood Clare." I said.

"I don't care. I've had this dried up mashed potato in my hair for hours. It's your turn." She said before she left the hallway. I made my way into the kitchen, and the moment I saw that gummy smile, everything in me went to mush.

"Dada!" She cheered.

"How is my little Luna." I cooed and she laughed. "Your mommy isn't in a mood so it's just us tonight." I said as I pulled her out of the highchair. I made my way up to my bedroom to get a shower and get Luna ready for bed.

I got us both undressed and got into the shower. She had the biggest smile on her face the whole time and every stressful thing from the day came rolling off my shoulders just like the water. There was nothing more rewarding than coming home to this family after a long and exhausting hunt.

When we were both clean, I turned the water off and wrapped us both in towels. When I opened the bathroom door, Clary was already in bed sleeping. I knew staying at home with Luna sometimes drove her crazy, especially when I'm gone all day, but I appreciate her sacrifice more than she'll ever know probably.

As I walked Luna to her room to get her changed and dressed for bed, I couldn't help but fall in love with this little girl more and more with every blabber she gave me. She was only a month shy of two years, and she stole my heart every single day. She went down pretty easily, and I made my way back to my room, where I got changed and got into bed. I was so close to falling asleep when I heard Luna cry. I took the covers off as I prepared to get up when Clary woke up.

"Let her cry. She only does this because she knows you'll go get her." She said groggily.

"I can't just let her cry in there alone." I said.

"Yes you can. Sometimes they need to cry it out, and she'll stop when she realizes you aren't her servant." Clary said as she rolled over.

Ignoring what she said, I went into Luna's room and the minute the door opened, she stopped crying. I picked her up and took her back to my room to sleep with us tonight.

"I can't believe you gave in again." Clary said, kinda annoyed.

"I can't believe you'd let her just sit there and cry alone." I said as Luna started sucking her thumb and slowly falling back asleep.

"Because she needs to learn that she can't always get her way, but with you answering her every beck and call she'll grow up to be a spoiled brat." Clary said.

"Can you act like you love her for a minute?" I asked and Clary turned around.

"I do love her. You know that." Clary said defensively. "I just believe in teaching her that she can't always get what she wants." With that she turned around and went back to bed. I rolled my eyes and off as I shut my eyes. She's been extra moody lately, and I didn't know why, but the way she talked about Luna sometimes made me angry. I finally closed my eyes and let the exhaustion hit me, with Luna tucked under my arm peacefully.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Come on Luna, daddy isn't home and you need to go to bed." I said as Luna continued to cry her eyes out. This is why I constantly tell Jace to just let her cry it out. She's so spoiled. "You're fed, you're changed, you're bathed, and I've read you 8 stories. What more do you want?" I asked as I sat on the floor beside her crib and hung my head. I was trying to think of anything else when I noticed the cries had stopped. I looked up and Luna was leaning against her crib bars looking at me. She reached her hand out and I reached mine out as well and she took my finger in her tiny little hand. She laid down and I did the same, making sure I didn't let go of her hand. I saw her eyes grow heavy, and eventually she was asleep. I was so exhausted I closed my eyes and fell asleep right beside her.

 **Jace POV:**

It was well after 3 am when I finally got home, and I felt like an ass. I told Clary this mission wouldn't take long, but man was I wrong. The demons never stopped and Alec and I were caught in a sticky situation that didn't allow us to leave. I know she's been stressed lately, and leaving her with Luna all day and night isn't something I liked doing, but sometimes I couldn't always help it.

But when I walked into my room, I noticed that Clary wasn't in bed. Confused I went to check the living room, wondering if she fell asleep on the couch waiting up for me, but she wasn't there either. Than I got an idea. I walked into Luna's room to see Clary lying on the floor holding Luna's hand as they both slept. I couldn't get the smile off my face as I saw my two favorite girls lay so peacefully. I went over and kneeled next to Clary and started rubbing her back until she woke up.

"Jace?" She questioned.

"Yea baby. I'm sorry I'm so late." I said.

"What time is it?" She asked as she sat up.

"Almost 3:30." I said.

"Is everything okay?" She asked worriedly.

"Everything is fine, it just took longer than expected." I said. She went to get up, but I scooped her up before she could stand. "You've had a long day, let me take care of you." I said as she laid her head against my chest.

"Okay." She simply said. We got back to our room and I laid her on the bed.

"I'm gonna grab a quick shower." I said. She nodded and I gave her a quick kiss before walking into the bathroom.

I thought I was speeding through that shower. I felt like I was in there for 3 seconds, but when I got out Clary was already fast asleep, but I couldn't blame her. I got into bed and pulled her close to me. She melted into my side, and I let the exhaustion consume me breathing in the sweet smell of strawberries. Forever grateful for everything Clary does for this family.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"I'm needed in Alicante." I told Jace.

"What for?" He asked worriedly.

"Jia wants to talk about possible lectures of the Mortal War at the Academy." I explained.

"How long will you be gone?" He asked.

"I don't know. A week or so." I explained as I packed.

"What about Luna?" He asked.

"What do you mean? You're going to watch her." I said.

"But I have patrol." Jace countered.

"I stay home with her all day while you hunt demons." I said. "This time it's your turn to watch her while I work."

"But Clary." Jace said.

"No." I cut him off. "I already told Alec you would be watching Luna all week, so him and Izzy know not to call you."

"Don't you think Luna would love to see Idris?" Jace asked, hopeful.

"She won't remember it anyway." I said as I zippered my back. "Watch your daughter Jace. I'm leaving." I made a portal with my rune and stepped through. When I saw I was in Idris, at the Herondale Manor, I took a deep breath. A week away would be difficult, but a much needed vacation from being a full time mom.

 **Time Jump – Four Days Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"Luna, your mom will be home soon." I said as Luna continued to cry. She's been miserable without Clary around, and I didn't know what else to do. I washed my hair with the same shampoo as her, even put her clothes in the crib so she would be surrounded by her scent, but nothing was working. Like she was reading my mind, my phone rang and it was Clary. "Hello?"

"Hey, you okay?" She asked, clearly hearing something unsure in my voice.

"Luna won't stop crying." I admitted. "She misses you."

"Really?" She asked, sounding kinda surprised.

"You think she wouldn't miss you?" I asked, kinda surprised myself.

"She's such a daddy's girl, I just assumed she'd be super happy to be with you all week." Clary admitted, and I could hear the seriousness in her voice.

"But she spends all day with you." I told her honestly. "She loves seeing me because she doesn't see me all day. But you're always here, and now that you aren't, I don't think Luna knows how to function without you."

"Wow." Clary said. "I didn't realize she would miss me so much."

"I think you underestimate how much Luna depends on you, and how much she loves you."

"I know she loves me." Clary said. "I guess I just felt a little left out when she listens to you all the time, and I have to beg and plead with her just to get her to listen."

"Babe, I give in so much because I feel the need to compensate for how much I'm gone." I admitted. "You on the other hand, are molding her into a strong independent woman, who will rule the world one day."

"You think so?" Clary asked.

"She's you through and through. She is going to be a badass one day." I said and I heard her laugh. "It's good to hear you laugh again."

"I have been kinda bitchy lately, haven't I?" She asked.

"Raising a baby is tough. I don't blame you from being burned out at the end of the day." I told her honestly.

"That's not the only reason I'm so worn out." She said, and I could tell she was nervous.

"What's wrong Clare?" I asked worried.

"I'm pregnant." She said and I literally had to sit on the edge of the bed.

"You're pregnant?" I asked.

"Yea." She said. "I wanted to tell you in person, but it was just confirmed and I didn't know how to tell you."

"When did you find out?" I asked.

"Right before I left." She said. "I thought it was just stress, but Magnus was hell bent on seeing if I was pregnant, and sure enough I am."

"We're having another baby?" I asked, and she laughed.

"We're having another baby." She confirmed.

"Shit." I cursed.

"Don't curse in front of Luna." Clary reprimanded.

"I left her in her room crying." I told her truthfully.

"And is she crying now?" Clary asked.

"No, she stopped actually." I said.

"Sometimes they just have to cry it out." Clary said and I could here the smirk in her voice.

"When are you coming home?" I asked.

"Sometime tomorrow." Clary said. "Jia is still conflicted about these lectures, and I told her to call me when she makes up her mind, because I would be at home. Needless to say, she didn't like that, but I don't really care right now." I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, you've never been the Clave's favorite." I said and she laughed.

"That is so true." Clary agreed. "I think I'm gonna get some sleep. This baby is taking everything out of me." Clary said and just hearing her talk about our new baby made me giddy.

"Of course. Let me know when you are coming home tomorrow." I said.

"Of course. I love you Jace, and give Luna my love as well." Clary said.

"I love you too Clare. More than you know." I said and we hung up. I laid back on our bed and couldn't help but smile. We were bringing another life into this world and I couldn't wait.

 **Time Jump – Tomorrow**

 **Clary POV:**

"Mama!" I heard the moment I walked into the door, and it was music to my ears.

"Hi baby girl." I said as I picked her up and she attacked me with kisses. "Oh I missed you too." I said as I kissed her back.

"I need some loving too." I heard and there stood Jace.

"Come here you big baby." I said and he laughed as he made his way over to us. He gave me the sweetest kiss, and his hand rested on my stomach.

"How are you?" He asked once we broke apart.

"I feel good. Refreshed, relaxed, and energized." I admitted. "Having 4 days to recover was nice, but I'm ready to be a mom again."

"Good, because we missed you around here." Jace said with a smile.

"I missed you both too." I said as I leaned into Jace. Being home felt good.

 **Time Jump – Six Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

"How's Clary doing?" Alec asked while we were out on a hunt.

"She's good." I said. "The babies are taking everything out of her, and she's exhausted all the time. Izzy's been a huge help though."

"I can't believe you're having twins." Alec laughed.

"Trust me, when Magnus told us it was two, we were floored." I laughed and so did Alec.

"Feels good though, doesn't it?" Alec asked.

"There are few things that make me cry in this life, and watching my babies grow inside Clary is one of them." I admitted. "It's amazing to witness."

"I can only imagine." Alec said.

"Alec, watch out!" I yelled when I saw a demon approaching. I thought tonight would be an easy hunt, but by the looks of this demon, it was going to be one hell of a fight.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later**

 **Jace POV:**

When the hunt was finally over, I couldn't wait to get home. Being away from Clary and Luna was tough before, but knowing how tired and worn out Clary was now, with two babies on the way, made me being on a hunt even worse. Of course I loved my job, but I love my family more, and when the twins are born, hunting is definitely going to be put on the backburner.

I got home, and went straight to my room where I saw Clary sleeping. It was late, so I wasn't surprised, so I got cleaned off and joined her in bed. She was huge, which I would never tell her to her face, so sleeping wasn't really a thing for her anymore, but Magnus gave her a sleeping position that was completely harmless to the babies, and I've never seen her in this deep of a sleep before. She deserved every single minute of it, and tomorrow I would take care of Luna until Clary got up. She needs a break and that's exactly what I'm going to give her tomorrow.

I rested my hand on her belly, and felt like movement of our babies. I closed my eyes and let the subtle movements lull me to sleep knowing that my life was about to get a hell of a lot more hectic, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

 **Time Jump – Birth**

 **Clary POV:**

My water broke last night, and I've been in the infirmary awaiting the arrival of my two babies. The pain was whatever, but the anticipation of finding out the gender, and finally meeting them was really getting to me.

When I told Jace I wanted to be surprised and not know their gender, he was kinda reluctant, not being a very good man with patience, but gave in because he loves me. But now knowing they'll be here soon makes me want to know instead of wait.

Thankfully Izzy took Luna out for the day so Jace and I didn't have to worry about her, and focus on the birth. He was practically passed out on the chair next to me when Magnus walked in and kicked his leg, almost making him fall off the chair.

"What the hell?" Jace hissed as he caught his balance.

"Your babies are ready to be born, I just thought you'd like to be awake." Magnus responded sarcastically, which prompted a glare from Jace.

"Am I really ready Magnus?" I asked.

"You are very ready biscuit." Magnus said and I took a deep breath. "Big push." He said and I did as I was told. Jace took my hand in his. This was it.

 **Time Jump – One Hour Later**

 **Jace POV:**

As I sit here and hold my son, I can't get the smile off my face. Clary had given birth to two beautiful and healthy baby boys. I couldn't be any prouder of her, and all she's had to endure these last 8 months. I was truly in awe at how amazing she was, and couldn't believe she's given me three perfect children.

"How's she doing?" Alec asked when he walked in.

"She's been asleep for the past hour." I said. "Knocked out almost right after they were born."

"I guess that little guy takes after her." Alec said as he pointed to the sleeping baby.

"He pretty much passed out when Clary put him down." I laughed, and so did Alec.

"What are their names?" Alec asked as he took a seat next to me.

"Well, the sleeping guy is Lucas, and this energized boy is Lachlan." I told him.

"All L names?" Alec laughed.

"Clary wanted them all to be connected in more ways than blood." I laughed. "I didn't question it because she gave birth to them."

"Smart idea." Alec laughed.

"Plus, we just gravitated towards L names." I explained. "We knew we needed 2, and the other girl names we picked were also both L. I guess it's just our thing." I laughed.

"What were they going to be named if they were girls?" Alec asked curiously.

"Lane and Leah." I said.

"I mean, whatever floats your boat I guess." Alec smiled. Clary groaned, and when I looked at her, her eyes were fluttering open.

"Hey." She said in a groggy voice.

"You okay?" I asked, and she smiled.

"I'm perfect." She said with a smile. "How are the boys?" She asked.

"Lucas has been asleep as long as you have, and Lachlan is taking everything in." I told her and she sat up.

"He hasn't cried yet?" She asked.

"No, why?" I asked.

"I just didn't know if he was hungry or not." Clary said and I nodded, and right on cue, Lachlan started crying and Clary smiled. "Feeding time." I handed Lachlan over to her, and than Lucas started to cry. "Here, I'll feed them at the same time."

"Really?" I asked as I got up anyway.

"Yea. Both boobs need a release, and this way it saves some time." She explained.

"That's my cue." Alec than said. "I'll be back with the boys at some point. Glad you're doing okay Clary."

"Thanks Alec." She said and he left. Both boys latched and Clary leaned back.

"You truly are amazing." I said and Clary smiled.

"Why do you say that?" She asked.

"You do everything for this family." I told her. "I mean, we wouldn't have any of them without you, and I'm lucky enough to be the one you chose to create this family with."

"We both deserve credit." Clary smiled.

"But you're the glue, and I'm happy to be stuck." I said and she laughed.

"When is Luna coming to meet her brothers?" Clary asked.

"Soon. Her and Izzy were out at lunch when they were born, and I told her to just finish the day, and they would be here when they were done." I told her and she nodded.

When Luna and Izzy finally got to the hospital, she was fascinated with her brothers. She kept giving them kisses and hugging them. She was going to be an amazing big sister, and I couldn't wait to witness them grow and bond together, and just begin this incredible journey with Clary.

 **Time Jump – Five Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The twins were 5 years old today, and Luna was 8 and to say my life was chaotic would be an understatement. The kids were absolutely amazing, but absolute terrors when they wanted to be. Lucas and Lachlan took after Jace in every single sense and sometimes it was enough to make me want to pull my hair out, but they were just so cute, and knew exactly how to get me to give in. I really should grow a backbone with them, but I simply couldn't.

Luna was still a daddy's girl, through and through, and Jace would still bend over backwards to do whatever she wanted. Like father like sons though, Lucas and Lachlan would protect Luna with their lives, even if they were the younger brothers. They never wanted anything to happen to her, and I was always so emotional when I saw that come into their training.

I wanted to wait until they were a little older to start training, but the boys would simply pout, saying they wanted to be just like daddy, and I gave in pretty quickly. But they were Herondale's, and they were natural born fighters. Everything they did came naturally, and watching them all together in the training room was something I never knew I could have, but so thankful that I do.

"Come on mom, you gonna stand there all day?" Luna said and I came back to reality.

"You really wanna start a fight with me Luna?" I smirked and so did she, that signature Herondale smirk.

"I was born to fight." Luna replied as she got into her stance.

"You are so on." I said and before I knew it, she was half way across the room. She may only be 8, but she was already way past her year when it came to fighting. I felt like I was fighting a teenager, not a child, but I was happy she was so trained, because I knew she could handle herself if the situation ever presented itself. Even if her dad was such a softie, I knew that she never would be.

 **Authors Note:**

 **And I'm back writing requests! I have no idea who requested Jace being a badass shadowhunter, than a softie to his kids, but her you go! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! I know it's on the shorter side, but I didn't feel the need to continue it after I ended everything I had to offer! Leave a review and let me know what you think!**


	148. Chapter 146 - Married In Vegas

**One Hundred and Forty Six One Shot**

 **Married In Vegas**

 **Clary POV:**

I woke up with a pounding headache. I opened my eyes and adjusted to the light. I should not have went out to celebrate selling that painting to that client. Me plus alcohol is never a good idea.

I sat up and looked around realizing that I wasn't in my room. But there wasn't anyone else in the room with me so I was even more confused. That was until I smelled the food. I got up and went to grab the clothes on the floor when I noticed the piece of jewelry that was placed on my left hand. Something that wasn't there yesterday.

"Oh no." I said to myself. "This can't be real." I grabbed the shit on the ground and put it on. I made my way to the smell of the food. When I go to the kitchen, all I saw was a tall, blonde, muscular back. And last night came flooding back.

 _ **Flashback:**_

 _"_ _What's a gorgeous thing like you doing celebrating alone?" The golden man smirked at me._

 _"_ _Celebrating a painting well sold." I smile back. Having some liquid courage was always a plus talking to a hot guy._

 _"_ _So you're an artist?" He asked._

 _"_ _And an art consultant." I added. "I work for the Freedman and Son gallery back in New York."_

 _"_ _Sounds very prestigious." He said._

 _"_ _Very high profile." I agreed._

 _"_ _I'm Jace by the way." He held his hand out._

 _"_ _Clary." I said as we shook hands._

 _ **End of Flashback.**_

That was the last thing I remember from last night, but this was definitely the man from last night.

"Good morning sleeping beauty." He said and I shook my head free of the memories.

"What the hell happened last night, and why do I have this ring on?" I asked as I held up my left hand.

"Isn't it obvious? We got married." He smiled.

"But we don't even know each other." I almost yelled.

"That didn't seem to bother you last night." He smirked.

"Alcohol makes people do crazy things." I added.

"Yes, but it was your idea to go to the wedding chapel." He said.

"Well how do we get divorced so I can go home?" I asked.

"We don't." He said.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked.

"We aren't getting divorced." He said again.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I like you Clary, and I think this marriage can be a really good thing for us." He said as he put pancakes on the counter for me.

"You live here, and I live in New York." I said trying to reason with him.

"I actually just bought us a place in New York, and sold this one this morning. We're all set." He said and my mind just went blank. "We'll just have to sell your place soon."

"I like my place." I retorted.

"But is your place big enough for two people?" Jace asked.

"I don't know, but it's perfect for me, and that's the way I like it." I said, not trying to hide my annoyance.

"Give me 6 months." Jace said.

"6 months for what?" I asked, intrigued.

"6 months of marriage, and if you still aren't happy, I will happily sign divorce papers." He said and I thought about it. All I had to do was put up with him for 6 months, and than he'll divorce me. That can't be so bad, right?

"Okay. You can have 6 months." I said and he smiled.

"You won't regret it." He said proudly.

"I kinda already do since you made me miss my flight home this morning." I added as I sat at the counter and ate his pancakes.

"Don't worry about flights. I was planning on heading to New York tonight anyway, you can catch a ride in my private jet." He said and my jaw practically fell to the floor.

"Private jet?" I asked curiously.

"Of course. I don't fly any other way. It isn't the Herondale way." He said and I nodded. I really needed to find out more about my new husband. "We're taking off at 6, so you have time to go back to your hotel and pack all your things."

"Thank you." I said. "For that and breakfast." I added.

"Anything for you baby." He winked and I made sure I turned around so he didn't see me blush. Forget about the fact that I married a complete stranger, I hadn't been on a proper date in almost 4 years, so hearing pet names was completely out of character for me, plus apparently my new husband is completely loaded. I am in way over my head here.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Since I had agreed to 6 months of marriage with Jace, I agreed to sell my apartment. It wasn't a bad apartment, but it wouldn't fit the two of us comfortably, and he said if I wasn't happy after 6 months, I got to keep the new place, so all in all, it's a win for me, and I'll take whatever I can get.

Jace also informed me that he was taking a month off to get everything ready with the new house, and to get acclimated to the New York lifestyle. Apparently he was a nomad before, who never liked to live in the same place for too long, and he avoided New York as much as he possibly could, so he wanted a feel for the city before getting swamped with work. I understood that, I did the same thing when I moved here.

Unfortunately I still had to go to work, so as I got up, I smelled the food right away. I got dressed and made my way to the kitchen where Jace was cooking breakfast. I had no idea how this whole thing was going to work out. We knew nothing about each other, but that was something I planned on changing. I wanted to know the man who I was living with, and married too.

"Good morning." I said and Jace turned around and smiled.

"Good morning. Eggs?" He asked.

"No thank you. I'm not a big fan of eggs." I said and he nodded.

"I'll remember that." He said. "So, how was your first night in the new place?" He asked, because I spent up until I couldn't in my old place.

"It was nice, but I'll have to get used to it." I said and he nodded. "What about you?" I asked.

"Normal." He said. "I'm used to moving, so this is just another new place for me."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"I'm not sure exactly." Jace said honestly as he sat and joined me. "I lived in the same place my whole life up until my parents died. After they were gone, I didn't have anyone else, so I figured I never really had to leave roots anywhere." He said and my heart hurt for him.

"What happened to your parents?" I asked, treading cautiously. I didn't know what topics were off limits yet.

"Car accident." He said. "I was 18."

"That must have been hard." I said and he shrugged.

"I didn't have the greatest relationship with my parents. They weren't around a lot, but knowing they aren't here anymore is hard regardless of the relationship we had." He explained and I nodded. "What about your parents?" He asked.

"I never knew my dad, and my mom left when I was in college." I explained.

"Why did she leave?" He asked.

"I couldn't even tell you." I said. "I went to college, came home for winter break, but all I had was a note that said 'good luck' and I haven't heard from her since."

"Damn." Jace said. "That must have been tough."

"Much like you, we didn't really have that great of a relationship. I think she didn't really want to be a parent, but got stuck with me anyway. I was on my own for most of my childhood." I explained. "Which brings me to another question, how old are you?" I asked and he laughed.

"I'm 28. What about you?" He asked.

"26." I said and he nodded.

"Worried I might be 10 years older than you?" He laughed and I couldn't help but laugh as well.

"I didn't know, but I didn't want to chance it either." I said and he smiled.

"What time do you have to be at work?" He asked.

"In an hour." I said and he nodded. "What are you going to do with all your free time?"

"I'm gonna go food shopping. We got the basics but I'm not a basic person, I like snacks." He said and I laughed. "Than I'll just get some other essentials for the house. What are your thoughts on dinner?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. I haven't thought that far in advance yet." I admitted and he nodded.

"I was thinking pasta, that good for you?" He asked.

"Pasta works." I said and he nodded.

"Cool. I guess I'll see you for dinner?" He asked and I nodded. "Have a great day." He said before kissing the top of my head and heading to his room.

I sat there in a little daze before I eventually got up and went to get ready for work. Jace and I didn't know everything about each other yet, but we had scratched the surface, and it was refreshing to have someone be honest with me. I guess these 6 months wouldn't be so bad, but I just hope they go by quickly.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later (1)**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace and I have been living together for a month, and I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. Since he is his own boss, he took the month off to get settled into our new house, and to get acclimated to New York. It's been weird, but we've gotten to know each other a lot more since he moved in, and I would also be lying if I said he wasn't an amazing person, and an exceptional cook.

"Yea, I can be there by tonight." I heard Jace say before he hung up.

"Where are you going tonight?" I asked.

"My month of relaxation is up, so I'm back to work." Jace said. "I have gone in Chicago tonight for the weekend."

"Oh." I said, slightly disappointed.

"Don't worry. It's just about a will that needs to be triple checked. I've known the clients for years now, they trust me with everything." Jace said and I nodded.

"Have a safe flight." I said and he smiled, kissed the top of my head, and left to pack. I stayed in the kitchen to clean up thinking about how odd it would be without Jace here.

 **Time Jump – The Weekend**

 **Clary POV:**

Odd is an understatement, and I had to call Izzy to take me out so I could distract myself from the empty house. I didn't realize how much of a staple Jace had become until I woke up and the house wasn't filled with the sweet aroma of food. Of course that's not what I missed the most about having Jace around, but it was certainly a perk.

"So, I can't believe you got married and I wasn't there." Izzy said and I laughed.

"I wasn't really there Iz. I was drunk off my ass." I laughed and so did she.

"But you picked a hot one." She smirked.

"You don't think I'm making a mistake do you?" I asked serious all of the sudden.

"I mean, after 6 months you get to choose right?" She asked and I nodded. "And how are you feeling in this moment?"

"I feel like I'm missing something." I admitted. "But not in a romantic way. I mean, we haven't kissed or anything. At least since I woke up confused and hungover. All he's done is kiss the top of my head when he leaves, but grandparents do that all the time, so it isn't an intimate expression of desire at all." I explained.

"You care about him." She stated and I nodded. "There is nothing wrong with caring about a person."

"But I feel like I should care about my husband in a different way than I care about a friend." I said and she nodded.

"You should, but that doesn't mean you two can't build up to that." She pointed out. "You started out differently than other couples. Most of them start out caring like a friend and it grows into something romantic. That could happen with you two."

"Yea, but I still don't know that much about him." I expressed.

"You have time to work that stuff out." Izzy said and I nodded. I was about to say something when a sleazy guy came over to out table.

"What are two beautiful women doing out tonight alone?" He said, and I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"We aren't alone. We're clearly here together." Izzy said, trying to get him to leave us alone.

"That's not what I mean baby." He said and everything in me told me to gag at his gross flirtation.

"Look, we're not interested." Izzy flat out told him.

"How would you possibly know that sweetheart?" He smirked at us, than something popped into my head.

"I'm married asshole. Please leave us alone." I said as I held up my left hand. When he saw the ring he instantly backed off, and walked away. "Wow. I should use that more often." I laughed and so did Izzy.

"I need to get married ASAP so I can have that power." She said and we both continued to laugh. We continued with our girls night out like nothing ever happened, but I couldn't help but linger on the fact that for the first time I acknowledged that I was married, and I didn't hate it.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later (2)**

 **Jace POV:**

Two months of marriage in the books and I don't hate it. Seeing my parents suffer in their marriage was something I knew I never wanted. It was a reason why we had such a strained relationship. My father was neglectful, towards my mother and myself. My mother was a workaholic who never had time for me. Between the two of them, I grew up hating the idea of love and marriage because I assumed ever marriage ended up like theirs. But with Clary, everything was natural.

Giving her the 6 month ultimatum was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I didn't want to divorce her, because there was something about her the moment I laid eyes on her that told me she would become everything to me. I didn't know how well it would work, but living these last 2 months as her husband has been a dream come true, I only hope she feels the same way.

"Hey Jace, I'm headed out to Izzy's, I'll be back later." She called throughout the house.

"Have fun!" I called back and than I heard the door shut. I headed up to my office and began working on an upcoming case. Luckily this one was local, so no need to travel. Travelling was different this time around. I had someone to come home too, so leaving was ten times harder than it was before, but knowing that I had Clary to come home too made everything sweeter.

 **Clary POV:**

Two months with this guy and my whole perspective on this marriage was slowly changing and it was freaking me out. Which is why I needed an expert. Izzy. She was the only one who I've confided in, and the only one who would give it to me straight. It needed some serious advice right now, and she was the only one who could give it.

"Your text sounded cryptic. What's up?" Izzy asked as we sat down for dinner.

"I need your advice." I admitted.

"Marriage advice?" She asked.

"Obviously." I said and she laughed.

"What's wrong now?" She asked.

"Nothing is wrong. Actually, everything seems too perfect." I admitted. "I shouldn't feel this way about a guy I drunkenly married. I should want to get away from him, right?"

"Does he treat you well?" She asked me.

"Of course." I said.

"So why do you feel the need to be creeped out by him?" Izzy asked.

"Isn't that how it's supposed to work?" I asked.

"Forget about everything you think it should be like." Izzy said and I nodded. "Just think about the last 2 months you've been married to him, how do you feel?" She asked and I thought about it.

"Great." I said and she smiled. "It's just, he's so sweet, and it's not like he's pushing me to actually be his wife. He's leaving it all up to me, and I like that because I am so confused on how I feel about him."

"Why don't you just talk to him about this?" Izzy said and I sighed. "I get it, you don't want him to know you actually like being his wife."

"That's not it." I said but Izzy laughed as she saw right through my lie.

"Talk to him Clare. He is the only other person who knows what you're feeling. Maybe he's feeling the same way." Izzy pointed out.

"Or maybe he hates being married to me and is waiting for 6 months to be over so he can divorce my ass, leave me broke, and lonely." I slumped in my chair.

"I highly doubt he feels like that." Izzy said and I sighed. "Talk to him." She said one final time and I nodded. She was right. Expressing my insecurities to Jace would be more helpful, I guess I just don't want to be filled with disappointment if he doesn't feel the same way I do.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

I was still in my office working when I heard a faint knock on the door.

"Come in." I said and in walked Clary. "How was dinner with Izzy?" I asked and she smiled.

"It was great." She said, but she was keeping her distance.

"What's wrong?" I asked and she started to nervously play with the ends of her hair.

"Nothing is wrong." She said but I crooked my eyebrow at her, and she sighed. "Okay, so I think we need to talk."

"Oh god. My experience with woman and talking sucks." I said and she laughed.

"It isn't bad." She reassured me.

"Than why are you cocooning into yourself?" I asked and she laughed. "Come here Clary." I said and if not by her own will, she started making her way towards me. I took her hands in mine and pulled her into my lap, where she relaxed. "What's on your mind?"

"This whole marriage." She said and I nodded.

"What about it?" I asked, hoping she didn't regret it.

"I was wondering, why did you want me to wait 6 months for a divorce?" She asked.

"Because the reason I approached you in that bar was because I was drawn to you." I explained. "You were sitting there, alone, but so incredibly happy. I wanted to be apart of that, and than the rest of the night was amazing. You are amazing, and I didn't want it to end."

"But you didn't know me." Clary said. "I mean, you still really don't."

"That's why I wanted these 6 months. I wanted to get to know you." I said and she nodded. "Do you regret it?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer, but I needed to know it.

"Getting married in a chapel in Vegas wasn't the way I always pictured it, but the outcome was something I didn't think was possible." She said.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Come on Jace. Look at this house, and your private jet, and who knows what else you own. I never imagined I'd even get a chance to look at a private jet, let alone ride in one." She laughed, but I could tell it was strained.

"I like you Clary." I said, because I knew she just needed the absolute truth.

"You do?" She asked, and I could tell she was shocked.

"Yea, why else would I do everything I do for you? I want you to have everything you possibly can in this life, and I can give that to you." I said.

"But why me?" She asked. "Why not someone else?"

"Because you've never tried to impress me. You've always been yourself around me, and you've never wanted me for something else." I said. "You'd be impressed with how many people just want my money, but that whole night we spent together, my money never came up, and you still wanted to marry me." I said and she laughed.

"To be fair, I had no idea who you were. All I knew was a hot guy was buying me drinks, and giving me attention." Clary laughed, and I couldn't help but laugh with her.

"I like this marriage Clary." I said and she looked at me with those big green eyes. "And I hope you like it too."

"I do." She whispered. "Like it too." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Can I kiss you?" I asked, because I didn't want to overstep. She bit her lip and nodded slowly. When my lips touched hers, everything I felt the night we got married came flooding back. Clary was something else, and I planned on never letting her go, as long as she wants to me too.

When we broke apart, her cheeks were flushed, and we were both breathing heavy. The look in her eyes gave me the impression that she enjoyed that kiss just as much as I did, and for the next 4 months, we could build this relationship up to get it to marriage material, and I was all for working to get it to that level. I just hope Clary is as well.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later (3)**

 **Clary POV:**

The last month with Jace as been different than the first two. We were more intimate then we were before, and I didn't hate it. In fact, every single time he kissed me, I felt like I was on cloud 9.

Jace was gone this weekend in San Francisco with a client, and unfortunately he didn't know when he would be home. When he got out there, he didn't realize what a mess he was walking into. It sucked that he was going to be gone, but he was sending the private jet back next weekend so that we could have a weekend away in California. I was excited for a weekend vacation, and I couldn't wait to see Jace again. I was meeting up with Iz again today, and we were having a shopping spree kind of day. We both desperately needed one.

"I wish my boyfriend had a private jet." Izzy said once I told her what I was doing next weekend.

"Iz, you need a boyfriend first." I said and she started laughing.

"So things are good between you two?" Izzy asked.

"Things are great." I said with a little blush.

"You are totally into him!" She nearly screamed and I blushed even harder.

"How can I not be?" I simply said. "He's amazing."

"Not to mention loaded." Izzy smirked.

"His money is the last thing that I think of." I admitted. "I honestly forget how much money he has until I use it."

"Like today?" She smiled.

"Like today. But I already told him I was going shopping so it won't be a shock when he checks his bank statement." I said because sometimes I do feel bad about spending his money.

"He doesn't care about how much you spend." Izzy said and I shrugged.

"Doesn't mean I don't feel bad when I spend it." I said and she nodded. Izzy knew I wasn't a material person.

"Well, let's not disappoint him by not spending anything." She said as she dragged me into a store. I couldn't help but laugh. I think Izzy enjoyed his money more than I did, but I didn't blame her. At the end of the day, I got the man, and that's what means the most to me.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later (4)**

 **Jace POV:**

The Whitewillow family has been a client of the Herondale's since my father started our business. When he died, all his clients were grandfathered to me, and I have been loyal to them since the beginning. It also didn't hurt that they paid very well.

They just called about a situation with their son that they needed my help with. As much as going there means I'd have to see Kaelie, I was happy to help in anyway that I really could, a way to show my father respect even after his death.

"Hey Jace, can we talk?" I heard Clary ask as she stepped into my office.

"Anything for you baby." I said as I put my work aside and looked up at her. It took her a few weeks to warm up to the pet name, but once she did, I rarely called her anything else.

"I just got a call from my boss who wants me to fly out to Seattle to buy a painting at a very high profile auction." She explained, and I nodded. "I'll probably be gone for about a week."

"Perfect, because I also have some business in Seattle this coming week." I said and she smiled.

"Really?" She asked.

"Really. I'll probably be needed there for a week or so as well." I explained.

"That's awesome." She said and I pulled her into my lap.

"I'll set up reservations for the hotel right now." I said and she pressed her lips to mine.

"You're the best." She said and I couldn't help but smile.

"I have to warn you about something though." I said and her smile fell.

"Oh no." She said.

"I just want you to know about the clients I'll be meeting with." I said.

"Isn't that supposed to be confidential?" She asked.

"Not if I'm just talking about them." I said and she nodded. "They are clients from when my dad was around, and when he died, I got all his old clients, including them."

"Okay?" She asked.

"I may or may not have had something with the daughter, and she may or may not think it's over between us." I said and her confusion turned to anger, maybe even jealously.

"Can you be more concrete about the relationship?" She asked.

"It was purely a physical relationship whenever I came to town, we'd meet up. I haven't been back in over a year, but we don't really keep in touch unless I'm in Seattle." I said and she nodded. "But I never had feelings for her, and there is no need to be worried."

"That doesn't help Jace. It just proves you were a whore before we got drunkenly married." She said as she went to leave but I grabbed her wrist.

"Hey, getting drunkenly married was one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me, and when you see Kaelie, you'll know why it was purely physical." I explained.

"Oh great, that means she drop dead gorgeous." Clary sighed.

"Baby, you're drop dead gorgeous." I said as I caressed her cheeks. "She has nothing on you. I promise."

"What are the chances you can drop them as clients?" She asked and I laughed.

"Very low. They pay very well." I said.

"You're a millionaire, money shouldn't be an issue for you." She pointed out.

"We're millionaires, and having extra money is always good. How else would you be able to go to that expensive spa every month?" I said and she furrowed her brows. "It's a joke. You could go to that spa every weekend and it wouldn't make a difference in our finances, I'm just saying, they pay well, and I feel like I'm respecting my father's wishes by keeping them around." I further explained.

"Okay, but I don't like it." Clary said and I nodded. "I don't like the fact that you'd have sex with this woman and you still represent her."

"I represent her family, not her. It's mainly her parents who call." I wanted to make sure she knew that.

"But have you represented her?" Clary asked.

"Once or twice." I said honestly and she nodded. "Look, I'm done for the night. Would you like to go out for dinner?" I asked.

"It's a little late for dinner." She said.

"Are you hungry?" I asked and she nodded slightly. "Than it isn't too late for dinner. Come on, we'll go to our favorite place." I said and her eyes brightened.

"Just let me get changed." She said before running out of my office. I couldn't stop the smile that made it's way onto my face. Clary had nothing to worry about when it came to Kaelie, there isn't anyone else out there for me but Clary, and I'd spend the rest of my life reminding her of that fact.

 **Time Jump – A Few Days Later**

 **Clary POV:**

We got to Seattle late last night, and of course Jace booked the Penthouse room, but I wasn't complaining. Living in luxury was definitely something I could get used too, especially with Jace.

The auction wasn't until Tuesday, and it was only Sunday, so Jace and I decided to go out to lunch before he had to meet with his clients. Of course I was nervous about him representing them, since he has a history with the daughter, but I trusted Jace. He's never lied to me before, and I know he wouldn't start now.

"Are you excited for the auction?" Jace asked when we were seated.

"Yea. I love buying and selling artwork." I admitted. "Especially at auctions where I don't have a price limit."

"How much you think the piece you're trying to obtain will go for?" He asked.

"A few million." I said. "Hopefully less, but you never know with expensive artwork. Some people will give an arm and a leg for it."

"That's insane. I never knew artwork could be so popular." Jace said and I laughed.

"Coming from you, someone who grew up wealthy, I'm surprised your house wasn't flooded with expensive artwork." I laughed.

"My parents didn't understand it either." Jace smiled. "Having stuff like that never mattered to my parents. Our walls were filled with family photos, not random ones."

"I think that's the way it's supposed to be. Don't get me wrong, I love art, creating it, looking at it, and everything in between, but putting a million dollar painting in my house never appealed to me."

"At least we have that in common." He said and I nodded.

"Jonathan." Someone said and Jace tensed for a second.

"Mr. Whitewillow, what a surprise." Jace said as he stood up to greet the man.

"Funny we should meet up here." The man said.

"In such a big city, the chances are astronomical." Jace laughed along with the man. He could really be charming when he wanted to be.

"Mind if we join you?" The man asked Jace.

"Not at all." He smiled. The waiter was brought over to make our table for two, a table for 6.

"Who is this lovely woman you have with you today?" Mr. Whitewillow asked when they all took their seats.

"This is my wife, Clarissa Herondale." He said, and I had to admit, hearing him call me that, and with his last name was something that gave me the chills, the best kind of chills.

"Congratulations. I had no idea you got married." He said with a smile on his face, but I didn't miss the scowling face of the woman at the other end. I can only assume that's who Jace warned me about.

"We've been married for about 4 months now." Jace said proudly.

"And where are you living this time?" Mr. Whitewillow asked.

"New York City." Jace said. "My job is very flexible with location as you know, but Clary's is in New York. It made sense to move there."

"And what do you do for work?" He asked me.

"I'm an art consultant for Freedman and Sons." I explained. "I buy and sell artwork."

"An artist. Impressive. Are you published yourself?" He asked.

"In the process." I said. "I'm working on a collection, and it's taken me awhile to finish it, but I hope within the next year I can go somewhere with it."

"That's very remarkable." Mr. Whitewillow said.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"How rude of me, I never introduced my family. This is my wife Catherine, my daughter Kaelie, my son Charles, and I'm Thomas." He said and I nodded.

"It's very nice to meet you all, you can just call me Clary. I've never liked the name Clarissa." I said and he laughed. The rest of lunch went by great, but I could feel someone staring daggers into me the whole time. I tried my best to ignore her, but she made it very obvious that she hated the fact that I was there, but she had to get used to it. Jace was mine, and I wasn't letting him go.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I was curled up on the couch reading a book when Jace got back from the Whitewillows. He had left about 4 hours ago, and I was starting to wonder if he was even coming back. But when he opened the door, he looked exhausted. I could tell it took a lot out of him, and I had a feeling it wasn't just as a private attorney, but also with those personal feelings from a certain daughter that was exhausting.

"Long meeting?" I asked as he sat on the couch.

"Very long, and painful." He said as he loosened his tie. I sat up a little straighter, put my book down and started to rub his shoulders. "That feels so good."

"Did everything go as planned though?" I asked.

"Of course. This case should be relatively easy, it was the interrogation I got from Kaelie on my way out that I wasn't expecting."

"Oh god, what did she do?" I asked.

"First she tried to kiss me, than she started to cry when I told her it was over and I was happily married, than she started yelling at me because we were in a relationship and I cheated on her, which I promptly told her we weren't in any type of relationship, but that only pissed her off even more. I left before she could do anything else." He explained. "I was an idiot for ever getting involved with her in the first place."

"Well, she certainly takes her looks very seriously. Any guy who didn't think with the right head would jump into bed with her." I said and he laughed.

"Yea, but it was purely boredom most of the time. A way to pass the time while I had to be here. It's a reason why I never moved here. I knew she'd be too much." Jace explained. "Anyway, did you find the auction house?" He asked changing the subject.

"Yup. Surprisingly enough, it's only like 8 minutes away." I said.

"So you've been here alone this whole time?" He asked as he sat up.

"Yea. Well, I ordered a massage earlier, but other than that it's just been me and my book, and some room service." I smiled.

"I think you just married me for my money." Jace teased and I laughed.

"I had no idea how much you were worth when we drunkenly got married." I said and he moved over and scooped me into his arms.

"I'm just kidding." He said as he kissed my nose. "I'm glad you're relaxing and enjoying yourself." He said and I smiled.

"Would you like some dinner? I ordered a little too much earlier so there are some leftovers if you're interested." I said and he nodded.

"I'm gonna grab a shower first." Jace said as he stood up. He gave me a sweet kiss before heading towards the bathroom. As I watched him leave, I couldn't help but smile at how lucky I got with marrying him. Agreeing to 6 months with this man was the best decision I've ever made, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later (5)**

 **Jace POV:**

I just got back from a week of travelling, and I couldn't wait to get home, and be with Clary. I knew I was going to enjoy being married to her, but I had no idea that I was actually going to fall in love with her. There were so many things to love about Clary, but the biggest reason I fell in love with her was because she is the most genuine, and selfless person I've ever met. There wasn't a bad bone in that woman's body, and for that, I loved her more than I could imagine.

Throughout this week of being gone, I've been trying to think of a way to tell Clary that I'm in love with her. It was odd, because we didn't meet in a traditional way, but I don't think I'd ever meet her if it weren't for the unconventional way, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I walked into the house and the sound of the TV was lulling through the house. I put my jacket on the hook and made my way to the sound. The TV was low, and had some random TV show that I didn't recognize on, but Clary was fast asleep on the couch. Curled under a blanket, her glasses on the coffee table on her book she was reading. I couldn't help but smile and kneel in front of her and start rubbing her arm.

"Jace?" She said once her eyes started to open.

"Hey." I said and she gave me a sleepy smile.

"I thought you were coming home tomorrow." She said as she started to sit up.

"I decided not to wait, and come home." I explained. "Plus it's calling for a blizzard, so I didn't want to be stuck there."

"You want me to make you some dinner?" She asked but I stopped her from getting up.

"I ate on the plane." I reassured her. "Wanna go to bed?" I asked and she nodded. Before she could move, I scooped her into my arms and made our way to her bedroom. I went to open the door but Clary stopped me.

"I was wondering if I could sleep with you tonight." She said almost embarrassed. Before I could say it, she continued. "I mean, you can say no, I just I haven't been sleeping well since you left and I thought maybe you being back would help – "

"Clary." I cut her off. "Of course you can sleep with me." I said and she blushed. I made the way to my bedroom, and I pushed the door opened and put Clary gently on the bed. "Give me 5 minutes and I'll be ready." I said and she nodded.

I've never brushed my teeth so fast, or got changed. There was something about knowing Clary was in my bed and that I got the chance to share it with her that had my body in all sorts of frenzy. When I walked back out, Clary was curled under the covers already, and I couldn't get the smile off my face. I joined her immediately, and shut the light off. I felt the bed shift a little, before I felt her body next to mine. I pulled her into my arms and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you Clary." I whispered in the darkness of the room. Anticipation washed over me as the silence consumed us.

"I love you too Jace." She finally said and everything in me felt lighter. I shut my eyes and just let the perfect atmosphere lull me to sleep knowing this was going to be an amazing future.

 **Time Jump – One Month Later (6)**

 **Clary POV:**

"Are you sure I'm not moving too fast?" I asked Izzy.

"I'm gonna start charging you for these sessions." Izzy laughed and I glared at her. "What? I don't understand why you don't just talk to your _husband_ about these things? They do involve him."

"Because he's going to think I'm a lunatic!" I shouted and Izzy laughed.

"True, because I think you're a lunatic right now too." She said, and sometimes Izzy just wasn't helpful. "Talk to Jace Clare, he's in love with you, and you're in love with him too. This is a conversation between the two of you."

"You're right." I admitted. "I just don't want to ruin this. He makes me feel special."

"Good. Because you deserve that treatment, and I'm glad he gives it to you." Izzy said and I gave her a hug. She was my best friend for a reason, and now all I had to do was talk to Jace. That's not intimidating or anything.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Clary POV:**

I got home pretty late due to a crisis at the gallery. It was my day off, but my boss was freaking out and I couldn't leave him high and dry. Long story short, it was almost 9 at night when I walked into the house. I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was sleep, but I needed to talk to Jace. I needed him to know how I felt and I couldn't wait until tomorrow.

I put my coat on the hook and started towards the family room when I stopped dead in my tracks. There were candles lighting the whole area, but more specifically a pathway that I think I should follow. So I started to follow the pathway of candles. They lead me to the top balcony, and when I looked out the glass doors, I saw Jace, standing there, hands in pockets, in a completely black suit, looking fine as hell. I opened the door and was hit with a winter breeze.

"Jace." I all but whispered, I had no idea what to say.

"It's been 6 months since we got married in Vegas." Jace said and I nodded. Knowing it was the exact day. "I gave you an deal. Six months of marriage, and if you weren't happy I would sign the divorce papers no problem." He said and I stood there in silence. "What I didn't know 6 months ago was that I would fall so in love with you that I couldn't picture my life without you." He said and the tears started to form in my eyes. "I don't know what the future holds for us Clary, but I know that I want you in it."

"Jace." I said once more because apparently my mind can't formulate a full complete sentence.

"I love you Clary, and I want to continue with this marriage, because it's the best thing that's ever happened to me, and you make me happier than I've ever been." He continued when he got down on one knee and my hands flew over my mouth. "Will you marry me, again?" He asked and the tears started flowing.

"Yes." I said because I knew that would reassure him that I felt the same thing. "Yes, every single time." I said and he flew up and scooped me into his arms and pressed his lips to mine.

"I love you Mrs. Herondale." He said when we broke apart and I smiled.

"I love you too Mr. Herondale." I said and he pressed his lips to mine again. Everything that I ever imagined was coming true, and I couldn't wait to experience it with him.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

"Come on baby, we have to get to the airport so we can go see daddy." I said to my adorable 2 year old. She came running around the corner with her curly blonde hair, and the biggest smile on her face.

Jace and I got pregnant soon after he proposed to me. We didn't want to wait, and it seemed like the perfect way to celebrate. It was the greatest decision we've ever made. Emery was our pride and joy, and we couldn't wait to welcome the newest addition to our family as well.

"Daddy?" Emery asked with the biggest smile.

"Yes baby, we're going to see daddy. Let's get to the car." I said and she happily agreed. Believe it or not, we were going back to Vegas and I couldn't wait. Just being in the same city where Jace and I got married was so nostalgic and every time I thought about it, I got giddy.

We got to the plane and got on it ready for take off. The flight was long, but thankfully Emery fell asleep pretty quickly, which I was pleased with. I read my book and before I knew it, we were landing. I woke Emery up and we made our way into the airport where Jace was waiting for us.

"Daddy!" Emery cheered as she ran into his arms.

"Hey baby girl. I missed you." He said as he gave her a big kiss.

"I missed you too daddy." She said and I couldn't help but smile. I made my way over to the pair.

"Hey baby." He said as he gave me a quick kiss. "How was the flight?" He asked as he took my bags.

"It was good. Emery fell asleep quickly, so I just read." I said and he nodded.

"And the little guy?" He asked as he gestured to my belly.

"Perfectly content." I smiled, and that made him smile. I knew he loved Emery more than he could put into words, but I knew having a little boy meant so much to him, and I was happy I could give that to him.

"So I have a surprise for you." Jace said as we got into the car. I gave him this look but he just laughed as the car started moving. I was looking at all the lights around the familiar city when the car stopped. I looked up and looked at Jace.

"The hotel I stayed in when we met." I said and he smiled.

"For old times sake." He said and I couldn't help but laugh. Jace grabbed our bags while I took Emery's hand in mine and we made it up to the Penthouse suit.

We got into our regular routine of giving Emery a bath, reading her a story, and tucking her into bed. When she was out, we went out onto the balcony.

"Seems like yester day that we were here." Jace said as he wrapped his arms around me.

"It really does. Who knew we'd still be together with 2 kids." I laughed and he rubbed my belly.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Jace said as he kissed me. "Who knew you'd be happy that we got married in Vegas." He laughed and I couldn't help but laugh along with him. But he was right, I never knew this could be the outcome of getting Married in Vegas, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

 **Authors Note:**

 **This is the latest one shot! Let me know what you think, and leave a review!**


	149. Chapter 147 - Concealment

**On Hundred and Forty Seven One Shot**

 **Concealment**

 **Clary POV:**

It's not something that I wanted to do. It's not something that I ever planned on happening. You fall in love in a whirlwind and steps get lost. The honeymoon phase isn't just a phase but the whole relationship. You avoid arguments because you don't want the short time you're stuck with to end in a burning ball of fire and harsh words. Instead you ignore all the signs, and you chose to look at the good parts of the relationship. There are consequences to this path, and I hit all of them.

Jace and I met one summer and sparks flew. He was an up and coming model, and I was just a girl from a small town in a big city trying to take everything in. Our paths crossed, and bam, passion ensued. People thought I was crazy to jump into a relationship with a guy I barely knew. I wasn't impulsive. I wasn't brash. I was a small town girl who had very little friends, and was content with staying in the same small town I was born in. Jace made me see that I was capable and worthy of so much more in my life. He made me carefree, and although our time was short together, I was appreciative of everything he taught me.

Our time together ended after one summer. He was called back to England to the company that he was signed with and I was going back to finish my senior year of college. We both had different paths in life, and although I wish we weren't separated at the time, I understood that our romance was always going to come to an end.

Of course it didn't end exactly how I imagined. I thought we would cut the ties, and that would be it. End things civilly, and continue on my life like the whole summer never happened. I guess the universe had other plans for me. Two months after Jace and I ended things, in a rather passionately way, I wasn't feeling so well. My friend at school convinced me to take a couple pregnancy tests she picked up for me, and to get her off my back I took them, thinking I wasn't possibly pregnant. I was wrong. Right before graduation I gave birth to a little boy, and my entire world changed.

Liam was born at a healthy 8 pounds 6 ounces, 21 inches long. He was absolutely perfect, and I loved him more than I ever thought was possible. Today he turns 5, and I couldn't imagine life without him. I'm worried that he's going to start asking about Jace, and I have no idea what I'm going to tell him. I barely knew him, only that he was extraordinarily handsome, a risk taker, a breath of fresh air, and someone who I owed a lot of self-exploration to. I knew Liam would want to know one day, and I would tell him, but I wanted to make sure he was old enough to understand what I was talking about.

"Mommy! I'm hungry." I heard Liam say as he walked into the living room.

"What would you like for lunch?" I asked as I shook my head clear of the memories.

"I was thinking hotdogs!" He cheered and I couldn't help but smile.

"Hotdogs it is little man." I said as I grabbed them out of the freezer. He continued to talk about what we were going to do this summer. Mainly involving the park, museums, hanging out with Simon, and going to every single theme park he could think of and I listened intently. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for him, and I planned on getting his summer bucket list as full as humanly possible.

 **Jace POV:**

"Last show before your summer off starts. How are you feeling?" Alec asked as we walked out of the studio.

"Like I am finally getting the break I deserve." I said honestly.

"You're coming back to America with us right?" Izzy asked as we made our way to our cars.

"Yea. I need a break. I need to get out of here. All London feels like to me is work. And I need a break from work." I admitted. London was my home, but all I could feel now was work drowning me. Getting away would be a good thing for me.

"Alright. We leave Sunday morning." Alec said. "I'll pick you up, and we'll leave."

"Thanks for letting me crash with you Iz." I said as I looked at her.

"Hey, you're practically my brother. It'll be nice to have you two around more. At least I won't be lonely anymore." Izzy said.

"What happened to that boyfriend?" Alec asked.

"Ugh. Dirty rotten cheater." Izzy spat. "I was over him anyway. He just wasn't invested."

"Clearly." I said and she smacked my arm.

"Not all of us find winners on a whim." She said to me and I laughed as I remembered that amazing summer.

"Hey, I haven't been lucky since." I pointed out.

"That's because you were totally in love with her, and sometimes that type of love just doesn't come around twice." She said and I nodded.

"You are correct, but I've come to terms with it." I said. "We parted ways very civilly. No hard feelings."

"But if you found her again? What would you do?" Alec asked.

"I never really thought about it." I lied.

"Oh please. You so have." Izzy sneered.

"Okay, maybe I have." I admitted. "But she could be living a completely different life these days. When I met her, she was going to be a senior in college. It's been a long 5 years."

"I think it would be so romantic if you saw her again." Izzy smiled.

"If it's meant to be, it will be." I said, and I wholeheartedly believed that.

"Okay, go home and pack. I'm picking you up at 6:30 tomorrow morning. Don't be late." He said and I laughed, but nodded knowing Alec was a punctual person. I got in my car and headed back to my place. I was excited to be taking this extended vacation. I needed it.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Liam was currently at a birthday party and I was picking up dinner for tonight. There were just some days when cooking wasn't an option. Tonight was one of those nights. I had been running around like a lunatic all day, and I didn't want to cook, so I wasn't.

I was standing at the counter ready for my food when the bell chimed. People go in and out of here all the time so I thought nothing of it. I was handed my bags and I turned around to leave when I ran into someone. Literally. When I looked up I saw those golden eyes I never thought I'd see again.

"Clary?" He questioned.

"Jace." I breathed out. "Wow. This is – insane."

"I can't believe it." Jace said. "You're still in New York."

"I loved it so much I decided not to leave." I smiled. "What brings you back here?"

"A much needed vacation." Jace said and I nodded. "I've been working pretty much non-stop since I got the call."

"Well, it's a good thing you're booking jobs, and everything." I said and he nodded. He opened his mouth to speak when my phone started going off. I looked at the caller ID and knew I needed to answer it. "I have to take this." I said and he nodded. "Hello?"

"Clary, it's Liam." Mr. Hannon said.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked concerned.

"They were rough housing, and Liam got tackled. We think he broke his arm." He said. "We're taking him to the hospital now."

"I'll met you there." I said as I hung up. "I'm sorry, my son needs me."

"Oh okay." He said. "Maybe I'll see you around?" He asked.

"We'll see." I said. "Bye Jace." I said as I walked out. It was crazy that I ran into Jace, but right now my son needed me.

 **Jace POV**

Holy shit she had a kid.

"What was that about?" Izzy asked.

"Her son needed her." I said.

"She has a kid?" Izzy said. "Damn, she looks good."

"Did either of you see a ring?" I asked.

"Sorry, we weren't focused on her hands." Alec said. "But you don't have to be married to have a kid these days."

"Yea, but Clary wasn't the type of person who would be that spontaneous." I pointed out.

"I mean, she did spend a whole summer with you. Maybe that changed her." Izzy said. "And maybe it's your kid." She laughed as she punched my arm.

"She would have told me if it was mine." I said. "Wouldn't she?"

"You know her dude. We don't." Alec said. "But if you're that curious, ask." I nodded and we took our seat. I couldn't get what Alec or Izzy said out of the head. It couldn't be my kid. Right?

 **Time Jump – One Month Later**

 **Clary POV:**

I haven't run into Jace since that day at Taki's and if I'm being completely honest, I'm glad. It was so weird seeing him after all these years, but I couldn't risk him finding out about Liam. Not that I enjoy keeping this from him, but he has a life, and a very unstable job. He was constantly traveling, and I didn't want to subject Liam to having a part time dad.

Liam and I were currently at Taki's eating lunch before his doctors appointment. I think I spend more money here than I do anywhere else, but Liam loves it, and sometimes you just can't deny your child what they want. Especially because Liam doesn't ask for much.

We were currently coloring a picture when I heard the door chime. When I looked up, there stood none other than Jace and his friends. I couldn't believe we kept running into each other here, but I couldn't do anything about it now. Running would be way too obvious.

"We gotta stop meeting like this." Jace said as he made his way over to me.

"Well, this is our favorite spot to eat, so if you keep coming back, the odds of us seeing each other are very high." I pointed out. At that moment Liam looked up at Jace, and the look on Jace's face told me everything.

"Who are these people mommy?" Liam asked.

"Old friends." I said, because it wasn't all a lie.

"Hi, I'm Liam." He said with a big smile.

"Hi Liam, I'm Izzy, this is my brother Alec, and one of our best friends Jace." The girl, Izzy said. "What happened to your arm?"

"Oh, I was playing with my friend Thomas and I broke it." Liam said casually. "It didn't hurt too bad."

"You must be a tough little guy." Izzy said with a smile on her face.

"Mommy says that I'm the toughest." Liam said and I couldn't help but smile.

"Uh Clary." Jace finally spoke. "Can I have a word? Privately." He said but I didn't want to leave Liam alone.

"Uhh." I said as I looked at him.

"We'll watch him." Izzy said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course." Izzy said as she slid into the booth.

"Okay, be good Liam." I said as I stood up.

"Yes mommy." Liam said and before I knew it, I was being pulled into the back of the restaurant.

"You lied to me for 5 years." Jace hissed.

"Keep your voice down." I ordered.

"This is down. I can make a huge scene if I wanted too." Jace said bitterly.

"There is no need for that." I said calmly.

"That's my kid, isn't it?" Jace asked.

"His name is Liam." I pointed out.

"And he's my son." Jace said. "Not many people have gold eyes Clary."

"Yes, he's yours." I stated. "And I have a very good reason for keeping him a secret."

"Please enlighten me." Jace said angrily.

"Your career was starting up, and I didn't want you giving that up for me and our son. I didn't want to burden you." I said.

"That's bullshit Clary, and you know it." Jace said and I sighed.

"Okay, I thought you weren't going to want him." I finally said. "I thought you'd laugh in my face and go on with your life because you were going places. I was in college, and we split up. I didn't think I had the right to give you such a huge responsibility."

"Clary, you should have known I would have helped." Jace said softly. "We barely knew each other, but I barely had parents myself, I would never make my kid feel as thought they were unwanted. But you've already done that with him."

"No I haven't." I said. "When Liam asks about his dad, I tell him he working and maybe one day he'll get to meet him. I never told him you didn't know, or that you didn't want him."

"So he just thinks I'm a deadbeat? That's great." Jace scoffed.

"No. He understands that you have to work." I said. "He's never once hated that fact that you were not around."

"But he doesn't know me. And I don't know him." Jace stated. And in that moment, my heart broke. He leaned against the wall and ran his hands through his hair.

"But he could." I said and Jace looked at me.

"What do you mean?" Jace asked.

"I know your job and life is in England, but you're here now. So, why not start now." I offered.

"You'd really let me get to know Liam?" He asked, sounding kind of stunned.

"I never wanted him to feel unwanted by anyone. Which is why I always told him about you when he asked." I admitted. "But I had no idea if I would ever see you again. I mean, I only got a cell phone because of Liam. So I didn't have your number, and than life got busy." I explained.

"I don't have anything lined up for the rest of the summer." Jace said. "I wasn't planning on staying for three months, but I can, and I want too, if it means getting to know Liam."

"I think he would love that." I said and he smiled, that hundred-watt smile that could make any girl melt. "Come on, let's go get you two introduced." I said and he nodded. We made our way back to the table where Liam was coloring a picture and I sat down.

"Mommy, Izzy and Alec told me that they are going to take me to the zoo, isn't that awesome?" He beamed and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Sounds like a good time little man." I said as I took a seat.

"Hey, Iz, Alec, do you mind giving us a moment alone?" Jace asked his friends, an they nodded and got up.

"So baby, I have some news for you." I said to Liam.

"What is it mommy?" Liam asked as he looked up at me.

"You know how you always wonder about your dad?" I asked and he nodded. "Well, you don't have to wonder anymore."

"Really?" He asked with so much excitement.

"Really. In fact, he's sitting right next to you." I said and Liam looked over to Jace.

"What's up dad?!" Liam said with the biggest smile on his face.

"It's so nice to finally meet you." Jace said to Liam.

"You too." Liam smiled. "So you got a break from work?" He asked.

"I did. For the whole summer actually." Jace informed him.

"Does that mean you're going to be doing all our summer activities with us?" Liam asked.

"If your mom lets me." Jace said and Liam looked at me.

"He has to come with us mom. Especially on our vacation." Liam said.

"If he's up for it, he's always allowed to come." I said and he cheered.

"Where are you going on vacation?" Jace asked.

"San Francisco." I said. "Liam has been obsessed since he saw a postcard." I told him.

"When is that?" Jace asked.

"In two weeks." I told him and he nodded. "Are you up for it? Liam always makes a list of things he wants to do all year for the summer."

"I wouldn't want to do anything else." Jace said with a smile.

"Can we come back yet?" A voice said and there stood his friends.

"Of course." Jace said and they rejoined us. "Izzy, Alec, I'd like you to meet my son, Liam." He said and Izzy and Alec both snapped their heads towards me, before looking at Liam.

"It's very nice to officially meet you." Izzy said. "You can call me Aunt Izzy, since your dad is basically my brother."

"Cool. I've never had an aunt or uncle before." Liam said with a smile.

"Well, you have the coolest Aunt and Uncle now, in my opinion." Izzy said and we all laughed. In that moment, Liam ducked under the table and made his way to my side and hugged me.

"What was that for baby?" I asked as I kissed his head.

"For finally introducing me to daddy." Liam smiled, and I nearly cried at his words. I kissed him one more time before he went over to Jace and did the same thing. "Thanks for coming dad." He said and I could see the overwhelming flow of emotions hit Jace like a ton of bricks.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Jace said as he placed a kiss on my son, _our_ sons head. It felt surreal to say that.

"Can we go to the zoo tomorrow?" Liam finally asked.

"I thought you wanted to say in and build that new Lego set we got the other day." I said and he shook his head vigorously.

"Now that daddy's here, I want to go to the zoo!" He said animatedly.

"We can do whatever you want Liam." I told him honestly.

"Cool!" He cheered, and I couldn't get the smile off my face. Jace and I's eyes locked, and I couldn't really figure out what I was feeling, but I knew one thing, this was the best thing for Liam, and I was happy he finally got everything he wanted.

 **Time Jump – Zoo Trip**

 **Jace POV:**

We had agreed to meet up at the zoo, and I couldn't stop shaking like an anxious teenager who has never been on a date before. Meeting my son was the most surreal thing that's ever happened to me, and being able to spend the summer with him and getting to know everything about him was going to be a thrilling and exciting summer, and I really couldn't wait.

"Stop pacing." Izzy told me, slightly annoyed.

"I can't help it. I'm nervous." I said honestly.

"Why? You weren't nervous yesterday when you met." Izzy pointed out.

"I guess I was so caught up in the moment I had no time to think about what was happening. Today, I'm spending the whole day with my son, and just thinking about it terrifies me." I admitted.

"You're going to be an amazing dad to that little boy Jace." Izzy said as he rested her hand on my shoulder. "You were a great role model for Max growing up."

"That's different. He wasn't mine." I said. "This kid, is a product of Clary and I. He has my DNA. I don't want to fuck him up."

"And you won't." Izzy said happily. "You'll screw up, but as long as you love him, that's all that matters."

"Thanks Iz. I needed that." I said as I pulled her into a hug.

"That's what I'm here for." She smiled. "And here they come." She said and I looked over my shoulder to see Liam and Clary walking up to the entrance.

"Sorry we're late." Clary said. "Liam didn't know what outfit to wear." She smiled.

"Do you like it daddy?" Liam asked, and I bent down to his height.

"You're the coolest dude here." I said and he smiled.

"I think you're the coolest dude here dad." He said and I really couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, how about we go in and see all the animals?" Clary said and Liam started jumping up and down. We made our way to the entrance and paid. When we got into the place, Liam grabbed my hand and started running towards the one exhibit. I don't think I've ever been to a zoo before, but I would go anywhere this kid wanted to go, that was a promise.

 **Time Jump – Two Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace has been spending every single day with Liam and I, and all I could think about was how fast we fell in love 5 years ago. It honestly felt like it was yesterday, but than I have to pull myself back to reality and remind myself that his life is across the ocean, and this wouldn't last forever. It sucked, but I was happy Liam was bonding so quickly with Jace.

We were packing because we were actually leaving for San Francisco tomorrow morning, and I wanted everything to be done tonight, so that tomorrow we had no issues. Jace was currently occupying Liam so I could get everything packed. I have to admit, it's a lot easier when Liam isn't asking me question every two minutes. I love my son to death, but his curiosity gets the better of him, and sometimes it's never ending.

Finishing faster than I anticipated, due to the lack of child around, I decided that I would make dinner. Jace told me he would bring Liam home around 6, so I had plenty of time to make one of Liam's favorite dinners. But cooking was also a good way to distract myself from the fact that Jace was spending the night tonight so we could leave for the airport together tomorrow. I haven't spent the night with another man since our whirlwind of a summer ended, and doing it again, 5 years later, with the same man, was something I never expected to happen.

"Mommy!" I heard as I finished up the meal. "I smell baked ziti." He smiled as he ran into the kitchen.

"You'd be correct little man." I smiled down at him. I don't think this kid ever ran out of energy. "Can you be helpful and set the table for me?" He nodded and made his way to the cabinet and got the silverware. "How was your day?" I asked Jace.

"It was great. We had a lot of fun." Jace said and I nodded. "Are you all packed?"

"Yea. I finished a lot sooner than I expected because I normally have to occupy Liam at the same time." I admitted, and he laughed.

"Hence the baked ziti?" Jace asked.

"Yea. It's his favorite." I said and Jace nodded.

"Good to know." Jace said. I grabbed the plates and handed them to Jace.

"Help him please?" I asked. Jace smiled and nodded as he grabbed the plates. His fingers brushed mine and I swear a spark ran through me. "Thanks." I said as I pulled my hands away trying to get this feeling to pause. This was moving way too fast for me. These feelings were coming back way too fast.

 **Time Jump – After Dinner**

 **Clary POV:**

Liam passed out during a movie we watched after dinner. As I put him to bed, Jace started cleaning up the living room. When I came back out, all the blankets were folded, but Jace was sitting on the couch, watching the end of the movie. I wasn't that tired yet, so I decided to rejoin him. We both sat in silence for a few moments before I decided to ask a question that's been nagging me for a couple days now.

"I know you said you got everything taken care of for our flight, but I'm not good with not knowing." I laughed. "Can I get a couple hints?" I asked and Jace just laughed.

"Of course." He smiled. "I know we've talked about this a little, but I still feel like I have 5 years to catch up on." He admitted, and although I wanted to tell him he didn't, I completely understood where he was coming from. "Our flight isn't until 10, so we get a chance to sleep in a little, and we are booked first class."

"Jace, you didn't need to get us first class." I told him honestly. "We aren't material people."

"I know." He smiled at me. "But I wanted to do this for you two."

"Sometimes I forget that you already know me." I admitted with a shaky laugh.

"Why?" He asked.

"I don't know. That summer was so spontaneous and fast." I said. "When it ended, I honestly thought I'd never see you again, and I was starting to get used to that idea until I found out I was pregnant."

"Was it hard?" He asked.

"At times." I confessed. "I had really bad morning sickness, and I was in a lot of pain but I was still in school so resting was a luxury I didn't have a lot of."

"I would have been here for you." He said. "In a heartbeat."

"I didn't expect anything from you Jace." I told him honestly.

"Yea, but I would have been." He said. "Ending things that summer, it was tough, but I started working and got so busy that my mind was so distracted that it helped me move on from our summer fling." He laughed. "But I was never the same."

"Really?" I asked, kinda shocked.

"Izzy and Alec could tell. I threw myself into work, and I never let another woman close enough because they all weren't you." He said and my jaw dropped.

"How is that possible? You've been surrounded by other models and actresses for years." I said and he laughed.

"I don't know if you know this, but that summer was the best summer of my life." He smiled. "You have always been levels above every other woman I've ever met, and you always will be."

"Jace." I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

"Look, this doesn't have to change anything." He said. "We can co-parent like other people do if that's what you want, but I need you to know that the summer where we fell in love wasn't just summer love, it was real, and it was passionate." He said and I couldn't help but blush. "I will never be able to spend time away from Liam after this summer. And you if there is even the slightest possibility that we can try to rekindle any of those feelings we had 5 years ago." He explained and my mind was just spinning. Of course I thought about that summer, but now it was right in front of me, asking if I wanted another chance, how could I say no?

"I can't rush into anything Jace." I told him honestly. "Liam is my life, my world, and I won't hurt him that way."

"You know the last thing I would ever do is hurt him." Jace said. "I love him more than I thought possible."

"I know. That summer was the best summer of my life too, and I always used Liam as an excuse to put my dating life on hold, but it was impossible not to compare the other men I met to you. It just naturally happened." I admitted.

"What are you saying exactly?" Jace asked.

"How about we use this vacation to San Francisco as a test run?" I offered. "A real family vacation. Family pictures, dates, hand holding, the whole charade. When we come back, we can figure everything out." It might not have been the best idea, but I was willing to try, and in a situation like this, I think a little test run will show us what could be, and give us the motivation to make it a reality.

"I can do that." Jace agreed. "But that also mean you have to let me spoil the two of you." He said and I went to protest but he stopped me. "I know what you're going to say. You hate being spoiled, but I have more money than I need. Five years ago, spoiling you meant I got to take you to dinner _and_ a movie, this time around, spoiling you means I get to make your vacation dreams a reality." He said and I nearly cried. "Let me do this for you two."

"Fine, but only because I know how stubborn you are, and I know how much this will mean to Liam." I gave in and he smiled. "And by the way, I loved our dates that summer. I didn't need to be taken anywhere. As long as we were together, I always had the best time."

"That doesn't mean I didn't want to spoil you like you deserved." Jace said and I smiled. "I wanted to give you the world that summer, and now I can do that."

"Jace, you already did." I smiled, referring to Liam. Jace seemed to understand that, and before I knew it our faces were inches from each other. I could tell he wanted to kiss me, and I really wanted to kiss him too. Before anything happened, Liam called out for Jace.

"I'll be right back." He said as he walked to Liam's room. I took the moment to shake out of whatever daze I was in, and made my way to the hallway. Jace walked out of the bedroom and shut the door and looked up at me. "He thought I left." He said and I nodded.

"It's getting late, and we have a flight tomorrow." I said and he nodded.

"I'll see you in the morning." Jace said as he went to spend the night on the couch. Knowing he would be under the same roof as me, and not next to me didn't sit well with me, and before I could think I grabbed his wrist, stopping him and he turned around.

"Come with me." I said and his eyes widened slightly.

"Clary, I don't know." He said sounding really uncertain.

"I won't be able to sleep knowing you're under the same roof as me, and you aren't right next to me." I admitted, although I wish I wasn't so open right now.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"We're both adults Jace, I think we can handle sharing a bed." I teased, but was very serious. He nodded and we made our way into my room. It wasn't the biggest, but it was mine. "Sorry it's not bigger." I apologized, knowing he probably had a huge house back in England.

"It's cozy. I like it." He smiled and we both got into bed. "Night Clary."

"Goodnight Jace." I said and I turned the light off. I felt him move a little in the bed, and I took that moment to adjust as well. Knowing he was right next to me lulled me into the best sleep I've had in years.

 **Time Jump – Next Morning**

 **Jace POV:**

I woke up smelling a hint of strawberry, and feeling a pressure on my chest I've never felt before. I opened my eyes and noticed red hair spread across my chest. Remembering that Clary and I shared a bed last night I smiled to myself. It was the best sleep I've had in years, and having Clary back in my arms made everything feel right. It would be hard to go back to England knowing she was here with my son. The future just got more complicated, but I'd go through Hell to have Clary and Liam in my life permanently.

"Daddy!" A voice cheered, and before I knew it Liam jumped on the bed. "Wake up daddy, we're going on vacation! Come on mommy, we gotta get up!" He cheered as he shook Clary.

"I'm up, I'm up." Clary groaned as she opened her eyes. She noticed that we were cuddled together, blushed and moved off my chest. "Why don't you go brush your teeth and we'll make breakfast." Clary told him and he jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom.

"Good morning." I smiled and so did she.

"Morning. Sorry for being in your space. I guess I'm not used to sharing it." She laughed nervously.

"Or you remembered how great of a cuddler I am." I smirked and she blushed.

"Grab the bags, and I'll go feed our son." She smiled, and just hearing her say our, made my insides melt. "What's with the face?" She asked, and I guess I didn't realize that I was showing it on the outside.

"I just really love hearing you call Liam ours." I admitted. Her smile softened, and she made her way over to me and brushed a stray hair out of my eyes.

"He is our son Jace." Clary said and I nodded.

"I know that, but hearing it is totally different." I admitted. "Up until this summer, I never imagined someone calling me dad, and now I never want to be called anything different."

"It's an amazing feeling." Clary agreed. "But your son is going to be so upset if we don't get to the airport, and get to San Francisco."

"Okay, I'll grab the bags and load the car." I said and she nodded before walking out of the bedroom. I couldn't get the smile off my face, but I didn't want it to go anywhere else. I was going to be spending a week with Liam and Clary and I couldn't wait.

 **Time Jump – Landing in San Francisco**

 **Clary POV:**

We got to San Francisco and right off the plane Liam almost bolted he was so excited. Jace and I grabbed a hand as we made our way to baggage claim. Liam was talking nonstop about everything he wanted to do here and I couldn't wait to make his dreams come true.

 **Time Jump – One Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

The minute we touched down in New York my phone was hit with a bunch of messages. When I saw it was my manager I wasn't happy. I still had some time off, and I wanted to enjoy it with my family. While Clary and Liam waited for baggage claim I stepped off to the side to call my manager back.

"Jace, where have you been?" He answered immediately.

"I was on a plane for 5 hours." I told him.

"To England?" He asked.

"No. From California to New York." I told him.

"Well you need to get back on a plane and head home." He said.

"Why?" I asked, confused. "You know I'm on vacation."

"Jace, do you know who personally asked for you for a shoot?" He asked.

"Vera Wang?" I said sarcastically.

"Vogue." He said. "They want you to be their signature male model, and they want you this weekend." He said and I sighed. It was already Friday.

"I just got back from vacation." I said.

"They want you Jace, and you know how much this could boost your career." He said and I hated to admit that he was right.

"I'll call you back in an hour." I said and I hung up before he could convince me otherwise. Just in time, Clary and Liam came back with our luggage.

"Ready?" Clary smiled.

"Ready." I said and I took the bags from her. She took Liam's hand in hers and we made our way to the car. I needed to talk to Clary about this.

We got into the car and in about 15 minutes Liam was passed out. I knew I needed to talk to her about this, and if I didn't do it now, I would lose all my nerve.

"Can we talk about something?" I asked and she looked over at me.

"Why doesn't this sound good?" She asked.

"My manager called." I said.

"Okay?" She questioned.

"I've been personally asked to do a shoot this weekend." I explained and I saw her nod her head. "I wouldn't even consider it if it wasn't like the one job I've been hoping for my entire career."

"And it's in England?" Clary questioned and I nodded. "And you want to do it?"

"More than anything." I said honestly.

"Than you should do it." She said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I never asked you to give up your career ambitions for Liam and I." Clary said.

"But I would." I added.

"Yes, but I didn't ask you to." Clary said. "If this has been your dream job since you started, I would be a fool to stand in your way."

"I would be gone for the weekend. I'll be back on Sunday." I said.

"Take your time Jace." Clary said. "You don't need to rush for us."

"I'll let my manager know." I said. That was the end of the conversation. I was so happy to be getting this opportunity, but why did I feel so guilty about it?

 **Clary POV:**

We got home and Jace carried Liam inside. I took my bags into my room and started to sort through them. I heard Jace faintly talking in the other room, who I can only assume is his manager. Hearing that Jace was going back to England hurt, but that was his home. I always knew that, but hearing it sucked.

"Mom?" I heard and when I turned around there stood Liam.

"Hey baby. Are you hungry?" I asked.

"A little." He said and I nodded. We made our way out to the kitchen when Jace finished the conversation.

"Is it all set?" I asked and he nodded.

"What's all set?" Liam asked.

"Daddy has to go away for the weekend." I explained to Liam.

"You're leaving us?" Liam asked in the saddest voice ever.

"I'll be back by Sunday night. I have to work tomorrow." Jace tried to explain.

"I thought you were on vacation." Liam said.

"Sometimes vacations get cut short." Jace said and Liam hung his head. "But buddy, I promise I'll be back."

"No." Liam shoved Jace away. "Just go back to your stupid work and leave us again." He ran to his room and this time Jace hung his head.

"He doesn't mean it. He's just upset." I tried to say.

"He has ever right to be." Jace sighed. "I left you two once, and now I'm doing it again."

"Don't do that to yourself." I told him.

"I live in London Clary." Jace said. "You and Liam live here. Have you ever thought about that before?"

"Of course I have." I said back.

"So you know this is only temporary? I'm going to disappoint him yet again because that's what I'm best at." Jace said.

"Jace." I said but he wasn't having it.

"I have to be back at the airport. I'll see you when I get back." He grabbed his bag and left. I sighed. Of course I was thinking of the long term. But I've been putting it off for as long as I could. I didn't want to think about it because I wanted to live in the moment. But who says the moment ever has to end?

 **Time Jump – Next Day**

 **Clary POV:**

I had dropped Liam off with a friend as I waited for Izzy to arrive. I've gotten to know her throughout the summer, but she knew Jace the best, and I needed a girls advice, and she was happy to help.

"Hey." I heard and when I looked up there she was. "Everything okay?"

"I think so." I admitted. "I just need help."

"Is Liam okay?" She asked.

"He's fine. A little sad, but he'll be okay." I said and she nodded.

"Jace leaving must have hurt his feelings." Izzy said.

"You have no idea. Liam loves him so much." I smiled.

"And Jace loves him too." Izzy pointed out.

"I know, which is why I need your advice." I said.

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

"Would I be crazy if I packed up my life, and Liam's life and moved to England?" I asked and her jaw dropped.

"You want to move across the ocean? For Jace?" She asked.

"I let him go once." I admitted. "And I tried not to think about him, and I tried to move on, but he's impossible to forget. Liam isn't in school yet, I can find work anywhere, but I can't find another Jace, another father to my child, and Jace has work there. A whole industry. It makes sense."

"But moving to another country, that's risky Clary." Izzy said and I nodded in agreement.

"Yea, but I don't want to do long distance. I don't want him to pop in and out of Liam's life. I want him there, I want more, and in my head, the only logical thing to do is move there." I explained.

"And you're not worried about Liam acclimating there? A brand new place." Izzy asked.

"No. I really don't. Liam is a friendly kid. He gets along with everyone, and sure he'll miss his friends here, but he'll make plenty more there." I said and Izzy nodded, but she didn't respond. After a few minutes, I couldn't take it. "So? Any advice?"

"When are you leaving? And are you packed yet?" She asked and I got the biggest smile on my face. This was scary as hell, but something I needed to do.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

The shoot got pushed back, so it's nearly 1 am and I'm still here. All I wanted to do was go to bed and get up for my flight tomorrow so I could be back with Clary and Liam. I didn't know I'd miss them this much, but I felt like I had a whole in my chest that wouldn't be filled until we were back together. Call me crazy, but I wanted to keep the two of them in my life forever this time, I just needed to figure out how.

"Jace?" I heard someone call. "There is someone here to see you." He said and I got confused.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"She says she's your baby mamma?" He questioned and my eyes widened. I shot out of my seat and practically ran out of the trailer to see Clary standing there.

"What are you doing here?" I asked breathlessly. I didn't care that a whole film crew was on set listening, Clary was here. In England.

"We parted civilly 5 years ago because we agreed to have a summer fling." Clary started. "I had no idea that would give me the greatest gift I've ever been given, but it did. It brought me Liam." She smiled, and I couldn't help but smile. "I let you go once, but I sure as hell don't plan on making the same mistake this time."

"You live in New York Clary. And so does Liam." I said.

"But we don't have too." She said as she took a step closer to me. "Liam is only 5, he isn't in school yet, and it's not like I'm prying him away from life long friends and a girlfriend, and a high school football team." She explained. "New York is amazing, but it doesn't have you. And I don't care where we live, or how often we have to move, or the hassle your job could potentially make our lives." She said and I nodded, knowing that was true. "All I care about is our family. And having our family together. I love you Jace. I've never stopped, and I don't think I ever can." She didn't need to say another word because I was over to her and slamming my lips to hers as fast as I possibly could. This was the next step. When we finally broke apart I couldn't get the smile off my face.

"I love you too." I said and she smiled. "I love you more than anything, and I love Liam more than I thought possible. But moving is huge Clary. Have you thought about this?"

"More than you know Jace. It's all I could think about while we were on vacation, and once you left I felt empty. I need you, Liam needs you, and we can have you. Here. In England." Clary said and I picked her up and spun her around.

"Okay, we need to find a house. We need to sell your apartment. We need to get Liam a passport. We need to enroll him in school. Oh and we definitely need to make our relationship more permanent." I said and she looked at me confused. "Marry me Clarissa, and make me the happiest guy in the world." I said and her hands covered her mouth as I saw tears pool in her eyes.

"Yes." She whispered and I pulled her back into my arms. Life was perfect, and I never thought that was possible when I first found out about the Concealment.

 **Authors Note:**

 **So I left this one shot up for your own imagination, so if anyone says it's not finished, well it is.**

 **Sorry that it took me so long, but prepare for it to take longer next time!**

 **Happy Halloween!**


	150. Chapter 148 - Homeless

**One Hundred and Forty Eight One Shot**

 **Homeless**

 **Clary POV:**

I never imagined that I would be the person who ended up living on the streets. I used to drive by and see these shacks and cardboard box houses and think about all the reasons as to why these people lived on the street. I never thought I'd be one of those people. Never. But I am. I've been living on the streets for a couple years now. It hasn't been easy, but I definitely don't have it the worst. I have a job, just not enough money to afford rent. I'm not addicted to drugs. And I haven't had to stoop low enough to sell my body for territory or a warm bed at night. I just got into a shitty and abusive relationship, and I ran. Far away. I go by a different name, and I don't have a single document that's traceable. I'm homeless, but it's better than what I used to live in.

One thing that I do have is a gym membership. I know what you're thinking. A gym membership, really? Why not use that money for an apartment. Well, there are a couple reasons. A gym membership is way less money than rent, and it has showers and washing machines. Two things that I need, and I can get with a simple $10 a month membership. I never would have thought about it if Dot didn't mention it first.

My job isn't the most elite job in the world. I live off tips most shifts, and my schedule is so fucked sometimes I forget what day it is, but I do what I can so that I can eat, and continue paying my gym membership. I was on my way to work the nightshift hating these shifts. Nobody ever came in at night, which meant very little tips. It sucked, but I was secretly hoping one night someone would come and save my ass. Wishful thinking, I know.

"You're nearly late." Tessa said as I grabbed my apron.

"Nearly being the operative word. I have – " I looked at my watch " – a minute before my shift starts."

"You are always cutting it close. Maybe you should invest in transportation instead of relying on the bus." Tessa said and I gave her a tight smile. I even lied to my co-workers about my transportation because I am that embarrassed about it. I walk to work every day, and it's many blocks away from the gym.

"I'll try to get on that right away." I said and she laughed.

"Alaric gave you section 6 tonight." Tessa said and I nodded. I got my apron ready, stuffing it with pens, notepads, straws, and anything else I might need for a slow night and waited until I saw someone sit in my section. The first hour went by with absolutely nobody. It was going to be a brutal night.

 **Time Jump – Three AM**

 **Jace POV:**

This was the latest I've ever stayed at the office. Years ago I promised myself that I wouldn't stay later than 10, but we've been doing so poorly lately, I'll do anything to make sure we are at the top again, and if that means staying all night, than so be it. I won't let this company die, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure we are thriving by the end of the year.

I had a couple more months until than, so I had to crack down. Not just on myself, but on my whole team. We were coasting for a long time, and it got to our heads. We need to save ourselves now, before it's too late. They may hate me now, but if they lose their jobs, they're going to hate me even more, and I don't want it to come to that. I was putting on my jacket when my phone started to ring.

"Hello?" I answered it.

"Glad you're still awake." I heard Alec say.

"Just leaving the office now. What's up?" I asked as I picked up my stuff.

"Mind meeting me to talk?" He asked.

"Sure. Where at?" I asked making my way to my car.

"Well, there is only one place I know that's opened this late." Alec said.

"Taki's." I said and I heard him laugh. "I'll meet you there." I said and we hung up. I don't venture to Taki's often, but we know it's the only 24 hour place around, and that's really all we needed right now.

I got there about 10 minutes later and entered the establishment. There were barely any people there, but I didn't expect there to be a full house. I saw Alec sitting in the corner, and I made my way over to him.

"Finally." Alec said when he saw me and I took a seat.

"You called me 10 minutes ago." I said and he shook his head.

"Yea, but I really need to talk to you." Alec said worried.

"What's wrong?" I asked, confused as to why he was so worried.

"I need your advice." Alec said, and I was about to respond when our waitress came over.

"Good morning, or late night, whatever you decide, I'm Clary, what can I get for you two?" The woman smiled, and she had a beautiful smile.

"Can we get a pot of coffee, and a large fry?" I asked.

"You got it." She said before walking away. My eyes lingered for a moment, until Alec snapped his fingers in my face.

"Focus. I have issues." Alec said and I looked back at him.

"What is so urgent that you needed to meet with me at 3 am?" I asked.

"I want to propose to Magnus." Alec said.

"That's great!" I said but he looked worried. "What's the problem exactly?"

"Is it too soon?" Alec asked, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You've been together for over 5 years. It's not to early at all." I said, and in that moment, Clary brought over the coffee and fries. "Thank you."

"If you need anything else, just let me know." She said with a smile than walked away.

"So you think I should?" Alec's voice makes me put my attention back on him.

"I really do. You two love each other. If you want to spend the rest of your life with him, you should do it." I said and he nodded. I poured us two cups of coffee.

"You gonna leave your number for our waitress?" He asked and I looked over at the redhead.

"No." I said. "Not really looking for anything right now."

"You can't just put everything on hold for your company." Alec said as I picked up another fry.

"Look, sure my company has a lot to do with it, but I'm also just not really into dating right now." I admitted. "Not after my last relationship went south."

"She was a nut man." Alec said and I laughed. "A gold digging nut."

"Which is exactly my reason. It's hard weeding out the nuts. Especially the gold digging nuts." I said.

"Think she's a nut?" Alec nodded his head towards Clary.

"No idea." I said truthfully.

"Think she's a gold digger?" He asked.

"Highly doubt it." I said.

"Why is that?" Alec asked.

"She hasn't once tried to flash me her tits." I said and Alec laughed. "She isn't trying too hard. They always try way too hard."

"So leave your number, and see where it goes." Alec said and I was about to say something when he cut me off. "Your company is important, but so is your happiness. You told me to chase mine, go chase yours as well." He said and I shut up. When we were done we called for our check. Clary brought it over and I pulled out some money. I put my money in it and pushed it to the end of the table. But right before she came back a scribbled by name and number. Alec was right, there was no harm in leaving my number.

 **Clary POV:**

When the two very nicely dressed man left, I grabbed the check and grabbed their money. Since they already left, I assumed they were leaving the rest for my tip.

"Holy shit." I said when I counted it.

"What?" Tessa asked.

"They left me a $40 tip." I said as I held it up.

"You made quite the impression." Tessa smirked when she turned the bill over. "He left you his number."

"Damn." I said as I looked at the bill again.

"You gonna text him?" Tessa asked. If I had a phone I'd love too.

"Maybe." I settled with.

"Girl, he was hot. You should totally text him." Tessa said.

"Aren't you in a very committed relationship?" I asked and she laughed.

"Will and I always comment on people we find attractive." Tessa said. "We just understand each other."

"I'd hope so. You've been together forever." I laughed and she smiled. They were so in love it was gross.

"Well my shift is over. You working tonight?" She asks.

"I have tonight off. I'm working day shift on Wednesday." I said and she nodded.

"Well, see you eventually." Tessa said. I waved goodbye and than I was the only one left. It's been dead all night, and I was done at 6. The last 2 hours will fly by.

 **Time Jump – A Week Later**

 **Jace POV:**

She never texted me. It was the only thing I could think about all week. She never texted me. That never happens. And I don't mean to sound cocky, but I've never been rejected that way before and I really didn't know how to deal with it. It was a weird feeling.

Thankfully Alec and Magnus were having their engagement party tonight, so I would have something to distract myself from the fact that she didn't text me for the rest of the night. I was happy that Alec took my advice, and I couldn't wait to celebrate with them. We all wanted to be there when it happened, but naturally Alec wanted to propose in Paris.

The party was in full swing, and everyone we knew was there. I was by the bar with a drink in my hand. Alec and Magnus looked happier than I've ever seen and it truly made me happy. Alec spent a lot of his life miserably in the closet, and seeing him openly love Magnus was something I don't think I would ever get tired of seeing.

"So did she text you?" I heard from beside me. I guess I was so lost in my head I didn't even see him approach me.

"Nope." I popped the p and took a sip of my drink.

"Damn. How does rejection feel?" Alec asked and I pushed him, and he just laughed. "What? At least you know she isn't a gold digger."

"I actually have no idea if she's a gold digger. She probably has no idea how much I'm worth." I admitted.

"Your Jace Herondale. Net worth $12 million." Alec said with a smile.

"Yea, I don't think she knew that." I admitted with a laugh.

"So what are you going to do?" Alec asked.

"Why are you being so persistent about her?" I asked curiously.

"Because I saw the way you looked at her that night. You were captivated." Alec said. "I haven't seen that happen to you."

"Maybe I was just curious about her." I pointed out.

"When you're curious, it's a hook up at best. When you're captivated, there is something else in your eyes." Alec said.

"It doesn't matter. She didn't text me." I said as I took another drink.

"Okay. I won't push it." Alec said before he went back to Magnus. Maybe Alec was right, but I do have other things to worry about, and I'll just fill my head with that for now.

 **Time Jump – A Couple Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

It was getting colder out, which is the worst time to live on the streets. Normally I would jump from homeless shelter to homeless shelter, but this year seems to have more homeless families than I've ever seen before, and I'm not going to take a bed from a child. I would survive it. I just didn't know how yet.

I picked up as many shifts as possible in the fall/winter. It kept inside longer, and gave me more money for blankets and stuff. One day I'll have my own apartment, but for now, I'm just going to work my ass off, and try not to die.

"Hole hell is it cold out there." Tessa said as she ran inside the diner. "It's like mother nature flipped a switch and just abandoned fall." Tessa said and I laughed.

"Global warming at it's finest." I said and she smiled.

"You work last night?" Tessa asked.

"Yea." I said as I filled some cups up.

"So why are you still here?" She asked.

"Michelle is sick with the flu so I took her shift." I admitted.

"You are going to burn out Clary." Tessa said.

"I don't mind the long shifts." I said.

"But you need to take care of yourself first." Tessa said and I didn't even respond. I needed the money, and I needed the warmth. "Look who is back." Tessa said and I looked up to see the guy from a couple weeks ago.

"Shit." I muttered.

"What? Did you ever text him?" She asked.

"No?" I said but it came out like a question.

"Why the hell not?" She yelled.

"Shhhhh. You're gonna draw attention." I said as I covered her mouth.

"Okay, but why not?" She asked in a lower tone.

"Because I kinda don't have a phone?" I said and she just stared at me.

"What?" She asked.

"I don't have a phone okay? I can't afford one." I said and she gave me a sad smile.

"So go tell him that." She said.

"He probably doesn't even remember me." I waved off, but Tessa didn't believe it.

"Well he's in your section, so you can go test that theory." She said.

"Can you please take that table? I'll take any shift you need covered." I offered and she laughed.

"No chance in hell." She said before walking to her section. I prepared myself before I walked over to the table.

"Welcome back." I said and he looked up and I knew he recognized me. "What can I get for you today?"

"Coffee and fries." He said and I nodded. I brewed the coffee, and waited for the fries before I went back to give it to him.

"That's an interesting combination." I said and he smiled.

"Discovered my love for it in college, and haven't been able to give it up since." He said and I smiled.

"I'm that way with salt and vinegar chips and carrots." I admitted and he looked at me funny and smiled.

"Now that's an interesting one." He said and I laughed.

"Don't knock it til you try it." I said and we both laughed. "If you need anything, let me know." I said and I started to walk away when he spoke.

"Why didn't you text me?" He asked and I stopped in my tracks. I didn't want to have this conversation, but I felt bad I didn't have the chance to tell him I wouldn't be able too.

"You want the real reason?" I asked.

"No, lie to me." He said sarcastically and I frowned. "Of course I want the real reason."

"I don't have a phone." I said. "I can't afford one."

"Oh." He simply said. "But would you have texted me?" He asked.

"I think so." I admitted and he smiled.

"When is the next time you aren't working?" He asked.

"I think Friday." I said as I remembered my schedule.

"Would you like to go out with me?" He asked and my jaw literally dropped.

"You want to go out with me?" I asked, shocked.

"Yea. But if you don't want to, I totally understand." He said and I laughed.

"It's not that. I just haven't been asked out in a really long time." I admitted thinking about the reason I'm homeless.

"So is that a yes?" He asked and I laughed.

"I'd love too." I said and he smiled.

"Great, where should I pick you up?" He asked, and a slight panic filled me up.

"Uh, you know where the Angel Gym is?" I asked, and he nodded. "Just meet me right around there. You'll see me."

"Okay." He smiled, and I was thankful he never asked questions.

"I have to get back to work, but I'll see you Friday?" I asked and he nodded. I made my way back to the kitchen and I couldn't help but smile. He asked me on a date!

 **Time Jump – Date Night**

 **Jace POV:**

It's been forever since I've been this nervous on a date. I knew nothing about Clary, but I wanted to get to know her, and see where this could go. I pulled up in front of Angel's Gym and there she stood. She wore a simple pair of jeans, and a sweater. She didn't try too hard, and I liked that about her. When I stopped she opened the door and got in.

"Hey." I said and she smiled.

"Hey." She smiled back.

"You ready?" I asked and she nodded her head. I made my way towards the restaurant, us having light conversation the whole way there. I couldn't wait to see where this date leads us.

 **Time Jump – Hours Later**

 **Clary POV:**

The date was the most amazing date I've ever been on, and he wants to see me again. It was so surreal that this was happening to me. I couldn't put it into words, and I couldn't wait to see him again. After he dropped me off though, Tessa texted me asking if I could work the night shift. Michelle called out, and they were desperate. I was on Cloud 9 so I didn't mind picking up another shift.

When I got there, I made my way back to the kitchen where I found Tessa, with all my stuff. I normally hide it really well, but I guess tonight wasn't my lucky night. I made my way over to her.

"What the hell is this?" Tessa asked me.

"I can explain." I said.

"Why are you keeping all your stuff in the back alley near the dumpster?" She asked. I could hear the anger in her voice. "And don't you dare lie to me."

"Because I don't have a home." I said and her face fell from anger to sadness.

"So you're homeless?" She asked and I nodded. "And you live on the streets?" She asked and I nodded again. "Jesus Clare. Why didn't you say anything?" She asked.

"I didn't want the pity." I admitted and she scoffed.

"Asking for help doesn't always get you pity. Sometimes it gets you a friend who is willing to help out." She said and I looked at her.

"I can't do that to you Tessa. I'm not going to impose on you and Will's life." I said and she went to protest but I stopped her. "I'm fine. I've been fine for years. It's okay."

"But you'll tell me when it's not right?" She asked.

"I'll let you know." I reassured her and she pulled me into a hug.

"Okay, get to work." She said as she turned away, but I could hear the heaviness in her voice. I grabbed my work clothes and went into the bathroom to change. I thought if people found out that I was homeless it would be the worst thing in the world, but having Tessa know, and having her support me was a feeling that I never knew I needed, but was very grateful to have.

 **Time Jump – A Few Months Later**

 **Jace POV:**

I haven't seen Clary in a couple days and I was starting to worry. I tried to get her a phone a few weeks back but she didn't want one, and now I wish that I got her one anyway because it would really help me out right now.

I decided to check out Taki's because it was the only place I knew she might possibly be. But when I walked in, I didn't see red hair anywhere. I saw Tessa over by the counter and decided to just take a chance and ask her if she knew where Clary was.

"Hey Tessa." I said and she smiled.

"Clary isn't in today." Tessa immediately said.

"I don't know where else to look for her. I haven't seen her in a couple days. I'm getting worried." I admitted.

"You should try Angel Gym." Tessa said.

"Why would she be there?" I asked confused.

"She lives near there." Tessa said. "Plus she uses it to shower."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You don't know?" Tessa asked.

"Know what? Tessa, I'm so confused right now." I said and the look on her face that she didn't mean for this to happen. "Whatever you know Tessa, please tell me."

"Have you ever been to Clary's place?" She asks.

"No. Why?" I asked.

"She doesn't have one." She said and it took a few seconds than it clicked.

"She doesn't have a home?" I asked and she nodded. "I gotta go."

Before Tessa could say anything I was gone. I needed to speak to Clary. I got to the gym in record time and when I got in there, I saw Clary walking out of the locker room. I made my way over to her and you could tell she was surprised to see me.

"Jace, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"You're homeless." I said and her eyes widened.

"How did you find out?" She asked, scared.

"Tessa let it slip accidently." I admitted. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"So I can be your charity case? 'Multimillionaire and CEO Jace Herondale takes homeless girl under his wing and turns her into his own personal trophy wife' yea, no thanks on that title." She scoffed.

"You think I'm dating you for charity?" I asked, insulted.

"Why else would you have asked me out? I'm nothing like you Jace. I literally have no money to my name, and I use the gym as my shower." She said and my heart broke for her. "I didn't need or want you sympathy. Or for you to think I was using you for your money."

"I never once thought you were using me for my money." I said to her.

"But you always buy me stuff, which I'm very appreciative of, but I'm not a material person. I've been in that life, and I hated it." She said but immediately shut up when she realized she let too much slip. "Shit, you didn't hear that."

"Clary, I want to be there for you. You mean so much to me and I care about you a lot, but I can't help, if you don't let me in." I said and she sighed. "Talk to me Clary."

"I'm married. Is that what you want to hear?" She said and I felt like the air had been knocked out of me.

"You're married?" I repeated and she slowly nodded. "For how long?"

"4 years." She said and I took a deep breath. "But you see how well that turned out. I'm homeless."

"What happened?" I asked and she sniffed, and I knew she was crying.

"He was abusive." She said and my blood ran cold. "I couldn't take it anymore. I was his punching bag, and I didn't want to be anymore. I was tired of covering up the bruises, and the black eyes. I wanted my life back. So I ran." She said and all I wanted was to hug her, so I did. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"It's okay, but if you were worried I was going to dump you because of it, you're wrong." I said and she looked up at me. Her eyes puffy from crying.

"Really?" She asked and I couldn't help but smile.

"I told you I really care about you Clary, and I think I'm falling in love with you." I admitted and she gasped. "There is no way in hell I would ever let you go. I've been waiting for you my entire life." I said and she started crying again, but I knew this was for a much happier reason. "But you are no longer homeless. I don't care if I have to buy you an apartment, you aren't living on the streets anymore."

"I can't ask you to do that Jace." Clary said. Always trying to cause as little problems as possible.

"You aren't asking, I'm telling." I said. "I have more than enough money to help you out, and if I buy it, you don't have to worry about rent. It's yours."

"I've never had my own place before." She sobbed. "I've always been stuck with the men who thought they controlled me."

"I will never try and control you Clary. I will never hurt you, I will never leave you, and I sure as hell will never treat you less than you deserve." I said so honestly. "I love you Clary."

"I love you too." She said and I slammed my lips to hers. She was everything I've ever wanted in a woman, and I was never letting that go. When we broke apart I expected to see her smiling, but she looked concerned.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I want a divorce." She said. " But I don't want him to find me."

"I won't let him hurt you Clary." I promised.

"Can I use your lawyer?" She asked and I smiled.

"What's mine is yours." I said and I pulled her into a hug. "Come on, you're coming to my house." I said and she nodded. I took her bag from her hands and led her to my car. I didn't care what happens in the future, there was no way in hell I was ever letting Clary live on the streets again.

 **Time Jump – A Few Weeks Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Jace has been a true god send throughout this whole entire process, and I don't think I would have been able to make it through without him. I was scared shitless when it came to serving Sebastian with divorce papers. I didn't want him to know where I'd been living. I wanted nothing to do with him, but running wasn't the answer. I needed a divorce and I was going to get one, one way or another.

I didn't know how to feel about seeing Sebastian for the first time in years. He hasn't changed much. He still wears that god awful cologne that makes me want to vomit. He still has the same smirk that makes me want to punch him in the face. And he is still just as controlling as he used to be. But this time, I wouldn't cower in fear. I had Jace on my side, and I knew he would protect me.

We sat on the opposite side of the table, my hands clasped firmly in his as we got settled to start this meeting. I knew Sebastian was going to be tough to work with, I just didn't expect him to refuse this divorce.

"My client and I would like to make this a quick as possible." Alec stated. Thankfully Jace's best friend was a lawyer. "All we want is a divorce so my client can be free of her husband."

"I understand what Mrs. Verlac wants."

"It's Clary." I interrupted. "My name is Clary. I refuse to go by my married name."

"Fine, I understand what _Clary_ wants." He said my name so smugly, and condescending. "But my client will not agree."

"You can't refuse a divorce." Alec said.

"But Mr. Verlac won't sign the papers." His lawyer said. I thought this was over, but when I looked at Alec, he looked determined.

"You know, I had a feeling this would happen." He said. "After learning everything about your client from Clary, I had a feeling I would need to approach this differently." He said, but this was the first time I was hearing about this. "Your client won't sign – "

"That's what I've been saying." He interrupted.

"But it's illegal to refuse to sign, which means you must compensate my client." Alec said and I saw Sebastian falter a little. "Until your client changes his mind, I'm going to submit to the court that he compensate my client for her troubles. Say $2 million, how does that sound?"

"Fuck no!" Sebastian yelled. "There is no way in hell I'm giving that bitch any of my money!" I couldn't help but laugh. This calm demeanor he's been giving off just slipped away.

"Or you could just sign the papers." Alec said. "This will never go away. The longer you refuse to sign, the more you're going to be spending on my client. Or I could get a judge to file the divorce after let's say you pay her the $2 million." Alec was on a roll, and I could see Sebastian getting angrier and angrier.

"Give me the damn pen." He seethed and his lawyer gladly handed it over. In a minute or two he was done and we were finally free. He stormed out of the room and I felt like I could finally breath again. He was gone, and I never had worry about him ever again.

"Let's go home." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile. He took my hand in his and we headed out to his car. I was finally free, and I was going to start living my life.

 **Time Jump – Two Years Later**

 **Clary POV:**

Planning a wedding was something that I never wanted to do again. Thankfully marrying Jace was going to be my last wedding, I still didn't enjoy all the details that were going into it. Especially with his best friend Izzy being a super crazy wedding planner. It isn't her real job, but she takes is super seriously. I loved the girl and all, but she was crazy, and it made this whole process even more stressful.

Thankfully the wedding was this weekend, so most of the details were done, it was just about last minute things that needed to be completed. Nothing too drastic. When I was getting my nails done, when I was getting my wax done. When i would go pick up my dress from the steamers. Every last minute detail was getting done at the last possible second so everything would be perfect. I wanted this day to be perfect because Jace deserved it, and so did I.

I was at home cooking dinner when I heard the door open. I knew it was Jace by the way he was dragging his feet. He's been going crazy at work lately, and he came home most nights exhausted. I couldn't imagine running a company, and I'm glad it wasn't my job.

"Hey." He said when he sat down at the island.

"Long day?" I asked and he nodded. "Well, I made your favorite." I said as I put them in front of him.

"You know the way to my heart." Jace said and I smiled. "I'm so glad this was my last day of work."

"You deserve the break." I said and he smiled.

"I just can't wait to be on our honeymoon, far away from this place." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile. I was excited too.

"Only 4 more days." I beamed and he smiled too.

"I can't wait to call you my wife." Jace said and my heart fluttered.

"I can't wait to have a last name again. One that I'm proud of." I said and he reached his hands over to mine.

"And you will be the most amazing Mrs. Herondale there is." Jace smiled and I wanted to cry right then and there.

Being Homeless was one of the hardest thing's I've ever been through, but second to that was not having a true identity. My given name was laced with too many expectations. My first married name was full of hatred and disrespect. My new name would be filled with more love than I can even begin to describe, and for that I couldn't wait to be married.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Sooooooo, I might not make it to 200. I might stop before that because I literally have no desire to write these anymore. I'm still on the fence though. I just don't have much inspiration for more stories, and I wish that I did. We'll see. Let me know what you think and leave a review!**


	151. Chapter 149 - Lost Photograph

**One Hundred and Forty Nine**

 **Lost Photograph**

 **Jace POV:**

There are so many instances that are talked about on a daily basis about fate and destiny and all that stuff that I thought was complete and utter nonsense. I truly didn't believe in it because I couldn't get past my parents death. How could something like that be fate? Was I destined to become an orphan so young? Was that their fate from the beginning? I simply couldn't wrap my head around it.

I could have ended up so much worse in life, I know that. My foster family are some of the nicest people I've ever met, and they truly did everything in their power to make me feel like I was apart of the family. But that doesn't mean I forgot all about my parents. I could never do that. They were everything to me for so long, and I wish they could see the man that I am today, the father I am today, the husband, the brother. I just wish I could share everything I've accomplished in life with them, but I can't, I just hope I make them proud every single day. That's all I really can do.

Today was a normal day for me. I was getting ready to go into work, and Clary was getting ready to spend the day with Izzy and our little boy. I was in the mirror tying my tie when Clary walked out of the closet holding something in her hand.

"Hey, what do you have there?" I asked not taking my eyes off the work I was doing with my tie.

"Where did you get this?" She asked and I turned around to look at her. I walked over to her as I saw the picture that I found all those years ago.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 ** _Jace – Age 7_**

 _My parents decided to take a weekend trip to New York City. I've never been before, and I just kept talking about the huge skyscrapers, so as a end of summer gift, they surprised me. I was super excited. It was the first time I was ever going on a airplane, and my first time in a big city._

 _Today we were going to Central Park. It wasn't the most exciting place in the world, but I wanted to be able to say that I went there once. My mom decided we were going to have a picnic, and I was really excited. She had a tight grip on my hand – her biggest fear was that I was going to get lost – as we made it to the perfect spot, my parents set up the blanket._

 _I stayed close but I wanted to explore a little, and as long as I was in my mom's line of sight, I was fine._

 _I was walking around the base of a tree when I saw a piece of white paper sticking out from underneath a large branch. Curiously I bent down and picked it up. It wasn't a piece of paper, but a photo. The girl in the photo looked younger than me, and she had the brightest red hair I've ever seen. It was pretty picture; she was smiling the widest grin I've ever seen, and she was in a cute sundress._

 _"Jonathan! Come get some lunch!" I heard my mom yell. I stuffed the picture in my pocket and ran over to my mom. I took a seat on the ground and picked up the grilled cheese that she made before we came here. The photo completely forgotten as I enjoyed the day with my parents.  
_ _ **End of Flashback**_

 **Jace POV:**

"I found that when I was a little boy." I explained as I looked at the picture with a fond smile on my face. "I found it in Central Park one day and just kept it. Why do you ask?" I wondered.

"I lost this picture when I was 6 years old." She said and I think my jaw hit the ground. "I got them done for my birthday, and my mom handed this one to me, but the wind knocked it out of my hand." She explained. "You kept this?"

"Yea." I said completely dumbfounded. "I don't know what compelled me too, but the day I found it I stuck it in my pocket." I said. "I almost threw it away though." I admitted as I thought back to when I rediscovered the picture.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 ** _Jace – 13 Years Old_**

 _I was packing up the rest of my room as I prepared to move in with my foster family. In my parents will it says that they are my godparents, and if anything were to happen to them I would go with them, the only problem? I've never met them before. I had to leave my life in Oregon to go live in New York. I loved it there, but that didn't mean I wanted to go live there._

 _I already lost my parents, and now I have to leave my friends, my school, everything I've ever known. It was a lot of change to process in the short week and a half since my parents murder to wrap my head around the whole thing._

 _I only had one drawer left to pack. I opened it up and grabbed the few books that I stashed in there. I put them all in the box, but something caught my eye. I reached in and pulled out the old photograph I found all those years ago. I couldn't help but try and picture what she looked like now. I took a deep breath and looked at the trash bag, and than back at the picture. After a moment I shoved the picture in one of my books and closed the box._

 _"Jace!" I heard someone call. "We need to leave now." It was my social worker. She was nice enough, but kinda stressed, so she wasn't into lollygagging these days._

 _I walked down the stairs with my last box, and the man who my new foster family hired to drive me across country grabbed it and put it in the truck. He than got in the drivers seat and waited for me to enter._

 _"Thank you." I said as I faced my social worker. "For everything you've done for me the past week and a half." I said and she looked taken aback._

 _"I think that's the first 'thank you' I've ever received." She said sounding astonished._

 _"You helped me a lot, and I appreciate you being in contact with my foster family, and with the moving." I explained. My parents always taught me that no matter how big or small, if someone does something for you, they deserve recognition for that action._

 _"You are very welcome Jonathan." She said. "I know you've had a really tough week, and I can't imagine what you're going through, but the Lightwood's seem like a great family, and I hope that you can let them in." She said._

 _"I'll try my best." I said truthfully._

 _"Hodge is probably wanting to get on the road soon." She said and I nodded. "It was great meeting you, but I hope that you find a home with the Lightwood's so I don't have to see you ever again." She laughed and I smiled a little and nodded._

 _"Bye Ms. Dorothea." I said as I waved. I got in the front of the truck and Hodge started it up._

 _"Hope you're ready for a long ride kid." He said and I simply nodded. We pulled out of my driveway and that was the last time I saw my childhood home._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

 **Jace POV:**

"This is insane." She said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"You're telling me." I said as I took a seat on our bed. "Who would have thought when I was 7 years old, I would find a picture of my future wife."

"And you never believed in destiny." She teased and I pulled her into my lap.

"I'm still skeptical, but this is insane." I said and she laughed. She looked at the picture, and I could tell she was thinking about something important. "What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" I asked and she smiled.

"This is just the only picture I have from my childhood." She said and I nodded. "I lost everything in that house fire when I was a teenager. But just like always, you are giving me a little piece of myself back." She said and I kissed her shoulder.

"Well, my 7 year old self certainly wasn't thinking about that when I stuffed that picture in my pocket." I added, and she laughed.

"I was wondering why it was a little crinkled." She said and I smiled. And that's when we both heard the baby cries. Clary got off my lap and went into the nursery. A few moments later, she was back, with a happy little baby in her arms. "This little boy knows exactly how to get our attention." She said. "I walked right in there and he was all smiles."

"He's a smart one, that's for sure." I said as Clary handed him over to me.

"We're having dinner with the Lightwood's tonight, so after work just head over there. Bentley and I will already be there." She explained.

"I think I would be a walking disaster without you." I said and she laughed.

"No. I _know_ you would be a walking disaster without me. Honestly Jace, I thought maybe it was just a college thing, with balancing academics, with sports, but you walk around like a chicken with your head cut off all the time." She laughed as she got dressed and I couldn't help but smile.

"That's what makes us perfect for each other." I said. "You're my brain." I said and she came out of the closet laughing.

"Someone has to be in charge of that organ." She said and I leaned over and gave her a kiss before handing Bentley back.

"I'll see you two later." I said. "I love you."

"I love you too." She said and I gave her and Bentley one more kiss.

"I love you too buddy." I said and he just giggled. I grabbed my stuff and headed towards the car. Every morning went something like this, and every morning I couldn't get the smile off my face as I made my way to the office. I don't know where I would be if I didn't meet Clary in college. I really don't.

 ** _Flashback_**

 ** _Jace – Freshman In College_**

 _Another class done, another boring lecture out of the way. I never really liked school, I was good at it, but I didn't enjoy it at all. I knew I needed to go to college, and when I was approached in high school about playing baseball in college, it made it more appealing. So I was in a baseball scholarship, and I was really looking forward to playing at the collegiate level._

 _Although baseball isn't until the spring, it was nice that the team worked out, and played small games with each other all year long. It gave all of us time to get to know each other, and also gave us something to do to stay in shape that wasn't just being in the gym lifting weights._

 _The team was pretty cool, and I got along well with a lot of the guys on the team, so I was pretty excited to actually start playing with them. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, so when someone slammed into me, I was brought back to reality, and there on the ground was a petite redhead who I knocked over._

 _"Oh god, I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." I said as I bent down to help her pick her things up._

 _"Don't worry about it. Neither was I." She said as she looked up and my eyes locked with her crystal clear emerald green ones. After a moment, I shook my head and continued to gather her things and we both stood up. "Thanks." She said._

 _"No problem, and I'm sorry again." I said and she smiled._

 _"It's no big deal." She said. "I live with my head in the clouds the majority of the time, so I'm impressed I don't run into more people." She said and I couldn't help but laugh._

 _"I'm Jace." I introduced myself as I held out my hand._

 _"Clary." She took it and I couldn't help but notice out well our hands fit together. We stayed like that for a moment until she took her hand away. "I have class, so I should get going." She said._

 _"Can I walk you?" I said immediately, and I noticed that she blushed._

 _"I'm sure you have better things to do." She said._

 _"I have absolutely nothing else to do today." I said and she smiled._

 _"Than yea, I could use the company." She said and I nodded. We began walking to class in a comfortable silence until she broke it. "So, you don't sound like you're from New York." She said and I laughed._

 _"I'm originally from Oregon." I explained. "But when I was a teen I had to come live with my god parents, and they lived here."_

 _"Why is that?" She asked without a thought. "Oh god, if it's too personal, you don't have to tell me." She immediately said, looing somewhat embarrassed._

 _"No, it's okay." I reassured her. I don't know why, but I felt like I could disclose this information to her. "When I was 13 my parents were killed, and I didn't have any blood relatives, so my god parents were the next best thing."_

 _"Oh wow. I'm so sorry." She said._

 _"It was a long time ago." I said trying to act like it still didn't sting a little._

 _"I don't know what it feels like to lose my parents, but when I was 16 my entire house burned to the ground, so I get what it feels like to lose a huge chunk of your life." She explained, and although the two incidents are completely unrelated, I knew what she was trying to say, and it actually meant a lot to me._

 _"Yea, but you move on." I said. "You have too." We stopped walking in front of the building she was most likely going into._

 _"Thanks for walking me." She said and I smiled. "Maybe I'll see you around?"_

 _"I would like that." I said. She gave me one last smile before walking into the building and I made my way back to the dorms. Something about her felt a little nostalgic. Like I've known her all my life, and it was good feeling to have._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

 **Time Jump – Later that Day**

 **Clary POV:**

Izzy and I almost spend at least one day a week together with the kids. Although I was a stay at home mom, Izzy wasn't, so finding time to get together was sometimes really hard, but Bentley and Laken were the cutest little cousins in the world, and they loved seeing each other. Or at least, I think they do. Both of them aren't even a year old yet, but with the amount of giggling that goes on, I think it's safe to assume that they enjoy each other.

Today was just a low-key kind of day, and we were in Izzy's backyard with the kiddie pool blown up, and the kids were each on their own little basket so they didn't drown, and Izzy and I were sitting around the pool with our feet in.

"So, how has Simon been lately?" I asked Izzy.

"He's good." She said a little somberly. I knew she missed him. "He said he should be done within the next week or two and heading back." She explained. "I hate when he gets called to fix other businesses, especially when they are across the country."

"I know, but at least he's almost done with that part of the job." I pointed out.

"Thank god for that promotion." She smiled. "I think I would have bitch slapped his boss if he sent him on another month long mission."

"I'm glad he's going to be staying around more." I said and she smiled.

"Me too." She agreed. "How's Jace? I feel like I don't see him enough." She said and I laughed.

"He's busy." I said. "But this case he's working on is almost done. He'll be at dinner tonight." I told her.

"Did you think he would be the one you'd marry?" Izzy asked me. "I mean, when he told us about you, I was stunned. Jace never told us about anyone before you. Not friends, not girlfriends, not anyone. Of course being in school together I saw him interact with people, but he never brought anyone around our family." She said and I laughed.

"Honestly, I thought I made the worst impression on you guys, and I was planning on Jace never speaking to me again after that." I said and we both started laughing as I remembered the first time I met his family.

 ** _Flashback:_**

 ** _Clary – Freshman in College_**

 _College wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but I was enjoying it a lot. But if you told me when I started, that I would be sitting at a baseball game watching a guy who has become a really good friend, but also the biggest crush I've ever had, I would have told you that you were crazy._

 _Jace and I got along really well, which I didn't expect. I was your normal art geek, and he was super athletic, and everyone at the school either wanted to be his friend or date him. I couldn't blame them though. He was hot. Which just made me more nervous around him. Especially because I was never the girl who was friends with the most popular guy in high school._

 _Baseball might be the American pastime, but I'm not going to lie and say that I understood all the rules. I never went to football games, or baseball games, or any social event in high school, and I wasn't really sure what to do at this one. So I just sat alone and watched Jace. I knew the basics (after looking them up). Jace was the second baseman. He was a left-handed batter, and he threw with his left hand as well. I knew what a homerun was, a single, double, triple, but when it came to all the little details, I just let them slide._

 _The game was pretty good actually. Our team was winning by 3 runs, and it didn't look like the other team was going to be getting those three runs anyway. So I sat at watched as our team won, and the celebrated. It was always nice to start out with a winning game. The fans stood up and greeted their friends or family on the team, but I stayed seated for a little while. I saw Jace approach his family and give them all hugs. He was smiling, so I knew he was happy._

 _"Clary!" He called, so I made my way off the bleachers over to where he was standing. "I'm glad you came." He said as he gave me a hug._

 _"Me too." I said as we broke apart. "It was a good game."_

 _"Well Clary, this is my family." He said as he pointed to the group. "Maryse, Robert, Alec, Izzy, and that little guy is Max." He said as he pointed each of them out._

 _"I'm not that little!" The boy retorted and everyone just laughed. He opened his Naruto and I could see the confused look on his face as he tried to figure it out._

 _"Word of advice Max." I said and he looked up at me. "Naruto reads from right to left." I said and he looked back at the pages._

 _"That makes so much sense!" He explained before he went back to the beginning and started reading, and I couldn't help but smile._

 _"We were going to go out to dinner, would you like to join?" Jace asked._

 _"I wish I could, but I have a project due Wednesday, that I haven't even started." I admitted and they all laughed. "So I should probably get on that."_

 _"Okay." He said. "See you Monday?"_

 _"Of course." I said. "And great game again. That thing you did, with the…yea. It was cool." I stumbled and I honestly wanted to throw myself off a bridge._

 _"The unassisted triple play?" He said and I just nodded because I didn't know what that meant. "Thanks."_

 _"Yea. Well, bye." I waved shortly and started walking away. The entire way back to my dorm I was practically cursing myself. I sounded like such an idiot. Why did I have to open my mouth?_

 ** _End of Flashback_**

"I thought it was great." Izzy said and I was pulled out of my memory. "It was nice to just see Jace like a normal girl."

"I'm guessing I wasn't his type in high school?" I asked and she laughed.

"He had a type. Dumb blondes, tall, huge boobs, and a huge attitude." She explained.

"Why though?" I asked curiously.

"I really don't know." She said. "I think it has to do with the fact that they were easy for him to attract. He's one of the most attractive guys I've ever seen. And he's always been that way. When he first moved in with us, I had a tiny crush." She admitted and I laughed. "There wasn't a girl in our high school that didn't want to date him."

"Really makes me wonder why he chose me. Of all people." I wondered out loud.

"Because unlike his other 'girlfriends', I'm not even sure you can call them that, but unlike them, his voice would emote so much happiness when he talked about you, and just seeing him interact with you was something I never saw before." She explained. "He wasn't happy for a long time, and when he met you, that all changed."

"He did the same thing for me too." I said. "I wasn't popular in high school, and I didn't really care either, but everyone made me feel out of place but once Jace and I started getting close he just made me feel less freaky and less lonely."

"That's why you two are perfect together." She smiled.

"You want to know something really freaky?" I asked her remembering what happened this morning.

"Of course!" She said.

"I was getting ready this morning, and you know how much of a bookworm Jace is." I said and she nodded. "Well, one of his books fell off the shelf in our closet, so I picked it up and a picture fell out." I said. "The picture was of me when I was 6 years old."

"Get the hell out of here." She said astounded.

"It was the craziest thing. He found it when he was 7 years old in Central Park." I told her.

"That's insane. And he kept it?" She asked.

"Yea. He said he didn't know why, but something compelled him to keep it." I explained.

"Wow." She said. "That's like fate or something."

"Honestly Iz, it really freaked me out." I admitted. "Not in a bad way, just in a really other worldly way."

"The fact that he found that picture, and you two are now married and have a family, is the most insane thing to me." She said and I nodded. Laken started to fuss, and Izzy and I decided that it was time to be done with the pool. We got them out, and got them into the bath. I always enjoyed my time with Izzy, and the kids. I have such a great life, and I really couldn't ask for anything better.

 **Time Jump – Later That Night**

 **Jace POV:**

After the conversation I had with Clary this morning, I wanted to do something special for our anniversary. We had this deal that the only time we were allowed to get each other an expensive gift was for birthdays. When it came to holidays and anniversaries, we just got each other sentimental gifts, or tiny little trinkets.

This year for our anniversary, now that I knew that picture was her, I was going to get it restored and framed for her. I knew that the fire that destroyed everything for her was truly devastating, and she didn't show it, but not being able to have pictures to show our son, or jus to reminisce about really hurt her, and this was something I could give back to her, and not just in the form of a crumpled picture, but in a nicely framed picture that I know will mean a lot to her.

I still remember when she told me how the fire started, and how devastating it really was for her, and it just made me so much more in awe of how strong she was.

 ** _Flashback_**

 ** _Jace – Sophomore in College_**

 _In the last year or so of knowing Clary, I learned a lot about myself. She was a girl that I wanted to be with all the time, and I never felt like that before. I look forward to every time I get to hang out with her, and when I see her at my games, I just want to play so much harder for her._

 _We were in the library studying, well Clary was working on a sketch she needs for class, but we were doing work like we always did together, but when I looked up Clary looked conflicted. Her face was covered in a painful expression, and her fingers were nervously tapping on the desk._

 _"Hey, you okay?" I asked and she looked up._

 _"Uh, yea. I'm fine." She said, but I didn't believe her for a second._

 _"I can tell you are not fine Clary." I said and she sighed. "What's going on?"_

 _"We have to draw a time in our life that was the most difficult." She explained. "The only time in my life that was hard was the fire, but I can't bring myself to draw it."_

 _"Why not?" I asked curiously._

 _"I guess part of me doesn't want to relive it." She said as she placed the pencil down. "My mom got injured in the fire." She started._

 _"You don't have to talk about this if it's too painful Clary." I told her, but she just shook her head._

 _"I honestly thought I lost her for a second, and everything in me felt like it died as well." She continued. "She's the only person I've ever had in my life. I never knew my father, I don't have any siblings, and I didn't have any friends." She explained. "It was always me and my mom against the world, and when I thought she wasn't going to make it, I panicked."_

 _"But she's okay right?" I asked._

 _"Yea." She said. "She had some severe burns on her legs that kept her in the hospital, and she had to go to physical therapy to get proper motion back in her legs, but she made it." She explained._

 _"That's great." I said._

 _"Yea, but the hospital bills really cleaned us out." She said. "We lived in a sleazy motel that was used for prostitution, and drug deals." She said and I could just see her reliving it in her head. "It was the lowest we've ever been. I got a job so that I could pay the motel bills so my mom could focus on her recovery, but lots of places that pay well aren't exactly respectable." She hinted._

 _"What did you end up doing?" I asked curiously._

 _"You're going to hate me." She whispered, but I knew there was nothing in the world she could have done to make me hate her. I reached across the desk and took her hand in mine._

 _"I could never hate you Clary." I said, but she still looked so sad._

 _"There was a gentleman's club down the street from the motel." She started. "I went there at first to be a waitress, but I realized soon after I was hired that being a waitress, and being a dancer there was one in the same." She shivered at the memory. "Turns out they had been looking for a redhead for a long time, and they were willing to pay me under the table so that no one would find out I was only 16." She continued. "So I did that until I was out of high school."_

 _"There is nothing wrong with doing the unconventional in order to survive." I told her honestly. "Sometimes life gets hard, and decisions have to be made."_

 _"I was honestly ashamed of what I was doing to get money, but we needed it if we didn't want to live on the streets." She said and I nodded. I totally understood why she did what she did. "But our lives just kept getting worse."_

 _"How so?" I asked._

 _"When a house catches fire, they investigate to see what the cause was." She said. "When they investigated our house, they found that it was an arson case."_

 _"Someone set your house on fire?" I asked and she nodded._

 _"We were in court for almost 2 years trying to prove it." She said._

 _"And did you?" I asked._

 _"Yea." She said. "Apparently a guy my mom went to college with was in love with her, but she rejected him for my dad, and he wasn't happy about it." She explained. "So he found an opportunity to get back at us, and he took it."_

 _"That's fucked up." I said._

 _"I'm thankful that my mom and I survived it, but I lost everything. My clothes, my pictures, my whole life was now in ashes, and it took us a long time to recover from it." She said._

 _"I can't imagine going through something like that." I said honestly._

 _"I just can't draw that." She said._

 _"Well, the assignment is pretty vague." I pointed out._

 _"What do you mean?" She asked._

 _"You have to draw the hardest time in your life." I said and she nodded. "But it doesn't specify that you have to draw that exact moment. Why don't you use something positive you got out of the hardest time in your life." I suggested._

 _"Like what?" She asked._

 _"You went through hell, but you went through it with the person who means the world to you." I said thinking about my own life. "You survived, and so did your mom. So draw something positive that came out of the negative."_

 _"That's actually a really good idea." She said as she picked up her pencil and flipped the page in her sketchbook. "Oh, and Jace." She said and I looked up from my textbook. "I know you thought about your parents when you said that." She said and I nodded. She was really good at reading me. "I think they would be really proud of how you handled what life threw at you." She smiled._

 _"Thanks." I said. She nodded and went back to drawing. Going through hell was hard enough, but doing it alone was probably the hardest part about it, and I was glad Clary didn't have to do that part._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

 **Jace POV:**

Everything Clary has ever told me about her life just made me admire her that much more as a person. She was the strongest woman I've ever met, and I think that's what attracted me to her even more. She was beautiful, smart, funny, and so resilient. Most people would have given up if they were in her shoes, but she didn't, and that impressed the hell out of me.

I finally pulled up to the Lightwood house, and got out. I threw my tie in the backseat, and I made my way into the house. I could hear children playing, and light conversation. When I reached the living room, everyone was gathered around talking. I made my way over to Clary and kissed her on the top of the head.

"Hey, you're here sooner than I thought." She said.

"Yea. Court ended early today." I told her.

"So Jace, Clary told me something interesting today." Izzy said.

"Oh yea, what's that?" I asked as I sat down on the armrest of the couch.

"She told me about the photo." Izzy said.

"Yes. Crazy isn't it?" I asked and she nodded in agreement.

"What photo?" Maryse asked.

"When I was 7, my parents brought me here for a weekend. I always wanted to visit, and they made it happen." I said. "We were in Central Park and I was walking around a tree, and I found a picture. It was of a little girl, and I just liked it. So I stuffed it in my pocket and went about my day." I explained. "But I kept it. For some reason, I couldn't throw it away. This morning Clary found the picture in an old book I haven't opened in years."

"Which brings up the point of why do we still have it?" Clary interrupts and I just laughed.

"Because I'm a hoarder." I simply said and she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Clary found the picture, and it turns out that it's her."

"No way." Maryse said.

"Way." Clary said. "It was from when I was 6. My mom got them for my birthday, and she gave me one to look at, and the wind took it away from me." She explained.

"That's insane." Alec commented.

"I know." Clary and I said together.

"That's incredible." Maryse said. "And you two are married."

"Trust me, it's incredibly mind blowing that I found a picture of her when I was 7, and now we're married." I said and they all nodded. I couldn't wait for her gift to be finished and to give her a little more back than an old crinkled picture.

 **Time Jump – Anniversary**

 **Clary POV:**

It was Jace and I's anniversary tonight, and I couldn't wait to have a night alone with him. Bentley is spending the night at the Lightwood's and Jace and I were finally going to be able to have that one on one time we were in need of.

I had just finished putting the finishing touches on when I heard the door to our bedroom open. I looked behind me and there stood Jace. Black suit, black tie, and looking more and more handsome as the years pass.

"You look amazing." Jace smiled.

"I figured our first night out in months deserved a little more dressing up than others." I said and he laughed.

"Are you ready?" Jace asked and I nodded. I grabbed my purse and we made our way out to the car. It was waiting there for us, and we slid in the back seat.

"You really went all out." I said as I looked at how nice this car really was.

"It's our 7 year wedding anniversary. I figured why not splurge." Jace said and I laughed.

"I can't even imagine what you're going to plan on the 10th anniversary." I said and he just laughed. We made our way to the restaurant and were seated immediately in an intimate room, where nobody could bother us. The waiter immediately brought us over a bottle of wine and poured it before leaving.

"To us." Jace said and I couldn't help but smile.

"To us." I agreed and we clinked glasses. We both took a sip before he put his glass down.

"I have a surprise for you." Jace said as he got up and went to the far wall and grabbed something. He placed it right in front of me.

"What is this?" I asked curiously.

"Why don't you open it?" Jace said and I laughed and began to tear away the paper. When I finished I couldn't help but gasp. "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it Jace. It's perfect." I said and the tears started to form in my eyes. "Thank you."

"Its crazy to think that a Lost Photograph I found when I was a kid was of the woman I was going to marry. But I can't help but think that maybe we were meant to be together." Jace said with the biggest smile on his face. He kneeled down in front of me and kissed my hands. "I love you Clary."

"I love you more than I can explain Jace." I said as I pressed my lips to his.

Life has a funny way of working itself out, but I wouldn't want it to be any other way than it is right now.

 **Authors Note:**

 **Before I get into how I came to write this story, I want to say that anyone who has anything negative to say, STOP READING MY STORIES! Personally I don't care what you have to negatively say, but it's annoying to read it, so I'd appreciate it if you just didn't read my things.**

 **Any-hoo, I found this story on my computer from over a year ago and forgot I even started it, and when I reread it, I knew I had to post it. I know I lost my inspiration for these stories, but I am one determined girl, so I'm gonna stick it out until I reach 200, so bare with me while I get there. Let me know how you positive people like it, and let me know!**


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